bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First patient in the Iranian Registry with novel DOCK2 gene mutation, presenting with skeletal tuberculosis, and review of literature
Authors: Sharifinejad Niusha , Sadri Homa , Kalantari Arash , Delavari Samaneh , Noohi Amirhosein , Aminpour Yasaman , Sabzevari Araz , Azizi Gholamreza
Published: December 2021

Background

Dedicator of cytokinesis 2 (DOCK2) deficiency is an inborn error of immunity characterized by cellular and humoral immunological abnormalities leading to early-onset infections.

Case presentation

We reported a novel case of a 27 months old girl presenting with recurrent pneumonia and a history of skeletal tuberculosis at the age of 19-month-old. Her immunological workup revealed persistent lymphopenia and low CD4 + T cell count along with elevated levels of CD19 +, CD20 +, CD16 +, and CD56 + cells. Furthermore, she had a high level of immunoglobulin (Ig) E and a slightly reduced IgM level with a non-protective antibody titer against diphtheria. The whole-exome sequencing (WES) analysis identified a homozygous frameshift deletion mutation (c.1512delG, p.I505Sfs*28) in exon 16 of the DOCK2 gene. We also conducted electronic searches in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases and reviewed the articles reporting patients with DOCK2 deficiency. The literature search yielded 14 DOCK2-deficient patients suffering from both cellular and humoral immune defects leading to early-onset infections, particularly human herpesvirus (HHV) infection.

Conclusion

DOCK2 deficiency should be considered in the context of severe or unusual early-onset infections, especially HHV infections, in a patient with a probable clinical diagnosis of combined immunodeficiency. We also recommended that DOCK2-deficient patients might benefit from T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) assay as part of the routine newborn screening program.
Preprocedural fasting for contrast-enhanced CT: when experience meets evidence
Authors: Liu Heng , Liu Yu , Zhao Li , Li Xue , Zhang Weiguo
Published: December 2021

Traditional preparatory fasting policy prior to iodinated contrast media (ICM) assisted contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) examinations lacks methodologically acceptable evidence. Considering the possible negative effects of preprocedural fasting, the latest European Society of Urogenital Radiology guidelines V10.0 and American Committee of Radiology 2021 guidelines clearly state that preprocedural fasting is not recommended prior to routine intravenous ICM administration. This comprehensive and detailed Review presents the current global dietary preparation policies, potential harm of excessive fasting, and a systematical and well-bedded description of practice advancements of dietary preparation. The evidences revealed that there has been no single instance of vomiting-associated aspiration pneumonia due to the undemanding implementation of preparatory fasting prior to CECT yet. Non-fasting would not increase the incidence of emetic symptoms and the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Not every patient should undergo all CECT examinations without preparatory fasting. There is still much more refinement to be done on the preparatory fasting policy. Changes in traditional preparatory fasting policy will make positive and significant implications on clinical practice. This Review aims to provide operational guidance and suggestions for practitioners and policymakers, motivate efficient, reasonable, safe and normative ICM usage, and achieve optimal patient clinical benefits and high-quality radiological care practices.
Pure red cell aplasia secondary to rheumatoid arthritis: a case report
Authors: Weerasinghe Suneth , Karunathilake Parackrama , Ralapanawa Udaya , Jayalath Thilak , Abeygunawardena Shamali , Rathnayaka Manel
Published: December 2021

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease with many extra-articular manifestations. Pure red cell aplasia is a rare manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis and is sparsely documented in the literature, with a variable clinical outcome following immunosuppressive therapy.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old Sinhalese female presented with transfusion-dependent anemia associated with deforming inflammatory arthritis. She also had leukopenia, right subclavian venous thrombosis, and generalized lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis following initial clinical workup and additional blood and bone marrow investigations revealed pure red cell aplasia as a secondary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis after excluding other secondary causes, such as infections, thymoma, thrombophilic conditions, and hematological malignancy. She responded well to oral prednisolone, cyclosporine A, and hydroxychloroquine, and she attained complete recovery in 2 months.

Conclusion

Pure red cell aplasia is a disabling illness that may lead to transfusion-dependent anemia, which may occur due to rare extrapulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. The diagnosis of pure red cell aplasia secondary to rheumatoid arthritis may be challenging where hematological investigations, including bone marrow biopsy, will aid in the diagnosis, and early diagnosis and treatment will bring about a better outcome.
Sex-related associations between body height and cognitive impairment among low-income elderly adults in rural China: a population-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Qi Dongwang , Shi Chanhong , Mao Rongyan , Yang Xuewei , Song Jinhui , Wang Yanjia , Tu Jun , Wang Jinghua , Ning Xianjia , Wu Yi
Published: December 2021

Background

Body height is a marker of childhood health and cumulative net nutrition during growth periods. However, sex-specific associations between body height and cognitive impairment are not well known in northern rural China.

