bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mythonymy of Interwar Kaunas
Authors: Prusinowska Justyna
Published: January 2023

The present article describes and examines the lexical tissue of the city of Kaunas related to the pagan past of the Balts – Prussians and Lithuanians. The mythonyms appear basically in three periods of the city’s existence: in the interwar period, at the turn of the 1990s and after 2004, i.e. at critical and borderline moments, when emphasising individuality, exposing identity and referring to its sources was of utmost importance. The most interesting phenomena took place in the interwar period, when by placing in the city tissue numerous objects with names borrowed from Baltic mythology, collective memory was clearly shaped and mobilised in the space previously marked by “strangers” – Imperial Russia and the German Empire. In this way, this space was effectively tamed. The importance of this process is evidenced by dozens of names associated with the pagan Balts (Kaunas is a phenomenon in this respect on the map of Lithuania), which were given in the interwar period mostly to streets and buildings located, importantly, in the then very centre of the city. In the other two periods, mythonyms were not so popular anymore: the names of deities and other creatures historically worshiped by Lithuanians were usually given to streets far away from the city centre, often in newly created districts. Thanks to this, however, Kaunas has a clearly drawn identity that spreads from the centre towards the suburbs. A place that is thoroughly permeated with the “spirit of Lithuanianness” is the Unity Square (Lith. Vienybės aikštė), scrupulously cleansed of the traces of the aforementioned dependencies, whose important point is an inconspicuous dwarf who watches over the symbolic spring of the Lithuanian nation. It is this mythonymic element that is treated with special attention in this article, and on its example, a detailed cultural analysis of the city’s space is proposed. It should be emphasised that in Kaunas the mythonyms form a thought-out, multi-layered structure, as if a separate city that is inaccessible and foreign to the strangers. The study discusses individual collections and elements of this extensive web of meanings, deliberately created by town planners and urban designers, the basis of which is the historical experience of Kaunas and Lithuania.
From Ideas to Personal History
Authors: Bleizgienė Ramunė
Published: January 2023

Review
Olga Mastianica, Bajorija lietuvių tautiniame projekte (XIX a. pabaiga – XX a. pradžia) [The Nobility in the Lithuanian National Project (Late 19th – Early 20th Centuries)], Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos institutas, 2016, 198 pp. Mečislovas Davainis-Silvestraitis, Dienoraštis: 1904–1912 [Diary, 1904–1912], Bibliotheca Archivi Lituanici 11, ed. Olga Mastianica-Stankevič, Jurgita Venckienė, Vilnius: Lietuvos istorijos institutas, 2020, 287 pp.
This review presents two books that are closely related. The study by Olga Mastianica entitled Bajorija lietuvių tautiniame projekte (XIX a. pabaiga – XX a. pradžia) [Nobility in the Lithuanian National Project (Late 19th – Early 20th Centuries)] analyses the projects of including the nobility into the vision of modern Lithuania that were proposed from the publication of the first Lithuanian newspaper, Aušra [Dawn] (1883–1886), until the beginning of the First World War. The other book under discussion is the diary of Mečislovas Davainis-Silvestraitis, edited by Olga Mastianica-Stankevič and Jurgita Venckienė. Davainis-Silvestraitis (1849–1919), who was engaged in the Lithuanian national movement in the second half of the nineteenth century, wanted to display by his own example that it was possible to “re-Lithuanise” the Polish-speaking nobility. He was the editor of the magazine Litwa [Lithuania] (1908–1914), which was published in Polish and the main audience of which was the Polish-speaking nobility of Lithuania.
Contemporary Research on the Polish-Belarusian-Lithuanian Borderland on the Example of Anna Żebrowska’s Monograph
Authors: Golachowska Ewa
Published: January 2023

Review
Anna Żebrowska, Komarowszczyzna. Język pogranicza białorusko-polsko-litewskiego, Poznań: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza, 2019, 320 pp.
This review article is a discussion of the study by Anna Żebrowska Komarowszczyzna. Język pogranicza białorusko-polsko-litewskiego [The Village of Kamarova (Minsk Region): The Language of the Belarusian-Polish-Lithuanian Borderland]. The study presents the contemporary sociolinguistic situation of this borderland and describes in detail the local Belarusian dialect as it is today.
Central Skull Base Osteomyelitis: A Case Series from a Tertiary Care Center Over 5 Years
Authors: Fenberg Rachel B. , Sylvester Michael J. , Davidson Steven , McKean Erin L. , VanKoevering Kyle K.
Published: January 2023

Objective:

Skull base osteomyelitis may rarely present in the sphenoid bone or clivus without an otologic source. This is referred to as central skull base osteomyelitis (CSBO). Knowledge regarding CSBO is limited to case reports and small case series. Here we present a case series to further describe typical patient characteristics, clinical presentation, and clinical course associated with this rare infection.

Methods:

All patients treated at a single academic tertiary care institution for CSBO from 2016 through 2020 were identified. Inclusion criteria included culture proven CSBO without an otologic or iatrogenic source. Data were extracted via patient chart review and qualitatively analyzed.

