bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical characteristics, anticoagulation therapy, and short-term outcomes of neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis: a cross-sectional study from a Chilean center
Authors: Duk Nasser , Hernández Marta , Bravo Sebastián , Lopez-Espejo Mauricio
Published: May 2023

Purpose: Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (SVT) is a rare but severe condition, with neonates having the highest incidence among pediatric patients. The underlying conditions contributing to SVT are heterogeneous, and although anticoagulation therapy (ACT) is safe and potentially beneficial, the evidence supporting its effectiveness on neurological outcomes is lacking. This study analyzed the association of clinical-demographic characteristics and ACT in the acute setting with vital-neurological outcomes at discharge in neonates with SVT.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study utilized secondary data from 30 neonates with SVT confirmed by MRI/MRV at a single center in Chile between 2005 and 2021. Penalized maximum likelihood logistic regression models were conducted to calculate adjusted odds ratios.
Results: The median gestational age, weight, and age of diagnostic were 38 weeks (IQR 37–39), 3141 grams (IQR 2579–3478), and 15 days (IQR 8.7–27.5), respectively. All patients had diffuse neurological signs. Acute seizures and focal deficits were detected in 12 (40%) and 1 (3.3%) cases. At discharge, 15 (50%) patients had a neurological deficit, and 7 (23.3%) died. The frequency of ACT use was higher between 2013 and 2021 than between 2005 and 2012 (8% vs. 2%, Fisher's exact test, p 0.05). Adjusted for demographic and clinical variables, ACT was negatively associated with adverse vital or neurological outcomes (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.03–1.00).
Conclusions: ACT increased its use over time. Our results suggest that ACT in neonates with SVT is associated with better neurological outcomes at discharge and lower in-hospital case fatality. Further follow-up is needed to establish long-term associations.
Prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults in Beijing, China: an investigation based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 diagnostic criteria
Authors: Wang Boshi , Wei Yanan , Zhang Xue , Li Menghan , Shao Lin , Li Wei , Zhao Shilong , Liu Peng
Published: May 2023

Objective This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults in Beijing, China, using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 diagnostic criteria.Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted among 933 older adults aged 50 or older, with data collected through multistage cluster sampling. Sarcopenia was assessed using the AWGS 2019 criteria, which consider muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. Data on demographic, anthropometric, and body composition variables were collected. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with sarcopenia.Results The prevalence of sarcopenia was 8.8%. Age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) were significantly associated with sarcopenia. Adjusted analyses revealed that for each standard deviation increase in fat-free mass index, skeletal muscle mass, and other body composition parameters, the risk of sarcopenia was reduced by more than 40%. No significant associations were found between sarcopenia and most variables related to physical function.Conclusions Sarcopenia is prevalent among older adults in Beijing, with age, sex, and BMI being significant factors. Muscle mass and muscle strength are important determinants of sarcopenia risk, highlighting the potential benefits of interventions targeting muscle mass and strength to reduce sarcopenia prevalence among older adults. Further research is needed to explore causal relationships using longitudinal or intervention study designs and diverse populations.
A deep learning-based ensemble method for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease using MRI images
Authors: Fathi Sina , Ahmadi Ali , Dehnad Afsaneh , Almasi-Dooghaee Mostafa , Sadegh Melika
Published: May 2023

Background Recently, the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease has gained major attention due to the growing prevalence of the disease and the resulting costs to individuals and society. The main objective of this study was to propose an ensemble method based on deep learning for the early diagnosis of AD using MRI images.Method The methodology of this study was comprised of collecting the dataset, preprocessing, creating the individual and ensemble models, evaluating the models based on ADNI data, and validating the trained model based on the local dataset. The proposed method was an ensemble approach selected through a comparative analysis of various ensemble scenarios. Finally, the six best individual CNN-based classifiers were selected to combine and constitute the ensemble model.Results The evaluation showed an accuracy rate of 98.57, 96.37, 94.22, 99.83, 93.88, and 93.92, respectively, for NC/AD, NC/EMCI, EMCI/LMCI, LMCI/AD, four-way and three-way classification groups. The validation results on the local dataset revealed an accuracy of 88.46 for three-way classification.Discussion Our performance results were higher than most reviewed studies and comparable with others. Although comparative analysis showed superior results of ensemble methods against individual architectures, there were no significant differences among various ensemble approaches. The validation results revealed that individual models showed low performance in practice. In contrast, the ensemble method showed promising results. However, further studies on various and larger datasets are required to validate the generalizability of the model.
Alterations in meibomian gland characteristics and tear film-related parameters in patients with threatened abortion: a new diagnostic index
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yu , Xu San-Hua , Chen Jun , Kang Min , Zou Jie , Zhang Li-Juan , Ying Ping , Liao Xu-Lin , Ling Qian , Wang Yi-Xin , Wei Hong , Shao Yi
Published: May 2023

