bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the radiographic outcomes and total blood loss between pinless navigation and conventional method in minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Yen Shih-Hsiang , Lin Po-Chun , Wang Jun-Wen
Published: March 2023

Background

Computer-assisted surgical navigation has been used in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures for years trying to the accuracy of prosthesis placement. We conducted this prospective randomized clinical trial to compare the accuracy of the radiographic parameters of the prosthesis, total blood loss (TBL), and related complications, between a new pinless navigation system (Stryker OrthoMap Express Knee Navigation) and conventional method in patients undergoing minimally invasive (MIS) TKA procedures.

Patient and methods

A consecutive series of 100 patients underwent unilateral primary TKA were randomly assigned into two groups: navigation group and convention group. The radiographic parameters of the knee implant and the alignment of lower limb were measured at 3 months after surgery. TBL was calculated according to Nadler’s method. The duplex ultrasonography of both lower limbs was performed in all patients to detect the presence of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT).

Results

Totally, 94 patients have completed the radiographic measures. Only the coronal femoral component angle in the navigation group (89.12° ± 1.83°) had significant differences from that in the convention group (90.09° ± 2.18°) (p = 0.022). There were no differences in the rate of outliers. The mean TBL in the navigation group was 841 ± 267 mL, which was similar to that in the convention group at 860 ± 266 mL (p = 0.721). Postoperative DVT risk did not differ between the two groups (2% vs. 0%, p = 0.315).

Conclusion

This pinless navigation TKA showed a comparable acceptable alignment compared with conventional MIS-TKA. There were no differences regarding postoperative TBL between the two groups.
Reprioritising global mental health: psychoses in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Omigbodun O. O , Ryan G. K , Fasoranti B , Chibanda D , Esliker R , Sefasi A , Kakuma R , Shakespeare T , Eaton J
Published: March 2023

Arthur Kleinman’s 2009 Lancet commentary described global mental health as a “moral failure of humanity”, asserting that priorities should be based not on the epidemiological and utilitarian economic arguments that tend to favour common mental health conditions like mild to moderate depression and anxiety, but rather on the human rights of those in the most vulnerable situations and the suffering that they experience. Yet more than a decade later, people with severe mental health conditions like psychoses are still being left behind. Here, we add to Kleinman’s appeal a critical review of the literature on psychoses in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting contradictions between local evidence and global narratives surrounding the burden of disease, the outcomes of schizophrenia, and the economic costs of mental health conditions. We identify numerous instances where the lack of regionally representative data and other methodological shortcomings undermine the conclusions of international research carried out to inform decision-making. Our findings point to the need not only for more research on psychoses in sub-Saharan Africa, but also for more representation and leadership in the conduct of research and in international priority-setting more broadly—especially by people with lived experience from diverse backgrounds. This paper aims to encourage debate about how this chronically under-resourced field, as part of wider conversations in global mental health, can be reprioritised.
Unravelling the mechanotransduction pathways in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Donnaloja Francesca , Limonta Emma , Mancosu Christian , Morandi Francesco , Boeri Lucia , Albani Diego , Raimondi Manuela Teresa
Published: March 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents one of the most common and debilitating neurodegenerative disorders. By the end of 2040, AD patients might reach 11.2 million in the USA, around 70% higher than 2022, with severe consequences on the society. As now, we still need research to find effective methods to treat AD. Most studies focused on the tau and amyloid hypothesis, but many other factors are likely involved in the pathophysiology of AD. In this review, we summarize scientific evidence dealing with the mechanotransduction players in AD to highlight the most relevant mechano-responsive elements that play a role in AD pathophysiology. We focused on the AD-related role of extracellular matrix (ECM), nuclear lamina, nuclear transport and synaptic activity. The literature supports that ECM alteration causes the lamin A increment in the AD patients, leading to the formation of nuclear blebs and invaginations. Nuclear blebs have consequences on the nuclear pore complexes, impairing nucleo-cytoplasmic transport. This may result in tau hyperphosphorylation and its consequent self-aggregation in tangles, which impairs the neurotransmitters transport. It all exacerbates in synaptic transmission impairment, leading to the characteristic AD patient’s memory loss. Here we related for the first time all the evidence associating the mechanotransduction pathway with neurons. In addition, we highlighted the entire pathway influencing neurodegenerative diseases, paving the way for new research perspectives in the context of AD and related pathologies.
Back in 3D—a report on Genome Informatics 2022
Authors: Hajirasouliha Iman , Semrau Stefan
Published: March 2023

The annual Genome Informatics conference was held at the Wellcome Genome Campus on September 21–23, 2022. The conference covered a remarkable range of topics of which we highlight a few in this report.
The influence of intrathecal injection of methotrexate and dexamethasone on neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE): a retrospective cohort study of 386 patients with NPSLE
Authors: Nie Yuxue , Sun Boyuan , He Xin , Zheng Minmin , Wu Di , Yang Yunjiao , Zhang Li , Bai Wei , Jiang Nan , Qiao Lin , Huang Can , Zhou Shuang , Zhou Jiaxin , Peng Linyi , Niu Jingwen , Li Mengtao , Zhao Yan , Zeng Xiaofeng , Wang Li , Zhang Wen
Published: March 2023

Background

Neuropsychiatric involvement is one of the major concerns in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The therapeutic effect of intrathecal treatment of methotrexate and dexamethasone has been investigated in some exploratory studies, but its influence on the long-term prognosis of neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) remains unknown.