Results:

Seven patients were identified with CSBO, 5 male and 2 female. Age ranged from 63 to 87 (average 76). Risk factors included advanced age, diabetes, and history of radiation. The most common presenting symptom was headache (6), followed by otalgia (4). Two patients presented with cranial neuropathies. Diagnosis was facilitated by history and exam (including flexible laryngoscope exam), imaging (MRI), and labs (ESR). All patients received endoscopic biopsy and culture (most commonly polymicrobial, with diverse species). Treatment involved IV antibiotics, with a limited role for surgery. All patients survived and achieved resolution of infection.

Conclusions:

CSBO remains a diagnostic challenge due to its rarity and vague presenting symptoms that overlap with presentation of sinonasal malignancies. A high index of suspicion is required by the evaluating provider to ensure a timely diagnosis with early treatment in order to limit the significant morbidity which can be associated with this infection.

Level of Evidence:

4
Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Experimental Design using Multilevel Modeling
Authors: Baek Eunkyeng , Luo Wen , Lam Kwok Hap
Published: January 2023

Multilevel modeling (MLM) is an approach for meta-analyzing single-case experimental designs (SCED). In this paper, we provide a step-by-step guideline for using the MLM to meta-analyze SCED time-series data. The MLM approach is first presented using a basic three-level model, then gradually extended to represent more realistic situations of SCED data, such as modeling a time variable, moderators representing different design types and multiple outcomes, and heterogeneous within-case variance. The presented approach is then illustrated using real SCED data. Practical recommendations using the MLM approach are also provided for applied researchers based on the current methodological literature. Available free and commercial software programs to meta-analyze SCED data are also introduced, along with several hands-on software codes for applied researchers to implement their own studies. Potential advantages and limitations of using the MLM approach to meta-analyzing SCED are discussed.
Reconciling the Republic of South Moluccas Movement with Indonesia Nation: A Christian perspective
Authors: Iwamony Rachel
Published: January 2023

The Republic of the South Moluccas Movement was responsible for some rebellious attacks a few years after Indonesia proclaimed its independence. This movement made significant impact upon Indonesia as a nation. This research aims to explore how Christian perspective can reconcile the nation with this regional movement. To answer this question, this research relied on mass media, online news, books, and journals. Qualitative method was used to analyse the data. The results show that remembering the past even if painful can enable not only a nation but also a regional movement to transform the present. Besides, forgiveness is a way to embrace past memories, so people are able to create better future together. The nation is not perceived as the oppressor, and the Moluccan regional symbols are acknowledged as part of the national identity without branding them as separatist. The outcome is the stability of the nation of Indonesia.
Music in the Middle: A Culture-Cognition-Mediator Model of Musical Functionality
Authors: Fram Noah R.
Published: January 2023

Music is both universal, appearing in every known human culture, and culture-specific, often defying intelligibility across cultural boundaries. This duality has been the source of debate within the broad community of music researchers, and there have been significant disagreements both on the ontology of music as an object of study and the appropriate epistemology for that study. To help resolve this tension, I present a culture-cognition-mediator model that situates music as a mediator in the mutually constitutive cycle of cultures and selves representing the ways individuals both shape and are shaped by their cultural environments. This model draws on concepts of musical grammars and schema, contemporary theories in developmental and cultural psychology that blur the distinction between nature and nurture, and recent advances in cognitive neuroscience. Existing evidence of both directions of causality is presented, providing empirical support for the conceptual model. The epistemological consequences of this model are discussed, specifically with respect to transdisciplinarity, hybrid research methods, and several potential empirical applications and testable predictions as well as its import for broader ontological conversations around the evolutionary origins of music itself.
Smartphone use increases the likelihood of making short-sighted financial decisions
Authors: Wang Tianran , Chen Wei-Fen , Wang Xue , Fan Xiucheng
Published: January 2023

Contextualizing in the digitalization of personal finance (e.g., mobile banking), the present research explores how financial decisions made on smartphones (vs. laptops or tablets) are more likely to be shortsighted, manifesting in being unwilling to save for retirement, referring to recent information while making financial decisions, and opting for instant but smaller rewards. We trace the effect to smartphones’ affordance of ubiquity, an attribute that allows users to satisfy various needs with considerable flexibility of time and space and prompts users to seek instant gratifications. We also rule out potential alternative factors that might account for this effect, including haptic gratification, direct-touch effect, task difficulty, thinking style, concentration, and the hedonic usage of the devices by users. Furthermore, we demonstrate that prompting users to deliberate on their decisions successfully attenuates the effect. Implications for the development of interventions are discussed.
Human Persecution is An Important Threat to the Conservation of the Endangered Black-and-Chestnut Eagle in Northern Andes
Authors: Restrepo-Cardona Juan Sebastián , Narváez Fabricio , Kohn Sebastián , Vargas Félix Hernán , Zuluaga Santiago
Published: January 2023

Background and Research Aims

The Black-and-chestnut Eagle ( Spizaetus isidori) has a total population of fewer than 1000 adult individuals, and is categorized as Endangered at the global level. The northern Andes (Ecuador and Colombia) represent one of the last population strongholds of the species. In this study, we analyzed human persecution of the Black-and-chestnut Eagle as retaliation or as a preventive measure against poultry predation, as well as other threats that have affected the species in this geographical region between 2000 and 2022.

