bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Other than the Projects, You Stay Professional”: “Colorblind” Cops and the Enactment of Spatial Racism in Routine Policing
Authors: Jones Nikki , Brown Kenly , Bautista Duran Eduardo , Heitz Kaily , Kelekay Jasmine , Rothschild Elyassi Gil , Raymond Geoffrey
Published: October 2022

In this article, we show how routine policing is conscripted into the project of maintaining and reproducing spatial racism in urban settings through an intersecting set of macro-level processes and micro-interactional practices. Our analysis of ethnographic interviews conducted with over 40 police officers during 20 ride-alongs in the Western United States identifies person- and place-specific heuristic classifications that police officers rely on to manage routine encounters. We find that officers use membership categorization devices to sort people and places in the city into distinct categories (e.g., nice places, normal people, the projects, and people in the projects), which, in turn, prefigure different orientations to action at the start of and throughout their encounters with the public. Our findings provide an empirical basis for thinking of professional police knowledge as encoding systemic racism in routine policing, rather than being a break from it.
A Systematic Review of Outcomes Following Lisfranc Injury Fixation: Removal vs Retention of Metalwork
Authors: Rhodes Amanda M. L. , McMenemy Louise , Connell Richard , Elliot Robin , Marsland Daniel
Published: October 2022

Background:

Following Lisfranc injury fixation, no consensus exists on whether to routinely remove metalwork. The aim of this study was to evaluate functional outcomes and complications in patients following routine removal of metalwork and in those with retained metalwork.

Methods:

A systematic review of literature (1999-2020) reporting results of metalwork removal vs retention following Lisfranc injury fixation, was undertaken. The primary outcome was functional outcomes at 1 year following index surgery. Secondary outcomes were rates of complications including unplanned removal of metalwork.

Results:

No studies directly comparing routine metalwork removal vs retention were found. A total of 28 studies reporting on 1069 patients were included. Of these, 10 studies (317 patients) reported on retention and 18 (752 patients) on routine removal of metalwork. The difference in the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score between removal and retention groups was 3.38 (95% CI 6.3-0.48), P = .02 (removal 79.97 [±16.09; 71-96]; retention 76.59 [±20.36; 65.4-94]). No difference in reported rates of infection was found between the 2 groups (0%-12% for both groups). Of the 317 patients in the retention group, metalwork was removed in 198 cases, resulting in a 62.5% unplanned removal rate.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this systematic review found limited evidence comparing different strategies of metalwork management after Lisfranc injury fixation. A randomized controlled trial is necessary to elucidate if routine removal of metalwork confers any true benefit.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, systematic review including case series.
Surgical treatment features of liver gunshot wound with a dumdum bullet (expanding bullet)
Authors: Anatoliyovych Igor Lurin , Yuriyovych Olexander Usenko , Valentynovych Oleksandr Hrynenko
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Liver injury is one of the most common abdominal traumas. The causes of military activity related injuries are gunshot wounds (up to 60–70%), while in peacetime—closed blunt abdominal trauma (up to 45–55%). The overall mortality is up to 40–60% and has higher rates in the group of wartime injury, among the male population over 65 years old and of low social status.

Presentation of the case

We report the management of a clinical case of a 34-year-old man with thoracoabdominal dumdum’s bullet trauma in the case of which damage control tactics were applied in cooperation between two clinics in conditions of active hostilities.

Discussions

Treatment of patients with abdominal injuries should be guided by the principles of damage control. This tactic requires stabilization of the patient's condition at the initial stage, followed by the completion of the final volume of surgical treatment in a compensated state of the patient. Liver injuries represent an ideal model for the application of damage control surgery in wartime settings and require close coordination between clinics that perform primary and delayed surgical interventions. Minimizing the volume of surgical intervention at the stage of primary control of bleeding due to liver damage provides the most optimal immediate results in conditions of a hemodynamically unstable patients, simultaneous admission of a large number of wounded, and a limited clinic resource.

Conclusion

This surgical history research is an example of the effectively organized and coordinated work of two clinics such as National Military Medical Clinical Center “Main Military Clinical Hospital” and Shalimov National Institute of Surgery and Transplantation, based on the principle of damage control in conditions of active hostilities.
Morphine-induced changes in the function of microglia and macrophages after acute spinal cord injury
Authors: Terminel Mabel N. , Bassil Carla , Rau Josephina , Trevino Amanda , Ruiz Cristina , Alaniz Robert , Hook Michelle A.
Published: October 2022

Background

Opioids are among the most effective and commonly prescribed analgesics for the treatment of acute pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, morphine administration in the early phase of SCI undermines locomotor recovery, increases cell death, and decreases overall health in a rodent contusion model. Based on our previous studies we hypothesize that morphine acts on classic opioid receptors to alter the immune response. Indeed, we found that a single dose of intrathecal morphine increases the expression of activated microglia and macrophages at the injury site. Whether similar effects of morphine would be seen with repeated intravenous administration, more closely simulating clinical treatment, is not known.