Objective
To analyze the alterations in ophthalmic parameters in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), and find the possible eye surface recognition site of threatened abortion (TA) patients.
Methods
Fifty-two patients with RSA (104 eyes) were recruited. Analyzers were used to examine the parameters of MG and tear film. The distribution of the MG grades of the patients and the correlation between the MG and tear film were analyzed; tear film rupture was used as the grading standard for the MG grade.
Results
The grade for MG loss in the patients increased with the grade for tear film rupture. MG length (L) and MG area ratio (GA), MG diameter (D) and MG tortuosity index (TI), MG diameter deformation index (DI) and TI were positively correlated. L and TI was negatively correlated. The tear film rupture area was mainly concentrated in the fifth ring and quadrants 3 and 4. The intersection area was mainly located in the fifth ring of sixth and seventh regions.
Conclusion
In RSA patients, tear film stability is greater when MG loss is farther from the pupil. The degree of gland distortion may be a new diagnostic index for gland variation, and the probability of gland variation in patients with larger meibomian gland area can decrease. The tear film rupture area was mainly concentrated in the fifth ring of the sixth and seventh regions of the pupil, which is expected to become the eye surface recognition site for women with TA.
Identification of a Novel Amino Acid Metabolism-Related Gene Risk Signature as a Prognostic and Immunotherapeutic Efficiency Predictor for Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zhu Kaiyu , Liu Shiyi , Wang Yaohui , Lu Zhixing , Lin Changwei , Kuang Xuechun , Li Liang
Published: May 2023

Background: The importance of amino acid metabolism in multiple cancers was investigated by accumulating researches. But the role of amino acid metabolism-related genes (AAMRGs) played in the colorectal cancer (CRC) progression remains unclear.
Methods: The clinical information and RNA sequencing of CRC were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, and amino acid metabolic gene data were downloaded from a published article in the journal Cell Reports. The Cox-LASSO analysis was adopted to establish a AAMRG prognostic signature. Kaplan–Meier (K-M) survival curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were adopted to estimate the prognostic capacity of our risk signature. RT‒qPCR was adopted to estimate the expression of AAMRGs in clinical samples. Moreover, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was adopted and according to result of GSEA, further investigation was conducted in immune infiltration, somatic mutation, drug sensitivity and EMT.
Result: The activity of amino acid metabolism was significantly increased in CRC. A 10-AAMRG prognostic signature was established and the CRC samples were classified into two groups (high-risk and low-risk). Risk score was analyzed to be an independent factor of CRC to affect cancer progression. The result of RT-qPCR showed that among 10 AAMRGs, the expression abundances of MRPS23 and TRAP1 in CRC tissues and adjacent normal colorectal tissues were both upregulated. According to GSEA outcomes and further analyses, significant differences were observed in immune infiltration and EMT between two risk groups. Furthermore, analysis of drug sensitivity illustrated that some chemotherapy drugs had higher IC50 values in low-risk group, including bexarotene, bicalutamide and imatinib.
Conclusion: The 10-AAMRG signature we built is a prospective biomarker, which has great potentiality to predict CRC therapeutic responses and clinical prognosis.
The Effect of Race/Ethnicity and Age on Medical Financial Hardship for Cancer Survivors in the United States
Authors: Wilsnack Catherine , Cubbin Catherine
Published: May 2023

Purpose The present study examined the effect of race/ethnicity on medical financial hardship between cancer survivors aged 18–64 years who were diagnosed when they were adolescents or young adults (AYAs, aged 15–39 years old) and non-AYAs (aged 40–64 years old).Methods We used data from the 2013–2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to identify AYA cancer survivors who were defined as receiving a cancer diagnosis between 15–39 years old and non-AYA cancer survivors who were defined as receiving a cancer diagnosis between 40–64 years old. Medical financial hardship was defined by 3 hardship domains: material (e.g., difficulty paying off medical bills), psychological (e.g., worry about medical costs), and behavioral (e.g., not receiving/postponing care because of cost).Results There were 2,162 AYA cancer survivors (mean age = 32 years) and 3,393 non-AYA cancer survivors (mean age = 51 years). AYA cancer survivors were more likely than non-AYA cancer survivors to experience all 3 hardship domains (30% vs. 20%, P < 0.01). Hispanic AYA and non-AYA cancer survivors had increased odds for experiencing any psychological hardship compared to White counterparts (P < 0.05). Black non-AYA cancer survivors had increased odds for experiencing any material and any behavioral hardship (P < 0.05).Conclusion Race/ethnicity was associated with some domains of medical financial hardship for Black and Hispanic cancer survivors. AYA cancer survivors also experienced more domains of medical financial hardship compared to non-AYA cancer survivors. Implications for Cancer Survivors: Direct practice and policy level interventions are needed to address financial disparities among cancer survivors. Future research should examine disaggregated racial data.
Developing a special face mask with an angle meter to optimize the head position while performing bag–valve–mask ventilation—a prospective simulated proof-of-concept study
Authors: Schumacher Fabio , Oberhanss Natalia , Paal Peter , Pietsch Urs , Wenzel Volker , Herff Holger
Published: May 2023

