bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An integrated strategy for deciding open versus laparoscopic hepatectomy for resectable primary liver cancer
Authors: Fu Yizhen , Yang Zhenyun , Hu Zili , Yang Zhoutian , Chen Jinbin , Wang Juncheng , Zhou Zhongguo , Xu Li , Chen Minshan , Zhang Yaojun
Published: February 2023

Background

Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is now widely performed in treating primary liver cancer (PLC) and yields equal long-term and superior short-term outcomes to those of open liver resection (OLR). The optimal surgical approach for resectable PLC (rPLC) remains controversial. Herein, we aimed to develop a nomogram to determine the most appropriate resection approach for the individual patient.

Methods

Patients with rPLC who underwent hepatectomy from January 2013 to December 2018 were reviewed. Prediction model for risky surgery during LLR was constructed.

Results

A total of 900 patients in the LLR cohort and 423 patients in the OLR cohort were included. A history of previous antitumor treatment, tumor diameter, tumor location and resection extent were independently associated with risky surgery of LLR. The nomogram which was constructed based on these risk factors demonstrated good accuracy in predicting risky surgery with a C index of 0.83 in the development cohort and of 0.76 in the validation cohort. Patients were stratified into high-, medium- or low-risk levels for receiving LLR if the calculated score was more than 0.8, between 0.2 and 0.8 or less than 0.2, respectively. High-risk patients who underwent LLR had more blood loss (441 ml to 417 ml) and a longer surgery time (183 min to 150 min) than those who received OLR.

Conclusions

Patients classified into the high-risk level for LLR instead undergo OLR to reduce surgical risks and complications and patients classified into the low-risk level undergo LLR to maximize the advantages of minimally invasive surgery.

Trial registration

This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR2100049446).
“Of course, you get depression in this situation”: Explanatory Models (EMs) among Afghan refugees in camps in Northern Greece
Authors: Lavdas Michalis , Guribye Eugene , Sandal Gro Mjeldheim
Published: February 2023

Background

Afghan refugees and asylum seekers constitute one of the largest groups that live in camp settings in Greece. While they experience psychological distress, they are facing significant barriers in accessing appropriate mental health care. Explanatory Models (EMs) provide a context-sensitive framework for understanding the differences between health professionals, refugees and NGOs that operate on the field. This study aims at further understanding how Afghan refugees perceive and explain depression and largely psychological distress, and how this influences their choices for coping strategies and help-seeking.

Methods

This qualitative study included six vignette-based semi-structured focus-group discussions with Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers (totalN = 19, 12 female and 7 male) residing largely in camp settings in Northern Greece. The vignette describes a fictional person with symptoms of depression in line with DSM-5 and ICD-10 criteria. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed through template analysis.

Results

EMs for depression are explained through Pre-migration Traumatic Experiences (PMTE) and Post-migration Living Difficulties (PMLD) relating to camp settings. Female participants identified gender-based and domestic violence as contributing to psychological distress while males highlighted conflict and persecution. Life in the camp with associated inactivity, and uncertainty for the future, was perceived as a significant risk factor for psychological distress among females and males. In terms of coping strategies, females tended to focus on mobilizing collective resources within the camp (e.g. safe space for women facilitating emotional support), while males advocated for self-empowerment and solution-oriented coping. The value of engagement in peer helper-roles was highlighted.

Conclusions

The results highlight the potential value of community-based psychosocial approaches to support and promote mental health within camp settings. Additionally, they may inform policies and practices regarding access to appropriate mental health care for Afghan refugees. Further research is needed to establish the efficiency of such interventions in this context.
Experiences of Every Mind Matters, Public Health England’s adult mental health literacy campaign: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Stuart Ruth , Shah Prisha , Olive Rachel Rowan , Trevillion Kylee , Henderson Claire
Published: February 2023

Background

Every Mind Matters (EMM) is a publicly funded health campaign, launched in England in 2019, to equip adults to look after their mental health, and that of others, by offering online information about common problems: anxiety, low mood, sleep, and stress. This study is one component of an independent evaluation of EMM conducted by the NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit. Its aim is to explore individuals’ experiences of the EMM campaign and website.

Methods

Four researchers, including three with lived experience of using mental health services, conducted 20, one-off, semi-structured, online interviews with a range of adult participants, including a sample of EMM users and a purposively recruited sub-sample known to have severe or long-term mental health conditions. A codebook thematic analysis was undertaken, and four main themes were identified.

Findings

There was an expectation from the name Every Mind Matters that its advice would address everyone. Almost all participants had experience of mental distress and looked to EMM for help with a current problem for themselves. All participants were complimentary about the EMM website and found it to be user-friendly (theme 1) and personalised (theme 2) especially the interactive feature Your Mind Plan quiz which responds with suggested actions to improve wellbeing and follows up with reminder emails. A few participants found the website information and/or Mind Plan suggestions to be life changing. Some participants wanted EMM to better acknowledge the contexts in which they live (theme 3) such as the limitations of health conditions and health services, and difficulties of crowded housing, social policy, and climate change. Many participants would like EMM to do more (theme 4), offer more interactivity, more choice, more information about available treatments, and more stratified advice to cover more severe mental health conditions.