Methods

To address this, we used flow cytometry to examine changes in the temporal expression of microglia and macrophages after SCI and intravenous morphine. Next, we explored whether morphine changed the function of these cells through the engagement of cell-signaling pathways linked to neurotoxicity using Western blot analysis.

Results

Our flow cytometry studies showed that 3 consecutive days of morphine administration after an SCI significantly increased the number of microglia and macrophages around the lesion. Using Western blot analysis, we also found that repeated administration of morphine increases β-arrestin, ERK-1 and dynorphin (an endogenous kappa opioid receptor agonist) production by microglia and macrophages.

Conclusions

These results suggest that morphine administered immediately after an SCI changes the innate immune response by increasing the number of immune cells and altering neuropeptide synthesis by these cells.
A telemonitoring programme in patients with heart failure in France: a cost-utility analysis
Authors: Caillon Mégane , Sabatier Rémi , Legallois Damien , Courouve Laurène , Donio Valérie , Boudevin Florence , de Chalus Thibault , Hauchard Karine , Belin Annette , Milliez Paul
Published: October 2022

Background

Certain telemedicine programmes for heart failure (HF) have been shown to reduce all-cause mortality and heart failure-related hospitalisations, but their cost-effectiveness remains controversial. The SCAD programme is a home-based interactive telemonitoring service for HF, which is one of the largest and longest-running telemonitoring programmes for HF in France. The objective of this cost-utility analysis was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the SCAD programme with respect to standard hospital-based care in patients with HF.

Methods

A Markov model simulating hospitalisations and mortality in patients with HF was constructed to estimate outcomes and costs. The model included six distinct health states (three ‘not hospitalised’ states, two ‘hospitalisation for heart failure’ states, both depending on the number of previous hospitalisations, and one death state). The model lifetime in the base case was 10 years. Model inputs were based on published literature. Outputs (costs and QALYs) were compared between SCAD participants and standard care. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess uncertainty in the input parameters of the model.

Results

The number of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) was 3.75 in the standard care setting and 4.41 in the SCAD setting. This corresponds to a gain in QALYs provided by the SCAD programme of 0.65 over the 10 years lifetime of the model. The estimated total cost was €30,932 in the standard care setting and €35,177 in the SCAD setting, with an incremental cost of €4245. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the SCAD programme over standard care was estimated at €4579/QALY. In the deterministic sensitivity analysis, the variables that had the most impact on the ICER were HF management costs. The likelihood of the SCAD programme being considered cost-effective was 90% at a willingness-to-pay threshold of €11,800.

Conclusions

Enrolment of patients into the SCAD programme is highly cost-effective. Extension of the programme to other hospitals and more patients would have a limited budget impact but provide important clinical benefits. This finding should also be taken into account in new public health policies aimed at encouraging a shift from inpatient to ambulatory care.
Measurement and mapping of maternal health service coverage through a novel composite index: a sub-national level analysis in India
Authors: Kiran Tanvi , Junaid K. P. , Rajagopal Vineeth , Gupta Madhu , Sharma Divya
Published: October 2022

Background

Expansion of maternal health service coverage is crucial for the survival and wellbeing of both mother and child. To date, limited literature exists on the measurement of maternal health service coverage at the sub-national level in India. The prime objectives of the study were to comprehensively measure the maternal health service coverage by generating a composite index, map India by categorizing it into low, medium and high zones and examine its incremental changes over time.

Methods

Utilising a nationally representative time series data of 15 key indicators spread across three domains of antenatal care, intranatal care and postnatal care, we constructed a novel ‘Maternal Health Service Coverage Index’ (MHSI) for 29 states and 5 union territories of India for the base (2017–18) and reference (2019–20) years. Following a rigorous procedure, MHSI scores were generated using both arithmetic mean and geometric mean approaches. We categorized India into low, medium and high maternal health service coverage zones and further generated geospatial maps to examine the extent and transition of maternal health service coverage from base to reference year.

Results

India registered the highest mean percentage coverage (93.7%) for ‘institutional delivery’ and the lowest for ‘treatment for obstetric complications’ (9.3%) among all the indicators. Depending on the usage of arithmetic mean and geometric mean approaches, the maternal health service coverage index score for India exhibited marginal incremental change (between 0.015—0.019 index points) in the reference year. West zone exhibited an upward transition in the coverage of maternal health service indicators, while none of the zones recorded a downward movement. The states of Mizoram (east zone) and the Union Territory of Puducherry (south zone) showed a downward transition. Union territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli (west zone) and Chandigarh (north zone), along with the states of Maharashtra (west zone), Assam, as well as Jharkhand (both from the east & north east zone), showed upward transition.

