bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Time above range for predicting the development of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Marco Alejandra , Pazos-Couselo Marcos , Moreno-Fernandez Jesús , Díez-Fernández Ana , Alonso-Sampedro Manuela , Fernández-Merino Carmen , Gonzalez-Quintela Arturo , Gude Francisco
Published: December 2022

Aim

To investigate the prognostic value of time range metrics, as measured by continuous glucose monitoring, with respect to the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Research design and methods

A total of 499 persons without diabetes from the general population were followed-up for 5 years. Time range metrics were measured at the start and medical records were checked over the period study.

Results

Twenty-two subjects (8.3 per 1,000 person-years) developed T2D. After adjusting for age, gender, family history of diabetes, body mass index and glycated hemoglobin concentration, multivariate analysis revealed 'time above range' (TAR, i.e., with a plasma glucose concentration of >140 mg/dL) to be significantly associated with a greater risk (OR = 1.06, CI 1.01–1.11) of developing diabetes (AUC = 0.94, Brier = 0.035).

Conclusions

Time above range provides additional information to that offered by glycated hemoglobin to identify patients at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in a population-based study.
Social media use and mental health of urban residents during China's second COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Zheng Zhenhua , Sun Ning , Chen Yu , Chen Hong
Published: December 2022

Background

A multitude of literature has shown that during the 2019 COVID-19 outbreak, people's reliance on social media has been closely related with serious psychological problems. The “information epidemic” has sparked each country's attention. These countries including China have tried to find the solution and taken a series of measures. In January 2021, the COVID-19 broke out again in Shijiazhuang, China. Has the impact of social media on mental health changed?

Methods

Our data are based on an online survey of Chinese in January 2021, with 904 valid samples from 18 different provinces in China. We applied the methods of structural equation model analysis and the tendency value matching to conduct systematic analysis.

Results

Our research found that 38.9% of the population suffered from depression and 12.61% of the population suffered from anxiety. Chinese urban residents are more dependent on social media, with up to 80.1% of participants using social media frequently. Our research found that the relationship between social media use and residents' mental health has dramatically changed. More use of social media has been significantly associated with less depression and anxiety, especially among young people and women. Our findings are the first to reveal the relation's change between social media and mental health.

Conclusions

These findings implied that changes in the social media environment probably lead to changes in relationship between social media use and mental health since the outbreak began in 2019. Truthful and comprehensive social media information and a healthy positive social media environment can contribute to residents' mental health improvement and the fight against “information epidemic.”
Reduced antibody response to COVID-19 vaccine composed of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 in diabetic individuals
Authors: Cheng Yandong , Shen Ping , Tao Yue , Zhang Wenjun , Xu Biyun , Bi Yan , Han Zhen , Zhou Yi-Hua
Published: December 2022

Background

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk for COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality. Antibody response to COVID-19 vaccine in T2DM patients is not very clear. The present work aims to evaluate the antibody response to the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in this population.

Methods

Two groups of subjects with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included: 63 T2DM patients and 56 non-T2DM controls. Each participant received two doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. IgG antibodies against the nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 (anti-N/S IgG) and receptor binding domain (RBD) proteins (anti-RBD IgG) were quantitatively evaluated by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, respectively.

Results

It was observed that the positive rates and titers of anti-N/S IgG and anti-RBD IgG in T2DM patients were significantly lower than those in controls, respectively (anti-N/S: 85.7 vs. 98.2%, P = 0.034; 25.48 vs. 33.58 AU/ml P = 0.011; anti-RBD: 85.7 vs. 96.4%, P = 0.044; 15.45 vs. 22.25 AU/ml, P = 0.019). Compared to non-T2DM subjects, T2DM patients with uncontrolled glycemia showed lower positive antibody rates and titers (anti-N/S IgG: 75% and 13.30 AU/ml; anti-RBD IgG: 75% and 11.91 AU/ml, respectively, all P < 0.05), while T2DM patients with controlled glycemia had similar positive antibody rates and titers (anti-N/S IgG: 94.3% and 33.65 AU/ml; and anti-RBD IgG: 94.3% and 19.82 AU/ml, respectively, all P > 0.05).

Conclusion

In the analysis performed, the data indicate that T2DM patients with uncontrolled glycemia showed a lower level of IgG antibodies compared to non-diabetic controls and individuals with controlled glycemia when immunized with the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine.
Global COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mengistu Dechasa Adare , Demmu Yohannes Mulugeta , Asefa Yohanis Alemeshet
Published: December 2022

Background

A vaccine against COVID-19 is a vital tool in managing the current pandemic. It is becoming evident that an effective vaccine would be required to control COVID-19. Effective use of vaccines is very important in controlling pandemics and paving the way for an acceptable exit strategy. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to determine the global COVID-19 acceptance rate that is necessary for better management of COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This review was conducted based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis protocols and considered the studies conducted on acceptance and/or hesitancy of COVID-19 vaccine. Articles were searched using electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. The quality of the study was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical assessment tool to determine the relevance of each included article to the study.