Methods

We assessed sex differences in the association between body height and cognitive impairment in a low-income elderly population in rural China. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2014 to August 2014 to collect basic information from elderly residents aged 60 years and older in rural areas of Tianjin, China. Body height and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were measured, and the relationships between these variables were assessed.

Results

A total of 1081 residents with a mean age of 67.7 years were enrolled in this study. After adjusting for age, educational attainment, smoking status, drinking status, and the presence of hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia, higher body height was found to be associated with a decreased prevalence of cognitive impairment in elderly men. Each 1-dm increase in height was associated with a 37% decrease in the prevalence of cognitive impairment. However, there was no significant association between body height and cognitive impairment among elderly women.

Conclusion

In conclusion, shorter body height was related to cognitive impairment independently of age, educational attainment, lifestyle factors, and health-related comorbid factors among low-income elderly men in rural China. Accordingly, shorter elderly men may be targeted for effective dementia prevention in rural China.
Evaluation of P450 monooxygenase activity in lyophilized recombinant E. coli cells compared to resting cells
Authors: Hilberath Thomas , Raffaele Alessandra , Windeln Leonie M. , Urlacher Vlada B.
Published: December 2021

Cytochromes P450 catalyze oxidation of chemically diverse compounds and thus offer great potential for biocatalysis. Due to the complexity of these enzymes, their dependency of nicotinamide cofactors and redox partner proteins, recombinant microbial whole cells appear most appropriate for effective P450-mediated biocatalysis. However, some drawbacks exist that require individual solutions also when P450 whole-cell catalysts are used. Herein, we compared wet resting cells and lyophilized cells of recombinant E. coli regarding P450-catalyzed oxidation and found out that lyophilized cells are well-appropriate as P450-biocatalysts. E. coli harboring CYP105D from Streptomyces platensis DSM 40041 was used as model enzyme and testosterone as model substrate. Conversion was first enhanced by optimized handling of resting cells. Co-expression of the alcohol dehydrogenase from Rhodococcus erythropolis for cofactor regeneration did not affect P450 activity of wet resting cells (46% conversion) but was crucial to obtain sufficient P450 activity with lyophilized cells reaching a conversion of 72% under the same conditions. The use of recombinant lyophilized E. coli cells for P450 mediated oxidations is a promising starting point towards broader application of these enzymes.
Concurrent mapping of multiple epigenetic marks and co-occupancy using ACT2-seq
Authors: Carter Benjamin , Ku Wai Lim , Pelt Joe , Zhao Keji
Published: December 2021

Background

Genome-wide profiling of epigenetic marks is a core technology in molecular genetics. Co-occupancy of different epigenetic marks or protein factors at the same genomic locations must often be inferred from multiple independently collected data sets. However, this strategy does not provide direct evidence of co-enrichment in the same cells due to the existence of cellular heterogeneity. To address this issue, we have developed a technique termed ACT2-seq that is capable of concurrently profiling multiple epigenetic marks in a single biological sample. In addition to reducing the numbers of samples required for experiments, ACT2-seq is capable of mapping co-occupancy of epigenetic factors on chromatin. This strategy provides direct evidence of co-enrichment without requiring complex single-molecule, single-cell, or magnetic bead-based approaches.

Results

We concurrently profiled pairs of two epigenetic marks using ACT2-seq as well as three marks in individual samples. Data obtained using ACT2-seq were found to be reproducible and robust. ACT2-seq was capable of cleanly partitioning concurrently mapped data sets that exhibited distinct enrichment patterns. Using ACT2-seq, we identified distinct relationships between co-occupancy of specific histone modifications and gene expression patterns.

Conclusions

We conclude that ACT2-seq presents an attractive option for epigenomic profiling due to its ease of use, potential for reducing sample and sequencing costs, and ability to simultaneously profile co-occupancy of multiple histone marks and/or chromatin-associated proteins.
The usefulness of extended input–output tables incorporating firm heterogeneity
Authors: Hagino Satoru , Kim Jiyoung
Published: December 2021

This study examines the usefulness of an extended input–output table (EIOT) incorporating the heterogeneity of Japanese firms based on differences in ratios of imported intermediate goods to total output. Using an EIOT, the vertical specialization indicator of Japan was calculated, which corresponds to the foreign value added included in exports. In this process, differences in intermediate input ratios were measured examining different types of firms using firm-level microdata from the Basic Survey of Japanese Business Structure and Activities. The results indicate that distinguishing between exporting and non-exporting firms is relevant for assembly industries such as electronics and automobiles, as widely discussed in the literature. In contrast, for primary materials industries, such as paper, chemical, and metal industries, other distinctions appear to be more relevant. For example, for the chemical industry, wherein firms tend to have large, integrated manufacturing plants, the differences in intermediate import ratios are largest when distinguishing large firms from small and medium firms. For paper and metal industries, which rely on foreign raw materials, the difference is largest when distinguishing between firms with and without foreign affiliates. By incorporating such heterogeneity, the vertical specification indicator increases by 70%; thus, the EIOT captures the foreign value added more comprehensively.
A comprehensive comparison between camelid nanobodies and single chain variable fragments
Authors: Asaadi Yasaman , Jouneghani Fatemeh Fazlollahi , Janani Sara , Rahbarizadeh Fatemeh
Published: December 2021