Conclusion

EMM is available to all, including people with common or severe mental disorders. In the context of overwhelmed mental health services, people with severe mental illness expect more from EMM than advice about common problems. EMM could build on its success by extending its remit to address a wider range of needs so that everyone is included.
Impact of ethical climate, moral distress, and moral sensitivity on turnover intention among haemodialysis nurses: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kim Haengsuk , Kim Hyunjung , Oh Younjae
Published: February 2023

Background

While several studies have been performed on turnover intention among nurses, limited studies have considered the ethical perspectives on turnover intention among haemodialysis nurses. The purpose of this study was to clarify the impact of ethical factors, namely ethical climate, moral distress, and moral sensitivity on turnover intention among haemodialysis nurses.

Methods

This cross-sectional research was conducted between July and August 2017. A total of 148 haemodialysis nurses were invited to participate in the study by convenience sampling from 11 general and university hospitals in South Korea. Data were analysed using SPSS for t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis.

Results

In the final regression model, the adjusted R-squared significantly explained 34.6% of the variance in turnover intention (F = 22.534, p < .001) when moral distress related to physician practice (β = 0.310, p = .001) and ethical climate related to the hospital climate (β = − 0.253, p = .003) and manager (β = − 0.191, p = .024) were included. Following the stepwise multiple regression process, all subdomains related to moral sensitivity were excluded due to no statistical significance in the final regression model.

Conclusion

To reduce turnover intention among haemodialysis nurses, hospitals and managers should pay attention to haemodialysis nurses’ moral distress originating from physicians’ practice and improve their ethical climate. Additionally, it is required that the impact of moral sensitivity on turnover among nurses working in diverse care settings be examined further.
COVID-19 versus applied infection control policies in a Major Transplant Center in Iran
Authors: Shafiekhani Mojtaba , Niknam Tahmoores , Tara Seyed Ahmad , Mardani Parviz , Mirzad Jahromi Khatereh , Jafarian Sedigheh , Arabsheybani Sara , Negahban Halimeh , Hamzehnejadi Majid , Zare Zahra , Ghaedi Ghalini Khadijeh , Ghasemnezhad Ali , Akbari Mahmoud , Shahriarirad Reza , MalekHosseini Seyed Ali
Published: February 2023

Background

Since Shiraz Transplant Center is one of the major transplant centers in Iran and the Middle East, this study was conducted to evaluate outcomes of the applied policies on COVID-19 detection and management.

Methods

During 4 months from March to June 2020, patient's data diagnosed with the impression of COVID-19 were extracted and evaluated based on demographic and clinical features, along with the length of hospital stay and expenses.

Results

Our data demonstrated that a total of 190 individuals, with a median age of 58, were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the mentioned period. Among these, 21 patients had a positive PCR test and 56 patients had clinical symptoms in favor of COVID-19. Also, 113 (59%) patients were classified as mild based on clinical evidence and were treated on an outpatient basis. Furthermore, 81 out of 450 cases (18%) of the healthcare workers at our center had either PCR of clinical features in favor of COVID-19. The mortality rate of our study was 11% and diabetes mellitus, hypertension were considered risk factors for obtaining COVID-19 infection. The direct cost of treatment and management of patients with COVID-19 amounted to 2,067,730,919 IRR, which considering the 77 patients admitted to Gary Zone per capita direct cost of treatment each patient was 26,853,648 IRR.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic had a noticeable influence on our transplant center in aspects of delaying surgery and increased hospital costs and burden. However, by implanting proper protocols, we were able to was able to provide early detection for COVID-19 and apply necessary treatment and prevention protocols to safeguard the patients under its coverage, especially immunocompromised patients.
Effects of pitavastatin on atherosclerotic-associated inflammatory biomarkers in people living with HIV with dyslipidemia and receiving ritonavir-boosted atazanavir: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study
Authors: Srichatrapimuk Sirawat , Wongsa Artit , Sungkanuparph Somnuek , Kiertiburanakul Sasisopin , Tassaneetrithep Boonrat , Phuphuakrat Angsana
Published: February 2023

Background

Chronic inflammation has been described in people living with HIV (PLHIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) despite viral suppression. Inflammation associated non-communicable diseases, including atherosclerosis, are becoming recognized complication of HIV infection. We studied the effect of pitavastatin on atherosclerotic-associated inflammatory biomarkers in PLHIV receiving ART.