Results

Of the 6,021 articles identified through the electronic database search, 68 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The global pooled acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 64.9% [95% CI of 60.5 to 69.0%]. Based on the subgroup analysis of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate by the World Health Organization's region, the countries where the study was conducted, occupation, and survey period, the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate was 60.8% [95% CI: 56.3, 65.2%], 61.9% [95% CI: 61.3, 62.4%], 81.6% [95% CI: 79.7, 83, 2%] and 64.5% [95% CI: 60.3, 68.5%], respectively.

Conclusions

This review revealed the variation in the level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate across the world. The study found that the overall prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was 64.9%. This finding indicated that even if the COVID-19 vaccine is developed, the issue of accepting or taking the developed vaccine and managing the pandemic may be difficult.
Trends of late HIV presentation and advance HIV disease among newly diagnosed HIV cases in Jiangsu, China: A serial cross-sectional study from 2008 to 2020
Authors: Shi Lingen , Tang Weiming , Liu Xiaoyan , Hu Haiyang , Qiu Tao , Chen Yuheng , Xu Xiaoqin , Chen Yunting , Zhang Zhi , Zhou Ying , Lu Jing , Fu Gengfeng
Published: December 2022

Background

This study aimed to assess the trends and determine the factors associated with late presentation (LP) and advanced HIV disease (AHD) among newly diagnosed people living with HIV (PLWH) from 2008 to 2020 in Jiangsu, China.

Methods

Newly diagnosed PLWH registered in the HIV surveillance system from 2008 to 2020 were included. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors associated with LP and AHD. The LP and AHD trends were assessed using Joint-point analysis.

Results

Of 37,251 newly diagnosed PLWH identified, 30,251(81.2%) patients met the inclusion criteria. Among those, 16,672 (55.1%) were considered LP, and 8,691 (28.7%) had AHD. LP trends steadily increased from 2008 (39.0%) to 2020 (59.4%), but AHD trends decreased visibly from 2016 (32.3%) to 2020 (23.4%). The overall median CD4 trends decreased slowly from 389 to 305 cells/mm3 between 2008 and 2020. Married patients and those older than 35 years were more likely to be LP and have AHD. Patients infected via heterosexual transmission had a higher risk of being classified as AHD (aOR: 1.13, 95%CI: 1.06–1.21) than patients infected via homosexual transmission. Patients that were diagnosed at sexually transmitted infections (STIs) clinics (aOR: 1.10, 95%CI: 1.01–1.20) and in hospitals (aOR: 1.69, 95%CI: 1.59–1.79) were more likely to be classified as LP compared with patients diagnosed at voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) centers. Similar, patients diagnosed at STIs clinics (aOR: 1.23, 95%CI: 1.11–1.36) and hospitals (aOR: 2.27, 95%CI: 2.12–2.43) were more likely to have AHD than patients diagnosed in VCT.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate an alarming burden of LP in Jiangsu, suggesting the need for more attention toward HIV diagnosis at early CD4 stages. National HIV control programs must strengthen comprehensive interventions for HIV prevention and promote HIV services. Also, strategies for HIV prevention (PrEP and PEP), testing, and treatment must be extended, especially among the general population.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of rehabilitation area professionals: A systematic review
Authors: Bohórquez-Blanco Sandra , Allande-Cussó Regina , Martín-López Cristina , Gómez-Salgado Juan , García-Iglesias Juan Jesús , Fagundo-Rivera Javier , Ruiz-Frutos Carlos
Published: December 2022

Background

The role of the physiotherapist is vital in the recovery of post-COVID-19 patients, but fear of contagion is a possible feeling among healthcare professionals. The objective of this study is to assess the mental health effects that COVID-19 has had on healthcare workers, including rehabilitation care, in times of pandemic.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA format in the Pubmed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases between July and September 2022. Keywords included were “healthcare providers,” “COVID-19,” “Mental Health,” and “Psychological Distress.” Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools.

Results

A total of 14 studies were included in this review. The study population was healthcare professionals including the rehabilitation services. In total, 4 studies reported exclusively on anxiety and stress levels in physiotherapists providing care during the pandemic.

Conclusions

The mental health of healthcare professionals has been compromised during the pandemic. However, initially, research was only focused on physicians and nurses, so the need arises to include those professionals, such as physiotherapists, who are also in direct contact with COVID-19 patients.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=367664, identifier: CRD42022367664.
School adaptation and adolescent immigrant mental health: Mediation of positive academic emotions and conduct problems
Authors: Xie Lingping , Zou Weixing , Wang Hongli
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Immigrant adolescents must adapt their physical and mental attitudes to attain healthy development due to dramatic changes in their living and learning environments after relocation. From the perspective of positive psychology, this study explored the specific influence of school adaptation on mental health among immigrant adolescents, mainly focusing on the mediating effects of positive academic emotions and conduct problems.

