bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment of endometriosis: a review with comparison of 8 guidelines
Authors: Kalaitzopoulos Dimitrios Rafail , Samartzis Nicolas , Kolovos Georgios N. , Mareti Evangelia , Samartzis Eleftherios Pierre , Eberhard Markus , Dinas Kostantinos , Daniilidis Angelos
Published: November 2021

Background

Endometriosis, the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, is a common clinical entity between women of reproductive age, with a prevalence of about 10%. Due to the variety of endometriosis-associated symptoms, a great variety of treatments have been implemented. The aim of this review is to give an overview on therapeutical approaches of eight national and international widely used guidelines.

Methods

Six national (College National des Gynecologues et Obstetriciens Francais, National German Guideline (S2k), Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, American College of Obstetricians (ACOG) and Gynecologists, American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and National Institute for Health and Care (NICE) and two international (World Endometriosis Society, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) guidelines are included in this review.

Conclusion

All the above-mentioned guidelines agree that the combined oral contraceptive pill, progestogens are therapies recommended for endometriosis associated pain. Concerning infertility, there is no clear consensus about surgical treatment. Discrepancies are also found on recommendation of the second- and third-line treatments.
Athrixia phylicoides tea infusion (bushman tea) improves adipokine balance, glucose homeostasis and lipid parameters in a diet-induced metabolic syndrome rat model
Authors: Mokwena Madigoahle A. M. , Engwa Godwill Azeh , Nkeh-Chungag Benedicta N. , Sewani-Rusike Constance R.
Published: November 2021

Background

Central obesity and insulin resistance are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) which is aggravated by diet and sedentary lifestyle. Athrixia phylicoides (AP) is reported by rural communities to have medicinal benefits associated with MetS such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of AP on diet-induced MetS in Wistar rats to validate its ethnopharmacological use.

Methods

AP was profiled for phytochemicals by LC-MS. After induction of MetS with high energy diet (HED), 30 male rats were divided into five treatment groups (n = 6): normal diet control, HED control, HED + AP 50 mg/Kg BW, HED + AP 100 mg/Kg BW and HED + 50 mg/Kg BW metformin. The rats were treated daily for 8 weeks orally after which weight gain, visceral fat, total cholesterol, free fatty acids (FFAs) and adipokine regulation; leptin: adiponectin ratio (LAR) were assessed. Also, glucose homeostatic parameters including fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT 4), insulin and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were determined.

Results

Findings showed that AP was rich in polyphenols. The HED control group showed derangements of the selected blood parameters of MetS. AP reversed diet-induced weight gain by reducing visceral fat, total blood cholesterol and circulating FFAs (p ≤ 0.05). Treatment with AP improved adipokine regulation depicted by reduced LAR (p<0.05). Treatment with AP improved parameters of glucose homeostasis as demonstrated by reduced FBG and HOMA-IR (p ≤ 0.05) and increased GLUT 4 (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Athrixia phylicoides tea infusion was shown to possess anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties, improved glucose uptake and reduce insulin resistance in diet-induced MetS in rats which could be attributed to its richness in polyphenols. Therefore, AP could have potential benefits against type 2 diabetes and obesity which are components of MetS validating its ethnopharmacological use.
Quantifying intracellular trafficking of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles in live single cells by site-specific direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy
Authors: Chakkarapani Suresh Kumar , Shin Tae Hwan , Lee Seungah , Park Kyung-Soo , Lee Gwang , Kang Seong Ho
Published: November 2021

Background

Nanoparticles have been used for biomedical applications, including drug delivery, diagnosis, and imaging based on their unique properties derived from small size and large surface-to-volume ratio. However, concerns regarding unexpected toxicity due to the localization of nanoparticles in the cells are growing. Herein, we quantified the number of cell-internalized nanoparticles and monitored their cellular localization, which are critical factors for biomedical applications of nanoparticles.

Methods

This study investigates the intracellular trafficking of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles containing rhodamine B isothiocyanate dye [MNPs@SiO2(RITC)] in various live single cells, such as HEK293, NIH3T3, and RAW 264.7 cells, using site-specific direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). The time-dependent subdiffraction-limit spatial resolution of the dSTORM method allowed intracellular site-specific quantification and tracking of MNPs@SiO2(RITC).

Results

The MNPs@SiO2(RITC) were observed to be highly internalized in RAW 264.7 cells, compared to the HEK293 and NIH3T3 cells undergoing single-particle analysis. In addition, MNPs@SiO2(RITC) were internalized within the nuclei of RAW 264.7 and HEK293 cells but were not detected in the nuclei of NIH3T3 cells. Moreover, because of the treatment of the MNPs@SiO2(RITC), more micronuclei were detected in RAW 264.7 cells than in other cells.

Conclusion

The sensitive and quantitative evaluations of MNPs@SiO2(RITC) at specific sites in three different cells using a combination of dSTORM, transcriptomics, and molecular biology were performed. These findings highlight the quantitative differences in the uptake efficiency of MNPs@SiO2(RITC) and ultra-sensitivity, varying according to the cell types as ascertained by subdiffraction-limit super-resolution microscopy.

