bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphological and molecular characterization of twenty-five new Diploneis species (Bacillariophyta) from Lake Tanganyika and its surrounding areas
Authors: JOVANOVSKA ELENA , WILSON MALLORY C. , HAMILTON PAUL B. , STONE JEFFERY
Published: April 2023

Lake Tanganyika, the second oldest lake in the world, is home to some of the largest and most phenotypically, genetically, and ecologically diverse freshwater assemblages. While the evolutionary processes responsible for generating its extraordinary richness are well understood across various animal groups, little is known about the diatom species richness, turnover patterns, and their drivers. Here, we explored species richness of the diatom genus Diploneis from Lake Tanganyika and surrounding regions by using morphological and molecular information. Both datasets suggested the presence of twenty-five new Diploneis species, each not related to any known Diploneis species so far. The multi-locus phylogeny indicates a monophyletic group of twenty-one Diploneis species from Lake Tanganyika, suggesting potential intralacustrine diversification possibly triggered by certain historical contingencies. This is supported by the small genetic distances and the presence of unique silica ornamentations on the valve face exterior, to date only known to occur on the Baikal endemic Diploneis implicatus. The discovery of such a high richness of Diploneis species in Lake Tanganyika and the presence of a unique morphological character points to a potential adaptive radiation - a mechanism yet to be confirmed.
New species of Lepidocyrtus (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from Italy with a discussion of characters defining European Lepidocyrtus lignorum-group
Authors: MATEOS EDUARDO , ZHANG BING , ÁLVAREZ-PRESAS MARTA
Published: April 2023

Springtails are a group of hexapods whose true diversity is currently underestimated. This is because the morphological characters normally used in species diagnosis do not have the necessary resolution. This situation is especially evident in Entomobryidae, which is currently the most diverse family of springtails. The combination of morphological and molecular data has allowed us to describe a new species of the genus Lepidocyrtus, based on specimens from Northern Italy, as well as to redefine the diagnosis of the European Lepidocyrtus lignorum-group.
Response of Water Isotopes in Precipitation to a Collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in High-Resolution Simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting Model
Authors: Dütsch Marina , Steig Eric J. , Blossey Peter N. , Pauling Andrew G.
Published: April 2023

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) may have collapsed during the last interglacial period, between 132 000 and 116 000 years ago. The changes in topography resulting from WAIS collapse would be accompanied by significant changes in Antarctic surface climate, atmospheric circulation, and ocean conditions. Evidence of these changes may be recorded in water-isotope ratios in precipitation archived in the ice. We conduct high-resolution simulations with an isotope-enabled version of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model over Antarctica, with boundary conditions provided by climate model simulations with both present-day and lowered WAIS topography. The results show that while there is significant spatial variability, WAIS collapse would cause detectable isotopic changes at several locations where ice-core records have been obtained or could be obtained in the future. The most robust signals include elevated δ18O at SkyTrain Ice Rise in West Antarctica and elevated deuterium excess and δ18O at Hercules Dome in East Antarctica. A combination of records from multiple sites would provide constraints on the timing, rate, and magnitude of past WAIS collapse.
Export Impediments and its Impact on the Performance of Motor and Pump Exports from the Coimbatore Region
Authors: Negi Raghuveer , Muthusamy A. , Nomani Abuzar , Thangam Geeta Shetty Deepa
Published: April 2023

The study identifies the challenges motor and pump exporters face in the Coimbatore region. This city is also called as ‘Pump City of Asia’. Despite the export potential, these exporters are facing challenges which are largely ignored by researchers, academicians, and policymakers. The application of motors and pumps in numerous industries signifies the need for research in this particular sector, especially the export segments. Various challenges faced by motor and pump exporters in this region were identified to test the hypothesis. In a later stage, we tried to measure the impact of these export issues on the export performance of the firms. The study assumed that various export challenges directly or indirectly impact motor and pump exports. We tried to explore the association between export problems and export performance, contrary to all the previous studies conducted by researchers and academicians on motor and pump exports. This region (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu) is an ideal place for research and optimisation of desired results because of its market share and reputation in the global market. We have collected data from 220 exporters (motor and pump) through a field study from January to September 2021. We have identified the challenges using principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, and the impact of these impediments on the export performance of the firm was analysed through path analysis. The study depicts the major challenges, and derived results from the analysis state that there is a significant impact of labour issues, cultural differences, raw materials, and geographical distance on the performance of the motor and pump exports from the Coimbatore region.
Healthcare Utilization Among Infants Discharged From the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Descriptive Cost Analysis
Authors: Hebballi Nutan B , Avritscher Elenir BC , Garcia Elisa , Bain Andrew , Bartz-Kurycki Marisa A , Tsao KuoJen , Austin Mary T
Published: April 2023

The cost of readmissions of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates within 6 months and a year of their life is well-studied. However, the cost of readmissions within 90 days of NICU discharge is unknown. This study’s objective was to estimate the overall and mean cost of healthcare use for unplanned hospital visits of NICU graduates within 90 days of discharge A retrospective review of all infants discharged between 1/1/2017 and 03/31/2017 from a large hospital system NICUs was conducted. All unplanned hospital visits (readmissions or stand-alone emergency department (ED) visits) occurring within 90 days post NICU discharge were included. The total and mean cost of unplanned hospital visits were computed and adjusted to 2021 US dollars. The total cost was estimated to be $785 804 with a mean of $1898 per patient. Hospital readmissions accounted for 98% ($768 718) of the total costs and ED visits for 2% ($17 086). The mean cost per readmission and stand-alone ED visit were $25 624 and $475 respectively. The highest mean total cost of unplanned hospital readmission was noted in extremely low birth weight infants ($25 295). Interventions targeted to reduce hospital readmissions after NICU discharge have the potential to significantly reduce healthcare costs for this patient population.
Impression Management by Women: Reconceptualising Attitude Towards Gender Stereotypes (ATGS)
Authors: Banerjee Rajeswari , Sagadevan Keerthi , Kumari Nidhi , Shakya Kumarsawan
Published: April 2023

