bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postoperative empyema complicated with descending necrotizing fasciitis: a case report
Authors: Kadomatsu Yuka , Ueno Harushi , Goto Masaki , Ozeki Naoki , Nakamura Shota , Chen-Yoshikawa Toyofumi Fengshi
Published: July 2022

Background

Empyema is a serious complication of lung surgery.

Case presentation

We report a case of Streptococcus anginosus empyema complicated by descending necrotizing fasciitis after surgery. Ten days after the initial surgery, the patient presented with arrhythmia and hypotension with septic shock. Pleural fluid analysis led to the diagnosis of empyema, and surgical debridement (second surgery) was performed. One week after the emergency surgery, a palpable pink erythematous skin change was observed on the ipsilateral iliac crest. Hence, the second emergency surgery (third surgery) was performed to debride the subcutaneous and intramuscular abscesses.

Conclusions

The possibility of descending abscess and necrotizing fasciitis should be considered when Streptococcus anginosus is detected.
Thyroid hormones and glycaemic indices in euthyroid, hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, all type 2 diabetics and non-diabetic subjects
Authors: Isong Idongesit Kokoabasi , Udiong Christopher E. J. , Akpan Uwem Okon
Published: July 2022

Background

Abnormal thyroid hormone levels have been reported in type 2, but the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and glycaemic indices: fasting plasma glucose (FPG), C-peptide (C-pep) and glycated haemoglobin (HbAlc), used in the management of type 2 is not well defined. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between thyroid hormones and glycaemic indices in type 2.

Results

Positive correlations were observed between FPG and HbAlc in hypothyroid (r = 0.382, P = 0.011) and hyperthyroid group (r = 0.295, P = 0.012). FPG correlated with C-pep in hyperthyroid diabetics (r = 0.481, P < 0.001). HbAlc and TSH correlated positively in hypothyroid diabetics (r = 0.330: P = 0.031). HbAlc also correlated with T4 in hypothyroid diabetics (r = 0.379: P = 0.012). C-peptide and TSH correlated positively in hyperthyroid diabetics only (r = 0.279; P = 0.042). C-peptide also correlated with T3 and T4 in euthyroid diabetics (r = 0.231, P = 0.020; r = 0.248, P = 0.045), respectively.

Conclusion

The presence of abnormal levels of thyroid hormones influenced glycaemic indices in type 2 population. This implies that thyroid hormones investigation can assist in proper diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus.
Cochlear implantation in hemophilia B—a rare case report
Authors: Yadav Chetan , Sharma Diva , Suri Neeraj , Juvekar Meenesh
Published: July 2022

Background

Hemophilia B is an X-linked inherited disease, mainly caused by deficiency of factor IX. Severity of the disease is manifested by the factor IX deficiency in the blood.

Case presentation

This paper presents our experience in the cochlear implantation with hemophilia B in an 11-month child with profound sensorineural hearing loss. The patient had normal hematological parameters pre-operatively and surgery was uneventful. After 36 h of the surgery, the patient developed right periorbital ecchymosis, extending to the left eye with a soakage of bandage. With timely early intervention, the bleeding stopped and ecchymosis was resolved.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, cochlear implantation in hemophilia B has not been reported previously. Cochlear implantation can be safely done in hemophilia A and B with timely correction of deficient factors.
Assessment of the blood eosinophil count in different grades of nasal polyps
Authors: El-Anwar Mohammad Waheed , Mobasher Mohamed Adel , Hindawy Ehsan
Published: July 2022

Background

Blood eosinophil count is significantly correlated with eosinophil infiltration in the nasal polyps; so, it could be a good marker for the nasal polyp eosinophilic inflammation.

Objective

Assessment of different peripheral eosinophil counts in different nasal polyps grading in allergic rhinitis patients.

Methods

A study was applied to 160 patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Computed tomography (CT) was done preoperative then nasal polyps grading was assessed by nasal endoscopy. Peripheral eosinophil counts were checked in a blood sample for all patients. Then, a statistical analysis of the data was done.

Results

The study included 160 patients. Within 54 AR patients with no nasal polypi, eosinophil counts ranged between 0.001 × 103 μl and 0.907 × 103 μl with a mean of 0.2399 (SD = 0.2153). While within 106 patients with nasal polyps, eosinophil counts ranged between 0.05 × 103 μl and 14.7 × 103 μl with a mean of 1.6645 (SD = 3.06) with a significant difference (p = 0.0008, t = 3.418). The eosinophil counts were statistically significantly more in advanced grades of the nasal polyps (p < 0.0001, F = 9248).

