bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic factors for persistent obstructive symptoms in patients with Hirschsprung disease following pull-through
Authors: Balela Naisya , Fauzi Aditya Rifqi , Nugroho Ninditya , Dwihantoro Andi , Gunadi
Published: September 2023

Background

Although most patients with Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) improve after pull-through, some patients still have persistent obstructive symptoms. Most previous studies reported persistent obstructive symptoms after pull-through in HSCR patients from developed countries. Our study determined the prognostic factors of persistent obstructive symptoms in patients with HSCR following pull-through from a particular developing country.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using medical records of patients with HSCR at our institution from January 2017 to January 2022.

Results

We ascertained 114 patients with HSCR: 79 males and 35 females. Most of them (90.4%) showed a short aganglionosis and underwent transanal endorectal pull-through (55.3%). Twenty-two percent of patients showed persistent obstructive symptoms following pull-through. Operative technique and age at definitive surgery were significantly associated with the persistent obstructive symptoms after pull-through (p = 0.011 and 0.019, respectively), while sex, aganglionic segment length, presence of global developmental delay, and Down syndrome were not (p = 0.873, 0.525, 0.647, and 0.301, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that age at pull-through was a significant independent factor for persistent obstructive symptoms after pull-through, with an odds ratio of 3.41 (95% CI = 1.18–9.91; p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Our study shows a moderate frequency of persistent obstructive symptoms after pull-through in our institution. In addition, patients who underwent pull-throughs at a younger age might have persistent obstructive symptoms following a definitive surgery. Our study provides new data on persistent obstructive symptoms after pull-through from a particular population that might be beneficial for pediatric surgeons’ consideration before performing definitive surgery on patients with HSCR.
Differences in perceptions and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination between vaccine hesitant and non-hesitant persons
Authors: Naranjo Diana , Kimball Elisabeth , Nelson Jeanette , Samore Matthew , Alder Stephen C. , Stroupe Kevin , Evans Charlesnika T. , Weaver Frances M. , Ray Cara , Kale Ibuola , Galyean Patrick O. , Zickmund Susan
Published: September 2023

Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccination becomes more critical as new variants continue to evolve and the United States (US) attempts to move from pandemic response to management and control. COVID-19 stands out in the unique way it has polarized patients and generated sustained vaccine hesitancy over time. We sought to understand differences in perceptions and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination between vaccine hesitant and non-hesitant patients, with the goal of informing communication and implementation strategies to increase uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in Veteran and non-Veteran communities. This qualitative study used interview data from focus groups conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the University of Utah; all focus groups were conducted using the same script March-July 2021. Groups included forty-six United States Veterans receiving care at 28 VA facilities across the country and 166 non-Veterans across Utah for a total of 36 one-hour focus groups. We identified perceptions and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination through qualitative analysis of focus group participant remarks, grouping connections with identified themes within domains developed based on the questions asked in the focus group guide. Responses suggest participant attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine were shaped primarily by vaccine attitude changes over time, impacted by perceived vaccine benefits, risks, differing sources of vaccine information and political ideology. Veterans appeared more polarized, being either largely non-hesitant, or hesitant, whereas non-Veterans had a wider range of hesitancy, with more participants identifying minor doubts and concerns about receiving the vaccine, or simply being altogether unsure about receiving it. Development of COVID-19 vaccine communication strategies in Veteran and non-Veteran communities should anticipate incongruous sources of information and explicitly target community differences in perceptions of risks and benefits associated with the vaccine to generate candid discussions and repair individuals’ trust. We believe this could accelerate vaccine acceptance over time.
Periodontal disease and subsequent risk of cardiovascular outcome and all-cause mortality: A meta-analysis of prospective studies
Authors: Guo Xiangyu , Li Xue , Liao Chunjuan , Feng Xingyu , He Tao
Published: September 2023

Studies reported periodontal disease (PD) periodontal disease is associated with many systemic diseases, including cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality. However, the precise mechanistic link for these relationship remained unclear. We therefore performed a meta-analysis of cohort studies to investigate the association of PD with the risk of cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality. We systematically searched the databases of PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane library to identify eligible studies until April 2023. The investigated outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), coronary heart disease (CHD), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, cardiac death, and all-cause mortality. The summary relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the random-effects model. Thirty-nine cohort studies with 4,389,263 individuals were selected for final meta-analysis. We noted PD were associated with elevated risk of MACEs (RR: 1.24; 95%CI: 1.15–1.34;P<0.001), CHD (RR: 1.20; 95%CI: 1.12–1.29;P<0.001), MI (RR: 1.14; 95%CI: 1.06–1.22;P= 0.001), stroke (RR: 1.26; 95%CI: 1.15–1.37;P<0.001), cardiac death (RR: 1.42; 95%CI: 1.10–1.84;P= 0.007), and all-cause mortality (RR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.07–1.61;P= 0.010). Sensitivity analyses indicated the pooled conclusions for cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality are robustness. The associations of PD with the risk of ardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality could affected by region, study design, PD definition, follow-up duration, and study quality. This study found the risk of cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality were elevated in PD patients, and the intervention for PD should be applied to prevent the risk of cardiovascular outcomes.
The impact of the early COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare system resource use and costs in two provinces in Canada: An interrupted time series analysis
Authors: Zeitouny Seraphine , Cheung Douglas C. , Bremner Karen E. , Pataky Reka E. , Pequeno Priscila , Matelski John , Peacock Stuart , Del Giudice M. Elisabeth , Lapointe-Shaw Lauren , Tomlinson George , Mendlowitz Andrew B. , Mulder Carol , Tsui Teresa C. O. , Perlis Nathan , Walker Jennifer D. , Sander Beate , Wong William W. L. , Krahn Murray D. , Kulkarni Girish S.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The aim of our study was to assess the initial impact of COVID-19 on total publicly-funded direct healthcare costs and health services use in two Canadian provinces, Ontario and British Columbia (BC).