By the emergence of recombinant DNA technology, many antibody fragments have been developed devoid of undesired properties of natural immunoglobulins. Among them, camelid heavy-chain variable domains (VHHs) and single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) are the most favored ones. While scFv is used widely in various applications, camelid antibodies (VHHs) can serve as an alternative because of their superior chemical and physical properties such as higher solubility, stability, smaller size, and lower production cost. Here, these two counterparts are compared in structure and properties to identify which one is more suitable for each of their various therapeutic, diagnosis, and research applications.
Too many rights: too many people without rights—two opposite case studies of claiming spaces and rights in Turin and Geneva
Authors: Bianchetti Cristina , Vassallo Ianira
Published: December 2021

Introduction

The multiple forms of living in the contemporary city clearly demonstrate how the relationship between living space and rights reveals itself in many ways, even to the point of being divergent and contradictory.

Case description

In order to analyze this point, we decided to observe two case studies that are emblematic for the divergence of issues that they are able to highlight. The neighbourhood of Les Grottes in Geneva can be described as a ‘manifesto of living’ based on sharing, solidarity, and freedom. On the other hand, the former Olympic Village in Turin expresses the “individual need to exist” of a population (of political refugees and migrants) not legitimatized to be in that place but one which, generally speaking, has nowhere to live.

Discussion and evaluation

These two situations are able to highlight how the right to housing today no longer has a universal meaning as in the struggles of the last century (70 s) but explodes in very different meanings.

Conclusions

For this reason the aim of this paper is try to rethink the concept of housing rights in order to emphasize how this term is still able to tell a lot about the urban and social transformations in contemporary cities.
Enhanced credit card fraud detection based on attention mechanism and LSTM deep model
Authors: Benchaji Ibtissam , Douzi Samira , El Ouahidi Bouabid , Jaafari Jaafar
Published: December 2021

As credit card becomes the most popular payment mode particularly in the online sector, the fraudulent activities using credit card payment technologies are rapidly increasing as a result. For this end, it is obligatory for financial institutions to continuously improve their fraud detection systems to reduce huge losses. The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel system for credit card fraud detection based on sequential modeling of data, using attention mechanism and LSTM deep recurrent neural networks. The proposed model, compared to previous studies, considers the sequential nature of transactional data and allows the classifier to identify the most important transactions in the input sequence that predict at higher accuracy fraudulent transactions. Precisely, the robustness of our model is built by combining the strength of three sub-methods; the uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) for selecting the most useful predictive features, the Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) networks for incorporating transaction sequences and the attention mechanism to enhance LSTM performances. The experimentations of our model give strong results in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.
Gap, techniques and evaluation: traffic flow prediction using machine learning and deep learning
Authors: Razali Noor Afiza Mat , Shamsaimon Nuraini , Ishak Khairul Khalil , Ramli Suzaimah , Amran Mohd Fahmi Mohamad , Sukardi Sazali
Published: December 2021

The development of the Internet of Things (IoT) has produced new innovative solutions, such as smart cities, which enable humans to have a more efficient, convenient and smarter way of life. The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is part of several smart city applications where it enhances the processes of transportation and commutation. ITS aims to solve traffic problems, mainly traffic congestion. In recent years, new models and frameworks for predicting traffic flow have been rapidly developed to enhance the performance of traffic flow prediction, alongside the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods such as machine learning (ML). To better understand how ML implementations can enhance traffic flow prediction, it is important to inclusively know the current research that has been conducted. The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive and systematic review of the literature involving 39 articles published from 2016 onwards and extracted from four main databases: Scopus, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink and Taylor & Francis. The extracted information includes the gaps, approaches, evaluation methods, variables, datasets and results of each reviewed study based on the methodology and algorithms used for the purpose of predicting traffic flow. Based on our findings, the common and frequent machine learning techniques that have been applied for traffic flow prediction are Convolutional Neural Network and Long-Short Term Memory. The performance of their proposed techniques was compared with existing baseline models to determine their effectiveness. This paper is limited to certain literature pertaining to common databases. Through this limitation, the discussion is more focused on (and limited to) the techniques found on the list of reviewed articles. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the application of ML and DL techniques for improving traffic flow prediction, contributing to the betterment of ITS in smart cities. For future endeavours, experimental studies that apply the most used techniques in the articles reviewed in this study (such as CNN, LSTM or a combination of both techniques) can be accomplished to enhance traffic flow prediction. The results can be compared with baseline studies to determine the accuracy of these techniques.
Nano-sized graphene oxide coated nanopillars on microgroove polymer arrays that enhance skeletal muscle cell differentiation
Authors: Choi Hye Kyu , Kim Cheol-Hwi , Lee Sang Nam , Kim Tae-Hyung , Oh Byung-Keun
Published: December 2021

