bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biallelic variants in CHST3 cause Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia with joint dislocations in three Pakistani kindreds
Authors: Kausar Mehran , Ain Noor Ul , Hayat Farzana , Fatima Hunain , Azim Saad , Ullah Hazrat , Mushtaq Murva , Khalid Sumbal , Hussain Shahid , Naz Sadaf , Janjua Jamal , Amjad Saad Bin , Baig Ruqia Mehmood , Makitie Outi , Qamar Raheel , Ikegawa Shiro , Gen Nishimura , Khor Chiea Chuen , Foo Jia Nee , Siddiqi Saima
Published: August 2022

Background

Skeletal dysplasia is a heterogeneous group of disorders. Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasias comprise one subgroup. Deficiency of carbohydrate sulfotransferase 3 has been reported in a small number of patients with recessively inherited spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia with joint dislocation, short stature and scoliosis. We report here molecular and clinical findings of affected individuals in three consanguineous Pakistani families. Affected individuals in all three families had a uniform phenotype including severe short stature, multiple dislocated joints, progressive scoliosis and facial dysmorphism.

Methods

Clinical evaluation was done for three unrelated families. Radiological survey of bones was completed for patients from two of the families. Whole exome sequencing index patients from each family was performed followed by Sanger sequencing for validation of segregation of identified variants in respective families. In-silico analysis for determining pathogenicity of identified variants and conservation was done.

Results

Whole-exome sequencing revealed biallelic variants c.590 T > C;p.(Leu197Pro), c.603C > A;p.(Tyr201Ter) and c.661C > T;p.(Arg221Cys) in CHST3 (NM_004273.5) in the three families with eight, five and two affected individuals, respectively. Contrary to previous reports, affected individuals in none of the families exhibited a hearing loss.

Conclusion

We describe genotypic and phenotypic findings of three unrelated families with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. Our study confirms phenotypic variability and adds to the genotypic spectrum of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia.
Coping strategies and their association with diabetes specific distress, depression and diabetes self-care among people living with diabetes in Zambia
Authors: Hapunda Given
Published: August 2022

Objectives

Utilising coping strategies to reduce and manage the intensity of negative and distressing emotions caused by diabetes is essential. However, little is known about the use of coping strategies among people living with diabetes in Sub-Saharan African countries like Zambia. This study investigates coping strategies used by people with diabetes in Zambia and how these are associated with diabetes-specific emotional distress, depression and diabetes self-care.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from 157 people with diabetes aged between 12 and 68 years were collected. Of the 157, 59% were people with type 1 diabetes and 37% with type 2 diabetes. About 4% had missing information in their record but had either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Coping styles were measured using the Brief Version of the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE), diabetes specific-distress using the Problem Areas in Diabetes, depression using the Major Depression Inventory and self-care using the Diabetes Self-Care scale.

Results

Data showed that adaptive coping strategies such as religious coping, acceptance among others, were the most frequently used coping strategies among Zambian individuals with diabetes. Maladaptive coping strategies e.g., self-blame and self-distraction were related to increased diabetes specific-distress and depression. Emotional support was related to better diabetes self-care, while self-blame was related to poor diabetes self-care.

Conclusion

There is need to help individuals with diabetes identify adaptive strategies that work best for them in order to improve their quality of life.
Point-of-care ultrasound training for residents in anaesthesia and critical care: results of a national survey comparing residents and training program directors’ perspectives
Authors: Mongodi Silvia , Bonomi Francesca , Vaschetto Rosanna , Robba Chiara , Salve Giulia , Volta Carlo Alberto , Bignami Elena , Vetrugno Luigi , Corradi Francesco , Maggiore Salvatore Maurizio , Pelosi Paolo , Mojoli Francesco
Published: August 2022

Background

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has become an essential tool for anaesthesia and critical care physicians and dedicated training is mandatory. This survey describes the current state of Italian residency training programs through the comparison of residents’ and directors’ perspective.

Methods

Observational prospective cross-sectional study: 12-question national e-survey sent to Italian directors of anaesthesia and critical care residency programs (N = 40) and residents (N = 3000). Questions focused on POCUS teaching (vascular access, transthoracic echocardiography, focused assessment for trauma, transcranial Doppler, regional anaesthesia, lung and diaphragm ultrasound), organization (dedicated hours, teaching tools, mentors), perceived adequacy/importance of the training and limiting factors.

Results

Five hundred seventy-one residents and 22 directors completed the survey. Bedside teaching (59.4–93.2%) and classroom lessons (29.7–54.4%) were the most frequent teaching tools. Directors reported higher participation in research projects (p < 0.05 for all techniques but focused assessment for trauma) and simulation (p < 0.05 for all techniques but transthoracic echocardiography). Use of online teaching was limited (< 10%); however, 87.4% of residents used additional web-based tools. Consultants were the most frequent mentors, with different perspectives between residents (72.0%) and directors (95.5%; p = 0.013). Residents reported self-training more frequently (48.5 vs. 9.1%; p < 0.001). Evaluation was mainly performed at the bedside; a certification was not available in most cases (< 10%). Most residents perceived POCUS techniques as extremely important. Residents underestimated the relevance given by directors to ultrasound skills in their evaluation and the minimal number of exams required to achieve basic competency. Overall, the training was considered adequate for vascular access only (62.2%). Directors mainly agreed on the need of ultrasound teaching improvement in all fields. Main limitations were the absence of a standardized curriculum for residents and limited mentors’ time/expertise for directors.

