bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Five hours to sort out your life’: qualitative study of the experiences of university students who access mental health support
Authors: Barnett Phoebe , Arundell Laura-Louise , Matthews Hannah , Saunders Rob , Pilling Stephen
Published: June 2021

Background

Previous qualitative research suggests that university students feel that current service provision does not meet their needs. Exploring the reasons for this may help to promote service change, encourage the uptake of care, improve outcomes and increase satisfaction within university services.

Aims

This study aimed to improve the understanding of how students experience the process of accessing and using mental health support, barriers and facilitators to treatment, and how students would adapt provision to improve experiences.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 full-time students who had used mental health services at university. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Five higher-order themes were identified: personalisation and informed choice, simplifying the process, feeling abandoned ignored or invisible, stigma, and superiority of private and external services. Sixteen subthemes were identified within these themes.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that access to mental health support should be simplified, with collaboration across university and external health and care services, to prevent students feeling lost or abandoned when seeking care. An inclusive approach to support access and provision of services for all presentations of mental health problems should be developed.
Salivary Profiles of 11-oxygenated Androgens Follow a Diurnal Rhythm in Patients With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Authors: Nowotny Hanna Franziska , Auer Matthias K , Lottspeich Christian , Schmidt Heinrich , Dubinski Ilja , Bidlingmaier Martin , Adaway Jo , Hawley James , Keevil Brian , Reisch Nicole
Published: June 2021

Context

Several studies have highlighted the importance of the 11-oxygenated 19-carbon (11oxC19) adrenal-derived steroids as potential biomarkers for monitoring patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD).

Objective

To analyze circadian rhythmicity of 11oxC19 steroids in saliva profiles and evaluate their relevance as potential monitoring parameters in 21OHD.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Cross-sectional single-center study including 59 patients with classic 21OHD (men = 30; women = 29) and 49 body mass index- and age-matched controls (men = 19; women = 30).

Outcome Measures

Salivary concentrations of the following steroids were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), androstenedione (A4), testosterone (T), 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4), and 11-ketotestosterone (11KT).

Results

Similar to the previously described rhythmicity of 17OHP, 11OHA4 and 11KT concentrations followed a distinct diurnal rhythm in both patients and controls with highest concentrations in the early morning and declining throughout the day (11-OHA4: mean reduction of hormone concentrations between timepoint 1 and 5 (Δ mean) in male patients = 66%; male controls Δ mean = 83%; female patients Δ mean = 47%; female controls Δ mean = 86%; 11KT: male patients Δ mean = 57%; male controls Δ mean = 63%; female patients Δ mean = 50%; female controls Δ mean = 76%). Significant correlations between the area under the curve for 17OHP and 11KT (rpmale = 0.773<0.0001; rpfemale = 0.737<0.0001), and 11OHA4 (rpmale = 0.6330.0002; rpfemale = 0.5640.0014) were observed in patients but not present or reduced in controls.

Conclusions

Adrenal 11oxC19 androgens are secreted following a diurnal pattern. This should be considered when evaluating their utility for monitoring treatment control.
Refractory Severe Laryngospam During Rapid Sequence Induction: A Case Report
Authors: Maqueda Bastien , Rousseau Ludovic
Published: June 2021

Laryngospasm is a rare cause of upper-airway obstruction in adults. It most commonly occurs during light anesthesia. We report a case of severe laryngospasm following rapid sequence induction in an adult requiring an emergency neurosurgical procedure. Laryngospasm occurred despite deep anesthesia with ketamine and neuromuscular blockade with succinylcholine. Several intubation attempts failed. Therefore, 2 hypotheses are considered: succinylcholine resistance and ketamine-induced laryngospasm. To our knowledge, this is the first description of laryngospasm occurring despite deep anesthesia and neuromuscular blockade. An idiosyncratic effect of ketamine may be involved, although this phenomenon has not yet been studied.
Cryoablation of an Inguinal Angiomyomatous Hamartoma: A Case Report
Authors: Woolley Christopher A. , Gabriel Rodney A. , Said Engy T. , Chen Jeffrey
Published: June 2021

Angiomyomatous hamartomas are mixed-tissue benign lymphatic tumors that typically occur in the inguinal or axillary lymph nodes. These lesions may cause local lymphedema and painful compression neuralgias. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous cryoablation is an interventional technique that has been shown to provide sustained pain relief for peripheral neuropathies and neuralgias. Previously, our group published a case report of a patient with an inguinal angiomyomatous hamartoma causing a compression neuralgia, whose pain was temporarily alleviated after blockade of the femoral branch of the genitofemoral nerve. We present a follow-up case report describing this patient’s sustained pain relief after cryoablation therapy.
The Diversity of Women’s Studies and Women’s Histories
Authors: Sreenivasan Ramya
Published: June 2021

This review article is a state of the field review, based on six recent monographs and edited volumes published in the United States, India, and England, all pertaining to women’s studies or women’s history in South Asia.
Engendering Protest and Rethinking “Azadi” in Kashmir in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider
Authors: Sarkar Sreyoshi
Published: June 2021

