bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting the Need for Transition from Pediatric to Adult Pain Services: A Retrospective, Longitudinal Study Using the Electronic Persistent Pain Outcome Collaboration (ePPOC) Databases
Authors: Champion Joel , Crawford Matthew , Jaaniste Tiina
Published: February 2023

A proportion of youth with chronic pain do not respond to interdisciplinary pain management and may require transition to adult pain services. This study sought to characterize a cohort of patients referred to pediatric pain services who subsequently required referral to an adult pain service. We compared this transition group with pediatric patients eligible by age to transition but who did not transition to adult services. We sought to identify factors predicting the need to transition to adult pain services. This retrospective study utilized linkage data from the adult electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration (ePPOC) and the pediatric (PaedePPOC) data repositories. The transition group experienced significantly higher pain intensity and disability, lower quality of life, and higher health care utilization relative to the comparison group. Parents of the transition group reported greater distress, catastrophizing, and helplessness relative to parents in the comparison group. Three factors significantly predicted transition: compensation status (OR = 4.21 (1.185–15)), daily anti-inflammatory medication use (OR = 2 (1.028–3.9)), and older age at referral (OR = 1.6 (1.3–2.17)). This study demonstrated that patients referred to pediatric pain services who subsequently need transition to adult services are a uniquely disabled and vulnerable group beyond comparative peers. Clinical applications for transition-specific care are discussed.
Project BETTER: A Family-Centered, Technology-Delivered Intervention for Pregnant People with Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Parlier-Ahmad Anna Beth , Eglovitch Michelle , Martin Sarah , Svikis Dace S. , Martin Caitlin E.
Published: February 2023

Birthing people with opioid use disorder (OUD) face unique stressors during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum that can negatively impact the maternal–infant dyad. This study aimed to describe the development of a family-centered, technology-delivered intervention tailored to help pregnant people receiving medication for OUD (MOUD) prepare for this transition. Formative data from patients and providers identified intervention content: (1) recovery-oriented strategies for the pregnancy-to-postpartum transition; (2) guidance around caring for an infant with opioid withdrawal symptoms; and (3) preparation for child welfare interactions. The content was reviewed in successive rounds by an expert panel and modified. Pregnant and postpartum people receiving MOUD pre-tested the intervention modules and provided feedback in semi-structured interviews. The multidisciplinary expert panel members (n = 15) identified strengths and areas for improvement. Primary areas for improvement included adding content, providing more structure to help participants navigate the intervention more easily, and revising language. Pre-testing participants (n = 9) highlighted four themes: reactions to intervention content, navigability of the intervention, feasibility of the intervention, and recommendation of the intervention. All iterative feedback was incorporated into the final intervention modules for the prospective randomized clinical trial. Family-centered interventions tailored for pregnant people receiving MOUD should be informed by patient-reported needs and multidisciplinary perspectives.
Strategies to Improve Neonatal Intubation Safety by Preventing Endobronchial Placement of the Tracheal Tube—Literature Review and Experience at a Tertiary Center
Authors: Pinheiro Joaquim M. B. , Munshi Upender K. , Chowdhry Rehman
Published: February 2023

Unintended endobronchial placement is a common complication of neonatal tracheal intubation and a threat to patient safety, but it has received little attention towards decreasing its incidence and mitigating associated harms. We report on the key aspects of a long-term project in which we applied principles of patient safety to design and implement safeguards and establish a safety culture, aiming to decrease the rate of deep intubation (beyond T3) in neonates to <10%. Results from 5745 consecutive intubations revealed a 47% incidence of deep tube placement at baseline, which decreased to 10–15% after initial interventions and remained in the 9–20% range for the past 15 years; concurrently, rates of deep intubation at referring institutions have remained high. Root cause analyses revealed multiple contributing factors, so countermeasures specifically aimed at improving intubation safety should be applied before, during, and immediately after tube insertion. Extensive literature review, concordant with our experience, suggests that pre-specifying the expected tube depth before intubation is the most effective and simple intervention, although further research is needed to establish accurate and accepted standards for estimating the expected depth. Presently, team training on intubation safety, plus possible technological advances, offer additional options for safer neonatal intubations.
The Mediating Role of Brain Structural Imaging Markers in Connecting Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychological Resilience
Authors: Chang Yun-Hsuan , Yang Meng-Heng , Yao Zai-Fu , Tsai Meng-Che , Hsieh Shulan
Published: February 2023

The impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on brain structure has been noticed. Resilience has been considered a protective characteristic from being mentally ill; however, the link between ACEs, psychological resilience, and brain imaging remains untested. A total of 108 participants (mean age 22.92 ± 2.43 years) completed the ACEs questionnaire and the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), with five subscales: personal strength (RSA_ps), family cohesion (RSA_fc), social resources (RSA_sr), social competence (RSA_sc), and future structured style (RSA_fss), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to acquire imaging data, and the fusion-independent component analysis was employed to determine multimodal imaging components. The results showed a significantly negative association between ACE subscales and RSA_total score (ps < 0.05). The parallel mediation model showed significant indirect mediation of mean gray matter volumes in the regions of the middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate, superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and precuneus between childhood maltreatment and RSA_sr and RSA_sc. (ps < 0.05). This study highlighted the ACEs effect on gray matter volumes in the regions of the middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate, superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and precuneus leading to decreased psychological resilience.
Experience with the mTOR Inhibitor Everolimus in Pediatric Liver Graft Recipients
Authors: Wehming Mathis , Krebs-Schmitt Dorothée , Briem-Richter Andrea , Hegen Bianca , Brinkert Florian , Fischer Lutz , Grabhorn Enke
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Immunosuppression after pediatric liver transplantation remains a major challenge. MTOR inhibitors provide a promising therapeutic approach in combination with reduced CNI after transplantation. However, there are still few data regarding their use in children. Patients: We analyzed 37 patients with a median age of 10 years, who received Everolimus for one or more of the following indications: I = chronic graft dysfunction (n = 22); II = progressive renal impairment (n = 5); III = non-tolerable side effects with previous immunosuppressive medication (n = 6); and IV = malignancies (n = 10). The median follow-up time was 36 months. Results: Patient survival was 97%, and graft survival 84%, respectively. Stabilization of graft function was observed in 59% in subgroup 1, with 18.2% ultimately requiring retransplantation. No patient in subgroup IV developed recurrence of his primary tumor or PTLD by the endpoint of the study. Side effects were observed in 67.5% of the study patients, with infections being the most frequent (n = 20; 54.1%). There were no relevant effects on growth and development. Conclusion: Everolimus seems to be a treatment option in selected pediatric liver graft recipients for whom other regimens are not suitable. Overall, the efficacy was good and the side effect profile appeared to be acceptable.
Nicotine and Nicotine-Free Vaping Behavior among a Sample of Canadian High School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Wiley Evan R. , Seabrook Jamie A.
Published: February 2023

Youth vaping is a public health concern in Canada. Researchers have explored factors associated with vape use, but rarely differentiated between types of use. This study estimates the prevalence and correlations among past-month nicotine vaping, nicotine-free vaping, and dual-use vaping (nicotine and nicotine-free) in grades 9–12 high school students. Data came from the 2019 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CSTADS). The total sample consisted of 38,229 students. We used multinomial regression to assess for the correlations among different categories of vape use. Approximately 12% of the students reported past-month vape use exclusively with nicotine, 2.8% reported exclusively nicotine-free vape use, and 14% reported both nicotine vaping and nicotine-free vaping. Substance use (smoking, alcohol, cannabis) and being male were associated with membership in every category of vape use. Age was associated with vape use, but in different directions. Grade 10 and 11 students were more likely than grade 9 students to vape exclusively with nicotine (aOR 1.36; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.77 and aOR 1.46; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.97), while grade 9 students were more likely than grade 11 and 12 students to vape with both nicotine and nicotine-free vapes (aOR 0.82; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.99 and aOR 0.49; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.64). The prevalence of nicotine and nicotine-free vaping is high, with many students reporting the use of both.
Modelling Drought Risk Using Bivariate Spatial Extremes: Application to the Limpopo Lowveld Region of South Africa
Authors: Nemukula Murendeni Maurel , Sigauke Caston , Chikoore Hector , Bere Alphonce
Published: February 2023

Weather and climate extremes such as heat waves, droughts and floods are projected to become more frequent and intense in several regions. There is compelling evidence indicating that changes in climate and its extremes over time influence the living conditions of society and the surrounding environment across the globe. This study applies max-stable models to capture the spatio–temporal extremes with dependence. The objective was to analyse the risk of drought caused by extremely high temperatures and deficient rainfall. Hopkin’s statistic was used to assess the clustering tendency before using the agglomerative method of hierarchical clustering to cluster the study area into n=3 temperature clusters and n=3 precipitation clusters. For the precipitation and temperature data, the values of Hopkin’s statistic were 0.7317 and 0.8446, respectively, which shows that both are significantly clusterable. Various max-stable process models were then fitted to each cluster of each variable, and the Schlather model with several covariance functions was found to be a good fit on both datasets compared to the Smith model with the Gaussian covariance function. The modelling approach presented in this paper could be useful to hydrologists, meteorologists and climatologists, including decision-makers in the agricultural sector, in enhancing their understanding of the behaviour of drought caused by extremely high temperatures and low rainfall. The modelling of these compound extremes could also assist in assessing the impact of climate change. It can be seen from this study that the size, including the topography of the location (cluster/region), provides important information about the strength of the extremal dependence.
Tribological Properties of Cr2O3, Cr2O3–SiO2-TiO2 and Cr2O3–SiO2-TiO2-Graphite Coatings Deposited by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying
Authors: Bastakys Lukas , Marcinauskas Liutauras , Milieška Mindaugas , Kalin Mitjan , Kėželis Romualdas
Published: February 2023

