bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flexibility and resistance exercises versus usual care for improving pain and function after distal radius fracture in adults aged 50 years or over: protocol for the WISE randomised multicentre feasibility trial
Authors: Keene David J. , Srikesavan Cynthia , Achten Juul , Tutton Elizabeth , Dutton Susan J. , Marian Ioana R. , Grant Richard , Gould Jenny , Herbert Kate , Athwal Amrita , Appelbe Duncan , Lamb Sarah E. , Costa Matthew L.
Published: March 2022

Background

Distal radius fractures represent about 1 in 5 of all fractures treated in UK hospitals. Most distal radius fractures occur in women aged 50 years or over after a fall. Distal radius fractures are managed using splints or casting, some are also treated with surgical fixation. Patients often experience long-term muscle weakness of the hand and arm that may impact their ability to do daily activities such as personal hygiene, routine household chores and food preparation. We propose a structured and tailored flexibility and resistance exercise programme for the hand and arm supplemented with behaviour change strategies to help perform daily exercise. The main aim of our study is to assess the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised controlled trial.

Methods

This study is a multicentre, parallel-group individually randomised feasibility trial. We will recruit a minimum of 72 adults aged 50 years or over with distal radius fracture treated surgically or non-surgically from at least three UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. They will be randomised 1:1:1 to receive usual care, usual care and independent exercise with a single therapy session or usual care and supervised exercise with three therapy sessions over 12 weeks. Our primary feasibility objectives are (1) patient engagement assessed by recruitment, (2) acceptability of the interventions assessed by adherence and patient and clinician experience and (3) retention of participants in the trial. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, 3 months and at 6 months after randomisation. A qualitative sub-study will explore the experiences of the trial participants and therapists delivering the exercises.

Discussion

A definitive trial will be considered feasible without major modifications if our progression criteria are met. If successful, the findings will inform the design of a future definitive RCT to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the WISE exercise programme.

Trial registration

ISRCTN12290145.
A review on silver-mediated DNA base pairs: methodology and application
Authors: Sun Qiao , Xie Xiao , Song Yujie , Sun Litao
Published: March 2022

The investigation of the interaction between metal ions and DNA has always attracted much attention in the fields of bioinorganic chemistry, supramolecular coordination chemistry, and DNA nanotechnology. Its mode of action can be simply divided into two aspects. On the one hand, it is non-specific electrostatic adsorption, mainly including Na
+
, K
+
, Mg
2+
, Ca
2+
and other physiologically regulating ions; on the other hand, it is specific covalent binding, such as Pt
2+
, Hg
2+
, Ag
+
and other heavy metal ions. This article focuses on the mechanism of action between Ag
+
and DNA mismatch pair C-C, and summarizes its main characterization methods and various applications. It aims to provide a certain reference for the field of biological devices. With the development of cryo-electron microscopy and liquidcell TEM, the structure of C-Ag
+
-C is expected to be further characterized, which will be more widely used.
Tracking market and non-traditional sources of risks in procyclical and countercyclical hedge fund strategies under extreme scenarios: a nonlinear VAR approach
Authors: Racicot François-Éric , Théoret Raymond
Published: March 2022

The subprime crisis was quite damaging for hedge funds. Using the local projection method (Jordà 2004, 2005, 2009), we forecast the dynamic responses of the betas of hedge fund strategies to macroeconomic and financial shocks—especially volatility and illiquidity shocks—over the subprime crisis in order to investigate their market timing activities. In a robustness check, using TVAR (Balke 2000), we simulate the reaction of hedge fund strategies’ betas in extreme scenarios allowing moderate and strong adverse shocks. Our results show that the behavior of hedge fund strategies regarding the monitoring of systematic risk is highly nonlinear in extreme scenarios—especially during the subprime crisis. We find that countercyclical strategies have an investment technology which differs from procyclical ones. During crises, the former seek to capture non-traditional risk premia by deliberately increasing their systematic risk while the later focus more on minimizing risk. Our results suggest that the hedge fund strategies’ betas respond more to illiquidity uncertainty than to illiquidity risk during crises. We find that illiquidity and VIX shocks are the major drivers of systemic risk in the hedge fund industry.
The witching week of herding on bitcoin exchanges
Authors: Blasco N. , Corredor P. , Satrústegui N.
Published: March 2022

This paper analyses the herding behaviour among exchanges around the expiration of bitcoin futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). The database extends from December 2017 to October 2020, taking as a reference the main exchanges that trade bitcoin (Binance, Bitfinex, Bitstamp, Coinbase, itBit, Kraken, and Gemini) and using hourly closing prices and trading volumes in bitcoin and US dollars. Adapting the proposal of Chang, Cheng and Khorana (2000) (CCK) to test conditional herding, we obtain results that indicate that the herding effect is significant during the week before expiration. After expiration, the herding effect lasts for a few hours and disappears. Information overload originating, among other causes, from sophisticated investors’ strategies may generate this mimetic behaviour. The results show the relevance of intraday data applied to specific events such as expiration since the unconditional analysis shows, in general, anti-herding behaviour throughout the period of study.
Constant-depth circuits for dynamic simulations of materials on quantum computers
Authors: Bassman Oftelie Lindsay , Van Beeumen Roel , Younis Ed , Smith Ethan , Iancu Costin , de Jong Wibe A.
Published: March 2022