Methods

We selected primary and secondary school students from five relocated resettlement schools in Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, which has the largest population of relocated people in Guizhou Province, China. Using cluster sampling, 550 relocated students in Grades 5–12 from the five schools were recruited to complete a battery of questionnaires, including the Immigrant Adolescents' School Adaptation Scale, the General Health Scale, and the Positive Academic Emotions Questionnaire, and the Adolescents' Behavioral Tendency Questionnaire. In addition, this study used the bias-corrected bootstrap method to explore the chain-mediating effect of positive academic emotions and conduct problems between school adaptation and mental health.

Results

The results showed that immigrant adolescents had significant gender differences only in conduct problems. However, significant learning stage differences existed in school adaptation, mental health, positive academic emotions, and conduct problems. School adaptation, positive academic emotions, and mental health were significantly positively correlated. In contrast, conduct problems were significantly negatively correlated with mental health. School adaptation influenced mental health through the mediation effects of positive academic emotions and conduct problems. These effects contained three paths: the separate mediation effects of positive academic emotions and conduct problems and the chain mediation effect of positive academic emotions and conduct problems.
Essential health services delivery in South Africa during COVID-19: Community and healthcare worker perspectives
Authors: Lalla-Edward Samanta T. , Mosam Atiya , Hove Jennifer , Erzse Agnes , Rwafa-Ponela Teurai , Price Jessica , Nyatela Athini , Nqakala Sizwe , Kahn Kathleen , Tollman Stephen , Hofman Karen , Goldstein Susan
Published: December 2022

Background

Between May 2020 and February 2022, South Africa's health system bore strain as it battled mitigating the coronavirus pandemic. The country's pandemic response was scrutinized. This period also brought into focus pre-existing shortcomings in the healthcare system and its governing bodies. Contextually, there is a paucity in literature on the experiences of healthcare providers and users. This study aimed to contribute information on COVID-19, with the intention of providing guidance on preparing for future infectious disease outbreaks.

Methods

Cross sectional exploratory qualitative methodology was employed using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with community members (CM) and healthcare workers (HCW) from two South African study sites: (a) rural Bushbuckridge (run by Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance Site) and (b), Regions D and F in Johannesburg Metropole.

Results

After interviewing 42 CMs and 43 HCWs, it emerged that mandated process changes while minimizing COVID-19 exposure, necessitated healthcare personnel focusing on critical care treatment at the expense of less acute ones. COVID-19 isolation protocols, extensive absenteeism and HCWs with advanced skills being perceived as more adept to treat COVID-19 patients contributed to HCWs experiencing higher workloads. Fears regarding contracting and transmitting COVID-19, suffering financial losses, and not being able to provide adequate advice to patients were recurrent themes. Dissemination of relevant information among healthcare facility personnel and communities suffered due to breakdowns in communication.

Conclusion

Concessions and novel strategies to avail medication to patients had to be created. Since providence was lacking, government needs to formulate health intervention strategies that embrace health literacy, alternate methods of chronic medication dispensation, improved communication across health care platforms and the use of telehealth, to circumvent the threats of possible further infectious disease outbreaks.
Experiences pertaining to child nutrition and care provision among early care and education stakeholders, sponsors, and center directors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-method study
Authors: Erinosho Temitope , Jana Bethany , Loefstedt Kaitlyn , Vu Maihan , Ward Dianne
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study used multiple methods (interviews, survey) to assess experiences of stakeholders, sponsors, and center-based early care and education (ECE) program directors pertaining to child nutrition (e.g., provision of nutritious foods, mealtime practices, CACFP administration/use) and the provision of child-care (i.e., day-to-day ECE operations and programming) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Participants included stakeholders from 22 national and state agencies associated with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) who also work to promote nutrition and quality child-care, representatives of 17 CACFP sponsor organizations, and 40 center-based ECE program directors who participated in interviews, as well as 100 ECE directors who completed surveys. Data were collected across four states. Thematic analyses of interviews and descriptive methods were used to analyze data collected.

Results

Six main themes emerged from stakeholders, sponsors, and ECE program directors' focusing on: experiences during the temporary closure of several ECE programs; additional responsibilities and unanticipated expenses for ECE programs; difficulty in keeping up with constantly changing COVID-19 guidance; encounters during shifts from in-person to virtual training and monitoring; changes to nutrition practices at ECE; and the need to prioritize ECE funding.

Conclusions

Findings highlight challenges and supports to ECE programs and could inform future efforts to enhance child-care quality and child nutrition in the U.S. during pandemic situations.
Sentence-level complexity in Russian: An evaluation of BERT and graph neural networks
Authors: Ivanov Vladimir Vladimirovich
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Sentence-level complexity evaluation (SCE) can be formulated as assigning a given sentence a complexity score: either as a category, or a single value. SCE task can be treated as an intermediate step for text complexity prediction, text simplification, lexical complexity prediction, etc. What is more, robust prediction of a single sentence complexity needs much shorter text fragments than the ones typically required to robustly evaluate text complexity. Morphosyntactic and lexical features have proved their vital role as predictors in the state-of-the-art deep neural models for sentence categorization. However, a common issue is the interpretability of deep neural network results.

