bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital tools towards transplant first policy: Improving health literacy
Authors:   Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar – Universidade do Porto (ICBAS-UP), Porto, Portugal, Nogueira Daniela ,   Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB); Porto, Portugal, Almeida Manuela ,   Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar – Universidade do Porto (ICBAS-UP), Porto, Portugal,   Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB); Porto, Portugal,   Nephrology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), Porto, Portugal, Rodrigues Anabela ,   Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar – Universidade do Porto (ICBAS-UP), Porto, Portugal,   Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB); Porto, Portugal,   Nephrology Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), Porto, Portugal
Published: January 2022

End stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a prevalent health issue across the world and it is well established that kidney transplantation (KT), specifically from a living donor, is currently the best value-based treatment method. Ergo, it is crucial to invest heavily in making this care strategy the best possible option for the majority of eligible patients. Barriers to the kidney transplant process are mainly related to education and accessibility: awareness of the clinical and societal relevance of the therapy must be promoted at the level of patients, clinicians and health providers. A health-literacy-focused website has been developed as part of this, aiming to provide the general population, particularly potential organ receptors and donors, with better access to trustworthy information and data. This was meant to be the effective expression of knowledge diffusion and innovation as a result of an academic master thesis. This communication-focused digital resource is designed to combat these obstacles and to create a long-lasting, positive and significant impact.
Clinical impact of personalized sodium prescriptions in hemodialysis
Authors:   Nephrology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal, Sousa Mariana , Santos Cristina ,   Nephrology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal, Colaço Susana ,   Nephrology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal, Santos José ,   Nephrology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal, Silva Jorge ,   Nephrology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal
Published: January 2022

Dialysate sodium prescription is often standardized. In some patients, this can be hypernatremic compared to serum sodium, causing a positive sodium balance at the end of treatment that will contribute to increased extracellular volume and interdialytic weight gain. A prospective study was carried out to monitor and compare the clinical implications between different prescriptions of sodium dialysate (isonatremic versus hyponatremic hemodialysis). For that purpose, we included hemodialysis patients in treatment for at least 9 months. The individual sodium setpoint was determined through the median of pre-dialysis sodium measurements, carried out for 6 treatments. The prescribed dialysate sodium was equal to the setpoint (isonatremic period) for 4 weeks and then 2 meq/L inferior to the setpoint (hyponatremic period) for another 4 weeks. The main outcome was interdialytic weight gain. Secondary outcomes were ultrafiltration rate, blood pressure at the beginning of treatment, intradialytic complications, and qualitative assessment of symptoms. Twenty patients were included. Pre-dialysis serum sodium assessments in both periods tended to be patient specific with a stable value. The interdialytic weight gain was lower in the hyponatremic period (1.83±0.50 kg versus 2.04±0.58 kg) but without statistical significance (p value=0.387). The same trend was found in mean ultrafiltration and blood pressure. Dialysis complications were low in both periods. The percentage of cramps and hypotension requiring intervention was higher in the hyponatremic period with no statistically significant differences. Concerning thirst, there was a symptomatic improvement with sodium customization. This improvement was even more significant in the hyponatremic period. This study allowed us to reinforce the existence of a “sodium setpoint” for each patient and the importance of an individualized dialysis prescription. Our results suggest the safety of using isonatremic hemodialysis with improving patients’ symptoms. Regarding hyponatremic hemodialysis, despite being beneficial, it seemed to be associated with a higher number of complications.
The Eastern Partnership as a Contested Neighbourhood: The Role of External Actors – The EU and Russia
Authors:   The Academy of Finance and Business Vistula in Warsaw, Legucka Agnieszka , Włodkowska Agata
Published: January 2022

Contestation remains a signifi cant factor in the EU neighbourhood. The aim of this article is to elaborate on the role of external actors – namely the European Union and the Russian Federation – in managing local and regional contestation. The latter is defined as incompatibilities between two or more competing views about how political, economic, social, and territorial order should be established and/or sustained. Competing interests between the EU and Russia concern many issues; the model of political system in the neighbourhood (democracy vs. authoritarianism), the model and direction of the economic integration of these countries (European or Eurasia integration), and the infrastructure and availability of gas and oil (energy disputes). The common neighbourhood, which concerns EU Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine), has become an area of rivalry rather than cooperation between the EU and Russia. The first seeks to stabilise the post-Soviet area, while Russia exploits local destabilisations and conflicts to maintain its influence there.
Basalt Fibers in Modified Whisker Reinforced Cementitious Composites
Authors: Khan Mehran , Cao Mingli , Ai Hongmei , Hussain Abasal
Published: January 2022

