bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of effluent from Nile tilapia fish ponds on soil quality, growth and shelf life of Amaranthus palmeri seedlings
Authors: Alhassan Elliot Haruna , Dandi Samuel Opoku
Published: August 2022

Soil nutrient management is required to maintain the plant system's constant productivity while also maintaining good soil quality. This study documented the effluent quality, soil quality, growth, shelf life and proximate analysis of Amaranthus palmeri as well as the effect of the resulting nutrients on soil properties, growth, and yield. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized block design, with four factors (tilapia effluent, combination of effluent and NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer, only fertilizer and only tap water) each at six replicate per treatment (T1-T6: Tilapia effluent, T7-T12: Tilapia effluent + fertilizer, T13-T18: Only fertilizer and T19-T24: Only tap water) at the University for Development Studies fish farm on the Nyankpala campus. During the experimental period, the growth characteristics such as number of seed emergence, plant height, number of leaves, fresh biomass before and after sheflife and the proximate analysis of Amaranthus palmeri were evaluated. The soil properties and effluent nutrient content were measured and compared before and after experiment. Field and laboratory results on growth indices measured, shelf life and proximate analysis of Amaranthus palmeri, soil nutrient properties, effluent and tap water nutrient measured were statistically analysed with ANOVA and Duncan Multiple Range Test at (P < 0.05). The findings indicate that tilapia effluent significantly influenced all the growth parameters measured compared to other treatment at (P < 0.05). Sheflife and proximate analysis were enhanced in tilapia treated plant. Soil quality such as soil pH, percentage nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium concentration was significantly enhanced in the tilapia effluent treatment. The findings therefore suggests that tilapia effluent has the potential to improve soil quality, improve growth and shelf life of Amaranthus palmeri as an additional benefit of culturing Nile tilapia.
The Impact of Antiretroviral Stockout on Primary Health Care Nurses in the Ethekwini and Ilembe Districts, Kwazulu Natal
Authors: Mahomed Farhana , Gumede Emelda Zandile
Published: August 2022

Background
Nurses face challenges of antiretroviral therapy (ART) stock out when rolling out, leading to drug resistance, poor compliance and decreased viral suppression. Poor viral suppression leads to higher morbidity and mortality rates, hence a need to strengthen supply chain principles in order to achieve equal distribution of resources amongst clinics. Nurses also need to have relevant guidelines available to prevent treatment failure. The study aimed to describe the impact of ART stockouts on primary health nurses rolling out ART in clinics in KwaZulu Natal.
Method
The study followed a qualitative approach, using a descriptive phenomenographic design. Two primary healthcare clinics in Ilembe and Ethekwini districts were selected for the study. The population comprised of 8 purposively selected participants. In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted. Data collection and analysis followed Yates, Partridge and Bruce steps (Table 1). Ethics and trustworthiness were maintained.
Results
The singular theme of inconsistent availability of treatment including; means used to curb treatment stockout and supply change management issue emerged.
Conclusions
An adequate supply of ART through an efficient supply chain management strategy, ongoing training in primary health care and nurse initiated management of antiretroviral therapy and the availability of treatment guidelines should be enforced.
Data fusion between time series and textual information for predictive tasks in the financial market: A systematic mapping
Authors: Filho Ivan José dos Reis Filho Reis , Trindade Rodrigo Neves Trindade , Martins Luiz Henrique Dutra Martins , Correa Geraldo Nunes Correa , Rezende Solange Oliveira Rezende
Published: August 2022

Forecasting models of the financial market generally use time series data. However, external factors can influence time series, such as political events, economic crises, government macroeconomic policy, and the foreign exchange market. This information is not explicit in the time series and can influence the prediction of the variable values. Textual data can provide knowledge about external factors for time series forecasting models. Representations models of time series that include data extracted from texts have been proposed and pointed out as a research trend. The combination of different data sources for forecasting tasks is known in the literature as information fusion. Thus, this study aims to systematically map the main information fusion techniques used to forecast the financial market. More than three hundred works were done with the search strings. However, the complete reading was carried out in only fourteen works. Analyzes were performed to identify the vector representations of texts, information fusion techniques, and predictive models used in the works. As a result, we identified that 78\% of the included works are techniques based on Early Fusion, and textual representations that consider semantic features have been more used in recent works.
Diversity, Abundance and Distribution of Avifauna in District Jhang, Pakistan
Authors: ZAMAN Ahmad , RAFIQUE Azhar , JABEEN Farhat , SULTANA Tayyaba , SULTANA Salma , Ai Sultan , Mahmood Muhammad Shahid
Published: August 2022