This article tries to extend the Framework for Impression Management by Women in India (FIMWI) by refining the conceptualisation of attitude towards gender stereotypes (ATGS). We try to explore the possible attitudes of women to gender stereotypes using the combinations of high or low accepting and challenging ATGS. Using these combinations, we identify four possible categories of responses to gender stereotypes, namely ‘High Accepting, High Challenging’ (HAHC), ‘Low Accepting, High Challenging’ (LAHC), ‘High Accepting, Low Challenging’ (HALC) and ‘Low Accepting, Low Challenging’ (LALC). Using the social identity theory, we explore the ways in which the ATGS would perhaps influence the choice of impression management tactics with in-group and out-group members. We further identify the potential impression management tactics that would be implemented by women in each of these categories. We propose that hard impression management techniques would be used for out-group members by women having the HAHC combination. They would use soft impression management techniques for in-group members. Hard impression management techniques would be used by women having the LAHC combination with in-group as well as out-group. Soft impression management techniques would be used by women having the HALC combination with in-group as well as out-group. Soft impression management techniques would be used by the women having LALC combination. Future research possibilities are suggested; practical implications are also discussed
Classifying minerals and their related names in a relational database
Authors: Gavryliv Liubomyr , Ponomar Vitalii , Putiš Marián
Published: April 2023

The categorisation of minerals and their related names, such as synonyms, obsolete or historical names, varieties or mixtures, is an asset for designing an interoperable and consistent mineralogical data warehouse. An enormous amount of this data, provided by mindat.org and other resources, was reviewed and analysed during the research. The analysis indicates the existence of several categories of (1) the abstract titles or designations representing the link to the original material or a group of names or substances without actual physical representation, and (2) the unique names representing actual physical material, compounds, or an aggregate of one or more minerals. A revision of the dependency between the categories attributes stored in a database (e.g. chemical properties, physical properties) and their classification status assigned allowed us to design a robust prototype for maintaining database integrity and consistency. The proposed scheme allows standardisation and structuring of officially regulated and maintained species, e.g. IMA-approved, and, in addition, unregulated ones.
Plants under pressure: the impact of environmental change on plant ecology and evolution
Authors: Barrio Isabel C. , Rapini Alessandro
Published: April 2023

Plants have demonstrated tremendous resilience through past mass extinction events. However, anthropogenic pressures are rapidly threatening plant survival. To develop our understanding of the impact of environmental change on plant ecology and evolution and help solve the current biodiversity crisis, BMC Ecology and Evolution has launched a new article Collection titled “Plants under Pressure”.
SPR9 encodes a 60 S ribosomal protein that modulates panicle spreading and affects resistance to false smut in rice (Oryza sativa. L)
Authors: He Niqing , Huang Fenghuang , Lu Libin , Wang Xun , Li Qingshun Q. , Yang Dewei
Published: April 2023

Background

The architecture of inflorescence in crops is a key agronomic feature determining grain yield and thus has been a major target trait of cereal domestication.

Results

In this study, we show that a simple spreading panicle change in rice panicle shape, controlled by theSpreading Panicle 9(SPR9)locus, also has a significant impact on the resistance to rice false smut (RFS). Meanwhile, we mapped a novelspr9mutant gene between markers Indel5-18 and Indel5-22 encompassing a genomic region of 43-kb with six candidate genes. Through gene prediction and cDNA sequencing, we confirmed thatLOC_Os05g38520is the target gene in thespr9mutant, which encodes 60 S ribosomal protein L36-2. Further analysis showed that thespr9mutant is caused by a 1 bp deletion in the first exon that resulted in premature termination. Knockout experiments showed that theSPR9gene is responsible for the spreading panicle phenotype of thespr9mutant. Interestingly, thespr9mutant was found to improve resistance to RFS without affecting major agronomic traits. Taken together, our results revealed that thespr9allele has good application prospects in rice breeding for disease resistance and panicle improvement.

Conclusions

We report the map-based cloning and functional characterization ofSPR9, which encodes a 60 S ribosomal protein that regulates spreading panicles and affects the resistance to false smut in rice.
Adjusted morbidity groups and survival: a retrospective cohort study of primary care patients with chronic conditions
Authors: Bandeira-de Oliveira Mariana , Aparicio-González Teresa , del Cura-González Isabel , Suárez-Fernández Carmen , Rodríguez-Barrientos Ricardo , Barrio-Cortes Jaime
Published: April 2023

Background

Chronic conditions are one of the main determinants of frailty, functional disability, loss of quality of life and the number one cause of death worldwide. This study aimed to describe the survival of patients with chronic conditions who were followed up in primary care according to the level of risk by adjusted morbidity groups and to analyse the effects of sex, age, clinician and care factors on survival.

Methods

This was a longitudinal observational study of a retrospective cohort of patients with chronic conditions identified by the adjusted morbidity group stratifier of the electronic medical records in a primary health centre of the Region of Madrid, which has an assigned population of 18,107 inhabitants. The follow-up period was from June 2015 to June 2018. A description of survival according to the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards multivariate regression model was used to analyse the effects of sex, age, clinician and care factors.