Conclusion

Measuring peripheral eosinophil counts is simple, low cost, safe, and directly proportionate with different grades of nasal polyps. It can be used as a reliable marker to predict the severity of nasal polyps and consequently predict the prognosis of sinus disease and quality of life.
Outcomes Following GD2-Directed Postconsolidation Therapy for Neuroblastoma After Cessation of Random Assignment on ANBL0032: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group
Authors: Desai Ami V. , Gilman Andrew L. , Ozkaynak Mehmet Fevzi , Naranjo Arlene , London Wendy B. , Tenney Sheena C. , Diccianni Mitchell , Hank Jacquelyn A. , Parisi Marguerite T. , Shulkin Barry L. , Smith Malcolm , Moscow Jeffrey A. , Shimada Hiroyuki , Matthay Katherine K. , Cohn Susan L. , Maris John M. , Bagatell Rochelle , Sondel Paul M. , Park Julie R. , Yu Alice L.
Published: July 2022

PURPOSE

Postconsolidation immunotherapy including dinutuximab, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin-2 improved outcomes for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma enrolled on the randomized portion of Children's Oncology Group study ANBL0032. After random assignment ended, all patients were assigned to immunotherapy. Survival and toxicities were assessed.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with a pre-autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) response (excluding bone marrow) of partial response or better were eligible. Demographics, stage, tumor biology, pre-ASCT response, and adverse events were summarized using descriptive statistics. Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) from time of enrollment (up to day +200 from last ASCT) were evaluated.

RESULTS

From 2009 to 2015, 1,183 patients were treated. Five-year EFS and OS for the entire cohort were 61.1 ± 1.9% and 71.9 ± 1.7%, respectively. For patients ≥ 18 months old at diagnosis with International Neuroblastoma Staging System stage 4 disease (n = 662) 5-year EFS and OS were 57.0 ± 2.4% and 70.9 ± 2.2%, respectively. EFS was superior for patients with complete response/very good partial response pre-ASCT compared with those with PR (5-year EFS: 64.2 ± 2.2% v 55.4 ± 3.2%, P = .0133); however, OS was not significantly different. Allergic reactions, capillary leak, fever, and hypotension were more frequent during interleukin-2–containing cycles than granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor–containing cycles ( P < .0001). EFS was superior in patients with higher peak dinutuximab levels during cycle 1 ( P = .034) and those with a high affinity FCGR3A genotype ( P = .0418). Human antichimeric antibody status did not correlate with survival.

CONCLUSION

Analysis of a cohort assigned to immunotherapy after cessation of random assignment on ANBL0032 confirmed previously described survival and toxicity outcomes. EFS was highest among patients with end-induction complete response/very good partial response. Among patients with available data, higher dinutuximab levels and FCGR3A genotype were associated with superior EFS. These may be predictive biomarkers for dinutuximab therapy.
Immunologic Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer: Making Cold Tumors Hot
Authors: Ullman Nicholas A. , Burchard Paul R. , Dunne Richard F. , Linehan David C.
Published: July 2022

The rising incidence and persistent dismal 5-year overall survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) highlight the need for new effective systemic therapies. Immunotherapy has shown significant benefits in solid organ tumors, but has thus far been disappointing in the treatment of PDAC. There have been several promising preclinical studies, but translation into the clinic has proved to be challenging. This is likely a result of PDAC's complex immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that acts to insulate the tumor against an effective cytotoxic immune response. Here, we summarize the mechanisms of immunosuppression within the PDAC tumor microenvironment and provide an up-to-date review of completed and ongoing clinical trials using various immunotherapy strategies.
John Henry Evans, MD: Founding Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Anesthesia Research Society, and a Forgotten Pioneer of Oxygen Therapy
Authors: Featherstone Peter J.
Published: July 2022

The theoretical and practical foundations of modern oxygen therapy were established during the first half of the 20th century. John Henry Evans, MD, inaugural chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS), was an early pioneer in this field. Challenging the conventional wisdom that high concentrations of oxygen were harmful when inspired over long periods, Evans advocated the continuous and extended administration of 100% oxygen in a wide range of conditions, using special apparatus developed by the Toledo Technical Appliance Company (later, the McKesson Appliance Company), which incorporated a tight-fitting facemask or nasal inhaler. In doing so, Evans became embroiled in a conflict with Alvan Barach of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, which would take nearly a decade to resolve. Additionally, Evans experimented with the subcutaneous injection and intravenous infusion of oxygen, reporting significant benefits of the former in several acute inflammatory conditions, as well as a variety of chronic ailments. While these contributions have largely been forgotten, Evans expanded the remit of anesthesiology beyond the operating theater and the original charter of the IARS and helped lay the foundations for the rational use of oxygen as a therapeutic agent in all areas of medicine.
A Century of Technology in Anesthesia & Analgesia
Authors: Moon Jane S. , Cannesson Maxime
Published: July 2022

Technological innovation has been closely intertwined with the growth of modern anesthesiology as a medical and scientific discipline. Anesthesia & Analgesia, the longest-running physician anesthesiology journal in the world, has documented key technological developments in the specialty over the past 100 years. What began as a focus on the fundamental tools needed for effective anesthetic delivery has evolved over the century into an increasing emphasis on automation, portability, and machine intelligence to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care.
100 Years of Critical Care in the Pages of Anesthesia & Analgesia
Authors: Tung Avery
Published: July 2022