Methods

A randomized, double-blind, crossover study was conducted in HIV-infected persons with dyslipidemia and receiving atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r) to evaluate the effect of 2 mg/day pitavastatin treatment versus placebo. High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP), cytokines, and cellular markers in PLHIV receiving 12 weeks of pitavastatin or placebo were investigated.

Results

A total of 24 HIV-infected individuals with a median (interquartile range) age of 46 (41–54) years were recruited, and the median CD4 T cell count was 662 (559-827) cells/mm3. The median duration of ATV/r use was 36 (24–48) months. Significant change in levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) between pitavastatin treatment and placebo at week 12 from baseline was observed (27.1 vs. 20.5 pg/mL; p=0.023). However, there were no significant changes from baseline of hs-CRP and other plasma cytokine levels at week 12 of pitavastatin or placebo. Regarding cellular markers, percentages of HLA-DR+CD38-CD4+ T cells and PD1+CD4+ T cells significantly decreased from baseline in PLHIV receiving pitavastatin for 12 weeks, as compared to placebo (− 0.27 vs. 0.02%; p=0.049 and − 0.23 vs. 0.23%; p=0.022, respectively).

Conclusions

Pitavastatin treatment increases basic FGF levels, and lowers HLA-DR+CD38-CD4+ T cells, and PD1+CD4+ T cells. Further study on the effects of pitavastatin on preventing cardiovascular diseases in PLHIV should be pursued.
Changes in homegardens in relocation villages, a case study in the Baiku Yao area in Southern China
Authors: Hu Renchuan , Xu Chuangui , Nong You , Luo Binsheng
Published: February 2023

Background

Baiku Yao is an ancient branch of the Yao people in China who have the custom of maintaining homegardens. The local government has relocated some villagers to improve their livelihood. To study the characteristics of Baiku Yao homegardens and the impact of relocation, we conducted an ethnobotanical study on homegardens in the relocated villages of Huaili and Yaozhai and in the ancient villages of Yaoshan and Duonu from January 2019 to May 2022.

Method

Data on homegarden plants were collected through semi-structured interviews with homegarden households. A total of 4 villages (i.e., two relocated and two ancient villages) were selected for detailed investigation. In each village, 60 homegardens were chosen randomly. In addition, the RFC index and Jaccard value were used to analyze and evaluate the homegarden plants we recorded.

Result

The study recorded a total of 213 species of homegarden plants with approximately 11 functions. Baiku Yao homegardens are small in size but rich in species and functions, and their utilization efficiency is extremely high. The Jaccard value shows that the homegarden plants in Huaili and Yaozhai have the highest similarity. Neighborhood sharing and market purchasing are the two most important sources of local homegarden plants. Additionally, medicine and food are the two most important uses of homegarden plants. Ornamental plants also play a significant part, especially in relocated villages. The comparisons indicate that the diversity of homegarden plants in the investigated ancient villages is better preserved than in relocated villages. Due to frequent exchanges between the villages and the outside world, Yaoshan Village, as an older relocated village, maintains a good traditional culture in its homegardens. As a newly relocated village, Duonu Community has developed a complicated homegarden system with only much less plant diversity. The development of local tourism has also impacted the composition of homegarden plants. The study found that plants such as Zea mays, Morus alba, and Capsicum annuum are closely related to local life and livelihood.

Conclusion

The traditional knowledge of homegarden plants in investigated ancient villiages maintained good diversity and has been affected much less by the modernization and tourism industry development compared to the relocated villages. The composition of homegarden plants is closely connected to the local livelihood. In the future development of Baiku Yao communities, protecting homegarden plant diversity and functional diversity is crucial.
Is sling immobilization necessary after open Latarjet surgery for anterior shoulder instability? A randomized control trial
Authors: Goetti Patrick , Martinho Tiago , Seurot Antoine , Bothorel Hugo , Lädermann Alexandre
Published: February 2023

Background

There is a current lack of knowledge regarding optimal rehabilitation and duration of sling immobilization after an open Latarjet procedure. A shift towards immediate self-rehabilitation protocols in shoulder surgery is observed to avoid postoperative stiffness and fasten return to sport. Avoiding sling immobilization could further simplify rehabilitation and provide an even faster return to activities of daily living and enhance patient satisfaction.

Methods

This study is a single-center, randomized control trial. Sixty-eight patients will be instructed with the same standardized immediate postoperative self-rehabilitation protocol. Patients will be allocated 1:1 between a sling immobilization group for the first three postoperative weeks and no sling group without postoperative immobilization. The primary endpoint will be functional outcome at 6 months postoperative evaluated by the disease-specific Rowe score. Secondary endpoints will include baseline, 1.5-, 6-, and 12-month single assessment numeric evaluation (SANE) of instability score and visual analog pain scale (VAS). At the 6-month time point, graft bony union and position will be assessed by computed tomography. Motion capture technology will evaluate the baseline and 6-month postoperative range of motion. Finally, time to return to work and sport during the first postoperative year, along with patient satisfaction at one postoperative year, will also be recorded.

