bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orthopedic Interventions for Foot Deformities in Non-Ambulant People with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Retrospective Study on Indications, Post-Operative and Long-Term Outcomes
Authors: Houwen-van Opstal Saskia L.S. , Timmer Amity C. , Ten Ham A.M. , Hosman Allard J.F. , Willemsen Michel A.A.P. , de Groot Imelda J.M.
Published: August 2022

Background:

Progressive equinovarus deformities are common in people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD); they may provoke pain, pressure spots, cause problems with wearing footwear, and may lead to an unstable sitting position.

Objective:

Explore indications and compare complications and long-term outcomes after soft tissue and osseous interventions in people with DMD.

Methods:

Retrospective, monocenter, longitudinal study. Data on indications, equinus and varus deformity before and after surgery, wound healing problems, ‘pain’, edema, and long-term outcomes were collected from medical files. Soft tissue interventions were compared with osseous interventions.

Results:

From a series of 18 patients, data on 32 surgical interventions and 169 follow-up visits were analyzed. ‘Footrest placement’ was the most frequent surgical indication, followed by pain. Osseous interventions were performed in older patients with rigid deformities. Directly after surgery remaining deformities were reported after soft tissue interventions (18 %), no remaining deformities were reported after osseous interventions. Pain and edema were frequently present, especially after osseous surgery. Longitudinal follow-up showed that surgical interventions could lead to a neutral foot for a for more than 3 years on average years. Relapses of foot deformity occurred, especially the recurrence of varus deformity after osseous interventions.

Conclusions:

Surgical interventions can successfully lead to a neutral foot position for for more than 3 years on average. Soft tissue interventions appear to be superior to osseous corrections, considering the varus recurrence period and complications, and may be considered when feet are still (partly) correctable. Pain management and edema prevention should be anticipated before surgery. Future research on patient reported outcomes as well as evaluating the outcome of the initial indication is needed to further identify benefits.
Neonatal abdominal support to address CPAP belly: Two cases report and literature review
Authors: McGill V.E.
Published: August 2022

Gaseous distension of the abdomen from the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in the preterm population is of increasing concern for its unintended consequences. Methods to treat and prevent CPAP belly deserve further investigation. An intervention to provide abdominal support to address CPAP belly is presented in these case studies.
Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for gait disturbance in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy
Authors: Sasaki Nobuyuki , Sato Tomoo , Yamatoku Masato , Yamano Yoshihisa
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND: Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) associated myelopathy (HAM) can damage the spinal cord, causing paraplegia, spasticity, and gait disturbance. Currently, there are few effective treatments. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on gait disturbance in patients with HAM. METHODS: rTMS at 10 Hz was applied to HAM patients aged 30–80 years with an Osame’s Motor Disability Score between 3 and 6. The stimulation site on the skull was the position where motor evoked potentials were most evidently elicited and leg motor areas were stimulated. Resting motor thresholds (minimum stimulation to induce motor evoked potential) were also determined. Each participant underwent 10 sessions of 2400 stimuli. Clinical measurements, including walking speed and stride length, were obtained. RESULTS: From 119 patients with HAM recruited, 12 were included in the rTMS group and 18 who did not undergo rTMS comprised the control group. rTMS significantly improved walking speed and stride length compared to controls. Particularly, resting motor thresholds decreased after 10 sessions of rTMS. CONCLUSIONS: rTMS improves walking speed in patients with HAM and may be an effective alternative for treating gait disturbance in patients with HAM.
Our Shared Future: Common Security 2022 and Beyond1
Authors: Sundström Anna
Published: August 2022

The year 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of Olof Palme’s Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues. The Commission presented its report in 1982, at the height of the Cold War. It developed the concept of common security – the idea that nations and peoples can only feel safe when their counterparts feel safe. By taking the concept of common security as its starting point, the Common Security 2022 initiative has analysed the world we live in and some of the great challenges facing humanity on the planet earth. At the time of 50th anniversary of the 1972 Stockholm Conference (Stockholm+50), the Common Security 2022 recommendations are indications, or steps forward for our shared future that would include addressing the climate change, a process of removing the threat of nuclear annihilation and turning around the ‘super tanker’ of war.
Environmental Terrorism: Not Yet a Crime in International Law
Authors: Rose Gregory
Published: August 2022

The ease with which severe harms can be deliberately inflicted upon the natural environment to coerce political behaviour pose real and current threats to both nature and to social stability. There is a serious lack of international law to criminalise environmental terrorism. This lacuna could be remedied in part by the formulation and adoption of a new treaty to define and criminalise acts of terror against the natural environment. The outline of such a treaty is described in this article.
Segmental limited-angle CT reconstruction based on image structural prior
Authors: Gong Changcheng , Shen Zhaoqiang , He Yuanwei
Published: August 2022