The degeneration or loss of skeletal muscles, which can be caused by traumatic injury or disease, impacts most aspects of human activity. Among various techniques reported to regenerate skeletal muscle tissue, controlling the external cellular environment has been proven effective in guiding muscle differentiation. In this study, we report a nano-sized graphene oxide (sGO)-modified nanopillars on microgroove hybrid polymer array (NMPA) that effectively controls skeletal muscle cell differentiation. sGO-coated NMPA (sG-NMPA) were first fabricated by sequential laser interference lithography and microcontact printing methods. To compensate for the low adhesion property of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) used in this study, graphene oxide (GO), a proven cytophilic nanomaterial, was further modified. Among various sizes of GO, sGO (< 10 nm) was found to be the most effective not only for coating the surface of the NM structure but also for enhancing the cell adhesion and spreading on the fabricated substrates. Remarkably, owing to the micro-sized line patterns that guide cellular morphology to an elongated shape and because of the presence of sGO-modified nanostructures, mouse myoblast cells (C2C12) were efficiently differentiated into skeletal muscle cells on the hybrid patterns, based on the myosin heavy chain expression levels. Therefore, the developed sGO coated polymeric hybrid pattern arrays can serve as a potential platform for rapid and highly efficient in vitro muscle cell generation.
Preoperative morbidity and joint awareness while awaiting hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement
Authors: Robinson P. G. , Williamson T. R. , Murray I. R. , Maempel J. F. , MacDonald D. J. , Hamilton D. F. , Gaston P.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12) is a valid tool in the evaluation of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy, assessing the unique concept of joint awareness in the setting of a patient’s hip pathology. The preoperative burden on patients’ mental wellbeing of impaired joint function or symptoms is well established. The purpose of this study was to determine patients’ awareness of their hip joint whilst awaiting hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement, to explore any association between joint awareness and mental health status, and to determine whether this relates to time spent waiting for arthroscopy preoperatively.

Methods

A prospective database of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy between January 2018 and November 2020 was analysed. All patients with a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) undergoing arthroscopic treatment were included. Questionnaires included the FJS-12, twelve item international hip outcome tool (iHOT-12), EuroQol 5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L) and the Tegner activity score. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to assess relationships between continuous variables.

Results

Preoperative functional outcomes were completed by 81 patients (97.5%) prior to undergoing hip arthroscopy. Median preoperative FJS-12 score was 16.67 (IQR 8.33 – 29.68). Forty-four patients reported any level of anxiety/depression preoperatively (54.3%). Preoperative FJS-12 showed a significant negative correlation with worsening mental health status (r = − 0.359, p <  0.001), and a significant positive correlation with EQ-5D-5L (r = 0.445, p <  0.001). The duration of symptoms or time on the waiting list did not correlate with increased joint awareness or worsened mental health.

Conclusion

Joint awareness is high when awaiting hip arthroscopy for FAI. Increasing levels of joint awareness correlate with poorer mental health status and poorer quality of life measures, however these parameters do not seem to be associated with increased duration of symptoms prior to surgery or time on the waiting list for surgery.
Active TB infection and its associated factors among HIV-1 infected patients at Jimma medical center, Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Mulugeta Temesgen , Takale Alazar , Umeta Belachew , Terefe Behailu
Published: December 2021

Background

Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) increases the susceptibility to primary infection or reinfection and the risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation for patients with latent TB. There was no current report on the rate of active TB infection among HIV-1 infected patients in our teaching and referral hospital. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with active TB infection among HIV-1 infected patients.

Methods

Hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) chronic follow-up clinic. Systematic random sampling was used to include the patients. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the findings and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with active TB infection.

Result

150 HIV-1 infected patients (female 54.7%) were included. The median (interquartile range, IQR) age of the patients was 33.5 (25.7, 40.0) years. Twenty-six (17.3%) of the patients had developed active TB infection, which was independently associated with the WHO clinical stage III and IV (AOR: 9.67, 95% confidence interval (CI); 2.21–42.37), p = 0.003). The use of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) (AOR: 0.123, 95CI; 0.034–0.44, p = 0.001) and having good adherence to ART medications (AOR: 0.076, 95CI; 0.007–0.80, p = 0.032) was associated with the reduced risk of active TB infection among HIV-1 infected patients.