Conclusion

POCUS education is present in Italian anaesthesia and critical care residency programs, although with potential for improvement. Significant discrepancies between residents’ and directors’ perspectives were identified.
Evaluation and optimization of novel extraction algorithms for the automatic detection of atrial activations recorded within the pulmonary veins during atrial fibrillation
Authors: Prudat Yann , Luca Adrian , Yazdani Sasan , Derval Nicolas , Jaïs Pierre , Roten Laurent , Berte Benjamin , Pruvot Etienne , Vesin Jean-Marc , Pascale Patrizio
Published: August 2022

Background and objective

The automated detection of atrial activations (AAs) recorded from intracardiac electrograms (IEGMs) during atrial fibrillation (AF) is challenging considering their various amplitudes, morphologies and cycle length. Activation time estimation is further complicated by the constant changes in the IEGM active zones in complex and/or fractionated signals. We propose a new method which provides reliable automatic extraction of intracardiac AAs recorded within the pulmonary veins during AF and an accurate estimation of their local activation times.

Methods

First, two recently developed algorithms were evaluated and optimized on 118 recordings of pulmonary vein IEGM taken from 35 patients undergoing ablation of persistent AF. The adaptive mathematical morphology algorithm (AMM) uses an adaptive structuring element to extract AAs based on their morphological features. The relative-energy algorithm (Rel-En) uses short- and long-term energies to enhance and detect the AAs in the IEGM signals. Second, following the AA extraction, the signal amplitude was weighted using statistics of the AA sequences in order to reduce over- and undersensing of the algorithms. The detection capacity of our algorithms was compared with manually annotated activations and with two previously developed algorithms based on the Teager–Kaiser energy operator and the AF cycle length iteration, respectively. Finally, a method based on the barycenter was developed to reduce artificial variations in the activation annotations of complex IEGM signals.

Results

The best detection was achieved using Rel-En, yielding a false negative rate of 0.76% and a false positive rate of only 0.12% (total error rate 0.88%) against expert annotation. The post-processing further reduced the total error rate of the Rel-En algorithm by 70% (yielding to a final total error rate of 0.28%).

Conclusion

The proposed method shows reliable detection and robust temporal annotation of AAs recorded within pulmonary veins in AF. The method has low computational cost and high robustness for automatic detection of AAs, which makes it a suitable approach for online use in a procedural context.
Assessment of knowledge, practices, and barriers to pharmacovigilance among nurses at a teaching hospital, Ghana: a cross‑sectional study
Authors: Adu-Gyamfi Paa Kofi Tawiah , Mensah Kwesi Boadu , Ocansey Joseph , Moomin Aliu , Danso Bright Owusu , Agyapong Frank , Jnr Reginald Arthur-Mensah
Published: August 2022

Background

Pharmacovigilance may be defined as the continuous monitoring of the reaction between a drug agent or combination of drugs a patient took and steps taken to prevent any associated risk. Clinical trials conducted before drug approval cannot uncover every aspect of the health hazards of approved drugs. People with carefully selected characteristics are monitored for the safety and efficacy of the drug; hence, common adverse drug reactions (ADRs) following proper use of the medication can be detected. This calls for continuous monitoring of drugs to report any undocumented ADRs during the clinical trial. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, practice, and barriers to pharmacovigilance among nurses at a teaching hospital.

Methods

The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study, and a stratified sampling technique was used to select 125 nurses within the three units: medical, surgical, and pediatric wards. A structured questionnaire was developed and used for data collection based on the study's objectives and reviewed literature.

Results

The majority (67.2%) of the respondents were females, and 32.8% were males. Most (71.2%) of the nurses had low knowledge of ADR reporting procedures. Also, 84.8% of the nurses knew the purpose of reporting ADRs. The purpose of ADR reporting, as perceived by respondents, was to identify safe drugs (80.8%) and calculate the incidence of ADR (75.2%). Additionally, among the nurses who reported having nursed a patient with ADRs, 52.54% stated they reported the case, while 47.46% did not report it. The most cited reason for not reporting ADRs was that nurses considered the reaction normal and commonly associated with that medicine (35.7%). In comparison, 28.5% of the nurses said they did not know they were supposed to report the adverse drug reaction. There was no statistically significant difference between ranks of nurses, ward, attending in-service training, and pharmacovigilance practice.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nurses in this study had inadequate knowledge of pharmacovigilance and its reporting procedure. The study found that most nurses fear that reporting ADRs may be wrong because most of the nurses in the study did not have any form of pharmacovigilance training.
Competencies and needs of nurse educators and clinical mentors for teaching in the digital age – a multi-institutional, cross-sectional study
Authors: Jobst Stefan , Lindwedel Ulrike , Marx Helga , Pazouki Ronja , Ziegler Sven , König Peter , Kugler Christiane , Feuchtinger Johanna
Published: August 2022