Methods

This was a propensity score-matched retrospective study. Outcomes at discharge and time free from NPSLE relapse or death were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression, survival analysis, and Cox regression as appropriate.

Results

Among 386 hospitalized patients with NPSLE, the median [IQR] age was 30.0 [23.0–40.0] years, and 342 patients (88.4%) were female. Of those, 194 patients received intrathecal treatment. Patients in the intrathecal treatment group had higher Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 scores (median 17 vs. 14 points, IQR 12–22 vs. 10–19 points, P <0 .001) and were more likely to receive methylprednisolone pulse therapy (71.6% vs. 49.5%, P < 0.001) than those who did not receive intrathecal therapy. Intrathecal treatment was associated with a higher probability of survival and being free from NPSLE relapse than control treatment among the 386 unmatched patients (P =0.042 by log-rank test) and within 147 propensity score-matched pairs (P =0.032 by log-rank test). In the subgroup of NPSLE patients with increased levels of protein in cerebrospinal fluid, intrathecal treatment had a positive influence on their prognosis (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Intrathecal treatment of methotrexate and dexamethasone was associated with a more favorable prognosis of NPSLE and may serve as a valuable additional therapy for NPSLE patients, especially for those with elevated levels of protein in cerebrospinal fluid.
Uptake of hepatitis C direct-acting antiviral treatment in China: a retrospective study from 2017 to 2021
Authors: Du Xinyu , Mi Jiarun , Cheng Hanchao , Song Yuanyuan , Li Yuchang , Sun Jing , Chan Polin , Chen Zhongdan , Luo Simon
Published: March 2023

Background

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C treatment in China became available since 2017. This study expects to generate evidence to inform decision-making in a nationwide scale-up of DAA treatment in China.

Methods

We described the number of standard DAA treatment at both national and provincial levels in China from 2017 to 2021 based on the China Hospital Pharmacy Audit (CHPA) data. We performed interrupted time series analysis to estimate the level and trend changes of the monthly number of standard DAA treatment at national level. We also adopted the latent class trajectory model (LCTM) to form clusters of the provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs) with similar levels and trends of number of treatment, and to explore the potential enablers of the scale-up of DAA treatment at provincial level.

Results

The number of 3-month standard DAA treatment at national level increased from 104 in the last two quarters of 2017 to 49,592 in the year of 2021. The estimated DAA treatment rates in China were 1.9% and 0.7% in 2020 and 2021, which is far below the global target of 80%. The national price negotiation at the end of 2019 resulted in DAA inclusion by the national health insurance in January 2020. In that month, the number of treatment increased 3668 person-times (P < 0.05). LCTM fits the best when the number of trajectory class is four. PLADs as Tianjin, Shanghai and Zhejiang that had piloted DAA price negotiations before the national negotiation and that had explored integration of hepatitis service delivery with prevention and control programme of hepatitis C within the existing services demonstrated earlier and faster scale-up of treatment.

Conclusions

Central negotiations to reduce prices of DAAs resulted in inclusion of DAA treatment under the universal health insurance, which are critical elements that support scaling up access to hepatitis C treatment in China. However, the current treatment rates are still far below the global target. Targeting the PLADs lagged behind through raising public awareness, strengthening capacity of the healthcare providers by roving training, and integrate prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up management of hepatitis C into the existing services are needed.
White stork movements reveal the ecological connectivity between landfills and different habitats
Authors: López-Calderón Cosme , Martín-Vélez Víctor , Blas Julio , Höfle Ursula , Sánchez Marta I. , Flack Andrea , Fiedler Wolfgang , Wikelski Martin , Green Andy J.
Published: March 2023

Background

Connections between habitats are key to a full understanding of anthropic impacts on ecosystems. Freshwater habitats are especially biodiverse, yet depend on exchange with terrestrial habitats. White storks (Ciconia ciconia) are widespread opportunists that often forage in landfills and then visit wetlands, among other habitats. It is well known that white storks ingest contaminants at landfills (such as plastics and antibiotic resistant bacteria), which can be then deposited in other habitats through their faeces and regurgitated pellets.

Methods

We characterized the role of white storks in habitat connectivity by analyzing GPS data from populations breeding in Germany and wintering from Spain to Morocco. We overlaid GPS tracks on a land-use surface to construct a spatially-explicit network in which nodes were sites, and links were direct flights. We then calculated centrality metrics, identified spatial modules, and quantified overall connections between habitat types. For regional networks in southern Spain and northern Morocco, we built Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) to explain network topologies as a response to node habitat.