Results

A total of 9,866 patients with chronic conditions were identified; 77.4% (7,638) had a low risk, 18.1% (1,784) had a medium risk, and 4.5% (444) had a high risk according to the adjusted morbidity groups. A total of 477 patients with chronic conditions died (4.8%). The median survival was 36 months. The factors associated with lower survival were age over 65 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–1.6), receiving palliative care (HR = 3.4; 95% CI = 2.6–4.5), high versus low risk level (HR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.60–3.7), five chronic conditions or more (HR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2-2), complexity index (HR = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.02–1.04) and polymedication (HR = 2.6; 95% CI = 2.0-3.3).

Conclusions

There was a gradual and significant decrease in the survival of patients with chronic conditions according to their level of risk as defined by adjusted morbidity groups. Other factors, such as older age, receiving palliative care, high number of chronic conditions, complexity, and polymedication, had a negative effect on survival. The adjusted morbidity groups are useful in explaining survival outcomes and may be valuable for clinical practice, resource planning and public health research.
Early clinical experience with eptinezumab: results of a retrospective observational study of patient response in the United States
Authors: Starling Amaal J. , Kymes Steven , Asher Divya , Soni-Brahmbhatt Seema , Karnik-Henry Meghana
Published: April 2023

Background

The efficacy and safety of eptinezumab for preventive migraine treatment in adults have been demonstrated in multiple, large-scale clinical trials. This non-interventional, retrospective, observational chart review was conducted to examine patient response to eptinezumab 100 mg or 300 mg every 12 weeks for 6 months in the clinical setting.

Methods

Eight headache specialists who reported early clinical experience with eptinezumab enrolled the first adults (1–6 adults per clinician; age ≥ 18 years) who met predefined selection criteria (including ≥ 12-month history of migraine, ≥ 4 migraine days/month prior to eptinezumab initiation, receipt of ≥ 2 consecutive eptinezumab doses, and ≥ 12-week follow-up period), and provided detailed patient, disease, treatment, and outcome information via SurveyMonkey and standardized case-report forms.

Results

Charts from 31 adults (median age, 49 years) with migraine (93.6% chronic) who received eptinezumab for the preventive treatment of migraine were reviewed. Most patients (26/31 [83.9%]) were initiated at 100 mg. Eptinezumab reduced mean headache frequency (24.3 monthly headache days [MHDs] at baseline; 17.1 MHDs at Month 6); mean migraine frequency (17.3 monthly migraine days [MMDs] at baseline; 9.1 MMDs at Month 6); attack severity (17/31 [54.8%] patients); acute headache medication use (12.5 acute medication days at baseline; 7.4 at Month 6); and patient-reported disability (11/22 [50.0%] severe at baseline; 7/19 [36.8%] at Month 6). More than three-quarters of patients (24/31 [77.4%]) perceived improved disability/function and most (30/31 [96.8%]) perceived eptinezumab to be well tolerated after 6 months. Most of the headache specialists reported that eptinezumab was well tolerated by patients (30/31 [96.8%]) and that the intravenous infusion experience was not challenging.

Conclusions

Patients with migraine who received 6 months of preventive treatment with eptinezumab experienced reductions in migraine and headache frequency, disability, and acute medication use during the course of treatment.
Effects of chronotype on antidepressant treatment and symptoms in patients with depression: a multicenter, parallel, controlled study
Authors: Wang Shikai , Feng Min , Fang Yu , Lv Liang , Sun Guilan , Cheng Shanfei , Huang Weiquan , Yang Shengliang , Guo Ping , Qian Mincai , Chen Huanxin
Published: April 2023

Aim

To analyze the changes of chronotypes in patients with depression before and after treatment, and explore the effects of different chronotypes on antidepressant treatment and the dimensions of common symptoms in patients with depression.

Methods

180 patients with depression were selected from 10 tertiary psychiatric hospitals in Zhejiang province, according to the scores of morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ), the patients were divided into three groups: early-type group, middle-type group and late-type group. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale anxiety Scale (HAMA), Snaith Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), multidimensional fatigue inventory-20(MFI-20) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were measured at baseline and at the end of the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 12th weeks, the variance analysis of repeated measures was used to analyze the change of each index in the study. The remission rate of depression at each time point was statistically analyzed.

Results

Of the 180 patients included in the study, 26 were lost to follow-up, and 154 were finally included in the analysis. At baseline, 14.93%, 56.5% and 28.57% of the subjects were diagnosed as middle-late type, middle-late type and early-late type respectively, the total scores of Shaps and MFI-20 in the early-type group were higher than those in the late-type group and the middle-type group (p < 0.05). During the 12-week antidepressant treatment period, the time effect of PSQI, Shaps, MFI-20 and MEQ had interaction with different time groups (p < 0.05). During the treatment, the multiple symptom dimensions of depression were improved to different degrees, but the changing trend was not the same, and the recovery of the anhedonia was obviously delayed, in early-type patients, there are many symptoms such as loss of pleasure and sleep disorders. There was no significant effect on the remission rate of depression in different time type (p > 0.05) .