Women living in the South Asian conflict zone of Kashmir have been represented by mainstream media and film as mainly victims of the Indian state power’s political and sexual violence, as protestors who are supporting their men’s insurgency in Kashmir, or as aligned with local Islamic militant groups. This obscures their nuanced testimonies, political objectives, and multivalent agencies within the conflict zone. The author shows how Vishal Bharadwaj’s 2014 film Haider, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, disrupts such erasures to highlight Kashmiri women’s lived experiences in the conflict zone at intersections of everyday and extraordinary violence. By close reading scenes from the film via cinematic structure, dialogue, acting, camerawork, and mise-en-scène, the author shows how Haider not only mounts a scathing critique of the Indian occupation of Kashmir but also underscores the need for more capacious considerations of postcolonial feminisms as emergent from lived experiences versus adhering to established checklists approved by Euro-American feminism. The film’s investments in its female protagonists—Ghazala and Arshia—more than the men also uncovers the former’s redefinitions of azadi (freedom) as not just about Kashmiri political autonomy from India and Pakistan but also about nonviolence, equality, and justice for women and by extension all marginalized populations in Kashmir.
Ethical Reckoning
Authors: Chowdhury Elora Halim
Published: June 2021

In this article the author builds on the idea of Bangladeshi national cinema as human rights cinema to explore its role in documenting and engendering understanding about women, vulnerability, and agency within a Muktijuddho gender ideology. Drawing from feminist sociologist Patricia Hill Collins’s conceptualization of a Black gender ideology, the author proposes that in cinematic traditions, an idealized Muktijuddho gender ideology influences and entrenches gendered social norms and reinforces perceptions of masculinity and femininity in war. These perceptions serve to justify patterns of legibility, recognition, and rejection for discursive practices of national inclusion and exclusion. Specifically, the author analyzes Nasiruddin Yousuff’s Guerrilla (2011), an award-winning film featuring the story of Bilqis Banu, a middle-class, Muslim female combatant who takes on at once the national struggle for self-determination and the gender struggle against patriarchal cultural norms. The film opens up new ways of imagining the category birangona and elicits a deeper appreciation of differentiated agency, vulnerability, and humanity.
Ronin overexpression induces cerebellar degeneration in a mouse model of ataxia
Authors: Zwaka Thomas P. , Skowronska Marta , Richman Ronald , Dejosez Marion
Published: June 2021

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of genetically heterogeneous inherited neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive ataxia and cerebellar degeneration. Here, we used a mouse model to test a possible connection between SCA and Ronin (Thap11), a polyglutamine-containing transcriptional regulator encoded in a region of human chromosome 16q22.1 that has been genetically linked to SCA type 4. We report that transgenic expression of Ronin in mouse cerebellar Purkinje cells leads to detrimental loss of these cells and the development of severe ataxia as early as 10 weeks after birth. Mechanistically, we find that several SCA-causing genes harbor Ronin DNA-binding motifs and are transcriptionally deregulated in transgenic animals. In addition, ectopic expression of Ronin in embryonic stem cells significantly increases the protein level of Ataxin-1, the protein encoded by Atxn1, alterations of which cause SCA type 1. This increase is also seen in the cerebellum of transgenic animals, although the latter was not statistically significant. Hence, our data provide evidence for a link between Ronin and SCAs, and suggest that Ronin may be involved in the development of other neurodegenerative diseases.
A mechanism linking perinatal 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin exposure to lower urinary tract dysfunction in adulthood
Authors: Turco Anne E. , Oakes Steven R. , Keil Stietz Kimberly P. , Dunham Cheryl L. , Joseph Diya B. , Chathurvedula Thrishna S. , Girardi Nicholas M. , Schneider Andrew J. , Gawdzik Joseph , Sheftel Celeste M. , Wang Peiqing , Wang Zunyi , Bjorling Dale E. , Ricke William A. , Tang Weiping , Hernandez Laura L. , Keast Janet R. , Bonev Adrian D. , Grimes Matthew D. , Strand Douglas W. , Tykocki Nathan R. , Tanguay Robyn L. , Peterson Richard E. , Vezina Chad M.
Published: June 2021

Benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) affects nearly all men. Symptoms typically present in the fifth or sixth decade and progressively worsen over the remainder of life. Here, we identify a surprising origin of this disease that traces back to the intrauterine environment of the developing male, challenging paradigms about when this disease process begins. We delivered a single dose of a widespread environmental contaminant present in the serum of most Americans [2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 1 µg/kg], and representative of a broader class of environmental contaminants, to pregnant mice and observed an increase in the abundance of a neurotrophic factor, artemin, in the developing mouse prostate. Artemin is required for noradrenergic axon recruitment across multiple tissues, and TCDD rapidly increases prostatic noradrenergic axon density in the male fetus. The hyperinnervation persists into adulthood, when it is coupled to autonomic hyperactivity of prostatic smooth muscle and abnormal urinary function, including increased urinary frequency. We offer new evidence that prostate neuroanatomical development is malleable and that intrauterine chemical exposures can permanently reprogram prostate neuromuscular function to cause male LUTD in adulthood.
mRNA distribution in skeletal muscle is associated with mRNA size
Authors: Pinheiro Helena , Pimentel Mafalda Ramos , Sequeira Catarina , Oliveira Luís Manuel , Pezzarossa Anna , Roman William , Gomes Edgar R.
Published: June 2021