Background
In unconscious patients in the supine position, the loss of soft tissue tension results in obstruction of the upper airway. Unexperienced rescuers may be unable to perform efficient bag–valve–mask ventilation due to difficulties in detecting the optimal head position to open the airway. If the ventilation mask were to indicate an optimized head position to the rescuer, bag–valve–mask ventilation could possibly be optimized.
Methods
A digital sensor was attached to a face mask to measure the degree of head reclination. We attached this face mask to an airway trainer and sealed the mask to its face with tape; the airway trainer was connected to a test lung and ventilated in a pressure-controlled mode by a standard anesthesia machine (Pmax 10 mbar, PEEP 0 mbar, F 12/min). Its head was extended starting from the neutral position to 42 degrees in steps of 2 degrees. The primary endpoints were the correlation of preset angles and our face mask’s digitally measured head position angles. We further evaluated the tidal and minute ventilation volume depending on head reclination.
Results
The preset head position angles correlated significantly (R2 = 0.9895855684; P<.001) with the digitally measured head position angles. In head position angles <10 degrees, the tidal volume was 150 mL; at 18 degrees, it was 200 mL; at 25 degrees, it was 450 mL; and it levelled off at 30 degrees with about 500 mL.
Conclusion
Digital head position angle measurement correctly detected the head position in this study. A signal in a face mask could be a helpful tool to indicate to first responders or relatively inexperienced rescuers the optimized head position during emergency ventilation.
Aortoesophageal fistula after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma: a case report and literature review
Authors: Li Jina , Hu Yan , Liu Wenliang , Tang Jingqun , Zhu Song , Zeng Chao
Published: May 2023

Background: Aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) is an extremely rare and highly fatal complication leading to a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Successful management of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma has rarely been reported in the literature.
Case presentation: Here we present a rare case of a 44-year-old female with complications of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma, mainly presented as vomiting of blood. Both computed tomographic and computed tomography angiography of the chest showed bilateral pleural effusion and atelectasis, while gastroscopy showed large gastrointestinal bleeding. Emergency surgery was performed that included the removal of the mediastinal abscess, left lower pulmonary wedge resection, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), followed by supportive treatment. The surgery went successful, and the patient was followed up for 1 year after discharge and showed good recovery. We also reviewed previous literature on the history, causes, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Conclusions: In our case, thoracotomy combined with TEVAR was effective in treating AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal adenocarcinoma. This case provides successful experiences for clinical diagnosis and treatment of AEF after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma.
The USCS Mapping of Continental Croatia using Multinominal Logistic Regression and Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation
Authors: Hestera Hrvoje , Pahernik Mladen , Zelic Biljana Kovacevic , Maljkovic Maja Mauric
Published: May 2023

The Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) is the basis for numerous methods for soil trafficability research. Since USCS data are not always available, various other data and methods are used to correlate and predict the USCS soil group. This paper describes two methods used for the purpose of mapping Continental Croatia (CCro) according to USCS to a depth of 50 cm. In the first method, the possibility of transfer of 308 profile samples according to the International Soil Science Society (ISSS) classification system into USCS was examined. The results show that it is impossible to directly transform ISSS data into USCS. In the second method 414 USCS profiles were used to analyse the weights of factors in the spatial analysis with inverse distance weighting (IDW). The analysis included layers of dominant and associated soil units of the Basic Soil Map of Croatia (BSM), Geological Map of Croatia (GM), drainage and catchment areas. The obtained weights were as follows: BSM 47,12%, catchment area 27,12%, GM 17,67% and drainage 8%. The results showed that CCro is covered with fine-grained soils, with clay covering almost the entire area and silt dominating in the western and north-western parts of the country.
Dual-Channel Relation Mixup Strategy for Social Bot Detection Based on Graph Neural Network
Authors: Liu Min , Shi Shuhao , Shi Yuliang , Qiao Kai , Song Baojie , Yang Jie
Published: May 2023

In social bot detection, accurate labeling needs to be done manually, resulting in large-scale labels are difficult to obtain. However, the limited labels mean that there is less data available for the training set, which may result in over-fitting. Therefore, we proposed a novel data augmentation strategy named Dual-Channel Relation Mixup (DCRM) to address potential over-fitting issues caused by a small training set. In our strategy, we firstly construct two channels that input different account relations, then combine the resulting aggregated representations from both channels before passing them on to the next layer of the “message passing” mechanism. More critically, our DCRM is a general skill that can be equipped with many other backbone models (e.g., GCN, GraphSAGE, GAT, and RGCN) to enhance performance. Extensive experiments on several benchmarks demonstrate that our proposed DCRM strategy is an effective way to enhance the performance of bot detection based on graph neural networks. Furthermore, it also exhibits better generalization ability and stability, especially when working with smaller datasets.
Effect of preoperative nutritional status on postoperative outcomes in children with congenital heart diseases undergoing surgical repair
Authors: Assy Jana , Yacoub Christelle , Arabi Mariam , Rassi Issam El , Bitar Fadi , Yazbeck Nadine
Published: May 2023