Conclusion

The disorder of chronotypes is common in patients with depression. The time effect of different time type on different symptom dimension of depression was affected, but the effect on remission rate of depression was not significant. To strengthen the management of biological chronotype rhythm in patients with depression may be of great significance in the treatment of depression.
Methamphetamine-induced encephalopathy in the absence of hyperammonemia
Authors: Rabbany Jessica M , Fitzgerald Kaylee , Bowman Jade , Dong Fanglong , Neeki Michael M.
Published: April 2023

Background

Methamphetamine is an addictive drug with various effects on the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Methamphetamine-induced encephalopathy in the absence of hyperammonemia presents a unique challenge in a clinical setting. Previously published cases of methamphetamine-induced encephalopathy suggested that methamphetamine-induced hepatotoxicity and subsequent hyperammonemia may be the cause of encephalopathy. However, the literature is limited on methamphetamine-induced encephalopathy without hyperammonemia.

Case

This case presents a disoriented patient with methamphetamine use disorder in acute toxicity, unable to ambulate independently, and poorly responsive to verbal stimuli. The patient was found to have normal ammonia levels.

Discussion

This patient’s presentation and laboratory findings, namely normal ammonia levels, suggest a different pathophysiological pathway for methamphetamine-induced encephalopathy. One potential pathway is through the direct action of methamphetamine on the central nervous system through acute disruption of neurotransmitter signaling and disruption of the blood-brain barrier.

Conclusion

Further research should be conducted into the prevalence and pathophysiology of methamphetamine-induced encephalopathy in the absence of hyperammonemia.

Key Points

Methamphetamine-induced encephalopathy (MIE) in the absence of hyperammonemia presents a unique challenge in a clinical setting.

Previously published cases of MIE suggest that methamphetamine-induced hepatotoxicity and subsequent hyperammonemia may be the cause of encephalopathy.

Further research should be conducted into the prevalence and pathophysiology of MIE in the absence of hyperammonemia.
Food insecurity and health outcome nexus: empirical evidence from the informal sector enterprises in Bangladesh
Authors: Sultana Nahid , Rahman Mohammad Mafizur , Khanam Rasheda , Rayhan Istihak , Hossain Roni
Published: April 2023

Background

Food insecurity indicates the difficulty of constantly obtaining adequate food because of limited economic resources. Food insecurity challenges the desired health outcomes. Although extensive literature has examined the associations between food security and health, low-wage informal sector workers have been less frequently addressed in this topic. The present study has focused on food insecurity among the workers working in the informal sector enterprises who experienced entrenched disadvantage during COVID-19 and examines the relationship between food insecurity and health status as measured by self-reported physical and mental health conditions.

Methods

This study has utilized cross-sectional data collected from workers working in informal manufacturing and business enterprises in Dhaka city of Bangladesh. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) with eight items is used to screen for food insecurity, and the Short Form 12v2 (SF12v2) scale with 12 questions, and validated for use with Bengali respondents, is used to measure the health status of the informal workers. A health production function has been constructed where the health status (both physical and mental) of workers is associated with food insecurity and other socio-economic and health care factors. Empirical analyses of the study have included descriptive statistics, mean score comparisons, and multivariate regression analyses to identify the predictive factors of the physical and mental health status of the workers.

Results

A moderate to severe food insecurity is found to be responsible for the poor health status (both physical and mental) of the selected working group population. Moreover, age over 40 years, having a large family, dissatisfaction with the work place, and the prevalence of occupational health risks are linked to lower physical health, while dissatisfaction with the work place and the incidence of severe diseases contribute to poor mental health status along with food insecurity.

Conclusions

Extending social and economic protection towards health coverage and basic consumption is suggested as an immediate action to save lives and ensure productivity of the informal workers. Besides, an increase in income and ensuring decent working conditions are also recommended for the health, safety and satisfaction of workers working in informal sector enterprises.
Identification of ferroptosis-related genes in male mice with sepsis-induced acute lung injury based on transcriptome sequencing
Authors: Hu Wen , Wu Zhen , Zhang Mei , Yu Shilin , Zou Xiaohua
Published: April 2023

Background

Sepsis can result in acute lung injury (ALI). Studies have shown that pharmacological inhibition of ferroptosis can treat ALI. However, the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis in sepsis-induced ALI remain unclear.

Methods

Transcriptome sequencing was performed on lung tissue samples from 10 sepsis-induced mouse models of ALI and 10 control mice. After quality control measures, clean data were used to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the groups. The DEGs were then overlapped with ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) to obtain ferroptosis-related DEGs (FR-DEGs). Subsequently, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and Support Vector Machine-Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE) were used to obtain key genes. In addition, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was employed to explore the disease, function, and canonical pathways related to the key genes. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to investigate the functions of the key genes, and regulatory miRNAs of key genes were predicted using the NetworkAnalyst and StarBase databases. Finally, the expression of key genes was validated with the GSE165226 and GSE168796 datasets sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results

Thirty-three FR-DEGs were identified between 1843 DEGs and 259 FRGs. Three key genes, Ncf2, Steap3, and Gclc, were identified based on diagnostic models established by the two machine learning methods. They are mainly involved in infection, immunity, and apoptosis, including lymphatic system cell migration and lymphocyte and T cell responses. Additionally, the GSEA suggested that Ncf2 and Steap3 were similarly enriched in mRNA processing, response to peptides, and leukocyte differentiation. Furthermore, a key gene-miRNA network including 2 key genes (Steap3 and Gclc) and 122 miRNAs, and a gene-miRNA network with 1 key gene (Steap3) and 3 miRNAs were constructed using NetworkAnalyst and StarBase, respectively. Both databases predicted that mmu-miR-15a-5p was the target miRNA of Steap3. Finally, Ncf2 expression was validated using both datasets and qRT-PCR, and Steap3 was validated using GSE165226 and qRT-PCR.

