bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of eSports Industry Knowledge Alliances on Innovation Performance: A Mediation Model Based on Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Yue Longfei , Zheng Yiwen , Ye Meng
Published: May 2022

This study investigates the associations among member ability, member relationships, knowledge sharing, and innovation performance in eSports industry knowledge alliance. A survey strategy and purposive sampling were applied, and the analysis was conducted on a sample of 311 senior managers from the China eSports Association. The hypotheses were tested using SPSS 24.0 software and AMOS 24.0 software. This study shows that member ability and member relationships have both a direct and indirect effect on innovation performance. Firstly, member ability, member relationships, and member knowledge sharing significantly impact the innovation performance of eSports industry knowledge alliances. Secondly, member knowledge sharing plays a mediating role in the effect of member ability and membership relationship on innovation performance. This pioneering article explores the interaction mechanisms between member ability, member relationships, and innovation performance in eSports industry knowledge alliance. The research results are conducive to the development of the eSports industry toward deep integration and sustainable development and provide a reference for similar knowledge-intensive enterprise alliance behaviors.
Mood Disturbances Across the Continuum of Care Based on Self-Report and Clinician Rated Measures in the interRAI Suite of Assessment Instruments
Authors: Hirdes John P. , Morris John N. , Perlman Christopher M. , Saari Margaret , Betini Gustavo S. , Franco-Martin Manuel A. , van Hout Hein , Stewart Shannon L. , Ferris Jason
Published: May 2022

Background

Mood disturbance is a pervasive problem affecting persons of all ages in the general population and the subset of those receiving services from different health care providers. interRAI assessment instruments comprise an integrated health information system providing a common approach to comprehensive assessment of the strengths, preferences and needs of persons with complex needs across the continuum of care.

Objective

Our objective was to create new mood scales for use with the full suite of interRAI assessments including a composite version with both clinician-rated and self-reported items as well as a self-report only version.

Methods

We completed a cross-sectional analysis of 511,641 interRAI assessments of Canadian adults aged 18+ in community mental health, home care, community support services, nursing homes, palliative care, acute hospital, and general population surveys to develop, test, and refine new measures of mood disturbance that combined clinician and self-rated items. We examined validity and internal consistency across diverse care settings and populations.

Results

The composite scale combining both clinician and self-report ratings and the self-report only variant showed different distributions across populations and settings with most severe signs of disturbed mood in community mental health settings and lowest severity in the general population prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The self-report and composite measures were strongly correlated with each other but differed most in populations with high rates of missing values for self-report due to cognitive impairment (e.g., nursing homes). Evidence of reliability was strong across care settings, as was convergent validity with respect to depression/mood disorder diagnoses, sleep disturbance, and self-harm indicators. In a general population survey, the correlation of the self-reported mood scale with Kessler-10 was 0.73.

Conclusions

The new interRAI mood scales provide reliable and valid mental health measures that can be applied across diverse populations and care settings. Incorporating a person-centered approach to assessment, the composite scale considers the person's perspective and clinician views to provide a sensitive and robust measure that considers mood disturbances related to dysphoria, anxiety, and anhedonia.
Comorbid Affective and Substance Use Disorders of Medicaid/Medicare Beneficiaries at an Opioid Treatment Program Serving Small Urban and Rural Communities
Authors: Lister Jamey J. , Lee Guijin , Ellis Jennifer D. , Pasman Emily , Agius Elizabeth , Resko Stella M.
Published: May 2022

Objectives

Identify rates and correlates of comorbid affective and substance use disorders among an understudied population, Medicaid/Medicare beneficiaries receiving care at an opioid treatment program serving patients from small urban and rural areas. Examine whether past-year non-medical opioid use status differentiates comorbidity status.

Methods

A cross-sectional, venue-based design was used to recruit a convenience sample of patients treated with methadone for opioid use disorder. Measures were assessed across three domains: (1) demographic characteristics, (2) opioid use characteristics, and (3) comorbid disorders. Brief validated screeners categorized probable comorbid disorders. Bivariate analyses examined correlates of comorbid disorders and determined variable selection for multivariable analyses.

Results

In this sample (N = 210; mean age = 38.5 years; female = 62.2%; Non-Hispanic White race/ethnicity = 86.1%), comorbid disorders were common. Rates were as follows: current anxiety (48.1%), depression (41.1%), and PTSD (33.7%), and past-year stimulant (27.6%), marijuana (19.0%), alcohol (14.9%), and sedative (7.6%). In bivariate analyses, past-year non-medical opioid use and a greater accumulation of opioid use consequences were associated with most disorders. When including demographic and opioid use characteristics in multivariable analyses, past-year non-medical opioid use was associated with anxiety, PTSD, stimulant use disorder, and sedative use disorder.