The founding of Anesthesia & Analgesia (A&A) in 1922 was roughly contemporaneous with the creation of the first intensive care unit (ICU) in the United States at Johns Hopkins in 1923. Throughout the next 100 years, the pages of A&A have mirrored the development of critical care as its own distinct specialty. Although primarily a journal focused on intraoperative anesthesia, A&A has maintained a small but steady presence in critical care research. This review highlights the history and development of critical care publications in the pages of A&A from early observations on the physiology of critical illness (1922–1949) to the groundbreaking work of Peter Safar and others on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (1950–1970), the growth of modern critical care (1970–2010), and the 2020 to 2022 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era.
Colonic contained perforation of unknown etiology treated conservatively in a 34 year old female patient: a case report
Authors: Hordejuk Michalina , Marczak Aleksandra , Gołacki Jakub , Sapuła Klaudia , Iwaszko-Sochal Klaudyna
Published: July 2022

A colon perforation is defined as a disruption in the continuity of the gastrointestinal wall. A contained perforation is a situation where the perforation is self-limited, usually by adhesion to other structures in the abdominal cavity. Many conditions can cause perforation, including cancer, diverticular disease, or iatrogenic perforation such as during an endoscopy procedure. Less commonly, the cause may be inflammatory bowel disease or the presence of a foreign body in gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, there are also publications describing situations of spontaneous rupture of the intestinal wall, i.e. spontaneous perforations. This group includes spontaneous perforation caused by fecal stones and idiopathic perforation. In this article we present a case report of a 34 year old woman with perforation of the large intestine without any apparent cause. We discuss the differential diagnosis of patients with conservatively treated perforation with unknown colonoscopy result.
role of chemokines in liver disease
Authors: Sapuła Klaudia , Gołacki Jakub , Marczak Aleksandra , Hordejuk Michalina , Iwaszko-Sochal Klaudyna
Published: July 2022

Chemokines are involved in many processes, including the normal immune response to infection, as well as pathological processes such as carcinogenesis, autoimmunity and inappropriate inflammatory responses. These processes represent an important aspect in the context of liver disease, its progression and the possibility of inhibiting fibrosis. Chemokines belong to low molecular weight proteins with a wide range of functions affecting cell migration, involving different physiological and pathological processes. Depending on whether they participate in the maintenance of homeostasis during periods of well-being or represent a type of intervention of the organism to its disorders, their secretion by cells is constitutive or induced. This article focuses on the classification, structure and functions of these molecules and their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of liver diseases, as well as the possibilities of therapeutic application of this knowledge.
La representación de la mujer en la ficción española. Propuesta de clasificación de roles y estereotipos desde la perspectiva de género.
Authors: Torres-Romay Emma , Izquierdo-Castillo Jéssica
Published: July 2022

La necesidad de profundizar sobre el papel de las mujeres en la industria audiovisual resulta urgente. Tanto la participación directa en el sector como la representación que se realiza de ellas en los contenidos generados han demostrado ser un elemento básico para la mejora de su papel social. De hecho, se confirma cómo la implicación de las mujeres en el audiovisual tiene consecuencias en la construcción de historias y narrativas e incluso en la selección y enfoque de temas, la construcción de personajes, de estereotipos, la asignación de roles y la asociación de valores, entre otros. Partiendo de esa premisa, en este caso proponemos recoger los avances realizados en torno a la generación de un modelo de clasificación de roles y estereotipos de género en la ficción. La revisión bibliográfica y el estudio de campo nos permitirá realizar una propuesta concreta que sirva de aplicación en el caso de la ficción española. De una forma concreta, como resultado del trabajo desarrollado, contamos con una herramienta funcional en forma de una tabla de roles y estereotipos que debería servir para clasificar de forma objetiva la representación de las mujeres en contenidos audiovisuales. El resultado es amplio y complejo entre otras cosas debido al sesgo negativo de las categorías. Esta visión supone una realidad recogida de los trabajos de las autoras analizadas y, por extensión, es un reflejo de la realidad analizada durante varias décadas.
Instrumentos y prácticas de transparencia periodística: un breve mapeo.
Authors: Naime Ferrari Juliana , Christofoletti Rogério
Published: July 2022

A transparência é um fenômeno social que afeta governos, empresas e o jornalismo. Desde a década de 1980, a transparência tem servido ao discurso de combate à corrupção e à promoção de abertura pública nos países do Ocidente. Sob este raciocínio, governos transparentes são publicamente responsáveis e podem ser monitorados pelos cidadãos. Já as empresas, se aproximam dos seus públicos e aumentam sua credibilidade no mercado. De forma análoga, também se espera que o jornalismo seja uma atividade mais aberta, conhecida e responsável. Jornalistas e meios de comunicação podem ser mais transparentes quando mostram como obtiveram informações, quando existem possíveis conflitos de interesse e revelam suas fontes ou temas sensíveis para o público. Pode-se dizer que há uma demanda social por mais visibilidade de atos do jornalismo. Este artigo visa a contribuir para a compreensão do tema da transparência oferecendo um breve mapeamento de iniciativas que são respostas do setor jornalístico ao problema da opacidade. Os casos mencionados são inovadores porque contradizem a lógica de ocultamento na indústria e redimensionam as relações do jornalismo com seu público. O mapeamento é exploratório e não exaustivo. Ele foi feito a partir de buscas em bancos de dados na internet, bibliografia de referência e indicações do mercado. O mapeamento se divide em três categorias: ações que levam à prestação de contas, ações que fortalecem a credibilidade jornalística e ações que conduzem a uma mudança nas práticas e procedimentos. Os resultados apontam para uma paisagem variada de iniciativas de transparência, mas ainda insuficientes para tornar o tema um comportamento frequente de jornalistas e meios de comunicação
Kafka, Roth y Buber: en torno a dos relatos (II).
Authors: Herrero-Velarde Gabriel Insausti
Published: July 2022

