bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RISCO, IMPACTO E DANOS AMBIENTAIS EM SISTEMAS AQUÁTICOS
Authors: Almeida Josimar Ribeiro de , Aguiar Laís Alencar de , Matta Patricia Dos Santos , Trindade Roberto De Barros Emery
Published: September 2022

As tecnologias de construção de represas, desvios de rios, drenagem de terras, sistemas de irrigação e extração de águas subterrâneas são altamente desenvolvidas. O acesso a novas tecnologias e as perspectivas de construção de represas cada vez maiores, de grandiosos esquemas de desvios de águas e de rebocamento de icebergs através dos oceanos despertam a atenção dos governantes e planejadores. O homem, com suas interferências, pode alterar a eficiência e a capacidade de muitas das armazenagens e transferências. Caso haja uma ação na transferência da superfície ou do solo, ou em armazenagens, provavelmente uma reação em cadeia provocará mudanças em todos os outros depósitos e transferências. Obviamente, quanto mais a montante for a interferência, menos componentes do sistema serão afetados, ainda que a existência de mecanismo de realimentação ou regeneração do sistema possibilite reações em cadeia através dele
Editorial
Authors: Mitidieri Luiza
Published: September 2022

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Medical management of acute laminitis
Authors: Sundra Tania
Published: September 2022

Laminitis is a medical emergency. It encompasses three distinct forms: sepsis-related laminitis, supporting limb laminitis and endocrinopathic laminitis. The latter is most commonly encountered in equine practice and is associated with hyperinsulinaemia. Regardless of the underlying cause, management of acute laminitis involves treatment of the underlying cause, and providision of analgesia and biomechanical support of the foot.
Case Reports: The Art of Writing, the Importance of Publishing it and Avoiding Facing Rejection
Authors: Aneja Kunal , Shyam Ashok
Published: September 2022

Journal of Orthopaedic Case Reports (JOCR) has a rich history of 12 years in publication and has proven to be a leading choice for publishing orthopedic case reports, being registered with major Indexing and Abstracting partners. I have been associated with the journal for more than 7 years as a regular reviewer of the case reports and have recently been handed the responsibility of serving as an Associate Editor of the journal. I would like to congratulate the entire Indian Orthopaedic Research Group for its success and for promoting orthopedic research in India for the past decade. With diversity in its Editorial Board section editors, this journal considers case reports of all orthopedic subspecialties with a relevant clinical message. Being easy to write and comparatively less time consuming, case reports are the stepping stone for any clinician’s research journey. The Numerous Types of Case Reports Can be Subdivided into the Following Categories [1, 2]
Generalized Tonic-clonic Seizure Caused by Tranexamic Acid Administration in Spinal Surgery: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Kawagishi Masahiro , Kaku Nobuhiro , Shin Shuta , Tsumura Hiroshi
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic solvent, has been widely used for perioperative hemostasis in orthopedic surgery. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports in the literature of seizures caused by tranexamic acid administration for orthopedic surgery. This report presents a case of generalized tonic-clonic seizure caused by tranexamic acid administration immediately after lumbar interbody fusion surgery for lumbar spinal canal stenosis. Case Report: A 66-year-old Japanese woman scheduled for lumbar interbody fusion surgery was administered an intravenous pre-operative dose (1000 mg) of tranexamic acid and 2000 mg immediately after the surgery. Generalized convulsive seizures occurred on awakening from anesthesia. Although the seizures disappeared after deepening the anesthesia, they recurred on awakening, and extubation could not be performed. A computed tomography scan was immediately performed, revealing an intracranial lesion, but there were no other obvious abnormal findings. The patient was then managed in the intensive care unit, and several convulsions occurred on the 2nd post-operative day. The convulsions disappeared on the 3rd post-operative day, and the patient has had no sequelae to date. Conclusion: This original case report will be of interest to orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, neurologists, and pharmacologists. The information presented may also have a broader impact in the field of medicine for other types of surgeons. The details provided in the report will advance knowledge in the area of orthopedic surgery, neurology, pharmacology, and anesthesiology. Orthopedic surgeons should be aware that one of the major complications of tranexamic acid administration is seizure liability.
Intraosseous Lipoma: An Elusive Cause of Long Bone Pain: A Case Series
Authors: Chambers MaKenzie M , Ungerleider Justin B , Kim Tae Won B , Gutowski Christina J
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Intraosseous lipomas are benign tumors composed of mature fat that reside within the intramedullary canal. Although many cases are asymptomatic, some patients report pain that interferes with daily living. For patients presenting with refractory pain, surgical excision may be performed. These tumors were once thought to be rare, but a recent increase in awareness and diagnostic capability may contradict this. Case Presentations: A 27-year-old female presented with a 3-month history of deep and aching pain in her left shoulder. The second patient was a 24-year-old female who presented with a 3-year history of pain in her right tibia. The third was a 50 year old female who presented with a 4-month history of deep pain in her right humerus. The fourth patient was a 34-year-old female who presented with a 6-month history of the left heel pain. All were found to have intraosseous lipomas and were treated with excisional curettage, achieving resolution of symptoms. Conclusion: These cases may help orthopedists better understand the presentation and treatment of intraosseous lipomas due to several shared characteristics. We also hope that this report may lead clinicians to include this pathology in their differential diagnosis when patients present with similar symptoms. As the prevalence of these tumors appears to be increasing, efficient diagnosis and treatment will become increasingly valuable to orthopedists and patients.
Fibrous Dysplasia of Temporal Bone Presented as a Solitary Osteochondroma: A Case Report
Authors: Tambe Deepak A , Patel Saumil K , Sayed Saif Rahamathulla , Mahajan Swapnil R
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Fibrous dysplasia is a benign disorder of unknown etiology. It represents a disturbance of normal bone development – a defect in osteoblastic differentiation and maturation that originates in the mesenchymal precursor of the bone. It is characterized by slow progressive replacement of bone by abnormal isomorphic fibrous tissue. Temporal bone involvement is extremely rare. We report an unusual case of fibrous dysplasia presented like a solitary osteochondroma. Case Report: A 14-year-old girl presented with the complaints of slow-growing swelling on the left temporal region in scalp near left eye for 2 years. The swelling was small to begin with, which increased gradually over a period of 2 years. There were no other presenting symptoms. Hearing was normal. Parents of the patient were concerned with cosmesis only. She had undergone 3D CT scan of skull where it showed bony outgrowth with features suggestive of exostosis. This bony outgrowth had cortex in continuity to cortex of temporal bone and medullary canal same as that of the temporal bone and ground-glass appearance. Repeat CT scan showed bony outgrowth with cortical continuity and had pedicle. It was suggestive of pedunculated osteochondroma. There was no evidence of malignant transformation as swelling showed calcified osteoid-like mass throughout. Hence, the clinical and radiological diagnosis of the left temporal bone solitary osteochondroma was made. However, histopathology showed irregularly shaped bony trabeculae in fibrous stroma of variable cellularity without accompanying osteoblast rimming. Thus, diagnosis was fibrous dysplasia of bone. Histopathological slide was reviewed by two independent pathologists with same conclusion. Conclusion: Our case was unique in that the lesion presented clinically and radiologically as solitary osteochondroma. However, in hindsight, lack of cartilage cap on CT scan should have prompted us to look for another diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, this was unique varied presentation of fibrous dysplasia of temporal bone.
Resolution of Deep Peroneal Nerve Palsy after Seroma Evacuation in a Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Case Report
Authors: Skura Brian W , Goubeaux Craig , Burgette William C
Published: September 2022