Conclusion

Overall, maternal health service coverage is increasing across India. Our study offers a novel summary measure to comprehensively quantify the coverage of maternal health services, which can momentously help India identify lagged indicators and low performing regions, thereby warranting the targeted interventions and concentrated programmatic efforts to bolster the maternal health service coverage at the sub-national level.
Unhealthy alcohol use and intimate partner violence among men and women living with HIV in Uganda
Authors: Miller Amanda P. , Fatch Robin , Lodi Sara , Marson Kara , Emenyonu Nneka , Kekibiina Allen , Beesiga Brian , Chamie Gabriel , Muyindike Winnie R. , Hahn Judith A.
Published: October 2022

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and alcohol use are interrelated public health issues. Heavy and frequent alcohol use increase the risk of IPV, but the relationship between alcohol use and IPV (including recent and lifetime IPV victimization and perpetration) has not been well described among persons living with HIV (PWH) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

We used baseline data from the Drinker’s Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis study. All participants were PWH co-infected with tuberculosis and had an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption (AUDIT-C) positive score (hazardous drinking) and positive urine ethyl glucuronide test, indicating recent drinking. High-risk drinking was defined as AUDIT-C > 6 and/or alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) ≥ 200 ng/mL. We measured IPV using the Conflict Tactics Scale. We estimated the association between alcohol use level and recent (prior six months) IPV victimization (recent perpetration was too low to study) using multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for gender, age, assets, education, spouse HIV status, religiosity, depressive symptoms, and social desirability. We additionally estimated the interaction of alcohol use and gender on IPV victimization and the association between alcohol use and lifetime victimization and perpetration.

Results

One-third of the 408 participants were women. Recent IPV victimization was reported by 18.9% of women and 9.4% of men; perpetration was reported by 3.1% and 3.6% of women and men. One-fifth (21.6%) of those reporting recent IPV victimization also reported perpetration. In multivariable models, alcohol use level was not significantly associated with recent IPV victimization (p = 0.115), nor was the interaction between alcohol use and gender (p = 0.696). Women had 2.34 times greater odds of recent IPV victimization than men (p = 0.016). Increasing age was significantly associated with decreased odds of recent IPV victimization (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Prevalence of IPV victimization was comparable to estimates from a recent national survey, while perpetration among men was lower than expected. Alcohol use level was not associated with IPV victimization. It is possible that alcohol use in this sample was too high to detect differences in IPV. Our results suggest that women and younger PWH are priority populations for IPV prevention.
Charitably funded hospices and the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study (CovPall)
Authors: Garner Ian W , Walshe Catherine , Dunleavy Lesley , Bradshaw Andy , Preston Nancy , Fraser Lorna K , Murtagh Fliss EM , Oluyase Adejoke O , Sleeman Katherine E , Hocaoglu Mevhibe , Bajwah Sabrina , Chambers Rachel L , Maddocks Matthew , Higginson Irene J
Published: October 2022

Background

Independent charitably funded hospices have been an important element of the UK healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospices usually have different funding streams, procurement processes, and governance arrangements compared to NHS provision, which may affect their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to understand the challenges faced by charitably funded hospices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Eligible Organisations providing specialist palliative or hospice care completed the online CovPall survey (2020) which explored their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible organisations were then purposively selected to participate in interviews as part of qualitative case studies (2020-21) to understand challenges in more depth. Free-text responses from the survey were analysed using content analysis and were categorised accordingly. These categorisations were used a priori for a reflexive thematic analysis of interview data.

Results

143 UK independent charitably funded hospices completed the online CovPall survey. Five hospices subsequently participated in qualitative case studies (n = 24 staff interviews). Key themes include: vulnerabilities of funding; infection control during patient care; and bereavement support provision. Interviewees discussed the fragility of income due to fundraising events stopping; the difficulties of providing care to COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients within relatively small organisations; and challenges with maintaining the quality of bereavement services.

Conclusion

Some unique care and provision challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic were highlighted by charitably funded hospices. Funding core services charitably and independently may affect their ability to respond to pandemics, or scenarios where resources are unexpectedly insufficient.
Trends and determinants of adolescent pregnancy: Results from Kenya demographic health surveys 2003–2014
Authors: Mutea Lilian , Were Vincent , Ontiri Susan , Michielsen Kristien , Gichangi Peter
Published: October 2022

Background

Adolescent pregnancy increases the risk of disability and death due to unsafe abortion, prolonged labour and delivery, and complications after birth. Availability of accurate data is important to guide decision-making related to adolescent sexual reproductive health (ASRH). This study analyses the trends in prevalence and factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in Kenya using data from three national Demographic Health Surveys (2003, 2008/2009, 2014).

Methods

Our analysis focused on a subsample of data collected from women aged 20 to 24 years. A trend analysis was performed to establish a change in the rate of adolescent pregnancy in 2003, 2008/2009, and 2014 survey data points. Binary Logistic regression and pooled regression analysis were used to explore factors associated with adolescent pregnancy.

