bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Demographic, Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Pediatric Obesity: Interim Analysis of a Larger Prospective Study
Authors: Tankoska Maja , Jakimovski Dejan , Stamatova Ana , Murtezani Avdi , Maneva Elita , Shukarova-Angelovska Elena , Gjurkova-Angelovska Beti , Kocheva Svetlana , Kuzevska-Maneva Konstandina , Krstevska Konstantinova Marina
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Pediatric obesity is a common nutritional disorder that affects more than a third of the young population and predis-poses individuals to greater future morbidity and mortality. 

Materials and methods: Sixty-two children were recruited in the study. Demographic and clinical information regarding the pa-tients and their parents was collected. Data about the weight, height, systolic (SP) and diastolic (DP) blood pressure, lipid metabolic profile, thyroid hormone levels, glucose and insulin levels before and after oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) of participants were also collected. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and patients were classified into groups according to the International Obesity Task Force criteria. Descriptive, comparative parametric, non-parametric tests and Spearman’s ranked correlations were used in the statistical analysis. 

Results: The study sample consisted of 34 males and 28 females aged 11.6 and 11.8 years, respectively (p=0.781). The mean BMI was 30.5 (SD 5.5): 8 of participant had normal weight (≤25 BMI), 22 were overweight (25-30 BMI), and 32 were obese (≥30 BMI). The chil-dren’s BMIs were significantly associated with parental BMIs (r=0.395, p=0.004). Both SP and DP were significantly different between BMI subgroups (p=0.005 and p=0.001, respectively) with the obese group having the highest values (post-hoc Benjamini,  p=0.004). Obese children had lower average T4 levels when compared to the comparators (7.5 µg/dL vs. 9.9 µg/dL, p=0.021). Obese children had significantly lower baseline glucose levels and higher insulin levels when compared to the overweight/normal BMI children (73.8 mg/dL vs. 86.4 mg/dL, p<0.001 and 21.8 µgU/mL vs. 132 µgU/mL, p=0.003). Obese children had the greatest numerical increase in glucose levels during the OGTT (Δ63.0 mg/dL vs. Δ43.2 mg/dL, p=0.063) and numerically smaller absolute insulin response (Δ86.1 µIU/mL vs. Δ125.7 µIU/mL, p=0.307).  

Conclusions: Pediatric patients demonstrate familial type of obesity and premorbid asymptomatic endocrine impairments. In order to maintain normal glucose levels, obese pediatric patients demonstrate high levels of resting insulin levels and diminished response after OGTT load.
Cancer-related Fatigue in Patients with Oncological Diseases: Causes, Prevalence, Guidelines for Assessment and Management
Authors: Strebkova Raisa
Published: December 2020

Fatigue and exhaustion are considered to be the most common complaints of patients with cancer during treatment and upon its completion. The manifestations of fatigue can be physical, cognitive, and emotional. The exact determinants of fatigue, however, are yet unknown. An initial literature review was conducted. Four reference databases were searched (MEDLINE, ELSEVIER – Science Direct, ELSEVIER – SCOPUS, Springer). The initial search yielded 430 articles. We included references consistent with the study design, pub-lished between 1993 and 2017, and written in English or German. The 48 remaining articles were assessed for relevance to the area by visually examining their titles for keywords: cancer-related fatigue, assesment, management. Cancer-related fatigue in cancer patients during treatment and in survivors is estimated to have a prevalence in the range of 58% to 90%. This report is a review of the literature relevant to the problem of fatigue in patients with oncological diseases – causes, prevalence, and impact on the lives of affected patients, proposing guidelines for assessment and management. A set of reliable tools have been presented for assessment and measurement of the burden of fatigue. The management strategies include a number of non-pharmacological methods: physically based therapies, psycho-educational and mind-body interventions, methods of managing sleep disorders, methods of increasing physical activity, and pharmacological modalities. Clarification of the causes for fatigue, its detection, a reliable assessment of its severity, the application of appropriate interventions for treatment and the necessary care could support the application of a differentiated approach.
Follow-up Evaluation of Association between Weight Changes, Metabolic, and Hormonal Outcomes in Children – a Single-center Pilot Study
Authors: Țaranu Ioana , Bolboacă Sorana D. , Creț Victoria
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Fasting blood glucose, insulin level, and lipid profile are the minimal tests according to the Romanian guidelines to evaluate obese children. Cross-sectional studies for pediatric obesity in Romania focused only on epidemiology and management. 

Aim: Our study aimed to evaluate the metabolic and hormonal changes in association with follow-up bodyweight modifications.

Materials and methods: Medical charts of overweight or obese children presenting at the First Paediatric Hospital, Cluj-Napoca from January 2017 to March 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Anthropometric measures [e.g., body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference] and blood tests such as inflammatory markers (e.g., white blood cell and neutrophil absolute/relative counts, C-reactive protein), metabolic parameters (e.g., liver enzymes, uric acid, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol), fasting blood insulin, and cortisol levels were evaluated.