Methods

This retrospective repeated cross-sectional study used population-based administrative datasets, linked within each province, from January 1, 2018 to December 27, 2020. Interrupted time series analysis was used to estimate changes in the level and trends of weekly resource use and costs, with March 16–22, 2020 as the first pandemic week. Also, in each week of 2020, we identified cases with their first positive SARS-CoV-2 test and estimated their healthcare costs until death or December 27, 2020.

Results

The resources with the largest level declines (95% confidence interval) in use in the first pandemic week compared to the previous week were physician services [Ontario: -43% (-49%,-37%); BC: -24% (-30%,-19%) (both p<0.001)] and emergency department visits [Ontario: -41% (-47%,-35%); BC: -29% (-35%,-23%) (both p<0.001)]. Hospital admissions declined by 27% (-32%,-23%) in Ontario and 21% (-26%,-16%) in BC (both p<0.001). Resource use subsequently rose but did not return to pre-pandemic levels. Only home care and dialysis clinic visits did not significantly decrease compared to pre-pandemic. Costs for COVID-19 cases represented 1.3% and 0.7% of total direct healthcare costs in 2020 in Ontario and BC, respectively.

Conclusions

Reduced utilization of healthcare services in the overall population outweighed utilization by COVID-19 patients in 2020. Meeting the needs of all patients across all services is essential to maintain resilient healthcare systems.
Cultivating a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) community for two-year college student success and persistence
Authors: Leoni Deann , Fleming Tom , McFarland Jenny L.
Published: September 2023

Undergraduate students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) often fail to persist in critical “gateway” courses, resulting in students leaving the STEM pathway. Community college students leave STEM pathways at higher rates than students at universities. Implementation of a program designed to engage community college STEM students and faculty in a community of support was associated with increased persistence in STEM gateway courses and associate degree completion. Program elements included support staff, a STEM study room with peer tutors, faculty advisors, and transfer assistance. Over seven years, 415 students joined this opt-in support program. The majority of students in this program were economically disadvantaged and many were nontraditional college students. Using institutional data we tested the hypothesis that participation in this program was associated with increased student success and persistence in STEM courses and at the college. The mean GPA for students in the program in the ten courses with the highest STEM enrollments was higher (2.89) than that for other students (2.76). Quarter-to-quarter persistence was 87% for program students compared to 67% for non-program students in a matched student population. In STEM gateway courses, program students had between 1.2x to 3.5x greater likelihood than non-program students of progressing to precalculus-2 controlling for first-attempt GPA in precalculus-1. Similar persistence patterns were observed for other gateway STEM courses. Observed persistence for students in the program was higher than comparable groups of students, including persistence for those who experienced early failure in STEM courses. These data suggest students should be supported through early failure to enable persistence in critical STEM sequences, especially in gateway Math and Chemistry courses.
Efficacy and safety of veliparib plus chemotherapy for the treatment of lung cancer: A systematic review of clinical trials
Authors: Daei Sorkhabi Amin , Fazlollahi Asra , Sarkesh Aila , Aletaha Reza , Feizi Hamidreza , Mousavi Seyed Ehsan , Nejadghaderi Seyed Aria , Sullman Mark J. M. , Kolahi Ali-Asghar , Safiri Saeid
Published: September 2023

Background

As a poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, veliparib has been identified as a potential therapeutic agent for lung cancer. The present study aimed to conduct a systematic review of clinical trials investigating the efficacy and safety of veliparib for treating lung cancer.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, the Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched up to October 30, 2022. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy or safety of veliparib in the treatment of lung cancer patients were included. Studies were excluded if they were not RCTs, enrolled healthy participants or patients with conditions other than lung cancer, or investigated therapeutic approaches other than veliparib. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used for quality assessment.

Results

The seven RCTs (n = 2188) showed that patients treated with a combination of veliparib and chemotherapy had a significantly higher risk of adverse events, when compared to the control arm. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival (OS) between those treated with veliparib plus chemotherapy and those receiving the standard therapies. Only two trials demonstrated an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), and only one study found an increase in objective response rate (ORR). Furthermore, adding veliparib to standard chemotherapy showed no benefit in extending the duration of response (DoR) in any of the studies.