Background

The impact of technology and digitalization on health care systems will transform the nursing profession worldwide. Nurses need digital competencies to integrate new technology in their professional activities. Nurse educators play a crucial role in promoting the acquisition of digital competences and therefore need to be digitally competent themselves. Research on digital competencies of nursing educators is scarce but suggests lack of digital knowledge and skills and support needs. Although digitalization is to be seen as a global process, regional contexts need to be taken into account, such as pre-existing competencies, local conditions, and individual needs. Thus, it remains unclear which competencies nurse educators possess and which support needs they have.

Aim of this study was to assess nurse educators’ and clinical mentors’ digital competencies and explore their needs and requirements concerning the digital aspects of their pedagogy and teaching activities in Germany.

Methods

A descriptive exploratory study with a cross-sectional design was conducted. Participants were identified using a convenience sampling approach. Data were collected during July and September 2020 using a standardized self-reported questionnaire that was developed specifically for this study. The questionnaire was provided in a paper and online format and participants could decide which format to use. It contained open- and closed-ended questions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and content analysis. Additionally, explorative subgroup analyses based on job designation, age, and gender were performed. Reporting of this study adhered to the STROBE checklist.

Results

A total of 169 educating nurses participated in the survey. The respondents considered themselves as digitally competent and showed a positive attitude towards the integration of digital technology in their teaching activities. Their perceived preparedness to integrate digital technology into teaching and training varied. Almost all respondents (98%) declared a need for further training and seemed motivated to participate in corresponding educational events. There were some indications for differences in competencies or needs between subgroups.

Conclusions

Educating nurses appear to possess basic digital competencies but there is a need to support their professional development in terms of new technologies. Findings can be used as a basis for developing supportive interventions. Further qualitative investigations could inform the design and content of such interventions.
Identification of COVID-19 patients at risk of hospital admission and mortality: a European multicentre retrospective analysis of mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin
Authors: Sozio Emanuela , Moore Nathan A. , Fabris Martina , Ripoli Andrea , Rumbolo Francesca , Minieri Marilena , Boverio Riccardo , Rodríguez Mulero María Dolores , Lainez-Martinez Sara , Martínez Martínez Mónica , Calvo Dolores , Gregoriano Claudia , Williams Rebecca , Brazzi Luca , Terrinoni Alessandro , Callegari Tiziana , Hernández Olivo Marta , Esteban-Torrella Patricia , Calcerrada Ismael , Bernasconi Luca , Kidd Stephen P. , Sbrana Francesco , Miguens Iria , Gordon Kirsty , Visentini Daniela , Legramante Jacopo M. , Bassi Flavio , Cortes Nicholas , Montrucchio Giorgia , Di Lecce Vito N. , Lauritano Ernesto C. , García de Guadiana-Romualdo Luis , González del Castillo Juan , Bernal-Morell Enrique , Andaluz-Ojeda David , Schuetz Philipp , Curcio Francesco , Tascini Carlo , Saeed Kordo
Published: August 2022

Background

Mid-Regional pro-Adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) is an inflammatory biomarker that improves the prognostic assessment of patients with sepsis, septic shock and organ failure. Previous studies of MR-proADM have primarily focussed on bacterial infections. A limited number of small and monocentric studies have examined MR-proADM as a prognostic factor in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, however there is need for multicenter validation. An evaluation of its utility in predicting need for hospitalisation in viral infections was also performed.

Methods

An observational retrospective analysis of 1861 patients, with SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by RT-qPCR, from 10 hospitals across Europe was performed. Biomarkers, taken upon presentation to Emergency Departments (ED), clinical scores, patient demographics and outcomes were collected. Multiclass random forest classifier models were generated as well as calculation of area under the curve analysis. The primary endpoint was hospital admission with and without death.

Results

Patients suitable for safe discharge from Emergency Departments could be identified through an MR-proADM value of ≤ 1.02 nmol/L in combination with a CRP (C-Reactive Protein) of ≤ 20.2 mg/L and age ≤ 64, or in combination with a SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) score < 2 if MR-proADM was ≤ 0.83 nmol/L regardless of age. Those at an increased risk of mortality could be identified upon presentation to secondary care with an MR-proADM value of > 0.85 nmol/L, in combination with a SOFA score ≥ 2 and LDH > 720 U/L, or in combination with a CRP > 29.26 mg/L and age ≤ 64, when MR-proADM was > 1.02 nmol/L.

Conclusions

This international study suggests that for patients presenting to the ED with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, MR-proADM in combination with age and CRP or with the patient’s SOFA score could identify patients at low risk where outpatient treatment may be safe.
Constrictive pericarditis caused by viral myocarditis in children: a brief report
Authors: Lei Haiyan , Wang Dandan , Wang Haiyong , Xu Yuansheng
Published: August 2022

Background

Constrictive pericarditis is more common in adults and has a low incidence in children. Here is a case of coxsackie virus induced myocarditis in children, resulting in constrictive pericarditis.