The current study was conducted from March 2021 to February 2022 in Thal desert and Trimmu barrage of District Jhang located in Punjab province of Pakistan to find out the diversity, abundance and distribution of birds. Point count method was used for Trimmu barrage and line transect method was used for the collection of data in Thal desert area. We recorded 31696 individuals belonging to 67 species of birds from two distinct types of habitat (Thal desert and Trimmu barrage) of District Jhang. Among all these species, 39 species were resident, 18 species were winter visitors, 9 species were summer breeder and single species (Terek sandpiper) was passage migrant. Highly significant differences (X2 = 14979.7, df = 11, P<0.01) were observed in the abundance of birds between both habitats on monthly basis. From Thal desert area, 12905 individuals of 45 species were identified while 18791 individual from 58 bird species were observed from Trimmu barrage. Among 67 bird species, 36 species were common at both types of habitats. The most dominant species of Trimmu barrage were Common pochard, Little grebe, Common coot, Cattle egret, Gadwall, Little egret, Red wattled lapwing and Common teal. The most common species of Thal desert were Indian roller, Common quail, Cattle egret, Common myna and Indian kite. The most notable feature of the present study is the identification of Xenus cinereus (Terak sandpiper) and Ammomanes phoenicura (Rofous tail lark) in district Jhang as both species have no previous record in the study area.
Delineation of intermammillary relationships using magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Tsutsumi Satoshi , Sugiyama Natsuki , Ueno Hideaki , Ishii Hisato
Published: August 2022

Purpose: No study has investigated intermammillary relationships using neuroimaging modalities. This study aimed to explore them using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Materials and Methods: We enrolled 72 patients who underwent conventional MRI examinations followed by constructive interference steady-state sequence in the coronal plane. The intermammillary distances (IMDs) were measured at the uppermost level of the intermammillary gap (IMDupp) and the lowest level (IMDlow) of the mammillary bodies (MBs).Results: MBs with varying morphologies were consistently delineated. The appearance of both MBs could be classified into four patterns based on the size and relative levels, with the symmetrical type being the most common. Intermammillary relationships exhibited five patterns. In 69%, the IMDupp was discernable and measured 0.7±0.4 mm, while it was not discernible in 31% due to the presence of intermammillary connection and adhesion. The age distribution did not differ between populations with and without discernible IMDupp. The IMDlow was measured 4.4±0.9 mm. Although the IMDlow was not significantly different between both sexes, it was longer in subjects in their 70s.Conclusions: Intermammillary relationships show variable morphologies with gaps formed between both MBs. The IMDlow may become more evident in association with age-related increase in the width of the third ventricle and atrophy of the MBs.
The underlying molecular mechanisms and biomarkers of plaque vulnerability based on bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Cheng Rui , Xu Xiaojiang , Yang Shurong , mi Zhongqian , Zhao Yong , gao Jinhua , Yu Feiyan , Ren Xiuyun
Published: August 2022

Aim：The study aimed to identify the underlying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and mechanism of unstable atherosclerotic plaque using bioinformatics methods.Methods:GSE120521, which includes four unstable samples and four stable atherosclerotic samples, was downloaded from the GEO database. DEGs were identified using LIMMA. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed using the Database for metascape Visualization online tool. Based on the STRING database, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) network among DEGs were constructed. Regulatory networks were visualized using Cytoscape. we use the xCell to analyze the different immune cell subtypes.Result：A total of 1626 DEGs (1034 up-regulated and 592 down-regulated DEGs) were identified between unstable and stable samples. I pulled 62 transcription factors (34 up-regulated TFs and 28 down-regulated TFs) from the Trust database. The up regulated TFs were mainly enrichment in positive regulation of myeloid leukocyte differentiation, and the downregulated TFs were mainly enrichment in connective tissue development. In the PPI network, RB1，CEBPA，PPARG，BATF was the most significantly up-regulated gene in ruptured atherosclerotic samples. The immune cell composition enriched in CD cells and macrophages in the unstable carotid plaque.Conclusions:up-regulated RB1，CEBPA，PPARG，BATF and Down-regulated SRF，MYOCD，HEY2，GATA6 might perform critical promotional roles in atherosclerotic plaque rupture, furthermore, Number and polarization of macrophages may play an important role in vulnerable plaques.
Women Empowerment and Access to Maternity and Reproductive Healthcare in Pakistan: Cross-validation of a Survey-based Index in Afghanistan (SWEI-A)
Authors: Dadras Omid , Dadras Mohammadyasin , Jafari Leila , Nakayama Takeo , Dadras Fateme
Published: August 2022