Results

For Spain and Morocco combined, we built a directed spatial network with 114 nodes and 370 valued links. Landfills were the habitat type most connected to others, as measured by direct flights. The relevance of landfills was confirmed in both ERGMs, with significant positive effects of this habitat as a source of flights. In the ERGM for southern Spain, we found significant positive effects of rice fields and salines (solar saltworks) as sinks for flights. By contrast, in the ERGM for northern Morocco, we found a significant positive effect of marshes as a sink for flights.

Conclusions

These results illustrate how white storks connect landfills with terrestrial and aquatic habitats, some of which are managed for food production. We identified specific interconnected habitat patches across Spain and Morocco that could be used for further studies on biovectoring of pollutants, pathogens and other propagules.
Cased-hole reverse time migration imaging using ultrasonic pitch-catch measurement: Theory and synthetic case studies
Authors: Wang Hua , Li Meng , Fang Zhilong , Shi Shaopeng , Liu Tianlin , Tao Aihua
Published: March 2023

Cement-bond evaluation is of great significance in oil/gas development, geothermal production, and CO2 storage. Advanced ultrasonic pitch-catch measurement exhibits poor performance in determining a cement-formation interface due to weak reflections from the cement-formation interface (third interface echo) in nonaxisymmetric complex ultrasonic environments. To deal with this issue, we use a reverse time migration (RTM) approach for ultrasonic pitch-catch measurements to image the cased-hole structure, especially for the cement-formation interface. To further enhance cased-hole RTM feasibility, a phase-shift interpolation technique is applied to reconstruct ultrasonic array waveforms from limited receivers in the pitch-catch measurement. Synthetic examples demonstrate that RTM is capable of imaging the cement-formation interface with a high resolution under various eccenterings of casings and tools. This study illustrates that small errors introduced by phase-shift interpolations do not greatly degrade the imaging result of RTM. Furthermore, tests for inclined cement-formation interfaces demonstrate that the RTM is able to recover the true position and geometry of the cement-formation interface when a smoothed velocity model is available. In addition, although RTM is sensitive to the velocity perturbation, it is possible to image the cased-hole structure by using a multistep strategy assuming that the position and thickness of the steel casing are unknown.
Seismic imaging of reservoir heterogeneity using a network with high station density at The Geysers geothermal reservoir, CA, USA
Authors: Gritto Roland , Jarpe Steve P. , Hartline Craig S. , Ulrich Craig
Published: March 2023

We analyze results of high-resolution seismic imaging at The Geysers geothermal reservoir in northern California, USA, using a dense seismic network to image the spatial heterogeneity of the reservoir structure and flow paths. The project uses 92 seismic stations spaced at approximately 500 m over a 5 km × 5 km study area. Microseismic data for more than 17,000 earthquakes have been acquired over a period of 13 months and automatically processed for P- and S-wave phase arrival times. The data are subsequently inverted using a joint inversion approach to image the spatial heterogeneity of the reservoir including the 3D P- and S-wave velocity structure and [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratio, and to locate earthquake hypocenters. The resulting tomographic images are appraised by integration into The Geysers’ 3D reservoir model and by a spatial correlation to the injection and production wells. Spatial correlation of P-wave velocity images to water injection and steam production wells reveal higher velocities below injection wells, due to higher water saturation, and lower velocities in the vicinity of steam-producing wells, due to the presence of steam in the surrounding reservoir rocks. The spatial correlation of [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] to steam in the reservoir indicates decreased estimates in the vicinity of steam production wells. In contrast, the [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratio reveals high values in the reservoir for regions near water injection wells and along the potential flow path of water through the reservoir. The estimates of shear modulus indicate high values in a region of competent graywacke, which is known for a lack of fractures and steam production, and low values in a region that is dominated by water flow, suggesting that fractured rock created a pathway for the water through the reservoir. The heterogeneity observed in the S-wave velocities indicates a compartmentalized reservoir, which correlates spatially with fault projections in the 3D reservoir model.
Induced polarization of clay-rich materials — Part 1: The effect of desiccation
Authors: Revil André , Ghorbani Ahmad , Jougnot Damien , Yven Béatrice
Published: March 2023

A petrophysical model describing spectral induced polarization (IP) has been developed for clay rocks accounting for the Maxwell-Wagner polarization. It is also used to connect the complex conductivity to the relative permeability of the material. This model is applied to the Callovo-Oxfordian clay rock of the Paris Basin (France) where the Meuse/Haute-Marne Underground Research Laboratory is located. Laboratory experiments are performed using eight clay-rock cores to study the effect of desiccation on their spectral-IP response. The measurements are performed along the foliation plane. Complex conductivity spectra are measured over a frequency range of 1 mHz to 45 kHz. These spectra are fitted with a double Cole-Cole model to extract the evolution of the Cole-Cole parameters with the saturation during the desiccation process. The low-frequency Cole-Cole model corresponds to IP phenomena, whereas the high-frequency Cole-Cole model corresponds to the Maxwell-Wagner contribution. We obtain the value of the first and second Archie’s exponents and we check the relationship between the surface conductivity and the cation exchange capacity of the clay rocks. We are also able to connect the relative permeability curve to the second (saturation) Archie’s exponent. The monitoring of the complex conductivity can be used to predict how the permeability of the clay-rock formation changes with the water content.
Amplitude variation with incidence and azimuth stepwise inversion with coherence-attribute constraints for anisotropic parameters
Authors: Ji Lixiang , Zong Zhaoyun , Luo Kun
Published: March 2023