Conclusion

Chronic inflammation of viral myocarditis can cause inflammatory changes of pericarditis and cause constrictive pericarditis.
Secretion of collagenases by Saccharomyces cerevisiae for collagen degradation
Authors: Xiao Han , Liu Xiufang , Feng Yunzi , Zheng Lin , Zhao Mouming , Huang Mingtao
Published: August 2022

Background

The production and processing of animal-based products generates many collagen-rich by-products, which have received attention both for exploitation to increase their added value and to reduce their negative environmental impact. The collagen-rich by-products can be hydrolyzed by collagenases for further utilization. Therefore, collagenases are of benefit for efficient collagen materials processing. An alternative and safe way to produce secreted collagenases is needed.

Results

Two collagenases from Hathewaya histolytica, ColG and ColH, were successfully secreted by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Compared with the native signal peptide of collagenase, the α-factor leader is more efficient in guiding collagenase secretion. Collagenase secretion was significantly increased in YPD medium by supplementing with calcium and zinc ions. Recombinant collagenase titers reached 68 U/mL and 55 U/mL for ColG and ColH, respectively. Collagenase expression imposed metabolic perturbations on yeast cells; substrate consumption, metabolites production and intracellular cofactor levels changed in engineered strains. Both recombinant collagenases from yeast could hydrolyze soluble and insoluble collagen materials. Recombinant ColG and ColH showed a synergistic effect on efficient collagen digestion.

Conclusions

Sufficient calcium and zinc ions are essential for active collagenase production by yeast. Collagenase secretion was increased by optimization of expression cassettes. Collagenase expression imposed metabolic burden and cofactor perturbations on yeast cells, which could be improved through metabolic engineering. Our work provides a useful way to produce collagenases for collagen resource utilization.

Graphical Abstract
OXTR DNA methylation differentiates men on the obesity spectrum with and without binge eating disorder
Authors: Giel Katrin Elisabeth , Schag Kathrin , Leehr Elisabeth Johanna , Mack Isabelle , Schuster Lea-Sarah , Wiegand Ariane , Zipfel Stephan , Hallschmid Manfred , Nieratschker Vanessa
Published: August 2022

Background

The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) plays a role in the regulation of eating behavior and metabolism. OXT functioning is altered in patients with eating and weight disorders, and a variant of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been associated with impulsive eating behavior as it is seen in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Gene × environment interactions could play a role in BED. One mechanism mediating this interaction is the epigenetic alteration of gene expression. We therefore investigated if DNA methylation of the OXTR differs between individuals with obesity depending on a comorbid BED. We analyzed DNA methylation of the OXTR in peripheral blood of 227 individuals on the obesity spectrum (mean age: 40.3 ± 13.1 yrs; mean BMI: 38.6 ± 7.3 kg/m2), 130 of which were diagnosed with BED.

Results

There were no overall differences in OXTR methylation between participants with and those without BED (p > 0.05), while both subgroups were comparable regarding age and body mass index (BMI), but significantly differed in sex distribution (p = 0.035). We found no relationship between mean DNA methylation and BMI or self-reported eating disorder (ED) pathology. Analyzing potential sex differences revealed a significantly lower OXTR DNA methylation in male participants with BED as compared to those without BED (p = 0.017). No such difference was found in the female subsample (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Clinically significant binge eating pathology might be associated with lower OXTR DNA methylation exclusively in males. The differential DNA methylation of OXTR in males with BED supports the view that BED represents a phenotype within the obesity spectrum that is characterized by specific vulnerability factors. A better understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of the OXT system might contribute to the refinement of OXT administration approaches as potential interventions in eating and weight disorders.
Childhood allergic diseases across geographical regions of Kandy and Anuradhapura districts of Sri Lanka; where do the rates stand among other regions: experience from Global asthma network Phase 1 study
Authors: Ranasinghe Jagath C. , Karunarathne Ruchira R. , Munasinghe Thilini S. , Vidanapathirana Gihani U. , Kudagammna Sanath T.
Published: August 2022

Background

Asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema have been identified as the most prevalent childhood allergic diseases. However, the prevalence of these allergic diseases can vary in different regions within a country and in the world.

Methods

The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in schoolchildren in the Kandy and Anuradhapura districts of Sri Lanka. This was a multicentre cross sectional study carried out among children of age 6–7 years and 13–14 years attending state schools fulfilling the entry criteria of the Global Asthma Network Phase 1 study methodology.