Conclusions

Few studies have investigated comorbid disorders among this understudied population. This analysis highlights a high burden, especially for affective disorders. Our findings demonstrate that routine, ongoing assessment of non-medical opioid use may be a promising and feasible strategy to detect patients needing integrated care. Future research should investigate whether changes to assessment protocols at opioid treatment programs in small urban and rural settings facilitate care coordination.
Green Space, Air Pollution, Weather, and Cognitive Function in Middle and Old Age in China
Authors: Zhang Lingling , Luo Ye , Zhang Yao , Pan Xi , Zhao Dandan , Wang Qing
Published: May 2022

Prior research has shown that environmental hazards, such as limited green space, air pollution, and harmful weather, have the strong adverse impact on older adults' cognitive function; however, most of the studies were conducted in developed countries and limited to cross-sectional analyses. China has the largest aging population in the world so the research evidence from it can offer an insight to the study in other developing countries facing similar issues and inform future public health policy and disease control. This study examined the long-term impact of environmental factors, namely, green space coverage, air pollution, and weather conditions on cognitive function using a nationally representative sample consisting of adults aged 45 years and older selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2011–2018), the China City Statistical Yearbook, and other sources. Multilevel growth curve models were utilized for analysis and the mediator effects of physical activity and social engagement on the relationship between environmental factors and cognitive function were examined. Findings of this study showed that after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, annual precipitation of 80 cm or more, living in areas with July temperature of 28°C or higher, urban community, and green space coverage were positively associated with cognition score at the baseline and lower precipitation, urban community, and greater green space coverage were associated with slower cognitive decline over a 7-year period. The impact of gross domestic product (GDP) seemed to take into effect more and more over time. These effects did not substantially change after weekly total hours of physical activities and levels of social engagement were added. More research on the mechanisms of the effect of environmental factors on cognition is needed such as the subgroup analyses and/or with more aspects of environmental measures.
How to Improve Cancer Prevention Knowledge? A Way to Identify Gaps and Tackle the Limited Availability of Health Education Services in Primary Health Care Using the European Code Against Cancer
Authors: Karasiewicz Monika , Chawłowska Ewelina , Lipiak Agnieszka , Wiȩckowska Barbara
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The first line of action against cancer is primary and secondary prevention. Increased efforts are needed in countries where cancer mortality is high and the healthcare system is inefficient. Objectives: Our aim was to present a new solution to identify and fill gaps in health education services in accordance with the European Code Against Cancer (ECAC).

Materials and Methods

This study was carried out in a rural population of 122 beneficiaries of health education workshops financed by the Polish Cancer League. A self-developed questionnaire was used. PQStat v1.6.8. was also applied.

Results

Our respondents were mostly farmers (53.3%) and manual workers (16.4%). Most participants self-assessed their health knowledge as good (46.7%). While 42% of all respondents claimed to know the healthy eating pyramid, only 8.2% correctly recognised all of its principles and 23.8% realised the importance of limiting the consumption of red meat. The most commonly recognised cancer risk factor were genetics (72.1%), stimulants such as alcohol or tobacco (51.5%) and environmental pollution (45.1%). UV radiation was not commonly recognised as a risk factor by respondents despite high occupational exposure in this population. We found a high percentage of male smokers. As many as 64.8% of respondents had not been counselled on cancer prevention in their clinics. A family history of cancer (FHC) did not differentiate respondents' health knowledge, health behaviors, or frequency of receiving cancer prevention counselling. Health education and health promotion in the region were unsatisfactory.

Conclusions

Primary health care (PHC) should become more involved in promoting cancer prevention knowledge. One way could be to encourage health professionals to promote the ECAC. Cancer prevention should target especially persons with FHC and focus on modifiable cancer risk factors. At the workshops we were able to adjust the strength of each ECAC recommendation to best fit the target audience. By diagnosing and targeting specific communities, we can draw the attention of PHC staff and decision-makers to local health promotion needs, which is a good starting point for improving the situation. However, larger scale projects are needed to help design specific solutions to support primary healthcare in promoting ECAC.
The Mediating Role of New Media Engagement in This Digital Age
Authors: Yujie Zhang , Al Imran Yasin Megat , Alsagoff Syed Agil Bin Shekh , Hoon Ang Lay
Published: May 2022

New Media Technologies refer to all kinds of web-related technologies like social networking sites, blogs, online social media networking, and other communication technology forms. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of new media engagement in this digital age. Furthermore, this study defines the concept of new media, highlights the characteristics of new media technologies, and analyzes the application of new media technologies in this digital age. To meet the objectives stated, the researchers conduct a questionnaire survey to showcase that new media engagement plays a mediating role between the instructions provided to the newsroom in this digital age and the attitude of people toward social media. Results of the study state that the majority of the individuals in this digital era display positive engagement with new media technologies. People in this age believe that social media is safe and less risky for all individuals with regard to communication and interactions.
COVID-19 Worry and Mental Health Among the Economically Active Population in Guangdong, China
Authors: Yong Xin , Zhang Li
Published: May 2022

Background

The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused people to worry, which has affected their mental health. This study aimed to access the impact of COVID-19 worry on the mental health of the economically active population (EAP) in a province of China.