Graphical Abstract
Infection with SARS-CoV-2 causes flares in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in remission or inactive disease on medication
Authors: Hügle Boris , Krumrey-Langkammerer Manuela , Haas Johannes-Peter
Published: November 2021

Background

Flares of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have been described in the context of various infections. Flares of rheumatic diseases in adults have been described following infection with SARS-CoV-2 in several cohorts. So far, the effect of infection with SARS-CoV-2 on the course of JIA is unknown.

Methods

The database of the German Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology was searched for patients with confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent disease flare, admitted from July 2020 until June 2021. cJADAS-27, ESR and C-reactive protein, as well as uveitis activity, medication at the time of flare and treatment of flare was extracted. Patient cases were described individually.

Results

Out of 988 patients admitted, five patients with remission off medication (n = 2) or inactive disease on medication (n = 3) were identified, with flare symptoms up to four weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions

Flares can occur after infection with SARS-CoV-2 in patients with JIA in remission or inactive disease on medication. Treating physicians need to be aware of this fact, especially when counseling patients with rheumatic diseases about the respective dangers of COVID-19 and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.
Hepatitis B seroconversion revisited: new insights into the natural history of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection from quantitative and highly sensitive assays and novel biomarkers
Authors: Kuhns Mary C. , Holzmayer Vera , McNamara Anne L. , Anderson Mark , Cloherty Gavin A.
Published: November 2021

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) serum markers during typical acute self-limited infection are usually depicted as a composite of traditional HBV markers. The current study updates and expands our knowledge of acute hepatitis B with quantitative molecular and serological data on longitudinal samples from five plasmapheresis donors with acute HBV.

Methods

137 longitudinal samples from five plasmapheresis donors with acute HBV were tested, four with self-limited infection and one who developed persistent infection. Testing included quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to HBV antigens, quantitative HBV e antigen (HBeAg), HBV DNA, quantitative HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg), the highly sensitive ARCHITECT HBsAg NEXT (HBsAgNx) assay, and a quantitative research assay for HBV pregenomic RNA (pg RNA).

Results

Peak levels of HBV DNA and HBsAg differed by several orders of magnitude among the panels (2.2 × 105–2.7 × 109 IU/ml for HBV DNA and 7.9–1.1 × 105 IU/ml for HBsAg). HBsAg levels peaked an average of 2.8 days after the HBV DNA peak. The overall duration of observed HBsAg positivity was increased by the more sensitive HBsAgNx assay compared to the quantitative assay in four panels. Intermittently detectable low-level HBV DNA was observed after HBsAg loss in three panels. Peak HBeAg levels occurred 2–20 days after the DNA peak and ranged from 1.1 to 4.5 × 103 IU/ml. In four panels with resolution of infection, anti-HBs levels indicating immunity (≥ 10 mIU/ml) were detected 19–317 days after the HBV DNA peak. Maximum HBcrAg concentrations ranged from 1 × 105 to > 6.4 × 106 U/ml and correlated with HBeAg values (R2 = 0.9495) and with HBV DNA values (R2 = 0.8828). Peak pgRNA values ranged from 1.6 × 103 to 1.4 × 108 U/ml and correlated with HBV DNA (R2 = 0.9013).

Conclusion

Traditional and new/novel HBV biomarkers were used to generate molecular and serological profiles for seroconversion panels spanning the early to late phases of acute HBV. Seroconversion profiles were heterogeneous and may be instructive in appreciating the spectrum of acute profiles relative to the typical composite representation.
The dynamic changes of HBV quasispecies diversity in infancy after immunoprophylaxis failure: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Li Yi , Xiao Yiwei , Li Lili , Song Yarong , Zhai Xiangjun , Liu Jianxun , Duan Zhongping , Yan Ling , Ding Feng , Liu Jia , Zhu Liguo , Jiang Jie , Zou Huaibin , Li Lingxiang , Liang Caihong , Wang Jie , Li Jie
Published: November 2021

Background

Previous works have observed that younger infants with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are more responsive to antiviral treatment. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the dynamic changes of HBV quasispecies in infants with immunoprophylaxis failure were investigated to provide virological explanations for clinical management on infantile antiviral therapy.

Methods

Thirteen 7-month-old infants with immunoprophylaxis failure and their mothers were enrolled from a prospective cohort, and 8 of them were followed up to 3 years old. The sequences of HBV quasispecies were analyzed by the full-length genome clone-based sequencing, and compared among mothers and their infants at different ages.

Results

The results revealed that the complexity, mutation frequency and genetic distance of HBV quasispecies decreased significantly at full-length, partial open reading frames and regulatory regions of HBV genome at nucleotide level in 7-month-old infants comparing with their mothers, whereas increased significantly to near the maternal level when infants grew up to 3 years old. Furthermore, similar changes were also found in Core, PreS2, RT and P regions of HBV genome at amino acid level, especially for potential NAs-resistant mutants in RT region and immune-escape mutants in Core and PreS2 regions.