The calcium carbonate whisker (CW) and basalt fiber are gaining popularity due to its enhanced mechanical properties in composites. Also, the short and long fibers provide bridging role and resistance against cracking from micro- to macro-scale, respectively. The usage of long and short hybrid basalt fiber along with addition of CW in cement-based composites is still a research gap. In this work, experimental behavior of CW basalt hybrid fiber reinforced mortar is considered with various content and length (3 mm, 6 mm, 12 mm, and 20 mm) of hybrid basalt fibers. In addition to this, synergy performance index is determined to quantitatively evaluate the positive interaction of hybrid basalt fiber in cementitious materials. The strengthening effect of whiskers and basalt fibers are also studied using scanning electron microscopy. The CW with various basalt fiber contents having different length of hybrid basalt fiber is used. It was found that the four various length of hybrid basalt fiber together with CW in cement mortar exhibited enhanced compressive, flexural, and split tensile strength than that of pure mortar and single length basalt fiber reinforced cementitious mortar. The results of synergy performance index showed similar trend with the experimental results. The strengthening effect caused by step by step crack arresting mechanism was also observed in cementitious material.
Body Mass Index Trends in Women Who Undergo External Cephalic Version in a Tertiary Hospital in Spain
Authors: Sánchez-Romero Javier
Published: January 2022

The global epidemic of obesity also affects pregnant women. External cephalic version is a procedure for achieving a cephalic presentation. Obesity has been associated with lower rates of ECV success. The main objective of this article is to analyze the trends in BMI in pregnant women who underwent ECV. A descriptive retrospective analysis of ECV performed in Hospital Clinico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca in Murcia (Spain) between 1st of January of 2014 and 31st of December 2018 has been carried out. 417 patients were recruited. The mean maternal BMI was 25.5 kg/m2 at 36 week’s gestation. If BMI is categorized, 2.6% (N=11) of the patients had a BMI below 18.5 kg/m2, 51.1% (N=213) had a BMI between 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, 30.9% (N=129) of the patients had a BMI between 25-29.9 kg/m2 and 14.0% (N=64) had a BMI above 30 kg/ m2. Mean maternal BMI had statistically significant changes between 2014 and 2018 (p<0.001). Maternal BMI has increased over the years in patients who undergo ECV. In patients who undergo ECV, maternal BMI should be related to socio-economic inequalities and social behavior in future researches. It should be also associated with maternal BMI of pregnant women who undergo ECV with ECV success rate and with the type of delivery of those pregnancies. Keywords: External Cephalic Version; Body Mass Index; Pregnant; Obstetrics; Obesity; Overweight. Abbreviations ECV: External Cephalic Version; BMI: Body Mass Index.
Prevalence and Structural Abnormal Findings of Injured Knee Joint among Adult Patients detected by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of 70 Cases in a tertiary hospital of Bangladesh
Authors: Shirin Mahbuba , Azad Salahuddin Al , Alam Farzana , Islam Md Menhazul
Published: January 2022

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging is a very useful diagnostic tool for the detection of abnormalities of injured knee joint.

Objective: This present study was performed to see the different abnormalities of injured knee joint detected by MRI among adult patients.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Radiology and Imaging at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSSMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from January to June 2021 for a period of six months. The patients in the age group of equal or more than 18 years with both male and female who were visiting Department of Orthopaedics at BSMMU, Dhaka with history of knee injuries were subjected to MRI were selected as study population. MRI findings of the knee joint were analyzed for the presence of any signal changes or lesions of varying severity for the structures of menisci, cartilage, bone marrow, tendons and ligaments of injured knee joint.

Results: A total number of 65 cases of knee joints were analyzed. The mean with the SD of age of the study population was 35.34±13.371. The left knee (60.0%) was more involved than right knee (40.0%). The lesion in femur and tibia were found in 10(15.4%) cases and 8(12.3%) cases respectively. Out of 65 knee joints there were 41 joints were found the tear of anterior cruciate ligament. The complete, interstial tear in the anterior cruciate ligaments were 26(40.0%) and 15(23.1%) knee joints respectively. However, anterior cruciate ligaments of 24(36.9%) knee joints were found normal. Medial meniscus (36.9%) was more involved than lateral meniscus (18.5%).

Conclusion: In conclusion young adult male are more commonly affected their left knee joint with the tearing of complete tear of anterior cruciate ligaments and involvement of medial meniscus.

Journal of Current and Advance Medical Research, July 2021;8(2):80-84
Correlation of Serum Magnesium Level and Blood Glucose status among Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Hasan KAM Mahbub , Hoque Asraful , Fatema Naheed , Anwar Mohammed Rashed , Bhuiyan AKM Mohiuddin , Haque SM Mainul , Rahman AHM Shofiur
Published: January 2022

Background: Serum magnesium level is an important electrolytes for the maintenance of haemodynamic of the body.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to correlate the serum magnesium level and blood sugar status.

Methodology: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Medicine at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 2012 to December 2012. All the type 2 diabetic patients admitted in the Department of Medicine in-patient department of ShSMCH who were 18 years and above age with both sexes were included as study population and were designated as group A and non-diabetic patients were included as group B. Blood samples were drawn after an overnight fast for the measurement of fasting blood sugar and serum magnesium.

Result: In this present study a total number of 60 patients were enrolled for this study after fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria of which 30 patients were in group A and the rest 30 patients were in group B. The correlation coefficient of FBS and HbA1C with Serum Magnesium level was recorded. The FBS and serum magnesium was negatively correlated to each other significantly which was -0.534. The HbA1C and serum magnesium was negatively correlated to each other significantly which was -0.556.

Conclusion: In conclusion the blood sugar level is inversely correlate with the serum magnesium level in type 2 diabetic patients.