Skeletal muscle myofibers are large and elongated cells with multiple and evenly distributed nuclei. Nuclear distribution suggests that each nucleus influences a specific compartment within the myofiber and implies a functional role for nuclear positioning. Compartmentalization of specific mRNAs and proteins has been reported at the neuromuscular and myotendinous junctions, but mRNA distribution in non-specialized regions of the myofibers remains largely unexplored. We report that the bulk of mRNAs are enriched around the nucleus of origin and that this perinuclear accumulation depends on recently transcribed mRNAs. Surprisingly, mRNAs encoding large proteins – giant mRNAs – are spread throughout the cell and do not exhibit perinuclear accumulation. Furthermore, by expressing exogenous transcripts with different sizes we found that size contributes to mRNA spreading independently of mRNA sequence. Both these mRNA distribution patterns depend on microtubules and are independent of nuclear dispersion, mRNA expression level and stability, and the characteristics of the encoded protein. Thus, we propose that mRNA distribution in non-specialized regions of skeletal muscle is size selective to ensure cellular compartmentalization and simultaneous long-range distribution of giant mRNAs.
The tectonostratigraphic architecture of the Serbo-Macedonian massif in the Vertiskos and Kerdilion mountains (Northern Greece)
Authors: Plougarlis Anastasios , Tranos Markos , Papadopoulou Lambrini
Published: June 2021

The lithologies and structural features of the exposed rocks of the Serbo-Macedonian massif in the Vertiskos and Kerdilion Mts. have been studied in detail by carrying out km-long cross-sections. Moreover, a new tectonostratigraphic architecture for the massif is proposed, based on the migmatization and anatexis that the rocks pertain, under which the specific exposed rocks have been placed into the Vertiskos and Kerdilion Units. The latter approach differs from the traditional view, which is based solely on the lithological difference between the units. In particular, in the Vertiskos Mt., mica schists, garnet-bearing two-mica gneisses, and predominantly two-mica gneisses, without a sign of anatexis and migmatization, overlie tectonically, biotite gneisses and layered amphibolite gneisses into which migmatization and anatexis takes place. The former constitute the Vertiskos Unit, whereas the latter have been grouped into the Kerdilion Unit, since they are of similar lithologies and affinities with rocks of the Kerdilion Unit. The Kerdilion Mt. is a large antiform made up of biotite gneisses alternating with marbles, which are similarly characterized by intense migmatization and anatexis. These rocks are intruded by the Oreskia granite, which is foliated and follows the general trend of the country rocks. All the rocks are folded with isoclinal to tight folds, and the contact between the two units is a mylonitic shear zone with a top-to-the-SW sense-of-shear. Also, a large volume of ultramafic rocks occurs between the Vertiskos and Kerdilion Mts., including metamorphosed rocks like metagabbros to massive amphibolites, which is assigned to the Therma-Volvi-Gomati Complex (TVGC). These rocks have been found in tectonic contact, i.e., shear zones with top-to-the-SW sense-of-shear, only with the rocks of the Kerdilion Unit. Taking into account our new tectonostratigraphic architecture, the contact between the Vertiskos and Kerdilion Units is not located along the western side of the marbles, as the latter are exposed in the Kerdilion Mt. It is traced westerly in the Vertiskos Mt. dipping with intermediate angles towards the SW, due to NW-trending, map-scale, isoclinal folding. The ultramafic rocks of the TVGC are in tectonic contact with the rocks of the Kerdilion Unit, but not the two-mica gneisses of the Vertiskos Unit, and the Arnea granite intrudes not only the Vertiskos Unit as previously considered, but the rocks of the Kerdilion Unit, as well.
Quién es quién en la red de coautoría en Colombia
Authors: León Carlos , Bahos-Olivera Angélica
Published: June 2021

En esta investigación se estudia la red de coautoría de artículos publicados entre el 2010 y el 2019 en revistas indexadas en Scopus, del área de economía, econometría y finanzas, en las que alguno de los autores está afiliado a una institución en Colombia. Conseguimos visualizar y describir la estructura conectiva de la red de coautoría. Pese a que la redes poco interconectada, existen unos cuantos autores altamente vinculados que la mantienenunida y con una corta distancia entre los investigadores que la conforman, en lo que se conoce como una red de mundo pequeño. Luego de descartar a autores ocasionales, se cuantificó la importancia de estos por su contribución a la red de coautoría. Es de resaltar la importancia de los autores afiliados al Banco de la República (el banco central de Colombia), quienes contribuyen de gran manera a la estructura conectiva de la red. Este es un primer paso hacia el estudio de la red de publicaciones indexadas del área de economía en el caso colombiano.
Vein cannulation success rates by German paramedics: a single-centre study
Authors: Naklicka Paulina , Möckel Luis , Hofmann Thomas
Published: June 2021

Introduction:

Gaining intravenous (IV) access is vulnerable to errors and failure, and this study analysed IV procedures by paramedics in the federal state of Hesse in Germany to examine these.