Introduction: In this manuscript, we present a late presentation of deep peroneal nerve symptoms after total hip arthroplasty (THA) which subsequently completely resolved after seroma evacuation and sciatic nerve decompression. While hematoma formation causing deep peroneal nerve symptoms after THA has been reported in the literature, we are unaware of any reports of seroma formation causing similar symptoms. Case Presentation: A 38-year-old female underwent an uncomplicated primary THA and developed paresthesia’s over the lateral leg and foot drop on post-operative day 7. Ultrasound diagnosed a fluid collection compressing the sciatic nerve. The patient underwent seroma evacuation and sciatic nerve decompression. Patient regained active dorsiflexion and minimal paresthesia’s over the dorsal lateral foot at the 12-month post-operative clinic visit. Conclusion: Early operative intervention in patients with diagnosed fluid collection and worsening neurological deficits can result in good outcomes. This is a unique case as there are no other case reports of seroma formation causing deep peroneal nerve palsy.
Achromatization of multi-material gradient-index singlets
Authors: Desai Ankur X. , Schmidt Greg R. , Moore Duncan T.
Published: September 2022

Recent advancements in additive manufacturing have enabled new methods of fabricating gradient-index (GRIN) optics by blending multiple materials in the deposition process. A design study highlighting the advantages of multi-material GRIN optics is presented. It is shown that additional materials in the GRIN allow for higher orders of color correction. A new multi-material refractive index representation, which constrains the GRIN to real materials, is also presented.
Super-sensitivity incoherent optical methods for full-field displacement measurements
Authors: Li Shanwu , Yang Yongchao
Published: September 2022

The sensitivity of incoherent optical methods using video cameras (e.g., optical flow and digital image correlation) for full-field displacement measurements, defined by the minimum measurable displacements, is essentially limited by the finite bit depth of the digital camera due to the quantization with round-off error. Quantitatively, the theoretical sensitivity limit is determined by the bit depth B as δp = 1/(2
B
 − 1) [pixel] which corresponds to a displacement causing an intensity change of one gray level. Fortunately, the random noise in the imaging system may be leveraged to perform a natural dithering to overcome the quantization, rendering the possibility of breaking the sensitivity limit. In this work we study such a theoretical sensitivity limit and present a spatiotemporal pixel-averaging method with dithering to achieve super-sensitivity. The numerical simulation results indicate that super-sensitivity can be achieved and is quantitatively determined by the total pixel number N for averaging and the noise level σ
n
as