CT reconstruction from incomplete projection data is one of the key researches of X-ray CT imaging. The projection data acquired by few-view and limited-angle sampling are incomplete. In addition, few-view sampling often requires turning on and off the tube voltage, but rapid switching of tube voltage demands for high technical requirements. Limited-angle sampling is easy to realize. However, reconstructed images may encounter obvious artifacts. In this study we investigate a new segmental limited-angle (SLA) sampling strategy, which avoids rapid switching of tube voltage. Thus, the projection data has lower data correlation than limited-angle CT, which is conducive to reconstructing high-quality images. To suppress potential artifacts, we incorporate image structural prior into reconstruction model to present a reconstruction method. The limited-angle CT reconstruction experiments on digital phantoms, real carved cheese and walnut projections are used to test and verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Several image quality evaluation indices including RMSE, PSNR, and SSIM of the reconstructions in simulation experiments are calculated and listed to show the superiority of our method. The experimental results indicate that the CT image reconstructed using the proposed new method is closer to the reference image. Images from real CT data and their residual images also show that applying the proposed new method can more effectively reduce artifacts and image structures are well preserved.
TOLERANCE OF FRESHWATER BIVALVE Cyanocyclas brasiliana (Deshayes, 1854) TO THE VARIATION OF SALINITY IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS
Authors: Brito Carla Suzy Freire de , Gomes de Sousa Ronaldo , Rial Conde Diego , Rocha-Barreira Cristina de Almeida
Published: August 2022

The species Cyanocyclas brasiliana (Deshayes, 1854) is endemic to South America and occurs in northern Brazil, in the state of Amazonas, Pará and Piauí. The present study was carried out in the Parnaíba River estuary, Piauí, Brazil. The objective of this study was to verify the tolerance limit and survival of the freshwater bivalve Cyanocyclas brasiliana submitted to an increasing salinity gradient under laboratory conditions. The specimens (19.49 to 26.47 mm) were kept in containers with 2 liters of water with constant aeration and at a density of 2.5 animals per liter. 7 treatments (salinities of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) were performed with 5 replicates per treatment. In the first 36 hours there was no death of any individual; mortality started after 48 hours at 3, 4, 5 and 6‰; it was more significant from 72 to 96 hours for treatments ranging from 2 to 6‰ and every specimen for treatments of 2 and 3‰ died from 120 to 144 hours. LC50 ranges from 3.1 at 72 h and 3.3 at 84 h, so the limiting average salinity was 3.2‰ and this species is characterized as stenohaline. Lethal death time (LT50) was: 81.8, 82.3, 78.5, 61.1 and 63.5 h for salinities of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6‰ respectively. This species does not support great variations in salinity under experimental conditions, being well adapted to survive in salinities between 0 and 1.
Keywords: endemic, mortality, survival
Budidaya Sayur Hidroponik Sistem Sumbu/Wick Sebagai Upaya Kemandirian Pangan Pasca Pandemi
Authors: Mukhibin M Infarul
Published: August 2022

Berdasarkan analisis situasi diketahui bahwa sebagian besar masyarakat Desa kalang semanding bermata pencarian disektor pertanian dan produk yang dihasilkan berupa kacang kedelai, padi, dan bawang merah tetapi untuk jenis tanaman sayuran produksinya sangat rendah dan bahkan tidak dibudidayakan oleh penduduk setempat. Padahal, potensi pengembangan pertanian pada skala rumah tangga atau perkarangan cukup besar.

Tujuan program ini adalah (1) Untuk memberdayakan masyarakat Desa Kalang semanding dengan memberikan pelatihan budidaya tanaman sayuran dengan hidroponik sistem wick / Sumbu (2) meningkatkan pengetahuan masyarakat tentang teknik hidroponik. Konsep hidroponikmerupakan budidaya menanam dengan memanfaatkan serabu kayu,serat kelapa dan sekam. Metode yang digunakan dalam program ini adalah sosialisasi program, pelatihan dan praktik pembuatan hidroponik dan pendampingan serta evaluasi kegiatan. Berdasarkan hasil program yang dijalankan dapat disimpulkan bahwa budidaya tanaman sayuran hidroponik sistem wick / Sumbu telah berhasil memberdayakan ibu-ibu rumah tangga masyarakat Desa Kalang Semanding dalam meningkatkan minat untuk memanfaatkan perkarangan sebagai lahan penanaman sayuran. Masyarakat memberikan respon yang sangat positif terhadap kegiatan yang dilakukan dan menilai kegiatan ini sangat bermanfaat
Pengaruh Kreativitas terhadap hubungan Kepuasan Kerja dan Kinerja Karyawan pada Koperasi di Kecamatan Denpasar Utara
Authors: Arsha I Made Risma M , Resa Adhika Nyoman , Pradiva Putra Salain Putu , Made Dwi Puspitawati Ni , Agus Eka Rismawan Putu
Published: August 2022

Maximum cooperative management has an impact on cooperative performance that is getting better and healthier. Management of human resources in cooperatives is a way to improve cooperative performance. From the development of cooperatives and the results of interviews with cooperative employees about creativity that tends to be low, job satisfaction is lacking and employee performance is low, it will be very important and it is necessary to do research. Research respondents totaled 60 people, with a sampling technique that is non-probability sampling and analyzed using Smart PLS. The results and discussion of the data in this study indicate that the performance of employees at cooperative institutions in the North Denpasar sub-district is strongly influenced by the level of creativity and the role of employee job satisfaction itself. From these results, it is suggested that cooperative institutions in developing their businesses should be based on the value of creativity in providing services to the community, considering that cooperative institutions currently have almost the same service concept so they need to be supported by a dimension of creativity that provides innovation value in competition.
Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Untuk Pemilihan Supplier Buah Di PT.Indomarco Prismatama Menggunakan Metode Analytical Hierarchy Process
Authors: Tohir Machrus , Ahda Fadhli Almu'iini , Sulistyo Danang Arbian
Published: August 2022