Methods

An online cross-sectional survey study was conducted during an outbreak of COVID-19 in Guangdong, China. The survey used the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) to evaluate participants' mental health status and was completed by 1,584 of the 1,708 participants (a response rate of 92.74%). Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were used to identify the correlation between COVID-19 worry and mental health.

Results

Approximately 42.05% of participants reported that they were very worried or extremely worried about the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 worry was negatively correlated with mental health (p < 0.01) and exhibited a stronger influence on the mental health of participants who were male, younger (aged 16–45), or unemployed than on the mental health of participants who were women, older (aged over 45), or employed.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that COVID-19 worry has generated new inequalities in mental health among the EAP of China. The government should provide more public reassurance and psychological support to the EAP to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 worry and prevent mental health disorders.
Anti-Disturbance Sliding Mode Control of a Novel Variable Stiffness Actuator for the Rehabilitation of Neurologically Disabled Patients
Authors: Mo Lufan , Feng Pengbo , Shao Yixin , Shi Di , Ju Linhang , Zhang Wuxiang , Ding Xilun
Published: May 2022

Lower limb exoskeletons are widely used for rehabilitation training of patients suffering from neurological disorders. To improve the human–robot interaction performance, series elastic actuators (SEAs) with low output impedance have been developed. However, the adaptability and control performance are limited by the constant spring stiffness used in current SEAs. In this study, a novel load-adaptive variable stiffness actuator (LaVSA) is used to design an ankle exoskeleton. To overcome the problems of the LaVSA with a larger mechanical gap and more complex dynamic model, a sliding mode controller based on a disturbance observer is proposed. During the interaction process, due to the passive joints at the load side of the ankle exoskeleton, the dynamic parameters on the load side of the ankle exoskeleton will change continuously. To avoid this problem, the designed controller treats it and the model error as a disturbance and observes it with the disturbance observer (DOB) in real time. The first-order derivative of the disturbance set is treated as a bounded value. Subsequently, the parameter adaptive law is used to find the upper bound of the observation error and make corresponding compensation in the control law. On these bases, a sliding mode controller based on a disturbance observer is designed, and Lyapunov stability analysis is given. Finally, simulation and experimental verification are performed. The wearing experiment shows that the resistance torque suffered by humans under human–robot interaction is lower than 120 Nmm, which confirms that the controller can realize zero-impedance control of the designed ankle exoskeleton.
AL-Net: Asymmetric Lightweight Network for Medical Image Segmentation
Authors: Du Xiaogang , Nie Yinyin , Wang Fuhai , Lei Tao , Wang Song , Zhang Xuejun
Published: May 2022

Medical image segmentation plays an important role in clinical applications, such as disease diagnosis and treatment planning. On the premise of ensuring segmentation accuracy, segmentation speed is also an important factor to improve diagnosis efficiency. Many medical image segmentation models based on deep learning can improve the segmentation accuracy, but ignore the model complexity and inference speed resulting in the failure of meeting the high real-time requirements of clinical applications. To address this problem, an asymmetric lightweight medical image segmentation network, namely AL-Net for short, is proposed in this paper. Firstly, AL-Net employs the pre-training RepVGG-A1 to extract rich semantic features, and reduces the channel processing to ensure the lower model complexity. Secondly, AL-Net introduces the lightweight atrous spatial pyramid pooling module as the context extractor, and combines the attention mechanism to capture the context information. Thirdly, a novel asymmetric decoder is proposed and introduced into AL-Net, which not only effectively eliminates redundant features, but also makes use of low-level features of images to improve the performance of AL-Net. Finally, the reparameterization technology is utilized in the inference stage, which effectively reduces the parameters of AL-Net and improves the inference speed of AL-Net without reducing the segmentation accuracy. The experimental results on retinal vessel, cell contour, and skin lesions segmentation datasets show that AL-Net is superior to the state-of-the-art models in terms of accuracy, parameters and inference speed.
Environmental Sustainability Analysis of L-Tryptophan as a Consumer Product and Intermediate to Pharmaceutical Active Ingredients
Authors: Overcash Alan , Griffing Evan , Sukumara Sumesh , Overcash Michael
Published: May 2022

L-tryptophan is a naturally occurring α-amino acid that is also purchased by consumers for medicinal and dietary purposes. L-tryptophan is also a starting point for synthesizing medical derivatives with antiplatelet aggregation and antibacterial activity. Beneficial direct use and subsequent synthetic product use were evaluated with respect to the environmental footprint of the cradle-to-L-tryptophan manufacturing process, using the next generation life cycle inventory technology of the Environmental Genome. The principal route is fermentation from sugar (dextrose). The environmental metrics quantified were natural resource energy combustion (NREc) and CO2eq for air (defined below). The environmental boundary includes 137 chemical intermediates (gate-to-gates, gtg), of which 33 are non-repeating, with the most consequential for the environmental metrics being dextrose and the L-tryptophan. The cradle-to-gate process energy is 147 MJ/kg L-tryptophan, while the more comprehensive natural resource energy combustion (NREc) is 222 MJ/kg L-tryptophan. The carbon footprint is 18.7 kg CO2equivalent/kg L-tryptophan, with 53% of this from the cradle-to-gate of the supply chains. It is important to note this is only a partial environmental assessment of L-tryptophan since the environmental benefits of use in consumption and when used to make preventative pharmaceuticals are not included.
“I Think the Mental Part Is the Biggest Factor”: An Exploratory Qualitative Study of COVID-19 and Its Negative Effects on Indigenous Women in Toronto, Canada
Authors: Flores Jerry , Emory Kristen , Santos Xuan , Mashford-Pringle Angela , Barahona-Lopez Kati , Bozinovic Keston , Adams Jennifer , Chen Coco , Zuo Yandy , Nguyen Diana
Published: May 2022