δ

p

∗

∝
(

σ

n

/

N

)
δ
p

.
The helper NLR immune protein NRC3 mediates the hypersensitive cell death caused by the cell-surface receptor Cf-4
Authors: Kourelis Jiorgos , Contreras Mauricio P. , Harant Adeline , Pai Hsuan , Lüdke Daniel , Adachi Hiroaki , Derevnina Lida , Wu Chih-Hang , Kamoun Sophien
Published: September 2022

Cell surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) activate immune responses that can include the hypersensitive cell death. However, the pathways that link PRRs to the cell death response are poorly understood. Here, we show that the cell surface receptor-like protein Cf-4 requires the intracellular nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat containing receptor (NLR) NRC3 to trigger a confluent cell death response upon detection of the fungal effector Avr4 in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. This NRC3 activity requires an intact N-terminal MADA motif, a conserved signature of coiled-coil (CC)-type plant NLRs that is required for resistosome-mediated immune responses. A chimeric protein with the N-terminal α1 helix of Arabidopsis ZAR1 swapped into NRC3 retains the capacity to mediate Cf-4 hypersensitive cell death. Pathogen effectors acting as suppressors of NRC3 can suppress Cf-4-triggered hypersensitive cell-death. Our findings link the NLR resistosome model to the hypersensitive cell death caused by a cell surface PRR.
Image-guided robotic radiosurgery for the treatment of arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Loebel Franziska , Pontoriero Antonio , Kluge Anne , Iatì Giuseppe , Acker Gueliz , Kufeld Markus , Cacciola Alberto , Pergolizzi Stefano , Vinci Sergio , Lillo Sara , Xu Ran , Stromberger Carmen , Budach Volker , Vajkoczy Peter , Senger Carolin , Conti Alfredo
Published: September 2022

Background

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are challenging lesions, often requiring multimodal interventions; however, data on the efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery for cerebral AVMs are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiographic results following robotic radiosurgery, alone or in combination with endovascular treatment, and to investigate factors associated with obliteration and complications in patients with AVM.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and imaging characteristics of 123 patients with AVMs of all Spetzler-Martin grades treated at two institutions by robotic radiosurgery in single-fraction doses (CyberKnife). Embolization was performed before radiosurgery in a subset of patients to attempt to downgrade the lesions. Factors associated with AVM obliteration and complications (toxicity) were identified via univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

The median follow-up time was 48.1 months (range, 3.6–123 months). Five patients were lost to follow-up. The obliteration rate in the 59 patients with a follow-up period exceeding four years was 72.8%. Complete obliteration and partial remission were achieved in 67 (56.8%) and 31 (26.3%) cases, respectively, whereas no change was observed in 20 cases (17.8%). Embolization was performed in 54/123 cases (43.9%). Complete and partial obliteration were achieved in 29 (55.7%) and 14 (26.9%) embolized patients, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the factors associated with obliteration were age (p = .018) and the Spetzler-Martin grade (p = .041). Treatment-induced toxicity (radiation necrosis and/or edema) was observed in 15 cases (12.7%), rebleeding occurred in three cases (2.5%), and the rate of mortality associated with rebleeding was 1.7%.

Conclusions

CyberKnife radiosurgery is a valid approach for treating AVMs of all Spetzler-Martin-grades, with satisfactory obliteration rates, low toxicity, and a relatively rare incidence of rebleeding.
A comprehensive mobility discharge assessment framework for older adults transitioning from hospital-to-home in the community—What mobility factors are critical to include? Protocol for an international e-Delphi study
Authors: Kalu Michael E. , Dal Bello-Haas Vanina , Griffin Meridith , Ploeg Jenny , Richardson Julie
Published: September 2022

Background

Mobility deficits have been identified as an independent risk factor for hospital readmission for adults ≥65 years. Despite evidence indicating how determinants additively influence and predict mobility, no hospital-to-home care transition models comprehensively assess all seven mobility determinants, cognitive, financial, environmental, personal, physical, psychological, and social. There is currently a lack of clarity regarding what factors clinicians and researchers should evaluate for each mobility determinant. The purpose of this e-Delphi study is to prioritize and reach consensus on the factors for each mobility determinant that are critical to assess as part of the Comprehensive Mobility Discharge Assessment Framework (CMDAF) when older adults are discharged from hospital-to-home.

Methods

This protocol paper is an international modified e-Delphi study following the Recommendations for the Conducting and Reporting of Delphi Studies. International researchers, clinicians, older adults and family caregivers residing in a country with universal or near-universal health coverage will be invited to participate as ‘experts’ in three e-Delphi rounds administered throughDelphiManager©. The e-Delphi Round 1 questionnaire will be developed based on scoping review findings and will be pilot tested. For each round, experts will be asked to rate factors for each determinant that are critical to assess as part of the CMDAF using a 9-point scale: Not Important (1–3), Important but Not Critical (4–6), and Critical (7–9). The scale will include a selection option of "unable to score" and experts will also be asked to provide a rationale for their scoring and suggest missing factors. Experts will receive feedback summaries in Rounds 2 and 3 to guide them in reflecting on their initial responses and re-rating of factors that have not reached consensus. The criteria for reaching consensus will be if ≥70% of experts rate a factor as "critical" (scores ≥7) and ≤ 15% of experts rate a factor as "not important" (scores≤ 3). Quantitative data will be analyzed using median values, frequencies, percentages, interquartile range, and bar graphs; Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test will be used to assess the stability of participants’ responses. Rationale (qualitative data) provided in the open-ended comments section will be analyzed using content analysis.