Discussion

This study will allow further insights into the optimal rehabilitation protocol after open Latarjet surgery and enhance patient care by helping identify rehabilitation and coracoid graft-related factors influencing functional outcomes, bony union, range of motion, and patient satisfaction.

Trial registration

The protocol was approved by the ethical committee board (CCER 2019–02,469) in April 2020 and by ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04479397) in July 2020.
Multi-residue analysis of certain lanolin nipple care products for trace contaminants
Authors: Bourdillon Katie , McCausland Tom , McCabe Morgan
Published: February 2023

Background

Topical lanolin is commonly used on nipples to aid breastfeeding success. The raw material undergoes refinement to remove contaminants such as pesticides, which may accumulate from exogenous environmental sources. The level of refinement influences final lanolin purity. For use in nipple creams, a lanolin which complies with a published monograph (either USP or Ph. Eur.) is desirable to ensure a non-toxic product with neutral taste and smell, and low allergenicity.

Methods

The aim of this study was to determine the residual trace pesticide levels and quantify the Free Lanolin Alcohols (FLA) levels in two commercially available lanolin products (HPA LANOLIN (Lansinoh Laboratories Inc.); PURELAN (Medela AG)) and two lanolin ingredients (PHARMALAN PH EU-SO-(RB) and CORONA-8 SO-(RB) (Croda, Goole, UK)) using established validated methods. Test samples were subjected to Gas-Chromatographic and Liquid-Chromatographic analysis to quantify and identify a panel of 178 pesticide residues. FLA levels and the presence of oxidative metabolites were also determined.

Results

The purity of the lanolin ingredients was consistent with expectations based on their level of refinement; lanolin in compliance with the Ph. Eur. monograph demonstrated the highest level of purity. Differences were seen between the lanolin nipple creams tested, in terms of FLA levels and pesticide residue levels. Specifically, the HPA LANOLIN contained an extremely low level of FLA (0.61%), which was fourfold less than in the PURELAN (2.76%). Additionally, the HPA LANOLIN did not contain any detectable pesticide residues. The PURELAN was found to contain a number of pesticide residues, however the detected levels were low and within the permitted limits and so despite their presence, the PURELAN was still compliant with the relevant monographs.

Conclusions

This data reinforces that the purity of monograph compliant Lanolin makes it suitable for use on the nipples of breastfeeding mothers. A higher level of refinement leads to a reduction in pesticide contaminants also reduces FLA levels in the final material, minimizing the risk of allergenicity.
The effect of O-antigen length determinant wzz on the immunogenicity of Salmonella Typhimurium for Escherichia coli O2 O-polysaccharides delivery
Authors: Han Yue , Luo Ping , Zeng Huan , Wang Pu , Xu Jiali , Chen Pengju , Chen Xindan , Chen Yuji , Cao Qiyu , Zhai Ruidong , Xia Jing , Deng Simin , Cheng Anchun , Cheng Changyong , Song Houhui
Published: February 2023

AttenuatedSalmonellaTyphimurium is a promising antigen delivery system for live vaccines such as polysaccharides. The length of polysaccharides is a well-known key factor in modulating the immune response induced by glycoconjugates. However, the relationship between the length of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen (OAg) and the immunogenicity ofS. Typhimurium remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the effect of OAg length determined bywzzSTonSalmonellacolonization, cell membrane permeability, antimicrobial activity, and immunogenicity by comparing theS. Typhimurium wild-type ATCC14028 strain to those with various OAg lengths of the ΔwzzSTmutant and ΔwzzST::wzzECO2. The analysis of the OAg length distribution revealed that, except for the very long OAg, the short OAg length of 2–7 repeat units (RUs) was obtained from the ΔwzzSTmutant, the intermediate OAg length of 13–21 RUs was gained from ΔwzzST::wzzECO2, and the long OAg length of over 20 RUs was gained from the wild-type. In addition, we found that the OAg length affectedSalmonellacolonization, cell permeability, and antibiotic resistance. Immunization of mice revealed that shortening the OAg length by alteringwzzSThad an effect on serum bactericidal ability, complement deposition, and humoral immune response.S. Typhimurium mutant strain ΔwzzST::wzzECO2possessed good immunogenicity and was the optimum option for deliveringE. coliO2 O-polysaccharides. Furthermore, the attenuated strain ATCC14028 ΔasdΔcrpΔcyaΔrfbPΔwzzST::wzzECO2-deliveredE. coliO2 OAg gene cluster outperforms the ATCC14028 ΔasdΔcrpΔcyaΔrfbPin terms of IgG eliciting, cytokine expression, and immune protection in chickens. This study sheds light on the role of OAg length inSalmonellacharacteristics, which may have a potential application in optimizing the efficacy of delivered polysaccharide vaccines.
Reduced parenting stress following a prevention program decreases internalizing and externalizing symptoms in the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder
Authors: Resendes Tiffany , Serravalle Lisa , Iacono Vanessa , Ellenbogen Mark A.
Published: February 2023

Background

Offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (OBD) are at risk for developing mental disorders, and the literature suggests that parenting stress may represent an important risk factor linking parental psychopathology to offspring psychopathology. We aimed to investigate whether improvements in parenting stress mediated the relationship between participation in a prevention program and offspring internalizing and externalizing symptoms at follow-up.