Conclusions

This study uncovered the evolution of HBV quasispecies in infancy after mother-to-child transmission, which may provide the virological evidence for explaning that younger children are more responsive to antiviral therapy.
Rethinking preparedness planning in disaster emergency care: lessons from a beyond-surge-capacity event
Authors: Chuang Sheuwen , Woods David D. , Reynolds Morgan , Ting Hsien-Wei , Balkin Asher , Hsu Chin-Wang
Published: November 2021

Background

Large-scale burn disasters can produce casualties that threaten medical care systems. This study proposes a new approach for developing hospital readiness and preparedness plan for these challenging beyond-surge-capacity events.

Methods

The Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion (FFCDE) was studied. Data collection consisted of in-depth interviews with clinicians from four initial receiving hospitals and their relevant hospital records. A detailed timeline of patient flow and emergency department (ED) workload changes of individual hospitals were examined to build the EDs' overload patterns. Data analysis of the multiple hospitals' responses involved chronological process-tracing analysis, synthesis, and comparison analysis in developing an integrated adaptations framework.

Results

A four-level ED overload pattern was constructed. It provided a synthesis of specifics on patient load changes and the process by which hospitals' surge capacity was overwhelmed over time. Correspondingly, an integrated 19 adaptations framework presenting holistic interrelations between adaptations was developed. Hospitals can utilize the overload patterns and overload metrics to design new scenarios with diverse demands for surge capacity. The framework can serve as an auxiliary tool for directive planning and cross-check to address the insufficiencies of preparedness plans.

Conclusions

The study examined a wide-range spectrum of emergency care responses to the FFCDE. It indicated that solely depending on policies or guidelines for preparedness plans did not contribute real readiness to MCIs. Hospitals can use the study's findings and proposal to rethink preparedness planning for the future beyond surge capacity events.
Identifying lower limb problems and the types of safety footwear worn in the Australian wine industry: a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Copper Alexander Willem , Scharfbillig Rolf , Nguyen Thuy Phuong , Collins Cassandra
Published: November 2021

Background

The Australian wine industry is a valuable part of the wider Australian economy worth approximately A$45 billion annually and employs 163,790 people either full time or part time. Australian agricultural industries are amongst the nation's most dangerous workplaces with joint, ligament, muscle and tendon injuries being commonplace along with wounds, lacerations and musculoskeletal diseases. It is therefore important to try and minimise the risk of injuries to workers. The aims of this study were to (1) identify whether lower limb problems occur in the Australian wine industry and (2) identify the types of safety footwear worn.

Methods

Participants were recruited from the Australian wine industry. The study was a cross‐sectional anonymous survey of 82 questions with n = 207 respondents. Questions related to job role performed, types of lower limb problems experienced, level of pain, restriction of activities, types of footwear worn, general health and physical health.

Results

The main working roles were winery (73.4%), vineyard (52.2%), laboratory (39.6%), cellar door (32.4%) and office (8.2%), with 63.3% of participants working in more than one role. Lower back pain was the most commonly reported problem at 56% followed by foot pain (36.7%), knee pain (24.6%), leg pain (21.3%), ankle pain (17.9%), hip pain (15.5%), toe pain (13%) and heel pain (11.1%). The most popular footwear used by participants were elastic sided safety boots, followed by high cut lace up safety boots with side zip. Overall, although the pain experienced was moderate, it did not impact the workers ability to perform their duties and the majority self‐reported as being in very good general and physical health.

Conclusion

To date no data have been published on the types of lower limb problems or the types of safety footwear worn in the Australian wine industry. This study is the first to demonstrate that elastic sided safety boots were the most popular amongst respondents and that lower limb problems occur with workers. Therefore, further research into the safety footwear used in the Australian wine industry is needed to better support workers health while working in their varied roles and conditions.
Efficacy of non-invasive and invasive respiratory management strategies in adult patients with acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Sakuraya Masaaki , Okano Hiromu , Masuyama Tomoyuki , Kimata Shunsuke , Hokari Satoshi
Published: November 2021

Background

Although non-invasive respiratory management strategies have been implemented to avoid intubation, patients with de novo acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure (AHRF) are high risk of treatment failure. In the previous meta-analyses, the effect of non-invasive ventilation was not evaluated according to ventilation modes in those patients. Furthermore, no meta-analyses comparing non-invasive respiratory management strategies with invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) have been reported. We performed a network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of non-invasive ventilation according to ventilation modes with high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO), standard oxygen therapy (SOT), and IMV in adult patients with AHRF.

Methods

The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Ichushi databases were searched. Studies including adults with AHRF and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing two different respiratory management strategies (continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), pressure support ventilation (PSV), HFNO, SOT, or IMV) were reviewed.