Journal of Current and Advance Medical Research, July 2021;8(2):106-109
KARAKTERISTIK GEOKIMIA ENDAPAN BIJIH NIKEL LATERIT PULAU OBI HALMAHERA SELATAN PROVINSI MALUKU UTARA
Authors: Haya Arbi , Halo Kamil La
Published: January 2022

Nikel laterit adalah produk residual pelapukan kimia pada batuan ultrabasa. Proses ini berlangsung selama jutaan tahun dimulai ketika batuan ultrabasa tersingkap di permukaan bumi. Pelapukan pada peridotit menyebabkan unsur-unsur dengan mobilitas rendah sampai immobile seperti Ni, Fe dan Co mengalami pengkayaan secara residual dan sekunder. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui karakteristik geokimia endapan nikel laterit di daerah Pulau Obi. Kandungan unsur dan oksida ditentukan dengan analisis XRF. Kondisi morfologi, lithologi serta struktur lokal dapat mempengaruhi pola penyebaran unsur pada profil geokimia seperti pembentukan rekahan pada batuan dasar. Hal ini akan mempengaruhi tingkat pelapukan dan pengkayaan serta distribusi unsur Ni, Fe, Co, oksida SiO2, CaO dan MgO, berdasarkan hasil analisis petrografi. Pada profil laterit, zona laterisasi seperti limonit, saprolit dan bedrock.
Perancangan Charge Controller Untuk Pengisian Baterai Pada Sel Surya
Authors: Sardju Ahmad P , Abbas Muhammad Yunus H
Published: January 2022

Good battery performance, will support the device used. The energy that a battery can store is limited, so the battery will experience charge and discharge cycles. The process of charging and discharging improperly can cause battery performance to decrease. Therefore, battery management is needed so that battery performance can reach the maximum. One aspect of battery management is monitoring the state of charge which is the ratio of the capacitance of available energy to the maximum energy capacity.In this research, a charge controller device is made whose function is to regulate the charging voltage from the solar panel to the battery so that overcharging and overvoltage do not occur and also regulate the use of the voltage from the load battery, so as not to exceed the minimum limit of battery capacity usageThe system consists of a Solar Panel, Arduino Uno R3 Microcontroller, 16x2 LCD, Relay Circuit, Buck Boost Converter Circuit, Voltage Sensor and Battery. When charging the battery reaches a voltage level of 14 volts, the relay circuit is disconnected indicating the battery is full, when the battery voltage drops to 11 volts, the relay is connected again and the battery is recharged again.
Neurociência e educação: um mapeamento sobre influências, conexões e desafios para o ensino-aprendizagem
Authors: Oliveira Maikson Gustavo Soares de , Nogueira Eliane Maria de Souza , Vasco-Dos-Santos Deyvison Rhuan , Lopes Iara Vaz , Souza João Gustavo da Silva Garcia de , Gutzeit Ennely Mendonça , Lopes Thiago Vaz
Published: January 2022

Estudos neurociêntíficos, especialmente na área de cognição, possuem importantes contribuições para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, o que torna necessário o desenvolvimento de investigações que se debrucem nas conexões entre os saberes neurológicos e pedagógicos. Sendo assim, este trabalho apresenta uma revisão bibliográfica integrativa de artigos científicos que mostram a importância da neurociência na eficiência dos processos educacionais. A busca de dados foi realizada no Google Scholar, enquanto a análise seguiu as diretrizes de mapeamento propostas por Biembengut. Um total de 12 artigos foram mapeados, produzidos entre 2003-2017, os quais demonstram um percurso histórico da neurociência (descobertas, aplicações e limitações), bem como, as várias contribuições desta área para o embasamento de metodologias mais eficientes de ensino, bem como, a importância da implementação de componentes curriculares com as bases neurais do aprendizado, dentro dos cursos de formação de professores. A pesquisa revela, portanto, a potencialidade da neurociência como facilitadora do processo de ensino-aprendizagem, que não é implementada de modo eficaz, possivelmente devido as dificuldades epistemológicas em sintonizar neurobiologia e educação.
Aspectos Psicológicos vivenciados por atletas de alto rendimento durante o período de isolamento social: um estudo exploratório
Authors: Silva Gisele Maria da , Santos Andressa Martins dos , Nakano Tatiana Cassia
Published: January 2022