Results

A total of 3673 children of 6–7 years and 4658 children of 13–14 years were recruited. The prevalence of current asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema were 12% (CI 10.44–13.75), 15.7% (CI 13.94–17.64) and 9.7% (CI 8.30–11.31) among 6–7 years age group and 15.3% (CI 13.66–17.09), 30.5% (CI 28.86–32.74) and 7.3% (CI 6.15–8.65) respectively among the 13–14 age group in Kandy district. The reported prevalence rates of the disease conditions were 9.9% (CI 8.72–11.22), 10.1% (CI 8.90–11.44) and 5.9% (CI 4.98–6.98) among 6–7 years age group and 14.9% (CI 13.67–16.22), 22.5% (CI 21.04–24.03) and 1.8% (CI 1.38–2.34) in the 13–14 years age group in Anuradhapura district. When comparing these prevalence rates, there is relatively a higher prevalence of childhood allergic diseases in Kandy district. This difference is statistically significant in all three allergic disease conditions (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Prevalence of allergic diseases in Anuradhapura is closer to reported data in the previous studies. There is relatively higher prevalence of childhood allergic diseases among children in Kandy district.
TRIM22 suppresses Zika virus replication by targeting NS1 and NS3 for proteasomal degradation
Authors: Zu Shulong , Li Chunfeng , Li Lili , Deng Yong-Qiang , Chen Xiang , Luo Dan , Ye Qing , Huang Yi-Jiao , Li Xiao-Feng , Zhang Rong-Rong , Sun Nina , Zhang Xianqi , Aliyari Saba R. , Nielsen-Saines Karin , Jung Jae U. , Yang Heng , Qin Cheng-Feng , Cheng Genhong
Published: August 2022

Background

Recognition of viral invasion by innate antiviral immune system triggers activation of the type I interferon (IFN-I) and proinflammatory signaling pathways. Subsequently, IFN-I induction regulates expression of a group of genes known as IFN-I-stimulated genes (ISGs) to block viral infection. The tripartite motif containing 22 (TRIM22) is an ISG with strong antiviral functions.

Results

Here we have shown that the TRIM22 has been strongly upregulated both transcriptionally and translationally upon Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. ZIKV infection is associated with a wide range of clinical manifestations in human from mild to severe symptoms including abnormal fetal brain development. We found that the antiviral function of TRIM22 plays a crucial role in counterattacking ZIKV infection. Overexpression of TRIM22 protein inhibited ZIKV growth whereas deletion of TRIM22 in host cells increased ZIKV infectivity. Mechanistically, TRIM22, as a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase, promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of ZIKV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) and nonstructural protein 3 (NS3). Further studies showed that the SPRY domain and Ring domain of TRIM22 played important roles in protein interaction and degradation, respectively. In addition, we found that TRIM22 also inhibited other flaviviruses infection including dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV).

Conclusion

Thus, TRIM22 is an ISG with important role in host defense against flaviviruses through binding and degradation of the NS1 and NS3 proteins.
The construction of a new Clinical Quality of Life Scale (CLINQOL)
Authors: Jones Patrick , Drummond Peter
Published: August 2022

Whilst the variables in quality of life and well-being can be separated into objective and subjective domains, there remains a dearth of multiple utility instruments that assess their impact upon quality of life. To address this, ten domains were identified in a preliminary exploratory literature search, and an exploratory review generated enough facets to represent each domain, with items developed to form a composite scale. A principal components analysis run on data collected from 210 participants produced seven factors: relationships, work, money, health, leisure, and life management, with the remaining four domains subsuming into a seventh composite subjective factor (mental state). Final items were collated into the new Clinical Quality of Life Scale (CLINQOL) and were tested against the Assessment of Quality of Life Instrument, the Personal Wellbeing Index–Adult, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, the Satisfaction with Life scale, and the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale. The CLINQOL demonstrated suitable reliability, with items within each category forming internally consistent subscales. The full scale score demonstrated satisfactory test–retest reliability and concurrent validity, correlating with all measures. Findings suggest that the CLINQOL captures critical clinical factors, and may be an acceptable instrument to assess quality of life and well-being.
SeparaFill: Two generators connected mural image restoration based on generative adversarial network with skip connect
Authors: Lv Chaohui , Li Zilu , Shen Yinghua , Li Jinghua , Zheng Jin
Published: August 2022

Mural is an important component of culture and art of Dunhuang in China. Unfortunately, these murals had been ruined or are being ruined by some diseases such as cracking, hollowing, falling off, mildew, dirt, and so on. Existing image restoration algorithms have problems such as incomplete repair and disharmonious texture during large-area repair, so the effect of mural image disease area repair is poor. Due to lack of a standard mural datasets, Dunhuang mural datasets are created in the paper. Meanwhile, our network architecture SeparaFill is proposed which connects two generators based on U-Net. Based on the characteristics of the painting, the contour line pixel area of the mural image is innovatively separated from the content pixel area. Firstly, the contour restoration generator network with skip connect and hierarchical residual blocks is employed to repair contour lines. Then, the color mural image is repaired by the content completion network with guide of the repaired contour. Full resolution branches and generator branches of the U type are exploited in content completion generators. Convolution layers of different kernel sizes are fused to improve the reusability of the underlying features. Finally, global and local discriminant networks are applied to determine whether the repaired mural image is authentic in terms of both the modified and unmodified areas. The proposed SeparaFill shows good performance in restoring the line structure of the damaged mural images and retaining the contour information of the mural images. Compared with existing restoration algorithms in mural real damage repair experiment, our algorithm increases the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) by an average of 1.1–4.3 dB and the structural similarity (SSIM) values were slightly improved. Experimental results reveal the good performance of the proposed model, which can contribute to digital restorations of ancient murals.
Biocontrol of early blight disease of eggplant using endophytic Aspergillus terreus: improving plant immunological, physiological and antifungal activities
Authors: Attia Mohamed S. , Hashem Amr H. , Badawy Ali A. , Abdelaziz Amer M.
Published: August 2022