Conclusion

This study is a first step in developing the CMDAF and will be used to guide a subsequent e-Delphi survey to decide on the tools that should be used to measure the examples of each factor included in our framework.
Epidemiological behavior of the COVID-19 contamination curve in Brazil: Time-series analysis
Authors: de Morais Thiffany Nayara Bento , Costa Ketyllem Tayanne da Silva , Capistrano Gustavo Nepomuceno , de Andrade Fábia Barbosa
Published: September 2022

Brazil is experiencing the greatest episode of sanitary collapse ever known in the country’s history. Therefore, the relevance of this study is highlighted for the scientific advance of the epidemiological behavior of the virus in Brazil, enabling the development of analyses and discussions on the factors that influenced the high rates of contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in the country. Given the above, this study aims to analyze the epidemiological behavior of the COVID-19 contamination curve by epidemiological weeks (EW), in the years 2020–2021, in Brazil. This is an ecological study of time series, prepared using information collected through secondary means. The country of origin of the study is Brazil, and its main theme is the number of people infected during the COVID-19 pandemic, this being the dependent variable of the study. The data has been analyzed from February 23, 2020, when the first case was confirmed in Brazil, to January 1, 2022. In 2021, the country’s graph shows an exponential growth, reaching a peak of approximately 250 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the 12th EW. This data represents the highest rate of the pandemic in Brazil, and did not vary significantly for the next twelve weeks. Thus, it was identified that Brazil was severely impacted by the new coronavirus, considering the high rates of confirmed cases of the virus in the country, the low adherence of the population to preventive measures, the late start of mass vaccination in the Brazilian population, and the lack of structure in the health system, which was not appropriately prepared for the high demand generated by COVID-19.
An international consensus for mitigation of the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on laparoscopic training
Authors: Yiasemidou Marina , Howitt Annabel , Long Judith , Sedman Peter , Garcia-Olmo Damian , Guadalajara Hector , Van Cleynenbreugel Ben , Sharma Dhananjaya , Biyani Shekhar Chandra , Patel Bijendra , Lam Wayne , Harikrishnan Athur , Gómez Rivas Juan , Robinson Jonathan , Manuel Ribeiro de Oliveira Tiago , Escalona Vivas Gabriel , Sanchez-Salas Rafael , Tourinho-Barbosa Rafael , Chetter Ian
Published: September 2022

Aim

Achieve an international consensus on how to recover lost training opportunities. The results of this study will help inform future EAES guidelines about the recovery of surgical training before and after the pandemic.

Background

A global survey conducted by our team demonstrated significant disruption in surgical training during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was wide-spread and affected all healthcare systems (whether insurance based or funded by public funds) in all participating countries. Thematic analysis revealed the factors perceived by trainees as barriers to training and gave birth to four-point framework of recovery. These are recommendations that can be easily achieved in any country, with minimal resources. Their implementation, however, relies heavily on the active participation and leadership by trainers. Based on the results of the global trainee survey, the authors would like to conduct a Delphi-style survey, addressed to trainers on this occasion, to establish a pragmatic step-by-step approach to improve training during and after the pandemic.

Methods

This will be a mixed qualitative and quantitative study. Semi-structured interviews will be performed with laparoscopic trainers. These will be transcribed and thematic analysis will be applied. A questionnaire will then be proposed; this will be based on both the results of the semi structured interviews and of the global trainee survey. The questionnaire will then be validated by the steering committee of this group (achieve consensus of >80%). After validation, the questionnaire will be disseminated to trainers across the globe. Participants will be asked to consent to participate in further cycles of the Delphi process until more than 80% agreement is achieved.

Results

This study will result in a pragmatic framework for continuation of surgical training during and after the pandemic (with special focus on minimally invasive surgery training).
Preventing spread of aerosolized infectious particles during medical procedures: A lab-based analysis of an inexpensive plastic enclosure
Authors: Monroe Luke W. , Johnson Jack S. , Gutstein Howard B. , Lawrence John P. , Lejeune Keith , Sullivan Ryan C. , Jen Coty N.
Published: September 2022