A pandemia de Covid-19 impactou centenas de atletas de alto rendimento cujos reflexos se fizeram presentes não só durante o período de isolamento social mas, também, após o retorno às atividades presenciais. Diante das mudanças na prática e rotina, decorrentes da pandemia, o presente estudo buscou compreender a percepção de atletas sobre essa experiência. A amostra foi composta por 10 atletas da modalidade de futebol de campo, sendo cinco da categoria Sub-17 e cinco da categoria Sub-20. Foram utilizados um questionário sociodemográfico e entrevista semiestruturada. A partir da análise de conteúdo, os resultados indicaram que os atletas perceberam dificuldades como: realizar as tarefas da prática esportiva (espaço em casa, treinar sozinho, manter o foco e rotina das atividades), se ajustar às mudanças e vivenciar sentimentos de sofrimento emocional; entretanto, o descanso em família, a adaptação às novas condições propostas pelo isolamento social, engajamento nas atividades de tempo livre, sentimentos quanto a valorização da vida pessoal e profissional foram aspectos apontados como positivos. Aparentemente, os atletas foram se ajustando psicologicamente, administrando melhor a rotina esportiva e inserindo novas atividades de tempo livre ao longo do período pandêmico, especialmente devido ao suporte oferecido pelo clube e equipe multidisciplinar. Tal conhecimento pode ser utilizado como base na elaboração de projetos de prevenção diante de vulnerabilidades psicológicas advindas do isolamento social vivenciado por atletas de alto rendimento bem como ajudar os profissionais da psicologia a ajustar as intervenções direcionadas à atletas que vivenciam situações similares.
Accuracy of abdominal circumference for diagnosing overweight in six-to-seven-years-old children
Authors: Traebert Eliane , Leão Graziela , Traebert Guilherme de Azevedo , Flôres Altaiana Portella da Rosa , Traebert Jefferson
Published: January 2022

Objective: To estimate the accuracy of abdominal circumference measurement as a method of diagnosing overweight in six-to-seven-years-old children. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 1026 six-to-seven-years-old schoolchildren in southern Brazil was carried out. Children’s weight and height were collected at schools. Body mass index were calculated and categorized in z-score in eutrophy, overweight and obesity. Abdominal circumference was measured in centimeters with a tape with children in standing position at midpoint between the lower ribs margin and the iliac crest. Correlation between abdominal circumference and body mass index was performed through Pearson's correlation coefficient. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of abdominal circumference were estimated. The Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve was used to measure the accuracy. Results: A positive linear correlation value of 0.582 and a determination coefficient 0.39 were observed. The accuracy value of 0.859 was observed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values varied according to each value in centimeters of abdominal circumference. Conclusion: Abdominal circumference measure showed to be an accurate method for detecting overweight and obesity in six-to-seven-years-old children.
Principais conceitos na implantação da sistemática de manutenção nas indústrias
Authors: Abreu Tiago Rocha de
Published: January 2022

O aparecimento de equipamentos mais velozes e complexos mecanicamente, levam a adoção de atitudes, que visam sempre aumentar a produtividade e reduzir os custos da produção de qualquer tipo de produto. O dever da atividade de manutenção industrial na busca desses objetivos é um fator extremamente importante no sucesso e vida das empresas. Podemos expor a manutenção preventiva com um deles, evitando a ocorrência de falhas através de manutenções em intervalos de tempo regulares e pré-definidos. Tem como objetivo a eliminação ou redução, ao máximo, do número de falhas referentes à manutenção através de ações como limpeza, lubrificação, substituição de peças e verificação das instalações dos equipamentos, que sofrem esse tipo de intervenção partindo de um planejamento prévio das ações tomadas. Este trabalho, visa a apresentar os conceitos fundamentais da manutenção descrevendo-os e o efeito que a implantação de técnicas de manutenção causa sobre a produtividade das indústrias, com base nos conceitos de confiabilidade, disponibilidade e taxa de falhas. Com relação a metodologia, a pesquisa se caracteriza como integrativa buscando nas biografias os principais pontos importantes e necessários da área de manutenção aplicável às indústrias. Quanto aos métodos utilizados, o uso de vertentes conjuntas, têm mostrado extrema eficácia quando comparados a meios isolados de manutenção. A manutenção preditiva, embora na maior parte das ocasiões seja custosa, pode oferecer em conjunto com as demais vertentes uma melhoria nos indicadores de disponibilidade e performance dos equipamentos.
Galectin-3 inhibits cardiac contractility via a tumor necrosis factor alpha-dependent mechanism in cirrhotic rats
Authors: Yoon Ki Tae , Liu Hongqun , Zhang Jing , Han Sojung , Lee Samuel S.
Published: January 2022

Background/Aims: Galectin-3 plays a key pathogenic role in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of galectin-3 on cardiomyopathy – related factors and cardiac contractility in a rat model of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.Methods: Rats were divided into two sets, one for a functional study, the other for cardiac contractile-related protein evaluation. There were four groups in each set: sham operated and sham plus N-acetyllactosamine (N-Lac, a galectin-3 inhibitor; 5 mg/kg); bile duct ligated (BDL) and BDL plus N-Lac. Four weeks after surgery, ventricular level of galectin-3, collagen I and III ratio, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured either by Western blots or immunohistochemistry or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Blood pressure was measured by polygraph recorder. Cardiomyocyte contractility was measured by inverted microscopy.Results: Galectin-3 and collagen I/III ratio were significantly increased in cirrhotic hearts. TNFα and BNP were significantly increased in BDL serum and heart compared with sham controls. Galectin-3 inhibitor significantly decreased galectin-3, TNFα, and BNP in cirrhotic hearts but not in sham controls. N-Lac also significantly improved the blood pressure, and systolic and diastolic cardiomyocyte contractility in cirrhotic rats but had no effect on sham controls.Conclusion: Increased galectin-3 in the cirrhotic heart significantly inhibited contractility via TNFα. Inhibition of galectin-3 decreased the cardiac content of TNFα and BNP and reversed the decreased blood pressure and depressed contractility in the cirrhotic heart. Galectin-3 appears to play a pathogenic role in cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
Acoustic occurrence of baleen whales, particularly blue, fin, and humpback whales, off eastern Canada, 2015-2017
Authors: Delarue JJ Y , Moors-Murphy H , Kowarski KA , Davis GE , Urazghildiiev IR , Martin SB
Published: January 2022