Results: Twenty-two overweight or obese children (17 girls, median age of 13 years) monitored on median for 7.5 months were in-cluded in the study. Blood glucose level significantly decreased (p=0.010) and fasting insulin levels increased (p=0.051) at follow-up evaluation, independently of BMI-for-age z-score. Fasting insulin levels were associated with waist circumference (Spearman’s rank cor-relation coefficient) ρ=0.58, p=0.030). BMI-for-age z-score proved to be associated with the C-reactive protein level at baseline (ρ=0.70, p=0.036, n=9) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol at follow-up (ρ=-0.52, p=0.033, n=17).

Conclusions: Present analysis found changes in fasting insulin levels in relation to the abdominal circumference and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and C-reactive protein levels in relation to BMI-for-age z-score in obese children. 
Traumatic Hemolytic Anemia after Valve Surgery: a Case Report
Authors: Sabzi Feridoun , Heydari Aghigh , Asadmobini Atefeh
Published: December 2020

Hemolytic anemia is an uncommon complication after mitral valve repair. We present a case of a 55-year-old man who presented with post-operative hemolytic anemia after mitral valve repair with prosthetic ring. The hemolytic anemia improved after the patient had the prosthetic ring removed and the valve replaced by a prosthetic mitral valve. However, the post-operative course of the redo operation was complicated by acute renal failure and respiratory dysfunction, but the hemolytic anemia was finally abolished and the patient was discharged 20 days post-operatively in good condition. 
West Nile Fever – Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics. Review of the Literature and Contribution with Three Clinical Cases
Authors: Kotsev Stanislav , Christova Iva , Pishmisheva-Peleva Maria
Published: December 2020

West Nile fever (WNF) is a vector-borne infection caused by a Flavivirus-West Nile virus (WNV). WNV is transmitted by mosquitoes, and birds are the major natural reservoir. A recent increase in the number of the WNF cases has been reported in Europe, the Balkans, and Bulgaria. We herein present the clinical course, laboratory and imaging findings of three patients – a female and two male patients, who were diagnosed with WNF. They were investigated in an epidemiological study, and by using clinical observation, laboratory and microbiological methods, serological tests for specific anti-WNV antibodies detection, molecular biology techniques (polymerase chain reaction, PCR), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The patients presented with fever, headache, drowsiness, and dizziness and anti-WNV antibodies were detected in their serum samples. WNV-RNA was found in a blood sample from the female patient. Both anti-WNV IgM and Herpes simplex virus-1 DNA were detected in a cerebrospinal fluid sample from one of the men. The three patients recovered from the disease after a long convalescent period. WNF has no specific signs, laboratory and imaging findings and could be a life-threatening condition, leading to serious complications. Therefore, WNF should be taken into consideration during the summer when the vector of the infection is active. 
Methodological considerations for monitoring soil/litter arthropods in tropical rainforests using DNA metabarcoding, with a special emphasis on ants, springtails and termites
Authors: Basset Yves , Donoso David A. , Hajibabaei Mehrdad , Wright Michael T. G. , Perez Kate H. J. , Lamarre Greg P. A. , De León Luis F. , Palacios-Vargas José G. , Castaño-Meneses Gabriela , Rivera Marleny , Perez Filonila , Bobadilla Ricardo , Lopez Yacksecari , Ramirez José Alejandro , Barrios Héctor
Published: December 2020

Robust data to refute or support claims of global insect decline are currently lacking, particularly for the soil fauna in the tropics. DNA metabarcoding represents a powerful approach for rigorous spatial and temporal monitoring of the taxonomically challenging soil fauna. Here, we provide a detailed field protocol, which was successfully applied in Barro Colorado Island (BCI) in Panama, to collect soil samples and arthropods in a tropical rainforest, to be later processed with metabarcoding. We also estimate the proportion of soil/litter ant, springtail and termite species from the local fauna that can be detected by metabarcoding samples obtained either from Berlese-Tullgren (soil samples), Malaise or light traps. Each collecting method detected a rather distinct fauna. Soil and Malaise trap samples detected 213 species (73%) of all target species. Malaise trap samples detected many ant species, whereas soil samples were more efficient at detecting springtail and termite species. With respect to long-term monitoring of soil-dwelling and common species (more amenable to statistical trends), the best combination of two methods were soil and light trap samples, detecting 94% of the total of common species. A protocol including 100 soil, 40 Malaise and 80 light trap samples annually processed by metabarcoding would allow the long-term monitoring of at least 11%, 18% and 16% of species of soil/litter ants, springtails and termites, respectively, present on BCI, and a high proportion of the total abundance (up to 80% of all individuals) represented by these taxa.
Status, distribution and research gaps of rodents (Mammalia: Rodentia) in North-Eastern States of India
Authors: Chatterjee Paromit , Dam Debashree , Tripathy Basudev , Chandra Kailash
Published: December 2020