In this study, Cr2O3, Cr2O3-SiO2-TiO2 and Cr2O3-SiO2-TiO2-graphite coatings were formed by atmospheric plasma spraying. The influence of SiO2-TiO2 and SiO2-TiO2-graphite reinforcements on the surface morphology, elemental composition, structure and tribological properties of chromia coatings was determined. The friction coefficients and specific wear rates were investigated by a ball-on-flat configuration using 1 N and 3 N loads under dry-lubrication conditions. The addition of SiO2-TiO2-graphite resulted in the lowest surface roughness and the most homogenous surface of the coatings. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements demonstrated that all as-sprayed coatings consisted of an eskolaite chromium oxide phase. The results showed that the Cr2O3-SiO2-TiO2 coating demonstrated the lowest friction coefficient values. The SiO2-TiO2 and SiO2-TiO2-graphite additives reduced the specific wear rates of Cr2O3 coatings by 30% and 45%, respectively. Additionally, the wear resistance was improved almost 45 times in comparison to the steel substrate.
Evaluating the Fungal Pathogens’ Inhibition Efficiency of Composite Film Combined with Antagonistic Yeasts and Sodium Alginate on Peach
Authors: Du Xiaolong , Li Shaobin , Luo An , Yin Xiaoli , Fan Kai , Mou Linyun , Li Jianlong
Published: February 2023

To reduce the indiscriminate use of pesticides and extend the postharvest shelf life of peach fruit (Prunus persica, cv. Baihua) from southeast China, mainly the microbial antagonism of indigenous yeasts was studied and applied in the construction of composite film. In this study, 14 yeast strains of 9 genera were screened out from the surface of peaches by isolation, purification, cultivation, and identification. Through an experimental analysis of the in vitro inhibition zone and the in vivo colonizing capacity, 1 × 108 CFU mL−1 of Candida oleophila sp-ELPY12B and Cryptococcus laurentii sp-ELPY15A proved most efficient against the major pathogens and were chosen as candidate fungicides. In combination with Na-alginate film (0.4% glycerin as the plasticizer and 0.1% Tween-80 as the emulsifier), the preservative effects of these composite-treated groups also showed the best antifungal effects, which significantly delayed the postharvest preservation period by about 6–7 d under an ambient temperature of 25 ± 3 °C and a relative humidity of 50–70%.
Research Progress in Superhydrophobic Titanium-Based Implants for Antibacterial Applications
Authors: Rao Qin , Weng Ling , Zhang Jinshuang , Liu Donghao , Zhang Wenjuan , Chen Siyuan , Chen Jialong , Li Xiangyang , Qiu Hua , Cao Ying , Li Quanli , Zheng Shunli
Published: February 2023

Titanium and its alloys have been extensively used as implant materials in clinic settings. However, implant-associated bacterial infection or inflammation remains a primary cause of implantation failure, which threatens human health, and has already become a global issue. Recently, a superhydrophobic surface endowed with a water contact angle higher than 150° has attracted widespread attention in antibacterial applications for their self-cleaning and low-adhesion properties, which has emerged as an important path in preventing biofilm formation. This review first describes the basic theories of wettability. In the second section, we explain biofilm formation, which is a primary pathogenic occurrence in the development of infection in implants. In the last and most important section, we summarize the progress of superhydrophobic titanium-based implants and recent antibacterial applications. This review will attract great interest from both research scientists and clinicians, which will help to rapidly expand superhydrophobic titanium-based implants for antibacterial applications.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Purchase Behavior Changes in Smart Regions
Authors: Pomffyová Mária , Veselovská Lenka
Published: February 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer behavior due to various restrictions and increased degrees of ICT use. By establishing and verifying the validity of the hypotheses, we aim to compare intensities of mutual correlations that indicate changes in consumer behavior depending on the degree and nature of changes in selected socio-demographic or socio-economic factors. The statistical evaluation of the answers obtained in surveys of representative samples of 987 respondents from the Slovak Republic (implemented in 2021 about the dual quality of goods sold in the EU) and also the answers of 347 respondents (in 2022 aimed at changes in Slovak consumer behavior) will be carried out with multivariate analyses using the SPSS program. The outputs indicated that during self-isolation periods, Slovak consumers bought more or the same amount as before the pandemic; shopping habits were mainly changed by women and groups with lower household income. Test subjects preferred the quality products and products posing the least amount of risk to health. All consumers intend to continue to shop through e-commerce platforms where they prefer a more personal experience (through social media or YouTube). Low-income people’s budgets are threatened by cheap products and poor distribution of spending, especially among young people. We recommend simplifying personalized visualized sales and education content and e-methods of information sharing also in order to make them accessible to digitally disadvantaged groups (according to income, age, education, etc.). The use of blockchains increases transparency of production and sales value chains, reducing the occurrence of unfair practices, and promoting participatory public dialogue.
Customized Design of Aperiodic Liquid Crystal Grating for Generation of Multiple Optical Patterns
Authors: Liu Chen , Guo Zhenghao , Wu Jun , Yuan Dong , Zhou Guofu , Tang Biao , Ye Huapeng
Published: February 2023