Methods

In order to understand the human persecution and other threats faced by the Black-and-chestnut Eagle in the northern Andes, we compiled records of immature and adult individuals of the species that had been shot, captured, or had presented evidence of any other affectations during the last 23 years.

Results

We found a total of 96 Black-and-chestnut Eagles affected by different threats. Human persecution of the species to prevent poultry predation was the motive in 81% (46 of 57) of the cases of shot eagles, 67% (10 of 15) of those captured illegally, 30% (3 of 10) of those in which the cause of affectation was undetermined and for one individual that had been stabbed. Immature eagles were more affected than adult eagles by human persecution. Black-and-chestnut Eagles were also affected by electrocution, illegal trafficking and collision with vehicle.

Conclusion

Human persecution as retaliation or as a preventive measure against poultry predation is an important threat to the conservation of the Black-and-chestnut Eagle in northern Andes.

Implications for Conservation

Strict application of laws at human persecution sites, identification and monitoring of areas with high risk of human-eagle conflict, development of environmental educational programs, strengthening of the technical capacities of rural communities, maintaining or even increasing forest cover, and reducing the exposure of poultry by using enclosures are key for Black-and-chestnut Eagle conservation in the northern Andes.
Correction: Effect of individualized treatment strategy on postoperative nausea and vomiting in gynaecological laparoscopic surgery: a double‑blind, randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Ma Wenjing , Qi Yupeng , Liu Can , Wang Mingfang , Zhang Yun , Yao Weidong
Published: January 2023

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
The height of the operating table affects the performance of residents in combined spinal and epidural anesthesia training by affecting the vision of the puncture needle: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gu Juan , Ni Juan , Ma Yushan , Xiong Yaqin , Zhou Jin
Published: January 2023

Background

The present study aimed to evaluate whether the operating table height affected the success rate and incidences of complications of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia administered by residents during training.

Methods

One-hundred-and-eighty patients were randomly allocated according to landmarks on the resident’s body: umbilicus (group U), lowest rib margin (R), and xiphoid process (X). The success rates of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia, and the incidences of paresthesia and vessel trauma were recorded.

Results

There were no differences between the three groups in the success rates of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia, and the incidences of paresthesia and vessel trauma. However, paresthesia during epidural catheter advancement was more common on the left side (66.7%) than the right side (33.3%) (P = 0.03). In group R, the success rate of epidural anesthesia was higher during the residents’ third time (100%) than their first time (50%; P = 0.01). Most residents (83%) preferred the table height at which the needle insertion point was at the level of their lowest rib margin.

Conclusions

Neither the success nor the complication of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia in lateral decubitus position during residents’ training affected by the operating table height. However, paresthesia was more likely to occur on the left side when a stiff catheter was inserted into the epidural space. It may be better to keep the table height at residents’ lowest rib margin. It was not just preferred by most of residents but also better for their training of performing epidural anesthesia.

Trial registration

The trial was registered prior to patient enrollment at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (NCT: ChiCTR1800016078, Principal investigator: Juan Gu, Date of registration: 9 May 2018). Registry URL http://www.chictr.org.cn
Role of social determinants of health in differential respiratory exposure and health outcomes among children
Authors: Puvvula Jagadeesh , Poole Jill A. , Gwon Yeongjin , Rogan Eleanor G. , Bell Jesse E.
Published: January 2023

Background

Attributes defining the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) are associated with disproportionate exposures to environmental hazards and differential health outcomes among communities. The dynamics between SDoH, disproportionate environmental exposures, and differential health outcomes are often specific to micro-geographic areas.

Methods

This study focused on children less than 20 years of age who lived in Douglas County, Nebraska, during 2016–2019. To assess the role of SDoH in differential exposures, we evaluated the association between SDoH metrics and criteria pollutant concentrations and the association between SDoH and pediatric asthma exacerbations to quantify the role of SDoH in differential pediatric asthma outcomes. The Bayesian Poisson regression model with spatial random effects was used to evaluate associations.

Results

We identified significant positive associations between the annual mean concentration of criteria pollutants (carbon monoxide, particulate matter2.5, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide) with race (Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino), financial stability, and literacy. Additionally, there were significant positive associations between higher rates of pediatric asthma emergency department visits and neighborhoods with more Non-Hispanic Black children, children without health insurance coverage, and households without access to a vehicle.

Conclusions

Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino children living in Douglas County, NE experience disproportionately higher exposure to criteria pollutant concentrations. Additionally, higher rates of asthma exacerbations among Non-Hispanic Black children could be due to reduced access to respiratory care that is potentially the result of financial instability and vehicle access. These results could inform city planners and health care providers to mitigate respiratory risks among these higher at-risk populations.
Potential factors that can affect the performance of undergraduate pharmacy research students: a descriptive study
Authors: Gnjidic Danijela , da Costa Narelle , Wheate Nial J.
Published: January 2023

Objective

This descriptive study aimed to examine whether student past coursework performance, student or research supervisor characteristics, and the type of research project are related to the overall academic performance of a pharmacy student completing an honours research program.