In North Eastern states of India (NE India) there are almost 65% of mammal species of the country but baseline information on small mammals, particularly rodents, for the region is scanty. Present study recorded a total of 59 species of rodents from the NE India out of 100 species reported from Indian Subcontinent. The list contains all the valid taxonomic names and their distribution in the states of NE India. Additionally, five species has been added to the checklist of rodents in India. The list provided 59 species belonging to 30 genera under 5 families of 7 subfamilies. Among them Muridae was recorded to be with highest number of species (31 species), followed by Sciuridae with 22 species, Cricetidae with three species, while Spalacidae and Hystricidae have recorded only two species in each group. Among the eight states of NE India the highest number of species was recorded from Arunachal Pradesh (76 %) and the lowest, from Tripura (22%). Two Threatened, three Near Threatened, two Not Listed and six Data Deficient species have been listed from the present work with four endemic species from this region. The findings of this study indicated the requirements for intensive and extensive surveys in the north-eastern States of India and taxonomic revisions of many species.
Contributions to the knowledge of the Depressariidae, Peleopodidae, Ethmiidae and Fuchsiini (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea) of Romania, with an annotated checklist
Authors: Kovács Zoltán , Kovács Sándor
Published: December 2020

In Romania 102 species of Depressariidae, Peleopodidae, Ethmiidae and Fuchsiini were recorded in the last checklist and its supplement (Rákosy et al. 2003; Rákosy and Goia 2007). The present study deals with a total of 117 species ever recorded from Romania including voucher material studied in this overview: 101 Depressariidae, 2 Peleopodidae, 13 Ethmiidae and 1 Fuchsiini. As a result of the analysis of the studied material the Romanian fauna is currently considered to consist of 114 species, 90 of them are confirmed and 24 requiring confirmation. 13 species are recorded for the first time from Romania: Agonopterix bipunctosa (Curtis, 1850), A. coenosella (Zerny, 1940), A. ferocella (Chrétien, 1910), A. irrorata (Staudinger, 1870), A. lessini Buchner, 2017, A. ligusticella (Chrétien, 1908), A. multiplicella (Erschoff, 1877), A. quadripunctata (Wocke, 1857), Depressaria badiella (Hübner, 1796), D. daucella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), D. sordidatella Tengström, 1848, Exaeretia ledereri (Zeller, 1854) and Anchinia laureolella Herrich-Schäffer, 1854. 2 species are found with unclear taxonomic status: Agonopterix banatica Georgesco, 1965 and Agonopterix dumitrescui Georgesco, 1965. 3 species are formally excluded from the Romanian fauna: Agonopterix agyrella (Rebel, 1917), A. comitella (Lederer, 1855) and Depressaria halophilella (Chrétien, 1908). Additionally, 28 species are first records for different regions of the country and further 15 corrections are made to their distribution within Romania. The examined voucher material is concisely presented by each species, collecting data are presented in detail only in the case of the first records, and a few rarely recorded species, by which the adults, male and occasionally female genitalia are figured.
A new species of the genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 (Anura, Megophryidae) from Guizhou, China
Authors: Lyu Jing-Cai , Dai Liang-Liang , Wei Ping-Fan , He Yan-Hong , Yuan Zhi-Yong , Shi Wen-Li , Zhou Sheng-lun , Ran Si-yu , Kuang Zhong-Fan , Guo Xuan , Wei Gang , Yuan Guo
Published: December 2020

Asian leaf-litter toads of the genus Leptobrachella represent charismatic anuran diversification with 80 species, of which 25 are from China. Recent new discoveries suggest that the diversity of this genus is underestimated. Here, we describe a new species of Leptobrachella, Leptobrachella bashaensissp. nov. from the Basha Nature Reserve, Congjiang County, Guizhou Province, China. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following suite of morphological traits: small body size (SVL 22.9–25.6 mm in six adult males and 27.1 mm in one adult female); head longer than wide; dorsal skin slightly shagreened with small tubercles; creamy-white chest and belly with irregular black spots; distinct ventrolateral glands forming a white line; finger webbing and fringes absent; toe webbing rudimentary and lateral fringes narrow; iris bicolored with bright orange in upper half and silver in lower half; dorsal surface of tadpole head dark brown with small, brown, irregular spot, air sac-shaped bulges on both sides of body. The new species differs from all known congeners by an uncorrected p-distance of >5.3% of the 16S rRNA gene fragment examined, and the phylogenetic analysis clusters the new species with L. maoershanensis and L. laui. At present, the new species is only known from a small range of montane evergreen secondary forests in Basha Nature Reserve approximately 900 m elevation. Its natural history and conservation status are discussed.
Coping with distress among adolescents: Effectiveness of personal narratives on support websites
Authors: Mariën Sofie , Vandebosch Heidi , Pabian Sara , Poels Karolien
Published: December 2020

Sharing, reading and responding to personal narratives on peer-to-peer support websites may provide adolescents with informational and emotional support to feel more confident in coping with stressful events. However, their use may also pose a threat to adolescents’ coping self-efficacy. Principles of expressive writing, social sharing of emotions, narrative persuasion and self-effects may provide insight in how these actions may both positively and negatively relate to coping self-efficacy. By using a cross-sectional online survey with 311 Dutch-speaking adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18, this article explores how these actions and social support motives (i.e. information-seeking and emotional support-seeking) are related to adolescents’ perceptions about the usefulness of these websites to their coping self-efficacy. The results showed a positive relation between adolescents’ social support motives and their belief in the usefulness of these websites to their coping self-efficacy. Therefore, we conclude that it may be an effective coping strategy for many adolescents. There was a negative relation between experience with sharing a personal narrative and coping self-efficacy, meaning that these users did not perceive the website to be helpful to their overall confidence in coping with stressful events. However, this negative relation was reversed when they were motivated to find emotional support with similar others.