Liquid crystal (LC) grating has drawn extensive attention due to its merits, including tunability, easy preparation process, cost effectiveness, and high diffraction efficiency. However, limited efforts have been made to explore LC grating for the generation of customized diffraction patterns, despite the fact that the patterning size of LC molecular director orientation has been tremendously reduced even to subwavelength scale via high-precision photoalignment techniques. Here, we propose a versatile method based on the binary particle swarm optimization algorithm to efficiently design aperiodic LC gratings for customized optical patterns generation, including needle beam, multi-foci, and hollow beam. The optical performance of the LC gratings was simulated using both the vectorial Rayleigh–Sommerfeld method (with discrete zero or π phase, in this article) and the actual director orientations. These results matched each other well, which proves the effectiveness of the optimization method based on discrete phase. This study paves the way for designing LC gratings with engineered functionalities, which may find applications in optical tweezers, laser delivery systems, and laser scanning imaging.
The Study of the Wrinkles of Hexagonal Boron-Nitride Flake after the Annealing
Authors: Zhang Guocheng , Chang Yufang , Yan Bin
Published: February 2023

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) flakes have been widely used due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. Here, thermal-induced wrinkles of thin h-BN flakes deposited on silicon dioxide substrate were investigated through a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. The experimental results indicated that the wrinkles did not occur at relatively low annealing temperatures and were detected at temperatures as high as 500 °C or even 600 °C. When repeatedly annealed at high temperatures, the number and positions of the wrinkles also changed. From the Raman spectra, the wrinkles were caused by the fact that the h-BN contraction rate was faster than that of the substrate at the cooling stage due to the interfacial sliding between the flake and the substrate and the h-BN flake of 7 nm thickness recovered to the original length at 150 °C. Further cooling introduced the compressive stress and then the wrinkles appeared. Moreover, it was found that if there was a crack in the h-BN flake, the wrinkle always appeared at the crack. Our findings appeal the mechanism of thermal-induced wrinkles of h-BN flakes and help us to research their applications as substrate materials in electronic devices in a high-temperature environment.
Synthesis and Characterizations of Novel Isatin-s-Triazine Hydrazone Derivatives; X-ray Structure, Hirshfeld Analysis and DFT Calculations
Authors: Al-Rasheed Hessa H. , AL-khamis Sarah A. , Barakat Assem , El-Faham Ayman , Haukka Matti , Soliman Saied M.
Published: February 2023

A novel series of isatin-s-triazine hydrazone derivatives has been synthesized and reported herein. The synthetic methodology involved the reaction of s-triazine hydrazine precursors with isatin derivatives in the presence of CH3COOH as a catalyst and EtOH as solvent to afford the corresponding target products 6a-e in high yields and purities. The characterization data obtained from elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR (1H- and 13C-) were in full agreement with the expected structures. Furthermore, an X-ray single crystal diffraction study of one of the target s-triazine hydrazone derivatives, 6c confirmed the structure of the desired compounds. It crystallized in the triclinic crystal system and P-1 space group with a = 10.3368(6) Å, b = 11.9804(8) Å, c = 12.7250(5) Å, α = 100.904(4)°, β = 107.959(4)° and γ = 109.638(6)°. The different non-covalent interactions which contributed in the molecular packing of 6c were analyzed using Hirshfeld analysis. The molecular packing of the organic part of the crystal structure showed important O…H (7.1%), C…H (16.4%), C…C (1.6%), H…H (34.8%), N…H (8.0%) and C…N (4.0%) interactions while for the crystal solvent, the O…H (21.3%), H…H (61.2%) and N…H (8.1%) contacts are the most significant. The studied compound 6c is polar and has a net dipole moment of 5.6072 Debye based on DFT study.
Post-Pemphigus Acanthomata Presenting as an Isolated, Hyperkeratotic Plaque
Authors: Pandya Rachita , Zhou Yanjia , Desai Mansee , Anderson Nancy , Elsensohn Ashley
Published: February 2023

Post-pemphigus acanthomas have been rarely discussed in the literature. A prior case series identified 47 cases of pemphigus vulgaris and 5 cases of pemphigus foliaceus, out of which 13 developed acanthomata as a part of the healing process. Additionally, a case report by Ohashi et al. reported similar recalcitrant lesions on the trunk of a patient with pemphigus foliaceus being treated with prednisolone, IVIG, plasma exchange, and cyclosporine. Some view post-pemphigus acanthomas as variants of hypertrophic pemphigus vulgaris, being difficult to diagnose when they present as only single lesions, with a clinical differential of an inflamed seborrheic keratosis or squamous cell carcinoma. Here, we present a case of a 52-year-old female with a history of pemphigus vulgaris and four months of only topical therapy (fluocinonide 0.05%) who presented with a painful, hyperkeratotic plaque on the right mid-back that was found to be a post-pemphigus acanthoma.
Association between Urinary Creatinine Excretion and Hypothyroidism in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Matsuoka-Uchiyama Natsumi , Tsuji Kenji , Takahashi Kensaku , Fukushima Kazuhiko , Takeuchi Hidemi , Kitamura Shinji , Inagaki Kenichi , Uchida Haruhito A. , Wada Jun
Published: February 2023