Methods

Data on undergraduate honours students who completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, between Jan 2015 and Dec 2020 was collected. This included socio-demographic characteristics, type of project undertaken, and academic outputs. Data was also collected on each supervisor’s academic role, level of experience, research area, and where they completed their PhD. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study cohort and correlation analysis and unpaired t-tail analyses were conducted using SPSS software.

Results

This five year study included 130 students of which 67% were female and 60% were domestic students. Each student was supervised by one of 48 individual academics who were a mix of early- (31%), mid-career (29%), and experienced researchers (40%) for pharmaceutical science (50%), clinical (45%), and education (5%) projects. Just less than half (49%) of students published one peer-reviewed journal article. Female students outperformed male students (p = 0.031) with female students also twice as likely (15%) to receive a university medal eligible mark compared with male students (7.0%). Similarly, domestic students were twice as likely (15%) to receive a university medal eligible mark when compared with international students (7.7%). Students who undertook a pharmaceutical science-based project outperformed education-based project students (p = 0.0235). Students who had published at least one peer-reviewed journal article outperformed those who had not published (p = 0.0014).

Conclusion

Factors that affected honours performance were student gender, residential status, type of project undertaken, and whether a student had published a peer-reviewed journal article.
Identification of key regulatory genes and their working mechanisms in type 1 diabetes
Authors: Li Hui , Hu Xiao , Li Jieqiong , Jiang Wen , Wang Li , Tan Xin
Published: January 2023

Background

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of beta cells in pancreatic islets. Identification of the key genes involved in T1D progression and their mechanisms of action may contribute to a better understanding of T1D.

Methods

The microarray profile of T1D-related gene expression was searched using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, the expression data of two messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were integrated for Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to generate candidate genes related to T1D. In parallel, T1D microRNA (miRNA) data were analyzed to screen for possible regulatory miRNAs and their target genes. An miRNA–mRNA regulatory network was then established to predict the key regulatory genes and their mechanisms.

Results

A total of 24 modules (i.e., clusters/communities) were selected using WGCNA analysis, in which three modules were significantly associated with T1D. Further correlation analysis of the gene module revealed 926 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 327 genes were correlated with T1D. Analysis of the miRNA microarray showed that 13 miRNAs had significant expression differences in T1D. An miRNA–mRNA network was established based on the prediction of miRNA target genes and the combined analysis of mRNA, in which the target genes of two miRNAs were found in T1D correlated genes.

Conclusion

An miRNA–mRNA network for T1D was established, based on which 2 miRNAs and 12 mRNAs were screened, suggesting that they may play key regulatory roles in the initiation and development of T1D.
Frailty impacts immune responses to Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in older adults
Authors: Semelka Charles T. , DeWitt Michael E. , Blevins Maria W. , Holbrook Beth C. , Sanders John W. , Alexander-Miller Martha A.
Published: January 2023

Background

Immune responses to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have not been well characterized in frail older adults. We postulated that frailty is associated with impaired antibody and cellular mRNA vaccine responses.

Methods

We followed older adults in a retirement facility with longitudinal clinical and serological samples from the first Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine dose starting in February 2021 through their 3rd (booster) vaccine dose. Outcomes were antibody titers, antibody avidity, and AIM+ T cell function and phenotype. Statistical analysis used linear regression with clustered error for antibody titers over multiple timepoints with clinical predictors including, age, sex, prior infection status, and clinical frailty scale (CFS) score. T cell function analysis used linear regression models with clinical predictors and cellular memory phenotype variables.

Results

Participants (n = 15) had median age of 90 years and mild, moderate, or severe frailty scores (n = 3, 7, or 5 respectively). Over the study time course, anti-spike antibody titers were 10-fold higher in individuals with lower frailty status (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, unadjusted and adjusted for prior COVID-19 infection). Following the booster, titers to spike protein improved regardless of COVID-19 infection or degree of frailty (p = 0.82 and p = 0.29, respectively). Antibody avidity significantly declined over 6 months in all participants following 2 vaccine doses (p < 0.001), which was further impaired with higher frailty (p = 0.001). Notably, avidity increased to peak levels after the booster (p < 0.001). Overall antibody response was inversely correlated with a phenotype of immune-senescent T cells, CD8 + CD28- TEMRA cells (p = 0.036, adjusted for COVID-19 infection). Furthermore, there was increased detection of CD8 + CD28- TEMRA cells in individuals with greater frailty (p = 0.056, adjusted for COVID-19).

Conclusions

We evaluated the immune responses to the Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in frail older adults in a retirement community. A higher degree of frailty was associated with diminished antibody quantity and quality. However, a booster vaccine dose at 6 months overcame these effects. Frailty was associated with an increased immune-senescence phenotype that may contribute to the observed changes in the vaccine response. While the strength of our conclusions was limited by a small cohort, these results are important for guiding further investigation of vaccine responses in frail older adults.
Different peripheral expression patterns of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Costantini E. , Carrarini C. , Borrelli P. , De Rosa M. , Calisi D. , Consoli S. , D’Ardes D. , Cipollone F. , Di Nicola M. , Onofrj M. , Reale M. , Bonanni L.
Published: January 2023

Background

The diffuse distribution of nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs) in both brain and peripheral immune cells points out their involvement in several pathological conditions. Indeed, the deregulated function of the nAChR was previously correlated with cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

The evaluation in peripheral immune cells of nAChR subtypes, which could reflect their expression in brain regions, is a prominent investigation area.