Six baleen whale species occur off eastern Canada, but little is known of their year-round occurrence across this large region. This complicates identifying areas that are important to them and may require critical habitat designation, especially for those species considered at risk. This is particularly true between fall and spring because of a lack of visual survey effort. The main objective of this paper is to provide a year-round and pluriannual description of the minimum acoustic occurrence of baleen whales, particularly blueBalaenoptera musculus, finB. physalus, and humpback whalesMegaptera novaeangliae. We deployed 25 acoustic recorders off eastern Canada between May 2015 and November 2017, and the data were analyzed using a combination of automated detectors and manual validation to identify vocalizations produced by these species. Blue, fin, and humpback whales occurred off eastern Canada year-round, a finding which contrasts the traditional seasonal latitude migration narrative for these species. The Scotian Shelf region and Flemish Pass-Orphan Basin areas seem particularly important for these animals and should be the focus of future research. SeiB. borealis, minkeB. acutorostrata, and North Atlantic right whaleEubalaena glacialisvocalizations also occurred in the data but were not adequately captured by the adopted methodology. Coarse patterns of occurrence are presented for these species as a foundation for more detailed analyses. This study is the first to cover eastern Canadian waters for an extended continuous period and provides a baseline against which future changes can be assessed.
PERCEPTION OF ONLINE LEARNING BY STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY PEDAGOGICAL STUDY PROGRAMS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors: ADAMEC PETR , ŠIMÁNĚ MICHAL
Published: January 2022

The text focuses on the issue of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the authors focus on capturing, describing and interpreting the perception of online learning through the online tools MS Teams and LMS Moodle. The paper is based on data obtained from a research survey based on a quantitative approach. A self-designed questionnaire was chosen as the data collection tool. The questionnaire survey was conducted electronically among university students in pedagogical fields in the period from November 2020 to March 2021. In total, the authors analysed data from 462 questionnaires received. Not only the basic descriptive results but also the statistical significance of the relationships between the selected variables were evaluated, using adequate parametric and non-parametric tests.
İmporte Sıtma Vakalarının Değerlendirilmesi: Ankara’da Bir Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Deneyimi
Authors: KAZANCIOĞLU Sümeyye , BODUR Hürrem
Published: January 2022

Amaç: Sıtma, özellikle tropikal ve subtropikal bölgelerde yaygın olarak görülmeye devam eden önemli bir paraziter hastalıktır. Ülkemizde ise yerli sıtma vakaları görülmemekle birlikte, endemik bölgelere seyahat sonrası gelişen importe sıtma vakaları halen bir sorun olmaya devam etmektedir. Bu çalışmada; sıtmanın güncel durumunun gözden geçirilmesi ve importe sıtma vakalarının epidemiyolojik özellikleri ile klinik ve laboratuvar bulgularının değerlendirilmesi amaçlandı.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: 2010 ile 2018 yılları arasında yatırılarak takip edilen 22 sıtma vakası retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi.
Bulgular: İmporte sıtma vakalarının (22 hasta) biri hariç hepsi erkekti. Tüm hastaların iş nedeni ile Afrika ülkelerine seyahat öyküsü mevcuttu. Sadece bir hastada sıtma profilaksisi alma öyküsü vardı. Yedi hasta daha önce sıtma tedavisi görmüştü. En sık semptomlar ateş, miyalji ve baş ağrısıydı. Hastaların %81,82’sinde trombositopeni, %31,82’sinde anemi, %68,18’inde artmış aminotranferaz enzim düzeyi ve %72,72’sinde artmış laktat dehidrogenaz düzeyi saptandı. Sadece bir hastada C-reaktif protein düzeyinin normal, diğer hastalarda yüksek olduğu görüldü. Yüksek C-reaktif protein değerleri ile alanin aminotransferaz, aspartat aminotransferaz, laktat dehidrogenaz ve üre düzeyleri arasında pozitif yönde korelasyon saptanırken, trombosit ve hemoglobin düzeyleri arasında negatif yönde korelasyon saptandı.
Sonuç: Sıtma ülkemizde önemini koruyan bir enfeksiyon hastalığıdır. Yüksek ateş nedeni ile hastaneye başvuran hastalara sıtmanın endemik olduğu bölgelere seyahat öyküsü sorgulanmalıdır. Endemik bölgelere seyahat öncesi, kemoprofilaksi ve korunma önlemleri hakkında bilgilendirme yapılmalıdır.
Analisis jasa lingkungan pangan dan air Pada Kawasan Perkotaan dan Kawasan Industri di Kabupaten Konawe
Authors: Nur Ismail , Syaf Hasbullah , Yusuf Dewi Nurhayati
Published: January 2022