Results

We included 25 RCTs (3,302 participants: 27 comparisons). Using SOT as the reference, CPAP (risk ratio [RR] 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31–0.95; very low certainty) was associated significantly with a lower risk of mortality. Compared with SOT, PSV (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.62–1.06; low certainty) and HFNO (RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.65–1.25; very low certainty) were not associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality. Compared with IMV, no non-invasive respiratory management was associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality, although all certainties of evidence were very low. The probability of being best in reducing short-term mortality among all possible interventions was higher for CPAP, followed by PSV and HFNO; IMV and SOT were tied for the worst (surface under the cumulative ranking curve value: 93.2, 65.0, 44.1, 23.9, and 23.9, respectively).

Conclusions

When performing non-invasive ventilation among patients with de novo AHRF, it is important to avoid excessive tidal volume and lung injury. Although pressure support is needed for some of these patients, it should be applied with caution because this may lead to excessive tidal volume and lung injury.

Trial registration protocols.io (Protocol integer ID 49375, April 23, 2021). https://doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.buf7ntrn.
Production of bacterial cellulose from glycerol: the current state and perspectives
Authors: Zikmanis Peteris , Kolesovs Sergejs , Ruklisha Maija , Semjonovs Pavels
Published: November 2021

Current research in industrial microbiology and biotechnology focuses on the production of biodegradable microbial polymers as an environmentally friendly alternative to the still dominant fossil hydrocarbon-based plastics. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is important among microbial polymers due to its valuable properties and broad applications in variety of fields from medical to industrial technologies. However, the increase in BC production and its wider deployment is still limited by high costs of traditionally used raw materials. It is therefore necessary to focus on less expensive inputs, such as agricultural and industrial by-products or waste including the more extended use of glycerol. It is the environmentally harmful by-product of biofuel production and reducing it will also reduce the risk of environmental pollution. The experimental data obtained so far confirm that glycerol can be used as the renewable carbon source to produce BC through more efficient and environmentally friendly bioprocesses. This review summarizes current knowledge on the use of glycerol for the production of commercially prospective BC, including information on producer cultures, fermentation modes and methods used, nutrient medium composition, cultivation conditions, and bioprocess productivity. Data on the use of some related sugar alcohols, such as mannitol, arabitol, xylitol, for the microbial synthesis of cellulose are also considered, as well as the main methods and applications of glycerol pre-treatment briefly described.
Clinical applications of concentrated growth factors combined with bone substitutes for alveolar ridge preservation in maxillary molar area: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lin Shi-chen , Li Xin , Liu Hang , Wu Fang , Yang Lian , Su Ya , Li Jun , Duan Shao-yu
Published: November 2021

Purpose

To evaluate the clinical effects of concentrated growth factors (CGFs) combined with bone substitutes for alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) in the maxillary molar area.

Methods

Thirty-six patients who underwent extraction of the upper molars were recruited and randomly divided into three groups: 1. Grafted with CGFs combined with deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) and covered with CGFs membrane (CGFs/DBBM group), 2. Grafted with DBBM alone and covered with collagen membrane (DBBM group), 3. Control group spontaneous healing. The area of the alveolar bone in center (C-), mesial (M-) and distal (D-) section was compared with preoperative in radiography. Bone cores were obtained for histopathology observation and comparison.

Results

In C-, M- and D-section, the alveolar ridge area in all three groups was significantly reduced at 8 months postoperatively compared to the baseline (P < 0.05). The alveolar ridge area declines in the CGFs/DBBM group (C-12.75 ± 2.22 mm2, M-14.69 ± 2.82 mm2, D-16.95 ± 4.17 mm2) and DBBM group (C-14.08 ± 2.51 mm2, M-15.42 ± 3.47 mm2, D-16.09 ± 3.97 mm2) were non-significant differences. They were significantly less than the decline in the control group (C-45.04 ± 8.38 mm2 M-31.98 ± 8.34 mm2, D-31.85 ± 8.52 mm2) (P < 0.05). The percentage of newly formed bone in the CGFs/DBBM group (41.99 ± 12.99%) was significantly greater than that in DBBM group (30.68 ± 10.95%) (P < 0.05). The percentage of residual materials in the CGFs/DBBM group (16.19 ± 6.63%) was significantly less than that in the DBBM group (28.35 ± 11.70%) (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Combined application of CGFs and DBBM effectively reduced the resorption of alveolar ridge and resulted in more newly formed bone than the use of DBBM with collagen membranes.
Migrations and diversifications in the UK and Japan
Authors: Phillimore Jenny , Liu-Farrer Gracia , Sigona Nando
Published: November 2021

Japan and the UK are long-established countries of immigration which although having different histories both share experience as colonial powers which have shaped their somewhat hostile attitudes towards migration alongside a need for migrant labour and negative public attitudes towards migrants. This paper sets the context to the Special Issue of the same name. It examines the migration and diversification histories and scholarships of Japan and the UK identifying common themes as well as divergences noting the ongoing diversifications of populations in both countries albeit on different scales. It then examines the key features which shape processes underpinning the emergence of superdiversity: super-mobility, and the scale, speed and spread of diversification, arguing the need to think about such processes outside of UK and Europe and considering the ways in which shifting scholarly gaze of superdiversity researchers to Japan can address some of the critiques of its Western-centric bias. The paper then outlines four main themes in superdiversity research setting out how they are addressed in this special issue before describing the key contributions of the ten papers which form the content of the collection.
Identified micro-organisms in hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia patients living near goat and poultry farms
Authors: Roof Inge , van Gageldonk-Lafeber Arianne B. , Zomer Tizza P. , Vermeeren Yolande M. , Wever Peter C. , van der Hoek Wim
Published: November 2021

Background

In the Netherlands, an increased risk of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been reported for adults living near goat and poultry farms. Previous results of respiratory microbiome studies in hospitalized CAP patients near poultry farms suggested a higher relative abundance of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This retrospective study, using routine laboratory data from hospitalized CAP patients, aims to explore possible aetiologic micro-organisms of CAP in relation to livestock exposure.