Conclusions

Only a small number of studies have found veliparib to be effective, in terms of improved OS, PFS, and ORR, while the majority of studies found no benefit for veliparib over standard treatment.
Changes in anxiety and depression levels and meat intake following recognition of low genetic risk for high body mass index, triglycerides, and lipoproteins: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lee Ga Young , Chung Kyong-Mee , Lee Junghak , Kim Jeong-Han , Han Sung Nim
Published: September 2023

Background

Psychological status affects dietary intake, and recognizing genetic information can lead to behavior changes by influencing psychological factors such as anxiety or depression.

Objectives

In this study, we examined the effects of disclosing genetic information on anxiety or depression levels and the association between these psychological factors and dietary intake.

Methods

A total of 100 healthy adults were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 65) informed about their genetic test results regarding body mass index and lipid profiles (triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations) and a not-informed control group (CON, n = 35). Based on polygenic risk scores, participants in the intervention group were subclassified into an intervention-low risk (ILR, n = 32) and an intervention-high risk (IHR, n = 33) group. Nutrient and food intakes were assessed via a 3-day dietary record at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Depression and anxiety levels were measured using PHQ-9 and GAD-7 questionnaires, and the relative levels of blood metabolites were measure using GC-MS/MS analysis.

Results

Noticeable changes in dietary intake as well as psychological factors were observed in male subjects, with those perceiving their genetic risks as low (ILR) showing a significant increase in protein intake at 3 months compared to baseline (ILR: 3.9 ± 1.4, p<0.05). Meat intake also increased significantly in males in the ILR group at 3 months, but not in the IHR and CON groups (ILR: 49.4 ± 30.8, IHR: -52.2 ± 25.4, CON: -5.3 ± 30.3 g/d). ILR group showed a significant decrease in anxiety levels at 3 months, and their anxiety scores showed a negative association with meat intake (standardized β = -0.321, p<0.05). The meat intake at 3 months was associated with the relative levels of arginine and ornithine (standardized β = 0.452, p<0.05 and standardized β = 0.474, p<0.05, respectively).

Conclusions

Taken together, anxiety levels were decreased in male subjects who perceived their genetic risk to be low, and the decrease in anxiety levels was associated with an increase in meat intake. This suggests that recognizing genetic information may affect psychological factors and dietary intake.
Development and validation of parental knowledge, attitude and practice in eye problem among children questionnaire (PEPC-KAPQ)
Authors: Ghani Nor Diyana Hani , Abd Rahman Mohd Harimi , Mohamad Fadzil Norliza , Mohammed Zainora , Mohd Rasdi Hanif Farhan , Shafie Nur Syafiqah
Published: September 2023

Background

Most eye problems among children can be detected and treated at an early age to reduce the prevalence of visual impairment. Understanding the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among parents about common children’s eye problems is fundamental to encourage parents to seek early eye care services for their children. This study aims to develop a Parental Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in Eye Problem among Children Questionnaire (PEPC-KAPQ) and evaluate its psychometric properties.

Methods

This study involved developing a questionnaire and was conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from July 2021 until June 2022. The questionnaire was developed based on a literature review and expert consultation. The first phase includes a systematic literature review to generate the items for the questionnaire. A group of five panels was then invited to perform content validity for the questionnaire. Face validity was conducted among ten parents to get feedback for the questionnaire. Construct validity and reliability of the questionnaire were measured by which the questionnaire was administered to a total of 134 parents and 64 parents for reliability test.

Result

The final PEPC-KAPQ consists of four main sections: demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practice with 52 items. The content validity index was 0.85 for all domains of KAP. Modified kappa showed excellent value for most items for all domains. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sampling adequacy showed acceptable scores of 0.84, and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity was significant (x2 = 3172.09, p<0.0001). Kuder-Richardson-2 of the domain knowledge was 0.95. Cronbach’s α coefficient of domain attitude and practice were 0.92 and 0.88, respectively and the intraclass correlation of domain attitude and practice were 0.93 and 0.94 respectively. Bland and Altman’s plots show that majority of the data fell within the limits of agreement.