Dynamic simulation of materials is a promising application for near-term quantum computers. Current algorithms for Hamiltonian simulation, however, produce circuits that grow in depth with increasing simulation time, limiting feasible simulations to short-time dynamics. Here, we present a method for generating circuits that are constant in depth with increasing simulation time for a specific subset of one-dimensional (1D) materials Hamiltonians, thereby enabling simulations out to arbitrarily long times. Furthermore, by removing the effective limit on the number of feasibly simulatable time-steps, the constant-depth circuits enable Trotter error to be made negligibly small by allowing simulations to be broken into arbitrarily many time-steps. For an N-spin system, the constant-depth circuit contains only $\mathcal {O}(N^{2})$
O
(

N

2

)
CNOT gates. Such compact circuits enable us to successfully execute long-time dynamic simulation of ubiquitous models, such as the transverse field Ising and XY models, on current quantum hardware for systems of up to 5 qubits without the need for complex error mitigation techniques. Aside from enabling long-time dynamic simulations with minimal Trotter error for a specific subset of 1D Hamiltonians, our constant-depth circuits can advance materials simulations on quantum computers more broadly in a number of indirect ways.
Influence of hydroethanolic extract of Cassia spectabilis leaves on diclofenac-induced oxidative stress and hepatorenal damage in Wistar rats
Authors: Ogbe Raphael John , Luka Carrol Domkat , Adoga Godwin Ichekanu
Published: March 2022

Background

The medicinal potential of plant extracts for the management of liver and kidney disorders in humans has been harnessed for the past several centuries. However, the abundant plant resources have not been fully investigated, thus this study was initiated to evaluate the influence ofCassia spectabilisleaves extract (CSE) on diclofenac-induced oxidative stress and hepatorenal damage in Wistar rats. The rats in the 1st group were injected with normal saline, and rats in the 2nd group were injected with diclofenac sodium (DF) by intramuscular route. Rats in the 3rd to 5th groups were treated with graded doses of CSE by oral gavages, and injected with DF. The serum markers of oxidative stress and hepatorenal damage in rats were estimated by biochemical assays. In addition, histological examinations of liver and kidney tissues were evaluated.

Results

There was significant (p < 0.05) increase in the levels of total bilirubin, ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, LDH, urea, creatinine, uric acid, potassium ions, and MDA of rats injected with DF when compared with normal control. The treatment of DF-injected rats with CSE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the levels of these markers of hepatorenal damage in rats when compared with DF control. There was significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the levels of GSH, SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, sodium ions, proteins and G6Pase after injection of rats with DF when compared with normal control. However, treatment of DF-injected rats with CSE significantly (p < 0.05) increased the levels of these markers of antioxidant status and oxidative damage in hepatorenal tissues of rats when compared with DF control. The photomicrographs of hepatorenal tissues showed structural features which corroborated our biochemical findings in this study.

Conclusion

The findings of this study have shown that CSE may have protective effect against DF-induced oxidative stress and hepatorenal damage in Wistar rats. Thus, the medicinal potential of this plant leaves extract may be harnessed for the development of phytotherapeutic products.
Scintillating scotoma following optic nerve compression caused by an unruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm: a case report
Authors: Matsuda Megumi , Murahashi Takeo , Nakagaki Yusuke , Endo Hideki , Nakagaki Youichi
Published: March 2022

Background

Scintillating scotoma caused by optic nerve compression by aneurysm is rare. We report a case of scintillating scotoma following optic nerve compression caused by an unruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm.

Case presentation

A 64-year-old woman visited our department with a scintillating scotoma. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated no new lesions, although her previously diagnosed anterior communicating artery aneurysm had increased in size. Thus, we performed neck clipping. The operative view showed that the aneurysm compressed the right optic nerve. Her symptoms disappeared after the operation. These findings suggest that scintillating scotoma may be caused by compression of the optic nerve by the anterior communicating artery aneurysm.

Conclusion

Although scintillating scotoma is a common condition, aneurysms should be considered as a potential cause.
The potential for successful climate policy in National Energy and climate plans: highlighting key gaps and ways forward
Authors: Williges Keith , Van der Gaast Wytze , de Bruyn-Szendrei Krisztina , Tuerk Andreas , Bachner Gabriel
Published: March 2022

Background

The EU “Winter Package” sets out specific energy and climate goals and urged formation of National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) by Member States for 2020 to 2030. Integrating scaled-up mitigation technologies within existing economic and social structures face numerous difficulties and require careful planning. While some options may be less suitable than others within a given country context, solutions exist to mitigate negative impacts and build local acceptance. We assess the resulting plans in the context of: (i) economic effects, the trade-offs arising from scaled-up technologies in terms of energy system- and macroeconomic effects; (ii) climate effectiveness, via assessment of carbon payback times of technologies, and (iii) social aspects, with a focus on identifying approaches for wider social adoption and acceptance of mitigation options. Assessment takes the form of case studies for Greece, Austria, and the Netherlands, three EU member states with very different preconditions.

