bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interventions to reduce stigma related to contraception and abortion: a scoping review
Authors: Sorhaindo Annik , Rehnstrom Loi Ulrika
Published: November 2022

Objectives

We conducted a scoping review to identify the types, volume and characteristics of available evidence and analyse the gaps in the knowledge base for evaluated interventions to reduce contraception and abortion stigma.

Design

We conducted a search of five electronic databases to identify articles published between January 2000 and January 2022, and explored the websites of relevant organisations and grey literature databases for unpublished and non-commercial reports. Articles were assessed for eligibility, and data were extracted.

Data sources

We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and PsycINFO.

Eligibility criteria

Articles included were: (1) published between January 2000 and January 2022, (2) written in English, (3) reports of the evaluation of an intervention designed to reduce contraceptive and/or abortion stigma, (4) used any type of study design and (5) conducted in any country context.

Data extraction and synthesis

Included studies were charted according to study location, study aim, study design, type of contraceptive method(s), study population, type of stigma, and intervention approach.

Results

Some 18 articles were included in the final analysis (11 quantitative, 6 qualitative and 1 mixed methods). Fourteen of the studies focused exclusively on abortion stigma, and two studies focused on contraception stigma only; while two studies considered both. A majority of the studies aimed to address intrapersonal stigma. We found no interventions designed to address stigma at the structural level. In terms of intervention approaches, seven were categorised as education/training/skills building, five as counselling/peer support, three as contact and three as media.

Conclusion

There is a dearth of evaluations of interventions to reduce contraception and abortion stigma. Investment in implementation science is necessary to develop the evidence base and inform the development of effective interventions, and use existing stigma scales to evaluate effectiveness. This scoping review can serve as a precursor to systematic reviews assessing the effectiveness of approaches.
Depression, anxiety and their associated factors among patients with cancer receiving treatment at oncology units in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Endeshaw Destaw , Walle Tarkie Abebe , Yohannes Senay
Published: November 2022

Objective

To assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, and their associated factors among patients with cancer receiving cancer treatment in Amhara region oncology centres in Northwest, Ethiopia.

Design

Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted.

Setting

Three oncology units at comprehensive hospitals in the Amhara region, Ethiopia.

Participants

Adult patients who had a pathologically confirmed cancer diagnosis and received cancer therapy were our study participants.

Main outcome measures

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess anxiety and depression symptoms.

Result

A total of 392 patients with cancer participated in this study, of which 57.1% (95% CI 52.1% to 62.1%) and 60.2% (95% CI 55.2% to 65.1%) had anxiety and depression, respectively.

Poor social support (adjusted OR, AOR=4.43, 95% CI (1.70 to 11.50)), poor performance status (AOR=1.97, 95% CI (1.02 to 3.79)) and increased pain severity (AOR=1.30, 95% CI (1.14 to 1.48)) were factors associated with anxiety. Furthermore, poor performance status (AOR=2.77, 95% CI: (1.42, 5.39)) and pain severity (AOR=1.25, 95% CI: (1.11 to 1.42)) were significantly associated with depression.

Conclusion and recommendation

Anxiety and depression were common among patients with cancer. Social support, performance status and pain were determinant factors of anxiety in patients with cancer. Moreover, performance status and pain were associated with depressive symptoms. Therefore, patients with low social support, poor performance status and severe pain should get special emphasis.
Predictors of somatic symptom persistence in patients with chronic kidney disease (SOMA.CK): study protocol for a mixed-methods cohort study
Authors: Shedden-Mora Meike C , Jessen Birte , Schmidt-Lauber Christian , Löwe Bernd , Rösch Michael , Dannemeyer Hendrik , Gloy Joachim , Van den Bergh Omer , Huber Tobias B
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Seven of 10 patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience burdensome persistent somatic symptoms (PSS). Despite the high prevalence and relevance for quality of life, disease progression and mortality, the pathogenesis of PSS in CKD remains poorly understood. The SOMA.CK study aims to investigate biopsychosocial predictors and their interactions for PSS in non-dialysis CKD and to develop a multivariate prognostic prediction model for PSS in CKD.

Methods and analysis

The study is a mixed-methods cohort study with assessments at baseline, 6 and 12 months. It aims to include 330 patients with CKD stages G2–4 (eGFR=15–89 mL/min/1.73 m2). Primary outcome is the CKD-specific somatic symptom burden assessed with the CKD Symptom Burden Index. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, general somatic symptom burden and functioning. The interplay of biomedical (eg, biomarkers, epigenetics), treatment-related (eg, therapies and medication) and psychosocial variables (eg, negative affectivity, expectations) will be investigated to develop a prognostic prediction model for PSS. In an embedded mixed-methods approach, an experimental study in 100 patients using an affective picture paradigm will test the effect of negative affect induction on symptom perception. An embedded longitudinal qualitative study in 40–50 newly diagnosed patients will use thematic analysis to explore mechanisms of symptom development after receiving a CKD diagnosis. SOMA.CK is part of the interdisciplinary research unit ‘Persistent SOMAtic Symptoms ACROSS Diseases’.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hamburg Medical Association (2020-10195-BO-ff). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, scientific conferences, the involvement of our patient advisory board and the lay public. Focusing on subjective symptom burden instead of objective disease markers will fundamentally broaden the understanding of PSS in CKD and pave the path for the development of mechanism-based tailored interventions.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN16137374.
Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and palliative care: a scoping review
Authors: Tian Tian , Guo Ju , Hu Ju-Lan , Hu Yue , Guo Ping , Yu Xiao-Yun
Published: November 2022

Background

Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have specific palliative care needs owing to the influence of the disease on abdominal pain, jaundice, bleeding, appetite, ascites, liver function and hepatic encephalopathy. This research would help develop care models and identify knowledge gaps in the field.