Background

The eggplant suffers from many biotic stresses that cause severe damage to crop production. One of the most destructive eggplant pathogens is Alternaria solani, which causes early blight disease. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the role of fungal endophytes in protecting eggplant against early blight as well as in improving its growth performance.

Results

Endophytic Aspergillus terreus was isolated from Ocimum basilicum leaves and identified morphologically and genetically. In vitro, crude extract of endophytic A. terreus exhibited promising antifungal activity against A. solani where minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 1.25 mg/ml. Severity of the disease and rate of protection from the disease were recorded. Vegetative growth indices, physiological resistance signs (photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrates, proteins, phenols, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzymes), and isozymes were estimated. Alternaria solani caused a highly disease severity (87.5%) and a noticeable decreasing in growth characteristics and photosynthetic pigments except for carotenoids. Also, infection with A. solani caused significant decreases in the contents of carbohydrate and protein by 29.94% and 10.52%, respectively. Infection with A. solani caused enhancement in phenolics (77.21%), free proline (30.56%), malondialdehyde (30.26%), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (125.47%), catalase (CAT) (125.93%), peroxidase (POD) (25.07%) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) (125.37%) compared to healthy plants. In contrast, the use of A. terreus on infected plants succeeded in recovering eggplants from the disease, as the disease severity was recorded (caused protection by 66.67%). Application of A. terreus either on healthy or infected eggplants showed several responses in number and density of peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) isozymes.

Conclusion

It is necessary for us to address the remarkable improvement in the photosynthetic pigments, protein, carbohydrates, and enzymatic activity compared to infected control, which opens the way for more studies on the use of biocides as safe alternatives against fungal diseases.
Cell therapy efficacy and safety in treating tendon disorders: a systemic review of clinical studies
Authors: Mirghaderi Seyed Peyman , Valizadeh Zahra , Shadman Kimia , Lafosse Thibault , Oryadi-Zanjani Leila , Yekaninejad Mir Saeed , Nabian Mohammad Hossein
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Despite substantial animal evidence, cell therapy in humans remains in its infancy. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential therapeutic effects and safety of cell therapy in the treatment of tendon disorders.

Methods

According to the PRISMA guideline, a systematic review was performed on clinical studies concerning cell therapy in tendon disorders. A comprehensive search including the 5 databases of MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until December 2021 was carried out and associated with hand searching. The quality of the eligible studies was assessed using the tools suggested by Cochrane recommendations. Qualitative synthesis was performed in 2 tables and discussed separately for rotator cuff, elbow, patella, Achilles, and gluteal tendons.

Results

Through 6017 records, 22 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, including 658 patients. All the studies administered autologous cells, except one that used allogenic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Allogenic AD-MSC). Almost all studies demonstrated the safety of cell injection in their follow-up period with no serious side effects or immunologic reactions, with only a few related minor adverse events in some cases.

The included studies showed the effectiveness of cell injection in tendinopathies of different sites, rotator cuff, elbow, patella, Achilles, and gluteal tendons. Among the rotator cuff studies, 4 comparative studies claimed that cell therapy is a more efficient treatment with a lower retear rate and pain level compared to the control group. However, one study found no differences between the groups. No controlled study has been performed on elbow tendinopathies, but 5 case series demonstrated the effectiveness of cell injection in elbow tendon disorders. For Achilles tendinopathies, only one randomized controlled trial (RCT) found that both cell therapy and control groups showed significant pain reduction and functional improvement with no statistical differences at the 6 months follow-up, but the cell therapy group had improved faster at earlier follow-ups. Patellar tendinopathy was studied in 2 RCTs, one did not show a significant difference and the other showed superior improvement compared to controls.

Conclusion

Cell therapy showed promising results and the available evidence suggests that it is safe at several sites of tendon disease. Based on available evidence, cell therapy should be suggested in specific conditions at each site. To approve cell therapy for tendon diseases, randomized clinical trials are required with a large sample size and long-term follow-ups.

Level of evidence

IV
Task sharing and stepped referral model for community mental health promotion in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC): insights from a feasibility study in India
Authors: Devassy Saju Madavanakadu , Scaria Lorane , Cheguvera Natania
Published: August 2022

Background

This study is a low-cost community mental health task-sharing model driven by university students to strengthen the mental health workforce in poor resource settings. This article presents the feasibility of a stepped referral model using the community health workforce and university students. The primary feasibility objective is to detect and refer people with mental illness from the community using a task-sharing approach.