While hypothyroidism increases serum creatinine (Cr) levels, it is uncertain whether the elevation is mediated via a decline in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or the reflection of enhanced Cr production from the muscles or both. In the present study, we explored an association between urinary Cr excretion rate (CER) and hypothyroidism. A total of 553 patients with chronic kidney disease were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explore the association between hypothyroidism and urinary CER. The mean urinary CER was 1.01 ± 0.38 g/day and 121 patients (22%) had hypothyroidism. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed explanatory variables with urinary CER, including age, sex, body mass index, 24 h Cr clearance (24hrCcr), and albumin while hypothyroidism was not considered an independent explanatory variable. In addition, scatter plot analysis with regression fit line representing the association between estimated GFR calculated using s-Cr (eGFRcre) and 24hrCcr revealed that eGFRcre and 24hrCcr had strong correlations with each other in hypothyroid patients as well as euthyroid patients. Collectively, hypothyroidism was not considered an independent explanatory variable for urinary CER in the present study and eGFRcre is a useful marker to evaluate kidney function regardless of the presence of hypothyroidism.
Resting Metabolic Rate for Diagnosing Tae-Eum Sasang Type and Unraveling the Mechanism of Type-Specific Obesity
Authors: Park Jieun , Lee Seul , Lee Yongjae , Lee Jeongyun , Chae Han
Published: February 2023

Increased resting metabolic rate (RMR), representing augmented energy expenditure, is a preferred physical characteristic; however, the Tae-Eum Sasang type, with a high incidence of obesity and metabolic diseases, has a higher RMR. This study scrutinized the physical characteristics of Sasang typology, a traditional Korean personalized medicine, to resolve this discrepancy, which can unravel the mechanism of Tae-Eum-type-specific obesity and improve the Tae-Eum Sasang-type diagnosis. A total of 395 healthy participants provided Sasang-type diagnosis using Sasang Constitutional Analysis Tool and physical features, including skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, and RMR, along with those standardized using body weight. The Tae-Eum-type group showed significantly higher body weight, body mass index, body fat mass, and unstandardized RMR (kcal/day) than others, while their standardized measures of RMR per weigh (RMRw, kcal/day/kg) and percent skeletal muscle (PSM, %) were significantly lower. The logistic regression model revealed that the RMRw is pivotal for discriminating Tae-Eum type from others and explaining the developmental mechanism of Tae-Eum-type obesity. The aforementioned might provide a theoretical framework for Sasang-type diagnosis and Sasang-type-specific health promotion using bodily exercise and medical herbs.
Brain Volumes and Metacognitive Deficits in Knowledge of Self, Task and Strategies in Mathematics: A Preliminary Pilot One-Year Longitudinal Study in aMCI Patients Compared to Healthy Controls
Authors: Giannouli Vaitsa , Tsolaki Magdalini
Published: February 2023

Metacognitive knowledge has been little investigated in aMCI patients. The aim of this study is to examine whether there are specific deficits in knowledge of self, task and strategies in mathematical cognition, due its importance for everyday functioning, mainly due to its importance for financial capacity in old age. A total of 24 patients with a diagnosis of aMCI and one-to-one 24 matched individuals (similar age, education and gender) were examined at three time points in a year with a number of neuropsychological tests and a slightly modified version of the Metacognitive Knowledge in Mathematics Questionnaire (MKMQ). We analyzed longitudinal MRI data regarding various brain areas for the aMCI patients. Results indicated that the aMCI group differed in all MKMQ subscale scores at the three time points compared to healthy controls. Correlations were found only for metacognitive avoidance strategies and left and right amygdala volumes at baseline, while after twelve months correlations were found for avoidance and right and left parahippocampal volumes. These preliminary results highlight the role of specific brain regions that could be used as indices in clinical practice for the detection of metacognitive knowledge deficits that are found in aMCI.
The Bidirectional Relationship between Periodontal Disease and Diabetes Mellitus—A Review
Authors: Păunică Ioana , Giurgiu Marina , Dumitriu Anca Silvia , Păunică Stana , Pantea Stoian Anca Mihaela , Martu Maria-Alexandra , Serafinceanu Cristian
Published: February 2023

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the presence of a bacterial biofilm known as dental plaque. This biofilm affects the supporting apparatus of the teeth, especially the periodontal ligaments and the bone surrounding the teeth. Periodontal disease and diabetes seem to be interrelated and in a bidirectional relationship, and have been increasingly studied in recent decades. For example, diabetes mellitus has a detrimental effect on periodontal disease, increasing its prevalence, extent, and severity. In turn, periodontitis negatively affects glycemic control and the course of diabetes. This review aims to present the most recently discovered factors that contribute to the pathogenesis, therapy, and prophylaxis of these two diseases. Specifically, the article focuses on microvascular complications, oral microbiota, pro- and anti-inflammatory factors in diabetes, and periodontal disease. As presented in this review, these two diseases require specific/ complementary therapeutic solutions when they occur in association, with new clinical trials and epidemiological research being necessary for better control of this interdependent pathogenic topic.
Accuracy Analysis of Deep Learning Methods in Breast Cancer Classification: A Structured Review
Authors: Yusoff Marina , Haryanto Toto , Suhartanto Heru , Mustafa Wan Azani , Zain Jasni Mohamad , Kusmardi Kusmardi
Published: February 2023