Methods

This paper presents testing and comparing several approaches to predict both absolute and relative sentence complexity in Russian. The evaluation involves Russian BERT, Transformer, SVM with features from sentence embeddings, and a graph neural network. Such a comparison is done for the first time for the Russian language.

Results and discussion

Pre-trained language models outperform graph neural networks, that incorporate the syntactical dependency tree of a sentence. The graph neural networks perform better than Transformer and SVM classifiers that employ sentence embeddings. Predictions of the proposed graph neural network architecture can be easily explained.
A quantification method for trace level of oxytocin in food matrices using LC-MS/MS
Authors: Kumar Dinesh , Azad Ramiz M. R. , Oulkar Dasharath , Oberoi Harinder Singh , Jacob Sanu , Koner B. C. , Sonkar S. C.
Published: December 2022

Backgrounds: Oxytocin is nowadays used to increase the agricultural products besides its use during the milking of cattle leading to the contamination of agricultural produce and milk with oxytocin. Monitoring of accurate oxytocin contaminations from foodstuffs is sometimes required to maintain the quality standard. The commonly used oxytocin assays in this study were interfered with by the food matrix. There is a need to develop an accurate and confirmed method for monitoring oxytocin contaminations in foodstuffs.

Objective: An attempt is made to develop an accurate assay method of oxytocin from milk and agricultural produces.

Methods: The acidified methanol was used for the extraction of oxytocin from target food stuff/matrices (agricultural produce and Milk). LC-MS/MS was used for its detection and quantification. In the chromatographic separation, Oxytocin concentration was optimized using selective reaction monitoring (SRM) with heated electrospray ionization (HESI) in positive polarity. The chromatographic separation was performed using a reversed-phase C18 column with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min. The acidified methanol was used for the extraction of oxytocin in all target food matrices. The method performance was verified as per the SANTE 2021 guideline. After method validation, the method was applied in real food samples analysis for assessing the presence/absence of oxytocin.

Results: The calibration curve offered excellent linearity (R2 = 0.999) with less than 15% residuals. The matrix effect was <20% observed for all target matrices. The mean recoveries were within 70%–115% with <11% RSD at four different levels in milk and 0.01 mg/kg in fruits and vegetables. The optimized method was applied to 50 random samples of milk, fruits, and vegetables from the market for the purposes of an established quality control approach. Based on the results, we did observe a signal of oxytocin in the random samples Therefore, this method has shown its practical suitability for the detection of oxytocin in milk, fruits, and vegetables.

Conclusion: Extraction of oxytocin using acidified methanol followed by assays using LC-MS/MS is a simple, sensitive, accurate, reproducible, and practically suitable method for detection and quantification of oxytocin from milk, fruits, and vegetables.
Substorm activity as a driver of energetic pulsating aurora
Authors: Troyer Riley N. , Jaynes Allison N. , Kaeppler Stephen R. , Varney Roger H. , Reimer Ashton S. , Jones Sarah L.
Published: December 2022

Pulsating aurora are common diffuse-like aurora. Studies have suggested that they contain higher energy particles than other types and are possibly linked to substorm activity. There has yet to be a quantitative statistical study of the variation in pulsating aurora energy content related to substorms. We analyzed the inverted energy content from 53 events using the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar. To reduce the uncertainty, we split the differential energy flux into low and high energy using the limit of 30 keV. We also analyzed the lower altitude boundary of the electron density profile, characterized by a number density of >1010 m−3, and used this as a proxy for high energy. We compared both of these to magnetic local time (MLT), AE index, and temporal proximity to substorm onset. There was a slight trend in MLT, but a much stronger one in relation to both substorm onset and AE index. For higher AE and closer to onset the total energy flux and flux above 30 keV increased. In addition, this higher energy remained enhanced for an hour after substorm onset. Our results confirm the high energy nature of pulsating aurora, demonstrate the connection to substorms, and imply their importance to coupling between the magnetosphere and atmosphere.
Single low-dose ketamine infusion for women with prenatal depressive symptoms undergoing cesarean delivery: A pilot randomized trial
Authors: Wang Shuo , Deng Chun-Mei , Zeng Yuan , Ma Jia-Hui , Qu Yuan , Wang Dong-Xin
Published: December 2022

Background

Ketamine is approved for antidepressant therapy, but evidence regarding its use in women with perinatal depression is lacking. Herein, we investigated the effects of low-dose ketamine in women with prenatal depressive symptoms and tested the feasibility of a future large randomized trial.

Methods

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial. Sixty-six women with prenatal depressive symptoms who were scheduled for elective cesarean delivery were randomized to receive either low-dose ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or placebo (normal saline). The study drugs were intravenously infused over a 40-minute period after clamping the umbilical cord. The primary outcome was depression score assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 48 h postpartum. Among other and safety outcomes, occurrence of nausea or vomiting was observed, pain intensity was assessed with the numeric rating scale. The feasibility of implementing the protocol was also evaluated.