un diálogo entre “Ante la Ley” de Kafka y La leyenda del santo bebedor de Roth, dos relatos cuya datación casi coinciden literalmente con el periodo de entreguerras, propicia una comparación de interpretaciones en las que participan nombres tan eximios como Benjamin, Arendt, Mann, Scholem, Adorno, Steiner, Magris... En el contexto de los años veinte y treinta del siglo XX, ambos autores plantean una pregunta por la justicia que en manos de autores como Hugo Bergmann, Frank Rosenzweig y Martin Buber dio pie a un replanteamiento del judaísmo centroeuropeo, hoy casi olvidado, y a una revisión de la crisis de la modernidad europea en su conjunto
Interventional therapy of extracranial arteriovenous malformations of the head and neck—A systematic review
Authors: Lilje Daniel , Wiesmann Martin , Hasan Dimah , Riabikin Alexander , Ridwan Hani , Hölzle Frank , Nikoubashman Omid
Published: July 2022

Objectives

The primary aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the literature on interventional treatment for patients with extracranial AVM of the head and neck to identify a superior treatment. The secondary aim was to evaluate the methodological quality of associated articles published between 2000–2020.

Methods

The literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and scholar.google.com. Studies, meeting the acceptable reference standard underwent meta-analysis. All identified literature underwent methodological quality analysis.

Results

Of 1560 screened articles, 56 were included in the literature review. Appropriate diagnostic tests were reported in 98% of included articles. 13% of included articles did not specify the embolization agent. Outcome analysis varied throughout. 45% of the authors used radiographic imaging for follow-up. 77% specified the span of follow-up of their entire patient collective. Two articles met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. Curing rate of transarterial ethanol embolization for intraosseous AVM was 83% with a complication rate of 58%. Curing rate of ethanol combined with NBCA or Onyx in soft tissue AVM was 18% with a complication rate of 87%.

Conclusion

Our literature review revealed an absence of treatment or reporting standards for extracranial AVM of the head and neck. The meta-analysis is comprised of two articles and methodological quality is heterogeneous. We recommend implementing consistent reporting standards to facilitate comparability of studies and to provide robust data for the development of an evidence-based treatment strategy.

Advances in knowledge

Meta-analysis showed a favorable radiological outcome for intraosseous AVM when treated with intraarterial ethanol embolization. Our analysis demonstrated that the published data on extracranial AVMs of the head and neck is lacking in consistency and quality, prompting agreement for the need of standardized reporting on AVM treatments.
Knowledge of diabetes and associated factors in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa: A cross sectional study
Authors: Owolabi Eyitayo Omolara , Goon Daniel Ter , Ajayi Anthony Idowu , Adeniyi Oladele Vincent
Published: July 2022

Background

Diabetes management is complex and requires several lifestyle modifications and engagement in self-management behaviours to prevent complications and to improve health outcomes. Adequate disease knowledge is required in order to engage in appropriate self-management behaviours. Yet, patients’ knowledge of diabetes and associated factors are scarcely investigated. Context-specific data on diabetes knowledge are crucial for designing appropriate interventions for improving knowledge and treatment outcomes. This study examined the level of diabetes knowledge and its associated factors among persons with diabetes in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 399 individuals attending diabetes care at six randomly selected primary healthcare facilities in Eastern Cape. Demographic data were obtained through questionnaire interviews while diabetes knowledge was assessed using the validated Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to assess the mean diabetes knowledge and its associated factors.

Results

Participants’ median age was 63 (IQR: 54–70) years, and the median diabetes duration was 6 (IQR: 3–13) years. From a total score of 20, participants’ knowledge of diabetes ranged from 0 to 17 with an average score of 7.5 (SD±2.2). After controlling for relevant covariates, being employed was positively associated with higher diabetes knowledge (p<0.001). However, health facility level was negatively associated with diabetes knowledge (p = 0.001). Participants receiving care at the community healthcare centres had a lower level of diabetes knowledge compared to those receiving care at the primary healthcare clinics.