This article explores the unique and understudied experiences of Indigenous women living in Toronto, Canada during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to better document the impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health and wellbeing of Indigenous women in Toronto, Canada to better understand unmet needs, as well as lay the groundwork for more targeted research and potential interventions based on these needs. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews with thirteen Indigenous women, we shed light on the negative effects this pandemic has had on this population. We find that COVID-19 has negatively affected people's mental health, substance use and access to health services. This research speaks to the growing body of work that discusses the harmful effects of COVID-19 generally and how this pandemic has specifically affected Indigenous peoples.
Statistical Analysis of Bifurcating Region 2 Field-Aligned Currents Using AMPERE
Authors: Sangha H. K. , Milan S. E. , Anderson B. J. , Korth H.
Published: May 2022

We present a statistical analysis of the occurrence of bifurcations of the Region 2 (R2) Field-Aligned Current (FAC) region, observed by the Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE). Previously, these have been shown to occur as the polar cap contracts after substorm onset, the beginning of the growth phase. During this phase both the Region 1 (R1) and R2 currents move equatorwards as the polar cap expands. Following onset, the R1 FAC region contracts polewards but the R2 FAC continues to expand equatorwards before eventually fading. At the same time, a new R2 FAC develops equatorwards of the R1 FAC. We have proposed that the bifurcated FACs formed during substorms are associated with plasma injections from the magnetotail into the inner magnetosphere, and that they might be the FAC signature associated with Sub-Auroral Polarization Streams (SAPS). We investigate the seasonal dependence of the occurrence of bifurcations from 2010 to 2016, determining whether they occur predominantly at dawn or dusk. Region 2 Bifurcations (R2Bs) are observed most frequently in the summer hemisphere and at dusk, and we discuss the possible influence of ionospheric conductance. We also discuss a newly discovered UT dependence of the R2B occurrences between 2011 and 2014. This dependence is characterized by broad peaks in occurrence near 09 and 21 UT in both hemispheres. Reasons for such a preference in occurrence are explored.
Identification of Main Influencers of Surgical Efficiency and Variability Using Task-Level Objective Metrics: A Five-Year Robotic Sleeve Gastrectomy Case Series
Authors: Tousignant Mark R. , Liu Xi , Ershad Langroodi Marzieh , Jarc Anthony M.
Published: May 2022

Objective

Surgical efficiency and variability are critical contributors to optimal outcomes, patient experience, care team experience, and total cost to treat per disease episode. Opportunities remain to develop scalable, objective methods to quantify surgical behaviors that maximize efficiency and reduce variability. Such objective measures can then be used to provide surgeons with timely and user-specific feedbacks to monitor performances and facilitate training and learning. In this study, we used objective task-level analysis to identify dominant contributors toward surgical efficiency and variability across the procedural steps of robotic-assisted sleeve gastrectomy (RSG) over a five-year period for a single surgeon. These results enable actionable insights that can both complement those from population level analyses and be tailored to an individual surgeon's practice and experience.

Methods

Intraoperative video recordings of 77 RSG procedures performed by a single surgeon from 2015 to 2019 were reviewed and segmented into surgical tasks. Surgeon-initiated events when controlling the robotic-assisted surgical system were used to compute objective metrics. A series of multi-staged regression analysis were used to determine: if any specific tasks or patient body mass index (BMI) statistically impacted procedure duration; which objective metrics impacted critical task efficiency; and which task(s) statistically contributed to procedure variability.

Results

Stomach dissection was found to be the most significant contributor to procedure duration (β = 0.344, p< 0.001; R = 0.81, p< 0.001) followed by surgical inactivity and stomach stapling. Patient BMI was not found to be statistically significantly correlated with procedure duration (R = −0.01, p = 0.90). Energy activation rate, a robotic system event-based metric, was identified as a dominant feature in predicting stomach dissection duration and differentiating earlier and later case groups. Reduction of procedure variability was observed between earlier (2015-2016) and later (2017-2019) groups (IQR = 14.20 min vs. 6.79 min). Stomach dissection was found to contribute most to procedure variability (β = 0.74, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

A surgical task-based objective analysis was used to identify major contributors to surgical efficiency and variability. We believe this data-driven method will enable clinical teams to quantify surgeon-specific performance and identify actionable opportunities focused on the dominant surgical tasks impacting overall procedure efficiency and consistency.
Late-Onset Acute Kidney Injury is a Poor Prognostic Sign for Severe Burn Patients
Authors: You Bo , Yang Zichen , Zhang Yulong , Chen Yu , Gong Yali , Chen Yajie , Chen Jing , Yuan Lili , Luo Gaoxing , Peng Yizhi , Yuan Zhiqiang
Published: May 2022

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a morbid complication and the main cause of multiple organ failure and death in severely burned patients. The objective of this study was to explore epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of AKI for severely burned patients.