Severe viral respiratory diseases, such as SARS-CoV-2, are transmitted through aerosol particles produced by coughing, talking, and breathing. Medical procedures including tracheal intubation, extubation, dental work, and any procedure involving close contact with a patient’s airways can increase exposure to infectious aerosol particles. This presents a significant risk for viral exposure of nearby healthcare workers during and following patient care. Previous studies have examined the effectiveness of plastic enclosures for trapping aerosol particles and protecting health-care workers. However, many of these enclosures are expensive or are burdensome for healthcare workers to work with. In this study, a low-cost plastic enclosure was designed to reduce aerosol spread and viral transmission during medical procedures, while also alleviating issues found in the design and use of other medical enclosures to contain aerosols. This enclosure is fabricated from clear polycarbonate for maximum visibility. A large single-side cutout provides health care providers with ease of access to the patient with a separate cutout for equipment access. A survey of medical providers in a local hospital network demonstrated their approval of the enclosure’s ease of use and design. The enclosure with appropriate plastic covers reduced total escaped particle number concentrations (diameter > 0.01 μm) by over 93% at 8 cm away from all openings. Concentration decay experiments indicated that the enclosure without active suction should be left on the patient for 15–20 minutes following a tracheal manipulation to allow sufficient time for >90% of aerosol particles to settle upon interior surfaces. This decreases to 5 minutes when 30 LPM suction is applied. This enclosure is an inexpensive, easily implemented additional layer of protection that can be used to help contain infectious or otherwise potentially hazardous aerosol particles while providing access into the enclosure.
Translation strategy of legal terms with Chinese characteristics in Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China based on Skopos theory
Authors: An Jing , Sun Jiahui
Published: September 2022

The Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China, known as the “Encyclopedia of social life”, has come into effect since January 1, 2021. It is the first law named after the “Code” and occupies a fundamental position in the China’s legal system. Therefore, translation of legal terms is vital in making target readers familiar with the China’s civil system and contributes to cultural communication and academic exchange. Previous research on translations of legal terms provides various translation principles and strategies. However, culture connotation in Chinese is usually implicit or lacks counterparts, leading to the difficulties in the equivalent translation of legal terms with Chinese characteristics. Therefore, this paper concentrates on the selection of legal term translation principles from the perspective of the Skopos theory and a Chinese translation theory named Eco-translatology, to explore the application and effect of selected principles in the translation of legal terms with Chinese characteristics. Guided by the Skopos theory and Eco-translatology, this paper collects 42 legal terms with Chinese characteristics from theThe Civil Code of the People’s Republic of Chinaand analyzes the application of 5 translation principles of accuracy, readability, traceability, conventionality, and unification. Through analysis, the legal terms are classified into newly-coined and inherited terms and rules of strategy application are therefore summarized. It is expected that this paper would provide systematic principles for the translation of legal terms with Chinese characteristics.
Key stakeholders’ experiences and expectations of the care system for individuals affected by borderline personality disorder: An interpretative phenomenological analysis towards co-production of care
Authors: Friesen Laura , Gaine Graham , Klaver Ellen , Burback Lisa , Agyapong Vincent
Published: September 2022

Background

The diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) consists of extreme emotional dysregulation and long-term disability when left untreated. It is associated with ineffective use of health care systems and mismanaged care in emergency departments, which can result in a revolving door phenomenon of urgent system usage, poor treatment outcomes, or patients falling out of care entirely–all of which primarily affect patients with BPD as well as their caregivers and clinicians. This crisis must be addressed with a comprehensive understanding of key stakeholder perspectives on the challenges of the system and potential solutions.

Objective

This study explored the perspectives of three key stakeholder groups (i.e., patients, clinicians, and caregivers) in relation to their experiences with and future expectations of the care system for those affected by BPD.

Methods

Four patients with BPD, three generalist clinicians with experience treating BPD, and three caregivers of individuals with BPD participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Participants were asked about their experiences with the current healthcare system and their suggestions for improvement. Responses were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Findings

In-depth analysis of the qualitative data revealed twelve shared themes and three themes that were unique to each key stakeholder group. These themes are discussed and used to inform recommendations for promising practices, policies, and training in this area.

Conclusion

Findings support the importance of a comprehensive mental health system approach for improving the accessibility, effectiveness, and acceptability of the management and treatment of BPD.
On taming the effect of transcript level intra-condition count variation during differential expression analysis: A story of dogs, foxes and wolves
Authors: Lobo Diana , Linheiro Raquel , Godinho Raquel , Archer John Patrick
Published: September 2022

The evolution of RNA-seq technologies has yielded datasets of scientific value that are often generated as condition associated biological replicates within expression studies. With expanding data archives opportunity arises to augment replicate numbers when conditions of interest overlap. Despite correction procedures for estimating transcript abundance, a source of ambiguity is transcript level intra-condition count variation; as indicated by disjointed results between analysis tools. We present TVscript, a tool that removes reference-based transcripts associated with intra-condition count variation above specified thresholds and we explore the effects of such variation on differential expression analysis. Initially iterative differential expression analysis involving simulated counts, where levels of intra-condition variation and sets of over represented transcripts are explicitly specified, was performed. Then counts derived from inter- and intra-study data representing brain samples of dogs, wolves and foxes (wolves vs. dogs and aggressive vs. tame foxes) were used. For simulations, the sensitivity in detecting differentially expressed transcripts increased after removing hyper-variable transcripts, although at levels of intra-condition variation above 5% detection became unreliable. For real data, prior to applying TVscript, ≈20% of the transcripts identified as being differentially expressed were associated with high levels of intra-condition variation, an over representation relative to the reference set. As transcripts harbouring such variation were removed pre-analysis, a discordance from 26 to 40% in the lists of differentially expressed transcripts is observed when compared to those obtained using the non-filtered reference. The removal of transcripts possessing intra-condition variation values within (and above) the 97th and 95th percentiles, for wolves vs. dogs and aggressive vs. tame foxes, maximized the sensitivity in detecting differentially expressed transcripts as a result of alterations within gene-wise dispersion estimates. Through analysis of our real data the support for seven genes with potential for being involved with selection for tameness is provided. TVscript is available at: https://sourceforge.net/projects/tvscript/.
Using whole-brain diffusion tensor analysis to evaluate white matter structural correlates of delayed visuospatial memory and one-week motor skill retention in nondemented older adults: A preliminary study
Authors: Lingo VanGilder Jennapher , Bergamino Maurizio , Hooyman Andrew , Fitzhugh Megan C. , Rogalsky Corianne , Stewart Jill C. , Beeman Scott C. , Schaefer Sydney Y.
Published: September 2022