Conclusion

The findings of this validation and reliability study show that the developed questionnaire has a satisfactory psychometric property for measuring the KAP of parents regarding eye problems among children.
Honey gold nanoparticles attenuate the secretion of IL-6 by LPS-activated macrophages
Authors: Duncan John Benjamin W. , Basu Swarna , Vivekanand Pavithra
Published: September 2023

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that coordinates host immune responses to infection. Though essential to the acute phase response, prolonged IL-6-mediated recruitment of mononuclear cells has been implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn’s disease. Accordingly, identifying novel therapeutics that diminish circulating IL-6 levels could benefit individuals suffering from chronic inflammation. In immunocompetent hosts, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) recognition by toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activates the transcription factor NF-κB, driving macrophage production of IL-6. Interestingly, both citrate-stabilized and ‘green’ synthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been shown to modulate the cytokine responses of LPS-activated macrophages. Here we demonstrate that AuNPs, synthesized with commercial and locally sourced honey, downregulate LPS-induced macrophage secretion of IL-6. Compared to LPS-only controls, inhibition of IL-6 levels was observed for all three types of honey AuNPs. The effect was likely driven by honey AuNP-mediated perturbation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, as evidenced by a reduction in the phosphorylation of IκB. Further investigation into the anti-inflammatory properties of honey AuNPs may yield novel therapeutics for the treatment of chronic inflammation.
Dissociation process of polyalanine aggregates by free electron laser irradiation
Authors: Okumura Hisashi , Itoh Satoru G. , Zen Heishun , Nakamura Kazuhiro
Published: September 2023

Polyalanine (polyA) disease-causative proteins with an expansion of alanine repeats can be aggregated. Although curative treatments for polyA diseases have not been explored, the dissociation of polyA aggregates likely reduces the cytotoxicity of polyA. Mid-infrared free electron laser (FEL) successfully dissociated multiple aggregates. However, whether the FEL dissociates polyA aggregates like other aggregates has not been tested. Here, we show that FEL at 6.1 μm experimentally weakened the extent of aggregation of a peptide with 13 alanine repeats (13A), and the irradiated 13A exerted lesser cytotoxicity to neuron-like cells than non-irradiated 13A. Then, we applied molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to follow the dissociation process by FEL. We successfully observed how the intermolecular β-sheet of polyA aggregates was dissociated and separated into monomers with helix structures upon FEL irradiation. After the dissociation by FEL, water molecules inhibited the reformation of polyA aggregates. We recently verified the same dissociation process using FEL-treated amyloid-β aggregates. Thus, a common mechanism underlies the dissociation of different protein aggregates that cause different diseases, polyA disease and Alzheimer’s disease. However, MD simulation indicated that polyA aggregates are less easily dissociated than amyloid-β aggregates and require longer laser irradiation due to hydrophobic alanine repeats.
Comparative genomics of the proteostasis network in extreme acidophiles
Authors: Izquierdo-Fiallo Katherin , Muñoz-Villagrán Claudia , Orellana Omar , Sjoberg Rachid , Levicán Gloria
Published: September 2023

Extreme acidophiles thrive in harsh environments characterized by acidic pH, high concentrations of dissolved metals and high osmolarity. Most of these microorganisms are chemolithoautotrophs that obtain energy from low redox potential sources, such as the oxidation of ferrous ions. Under these conditions, the mechanisms that maintain homeostasis of proteins (proteostasis), as the main organic components of the cells, are of utmost importance. Thus, the analysis of protein chaperones is critical for understanding how these organisms deal with proteostasis under such environmental conditions. In this work, using a bioinformatics approach, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of the genes encoding classical, periplasmic and stress chaperones, and the protease systems. The analysis included 35 genomes from iron- or sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic acidophilic bacteria. The results showed that classical ATP-dependent chaperones, mostly folding chaperones, are widely distributed, although they are sub-represented in some groups. Acidophilic bacteria showed redundancy of genes coding for the ATP-independent holdase chaperones RidA and Hsp20. In addition, a systematically high redundancy of genes encoding periplasmic chaperones like HtrA and YidC was also detected. In the same way, the proteolytic ATPase complexes ClpPX and Lon presented redundancy and broad distribution. The presence of genes that encoded protein variants was noticeable. In addition, genes for chaperones and protease systems were clustered within the genomes, suggesting common regulation of these activities. Finally, some genes were differentially distributed between bacteria as a function of the autotrophic or heterotrophic character of their metabolism. These results suggest that acidophiles possess an abundant and flexible proteostasis network that protects proteins in organisms living in energy-limiting and extreme environmental conditions. Therefore, our results provide a means for understanding the diversity and significance of proteostasis mechanisms in extreme acidophilic bacteria.
Risk factors for intraoperative blood loss in resection of intracranial meningioma: Analysis of 530 cases
Authors: Wang Chenghong , Li Peng
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Excision of intracranial meningioma has been associated with major intraoperative blood loss (IBL). The objective of the study was to identify factors affecting IBL during removal of meningioma.

Methods

We retrospectively studied medical records of 530 adult patients who underwent surgery for intracranial meningioma at Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital between September 2018 and May 2022. We obtained the following data from each patient’s medical chart: age, sex, height, weight, comorbidities, blood pressure, history of smoking and alcohol, imaging examination findings, pathologic diagnosis, albumin, creatinine, calcium, magnesium, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time, international normalized ratio, fibrinogen concentration and blood transfusion. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for greater IBL during removal of intracranial meningioma.