Conclusion

There was a low level of knowledge on the various components of diabetes management among individuals with diabetes in this setting. Therefore, context-specific interventions to improve the knowledge of diabetes is required and should target unemployed individuals and the community health centres in the region.
Smoking is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, disease severity, and mortality among patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infections
Authors: Poudel Ram , Daniels Lori B. , DeFilippis Andrew P. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Khan Yosef , Keith Rachel J. , Kumar Revanthy Sampath , Strokes Andrew C. , Robertson Rose Marie , Bhatnagar Aruni
Published: July 2022

The clinical sequalae of SARS-CoV-2 infection are in part dependent upon age and pre-existing health conditions. Although the use of tobacco products decreases cardiorespiratory fitness while increasing susceptibility to microbial infections, limited information is available on how smoking affects COVID-19 severity. Therefore, we examined whether smokers hospitalized for COVID-19 are at a greater risk for developing severe complications than non-smokers. Data were from all hospitalized adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection from the American Heart Association’s Get-With-The-Guidelines COVID-19 Registry, from January 2020 to March 2021, which is a hospital-based voluntary national registry initiated in 2019 with 122 participating hospitals across the United States. Patients who reported smoking at the time of admission were classified as smokers. Severe outcome was defined as either death or the use of mechanical ventilation. Of the 31,545 patients in the cohort, 6,717 patients were 1:2 propensity matched (for age, sex, race, medical history, medications, and time-frame of hospital admission) and classified as current smokers or non-smokers according to admission data. In multivariable analyses, after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, medication use, and the time of hospital admission, patients self-identified as current smokers had higher adjusted odds of death (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.41; 95% CI, 1.21–1.64), the use of mechanical ventilation (aOR 1.15; 95% CI 1.01–1.32), and increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI 1.05–1.52). Independent of sociodemographic characteristics and medical history, smoking was associated with a higher risk of severe COVID-19, including death.
Physical activity, sedentary behaviors and all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure: Findings from the NHANES 2007–2014
Authors: Kim Youngdeok , Canada Justin M. , Kenyon Jonathan , Billingsley Hayley , Arena Ross , Lavie Carl J. , Carbone Salvatore
Published: July 2022

Background

Limited data are available examining the effects of both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) on longevity among patients with heart failure (HF). This study examined the associations of MVPA and SB with all-cause mortality in HF patients using a nationally representative survey data.

Methods

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (2007–2014) were used. 711 adults with self-reported congestive HF, linked to 2015 mortality data were analyzed. Self-reported MVPA and SB minutes were used to create the three MVPA [No-MVPA, insufficient (I-MVPA; <150 min/wk), and sufficient (S-MVPA; ≥150 min/wk)] and two SB (<8 and ≥8 hrs/d) groups. Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to test the associations of MVPA and SB with all-cause mortality.

Results

119 deaths occurred over an average of 4.9 years of follow-up. Lower MVPA and higher SB were independently associated with poor survival (P < .001). Joint and stratified analyses showed that the protective effect of MVPA was most pronounced among patients with SB<8 hrs/d. There was no difference in the mortality risk by SB levels within I-MVPA and S-MVPA groups; however, in the No-MVPA group, those with SB≥8 hrs/d had a greater risk of mortality compared to those with <8 hrs/d (Hazard ratio = 1.60).

Conclusion

In this HF cohort, MVPA and SB were independently and jointly associated with all-cause mortality. The beneficial effect of MVPA is attenuated by excessive SB; however, engaging in some amount of MVPA may provide a protective effect and attenuates the detrimental effects associated with excessive SB.
Comparison of approaches for source attribution of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in Germany
Authors: Perestrelo Sara , Correia Carreira Guido , Valentin Lars , Fischer Jennie , Pfeifer Yvonne , Werner Guido , Schmiedel Judith , Falgenhauer Linda , Imirzalioglu Can , Chakraborty Trinad , Käsbohrer Annemarie
Published: July 2022

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia (E.) coli have been widely described as the cause of treatment failures in humans around the world. The origin of human infections with these microorganisms is discussed controversially and in most cases hard to identify. Since they pose a relevant risk to human health, it becomes crucial to understand their sources and the transmission pathways. In this study, we analyzed data from different studies in Germany and grouped ESBL-producing E. coli from different sources and human cases into subtypes based on their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics (ESBL-genotype, E. coli phylogenetic group and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance pattern). Then, a source attribution model was developed in order to attribute the human cases to the considered sources. The sources were from different animal species (cattle, pig, chicken, dog and horse) and also from patients with nosocomial infections. The human isolates were gathered from community cases which showed to be colonized with ESBL-producing E. coli. We used the attribution model first with only the animal sources (Approach A) and then additionally with the nosocomial infections (Approach B). We observed that all sources contributed to the human cases, nevertheless, isolates from nosocomial infections were more related to those from human cases than any of the other sources. We identified subtypes that were only detected in the considered animal species and others that were observed only in the human population. Some subtypes from the human cases could not be allocated to any of the sources from this study and were attributed to an unknown source. Our study emphasizes the importance of human-to-human transmission of ESBL-producing E. coli and the different role that pets, livestock and healthcare facilities may play in the transmission of these resistant bacteria. The developed source attribution model can be further used to monitor future trends. A One Health approach is necessary to develop source attribution models further to integrate also wildlife, environmental as well as food sources in addition to human and animal data.
Decision support through risk cost estimation in 30-day hospital unplanned readmission
Authors: Arnal Laura , Pons-Suñer Pedro , Navarro-Cerdán J. Ramón , Ruiz-Valls Pablo , Caballero Mateos Mª Jose , Valdivieso Martínez Bernardo , Perez-Cortes Juan-Carlos
Published: July 2022