Results

A total of 64 parturients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The depression score at 48 h did not differ between groups: median 9 (interquartile range 6 to 13) with ketamine vs. 8 (6 to 10) with placebo; median difference 1, 95% CI −1 to 3; P = 0.608. The pain intensity at 4 h postpartum was less severe in the ketamine group (median difference −1, 95% CI −1 to 0, P = 0.002). Among safety outcomes, intraoperative nausea or vomiting was less common in patients given ketamine (0.0% [0/33] with ketamine vs. 21.2% [7/33] with placebo, P = 0.011). Recruitment was satisfactory and the protocol was acceptable to participants and clinicians.

Conclusions

A single low-dose ketamine infusion did not decrease the depression score at 2 days, but reduced intraoperative nausea and vomiting and lowered pain intensity at 4 h after cesarean delivery among women with prenatal depressive symptoms. The study protocol is feasible for a large randomized trial.

Clinical Trial Registration

The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT03336541; 08/11/2017).
D-lactate is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection
Authors: Fuchs M. , Faschingbauer M. , Riklin-Dold M. , Morovic P. , Reichel H. , Trampuz A. , Karbysheva S.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Reliable biomarkers for the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) are of paramount clinical value. To date, synovial fluid leukocyte count is the standard surrogate parameter indicating PJI. As D-lactate is almost solely produced by bacteria, it represents a promising molecule in the diagnostic workflow of PJI evaluation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the performance of synovial fluid D-lactate for diagnosing PJI of the hip and knee.

Materials and Methods

These are preliminary results of a prospective multicenter study from one academic center. Seventy-two consecutive patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were prospectively included. All patients received a joint aspiration in order to rule out or confirm PJI, which was diagnosed according to previously published institutional criteria. Synovial fluid D-lactate was determined spectrophotometrically at 450 nm. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic performance.

Results

Eighteen patients (25%) were diagnosed with PJI and 54 patients (75%) were classified as aseptic. Synovial fluid D-lactate showed a sensitivity of 90.7% (95% CI: 79.7%–96.9%) and specificity of 83.3% (95% CI: 58.6%–96.4%) at a cut-off of 0.04 mmol/L. The median concentration of D-lactate was significantly higher in patients with PJI than in those with aseptic conditions (0.048 mmol/L, range, 0.026–0.076 mmol/L vs. 0.024 mmol/L, range, 0.003–0.058 mmol/L, p < 0.0001). The predominat microogranisms were staphylococci, followed by streptococci and gram-negative bacteria.

Conclusion

D-lactate bears a strong potential to act as a valuable biomarker for diagnosing PJI of the hip and knee. In our study, a cutoff of 0.04 mmol/L showed a comparable sensitivity to synovial fluid leukocyte count. However, its specificity was higher compared to conventional diagnostic tools. The additional advantages of D-lactate testing are requirement of low synovial fluid volume, short turnaround time and low cost.
Case report: Teflon granuloma following microvascular decompression manifesting as light-triggered trigeminal neuralgia
Authors: Prasetya Mustaqim , Adidharma Peter , Inoue Takuro , Sulistyanto Adi , Fadhil  , Oswari Selfy , Keswani Ryan Rhiveldi , Kusdiansah Muhammad , Aji Yunus Kuntawi , Arham Abrar
Published: December 2022

Trigeminal Neuralgia is commonly triggered by stimuli in the area of the trigeminal nerve innervation. We report an exceptionally rare case of a 61-year-old woman who complained of recurrent trigeminal neuralgia, which sole trigger was seeing a bright light. Teflon felt that was placed on the nerve root in the initial surgery was suspected of causing this rare type of trigeminal neuralgia. A reflex circuit linking luminance to trigeminal nerve activity may be implicated in activating a trigeminal nociceptive pathway by a bright light trigger.
Treatment protocols for claw horn lesions and their impact on lameness recovery, pain sensitivity, and lesion severity in moderately lame primiparous dairy cows
Authors: Sadiq Mohammed Babatunde , Ramanoon Siti Zubaidah , Shaik Mossadeq Wan Mastura , Mansor Rozaihan , Syed-Hussain Sharifah Salmah
Published: December 2022