Methods

This retrospective study was performed with prospectively collected data of severely burned patients from the Institute of Burn Research in Southwest Hospital during 2011–2017. AKI was diagnosed according to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria (2012), and it was divided into early and late AKIs depending on its onset time (within the first 3 days or >3 days post burn). The baseline characteristics, clinical data, and outcomes of the three groups (early AKI, late AKI and non-AKI) were compared using logistic regression analysis. Mortality predictors of patients with AKI were assessed.

Results

A total of 637 adult patients were included in analysis. The incidence of AKI was 36.9% (early AKI 29.4%, late AKI 10.0%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, gender, total burn surface area (TBSA), full-thickness burns of TBSA, chronic comorbidities (hypertension or/and diabetes), hypovolemic shock of early burn, and tracheotomy were independent risk factors for both early and late AKIs. However, sepsis was only an independent risk factor for late AKI. Decompression escharotomy was a protective factor for both AKIs. The mortality of patients with AKI was 32.3% (early AKI 25.7%, late AKI 56.3%), and that of patients without AKI was 2.5%. AKI was independently associated with obviously increased mortality of severely burned patients [early AKI, OR = 12.98 (6.08–27.72); late AKI, OR = 34.02 (15.69–73.75)]. Compared with patients with early AKI, patients with late AKI had higher 28-day mortality (34.9% vs. 19.4%, p = 0.007), 90-day mortality (57.1% vs. 27.4%, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

AKI remains prevalent and is associated with high mortality in severely burned patients. Late-onset acute kidney injury had greater severity and worse prognosis.
Non-Intubated Versus Intubated Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery in Patients Aged 75 Years and Older: A Propensity Matching Study
Authors: Chen Pei-Hsing , Chuang Jen-Hao , Lu Tzu-Pin , Hung Wan-Ting , Liao Hsien-Chi , Tsai Tung-Ming , Lin Mong-Wei , Chen Ke-Cheng , Hsu Hsao-Hsun , Chen Jin-Shing
Published: May 2022

Introduction

In most developed countries, lung cancer is associated with the highest mortality rate among all cancers. The number of elderly patients with lung cancer is increasing, reflecting the global increase in aging population. Patients with impaired lung or cardiac function are at a high risk during intubated general anesthesia, which may preclude them from surgical lung cancer treatment. We evaluated the safety and survival of non-intubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) versus those of intubated thoracoscopic surgery for surgical resection for lung cancer in older patients.

Methods

Patients aged ≥75 years who underwent non-intubated and intubated VATS resection with pathologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer, using a combination of thoracic epidural anesthesia or intercostal nerve block and intra-thoracic vagal block with target-controlled sedation, from January 2011 to December 2019 were included. Ultimately, 79 non-intubated patients were matched to 158 patients based on age, sex, body mass index, family history, comorbidity index, pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in one second/ forced vital capacity [%]), and disease stage. The endpoints were overall survival and recurrence progression survival.

Results

All patients had malignant lung lesions. Data regarding conversion data and the postoperative result were collected. Both groups had comparable preoperative demographic and cancer staging profiles. The anesthetic duration in the non-intubated group was shorter than that in the intubated group, which showed a significantly higher mean number of lymph nodes harvested (intubated vs non-intubated, 8.3 vs. 6.4) and lymph stations dissected (3.0 vs. 2.6). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate and postoperative ICU stay were significantly longer in the intubated group. The complication rate was higher and hospital stay were longer in the intubated group, but these differences were not significant (12% vs. 7.6%; p = .07, respectively).

Conclusions

In the elderly, non-intubated thoracoscopic surgery provides similar survival results as the intubated approach, although fewer lymph nodes are harvested. Non-intubated surgery may serve as an alternative to intubated general anesthesia in managing lung cancer in carefully selected elderly patients with a high risk of impaired pulmonary and cardiac function.
Pediatric Kidney Transplantation: Frameshift in Medical and Surgical Management. Does the Perioperative Setting Have an Impact on Transplant Outcome? A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Bergel Berenice , Geppert Tamara , Bañuelos Marco Beatriz , Friedersdorff Frank , Müller Dominik , Kempf Caroline , Lachmann Nils , Lingnau Anja
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Frameshift in medical management as well as in surgical thinking is putting the patient as a whole is the focus, rather than just the disease. To optimize the treatment of our pediatric transplant patients in our institution, we changed in 2013 the transplant program setting, treating, and operating all patients with pediatric transplant exclusively in a pediatric environment. The aim of this study was to analyze whether or not this change had an impact on patients safety, patient population, and patients and transplant outcome.