Unplanned hospital readmissions mean a significant burden for health systems. Accurately estimating the patient’s readmission risk could help to optimise the discharge decision-making process by smartly ordering patients based on a severity score, thus helping to improve the usage of clinical resources. A great number of heterogeneous factors can influence the readmission risk, which makes it highly difficult to be estimated by a human agent. However, this score could be achieved with the help of AI models, acting as aiding tools for decision support systems. In this paper, we propose a machine learning classification and risk stratification approach to assess the readmission problem and provide a decision support system based on estimated patient risk scores.
Glutathione reactivity with aliphatic polyisocyanates
Authors: Wisnewski Adam V. , Liu Jian
Published: July 2022

Isocyanate chemicals known to cause adverse health effects when inhaled are essential to making important products and are used in multiple industries. Glutathione (GSH), a major antioxidant of the lower airways with a well described role in xenobiotic metabolism, is a primary reaction target for di-isocyantes. However, GSHs reactivity with poly-isocyanates which have largely replaced diisocyanates (particularly aliphatic) in most end-user settings remains uncertain. We hypothesized aliphatic polyisocyanates would readily react with glutathione under physiologic conditions and the products could be identified using liquid chromatography (LC) coupled-mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem MS/MS. The data identified (tris)GSH-isocyanate adducts as the major reaction product of GSH with the most commonly used contemporary polymeric (tri-isocyanate) formulations of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), the isocyanurate and biuret, as [M+H]+ ions of 1426.53 and 1400.55 m/z respectively in reverse phase LC-MS using electrospray in positive ion mode. The uretdione form of HDI, a stabilized dimer, formed two reaction products with GSH, a tris(GSH)-isocyanate reaction product recognized as a 1258.44 m/z [M+H]+ ion, and a bis(GSH)-isocyanate product identified as a 951.36 m/z [M+H]+ ion. Predicted structures for the newly described GSH-polyisocyanate reaction products, modeled based on collision induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation patterns in tandem MS/MS, support S-linkage of the GSH to N = C = O groups. In summary, industrially-used aliphatic polyisocyanates readily react with GSH to form primarily S-linked tris(GSH)-conjugates, a process that may play an important role in response to respiratory tract exposure.
Effect of irrigation with treated wastewater on bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) production and soil characteristics and estimation of plant nutritional input
Authors: Licata Mario , Farruggia Davide , Iacuzzi Nicolò , Leto Claudio , Tuttolomondo Teresa , Di Miceli Giuseppe
Published: July 2022

In recent years, climate change has greatly affected rainfall and air temperature levels leading to a reduction in water resources in Southern Europe. This fact has emphasized the need to focus on the use of non-conventional water resources for agricultural irrigation. The reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) can represent a sustainable solution, reducing the consumption of freshwater (FW) and the need for mineral fertilisers. The main aim of this study was to assess, in a three-year period, the effects of TWW irrigation compared to FW on the biomass production of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] plants and soil characteristics and to estimate the nutritional input provided by TWW irrigation. TWW was obtained by a constructed wetland system (CWs) which was used to treat urban wastewater. The system had a total surface area of 100 m2. An experimental field of bermudagrass was set up close to the system in a Sicilian location (Italy), using a split-plot design for a two-factor experiment with three replications. Results highlighted a high organic pollutant removal [five days biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5): 61%, chemical oxygen demand (COD): 65%] and a good efficiency in nutrients [total nitrogen (TN): 50%, total phosphorus (TP): 42%] of the CWs. Plants irrigated with TWW showed higher dry aboveground dry-weight (1259.3 kg ha-1) than those irrigated with FW (942.2 kg ha-1), on average. TWW irrigation approximately allowed a saving of 50.0 kg TN ha-1 year-1, 24.0 kg TP ha-1 year-1 and 29.0 kg K ha-1 year-1 on average with respect to commonly used N-P-K fertilisation programme for bermudagrass in the Mediterranean region. Soil salinity increased significantly (p ≤ 0.01) over the years and was detected to be higher in TWW-irrigated plots (+6.34%) in comparison with FW-irrigated plots. Our findings demonstrate that medium-term TWW irrigation increases the biomass production of bermudagrass turf and contributes to save significant amounts of nutrients, providing a series of agronomic and environmental benefits.
Effect of exercise training after bariatric surgery: A 5-year follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bellicha Alice , Ciangura Cecile , Roda Celina , Torcivia Adriana , Aron-Wisnewsky Judith , Poitou Christine , Oppert Jean-Michel
Published: July 2022

Background and objectives

We previously showed in a 6-month randomized controlled trial that resistance training and protein supplementation after bariatric surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, RYGB) improved muscle strength without significant effect on weight loss and body composition changes. We performed a 5-year follow-up study in these subjects with the aim 1) to assess the long-term effect of this exercise training intervention and 2) to analyze associations between habitual physical activity (PA) and weight regain at 5 years.