Background
Despite the obvious violation of women’s rights in Pakistan and the vital necessity for women empowerment, a unified country-specific scale measuring women empowerment is not yet available. This study cross-validated a survey-based women empowerment index from Afghanistan to be used in Pakistan and examined the impact that each emerged domain could have on four reproductive and maternity outcomes to ensure convergence validity.
Methods
The data for married Pakistani women aged 15–49 in the 2017-18 Pakistan demographic health survey was used to construct the final model using the explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses. The Cronbach’s alpha test examined the internal consistency of the developed index. The association between emerged domains and indicators of access to reproductive and maternity care was assessed by Poisson regression analysis adjusting for wealth index.
Results
The final index had six domains; namely, labor force participation, attitude toward violence, decision-making, access to healthcare, literacy, age at critical life events predicting women empowerment of married Pakistani women with decent reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.70), and validity (SRSEA&SRMR < 0.05, CFI&TLI > 0.92). The emerged domains were significantly associated with at least one of four indicators of access to reproductive and maternity care; indicative of a favorable convergence validity.
Conclusion
Pakistan and Afghanistan are associated as brother countries with shared religious and ethnocultural identities in which women are inferior to men and in critical need of empowering efforts. The results of this study reflect upon this resemblance in sociocultural structure by yielding similar domains for women's empowerment in Pakistan building upon an index previously developed for Afghan women. The developed index could inform the design of future policies, interventions, and research recognizing the important indicators of women empowerment in Pakistan and could enhance the comparability of the results across future studies.
Effect on the thermal conductivity inhomogeneity of clay-bearing sandstone subjected to drying-wetting process
Authors: Bu Mohua , Guo Pingye , Wang Meng , He Manchao , Wang Yanwei
Published: August 2022

Thermal conductivity of rock is one of the important parameters to understand the heat conduction process in interior of the earth. The study of the effect on the thermal conductivity of clay-bearing sandstone subjected to drying-wetting process is of great significance to many geological and underground engineering issues. In this study, the transient hot wire method is used to measure the thermal conductivity of clay-bearing sandstone after drying-wetting treatment, and the thermal inhomogeneity is analyzed. The results indicate that the drying-wetting process leads to the decrease of the average thermal conductivity of clay-bearing sandstone, while the increase of thermal heterogeneity factor. Base on the results of 3D scanning and SEM, it is found that the development of pores and microcracks during the drying-wetting process is the main reason for the average thermal conductivity decreased and the thermal inhomogeneity increased. Further analysis shows that the interaction between clay minerals and water leads to the destruction of rock matrix structure, resulting in the increase of primary pores, the formation of new pores and secondary microcracks in clay-bearing sandstone. In addition, the numerical results show that the pore leads to the significant weakening of rock heat transfer effect, and the temperature field tends to be heterogeneous distribution. The research results can provide reference for the evaluation of thermal conductivity of rock mass in deep engineering.
Evaluation of Mathoulin Surgical Approach in the Treatment of Scaphoid Waist Nonunion with Definite Proximal Avascular Necrosis
Authors: Aghili Alireza , Moharrami Mohammad Reza
Published: August 2022

Introduction
: Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a rather common complication of scaphoid fractures, particularly scaphoid waist nonunion, which may occur even after surgical fixation. In the present investigation we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Mathoulin technique in the surgical fixation of scaphoid waist nonunion with definite proximal AVN.
Methods
A total of 35 cases of scaphoid waist non-union with definite proximal AVN undergoing surgical fixation in a major tertiary referral orthopaedic hospital in northwestern Iran in 2021 were enrolled. Postoperative pain intensity, grip strength (based on modified mayo wrist score) and carpal range of motion (angles of movements) were evaluated at four time intervals, 1, 4.5, 6 and 9 months following Mathoulin surgical fixation.
Results
A total of 35 patients, 28 (80%) male and 7 (20%) female, with a mean age of 28.96 ± 1.89 were investigated. By the end of the 9th month, no patients complained of severe pain, and 33 (94.28%) participants only reported mild pain. Carpal flexion, extension, supination and pronation angles significantly improved following surgery. Grip strength in 29 patients improved significantly. Wrist function Union as achieved in 33 (97.29%) patients.
Conclusion
Mathoulin method in patients with proximal definite AVN with Scafoid Waist fusion leads to a reduction in pain intensity, improvement of motor angles, grip strength and satisfaction with surgery to a desirable extent.
Evaluation of physicochemical properties in agricultural soils from Valle del Cauca-Colombia with an emphasis on degradation
Authors: Marín-Pimentel Gilberto-Eduardo , Saa Germán Rueda , Flores Juan Carlos Menjivar
Published: August 2022