Aims

To identify the palliative care needs and experiences of patients with advanced HCC.

Methods

CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE were used to search English literature from January 1998 to March 2022 for ‘Palliative care’ and ‘Hepatocellular cancer’ using precise inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results

The retrieves identified 2710 records, including 33 studies used in our research. Two additional studies were grey items. Among 35 studies, 13 studies were performed in Asia, 11 studies in North America, 8 studies in Europe and 3 studies in Australia. Quantitative investigations were mostly descriptive or observational. Eight studies were conducted on a national scale, while two were in specific regions. 20 studies were conducted by a single institution. 22 studies focused only on patients, 2 on family caregivers and 2 on healthcare professionals. 2 more studies concentrated on patients and family caregivers, while 6 concentrated on patients and healthcare professionals.

Conclusions

This scoping study illustrates the complexity of advanced HCC treatment and challenges in modern healthcare systems. Formulating appropriate referral criteria, integrating and coordinating care, and assessing care contents are crucial. To enhance the treatment of patients with advanced HCC, it is important to understand the relationships between research and service design across teams, disciplines and care settings.
Complete genome analysis of Pseudomonas furukawaii ZS1 isolated from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) culture water
Authors: Niu Shuhui , Gong Wangbao , Li Zhifei , Zhang Kai , Wang Guangjun , Yu Ermeng , Xia Yun , Tian Jingjing , Li Hongyan , Ni Jiajia , Xie Jun
Published: November 2022

Pseudomonas furukawaii ZS1, isolated from grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idellus) culture water, exhibits efficient aerobic nitrate reduction without nitrite accumulation; however, the molecular pathway underlying this aerobic nitrate reduction remains unclear. In this study, we constructed a complete genome map of P. furukawaii ZS1 and performed a comparative genomic analysis with a reference strain. The results showed that P. furukawaii ZS1 genome was 6 026 050 bp in size and contained 5427 predicted protein-coding sequences. The genome contained all the necessary genes for the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia pathway but lacked those for the assimilatory nitrate reduction pathway; additionally, genes that convert ammonia to organic nitrogen were also identified. The presence of putative genes associated with the nitrogen and oxidative phosphorylation pathways implied that ZS1 can perform respiration and nitrate reduction simultaneously under aerobic conditions, so that nitrite is rapidly consumed for detoxication by denitrification. The aim of this study is to indicate the great potential of strain ZS1 for future full-scale applications in aquaculture. This work provided insights at the molecular level on the nitrogen metabolic pathways in Pseudomonas species. The understanding of nitrogen metabolic pathways also provides significant molecular information for further Pseudomonas species modification and development.
Microwave plasma discharge-assisted surface modification of PVA films: coatings and food packaging
Authors: Elashry S. , ELsaeed H. , El-Siragy N. M.
Published: November 2022

In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film was treated with low-cost microwave oven oxygen plasma. A number of several types of microscopies, including scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle and work of adhesion, were utilized in order to investigate the impact that the plasma had on the PVA film. After plasma treatment, it was discovered that the contact angle had decreased from 39° ± 0.4 to 20.8° ± 0.2, which suggests that the surface property had changed to a hydrophilic state due to increased hydroxyl groups (C=O, O=C–O) according to our finding from the results of XPS. The increase in surface roughness was observed. Recent research suggests that the properties of PVA can be modified by adjusting the degree of oxidation, which could lead to new improvements in applications based on PVA. This could pave the way for food packaging, air-conditioner panels, and coating applications.
Finding Equilibrium Amid the Deep Disruption of the “Geopolitical Metaverse”: Implications for the Sino-US Relationship and ASEAN
Authors: Bitas Basil C.
Published: November 2022

The current geopolitical environment is characterized by a multiplicity of actors, both state and non-state, a growing constellation of multifaceted and often contradictory issues and interests, and an increased velocity wrought by technology and the resulting compression of physical and cyberspace, all of which are churning in a type of expanding “geopolitical metaverse”. In parallel, states find themselves “sharing” sovereignty in a co-dependent relationship with the private sector, particularly as large technology concerns increasingly control key vectors of national power. These dimensions equate to a significant disruption of the international environment. This paper examines the impact of this dynamic on the evolving Sino-US relationship, with ASEAN asserting its “centrality” as a key regional player and intermediary. The ultimate goal of this commentary is to put forward certain targeted suggestions as to how the Sino-US relationship can move toward a new equilibrium amid the prevailing climate of disruption, using an enlightened approach to conditional transactional undertakings and an astute engagement with ASEAN and other regional instances to facilitate constructive compromise and the adoption of an agenda focused on stability, modernity, and economic uplift.
On Impact, Again... My Farewell Editorial
Authors: Stafford Tom
Published: November 2022