With the development of 5D (3D + offset + azimuth) seismic technology, the stable acquisition of anisotropy information from wide-azimuth seismic data has become a key scientific problem in the seismic inversion of fractured reservoirs. The amplitude variation with incidence and azimuth (AVAZ) inversion method using wide-azimuth seismic data is an effective way to predict the anisotropic information of the subsurface medium. However, the conventional AVAZ inversion method suffers from too many parameters to be estimated, large variation in contribution, and inversion instability. Therefore, an AVAZ inversion method with coherence-attribute constraints is developed to solve the problem of unstable inversion of anisotropic parameters. First, we use seismic coherence attributes to build a fracture-probability-distribution model containing anisotropic information of the subsurface medium, which can be used to simulate large-scale subsurface fractures and faults. Then, it is added to the objective function as an anisotropic information constraint to improve the reliability and stability of the anisotropic inversion. Furthermore, an AVAZ inversion method in a Bayesian framework is implemented by using wide-azimuth seismic data. Gaussian distribution and a smoothing background model are added to the objective function to improve the reasonableness and stability of the inversion. In addition, we develop a stepwise optimization inversion method for isotropic and anisotropic parameters, prioritizing the inversion of parameters that contribute significantly to the reflection coefficient, and then using the results of the previous inversion as the initial values for the next inversion step to achieve multiparameter inversion. This method can reduce the number of the estimated parameters and thus improve the stability of the inversion of the anisotropic parameters. Field data examples indicate that this method produces suitable inversion results even at moderate levels of noise. Therefore, we can conclude that the proposed method has good applicability and stability in predicting the anisotropy parameters of fractured shale reservoirs.
Signaling Pathways of the Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins
Authors: Baxter Robert C
Published: March 2023

The 6 high-affinity insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) are multifunctional proteins that modulate cell signaling through multiple pathways. Their canonical function at the cellular level is to impede access of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-2 to their principal receptor IGF1R, but IGFBPs can also inhibit, or sometimes enhance, IGF1R signaling either through their own post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation or limited proteolysis, or by their interactions with other regulatory proteins. Beyond the regulation of IGF1R activity, IGFBPs have been shown to modulate cell survival, migration, metabolism, and other functions through mechanisms that do not appear to involve the IGF-IGF1R system. This is achieved by interacting directly or functionally with integrins, transforming growth factor β family receptors, and other cell-surface proteins as well as intracellular ligands that are intermediates in a wide range of pathways. Within the nucleus, IGFBPs can regulate the diverse range of functions of class II nuclear hormone receptors and have roles in both cell senescence and DNA damage repair by the nonhomologous end-joining pathway, thus potentially modifying the efficacy of certain cancer therapeutics. They also modulate some immune functions and may have a role in autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. IGFBPs have been proposed as attractive therapeutic targets, but their ubiquity in the circulation and at the cellular level raises many challenges. By understanding the diversity of regulatory pathways with which IGFBPs interact, there may still be therapeutic opportunities based on modulation of IGFBP-dependent signaling.
S-adenosyl-L-methionine supplementation alleviates damaged intestinal epithelium and inflammatory infiltration caused by Mat2a deficiency
Authors: Li Miao-Lin , Cao Si-Yi , Qu Jia , Zhang Lei , Gao Qiang , Wang Xu , Yin Miao , Liu Ying , Lei Ming-Zhu , Lei Qun-Ying
Published: March 2023

Methionine is important for intestinal development and homeostasis in various organisms. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the methionine adenosyltransferase gene Mat2a is essential for intestinal development and that the metabolite S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) plays an important role in intestinal homeostasis. Intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-specific knockout of Mat2a exhibits impaired intestinal development and neonatal lethality. Mat2a deletion in the adult intestine reduces cell proliferation and triggers IEC apoptosis, leading to severe intestinal epithelial atrophy and intestinal inflammation. Mechanistically, we reveal that SAM maintains the integrity of differentiated epithelium and protects IECs from apoptosis by suppressing the expression of caspases 3 and 8 and their activation. SAM supplementation improves the defective intestinal epithelium and reduces inflammatory infiltration sequentially. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that methionine metabolism and its intermediate metabolite SAM play essential roles in intestinal development and homeostasis in mice.
Epidemiology and clinical spectrum of pediatric patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: A 15 years’ experience
Authors: Haider Nighat , Bashir Naila , Farooq Ana , Hussain Mulazim
Published: March 2023

Objective: To view the different patterns of presentation of HIV in pediatric population along with mode of transmission and associated co infections and co morbidities

Methods: It was a retrospective study conducted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, in which we evaluated the records of pediatric patients diagnosed with HIV from 2005 to 2020. All the data like age, gender, area, presenting complaints, examination findings at the time of diagnosis, mode of transmission, co infection and co morbidities were recorded. Descriptive analysis was done to calculate frequencies and means of the variables. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.