Results

In terms of economic efficiency, NECPs lack consideration of the unique properties inherent in large-scale renewable energy deployment, and we suggest a possible way forward for future macroeconomic assessment via incorporating integration costs. For economic efficiency, we find that countries may be overestimating their contributions to GHG reduction targets via failure to incorporate life-cycle based analysis. Addressing feasibility, we find that countries address acceptance to different extents, with Greece and Austria holding stakeholder workshops and allowing for public comment on draft NECPs, while the Netherlands undertook a more extensive effort to ensure local public acceptance and involvement in planning.

Conclusions

The results illustrate that even though NECPs may be finalized, their success is far from ensured, and neglecting to consider key aspects of efficiency, effectiveness and feasibility may result in underestimation of impacts, failure to have as large an impact on GHG reduction as expected, or increasing public resistance to climate policies. We present approaches to deal with gaps in economic and environmental assessment, and highlight methods for improving public acceptance via examples from the case studies and related literature.
Comparing opioid free general anesthesia to traditional balanced general anesthesia regarding achievement of enhanced recovery in laparoscopic bariatric surgeries
Authors: Soudi Abdallah M. , Hammad Raafat Abdelazim , ElShafie Mohamed Anwar , Ahmed Ibrahim Mohammed Al Sayed , Alhadidy Mohamed A.
Published: March 2022

Background

Opioids have historically been a first-line therapy for surgical pain control. They were considered optimum and the mainstay of balanced anesthesia, but recently, concerns about their side effects have been raised. The concept of opioid free anesthesia (OFA) was introduced to provide a safer alternative that would provide benefits as well as enhance recovery after surgery.

Results

Sixty patients were enrolled in the study, 30 patients in each group. The two groups, TBA and OFA, were comparable in demographic data (age, sex, body mass index (BMI), lean body weight (LBW)) and duration of surgery. The TBA group showed a statistically significant reduction in the time needed for extubation (P value 0.018) and reaching an Aldrete score of 9 (P value 0.02). There was a significant decrease in pain scores, and nalbuphine consumption in the OFA group that extended to 24 h post-operative.

Conclusions

OFA has a better profile than TBA with regard to post-operative pain score and opioid consumption post-operative, but they have a relative increase in time to extubation and time to reach an Aldrete score of 9.
Impacts of endocrine disruptors on reproductive health in the era of increased personal care and beauty products usage
Authors: Asori Moses , Odei Julius , Katey Daniel , Abuosi Truus Apoanaba , Gyasi Razak M.
Published: March 2022

Background

Endocrine disruptors originate from multiple sources making their health impacts enormously complex. This study systematically synthesizes the sources, exposure, and effects of personal care products on reproductive health.

Main body

The PRISMA and Meta-Analyses frameworks were used to review and present integrated evidence. The literature search was undertaken in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. All studies that focused on the sources, exposure pathways, and reproductive health impact of endocrine disruptors were included in the final review. Although the review included articles published from 2000 to 2021, most studies were conducted between the years 2010 and 2020. There was great variability in terms of studies conducted in individual countries, of which 34.4% were published in the USA. The review found that endocrine disruptors abound in the environment and their impact on females and males’ reproduction are profound. Phthalates, Bisphenol A, MXC, and Dioxins were widely studied EDCs as determiner of reproductive health. Crucially, the human body concentration of these EDCs varies between people of diverse backgrounds.

Conclusion

While the bodily concentration of these EDCs is higher, it varies greatly among different groups of people. Respective governments and NGOs should provide the needed funding for research on personal care products and EDCs. Moreover, individual and spatial heterogeneity should be considered in the risk assessment of these chemicals.
Effects of co-incubation of LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages on leptin production by 3T3-L1 adipocytes: a method for co-incubating distinct adipose tissue cell lines
Authors: Caldari-Torres Cristina , Beck Jordan
Published: March 2022

Background

Adipose tissue is a major endocrine organ capable of releasing inflammatory adipokines that are linked to changes occurring in the overfed state, where tissue remodeling results in hypertrophic adipocytes that recruit monocytes to infiltrate the tissue and take on an inflammatory phenotype. Increases in macrophage-specific inflammatory mediator levels contribute to the inflamed state and worsen the inflammatory loop between the macrophages and adipocytes. Although most inflammatory adipokines are released by macrophages, adipocytes can also release immunomodulatory adipokines, such as leptin. The objective of this research was to determine if co-incubation of activated macrophages with mature adipocytes, using transwell inserts, affected adipocyte leptin release. We also examined if there were differences in levels of cell-secreted products quantified in cell-conditioned media collected from macrophage-containing (transwell insert) and adipocyte-containing (well) compartments.