Methods:

This was a single-centre, observational, pilot study survey on gaining vascular access. As well as identifying the success and failure rate of IV attempts, factors associated with a higher risk of failure were analysed using logistic regression, Χ2 or Fisher's exact test.

Results:

A total of 207 vascular access attempts were included in the analysis, of which 90.34% were successful. Significantly associated with higher risk of failure were patients' age (OR 1.05; 95% (CI 1.02–1.10); p=0.041), or when two (OR 3.94; 95% CI (2.39–6.20); p≤0.001) or more than three attempts (OR: 3.26 [95% CI: 1.35; 5.17]; p=0.003) were needed rather than one. In contrast, risk of failure was significantly lower when patients indicate a good (OR 0.02; 95% CI (0.00–0.15); p≤0.001) or moderate (OR 0.04 (95% CI 0.01–0.17); p≤0.001) vein status compared to a bad vein status. Failure rates were higher when paramedics were working a night shift (OR 0.06; 95% CI (0.00–0.98); p=0.005) rather then during the day.

Conclusion:

A proportion of IV access attempts by paramedics are unsuccessful and, if paramedics are to provide invasive interventions, non-IV options for drug administration should be available.
Mitigating ringing artifacts in diffraction calculations using average subtractions
Authors: Shimobaba Tomoyoshi , Hoshi Ikuo , Shiomi Harutaka , Wang Fan , Hara Takayuki , Kakue Takashi , Ito Tomoyoshi
Published: June 2021

Fourier transform-based diffraction calculations are essential for computational optics. However, the diffraction calculations can be corrupted by the introduction of strong ringing artifacts due to the introduction of zero-padding to avoid circular convolution or to control the sampling intervals. We propose a simple de-ringing method using average subtractions for application to on-axis and off-axis diffraction calculations. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we compared the diffracted fields obtained using zero-padding, a flat-top window method, a mirror expansion method, and the whole and border average subtractions proposed. Furthermore, we confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method for hologram calculations using double phase encoding and image reconstructions of inline digital holography.
Forecasting loss of signal in optical networks with machine learning
Authors: Du Wenjie , Côté David , Barber Chris , Liu Yan
Published: June 2021

Loss of signal (LOS) represents a significant cost for operators of optical networks. By studying large sets of real-world performance monitoring data collected from six international optical networks, we find that it is possible to forecast LOS events with good precision one to seven days before they occur, albeit at relatively low recall, with supervised machine learning (ML). Our study covers 12 facility types, including 100G lines and ETH10G clients. We show that the precision for a given network improves when training on multiple networks simultaneously relative to training on an individual network. Furthermore, we show that it is possible to forecast LOS from all facility types and all networks with a single model, whereas fine-tuning for a particular facility or network brings only modest improvements. Hence our ML models remain effective for optical networks previously unknown to the model, which makes them usable for commercial applications.
Material platform for realization of a “fiber-like” lossy mode resonance response in a simple Kretschmann–Raether geometry: publisher’s note
Authors: Goswami Sumit , Sharma Ashwini Kumar
Published: June 2021

This publisher’s note contains corrections to Opt. Lett. 46, 3065 (2021).OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.431787
Spectrum-shaped Si-perovskite hybrid photodetectors for hyperspectral bioimaging
Authors: Liu Yujin , Ji Zhong , Li Yaping , Fan Hong Jin , Mai Wenjie
Published: June 2021

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) with rich spectral and spatial information holds potential for applications ranging from remote sensing to biomedicine. However, charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors used in conventional HSI systems suffer from inferior and unbalanced responsivity in the visible region, which is not a perfect choice for high-performance visible HSI. That is, conventional Si-based CCDs exhibit poor responsivity at short wavelengths (e.g., 400–600 nm) compared with that at longer wavelengths due to the nature of the indirect bandgap in silicon of around 1.1 eV. To solve this challenge, we introduce a

CsPbBr

3

perovskite layer to shape the spectrum of a Si/PEDOT:PSS heterojunction photodetector (PD), resulting in a fabricated Si-

CsPbBr

3

hybrid PD with enhanced responsivity at 400–600 nm. This results in an approximately flat spectral responsivity curve in the visible region (400–800 nm). Therefore, the stable

Si
−

CsPbBr

3

hybrid PD with a flat spectrum overcomes the shortcomings of traditional Si-based PDs and makes it more suitable for HSI. Further, we set up a first perovskite HSI system with high spectrum resolution and demonstrate potential applications for tumor detection and tissue identification. We believe that this perovskite optimization can be integrated into modern CCD, thus becoming a step in future CCD fabrication processes, which is a milestone for high-performance HSI systems.
Schistosomal appendicitis: Case series and systematic literature review
Authors: Zacarias Mateus , Pizzol Damiano , de Miranda Helder , Colangelo Anna Claudia , Veronese Nicola , Smith Lee
Published: June 2021

Background

Globally, schistosomiasis affects at least 240 million people each year with a high proportion of cases in sub-Saharan Africa. The infection presents a wide range of symptoms mainly at the gastrointestinal and urogenital level. Cases of schistosomiasis-related appendicitis are seldom reported. The aim of the present study is to identify the prevalence of schistosomiasis-related appendicitis in Beira, Mozambique and compare to global prevalence.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all cases of appendicitis recorded from January 2017 to March 2020 at a single pathology department located in Beira in order to assess the prevalence of schistosomiasis. Moreover, we performed a systematic review on the prevalence of schistosomiasis-related appendicitis in all countries.