Breast cancer is diagnosed using histopathological imaging. This task is extremely time-consuming due to high image complexity and volume. However, it is important to facilitate the early detection of breast cancer for medical intervention. Deep learning (DL) has become popular in medical imaging solutions and has demonstrated various levels of performance in diagnosing cancerous images. Nonetheless, achieving high precision while minimizing overfitting remains a significant challenge for classification solutions. The handling of imbalanced data and incorrect labeling is a further concern. Additional methods, such as pre-processing, ensemble, and normalization techniques, have been established to enhance image characteristics. These methods could influence classification solutions and be used to overcome overfitting and data balancing issues. Hence, developing a more sophisticated DL variant could improve classification accuracy while reducing overfitting. Technological advancements in DL have fueled automated breast cancer diagnosis growth in recent years. This paper reviewed studies on the capability of DL to classify histopathological breast cancer images, as the objective of this study was to systematically review and analyze current research on the classification of histopathological images. Additionally, literature from the Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) indexes was reviewed. This study assessed recent approaches for histopathological breast cancer image classification in DL applications for papers published up until November 2022. The findings of this study suggest that DL methods, especially convolution neural networks and their hybrids, are the most cutting-edge approaches currently in use. To find a new technique, it is necessary first to survey the landscape of existing DL approaches and their hybrid methods to conduct comparisons and case studies.
Association of Clinical and Radiological Features with Disease Severity of Symptomatic Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Related Pneumonitis
Authors: Zhang Qian , Tao Xiuli , Zhao Shijun , Li Ning , Wang Shuhang , Wu Ning
Published: February 2023

Objectives: To investigate the predictive ability of clinical and chest computed tomography (CT) features to predict the severity of symptomatic immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP). Methods: This study included 34 patients diagnosed with symptomatic CIP (grades 2–5) and divided into mild (grade 2) and severe CIP (grades 3–5) groups. The groups’ clinical and chest CT features were analyzed. Three manual scores (extent, image finding, and clinical symptom scores) were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance alone and in combination. Results: There were 20 cases of mild CIP and 14 cases of severe CIP. More severe CIP occurred within 3 months than after 3 months (11 vs. 3 cases, p = 0.038). Severe CIP was significantly associated with fever (p < 0.001) and the acute interstitial pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndrome pattern (p = 0.001). The diagnostic performance of chest CT scores (extent score and image finding score) was better than that of clinical symptom score. The combination of the three scores demonstrated the best diagnostic value, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.948. Conclusions: The clinical and chest CT features have important application value in assessing the disease severity of symptomatic CIP. We recommend the routine use of chest CT in a comprehensive clinical evaluation.
Usefulness of Endoscopy for the Detection and Diagnosis of Primary Esophageal Motility Disorders and Diseases Relating to Abnormal Esophageal Motility
Authors: Kuribayashi Shiko , Hosaka Hiroko , Uraoka Toshio
Published: February 2023

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is performed to rule out organic diseases in the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders (EMDs). Abnormal endoscopic findings can be observed during EGD, which indicate the presence of EMDs. Several endoscopic findings at both the esophagogastric junction and esophageal body that are related to EMDs have been reported. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) could be detected during EGD, and these diseases are often associated with abnormal esophageal motility. Image-enhanced endoscopy (IEE) could improve the detection of these diseases during EGD. Although no report has been published previously on the potential usefulness of IEE in the endoscopic diagnosis of EMDs, IEE can be used to detect disorders that can be associated with abnormal esophageal motility.
Emerging Trends and Recent Progress of MXene as a Promising 2D Material for Point of Care (POC) Diagnostics
Authors: Chouhan Raghuraj Singh , Shah Maitri , Prakashan Drishya , P R Ramya , Kolhe Pratik , Gandhi Sonu
Published: February 2023