This research created a baseline for physicochemical properties in agricultural soils from the plains and piedmont of Valle del Cauca. The degradation level of different soils (n = 489) was studied by determining and analyzing their properties. Variability and distribution analysis, central tendency, dispersion and multivariate analysis were included. The results showed that the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and electrical conductivity (EC) were highly variable. The other properties were moderately variable, depending on the coefficient of variation (10%<CV < 100%). The principal component analysis indicated that the first component was related to compaction processes in the soil (34%), the second included nutrients available to plants (24%), and the third (13%) was the movement of cations. The more susceptible to degradation properties included apparent density (Da) and porosity (η), which had normal distribution (P > 0.150). 19% of the evaluated sites had possible soil compaction, with high Da values (> 1.6 g.cm− 3) and low η (< 40%). The degradation from salinity was minimal, and only 2.2% of the samples had EC values greater than 2 dS.m− 1. 50% of the soils had organic matter levels (MO) greater than 2%. 85.5% had cation exchange capacity values (CEC) that exceeded 15 cmol (+). Kg− 1, and 42.12% were in the pH range from 5.5 to 7.0, optimal conditions for crops.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic development of EU countries
Authors: Petraškevičius Vladislavas , Ginevičius Romualdas , Bracio Klaudia , Menet Gabriela , Visokavičius Regimantas
Published: August 2022

One of the essential consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is a slowdown in economic development, which is reflected in an integrated way by the Gross Domestic Product per inhabitant of the country. However, its dimensions are not the same for individual countries of the European Union, so it is crucial to determine what circumstances led to this phenomenon. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine individual EU countries’ losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the circumstances they depended on. Correlation-regression analysis was used, which made it possible to calculate what effect the countries’ economic development level and the intensity of its positive changes on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic had on the losses incurred. In 2018, it was found that this relationship is very strong (the value of the correlation coefficient r equals 0.8 and 0.7, respectively). The study’s results highlighted the regularity – economic development slowed down the least in those countries where it was in the best condition, and the positive development changes were the most intense. It was found that in the ten most developed EU countries, economic growth slowed down because of the COVID-19 pandemic by approximately 2.3%, and in the rest of the countries – 5.1%. According to the slow-down of economic development, insensitiveness was approximately 3.45 and 5.46%.
AcknowledgmentThis research was partly funded by the Cracow University of Economics under Grant No. 4/ZZA/2021/POT.
UMA NOTA SOBRE A TRANSPOSIÇÃO DE TERMOS QUÍMICOS PARA A LÍNGUA PORTUGUESA
Authors: Souza Giuliana , Bastos Luciano , Barbosa André
Published: August 2022

A NOTE ON THE TRANSPOSITION OF CHEMICAL TERMS ONTO THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE. This note has the purpose of calling the attention of the chemist to some aspects of the process of translating chemical terms onto the Portuguese language. A quick inspection on the chemistry literature in Portuguese shows a certain number of inadequate or dubious translations of terms originally coined in other languages. Firstly, the possible origins of these inadequacies are briefly discussed. Then one proceeds to a cursory explanation of some fundamental concepts such as signs, words, meaning, real referents, scientific concept, and scientific term. These concepts are traced back to the origin of Western Civilization, being first systematized in the work of Aristotle, forming the backbone of all Western languages. A short discussion on the features of a well-done translation is presented. Finally, a set of ill-translated or dubiously translated or dubiously named chemical terms are used to illustrate the presented concepts, divided among the general type of inadequacy. In some cases, with justification, grammatically correct or more adequate terms are suggested to replace the offending translated chemical terms in portuguese.
MONITORAMENTO DA CARGA VIRAL DE SARS-COV-2 EM ÁGUAS RESIDUAIS NA CIDADE DE GOIÂNIA: EPIDEMIOLOGIA BASEADA EM ESGOTO E UM SISTEMA DE ALERTA PRECOCE PARA COVID-19
Authors: Mendes Geovana , Estrela Paulo , Souza Junior Marcio , Brito Núbia , Arruda Andréa , Augusto Matheus , Claro Ieda , Duran Adriana , Cabral Aline , Bueno Rodrigo , Duarte Gabriela
Published: August 2022