To paraphrase the late Jerry Garcia, "it's been a minute," and that certainly dates me as to my generation, eh? I started my journey in 2007 with SIGMIS and its publication, The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems, and that is now over 15 years ago. I had grand aspirations for the journal at the time: at top, to get our review process online (we did that in the first year of my first term by joining Editorial Manager) and secondly, to get us included in the ISI Journal Citation Reports survey for production of a Journal Impact Factor (that took the rest of the first editorial term).
Chlorine Trifluoride Gas Etching Design for Quickly and Uniformly Removing a Thick C-Face 4H-Silicon Carbide Layer
Authors: Hayashi Masaya , Habuka Hitoshi , Takahashi Yoshinao , Kato Tomohisa
Published: November 2022

A process and a reactor for the quick, uniform and deep etching of a C-face 4H-silicon carbide layer were developed using chlorine trifluoride gas. Based on the concept that the etching rate profile of the rotating wafer was the average of that on a concentric circle, the uniform etching rate profile was obtained by the average between the multiple wavy etching rate profiles and by sufficiently spreading the chlorine trifluoride gas. The etching rate variation and RMS microroughness could be reduced to 1.6% and about 0.2 nm, when the etching rate and depth were 20 μm min−1 and about 100 μm, respectively. The developed process could etch off the 150-μm-deep layer without deteriorating the RMS microroughness for the total etching time within 8 min.
An Efficient Video Encryption Algorithm Based on the Pseudorandom Number Generator of Zipf Distribution
Authors: Chen Chen , Wang Xingjun , Huang Guanze , Liu Guining
Published: November 2022

In this study, a pioneer selective video encryption (PSVE) algorithm is proposed based on the pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) of the Zipf distribution (Z-PRNG). It is a general algorithm with high efficiency and security. The encryption process is completely separable from the video coding process. In the PSVE algorithm, Z-PRNG is designed based on the 3D SCL-HMC hyperchaotic map. Firstly, encapsulated byte sequence payloads (EBSPs) are extracted from the video bitstream. Secondly, random numbers of the Zipf distribution are generated by Z-PRNG, and they are used to randomly select encrypted data from each EBSP. Lastly, the extracted data are encrypted by AES-CTR to obtain the encrypted video. Compared with existing algorithms, the encryption position is more flexible, and the key space is further enhanced. The high efficiency video coding (HEVC) video and the advanced video coding (AVC) video are taken as examples to test the PSVE algorithm. The analysis results show that the proposed scheme can effectively resist common attacks, and its time complexity is much less than most existing algorithms.
Learning-Based Ordering Characters on Ancient Document
Authors: Lee Hyeonjin , Baek Rock-Hyun , Choi Hyun-Chul
Published: November 2022

Digitalizing and translating a scanned document image entails detecting the characters using a detector and translating the characters in the order they were detected with a translator. However, it is impossible to translate these characters correctly because the detector often detects them in any order. As a result, since it is critical to organize the recognized characters for proper translation, we propose ordering characters from documents with multiple variations using the strength of the learning-based model that learns the necessary operations from the data. In this task, it is difficult to order the characters written on antique handwritten documents that have deviations such as a bent or split line, as opposed to official records that have lines placed uprightly one by one. Because dealing with these many variants using a human-designed algorithm is problematic, we arrange characters printed on papers with diverse variations by taking advantage of a training model that can learn the appropriate function from data. Our method outputs both line id and y-axis and combines them to assign the sequential index. It is difficult to train using simply local regions because sequential character indexes in a large range include long-range dependencies. To solve this problem, we use network architecture to expand the receptive field as wide as possible. The network must learn to give various indexes to characters in similar places for each document because the number and area of characters vary for each document. We offer the ground truth assign method based on the absolute position to assign similar indexes to characters in similar places. Furthermore, even if the network uses absolute ground truth, the network may assign the incorrect line if the center coordinates of characters are biased in one direction. As a result, we employed the Region of Interest (ROI) from the pretrained coordinate layer, which contains position and trend information. We used the modified edit distance to compare the similarity of character indexes from the ground truth and our technique. In addition, we computed the modified fisher criterion to assess the degree of the clustering line. Consequently, our edit distance is just 0.43 times that of the human-designed algorithm, and our fisher criterion is 1.46 times that of the human-designed algorithm, improving the performance of human-designed algorithm.
Shock Boundary Layer Interaction and Aero-Optical Effects in a Transonic Flow over Hemisphere-on-Cylinder Turrets
Authors: Ren Xiang , Yu Huahua , Yao Xianghong , Su Hua , Hu Peng
Published: November 2022

Hemisphere-on-cylinder turrets are the main airborne optical platform structure. However, an unsteady shock boundary layer interaction (SBLI) would act on flow separation and turbulent wake, which causes serious aero-optical effects with high spatial and temporal frequency characteristics. In this paper, the SBLI phenomenon of a hemisphere-on-cylinder turret is recorded in a wind tunnel at