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with chemical and structural diversity have piqued the interest of the scientific community due to their superior photonic, mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and catalytic capabilities that distinguish them from their bulk counterparts. Among these 2D materials, two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, carbonitrides, and nitrides with a general chemical formula of Mn+1XnTx (where n = 1–3), together known as MXenes, have gained tremendous popularity and demonstrated competitive performance in biosensing applications. In this review, we focus on the cutting-edge advances in MXene-related biomaterials, with a systematic summary on their design, synthesis, surface engineering approaches, unique properties, and biological properties. We particularly emphasize the property–activity–effect relationship of MXenes at the nano–bio interface. We also discuss the recent trends in the application of MXenes in accelerating the performance of conventional point of care (POC) devices towards more practical approaches as the next generation of POC tools. Finally, we explore in depth the existing problems, challenges, and potential for future improvement of MXene-based materials for POC testing, with the goal of facilitating their early realization of biological applications.
Application Prospects of FTIR Spectroscopy and CLSM to Monitor the Drugs Interaction with Bacteria Cells Localized in Macrophages for Diagnosis and Treatment Control of Respiratory Diseases
Authors: Zlotnikov Igor D. , Ezhov Alexander A. , Vigovskiy Maksim A. , Grigorieva Olga A. , Dyachkova Uliana D. , Belogurova Natalia G. , Kudryashova Elena V.
Published: February 2023

Visualization of the interaction of drugs with biological cells creates new approaches to improving the bioavailability, selectivity, and effectiveness of drugs. The use of CLSM and FTIR spectroscopy to study the interactions of antibacterial drugs with latent bacterial cells localized in macrophages create prospects to solve the problems of multidrug resistance (MDR) and severe cases. Here, the mechanism of rifampicin penetration into E. coli bacterial cells was studied by tracking the changes in the characteristic peaks of cell wall components and intracellular proteins. However, the effectiveness of the drug is determined not only by penetration, but also by efflux of the drugs molecules from the bacterial cells. Here, the efflux effect was studied and visualized using FTIR spectroscopy, as well as CLSM imaging. We have shown that because of efflux inhibition, eugenol acting as an adjuvant for rifampicin showed a significant (more than three times) increase in the antibiotic penetration and the maintenance of its intracellular concentration in E. coli (up to 72 h in a concentration of more than 2 μg/mL). In addition, optical methods have been applied to study the systems containing bacteria localized inside of macrophages (model of the latent form), where the availability of bacteria for antibiotics is reduced. Polyethylenimine grafted with cyclodextrin carrying trimannoside vector molecules was developed as a drug delivery system for macrophages. Such ligands were absorbed by CD206+ macrophages by 60–70% versus 10–15% for ligands with a non-specific galactose label. Owing to presence of ligands with trimannoside vectors, the increase in antibiotic concentration inside macrophages, and thus, its accumulation into dormant bacteria, is observed. In the future, the developed FTIR+CLSM techniques would be applicable for the diagnosis of bacterial infections and the adjustment of therapy strategies.
Robustness Fine-Tuning Deep Learning Model for Cancers Diagnosis Based on Histopathology Image Analysis
Authors: El-Ghany Sameh Abd , Azad Mohammad , Elmogy Mohammed
Published: February 2023

Histopathology is the most accurate way to diagnose cancer and identify prognostic and therapeutic targets. The likelihood of survival is significantly increased by early cancer detection. With deep networks’ enormous success, significant attempts have been made to analyze cancer disorders, particularly colon and lung cancers. In order to do this, this paper examines how well deep networks can diagnose various cancers using histopathology image processing. This work intends to increase the performance of deep learning architecture in processing histopathology images by constructing a novel fine-tuning deep network for colon and lung cancers. Such adjustments are performed using regularization, batch normalization, and hyperparameters optimization. The suggested fine-tuned model was evaluated using the LC2500 dataset. Our proposed model’s average precision, recall, F1-score, specificity, and accuracy were 99.84%, 99.85%, 99.84%, 99.96%, and 99.94%, respectively. The experimental findings reveal that the suggested fine-tuned learning model based on the pre-trained ResNet101 network achieves higher results against recent state-of-the-art approaches and other current powerful CNN models.
Quantitative Diagnosis Progress of Ultrasound Imaging Technology in Thyroid Diffuse Diseases
Authors: Huang Jing , Zhao Jiaqi
Published: February 2023

High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), the imaging modality of choice for thyroid screening, is most commonly used in the study of diffuse thyroid disease (DTD) with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and Graves’ disease (GD). DTD can involve thyroid function and severely affect life quality, so early diagnosis is important for the development of timely clinical intervention strategies. Previously, the diagnosis of DTD relied on qualitative ultrasound imaging and related laboratory tests. In recent years, with the development of multimodal imaging and intelligent medicine, ultrasound and other diagnostic imaging techniques have gradually become more widely used for quantitative assessment of the structure and function of DTD. In this paper, we review the current status and progress of quantitative diagnostic ultrasound imaging techniques for DTD.
The Role of an Artificial Intelligence Method of Improving the Diagnosis of Neoplasms by Colonoscopy
Authors: Vilkoite Ilona , Tolmanis Ivars , Meri Hosams Abu , Polaka Inese , Mezmale Linda , Anarkulova Linda , Leja Marcis , Lejnieks Aivars
Published: February 2023