ABSTRACT: Market developments that increasingly pesar make the company should be able to compete globally while maintaining performance. Selection of suppliers is important to support the company's performance, since the selection of suppliers that may cause disadvantage and decline in service levels due to stock out of the company. This research aims to select the best supplier by way of selecting suppliers based on appropriate criteria and sub- criteria. This research was conducted in PT.Indomarco Prismatama by taking the object Merchandiser and fruit department. Decision support systems to the Analytical Hierarchy Process used to obtain weights supplier criteria. The results obtained after testing the comparison between the system and reality, the results obtained using the system are much better in choosing the best supplier. And this system is only a medium that can be used to recommend options to the leadership.
Penerapan Data Mining Untuk Clustering Penilaian Kinerja Dosen Menggunakan Algoritma K-Means (Studi Kasus: STMIK Primakara)
Authors: Dewi Ni Luh Putu Purnama , Purnama I Nyoman , Utami Nengah Widya
Published: August 2022

ABSTRAK. Penilaian kinerja dosen adalah suatu proses dalam melakukan evaluasi terhadap kinerja dosen dan mengevaluasi output pekerjaan dosen. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengkelompokkan kinerja dosen dengan memanfaatkan teknik data mining. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memudahkan memberikan informasi dan evaluasi kepada dosen dan sebagai bahan mengambil keputusan. Metode penelitian yang digunakan yaitu metode Knowledge Discovery in Database (KDD), yang terdiri dari tahapan: Data Selection, Preprocessing/Cleaning, Transformation Data, Data mining, dan Enterpretation/Evaluation. Penerapan metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah algoritma K-Means Clustering. Beberapa tahapan yang dilakukan dalam menganalisis dan mengelompokkan kinerja dosen diawali dengan penentuan nilai centroid dari titik pusat secara acak. Proses algoritma K-Means berakhir jika tidak ada perubahan nilai centroid antara satu iterasi dengan iterasi lainnya. Pengujian dilakukan dengan menggunakan aplikasi RapidMiner Studio 9.10 dan menggunakan evaluasi Davies-Bouldin Index (DBI)dengan data input 983 data mahasiswa, sehingga hasil yang diperoleh dari penilaian kinerja dosen berdasarkan kepuasaan mahasiswa yaitu cluster sangat baik 312 (31,74%) data mahasiswa, cluster baik 401 (40,79%) data mahasiswa, cluster cukup baik 189 (19,23%) data mahasiswa, dan cluster kurang baik 81 (8,24%) data mahasiswa. Dan hasil DBI sebesar 0,270 atau 27%, sehingga tingkat akurasi dari hasil cluster termasuk baik, karena nilai DBI sudah mendekati nol.
Kata Kunci: Penilaian kinerja dosen, KDD, Data mining Clustering, K-Means, DBI
The Relationship between Financial Inclusion and Women's Empowerment: Evidence from Iraq
Authors: Jedi Firas Farhan
Published: August 2022

The study aimed to test the relationship between financial inclusion and women's empowerment in Iraq to determine whether financial inclusion promotes women's empowerment under the pretext that if we can empower women, this will have a positive impact on the sustainable development process in the country. The study adopted the descriptive analysis approach to test the variables of the study, namely, financial inclusion (owning an account, owning a bank card, saving with an official financial institution, borrowing from an official institution, borrowing from family or friends, receiving salaries from the public sector, and receiving salaries from the private sector) as an independent variable and its relationship to economic empowerment expressed in the percentage of women's participation in the labor market as a dependent variable. The secondary data of the study was collected based on the Global Findex database issued by the World Bank. The study period included four periods for 10 years (2011 - 2021) based on the survey periods issued by the World Bank every three years. Based on the descriptive analysis, the study found that the percentage of women's participation in the labor market in Iraq is very weak in the public and private sectors and that the utilization of financial inclusion programs promotes women's empowerment economically. Thus, the results proved the validity of the study hypothesis that there is a strong relationship between indicators of financial inclusion and the empowerment of women in Iraq. The study recommended the decision-makers should review fiscal policies associated with financial inclusion programs to be more suitable for women by expanding digital financial services to link women, especially female entrepreneurs, to markets, increasing income, reducing poverty, facilitating women's control largely over their profits and savings, and all the critical elements of women's economic empowerment.
Overview of the state of electrical energy in Ukraine
Authors: Yaroshenko Ya , Bobrov O , Tsyplenkov D
Published: August 2022