Skill retention is important for motor rehabilitation outcomes. Recent work has demonstrated that delayed visuospatial memory performance may predict motor skill retention in older and neuropathological populations. White matter integrity between parietal and frontal cortices may explain variance in upper-extremity motor learning tasks and visuospatial processes. We performed a whole-brain analysis to determine the white matter correlates of delayed visuospatial memory and one-week motor skill retention in nondemented older adults. We hypothesized that better frontoparietal tract integrity would be positively related to better behavioral performance. Nineteen participants (age>58) completed diffusion-weighted imaging, then a clinical test of delayed visuospatial memory and 50 training trials of an upper-extremity motor task; participants were retested on the motor task one week later. Principal component analysis was used to create a composite score for each participant’s behavioral data, i.e. shared variance between delayed visuospatial memory and motor skill retention, which was then entered into a voxel-based regression analysis. Behavioral results demonstrated that participants learned and retained their skill level after a week of no practice, and their delayed visuospatial memory score was positively related to the extent of skill retention. Consistent with previous work, neuroimaging results indicated that regions within bilateral anterior thalamic radiations, corticospinal tracts, and superior longitudinal fasciculi were related to better delayed visuospatial memory and skill retention. Results of this study suggest that the simple act of testing for specific cognitive impairments prior to therapy may identify older adults who will receive little to no benefit from the motor rehabilitation regimen, and that these neural regions may be potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in stool samples and nasopharyngeal swabs from COVID-19 patients in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Daou Mariane , Kannout Hussein , Khalili Mariam , Almarei Mohamed , Alhashami Mohamed , Alhalwachi Zainab , Alshamsi Fatima , Tahseen Al Bataineh Mohammad , Azzam Kayasseh Mohd , Al Khajeh Abdulmajeed , Hasan Shadi W. , Tay Guan K. , Feng Samuel F. , Ruta Dymitr , Yousef Ahmed F. , Alsafar Habiba S. ,   on behalf of the UAE COVID-19 Collaborative Partnership
Published: September 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in respiratory samples and was found to commonly cause cough and pneumonia. However, non-respiratory symptoms including gastrointestinal disorders are also present and a big proportion of patients test positive for the virus in stools for a prolonged period. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated viral load trends in stools and nasopharyngeal swabs and their correlation with multiple demographic and clinical factors. The study included 211 laboratory-confirmed cases suffering from a mild form of the disease and completing their isolation period at a non-hospital center in the United Arab Emirates. Demographic and clinical information was collected by standardized questionnaire and from the medical records of the patient. Of the 211 participants, 25% tested negative in both sample types at the time of this study and 53% of the remaining patients had detectable viral RNA in their stools. A positive fecal viral test was associated with male gender, diarrhea as a symptom, and hospitalization during infection. A positive correlation was also observed between a delayed onset of symptoms and a positive stool test. Viral load in stools positively correlated with, being overweight, exercising, taking antibiotics in the last 3 months and blood type O. The viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs, on the other hand, was higher for blood type A, and rhesus positive (Rh factor). Regression analysis showed no correlation between the viral loads measured in stool and nasopharyngeal samples in any given patient. The results of this work highlight the factors associated with a higher viral count in each sample. It also shows the importance of stool sample analysis for the follow-up and diagnosis of recovering COVID-19 patients.
Untargeted saliva metabolomics by liquid chromatography—Mass spectrometry reveals markers of COVID-19 severity
Authors: Frampas Cecile F. , Longman Katie , Spick Matt , Lewis Holly-May , Costa Catia D. S. , Stewart Alex , Dunn-Walters Deborah , Greener Danni , Evetts George , Skene Debra J. , Trivedi Drupad , Pitt Andy , Hollywood Katherine , Barran Perdita , Bailey Melanie J.
Published: September 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to represent an ongoing global health issue given the potential for new variants, vaccine escape and the low likelihood of eliminating all reservoirs of the disease. Whilst diagnostic testing has progressed at a fast pace, the metabolic drivers of outcomes–and whether markers can be found in different biofluids–are not well understood. Recent research has shown that serum metabolomics has potential for prognosis of disease progression. In a hospital setting, collection of saliva samples is more convenient for both staff and patients, and therefore offers an alternative sampling matrix to serum.