Results

The percentage of women aged 20 to 24 years who reported their first pregnancy between ages 15 and 19 years was 42% in 2003 and 42.2% in 2009 but declined to 38.9% in 2014. Using regression analyses, we established that education status, marital status, religion and wealth quintile were associated with adolescent pregnancy. Trend analysis shows that there was an overall decreasing trend in adolescent pregnancy between 2003 and 2014.

Conclusion

Although Kenya has made strides in reducing the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy in the last decade, much more needs to be done to further reduce the burden, which remains high.

Definition

Adolescents: Although WHO defines the adolescence period as being 10–19 years, this paper focuses on the late adolescent period, 15–19 years, here in referred to as adolescents.
Application of the electronic book to promote self-directed learning in medical technologist continuing education: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wen Chiao-Ni , Huang Chung-Guei , Chang Pi-Yueh , Yang Tsung-Han , You Huey-Ling , Ning Hsiao-Chen , Tsao Kuo-Chien
Published: October 2022

Background

Continuing education (CE) is essential for health professionals to improve competence in clinical practice, yet many medical technologists still experience barriers to learning in complex clinical settings. To better manage CE and address medical technologists’ learning needs, we developed a learner-centred electronic book (e-book) to promote self-directed learning for medical technologists.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the acceptability and learning impacts of the e-book as CE material for medical technologists in two medical centres in Taiwan. We designed the learner-centred context in the e-book based on medical technologists’ practice requirements and learning needs. Moreover, we adopted The New World Kirkpatrick Model with four levels (reactions, learning, behaviours and results) to evaluate the e-book’s learning impacts on medical technologists. A total of 280 medical technologists were invited to complete a questionnaire and a post-test, providing learning patterns as well as their satisfaction with the e-book and their learning outcomes after using it.

Results

Most readers had positive learning experiences and better learning outcomes, including knowledge acquisition and behavioural change, after reading the e-book. The e-book became a new CE activity and reached medical technologists in various types of laboratories.

Conclusions

The low-cost and learner-centred e-book effectively overcame CE learning barriers for medical technologists. The interactivity and flexibility of e-learning particularly helped learners to engage in clinical scenarios in laboratory medicine. This study could pave the way for medical educators to build a high-quality e-learning model in CE.
Patient perspectives on advance euthanasia directives in Huntington’s disease. A qualitative interview study
Authors: Ekkel Marina R. , Depla Marja F.I.A. , Verschuur Els M.L. , Veenhuizen Ruth B. , Hertogh Cees M.P.M. , Onwuteaka-Philipsen Bregje D.
Published: October 2022

Background

Huntington’s disease (HD) has a poor prognosis. For HD patients in the Netherlands, one way of dealing with their poor prognosis is by drawing up an advance euthanasia directive (AED). Little is known about the perspectives of HD patients on their AED.

Aim

To gain insight into patients’ views on and attitudes towards their AED, and changes over time.

Methods

A longitudinal qualitative interview study using 1 to 6 semi-structured interviews over a period of maximum three years. Nine HD patients (5 outpatient clinic, 3 day care, 1 assisted living facility) who either had an AED or were thinking about drawing it up participated in this study.

Results

We identified two themes that characterize patients’ perspectives on their AEDs: (1) general character of the AED; (2) uncertainty around their AED. Ad (1) The conditions that the participants described in their AED were generally not very specific for the person. Mostly they were general notions of unbearable suffering. Familiarity with HD in the family could play a role in drawing up an AED. Ad (2) Participants generally were aware of the tentative character of their AED and could have doubts concerning their own willingness or the willingness of others in the future. Sometimes these doubts were so great, that it prevented them from drawing up an AED. However, patients did not alter their AED during the follow-up period or changed in their view or attitude on their AED.

Conclusion

HD patients that draw up an AED usually describe general conditions for euthanasia and recognize that these conditions may change as the disease progresses. An AED or the wish to draw one up may be a good conversation starter for conversations about goals and preferences for future care.
Hesitancy for receiving regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in UK healthcare workers: a cross-sectional analysis from the UK-REACH study
Authors: Veli Neyme , Martin Christopher A. , Woolf Katherine , Nazareth Joshua , Pan Daniel , Al-Oraibi Amani , Baggaley Rebecca F. , Bryant Luke , Nellums Laura B. , Gray Laura J. , Khunti Kamlesh , Pareek Manish ,   The UK-REACH Study Collaborative Group, Guyatt Anna L. , John Catherine , McManus I. Chris , Abubakar Ibrahim , Gupta Amit , Abrams Keith R. , Tobin Martin D. , Wain Louise , Carr Sue , Dove Edward , Ford David , Free Robert
Published: October 2022

Background

Regular vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 may be needed to maintain immunity in ‘at-risk’ populations, which include healthcare workers (HCWs). However, little is known about the proportion of HCWs who might be hesitant about receiving a hypothetical regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or the factors associated with this hesitancy.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of questionnaire data collected as part of UK-REACH, a nationwide, longitudinal cohort study of HCWs. The outcome measure was binary, either a participant indicated they would definitely accept regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination if recommended or they indicated some degree of hesitancy regarding acceptance (probably accept or less likely). We used logistic regression to identify factors associated with hesitancy for receiving regular vaccination.