Results

A total of 530 patients were included in our study. Univariate analysis revealed that sex (p = 0.004), two-dimensional (2D) tumor area (p < 0.001), sinus involvement (p = 0.014), World Health Organization grade (p = 0.015), preoperative albumin level (p = 0.032), preoperative Hb level (p = 0.001) and preoperative platelet count (p = 0.004) were significantly associated with greater IBL. Multivariate analysis revealed that greater 2D tumor area (p < 0.001), higher preoperative albumin concentration (p = 0.029) and higher preoperative platelet count (p = 0.03) were independent risk factors for greater IBL in resection of intracranial meningioma.

Conclusion

Larger tumor size, higher preoperative albumin concentration and higher preoperative platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for greater IBL in resection of intracranial meningioma.
Investigating the clinical validity of the guided progression analysis definition with 10–2 visual field in retinitis pigmentosa
Authors: Asano Shotaro , Asaoka Ryo , Oishi Akio , Fujino Yuri , Murata Hiroshi , Azuma Keiko , Miyata Manabu , Obata Ryo , Inoue Tatsuya
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To investigate the clinical validity of the Guided Progression Analysis definition (GPAD) and cluster-based definition (CBD) with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) 10–2 test in retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

Methods

Ten non-progressive RP visual fields (VFs) (HFA 10–2 test) were simulated for each of 10 VFs of 111 eyes (10 simulations × 10 VF sequencies × 111 eyes = 111,000 VFs; Dataset 1). Using these simulated VFs, the specificity of GPAD for the detection of progression was determined. Using this dataset, similar analyses were conducted for the CBD, in which the HFA 10–2 test was divided into four quadrants. Subsequently, the Hybrid Definition was designed by combining the GPAD and CBD; various conditions of the GPAD and CBD were altered to approach a specificity of 95.0%. Subsequently, actual HFA 10–2 tests of 116 RP eyes (10 VFs each) were collected (Dataset 2), and true positive rate, true negative rate, false positive rate, and the time required to detect VF progression were evaluated and compared across the GPAD, CBD, and Hybrid Definition.

Results

Specificity values were 95.4% and 98.5% for GPAD and CBD, respectively. There were no significant differences in true positive rate, true negative rate, and false positive rate between the GPAD, CBD, and Hybrid Definition. The GPAD and Hybrid Definition detected progression significantly earlier than the CBD (at 4.5, 5.0, and 4.5 years, respectively).

Conclusions

The GPAD and the optimized Hybrid Definition exhibited similar ability for the detection of progression, with the specificity reaching 95.4%.
Exploring the needs of stroke patients after discharge from rehabilitation centres in Saudi Arabian communities: An IPA qualitative exploratory study design
Authors: Temehy Basema , Soundy Andrew , Sahely Ahmad , Palejwala Yasmin , Heath Jonathan , Rosewilliam Sheeba
Published: September 2023

There are about 29 strokes per 100,000 people, annually, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). These patients require long-term rehabilitation services to enhance recovery and independence in the community. Currently there are limited long-term rehabilitation services in KSA and research is needed to establish pathways for provision of community-based rehabilitation (CBR). To develop effective new CBR models, understanding the experiences and needs of stroke patients in KSA who have undergone poststroke care services is essential. This study aims to gain insight into stroke patients’ needs after their discharge from rehabilitation centres in Saudi Arabia. An interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) study was undertaken using semi-structured interviews. Participants were eligible if they had a stroke, completed their in-hospital rehabilitation sessions and had been discharged within the past three years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using interview guides. Transcripts were translated and analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Twenty-four (15 males and 9 females) participants were recruited from two hospitals in KSA. The key findings suggested that patients experienced limited community rehabilitation services postdischarge unless they were financially able to pay for private therapy. Coping barriers including Medical, Psychological, Social, and Financial and facilitators including Faith, Recovery, Social support and leisure were identified. Participants suggested strategies to improve services within hospital and community for rehabilitation, needs of staff, access to services and ongoing care. Further work is required to develop, implement and evaluate a community rehabilitation intervention that includes education, and self-management elements to support stroke survivors in the community in KSA.
Identification of sources of male sterility in the Colombian Coffee Collection for the genetic improvement of Coffea arabica L.
Authors: Suárez Juan Carlos Arias , Flórez Ramos Claudia Patricia
Published: September 2023