Purpose. The purpose of the work is to carry out an analytical review of the state of the electricity system of Ukraine and its structure by types of generation from the point of view of its balancing. Research methodology. To establish the dependence of the Ukrainian energy market on constant loads and maneuverability, an empirical method of analyzing the indicators of the energy system was used. The results. The analysis of the state of the electric power system of Ukraine, taking into account its changes during the military aggression, was carried out. The structure of the electric power sector of the economy by types of generation is shown, the disadvantages and advantages from the point of view of balancing the electric power system of Ukraine are revealed. According to the results, the need for additional maneuvering of the power system was revealed, which can also be performed due to the accumulation of electricity generated at non-traditional energy facilities. Scientific novelty. Analysis of the state of Ukraine's electric power industry in modern conditions allows us to distinguish the main directions of research on increasing the maneuverability of the electric power system when renewable energy sources are connected to this system. Practical value. The last 10 years have seen a large-scale increase in demand for the integration of information technologies into society. The development of industry, large-scale automation, cybernetic technologies and others make it possible to use a large number of technological gifts in general use - gadgets, computers, electric cars, industrial objects, etc. Which in turn are consumers of electricity. Electricity consumption increases every year by an average of 2-5%, and the outdated approach to taking the necessary measures to re-equip the power grid in Ukraine may lead to a collapse in the energy sector in the next 3-5 years. Also, the search for a solution to this problem led initially to the widespread use of renewable energy sources, such as solar power plants, and only later to the transformation of the energy sector, the introduction of decentralization, etc. In order to maintain the balancing of the energy system, along with the development of renewable energy, the task of developing accumulative systems, in particular hydro and pneumatic accumulative stations, which can play an important role in the permanent energy system of Ukraine as a type of fast-maneuvering power, arises.
Ecuador: Gasto público y crecimiento económico, 2017 - 2021
Authors: León-Serrano Lady Andrea , San Martín-Maza Xavier Alexander , Lupú Carrillo Kimberly Dayanna , Saenz-Sisalima Jean Carlos
Published: August 2022

Actualmente, el Gasto Público se constituye como un importante instrumento de política fiscal que permite cubrir necesidades que limitan el desarrollo. Así, el presente articulo tiene la finalidad de estudiar como incrementó la producción a raíz de cambios en el gasto en Ecuador a lo largo de 2017- 2021, con la ayuda del software SPSS. En ese mismo sentido, se realizó una investigación literaria y descriptiva, para la obtención de información que sustentan el estudio, además de la aplicación de una metodología de tipo deductivo que permitió recopilar datos estadísticos y presentar análisis de datos. Así mismo, se conoció que el PIB real y Déficit Fiscal, son variables que se encuentran relacionadas entre sí, además que, el modelo planteado es eficaz, ajustándose significativamente las variables independientes a la dependiente. Para finalizar, se presentaron las respectivas conclusiones, donde los cambios del PIB real y Déficit Fiscal afectan de manera directa al presupuesto destinado a sectores estratégicos del país, permitiendo así el crecimiento económico o, por el contrario, convirtiéndose en un limitante para el desarrollo.
Factibilidad para la creación de una empresa destinada a ofrecer servicios para la gestión de procesos de negocio, en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador
Authors: Angamarca-Briceño Pablo Jairo , Pinos-Vélez Eduardo Guillermo , Ortega-Castro Juan Carlos
Published: August 2022

Esta investigación detalla el análisis técnico financiero, sobre la factibilidad de creación de una empresa destinada a ofrecer servicios de gestión de procesos de negocio, en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador, para ello en su desarrollo, se presentan estrategias de análisis de oportunidades, amenazas, debilidades y fortalezas, para su constitución, con el respaldo de un estudio de mercado a partir de la recolección de información primaria, aplicando para ello encuestas dirigidas a un grupo poblacional especifico. Infiriendo en los factores financieros para saber si el proyecto es rentable, con el análisis de sus indicadores. Metodológicamente se revisa la literatura existente, referente a BPM, y las ventajas que brinda en su implementación en diferentes empresas para mejorar sus procesos, por ende, sus ventas y posicionamiento. Finalmente, como principal conclusión se muestra que el estudio de mercado realizado determinó que efectivamente hay una oportunidad para una empresa que brinde servicios de BPM a las demás del sector, pues los resultados revelaron que un porcentaje superior al 80% del universo estudiado, están de acuerdo o asertivamente indican que para sus organizaciones es indispensable inmiscuirse en esta época de disrupción tecnológica y acompañar sus procesos mediados por transformación digital.
Identifikasi Prioritas Pemeliharaan Jalan Provinsi Menggunakan Metode Simple Additive Weighting
Authors: Haryadi Octadino , Rangga Bakti Imam
Published: August 2022