Compartir, leer y responder a narraciones personales en webs de apoyo entre iguales puede tanto fortalecer como amenazar la confianza de los adolescentes para hacer frente a los acontecimientos estresantes (es decir, la autoeficacia como estrategia de afrontamiento). Los principios de la escritura expresiva, el intercambio social de emociones, la persuasión narrativa y los efectos en uno mismo pueden proporcionar información sobre la forma en que esas acciones pueden relacionarse con la autoeficacia como estrategia de afrontamiento. Mediante una encuesta transversal en línea con 311 adolescentes de habla holandesa de entre 14 y 18 años, este artículo explora cómo estas acciones y los motivos del apoyo social (es decir, la búsqueda de información y la búsqueda de apoyo emocional) se relacionan con la autoeficacia de los adolescentes como estrategia de afrontamiento tras usar la web de apoyo entre iguales. Los resultados muestran que la experiencia de los usuarios al leer y responder a narraciones personales no estaba relacionada con su autoeficacia de afrontamiento. Sin embargo, se encontró una relación negativa entre la experiencia de compartir una narración personal y la autoeficacia, por lo que los usuarios no percibieron que el sitio web fuera útil para su confianza general a la hora de hacer frente a acontecimientos estresantes. No obstante, esta relación negativa se invirtió cuando también tenían el objetivo de encontrar apoyo emocional con sus iguales.
Newsgames against hate speech in the refugee crisis
Authors: Gómez-García Salvador , Paz-Rebollo María-Antonia , Cabeza-San-Deogracias José
Published: December 2020

The refugee crisis has been a fertile ground for hate speech that has portrayed migrants as a dangerous threat and has been spread through social networks. While the media have unconsciously contributed to the proliferation of these racist messages, some have reacted by extending their traditional journalistic activity to the creation of newsgames to find new ways of addressing the situation. This study examines the use of five newsgames developed by leading media outlets using a methodology based on a multimodal qualitative analysis (informative and ludonarrative). The results showed that newsgames players have access to truthful information, as is the case for other journalistic genres, and draw on other types of personal and emotional information (circumstances, feelings, family ties). These data did not appear in isolation but integrated into the gaming experience. The study concludes by identifying the interaction between the levels of information and immersion of the newsgames that make up the sample, as well as their different gradation: giving the player the opportunity to make more significant decisions within the story allows for the introduction of nuances that promote empathy towards refugees; however, greater freedom in the gaming experience in newsgames distances them from the classic informational model and may involve a greater risk of distortion of the ideas that they seek to promote.

La crisis de los refugiados ha sido el caldo de cultivo para unos discursos del odio, extendidos a través de las redes sociales, que presentan a los inmigrantes como un peligro y una amenaza. Los medios de comunicación han contribuido inconscientemente a su difusión, aunque algunos han reaccionado ampliando su actividad periodística tradicional a la creación de newsgames para buscar nuevas formas de contrarrestar el efecto de estos discursos. Esta investigación analiza cinco newsgames desarrollados por medios de comunicación de referencia a partir de una metodología basada en un análisis multimodal de carácter cualitativo (informativo y ludo-narrativo). Los resultados muestran que el jugador de newsgames tiene acceso a información veraz, como en otros formatos periodísticos, pero también dispone de otro tipo de información más próxima y emocional (circunstancias, sentimientos, vínculos familiares). Estos datos no aparecen de forma aislada, sino que se integran en la experiencia del juego. La investigación concluye identificando la interacción entre información e inmersión de los newsgames que componen la muestra, así como su diferente gradación: un mayor control del jugador dentro de la historia permite introducir matices que favorecen la empatía con los refugiados. Sin embargo, la mayor libertad en la experiencia de juego en los newsgames los aleja del modelo informativo clásico y puede implicar un mayor riesgo de distorsión de las ideas que intentan defender.
Local well-posedness for the density-dependent incompressible magneto-micropolar system with vacuum
Authors: Tang Tong , Sun Jianzhu
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we prove the local well-posedness of strong solutions to the density-dependent incompressible magneto-micropolar system with vacuum. There is no assuming compatibility condition on the initial data.
Cost of fairness in agent scheduling for contact centers
Authors: Şimşek Onur , Kundakcioglu O. Erhun
Published: December 2020