In coffee (Coffea arabica L.), male sterility is a prerequisite for the exploitation of heterosis since it provides an efficient and reliable method for the production of hybrid seeds. Given its relevance, the objective of this study was to identify male-sterile genotypes within the Colombian Coffee Collection that can be used in genetic improvement. For this purpose, Ethiopian germplasm and progenies derived from hybrids between C. arabica x C. canephora were explored between 2017 and 2021. In the first stage, genotypes without visual presence of pollen were preselected in the field, followed by selection through staining and verification of male sterility and female fertility through directed crosses (directed, reciprocal and selfing). In this stage, 9,753 trees were explored, preselecting 2.4% due to visual absence of pollen. The staining of structures allowed us to confirm the lack or sporadic production of pollen in 23 individuals of Ethiopian origin. The results of the directed crosses led to the identification of 11 male-sterile and 12 partially male-sterile genotypes belonging to 15 accessions. In all cases, the individuals were characterized by the presence of anthers but with an absence or low content of pollen, which is why the male sterility is possibly of the sporogenic type. The female receptivity values were between 2.9% and 72.6%, being higher than 30% in five genotypes. These genotypes are a valuable tool for the genetic improvement of C. arabica with the potential to facilitate the use of heterosis and to allow a deeper understanding the development of male gametophytes in the species.
Antileishmanial potentials of azacitidine and along with meglumine antimoniate on Leishmania major: In silico prediction and in vitro analysis
Authors: Derakhshani Ali , Sharifi Iraj , Salarkia Ehsan , Keyhani Alireza , Agha Kuchak Afshari Setareh , Iranmanesh Behzad , Lashkarizadeh Mahdieh , Nejad Biglari Hamid , Lari Najafi Moslem , Bamorovat Mehdi
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to investigate the in vitro and in silico antileishmanial activity of azacitidine (AZA) on Leishmania major promastigotes and amastigotes. The in silico method was used to evaluate the possibility of the interaction of AZA into the binding pocket of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), a leading defensive oxidative metabolite. Following that, in vitro anti-promastigote, and anti-amastigote activity of AZA was determined using an MTT assay and a macrophage model, respectively. Cytotoxic effects of AZA and meglumine antimoniate (MA) were also assessed by MTT assay on murine macrophages. All experiments were performed in triplicate. The results showed that AZA interacted with Ser133, Gln134, and Lys13 amino acids of iNOS, and the molecular docking score was obtained at -241.053 kcal/mol. AZA in combination with MA significantly (P<0.001) inhibited the growth rate of nonclinical promastigote (IC50 247.6±7.3 μM) and 8.5-fold higher of clinical intramacrophage amastigote stage (29.8±5.3 μM), compared to the untreated group. A significant upsurge of Th1 subsets and transcription genes and a meaningful decline in Th2 cytokines subclasses at the equivalent concentrations of AZA and MA was observed (P<0.001). The apoptosis effect of AZA along with MA was significantly induced on L. major in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.001). The present study demonstrated that AZA possesses antileishmanial activity in in vitro and in silico models. However, AZA combined with MA was more effective than AZA alone in inhibiting the growth rate of promastigotes and amastigotes of L. major. This study indicates that AZA in combination with MA demonstrated a potent antileishmanial mechanism, promoting immune response and enhancing an immunomodulatory role toward the Th1 pathway. This experimental study is a basic study for applying more knowledge about the mechanisms of AZA along with MA in animal models in the future.
Triptans utilization in Italian population: A real-life study in community pharmacies
Authors: Baratta Francesca , Allais Gianni , Gnavi Roberto , Scarinzi Cecilia , Enri Lorenzo Ravetto , Rolando Sara , Spadea Teresa , Costa Giuseppe , Benedetto Chiara , Mana Massimo , Giaccone Mario , Mandelli Andrea , Manzoni Gian Camillo , Bussone Gennaro , Brusa Paola
Published: September 2023

The term Headache Disorders (HD) refers to a number of nervous system pathologies characterised by recurrent headaches. Despite the serious impact HD have on the health system, society, and the economy, these are an underestimated, underdiagnosed, and, hence, undertreated phenomenon. Triptans are the first-line therapy for the acute treatment of moderate to severe migraine but their utilization is still inadequate, perhaps also because in Italy no triptan can be bought without a medical prescription. In this article, the data from a 2016–2017 study has been further analysed with the aim of evaluating any associations between the use of triptans and the other series of variables identified in the questionnaire. This further analysis has been connected to the role that community pharmacies could play on this issue. The questionnaire was administered to 4,424 pharmacy users by 610 purposely trained pharmacists working in 514 pharmacies. The survey was carried out in 19 of the 20 Italian regions. The data shows that only 25% of patients suffering from HDs are prescribed triptans. Older patients, those with definite migraines, and those with a chronic disorder resort more frequently to this class of pharmaceuticals, as do those patients in care at a specialist headache centre. The multivariable analysis also confirmed these results. Our study, which performed a direct detection, in real life, on patients requesting pharmacological treatment for a migraine headache, therefore confirmed the need to investigate the reasons behind the low use and prescription of triptans in the Italian population. Moreover, any future studies should take advantage of community pharmacies, plan actions that would allow a series of evaluations over time of the requirements of migraineurs, and establish a process to put these patients under the care of the pharmacy to ensure adherence to therapy.
Effects of low-level laser therapy in adults with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials
Authors: Lourinho Ingrid , Sousa Tamara , Jardim Roger , Pinto Ana Carolina , Iosimuta Natália
Published: September 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory, systemic and chronic disease that mainly affects the joints. It is characterized mainly by pain, edema and joint stiffness, which can lead to significant loss of functional capacity and quality of life. Several physical therapy resources are used in the treatment of AR, such as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the efficacy of LLLT in AR is still controversial. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy in adults with RA. Methods and findings: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PEDro, LILACS, IBECS, CUMED, SCIELO and ClinicalTrials.gov. Two researchers independently selected studies, extracted data, evaluated the risk of bias and assessed the certainty of evidence using GRADE approach. Disagreements were resolved by a third author. Meta-analyses were performed. Currently available evidence was from 18 RCTs, with a total of 793 participants. We found low-quality evidence suggesting there may be no difference between using infrared laser and sham in terms of pain, morning stiffness, grip strength, functional capacity, inflammation, ROM, disease activity and adverse events. The evidence is very uncertain about the effects of red laser compared to sham in pain, morning stiffness. The evidence is also very uncertain about the effects of laser acupuncture compared to placebo in functional capacity, quality of life, range of motion and inflammation. Conclusions: Thus, infrared laser may not be superior to sham in RA patients. There is insufficient information to support or refute the effectiveness of red laser, laser acupuncture and reflexology for treating patients with RA.
Lightweight forest smoke and fire detection algorithm based on improved YOLOv5
Authors: Yang Jie , Zhu Wenchao , Sun Ting , Ren Xiaojun , Liu Fang
Published: September 2023