Methods

Patient characteristics and PCR and urinary antigen test results were retrieved retrospectively from electronic medical records of CAP patients admitted to the Jeroen Bosch Hospital or Gelre Hospital in the Netherlands during 2016–2017. Distances between the patients’ home address and the nearest poultry and goat farm were calculated. Differences in laboratory test results between CAP patients with and without goat or poultry farms within 2 km of their home address were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test.

Results

In total, 2230 CAP episodes with diagnostic results were included. In only 25% of the CAP episodes, a micro-organism was detected. A positive urinary antigen test for S. pneumoniae was found more often in patients living within two kilometers of goat (15.2% vs. 11.3%) and poultry farms (14.4% vs. 11.3%), however these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.1047 and p = 0.1376).

Conclusion

Our retrospective analysis did not show statistically significant differences in the identified micro-organisms in hospitalized CAP patients related to livestock farming. The study was hampered by limited statistical power and limited laboratory results. Therefore, the potential increased CAP risk around goat and poultry farms will be further explored in a prospective study among CAP patients in primary care.
What is a traditional food? Conceptual evolution from four dimensions
Authors: Rocillo-Aquino Zeltzin , Cervantes-Escoto Fernando , Leos-Rodríguez Juan Antonio , Cruz-Delgado Daniela , Espinoza-Ortega Angélica
Published: November 2021

The purpose was to specify the concept of traditional food and the dimensions that make it up, identifying: definitions, authors and research projects; as well as to determine what is known and possible topics for future research. A literature review of traditional foods was conducted that examined the conceptual development of the term. Social network analysis (SNA) was also used to identify the most relevant definitions and working groups on the topic. Twenty-three definitions were identified in the period 1995–2019. It reveals the difficulty of establishing one that encompasses such a dynamic concept. Although there is variability in the specific characteristics of these foods, four dimensions have been established: time, place, know-how, and cultural meaning. It was found that their main characteristic is the transmission of knowledge and raw materials between generations. The conceptualization of the term has been developed mainly in Europe, based on the perspective of consumers. New trends in research include the contrast and complementarity of innovation in traditional foods and the difference between these products and those named with similar attributes such as typical, regional, ethnic, local, among others. Social network analysis (SNA) was used to study the definitions of a concept, something that had not been done with this approach. Suggestions are made for possible research on the subject, such as the conceptual delimitation of related terms and the compatibility between innovation and tradition.
Wild European dewberry, Rubus caesius L. (fam. Rosaceae), in Sweden: from traditional regional consumption to exotic dessert at the Nobel Prize banquet
Authors: Svanberg Ingvar , Ståhlberg Sabira
Published: November 2021

European dewberry, Rubus caesius L. (fam. Rosaceae), played an insignificant role as local food in Sweden before the twentieth century. It is known as salmbär ‘Solomon berries’ in the severely endangered regional language Gutnish, spoken in the Baltic Sea islands Gotland and Fårö. From a largely ignored food product with limited regional use, European dewberry has made a quick culinary journey to the top. Today dewberry jam is popular throughout Sweden, and it is usually served during festive occasions with a local Gotland specialty, oven-baked saffron pancake. This dish symbolizes the food culture of the island, and the demand for dewberries has increased together with the development of local tourism, the search for exciting heritage food, and the regional identity building efforts. Berries are harvested by foreign seasonal workers for commercial purposes, and dewberry jam is now also available in specialized shops in mainland Sweden. Inspired by the New Nordic Cuisine movement in the 2000s, several chefs, especially from fine dining restaurants, have created innovative dishes with dewberry jam; it was even served at the Nobel Prize banquet in December 2014. This article discusses the change of status and ascent of a locally used berry to a fashionable dessert in Sweden.
Sensitivity to tumor development by TALEN-mediated Trp53 mutant genes in the susceptible FVB/N mice and the resistance C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Yun Woo Bin , Kim Ji Eun , Lee Mi Lim , Choi Jun Young , Park Jin Ju , Song Bo Ram , Kang Byeong Cheol , Nam Ki Taek , Lee Han-Woong , Hwang Dae Youn
Published: November 2021

Background

This study was undertaken to compare the sensitivities of mice strains during tumor induction by transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN)-mediated Trp53 mutant gene. Alterations of their tumorigenic phenotypes including survival rate, tumor formation and tumor spectrum, were assessed in FVB/N-Trp53em2Hwl/Korl and C57BL/6-Trp53em1Hwl/Korl knockout (KO) mice over 16 weeks.