Objectives

This study aims to evaluate the expression levels of both the nAChR subunits and the main known inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with DLB and AD to better characterize their involvement in these two diseases.

Results

Higher gene expression levels of TNFα, IL6 and IL1β were observed in DLB and AD patients in comparison with healthy controls (HC). In our cohort, a reduction of nAChRα4, nAChRβ2 and nAChRβ4 was detected in both DLB and AD with respect to HC. Considering nAChR gene expressions in DLB and AD, significant differences were observed for nAChRα3, nAChRα4, nAChRβ2 and nAChRβ4 between the two groups. Moreover, the acetylcholine esterase (AChE) gene expression was significantly higher in DLB than in AD. Correlation analysis points out the relation between different nAChR subtype expressions in DLB (nAChRβ2 vs nAChRα3; nAChRα4 vs nAChRα3) and AD (nAChRα4 vs nAChRα3; nAChRα4 vs nAChRβ4; nAChRα7 vs nAChRα3; nAChRα7 vs nAChRα4).

Conclusions

Different gene expressions of both pro-inflammatory cytokines and nAChR subtypes may represent a peripheral link between inflammation and neurodegeneration. Inflammatory cytokines and different nAChRs should be valid and accurate peripheral markers for the clinical diagnosis of DLB and AD. However, although nAChRs show a great biological role in the regulation of inflammation, no significant correlation was detected between nAChR subtypes and the examined cytokines in our cohort of patients.
Intracardiac paraganglioma with a cough as the first symptom
Authors: Jingyi Cao , Qing Xue , Fan Yang , Qinqin Yang , Chengliang Cai , Fanglin Lu
Published: January 2023

Background

Cardiac paragangliomas (PGLs) are clinically rare, with hypertension and metabolic changes as the main symptoms. The tumor is highly related to gene mutation, and surgery is presently the effective treatment. Medical history and clinical manifestations of the patient, routine laboratory examinations and imaging examinations, and pathological examination can help the final diagnosis.

Case presentation

The present study presents a 31-year-old male patient with a left atrial mass. The initial symptom was cough. Cardiac enlargement was found during the chest X-ray. The follow-up imaging examination revealed a left atrial occupying lesion, and the possibility of malignant occupying lesions was not ruled out. The patient underwent surgical resection of the mass. The final pathological result revealed paraganglioma. The thoracic computed tomography review two months after the operation revealed that the original occupying lesion disappeared, and no new lesion was found.

Conclusions

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are a kind of neuroendocrine tumors. PPGLs can cause secondary hypertension, and lead to a series of clinical syndromes, including myocardial injury, metabolic changes, and so on. The occurrence of PPGIs is related to gene mutation. Biochemical detection, imaging examination, and genetic testing can help diagnose. The tumor should be surgically removed as soon as possible after the diagnosis. As a functional tumor, PPGLs should be fully prepared before surgery to avoid anesthesia and huge fluctuations in blood pressure during and after surgery, or the occurrence of fatal hypertensive crisis and intractable hypotension after tumor resection. Adequate preoperative preparation directly affects the prognosis of patients after surgery. Therefore, multidisciplinary cooperation before, during, and after the operation is extremely important.
Usefulness of procalcitonin at admission as a risk-stratifying biomarker for 50-day in-hospital mortality among patients with community-acquired bloodstream infection: an observational cohort study
Authors: Oussalah Abderrahim , Callet Jonas , Manteaux Anne-Elisabeth , Thilly Nathalie , Jay Nicolas , Guéant Jean-Louis , Lozniewski Alain
Published: January 2023

Purpose

To assess the association between plasma procalcitonin concentration at hospital admission and the risk of 50-day in-hospital mortality among patients with community-acquired bloodstream infections.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective, observational cohort study with all consecutive patients with bacteriologically confirmed community-acquired bloodstream infections hospitalized between 2006 and 2012. We aimed to assess the association between plasma procalcitonin at admission and 50-day in-hospital mortality. Patients were included in the analysis if they had undergone a blood culture test within 48 hours of hospitalization with a concomitant procalcitonin assay (time < 12 hours between the two tests). Inclusion in the study began on the day of hospital admission, and each patient was followed until death, discharge from the hospital, or last known follow-up in the 50 days following hospital admission. The endpoint was the occurrence of all-cause in-hospital mortality during the 50 days following hospital admission.