Results

A total of 5454 HCWs were included in the analysed cohort, 23.5% of whom were hesitant about regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Black HCWs were more likely to be hesitant than White HCWs (aOR 2.60, 95%CI 1.80–3.72) as were those who reported a previous episode of COVID-19 (1.33, 1.13–1.57 [vs those who tested negative]). Those who received influenza vaccination in the previous two seasons were over five times less likely to report hesitancy for regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination than those not vaccinated against influenza in either season (0.18, 0.14–0.21). HCWs who trusted official sources of vaccine information (such as NHS or government adverts or websites) were less likely to report hesitancy for a regular vaccination programme. Those who had been exposed to information advocating against vaccination from friends and family were more likely to be hesitant.

Conclusions

In this study, nearly a quarter of UK HCWs were hesitant about receiving a regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We have identified key factors associated with hesitancy for regular SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, which can be used to identify groups of HCWs at the highest risk of vaccine hesitancy and tailor interventions accordingly. Family and friends of HCWs may influence decisions about regular vaccination. This implies that working with HCWs and their social networks to allay concerns about SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could improve uptake in a regular vaccination programme.

Trial registration

ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN11811602.
Gam-COVID-Vac, EpiVacCorona, and CoviVac effectiveness against lung injury during Delta and Omicron variant surges in St. Petersburg, Russia: a test-negative case–control study
Authors: Barchuk Anton , Bulina Anna , Cherkashin Mikhail , Berezina Natalia , Rakova Tatyana , Kuplevatskaya Darya , Skougarevskiy Dmitriy , Okhotin Artemiy
Published: October 2022

Background

Monitoring vaccine effectiveness (VE) remains a priority for epidemiological research throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. VE against infection declines with the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC), but VE against the severe disease remains high. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines used in Russia against lung injury during Delta and Omicron VOC surges.

Methods

We designed a case–control study (test-negative design) to estimate VE against any (any volume of involved lung parenchyma) and severe (>50% of involved parenchyma) lung injury detected on computer tomography and associated with COVID-19 between October 1, 2021–April 28, 2022 (Delta VOC dominance period followed by Omicron dominance period). We included the data of patients with symptomatic confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection referred to the low-dose computer tomography triage centres.

Results

Among 23996 patients in the primary analysis, 13372 (55.7%) had any lung injury, and 338 (1.4%) had severe lung injury. The adjusted for age, sex and triage centre VE estimates against any lung injury were 56% (95% confidence interval 54–59) for two-dose Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V), 71% (68–74) for three-dose Gam-COVID-Vac (booster), 2% (−27 to 24) for EpiVacCorona, and 46% (37–53) for CoviVac. VE estimates against severe lung injury were 76% (67–82) for two-dose Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V), 87% (76–93) for three-dose Gam-COVID-Vac, 36% (−63 to 75) for EpiVacCorona, and 80% (45–92) for CoviVac.

Conclusions

Gam-COVID-Vac remained effective against lung injury associated with COVID-19 during Delta and Omicron VOC surges, and one Gam-COVID-Vac booster could be seen as an appropriate option after a two-dose regimen. CoviVac was also effective against lung injury. EpiVacCorona use in population-based vaccination should be halted until effectiveness and efficacy evidence is provided.

Trial registration The joint study of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in St. Petersburg was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04981405, date of registration—August 4, 2021).
Minimization and optimization of α-amylase terminator for heterologous protein production in Bacillus licheniformis
Authors: Rao Yi , Yang Jingyao , Wang Jiaqi , Yang Xinyuan , Zhang Mengxi , Zhan Yangyang , Ma Xin , Cai Dongbo , Wang Zhangqian , Chen Shouwen
Published: October 2022

Terminators serve as the regulatory role in gene transcription termination; however, few researches about terminator optimization have been conducted, which leads to the lack of available and universal terminator for gene expression regulation in Bacillus. To solve this problem and expand synthetic biology toolbox of Bacillus licheniformis, the terminator T1 of endogenous α-amylase gene (amyL) was characterized in this research, with a termination efficiency of 87.81%. Then, we explored and optimized the termination strength of terminator T1 from four aspects: the distance between stop codon and terminator, GC content at the bottom of stem structure, loop size, and U-tract length, and the best terminator T24 was attained by combination optimization strategy, which termination efficiency was increased to 97.97%, better than the commonly used terminator T7 (T7P) from Escherichia coli. Finally, terminator T24 was applied to protein expression, which, respectively, led to 33.00%, 25.93%, and 11.78% increases of green fluorescence intensity, red fluorescence intensity, and keratinase activity, indicating its universality in protein expression. Taken together, this research not only expands a plug-and-play synthetic biology toolbox in B. licheniformis but also provides a reference for the artificial design of versatile intrinsic terminator.