Methods

Families having a parent with BD (N = 25) underwent a 12-week prevention program. Assessments were conducted at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Families of parents with no affective disorders (i.e., control families) served as a comparison sample (N = 28). The Reducing Unwanted Stress in the Home (RUSH) program aimed to teach communication, problem-solving, and organization skills to improve the rearing environment. Measures included the Parenting Stress Index—4th Edition, the Behaviour Assessment Scales for Children—2nd Edition, and the UCLA Life Stress Interview.

Results

Families having a parent with BD reported more parenting stress at pre-intervention, and more change across time, than control families. Improvements in parenting stress mediated the relationship between participation in the intervention and reduced offspring internalizing and externalizing symptoms. While families having a parent with BD reported more chronic interpersonal stress at pre-intervention, no intervention effects were found.

Conclusions

The findings demonstrate that a preventative intervention targeting parenting stress in families may serve to prevent the development of mental disorders in at-risk children.
Returning home during the pandemic: a thematic analysis describing experiences of people with substance use disorders released early from New Jersey prisons during COVID-19
Authors: Bono Madeline H. , Treitler Peter , Saloner Brendan , Crystal Stephen
Published: February 2023

Background & aims

The COVID-19 pandemic created intersecting health risks for incarcerated people with a history of substance use disorder (SUD). To reduce exposure to COVID-19 in prison, several US states enacted decarceration legislation. New Jersey enacted the Public Health Emergency Credit Act (PHECA), granting early release to thousands of incarcerated persons meeting eligibility criteria. This study undertook to explore how large scale decarceration during the pandemic impacted the reentry process for released individuals with SUDs.

Methods

Twenty seven participants involved in PHECA releases – 21 persons released from NJ carceral facilities with past/present SUDs (14 with opioid use disorder, 7 with other SUDs) and 6 reentry service providers acting as key informants – completed phone interviews on PHECA experiences from February–June 2021. Cross-case thematic analysis of transcripts identified common themes and divergent perspectives.

Results

Respondents described challenges consistent with long-documented reentry difficulties including housing and food insecurity, difficulty accessing community services, insufficient employment opportunities, and limited access to transportation. Challenges that were pertinent to mass release during a pandemic included limited access to communication technology and community providers and community providers exceeding enrollment capacity. Despite reentry difficulties, respondents identified many areas where prisons and reentry service providers adapted to meet novel challenges presented by mass decarceration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Facilitators made available by prison and reentry provider staff included providing released persons with cell phones, transportation assistance at transit hubs, prescription support for medications for opioid use disorder, and pre-release assistance with ID and benefits through NJ’s Joint Comprehensive Assessment Plan.

Conclusions

Formerly incarcerated people with SUDs experienced reentry challenges during PHECA releases similar to those that occur during ordinary circumstances. Despite barriers faced during typical releases and novel challenges unique to mass release during a pandemic, providers made adaptations to support released persons' successful reentry. Recommendations are made based on areas of need identified in interviews, including reentry service provision facilitating housing and food security, employment, medical services, technology fluency, and transportation. In anticipation of future large scale releases, providers will benefit from planning ahead and adapting to address temporary increases in resource demands.
Ionizable drug delivery systems for efficient and selective gene therapy
Authors: Zhang Yu-Qi , Guo Ran-Ran , Chen Yong-Hu , Li Tian-Cheng , Du Wen-Zhen , Xiang Rong-Wu , Guan Ji-Bin , Li Yu-Peng , Huang Yuan-Yu , Yu Zhi-Qiang , Cai Yin , Zhang Peng , Ling Gui-Xia
Published: February 2023