Ma
=
0.7

using shadowing and Mach-Zehnder interferometer measurements. Its wavefront distortion is measured using the Shack-Hartmann measurement. The detached eddy simulation (DES) based on SST

k

-

ω

turbulence model and ray-tracing methods are used to reproduce the transonic flow and optical aberration. Experiments and simulations suggest that the SBLI causes the flow to separate earlier relative to a subsonic flow over the turret. The time-averaged root-mean-square of optical path difference (OPD) over the beam aperture is 0.56 λ∼0.59 λ with

λ

as the wavelength, while the root-mean-square of the time-averaged OPD is about 0.45 λ. The local shock and wavefront distortion have dual peak frequencies at

S

t

D

=
f
D
/

U

∞

=
0.24

and 0.34, different from the single-peak-frequency phenomenon of a subsonic flow over turrets. Fast model decomposition of wavefront can be performed by proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of its Zernike coefficients. The first two modes contain the shock’s reciprocating motion.
Investigation on the Differences in the Failure Processes of the Cortical Bone under Different Loading Conditions
Authors: Dai Xiaofeng , Fan Ruoxun , Wu Huajie , Jia Zhengbin
Published: November 2022

Cortical bone is a transversely isotropic material, and the mechanical properties may be related to the loading direction on the osteon. Therefore, analyzing the differences in the failure processes of cortical bone under different loading conditions is necessary to explore the measures for reducing the incidence of fracture. In this study, to investigate the effects of different loading directions on the fracture performance in the cortical bone, a numerical method that could simultaneously simulate the failure processes in the cortical bone structure under compression and bending loads was established based on continuum damage mechanics theory. The prediction accuracy and feasibility of the numerical method were first verified by comparing with the corresponding experimental results. Then, the differences in the failure process and fracture performance of the same cortical bone structure under compression and bending loads were investigated. The simulation results indicated that for the same structure, the slip-open failure mode appeared under compression load, and the crack propagated along a certain angle to the loading direction; the tension-open failure mode appeared under bending load, and the crack propagated along the direction perpendicular to the loading direction. Meanwhile, the fracture load was greater and the fracture time was later in the compression than in the bending condition. These phenomena stated that discrepant failure processes and fracture patterns occurred in the same cortical bone structure under different loading conditions. The main reason may be related to the tension–compression asymmetry and transversely isotropic characteristics in the cortical bone material. The fracture simulations in the cortical bone under different loading conditions could improve the prediction accuracy in bone biomechanics and provide the prevention method for cortical bone damage and fracture.
Fruits Classification and Detection Application Using Deep Learning
Authors: Mimma Nur-E-Aznin , Ahmed Sumon , Rahman Tahsin , Khan Riasat
Published: November 2022

Computer vision and image processing techniques are considered efficient tools for classifying various types of fruits and vegetables. In this paper, automated fruit classification and detection systems have been developed using deep learning algorithms. In this work, we used two datasets of colored fruit images. The first FIDS-30 dataset of 971 images with 30 distinct classes of fruits is publicly available. A major contribution of this work is to present a private dataset containing 761 images with eight categories of fruits, which have been collected and annotated by ourselves. In our work, the YOLOv3 deep learning object detection algorithm have been used for individual fruit detection across multiple classes, and ResNet50 and VGG16 techniques have been utilized for the final classification for the recognition of a single category of fruit in images. Next, we implemented the automatic fruit classification models with flask for the web framework. We got 86% and 85% accuracies from the public dataset with ResNet50 and VGG16, respectively. We achieved 99% accuracy with ResNet50 and 98% accuracy with the VGG16 model on the custom dataset. The domain adaptation approach is used in this work so that the proposed deep learning-based prediction model can cope with real-world problems of diverse domains. Finally, an Android smartphone application has been developed to classify and detect fruits with the camera in real-time. All the images uploaded from the Android device are automatically sent and consequently analyzed on the web, and finally, the processed data and results are returned to the smartphone. The custom dataset and implementation codes will be available after the manuscript has been accepted. The custom dataset can be found at: https://github.com/SumonAhmed334/dataset_fruit.
Prognostic and Clinical Value of the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Biliary Tract Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Peng Xiulan , Wang Xia , Hua Li , Yang Rui
Published: November 2022

Previous studies that explored the prognostic and clinical value of the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in biliary tract cancer (BTC) had inconsistent results. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic and clinicopathological role of the SII in biliary tract cancer. Combined analysis demonstrated that high SII levels had worse overall survival (

HR
=
1.92

, 95% CI: 1.66–2.21,

p
<
0.001

) than those with low SII levels. And an elevated SII was associated with lymph node metastasis (

OR
=
1.44

, 95%

CI
=
1.18
‐
1.76

;

p
<
0.001

), TNM stage (

OR
=
1.49

, 95%

CI
=
1.05
‐
2.13

;

p
=
0.028

), and vascular invasion (

OR
=
1.49

, 95%

CI
=
1.05
‐
2.13

;

p
=
0.028

). Conversely, no significant association between a high SII and sex or tumor differentiation was found. Our findings demonstrate that high SII levels were correlated with unfavorable survival outcomes among patients with BTC and that they were also correlated with some higher malignancy features of BTC.
Discrepancies Between Bayesian Vancomycin Models Can Affect Clinical Decisions in the Critically Ill
Authors: Patanwala Asad E. , Spremo Danijela , Jeon Minji , Thoma Yann , C. Alffenaar Jan-Willem , Stocker Sophie
Published: November 2022