Results

During the 7-year study period, 1593 patients were admitted to one of the healthcare facilities of the University Hospital of Nancy from home or through the emergency department and had positive blood cultures and concomitant procalcitonin assays. Among the patients, 452 met the selection criteria and were analyzed. In ROC analysis, procalcitonin at baseline was significantly associated with 50-day in-hospital mortality, with an optimal threshold > 4.24 ng/mL. A baseline procalcitonin > 4.24 ng/mL was independently associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (multivariable logistic regression: odds ratio, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.57–4.25; P = 0.0002; Cox proportional hazard regression: hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.30–3.11; P = 0.002). In sensitivity analyses, baseline procalcitonin quartiles were independently associated with 50-day in-hospital mortality (multivariable logistic regression: odds ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.17–1.85; P = 0.001; Cox proportional hazard regression: hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07–1.60; P = 0.008). The independent associations between baseline procalcitonin and the risk of 50-day in-hospital mortality were maintained after adjusting for C-reactive protein and sepsis status at admission.

Conclusion

Our data provide the first evidence of the usefulness of plasma procalcitonin at admission as a risk-stratifying biomarker for predicting 50-day in-hospital mortality among patients with community-acquired bloodstream infections.
Semiautomated pelvic lymph node treatment response evaluation for patients with advanced prostate cancer: based on MET-RADS-P guidelines
Authors: Liu Xiang , Zhu Zemin , Wang Kexin , Zhang Yaofeng , Li Jialun , Wang Xiangpeng , Zhang Xiaodong , Wang Xiaoying
Published: January 2023

Background

The evaluation of treatment response according to METastasis Reporting and Data System for Prostate Cancer (MET-RADS-P) criteria is an important but time-consuming task for patients with advanced prostate cancer (APC). A deep learning-based algorithm has the potential to assist with this assessment.

Objective

To develop and evaluate a deep learning-based algorithm for semiautomated treatment response assessment of pelvic lymph nodes.

Methods

A total of 162 patients who had undergone at least two scans for follow-up assessment after APC metastasis treatment were enrolled. A previously reported deep learning model was used to perform automated segmentation of pelvic lymph nodes. The performance of the deep learning algorithm was evaluated using the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and volumetric similarity (VS). The consistency of the short diameter measurement with the radiologist was evaluated using Bland–Altman plotting. Based on the segmentation of lymph nodes, the treatment response was assessed automatically with a rule-based program according to the MET-RADS-P criteria. Kappa statistics were used to assess the accuracy and consistency of the treatment response assessment by the deep learning model and two radiologists [attending radiologist (R1) and fellow radiologist (R2)].

Results

The mean DSC and VS of the pelvic lymph node segmentation were 0.82 ± 0.09 and 0.88 ± 0.12, respectively. Bland–Altman plotting showed that most of the lymph node measurements were within the upper and lower limits of agreement (LOA). The accuracies of automated segmentation-based assessment were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.85–0.96), 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86–0.95) and 75% (95% CI: 0.46–0.92) for target lesions, nontarget lesions and nonpathological lesions, respectively. The consistency of treatment response assessment based on automated segmentation and manual segmentation was excellent for target lesions [K value: 0.92 (0.86–0.98)], good for nontarget lesions [0.82 (0.74–0.90)] and moderate for nonpathological lesions [0.71 (0.50–0.92)].

Conclusion

The deep learning-based semiautomated algorithm showed high accuracy for the treatment response assessment of pelvic lymph nodes and demonstrated comparable performance with radiologists.
Amyloid PET scan diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in patients with multiple sclerosis: a scoping review study
Authors: Khalafi Mohammad , Rezaei Rashnoudi Amirmohammad , Rahmani Farzaneh , Javanmardi Pouya , Panahi Pegah , Kiani Shahvandi Hassan , Tajik Mohammadhassan , Soleimantabar Hussein , Shirbandi Kiarash
Published: January 2023

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. This study aimed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a positron emission tomography (PET) scan method for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in MS patients with no clinical symptoms or early-onset AD.

Main text

To identify potentially relevant documents, we systematically searched international databases from 2000 to 2021. We abstracted data on article characteristics, ID/country, study, design, population, type of tracer, and outcomes. The primary outcomes were mean amyloid tracer standardized uptake value relative (SUVr), AD diagnosis in MS patients, and the tracer's uptake. Secondary outcomes were the megabecquerel amount of tracer and tracer side effects. Nine studies were finally entered into our research for review. Among the studies included, two studies used 18F-florbetaben, six of these used 11C-Pittsburgh compound B (11C-PiB), and in two studies (18)F‑florbetapir (18F-AV1451) was used for imaging. Data from 236 participants were included in this study (145 MS patients, 17 AD patients, 12 mild cognitive impairment patients, and 62 healthy controls).

Conclusions

PET scan, especially florbetapir-based radio traces in helping to diagnose early AD, is imperative to use an age-specific cutoff in MS patients to support AD diagnosis.
Head and neck imaging manifestations in COVID-19: collective experience of 17 months during 2nd wave of the pandemic
Authors: Gurumurthy Balasubramanian , Hiremath Rudresh , Chandrappa Anupama , Veerabhadrappa Rakesh Chowkalli , Kini Divya Vishwanatha , Kosinepalli Sai Siddartha
Published: January 2023

Background

COVID-19 is well known to result in pulmonary and multiple extra-pulmonary manifestations. Among them, head and neck manifestations were commonly recognized in the 2nd wave of the pandemic. With the growing global COVID-19 burden, imaging is of utmost importance in diagnosing the disease and its related complications. The study aims to enumerate the various head and neck manifestations and their complications in COVID-19. Additionally, in sinusitis patients, the invasion was correlated with the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