Methods

Saliva samples were collected from hospitalised patients with clinical suspicion of COVID-19, alongside clinical metadata. COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed using RT-PCR testing, and COVID-19 severity was classified using clinical descriptors (respiratory rate, peripheral oxygen saturation score and C-reactive protein levels). Metabolites were extracted and analysed using high resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the resulting peak area matrix was analysed using multivariate techniques.

Results

Positive percent agreement of 1.00 between a partial least squares–discriminant analysis metabolomics model employing a panel of 6 features (5 of which were amino acids, one that could be identified by formula only) and the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 severity was achieved. The negative percent agreement with the clinical severity diagnosis was also 1.00, leading to an area under receiver operating characteristics curve of 1.00 for the panel of features identified.

Conclusions

In this exploratory work, we found that saliva metabolomics and in particular amino acids can be capable of separating high severity COVID-19 patients from low severity COVID-19 patients. This expands the atlas of COVID-19 metabolic dysregulation and could in future offer the basis of a quick and non-invasive means of sampling patients, intended to supplement existing clinical tests, with the goal of offering timely treatment to patients with potentially poor outcomes.
Effects of sex and soil water chemistry on leaf morphology and physiology of Myrica gale var. tomentosa
Authors: Mizuki Inoue , Sango Yoshiharu , Ishida Kiyoshi , Hanba Yuko T. , Chiwa Masaaki , Uehara Yoshitoshi , Kume Atsushi
Published: September 2022

Plants respond to environmental stressors, such as an oligotrophic environments, by altering the morphological and physiological functions of their leaves. Sex affects these functions because of the asymmetric cost of reproduction in dioecious plants. We compared the leaf mass per leaf area (LMA), ratio of intercellular air space in leaf mesophyll tissue (mesophyll porosity), palisade thickness, and carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of leaves of the dioecious shrub Myrica gale based on sex and gradients of soil water chemistry across habitats in the field. The PCA showed that the first three principal components accounted for 84.5% of the variation. PC1 to PC3 were associated with the origin of soil water, nitrogen status of habitats, and sea–salt contributions, respectively. LMA varied from 5.22 to 7.13 μg/cm2, and it was positively related to PC2 and negatively related to PC3, but not to PC1 or sex, suggesting that LMA was low under poor nitrogen conditions and varied with salinity. Mesophyll porosity values were over 50% for all habitats. Mesophyll porosity was positively affected by PC3 and smaller in females than in males. This suggests that M. gale exhibits differences in mesophyll anatomy according to sex. Palisade thickness ranged from 0.466 to 0.559 mm/mm. The leaves of females had thinner palisade layers per mesophyll layer than those of males; however, the habitat did not affect the thickness of the palisade layer per mesophyll layer. The δ13C values of leaves varied from −32.14 to −30.51 ‰. We found that δ13C values were positively related to PC2 but not to PC1, PC3, and sex. Under poor nitrogen conditions, the δ13C of M. gale leaves decreased, suggesting that nutrient deficiency would decrease more under the long-term averaged ratio of photosynthesis than stomatal conductance, leading to low water use efficiency.
Differential distribution of eicosanoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the Penaeus monodon male reproductive tract and their effects on total sperm counts
Authors: Yotbuntueng Pisut , Jiemsup Surasak , Deenarn Pacharawan , Tobwor Punsa , Yongkiettrakul Suganya , Vichai Vanicha , Pruksatrakul Thapanee , Sittikankaew Kanchana , Karoonuthaisiri Nitsara , Leelatanawit Rungnapa , Wimuttisuk Wananit
Published: September 2022

Eicosanoids, which are oxygenated derivatives of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), serve as signaling molecules that regulate spermatogenesis in mammals. However, their roles in crustacean sperm development remain unknown. In this study, the testis and vas deferens of the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry. This led to the identification of three PUFAs and ten eicosanoids, including 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) and (±)15-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid ((±)15-HEPE), both of which have not previously been reported in crustaceans. The comparison between wild-caught and domesticated shrimp revealed that wild-caught shrimp had higher sperm counts, higher levels of (±)8-HEPE in testes, and higher levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2α in vas deferens than domesticated shrimp. In contrast, domesticated shrimp contained higher levels of (±)12-HEPE, (±)18-HEPE, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in testes and higher levels of 15d-PGJ2, (±)12-HEPE, EPA, arachidonic acid (ARA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in vas deferens than wild-caught shrimp. To improve total sperm counts in domesticated shrimp, these broodstocks were fed with polychaetes, which contained higher levels of PUFAs than commercial feed pellets. Polychaete-fed shrimp produced higher total sperm counts and higher levels of PGE2 in vas deferens than pellet-fed shrimp. In contrast, pellet-fed shrimp contained higher levels of (±)12-HEPE, (±)18-HEPE, and EPA in testes and higher levels of (±)12-HEPE in vas deferens than polychaete-fed shrimp. These data suggest a positive correlation between high levels of PGE2 in vas deferens and high total sperm counts as well as a negative correlation between (±)12-HEPE in both shrimp testis and vas deferens and total sperm counts. Our analysis not only confirms the presence of PUFAs and eicosanoids in crustacean male reproductive organs, but also suggests that the eicosanoid biosynthesis pathway may serve as a potential target to improve sperm production in shrimp.
Age-dependent virulence of human pathogens
Authors: Sorci Gabriele , Faivre Bruno
Published: September 2022