Smoke and fire detection technology is a key technology for automatically realizing forest monitoring and forest fire warning. One of the most popular algorithms for object detection tasks is YOLOv5. However, it suffers from some challenges, such as high computational load and limited detection performance. This paper proposes a high-performance lightweight network model for detecting forest smoke and fire based on YOLOv5 to overcome these problems. C3Ghost and Ghost modules are introduced into the Backbone and Neck network to achieve the purpose of reducing network parameters and improving the feature’s expressing performance. Coordinate Attention (CA) module is introduced into the Backbone network to highlight the object’s important information about smoke and fire and to suppress irrelevant background information. In Neck network part, in order to distinguish the importance of different features in feature fusing process, the weight parameter of feature fusion is added which is based on PAN (path aggregation network) structure, which is named PAN-weight. Multiple sets of controlled experiments were conducted to confirm the proposed method’s performance. Compared with YOLOv5s, the proposed method reduced the model size and FLOPs by 44.75% and 47.46% respectively, while increased precision and mAP(mean average precision)@0.5 by 2.53% and 1.16% respectively. The experimental results demonstrated the usefulness and superiority of the proposed method. The core code and dataset required for the experiment are saved in this article at https://github.com/vinchole/zzzccc.git.
Measuring child and adolescent well-being in Denmark: Validation and norming of the Danish KIDSCREEN-10 child/adolescent version in a national representative sample of school pupils in grades five through eight
Authors: Nielsen Tine , Pontoppidan Maiken , Pettersson Morten , Donstrup Christina H. , Kreiner Svend , Rayce Signe Boe
Published: September 2023

KIDSCREEN-10 is a generic instrument for measuring global health-related quality of life among 8-18-year-old children and adolescents. This study examines the criterion-related construct validity and psychometric properties of the Danish language version of the KIDSCREEN-10 using Rasch models. A further aim was to construct Danish norms based on the resulting person parameter estimates from the Rasch models. Data consists of a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 8171 children in the 5thto 8thgrade of primary school in Denmark. No adequate fit to the Rasch model or a graphical loglinear Rasch model could be established for the KIDSCREEN-10 in the full sample of children (n = 8171). Results based on analyses with increasing samples sizes showed that even with the smallest sample item 3 (Kid3) of the KIDSCREEN-10 did not fit the Rasch model. After elimination of Kid3, substantial local dependence and differential item functioning relative to gender and grade level was still present. Already with a sample size of 630 fit to the Rasch model or a graphical loglinear Rasch model adjusting for local dependence and differential item functioning was not established. Therefore, generation of Danish norms was not realizable, as this requires valid sum scores and estimates of the person parameters for an adequate number of cases. Thus, the Danish language version of the child/adolescent self-report KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaire cannot be recommended for use in population-level studies. Neither can use in small sample be recommended as adjustment for differential item functioning and local dependence is ambiguous.
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-Laplacian problem with logarithmic and exponential nonlinearities
Authors: Chen Zigao
Published: September 2023

In this paper, based on a suitable fractional Trudinger–Moser inequality, we establish sufficient conditions for the existence result of least energy sign-changing solution for a class of one-dimensional nonlocal equations involving logarithmic and exponential nonlinearities. By using a main tool of constrained minimization in Nehari manifold and a quantitative deformation lemma, we consider both subcritical and critical exponential growths. This work can be regarded as the complement for some results of the literature.
Defining in the doing: listening and reflecting in a community–university collaboration
Authors: Prosser Bethan Mathias , Emerson Bela , Gill Esther
Published: September 2023