Conclusions

Advanced WHO clinical stages increased the risk of active TB infection, while the use of IPT and good adherence to ART medications reduced the risk of active TB infection. Therefore, patients with advanced WHO clinical stage should be screened for TB infection, and starting IPT for the candidate patients should be strengthened to reduce the burden of active TB incidence. ART medication adherence should also be supported.
A case of pancreaticoduodenectomy and partial hepatic resection as repeat cytoreductive surgery for recurrent pseudomyxoma peritonei
Authors: Yamanaka Kenya , Iizuka Norishige , Kitai Toshiyuki
Published: December 2021

Background

For recurrent pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), repeat cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) can provide survival benefits if patients are carefully selected. We describe a case of pancreaticoduodenectomy and partial liver resection (HPD) as the repeat CRS for a recurrent tumor that infiltrated the pancreatic head around the hepatic hilum. This is the first report of HPD for recurrent PMP.

Case presentation

The patient was a 58-year-old male without comorbidities. In 2001, he was diagnosed with PMP at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In 2004, CRS, including total peritoneal resection, pyloric gastrectomy, splenectomy, and right hemicolectomy with HIPEC was performed (peritoneal cancer index (PCI) = 28). In 2008, the first repeat CRS with HIPEC was performed (PCI = 14). In 2016, fourth repeat CRS, including partial hepatectomy with HIPEC for recurrence of the round ligament of the liver, was performed. In 2017, a tumor of 5 cm in size was observed from the hepatic hilum to the pancreatic head, which infiltrated the main pancreatic duct. Other tumors 2 cm in size were observed (PCI = 7). We performed the fifth repeat CRS, including HPD. The adhesions of the small intestine from around the liver to the lower abdomen were detached for the reconstruction of pancreatojejunostomy and cholangiojejunostomy. The uncinate approach was applied for the pancreatic head resection because it was difficult to identify the cranial part of the pancreas due to adhesions in the hepatoduodenal ligament and the omental bursa. We approached to the origin of the extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle by resecting a part of the liver around the hepatic hilum using transhepatic hilar approach. A complete cytoreduction was achieved. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was a recurrence of PMP, which is equivalent to peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis. He was discharged on the 22nd postoperative day without major postoperative complications. The patient survived without recurrence four years after HPD.

Conclusions

Even for recurrence around the hepatic hilum and the pancreatic head, repeat CRS can be safely performed by applying the techniques of hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery.
Grapevine wood microbiome analysis identifies key fungal pathogens and potential interactions with the bacterial community implicated in grapevine trunk disease appearance
Authors: Bekris Fotios , Vasileiadis Sotirios , Papadopoulou Elena , Samaras Anastasios , Testempasis Stefanos , Gkizi Danae , Tavlaki Georgia , Tzima Aliki , Paplomatas Epaminondas , Markakis Emmanuel , Karaoglanidis George , Papadopoulou Kalliope K. , Karpouzas Dimitrios G.
Published: December 2021

Background

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) is a disease complex caused by wood pathogenic fungi belonging to genera like Phaeomoniella, Phaeoacremonium, Fomitiporia, Eutypa and members of the family Botryosphaeriaceae. However, the co-occurrence of these fungi in symptomatic and asymptomatic vines at equivalent abundances has questioned their role in GTDs. Hence, we still lack a good understanding of the fungi involved in GTDs, their interactions and the factors controlling their assemblage in vines. We determined the fungal and bacterial microbiome in wood tissues of asymptomatic and symptomatic vines of three main Greek cultivars (Agiorgitiko, Xinomavro, Vidiano), each cultivated in geographically distinct viticultural zones, using amplicon sequencing.

Results

We noted that cultivar/biogeography (lumped factor) was the strongest determinant of the wood fungal microbiome (p < 0.001, 22.7%), while GTD symptoms condition had a weaker but still significant effect (p < 0.001, 3.5%), being prominent only in the cultivar Xinomavro. Several fungal Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs), reported as GTD-associated pathogens like Kalmusia variispora, Fomitiporia spp., and Phaemoniella chlamydosporα (most dominant in our study), were positively correlated with symptomatic vines in a cultivar/viticultural zone dependent manner. Random Forest analysis pointed to P. chlamydosporα, K. variispora, A. alternata and Cladosporium sp., as highly accurate predictors of symptomatic vines (0% error rate). The wood bacterial microbiome showed similar patterns, with biogeography/cultivar being the main determinant (p < 0.001, 25.5%) of its composition, followed by the GTD status of vines (p < 0.001, 5.2%). Differential abundance analysis revealed a universal positive correlation (p < 0.001) of Bacillus and Streptomyces ASVs with asymptomatic vines. Network analysis identified a significant negative co-occurrence network between these bacterial genera and Phaemoniella, Phaeoacrominum and Seimatosporium. These results point to a plant beneficial interaction between Bacillus/Streptomyces and GTD pathogens.