Methods

We tested the model using a cross-sectional, one-phase door-knock survey in three geographically defined locations in Kerala, India, between May and July 2019. Students surveyed 549 residents above 18 years of age who consented to participate in the study to detect depressive symptoms and suicidality. The feasibility of the current model was evaluated based on four criteria: (a) identification and deployment of untapped human resources, (b) coordination of community health resources, (c) the acceptability of stepped referral pathways, and (d) identification of implementation challenges.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 38.8, and more than 62% of the respondents were women. The results showed that 11.29%, 8.38%, and 4.91% of people reported mild, moderate, and severe levels of depression, respectively, and suicidal thoughts were found in 6.9% and suicidal ideation in 1.8%. The odds of depression were higher among females compared to males (OR: 1.64 (0.75–2.52), poor people (OR: 2.01 (1.14–2.88), and people with chronic illnesses (OR: 2.03 (1.24–2.81). The agreement of the findings with professional-administered research validated the strategy’s efficiency. Twenty-seven patients with severe/extreme degrees of depression were sent for high-intensity interventions led by the mental health team, whereas 135 individuals with mild and above depression were referred for low-intensity interventions.

Conclusions

The newly recruited mental health workforce-driven screenings were acceptable and effective in detecting mental illness in the community population. We tested the care coordination systems and processes in creating referral pathways for the detected patients. Further, task-sharing stepped referral model will be tested in five panchayats (the lowest tier of local self-government) before replicating the model across India through Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) scheme.
A review of the impact of shelter design on the health of displaced populations
Authors: Conzatti Anna , Kershaw Tristan , Copping Alexander , Coley David
Published: August 2022

There are currently millions of displaced people encamped in low-quality shelters that jeopardise the health of these displaced populations. These shelters, which exhibit poor thermal regulation and air quality, are often inhabited by households for several years. Recently, the internal environment of shelters has been recognised as a determinant of the health of the occupants and the indoor air quality (IAQ) and internal temperatures have been identified as critical factors affecting occupants’ health. Attempts by researchers and private companies to develop healthier shelter solutions have mainly prioritised factors such as rapid deployment, transportability and sustainability. Via a systematic bibliometric analysis of the existing literature, this review examines the impact of shelters’ internal environment on occupant health. Self-reports and building simulation are the most common methodologies reported in the literature, but there is a disconnect between the reported shelter issues and their impact on health. This is likely due to the multifaceted and site-specific factors analysed. Indoor air quality, thermal comfort and overcrowding are the most commonly identified shelter issues, which are strongly related to the presence of infectious and airborne diseases. An analysis of the available literature indicates that there is still a lack of clear guidance linking shelter quality to health. Moreover, evidence of the impact of shelters on health is harder to find, and there is a gap regarding the metrics and the methodology used to evaluate shelter quality. Therefore, further research is necessary to provide evidence of the impact of shelter design on health through transdisciplinary approaches.
The Rise and Fall of Local Elections in China
Authors: Martinez-Bravo Monica , Padró I Miquel Gerard , Qian Nancy , Yao Yang
Published: August 2022

We posit that autocrats introduce local elections when their bureaucratic capacity is low. Local elections exploit citizens’ informational advantage in keeping local officials accountable, but they also weaken vertical control. As bureaucratic capacity increases, the autocrat limits the role of elected bodies to regain vertical control. We argue that these insights can explain the introduction of village elections in rural China and the subsequent erosion of village autonomy years later. We construct a novel dataset to document political reforms, policy outcomes, and de facto power for almost four decades. We find that the introduction of elections improves popular policies and weakens unpopular ones. Increases in regional government resources lead to loss of village autonomy, but less so in remote villages. These patterns are consistent with an organizational view of local elections within autocracies. (JEL D72, D73, D83, O17, O18, P25, P26)
Deliberation as a Collective Decision-Making Mechanism in Multicultural Communities
Authors: Anđelković Nemanja
Published: August 2022

In this policy brief, the potential that deliberative democracy as a decision-making process has for enhancing the inter-cultural dialogue and dealing with the issues present in multicultural communities is examined. Besides analyzing the advantages of deliberation and its operationalization in reality, in the final part of the policy brief, I offer some possible paths for improving the deliberative process in fostering intercultural communication and problem-solving.
Entry-to-practice competency expectations for health justice in Canadian physiotherapy curricula: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Aranas Kimberly , Al-Habyan Lina , Akhtar Narmeen , Ng Isabel , Noor Haleema , Poirier Mae , Dhir Jasdeep , Wojkowski Sarah
Published: August 2022

Background: In Canada, physiotherapists are expected to possess and demonstrate several essential competencies upon entry-to-practice. Over the past decade, knowledge and skills relating to health justice have become increasingly important for healthcare professionals. However, health justice is still an emerging topic among Canadian physiotherapy programs and current curricula may be lacking explicit content to develop knowledge, skills and behaviours related to health justice which can be used to prepare students for entry-to-practice. This paper outlines a protocol for a planned scoping review. The purpose of this scoping review will be to examine existing Canadian entry-level competencies for physiotherapy related to health justice.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search will be completed on four databases: OVID MEDLINE, OVID Emcare, OVID Embase, and EBSCOhost CINAHL. This scoping review will include both quantitative and qualitative methodological study designs. A grey literature search will involve advanced Google searches. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts to select articles for full text review. Data extraction for each selected paper will be completed independently by two authors using the proposed data extraction form. The extracted data will be presented through tables and a narrative summary that aligns with the objectives and scope of this review.