We study a workforce scheduling problem faced in contact centers with considerations on a fair distribution of shifts in compliance with agent preferences. We develop a mathematical model that aims to minimize operating costs associated with labor, transportation of agents, and lost customers. Aside from typical work hour-related constraints, we also try to conform with agents' preferences for shifts, as a measure of fairness. We plot the trade-off between agent satisfaction and total operating costs for Vestel, one of Turkey's largest consumer electronics companies. We present insights on the increased cost to have content and a fair environment on several agent availability scenarios.
Stabilization of 2-d Mindlin-Timoshenko plates with localized acoustic boundary feedback
Authors: Liu Yubiao , Zhang Chunguo , Chen Tehuan
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we investigate the well-posedness and the asymptotic stability of a two dimensional Mindlin-Timoshenko plate imposed the so-called acoustic control by a part of the boundary and a Dirichlet boundary condition on the remainder. We first establish the well-posedness results of our model based on the theory of linear operator semigroup and then prove that the system is not exponentially stable by using the frequency domain approach. Finally, we show that the system is polynomially stable with the aid of the exponential or polynomial stability of a system with standard damping acting on a part of the boundary.
A stability result for the diffusion coefficient of the heat operator defined on an unbounded guide
Authors: Cardoulis Laure , Cristofol Michel , Morancey Morgan
Published: December 2020

In this article we consider the inverse problem of determining the diffusion coefficient of the heat operator in an unbounded guide using a finite number of localized observations. For this problem, we prove a stability estimate in any finite portion of the guide using an adapted Carleman inequality. The measurements are located on the boundary of a larger finite portion of the guide. A special care is required to avoid measurements on the cross-section boundaries which are inside the actual guide. This stability estimate uses a technical positivity assumption. Using arguments from control theory, we manage to remove this assumption for the inverse problem with a given non homogeneous boundary condition.
The baby bump. Pregnancy’s new social visibility
Authors: Biscaldi Angela
Published: December 2020

This paper will offer several vantage points for interpreting a new social phenomenon: the flaunting of pregnancy in the public space, and in the media space in particular. In the last twenty years, the cultural meaning of pregnancy has been entirely upended: once a period of waiting, of suspension, almost mysterious and concealed, wrapped in prohibitions and fears, and surrounded by silence, pregnancy now seems to be something to be chronicled, savored and even exhibited by displaying the belly – painted or decorated – as if it were a trophy. Through thirty in-depth interviews with women in a range of occupations – midwives, photographers, belly painters and journalists – throughout Italy, we will attempt to explore the cultural meanings of this change.
Does Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Increase the Survival in Patients with Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients? – A Real‑World Evidence
Authors: Janarthinakani Murugesan , Kalaiselvi Selvaraj , Priyadarshini Rajamani , Arun Seshachalam , Shashidhar K , Krishnakumar R , Manjunath N , Roopa Sirigeri , Raman SG
Published: December 2020

Background: In locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC), perioperative chemotherapy has shown to improve the survival to a larger extent compared to surgery alone. In India, the treatment followed for gastric carcinoma widely varies based on the type of health-care provider and treatment access. There is a paucity of data on the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on survival among LAGC patients in the Indian context. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapies among LAGC patients. Subjects and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study involving clinical record review of LAGC patients enrolled between 2015 and 2017 from four tertiary cancer centers in South India. The date for the following events, namely diagnosis, recurrence, death, and last day of visit, was extracted in a mobile-based open-access tool. The median duration of OS and DFS between the neoadjuvant and adjuvant groups was compared using Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Results: Of the 137 patients, 70 (51%) had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and 67 (49%) had adjuvant chemotherapy following the surgery. The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 55.4 (11.4) years. Seventy-eight percent of the patients were diagnosed at Stage 3 or 4. Regional lymph nodes were involved in 83.9%. The median duration of follow-up was 15 months. The OS in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant groups was 18.6 months and 8.3 months, respectively. Nonregional lymph node involvement and adjacent organ involvement had independently increased the risk of death. Conclusion: Among LAGC patients, the neoadjuvant chemotherapy indicated a better median and DFS compared to the adjuvant group. However, these findings were statistically not significant. The current study has contributed an important finding to the existing evidences of clinical practice in an Indian setting. Further large-scale studies are required to validate the promising trend of using neoadjuvant chemotherapy in LAGC.
Efficacy of Antiemetic Regimens for Prevention and Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Patients of Breast Cancer Receiving Highly Emetogenic Chemotherapy
Authors: Vij Soumya , Dhasmana Dilip Chander , Bala Suman , Verma Sanjiv Kumar
Published: December 2020

Background: Chemotherapy is fraught with serious and troublesome adverse effects, of which nausea and vomiting appears earliest and is the most disturbing. Therefore, this study was planned to investigate the antiemetic drug regimens used for chemotherapy-induced nausea vomiting (CINV) in patients with breast cancer receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). Subjects and Methods: An observational follow-up study was conducted to assess the efficacy of antiemetic regimens in breast cancer patients receiving HEC. A total of 71 newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer were included in the study. Patients were assessed for nausea by the visual analog scale, and a history of emetic episodes and need for rescue medication were recorded at 0 h, 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 120 h post-chemotherapy till three cycles. Results: The patients were prescribed a combination of ondansetron and dexamethasone (n = 23, n = 17, and n = 13 in first, second, and third cycle, respectively) or a combination of aprepitant, ondansetron, and dexamethasone (n = 48, n = 54 and n = 56 in the first, second, and third cycle, respectively). The intensity of nausea was higher for the patients who were prescribed ondansetron and dexamethasone regimen as compared to patients prescribed aprepitant additionally. Complete response, i.e., no emesis and no rescue medication, was higher in triple-drug regimen (52% vs. 0.4%, 63% vs. 17.6%, and 69% vs. 23% in three cycles, respectively). Conclusion: The control of CINV was better with a combination of aprepitant, ondansetron, and dexamethasone as compared to a regimen without aprepitant.
Total Pelvic Exenteration in Leiomyosarcoma - A Case Report
Authors: Sarkar Atanu , Rai Shweta , Singh Angad , Ghosh Joydeep , Bhaumik Jaydip
Published: December 2020