Conclusions

This study identified two FR-DEGs (Ncf2 and Steap3) associated with sepsis-induced ALI via transcriptome analyses, as well as their functional and metabolic pathways.
Diagnostic performance of eNose technology in COVID-19 patients after hospitalization
Authors: van Raaij B. F.M. , Veltman J. D. , Hameete J. F. , Stöger J. L. , Geelhoed J. J.M.
Published: April 2023

Background

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by human cells reflect metabolic and pathophysiological processes which can be detected with the use of electronic nose (eNose) technology. Analysis of exhaled breath may potentially play an important role in diagnosing COVID-19 and stratification of patients based on pulmonary function or chest CT.

Methods

Breath profiles of COVID-19 patients were collected with an eNose device (SpiroNose) 3 months after discharge from the Leiden University Medical Centre and matched with breath profiles from healthy individuals for analysis. Principal component analysis was performed with leave-one-out cross validation and visualised with receiver operating characteristics. COVID-19 patients were stratified in subgroups with a normal pulmonary diffusion capacity versus patients with an impaired pulmonary diffusion capacity (DLCOc < 80% of predicted) and in subgroups with a normal chest CT versus patients with COVID-19 related chest CT abnormalities.

Results

The breath profiles of 135 COVID-19 patients were analysed and matched with 174 healthy controls. The SpiroNose differentiated between COVID-19 after hospitalization and healthy controls with an AUC of 0.893 (95-CI, 0.851–0.934). There was no difference in VOCs patterns in subgroups of COVID-19 patients based on diffusion capacity or chest CT.

Conclusions

COVID-19 patients have a breath profile distinguishable from healthy individuals shortly after hospitalization which can be detected using eNose technology. This may suggest ongoing inflammation or a common repair mechanism. The eNose could not differentiate between subgroups of COVID-19 patients based on pulmonary diffusion capacity or chest CT.
Management and outcome of patients with femoral head fractures: the mid-term follow-up with injuries and associated prognostic factors
Authors: Shakya Sujan , Chen Jialei , Sun Jiachen , Xiang Zhou
Published: April 2023

Background

Femoral head fractures are rare injuries often associated with poor functional outcomes and complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, treatment methods and approaches, complications, and functional outcomes of femoral head fractures.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 50 patients who sustained femoral head fractures between January 2011 and December 2018. There were thirty-seven (74%) males and thirteen (26%) females with a median age of 40 years. According to Pipkin’s classification, there were eighteen (36%) Pipkin I, ten (20%) Pipkin II, eight (16%) Pipkin III, and fourteen (28%) Pipkin IV patients. Treatment methods were categorized into non-operative, operative by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), and immediate total hip replacement (THR). The recorded surgical approach consists of an anterior(S-P) approach, posterior(K-L) approach, lateral stab, and combined anterior + lateral stab approach for fixation. The patients were also stratified by the Injury Severity Score (ISS), associated injuries, and, mechanism of injuries. The modified harris hip score (MHHS) was used to evaluate the ongoing complications with the clinical outcome of patients with two years or greater follow-up.

Results

Eight (16%) patients were managed successfully with closed reduction without surgery and thirty-seven (74%) patients required operative reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the femoral head and acetabulum, and 5 (10%) patients required immediate THR. Six (12%) patients developed AVN, and four (8%) required a secondary THR. Sixteen patients (33%) developed post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), eight (16%) developed heterotopic ossification (HO) and six patients (12%) had sciatic nerve injury, none requiring operative treatment. Overall functional results according to MHHS were, excellent in two (4%) patients, good in sixteen (32%) patients, fair in twenty-two (44%) patients, and poor in ten (20%) patients. A statistically significant difference in outcome was observed among four pipkin subtypes.

Conclusion

Femoral head fractures are rare injuries often associated with poor outcomes. In this study, we report the functional outcomes and complications of all treatment approaches for femoral head fracture based on the Pipkin classification. The treatment aim should always be the anatomical reduction of the fragments. This study, adds to the growing literature on femoral head fracture and provides a reference for the clinical treatment to guide patient management.

Trial registration

Our study was approved by the Clinical Research and Biomedical Ethical Committee of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants provided written informed consent to participate in this study.
Genetic disorders and pregnancy outcomes of non-immune hydrops fetalis in a tertiary referral center
Authors: Guo Danhua , He Shuqiong , Lin Na , Dai Yifang , Li Ying , Xu Liangpu , Wu Xiaoqing
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Non-immune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) is a non-specific symptom associated with a wide range of disorders. The prognosis of NIHF depends on the underlying etiology. In this study, we investigated the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities and Bart’s hydrops fetalis in pregnancies associated with NIHF in South China.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of NIHF pregnancies referred to the Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children’s Hospital between 2014 and 2018, excluding pregnancies with maternal alloimmunization. Routine karyotyping was performed on all 129 enrolled patients, and chromosomal microarray analysis was performed for 35 cases with a normal karyotype. In addition, α-thalassemia genotyping was performed to confirm the presence of Bart’s hydrops fetalis.

Results

Chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 29.5% (38/129) of the cohort, including 37 cases with aneuploidy and one case with unbalanced structural rearrangement. Chromosomal microarray analysis performed on the 35 cases with a normal karyotype did not reveal any additional pathogenic variants. The proportions of chromosomal abnormalities declined with trimester progression, with frequencies of 65%, 30.1%, and 8.3% in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively (p < 0.05). Bart’s hydrops fetalis was detected in 34.9% (45/129) of the cohort. Among the 46 (35.6%) cases with unknown etiology, 23 cases had other ultrasonic abnormalities characterized by poor outcomes, whereas seven cases with multiple cavity effusions that resolved or remitted prior to birth showed normal development during the 3–4 years of follow-up.