Results

Most of the physiological phenotypes factors were observed to be higher in FVB/N-Trp53em2Hwl/Korl KO mice than C57BL/6-Trp53em1Hwl/Korl KO mice, although there were significant differences in the body weight, immune organ weight, number of red blood cells, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelet count (PLT), total bilirubin (Bil-T) and glucose (Glu) levels in the KO mice relative to the wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, numerous solid tumors were also observed in various regions of the surface skin of FVB/N-Trp53em2Hwl/Korl KO mice, but were not detected in C57BL/6-Trp53em1Hwl/Korl KO mice. The most frequently observed tumor in both the Trp53 KO mice was malignant lymphoma, while soft tissue teratomas and hemangiosarcomas were only detected in the FVB/N-Trp53em2Hwl/Korl KO mice.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the spectrum and incidence of tumors induced by the TALEN-mediated Trp53 mutant gene is greater in FVB/N-Trp53em2Hwl/Korl KO mice than C57BL/6-Trp53em1Hwl/Korl KO mice over 16 weeks.
Impact of the nutritional status of children with congenital heart diseases on the early post-operative outcome
Authors: Ismail Sameh R. , Mehmood Akhter , Rabiah Noura , Abu-sulaiman Riyadh M. , Kabbani Mohamed S.
Published: November 2021

Background

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) frequently become malnourished due to many factors including hypermetabolic state, inadequate caloric intake, malabsorption, and fluid restriction as part of the hemodynamic intervention. The abnormal nutritional status may affect early outcome after pediatric cardiac surgery; we aim to prove the importance of nutritional assessment and patient nutritional preparation before performing pediatric cardiac surgery.

Results

We conducted a prospective observational cohort study from March 2013 till January 2015. All children from birth until 14 years of age admitted to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) after cardiac surgery. Nutritional status was assessed preoperatively and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was calculated. All post-operative outcome parameters, PCICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), ventilation time, the rate of infection, and ICU mortality were recorded. Two hundred fifty-nine children were evaluated. At admission, 179 patients (69%) had intake less than 50% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calories intake. There was a statistically significant relationship between pre-admission RDA and the infection rate (P value 0.018). Severely malnourished patients had significantly longer ICU length of stay (LOS) (P value = 0.049). Similarly, weight and height percentiles have a significant effect on ICU LOS (P value 0.009 and 0.045) respectively. There was a significant relation between PNI ≥ 55 and the ICU LOS (P < 0.05), and ventilation time (P = 0.036). Delay in feeding postoperatively was associated with a higher risk of infection (P = 0.005), and higher mortality (P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Children with CHD were significantly malnourished preoperatively and had further weight loss postoperatively. Preoperative nutritional status and delayed postoperative enteral feeding were associated with a higher infection rate and mortality.
FDG PET/CT in follow UP patients with colorectal carcinoma after adjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Elia Remon Zaher , Elbastawessy Rafik Abdelazem , Abdelmgeguid Hanaa Abdelkader , Bassiouny Ahmed Mohamed
Published: November 2021

Background

18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is a method of imaging that assesses and measures metabolic avidity in cancer cells, acting as a proxy for underlying cellular activity and vitality and so providing anatomic and metabolic information. 18F-FDG PET-CT is beneficial for detecting local recurrence, distant metastases, and monitoring tumor viability after chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer. Strict adherence to set protocols, technological processes, and good patient preparation are essential to produce the greatest results. The goal of the trial was to see how useful PET/CT was in following up on patients who had resected colorectal cancer and had completed adjuvant chemotherapy rounds.

Results

In this study, PET/CT early detected hepatic deposits, pulmonary masses, bone deposits, and sizable LNs. PET/CT provided useful information and had a considerable impact on disease management, enabling the detection of recurrent disease as early as possible with high accuracy in assessment of therapeutic response. It detected viable residual tumor cells in operative bed scar, small metabolically active LNs, hepatic focal lesions, peritoneal deposits, pulmonary secondaries, and bone deposits avoiding unnecessary surgeries.

Conclusion

Because of its high accuracy in detection and capacity to identify recurrent illness, FDG-PET-CT imaging is effective in evaluating post-therapeutic colorectal cancer patients with suspected tumor recurrence or distant metastases.
Assessment of Breast Cancer Management in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Vanderpuye Verna , Dadzie Mary-Ann , Huo Dezheng , Olopade Olufumilayo I.
Published: November 2021

PURPOSE

To document progress and bottlenecks in breast cancer management in sub-Saharan Africa, subsequent to a 2013 pilot survey conducted through the African Organization for Research and Treatment in Cancer (AORTIC) network.