Jalan merupakan media untuk transportasi darat yang menghubungkan daerah satu dengan daerah lainnya. Jalan merupakan infastruktur yang bersifat umum dimana semua kalangan dapat menggunakannya dalam keseharian. Kondisi jalan merupakan faktor yang mempengaruhi kenyamanan pengguna jalan dan juga merupakan faktor yang menjadi alasan banyaknya kecekalaan lalu lintas. Banyaknya masalah kondisi jalan menjadi suatu kendala yang tidak dapat dipungkiri dari setiap wilayah di Indonesia begitu juga di Provinsi Riau. Sistem penunjang keputusan adalah sebuah sistem untuk mencari penunjang keputusan ,keputusan diambil menggunakan sistem yang dirancang berdasarkan kebutuhan pemakaian, dalam membantu mengambil suatu keputusan, keputusan dirancang berdasarkan kriteria dan alternatife yang sudah ditentukan sebelumnya dan memiliki sistem yang sudah terstruktur dan terprogram dalam bentuk pembobotan yang akan diakumulasi dan dinormalisasikan dan menghasilkan perangkingan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Simple Additive Weighting biasa disebut sebagai metode yang menggunakan bentuk penjumlah terbobot. Bentuk.dari.metode.yaitu menghitung jumlah nilai  bobot dari langkah-langkah kerja pada alternatif yang ada dari semua atribut. Untuk menjelaskan tentang penyelesaian metode penulis menggunakan data jalan provinsi. Banyak data jalan yang akan dijadikan alternatif pada penelitian ini sebanyak 20 data jalan provinsi. Dengan hasil priotias perbaikan jalan provinsi menghasilkan 11 jalan yang menjadi prioritas dengan nilai akhir di atas 50
Analisis Metode K-Nearest Neighbor Menggunakan Rapid Miner untuk Sistem Rekomendasi Tempat Wisata Labuan Bajo
Authors: Panjaitan Cherlina Helena P , Pangaribuan Lisda Juliana , Cahyadi Catra Indra
Published: August 2022

Sistem rekomendasi paket wisata memerlukan informasi untuk memilih tujuan perjalanan mereka sebelum melakukan perjalanan ke tempat wisata tersebut, hal ini sangat dibutuhkan untuk destinasi wisata di Labuan Bajo. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membantu wisatawan Labuhan Bajo mendapatkan rekomendasi tempat wisata sesuai dengan jenis wisata dan harga yang diinginkan. Penelitian ini menggunakan tiga variable sebagai kriteria yaitu aktifitas, jenis wisata dan jenis harga. Dengan melakukan pengujian menggunakan algoritma K-Nearest Neigbour (KNN) dan aplikasi Rapidminer dimana nilai K=5, maka ditemukan akurasi sebesar 83,33%. Dari 18 data yang digunakan hanya ada 2 destinasi yang tidak sesuai dengan prediksi sedangkan 16 data lain sesuai dengan prediksi. Hasil analisa membuktikan bahwa metode KNN yang digunakan dapat menjadi acuan untuk merekomendasi tempat wisata kepada wisatawan di Labuan Bajo.
Faktor Keputusan Belanja Online Produk Pertanian Dan Non-Pertanian
Authors: Bara Siska , Nendissa Doppy Roy , Nikolaus Serman , Pellokila Marthen R , Khoiriyah Nikmatul
Published: August 2022

Pemasaran produk menggunakan media online telah mendisrupsi sistem pemasaran produk konvensional. Studi ini untuk mengetahui faktor determinan pengunaan media online dalam pembelian produk pertanian dan non-pertanian. Data penelitian menggunakan data primer dengan pengukuran menggunakan skala likert untuk menemukan faktor determinan yaitu umur, pendidikan, metode pembayaran, kenyaman belanja, varian produk, harga, kepercayaan dan kemudahan belanja. Data dianalisis dengan pendekatan regresi logistik biner yaitu Logit Model. Hasil studi menemukan bahwa faktor pembelian online adalah umur dan pendidikan sedangkan enam variabel lainnya tidak signifikan. Hal ini menguatkan dugaan bahwa karaktersitik para penggunaan media online di daerah penelitian adalah masyarakat memiliki pengetahuan dan keterampilan dalam memahami teknologi digital. Sebanyak 72 persen yang melakukan belanja online adalah para generasi muda, usia remaja dan dewasa awal. Para remaja dan dewasa awal cepat menyesuaikan dengan tren perubahan terknologi digital dan rasa ingin mencoba hal-hal baru. Pemasaran online melalui berbagai situs-aplikasi digital, belum banyak dikenal responden di daerah penelitian, sehingga keenam variabel tidak menjadi penentu dalam belanja online. Salah satu kendala utama di daerah penelitian adalah kesulitan jaringan internet sehingga perlu perluasan jaringan internet dan memberikan literasi dalam menggunakan aplikasi belanja online.
Differences in anxiety-related behavior between apolipoprotein E-deficient C57BL/6 and wild type C57BL/6 mice.
Authors: McLachlan CS , Yi Xing Soh C
Published: August 2022

The influence of ApoE gene deletion on the anxiety state has not been previously investigated. The elevated plus maze was used in this study to determine differences in anxiety-related behavior between apoE-deficient and wild type C57BL/6 mice. The apoE-deficient mice demonstrated less anxiety on the elevated plus maze by spending more time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze compared to wild type mice (p<0.001). Additionally, female apoE-deficient mice visited the open arm of the maze more often than their apoE-deficient male counterpart (p<0.05). The anxiety state and/or sex are possible variables to be considered when designing physiological and/or behavioral studies involving mice that are apoE-deficient.
Hypoglycaemia, Cardiovascular Risk, and Weight: What are the Gold Standards for Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes?
Authors: Teh Ming Ming
Published: August 2022