This study aims to investigate the effects of routine treatment protocols for claw horn disruptive lesions (CHDL) on lameness recovery rates, pain sensitivity, and lesion severity in moderately lame primiparous cows. A cohort of first parity cows was recruited from a single commercial dairy herd and randomly allocated to five treatments, comprising four lame groups (LTNB, LTN, LTB, and LT) and a single group non-lame group. Eligibility criteria for the lame cows included a first lameness score (score 3/5), presence of CHDL on a single foot, good body condition score of 3.0 to 3.5, and no history of previous lameness. LTNB received a combination of therapeutic trim, administration of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID; Ketoprofen) for 3 days, and hoof block on the healthy claw. Both LTN and LTB received the same treatment as LTNB without hoof block and NSAID, respectively. LT received only a therapeutic trim, whereas non-LT (negative control) received either a therapeutic or preventive trim. Pain sensitivity was assessed using the limb withdrawal reflex while lesion severity was recorded using the International Committee Animal Records (ICAR) Atlas guide. The enrolled cows were observed at weekly intervals, and the primary outcomes were assessed 28 days after treatment. The number (%) of recovered cows was 15 of 20 (75%), 13 of 21 (61.9%), 6 of 14 (42.9%), and 6 of 15 (40%) for LTNB, LTN, LTB, and LT, respectively. LTNB had significantly higher odds of successful treatment (OR = 4.5; 95% 1.1–19.1) compared to LT. Pain sensitivity based on limb withdrawal reflex was absent in a significantly higher number of cows (15/20; 75.0%) in LTNB compared to LTB and LT. LTB had a significantly lower lesion severity score in comparison to LTN. Overall, cows with limb withdrawal at day 28 after treatment were less likely (OR = 0.06; 95% CI 0.01–0.24) to develop a non-lame score. In conclusion, the treatment with therapeutic trim, hoof block, and NSAID led to better recovery and reduced pain sensitivity in moderately lame primiparous cows with good BCS compared to those that received only therapeutic trim. Further research on the changes within the hoof capsule following various treatment protocols is needed to elucidate the clinical benefits observed in this study.
A Narrative Review of Innovative Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020
Authors: Wu Tzu-Chi , Ho Chien-Ta Bruce
Published: December 2022

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. While existing studies on innovation have typically focused on technology, health providers still only have a vague understanding of the features of emergency responses during resource exhaustion in the early stage of a pandemic. Thus, a better understanding of innovative responses by healthcare systems during a crisis is urgently needed.

Methods: Using content analysis, this narrative review examined articles on innovative responses during the COVID-19 pandemic that were published in 2020.

Results: A total of 613 statements about innovative responses were identified from 296 articles and were grouped under the following thematic categories: medical care (n = 273), workforce education (n = 144), COVID-19 surveillance (n = 84), medical equipment (n = 59), prediction and management (n = 34), and governance (n = 19). From the four types of innovative responses extracted, technological innovation was identified as the major type of innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by process innovations, frugal innovation, and repurposing.

Conclusion: Our review provides insights into the features, types, and evolution of innovative responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This review can help health providers and society show better and quicker responses in resource-constrained conditions in future pandemics.
Active Flutter Suppression of a Wing Section in a Compressible Flow
Authors: Muñoz Álvaro , García-Fogeda Pablo
Published: December 2022

In this paper, a unified method for the computation of the unsteady aerodynamic forces in the Laplace domain for a wing section in subsonic, sonic and supersonic potential flows is presented. The subsonic solution is a new development based on the pressure mode method. The unsteady aerodynamic forces are evaluated in the Laplace domain by an efficient method for computing the kernel. The sonic potential flow solution is an extension of the solution for the frequency domain to the Laplace domain. Analytical expressions for the unsteady pressure coefficient and the unsteady aerodynamic forces in the Laplace domain are obtained for this flow regime. The method is validated in these regimes with existing theories in the frequency domain, and its application to flutter computation is provided for different Mach numbers by the use of the p-method. Active flutter suppression for a wing section with three degrees of freedom has been studied, and an adequate control law has been obtained. Using the proposed approach allows to calculate the unsteady aerodynamic forces directly in the Laplace domain, avoiding the inconvenience of the curve fitting from the frequency to the Laplace domain. In particular, this work can be used as a base for the application of other procedures for flutter suppression in the transonic regime.
Antiviral Activity of TiO2 NPs against Tobacco Mosaic Virus in Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)
Authors: Acuña-Fuentes Noemi L. , Vargas-Hernandez Marcela , Rivero-Montejo Samantha de Jesus , Rivas-Ramirez Luisa K. , Macias-Bobadilla Israel , Palos-Barba Viviana , Rivera-Muñoz Eric M. , Guevara-Gonzalez Ramon G. , Torres-Pacheco Irineo
Published: December 2022

Tobacco mosaic virus is the etiological agent of one of the most critical diseases limiting chili pepper production. Various practices have been used to manage the disease, e.g., the use of resistant varieties and interference with the vector through chemical control. However, these practices are not helpful once the virus has been established in the plant. There is still no effective method for the sustainable management of the disease; therefore, exploring new options is required. Currently, some studies have reported the activity of TiO2 NPs against viruses in plants, although not against TMV in chili pepper. The present work aims to determine a possible direct action of TiO2 NPs against TMV and if there is a relationship between the amount of virus and symptoms. The application of TiO2 NPs at 150 μg/mL in infected pepper plants reduced symptoms and viral load and improved the morphological characteristics compared to the control. Incubation of 150 µg/mL TiO2 NPs with the virus for 6 and 8 h before infection decreased viral concentration significantly after infection compared to the control. In this work, it is reported, for the first time, that the use of TiO2 NPs is a novel practice for the control of TMV in chili pepper.
Investigation by High-Throughput Sequencing Methods of Microbiota Dynamics in Spontaneous Fermentation of Abruzzo (South Italy) Wines
Authors: Guzzon Raffaele , Franciosi Elena , Toffanin Annita
Published: December 2022