Methods

Mature adipocytes were co-incubated with control and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated (0.01 mg/ml) murine macrophages, and nitric oxide, interleukin-6, and leptin levels were quantified in the cell-conditioned media from both compartments.

Results

Activation status of the macrophages did not affect leptin release by the adipocytes. We observed higher amounts of leptin in wells compared to transwells. Nitric oxide and interleukin-6 levels were similar between transwells and wells, suggesting that these adipokines travel through the transwell inserts and are reaching equilibrium between the two compartments.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that co-incubating activated macrophages and adipocytes using transwell inserts can result in distinct microenvironments in the different cellular compartments and that separate sampling of these compartments is required to detect the subtle signaling dynamics that exist between these cells.
Thwarted visions of change: power and demographics in repair cafes and urban sustainability transitions
Authors: Schägg Elena , Becker Stefanie L. , Pradhan Prajal
Published: March 2022

Sustainability initiatives, such as Repair Cafes, are sites of niche innovations with the potential to contribute to an urban sustainability transition. Using the multi-level perspective as a framework, we explore the visions of change of 12 Repair Cafes in Berlin to understand how the members believe the movement can effect change. We explore the dynamics and demographics of the different user groups within the Repair Cafes to understand who has a voice within them. We found that Repair Cafes have two main visions of change which ask for mass participation. However, we also found that latent discrimination by ‘expert’ technician volunteers discourages the involvement of women and lower social classes. This knowledge that Repair Cafes are inconsistent in their purported visions of change and their practices has repercussions for their role in urban sustainability transitions.
Online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring science/STEM teachers’ curriculum and assessment practices in Canada
Authors: DeCoito Isha , Estaiteyeh Mohammed
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated school closures globally, resulting in an abrupt move to online/distance teaching or emergency remote teaching (ERT). Teachers and students pivoted from face-to-face engagement to online environments, thus impacting curriculum, pedagogy, and student outcomes across a variety of disciplines. In this paper, the authors focus on science/STEM teachers’ experiences with online teaching and learning in a Canadian context during the pandemic. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through an online questionnaire administered to 75 Grade 1–12 science/STEM teachers in a Canadian province in May–July 2020. Through the TPACK framework and self-efficacy theory, the authors explore i) curriculum planning and implementation in online settings, ii) assessment practices and their effectiveness, and iii) student outcomes, as observed by the teachers. Results indicate that teachers used a variety of platforms, and choice of platform was mainly due to user-friendliness and interactivity, or administrative decision making. Despite teachers organizing online lessons during ERT, gaps were identified in teachers’ TPACK framework and self-efficacy, thus impacting their curriculum development, pedagogical approaches, and assessment practices. In general, teaching strategies included pre-recorded videos and self-directed learning in which teachers assigned specific tasks for students to perform independently. Teachers prioritized subject content and covering curriculum objectives over creative and student-centered pedagogical approaches. Assessment techniques employed were viewed by teachers as unauthentic and generally ineffective. Moreover, teachers reported difficulties addressing student needs and abilities, resulting in challenges providing equitable and inclusive online teaching. Finally, online teaching was viewed negatively by most teachers, in terms of student engagement and outcomes.
The role of tumor necrosis factor alpha − 308A > G polymorphism on the clinical states of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Sotomayor-Lugo Francisco , Alemañy-Díaz Perera Claudia , Roblejo-Balbuena Hilda , Zúñiga-Rosales Yaíma , Monzón-Benítez Giselle , Suárez-Besil Beatriz , González-Torres María de los Ángeles , Torres-Rives Bárbara , Álvarez-Gavilán Yudelmis , Bravo-Ramírez Maidalys , Pereira-Roche Nayade , Benítez-Cordero Yudelkis , Silva-Ayçaguer Luis Carlos , Marcheco-Teruel Beatriz
Published: March 2022

Background

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFɑ) is a cytokine that manages the host defense mechanism, which may play a role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 patients. Several single-nucleotide polymorphisms, described in the promoter region of the TNFα gene, have a significant role on its transcriptional activity. These include the − 308A > G polymorphism which increases the TNFα levels with the expression of the A allele. The aim of this study was to explore whether the TNFα.− 308A > G polymorphism affects the clinical state of COVID-19 patients. The study included a total of 1028 individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which were distributed in 3 groups: asymptomatic, mild symptomatic and severe symptomatic patients. The amplification-refractory mutation system was used to determine the genotype of the TNFα.− 308A > G polymorphism.

Results

Results show a higher tendency of being asymptomatic in individuals carrying the GG genotype (336 of 411; OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.91–1.70). The development of a severe form of SARS-CoV-2 infection was not found in subjects with the A allele compared to those with the G allele (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.51–1.79), except in the eastern region of the country where the risk increased (OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.14–17.05). However, the subjects carrying the A allele had a higher chance of developing symptoms (OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.91–1.70) compared to those with the G allele.