Findings

A total of 145 appendicitis cases in Beira showed a 13.1% prevalence of schistosomal-related appendicitis. The mean age of patients was 29.1 years, and 14 (73.7%) were male. The systematic review identified 20 studies with 34,790 inpatients with schistosomiasis-related appendicitis with a global prevalence of 1.31% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72 to 2.06); a high heterogeneity (I2= 96.0%) was observed. Studies carried out in Africa reported a significantly higher prevalence of schistosomiasis-related appendicitis (2.75%; 95% CI: 1.28 to 4.68) than those in Middle East (0.49%; 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.95) (pfor interaction < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Schistosomiasis infection should be considered as possible cause of appendicitis not only in endemic areas but also in developed countries. Considering that prevention is the best way to control the infection, more efforts should be put in place in order to increase the prevention coverage and avoid the cascading implications for health. This is even more so important in this Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) era where the majority of attention and funds are used to fight the pandemic.
Dynamic fracture mechanics and energy distribution rate response characteristics of coal containing bedding structure
Authors: Gong Shuang , Wang Zhen , Zhou Lei
Published: June 2021

To investigate the influence of bedding structure and different loading rates on the dynamic fracture characteristics and energy dissipation of Datong coal, a split Hopkinson bar was used to obtain the fracture characteristics of coal samples with different bedding angles. The process of crack initiation and propagation in Datong coal was recorded by the high-speed camera. The formula for the model I fracture toughness of the transversely isotropic material is obtained on the basis of the finite element method (FEM) together with the J-integral. By comparing the incident energy, absorbed energy, fracture energy and residual kinetic energy of Datong coal samples under various impact speeds, the energy dissipation characteristics during the dynamic fracture process of coal considering the bedding structure is acquired. The experimental results indicate that the fracture pattern of notched semi-circular bending (NSCB) Datong coal is tensile failure. After splitting into two parts, the coal sample rotates approximately uniformly around the contact point between the sample and the incident rod. The dynamic fracture toughness is 3.52~8.64 times of the quasi-static fracture toughness for Datong coal. Dynamic fracture toughness increases with increasing impact velocity, and the effect of bedding angle on fracture toughness then decreases. In addition, the residual kinetic energy of coal samples with the same bedding angle increases with the increase of impact speed. The energy utilization rate decreases continuously, and the overall dispersion of statistical data decreases gradually. In rock fragmentation engineering, the optimum loading condition is low-speed loading regardless of energy utilization efficiency or fracture toughness. These conclusions may have significant implications for the optimization of hydraulic fracturing process in coal mass and the further understanding of crack propagation mechanisms in coalbed methane extraction (CME). The anisotropic effect of coal should be fully considered in both these cases.
Effects of cigarette smoke exposure on pulmonary physiology, muscle strength and exercise capacity in a retrospective cohort with 30,000 subjects
Authors: Adatia Adil , Wahab Mustafaa , Shahid Izza , Moinuddin Ali , Killian Kieran J. , Satia Imran
Published: June 2021

Background

The effects of long-term cigarette smoke exposure on pulmonary physiology and how those effects lead to reduced exercise capacity are not well established.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the spirometry, single-breath gas transfer (DLCO), peripheral muscle strength, and maximum exercise capacity data in patients referred to McMaster University Medical Centre for cardiopulmonary exercise testing between 2000 and 2012.

Results

29,441 subjects underwent CPET and had a recorded smoking history [58% male, mean age 51.1 years (S.D.±19.6), BMI 27.4 kg/m2(±5.8)]. 7081 (24%) were current or former smokers and were divided into 4 categories by packs years (mean ±S.D.): <10 (5.8±3.3), 10–20 (17.1±2.9), 20–30 (27.1±2.8), 30–40 (37.3±2.8), and >40 (53.9±12.8). Patients with greater cigarette smoke exposure had lower expiratory flow rates (FEV1, FEF50, FEF75, PEFR), DLCO, and maximum power output (MPO) during exercise. There was no association between smoke exposure and muscle strength. Modeling MPO (kpm/min) output as a function of demographic and physiologic variables showed that the data are well explained by muscle strength (kg), FEV1 (L), and DLCO (mmHg/min/mL) in similar magnitude (MPO = 42.7*Quads0.34*FEV10.34 * DLCO0.43; r = 0.84).

Conclusions

Long-term cigarette smoke exposure is associated with small airway narrowing and impaired diffusion capacity but not with peripheral muscle weakness. The effects of smoking, age, and gender on maximum power output are mediated by reductions in FEV1, muscle strength and DLCO. Exercise capacity in smokers may benefit from therapies targeting all 3 variables.
Molecular characterization of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates from Egyptian patients
Authors: Hassan Reem M. , Salem Sherifa T. , Hassan Saly Ismail Mostafa , Hegab Asmaa Sayed , Elkholy Yasmine S.
Published: June 2021

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) represents a global threat owing to its ability to resist most of the currently available antimicrobial agents. Moreover, emergence of carbapenem resistant A. baumannii (CR-AB) isolates limits the available treatment options. Enzymatic degradation by variety of ß-lactamases, have been identified as the most common mechanism of carbapenem resistance in A. baumannii. The alarming increase in the prevalence of CR-AB necessitates continuous screening and molecular characterization to appreciate the problem. The present study was performed to assess the prevalence and characterize carbapenemases among 206 CR-AB isolated from various clinical specimens collected from different intensive care units at Kasr Al-Aini Hospital. All isolates were confirmed to be A. baumannii by detection of the blaOXA-51-like gene. Molecular screening of 13 common Ambler class bla carbapenemases genes in addition to insertion sequence (IS-1) upstream OXA-23 were performed by using four sets of multiplex PCR, followed by identification using gene sequencing technology. Among the investigated genes, the prevalence of blaOXA-23, and blaOXA-58 were 77.7%, and 1.9%, respectively. The ISAba1 was detected in 10% of the blaOXA-23 positive isolates. The prevalence of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) studied; blaNDM-1, blaSPM, blaVIM, blaSIM-1 were 11.7%, 6.3%, 0.5%, and 0.5% respectively. One of class A; bla KPC was detected in 10.7% of the investigated isolates. blaOXA-24/40, blaIMP, blaGES, blaVEB and blaGIM were not detected in any of the studied isolates. Moreover, 18.4% of the isolates have shown to harbor two or more of the screened bla genes. We concluded that the most prevalent type of ß-lactamases genes among CR-AB isolates collected from Egyptian patients were blaOXA-23 followed by blaNDM-1 and blaKPC.
Multi-strain probiotic supplement attenuates streptozotocin-induced type-2 diabetes by reducing inflammation and β-cell death in rats
Authors: Hsieh Pei-Shan , Ho Hsieh-Hsun , Tsao Shu Ping , Hsieh Shih-Hung , Lin Wen-Yang , Chen Jui-Fen , Kuo Yi-Wei , Tsai Shin-Yu , Huang Hui-Yu
Published: June 2021

Probiotics are health beneficial bacterial populations colonizing the human gut and skin. Probiotics are believed to be involved in immune system regulation, gut microbiota stabilization, prevention of infectious diseases, and adjustments of host metabolic activities. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium affect glycemic levels, blood lipids, and protein metabolism. However, the interactions between probiotics and metabolic diseases as well as the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We used streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic animal models to study the effect of ProbiogluTM, a multi-strain probiotic supplement including Lactobaccilus salivarius subsp. salicinius AP-32, L. johnsonii MH-68, L. reuteri GL-104, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CP-9, on the regulation of physiochemical parameters related to type-2 diabetes. Experimental rats were randomly assigned into five groups, control group, streptozotocin (STZ)-treated rats (STZ group), STZ + 1× ProbiogluTM group, STZ + 5× ProbiogluTM group, and STZ + 10× ProbiogluTM group, and physiological data were measured at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8. Our results indicate that supplementation with ProbiogluTM significantly improved glucose tolerance, glycemic levels, insulin levels, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Furthermore, we observed reduction in urea and blood lipid levels, including low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol (TC). ProbiogluTM administration increased the β-cell mass in STZ-induced diabetic animal models, whereas it reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. In addition, the enhancement of oxidative stress biomarkers and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities was associated with a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. We conclude that ProbiogluTM attenuates STZ-induced type-2 diabetes by protecting β-cells, stabilizing glycemic levels, and reducing inflammation. Among all probiotic treating groups, the 10×ProbiogluTM treatment revealed the best results. However, these experimental results still need to be validated by different animal models of type-2 diabetes and human clinical trials in the future.
Reconstruction and seepage simulation of a coal pore-fracture network based on CT technology
Authors: Jing Deji , Meng Xiangxi , Ge Shaocheng , Zhang Tian , Ma Mingxing , Tong Linquan
Published: June 2021

The distribution of multiscale pores and fractures in coal and rock is an important basis for reflecting the capacity of fluid flow in coal seam seepage passages. Accurate extraction and qualitative and quantitative analysis of pore-fracture structures are helpful in revealing the flow characteristics of fluid in seepage channels. The relationship between pore and fracture connectivity can provide a scientific reference for optimizing coal seam water injection parameters. Therefore, to analyse the change in permeability caused by the variability in the coal pore-fracture network structure, a CT scanning technique was used to scan coal samples from the Leijia District, Fuxin. A total of 720 sets of original images were collected, a median filter was used to filter out the noise in the obtained images, and to form the basis of a model, the reconstruction and analysis of the three-dimensional pore-fracture morphology of coal samples were carried out. A pore-fracture network model of the coal body was extracted at different scales. Using the maximum sphere algorithm combined with the coordination number, the effect of different quantitative relationships between pore size and pore throat channel permeability was studied. Avizo software was used to simulate the flow path of fluid in the seepage channels. The change trend of the fluid velocity between different seepage channels was discussed. The results of the pore-fracture network models at different scales show that the pore-fracture structure is nonuniform and vertically connected, and the pores are connected at connecting points. The pore size distribution ranges from 104 μm to 9425 μm. The pore throat channel length distribution ranges from 4206 μm to 48073 μm. The size of the coordination number determines the connectivity and thus the porosity of the coal seam. The more connected pore channels there are, the larger the pore diameters and the stronger the percolation ability. During flow in the seepage channels of the coal, the velocity range is divided into a low-speed region, medium-speed region and high-speed region. The fluid seepage in the coal seam is driven by the following factors: pore connectivity > pore and pore throat dimensions > pore and pore throat structure distribution. Ultimately, the pore radius and pore connectivity directly affect the permeability of the coal seam.
Success of community approach to HPV vaccination in school-based and non-school-based settings in Haiti
Authors: Riviere Cynthia , Bell Tatiana , Cadot Yonie , Perodin Christian , Charles Benedict , Bertil Claudin , Cheung Jazreel , Bane Shalmali , Cheung Hoi Ching , Pape Jean William , Deschamps Marie Marcelle
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To assess the success of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program among adolescent girls aged 9–14 years in Haiti and to understand predictors of completion of a two-dose HPV vaccination series.

Methods

Data collection was conducted during HPV vaccination campaigns in Port-au-Prince between August 2016 and April 2017. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to examine characteristics associated with vaccination series completion of school based and non-school based vaccination delivery modalities.

Results

Of the 2,445 adolescent girls who participated in the awareness program, 1,994 participants (1,307 in non-school program, 687 in school program) received the first dose of the vaccine; 1,199 (92%) in the non-school program and 673 (98%) in the school program also received the second dose. Menarche (OR: 1.87; 95% CI, 1.11–3.14), if the participant was a prior patient at the GHESKIO clinics (OR: 2.17; 95% CI, 1.32–3.58), and participating in the school-based program (OR: 4.17; 95% CI, 2.14–8.12) were significantly associated with vaccination completion.

Conclusions

Vaccination in school- and non-school-based settings was successful, suggesting that a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign using either approach would be successful using either approach.
Musical instrument engagement across the life course and episodic memory in late life: An analysis of 60 years of longitudinal data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study
Authors: Romeiser Jamie L. , Smith Dylan M. , Clouston Sean A. P.
Published: June 2021

Background

As the global burden of dementia increases, the absence of treatment underscores the need for identification of factors that may improve cognitive reserve–the ability to stave off cognitive decline in old age. The beneficial association between musical instrument engagement and episodic memory has been identified in children, young adults, and older adults. Yet, previous studies in musical instrument engagement have rarely examined the potential for adolescence and adulthood exposures to independently improve cognition, nor have they been linked with the rate of memory decline over time in older adults. We investigated whether adolescent musical instrument engagement and continued musical instrument engagement over the adult life course were separately associated with higher episodic memory, as well as rate of decline in a large longitudinal cohort.

Methods

Data were from a prospective cohort of high school graduates from 1957. High school music engagement (HSME) was ascertained through graduate yearbooks and assessed as membership in musical performance groups. A questionnaire was used to assess musical engagement through adulthood (MEA) at ages 35, 55, and 65. The episodic memory score was composed of immediate and delayed recall task scores, and was assessed when participants were aged approximately 65 and 72 years old among 5,718 individuals. Linear mixed models were used to assess the association between music, and memory performance and decline over time.

Results

Of high school graduates who participated in the study, 38.1% played music in high school, and 21.1% played music in adulthood. While musical engagement was more common in those who played in childhood, 40% of those who played continuously as an adult did not play in high school. High HSME (B = 0.348, p = 0.049) and continuous MEA (B = 0.424, p = 0.012) were associated with higher memory scores at age 65 after covariate adjustment. When examining memory decline, the benefits of high HSME decreased over time (B = -0.435, p = 0.048), while the rate of decline did not differ between MEA groups. Exploratory models revealed differential benefits for HSME and immediate recall, and MEA and delayed recall.

Conclusion

This study provides further evidence that musical engagement in childhood or adulthood is associated with non-musical cognitive reserve. These two exposures may act differentially in different domains of episodic memory. Further work is needed to determine the relationship between musicianship and the rate of cognitive decline.
Real-world outcomes of first- and second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors first-line in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer: A retrospective observational cohort study
Authors: Ng Wei-Wei , Lin Chen-Chun , Cheng Ching-Yuan , Jiang Jiunn-Song , Kao Shang-Jyh , Yeh Diana Yuwung
Published: June 2021

The sequencing of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in patients with EGFR mutation-positive (EGFRm+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a matter of controversy. This cohort study analyzed the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of afatinib compared with erlotinib and gefitinib first-line. EGFRm+, advanced NSCLC patients treated with either afatinib, erlotinib or gefitinib were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 107 patients were included. There was no statistically significant difference in PFS among the 3 groups. In the ≥ 60 years age group, the afatinib group had longer survival compared to the gefitinib group (p = 0.01). Median OS were 19.1, 22.9, and 35.6 months for gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib groups, respectively, with statistical significance between the gefitinib and afatinib groups (p = 0.009). Patients on afatinib also had longer median OS than erlotinib and gefitinib pooled together (35.5 versus 21.4 months; hazard ratio = 0.54, p = 0.016), despite similar median PFS. In conclusion, afatinib is a better choice compared to gefitinib or erlotinib for EGFRm+ patients. The OS obtained with afatinib is just 3 months shorter than osimertinib in the FLAURA trial. Direct comparison studies with osimertinib are still needed to determine optimal sequencing.
Effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions for injury in ballet dancers: A systematic review
Authors: Skwiot Marlena , Śliwiński Zbigniew , Żurawski Arkadiusz , Śliwiński Grzegorz
Published: June 2021

Background

The unique repetitive nature of ballet dancing, which often involves transgressing endurance limits of anatomical structures, makes dancers prone to injury. The following systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in the treatment of injuries in ballet dancers.