Results: Ninety four participants were evaluated with male to female ratio as 1.8:1 and mean age of 5.2 years. Majority of patients (44%) were below 4 years. Fever (55%) was the most reported symptom followed by cough (39%), diarrhoea (29%), pallor (27%), shortness of breath (26%), weight loss (23%) and failure to thrive (22%). Co infection with TB was present in (16%). Eight (9%) patients were thalassaemic. Mother to child transmission (60%) was the commonest mode of transmission followed by blood transfusion (23%) and parenteral transmission (6%).

Conclusion: In children HIV is more prevalent in males especially under 4 years with fever, cough, diarrhea and pallor being the common symptoms at presentation. Tuberculosis is the commonest co infection as we are endemic for TB and mother to child transmission is the commonest mode of transmission as there was no outbreak in our area.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.3.6710

How to cite this: Bashir N, Haider N, Farooq A, Hussain M. Epidemiology and clinical spectrum of pediatric patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: A 15 years’ experience. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(3):820-824. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.3.6710

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Risk of lowering mortality from the improvement of inflammatory markers and disease progression among moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 patients using anticoagulant : a cross-sectional study from two second referral hospitals in Surabaya, Indonesia
Authors: Romadhon Pradana Zaky , Bintoro Siprianus Ugroseno Yudho , Suryantoro Satriyo Dwi , Asmarawati Tri Pudy , Nur Rosyid Alfian , Savitri Merlyna , Amrita Putu Niken Ayu , Diansyah Muhammad Noor , Prayoga Ami Ashariati , Windradi Choirina , Mahdi Bagus Aulia , Widiyastuti Krisnina Nurul , Novendrianto Dwiki , Agustin Esthiningrum Dewi , Alkaff Firas Farisi , Prahasanti Kartika , Dewanto Didi Darmahadi
Published: March 2023

Background: To date, coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) has no definitive treatment. Thrombosis and hypercoagulation may occur in the advanced stage. Further study on how to use anticoagulants is still required to promote the best prognosis.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 110 moderate, 140 severe, and 81 critical patients receiving unfractioned heparin (UFH), low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), and fondaparinux was conducted. Data were collected from March 15th to August 31st 2020 at Universitas Airlangga and Husada Utama Hospital. A comparative study of white blood cell (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), c-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), D-dimer, all-cause mortality rate, length of stay, and days of death among three severities of COVID-19 was done. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine the correlation between inflammatory state after anti-coagulant with patients’ mortality.

Results: Two deaths occurred in moderate cases, 36 deaths in severe cases, and 70 deaths in critical cases on ventilators. On day 13, moderate and severe groups showed decreased WBC, neutrophils, NLR, CRP, and D-dimer (p < 0.05). NLR, CRP, and D-dimer (p<0.05) in critically ill and ventilated patients decreased. Day-13 evaluation revealed 32.73% decrease of inflammatory markers in moderate group; 32.86% in severe patients; and 16.05% in critically ill, ventilated patients. A significant correlation between day 13 inflammatory status with mortality was seen in moderate and critical cases with a ventilator (r=0.337; p< 0.05 and r=0.25; p 0.05). Inflammatory profile on day 6 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.36; p < 0.05) and day 13 ([aOR] = 4.15; p < 0.05) was associated with patients’ mortality.

Conclusions: Anticoagulants in COVID-19 patients lower inflammation markers. Evaluating inflammatory status is essential to predict the mortality. Inflammatory markers on day 13, based on the severity of COVID-19 and comorbidities, were associated with mortality in moderate and critical cases.
Definition of the Alfvén mode in inhomogeneous magnetic field
Authors: Klimushkin Dmitri , Mager Pavel
Published: March 2023

The article is methodological and defines the concept of the linear Alfvén mode. There are two definitions — electrodynamic and hydrodynamic. In the former, the Alfvén mode is considered a wave with a potential transverse electric field. In the latter, waves are more often identified with the Alfvén mode, plasma motion in which is purely vortex. While these definitions are equivalent for homogeneous plasma, they are incompatible if the field line curvature is taken into account: if the transverse electric field is purely potential, the plasma speed has not only a vortex component, but also a potential one, and vice versa. The electrodynamic and hydrodynamic definitions are equivalent only if the wave electric field completely lacks a component along the binormal to the external magnetic field. However, such waves do not exist in nature.
Harmonia i dysonans : Wokół rozmów z oksfordzkimi filozofami
Authors: Polanowska-Sygulska Beata
Published: March 2023

HARMONY AND DISSONANCE: CONVERSATIONS WITH OXFORD PHILOSOPHERS This collection consists of six essays that I wrote between 2019 and 2022, and memories of two scholars to whom I owe a great deal. The idea for the book occurred to me after the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022. Several months before the invasion of Ukraine I had read John Gray’s Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life (2020). Though this work – like most of Gray’s writings – gave me a lot to think about, I had no intention of putting my thoughts into words. Having published a number of articles on Gray’s philosophy, and above all a substantial monograph, 1 I had decided to confine myself to reading his future publications. Waking up on that memorable morning of 24 February 2022 was like being born into a new world. Trying to come to terms with what had just transpired, I felt the urge to confront it with Gray’s most recent vision of ethical life. This is how my extended essay John Gray’s ethics and the war in Ukraine, written specially for this collection (the idea for which came to me at the same time), originated.
Impact of Telehealth and Process Virtualization on Healthcare Utilization
Authors: Ayabakan Sezgin , Bardhan Indranil R. , Zheng Zhiqiang (Eric)
Published: March 2023