Background Infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at higher risk of faltering growth and developing malnutrition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition and nutritional status of children with CHD presenting for cardiac surgery in a developing country and study the effect of malnutrition on postoperative outcomes. This study aimed to report the prevalence of malnutrition in children with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery and evaluate the effect of preoperative nutritional status in children with CHD on the postoperative outcomes in Lebanon, a middle-income country.Methods This is a single centered retrospective cohort study which included 147 children affected with different CHD malformations. Demographics, clinical evaluation, including diagnosis, surgical complexity, and other postoperative indicators were collected. Anthropometric measurements were recorded. For children aged 1 month to 2 years, the Z-Score for ‘Weight for Height’, Weight-for-Age Z-Score, and for Height-for-Age Z-Score were utilized; and for children above 2 years of age, the body mass index (BMI) was utilized to classify the malnourished patients.Results The overall prevalence of malnutrition at the time of surgery was 24.5% with majority 86.1% being aged two years or less. The median duration of invasive MV was 7.5 ± 45.06 (0.0–216.0) hours. 66.7% of the cases required more than 7 days of hospital LOS. Malnutrition was significantly associated with an increased risk of infection postoperatively.Conclusion Children with CHD are at higher risk of developing malnutrition, a problem which is related to increased adverse outcomes following cardiac surgeries. In our cohort, malnutrition was significantly associated with an increased risk of infection postoperatively. Hence, physicians caring for children with congenital heart disease should be encouraged to identify, develop, and use specific pediatric nutritional screening tools and combined anthropometric stratification schemes for children at risk of malnutrition and to integrate strategies to optimize their nutritional status before and after surgery.
Changes and continuities in the practices of child marriage: Evidence from Kewet and Bahir Dar Zuria Woredas, Amhara region
Authors: Kassegne Abeje Berhanu , Kwaak Anke , Kok Maryse C
Published: May 2023

Background Despite the coordinated efforts Ethiopia has exerted against child marriage, the practice continues to negatively affect rural girls. Child marriage is embedded in the social structures (social norms and values) of rural communities. In this research, we investigated social structure factors that enable child marriage and intend to give insights into emergent agency of young people in actively taking actions against child marriage.Methods A mixed research approach combining quantitative and qualitative research methods was used to generate data from young people (15–24 years) residing in Kewet and Bahir Dar Zuria woredas, Amhara region. The quantitative sample consisted of 1.602 respondents while 23 qualitative interviews were conducted with young people, parents, community and religious leaders, teachers, health extension workers, women and children affairs’ officers and NGO staff.Results We found that child marriage was present among 37% of the respondent girls, aged 18–24 years. Further evidence of the continued practice of child marriage came from 62% of the respondents who indicated that they knew underage girls who got married without their consent. The view that child marriage is related to social norms (emphasizing girls’ ‘sexual purity’ and community perception of ‘a good wife’) was supported by 74% of the respondents. For some parents, marrying off daughters early was considered a source of income (via bride wealth payments) for the household; and for many, daughters were seen as source of social and political capital by establishing marital bonds between families. However, we witnessed young people are taking initiatives (via school clubs, mini-media activities, youth groups) to challenge the age-old practice of child marriage by postponing marriage proposals in favor of education and economic empowerment. Conclusion This study’s findings underscore the need for the development of an educational curriculum relevant to the needs of young people with a focus on creating local opportunities for employment and economic activities. Through education, program interventions addressing unequal gender norms and improved local economic opportunities for young people, child marriage can be history.
A Fantasy Trip with a Broken Acupuncture Needle: a case report
Authors: Liu Lei , Ma Dongjie , Qin Yingzhi , Liu Hongsheng
Published: May 2023

Background Acupuncture has always been a treatment method of Chinese traditional medicine, and while becoming more and more popular, it also faces some risks. The case we reported was a patient who was founded a foreign body in the lung many years after acupuncture.
Case Presentation A middle-aged woman who came to our hospital with chest pain found a needle-like foreign body in the middle lobe of her right lung on X-ray. This patient underwent acupuncture in the lower back and lower extremities for local pain many years ago. Based on imaging findings and medical history, we suppose that the foreign body in the lung is the result of a ruptured acupuncture needle that is ectopized. Through preoperative 3-dimension reconstruction and indocyanine green localization, we identified the foreign body located in the lateral segment of right middle lobe and successfully removed the foreign body by wedge resection. The patient recovered smoothly after surgery.
Conclusion Acupuncturists and surgeons should be alert to the possible risks of acupuncture.
Identification of Disease and Drug-Related Complications and Associated Risk Factors in Patients with Childhood Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome
Authors: Karakaya Deniz , Güngör Tülin , Çakıcı Evrim Kargın , Yazılıtaş Fatma , Çelikkaya Evra , Bülbül Mehmet
Published: May 2023