Spontaneous wine fermentation is a meaningful topic that cannot be disregarded among winemakers and consumers due to the peculiarity of the organoleptic profile that it confers to the wine. Nevertheless, in this process the activity of indigenous microorganisms might be a threat. We studied the evolution of the spontaneous fermentation process in a traditional Italian winery in order to understand the origin of spoilage microorganisms, and to characterize the peculiarity of the microbiota associated with spontaneous fermentation. Six Trebbiano and Montepulciano wine production chains were monitored by plate counts made by OIV methods and by Illumina MiSeq technique. Despite some compositional deficiencies, all grape musts were characterized by a highly concentrated microbial population. Non-Saccharomyces yeasts revealed an unexpected tolerance to ethanol, which has contributed to the evolution of alcoholic fermentation. Lactic bacteria were detectable from the very first steps of the winemaking process, with a prevalence of Leuconostoc spp. which is nowadays, rarely isolated in wine. The combination between culture-dependent and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) approaches allowed to estimate microbial diversity and growth dynamics in wine fermentations of different grape varieties and under different treatments; these results could be used by winemakers as a starting point to drive a more mindful, accurate and, controlled fermentation process and to set up the most suitable environmental conditions to enhance wine singularities.
Environmental and Socioeconomic Determinants of Virtual Water Trade of Grain Products: An Empirical Analysis of South Korea Using Decomposition and Decoupling Model
Authors: Odey Golden , Adelodun Bashir , Lee Seulgi , Adeyemi Khalid Adeola , Cho Gunho , Choi Kyung Sook
Published: December 2022

The world’s sustainable growth is being severely hampered by the inefficient use of water resources. Despite the widely acknowledged importance of trade in global and regional water and food security, societal reliance on local production, as well as international trade, remains inadequately assessed. Therefore, using South Korea as a case study, this study fills in this research gap by applying the virtual water concept, the logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) method, and the Tapio decoupling model. The virtual water concept was used to estimate South Korea’s net virtual water trade for major grain crops from 1992 to 2017. Then, the LMDI method was utilized to assess the driving factors causing changes in net virtual water trade. Lastly, the Tapio decoupling model was used to investigate the decoupling relationships between economic growth and the driving factors of net virtual water trade. The results showed that South Korea remains a net importer of virtual water flows with respect to grain crops, with an average import of 16,559.24 million m3 over the study period. In addition, the change in net virtual water trade could be attributed to the water intensity effect, product structure effect, economic effect, and population effect. However, water intensity and economic effects were the major decisive factors for decreases and increases in net virtual water trade, respectively, while the population and product structure effects had minor positive influences on the net virtual water trade. Furthermore, water intensity and economic growth showed a strong decoupling in most periods, while the decoupling state between product structure and economic growth was observed as expansive negative decoupling. Likewise, population size and economic growth showed a weak decoupling in most periods. The results reveal South Korea’s status as it concerns the virtual water trade of grain crops, thus providing valuable insights into the sustainability of trade activities for the management of local water resources.
LiDAR Odometry and Mapping Based on Semantic Information for Maize Field
Authors: Dong Naixi , Chi Ruijuan , Zhang Weitong
Published: December 2022

Agricultural environment mapping is the premise of the autonomous navigation of agricultural robots. Due to the undulating terrain and chaotic environment, it is challenging to accurately map the environmental maize field using existing LOAM (LiDAR odometry and mapping) methods. This paper proposes a LOAM method based on maize stalk semantic features for 6-DOF (degrees of freedom) pose estimation and field mapping with agricultural robots operating in a dynamic environment. The piecewise plane fitting method filters the ground points for the complex farmland terrain. To eliminate the unstable factors in the environment, we introduce the semantic information of maize plants into the feature extraction. The regional growth method segments the maize stalk instances, the instances are parameterized to a line model, and the optimization method calculates the pose transformation. Finally, the mapping method corrects the drift error of the odometry and outputs the maize field map. This paper compares our method with the GICP and LOAM methods. The trajectory relative errors of our method are 0.88%, 0.96%, and 2.12%, respectively, better than other methods. At the same time, the map drawn by our method has less ghosting and clearer plant edges. The results show that our method is more robust and accurate than other methods due to the introduction of semantic information in the environment. The mapping of corn fields can be further used in precision agriculture.
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs): The Connection between Cultivation Practices and Biological Properties
Authors: Chrysargyris Antonios , Skaltsa Helen , Konstantopoulou Maria
Published: December 2022

Cultivation management is essential to balance fundamental parameters for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) such as biomass and the production of high-quality essential oils and extracts, with remarkable properties [...]
The Effect of Variable Fertilizer and Irrigation Treatments on Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Aridland Sorghum
Authors: Duval Benjamin D. , Martin Jamie , Marsalis Mark A.
Published: December 2022