Methods

Fifty-four out of 76 initial participants (follow-up rate of 71%) completed the 5-year follow-up examination (controls, n = 17; protein supplementation, n = 22; protein supplementation and resistance training, n = 15). We measured body weight and composition (DXA), lower-limb strength (leg-press one-repetition maximum) and habitual PA (Actigraph accelerometers and self-report). Weight regain at 5 years was considered low when <10% of 12-month weight loss.

Results

Mean (SD) time elapse since RYGB was 5.7 (0.9) y. At 5 years, weight loss was 32.8 (10.1) kg, with a mean weight regain of 5.4 (SD 5.9) kg compared with the 12-month assessment. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) assessed by accelerometry did not change significantly compared with pre-surgery values (+5.2 [SD 21.7] min/d, P = 0.059), and only 4 (8.2%) patients reported participation in resistance training. Muscle strength decreased over time (overall mean [SD]: -49.9 [53.5] kg, respectively, P<0.001), with no statistically significant difference between exercise training intervention groups. An interquartile increase in MVPA levels was positively associated with lower weight regain (OR [95% CI]: 3.27 [1.41;9.86]).

Conclusions

Early postoperative participation in a resistance training protocol after bariatric surgery was not associated with improved muscle strength after 5 years of follow-up; however, increasing physical activity of at least moderate intensity may promote weight maintenance after surgery. PA may therefore play an important role in the long-term management of patients with obesity after undergoing bariatric procedure.
From Chinese independent cinema to art cinema: Convergence and divergence
Authors: Wu Lydia
Published: July 2022

With the decline of Chinese independent cinema, art cinema has grown at a fast pace since the mid-2010s in China. There has been a convergence as well as a divergence of independent cinema and art cinema facilitated by institutional reforms of the Chinese film industry. This article examines how small- to medium-sized film production companies work as market actors as well as intermediaries between independent filmmakers, the state and the market to co-opt independent cinema into an officially approved art cinema and activate the market potential of art cinema through engaging with the cultural economy. This officially approved art cinema is not construed as an alternative to, and a form of resistance to, the mainstream but as a booster for the industry. This article offers new insights into the interrelation of artistic, commercial and political interests and demonstrates how these interests shape meanings and modes of ‘independence’ and ‘art’ in contemporary global film industries.
A report on FIRST International Film Festival and an interview with young filmmakers
Authors: Ai Qi
Published: July 2022

The FIRST International Film Festival is an annual grand event for young Chinese film professionals who have just started their careers as film directors. Its current development situation highlights the festival’s importance in the pandemic context. This article is comprised of interviews with attendees at the festival, especially the competitors, and provides a lens through which to interrogate how Chinese young film professionals as neophytes adapt to the post-pandemic environment of the Chinese film industry. By seeking their views on film production, distribution and the festival, this article aims to reveal the state of the film industry during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic period, the current living situation of young Chinese film professionals, how these film professionals connect with the industry and market and how these connections impact on their filmmaking practices.
Predicting Bug-Fixing Time with Machine Learning - A Collaborative Filtering Approach
Authors: Rafael de Oliveira Rodrigues Bruno , Silva Parreiras Fernando
Published: July 2022

ABSTRACTPredicting bug-fixing time helps software managers and teams prioritizetasks, allocations and costs in software projects. In literature,machine learning (ML) models have been proposed to predict bugfixingtime. One of features highlighted by studies is the reporter(the person who open the bug) has positive influence in the timeto resolve a bug. In this way, this paper answers the following researchquestion: How does a collaborative filtering approach performin predicting bug-fixing time compared to the supervised machinelearning approaches? In order to answer this question we performedan experiment using collaborative filtering approach to recommendthe bugs that are fast to be resolved in two open software projects.We compare our proposed approach with the ML approach relatedto the literature. As a result, the collaborative filtering approachoutperforms the supervised ML achieving an F-measure of 74%while the supervised ML achieved 66%. The collaborative filteringapproach showed to be a new perspective to predict bug-fixing timein software projects focusing the prediction on the reporter.
Convolutional Neural Network and LSTM Applied To Abnormal Behaviour Detection From Highway Footage
Authors: Marinho de Andrade Rafael , Hideti Shiguemori Elcio , Duarte Coelho dos Santos Rafael
Published: July 2022