Graphical Abstract
Hashimoto’s encephalopathy masquerading as affective illness: a case report
Authors: Kawoos Yuman , Fayaz Arjuman , Shah Irfan Ahmad , Rather Yasir H.
Published: October 2022

Background

Hashimoto’s encephalopathy (HE) is a rare but controversial syndrome showing a variety of neurological and psychiatric manifestations associated with autoimmune thyroiditis.

Case presentation

We present a case of 46-year-old hypertensive female who developed acute onset of behavioral symptoms mimicking affective disorder (mania). Investigations revealed high levels of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies with elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone. EEG and MRI findings were consistent with those seen in Hashimoto’s encephalopathy. She showed excellent response to high dose corticosteroids that helped in making the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s encephalopathy.

Conclusions

Hashimoto’s encephalopathy is an extremely important, though rare, diagnosis. It should be suspected and screened for in patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin because responses to treatment are usually excellent.
Quantitative trait loci analysis of glucosinolate, sugar, and organic acid concentrations in Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa
Authors: Bell Luke , Chadwick Martin , Puranik Manik , Tudor Richard , Methven Lisa , Wagstaff Carol
Published: October 2022

Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa is a leafy vegetable of the Brassicaceae family known for its pungency. Variation in growing conditions, leaf age, agronomic practices, and variety choice lead to inconsistent quality, especially in content of isothiocyanates (ITCs) and their precursor glucosinolates (GSLs). We present the first linkage and Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) map for Eruca, generated using a population of 139 F4 lines. A significant environmental effect on the abundance of primary and secondary metabolites was observed, with UK-grown plants containing significantly higher concentrations of glucoraphanin, malic acid, and total sugars. Italian-grown plants were characterized by higher concentrations of glucoerucin, indolic GSLs, and low monosaccharides. 20 QTL were identified and associated with robust SNP markers. Five genes putatively associated with the synthesis of the GSL 4-methoxyglucobrassicin (4MGB) were identified as candidate regulators underlying QTL. Analysis revealed that orthologs of MYB51, IGMT1 and IGMT4 present on LG1 are associated with 4MGB concentrations in Eruca. This research illustrates the utility of the map for identifying genes associated with nutritional composition in Eruca and its value as a genetic resource to assist breeding programs for this leafy vegetable crop.
Oceans, Archives, Perverts
Authors: Richards Juno Jill
Published: October 2022

This study follows the oceanic routes of female migrant laborers as a way to reconsider the geographies of queer theory through the colonial port city. In so doing, the author highlights feminized forms of migrant labor, including sex work and care work, as a central facet of the history of sexuality beyond the nation-state. This history begins in the 1920s and 1930s, when the League of Nations sponsored a massive investigation into international sex trafficking, through surveillance of port cities across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. These investigations reveal the ways that female migrant laborers were constructed as nonnormative sexual subjects, both through their transient status as citizens and for performing reproductive labors outside the context of the white nuclear family. In this way, the league investigation offers an early case study for technologies attending to the biological specificity necessary to detain individuals at the border. This biometric archive lays the groundwork for a theorization of queer femininity, often ignored by historians of sexuality focused on the criminalization of sodomy. Through attention to an early biometric database, rather than criminal archives, what follows offers a geography of feminized labor and queer femininity based across a transoceanic network of port cities. A consideration of sex work in the midcentury novel, including Jean Rhys's Voyage in the Dark and J. G. Farrell's Singapore Grip, more closely establishes the biometric and aesthetic categories used to construct female sexual deviance at the midcentury.
The reproducibility of manual RV/LV ratio measurement on CT pulmonary angiography
Authors: Lanham Sarah , Maiter Ahmed , Swift Andrew J , Dwivedi Krit , Alabed Samer , Evans Oscar , Sharkey Michael J , Matthews Suzanne , Johns Christopher S
Published: October 2022

Objectives:

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction carries elevated risk in acute pulmonary embolism (PE). An increased ratio between the size of the right and left ventricles (RV/LV ratio) is a biomarker of RV dysfunction. This study evaluated the reproducibility of RV/LV ratio measurement on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA).