Telehealth has emerged as a tool to improve patient access by virtualizing healthcare services, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, concerns have been raised that telehealth may actually increase healthcare spending by leading to new types of utilization. Our research provides empirical evidence that this concern is unfounded based on a state-wide study of patient visit-level data of telehealth use in 58 hospitals in Maryland from 2012 to 2021. On average, telehealth use can reduce future outpatient visits by 13.6% within 30 days after a telehealth visit, leading to a cost reduction of $239. The benefits of telehealth are most apparent for diseases with high potential for process virtualization, such as mental health, skin disorders, metabolic, and musculoskeletal diseases. Although telehealth has a substitution effect on future healthcare utilization, this effect is not observed among rural patients who use telehealth as a gateway to utilize more primary care and specialist services. Our findings suggest that policymakers should promote the use of telehealth in a value-based healthcare environment by providing monetary incentives to expand telehealth use among patients and providers, and expand the scope of telehealth services to include consultation with specialists especially among rural patients.
Ultra-compact synthesis of space-time wave packets
Authors: Yessenov Murat , Mhibik Oussama , Mach Lam , Hayward Tina M. , Menon Rajesh , Glebov Leonid , Divliansky Ivan , Abouraddy Ayman F.
Published: March 2023

Space-time wave packets (STWPs) are pulsed fields in which a strictly prescribed association between the spatial and temporal frequencies yields surprising and useful behavior. However, STWPs to date have been synthesized using bulky free-space optical systems that require precise alignment. We describe a compact system that makes use of a novel optical component: a chirped volume Bragg grating that is rotated by 45° with respect to the plane-parallel device facets. By virtue of this grating’s unique structure, cascaded gratings resolve and recombine the spectrum without free-space propagation or collimation. We produce STWPs by placing a phase plate that spatially modulates the resolved spectrum between such cascaded gratings, with a device volume of 25 × 25 × 8 mm3, which is orders-of-magnitude smaller than previous arrangements.
Near-infrared ultrafast third-order nonlinear optical response of 2D NbS2, NbSe2, ZrTe2, and MoS2
Authors: Carvalho Alyson J. A. , Campos Cecília L. A. V. , Valente Denise , Jawaid Ali M. , Busch Robert , Vaia Richard A. , Gomes Anderson S. L.
Published: March 2023

By employing the optical Kerr gate technique at 800 nm with 180 fs pulses at 76 MHz, we evaluated the third-order nonlinear optical response of two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting MoS2, semimetallic ZrTe2, and metallic NbS2 and NbSe2. The modulus of the nonlinear refractive index was measured to range from 8.6 × 10−19 m2/W to 5.3 × 10−18 m2/W, with all materials’ response time limited by the pulse duration. The physical mechanism to explain the ultrafast response time’s origin considers the nature of the 2D material, as will be discussed.
Zyxin contributes to coupling between cell junctions and contractile actomyosin networks during apical constriction
Authors: Slabodnick Mark M. , Tintori Sophia C. , Prakash Mangal , Zhang Pu , Higgins Christopher D. , Chen Alicia H. , Cupp Timothy D. , Wong Terrence , Bowie Emily , Jug Florian , Goldstein Bob
Published: March 2023

One of the most common cell shape changes driving morphogenesis in diverse animals is the constriction of the apical cell surface. Apical constriction depends on contraction of an actomyosin network in the apical cell cortex, but such actomyosin networks have been shown to undergo continual, conveyor belt-like contractions before the shrinking of an apical surface begins. This finding suggests that apical constriction is not necessarily triggered by the contraction of actomyosin networks, but rather can be triggered by unidentified, temporally-regulated mechanical links between actomyosin and junctions. Here, we used C. elegans gastrulation as a model to seek genes that contribute to such dynamic linkage. We found that α-catenin and β-catenin initially failed to move centripetally with contracting cortical actomyosin networks, suggesting that linkage is regulated between intact cadherin-catenin complexes and actomyosin. We used proteomic and transcriptomic approaches to identify new players, including the candidate linkers AFD-1/afadin and ZYX-1/zyxin, as contributing to C. elegans gastrulation. We found that ZYX-1/zyxin is among a family of LIM domain proteins that have transcripts that become enriched in multiple cells just before they undergo apical constriction. We developed a semi-automated image analysis tool and used it to find that ZYX-1/zyxin contributes to cell-cell junctions’ centripetal movement in concert with contracting actomyosin networks. These results identify several new genes that contribute to C. elegans gastrulation, and they identify zyxin as a key protein important for actomyosin networks to effectively pull cell-cell junctions inward during apical constriction. The transcriptional upregulation of ZYX-1/zyxin in specific cells in C. elegans points to one way that developmental patterning spatiotemporally regulates cell biological mechanisms in vivo. Because zyxin and related proteins contribute to membrane-cytoskeleton linkage in other systems, we anticipate that its roles in regulating apical constriction in this manner may be conserved.
Prevalence and natural history of depression after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Liu Lu , Xu Min , Marshall Iain J. , Wolfe Charles DA , Wang Yanzhong , O’Connell Matthew DL
Published: March 2023

Background

Depression is the most frequent psychiatric condition after stroke and is associated with negative health outcomes. We aim to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and natural history of depression after stroke.