Conclusions

Our study (a) provides evidence that GTD symptomatic plants support a wood fungal microbiome, showing cultivar and biogeography-dependent patterns, that could be used as a proxy to distinguish between healthy and diseased vines, (b) points to strong interactions between the bacterial and fungal wood microbiome in asymptomatic vines that should be further pursued in the quest for discovery of novel biocontrol agents.
Evaluation of the equivalence of different intakes of Fruitflow in affecting platelet aggregation and thrombin generation capacity in a randomized, double-blinded pilot study in male subjects
Authors: Das Ranjit K. , Datta Tanushree , Biswas Dipankar , Duss Ruedi , O’Kennedy Niamh , Duttaroy Asim K.
Published: December 2021

Background

The water-soluble tomato extract, Fruitflow® is a dietary antiplatelet which can be used to lower platelet aggregability in primary preventative settings. We carried out a pilot study to investigate the range of intakes linked to efficacy and to make an initial assessment of variability in response to Fruitflow®.

Methods

Platelet response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) agonist and thrombin generation capacity were monitored at baseline and 24 h after consuming 0, 30, 75, 150 or 300 mg of Fruitflow® in a randomized, double-blinded crossover study in male subjects 30–65 years of age (N = 12). Results were evaluated for equivalence to the standard 150 mg dose.

Results

Results showed that the changes from baseline aggregation and thrombin generation observed after the 75 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg supplements were equivalent. Aggregation was reduced from baseline by − 12.9 ± 17.7%, − 12.0 ± 13.9% and − 17.7 ± 15.7% respectively, while thrombin generation capacity fell by − 8.6 ± 4.1%, − 9.2 ± 3.1% and − 11.3 ± 2.3% respectively. Effects observed for 0 mg and 30 mg supplements were non-equivalent to 150 mg and not different from baseline (aggregation changed by 3.0 ± 5.0% and − 0.7 ± 10.2% respectively, while thrombin generation changed by 0.8 ± 3.0% and 0.8 ± 3.1% respectively).

Conclusions

The data suggest that the efficacious range for Fruitflow® lies between 75 mg and 300 mg, depending on the individual. It may be pertinent to personalize the daily intake of Fruitflow® depending on individual platelet response.

Trial registration

ISRCTN53447583, 24/02/2021.
Clinical outcomes following intravitreal methotrexate for primary vitreoretinal lymphoma
Authors: Anthony Casey L. , Bavinger J. Clay , Shantha Jessica G. , O’Keefe Ghazala D. , Pearce William A. , Voloschin Alfredo , Grossniklaus Hans E. , Yeh Steven
Published: December 2021

Purpose

To describe the visual acuity and anatomic outcomes of intravitreal methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL).

Methods

Single-center retrospective case series of patients with a diagnosis of PVRL treated with intravitreal MTX. Patient records were reviewed for demographic information, ocular exam findings, and treatment regimens including number of MTX injections. Clinical outcomes recorded included visual acuity (VA), time to partial (PR) or complete response (CR), disease-free survival, time to relapse, and any CNS progression.

Results

Ten eyes of 7 patients (4 male, 6 female) were reviewed. The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) was 70 ± 12 years. Five patients had prior or concomitant diagnosis of primary CNS lymphoma with a history of systemic chemotherapy including MTX. Three eyes (30%) exhibited isolated vitreous involvement, four (40%) had subretinal lesions, and three (30%) presented with both vitreous and subretinal disease. Mean initial logMAR VA was 0.38 ± 0.52 (Snellen visual equivalent 20/50), while mean final logMAR VA ± SD was 0.34 ± 0.27 (Snellen visual equivalent 20/40) with a mean follow-up time of 26 months (Range, 3–49 months). Patients received an average of 6 intravitreal MTX injections (Range 1–10) over the course of treatment. Two patients received concomitant systemic chemotherapy. Mean time to either PR or CR was 57 days, and 6 eyes (60%) exhibited regression with no relapse after local treatment. For the 4 eyes that eventually relapsed, the mean time ± SD to first relapse was 193 days ± 155 days, and one eye experienced a second relapse. Two of 3 patients with subretinal disease showed complete regression with extended follow-up of 1 and 4 years following treatment with less than 3 doses of intravitreal MTX. One patient with PVRL developed CNS lymphoma during the study period. VA remained stable overall between the initial treatment visit, 3, 6, and 12-months (P > 0.05 for paired comparisons of VA over time).

Conclusions

Intravitreal methotrexate was well-tolerated and led to local disease response in the majority of patients at approximately 2 months after initiation of treatment of intraocular lymphoma. Further studies on the efficacy of intravitreal treatment alone versus combined systemic and intravitreal treatment are warranted.
‘Walking in the shoes of our patients’: a scoping review of healthcare professionals learning from the simulation of patient illness experiences
Authors: Karvelytė Milda , Rogers Janet , Gormley Gerard J.
Published: December 2021

Background

Health professionals who have experienced ill-health appear to demonstrate greater empathy towards their patients. Simulation can afford learners opportunities to experience aspects of illness, but to date, there has been no overarching review of the extent of this practice or the impact on empathic skills.

Objective

To determine from the evidence—what is known about simulation-based learning methods of creating illness experiences for health professions and the impact on their empathic skills.