Conclusion

The TNFα.− 308A allele has an influence on developing symptoms of COVID-19 in Cuban patients, and that it particularly increases the risk of presenting severe forms of the disease in the eastern region of the country.
A stakeholder-driven method for selecting implementation strategies: a case example of pediatric hypertension clinical practice guideline implementation
Authors: Knapp Ashley A. , Carroll Allison J. , Mohanty Nivedita , Fu Emily , Powell Byron J. , Hamilton Alison , Burton Nicole D. , Coldren Elaine , Hossain Tania , Limaye Dhanya P. , Mendoza Daniel , Sethi Michael , Padilla Roxane , Price Heather E. , Villamar Juan A. , Jordan Neil , Langman Craig B. , Smith Justin D.
Published: March 2022

Background

This article provides a generalizable method, rooted in co-design and stakeholder engagement, to identify, specify, and prioritize implementation strategies. To illustrate this method, we present a case example focused on identifying strategies to promote pediatric hypertension (pHTN) Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) implementation in community health center-based primary care practices that involved meaningful engagement of pediatric clinicians, clinic staff, and patients/caregivers. This example was chosen based on the difficulty clinicians and organizations experience in implementing the pHTN CPG, as evidenced by low rates of guideline-adherent pHTN diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

We convened a Stakeholder Advisory Panel (SAP), comprising 6 pediatricians and 5 academic partners, for 8 meetings (~12 h total) to rigorously identify determinants of pHTN CPG adherence and to ultimately develop a testable multilevel, multicomponent implementation strategy. Our approach expanded upon the Expert Recommendations for Implementation Change (ERIC) protocol by incorporating a modified Delphi approach, user-centered design methods, and the Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM). At the recommendation of our SAP, we gathered further input from youth with or at-risk for pHTN and their caregivers, as well as clinic staff who would be responsible for carrying out facets of the implementation strategy.

Results

First, the SAP identified 17 determinants, and 18 discrete strategies were prioritized for inclusion. The strategies primarily targeted determinants in the domains of intervention characteristics, inner setting, and characteristics of the implementers. Based on SAP ratings of strategy effectiveness, feasibility, and priority, three tiers of strategies emerged, with 7 strategies comprising the top tier implementation strategy package. Next, input from caregivers and clinic staff confirmed the feasibility and acceptability of the implementation strategies and provided further detail in the definition and specification of those strategies.

Conclusions

This method—an adaptation of the ERIC protocol—provided a pragmatic structure to work with stakeholders to efficiently identify implementation strategies, particularly when supplemented with user-centered design activities and the intuitive organizing framework of the IRLM. This generalizable method can help researchers identify and prioritize strategies that align with the implementation context with an increased likelihood of adoption and sustained use.
Functional food: complementary to fight against COVID-19
Authors: Farzana Maisha , Shahriar Sagarika , Jeba Faria Rahman , Tabassum Tahani , Araf Yusha , Ullah Md. Asad , Tasnim Jarin , Chakraborty Agnila , Naima Taslima Anjum , Marma Kay Kay Shain , Rahaman Tanjim Ishraq , Hosen Mohammad Jakir
Published: March 2022

Background

The novel coronavirus has embarked on a global pandemic and severe mortality with limited access for its treatments and medications. For the lack of time, research, and enough efficacy, most vaccines are underdeveloped or unreachable to society. However, many recent studies suggest various alternative, complementary remedies for COVID-19, which are functional foods. This review provides an overview of how functional foods can play a great role through modulating the host immune system, generating antiviral activities, and synthesizing biologically active agents effective against the coronavirus.

Main body

This review article summarizes the natural defense mechanisms in tackling SARS-CoV-2 alongside conventional therapeutic options and their corresponding harmful side effects. By analyzing bioactive components of functional foods, we have outlined its different contributions to human health and its potential immunomodulatory and antiviral properties that can enhance resistivity to viral infection. Moreover, we have provided a myriad of accessible and cost-effective functional foods that could be further investigated to target specific key symptoms of COVID-19 infections. Finally, we have found various functional foods with potent bioactive compounds that can inhibit or prevent COVID-19 infections and disease progression.

Short conclusion

Numerous functional foods can help the body fight COVID-19 through several mechanisms such as the reduced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, reduced expression of ACE2 receptors in cells, and inhibiting essential enzymes in SARS-CoV-2.
Prevalence, risk factors and impact of proteinuria-associated hypomagnesemia in chronic kidney disease patients: cross-sectional study
Authors: Abdel-Hameed Ayman Riyadh , Ahmed Mohammed Fouad , Elsantawy Amr Ahmed , Mohammad Maher Borai
Published: March 2022

Background

Hypomagnesemia is a predictor of progression and mortality of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, limited data is available about the prevalence and kidney-related risk factors of hypomagnesemia in the CKD patients. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of low serum magnesium level associated with proteinuria and its impact on CKD patients. This cross-sectional study enrolled 100 CKD patients with different stages according to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), divided into 2 groups (proteinuric and non-proteinuric) in the period from February 2020 to August 2020.