Methods and findings

Studies published up to 4 November 2022 on Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched. We included studies of adults with stroke, where depression was assessed at a prespecified time point. Studies excluding people with aphasia and history of depression are excluded. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme(CASP) cohort study tool was used to assess risk of bias. A total of 77 studies were included in the pooled estimates of the prevalence of poststroke depression (PSD). The overall prevalence of depression was 27% (95% CI 25 to 30). Prevalence of depression was 24% (95% CI 21 to 28) by clinical interview and 29% (95% CI 25 to 32) by rating scales. Twenty-four studies with more than one assessment time point reported the natural history of PSD. Among people who were depressed within 3 months of stroke, 53% (95% CI 47 to 59) experienced persistent depression, while 44% (95% CI 38 to 50) recovered. The incidence of later depression (3 to 12 months after stroke) was 9% (95% CI 7 to 12). The cumulative incidence during 1 year after stroke was 38% (95% CI 33 to 43), and the majority (71% (95% CI 65 to 76)) of depression had onset within 3 months after stroke. The main limitation of the present study is that excluding people in source studies with severe impairments may produce imprecise estimates of the prevalence of PSD.

Conclusions

In this study, we observed that stroke survivors with early-onset depression (within 3 months after stroke) are at high risks for remaining depressed and make up two-thirds of the incident cases during 1 year after stroke. This highlights the need for ongoing clinical monitoring of patients depressed shortly after stroke.

Trial Registration

PROSPERO CRD42022314146.
Transcultural adaptation and assessment of psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Scale for the Evaluation of Staff-Patient Interactions in Progress Notes
Authors: Pérez-Toribio Alonso , Moreno-Poyato Antonio R. , Lluch-Canut María Teresa , Nash Michael , Cañabate-Ros Montserrat , Myklebust Kjellaug K. , Bjørkly Stål , Puig-Llobet Montserrat , Roldán-Merino Juan F.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To adapt the Scale for the Evaluation of Staff Patient Interactions in Progress Notes to Spanish and to test the psychometric properties.

Design and methods

The study was conducted in two phases: (1) Adaptation of the instrument to Spanish following the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. (2) Psychometric study in a sample of mental health nurses.

Findings

The Cronbach’s alpha values were 0.97 for the total scale and 0.83 to 0.81 for each dimension. The inter-rater reliability values were between 0.94 and 0.97.

Practice implications

The scale is a reliable tool for assessing nurses’ clinical notes in relation to the quality of nurse-patient interactions.
Comparison of students’ perceptions of online and hybrid learning modalities during the covid-19 pandemic: The case of the University of Sharjah
Authors: Osaili Tareq M. , Ismail Leila Cheikh , ElMehdi Hussein M. , Al-Nabulsi Anas A. , Taybeh Asma’ O. , Saleh Sheima T. , Kassem Hanin , Alkhalidy Hana , Ali Habiba I. , Al Dhaheri Ayesha S. , Stojanovska Lily
Published: March 2023

Hybrid learning enables educators to incorporate elements of conventional face-to-face learning methods with structured online schemes. This study aimed to assess university students’ perceptions of online and hybrid learning during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates (n = 2056). Students’ sociodemographic characteristics, perceptions of online and hybrid learning, concerns, and university life changes, were investigated. Perception statements were dichotomized into "positive" and "negative" based on a 50% cut-off point. Scores of > 7 and >5 indicated positive perceptions of online and hybrid learning respectively while scores of ≤ 7 and ≤ 5 indicated negative perceptions. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to predict students’ perceptions of online and hybrid learning according to demographic variables. Spearman’s rank-order correlation was performed to determine the relationship between students’ perceptions and behaviors. Most students preferred online learning (38.2%) and on-campus learning (36.7%) to hybrid learning (25.1%). Around two-thirds of the students had a positive perception of online and hybrid learning in terms of university support, however, half of them preferred the assessment during online or on-campus learning. Main difficulties reported in hybrid learning were lack of motivation (60.6%), discomfort when on-campus (67.2%), and distraction due to mixed methods (52.3%). Older students (p = 0.046), men (p<0.001), and married students (p = 0.001) were more likely to have a positive perception of online learning, while sophomore students were more likely to have a positive perception of hybrid learning (p = 0.001). In this study, most students preferred online or on-campus over hybrid learning and expressed certain difficulties while on hybrid learning. Future research should focus on investigating the knowledge and capability of graduates from a hybrid/online model compared to a traditional model. Obstacles and concerns should be considered for future planning to ensure the resilience of the educational system.
A necrópole romana do Torrejão (Quintos, Beja) – primeiros dados
Authors: Rosa Ana , Fernandes Dulce
Published: March 2023