Hypoglycaemia is a side effect of diabetes treatment. It is commonly associated with symptoms that alert the individual to take corrective actions to prevent further reduction in blood glucose level. Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) refers to the diminished ability to pick up symptoms of hypoglycaemia. Patients with IAH may fail to take corrective actions to prevent worsening hypoglycaemia. Such individuals may potentially lose consciousness or fall into coma as blood glucose level continues to decrease. Hence, it is important to address hypoglycaemia during clinic consultations. Sodium-glucose-co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors agonists are two classes of diabetes treatment that target cardiovascular risk of type 2 diabetes treatments. These two agents should be used early in the course of treatment of diabetes. The gold standard for type 2 diabetes treatment should be aimed at lowering glycated haemoglobin, addressing cardiovascular risk, and minimising hypoglycaemia. Type 2 diabetes treatment should be patient-centred and individualised especially for elderly patients with significant comorbidities.
A Pitstop for a Life in the Pits: The Care of the Severely Demented in a Community Hospital
Authors: Foo Jyh Hean , Wong Peng Yong Andrew
Published: August 2022

We describe a case of an elderly lady’s journey with severe dementia through a community hospital. Community hospitals play an important role in transitional care for elders with complex needs and their families to recalibrate the goals of care and optimise function after tumultuous stays in acute hospitals. We explore how the community hospital helped to break the vicious cycle of re-hospitalisation of our patient despite her dismal disease trajectory and address the complications of feeding difficulties and high caregiver burden. We also share practical advice on how a stay in a community hospital added value to the long-term care of similar elders.
Mixed Severe Eosinophilic and Allergic Asthma
Authors: Tay Tunn Ren
Published: August 2022

Difficult-to-treat asthma is asthma that is uncontrolled despite high intensity treatment. Patients with severe asthma are a subset of this group who remain uncontrolled despite addressing contributory factors, necessitating the use of add-on therapies including biologics. Currently available asthma biologics largely target type 2 inflammatory pathways that drive allergic and eosinophilic asthma. As a proportion of patients may be eligible for more than one biologic, biomarker profile, comorbidities, asthma outcome targets, dosing regimen and costs are important considerations in biologic selection.
Contextualized embeddings for semantic change detection: Lessons learned
Authors: Kutuzov Andrey , Velldal Erik , Øvrelid Lilja
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a qualitative analysis of the outputs of contextualized embedding-based methods for detecting diachronic semantic change. We also introduce an ensemble-method outperforming previously described contextualized approaches. This method is used as a basis for an in-depth analysis of the degrees of semantic change predicted for English words across 5 decades. Our findings show that contextualized methods can sometimes predict high change scores for words which are not undergoing any real diachronic semantic shift. Such cases are discussed in detail with examples, and their linguistic categorization is proposed. Contextualized embeddings are prone to confound changes in lexicographic senses and changes in contextual variance, which naturally stems from their distributional nature. Additionally, they often merge together syntactic and semantic aspects of lexical entities. Finally, we propose possible solutions to these issues.
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound promotes periodontal regeneration in a beagle model of furcation involvement
Authors: Wang Yue , Xiao Qingyue , Zhong Wenjie , Zhang Chuangwei , Yin Yuanyuan , Gao Xiang , Song Jinlin
Published: August 2022

Objective: To evaluate the regeneration potential of periodontitis tissue treated by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) combined with the guided tissue regeneration (GTR) technique in a beagle model of furcation involvement (FI).

Background: Achieving predictable regeneration remains a clinical challenge for periodontitis tissue due to the compromised regenerative potential caused by chronic inflammation stimulation. LIPUS, an FDA-approved therapy for long bone fracture and non-unions, has been demonstrated effective in the in vitro attenuation of inflammation-induced dysfunction of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), the key cells contributing to periodontal regeneration. However, the in vivo effect of LIPUS on periodontitis tissue is rarely reported.

Methods: A beagle model of FI was established, and the experimental teeth were randomly assigned into three groups: control group, GTR group, and GTR+LIPUS group. Radiographic examinations were performed, and clinical periodontal parameters were recorded to reflect the periodontal condition of different groups. Histological analyses using H&E and Masson’s staining were conducted to evaluate the periodontal tissue regeneration.

Results: LIPUS could enhance new periodontal bone formation and bone matrix maturity in FI after GTR treatment. Moreover, clinical assessment and histomorphometric analyses revealed less inflammatory infiltration and superior vascularization within bone grafts in the LIPUS treatment group, indicating the anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects of LIPUS in FI.

Conclusion: Our investigation on a large animal model demonstrated that LIPUS is a promising adjunctive approach for the regeneration of periodontitis tissue, paving a new avenue for LIPUS application in the field of periodontal regenerative medicine.
Transcriptional comparison of adult human primary Retinal Pigment Epithelium, human pluripotent stem cell-derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium, and ARPE19 cells
Authors: Markert Elke K. , Klein Holger , Viollet Coralie , Rust Werner , Strobel Benjamin , Kauschke Stefan G. , Makovoz Bar , Neubauer Heike , Bakker Remko A. , Blenkinsop Timothy A.
Published: August 2022