Results

The number of participants in this study was 100 subjects, 50 patients were proteinuric and 50 patients had no proteinuria. The study participants’ serum magnesium levels ranged from 1.2 to 2.7 mg/dL. Fourteen (28%) of proteinuric individuals had a serum magnesium level of less than 1.8 mg/dL. Hypomagnesemic patients had significantly higher urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) (2071 mg/g vs. 812 mg/g, P<0.001), significantly higher CRP (48 mg/L vs. 12 mg/L, P<0.001), and lower mean hemoglobin levels as well (10.4 g/dL vs. 10.91 g/dL, P= 0.044). Serum magnesium level showed negative correlation with UACR (r=−0.504, P<0.001), parathyroid hormone (r=−0.276, P=0.005), and CRP (r=−0.505, P<0.001).

Conclusions

Hypomagnesemia is a frequent electrolyte disorder in patients with CKD. Hypomagnesemia is independently associated with proteinuria. Hypomagnesemia is a risk factor of inflammation, anemia and hyperparathyroidism in pre-dialysis CKD population.
Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis: clinical presentation, treatment modalities, and outcomes in Khartoum state
Authors: Seedahmed Khalid Mahmoud Sayed , El-Haj Abusufian Hassan , Bashir Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed
Published: March 2022

Background

In this hospital-based cohort study, a total number of 52 patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis were studied. The medical histories of all the patients were taken and physical examination was conducted thoroughly. Types of surgeries were also observed and the sites of papillomatous lesions were identified. The patients then followed up after surgeries to assess the outcomes and to evaluate the satisfaction levels of the patients.

Result

There was obvious gender predilection toward male patients. Ninety percent of the cases were younger than 20 years old, and 50% of the cases were found to be in the group of 5–10 years old. The most predominant symptom that had been noticed in all of the patients was the change of voice. The study also found that around 46% of the patients had a history of surgical interventions as trials to treat the disease. Acyclovir tabs were prescribed for only 4 patients. No other forms of adjuvant therapies were prescribed. It is also showed that around 65.4% of the cases underwent surgical removal of the papillomata by debulking using cold steel. 30.8% underwent laser and two patients underwent coblation surgeries. Forty-two percent of the patients reported good and satisfactory outcomes with obvious relief from presenting symptoms and no apparent papilloma after IDL examination.

Conclusion

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis presents with a highly variable clinical course in both juvenile and adult patients, with a spectrum from indolent to aggressive disease. But the severity of the condition is more among the younger ages. Change of voice was the first symptom in all of the cases. The use of adjuvant medical treatment in Sudan to treat respiratory papillomatosis is not a routine practice.
Analysis of the pathological characteristics of locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma in Egyptian females: 7-year review
Authors: Eltelety Ahmad Mohamed , Nassar Ahmed Amin
Published: March 2022

Background

Study the pathological features, extent of treatment, and epidemiological distribution of laryngeal carcinoma among Egyptian female patients.

Results

The study population consisted of 34 female patients treated for laryngeal cancer at the Otolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, between 2011 and 2017. The data were collected in a retrospective manner, based on the analysis of patients’ medical records. The mean age of the total cohort is 56.5 years. Twenty-six patients (76.5%) had supraglottic carcinoma, 7 patients (20.5%) had glottic carcinoma, and only 1 patient (3%) had subglottic tumor. The regional disease of the neck affected 18% of the patients. Ninety-one percent of the patients showed a moderate degree of tumor differentiation.

Conclusion

There may be important gender differences in laryngeal sub-site incidence for patients with laryngeal carcinoma.
IITA’s genebank, cowpea diversity on farms, and farmers’ welfare in Nigeria
Authors: Kouakou Abel-Gautier , Ogundapo Ademola , Smale Melinda , Jamora Nelissa , Manda Julius , Abberton Michael
Published: March 2022

Background

Cowpea or black-eyed pea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is one of the preferred food crops in Nigeria, as expressed in land area and production. The popularity of the crop is in part related to the successful development and adoption of improved cowpea varieties. Although the genebank of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has contributed to cowpea conservation and improvement efforts by breeding programs internationally and in Nigeria, few studies have attempted to link the genebank to the management of cowpea genetic resources (CGRs) on farms. This study explores the linkage between IITA’s genebank and cowpea variety diversity on farms and other measures of farmers’ welfare in Nigeria.

Methods

A multistage stratified sampling was used to select the sample households. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted to collect data from 1524 cowpea-producing households. In addition, “Helium”, a multi-platform pedigree visualization tool with phenotype display was used to gather information about improved cowpea breeding lines and their pedigrees. For data analysis, ecological indices of spatial diversity were employed, and a conditional recursive mixed-process model and a multinomial endogenous treatment effect model were developed.