Kabupaten Konawe memilik kawasan perkotaan dan kawasan industri yang perlu diperhatikan tentang ktersediaan pangan dan air. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui nilai indeks jasa lingkungan hidup di kawasan perkotaan dan kawasan industri di Kabupaten Konawe. Metode yang digunakan yaitu teknik overlay peta, bobot dan skoring, dan perhitungan indeks jasa lingkungan. Hasil dari penelitian ini yaitu pada kawasan perkotaan (Kecamatan Unaaha), penutupan lahan menempati posisi yang lebih dominan. Hal ini menunjukkan kawasan perkotaan memiliki peran dalam sektor pertanian. Kawasan industri di Kabupaten Konawe membetuk aglomerasi yang terdiri dari Kecamatan Morosi, Kecamatan Kapoila dan kecamatan Bondoala, dan sebagai penggerak ekonomi. nilai indeks jasa lingkungan penyediaan pangan yaitu 3,10  dan nilai indeks jasa lingkungan penyediaan air dengan nilai 2,33.  Semakin tinggi jasa ekosistem maka semakin tinggi kemampuan daya dukung dan daya tampung lingkungan hidup. Keywords: air, kawasan, ketersediaan, pangan
Studi Klasifikasi Tingkat Kekumuhan di Kawasan Kumuh Boepinang di Bajo Barat dan Bajo Timur
Authors: Samuel Samuel , Sudia La Baco , Nur Ramadhan La Ode Ahmad
Published: January 2022

ABSTRACT Slum areas are always a concern because of the quality of the environment that is not healthy. The method used is descriptive analysis and quantitative analysis. The results of this research are the existing conditions of slum areas in Boepinang Bajo Barat and Bajo Timur, namely: (1) the area of the slum area reaches 10.32 hectares with (a) the area of the West Bajo slum area is 4 Ha; (b) the area of the slum area of East Bajo is 6.32 Ha. Slum areas in Boepinang (East Bajo) and West Boepinang (West Bajo) Villages are included in priority scale one (1). Need attention in settlement management.Keywords ; West Bajo, East Bajo, Slum, SettlementsABSTRAK Permukiman kumuh selalu menjadi perhatian karena dari segi kualitas lingkungan yang tidak sehat. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui kondisi eksisting Kawasan Kumuh Boepinang Kumuh Bajo Barat dan Bajo Timur dan untuk mengidentifikasi klasifikasi tingkat kekumuhan di Kawasan Kumuh Boepinang Kumuh Bajo Barat dan Bajo Timur. Metode yang digunakan yaitu analisis deskriptif dan analisis kuantitatif. Hasil penelitian ini yaitu Kondisi eksisting Kawasan kumuh di Boepinang Bajo Barat dan Bajo Timur sebagao berikut : (1) luas kawasan kumuh mencapai 10,32 Ha dengan (a) luas Kawasan kumuh Bajo Barat 4 Ha; (b) luas Kawasan kumuh Bajo Timur 6,32 Ha. Kawasan kumuh di Kelurahan Boepinang (Bajo Timur) dan Boepinang Barat (Bajo Barat) masuk skala prioritas satu (1). Perlu Perhatian dalam pengelolaan permukiman.Kata Kunci ; Bajo Barat, Bajo Timur, Kumuh, Permukiman
Modeling of COVID-19 Pandemic vis-à-vis Some Socio-Economic Factors
Authors: Oshinubi Kayode , Rachdi Mustapha , Demongeot Jacques
Published: January 2022

The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the socio-economic status of countries around the world should not be underestimated, when we consider the role it has played in various countries. Many people were unemployed, many households were careful about their spending, and a greater social divide in the population emerged in 14 different countries from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and from Africa (that is, in developed and developing countries) for which we have considered the epidemiological data on the spread of infection during the first and second waves, as well as their socio-economic data. We established a mathematical relationship between Theil and Gini indices, then we investigated the relationship between epidemiological data and socio-economic determinants, using several machine learning and deep learning methods. High correlations were observed between some of the socio-economic and epidemiological parameters and we predicted three of the socio-economic variables in order to validate our results. These results show a clear difference between the first and the second wave of the pandemic, confirming the impact of the real dynamics of the epidemic’s spread in several countries and the means by which it was mitigated.
Intra-Species Interactions in Streptococcus pneumoniae Biofilms
Authors: Valente Carina , Cruz Ana R. , Henriques Adriano O. , Sá-Leão Raquel
Published: January 2022

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a human pathogen responsible for high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Disease is incidental and is preceded by asymptomatic nasopharyngeal colonization in the form of biofilms. Simultaneous colonization by multiple pneumococcal strains is frequent but remains poorly characterized. Previous studies, using mostly laboratory strains, showed that pneumococcal strains can reciprocally affect each other’s colonization ability. Here, we aimed at developing a strategy to investigate pneumococcal intra-species interactions occurring in biofilms. A 72h abiotic biofilm model mimicking long-term colonization was applied to study eight pneumococcal strains encompassing 6 capsular types and 7 multilocus sequence types. Strains were labeled with GFP or RFP, generating two fluorescent variants for each. Intra-species interactions were evaluated in dual-strain biofilms (1:1 ratio) using flow cytometry. Confocal microscopy was used to image representative biofilms. Twenty-eight dual-strain combinations were tested. Interactions of commensalism, competition, amensalism and neutralism were identified. The outcome of an interaction was independent of the capsular and sequence type of the strains involved. Confocal imaging of biofilms confirmed the positive, negative and neutral effects that pneumococci can exert on each other. In conclusion, we developed an experimental approach that successfully discriminates pneumococcal strains growing in mixed biofilms, which enables the identification of intra-species interactions. Several types of interactions occur among pneumococci. These observations are a starting point to study the mechanisms underlying those interactions.
Why Geographical Indications Can Support Sustainable Development in European Agri-Food Landscapes
Authors: Flinzberger Lukas , Cebrián-Piqueras Miguel A. , Peppler-Lisbach Cord , Zinngrebe Yves
Published: January 2022