METHODS

An anonymous survey of breast cancer management was conducted in 2018 among AORTIC members. Results concerning respondent specialty, access to tumor boards, treatment accessibility, diagnostic services, and factors influencing treatment outcomes were compared with the 2013 findings.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven respondents from 30 facilities in 21 sub-Saharan Africa countries responded. The majority (92%) were clinical oncologists. Radiotherapy facilities were available in 70% of facilities. Seventy-eight percent of these had linear accelerators, and 42% had cobalt60 machines. Eighty percent of facilities had multidisciplinary tumor boards. Immunohistochemistry was routinely performed in 74% of facilities, computed tomography scan in 90%, bone scan in 16%, and positron emission tomography scans in 5%. Anthracyclines, taxanes, tamoxifen, letrozole, anastrozole, and zoledronic acid were available in the majority; trastuzumab, fertility, and genetic counseling were available in 66%, 58%, and 16%, respectively. There were a 50% increase in oncologist respondents over 2013 and a > 50% increase in radiotherapy facilities, particularly linear accelerators. Availability of trastuzumab, aromatase inhibitors, and taxanes increased. Immunohistochemistry capacity remained the same, whereas facilities harvesting at least 10 axillary lymph nodes increased. Bone scan facilities decreased. Responses suggested improved diagnostic services, systemic therapies, and radiotherapy. Sociocultural and economic barriers, system delays, and advanced stage at presentation remain.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians in sub-Saharan Africa have basic tools to improve breast cancer outcomes, recording positive strides in domains such as radiotherapy and systemic therapy. Socioeconomic and cultural barriers and system delays persist. Workforce expansion must be prioritized to improve quality of care to improve outcomes.
Poziotinib in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Harboring HER2 Exon 20 Insertion Mutations After Prior Therapies: ZENITH20-2 Trial
Authors: Le Xiuning , Cornelissen Robin , Garassino Marina , Clarke Jeffrey M. , Tchekmedyian Nishan , Goldman Jonathan W. , Leu Szu-Yun , Bhat Gajanan , Lebel Francois , Heymach John V. , Socinski Mark A.
Published: November 2021

PURPOSE

Insertion mutations in Erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 gene ( ERBB2 or HER2) exon 20 occur in 2%-5% of non–small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and function as an oncogenic driver. Poziotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was evaluated in previously treated patients with NSCLC with HER2 exon 20 insertions.

METHODS

ZENITH20, a multicenter, multicohort, open-label phase II study, evaluated poziotinib in patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC. In cohort 2, patients received poziotinib (16 mg) once daily. The primary end point was objective response rate evaluated by independent review committee (RECIST v1.1); secondary outcome measures were disease control rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, and safety and tolerability. Quality of life was assessed.

RESULTS

Between October 2017 and March 2021, 90 patients with a median of two prior lines of therapy (range, 1-6) were treated. With a median follow-up of 9.0 months, objective response rate was 27.8% (95% CI, 18.9 to 38.2); 25 of 90 patients achieved a partial response. Disease control rate was 70.0% (95% CI, 59.4 to 79.2). Most patients (74%) had tumor reduction (median reduction 22%). Median progression-free survival was 5.5 months (95% CI, 3.9 to 5.8); median duration of response was 5.1 months (95% CI, 4.2 to 5.5). Clinical benefit was seen regardless of lines and types of prior therapy, presence of central nervous system metastasis, and types of HER2 mutations. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events included rash (48.9%), diarrhea (25.6%), and stomatitis (24.4%). Most patients had poziotinib dose reductions (76.7%), with median relative dose intensity of 71.5%. Permanent treatment discontinuation because of treatment-related adverse events occurred in 13.3% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Poziotinib demonstrates antitumor activity in previously treated patients with HER2 exon 20 insertion NSCLC.
The Divided Liang Dynasty Literary World Seen through the Liu-Dao Dispute
Authors: Xiaomeng Wang , Chen Jing
Published: November 2021

The tension between the literary styles of Liu Xiaochuo 劉孝綽 (481–539) and Dao Qia 到洽 (490–527) can be understood as a debate between poetic genius and a more scholarly focus, signaling a confrontation between the capital's literary camps in the Putong reign 普通 (520–527) of the Liang Dynasty 梁 (502–557). The major difference between the literary camps lies in the consideration given to natural poetic talent versus erudition in writings. When Xiao Gang 蕭綱 (503–551), Liu Xiaochuo's supporter, became crown prince in 531, his own conflict with the scholarly group including Dao Gai 到溉 (477–548) and Zhu Yi 朱异 (483–540) probably prompted his “Letter to the Prince of Xiangdong” 與湘東王書 (Yu Xiangdong Wang shu). In this letter Xiao Gang displays his literary view deemphasizing scholarly learning and erudition in poetry. By comparison Xiao Yan 蕭衍 (464–549) and Xiao Yi 蕭繹 (508–555) valued scholarly learning still more and regarded literature as a relatively insignificant talent or minor accomplishment. Xiao Gang represents a departure—by placing literary talent above scholarship, he catered to the fashion among the Liang Dynasty's nobility for reciting poetry and writing fu 賦 (rhapsody) while “rarely taking classical studies as their profession” 罕以經朮為業 and thus elevated the social status of belles lettres.
The Making and Unmaking of Nationalist Literature from the National Margin
Authors: Xie Miya Qiong
Published: November 2021