Purpose. To assess the agreement in 24-hour area under the curve (AUC24) value estimates between commonly used vancomycin population pharmacokinetic models in the critically ill. Materials and Methods. Adults admitted to intensive care who received intravenous vancomycin and had a serum vancomycin concentration available were included. AUC24 values were determined using Tucuxi (revision cd7bd7a8) for dosing intervals with a vancomycin concentration using three models (Goti 2018, Colin 2019, and Thomson 2009) previously evaluated in the critically ill. AUC24 values were categorized as subtherapeutic (<400 mg·h/L), therapeutic (400–600 mg·h/L), or toxic (>600 mg·h/L), assuming a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1 mg/L. AUC24 value categorization was compared across the three models and reported as percent agreement. Results. Overall, 466 AUC24 values were estimated in 188 patients. Overall, 52%, 42%, and 47% of the AUC24 values were therapeutic for the Goti, Colin, and Thomson models, respectively. The agreement of AUC24 values between all three models was 48% (223/466), Goti-Colin 59% (193/466), Goti-Thomson 68% (318/466), and Colin-Thomson 67% (314/466). Conclusion. In critically ill patients, vancomycin AUC24 values obtained from different pharmacokinetic models are often discordant, potentially contributing to differences in dosing decisions. This highlights the importance of selecting the optimal model.
An Elderly Man with Atypical Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome
Authors: Wang Liang , Lankry Polina , Rabinovitch David , Gallo Ryan , Laiginhas Rita , Iyer Prashanth , Shulman Shiri , Trivizki Omer
Published: November 2022

A rare occurrence of an atypical case of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) in a 75-year-old man without viral prodrome or white dots on fundus that presented with acute, severe left eye visual loss, which returned to baseline without treatment in several weeks. Multimodal imaging, including fluorescein angiography (FA), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), indocyanine green angiography (ICG), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated classical presentation of MEWDS with wreath-like lesions and inflammatory foci in the retinal pigment epithelium that correlated among modalities. Possible underlying systemic disorders were ruled out through extended work up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show atypical MEWDS in an elderly man with classic changes on FA, FAF, ICG, and OCT.
Medical Thoracoscopy and Intrapleural Fibrinolytic Therapy for the Management of Pleural Empyema: A Cohort Study
Authors: Ravaglia Claudia , Ghirotti Corrado , Puglisi Silvia , Piciucchi Sara , Gurioli Carlo , Fabbri Elisabetta , Sultani Fabio , Martinello Sabrina , Corso Ruggero Massimo , Maitan Stefano , Sambri Vittorio , Stella Franco , Poletti Venerino
Published: November 2022

Background: Pleural empyema is associated with relevant morbidity and mortality, and it may be classified, according to evolution and ultrasound, into three stages: stage I (free-flowing effusion), stage II (viscous effusion with the tendency to loculate), and stage III (organizing phase). According to guidelines, antibiotic therapy and pleural drainage are recommended, with surgery being performed when patients fail and/or in case of organized empyema. Objectives: The aim of the study was to report the efficacy and safety of medical thoracoscopy in patients with pleural empyema stratified by chest ultrasound. Method: Observational retrospective cohort study analyzing patients with pleural empyema treated with medical thoracoscopy. Procedure success and mortality were evaluated at 30 days and 90 days after the procedure; complications were also reported. Results: 131 patients were included. Intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy was performed thereafter in the majority of cases. Medical thoracoscopy was considered successful without subsequent intervention in 99 patients (76%); 19 patients (15%) underwent a second procedure (drainage, thoracoscopy, video-assisted thoracic surgery, or thoracotomy); and 6 patients (5%) died of the evolution of empyema. Patients treated in stages I and II showed significantly better post-procedure results compared with patients treated in stage III (100%, 83.3%, and 58.1%, respectively). Thoracoscopy complications were observed in 18 patients and were reversible in all cases. Conclusions: Patients with pleural empyema treated in earlier stages (free-flowing or multiloculated effusion) with medical thoracoscopy show significantly better results than patients treated in later stages (organized empyema). This approach is safe, minimally invasive, and efficient in these patients with disease having relevant mortality; however, patient selection remains essential.
Aborto: análise das recentes modificações legais e suas implicações éticas
Authors: Silva Silfarney Gomes da , Santana Filho Alberto Luiz Souza , Barbosa Francielli Dayane de Sousa , Silva Saiury Gomes da , Grijó Junior Maurício de Oliveira
Published: November 2022