Results

A cross-sectional observational study in which total of 78 COVID-19 cases that underwent head and neck imaging were retrospectively evaluated. The cohort included 52 males (66.7%) and 26 females (33.3%) with a mean age of 46.19 years (median = 49.0, SD = 16.47). The various head and neck manifestations included non invasive rhinosinusitis (n = 48), invasive sinusitis and its complications (n = 25), nasal septal abscess (n = 1), dacryoadenitis (n = 1), pre-septal and post-septal orbital cellulitis and its complications (n = 13), otitis media, mastoiditis and its complications (n = 6), parotitis (n = 2), neck vessel thrombosis (n = 2) and cervical lymphadenopathy (n = 3). An increase in the invasive nature of sinusitis was demonstrated among patients with comorbidities and elevated NLR.

Conclusions

Early diagnosis and management of head and neck manifestations of COVID-19 are aided by prompt imaging. It is imperative that we are armed with the knowledge of various head and neck manifestations and how they may bear semblance to other pathologies for us to ensure COVID as a differential, especially in the background of known infection.
Evaluation of health related quality of life with the use of Oswestry disability index in degenerative discogenic low back pain
Authors: El-Hady Aliaa Omar , El Molla Soad Said , Elwan Sherine Ibrahim , Ibrahim Rehab Ali
Published: January 2023

Background

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVD) is a main underlying cause for low back pain (LBP). Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a valuable tool used to measure patient’s low back functional outcome. Our aim is to evaluate the relation between clinical assessment of LBP and health related quality of life with the use of ODI and magnetic resonance image (MRI) findings in patients with degenerative prolapsed IVD disease.

Result

There was a significant correlation between Pfirrmann grades and ODI (p< 0.0001) and with type of disc morphology mostly protrusion (p< 0.0001) but insignificant correlation with visual analogue scale (VAS) (p= 0.198) and most of the clinical parameters (p> 0.05). There was a significant correlation between ODI and VAS (p= 0.003). Higher Pfirrmann grades were found at lower lumbosacral levels L4-5 and L5-S1.

Conclusion

Higher Pfirrmann grades correlated with the increased ODI. No association was found between MRI grading in lumbosacral spine with pain intensity and most of the clinical parameters among persons with discogenic LBP. Chronic LBP is widely accepted to be a multifactorial disorder that could not be contained within a single lumbar compartment. Clinician should not depend on MRI findings only in the diagnosis. History from the patient and clinical examination is particularly important to reach the final diagnosis. ODI might be convenient in achieving patient’s confidence and decreasing unnecessary investigations.
Racial Differences in Germline Genetic Testing for Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Briggs Logan G. , Steele Grant L. , Qian Zhiyu Jason , Subbanna Sara , Alkhatib Khalid Y. , Labban Muhieddine , Langbein Bjoern J. , Nguyen David-Dan , Cellini Jacqueline , Kilbridge Kerry , Kibel Adam S. , Trinh Quoc-Dien , Rana Huma Q. , Cole Alexander P.
Published: January 2023

PURPOSE:

Testing for pathogenic variants can aid in oncologic risk stratification and identification of targeted therapies. Despite known disparities in access to prostate cancer (PCa) care, little has been written about access to germline genetic testing (GGT) for Black men and other historically marginalized populations. This systematic review sought to delineate racial/ethnic disparities in GGT for PCa.

METHODS:

This systematic review identified articles published from January 1996 through May 2021 in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase. We included studies that reported rates of GGT in men with PCa in the United States by race/ethnicity as reflective of routine clinical care or research. A narrative synthesis was performed.

RESULTS:

Of 4,309 unique records, 91 studies examining 50 unique study populations met inclusion criteria. Of these, four populations included men who received GGT through routine clinical care, accounting for 4,415 men (72.6% White and 7.2% Black). The other 46 populations included men who received GGT as part of a research study, accounting for 30,824 men (64.3% White and 21.6% Black). Of these 46 research populations, 19 used targeted methods to increase recruitment from a specific demographic.

CONCLUSION:

Most studies that report GGT rates by race/ethnicity are in research settings. Many of these studies used targeted recruitment methods and subsequently have a greater proportion of Black men than clinical and US population–based studies. Other historically marginalized populations are not well represented. There remains a knowledge gap regarding the extent of racial disparities in the use of GGT, particularly in the clinical setting.
Περιφερειακές πολιτικές στη ψυχροπολεμική διελκυστίνδα
Authors: Χαραλάμπους Παναγιώτης
Published: January 2023