Defining in the doing is an approach developed by the Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP) at the University of Brighton, UK. It prioritises action and recognises the importance of practice in developing partnerships, drawing from both academic and practitioner principles in community development, community-based research and theories of social learning. This article will draw on this approach to reflect on a community–university collaboration, sustained during the Covid-19 global pandemic, between a community music organisation, a sound archive project and a doctoral researcher. Between 2019 and 2022, these practitioners brought together their expertise in sound heritage, music making, listening and sound methods, and community engagement to deliver three interlinked projects: Sounds to Keep, Sound Mosaics and Remix the Archive (RiTA). This partnership created mutual benefits by bringing together practitioner and academic knowledge and experiences. Through shared reflections, we draw out in this article the ways that the pandemic generated difficult working conditions, while also opening up space for creativity, flexibility and curiosity. But we also highlight how a defining in the doing approach is not commonly supported by the funding and administrative conditions within which we work.
Modelado de la sismicidad colombiana como una red compleja espacio-secuencial
Authors: León-Vargas Daniel , Bucheli-Guerrero Víctor-Andrés , Ordoñez-Erazo Hugo-Armando
Published: September 2023

Este artículo busca describir la sismicidad de Colombia utilizando redes complejas, en las cuales los nodos representan redes cúbicas (con latitud, longitud y profundidad) donde ocurren los eventos sísmicos y los enlaces siguen la secuencia temporal de estos eventos. Si bien se han reportado trabajos similares en la literatura, este trabajo incorpora la profundidad para una mejor comprensión de este fenómeno. Esta investigación considera 5797 eventos del catálogo de terremotos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos (USGS) correspondientes a Colombia y con una magnitud superior a un determinado umbral, los cuales ocurrieron entre enero 1 de 1975 y enero 18 de 2021. Se describe la estructura de la red mediante una comparación entre redes aleatorias y de pequeño mundo. Así, esta estructura brinda información sobre los mecanismos de liberación de energía y las fuentes que recurrentemente producen eventos sísmicos en Colombia. Los resultados muestran que estas redes presentan características de pequeño mundo, independientemente del tamaño de celda o la granularidad utilizados para construirlas. Este hallazgo es consistente con los resultados reportados para la misma región en redes espaciotemporales bidimensionales. Como una red de pequeño mundo, el esfuerzo y la energía de la región se liberan de acuerdo con una estructura caracterizada por la presencia de hubs y sus relaciones dentro de la red en general. Mediante el aprovechamiento de la información obtenida en este estudio, se pueden entrenar modelos de aprendizaje automático que superen los modelos actuales de base para el pronóstico.
Reto Ciudad Naturaleza, La Paz: una experiencia de observación y registro de la biodiversidad urbana
Authors: Flores-Turdera Cecilia , Wallace Robert , Garitano-Zavala Álvaro , Maldonado Carla , Jurado Cynthya , Álvarez-Portugal Daniela , Angulo Wilma , Ayala Guido , Gómez M. Isabel , Hayes Mayli , Molina Carlos , Salinas Elvira , Torrico Omar
Published: September 2023

La ciencia ciudadana incentiva la participación de las personas en proyectos de investigación científica. Una de las iniciativas más conocidas es el concurso City Nature Challenge, dirigido a registrar la biodiversidad en las ciudades mediante la aplicación iNaturalist. La región metropolitana de La Paz, Bolivia, participó en este concurso en 2019 y 2022 bajo el nombre Reto Ciudad Naturaleza, gracias al impulso de Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Bolivia, la Carrera de Biología y el Instituto de Ecología de la Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA) y el Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (MNHN), los cuales conformaron un comité organizador. El objetivo fue fortalecer los vínculos de la población urbana con la naturaleza, en aras de generar datos sobre el conocimiento y la conservación de la biodiversidad. Las actividades consistieron en la promoción y difusión del concurso, eventos de capacitación en el manejo de iNaturalist, registros fotográficos, identificación taxonómica y entrega de certificados a los participantes. En 2019, La Paz compitió con 158 ciudades y consiguió el octavo lugar en número de especies (3005), el tercer lugar en número de participantes (1500) y el segundo en número de observaciones (46 931). En 2022 participaron 447 ciudades, y La Paz lideró en las tres categorías del concurso, con 137 345 observaciones, 5320 especies y 4296 participantes. Más allá de estos resultados, se destaca el compromiso de la ciudadanía paceña con su biodiversidad, lo que repercute en un vínculo cada vez más estrecho entre la población urbana y su entorno natural.
The Orgnisation Performance and the Culture of Fun: Review in Changing World
Authors: Eshehri Abdulrhman , Alsoaery Abdulrahman
Published: September 2023

In the contemporary business landscape, organisations around the world are increasingly giving priority to improving the work environment. This effort is seen as vital to the success or failure of the organisation, with many focusing on modern, innovative designs and the integration of social and recreational activities to create a more positive workplace. While these strategies aim to enhance employee satisfaction, productivity, and innovation by alleviating work stress and promoting a positive attitude, there is also discussion about the potential negative aspects of this culture of fun. The article will explore the pros and cons of these practices, review their impact on both employees and organisations, and include relevant examples.