O aborto é uma questão de saúde pública e a sua discussão abrange aspectos éticos, morais e legais. Apesar das posições contrárias, o abortamento legal propicia acesso seguro e humanizado à assistência, diminuindo a mortalidade materna. Nesse contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho é discutir as recentes modificações no ordenamento jurídico pátrio relacionadas ao aborto e a suas implicações na prática médica. Trata-se de revisão crítica da literatura, realizada nas bases de dados LILACS e SciELO. Evidenciou-se que nas últimas décadas ocorreram várias modificações jurídicas relacionadas ao abortamento. Tais alterações tornaram-se alvo de críticas por violarem a autonomia das pacientes e estarem, em alguns casos, em desacordo com o Código de Ética Médica. Constata-se que, mesmo havendo previsão legal para a prática, muitas mulheres enfrentam a negação de seus direitos.
Uma reflexão bioética sobre a perspectiva de acadêmicos de medicina sobre abortamento e descriminalização
Authors: Marzarotto Romana Suely Della Torre , Rigoti Letícia Yabushita , Ferreira Mariane Okamoto , Goulart Caio Eduardo Alves de Oliveira Paes Leme , Rodrigues Carlos Frederico de Almeida
Published: November 2022

O abortamento é definido, pela Organização Mundial da Saúde, como a interrupção da gravidez antes da viabilidade fetal. Apesar de uma definição clara, o abortamento ou aborto aparece como uma questão de relevância bioética com diversas controvérsias muito discutida na “bioética de situações persistentes”. Este artigo tem por objetivo avaliar a opinião de acadêmicos de medicina de universidades públicas e privadas a respeito do abortamento, descriminalização e dos deveres do médico diante de uma situação de aborto provocado. Foram incluídas nesta pesquisa respostas de acadêmicos de Medicina (n=110) a questionário estruturado autoaplicado a respeito da descriminalização do abortamento. Os resultados demonstraram que a maioria dos alunos (89%) é favorável à descriminalização do aborto em várias situações, incluindo casos em que a lei brasileira ainda não permite o abortamento, como em caso de malformações compatíveis com a vida e alterações cromossômicas. Além disso, os alunos defendem que os principais responsáveis pela decisão sobre a realização do aborto sejam os dois progenitores. Discussões a respeito das implicações bioéticas do aborto e os direitos e deveres do médico nesse contexto são fundamentais, haja vista a ignorância que ainda existe sobre esse assunto.
Glycoprotein Serum Concentrations Assessed By 1H-NMR are Increased in Patients With High Blood Pressure
Authors: Andreychuk Natalia , Llop Dídac , Moreno-Vedia Juan , Girona Josefa , Ibarretxe Daiana , Rodríguez-Borjabad Cèlia , Plana Núria , Masana Lluís
Published: November 2022

Background:

Patients with hypertension present a permanent state of low-grade inflammation, as the disease activates several pro-inflammatory cells and inflammatory pathways. Glycoproteins A, B, and F, determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, provide a highly sensitive method for determining a group of liver-derived pro-inflammatory proteins, and their role has not yet been explored in patients with hypertension. In this study, we evaluated the impact of plasma concentrations of these glycoproteins in patients with hypertension.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study involved 340 patients attending our vascular and metabolism medicine unit. Of them, 129 were normotensive and 211 were hypertensive. Standard biochemistry and carotid ultrasound measures were performed. Serum concentrations of glycoproteins A, B, and F were determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance.

Results:

Hypertensive patients presented a higher prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes and higher glycoprotein A, B, and F concentrations. Glycoproteins A, B, and F were positively correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Multivariate logistic models showed that glycoproteins A, B, and F were associated with higher odds of being hypertensive. Machine learning methods corroborated the relationship between glycoproteins and high blood pressure. The higher prevalence of carotid plaques in patients with high blood pressure was partially mediated by glycoproteins A and F.

Conclusions:

Patients with hypertension present systemic, subclinical inflammation as assessed by liver-derived glycoprotein A, B, and F serum levels. These results support the effect of hypertension on the mechanisms of systemic inflammation. Hypertension-associated systemic inflammation plays a role in hypertension-associated vascular injury and probably in hypertension-induced damage to other organs.
Libido, Psychic Eugenics and Abnormality
Authors: Tzanaki Demetra
Published: November 2022

This article attempts to resituate the Greek regime of 4th of August 1936 within the wider context of interwar fascism in Europe and address it as fascist ideology and practice. It does so by pointing to the ways in which the biomedical discourse on gender and sexuality was pivotal in Ioannis Metaxas’s project in terms of playing a crucial role in normalising ideas of racial, class, sexual and gender hierarchy. The article has two areas of focus. The first approaches the eugenic discourse developed in Greece and Europe under liberal governments. This relied on the premise that the mental or psychic disorders it accounted for, identified mainly among the lower classes, were diagnosed as diseases of the ‘libidinous libido’ when it came to criminality, poverty, strikes, psychic diseases and brutal deaths. The second area of focus reveals how, once trained to detect biological and psychical anomalies, Metaxas’s regime managed to perform something that now gives the impression of a magic trick: by waving the wand of psychiatric technocracy over a scene of profound economic inequality, it cultivated an authoritarian, patriarchal, biomedical discourse on psychic normality.
Ideological Forerunners of Metaxas's Regime
Authors: Papari Aikaterini (Kate)
Published: November 2022