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Colonoscopy is the gold standard examination that reduces the morbidity and mortality of CRC. Artificial intelligence (AI) could be useful in reducing the errors of the specialist and in drawing attention to the suspicious area. Methods: A prospective single-center randomized controlled study was conducted in an outpatient endoscopy unit with the aim of evaluating the usefulness of AI-assisted colonoscopy in PDR and ADR during the day time. It is important to understand how already available CADe systems improve the detection of polyps and adenomas in order to make a decision about their routine use in practice. In the period from October 2021 to February 2022, 400 examinations (patients) were included in the study. One hundred and ninety-four patients were examined using the ENDO-AID CADe artificial intelligence device (study group), and 206 patients were examined without the artificial intelligence (control group). Results: None of the analyzed indicators (PDR and ADR during morning and afternoon colonoscopies) showed differences between the study and control groups. There was an increase in PDR during afternoon colonoscopies, as well as ADR during morning and afternoon colonoscopies. Conclusions: Based on our results, the use of AI systems in colonoscopies is recommended, especially in circumstances of an increase of examinations. Additional studies with larger groups of patients at night are needed to confirm the already available data.
HPV-Induced Anal and Peri-Anal Neoplasia, a Surgeon’s Experience: 5-Year Case Series
Authors: Kosmidis Christoforos , Sevva Christina , Magra Vasiliki , Varsamis Nikolaos , Koulouris Charilaos , Charalampous Ioannis , Papadopoulos Konstantinos , Roulia Panagiota , Dagher Marios , Theodorou Vasiliki , Mystakidou Chrysi Maria , Kesisoglou Isaak
Published: February 2023

Purpose: One of the most known sexually transmitted diseases is Condylomata acuminata (CA), a skin lesion occurring due to infection from Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). CA has a typical appearance of raised, skin-colored papules ranging in size from 1 mm to 5 mm. These lesions often form cauliflower-like plaques. Depending on the involved HPV-subtype (either high-risk or low-risk) and its malignant potential, these lesions are likely to lead to malignant transformation when specific HPV subtypes and other risk factors are present. Therefore, high clinical suspicion is required when examining the anal and perianal area. Methods: In this article, the authors aim to present the results of a five-year case series (2016–2021) of anal and perianal cases of CA. Results: A total of 35 patients were included in this study. Patients were categorized based on specific criteria, which included gender, sex preferences, and human immunodeficiency virus infection. All patients underwent proctoscopy and excision biopsies were obtained. Based on dysplasia grade patients were further categorized. The group of patients where high-dysplasia squamous cell carcinoma was present was initially treated with chemoradiotherapy. Abdominoperineal resection was necessary in five cases after local recurrence. Conclusions: CA remains a serious condition where several treatment options are available if detected early. Delay in diagnosis can lead to malignant transformation, often leaving abdominoperineal resection as the only option. Vaccination against HPV poses a key role in eliminating the transmission of the virus, and thus the prevalence of CA.
Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms: A Concise Review
Authors: Rangwani Shiva , Juakiem Wasseem , Krishna Somashekar G. , El-Dika Samer
Published: February 2023

Pancreatic cystic lesions are being discovered as incidental lesions during cross-sectional imaging studies of the abdomen with increasing frequency. Endoscopic ultrasound is an important diagnostic modality for managing pancreatic cystic lesions. There are various types of pancreatic cystic lesions, from benign to malignant. Endoscopic ultrasound has a multifactorial role in delineating the morphology of pancreatic cystic lesions, ranging from fluid and tissue acquisition for analysis—fine needle aspiration and through-the-needle biopsy, respectively—to advanced imaging techniques, such as contrast-harmonic mode endoscopic ultrasound and EUS-guided needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy. In this review, we will summarize and provide an update on the specific role of EUS in the management of pancreatic cystic lesions.
A Third Supernumerary Tooth Occurring in the Same Region: A Case Report
Authors: Akitomo Tatsuya , Asao Yuria , Iwamoto Yuko , Kusaka Satoru , Usuda Momoko , Kametani Mariko , Ando Toshinori , Sakamoto Shinnichi , Mitsuhata Chieko , Kajiya Mikihito , Kozai Katsuyuki , Nomura Ryota
Published: February 2023

The presence of a supernumerary tooth is one of the most common dental anomalies, and surgical treatment is often required to address this anomaly. Moreover, it may lead to malocclusion, and long-term follow-up is important to monitor its status. A 4-year-and-11-month-old boy was referred to our hospital for dental caries treatment. At 5 years and 5 months of age, a radiographic examination showed a supernumerary tooth (first supernumerary tooth) near the permanent maxillary left central incisor, and it was extracted 6 months later. Eighteen months after the extraction of the first supernumerary tooth, a new supernumerary tooth (second supernumerary tooth) was detected in the same region, which was extracted when the patient was aged seven years and seven months. Seven months later, another supernumerary tooth (third supernumerary tooth) was detected and extracted immediately. However, the permanent maxillary left central incisor did not erupt spontaneously even after 6 months. Therefore, surgical exposure was performed, and the central incisor erupted into the oral cavity. This report describes our experience with this patient with three metachronous supernumerary teeth and their management until the eruption of the permanent tooth. This report highlights the importance of long-term follow-up after supernumerary tooth extraction until the permanent teeth in that region have erupted completely.