Conclusions

In South China, Bart’s hydrops fetalis and chromosomal abnormalities are the most common genetic etiologies of NIHF. Generalized skin edema and accompanying ultrasonic abnormalities are predictive of adverse outcomes, highlighting the need for intensive monitoring and better pregnancy management of NIHF patients.
Genetic analysis for mucinous ovarian carcinoma with infiltrative and expansile invasion and mucinous borderline tumor: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Hada Taira , Miyamoto Morikazu , Ohtsuka Yuka , Suminokura Jin , Ito Tsubasa , Kishimoto Naohisa , Nishitani Soko , Takada Minori , Imauji Akari , Tanabe Risa , Takano Masashi
Published: April 2023

Background

Mucinous carcinoma (MC) is a histological subtype of ovarian cancer that has a worse prognosis at advanced stages than the most prevalent histological subtype, high-grade serous carcinomas. Invasive patterns have been recognized as prognostic factors for MCs. MCs with infiltrative invasion were more aggressive than those with expansile invasion. MC with an expansile pattern exhibited behavior similar to mucinous borderline tumors (MBT). However, genomic analysis of invasive patterns is insufficient. This study aimed to compare genetic information between groups with MC and infiltrative invasion (Group A) and those with MC with expansile invasion or MBT (Group B).

Methods

Ten cases each of MC with infiltrative invasion, MC with expansile invasion, and MBT between 2005 and 2020 were identified. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues was performed, and cases with DNA fragmentation or the possibility of DNA fragmentation were excluded. Mutant base candidates and tumor mutation burden (TMB) values (mutations/megabase) were calculated.

Results

After assessing the quality of purified DNA, seven cases of MC with infiltrative invasion, five cases of MC with expansile invasion, and three cases of MBT were included. More patients in group A experienced recurrence or progression (p < 0.01) and died of disease (p = 0.03). Moreover, the TMB value was statistically higher in group A than in group B (p = 0.049). There were no statistical differences in the incidence of the mutations of KRAS, TP53, and CREBBP. KRAS, TP53, and CREBBP mutations were discovered in 8/15 (53.3%), 6/15 (40.0%), and 5/15 (33.3%) cases, respectively.

Conclusions

Genetic analysis revealed that Group A had higher TMB than Group B. Therefore, this result might be useful for future treatment.
Compliance to perioperative anticoagulation protocols in elderly patients undergoing elective orthopedic procedures: a retrospective observational cohort study on 548 patients
Authors: Munk Lizzie , van Essen Tom , van der Hoeven Casper , Nolte Peter A. , Becker Matthijs L.
Published: April 2023

Background

Compliance with perioperative anticoagulation guidelines is essential to minimize bleeding and thromboembolic risks in patients undergoing surgery. Compared to vitamin-K antagonists (VKAs), perioperative management of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) contains fewer steps. Therefore, we hypothesized that noncompliance with guidelines in VKA users is higher than in DOAC users. The primary aim of our study was to investigate the difference in noncompliance to perioperative anticoagulant management guidelines between elderly patients using VKAs versus those using DOACs. The secondary aim was to determine the difference in occurrence of conflicting information communicated to the patients and the difference in incidence of coagulation-related adverse events.

Methods

This retrospective non-controlled observational cohort study examined elderly patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery in a teaching hospital in the Netherlands. All patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery between 1 May 2016 and 1 January 2020, aged 70 years and over, using VKAs or DOACs were selected. Nonelective surgeries were excluded. The primary outcome was the noncompliance to perioperative anticoagulant management guidelines. Secondary outcomes were missing or conflicting information on anticoagulation management communicated to the patient and coagulation-related adverse events. For continuous data, the unpaired T-test was used and for categorical data, the chi-square test.

Results

In patients using VKAs, noncompliance to one of the steps of perioperative anticoagulation management was 81%, compared to 55% in patients using DOACs (p < 0.001). In most cases, VKAs or DOACs were interrupted for longer than recommended. In 13% of patients using a VKA with perioperative bridging, bridging was not conducted as recommended in the guidelines. In 13% of patients using a DOAC, a low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was prescribed while a DOAC had already been restarted postoperatively. VKA users received conflicting information about perioperative anticoagulation management more often than DOAC users (33% versus 20%; p < 0.001). No difference was seen in postoperative coagulation-related complications.

Conclusion

Guidelines compliance in DOAC users is higher than in VKA users. Clinical decision support to help in selecting the right interruption interval in DOAC users, simplified standardized perioperative management, good coordination of instructions given to patients, and familiarity with updated guidelines are important in reducing noncompliance.
Voice activity detection in the presence of transient based on graph
Authors: Guo Xiao-Yuan , Gao Chun-Xian , Liu Hui
Published: April 2023

Voice activity detection remains a significant challenge in the presence of transients since transients are more dominant than speech, though it has achieved satisfactory performance in quasi-stationary noisy environments. This paper studies the differences between speech and transients in nonlinear dynamic characteristics and proposes a new method for accurately detecting speech and transients. Limited by algorithm complexity, previous research has proposed few detectors to model speech and transients based on contextual information and thus failing to detect transient frames accurately. To address this challenge, our study proposes to map features of audio signals to a time series complex network, a kind of graph data, analyzed by the Laplacian and adjacency matrix of graphs, then classified by the support vector machine (SVM) classifier. The proposed algorithm can analyze a more extended speech period, allowing the full utilization of contextual information of preceding and following frames. The experimental results show that the performance of this method has obvious superiority over other existing algorithms.
Baby Steps: Communication Tips to Improve Physical Activity During Pregnancy
Authors: Buchanan Sabrina M. , Wilson Philip M.
Published: April 2023

Apply It!