Study selection

Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework informed our scoping review of articles relevant to our research question. Three databases (MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science) were searched, and a sample of 516 citations was screened. Following review and application of our exclusion criteria, 77 articles were selected to be included in this review.

Findings

Of the 77 articles, 52 (68%) originated from the USA, 37 (48%) of studies were qualitative based and 17 (22%) used a mixed-methods model. Of all the articles in our scope, the majority (87%) reported a positive impact and range of emotions evoked on learners. However, some studies observed more negative effects and additional debriefing was required post-simulation. Learners were noted to internalise perceived experiences of illness and to critically reflect on their empathic role as healthcare providers.

Conclusions

A diverse range of simulation methods and techniques, evoking an emotional and embodied experience, appear to have a positive impact on empathy and could be argued as offering a complementary approach in healthcare education; however, the long-term impact remains largely unknown.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome in COVID-19: possible mechanisms and therapeutic management
Authors: Aslan Anolin , Aslan Cynthia , Zolbanin Naime Majidi , Jafari Reza
Published: December 2021

COVID-19 pandemic is a serious concern in the new era. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and lung failure are the main lung diseases in COVID-19 patients. Even though COVID-19 vaccinations are available now, there is still an urgent need to find potential treatments to ease the effects of COVID-19 on already sick patients. Multiple experimental drugs have been approved by the FDA with unknown efficacy and possible adverse effects. Probably the increasing number of studies worldwide examining the potential COVID-19 related therapies will help to identification of effective ARDS treatment. In this review article, we first provide a summary on immunopathology of ARDS next we will give an overview of management of patients with COVID-19 requiring intensive care unit (ICU), while focusing on the current treatment strategies being evaluated in the clinical trials in COVID-19-induced ARDS patients.
Spatial distribution of halophytes and environment factors in salt marshes along the eastern Yellow Sea
Authors: Chung Jaesang , Kim Jae Hyun , Lee Eun Ju
Published: December 2021

Background

Salt marshes provide a variety of ecosystem services; however, they are vulnerable to human activity, water level fluctuations, and climate change. Analyses of the relationships between plant communities and environmental conditions in salt marshes are expected to provide useful information for the prediction of changes during climate change. In this study, relationships between the current vegetation structure and environmental factors were evaluated in the tidal flat at the southern tip of Ganghwa, Korea, where salt marshes are well-developed.

Results

The vegetation structure in Ganghwa salt marshes was divided into three groups by cluster analysis: group A, dominated by Phragmites communis; group B, dominated by Suaeda japonica; and group C, dominated by other taxa. As determined by PERMANOVA, the groups showed significant differences with respect to altitude, soil moisture, soil organic matter, salinity, sand, clay, and silt ratios. A canonical correspondence analysis based on the percent cover of each species in the quadrats showed that the proportion of sand increased as the altitude increased and S. japonica appeared in soil with a relatively high silt proportion, while P. communis was distributed in soil with low salinity.

Conclusions

The distributions of three halophyte groups differed depending on the altitude, soil moisture, salinity, and soil organic matter, sand, silt, and clay contents. Pioneer species, such as S. japonica, appeared in soil with a relatively high silt content. The P. communis community survived under a wider range of soil textures than previously reported in the literature; the species was distributed in soils with relatively low salinity, with a range expansion toward the sea in areas with freshwater influx. The observed spatial distribution patterns may provide a basis for conservation under declining salt marshes.
A prospective randomized study of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with adjustable- versus fixed-loop device for femoral side fixation
Authors: Asif Naiyer , Khan Mohammad Jesan , Haris K. P. , Waliullah Shah , Sharma Anubhav , Firoz Danish
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Suspensory devices are extensively used in the management of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. They include fixed- and adjustable-loop devices. There are only a few studies comparing the efficacy of these two devices in the available literature. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare clinical outcomes between the adjustable-loop device (group I) and fixed-loop device (group II).

Materials and methods

This was a prospective randomized study. Both groups were equivalent in demographic, preoperative, and intraoperative variables. Twenty-three patients underwent femoral side graft fixation with adjustable-loop and 20 with fixed-loop devices. Four patients were lost to follow-up. Assessment of clinical outcome was done with International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Lysholm score, and knee stability tests (Lachman test and pivot shift test). Patient evaluation was performed preoperatively and finally postoperatively 2 years after surgery.

Results

Postoperative IKDC scores of group I and II were 91.9 ± 3.6 and 91.5 ± 3.6, respectively, and Lysholm scores were 91.0 ± 3.6 and 91.4 ± 3.5, respectively, after 2 years; however, the difference in the outcomes was statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Twenty patients (87%) in group I and 17 patients (85%) in group II had a negative Lachman test (p = 0.8). Twenty-two patients (95.7%) in group I and 19 patients (95%) in group II had a negative pivot shift test (p = 0.9).