Το τέλος του Εμφυλίου πολέμου (1949), βρίσκει την Ελλάδα σε αναζήτηση της ασφάλειάς της. Αναπόφευκτα, τα βόρεια σύνορα της χώρας, όντας ένα από τα λιγοστά σημεία όπου εφάπτεται ο δυτικός με τον ανατολικό συνασπισμό, καθιστούν τη χώρα ένα από τα πιθανά σημεία ανάφλεξης ενός θερμού επεισοδίου κατά τη διάρκεια του Ψυχρού Πολέμου. Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή εξετάζει τη δυτική πολιτική στην περίπτωση του «από βορρά κινδύνου» στην Ελλάδα, και πώς αυτός καθόρισε τις σχέσεις της τελευταίας με τους βόρειους γείτονές της: Αλβανία, Γιουγκοσλαβία και Βουλγαρία. Συγκεκριμένα, εξετάζονται οι σχέσεις της Ελλάδας με τα πιο πάνω κράτη, υπό το πρίσμα διαφόρων ζητημάτων, όπως είναι το Βορειοηπειρωτικό, το Μακεδονικό, το ζήτημα των Ελληνοπαίδων, o βουλγαρικός αναθεωρητισμός, καθώς και το ζήτημα των πολεμικών επανορθώσεων. Για τον σκοπό αυτό, αναλύεται επίσης το Βαλκανικό Σύμφωνο (1953-1954), στο πλαίσιο της συμμαχικής πολιτικής στη Βαλκανική Χερσόνησο. Ειδική μνεία γίνεται στην περίπτωση της Θράκης, αφού θεωρείται η «παραδοσιακή διαδρομή εισβολής» στην Ελλάδα εκ του βορρά. Εξετάζονται ακόμη οι ελληνοαμερικανικές σχέσεις την περίοδο (1949-1967), με άξονα τη συμμαχική ασφάλεια και την προσπάθεια ανάσχεσης του κομμουνιστικού κινδύνου. Τέλος, για την ανάδειξη της συμμαχικής πολιτικής στην περίπτωση της Ελλάδας, επιχειρείται μέσα από την εν λόγω διατριβή, μια σύγκριση με άλλες περιπτώσεις άμεσης γειτνίασης του δυτικού με τον ανατολικό συνασπισμό (Νορβηγία, Τουρκία, Δυτική Γερμανία).
Supporting GPs and people with hypertension to maximise medication use to control blood pressure: Protocol for a pilot cluster RCT of the MIAMI intervention
Authors: Morrissey Eimear , Murphy Andrew , Murphy Patrick , O'Grady Louise , Byrne Molly , Casey Monica , Dolan Eamon , Duane Sinead , Durand Hannah , Gillespie Paddy , Hayes Peter , Hobbins Anna , Hynes Lisa , McEvoy John William , Newell John ,   MIAMI PPI group, Molloy Gerard
Published: January 2023

Background: Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for stroke and heart disease. Recent international guidelines have stated that 'poor adherence to treatment – in addition to physician inertia - is the most important cause of poor blood pressure control'. The MaxImising Adherence, Minimising Inertia (MIAMI) intervention, which has been developed using a systematic, theoretical, user-centred approach, aims to support general practitioners (GPs) and people with hypertension to maximise medication use, through the facilitation of adequate information exchange within consultations about long-term antihypertensive medication use and adherence skill development. The aim of the MIAMI pilot cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to gather and analyse feasibility data to allow us to (1) refine the intervention, and (2) determine the feasibility of a definitive RCT.

Methods: GP practices (n = 6) will be recruited and randomised to the intervention arm (n = 3) or usual care control arm (n = 3). Each practice will recruit 10 patient participants. For a patient to be eligible they must have a diagnosis of hypertension, be on two or more anti-hypertensive medications, must not be achieving recommended blood pressure levels,  and be over the age of 65 years. Participants in the intervention arm will meet their GP and receive the MIAMI intervention twice over three months. Quantitative data collection will take place at baseline and three month follow up. A pilot health economic analysis and a qualitative sub-study will also be incorporated into the study.

Discussion: This pilot cluster RCT of the MIAMI intervention will allow us to gather valuable acceptability and feasibility data to further refine the intervention so it optimally designed for both GP and patient use. In particular, the qualitative component will provide an insight into GP and patient experiences of using the intervention.
The genome sequence of the Dimorphic Bear Hoverfly, Criorhina berberina (Fabricius, 1805)
Authors: Crowley Liam ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective, Chua Physilia ,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: January 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Criorhina berberina (the Dimorphic Bear Hoverfly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Syrphidae). The genome sequence is 410 megabases in span. Most of the assembly (99.72%) is scaffolded into four chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the assembled X sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 18.2 kilobases long. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 16,260 protein coding genes.
Editors’ preface: Lotmaniana and semiotic publications from Tartu
Authors: Puumeister Ott , Kull Kalevi
Published: January 2023

Editors’ preface: Lotmaniana and semiotic publications from Tartu
Dissertationes Semioticae Universitatis Tartuensis
Authors: Kull Kalevi
Published: January 2023

Doctoral dissertations in semiotics have been defended at the University of Tartu since 1999; since the year 2000, these theses have been published as the series Dissertationes Semioticae Universitatis Tartuensis. The present paper provides an up-to-date bibliography of the dissertations.
Gamification as Motivation to Study at a Business School
Authors: Smirnov D.
Published: January 2023

Abstract. In this article, we will consider a relatively new method of increasing engagement which became widespread in the 2000s called gamification. The background for the development of this method, its characteristics are analyzed and examples of the intro-duction of the gamification method in the business school of a large corporation are given.