• Describe the use of motivational interviewing (MI) as a communication tool for exercise counseling with pregnant clients.

• Develop an understanding of core MI skills that exercise professionals can use to support exercise participation by pregnant client(s).

• Identify different MI techniques used for exercise counseling that can empower pregnant individuals to become more physically active.
Ancient Greece in Modern Marseille
Authors: Tsiambaos Kostas , Kritikos Christos-Georgios
Published: April 2023

Although the Greek origins of Marseille were never questioned, the actual presence of its Greek past was hardly obvious in the image of the city. However, the Greek “memory” of the city had been kept alive throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Keeping in mind that a growing number of Greeks had begun to settle in Marseille already during the late eighteenth century, leading to the gradual establishment of a vibrant Greek community, we will question the role of that community in the discourse on the ancient Greek origins of Marseille. The ways both Greeks and French reconstructed the city’s Greek heritage in the most ancient French city can provide further insight into how memory and identity intersect across languages, ideas, origins, expressions, projections and representations connecting France and Greece in modern times.
Διαχείριση συγκρούσεων στην Πρωτοβάθμια Εκπαίδευση: Οι στρατηγικές των Διευθυντών- Έρευνα
Authors: ΤΡΙΑΝΤΗ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΑ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ
Published: April 2023

Το θέμα που πραγματεύεται η παρούσα θεωρητική και ερευνητική μελέτη είναι η διαχείριση των σχολικών συγκρούσεων από τον διευθυντή. Βασικός σκοπός της εργασίας ήταν να καταγραφούν και να διερευνηθούν οι απόψεις των διευθυντών δημοτικών σχολείων σχετικά με τα είδη, τα αίτια και τις συνέπειες των συγκρούσεων, καθώς και με το ρόλο που αναλαμβάνουν οι ίδιοι στη διαχείριση και τις τεχνικές που χρησιμοποιούν. Μετά την εκτενή θεωρητική ανάλυση του θέματος, ακολούθησε η ερευνητική μελέτη με τη διεξαγωγή δέκα συνεντεύξεων από διευθυντές δημοτικών σχολείων των νομών Έβρου, Ξάνθης και Καβάλας. Η μεθοδολογία με την οποία έγινε η ανάλυση του ερευνητικού υλικού ήταν η ποιοτική ανάλυση περιεχομένου. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας έδειξαν ότι συγκρούσεις συμβαίνουν συχνά στο σχολικό χώρο και μπορεί να είναι διαπροσωπικές, ομαδικές, ομάδων και ατόμων και της σχολικής κοινότητας με τους γονείς. Τα αίτια αυτών ποικίλουν και εξαρτώνται από την πληθυσμιακή ομάδα στην οποία προκύπτει η σύγκρουση. Υποστηρίχθηκε πως οι συγκρούσεις επιφέρουν αρνητικές συνέπειες σε όλα τα μέλη της σχολικής μονάδας, ωστόσο μέσω της κατάλληλης διαχείρισης μπορούν να μειωθούν οι συνέπειες αυτές και ενδέχεται να δημιουργηθούν και θετικές επιπτώσεις για τη σχολική μονάδα. Ο διευθυντής αναδείχθηκε ως το αρμόδιο πρόσωπο διαχείρισης συγκρούσεων στο χώρο του σχολείου και συνήθως αναλαμβάνει το ρόλο του διαμεσολαβητή. Ως παράγοντες που ενισχύουν τον διευθυντή στην αποτελεσματική αντιμετώπιση των συγκρούσεων παρουσιάστηκαν οι επικοινωνιακές, ηγετικές και διοικητικές δεξιότητες, η επιμόρφωση και η εμπειρία. Η επιλογή της τεχνικής διαχείρισης των συγκρούσεων εξαρτάται από το είδος, τα αίτια και τα μέλη της σύγκρουσης. Παρ’ όλα αυτά η τεχνική της συνεργασίας αναγνωρίστηκε ως η πιο εποικοδομητική μέθοδος αντιμετώπισης συγκρούσεων.
“Κάποιοι μαθητές μου δεν συνδέθηκαν ποτέ…”: Εκπαιδευτικοί πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης αφηγούνται την εμπειρία τους από την τηλεκπαίδευση την περίοδο της πανδημίας του κορονοϊού
Authors: Τζιφόπουλος Μενέλαος
Published: April 2023