Background Nephrotic syndrome is the most common glomerular disorder of childhood and data on complications are still limited and predisposing risk factors have not been fully defined. The aim of our study is to systematically evaluate treatment and disease-related acute and chronic complications, and to identify the risk factors involved in the development of complications.Methods This single center study was performed at the pediatric nephrology department of a tertiary pediatric hospital in Turkey. A total of 411 patients with a diagnosis of childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, 128 of whom had the disease-releated and treatment-related complications, were included in the study. Patients diagnosed and followed up between January 2010 and January 2022 were evaluated retrospectively.Results Complications occurred in 31.1% of 411 children with childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.54 ± 4.37 years, and the male to female ratio was 0.9. Ninety-six pount nine percent of complications were disease-related complications, and 50.8% were drug-related complications. Advanced age at diagnosis, female gender, a high of level of proteinuria, and a low estimated glomerular filtration rate level were determined as significant risk factors for complication development (p = 0.000, p = 0.006, p = 0.04, p = 0.07, respectively). Chronic kidney disease developed in 7% of patients and 2.9% of patients had end-stage renal failure. When the patients who progressed to end-stage renal disease were examined; compared with the control group, patients with complications had a significantly higher ESRD incidence (p < 0.05).Conclusions We hypothesized that closer and careful monitoring of patients at risk for complications and implementation of personalized treatment programs could improve long-term outcomes.
A New Information Theory of Certainty for Machine Learning
Authors: zhang Arthur
Published: May 2023

Claude Shannon coined entropy to quantify the uncertainty of a random distribution for communication coding theory in 1948(Shannon, 1948). Ever since then, entropy has been widely used and equivalently treated as information by many people, and Shannon information theory has achieved huge success in all science and engineering fields. However, we observe that the uncertainty nature of entropy also limits its direct usage in mathematical modeling such as prediction tasks. Entropy has been mainly used as a measure of information gain or loss and it hardly has been directly employed for modeling and prediction purposes in the literature. We notice that a quantity measuring the certainty of a random distribution is the desired directly usable information for such modeling purposes. Therefore we propose a new information concept troenpy, as the canonical dual of entropy, to quantify the certainty of the underlying distribution. We establish the necessary concepts and properties for this new Information Theory of Certainty (ITC), analogue of the classical Shannon information theory. We demonstrate two important applications of troenpy for machine learning. The first is for the classical supervised document classification task, we develop a troenpy based weighting scheme to leverage the document class label distribution and show that the weighting scheme can be easily and very effectively used for classification tasks. The second is for the popular self-supervised language modeling task, where we introduce a self-troenpy weighting scheme for sequential data and show that it can be directly and easily included in modern recurrent neural network based language models and achieve dramatic perplexity reduction. Besides machine learning ITC also has the potential application on quantum information theory. We generalize the idea and define quantum troenpy as the dual of the Von Neumann entropy to quantify the certainty of quantum systems. In conclusion we developed a new information theory quantifying certainty in random systems and such information can be easily, directly and effec- tively used in modern machine learning and neural network models. With the theory sup- ported cheap and effective way of extracting and representing useful information from data, ITC offers not only promising ways to leverage useful information to improve current machine learning model performances but also possibil- ities of designing new machine learning and neural network models from the view of useful information processing.
Non-collisional Behaviour of Novel Nonlinear Wave Patterns for (2+1) Dimensional Fokas System
Authors: J Thilakavathy , R Amrutha , B Sivatharani , K Subramanian
Published: May 2023

This paper investigates the most straightforward extension of the (2+1) dimensional NLS equation, termed the Fokas system. The evolution equation is trilinearized, employing a unique method called Truncated Painlev\'{e} Approach for the (2+1) dimensional Fokas system. In terms of arbitrary functions, this method finds relatively extensive classes of solutions. Localized solutions, including dromion triplet, lump, multi-compacton and multi-rogue wave are generated by efficiently utilizing arbitrary functions. The analysis reveals that the localized solutions evolved do not move in space and only their amplitude changes with time.
Where is Batho Pele? The perspective of child and adolescent mental health service users in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
Authors: Mokitimi Stella , Jonas Kim , Schneider Marguerite , de Vries Petrus J
Published: May 2023