Implementing the European Green Deal and transforming agricultural practices requires a wider and amplified policy toolbox. As many sustainability considerations are context-dependent, there is a need for instruments, which take individual characteristics of production landscapes into account. Food products with a particularly strong relationship to their landscape of origin can be marketed under the “Protected Designation of Origin” label (PDO). In this article, we analyze synergies between PDO production and regional sustainable development by assessing to what extent social-ecological landscape characteristics appear in landscapes with PDO-labeled food production systems. Building upon 12 social-ecological variables we defined three landscape characteristics influential for the presence of PDOs by using a principal component analysis. By running regression models combining those characteristic landscapes with the spatial distribution of PDO certification we were able to explore linkages between landscapes and products. Additionally, a geographically weighted regression delivered insights into the regional differences and product-specific relationships throughout the EU countries. Overall, we could prove the assumed positive correlation between PDO production and ecologically valuable landscapes. Further, we showed that mostly meat PDOs coincide with landscapes influenced by structural change, while cheese PDOs are not well captured by our models despite their large number. We can conclude that PDOs have the potential to jointly support conservation and rural development, especially when they would be tied to sustainable management standards in the future.
Beyond Usual Care: A Multidisciplinary Approach Towards the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Authors: Arachchige Miuni Athauda , Steier Joerg
Published: January 2022

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is common and characterised by repeated apnoeas and hypopnoeas while asleep due to collapse of the upper airway. OSA can have a significant impact on physical and mental health and, when left untreated, is associated with increased risk of developing cardiovascular ill health. Besides cardiorespiratory implications excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, limited memory function and lack of concentration are some further symptoms caused by OSA. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy is the evidence-based treatment to maintain upper airway patency in patients with moderate to severe OSA. Proper adherence to CPAP therapy successfully abolishes nocturnal apnoeas and hypopnoeas, and diminishes consequences of uncontrolled OSA, such as treatment resistant hypertension. However, long term adherence to CPAP remains an unresolved limitation of this method. Although alternatives to CPAP therapy may be less efficacious, there is a variety of non-CPAP treatments that includes conventional lifestyle advice, postural advice, the use of mandibular advancement devices (MADs), surgical treatment options, such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, tonsillectomy, or maxillomandibular advancement, and the use of electrical stimulation of the upper airway dilator muscles. Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation is available as an invasive (HNS) and a transcutaneous (TESLA) approach. For the management of “difficult-to-treat” patients with OSA, particularly in those in whom first line therapy proved to be unsuccessful, a multidisciplinary team approach may be helpful to incorporate the available options of non-CPAP therapy and provide appropriate choices. Symptom control, patient-related outcome measures and long-term cardiovascular health should be prioritised when choosing long-term therapies to treat OSA. The inclusion of patients in the choice of successful management options of their condition will facilitate better long-term adherence. Advancing clinical trials in the field will further help to resolve the relative lack of evidence for effective non-CPAP methods.
The Nonlinear Relationship Between Total Bilirubin and Coronary Heart Disease: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Chaoxiu , Wu Wenying , Song Yumeng , Xu Shuang , Wu Xiaomei
Published: January 2022

Background: Evidence suggests that the total bilirubin has a protective effect on coronary heart disease (CHD), but the dose-response relationship remains controversial, and there is no meta-analysis to assess the relationship.

Methods: As of October 1, 2021, relevant literature was selected from four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase) by using a retrieval strategy. The dose-response curve between the total bilirubin and CHD was fitted by a restricted cubic spline. Stata 12.0 was used for statistical analysis.

Results: A total of 170,209 (6,342 cases) participants from 7 prospective studies were analyzed in our meta-analysis. We calculated the pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs for the association between serum bilirubin level and risk of CHD using random-effects models. Compared with the first quantile, the bilirubin level in the third quantile had a protective effect on the risk of CHD (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82–0.99). The restricted cubic spline functions depicted a U-type curve relationship between bilirubin (3.42–49 μmol/L) and CHD (Plinear < 0.001). When the bilirubin level was in the range of 3.42–13μmol/L, the protective effect of bilirubin on CHD was enhanced with increasing bilirubin levels. When the bilirubin level exceeded 13μmol/L, the protective effect of bilirubin weakened, and a dangerous effect gradually appeared with further increases in bilirubin levels.