SARS-COV-2 VIRAL LOAD IN GOIÂNIA WASTEWATER: WASTEWATER-BASED EPIDEMIOLOGY FOR A COVID-19 EARLY WARNING SYSTEM. COVID-19 is currently the most critical disease in the world. Thus, several tools have been used in the last two years to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. In this perspective, Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) provides valuable data by including symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and asymptomatic individuals and anticipating clinical cases. For 37 weeks, the SARS-CoV-2 viral load was monitored in sanitary sewage samples from Goiânia-Brazil. Through pre-concentration, extraction, and purification of viral RNA, followed by RT-qPCR, it was detected in 83.78% (31/37) of the weeks the presence of fragments of the genetic material SARS-CoV-2 with viral loads ranging from 105 to 108 genome copies L-1. The viral load in the wastewater samples was related to the clinical data of the municipality, demonstrating its ability to promote an Early Warning System (EWS). In early 2022, it was possible to predict the increase in clinical cases 3 weeks in advance and issue an alert note to the health authorities. Prevalence estimates ranged from 0.003 to 0.5% and showed good agreement with observed values. Thus, monitoring effluents become another essential tool that can help combat the pandemic’s advance, especially in countries with scarce resources.
In vitro assay of Lippia graveolens and Lippia alba extracts against Aeromonas spp isolated from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: García-Pérez Josue , Pérez-Sabino Juan  Francisco , Mendoza-Elvira Susana , Ribeiro da Silva Antonio , Ulloa-Rojas Juan
Published: August 2022

This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of Lippia graveolens and Lippia alba extracts and essential oils against nine strains of Aeromonas spp., isolated from Oreochromis niloticus. The crude extracts were obtained by percolation technique and CO2 supercritical fluid extraction, while the essential oils by applying hydro-distillation technique using a Clevenger apparatus. The antimicrobial activity for each extract and essential oils was verified through the disc diffusion method at 24 hours. The essential oil of L. graveolens showed higher effectiveness to inhibit fish bacterial pathogens (100%) than the extracts, revealing an inhibition zone diameter that ranged from 25.20 - 36.94 mm. The extracts from supercritical fluid and from the percolation technique with ethyl acetate and cyclohexane presented the same effectiveness (77.78%). The crude extract obtained with ethanol 95% showed limited antimicrobial effect (22.22%), presenting the smallest inhibition zone (ranged from 8.34 to 9.57 mm). On the other hand, L. alba displayed a lower antibacterial activity, being the essential oil 66.67% effective, presenting an inhibition zone ranging between 10.68 to 16.29 mm. The result of this study indicates that essential oils from both L. graveolens and L. alba offer a promising alternative for the control of Aeromonas spp. growth.
Efectos colaterales del uso de la ivermectina en ganadería: comunidad de las boñigas en Colombia
Authors: Gómez Beltrán David Alberto , Villar Argaiz David
Published: August 2022

La ivermectina es el antiparasitario más usado en veterinaria a nivel mundial desde que entró al mercado en 1981. La U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) americana en su valoración de riesgos determinó que, si bien es muy tóxica para organismos acuáticos, es improbable que, con las aplicaciones registradas para uso animal y por sus propiedades fisicoquímicas, se lleguen a contaminar cursos de agua. Sin embargo, los efectos de la ivermectina (IVM) sobre la fauna de invertebrados no blanco si pueden tener gran repercusión en la ecología de los pastizales por los costes asociados a la presencia de las boñigas no degradadas. De hecho, las pérdidas económicas por disminuir la calidad de los pastizales y reducir la superficie de los pastos disponible y apetecibles al ganado se han calculado en hasta 380 millones de dólares para la economía americana. La ivermectina afecta a un grupo muy beneficioso y diverso taxonómicamente que habita las boñigas, incluyendo a moscas coprófagas, avispas parasíticas, y escarabajos coprófagos y depredadores. Algunos estudios muestran que las boñigas de animales tratados con IVM pueden permanecer en los pastizales sin muestras apreciables de degradación hasta 340 días, mientras que las de animales no tratados son degradadas casi totalmente después de 80 días. Además, estudios de campo y laboratorio han mostrado que la sensibilidad de muchos insectos ocurre a concentraciones muy por debajo de las que se excretan con las heces de bovinos tratados con IVM. Los efectos sobre la reproducción y desarrollo de larvas de coleópteros ocurren incluso a concentraciones que son de hasta 10 veces por debajo de las que producen mortalidad. En Colombia se han identificado al menos 68 especies de la subfamilia Scarabaeinae que integran la comunidad de las boñigas del bovino. La mayor diversidad de escarabajos estercoleros se ha asociado a bosques y sistemas silvopastoriles que incorporan arboles nativos y proveen hábitats favorables para su supervivencia.
A study of lead service lines in California
Authors: Kimbrough David Eugene
Published: August 2022