Locally advanced high-grade leiomyosarcomas (LMS) with visceral involvement are difficult to manage. Here, we present a case of locally advanced high-grade sarcoma where total pelvic exenteration was undertaken to achieve complete cytoreduction. A 54-year-old lady with a prior history of hysterectomy and bilateral salpingoophorectomy done 8 years back for heavy menstrual bleeding presented to us with an abdomino-pelvic mass. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen suggested large heterogeneous pelvic mass displacing urinary bladder anteriorly and abutting recto-sigmoid posteriorly with no luminal involvement. There was bilateral hydronephrosis. Computed tomography of the thorax revealed no evidence of metastatic disease. A review of previous biopsy and a repeat ultrasound-guided biopsy from the pelvic mass done at our institute suggested spindle-cell neoplasm. In view of pelvis confined disease in a young woman with well-preserved general condition, decision for surgical excision was taken. She underwent total pelvic exenteration with en bloc removal of mass, bladder, and involved portion of recto-sigmoid as the disease was infiltrating both the bladder and the recto-sigmoid. Her postoperative course was turbulent, but she recovered fully and was discharged 20 days after surgery. The operative specimen histopathology revealed high-grade LMS. She received four cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy and thereafter was kept on follow-up. Although she was clinically doing well, her general condition never improved beyond Eastern cooperative oncology Group 2. She also had persistent depressive symptoms. After 14 months of completion of treatment, she recurred with a huge abdominal disease. In view of her general condition and huge disease volume, decision was taken for supportive care only. LMS in advanced stages are difficult to manage. Even after aggressive management with radical exenterative surgery and chemotherapy, we could achieve only temporary control of locally advanced LMS.
Diagnosing Primary Malignancy in Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis by Using CSF Cytology and Immunohistochemistry: A Case Report
Authors: Hasthavaram Navaneeth Reddy , Dadu Tina , Duggal Rajan , Qureshi Suhail , Baghmar Saphalta , Agarwal Amit , Khurana Aseem , Sarin Aditya , Singh Navdeep , Kumar Ramesh
Published: December 2020

We present a rare case of recurrent carcinoma of gallbladder with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology showed atypical cells, which were suspicious for malignancy on initial reporting. Diagnosis of malignancy and primary from hepatobiliary source was confirmed by doing immunohistochemistry on CSF cell block.
A Case Report and Review of B‑Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemias with Cannibalistic Lymphoblasts: A Unique Morphologic and Molecular Genetic Entity?
Authors: Bommannan B K , Sachdeva Man Updesh Singh , Naseem Shano , Khadwal Alka , Varma Neelam
Published: December 2020

Cannibalism is a type of “cell-in-cell” phenomenon commonly described in myeloid lineage malignancies. Although lymphocytes and their precursors are inherently non-phagocytic, there are sporadic case reports describing cannibalism by leukemic lymphoblasts. In the current manuscript, we report the case of a pediatric B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patient showing cannibalistic lymphoblasts and have reviewed the clinical and laboratory characteristics of similar cases documented in literature. Our manuscript highlights that all reported B-ALL patients showing cannibalistic lymphoblasts had intra-cytoplasmic vacuolations, and all such treatment-naïve pediatric patients were ETV6-RUNX1 fusion positive and had aberrant expression of myeloid lineage antigens.
Combining Immunotherapy with Multikinase Inhibitors: A Cautious New Promise
Authors: Pramanik Raja , Sharma Atul , Kumar Akash
Published: December 2020

Immune check point inhibitors have made a sea change in oncology practice in current times. These drugs have crossed the conventional boundaries of histology and organ of origin. Tumor agnostic approvals for mismatch repair deficient, microsatellite-instability (MSI)-H and recently tumor mutational burden-high solid tumors have been a giant leap. The Oncology community seems poised to embrace the concept of “immunotherapy for all.” Recent studies have evaluated the manipulation of tumor-associated macrophages using multi-kinase inhibitors, to make even MSI low tumor responsive to checkpoint inhibitors. With accelerated food and drug administration approvals, the promise of this combo is palpable but definitely merits caution.
Clinical Profile and Treatment of COVID-19 Patients: Experiences from an Ethiopian Treatment Center
Authors: Abdela Seid Getahun , Abegaz Seid Hassen , Demsiss Wondmagegn , Tamirat Koku Sisay , van Henten Saskia , van Griensven Johan
Published: December 2020