Θα μπορούσαμε να χαρακτηρίσουμε την περίοδο της πανδημίας του κορονοϊού ως μια περίοδο εκπαιδευτικής Βαβέλ για τα σχολεία της χώρας μας. Ένα υπουργείο παιδείας που δίνει ασαφείς οδηγίες, χωρίς αυτές να έχουν υποχρεωτική ισχύ, εκπαιδευτικοί-«ετοιμοπόλεμοι» που αναπροσαρμόζουν τον ρόλο τους με βάση την αντίληψη και/ή την εμπειρία τους ή αρνούνται να αλλάξουν έστω και για λίγο λόγω των συνθηκών, μαθητές-«θύματα» μιας αναγκαστικής διδασκαλίας από απόσταση και μαθητές που δεν μπήκαν ποτέ σε αυτή τη νέα συνθήκη, όπως και γονείς που με κάποιον τρόπο ενεπλάκησαν στην τηλεκπαίδευση και ρύθμισαν, ακούσια, την εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία. Τα ζητήματα αυτά έρχονται να συζητηθούν στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας δημοσίευσης και να αποτελέσουν αντικείμενο έρευνας. Συγκεκριμένα, στην έρευνα αυτή συμμετείχαν τρεις εκπαιδευτικοί πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης (δάσκαλοι/ες), οι οποίοι μέσα από τις αφηγήσεις τους και την ιδιογραφική οπτική τους, έρχονται να μάς δώσουν τη βιωμένη εμπειρία τους για τους μαθητές τους και για το πώς οι ίδιοι αποδέχθηκαν την κατάσταση ή αντιστάθηκαν στην αλλαγή. Μέσα από την ερμηνειοκρατική προσέγγιση στην έρευνα διαφαίνεται ότι ορισμένοι εκπαιδευτικοί δεν μπόρεσαν να προσεγγίσουν όλους τους μαθητές τους ή να τους «πείσουν» να συνδεθούν στην πλατφόρμα στο πλαίσιο της τηλεκπαίδευσης. Πίσω από αυτό λανθάνουν στοιχεία αντιλήψεων των εκπαιδευτικών, αλλά και των γονέων για τη μάθηση και, βέβαια, ζητήματα εκπαιδευτικών ανισοτήτων που οξύνονται σε περιόδους κρίσης στην εκπαίδευση, λόγω της συστημικής παθογένειας (π.χ. έλλειψη σαφούς εκπαιδευτικού πλαισίου). Οι εκπαιδευτικοί της έρευνας αφηγούνται την εμπειρία τους και σημειώνουν ότι ήταν ‘θετικοί’ στην αλλαγή λόγω ανάγκης, γιατί δεν ήθελαν να εγκαταλείψουν τους μαθητές τους, ήθελαν να τους βοηθήσουν γνωστικά, αλλά και κοινωνικά-συναισθηματικά σε ένα πλαίσιο «κανονικότητας».
Ο Γιάννης Αποστολάκης στη Φιλοσοφική Σχολή Θεσσαλονίκης: Ένας φωτισμένος δημοτικιστής που βλέπει σωστά αλλά κρίνει άδικα
Authors: Φούκας Βασίλης Απόστολος
Published: April 2023

Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να φωτίσει άγνωστες πτυχές της ακαδημαϊκής ζωής και δράσης του πρώτου καθηγητή νεότερης ελληνικής φιλολογίας στο ελλαδικό πανεπιστήμιο, του δημοτικιστή Γιάννη Αποστολάκη. Ειδικότερα, η παρούσα εργασία στοχεύει, να διερευνήσει το διδακτικό έργο και τη γενικότερη παρουσία του Αποστολάκη στις Συνεδριάσεις της Φιλοσοφικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης κατά την περίοδο του Μεσοπολέμου και να συζητήσει ορισμένα από τα βασικότερα σημεία των αξιολογικών κρίσεων, στα οποία δίνει έμφαση ο Αποστολάκης, στις εξελίξεις ή στις εκλογές συναδέλφων του κατά την εξεταζόμενη περίοδο, όπως αυτά αποτυπώνονται στα επίσημα Πρακτικά των Συνεδριάσεων της Σχολής, με στόχο να σκιαγραφηθεί το προφίλ του και να αναδειχθεί ο ρόλος και η συμβολή του στα πρώτα χρόνια λειτουργίας του νεοσύστατου Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης. Η παρούσα εργασία αξιοποιεί, κυρίως, αρχειακό υλικό –ανέκδοτο και αδημοσίευτο έως σήμερα– από το Αρχείο της Φιλοσοφικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης.
Η εφαρμογή καινοτομιών στη σχολική μονάδα από στελέχη εκπαίδευσης: Η συμβολή του διευθυντή
Authors: Τσάκαλου Χριστίνα
Published: April 2023

Η παρούσα εργασία έχει ως θέμα την εφαρμογή καινοτομιών, στη σχολική μονάδα από στελέχη εκπαίδευσης και συγκεκριμένα γίνεται αναφορά, στον καταλυτικό ρόλο που φέρει ο διευθυντής, ως προς την εισαγωγή καινοτόμων δράσεων και προγραμμάτων. Αρχικά, παρατίθεται η εννοιολογική προσέγγιση της εκπαιδευτικής καινοτομίας και έπειτα η επισκόπηση και η εξέλιξη καινοτομιών που έχουν υλοποιηθεί στο ελληνικό εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα μέχρι και σήμερα. Αναλυτικότερα, μελετώνται εκτενέστερα τα Ευρωπαϊκά Εκπαιδευτικά Προγράμματα, τα Διεπιστημονικά Προγράμματα, αλλά και καινοτόμες δράσεις, που συμβάλλουν στην αναβάθμιση των σχολικών μονάδων. Τέλος, παρουσιάζεται ενδελεχώς η επίδραση του Διευθυντή – ηγέτη, ο οποίος μέσα από τις γνωστικές, οργανωτικές και καθοδηγητικές του ικανότητες, αλλά και από το όραμα και τις αξίες που φέρει εντός της σχολικής μονάδας, επηρεάζει άμεσα την εφαρμογή και την εξέλιξη καινοτομιών στο εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα.