bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel protein-repellent and antibacterial polymethyl methacrylate dental resin in water-aging for 6 months
Authors: Cao Li , Xie Xianju , Yu Wenqi , Xu Hockin H. K. , Bai Yuxing , Zhang Ke , Zhang Ning
Published: October 2022

Background

The present study aimed to develop a novel protein-repellent and antibacterial polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) dental resin with 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and quaternary ammonium dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM), and to investigate the effects of water-aging for 6 months on the mechanical properties, protein adsorption, and antibacterial activity of the dental resin.

Methods

Four groups were tested: PMMA control; PMMA + 3% MPC; PMMA + 1.5% DMAHDM; and PMMA + 3% MPC + 1.5% DMADDM in acrylic resin powder. Specimens were water-aged for 1 d, 3 months, and 6 months at 37 ℃. Their mechanical properties were then measured using a three-point flexure test. Protein adsorption was measured using a micro bicinchoninic acid (BCA) method. A human saliva microcosm model was used to inoculate bacteria on water-aged specimens and to investigate the live/dead staining, metabolic activity of biofilms, and colony-forming units (CFUs).

Results

The flexural strength and elastic modulus showed a significant loss after 6 months of water-ageing for the PMMA control (mean ± SD; n = 10); in contrast, the new protein repellent and antibacterial PMMA resin showed no strength loss. The PMMA–MPC–DMAHDM-containing resin imparted a strong antibacterial effect by greatly reducing biofilm viability and metabolic activity. The biofilm CFU count was reduced by about two orders of magnitude (p < 0.05) compared with that of the PMMA resin control. The protein adsorption was 20% that of a commercial composite (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the PMMA–MPC–DMAHDM-containing resin exhibited a long-term antibacterial performance, with no significant difference between 1 d, 3 months and 6 months (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

The flexural strength and elastic modulus of the PMMA–MPC–DMAHDM-containing resin were superior to those of the PMMA control after 6 months of water-ageing. The novel PMMA resin incorporating MPC and DMAHDM exhibited potent and lasting protein-repellent and antibacterial properties.
Estimating the burden of diseases attributable to lead exposure in the North Africa and Middle East region, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2019
Authors: Rezaee Malihe , Esfahani Zahra , Nejadghaderi Seyed Aria , Abbasi-Kangevari Mohsen , Saeedi Moghaddam Sahar , Ghanbari Ali , Ghamari Azin , Golestani Ali , Foroutan Mehr Elmira , Kazemi Ameneh , Haghshenas Rosa , Moradi Mahsa , Kompani Farzad , Rezaei Negar , Larijani Bagher
Published: October 2022

Background

Lead exposure (LE) and its attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) have declined in the recent decade; however, it remains one of the leading public health concerns, particularly in regions with low socio-demographic index (SDI) such as the North Africa and Middle East (NAME) region. Hence, we aimed to describe the attributable burden of the LE in this region.

Methods

Data on deaths, DALYs, years of life lost (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) attributable to LE in the NAME region and its 21 countries from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study.

Results

In 2019, the age-standardized death and DALY rates attributable to LE were 23.4 (95% uncertainty interval: 15.1 to 33.3) and 489.3 (320.5 to 669.6) per 100,000 in the region, respectively, both of which were higher among men than women. The overall age-standardized death and DALY rates showed 27.7% and 36.8% decreases, respectively, between 1990 and 2019. In this period, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey had the highest decreases in the age-standardized death and DALY rates, while Afghanistan, Egypt, and Yemen had the lowest ones. Countries within high SDI quintile had lower attributable burden to LE compared with the low SDI quintile. Cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney diseases accounted for the 414.2 (258.6 to 580.6) and 28.7 (17.7 to 41.7) LE attributable DALYs per 100,000 in 2019, respectively. The attributable YLDs was 46.4 (20.7 to 82.1) per 100,000 in 2019, which shows a 25.7% reduction (-30.8 to -22.5%) over 1990–2019.

Conclusions

The overall LE and its attributed burden by cause have decreased in the region from 1990–2019. Nevertheless, the application of cost-effective and long-term programs for decreasing LE and its consequences in NAME is needed.
An optimized exosome production strategy for enhanced yield while without sacrificing cargo loading efficiency
Authors: Zhang Rongxin , Bu Te , Cao Ruidan , Li Zhelong , Wang Chen , Huang Bing , Wei Mengying , Yuan Lijun , Yang Guodong
Published: October 2022

Background

Exosome mediated mRNA delivery is a promising strategy for the treatment of multiple diseases. However, the low yield of exosomes is a bottleneck for clinical translation. In this study, we boosted exosome production via simultaneously reducing the expression of genes inhibiting exosome biogenesis and supplementing the culture medium with red cell membrane components.

Results

Among the candidate genes, knocking down of Rab4 was identified to have the highest efficacy in promoting exosome biogenesis while without any obvious cytotoxicity. Additionally, supplementing red cell membrane particles (RCMPs) in the culture medium further promoted exosome production. Combination of Rab4 knockdown and RCMP supplement increased exosome yield up to 14-fold. As a proof-of-concept study, low-density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr) mRNA was forced expressed in the exosome donor cells and passively encapsulated into the exosomes during biogenesis with this strategy. Though exosome production per cell increased, the booster strategy didn’t alter the loading efficiency of therapeutic Ldlr mRNA per exosome. Consistently, the therapeutic exosomes derived by the strategy alleviated liver steatosis and atherosclerosis in Ldlr−/− mice, similar as the exosomes produced by routine methods.

Conclusions

Together, the proposed exosome booster strategy conquers the low yield bottleneck to some extent and would certainly facilitate the clinical translation of exosomes.
Montelukast reduces grey matter abnormalities and functional deficits in a mouse model of inflammation-induced encephalopathy of prematurity
Authors: Yates Abi G. , Kislitsyna Elena , Alfonso Martin Carla , Zhang Jiaying , Sewell Amy L. , Goikolea-Vives Ane , Cai Valerie , Alkhader Lama F. , Skaland Aleksander , Hammond Basil , Dimitrova Ralica , Batalle Dafnis , Fernandes Cathy , Edwards A. David , Gressens Pierre , Thornton Claire , Stolp Helen B.
Published: October 2022

Encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP) affects approximately 30% of infants born < 32 weeks gestation and is highly associated with inflammation in the foetus. Here we evaluated the efficacy of montelukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist widely used to treat asthma in children, to ameliorate peripheral and central inflammation, and subsequent grey matter neuropathology and behaviour deficits in a mouse model of EoP. Male CD-1 mice were treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) saline or interleukin-1beta (IL-1β, 40 μg/kg, 5 μL/g body weight) from postnatal day (P)1–5 ± concomitant montelukast (1–30 mg/kg). Saline or montelukast treatment was continued for a further 5 days post-injury. Assessment of systemic and central inflammation and short-term neuropathology was performed from 4 h following treatment through to P10. Behavioural testing, MRI and neuropathological assessments were made on a second cohort of animals from P36 to 54. Montelukast was found to attenuate both peripheral and central inflammation, reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF) in the brain. Inflammation induced a reduction in parvalbumin-positive interneuron density in the cortex, which was normalised with high-dose montelukast. The lowest effective dose, 3 mg/kg, was able to improve anxiety and spatial learning deficits in this model of inflammatory injury, and alterations in cortical mean diffusivity were not present in animals that received this dose of montelukast. Repurposed montelukast administered early after preterm birth may, therefore, improve grey matter development and outcome in EoP.
Coexistence of chronic hyperalgesia and multilevel neuroinflammatory responses after experimental SCI: a systematic approach to profiling neuropathic pain
Authors: Wang Lei , Gunduz Mehmet A. , Semeano Ana T. , Yılmaz Enis C. , Alanazi Feras A. H. , Imir Ozan B. , Yener Ulas , Arbelaez Christian A. , Usuga Esteban , Teng Yang D.
Published: October 2022

Background

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) frequently develop neuropathic pain (NP) that worsens disability and diminishes rehabilitation efficacy. Chronic NP is presently incurable due to poor understanding of underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that multilocus neuroinflammation (NIF) might be a driver of SCI NP, and tested it by investigating whether NP coexisted with central NIF, neurotransmission (NTM), neuromodulation (NML) and neuroplasticity (NPL) changes post-SCI.

Methods

Female Sprague–Dawley rats (230–250 g) with T10 compression or laminectomy were evaluated for physical conditions, coordinated hindlimb functions, neurological reflexes, and mechanical/thermal sensitivity thresholds at 1 day post-injury (p.i.) and weekly thereafter. Eight weeks p.i., central nervous system tissues were histochemically and immunohistochemically characterized for parameters/markers of histopathology and NIF/NTM/NML/NPL. Also analyzed was the correlative relationship between levels of selected biomarkers and thermosensitivity thresholds via statistical linear regression.

Results

SCI impaired sensorimotor functions, altered reflexes, and produced spontaneous pain signs and hypersensitivity to evoked nociceptive, mechanical, and thermal inputs. Only injured spinal cords exhibited neural lesion, microglia/astrocyte activation, and abnormal expression of proinflammatory cytokines, as well as NIF/NTM/NML/NPL markers. Brains of SCI animals displayed similar pathophysiological signs in the gracile and parabrachial nuclei (GrN and PBN: sensory relay), raphe magnus nucleus and periaqueduct gray (RMN and PAG: pain modulation), basolateral amygdala (BLA: emotional-affective dimension of pain), and hippocampus (HPC: memory/mood/neurogenesis). SCI augmented sensory NTM/NPL (GrN and PBN); increased GAD67 (PAG) level; reduced serotonin (RMN) and fear-off neuronal NTR2 (BLA) expressions; and perturbed neurogenesis (HPC).

Conclusion

T10 compression caused chronic hyperalgesia that coexisted with NIF/NTM/NML/NPL responses at multilevel neuroaxis centers. The data have provided multidimensional biomarkers as new mechanistic leads to profile SCI NP for therapeutic/therapy development.
Olfactory marker protein is unlikely to be cleaved by calpain 5
Authors: Nakashima Noriyuki , Nakashima Kie , Nakashima Akiko , Takano Makoto
Published: October 2022

Olfactory maturation marker protein (OMP) is expressed in olfactory receptor neurons and hypothalamic neurons. OMP is a nested gene located in the intron of calpain 5 (CAPN5), a Ca2+-dependent cysteine protease. Despite being located at the same genomic locus, genetic regulation of the reciprocal expression of OMP and CAPN5 has been suggested. By performing a motif search, we detected possible calpain cleavage sites in OMP. However, the direct proteolytic regulation of OMP by CAPN5 is unclear. Here, we generated OMP fused with Myc-tag and His-tag at its N- and C-termini and examined whether CAPN5 cleaves OMP into fragments by detecting immunoreactivity against Myc, OMP and His. Western blotting demonstrated that OMP was unlikely to be cleaved even in the presence of Ca2+ in vitro. We expressed OMP and CAPN5 in HEK293T cells and applied a calcium ionophore under physiological conditions in cellulo, which resulted in no apparent fragmentation of OMP. We also applied liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to the electrophoresed fractions smaller than the uncut Myc-OMP-His signals, which demonstrated no significant fragmentation of OMP. These results collectively indicate that OMP is unlikely to be cleaved by CAPN5.
Expression of long noncoding RNAs in the ovarian granulosa cells of women with diminished ovarian reserve using high-throughput sequencing
Authors: Dong Li , Xin Xin , Chang Hsun-Ming , Leung Peter C. K. , Yu Chen , Lian Fang , Wu Haicui
Published: October 2022

Background

Infertility is a global reproductive-health problem, and diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is one of the common causes of female infertility. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial regulators of numerous physiological and pathological processes in humans. However, whether lncRNAs are involved in the development of DOR remains to be elucidated.

Methods

Ovarian granulosa cells (OGCs) extracted from infertile women with DOR and from women with normal ovarian reserve (NOR) were subjected to high-throughput sequencing. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify the differential expression of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and lncRNAs. Sequencing results were validated by the selection of lncRNAs and mRNAs using real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results

Compared with the NOR group, a total of 244 lncRNAs were upregulated (53 known and 191 novel), and 222 lncRNAs were downregulated (36 known and 186 novel) in the DOR group. Similarly, 457 mRNAs had differential expression between the two groups. Of these, 169 were upregulated and 288 were downregulated. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes of mRNA and lncRNAs were considerably enriched in “cell adhesion and apoptosis”, “steroid biosynthesis”, and “immune system”. A co-expression network comprising lncRNAs and their predicted target genes revealed the possible involvement of the “thyroid hormone signaling pathway” and “protein binding, digestion and absorption” in DOR pathogenesis. The expression of SLC16A10 was positively regulated by multiple lncRNAs. After RT-qPCR validation of seven differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs, respectively, the expression of lncRNA NEAT1, GNG12, ZEB2-AS1, and mRNA FN1, HAS3, RGS4, SUOX were in accordance with RNA-sequencing.

Conclusions

We presented the first data showing that the expression profiles of lncRNA and mRNA in OGCs between NOR and DOR patients using RNA sequencing. The lncRNAs and mRNAs that we identified may serve as novel diagnostic biomarkers for patients with DOR.
Assessing the causal relationships between gout and hypertension: a bidirectional Mendelian randomisation study with coarsened exposures
Authors: Lai Benjamin , Yu Huang-Ping , Chang Yu-Jing , Wang Liang-Chin , Chen Che-Kai , Zhang Weiya , Doherty Michael , Chang Shang-Hung , Hsu Jun-Te , Yu Kuang-Hui , Kuo Chang-Fu
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Observational studies have demonstrated associations between gout and hypertension, but whether they are causal remains unclear. Our work aims to assess the causal relationship between gout and hypertension.

Methods

We obtained genetic information from the Taiwan Biobank, including 88,347 participants and 686,439 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A novel model of Mendelian randomisation (MR) with coarsened exposures was used to examine the causality between the liability of gout on hypertension and vice versa, using 4 SNPs associated with gout and 10 SNPs associated with hypertension after removal of SNPs associated with measured confounders. The binary exposure (gout/hypertension) can be considered a coarsened approximation of a latent continuous trait. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) and polygenic risk score (PRS) methods were used to estimate effect size. The MR analysis with coarsened exposures was performed with and without adjustments for covariates.

Results

Of the 88,347 participants, 3253 (3.68%) had gout and 11,948 (13.52%) had hypertension (men, 31.9%; mean age 51.1 [SD, 11.1] years). After adjusting to measured confounders, MR analysis with coarsened exposures showed a significant positive causal effect of the liability of gout on hypertension in both the IVW method (relative risk [RR], 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.19; p = 0.0077) and the PRS method (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02–1.19; p = 0.0092). The result of causality was the same before and after involving measured confounders. However, there was no causal effect of the liability of hypertension on gout.

Conclusions

In this study, we showed that the liability of gout has a causal effect on hypertension, but the liability of hypertension does not have a causal effect on gout. Adequate management of gout may reduce the risk of developing hypertension.
Association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and increased blood pressure in normotensive subjects: a population-based study
Authors: Lee Dong-Hwa , Park Jong Eun , Kim So Young , Jeon Hyun Jeong , Park Jong-Hyock
Published: October 2022

Background

Insulin resistance (IR) is an important contributor to the development of hypertension (HTN), and the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has been proposed as a simple, reliable marker of IR. This study investigated the association between the TyG index and blood pressure (BP) elevation in a large general population.

Methods

The study enrolled 15,721 adults with no history of cardiometabolic diseases from the 2016–2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified into quartiles based on the TyG index and BP was categorized as normal BP, elevated BP, pre-HTN, and HTN. The associations of the TyG index with BP categories were assessed using multivariate multinomial logistic regression models with normal BP as the reference group.

Results

The mean systolic/diastolic BP and prevalence of HTN increased with the TyG index (P for trend < 0.001). The continuous TyG index had a strong dose-response relationship with increased odds of elevated BP, pre-HTN, and HTN. Compared with the lowest TyG index quartile, the highest TyG index quartile was significantly associated with higher odds of having elevated BP (odds ratio [OR], 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–1.87; P for trend < 0.001), pre-HTN (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.95–2.53; P for trend < 0.001), and HTN (OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 3.49–5.16; P for trend < 0.001).

Conclusion

We found that a higher TyG index was positively associated with the risk of increased BP in normal healthy individuals. This study suggests that the TyG index might serve as a potential predictor of HTN. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and various target populations in longitudinal designs are needed.
One class classification for the detection of β2 adrenergic receptor agonists using single-ligand dynamic interaction data
Authors: Chiesa Luca , Kellenberger Esther
Published: October 2022

G protein-coupled receptors are involved in many biological processes, relaying the extracellular signal inside the cell. Signaling is regulated by the interactions between receptors and their ligands, it can be stimulated by agonists, or inhibited by antagonists or inverse agonists. The development of a new drug targeting a member of this family requires to take into account the pharmacological profile of the designed ligands in order to elicit the desired response. The structure-based virtual screening of chemical libraries may prioritize a specific class of ligands by combining docking results and ligand binding information provided by crystallographic structures. The performance of the method depends on the relevance of the structural data, in particular the conformation of the targeted site, the binding mode of the reference ligand, and the approach used to compare the interactions formed by the docked ligand with those formed by the reference ligand in the crystallographic structure. Here, we propose a new method based on the conformational dynamics of a single protein–ligand reference complex to improve the biased selection of ligands with specific pharmacological properties in a structure-based virtual screening exercise. Interactions patterns between a reference agonist and the receptor, here exemplified on the β2 adrenergic receptor, were extracted from molecular dynamics simulations of the agonist/receptor complex and encoded in graphs used to train a one-class machine learning classifier. Different conditions were tested: low to high affinity agonists, varying simulation duration, considering or ignoring hydrophobic contacts, and tuning of the classifier parametrization. The best models applied to post-process raw data from retrospective virtual screening obtained by docking of test libraries effectively filtered out irrelevant poses, discarding inactive and non-agonist ligands while identifying agonists. Taken together, our results suggest that consistency of the binding mode during the simulation is a key to the success of the method.
Data and image storage on synthetic DNA: existing solutions and challenges
Authors: Dimopoulou Melpomeni , Antonini Marc
Published: October 2022

Storage of digital data is becoming challenging for humanity due to the relatively short life-span of storage devices. Furthermore, the exponential increase in the generation of digital data is creating the need for constantly constructing new resources to handle the storage of this data volume. Recent studies suggest the use of the DNA molecule as a promising novel candidate which can hold 500 Gbyte/mm$$^3$$

3

(1000 times more than HDD drives). Any digital information can be synthesized into DNA in vitro and stored in special tiny storage capsules that can promise reliability for hundreds of years. The stored DNA sequence can be retrieved whenever needed using special machines that are called sequencers. This whole process is very challenging, as the process of DNA synthesis is expensive in terms of money and sequencing is prone to errors. However, studies have shown that when respecting several rules in the encoding, the probability of sequencing error is reduced. Consequently, the encoding of digital information is not trivial, and the input data need to be efficiently compressed before encoding so that the high synthesis cost is reduced. In this paper, we present a survey on the storage of digital data in synthetic DNA, explaining the problem which is tackled by this novel field of study, present the main processes included in the storage workflow as well as the history of different studies and the most well-known algorithms that have been proposed in the bibliography on DNA data storage.
Patient satisfaction with e-oral health care in rural and remote settings: a systematic review
Authors: Emami Elham , Harnagea Hermina , Shrivastava Richa , Ahmadi Motahareh , Giraudeau Nicolas
Published: October 2022

Background

During the past decade e-oral health technology has been used to address the oral health care challenges in rural and remote settings. This review systematically evaluated the literature on patient satisfaction with e-oral health care in rural and remote communities.

Methods

The systematic review included interventional and observational studies published between 1946 and 2021, in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Global Health. Patient satisfaction with received oral health care using self-reported measures, at any time after the intervention, was the main outcome of the review. The other primary outcomes were undesirable consequences of the health care (e-health or conventional) such as diagnostic error. The secondary outcomes considered were waiting time, number of visits, travel, and the cost of oral health care. Two independent researchers assessed the risk of bias using the ROBINS-I risk of bias assessment tool for non-randomized studies.

Results

Among 898 studies, 16 studies were included in the review. In most studies reporting patient satisfaction, all patients had shown willingness for teleconsultation for a dental problem and they were mostly satisfied due to saved travel time, saved working days, and prompt treatment onset. Most of the studies acknowledged teledentistry as a cost-effective and cost-saving method. Moreover, the teledentistry consultations showed diagnostic reliability and validity values comparable to conventional dental consultations. The majority of studies were considered level 4 and 3b, due to limited sample populations, analysis based on limited alternatives or costs, non-consistent sensitivity analysis, failure to appropriately control known confounders, and/or failure to carry out an appropriate follow-up of patients.

Conclusion

Available evidence indicates that e-oral health is associated with higher patient satisfaction and has been found to be an effective and reliable method for patients in rural and remote areas. Therefore, in these areas, the use of e-oral health should be encouraged. However, methodological inconsistencies in the current evidence suggest the need for long-term cohort studies and clinical trials, as well as cost analysis on e-oral health in rural settings.

Systematic review registration

The systematic review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number CRD42016039942.
Longitudinal patterns of the relation between anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder among postpartum women with and without maternal morbidities in Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-lagged autoregressive structural equation modelling
Authors: Malaju Marelign Tilahun , Alene Getu Degu
Published: October 2022

Background

The postpartum period is a time where mothers can undergo significant changes that increase vulnerability for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

However, the direct and indirect factors of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and their direction of relationships following childbirth is not well investigated in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine the direct and indirect factors of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and their direction of relationships following childbirth.

Methods

A total of 775 women consented to participate at the first, second and third follow-up of the study (6th, 12th and 18th week of postpartum period) during October, 2020 – March, 2021.

Women were recruited after childbirth and before discharge using the World Health Organization maternal morbidity working group criteria to identify exposed and non-exposed groups. A cross-lagged autoregressive path analysis and linear structural equation modelling were carried out using Stata version 16 software.

Results

Prevalence rates of anxiety were 18.5%, 15.5% and 8.5% at the 6th, 12th and 18th week of postpartum respectively. The prevalence rates for depression were also found to be 15.5%, 12.9% and 8.6% respectively during the same follow up period and for posttraumatic stress disorder it was found to be 9.7%, 6.8% and 3.5% at the 6th, 12th and 18th week of postpartum respectively. Moreover, anxiety and depression were found to be a causal risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in the postpartum period. Direct maternal morbidity, fear of childbirth, higher gravidity, perceived traumatic childbirth and indirect maternal morbidity were found to have a direct and indirect positive association with depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. In contrast, higher parity, higher family size and higher social support have a direct and indirect negative association.

Conclusion

Postnatal mental health screening, early diagnosis and treatment of maternal morbidities, developing encouraging strategies for social support and providing adequate information about birth procedures and response to mothers’ needs during childbirth are essential to improve maternal mental health in the postpartum period.
ENT characteristics and therapeutic results in multisystemic disorders of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy
Authors: Long Haishan , Wen Cheng , Zhao Juan , Wang Jiawei , Li Yang , Fu Xinxing , Huang Lihui
Published: October 2022

Here we report the evaluation of the frequency of subjective and objective otolaryngologic findings and therapeutic results in 32 patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy (MEM) from September 2001 to June 2021. Our analysis included studying the patients’ family histories, the clinical manifestations of MEM, and the therapeutic effects of treatments. The patients’ ages ranged from 2 to 77 years, with a median age of 12.3 years. We found that MEM ENT symptoms were characterized by hearing loss, dysphagia, and facial weakness. Most cases of sensorineural hearing loss were bilateral symmetrical progressive or sudden deafness since adolescence, which were often underestimated. Associated neuromuscular symptoms required mtDNA testing. Dysphagia and facial weakness occurred preferentially in middle-aged patients, and muscle biopsies were advised. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem responsetesting were more sensitive and reliable than pure tone averages for objective monitoring of pathogenesis. Administration of the mitochondrial synthase complex benefited patients with acute episodes. If patients did not fully recover and exhibitedresidual language deficits, hearing aids or cochlear implants were recommended. Counsel was given regarding synthetical treatments for facial weakness, endoscopic circopharyngealmyotomy for dysphagia, and surgical correction of ptosis. This study demonstrates that increased awareness of these symptoms is important to address appropriate interventions and avoid complications such as ablepsia, aphasia, social isolation, malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, and heart failure in the setting of MEM.
Humanitarian policymaking as networked governance: social network analysis of the Global Compact on Refugees
Authors: Clark-Ginsberg Aaron , Balagna Jay , Nam Cyd Stacy , Casagrande Maya , Wilkinson Olivia
Published: October 2022

Humanitarian policymaking is a form of ‘networked governance,’ involving many different stakeholders working in parallel to influence each other and to shape policy agendas. This article uses social network analysis (SNA), a research technique used to understand complex structures of relations between stakeholders, to begin to understand policymaking from this networked governance perspective. To do so, we examine one of the most significant refugee policy processes in recent history, the 2016–2018 efforts to formulate and adopt the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). Starting with the policy network of one stakeholder involved in GCR, the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Community, we survey 24 representatives of organizations involved in the GCR policymaking process. In doing so, we identify the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, World Vision, and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies as three influential stakeholders in this network of mostly international NGOs. We note limited engagement of local and private sector actors but argue that this may or may not be problematic from a perspective of networked governance and equity. Through examining the Joint Learning Initiative policy network, this article offers new evidence concerning who is influential in international refugee policymaking space and contributes to an understanding of humanitarian action as a networked governance enterprise. We also show, as proof of concept, the ways SNA can be used to gain an understanding of the dynamics of policymaking systems and the patterns of influence within them.
Redesigning a cap-and-trade program for air emissions by agent-based modeling
Authors: Huang Hsing-Fu , Ma Hwong-Wen
Published: October 2022

This paper establishes a virtual model based on the concept of agent-based method and cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the feasibility of reviewing and improving the cap-and-trade program, using the air emission program in Taiwan as a case study. We adjusted the emission baseline, reduction target proportion, and trading platform under the scheme and simulated the emission reduction and trading behavior of each type of pollutant in different cases.

Based on the comparative results of the modeling schemes analyzed in this paper, it is suggested that to improve the distribution of reduction targets without including trading systems can result in the most reduction amount in the study regions. Compared with an approach that includes a trading system, the proposed method provides a simple approach without any obvious increase in the reduction objects’ average cost per unit of reduction. However, this approach makes it difficult for newly proposed investment projects to settle in the region to acquire the offset; therefore, an alternative measure should be designed for this purpose in such a case. When policy-makers default on making decisions based on air emission caps, a reduction scheme based on a supported trading system will be more adaptable for economic development. It is recommended to consider the maximum emission of the previous 7 years as a baseline, along with a trading platform, for making the market more effective and ensuring a smaller impact on the reduction target of the polluters.
Identifying core strategies and mechanisms for spreading a national medicines optimisation programme across England—a mixed-method study applying qualitative thematic analysis and Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Authors: Ziemann Alexandra , Sibley Andrew , Tuvey Sam , Robens Sarah , Scarbrough Harry
Published: October 2022

Background

Achieving widespread adoption of innovations across health systems remains a challenge. Past efforts have focused on identifying and classifying strategies to actively support innovation spread (replicating an innovation across sites), but we lack an understanding about the mechanisms which such strategies draw on to deliver successful spread outcomes. There is also no established methodology to identify core strategies or mechanisms which could be replicated with fidelity in new contexts when spreading innovations. We aimed to understand which strategies and mechanisms are connected with successful spread using the case of a national medicines optimisation programme in England.

Methods

The study applied a comparative mixed-method case study approach. We compared spread activity in 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSN) in England, applied to one innovation case, Transfers of Care Around Medicines (TCAM). We followed two methodological steps: (1) qualitative thematic analysis of primary data collected from 18 interviews with AHSN staff members to identify the strategies and mechanisms and related contextual determinants and (2) Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) combining secondary quantitative data on spread outcome and qualitative themes from step 1 to identify the core strategies and mechanisms.

Results

We identified six common spread strategy-mechanism constructs that AHSNs applied to spread the TCAM national spread programme: (1) the unique intermediary position of the AHSN as “honest broker” and local networking organisation, (2) the right capacity and position of the spread facilitator, (3) an intersectoral and integrated stakeholder engagement approach, (4) the dynamic marriage of the innovation with local health and care system needs and characteristics, (5) the generation of local evidence, and (6) the timing of TCAM. The QCA resulted in the core strategy/mechanism of a timely start into the national spread programme in combination with the employment of a local, senior pharmacist as an AHSN spread facilitator.

Conclusions

By qualitatively comparing experiences of spreading one innovation across different contexts, we identified common strategies, causal mechanisms, and contextual determinants. The QCA identified one core combination of two strategies/mechanisms. The identification of core strategies/mechanisms and common pre-conditional and mediating contextual determinants of a specific innovation offers spread facilitators and implementers a priority list for tailoring spread activities.
Systemic analysis of eeg activation response in right and left handers
Authors: Lobasyuk B. , Bartsevich L.
Published: October 2022

Most researchers in the study of the EEG activation response studied changes in alpha activity, while the dynamics of changes in other EEG rhythms and functional interhemispheric asymmetry (FMAA) was described and analyzed to an immeasurably lesser extent. Considering electrogenesis as a systemic category, it is advisable to study the relationships between the amplitudes of EEG rhythms using multiple regression and correlation methods of analysis. The EEG was studied on practically healthy people, students, in the state of PR and OR. Lateralization (right-handed-left-handed) was determined by EEG parameters. Activation coefficients (AC) were determined by dividing the beta-2 rhythm duration index by the alpha rhythm duration index. Relationships formed between the amplitudes of EEG rhythms were studied using calculations of multiple linear regression and correlation.

In own research we was show: when opening the eyes, the amplitude of alpha and beta-1 rhythms in right-handers and left-handers decreased statistically signifiantly. Changes in the parameters of beta-2 EEG rhythms when opening the eyes in right-handers were determined to be increased in the left and right hemispheres, and in left-handers only in the forehead-temporal abduction of the left hemisphere - an increase in the duration index. Indicators of theta rhythm in right-handed people decreased in the left and right hemispheres when opening the eyes, and in left-handers, changes in theta rhythm were manifested only in the crown-occiput abduction of the right abduction. The amplitude and frequency of the EEG delta rhythm in right-handers decreased in the left and right hemispheres, and the duration indices were determined to be statistically significantly increased in all leads, with the exception of the forehead-temporal of the left hemisphere, while in left-handers, changes in the delta rhythm were observed mainly in the right hemisphere and were expressed in a decrease in amplitudes and rhythm frequencies. In the study of FIA, the alpha-rhythm index of right-handers under PR conditions was determined to be negative, and in left-handers it was positive. Under conditions of operational rest, this indicator was positive for both left-handers and right-handers. When opening the eyes, the AC in most leads increased statistically significantly in both right-handers and left-handers.

The regression analysis revealed that the number of statistically significant regression coefficients increased significantly in the left hemisphere in right-handers under OP conditions, while in left-handers it decreased in the right hemisphere.
Differential diagnosis in children with musculoskeletal pain in Emergency Department
Authors: Drozd Małgorzata , Gorecka Adrianna , Zaremba Bartłomiej , Opoka-Winiarska Violetta
Published: October 2022

Objective: The study was aimed to analyze the diagnostic approach to a child with a non-traumatic musculoskeletal pain registered in the pediatric Hospital Emergency Department (HED). Since the pandemic COVID-19 affects patient health and the healthcare system, we also evaluated the impact of pandemic on type of musculoskeletal symptoms.

Study design: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by statistical analysis of data of patients with non-traumatic musculoskeletal pain registered in HED between January 2018 and December 2020. Data of patients referred and not referred to hospital ward and admitted to HED before and during COVID-19 pandemic have been compared.

Results: Majority of patients presented acute, non-trauma related, single-site pain, usually localized in the hip, the knee and the spine. 21,49% of patients were referred to a hospital ward, usually rheumatological, neurological or orthopedic. Final diagnoses in almost ¾ patients belong to the group of musculoskeletal system and connective tissue disorders. During the pandemic significantly less patients with musculoskeletal pain reported to our HED. The duration of symptoms before admission was not significantly longer than in previous years, but the problem in children and the impact of the pandemic on the musculoskeletal system in children is complex.

Conclusions: Our study provides detailed information on patterns of pediatric musculoskeletal consultations in HED. A positive history of trauma preceding musculoskeletal pain in a child may only be accidentally related to the final cause. Musculoskeletal pain can be also a symptom of a lot of various systemic conditions, not only diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may require changes in the organization of the HED. We believe that the presented results can help in organizing and planning care in pediatric HEDs, develop diagnostic algorithms and training for HED staff.
The Implementation of Dual Language Programme for Mathematics Education in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Khaizaar Nur Izzatie , Hidayat Riyan
Published: October 2022

The study discussed in this paper is a systematic literature review related to the role of dual language programme (DLP) in mathematics education which has been published within the last 5 years. This study was conducted to identify the distribution of DLP studies in terms of year of publication, the study context covered in previous studies, the context of study areas used, focus and trends of past studies, research methods used in previous studies and the role of language in school mathematics education. This review study followed the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) to analyze articles from Scopus and Web of Science. The findings of the study indicate that research trends in the implementation of the DLP on mathematics education for secondary school students showed an increase from 2017 to 2019. Most DLP-related articles are widely developed in the United States and Germany. The findings indicate that previous studies are more interested in studying the implementation of DLP in rural areas. Past studies have also preferred to use the design of either a qualitative study or a quantitative study to be implemented. Questionnaires, tests and interviews are among the research instruments that are often used for a study.
İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Hayat Bilgisi Dersi Öz Yeterlik Düzeylerinin İncelenmesi
Authors: YILMAZ Ferat
Published: October 2022

Bu araştırma, ilkokul öğrencilerinin hayat bilgisi dersi öz yeterlik düzeylerini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma tarama modeli ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmanın evrenini, ilkokul 2 ve 3. sınıf öğrencileri oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın çalışma evreni, Diyarbakır ili merkez ilçelerinde eğitim gören 2 ve 3. sınıf öğrencileridir. Araştırmada, tabakalı örneklemeden faydalanılmıştır. Veri toplamak için Kişisel Bilgi Formu (KBF) ve Hayat Bilgisi Dersi Öz Yeterlik Ölçeği (HBDÖÖ) kullanılmıştır. HBDÖÖ, otorite odaklı öz yeterlik ve birey odaklı öz yeterlik olmak üzere iki boyuttan oluşmaktadır. Verilerin analizinde bağımsız gruplar için t testi, tek yönlü varyans analizi ve çoklu regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre, öğrencilerin otorite odaklı öz yeterlik düzeyleri, birey odaklı öz yeterlik düzeylerinden daha yüksektir. Hayat bilgisi dersi öz yeterliği, hiçbir boyutta cinsiyet değişkeni açısından anlamlı bir biçimde farklılaşmamaktadır. Hem birey odaklı öz yeterlik hem de otorite odaklı öz yeterlik anne eğitim düzeyi, baba eğitim düzeyi ve baba mesleği değişkenleri açısından anlamlı farklılık göstermektedir. Başarı algısı ve ders çalışma sıklığı değişkenleri otorite odaklı öz yeterliği %17 oranında anlamlı bir biçimde yordayabilirken birey odaklı öz yeterliği %14 oranında yordayabilmektedir.
On the politics of speculative fiction: A conversation with Drew Hayden Taylor
Authors: Cullingham Sarah
Published: October 2022

The alternate realities and imagined futures of speculative fiction provide a rich source of material through which to interrogate our views of history, elucidate our contemporary cultural milieu and chart what we see as possible. This article attends to the politics of Indigenous–Settler relations through an engagement with speculative fiction. Spatially and temporally located in the country now called Canada in the twenty-first century, the work centres on a conversation between the author, a Settler Canadian, and writer, playwright and humourist, Drew Hayden Taylor, from the Curve Lake First Nation. A full transcript of the conversation, edited for length and clarity, is provided. In it, Taylor describes his speculative writing practice and engagement with Indigenous futures. The article concludes with the author’s reflection on the process of decolonization, situating engagement in Indigenous futurisms as a step in this process.
Filosofía experimental ayer y hoy: revisión de una tradición filosófica en proceso de (re)consolidación
Authors: Suárez-Ruíz E. Joaquín , Calvente Sofía
Published: October 2022

‘Filosofía experimental’ involucra una homonimia que suele generar confusión, dado que es posible caracterizar con ese mismo nombre dos líneas de investigación filosófica que a primera vista resultan bastante diferentes. En primer lugar, en sentido estrecho se refiere a una perspectiva que surgió con el propósito de poner en cuestión los métodos generalmente utilizados en el análisis filosófico tradicional, por considerarlos netamente especulativos (Knobe et al., 2012). Puntualmente, se enfoca en la crítica al tipo de análisis a priori que suele realizarse en filosófica analítica. A grandes rasgos, toma como punto de partida de sus investigaciones las intuiciones que poseen las personas sin formación filosófica sobre determinados problemas filosóficos (Knobe y Nichols, 2017). En segundo lugar, ‘filosofía experimental’, en un sentido más general, alude a una perspectiva mucho más antigua, emergida alrededor del siglo XVII. Algunos representantes de dicho enfoque son Francis Bacon, Robert Boyle, John Locke, Blaise Pascal y David Hume. En este artículo argumentaremos que las versiones ‘ampliadas’ de la filosofía experimental en su sentido estrecho, poseen puntos en común con el sentido más general. En otras palabras, analizaremos la hipótesis de que por detrás de las vertientes más recientes de la filosofía experimental contemporánea es posible hallar continuidades con la tradición iniciada por los filósofos naturales del siglo XVII. Dichas continuidades serían los suficientemente importantes como para hacer plausible la idea de que la filosofía experimental, en su sentido general, puede entenderse como una tradición filosófica que, a pesar de sus intermitencias, persiste aún hoy en día y, aún más, actualmente se encuentra en proceso de reconsolidación.
De controversias a mezclas: Una apuesta cosmopolítica en las prácticas tecno-científicas con grasas.
Authors: Urieta Bastardés Elena
Published: October 2022

En este texto se abordan algunas de las tensiones sobre la práctica tecno-científica con grasas. Recogiendo la condición híbrida entre ciencia y política propuesta por la teoría del actor-red y las epistemologías feministas en los estudios CTS, describiré cómo los apaños por los que las científicas rehacen normas, materiales y sensaciones en la cotidianidad del laboratorio constituyen situaciones de producción del conocimiento científico que escapan de las fronteras que separan objetos y sujetos, humanos y no-humanos, naturalezas y culturas, expertos y legos. Finalmente, propongo que esta mezcla entre medias compone una cosmopolítica de alianzas y reconocimientos donde múltiples modos de existencia y conocimiento difractan y se entrelazan en laboratorios experimentales cuando se analizan, procesan y catan grasas y aceites.