COVID-19 is not well studied in Africa. Understanding the clinical profile and management of COVID-19 will help to plan better prevention and treatment strategies taking the local context into consideration. In this study, we described the clinical profile, treatment used, and outcomes of COVID-19 patients in one of the COVID-19 treatment centers of Ethiopia, Boru Meda Hospital. An institution-based retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out using medical records of COVID-19 patients who were admitted to Boru Meda Hospital with a positive reverse transcription (RT)-PCR result from May 9, 2020 to September 20, 2020. All patients with a positive RT-PCR were admitted to the hospital, regardless of symptom and severity status. A total of 279 COVID-19 patients were included in the final analysis. The median age of patients was 28 years (interquartile range 23–40). The majority (69.5%) were male. Around a quarter (n = 73; 26.2%) of the patients were symptomatic, of which cough (n = 49; 67.1%) and fever (n = 32; 43.8%) were common symptoms. Among symptomatic patients, 48 (65.8%) were mild, four (5.5%) moderate, 12 (16.4%) severe, and nine (12.3%) were critical. The case fatality rate was 2.1%. Hypertension, age older than 25 years, and HIV/AIDS were significantly associated with symptomatic infection. In this study, most of the COVID-19 patients were asymptomatic. However, the proportion of severe and critical patients among those with symptoms was high. More studies are needed to assess the effect of HIV/AIDS on the severity and mortality of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Misinformation and Infodemic in Rural Africa
Authors: Okereke Melody , Ukor Nelson Ashinedu , Ngaruiya Lilian Muthoni , Mwansa Chikwe , Alhaj Samar Mohammed , Ogunkola Isaac Olushola , Jaber Hadi Mohammed , Isa Mashkur Abdulhamid , Ekpenyong Aniekan , Lucero-Prisno Don Eliseo
Published: December 2020

The world has witnessed rapid advancement and changes since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Wuhan, China. The significant changes experienced during these times remain unprecedented. The African continent has initiated significant responses to curb the spread of the pandemic. However, there is an increasing concern that rural Africa is facing serious challenges in their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is due to the uncertainty if the populations are detached from or in synch with information on COVID-19. The findings reported here suggest that rural Africa is burdened with misinformation and infodemic regarding COVID-19 due to widespread misconceptions and anecdotal reports. It is, therefore, necessary to engage with community leaders to provide awareness campaigns in rural communities to ensure access to reliable information issued by local and international health authorities. It is pertinent to set up avenues that improve health literacy in communities in rural Africa as it is a major determinant of information assimilation.
CAN FD Physical Layer, 500 kbps/2 Mbps
Authors:   Truck Bus Control and Communications Network Committee
Published: December 2020

This document defines a physical layer having a high bandwidth capacity utilizing the Flexible Data Rate Frame Format as defined in ISO 11898-1:2015. CAN controllers which support this format and compatible high speed transceivers are required for use on SAE J1939-17 networks.

This SAE Recommended Practice is intended for light- and heavy-duty vehicles on- or off-road as well as appropriate stationary applications which use vehicle derived components (e.g., generator sets). Vehicles of interest include but are not limited to: on- and off-highway trucks and their trailers; construction equipment; and agricultural equipment and implements.
Editorial Forward for the Special Issue from the Second International Conference on Future Learning Aspects of Mechanical Engineering
Authors: Sikarwar Basant Singh , Sharma Rakesh Chandmal , Tyagi R.K. , Phanden Rakesh Kumar
Published: December 2020

This issue of International Journal of Vehicle Structures and Systems covers a special issue covering the best papers selected on peer review basis and edited by the Guest Editors as above. These 7 papers are from the research papers presented in the special session on â€œVehicle Structure and System Designâ€ at the 2nd International Conference on Future Learning Aspects of Mechanical Engineering (FLAME - 2020) organised by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Amity University,, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India from 5th August to 7th August 2020. A short biography of each Guest Editor is also provided as further information for this special issue.
Caracterização da madeira de Hovenia dulcis para a fabricação de pisos
Authors: Marchesan Raquel , França Morgana Cristina , Loiola Pedro Licio , Pereira da Rocha Márcio , Klitzke Ricardo Jorge , Moreira da Silva José Reinaldo
Published: December 2020

Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar a madeira de Hovenia dulcis Thunberg, visando sua utilização na fabricação de pisos. Para a caracterização tecnológica, foram utilizadas cinco árvores obtidas em Floresta Ombrófila Mista. As toras foram mensuradas, para a determinação do seu volume. Posteriormente, foi realizado o desdobro das mesmas em tábuas e blocos, para a determinação da massa específica básica, dureza Janka (tora da base) e ensaios de simulação de piso em serviço (toras do meio e topo). As tábuas e os blocos foram secos, para posterior preparação dos corpos de prova. Esses foram confeccionados separando-se a madeira constituída com 100% de cerne daquela que apresentava cerne e alburno. A madeira de H. dulcis caracterizou-se como de média massa específica (0,54 g cm-³), com média resistência (5.851,99 N). Em todos os testes de simulação de piso em serviço, a madeira de H. dulcis proporcionou resistência superior ou semelhante a outras espécies exóticas e inferior a espécies folhosas nativas encontradas na literatura. Concluiu-se que a madeira em estudo apresenta baixa resistência para esforços máximos, podendo ser utilizada em pisos para trânsito leve ou em locais em que as cargas são baixas.
Active clearance of chest tubes after cardiac surgery: a propensity score matched analysis
Authors: Ntinopoulos Vasileios , Haeussler Achim , Papadopoulos Nestoras , Odavic Dragan , Fodor Patricia , Brugnetti Daniele , Rings Laura , Dushaj Stak , Dzemali Omer
Published: December 2020