Host age is often evoked as an intrinsic factor aggravating the outcome of host-pathogen interactions. However, the shape of the relationship between age and infection-induced mortality might differ among pathogens, with specific clinical and ecological traits making some pathogens more likely to exert higher mortality in older hosts. Here, we used a large dataset on age-specific case fatality rate (CFR) of 28 human infectious diseases to investigate i) whether age is consistently associated to increased CFR, ii) whether pathogen characteristics might explain higher CFR in older adults. We found that, for most of the infectious diseases considered here, CFR slightly decreased during the first years of life and then steeply increased in older adults. Pathogens inducing diseases with long-lasting symptoms had the steepest increase of age-dependent CFR. Similarly, bacterial diseases and emerging viruses were associated with increasing mortality risk in the oldest age classes. On the contrary, we did not find evidence suggesting that systemic infections have steeper slopes between CFR and age; similarly, the relationship between age and CFR did not differ according to the pathogen transmission mode. Overall, our analysis shows that age is a key trait affecting infection-induced mortality rate in humans, and that the extent of the aggravating effect on older adults depends on some key traits, such as the duration of illness.
Compassion and trauma in affective witnessing: The case of A Private War
Authors: Briciu Bianca
Published: September 2022

This article analyses the architecture of affective witnessing in the biographical film, A Private War (Michael Heineman 2018), representing the life and work of famous war correspondent, Marie Colvin. Focusing on the self-reflexive representation of affective witnessing in the film, the article discusses the ethical aspects of compassion in war reporting and the politics of trauma and moral injury with their dangerous impact on the life of the protagonist. Affective witnessing implies an ethical position of compassion and responsibility for the victims of war, but it also implies various levels of trauma, with maladaptive effects on the psyche of war correspondents. The analysis of the film is the basis for a theoretical exploration of the affective practice of witnessing and the dangers of trauma and moral injury that accompany the work of war journalists.
Közgáz diáktudós - Kötődés és bizalom: Válogatás a BCE Közgáz Campus tudományos diákköri munkáiból
Authors: Bognár Bálint György , Csábráki Dávid , Csordás Tamás , Granát Marcell , Hadászi Szabolcs , Mitev Ariel Zoltán , Ondrik Szonja , Szabó Ákos , Wimmer Ágnes
Published: September 2022

Könyvünk a 2010-ben indított Közgáz Diáktudós sorozat tizennegyedik kötete, a sorozatban publikált tanulmányok és a szerzők száma is jóval száz fölött jár. Évről évre a Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem Tudományos Diákköri (TDK) konferenciáján eredményesen szereplő hallgatókat kérünk fel arra, hogy TDK-munkáik alapján készítsenek önálló, az eredeti dolgozatnál rövidebb, összefoglaló tanulmányokat, melyek betekintést adnak kutatásukba, egyfajta hallgatói tudományos tükörként, s kedvcsinálóként is a kutatásban kezdő hallgatótársaik számára. Az itt publikált munkák igen széles spektrumot fednek le mind tartalmukat, mind az alkalmazott kutatási, elemzési módszereket tekintve. Még színesebb a kép, ha fellapozzuk (akár virtuálisan, a BCE könyvtárának honlapján megtalálható elektronikus példányokban) a korábbi köteteket, vagy tallózunk az egyetemi könyvtári repozitóriumba feltöltött munkák között, esetleg az Országos Tudományos Diákköri Tanács (OTDT) honlapján a korábbi eredmények és rezümékötetek között nézelődünk. Ez a sokszínűség is jelzi, hogy kutatni, TDK-t írni szinte bármilyen témában, kérdésről lehet. Az itt publikált és a TDK konferenciákon évről évre, az országos TDK konferenciákon (OTDK) kétévente bemutatott munkákat összekötő legfőbb kapocs a kíváncsiság, a (tudományos) érdeklődés, mely kutatásra csábítja a résztvevőket. Az erre épülő felfedező, elemző munkát mentoraik, konzulenseik, a felkészítésben közreműködő oktatók támogatják, ennek eredménye évről évre országosan több ezer, egyetemünkön több száz tudományos diákköri munka. Kötetünk bevezető tanulmányában kitérünk arra, hogy miért is érdemes TDKzni, milyen szerepe lehet a TDK-nak a kutatói kíváncsiságtól a tudományos pályáig (vagy más sikeres szakmai pályafutásig) vezető úton, egyben egy rövid áttekintést is adunk a Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem TDK-tevékenységéről és eredményeiről. Ezt követi az idei sikeres TDK-zók munkáiból készült válogatás, összesen hat tanulmány, majd a kötet végén a Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem 2021. évi Tudományos Diákköri Konferenciáján díjazott dolgozatok listája, illetve az ETDT által az évben odaítélt hallgatói és oktatói kiválósági díjak bemutatása kap helyet. A tizennegyedik diáktudós kötetbe bekerült tanulmányok is változatos képet mutatnak mind a témákat, mind pedig az alkalmazott módszereket tekintve (...)