Conclusion

ACL reconstruction with fixed- and adjustable-loop suspensory devices for graft fixation gives equivalent and satisfactory clinical results.

Level of evidence

1.
An increasing trend of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in South Korea: epidemiologic analysis using Korean National Health Insurance System Database
Authors: Chung Kyu Sung
Published: December 2021

Background

The posterior cruciate ligament is crucial for posterior stability of the knee joint, and, as well as anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (PCLR) has attracted interest in orthopedic literature. A few studies have investigated epidemiologic data of PCLR in Western countries. However, there has been no report on the epidemiological pattern of PCLR in the Asian population, including South Korea. Therefore, this study investigated the incidence and trends of PCLR in South Korea using the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) System Database.

Methods

The data was collected by the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) from 2008 to 2016 in South Korea. Patients with a record of cruciate ligament reconstruction and PCLR were allocated from the database. An analysis of the total number and incidence per 100,000 people/year of PCLR procedures and other epidemiologic parameters was conducted according to sex and age.

Results

The incidence of PCLR procedures rose from 2.3 to 2.6 per 100,000 people (from 1101 to 1299 total cases; 13% increase) between 2008 and 2016: from 3.8 to 4.0 (from 901 to 1000) in males, and from 0.8 to 1.2 (from 200 to 299) in females. PCLR was performed more frequently in males than in females, however, the rate of increase was higher in females than males. The incidence of PCLR over 9  years was highest in patients in their 20s, followed by patients in their 40s and 30s.

Conclusion

The incidence of PCLR procedures increased by 13% over 9 years in South Korea. PCLR was performed approximately three times more in men than in women. The incidence of PCLR was highest in patients in their 20s, followed by those in their 40s. The current study will enhance our understanding of the epidemiology of PCLR.

Study design

Descriptive Epidemiology Study.
C2HEST score for atrial fibrillation risk prediction models: a Diagnostic Accuracy Tests meta-analysis
Authors: Haybar Habib , Shirbandi Kimia , Rahim Fakher
Published: December 2021

Background

This meta-analysis aimed to assess the value of the C2HEST score to facilitate population screening and detection of AF risk in millions of populations and validate risk scores and their composition and discriminatory power for identifying people at high or low risk of AF. We searched major indexing databases, including Pubmed/Medline, ISI web of science, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane central, using (“C2HEST” OR “risk scoring system” OR “risk score”) AND (“atrial fibrillation (AF)” OR “atrial flutter” OR “tachycardia, supraventricular” OR “heart atrium flutter”) without any language, study region or study type restrictions between 1990 and 2021 years. Analyses were done using Meta-DiSc. The title and abstract screening were conducted by two independent investigators.

Results

Totally 679 records were found through the initial search, of which ultimately, nine articles were included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses. The risk of AF accompanied every one-point increase of C2HEST score (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.05,p < 0.00001), with a high heterogeneity across studies (I2 = 100%). The SROC for C2HEST score in the prediction of AF showed that the overall area under the curve (AUC) was 0.91 (95% CI 0.85–0.96), AUC in Asian population was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.78–0.95) versus non-Asian 0.95 (95% CI 0.91–0.99), and in general population was 0.92 (95% CI 0.85–0.99) versus those with chronic conditions 0.83 (95% CI 0.71–0.95), respectively.

Conclusions

The results of this research support the idea that this quick score has the opportunity for use as a risk assessment in patients' AF screening strategies.
DoE approach for development of localized controlled release microspheres of Vancomycin for treatment of septic arthritis
Authors: Sunanda Laxmi P. , Vidyavathi M. , Venkata Suresh Kumar Rayadurgam
Published: December 2021

Background

Septic arthritis is a worse condition of RA that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Septic arthritis develops due to direct introduction or invasion of pathogens. The objective of the present study was to formulate Vancomycin hydrochloride-loaded microspheres (VMS) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD) and evaluate its efficacy against septic arthritis. The intraarticular administration of optimized Vancomycin hydrochloride-loaded microspheres (OVMS) can reduce dose size, dosing frequency and systemic exposure with local targeted delivery.

Results

OVMS was further characterized for its drug–polymer compatibility using differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy. In vitro antibacterial activity was determined using the cup–plate method and in vivo anti-arthritic efficacy was evaluated by gross examination of septic arthritis. DSC and FTIR studies exhibited no interaction or incompatibilities between the drug and polymer. SEM images revealed that OVMS were spherical. It followed the first-order release rate according to Fick's law. The micromeritic properties indicated good flow property of OVMS. The zone of inhibition by OVMS was 1.5 cm against S. aureus. In vivo antibacterial study revealed that OVMS was significant in reducing septic arthritis and bacterial load, i.e., 110.1 CFU/ml in comparison with the control group (850 CFU/ml).

Conclusions

Thus, OVMS may be used as an effective formulation for the treatment of septic arthritis as compared to marketed IV vancomycin injection after clinical studies.