AIMS OF THE STUDY
Chest tubes inserted to drain shed mediastinal blood after cardiac surgery often become clogged, limiting their capacity to evacuate blood, and leading to blood retention and retained blood syndrome. The aim of this study was the assessment of the efficacy of an active tube clearance (ATC) system in the reduction of retained blood syndrome after cardiac surgery.

METHODS
This study included 2461 adult patients undergoing major cardiac surgery. Patients receiving conventional chest tubes only (n = 1980) were compared with patients receiving an ATC tube in the retrosternal position (n = 481) for interventions caused by retained blood syndrome (re-exploration for bleeding or tamponade and interventions for pleural effusion or pneumothorax), kidney replacement therapy, postoperative atrial fibrillation, sternal infection and chest tube output before and after propensity score matching.

RESULTS
Propensity score matching generated 471 patient-pairs balanced for their baseline characteristics. Matched patients with an ATC tube in the retrosternal position had no statistically significant difference in the rate of intervention for retained blood syndrome (33% vs 31%, p = 1), re-exploration because of bleeding or tamponade (2.5% vs 4%, p = 1), intervention for pneumothorax (4.7% vs 4.9%, p = 1) and intervention for pleural effusion (28% vs 28%, p = 1), but had statistically significantly less chest tube output on the first postoperative day (median 480, IQR 316–700 ml vs median 590, IQR 380–905 ml; p <0.0001) and second postoperative day (median 505, IQR 342–800 ml vs median 597, IQR 383–962 ml; p = 0.0012) in comparison with patients with conventional chest tubes only.

CONCLUSION
An ATC tube in the retrosternal position reduced chest tube output but showed no reduction in the rate of intervention for retained blood syndrome. Further research should be performed to test the combination of ATC in the retrosternal and the inferior pericardial space.
Challenges and Coping Strategies of Covid-2019 in the Tourism Industry in Mauritius
Authors: Chummun Bibi Zaheenah , Mathithibane Mpho
Published: December 2020

The tourism industry of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) where Mauritius is one of them has been heavily impacted by 2019-nCoV due to its high reliance on foreign tourism. The study seeks to measure the effect of 2019-nCoV on the Mauritian tourism industry as well as its coping mechanism. The study methodology employs secondary data which has been sourced from academic journal publications, literature, documents from the Ministry of Tourism, government papers and other research readings. Secondary data was analysed through literature reviews and findings among others reveal negative impacts on economic activity and employment as a good percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from the Mauritian tourism industry. However, the small island of Mauritius has not given up in its struggle towards recovering its tourism industry to a certain extent. Although the small island has been declared a free zone of 2019-nCoV by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the increase in the number of cases from other countries is likely to have a strong bearing on the tourism industry of Mauritius. It is imperative that the island adopts a rigorous recovery approach in responding to the pandemic before the inflows and outflows of tourists occur again. It is recommended that taking proactive measures through planning the strict health-related safety measures and guidelines, green-focused tourism interventions amongst others and implementation thereof, should be undertaken by both the employees in the hospitality sector and the visiting tourists while the small island awaits for the upliftment of quarantine restrictions.
‘Opening up to the World’: An Exploration of Residents’ Opinions on and Perceptions of St Helena Island’s Tourism Development
Authors: Donaldson Ronnie , Forssman Adrian
Published: December 2020

St Helena Island, often regarded as one of the most remote places on earth, is an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom and generally considered geographically as ‘part’ of Africa. Economically, the island is wholly dependent on British aid. Once important as a stop for trading ships for some 400 years, the island has suffered the same problems faced by many other small island economies: a lack of natural resources, diseconomies of scale, net outmigration, and a dependence on aid and remittances. Tourism has been earmarked as an important sector which has the potential to contribute significantly to the economy of St Helena, especially after the completion of the St Helena Airport. The purpose of this research reported here was to determine the level of tourism development on St Helena since its ‘opening up’ to the world after the first passenger flight touched down in 2017, by applying Butler’s tourism area life cycle model and Doxey’s irridex model. These models provided the framework for qualitatively determining the level of tourism development. An e-survey was conducted among residents about their expectations of tourism development. St Helena has been trapped in the involvement stage for decades while being inhibited by its remoteness and accessibility issues. It is clear from the evidence that some of the island’s tourism characteristics relate to the involvement stage, whereas others are synonymous with the development stage. It is thus reasonable to argued that St Helena currently lies in a flux between the involvement and development stages of the Butler model. The opening of the airport is conceivably the springboard necessary for leaving behind all the impeding features of the involvement stage.