Methods

In the retrospective analysis, we compared transplant outcome of two eras. Era1 (2008–2012) solely included patients treated in the adult facilities, era 2 (2013–2017) patients were exclusively treated in the pediatric environment.

Results

There were 53 patients with renal transplant, with era 1 (28 patients) and era 2 (25 patients). Overall mortality was 5.6%. Median recipient age at transplantation was 13.2 years in era 1 and 8.59 years in era 2, median recipient weight at transplantation was 41.7 kg in era 1 vs. 26 kg in era 2, median size 149. 5 cm (era 1) vs. 123 cm in era2 (p = 0.05). The direct recipient/donor weight ratio remained stable in both eras, for recipients below 20 kg we saw a larger weight mismatch in era 1 (0.84 vs. 0.66). In the subgroup of patients with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) those were significantly younger at onset of dialysis (p < 0.001) and at time of transplantation (p < 0.001), also they were less in body weight (p < 0.01), and body size (p < 0.001), this subgroup was larger in era 2. HLA mismatch data, serum creatinine, and GFR yield comparable results in both groups. Median time to detection of DSA was 46.2 month (3.8 years).

Conclusion

Since children with ESRD at the time of transplant trend to be younger and smaller, it is crucial to ensure a medical environment that is able to address their particular challenges. Even in this recipient cohort, renal transplantation can be performed safely as outlined by our data.
O-Arm-Navigated, Robot-Assisted Versus Conventional CT Guided Radiofrequency Ablation in Treatment of Osteoid Osteoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Tian-Long , Luo Yi-Ping , Zhou Zi-Fei , Liu Jun-Feng , Hou Xiao-Dong , Jia Shao-Hua , Zheng Long-Po
Published: May 2022

Background

Osteoid osteoma is a common benign bone tumor, and clinically there is severe local pain that typically worsens at night. The conventional CT-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was widely used in the treatment of osteoid osteoma (OO), which could result in some radiation-related and imprecise complications due to the overdose of radiation exposure. This study aimed to compare the surgical effect of robot-assisted RFA with O-arm navigation and conventional CT-guided RFA in the treatment of OO.

Methods

Sixty-two patients who underwent robot-assisted RFA with O-arm navigation (Robot-RFA, n = 24) or CT-guided RFA (CT-RFA, n = 38) were included in this retrospective cohort study. The mean follow-up time was 23.3 months. The intra-operative data, primary technical success rate, visual analog scale (VAS), and post-operative complications were analyzed.

Results

Primary technical success was obtained in 23 patients who had robot-assisted RFA, and 35 patients who had conventional CT-guided RFA. One patient in Robot-RFA group and three patients in CT-RFA group with pain recurrence received repeat-RFA and had a secondary success. Mean operation time and dose of radiation exposure were lower in Robot-RFA group than that in CT-RFA group. The Robot-RFA group took fewer K-wire adjustment times for each patient than the CT-RFA group. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean operation time, dose of radiation exposure, and K-wire adjustment times between the groups (p < 0.05). No complications associated with the procedure were reported in the two groups during the follow-up period.

Conclusion

Robot-assisted RFA with O-arm navigation is a safer and more precise strategy in the treatment of osteoid osteoma with less operation time and radiation exposure compared with the conventional CT-guided radiofrequency ablation.
Long-Term Outcome of Horses Undergoing Unilateral Mandibular Condylectomy and Meniscectomy for Temporomandibular Joint Disease
Authors: White Sarah A. , Canada Nathan C. , Carmalt James L. , Schumacher James , Amitrano Fernando N. , Ortved Kyla , Henry Travis J. , Brounts Sabrina H. , Arnold Carolyn E.
Published: May 2022

Background

There are no reports describing the long-term outcome of sport horses undergoing unilateral mandibular condylectomy with meniscectomy (UMC) for treatment for severe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease (TMD). Whether horses undergoing UMC require a specialized diet, can return to riding with a bit, or return to intended function after surgery is unknown.

Objective

To determine the long-term outcome of horses undergoing UMC for treatment of severe TMD.

Study Design

A multi-institutional, retrospective study.

Methods

Medical records obtained from seven equine referral hospitals of horses with severe TMD that underwent UMC were reviewed. Details regarding the presenting complaints, results of clinical examination, findings of diagnostic imaging, surgical technique, and outcome (including long-term follow-up with an owner questionnaire) were recorded.

Results

Eleven horses fit the inclusion criteria. Three had severe idiopathic osteoarthritis, and eight had confirmed septic osteoarthritis of the TMJ. The most common post-operative complications were drainage and peri-incisional swelling (n= 5). One horse developed a hematoma at the surgical site because the facial artery was inadvertently transected during the approach, causing the condylectomy to be postponed. All horses were discharged alive from the hospital, and 10 returned to their previous or intended use. All had complete resolution of clinical signs of TMD. One mare was retired from athletic use due to her genetic value as a broodmare. One horse was euthanized 2 years after UMC due to progressively worsening of clinical signs of temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO), which were not present before surgery. When available, owner satisfaction of the results of the procedure was excellent.