O presente texto propõe-se a divulgar os primeiros dados relativos à intervenção arqueológica preventiva realizada na necrópole do Torrejão (Quintos, Beja), identificada no âmbito do projecto Circuito Hidraúlico Baleizão-Quintos, promovida pela EDIA, em 2014/15. No espaço, parcialmente intervencionado, foram escavadas 14 sepulturas de inumação, a maioria das quais continha espólio votivo. No todo, o conjunto recuperado corresponde a um horizonte cronológico datado entre os séculos II d.C. e III d.C.
Entre mouros e cristãos: primeiros dados sobre a zooarqueologia do Castelo de Aracena (Huelva, Espanha)
Authors: Valente Maria João , Rosa Correia Francisco , Branco Rute , Romero Bomba Eduardo , Rivera Jiménez Timoteo , Romero de la Osa Omar
Published: March 2023

O principal objetivo deste trabalho é a caracterização das atividades pecuárias e cinegéticas praticadas no Castelo de Aracena, entre os séculos X e XVI. Os resultados mostram o predomínio dos animais domésticos: porcos, cabra, ovelha e bovinos, mas também equídeos e aves de capoeira. A presença de animais como o veado e o javali sugere que a caça seria uma atividade complementar. Foram ainda identificados o coelho e vários carnívoros. Os vestígios de moluscos marinhos e peixe testemunham o seu ocasional consumo. As estimativas etárias sugerem tratamento diferenciado dos animais. As modificações ósseas evidenciam o processamento das carcaças com objetivos alimentares e, por vezes, de tendões, peles e fabrico de utensílios. A relativa homogeneidade dos principais táxones ao longo das ocupações, e a abundância de suínos, algo raro em contextos islâmicos, possibilitam duas realidades: ou depósitos faunísticos relacionados com as ocupações cristãs, ou uma comunidade islâmica atípica.
Uma lixeira de outros tempos na Rua das Capacheiras (Tavira)
Authors: Covaneiro Jaquelina , Cavaco Sandra
Published: March 2023

Apresentam-se os dados relativos à escavação de um silo, localizado na Rua das Capacheiras, em Tavira. A informação recolhida permite considerar que, inicialmente, esta estrutura destinar-se-ia ao armazenamento de alimentos. Posteriormente, o silo é desactivado passando a funcionar como lixeira.
Una insula de carácter artesanal en Contributa Iulia (Medina de las Torres – Badajoz)
Authors: Mateos Cruz Pedro , Pizzo Antonio , Bustamante-Álvarez Macarena , Delgado Molina Pedro , Sánchez Hidalgo Fernando
Published: March 2023

Se exponen en esta comunicación los resultados de las excavaciones arqueológicas desarrolladas en una manzana de la ciudad de Contributa Iulia, cercana a la puerta occidental de acceso, en la que se documentaron los restos de un complejo arquitectónico que poseía un carácter artesanal. La primera fase documentada se fecha en el s. I d. C. en la que se registra la construcción de una vivienda y un ámbito artesanal en el sector nororiental. Este conjunto fue renovado a lo largo del s. IV con la construcción de nuevos ámbitos artesanales en su interior. Su abandono se produjo a lo largo del s. V, momento en el que se realizó un enterramiento en su interior y la desestructuración de todo el complejo.
The role of probiotics in vannamei shrimp aquaculture performance – A review
Authors: Amiin Muhammad Kholiqul , Lahay Almira Fardani , Putriani Rizha Bery , Reza Muhammad , Putri Septi Malidda Eka , Sumon Md. Afsar Ahmed , Jamal Mamdoh T. , Santanumurti Muhammad Browijoyo
Published: March 2023

Vannamei shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is an important food commodity of economic benefit due to its high price, low susceptibility to disease, and popularity for consumption. These advantages have led many farmers to cultivate vannamei shrimp. Efforts are underway to improve the aquaculture performance of this species, including the use of probiotics, which are non-pathogenic bacteria that aid in digestion and help fight disease. Probiotics are usually obtained from the intestines of vannamei shrimp or the culture environment. They are low-cost, non-pathogenic, and largely non-toxic source of antibiotics and are able to synthesize various metabolites that have antibacterial functions and applications. Research on probiotic use has primarily been focused on increasing vannamei shrimp aquaculture production. Bacterial species, such as Lactobacillus or Nitrobacter, can be administered orally, by injection, or as a supplement in aquaculture water. Probiotics help to improve survival rate, water quality, immunity, and disease resistance through space competition with disease-causing bacteria, such as Vibrio spp. An increased number of probiotic bacteria suppresses the growth and presence of pathogenic bacteria, which lowers disease susceptibility. In addition, probiotic bacteria also aid digestion by breaking down complex compounds into simpler substances that the body can absorb more easily. This mechanism improves growth performance in terms of weight, length, and feed conversion ratio. This review aimed to provide information regarding contribution of probiotic to improve vannamei shrimp production in aquaculture.

Keywords: application, bacteria, farm, microbiome, shrimp.