Background:
Mental health disorders of children and adolescents represent a key area of concern, yet child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are neglected, especially in low- and middle-income countries. There is a clear need to provide services that are relevant to the needs of service users, but little research to date has explored their needs and experiences of services, or to identify their recommendations for service strengthening. In 1997 the South African Government introduced the “Batho Pele” (‘People First’) initiative in all public sector services, with the aim of putting the voices of service users at the centre of decision-making of policy development and implementation. This study sought to explore user perspectives about CAMHS in the Western Cape, one of the nine provinces of South Africa.
Methods:
Using focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, qualitative data were collected from 22 purposively sampled CAMHS users (caregivers and adolescents) across the Western Cape Province. Data were entered into N-VIVO, and thematic analysis was performed by two independent raters.
Results:
Results highlighted slow, inappropriate and unacceptable CAMHS at primary level of care, and lack of dedicated CAMH resources and staff rudeness at primary and secondary levels of care. Only one positive theme was identified about a new service initiative at primary care. Only specialist CAMHS (tertiary level) were regarded as well-organised. To improve CAMHS, users recommended that: the processes and procedures should be restructured to become child- and family-friendly, separate CAMHS should be developed at primary and secondary levels, CAMHS should be prioritized to provide equitable services to young people with mental health disorders, and better communication and information, including formal psychoeducation should be provided to caregivers.
Conclusions:
The data from this study provided very little support for the “Batho Pele” principles and highlighted a clear need for CAMHS strengthening in the Western Cape, and in South Africa as a whole. These findings may be very similar in other low-resource settings and highlight the importance of putting “people first” by listening to their voices on an ongoing basis and at all levels of service and systems strengthening.
A Numerical Scheme for Gas Dynamics Equation Involving Caputo-Fabrizio Time-Fractional Derivative
Authors: Noureen Rabia , Naeem Muhammad Nawaz , Iqbal Muhammad Kashif , Elkenany Elkenany B. , Abbas Muhammad
Published: May 2023

In this paper, a numerical algorithm based on extended cubic B-spline functions is presented for the approximate solution of the fractional order gas dynamics model. The proposed technique employs the finite difference formulation to discretize the Caputo-Fabrizio time fractional derivative and uses extended cubic B-spline functions to interpolate the solution curve along the spatial direction. A stability analysis of the scheme is conducted which confirms that the error does not amplify during the execution of the numerical procedure. The derivation of uniform convergence is also supplied. Some computational experiments are carried out to verify the theoretical results. The obtained results achieved by the proposed method indicate the easy implementation and effectiveness of the approach used in the article.
Mathematics Subject Classification: 65D07, 65M06, 65M12, 65M70, 76N15
Single-cell spatial proteomic analysis by multiplexed imaging enables identification of microglial heterogeneity in Alzheimer’s disease human brain
Authors: Sanchez-Molina Paula , Pratapa Aditya , Nikulina Nadya , Cheikh Bassem , Singh Jasmine , Dhawan Amisha , Bogachuck Alina , Chiot Aude , Chin Gregory , Emberley Katie , Crotti Andrea , Woltjer Randy , Braubach Oliver , Ajami Bahareh
Published: May 2023

Single-cell technologies have revealed important cell heterogeneity across the human brain. In the context of neurological diseases, the relationship between different cell subpopulations and pathological features can be crucial for their understanding. However, the combination of spatial, single-cell, and high-plex protein information together with analytical tools for the accurate segmentation of ramified cells remains a challenge to address in neuroscience.
Here, we present CODEX-CNS, a modification of CO-Detection by indEXing (CODEX) technology for its use in human brain tissues. This technology consists of multiplexed fluorescent imaging that allows the detection of up to 100 proteins using DNA-barcoded antibodies. In this paper we bring technical advancements to the CODEX protocol and an improved data analysis pipeline for accurate segmentation of complex cell morphologies. As proof-of-principle, we were able to detect the different parenchymal brain cells and their cytoarchitecture, as well as blood-brain barrier and meningeal components with a 32-plex antibody panel. More specifically, we used CODEX-CNS in human brain samples of healthy and Alzheimer’s disease donors to study microglial phenotypes in relationship to their spatial context. Applying our customized cell segmentation algorithm and clustering analysis, we identified diverse microglial subpopulations differentially distributed between brain areas and according to their distance to amyloid-β plaques.
These data provide a new approach for the neuroscience community that allows the characterization of microglial subpopulations at the protein level with both single-cell and spatial resolution.
Feasibility of Recycled Coarse Aggregate in Concrete
Authors: REDDY B L NIRANJAN , KALYAN K , VENKATESH B , SAI K KALYAN , CHOWDARY R BHOGESH , GOWTHAMI G , S G USHA
Published: May 2023

Concrete is homogenous material which is used in construction. The rapid urbanization which results huge concrete waste in environment and using huge amount of natural resources which causes large amount of solid waste disposal issues. This research utlilizes the recycled aggregates and can be used as concrete material. As a part of this investigation first the properties of the different constituents of concrete have been studied and confirmed that they can be used in concrete preparation. The M30 grade concrete was done by using recycled coarse aggregate and with the replacement of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% than that of natural aggregate. Tests were conducted on conventional concrete and different concrete mixes and comparison should be done. The optimum replacement should be calculated based on the above test results.
Empirical correlations of constant ductility seismic input and hysteretic energies with conventional intensity measures
Authors: Hasanoğlu Serkan , Güllü Emrah , Güllü Ahmet
Published: May 2023