Under new regulations In the USA, all Community Water Systems (CWS) need to develop an inventory of their lead service lines (LSL) and determine those owned by their customers. This study will present an approach to address this issue that meets both the letter and the spirit of the law but is also practical and affordable. The first part examines the results of a survey of service lines conducted in California. Eleven million CWS-owned service lines were inventoried, but only four were LSL. The second part of the study was to examine the how California effectively outlawed LSL through the use of plumbing codes. The third part of the study was to determine if these codes had been as effectively implemented on the customer's service lines by examining the customer's service lines in Pasadena. No LSL were found.
Self-Assembled KLD-12/SDF-1 Polypeptide Promotes Differentiation and
Migration of BMSCs via the Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathways
Authors: Cao Mingyu , Hu Yabin , Zhang Yukun , Xie Jiang , Xie Zengru
Published: August 2022

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the combination of SDF-1 and KLD-12 to form
self-assembling polypeptide and its effect on osteogenic differentiation.

Methods:

ELISA assay was performed to detect whether KLD-12 composite SDF-1 self-assembled
polypeptide was successfully prepared. BMSCs were isolated and characterized by Flow cytometry.
MTT assays, Calcein-AM/PI fluorescence staining, and Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) measurement
were carried out to detect cell viability after cells exposed to KLD-12 composite SDF-1 selfassembled
polypeptide. The migration of cells induced by KLD-12 composite SDF-1 selfassembled
polypeptide was also examined by transwell assay and Immunoblot. Osteogenic
differentiation of cells stimulated with KLD-12 composite SDF-1 self-assembled polypeptide was
analyzed by Immunoblot, Alizarin Red Staining, and Alkaline Phosphatase activity. Additionally,
immunoblot and immunofluorescence assays were performed to investigate the effects of the
polypeptide on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Results:

KLD-12 composite SDF-1 self-assembled polypeptide was successfully prepared and
identified. In addition, we isolated and characterized mouse mesenchymal stem BMSCs. Our data
further revealed that KLD-12 combined with SDF-1 self-assembled polypeptide improved the survival
of BMSCs and promoted cell migration. Moreover, the self-assembled polypeptide induced osteogenic
differentiation of BMSCs. Mechanically, we found that the self-assembled polypeptide activated the
Wnt/β-catenin pathway, therefore promoting the differentiation and migration of BMSCs.

Conclusion:

Our proposed treatment can potentially be effective for bone defects.
Vitamin D: Production, Metabolism, and Impact on Human Health
Authors: Joshi Anushka , Mishra Sudhanshu , Rajagopalan Ramanathan , Jain Deepti
Published: August 2022

Background and Objective:

Vitamins play an important role in maintaining proper
health and wellness of the body. The deficiency of any of them may lead to serious health consequences.
In the current scenario, deficiency of vitamin D has become a very prevalent and underdiagnosed
health issue throughout the world. The purpose of this review is to briefly describe
the importance, present market condition, and role of vitamin D supplements in COVID-19 in
India, as well as how this has influenced the current situation.

Methods:

Literature survey was carried out using various online search engines like Google
Scholar, Science Direct, Springer, PubMed, etc. offline libraries were also used for the compilation
of the data.

Results:

It is evident from the study that the deficiency of vitamin D is associated with a lot of
health problems, including cancer, diabetes, bone health deterioration, cardiovascular disorders,
etc. This deficiency may occur due to an unhealthy lifestyle, mal-absorption, or decreased synthesis
in the body. Vitamin D levels in the body can also be correlated with COVID-19 and the
immunity of an individual.

Conclusion:

From this study, the importance of vitamin D levels in the human body can easily
be understood. Various evidence of its connection with the COVID-19 pandemic is also available,
though many studies in the area are still required. Altogether, increasing instances of vitamin
D deficiency is a matter of great concern.
BMMSC-derived Exosomes Attenuate Cardiopulmonary Bypass-related
Acute Lung Injury by Reducing Inflammatory Response and Oxidative
Stress
Authors: Zhang Tao-Yuan , Zhang Hui , Deng Jing-Yu , Gong Hai-Rong , Yan Yun , Zhang Zheng , Lei Chong
Published: August 2022

Background:

Acute lung injury (ALI), which is characterized by inflammation and oxidative
stress, is a common complication after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Exosomes from bone marrow
mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSC-Exo) have recently been identified as promising treatments for ALI.
However, the effects of BMMSC-Exo on inflammation and oxidative stress in CPB-related ALI remain
unclear.

Objective:

We aim to evaluate the effects of BMMSC-Exo on post-CPB ALI and explore their potential
mechanisms.

Methods:

We randomly divided rats into three groups: sham, ALI, and ALI+BMMSC-Exo groups. Histological
changes were evaluated by lung histo-pathology and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). ELISA
assay was used to determine inflammatory cytokine levels and oxidative stress.

Results and Discussion:

BMMSC-Exo attenuated histological changes (including the invasion of inflammatory
cells), reduced the wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio, and downregulated inflammatory cytokine
levels, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β. BMMSC-Exo also
alleviated oxidative stress. In vitro, we further administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to alveolar macrophages
(AMs) to mimic the pathological changes of ALI and found that BMMSC-Exo suppressed reactive
oxygen species (ROS) production and downregulated the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Mechanistically,
BMMSC-Exo inhibited the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), the nuclear translocation
of p65, also facilitated the phosphorylation of Akt and the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, while
upregulating the expression of HO-1.

Conclusion:

In summary, we indicate that BMMSC-Exo reduces CPB-related ALI by alleviating inflammation
and oxidative stress. The underlying mechanism may involve the NF-κB p65 and
Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.
Report of Aortic Dissection without Risk Factor And Typical Symptoms in a 25-Year Old Man
Authors: Bozorgi Ali , Khoshnevis Maryam , Nasab Entezar Mehrabi , Athari Seyyed Shamsadin
Published: August 2022

Background:

Acute aortic dissection is a rare but serious and life-threatening disease. The main symptom is chest pain, but in some patients, atypical symptoms are also observed.

Case presentation:

In this report, we reported a patient diagnosed with aortic dissection with atypical symptoms. The patient has been referred with nausea and vomiting. After a thorough examination, the diagnosis of acute aortic dissection was established.

Conclusion:

Aortic dissection may have no typical symptoms and deep examination in all suspected patients, is necessary.
Ethical issues concerning the use of commercially available wearables in children
Authors: Panayiotou Andrie G. , Protopapadakis Evangelos D.
Published: August 2022

Wearable and mobile technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in the last decade with technological advances creating a role from enhancing healthy living to monitoring and treating disease. However, the discussion about the ethical use of such commercial technology in the community, especially in minors, is lacking behind. In this paper, we first summarize the major ethical concerns that arise from the usage of commercially available wearable technology in children, with a focus on smart watches, highlighting issues around the consent process, mitigation of risk and potential confidentiality and privacy issues, as well as the potential for therapeutic misconceptions when used without medical advice. Then through a relevant thought experiment we move on to outline some further ethical concerns that are connected to the use of wearables by minors, to wit the issue of informed consent in the case of minors, forcing them to live in the spotlight, and compromising their right to an open future. We conclude with the view that mitigating potential pitfalls and enhancing the benefits of wearable technology especially for minors requires brave and comprehensive moral debates.
Labelling the psychological impact of colour in films for deep learning processing based on the humanities approach
Authors: Han Youngsue , Roh Hyunjung , Whelan Thomas , Hwang Suhyoun , Kim Minju
Published: August 2022

Inspired by Goethe’s theory of colour and his aversion to Newton’s scientific theories, we performed an experiment to investigate the psychological impact of colour in film. We converted 550 films into sequences of images and then processed them to extract the RGB information within. We then compared this data and matched them to classifications of colour roles in terms of their psychological influence on film viewers. For this we consulted Bellantoni, Patti (2005)’s book If It’s Purple, Someone’s Gonna Die: The Power Of Colour In Visual Storytelling, which is a guide for filmmakers to select the appropriate colours for their films and also describes the psychological and emotional effects of certain colours in film on viewers. Finally we extracted RGB information from our image sequence archives to match them to classifications of the role of colour and their psychological influences on film viewers. In spite of the fact that our results are subject to certain limitations such as the subjectivity of our researchers, we believe our findings from the experiment have made contributions to the development of AI for use in film colour classification with regard to their psychological impacts on viewers. In future endeavors, we expect to include additional information, such as shapes, tints and so on. Thus, our methodology and materials may produce even better results if supplementary resources were to be available.
Prisilna hospitalizacija - stara praksa i nova tumačenja
Authors: Mihailović Dragana
Published: August 2022