Gene therapy has shown great potential to treat various diseases by repairing the abnormal gene function. However, a great challenge in bringing the nucleic acid formulations to the market is the safe and effective delivery to the specific tissues and cells. To be excited, the development of ionizable drug delivery systems (IDDSs) has promoted a great breakthrough as evidenced by the approval of the BNT162b2 vaccine for prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2021. Compared with conventional cationic gene vectors, IDDSs can decrease the toxicity of carriers to cell membranes, and increase cellular uptake and endosomal escape of nucleic acids by their unique pH-responsive structures. Despite the progress, there remain necessary requirements for designing more efficient IDDSs for precise gene therapy. Herein, we systematically classify the IDDSs and summarize the characteristics and advantages of IDDSs in order to explore the underlying design mechanisms. The delivery mechanisms and therapeutic applications of IDDSs are comprehensively reviewed for the delivery of pDNA and four kinds of RNA. In particular, organ selecting considerations and high-throughput screening are highlighted to explore efficiently multifunctional ionizable nanomaterials with superior gene delivery capacity. We anticipate providing references for researchers to rationally design more efficient and accurate targeted gene delivery systems in the future, and indicate ideas for developing next generation gene vectors.
Assessing the macroeconomic and social impacts of slow steaming in shipping: a literature review on small island developing states and least developed countries
Authors: Vakili Seyedvahid , Ballini Fabio , Schönborn Alessandro , Christodoulou Anastasia , Dalaklis Dimitrios , Ölçer Aykut I.
Published: February 2023

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has adopted the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) as short term measures for decarbonisation of the shipping industry; the IMO also made the collection of relevant data and associated reporting of the indicator mandatory from January 2023. However, many existing ships do not meet the EEXI and CII “targets” and cannot invest in other technologies to meet the relevant requirements. Given the various barriers to energy efficiency, the application of slow steaming may be a measure to effectively meet EEXI and CII requirements. A qualitative systematic literature review was conducted on the potential macroeconomic and social impacts of slow steaming on states, with a special focus on Small Island Development States and Least Developed Countries, when used as the primary modality of reducing GHG emissions from shipping. This effort includes peer-reviewed studies and studies from the gray literature, many of which include examples that borrow data from the aftermath of the economic crisis that was manifested in 2008. The vast majority of those studies is focused on the economic cost-effectiveness or impact on transportation costs when using slow-steaming as a means of reducing marine fuel consumption. Moreover, a number of these studies were relying on modeling techniques, by using a limited number of ships and associated routes to determine the effects of slow-steaming. A reasonable degree of agreement emerged from the literature that a reduction in transportation costs results from a reduction in speed, being attributed primarily to reduced fuel costs, with which it is associated. Other cost-increasing factors, such as vessel operating costs, had a less dominant effect. The literature often pointed out that the cost reduction resulting from the application of slow-steaming was unevenly distributed among maritime stakeholders. Shipping companies were the main beneficiaries of significant cost savings, but these "savings" were not always passed on to shippers.
Cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease with induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Morizane Asuka
Published: February 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and a prime target of cell therapies. In fact, aborted fetal tissue has been used as donor material for such therapies since the 1980s. These cell therapies, however, suffer from several problems, such as a short supply of donor materials, quality instability of the tissues, and ethical restrictions. The advancement of stem cell technologies has enabled the production of donor cells from pluripotent stem cells with unlimited scale, stable quality, and less ethical problems. Several research groups have established protocols to induce dopamine neural progenitors from pluripotent stem cells in a clinically compatible manner and confirmed efficacy and safety in non-clinical studies. Based on the results from these non-clinical studies, several clinical trials of pluripotent stem cell-based therapies for PD have begun. In the context of immune rejection, there are several modes of stem cell-based therapies: autologous transplantation, allogeneic transplantation without human leukocyte antigen-matching, and allogeneic transplantation with matching. In this mini-review, several practical points of stem cell-based therapies for PD are discussed.
Uterine artery embolisation: fertility, adenomyosis and size – what is the evidence?
Authors: Mailli Leto , Patel Shyamal , Das Raj , Chun Joo Young , Renani Seyed , Das Sourav , Ratnam Lakshmi
Published: February 2023

Background

Uterine artery embolisation is well established as a treatment for symptomatic fibroids, however, there remain some uncertainties. We have carried out a focused literature review on three particularly challenging aspects – post-procedure fertility, symptomatic adenomyosis and large volume fibroids and uteri, to enable operators to utilise evidence-based guidance in patient selection, consent, and management.

Review

Literature searches were performed of the PubMed/Medline, Google scholar, EMBASE and Cochrane databases.

The outcomes of our analysis of studies which recorded fertility rates in women desiring pregnancy following UAE for symptomatic fibroids found an overall mean pregnancy rate of 39.4%, live birth rate of 69.2% and miscarriage rate of 22%. The major confounding factor was patient age with many studies including women over 40 years who already have lower fertility compared to younger cohorts. Miscarriage rates and pregnancy rates in the studies analysed were comparable to the age matched population.

Treatment of pure adenomyosis and adenomyosis with co-existing uterine fibroids with UAE has been shown to produce symptomatic improvement with better outcomes in those with combined disease. Although the effectiveness is not as high as it is in pure fibroid disease, UAE provides a viable and safe alternative for patients seeking symptom relief and uterine preservation.