Ground motion intensity measures (IMs) possess a significant role in earthquake engineering, especially during ground motion selection for nonlinear response history analyses and dynamic shake table tests as well as for probabilistic seismic engineering. Conventional IMs are not capable of accounting for the duration-related cumulative plastic damage, the frequency content of the ground motions, and the hysteretic behavior of the structural members which can be considered inherently by seismic energy-based IMs. However, many efforts have been paid for conventional IMs to relate them to the structural response. To benefit from these efforts, an empirical correlation study between energy-based and conventional IMs is required. To this end, constant ductility seismic input energy and hysteretic energy imparted to diverse single-degree-of-freedom (SDoF) systems were calculated for near-field earthquake records. The empirical correlations of the energy-based IMs with conventional spectrum-based, peak amplitude-based and cumulative-based IMs have been investigated based on the response history analyses. Further, predictive models between energy parameters and spectral acceleration were suggested considering different constant ductility levels. Hence, ground motion characteristics reflected by the input and hysteretic energy can be explicitly considered in performance-based earthquake engineering applications.
Recovery optimization of plant waste derived antioxidants and their incorporation in cosmetic creams to enhance antioxidant potential: A cost-effective approach
Authors: Nosheen Sofia , Kaleem Maira
Published: May 2023

Plants waste is considered a valuable resource for extraction of valuable antioxidants. The prime objective of this study was to optimize extraction of phenolic compounds from four plant waste materials and quantification of their phenolic content to utilize their phytoextracts for loading into cosmetic creams. Dried residue of four plant materials: Neem leaves (NL), lime plant leaves (LL), radish leaves (RL) and carrot pulp (CP) was extracted using water and ethanol solvent under conditions i.e., boiling, soaking and shaking. Phenolic activity was accessed by Folin-ciocalteu and DPPH free radical scavenger method. Neem leaves extract showed the highest TPC of 112.3mg GAE/g and 92.82% free radical scavenging ability while the other samples also showed significant amounts. Aqueous solvent extracted higher TPC as compared to ethanolic solvent. A positive correlation was observed between TPC and antioxidant activity in aqueous extracts while ethanolic extracts showed no significant correlation. A significant raise in antioxidant activity of creams samples was reported upon loading them with phytoextracts. In one cream sample, the TPC content went from 1.89 to 54.05mg GAE/g after loading with lime plant extracts. In another sample, the free radical scavenging activity of cream raised from 19.34–95.35% by loading cream with 2% lime plant extract. Cosmetic creams containing plant extracts also indicated lesser microbial growth. Slight changes in other parameters e.g. pH, color and odor were also detected in formulated cosmetic products. Conclusively, plant wastes can be used as a valuable resource in cosmetic formulations for skin anti-aging.
Assessment of Hygiene Practices Among Eateries in Amai Community: a Mixed Intervention Study.
Authors: Etim John John , C. Okonkwo Browne , Aduloju Richard Akin , Etim-John Obasesam John , Esen Roseline Ekpenyong , Ibu Josephine Moshe , Akinsola Akinyele Olubiyi , Efejene Ofejiro Isreal
Published: May 2023

Background
There is an observable increase in food-borne diseases, food poisoning among the rural dwellers in the study setting which is perceived to be due to consumption of poorly handled food. This was a strong justification for this study.
Objective
This study aimed at assessing the environmental and storage system for unprocessed and processed food amongst identified eateries and to implement interventions based on observed wrong practices.
Results
At pre-intervention phase, apron use was 15 (39.5%) with 3 (7.9%) consistency; chef caps usage was 14 (36.8%) with 8 (21.1%) consistency but there was no observable use of facemasks. Twenty-three (60.0%) reported Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) burden. At the post-intervention phase, apron use was 37 (97.4%) with 35 (92.1%) consistency; chef cap use was 28 (73.7%) with 26 (68.4%) consistency; facemask use was 33 (86.8%) with 19 (50.0%) consistency. By implication, 36.8% wear it under the chin, and 13.2% still feel uncomfortable using it.
Conclusion
Interventions can influence the practice of good food handling practice among food handlers and consistency in the use of PPE to prevent food contamination via droplets.
Prevalence of Pathotypes of Escherichia coli in Stools of HIV-Positive Adults Attending a HAART Clinic in IleIfe, Nigeria
Authors: Eniola Kehinde , Awoniyi Love , Torimiro Nkem , Ajayi Olufunmilola
Published: May 2023