The therapeutic potential of pluripotent stem cells is great as they promise to usher in a new era of medicine where cells or organs may be prescribed to replace dysfunctional tissue. At the forefront are efforts in the eye to develop this technology as it lends itself to in vivo monitoring and sophisticated non-invasive imaging modalities. In the retina, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the most promising replacement cell as it has a single layer, is relatively simple to transplant, and is associated with several eye diseases. However, after transplantation, the cells may transform and cause complications. This transformation may be partially due to incomplete maturation. With the goal of learning how to mature RPE, we compared induced pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE (iPSC-RPE) cells with adult human primary RPE (ahRPE) cells and the immortalized human ARPE-19 line. We cultured ARPE-19, iPSC-RPE, and ahRPE cells for one month, and evaluated morphology, RPE marker staining, and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) as quality control indicators. We then isolated RNA for bulk RNA-sequencing and DNA for genotyping. We genotyped ahRPE lines for the top age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) risk allele polymorphisms. Transcriptome data verified that both adult and iPSC-RPE exhibit similar RPE gene expression signatures, significantly higher than ARPE-19. In addition, in iPSC-RPE, genes relating to stem cell maintenance, retina development, and muscle contraction were significantly upregulated compared to ahRPE. We compared ahRPE to iPSC-RPE in a model of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and observed an increased sensitivity of iPSC-RPE to producing contractile aggregates in vitro which resembles incident reports upon transplantation. P38 inhibition was capable of inhibiting iPSC-RPE–derived aggregates. In summary, we find that the transcriptomic signature of iPSC-RPE conveys an immature RPE state which may be ameliorated by targeting “immature” gene regulatory networks.
Simple immunosensor for ultrasensitive electrochemical determination of biomarker of the bone metabolism in human serum
Authors: Chang Qiang , Huang Jie , He Liming , Xi Fengna
Published: August 2022

Ultrasensitive and selective determination of biomarkers of the bone metabolism in serum is crucial for early screening, timely treatment, and monitoring of the curative effect of osteoporosis, which is a silent disease with serious health threats. Immunoassay with a simple sensing interface and ultrahigh sensitivity is highly desirable. Herein, a simple electrochemical immunosensor is demonstrated based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) electrodeposited on chitosan-reduced graphene oxide (CS-G) composite modified electrode, which can achieve sensitive determination of the important biomarker of bone metabolism, bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein (BGP). To overcome the agglomeration of graphene and introduce a biocompatible matrix with functional amino groups, CS-G is prepared and modified on the supporting glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Then, AuNPs are electrodeposited on CS-G through their interaction between amine groups of CS. The immobilized AuNPs provide numerous binding sites to immobilize anti-BGP antibodies (AbBGP). The specific recognition between BGP and AbBGP results in a reduction in the mass transfer of the electrochemical probe (Fe(CN)63-/4-) in solution, leading to a reduced electrochemical signal. Based on this mechanism, fast and ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of BGP is achieved when the concentration of BGP ranges from 100 ag ml−1 to 10 μg mL−1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 20 ag ml−1 (S/N = 3). The determination of BGP in human serum is also realized with high reliability.
The relationship between the number of stenotic coronary arteries and the gut microbiome in coronary heart disease patients
Authors: Yu Hao , Li Le , Deng Yu , Zhang Guolan , Jiang Mimi , Huang He , Li Cheng , Lv Zhiyu , Zhou Yingshun , Liu Xing
Published: August 2022

An increasing number of studies have shown that the gut microbiome plays an important role in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, there are no clear studies on the relationship between the gut microbiome and the number of stenotic coronary arteries. To clarify whether the gut microbiome is associated with the number of stenotic coronary arteries in CHD, we performed the 16S rRNA gene sequencing for the V3-V4 region in the gut microbiota from 9 healthy controls (C) and 36 CHD patients, which including 25 CHD patients with multivessel (MV) lesion and 11 CHD patients with single-vessel (SV) lesion. It showed that the abundance of the genus Escherichia-Shigella was significantly increased in the MV and SV groups compared with C group, while the abundance of the genera Subdoligranulum and Collinsella was significantly decreased. Biomarkers based on three gut microbiotas (Escherichia-Shigella, Subdoligranulum, and Collinsella) and three plasma metabolites(left atrial diameter (LA), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and total bile acids (TBA)) were able to distinguish CHD patients with different numbers of stenotic coronary arteries. Functional prediction of the gut microbiome was performed based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. The results showed that the gut microbial function of MV and SV group patients was richer than C group in betaine biosynthesis and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, in the contrast less than C group in sphingolipid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis. In summary, our study showed that the composition and function of the gut microbiome changed significantly from healthy controls to CHD patients with different numbers of coronary lesions.
Alterations of gut microbial pathways and virulence factors in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Shi Xiaochun , Gao Bei , Srivastava Anvesha , Izzi Zahra , Abdalla Yoosif , Shen Weishou , Raj Dominic
Published: August 2022

Alterations in gut microbiota might contribute to uremic toxicity and immune dysregulation in patients with end-stage renal disease. Hemodialysis patients are prone to infection and higher mortality following sepsis. The virulence factors in the gut metagenome have not been well studied in hemodialysis patients, which could be employed by microorganisms to successfully thrive and flourish in their hosts. In this study, we performed shotgun metagenomics sequencing on fecal DNA collected from 16 control subjects and 24 hemodialysis patients. Our analysis shows that a number of microbial species, metabolic pathways, antibiotic resistance, and virulence factors were significantly altered in hemodialysis patients compared with controls. In particular, erythromycin resistance methylase, pyridoxamine 5-phosphate oxidase, and streptothricin-acetyl-transferase were significantly increased in hemodialysis patients. The findings in our study laid a valuable foundation to further elucidate the causative role of virulence factors in predisposing HD patients to infection and to develop treatment strategies to reduce the genetic capacities of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in HD patients.
Global epidemiology, genetic environment, risk factors and therapeutic prospects of mcr genes: A current and emerging update
Authors: Mmatli Masego , Mbelle Nontombi Marylucy , Osei Sekyere John
Published: August 2022

Background

Mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes modify Lipid A molecules of the lipopolysaccharide, changing the overall charge of the outer membrane.