Results

We found that growing an improved variety with genebank ancestry is not significantly associated with lower spatial diversity among cowpea varieties. While they may introduce new traits through ancestry, improved varieties do not displace other cowpea varieties or landraces. We also found that genebank ancestry is positively and significantly associated with cowpea yield and farmers’ welfare.

Conclusions

These findings show additional benefits from IITA’s genebank in Nigeria and that adoption of improved varieties with genebank ancestry does not contribute to the erosion of CGRs on smallholder farms in Nigeria. Policymakers and practitioners should consider these findings when analyzing the benefits of conserving crop genetic diversity in genebanks and on farms.
Distribution and characteristics of microplastics in beach sand near the outlet of a major reservoir in north Mississippi, USA
Authors: Gao Zhiqiang , Wontor Kendall , Cizdziel James V. , Lu Haitao
Published: March 2022

Plastic debris both affects and is affected by the beaches it accumulates on. Most studies of microplastics (MPs) in beach sand are focused on coastal beaches or beaches of large lakes near population centers. Here, we assessed MP pollution at a sandy beach near the outlet of a major flood control reservoir (Sardis Lake) in a relatively unpopulated area in north Mississippi, USA, focusing on two prominent wrack zones and areas in-between. Putative MPs were isolated by density separation and matrix digestion, and then examined using stereomicroscopy, with a subset of samples additionally analyzed by µ-FTIR. MP abundance (particles/kg ± 1 standard error (SE), n = 15) averaged of 590 ± 360, with 950 ± 100 in the lower wrack zone, 540 ± 40 in the upper wrack zone, and 270 ± 30 in areas between; these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.01). The MPs generally had similar size and shape characteristics across sites. The majority were fibers (64%), followed by fragments (23%), beads (7%) and films (6%), with a slightly greater proportion of fibers in the wrack zones compared to areas in-between. The number of MPs rose dramatically with decreasing size. Beads were only found in the < 500 µm size fraction. Clear and blue were the predominant colors for all MPs. A total of 29 different types of polymers were detected, with more than half of the particles being composed of polyethylene and polyamide, followed by poly(methyl methacrylate), polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and others; although this distribution varied some depending on size fraction and location. Because there are no major wastewater discharges into Sardis Lake, the source of the MPs is likely degradation of carelessly discarded plastic, as well as atmospheric fallout. Overall, we found that MP concentrations were highest in the wrack zones and influenced by rates and duration of discharge from the reservoir. Thus, like coastal beaches, wrack zones on freshwater beaches along or downstream of reservoirs accumulate both macro- and micro-plastics and are prime locations for plastic cleanup. Finally, we show that MPs made from naturally weathered LDPE plastic film are prone to fragmentation during pretreatment procedures, which may result in its overestimation.
Local wavefield refinement using Fourier interpolation and boundary extrapolation for finite-element method based on domain reduction method
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Jinhai
Published: March 2022

The domain reduction method based on the finite-element method (FEM) is promising for multiscale seismic wave simulations for local complex structures and rough topography. However, a transition region is required to refine the wavefields from coarse to fine grids, which may lead to strong artifacts. Traditional wavefield interpolation methods can only handle a small upsampling ratio due to their low accuracy. Here, we propose a high accuracy upsampling method using Fourier interpolation and boundary extrapolation. It requires that the wavefield in the transition region is evenly sampled, which may slightly reduce the flexibility of FEMs. Fortunately, this constraint only exists in two layers of nodes, in which the coarse and fine grids are collocated. To further apply our interpolation method to the wavefield upsampling on the nonuniform grid, we adopt cubic interpolation within the local region of interest, which is adequate in accuracy for regularizing the wavefield on the fine nonuniform grid. For a topographic surface, we perform wavefield extrapolation on the ground surface to avoid abnormal amplitude variations below and beyond the surface, which can greatly reduce potential artifacts caused by the Fourier interpolation. Numerical experiments find that our method is superior to traditional interpolation methods in accuracy, especially for large upsampling ratios. Its relative error is less than 2% even for a 40-time upsampling; in contrast, the relative error of linear and cubic interpolation is up to 90% and 41% in the same situation, respectively. We further verify the feasibility of our method for 3D heterogeneous models with rough topography, multilayer heterogeneity, and random perturbations of background models. The proposed method yields a significant speeding of the multiscale seismic simulation using the FEM for 3D models with complex local structures and topographies while being highly accurate.
Convolutional neural network long short-term memory deep learning model for sonic well log generation for brittleness evaluation
Authors: Zhang Fengjiao , Deng Shaogui , Wang Shengli , Sun Hong
Published: March 2022