Background
Management of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection using highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) has improved health outcomes, including reduced opportunist infections like diarrhoea. However, there are reports of Escherichia coli strains as notable agent of opportunistic infections (OI) in HIV-positive patients. It is important to know the pathotypes that are involved to efficiently and effectively manage the patients.
Methods
This study examined the pathotypes of Escherichia coli in the stools of volunteer HIV-positive adult individuals attending HAART Clinic in IleIfe, Nigeria that presented with diarrhoea. E. coli was isolated from the stool samples, characterised, identified, and pathotyped based on the presence of virulence genes: eaeA, bfpA, stx1, stx2, eltB, estA, ipaH, pCVD, and EcoRI-PstI.
Results
E. coli was found in only 27 (9.96%) of the 271 stool samples examined. Among the 72 E. coli strains isolated, 21 were Diarrheagenic (DEC): 11 (52.38%) were Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), 7 (33.33%) were Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), and 3 (14.29%) were E. coli (EHEC) pathotypes. Five (5) of the stool samples yielded more than one DEC pathotype.
Conclusion
There was a low prevalence of DEC, and Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), and Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are major pathotypes of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli prevalent among the HIV-positive adult individuals in the study area.
Retinoic acid signaling regulates the energy metabolism of embryonic lung branching
Authors: Fernandes-Silva Hugo , Alves Marco G. , Garcez Marcia R. , Correia-Pinto Jorge , Oliveira Pedro F. , Homem Catarina C. F. , Moura Rute S.
Published: May 2023

Background: Lung branching morphogenesis is characterized by epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and mediated by complex signaling that ultimately defines the airway conducting system. Retinoic Acid (RA) signaling is crucial for lung organogenesis and modulates proximal-distal patterning and branching morphogenesis. However, how signaling networks and energy metabolism work together to shape embryonic lung development remains unexplored. Here, we investigate how RA signaling influences the metabolic profile of lung branching.

Methods: We performed ex vivo lung explant culture using embryonic chicken lungs (Gallus gallus) treated with DMSO, 1 uM RA (stimulation), or 10 uM of BMS493 (inhibition). Explant culture media was collected, and the consumption/production of extracellular metabolites was evaluated by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Lung explants were analyzed to determine mitochondrial respiration and biogenesis. Proliferation was assessed using an EdU‐based assay. Western blot, qPCR, and in situ hybridization were performed to assess the expression of metabolic/signaling components.

Results: Upon stimulation, RA signaling increases lung branching, maintaining proper morphology. Besides, there is an increase in the amount of glucose directed into pyruvate and succinate rather than into alanine or lactate production. On the other hand, RA signaling inhibition decreases lung branching, induces a cystic-like phenotype, and promotes mitochondrial function. Proliferation status and lactate dehydrogenase expression are both regulated by RA signaling. Furthermore, RA signaling controls fatty acid metabolism through an AMPK-dependent mechanism.

Conclusions: This report shows that RA signaling modulates the energy metabolism of lung branching morphogenesis and highlights the importance of metabolic regulation in this phase, contributing to understanding the etiology of congenital lung disorders.
A Descriptive Epidemiology of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Bacteraemia in a Tertiary Hospital, Southwest Nigeria.
Authors: Irek Emmanuel Oladayo , Fajoyegbe Emmanuel Sunday , Fatunla Odunayo Adebukola Temitope , Oyebanji Adedayo Hakeem , Kiyesi Adekemi , Adebayo Adeshola , Anuforo Anthony Chinemere , Odele Richmond , Ogundare Ezra Olatunde , Babalola Tosin Odunayo , Adebisi Temidayo Deborah , Ihetu Josephine Chijioke , Fayomi Mosunmola Margaret , Akimade Akinola , Ogundipe Kolawole Olubunmi
Published: May 2023

Background
Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are increasingly becoming emerging bacteria of ‘true’ clinical significance in hospital setting. We investigated an unusual rise in incidence of CoNS bacteraemia among in-patients in a private tertiary hospital, Southwest Nigeria and described ways of mitigation.
Methods
A descriptive epidemiology of all cases of CoNS bacteraemia reported among in-patients between April 2022 and June 2022 was conducted. Blood cultures were processed in an automated system. Phenotypic and molecular analyses of CoNS were done according to established guidelines. A multimodal infection prevention and control (IPC) approach by the World Health Organisation was implemented.
Findings
A total of 82 blood cultures (non-duplicate samples) were requested during the period. Of these, 30 (36.5%) were culture-positive and 10 of the isolates were CoNS (10/30, 33.3%). Cumulative incidence of CoNS bacteraemia was 12 cases per 100 patients over 90days from 1–2% in previous months. Staphylococcus haemolyticus (4/10, 40%), Staphylococcus hominis (3/10, 30%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (2/10, 20%) and Staphylococcus saccharolyticus (1/10, 10%) were identified. All isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cefoxitin (methicillin-resistant) while they were all susceptible to both Vancomycin and linezolid. All the isolates fell into S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus cluster groups. The rates reduced to baseline on the implementation of the IPC strategies.
Conclusion
The unusual rise of CoNS incidence in the hospital was caused by multi-drug resistant cluster groups of S. haemolyticus and S. epidermidis which was curtailed by the implementation of multimodal strategies.