Main Limitations

Sample size; multiple institutions; owner bias.

Conclusions

Unilateral mandibular condylectomy should not be considered a salvage procedure. Horses treated for severe TMD by UMC can return to their previous or intended level of athletic performance and do not require a specialized diet.
Population Structure of Three Provenances of Vitis tiliifolia (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.) in the Central Zone of the State of Veracruz, México
Authors: Mata-Alejandro Humberto , Betanzo-Torres Erick Arturo , Navarrete-Rodriguez Gabycarmen , Castañeda-Chavez Maria Del Refugio
Published: May 2022

The objective of this work is to show the population structure of V. tiliifolia under natural conditions. The study was conducted in three municipalities in the state of Veracruz, México; through transects of 20 × 100 m (2000 m2), the population structure, density and spatial distribution of natural populations were determined. The edaphic and climatic factors were also determined through soil analysis and database consultation. The data were analyzed by ANOVA. The population structure for the three selected sites showed a type II curve, that is, mostly adults with few seedlings and juveniles. The spatial distribution presented an aggregate type pattern for the seedling and juvenile state categories, as well as a random type pattern for adults. The CPA allows us to visualize that there is a strong correlation between the chemical variables and the availability of some micronutrients; male individuals are the variable that explain the population structure. This shows that the low density of individuals in their early stages, together with the longevity of adult individuals and factors such as low rainfall, forest fires, reproductive biology and exploitation of the species put the persistence of populations at risk in this region.
Effects of Dietary Thraustochytrid Schizochytrium sp. and Other Omega-3 Sources on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality of Broilers
Authors: Jeon Jin-Joo , Kim Hee-Jin , Kang Hwan-Ku , Kim Chan-Ho , Kim Hyun-Soo , Hong Eui-Chul , Jang Aera , Kim Sang-Ho
Published: May 2022

Background: Looking for alternative omega-3 sources in broiler nutrition, microalgae began to get attention. We suspected that schizochytrium might play a similar role as other omega-3 sources that have been used before. Methods: 20 g/kg schizochytrium powder (SP), salmon oil (SO), and flaxseed oil (FO) in each of the three treatment groups were supplemented in the basal diet (CON), and productive performance, carcass traits, and thigh meat quality of broilers were evaluated. Results: There was a significantly higher weight gain in the SP treatment compared to the other groups, but no difference was found in feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values increased during storage in all the treatments but were significantly lower for SP than for SO and FO after 7 days of storage. Among the ω-3 fatty acids (FAs), α-linolenic acid increased the most in the FO treatment, eicosapentaenoic acid increased the most in the SO treatment, and docosahexaenoic acid increased the most in the SP treatment in thigh meat, reflecting the FA composition of the lipid source diets. Conclusions: We suggested that all the dietary ω-3 FA sources could improve the FA composition of chicken meat and our results indicated the possibility to supplement broiler diets with 2% level of SP, SO, and FO as ω-3 FA sources to produce meat with a good nutritional quality for consumer’s health benefits.
A Study on the Change in Properties by Using an Additive with Water-Soluble Rubber-Asphalt-Based Waterproof Coating Materials
Authors: Yoon Sung-hwan , Heo Neung-hoe , An Ki-won , Oh Sang-keun
Published: May 2022

Water-soluble rubber-asphalt-based waterproof coating materials are mainly used for the purpose of preventing leakage from the inside of a structure to the outside or to the lower floor. In this study, water-soluble rubber-asphalt-based waterproof coating materials were prepared based on different mixture ratios to develop a new method to improve the physical properties of the materials. In order to improve the overall physical properties, additives were added to the coating material and analyzed for the change in performance, and the analyzed additives were used in combination to improve the physical properties of waterproofing materials. In particular, in the quality standards, ‘Attachment performance and fatigue resistance performance are the performance required for the outside of the structure’, but in the rubber asphalt category, the value of the adhesion performance quality standard was excluded, so it was limited to external use as a waterproofing material. The degree of improvement was compared and analyzed according to the quality standards of the Korean Industrial Standard KS F 3211-‘15’ Paint Waterproofing Materials for Construction. Therefore, in this study, a total of 27 complex additive tests were conducted, and among them, basic property evaluation was performed on 14 items, excluding 13 items that had defects in the drying process. As a result, in the test conducted with complex additives, about 98% to 104% of the quality standard was obtained, and it was judged that stable waterproofing performance would appear if additional quality improvements were made based on this combination in the future.
Temperature Change Characteristics in Gansu Province of China
Authors: Zhao Peng , He Zhibin
Published: May 2022