Our analysis of studies assessing the outcomes of UAE in patients with large volume uteri and giant fibroids (> 10 cm) demonstrate no significant difference in major complication rates demonstrating that fibroid size should not be a contraindication to UAE.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest uterine artery embolisation can be offered to women desiring pregnancy with fertility and miscarriage rates comparable to that of the age-matched general population. It is also an effective therapeutic option for symptomatic adenomyosis as well as for the treatment of large fibroids > 10 cm in diameter. Caution is advised in those with uterine volumes greater than 1000cm3. It is however clear that the quality of evidence needs to be improved on with an emphasis on well-designed randomised controlled trials addressing all three areas and the consistent use of validated quality of life questionnaires for outcome assessment to enable effective comparison of outcomes in different studies.
Studying ferroptosis and iron metabolism pre- and post-radiotherapy treatment in breast cancer patients
Authors: El-Benhawy Sanaa A. , Abdelrhman Ibrahim G. , Sadek Nadia A. , Fahmy Enayat I. , AboGabal Ahmed A. , Elmasry Hossam , Saleh Sally A. M. , Sakr Ola A. , Elwany Mona Nagy , Rabie Maha Abubakr Feissal
Published: February 2023

Background

Radiotherapy (RT) is an important part of the treatment of many tumors. Radiotherapy causes oxidative damage in all cellular compartments, including lipid membrane, on a random basis. Toxic lipid peroxidation accumulation has only lately been linked to a regulated type of cell death known as ferroptosis. Iron is required for ferroptosis sensitization in cells.

Aim of the work

This work aimed to study ferroptosis and iron metabolism before and after RT in BC patients.

Subjects and methods

Eighty participants were included divided into two main groups: group I: 40 BC patients treated with RT. Group II: 40 healthy volunteers’ age and sex matched as control group. Venous blood samples were collected from BC patients (prior to and after RT) and healthy controls. Glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), serum iron levels and % of transferrin saturation were measured by colorimetric technique. Ferritin, ferroportin, and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) levels were assessed by ELISA.

Results

Serum ferroportin, reduced glutathione, and ferritin showed significant decrease after radiotherapy in comparison to before radiotherapy. However, there was significant increase in serum PTGS2, MDA, % of transferrin saturation and iron levels after radiotherapy in comparison to before radiotherapy.

Conclusion

Radiotherapy induced ferroptosis in breast cancer patients as a new cell death mechanism and PTGS2 is a biomarker of ferroptosis. Iron modulation is a useful approach for the treatment of BC especially if combined with targeted therapy and immune-based therapy. Further studies are warranted to be translated into clinical compounds.
Visualizing subtle structural and stratigraphic features on 3D seismic-reflection data: A case study from offshore Libya
Authors: Khalifa Nabil , Back Stefan
Published: February 2023

Seismic-reflection data contain residual noise after processing, which can cause geologic misinterpretation of noise-sensitive seismic attributes. For detailed subsurface imaging, seismic data conditioning can enhance the visualization of subsurface reflection features down to the limit of seismic resolution. This study on the Gabes-Tripoli Basin of western offshore Libya demonstrates the potential of postprocessing seismic data conditioning using a standard industry 3D-seismic data set. The seismic data exhibit distinct reflection discontinuities and configurations interpreted as folds, reverse faults, and crustal- and gravity-driven normal faults. Other reflection discontinuities are interpreted as imaging the external form and internal architecture of buried carbonate platforms. The seismic-reflection interpretation finds that seismic data conditioning by filtering strongly supports the interpretation of the 3D geometry, type, and trend of distinct subsurface reflection features, particularly if used as input for a structural-attribute generation. Postprocessing seismic conditioning initially improved the signal-to-noise ratio by structure-oriented filtering with edge preservation. Application of this filter configuration emphasized subtle geologic features supporting, e.g., the detection of faults close to the limit of the seismic resolution. At the same time, the filtering resulted in a higher lateral continuity of the individual seismic reflectors, supporting the autotracking of the horizons. Structural attributes generated from the conditioned data such as the variance and curvature imaged more subsurface reflection detail when compared with the structural attributes generated from nonconditioned data. The filter-based workflow proposed can be applied in most seismic interpretation software packages and is recommended to be used as a standard procedure preceding a structure-attribute calculation and structural interpretation of the seismic-reflection data of limited quality.
Treatment-resistant depression – is magnetic seizure therapy the novel treatment?
Authors: Glatzel Hannah , Shaughnessy Aaron
Published: February 2023

Depression has a large socioeconomic burden, affecting an estimated 280 million people worldwide. Up to 55% remain symptomatic following pharmacological and psychological treatment and may be classified as having treatment-resistant depression. This commentary assesses two treatment options for this group – electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and a novel approach, magnetic seizure therapy (MST) – with reference to a Cochrane Review comparing the two. The Cochrane analysis showed no clear benefit for MST, but the evidence is currently insufficient to draw firm conclusions.
Impact of post-release community mental health and disability support on reincarceration for prisoners with intellectual disability and serious mental illness in NSW, Australia
Authors: Trofimovs Julian , Dowse Leanne , Srasuebkul Preeyaporn , Trollor Julian N.
Published: February 2023

Background

Prisoners with an intellectual disability are overrepresented in custody and more likely to reoffend and be reincarcerated compared with the general prison population. Although prisoners with intellectual disability have many of the same risk factors for recidivism as the general prison population, the high rates of mental illness experienced by this group are key drivers of recidivism.