Constitutional change in interwar Greece was prepared for by political figures who, overwhelmed by ongoing political and social crisis and strongly involved in intense political debates on the crisis of parliamentarianism, endorsed the disestablishment of the Second Hellenic Republic. This article focuses on conservative intellectuals influenced by German sociologists, such as Max and Alfred Weber, Italian and Spanish scholars such as Vilfredo Pareto and José Ortega Y Gasset, and neo-Kantian and neo-Hegelian philosophers and constitutional lawyers. Claiming to stand above politics, they argued restored nationalism was the only doctrine that could promote the fulfilment of the nation’s ‘mission’. These intellectuals argued democracy and class-based parties, especially the left, undermined the concept of parliamentarianism, weakened the ideal of democracy, and would lead the country to chaos. As a counterbalance, they promoted political ideas that supposedly benefited the state and Hellenism in general. They advocated for charismatic leadership, discussed implementation of ‘controlled democracy’, and proclaimed an idealistic millennialism, a modern Platonic republic of the ‘prime’, led by the ‘philosopher-king’.
Editorial Introduction
Authors: Kallis Aristotle , Souvlis George
Published: November 2022

There are few more challenging tests of fascist core-periphery topographies than the case of interwar Greece. Greece can claim no significant fascist movement in the interwar years; no significant fascist political party; and no dictatorial regime inspired by a genuinely revolutionary ultranationalist vision. In the last category, the only possible candidate, the 4th of August dictatorial regime headed by the retired general Ioannis Metaxas, was established late (1936) and lasted only for a few short years until the death of the dictator (January 1941). The contributions to this special issue on interwar Greece feature not only diverse aspects of the Metaxas regime but also offer broader perspectives on the ideological and political dynamics of fascism across the 1920s and 1930s. This special issue intends to build bridges between historical and sociological approaches; between the study of ideas and the analysis of policies; between contextual specificities and international trends; and, in the end, between recent historiographies of generic fascism and of modern Greek history. Collectively, the contributions also evince a plea to take the fascist experience and the potential for radical ruptures in interwar Greece more seriously.
International Fascism and the Allure of the ‘Third Way’ in Interwar Greece
Authors: Kallis Aristotle
Published: November 2022

The rise and victory of Italian Fascism in the first half of the 1920s passed Greece by. Yet soon afterwards the international experience of ‘fascism’ found more receptive audiences within the prodigious dissident ‘third spaces’ where more and more mainstream Greek political actors chose to operate in the interwar period. This article explores the dynamics of the ideological and political formation of ‘third ways’ in interwar Greece, paying attention to the interplay between international stimuli and local contextual singularities. In these thirding spaces ‘fascism’ was understood and operationalised in very different, subjective, and ever-shifting ways by each of these actors. It was regarded mostly as a potential component of diverse thirding processes/solutions and rarely as the desired outcome thereof. This explains why fascism came to inform a range of very different thirding projects in interwar Greece—from pursuing rupture and renewal to aspiring to status quo-affirmation; from liberal to conservative to authoritarian visions; from searching for a short-term ‘remedy’ to envisioning a long-term radical transformation.
New species of Marcetia and Microlicia (Melastomataceae) endemic to the campo rupestre of Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil
Authors: PACIFICO RICARDO , ALMEDA FRANK
Published: November 2022

During recent field expeditions to the Chapada Diamantina (Bahia, Brazil), nine new endemic species of Melastomataceae were collected and are here described and illustrated: Marcetia auricularia, Marcetia santosiae, Marcetia unguiculata, Microlicia ascendens, Microlicia barbata, Microlicia daneui, Microlicia piatensis, Microlicia prostrata, and Microlicia tetramera. We provide photos of living and dry specimens, geographic distribution maps, notes on habitat and phenology for each species, and recommended conservation assessments. Marcetia auricularia, Marcetia unguiculata and Microlicia daneui were collected within a full protection conservation unit, the Chapada Diamantina National Park. Populations of Marcetia santosiae, Microlicia ascendens, Microlicia barbata, Microlicia prostrata, and Microlicia tetramera grow in a sustainable use conservation unit, the Serra do Barbado APA; no protection is afforded to Microlicia piatensis, as it occurs outside all conservation units in the Chapada Diamantina.
Taxonomy and morphology of Phacidiella kunmingensis sp. nov. (Stictidaceae) from southwest China
Authors: WEI DE-PING , GENTEKAKI ELENI , WANASINGHE DHANUSHKA N. , HYDE KEVIN D. , TO-ANUN CHAIWAT , CHEEWANGKOON RATCHADAWAN
Published: November 2022

Stictidaceae was formally introduced as a group of saprotrophic discomycetes. The majority of Stictidaceae species are documented and described from Europe, North America and South America. In contrast, knowledge on stictidaceous fungi in African and Asian continents is lacking. In this study, a novel saprophytic species, Phacidiella kunmingensis sp. nov. was discovered from dead woody twigs in Yunnan Province, China. The new species was described based on its sexual morph, which is characterized by apothecial ascomata, yellow disc, white-pruinose margin, crystalline exciple, filiform paraphyses, cylindrical asci and filiform, multiseptate, non-disarticulating ascospores. Its taxonomic position was inferred using phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, mtSSU and rpb2 sequence and further confirmed by morphological studies.
Sellaphora tanghongquii sp. nov. (Bacillariophyta, Sellaphoraceae), a new diatom species from the Southern China
Authors: NI HONG-PING , GUO JI-SHU , TANG ZHENG-BIN , HUANG YING-YAN , KOCIOLEK JOHN PATRICK , LI YAN-LING
Published: November 2022