Results and discussion

Ten mcr genes have been described to date within eleven Enterobacteriaceae species, with Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella species being the most predominant. They are present worldwide in 72 countries, with animal specimens currently having the highest incidence, due to the use of colistin in poultry for promoting growth and treating intestinal infections. The wide dissemination of mcr from food animals to meat, manure, the environment, and wastewater samples has increased the risk of transmission to humans via foodborne and vector-borne routes. The stability and spread of mcr genes were mediated by mobile genetic elements such as the IncHI2 conjugative plasmid, which is associated with multiple mcr genes and other antibiotic resistance genes. The cost of acquiring mcr is reduced by compensatory adaptation mechanisms. MCR proteins are well conserved structurally and via enzymatic action. Thus, therapeutics found effective against MCR-1 should be tested against the remaining MCR proteins.

Conclusion

The dissemination of mcr genes into the clinical setting, is threatening public health by limiting therapeutics options available. Combination therapies are a promising option for managing and treating colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections whilst reducing the toxic effects of colistin.
Korotkoff sounds dynamically reflect changes in cardiac function based on deep learning methods
Authors: Lin Wenting , Jia Sixiang , Chen Yiwen , Shi Hanning , Zhao Jianqiang , Li Zhe , Wu Yiteng , Jiang Hangpan , Zhang Qi , Wang Wei , Chen Yayu , Feng Chao , Xia Shudong
Published: August 2022

Korotkoff sounds (K-sounds) have been around for over 100 years and are considered the gold standard for blood pressure (BP) measurement. K-sounds are also unique for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases; however, their efficacy is limited. The incidences of heart failure (HF) are increasing, which necessitate the development of a rapid and convenient pre-hospital screening method. In this review, we propose a deep learning (DL) method and the possibility of using K-methods to predict cardiac function changes for the detection of cardiac dysfunctions.
Role of histone modification in the occurrence and development of osteoporosis
Authors: Sun Pan , Huang Tingrui , Huang Chen , Wang Yongjun , Tang Dezhi
Published: August 2022

Osteoporosis is a systemic degenerative bone disease characterized by low bone mass and damage to bone microarchitecture, which increases bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. The risk of osteoporosis increases with age; with the aging of the global population, osteoporosis is becoming more prevalent, adding to the societal healthcare burden. Histone modifications such as methylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, and ADP-ribosylation are closely related to the occurrence and development of osteoporosis. This article reviews recent studies on the role of histone modifications in osteoporosis. The existing evidence indicates that therapeutic targeting of these modifications to promote osteogenic differentiation and bone formation may be an effective treatment for this disease.
Use of DNA pools of a reference population for genomic selection of a binary trait in Atlantic salmon
Authors: Dagnachew Binyam , Aslam Muhammad Luqman , Hillestad Borghild , Meuwissen Theo , Sonesson Anna
Published: August 2022

Genomic selection has a great potential in aquaculture breeding since many important traits are not directly measured on the candidates themselves. However, its implementation has been hindered by staggering genotyping costs because of many individual genotypes. In this study, we explored the potential of DNA pooling for creating a reference population as a tool for genomic selection of a binary trait. Two datasets from the SalmoBreed population challenged with salmonid alphavirus, which causes pancreas disease, were used. Dataset-1, that includes 855 individuals (478 survivors and 377 dead), was used to develop four DNA pool samples (i.e., 2 pools each for dead and survival). Dataset-2 includes 914 individuals (435 survivors and 479 dead) belonging to 65 full-sibling families and was used to develop in-silico DNA pools. SNP effects from the pool data were calculated based on allele frequencies estimated from the pools and used to calculate genomic breeding values (GEBVs). The correlation between SNP effects estimated based on individual genotypes and pooled data increased from 0.3 to 0.912 when the number of pools increased from 1 to 200. A similar trend was also observed for the correlation between GEBVs, which increased from 0.84 to 0.976, as the number of pools per phenotype increased from 1 to 200. For dataset-1, the accuracy of prediction was 0.71 and 0.70 when the DNA pools were sequenced in 40× and 20×, respectively, compared to an accuracy of 0.73 for the SNP chip genotypes. For dataset-2, the accuracy of prediction increased from 0.574 to 0.691 when the number of in-silico DNA pools increased from 1 to 200. For this dataset, the accuracy of prediction using individual genotypes was 0.712. A limited effect of sequencing depth on the correlation of GEBVs and prediction accuracy was observed. Results showed that a large number of pools are required to achieve as good prediction as individual genotypes; however, alternative effective pooling strategies should be studied to reduce the number of pools without reducing the prediction power. Nevertheless, it is demonstrated that pooling of a reference population can be used as a tool to optimize between cost and accuracy of selection.