This article reconsiders the established modern Chinese writer Duanmu Hongliang and his first and most influential work, The Korchin Banner Plains (completed in 1933 and published in 1939), from a borderland perspective. The novel is set in western Manchuria, a multiethnic area of northeastern China that borders Inner Mongolia and was occupied by Japan in the early 1930s. The novel has been read by many as a realistic portrait of the natural and social landscape of the grassland and as an autobiographical account of the author's family history. This article disagrees, and treats the novel as a performative form of “territory-making” that purposefully recreates a Han-centered modern nation from its geographical margin by carefully reorganizing a web of intricate and competing multiethnic and multinational relations in the grassland. In particular, as a self-identified Manchu, Duanmu makes unconventional choices of both themes and literary styles to imply a calculated embrace of a modern nation by an ethnic other. Through a close examination of the spatial-textual negotiations in the novel, the article delineates how a classic work of nationalist literature was produced from the borderland and how this work exposes the precariousness and contradictions inherent in the grand narrative of modern nationhood.
Shen Congwen's Idealized Ethnic
Authors: Zhang Yanshuo
Published: November 2021

This article investigates the underexamined ethnic motifs of the modern literary master Shen Congwen's 沈從文 fictional creations. In the field of Chinese literary scholarship, Shen is widely recognized as a leading figure of the May Fourth “native soil” literary tradition and is usually labeled as a “regionalist” writer. Yet as an ethnically hybrid author, Shen's ethnographically inspired, mythologizing accounts of indigenous non-Han tribes place him in a long tradition of searching for moral truths in borderland societies in Chinese literary and cultural history. The article argues that ethnicity is an important motif that runs throughout the early Shen Congwen's literary oeuvre, particularly in the Miao-themed stories that he crafted in the 1920s and 1930s. Shen idealizes non-Han peoples, particularly the Miao in southern China's borderland, as the ultimate source of moral courage and aesthetic perfection in his vision of a wholesome China. Through his ethnically themed novellas and short stories, Shen is both heir to and questions the Confucian tradition of locating a civilizational “other” in the non-Sinitic/non-Han border regions. The article further reveals how Shen embodies contradictory motifs with regard to ethnicity in China: on the one hand, he romanticizes the Miao as moral agents living freely in a timeless society, governed only by divine powers and unruly passions. On the other hand, Shen laments the historical discrimination experienced by the Miao and assumes a sober voice as he calls for ethnic equality. Simultaneously lyrical and political, Shen's ethnically themed works are significant for forming new scholarly understandings of both May Fourth literature and the broader discourse of ethnicity, which underpins the very notion of Chineseness in modern China.
Unsavory Characters
Authors: Peacock Christopher
Published: November 2021

From early works such as “Ralo” (1997) to the more recent “Black Fox Valley” (2012), the acclaimed Tibetan author Tsering Döndrup has demonstrated a consistent interest in the impact of the Chinese language on Tibetan life. This article examines the techniques and implications of Tsering Döndrup's use of Chinese in his Tibetan language texts, focusing on his recent novella “Baba Baoma” (2019), the first-person account of a rural Tibetan boy who attends a Chinese school and ends up stuck between two languages. In a major departure from Tsering Döndrup's previous work on the language problem, this text directly incorporates untranslated Chinese characters, blending them with Tibetan transliterations and Hanyu Pinyin (i.e., the Latin alphabet) to create a deliberately disorienting linguistic collage. This article argues that this latest work pushes Tsering Döndrup's previous experiments to their logical conclusion: a condition of forced bilingualism, in which the author demands of his readers fluency in Chinese in order to access his Tibetan language fiction. This critique of the Sino-Tibetan linguistic crisis puts the author's work into conversation with global postcolonial literatures and the politics of resistance to language hegemony. By demonstrating the Tibetan language's capacity for literary creation, the story effectively resists the hegemony it depicts, even while it suggests that the Tibetan literary text itself is in the process of being fundamentally redefined by its unequal encounter with the Chinese language.
Desigualdade da mortalidade por suicídio entre as macrorregiões de saúde do estado do Ceará, Brasil, 2012-2016
Authors: Cordeiro Rebecca De Aguiar , Campos Eugenio De Moura , Souza Maximiliano Loiola Ponte de
Published: November 2021

Objetivo: descrever as características e taxas de mortalidade por suicídio no estado do Ceará e suas macrorregiões. Método: estudo descritivo, compreendendo o período de 2012-2016. Resultados e conclusão: a maioria dos casos ocorreu no sexo masculino, entre não casados, em domicílio, por enforcamento, na macrorregião de Fortaleza. A taxa no Ceará foi de 5,1/100.000. As macrorregiões do Sertão Central, Sobral e Cariri apresentam maiores taxas. Taxas mais elevadas ocorreram no interior do estado, onde, habitualmente, há menor acesso a serviços especializados, sendo a participação da atenção primária de grande importância no enfrentamento desse agravo.