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are significant contributors to global change. We experimentally manipulated biogeochemical control points (exogenous N, irrigation) to examine management strategies that could impact GHG flux, i.e., carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) and soil physiochemical changes over a growing season in an arid New Mexico sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cropping system. Sorghum is water and N efficient and tolerant to environmental stress. Interrogating how crop systems perform in intense heat, aridity and ultraviolet stress of the southwestern US climate can inform future management in areas that produce more food currently, but that will undergo these stresses in the near future. Water was applied at regionally typical rates, or at ~30% below those rates. Timing N to plant needs may reduce N loss and N2O emissions, and we tested this hypothesis by adding equal amounts of fertilizer to all plots, with half receiving all fertilizer at planting versus plots fertilized at 50:50 planting and 30 days post-planting. Gas flux from soil was analyzed via FTIR. More biomass was harvested from the fully irrigated plots; N timing did not significantly affect biomass. Soil pH fluctuated throughout the season in response to both treatments. Carbon dioxide emissions significantly increased in fully irrigated plots through time. Methane uptake was depressed by full irrigation. Nitrous oxide flux was lower in split N plots, but N2O emissions were not impacted by reduced irrigation. These results suggest that arid adapted crops can be managed for reduced GHG flux when biogeochemical control points are considered in management practices.
Assessment of Residuality of Hymexazol in Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) Crop by a Modified QuEChERS Method and Liquid Chromatography Tandem-Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Báez-Sañudo Manuel Alonzo , Jiménez-Ortega Luis Alfonso , Bastidas-Bastidas Pedro de Jesús
Published: December 2022

Hymexazol (HYM) is an active ingredient commonly used in a wide variety of crops; however, to date, there are no publications on its dissipation and residuality in strawberry fruits and leaves. The objective of the research was to evaluate the dissipation and residuality of hymexazol in strawberry using a modified QuEChERS method with UHPLC-ESI/MS-MS. For this, several validation experiments using the chromatographic method were conducted. The strawberry crop was established in the field, and the content of the HYM was monitored through several applications. The method showed good linearity (correlation coefficients > 0.9995), accuracy (recoveries in 73.7–109.4%), and sensitivity (limits of quantification 0.017 mg kg−1). Despite the two and four drench-treatments of HYM in the strawberry crop, the compound was not detected at levels above the LOD 24 and 48 h after the last treatment. This is due to various plants metabolizing hymexazol to glucose conjugates of its tautomers, i.e., its O-glucoside and N-glucoside, probably with low or null movement to the aerial parts and fruits of the crop.
Discovery of Highly Trimethoprim-Resistant DfrB Dihydrofolate Reductases in Diverse Environmental Settings Suggests an Evolutionary Advantage Unrelated to Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Cellier-Goetghebeur Stella , Lafontaine Kiana , Lemay-St-Denis Claudèle , Tsamo Princesse , Bonneau-Burke Alexis , Copp Janine N. , Pelletier Joelle N.
Published: December 2022

Type B dihydrofolate reductases (DfrB) are intrinsically highly resistant to the widely used antibiotic trimethoprim, posing a threat to global public health. The ten known DfrB family members have been strongly associated with genetic material related to the application of antibiotics. Several dfrB genes were associated with multidrug resistance contexts and mobile genetic elements, integrated both in chromosomes and plasmids. However, little is known regarding their presence in other environments. Here, we investigated the presence of dfrB beyond the traditional areas of enquiry by conducting metagenomic database searches from environmental settings where antibiotics are not prevalent. Thirty putative DfrB homologues that share 62 to 95% identity with characterized DfrB were identified. Expression of ten representative homologues verified trimethoprim resistance in all and dihydrofolate reductase activity in most. Contrary to samples associated with the use of antibiotics, the newly identified dfrB were rarely associated with mobile genetic elements or antibiotic resistance genes. Instead, association with metabolic enzymes was observed, suggesting an evolutionary advantage unrelated to antibiotic resistance. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that multiple dfrB exist in diverse environments from which dfrB were mobilized into the clinically relevant resistome. Our observations reinforce the need to closely monitor their progression.
Undesired Effect of Vancomycin Prolonged Treatment: Enhanced Biofilm Production of the Nosocomial Pathogen Candida auris
Authors: Maione Angela , Pietra Alessandra La , Salvatore Maria Michela , Guida Marco , Galdiero Emilia , de Alteriis Elisabetta
Published: December 2022

Fungal infections are often consequent to prolonged antibiotic treatments. Vancomycin (Van) is the first-choice antibiotic in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections associated with colonization of catheter surfaces. We demonstrate the direct effect of Van in promoting the formation of the biofilm of the emergent yeast pathogen Candida auris, developed in the conventional polystyrene microwell plate model, as well as on silicone surfaces (22 and 28% increase in total biomass, respectively) and on an S. aures biofilm, residual after vancomycin treatment, where C. auris achieved 99% of the mixed biofilm population. The effect of Van was assessed also in vivo, in the Galleria mellonella infection model, which showed higher mortality when infected with the yeast pathogen in the presence of the antibiotic. This evidence enhances awareness of the potential risk associated with prolonged antibiotic use in promoting fungal infections.