Conclusion: The data collected from this proposed review will identify existing competencies and gaps related to health justice in current entry-level physiotherapy curricula. This information will assist academic programs in understanding how to integrate and identify competencies and frameworks related to health justice into Canadian physiotherapy programs to ensure students are better prepared to provide culturally competent and inclusive care and promote health justice in practice.
Review of Crop Yield Estimation using Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques
Authors: Modi Anitha , Sharma Priyanka , Saraswat Deepti , Mehta Rachana
Published: August 2022

The agriculture sector is subjected to constant challenge of yield deficit due to rising population, improper resource management and shrinking agricultural land. Advance yield estimates help in systematic planning to reduce such losses. However, prediction of accurate estimates is still an open challenge due to geographical diversity, crop diversity and crop area. Recently non-destructive approach has gained attention due to its robustness and provides easy availability of data from heterogeneous resources compared to its counterpart; destructive approach which is computational, resource intensive and hence less utilized. This paper conducts a detailed study on utilization of non-destructive approach to estimate yield taking into account, input feature, and methodology. We consider five major observations namely, data acquisition, pre-processing techniques, features, methodology, and result. Moreover, we summarize analysis of each observation, extract most prominent technique, the adopted methods, and finally recommends integration of different models that can be explored to improve accuracy.
Przybyszewski : re-wizje i filiacje
Authors: Matuszek Gabriela
Published: August 2022

Książka Przybyszewski. Re-wizje i filiacje jest ważnym wydarzeniem zarówno w zakresie badań nad twórczością autora Śniegu, jak i nad wczesnym etapem polskiego modernizmu. Można ją czytać jako wielką polifoniczną dyskusję o wartości dzieła Przybyszewskiego dla literatury polskiej i europejskiej. Zdecydowana większość badaczy, idąc za nowatorskimi badaniami Gabrieli Matuszek, dostrzega w Przybyszewskim pisarza nowoczesnego, ściślej mówiąc: twórcę inicjującego światoobraz nowoczesnego człowieka i formy jego artystycznego wyrazu. W tej grupie pojawiają się studia wyznaczające nowe perspektywy i obszary badań, np.: wyrażanie uczuć i treści duchowych przez „mowę ciała" oraz ekspresję płci (Gabriela Matuszek); biseksualność podmiotu (Adrian Mrówka); freudowski „przymus powtarzania" w planie fabularnym i obrazowo-poetyckim (Anna Czabanowska-Wróbel); podporządkowanie wizji człowieka archetypowi błądzenia i upadku (Katarzyna Badowska); możliwość odczytania twórczości autora Confiteoru w bogatym kontekście, znamiennym dla początków nowoczesności: w strefie przenikania się świadomości scjentycznej i mistycznej (Anna Dziedzic); twórcza recepcja dzieła Przybyszewskiego w pokoleniu „wizjonerystów" - lata 30. XX wieku (Ewa Kołodziejczyk). Na przeciwnym biegunie sytuują się stanowiska rewizjonistyczne, których autorzy albo wracają do dawnego image'u autora Dzieci szatana - artysty zmarnowanego talentu, błędnie interpretującego nowe zjawiska w sztuce (Paweł Dybel), albo zarzucają mu nierozumienie kluczowego filozofa epoki, Artura Schopenhauera (Iwona Rusek), albo wreszcie pomniejszają znaczenie pisarza w kręgu berlińskiej bohemy (Katarzyna Orlińska). Niekiedy autorzy wskazują na motywy, które dotąd nie znajdowały się w centrum zainteresowania badaczy, np. motywy lustra i odbicia (Adam Jarosz), albo przewartościowują wiedzę o motywach wielokrotnie już omawianych (Agnieszka Grzelak). Warto zauważyć obecność szkiców opisujących relację Przybyszewski - inni artyści, np. Chopin (Małgorzata Sokalska) czy Alfred Mombert (Hanna Ratuszna). [ ... ] W sumie otrzymujemy książkę bardzo bogatą, tematycznie zróżnicowaną, ukazującą nieprzemijającą żywotność dzieła Przybyszewskiego, które może inspirować, budzić spory lub zastrzeżenia, ale na pewno nie spocznie w muzeum literatury. Z recenzji prof dr. hab. Wojciecha Gutowskiego
Research in practice: a core skill
Authors: Sanders Ruth , Folliard Kelda
Published: August 2022

Following on from last issue's Birthwrite article, Ruth Sanders and Kelda Folliard discuss teaching research skills to midwifery students through practical techniques