Methods:

20 inpatient CTPA scans performed to assess for acute PE were retrospectively identified from a tertiary UK centre. Each scan was evaluated by 14 radiologists who provided a qualitative overall opinion on the presence of RV dysfunction and measured the RV/LV ratio. Using a threshold of 1.0, the RV/LV ratio measurements were classified as positive (≥1.0) or negative (<1.0) for RV dysfunction. Interobserver agreement was quantified using the Fleiss κ and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results:

Qualitative opinion of RV dysfunction showed weak agreement (κ = 0.42, 95% CI 0.37–0.46). The mean RV/LV ratio measurement for all cases was 1.28 ± 0.68 with significant variation between reporters (p < 0.001). Although agreement for RV/LV measurement was good (ICC = 0.83, 95% CI 0.73–0.91), categorisation of RV dysfunction according to RV/LV ratio measurements showed weak agreement (κ = 0.46, 95% CI 0.41–0.50).

Conclusion:

Both qualitative opinion and quantitative manual RV/LV ratio measurement show poor agreement for identifying RV dysfunction on CTPA.

Advances in knowledge:

Caution should be exerted if using manual RV/LV ratio measurements to inform clinical risk stratification and management decisions.
Trends of Training in Engineering Graphics
Authors: Oyuunzhargal Ch. , Oyuunzayaa E.
Published: October 2022

In the field of modern education, not only in Mongolia, but also in world renowned technical and technological universities, teaching has moved from a theoretical basis to research universities. Universities are becoming corporate institutions. In this regard, it is necessary to make significant changes in the content of the curriculum. The main trend in modern engineering education is to train specialists with highly developed technical thinking for any field of activity.

With this in mind, an attempt was made to outline the theoretical basis for determining the role of descriptive geometry and engineering graphics in professional education. For this, satisfaction surveys of students, graduates and employers were conducted and the results are analyzed, complex educational competencies are determined, the special role of standards in engineering and graphic education is noted, as well as the importance of feedback between different levels of education (school, basic academic, fundamental and professional). It is concluded that the changes taking place in modern engineering education, in general, lead to a reduction in the gap between the skills of a university graduate and the requirements of employers, that one of the urgent tasks of modern engineering and graphic education is the development of basic textbooks based on new forms and teaching methods in addition to the Internet environment, that the geometric-graphic cycle is key for students to master the most important complex engineering competence, and that the feedback between different levels of geometric-graphic education should be deepened in order to increase the effectiveness of its study.
Cause and Effect Diagram of the Problems of Geometric and Graphic Training of Students at a Technical University
Authors: Verhoturova E. , Ivaschenko G.
Published: October 2022

This article discusses the prospects for applying cause-and-effect analysis - the Ishikawa diagram for visualizing the problems of geometric-graphic training of students of a technical university. The structure of the study using the diagram included the implementation of successive stages. At the first stage, an exhaustive list of problems affecting the level of geometric and graphic training at the university was compiled. At the second stage of the cause-and-effect analysis, problems (factors) were systematized according to semantic sections (logical blocks): employees and the student (person, human factor), material and technical base and educational environment (equipment and other means to ensure the educational process); educational technologies and organization of the educational process, means and technologies for assessing learning outcomes. The next stage included systematization and ranking of problems within logical partitions. This made it possible to identify in a simple and accessible form the most significant factors in the emergence of the problem under study at three levels. The implementation of the last three stages made it possible to complete the study with obtaining the final structure of the factors of the problem of a low level of geometric and graphic training of students. The result of the study was a graphical interpretation of the results of the cause-and-effect analysis. Thus, the possibility of using the diagram to identify the most significant cause-factors that affect the level of mastering the disciplines of the graphic cycle by students, as well as a means of visualizing the cause-and-effect analysis, is shown.
Szkic do portretu księcia Jerzego Karadziordziewicia (1887–1972), którego nazwano szaleńcem
Authors: Morawski Konrad Sebastian
Published: October 2022

Artykuł zawiera omówienie najważniejszych faktów w życiorysie księcia Jerzego Karadziordziewicia na podstawie źródeł upublicznionych w ostatnich latach. Artykuł zrywa ze zniekształconą narracją na temat księcia Jerzego, stosowaną w okresie międzywojennej, a następnie komunistycznej Jugosławii.
Afera „Pocisk” (1935–1936): preludium do afery Rana
Authors: Kuśnierz Robert
Published: October 2022

Poniższy artykuł ukazuje nieznaną w historiografii historię nawiązania przez polski wywiad wojskowy współpracy oraz jej przebiegu z Hansem Wieserem – niemieckim inżynierem, balistykiem pracującym w Związku Sowieckim, który okazał się sowieckim agentem. Współpraca z Wieserem przybrała kryptonim „Pocisk”. Dzięki Wieserowi sowiecki kontrwywiad przyłapał na gorącym uczynku polskiego agenta wywiadu wojskowego, por. Stefana Kasperskiego (Alberta Rana), w momencie odbierania przezeń materiału szpiegowskiego. W ten sposób doszło do największej wpadki polskiego wywiadu wojskowego operującego w Związku Sowieckim w latach trzydziestych XX w.
Stanowisko Rosji wobec Inicjatywy Trójmorza
Authors: Bielicki Paweł
Published: October 2022