The applicability of reanalysis data has been widely addressed in climate and hydrology studies over the past two decades. In this study, we analyzed spatiotemporal variations in ERA-Interim temperature data from four climate zones within Gansu Province from 1979 to 2017 by using linear regression model and Mann-Kendall mutation test. Results showed that: (1) The highest temperature was found in the subtropical monsoon climate zone, and the lowest in the plateau mountain climate zone. Temperatures in high-elevation regions were lower than those in low-elevation regions; (2) The annual mean temperature increased across Gansu Province from 1979 to 2017. The lowest warming rates of annual mean, annual maximum, and annual minimum temperatures were found in the subtropical monsoon climate zone, and these were 0.334, 0.300, and 0.336 °C/10a, respectively. The highest warming rates of annual mean and annual minimum temperature were found in the temperate monsoon climate zone, and these were 0.420 and 0.464 °C/10a, respectively. The highest warming rate of annual maximum temperature was found in the temperate continental climate zone (0.471 °C/10a); (3) The Mann-Kendall analysis showed that the mutation times of annual mean temperature of the subtropical monsoon, temperate monsoon, and temperate continental climate zones in Gansu Province were all in 1997. The mutation times of annual maximum temperature were found in the subtropical monsoon climate zone (1997) and temperate monsoon climate zone (1997). The mutation times of annual minimum temperature were found in the temperate continental climate zone (1997) and plateau mountain climate zone (1994). ERA-Interim reanalysis data are reliable for capturing mutation time of temperature, especially in the high-elevation areas with rare meteorological station. This study can provide a reference when analyzing climate change at different climatic zones using reanalysis data.
Automated Analysis of Acetaminophen Toxicity on 3D HepaRG Cell Culture in Microbioreactor
Authors: Baca Martin , Brauer Dana , Klett Maren , Fernekorn Uta , Singh Sukhdeep , Hampl Jörg , Groß G. Alexander , Mai Patrick , Friedel Karin , Schober Andreas
Published: May 2022

Real-time monitoring of bioanalytes in organotypic cell cultivation devices is a major research challenge in establishing stand-alone diagnostic systems. Presently, no general technical facility is available that offers a plug-in system for bioanalytics in diversely available organotypic culture models. Therefore, each analytical device has to be tuned according to the microfluidic and interface environment of the 3D in vitro system. Herein, we report the design and function of a 3D automated culture and analysis device (3D-ACAD) which actively perfuses a custom-made 3D microbioreactor, samples the culture medium and simultaneously performs capillary-based flow ELISA. A microstructured MatriGrid® has been explored as a 3D scaffold for culturing HepaRG cells, with albumin investigated as a bioanalytical marker using flow ELISA. We investigated the effect of acetaminophen (APAP) on the albumin secretion of HepaRG cells over 96 h and compared this with the albumin secretion of 2D monolayer HepaRG cultures. Automated on-line monitoring of albumin secretion in the 3D in vitro mode revealed that the application of hepatotoxic drug-like APAP results in decreased albumin secretion. Furthermore, a higher sensitivity of the HepaRG cell culture in the automated 3D-ACAD system to APAP was observed compared to HepaRG cells cultivated as a monolayer. The results support the use of the 3D-ACAD model as a stand-alone device, working in real time and capable of analyzing the condition of the cell culture by measuring a functional analyte. Information obtained from our system is compared with conventional cell culture and plate ELISA, the results of which are presented herein.
A Multianalyte Electrochemical Genosensor for the Detection of High-Risk HPV Genotypes in Oral and Cervical Cancers
Authors: Chaibun Thanyarat , Thanasapburachot Patcharanin , Chatchawal Patutong , Su Yin Lee , Jiaranuchart Sirimanas , Jearanaikoon Patcharee , Promptmas Chamras , Buajeeb Waranun , Lertanantawong Benchaporn
Published: May 2022

Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major risk factor for oral and cervical cancers. Hence, we developed a multianalyte electrochemical DNA biosensor that could be used for both oral and cervical samples to detect the high-risk HPV genotypes 16 and 18. The assay involves the sandwich hybridization of the HPV target to the silica-redox dye reporter probe and capture probe, followed by electrochemical detection. The sensor was found to be highly specific and sensitive, with a detection limit of 22 fM for HPV-16 and 20 fM for HPV-18, between the range of 1 fM and 1 µM. Evaluation with oral and cervical samples showed that the biosensor result was consistent with the nested PCR/gel electrophoresis detection. The biosensor assay could be completed within 90 min. Due to its simplicity, rapidity, and high sensitivity, this biosensor could be used as an alternative method for HPV detection in clinical laboratories as well as for epidemiological studies.
C−H Methylation Using Sustainable Approaches
Authors: Agrawal Ishika , Prakash Gaurav , Al-Thabaiti Shaeel Ahmed , Mokhtar Mohamed , Maiti Debabrata
Published: May 2022

C−H methylation of sp2 and sp3 carbon centers is significant in many biological processes. Methylated drug candidates show unique properties due to the change in solubility, conformation and metabolic activities. Several photo-catalyzed, electrochemical, mechanochemical and metal-free techniques that are widely utilized strategies in medicinal chemistry for methylation of arenes and heteroarenes have been covered in this review.