Brittleness index, usually calculated by P- and S-wave velocities, is an important parameter used to optimize the sweet spots of shale oil. Empirical relationships or artificial intelligence networks can predict sonic logs based on conventional logging data, but accuracy is limited by the formation types and properties, such as shale sandstone interbeds. Therefore, we propose a hybrid convolutional neural network long short-term memory (CNN-LSTM) deep learning model for the prediction of compressional and shear traveltimes. The new model can extract nonlinear features as well as fluctuating trends of log response features with depth, which is different from most machine learning methods that only consider extracting spatial features between logs or only time-series features of log data sets. We conclude that the new CNN-LSTM network has the highest prediction accuracy (92% and 91.3%) and advantages in predicting curve mutation points compared with other machine learning models. We apply the predicted compressional and shear sonic times for evaluating brittleness to reduce the risk of exploration in shale oil reservoirs.
Synthetic seismic data for training deep learning networks
Authors: Merrifield Tom P. , Griffith Donald P. , Zamanian S. Ahmad , Gesbert Stephane , Sen Satyakee , De La Torre Guzman Jorge , Potter R. David , Kuehl Henning
Published: March 2022

Deep learning is increasingly being used as a component of geoscience workflows for processing and interpreting seismic data. Training a supervised deep learning network is a data-hungry task: a significant number of data examples are needed and they must include labels. The data examples and their labels must have consistent patterns for the deep learning network to learn. Too few examples and/or poor-quality labels can lead to poor deep learning training results. One method to provide large quantities of training examples with high-quality labels is to create synthetic data. We discuss our techniques and experiences with our ongoing use of synthetic seismic data. We share our techniques as an open-source project concurrent with this paper at https://github.com/tpmerrifield/synthoseis. We hope that the geoscience community will share our enthusiasm for developing deep learning geoscience tools and for including synthetic seismic data in supervised deep learning training. We invite contributions from the geoscience community using the open-source model to collectively reduce the realism gap between synthetic data and field seismic data.
The philosophical assumptions across the ‘three waves’ of cognitive–behavioural therapy: how compatible are they?
Authors: Carona Carlos
Published: March 2022

Understanding the philosophical foundations of cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is vital to drive theory and research forwards and to effectively conduct therapy using varied methods and techniques from different CBT models that may be rooted in distinct philosophical tenets. In the evolution of CBT as the most empirically validated form of psychotherapy, each of its three waves (behavioural therapy, cognitive therapy and acceptance-based therapies) has brought unique contributions to improve its effectiveness. Although some of the philosophical assumptions underlying the different CBT waves may be considerably dissimilar, in this clinical reflection I review the distinctive and cross-cutting features of such backgrounds, while suggesting a conciliation of epistemological perspectives that is capable of informing the practice of CBT in a consistent manner.
Cancer Screening Among Rural and Urban Clinics During COVID-19: A Multistate Qualitative Study
Authors: Hanna Karim , Arredondo Brandy L. , Chavez Melody N. , Geiss Carley , Hume Emma , Szalacha Laura , Christy Shannon M. , Vadaparampil Susan , Menon Usha , Islam Jessica , Hong Young-Rock , Alishahi Tabriz Amir , Kue Jennifer , Turner Kea
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE:

The effects of COVID-19 have been understudied in rural areas. This study sought to (1) identify cancer screening barriers and facilitators during the pandemic in rural and urban primary care practices, (2) describe implementation strategies to support cancer screening, and (3) provide recommendations.

METHODS:

A qualitative study was conducted (N = 42) with primary care staff across 20 sites. Individual interviews were conducted through videoconference from August 2020 to April 2021 and recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using deductive and inductive coding (hybrid approach) in NVivo 12 Plus. Practices included federally qualified health centers, tribal health centers, rural health clinics, hospital/health system–owned clinics, and academic medical centers across 10 states including urban (55%) and rural (45%) sites. Staff included individuals serving in the dual role of health care provider and administrator (21.4%), health care administrator (23.8%), physician (19.0%), advanced practice provider (11.9%), or resident (23.8%). The interviews assessed perceptions about cancer screening barriers and facilitators, implementation strategies, and future recommendations.

RESULTS:

Participants reported multilevel barriers to cancer screening including policy-level (eg, elective procedure delays), organizational (eg, backlogs), and individual (eg, patient cancellation). Several facilitators to screening were noted, such as home-based testing, using telehealth, and strong partnerships with referral sites. Practices used strategies to encourage screening, such as incentivizing patients and providers and expanding outreach. Rural clinics reported challenges with backlogs, staffing, telehealth implementation, and patient outreach.

CONCLUSION:

Primary care staff used innovative strategies during the pandemic to promote cancer screening. Unresolved challenges (eg, backlogs and inability to implement telehealth) disproportionately affected rural clinics.
Is it possible to implement a holographic equivalence principle?
Authors: Giné Jaume
Published: March 2022

In this work we study the implementation of the holographic equivalence principle which states that it is equivalent to have a central mass affecting a test particle than an event horizon. The conclusion is that the holographic equivalence principle cannot be implemented based only in the imbalance of the quantum fluctuations, in a similar way to the Casimir effect, and the constituents of the particle must be taken into account. Hence the gravitation cannot have an explanation only in terms of the spontaneous quantum fluctuations around a particle without taking into account the interactions of the constituents of the particle with their surroundings.