Głównym celem studium jest scharakteryzowanie stanowiska Federacji Rosyjskiej wobec zapoczątkowanej we wrześniu 2015 r. Inicjatywy Trójmorza. Główna teza artykułu zakłada, że Kreml dąży poprzez deprecjację znaczenia Waszyngtonu i bilateralne porozumienie z każdym krajem z osobna do storpedowania tego przedsięwzięcia.
UAS INSPECTION IMAGE ENHANCEMENT COUPLED WITH DENOISE ALGORITHM BASED ON DEEP NEURAL NETWORK
Authors: SEO JUNWON , JEONG EUISEOK , WACKER JAMES P.
Published: October 2022

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) technologies integrated with image processing algorithms are considered timely and useful for bridge inspections because of improved accessibility, recording ability, and cost-efficiency compared to the conventional inspection approach. The image processing algorithms can improve the ability of the UAS-aided bridge inspections in efficiently identifying and quantifying deterioration. This study was aimed to inspect an in-service single-span precast concrete bridge on a rural roadway in South Dakota using UAS technologies coupled with a Deep Neural Network (DNN) denoise algorithm. During the inspections, Phantom 4 and DJI Matrice 210 UASs recorded several videos for different bridge elements (e.g., girders and decking), and a total of 21,784 inspection images were extracted from the videos with a duration of more than 14 minutes. Deteriorations specific to the bridge elements such as spalling and rust were characterized by performing the DNN-aided image processing algorithm with the extracted inspection images. The DNN allowed for computation and analysis between input and output image data to reduce the noises on the images. Besides, a grayscale image enhancement algorithm was considered to improve the visibility of images by optimizing image contrast settings. With the visibility-improved images, detailed quantification on the detected deterioration per bridge element was carried out using a pixel-based measurement tool. Based upon the study’s results, it was revealed that the UAS technologies with the DNN denoise algorithm were able to successfully characterize and quantify visible deteriorations to the certain bridge elements using pixel-based tools.
USE OF DEEP ENCODER-DECODER NETWORK FOR SUB-SURFACE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF BRIDGE DECKS
Authors: AHMED HABIB , LA HUNG MANH , TAVAKOLLI ALIREZA
Published: October 2022

The automation of various processes underlying maintenance and inspection of bridges using different robots have gained considerable attention in recent literature. For the development of effective methods to automate existing manual processes, a number of different solutions have been proposed. In this paper, the automation of rebar detection and localization will be discussed, which is one of the process for sub-surface health inspection of bridges. This study explores the utilization of Deep Encoder- Decoder Networks for the segmentation of GPR data in the form of B-scan images to extract parabolic rebar profiles. This research area is problematic, as the B-scan image data is fraught with noise, signal reflection and other artefacts that hinder the effective extraction of these rebar profiles. The data is collected in this study using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) sensor, which is employed in this study consist of data from 8 different bridges from different parts of the United States. A “leave-one-out” approach was used for the training and validation of the performance of the proposed system; the data from seven bridges was used for training and validation was performed on the remaining single bridge data. A number of different encoder modules have been trained and evaluated using SegNet as the backbone architecture. The performance of the proposed rebar detection and localization system has been evaluated in terms of different qualitative and quantitative metrics. On average, for the different encoder modules, the mean intersection-over-union (mIOU) values range between 60%-70%. The qualitative examination has highlighted the level of similarity between the ground truth and outputs from the different encoder modules within the SegNet framework.
STEEL DEFECT DETECTION IN BRIDGES USING DEEP ENCODER-DECODER NETWORKS
Authors: AHMED HABIB , LA HUNG MANH
Published: October 2022

Recent major accidents related to bridges have emphasized the need for developing effective technological solutions for defect detection, which can minimize the possibility of bridge-related accidents in the future. In this respect, this research will focus towards development of automated system for the detection of defective regions within different steel parts of bridges. At present, there is no open-source image dataset, which can be used for this purpose. Consequently, the training dataset has been developed by using images acquired from bridges in Vietnam and validation was performed using images acquired from Lovelock bridge situated at Highway-80, Lovelock, NV, USA. A total of 5,500 (4,000 images for training and 1,500 for validation) images of different dimensions have been used the original dimensions of the steel bridge images have been modified 572 × 572 pixels, which have been used for the training and evaluation of the dataset on different Deep Encoder-Decoder networks. The use of diverse data from different bridges will allow the development of a robust Deep Encoder-Decoder network with considerable implications for practical systems in the future. This study will employ state-of-the-art Deep Encoder-Decoder network, which have been recently developed for other applications. However, no such study has been developed for defect detection in steel bridges. A comparative evaluation of different Deep Encoder-Decoder networks will be examined. At the same time, the performance of the system will be compared with recent advanced approaches. The results reveal the considerable potential of Deep Encoder-Decoder towards defect detection of steel bridges, which will be further exploited in the future studies.