Conclusions: Compared with a low bilirubin level, a high bilirubin level has a protective effect on the risk of CHD, and there was a U-shaped dose-response relationship between them.
Advanced Warning of Aortic Dissection on Non-Contrast CT: The Combination of Deep Learning and Morphological Characteristics
Authors: Yi Yan , Mao Li , Wang Cheng , Guo Yubo , Luo Xiao , Jia Donggang , Lei Yi , Pan Judong , Li Jiayue , Li Shufang , Li Xiu-Li , Jin Zhengyu , Wang Yining
Published: January 2022

Background: The identification of aortic dissection (AD) at baseline plays a crucial role in clinical practice. Non-contrast CT scans are widely available, convenient, and easy to perform. However, the detection of AD on non-contrast CT scans by radiologists currently lacks sensitivity and is suboptimal.

Methods: A total of 452 patients who underwent aortic CT angiography (CTA) were enrolled retrospectively from two medical centers in China to form the internal cohort (341 patients, 139 patients with AD, 202 patients with non-AD) and the external testing cohort (111 patients, 46 patients with AD, 65 patients with non-AD). The internal cohort was divided into the training cohort (n = 238), validation cohort (n = 35), and internal testing cohort (n = 68). Morphological characteristics were extracted from the aortic segmentation. A deep-integrated model based on the Gaussian Naive Bayes algorithm was built to differentiate AD from non-AD, using the combination of the three-dimensional (3D) deep-learning model score and morphological characteristics. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were used to evaluate the model performance. The proposed model was also compared with the subjective assessment of radiologists.

Results: After the combination of all the morphological characteristics, our proposed deep-integrated model significantly outperformed the 3D deep-learning model (AUC: 0.948 vs. 0.803 in the internal testing cohort and 0.969 vs. 0.814 in the external testing cohort, both p < 0.05). The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of our model reached 0.897, 0.862, and 0.923 in the internal testing cohort and 0.730, 0.978, and 0.554 in the external testing cohort, respectively. The accuracy for AD detection showed no significant difference between our model and the radiologists (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The proposed model presented good performance for AD detection on non-contrast CT scans; thus, early diagnosis and prompt treatment would be available.
A Comparison of the Electrophysiological and Anatomic Characteristics of Pacing Different Branches of the Left Bundle Conduction System
Authors: Liu Xi , Gu Min , Niu Hong-Xia , Chen Xuhua , Cai Chi , Zhao Junhan , Cai Minsi , Zhou Xiaohong , Gold Michael R. , Zhang Shu , Hua Wei
Published: January 2022

Introduction: Left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) is a rapidly growing conduction system pacing technique. However, little is known regarding the electrophysiological characteristics of different types of LBBP. We aimed to evaluate the electrophysiological characteristics and anatomic lead location with pacing different branches of the left bundle branch.

Methods: Consecutive bradycardia patients with successful LBBP were enrolled and classified into groups according to the paced electrocardiogram and the lead location. Electrocardiogram, pacing properties, vectorcardiogram, and lead tip location were analyzed.

Results: Ninety-one patients were enrolled, including 48 with the left bundle trunk pacing (LBTP) and 43 with the left bundle fascicular pacing (LBFP). The paced QRS duration in the LBTP group was significantly shorter than that in the LBFP group (108.1 ± 9.9 vs. 112.9 ± 11.2 ms, p = 0.03), with a more rightward QRS transition zone (p = 0.01). The paced QRS area in the LBTP group was similar to that during intrinsic rhythm (35.1 ± 15.8 vs. 34.7 ± 16.6 μVs, p = 0.98), whereas in the LBFP group, the paced QRS area was significantly larger compared to intrinsic rhythm (43.4 ± 15.8 vs. 35.7 ± 18.0 μVs, p = 0.01). The lead tip site for LBTP was located in a small fan-shaped area with the tricuspid valve annulus summit as the origin, whereas fascicular pacing sites were more likely in a larger and more distal area.

Conclusions: Pacing the proximal left bundle main trunk produced better electrical synchrony compared with pacing the distal left bundle fascicles. A visualization technique can facilitate achieving LBTP.
Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of Human Dental Pulp in Sound and Carious Teeth: A Pilot Study
Authors: Opasawatchai Anunya , Nguantad Sarintip , Sriwilai Benjamaporn , Matangkasombut Ponpan , Matangkasombut Oranart , Srisatjaluk Ratchapin , Charoensawan Varodom
Published: January 2022

A comprehensive understanding of dental pulp cellular compositions and their molecular responses to infection are crucial for the advancement of regenerative dentistry. Here, we presented a pilot study of single-cell transcriptomic profiles of 6,810 pulpal cells isolated from a sound human maxillary third molar and three carious teeth with enamel and deep dental caries. We observed altered immune cell compositions of the dental pulp in deep, but not enamel ones. Differential expression analysis revealed up-regulation of several pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and mineralization-related genes in the immune and stromal cells of the deep dental caries. Making use of an algorithm for predicting cell-to-cell interactions from single-cell transcriptomic profiles, we showed an increase in cell-cell interactions between B cells, plasma cells and macrophages, and other cell types in deep dental caries, including those between TIMP1 (odontoblasts)—CD63 (myeloid cells), and CCL2 (macrophages)—ACKR1 (endothelial cells). Collectively, our work highlighted the single-cell level gene regulations and intercellular interactions in the dental pulps in health and disease.