Methods

The review was performed in line with the PRISMA statement on preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Six electronic databases (PubMed, Ovid Embase, Cochrane, Medline, PEDro, Google Scholar) were queried. The study populations comprised active ballet dancers and/or ballet school attendees with acute and chronic injuries and those with persistent pain. There were no restrictions regarding age, sex, ethnicity or nationality. The Modified McMaster Critical Review Form for quantitative studies was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies reviewed in accordance with the relevant guidelines.

Results

Out of the total of 687 articles subjected to the review, 10 met the inclusion criteria. Diverse physiotherapeutic interventions were described and effectiveness was assessed using different parameters and measurements. Overall, the results indicate that physiotherapy interventions in ballet dancers exert a positive effect on a number of indices, including pain, ROM and functional status.

Conclusions

Due to the small amount of evidence confirming the effectiveness of physiotherapeutic interventions in ballet dancers after injuries and methodological uncertainties, it is recommended to improve the quality of prospective studies.
An image-based flow cytometric approach to the assessment of the nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio
Authors: Sebastian Joseph A. , Moore Michael J. , Berndl Elizabeth S. L. , Kolios Michael C.
Published: June 2021

The nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio (N:C) can be used as one metric in histology for grading certain types of tumor malignancy. Current N:C assessment techniques are time-consuming and low throughput. Thus, in high-throughput clinical contexts, there is a need for a technique that can assess cell malignancy rapidly. In this study, we assess the N:C ratio of four different malignant cell lines (OCI-AML-5—blood cancer, CAKI-2—kidney cancer, HT-29—colon cancer, SK-BR-3—breast cancer) and a non-malignant cell line (MCF-10A –breast epithelium) using an imaging flow cytometer (IFC). Cells were stained with the DRAQ-5 nuclear dye to stain the cell nucleus. An Amnis ImageStreamX® IFC acquired brightfield/fluorescence images of cells and their nuclei, respectively. Masking and gating techniques were used to obtain the cell and nucleus diameters for 5284 OCI-AML-5 cells, 1096 CAKI-2 cells, 6302 HT-29 cells, 3159 SK-BR-3 cells, and 1109 MCF-10A cells. The N:C ratio was calculated as the ratio of the nucleus diameter to the total cell diameter. The average cell and nucleus diameters from IFC were 12.3 ± 1.2 μm and 9.0 ± 1.1 μm for OCI-AML5 cells, 24.5 ± 2.6 μm and 15.6 ± 2.1 μm for CAKI-2 cells, 16.2 ± 1.8 μm and 11.2 ± 1.3 μm for HT-29 cells, 18.0 ± 3.7 μm and 12.5 ± 2.1 μm for SK-BR-3 cells, and 19.4 ± 2.2 μm and 10.1 ± 1.8 μm for MCF-10A cells. Here we show a general N:C ratio of ~0.6–0.7 across varying malignant cell lines and a N:C ratio of ~0.5 for a non-malignant cell line. This study demonstrates the use of IFC to assess the N:C ratio of cancerous and non-cancerous cells, and the promise of its use in clinically relevant high-throughput detection scenarios to supplement current workflows used for cancer cell grading.
Effects of dual-task interference on swallowing in healthy aging adults
Authors: Krishnamurthy Rahul , Philip Rhea , Balasubramanium Radish Kumar , Rangarathnam Balaji
Published: June 2021

A wide body of literature has demonstrated that the neural representation of healthy swallowing is mostly bilateral, with one hemisphere dominant over the other. While several studies have demonstrated the presence of laterality for swallowing related functions among young adults, the data on older adults are still growing. The purpose of this paper is to investigate potential changes in hemispheric dominance in healthy aging adults for swallowing related tasks using a behavioral dual-task paradigm. A modified dual-task paradigm was designed to investigate the potential reduction in hemispherical specialization for swallowing function. Eighty healthy right-handed participants in the study were divided into two groups [Group 1: young adults (18–40 years) and Group 2: older adults (65 and above)]. All the participants performed a timed water swallow test at baseline and with two interference conditions (silent word repetition, and facial recognition). The results of the study revealed the following 1) a statistically significant effect of age on swallow performance; 2) statistically significant effect of each of the interference tasks on two of the swallow measures (VPS and VPT) in younger adults; and 3) no significant effect of the interference tasks on the swallowing performance of older adults. These findings suggest that aging substantially affects swallowing in older individuals, and this potentially accompanies a reduction in the hemispheric specialization for swallowing related tasks.