Aims

We aimed to assess the impact of provision of post-release disability and community mental health support on rates of reincarceration in a cohort with identified intellectual disability and serious mental illness diagnosis.

Method

We conducted a historical cohort study using linked administrative data-sets, including data on hospital admissions, community mental health, disability support and corrections custody in New South Wales, Australia (n = 484). To assess the time to return to adult custody, we used survival analysis on multiple failure-time data.

Results

Over the median follow-up period of 7.4 years, 73.7% (357) received community mental health support, 19.8% (96) received disability support and 18.6% (85) received a combination of supports during a post-release period from prison. Lower hazards of reincarceration in a post-release period were associated with receipt of community mental health support (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.58, CI 0.49–0.69, P < 0.001), or a combination of community mental health and disability support (HR = 0.46, CI 0.34–0.61, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

High rates of reincarceration for prisoners with intellectual disability and history of serious mental illness may be modifiable by provision of appropriate mental health and disability supports.
Association of sociodemographic, proximal, and distal clinical factors with current suicidal ideation: Findings from a nonclinical sample of young adults
Authors: Misiak Błażej , Samochowiec Jerzy , Gawęda Łukasz , Frydecka Dorota
Published: February 2023

Background

Accumulating evidence indicates that a variety of distal and proximal factors might impact a risk of suicide. However, the association between both groups of factors remains unknown. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the interplay between distal and proximal correlates of the current suicidal ideation.

Methods

A total of 3,000 individuals (aged 18–35 years, 41.7% males), who had reported a negative history of psychiatric treatment, were enrolled through an online computer-assisted web interview. Self-reports were administered to measure: (a) distal factors: a history of childhood trauma (CT), reading disabilities (RDs), symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), lifetime history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), lifetime problematic substance use as well as family history of schizophrenia and mood disorders; (b) proximal factors: depressive symptoms, psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), and insomnia; and (c) sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Suicidal ideation was directly associated with unemployment, being single, higher level of RD, lifetime history of NSSI as well as higher severity of PLEs, depression, and insomnia. The association of distal factors with suicidal ideation was fully (a history of CT and symptoms of ADHD) or partially (a history of NSSI and RD) mediated by proximal factors (PLEs, depression, and insomnia).

Conclusions

Main findings from this study posit the role of distal factors related to neurodevelopmental disorders, CT and NSSI in shaping suicide risk. Their effects might be partially or fully mediated by depression, PLEs, and insomnia.
Arc of Interference
Authors: Farmer Paul
Published: February 2023

The radically humanistic essays in Arc of Interference refigure our sense of the real, the ethical, and the political in the face of mounting social and planetary upheavals. Creatively assembled around Arthur Kleinman’s medical anthropological arc and eschewing hegemonic modes of intervention, the essays advance the notion of a care-ful ethnographic praxis of interference. To interfere is to dislodge ideals of naturalness, blast enduring binaries (human/nonhuman, self/other, us/them), and redirect technocratic agendas while summoning relational knowledge and the will to create community. The book’s multiple ethnographic arcs of interference provide a vital conceptual toolkit for today’s world and a badly needed moral perch from which to peer toward just horizons.

Contributors. Vincanne Adams, João Biehl, Davíd Carrasco, Lawrence Cohen, Jean Comaroff, Robert Desjarlais, Paul Farmer, Marcia Inhorn, Janis H. Jenkins, David S. Jones, Salmaan Keshavjee, Arthur Kleinman, Margaret Lock, Adriana Petryna
Organizational and Financial Aspects of the Evolution of Regional Investment Project Markets (on the Example of the Tula Region)
Authors: Sycheva I. , Sycheva N.
Published: February 2023

The work is devoted to the studying of the state of regional investment project markets during the thirty-year period of their functioning as separate segments of investment markets. The content of the concept “regional market of investment projects” is formulated. Four stages of its development are identified based on the analysis of the industry affiliation of investment projects and sources of their financing that were submitted for consideration and implementation in the Tula region in 1990 — 2021. The role of banking institutions and the state with its budget financing capabilities of investment components of national projects and state programs is shown. The scheme of interaction of participants of the regional market of investment projects has been developed. The characteristic features of the modern regional market of investment projects are noted, which make it possible to assess the relevance of investment proposals and the possibilities of the regions for their implementation.