ABSTRACT Relying on computer vision, many clever things are possible in order to make the world safer and optimized on resource management, especially considering time and attention as manageable resources, once the modern world is very abundant in cameras from inside our pockets to above our heads while crossing the streets. Thus, automated solutions based on computer vision techniques to detect, react or even prevent relevant events such as robbery, car crashes and traffic jams can be accomplished and implemented for the sake of both logistical and surveillance improvements. In this paper, we present an approach for vehicles’ abnormal behaviours detection from highway footages, in which the vectorial data of the vehicles’ displacement are extracted directly from surveillance cameras footage through object detection and tracking with a deep convolutional neural network and inserted into a long-short term memory neural network for behaviour classification. The results show that the classifications of behaviours are consistent and the same principles may be applied on other trackable objects and scenarios as well.
Building a corpus from supermarket reviews in portuguese for document-level Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Takeo Friedrich Kuwaki Vinícius , Nepomuceno Ladeira Mateus , Giuliano Gutierrez Benitez Matias , Jorge Tramontin Junior Rui
Published: July 2022

ABSTRACTSentiment Analysis (SA) is a field of research within Natural LanguageProcessing that has been growing in the last decades dueto social media and smartphones popularization. Many SA applicationsmake use of a corpus: a collection of data in textual formused to train and/or test SA resources. This work describes theconstruction of a corpus intended for document-level SA. The corpuscontains reviews of supermarkets throughout Brazil, extractedfrom Google Places. The data were collected taking into accountthe Brazilian geographic distribution and linguistic variations, andwere carefully reviewed. The corpus was then evaluated using ak-fold cross-validation method applied in both machine learningand deep learning techniques in which precision, accuracy, recalland f1-score were collected and compared among the techniques.It was also tested by a lexical approach using a domain specificlexicon.
Criação de Narrativas através de um Sistema Multiagente
Authors: W. Herdt Jonath , L.S. Dazzi Rudimar
Published: July 2022

This paper presents a system with agents capable of achieving ob-jectives assigned to them by reading the environment in which they are inserted. A narrator capable of generating a textual narra-tive by observing the interactions and actions carried out by the agents was also developed , making it possible to create consis-tent and well-structured stories. To analyze the performance of the system, a survey was carried out. The levels of interest, coher-ence, predictability and creativity were evaluated on a scale from 1 to 5, which obtained average ratings of 3.10, 3.30, 2.26 and 3.56,respectively.
Object Recognition to Support Navigation Systems for Blind in Uncontrolled Environments
Authors: Marcon Marlon , Roberto Ortoncelli André
Published: July 2022

Efficient navigation is a challenge for visually impaired people. Several technologies combine sensors, cameras, or feedback chan-nels to increase the autonomy and mobility of visually impaired people. Still, many existing systems are expensive and complexto a blind person’s needs. This work presents a dataset for indoornavigation purposes with annotated ground-truth representingreal-world situations. We also performed a study on the efficiencyof deep-learning-based approaches on such dataset. These resultsrepresent initial efforts to develop a real-time navigation systemfor visually impaired people in uncontrolled indoor environments.We analyzed the use of video-based object recognition algorithms for the automatic detection of five groups of objects: i) fire extin-guisher; ii) emergency sign; iii) attention sign; iv) internal sign, and v) other. We produced an experimental database with 20 minutesand 6 seconds of videos recorded by a person walking throughthe corridors of the largest building on campus. In addition to thetesting database, other contributions of this work are the study onthe efficiency of five state-of-the-art deep-learning-based models(YOLO-v3, YOLO-v3 tiny, YOLO-v4, YOLO-v4 tiny, and YOLO-v4scaled), achieving results above 82% performance in uncontrolledenvironments, reaching up to 93% with YOLO-v4. It was possible toprocess between 62 and 371 Frames Per Second (FPS) concerning thespeed, being the YOLO-v4 tiny architecture, the fastest one. Codeand dataset available at: https://github.com/ICDI/navigation4blind.
Análise da Política de Privacidade com a LGPD
Authors: Martins Razera Tatiele , Brancher Almada Vinícius , Soares Nascimento Vinícius , Gussella de Araújo Martins Gabriel , Camillo Junior Ademir
Published: July 2022

As the number of Internet accesses increases, so does theamount of data the amount of data collected by web portalsalso increases, requiring attention to ensure the privacy andsecurity of the information. of the information. Aiming tocontrol this data, law Law No. 13,709, sanctioned in 2020,the General Law of Data Protection data (LGPD), createdbased on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Toevaluate the compliance of websites a checklist was appliedto sites in different categories. It was noticed that the portalsare seeking adaptations to compliance with the LGPD, butimprovements are needed to to meet all the needs of the law.
A relevância de projetos como o Meninas Digitais no Cerrado para a diversidade de gênero na computação brasileira
Authors: Luiz de Farias Sara , Santos de Santana Thalia , Bonacin Braga Ramayane , Da Silva Garcia Gabryella , Do Carmo Louzada Natália , Honorato Braga Adriano
Published: July 2022

Gender diversity is crucial for reducing biases in the developmentof products and solutions. In this sense, the inclusion of women intechnological areas is essential for creating technologies thatrepresent more variety perspectives. Thsi article presents theachievements ofa project of female empowerment in computingduring five years, as well as the importance of the actions carriedout uo promote a greater gender diversity in IT - InformationTechnology. The results consolidate the project corroborate theawakening of collective feeling of belonging, as well as thepermanence and success in technical and higher education levels,similar to other initiaves developed nationally and internationally