Sellaphora tanghongquii sp. nov. is described from epilithic samples taken from river systems in Southern China. The morphology of the new species is described based on light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and detailed ecological information is provided. This species has diagnostic features consistent with the genus Sellaphora, including small and linear valves, undulate and filiform raphe, and the presence of internal hymenate occlusions. Compared to morphologically similar species, we found that the new species is the most similar to S. constrictum in valve size and outline, raphe structure, and the external arrangement of the striae. However, S. tanghongquii sp. nov. has the following outstanding features which distinguish from similar species: 1) the valve striae are uniseriate externally and biseriate internally, 2) the shape of areolae are mostly square to elliptical, partly round, oval or irregularly shaped, composed of 2–4 small holes inside externally and round, elliptical, C-shaped, or irregularly shaped internally, 3) undulate valves with a slight constriction near the central portion of the valve, and 4) the presence of a row of separated and small pores on the valve mantle. The species appears to be best assigned to the group of species with axial grooves, which includes the generitype of Sellaphora. The discovery of this new diatom species increases the known biodiversity of the southern regions in China.
A new species of crown-of-thorns sea star, Acanthaster benziei sp. nov. (Valvatida: Acanthasteridae), from the Red Sea
Authors: WÖRHEIDE GERT , KALTENBACHER EMILIE , COWAN ZARA-LOUISE , HASZPRUNAR GERHARD
Published: November 2022

A new species of crown-of-thorns sea star (CoTS), Acanthaster benziei sp. nov., is described based on four specimens collected from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast where it inhabits coral reefs. Species delimitation from congeners in the species complex, i.e., Acanthaster planci, Acanthaster mauritiensis and Acanthaster cf. solaris, is primarily based on distinct and diagnostic mitochondrial DNA sequence regions. Species separation of Acanthaster benziei is additionally justified due to diagnostic morphological characters: fewer arms; narrower and thinner spines; fanned spine tips in primary and latero-oral spines; a wider tip or tapering shape in circumoral spines; and rhombus-shaped oral pedicellariae.
Contrasting El Niño–La Niña Predictability and Prediction Skill in 2-Year Reforecasts of the Twentieth Century
Authors: Sharmila S. , Hendon H. , Alves O. , Weisheimer A. , Balmaseda M.
Published: November 2022

Despite the growing demand for long-range ENSO predictions beyond 1 year, quantifying the skill at these lead times remains limited. This is partly due to inadequate long records of seasonal reforecasts that make skill estimates of irregular ENSO events quite challenging. Here, we investigate ENSO predictability and the dependency of prediction skill on the ENSO cycle using 110 years of 24-month-long 10-member ensemble reforecasts from ECMWF’s coupled model (SEAS5-20C) initialized on 1 November and 1 May during 1901–2010. Results show that Niño-3.4 SST can be skillfully predicted up to ∼18 lead months when initialized on 1 November, but skill drops at ∼12 lead months for May starts that encounter the boreal spring predictability barrier in year 2. The skill beyond the first year is highly conditioned to the phase of ENSO: Forecasts initialized at peak El Niño are more skillful in year 2 than those initialized at peak La Niña, with the transition to La Niña being more predictable than to El Niño. This asymmetry is related to the subsurface initial conditions in the western equatorial Pacific: peak El Niño states evolving into La Niña are associated with strong upper-ocean heat discharge of the western Pacific, the memory of which stays beyond 1 year. In contrast, the western Pacific recharged state associated with La Niña is usually weaker and shorter-lived, being a weaker preconditioner for subsequent El Niño, the year after. High prediction skill of ENSO events beyond 1 year provides motivation for extending the lead time of operational seasonal forecasts up to 2 years.
Mental health differences between multiracial and monoracial college students in the United States: Emerging racial disparities
Authors: Oh Hans , Du Jinyu , Smith Lee , Koyanagi Ai
Published: November 2022

Background:

Multiracial individuals appear to be at higher risk for mental health problems; however, more research is needed to confirm these racial disparities among young adult college populations.

Methods:

We analyzed data from the Health Minds Study ( N = 99728 young adult college students aged 18–34), collected online across 140 college campuses from September 2020 to June 2021. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between multiracial identity and several mental health outcomes, including mental and behavioral health (depression, anxiety, languishing, perceived need, loneliness), self-injurious behaviors (non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation, suicide plan, suicide attempt), and history of lifetime psychiatric disorders, adjusting for age and gender.

Results:

Almost a tenth of the weighted sample were multiracial. Multiracial students had greater odds of all mental and behavioral health outcomes, self-injurious behaviors (though only marginally significant for suicide attempt), and most lifetime psychiatric disorders.

Conclusion:

Multiracial young adult college students were more likely to have mental health problems than their monoracial counterparts, calling for targeted preventive interventions on college campuses to address these mental health disparities.