U okvirima primijenjene etike rad razmatra implikacije aktualnog tumačenja Konvencije UN-a o pravima osoba s invaliditetom. Ono se temelji isključivo na nepovredivosti autonomije, zanemarujući ključan aspekt kompromitirane sposobnosti relevantnog odlučivanja o liječenju osoba s mentalnim poremećajem. Ovakva tendencija implicira da zdravlje pojedinca više nije prioritet već njegova autonomija, neovisno od faktičkog stanja pacijenta, a prepuštanje odluke o liječenju osobi s ozbiljnim mentalnim smetnjama povlači ugrožavanje onih vrijednosti koje se tiču kako samog pacijenta, tako i drugih. U radu se ispituje koncept autonomije i paternalizma u psihijatriji, njihove moralne osnove, ograničenja i okolnosti pod kojima se paternalizam u kontekstu obaveznog liječenja može opravdati i smatrati sigurnijim i učinkovitijim, kada je riječ o interesima samog pacijenta, u odnosu na predložen model. Ističe se opreznost u ovakvim pokušajima prevladavanja kontroverzi vezanih za postupak prinudne hospitalizacije. Analiziranje osnovnih moralnih načela i argumentacije različitih pristupa ovom problemu motivirano je činjenicom da ova krajnje restriktivna i kontroverzna mjera zahtijeva stalnu pažnju i razmatranje s medicinskog, etičkog i pravnog aspekta, jer bitno utječe, kako na samostigmatizaciju jedne od najvulnerabilnijih grupa pacijenata, tako i na stigmatizaciju psihijatrije kao sredstva društvene kontrole.
The Concept of “Public Health” – A Critical Assessment
Authors: Hoffmann Thomas Sören
Published: August 2022

The article discusses the fundamental differences between an orientation towards individual health and the concept of health on which public health systems are built. It is shown that health in its original sense, as the “virtue of the body” (Aristotle), has to be understood as the ability to realize purposes in the actions of individuals. In public healthcare on the other hand, “health” has always been conceived as a public good and as an expression of certain public interests, a conception which does not have to be consistent with the interests of the individual in any way. “Public health” is normally designed in a utilitarian way and can be highly susceptible to ideology. In extreme cases the individual becomes subject to a “health obligation” which is to be rejected on legal, philosophical and ethical grounds. In place of a “scientific” medicine that reduces people to a statistical magnitude, a self-understanding of medicine should be restored which defines “health” from the point of view of the task of enabling real interpersonality in the space of the empirical existence of individuals self-determined as free.
Теоретическое исследование структуры и колебательных спектров сверхрешеток Si/SiO-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-
Authors: Смирнов М.Б. , Панькин Д.В. , Рогинский Е.М. , Савин А.В.
Published: August 2022

Structure, phonon states and vibrational spectra of binary Si/SiO2 superlattices (SL) formed by junction of crystalline silicon and β-cristobalite are investigated with the use of ab-initio quantum-mechanical computational methods. Several stable SL structures with ultra-narrow interfaces consisted of only one monolayer of Si2+ atoms are found. For these SLs, we have simulated the infrared and Raman spectra in which some characteristic spectral features are detected
Влияние эффекта Яна-Теллера на магнитную анизотропию в монокристаллах фтористых гексагидратов переходных металлов
Authors: Дубровский А.А. , Князев Ю.В. , Герасимова Ю.В. , Удовенко А.А. , Лапташ Н.М.
Published: August 2022

The magnetic properties of fluorine hexahydrates of transition metals have been studied. It was found that the presence of spin-orbit interaction of the transition metal ion has a significant effect on
anisotropy of magnetic properties. Depending on the direction of interaction of the orbital magnetic
moment of a transition metal cation with a crystal field easy direction of magnetization
changes from the crystallographic b-axis to the c-axis.
Future Patient: Telerehabilitation of Patients With Heart Failure Empower Patients
Authors: Dinesen Birthe , Spindler Helle , Refsgaard Jens , Hollingdal Malene
Published: August 2022

Background

Heart failure is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases that causes mortality, and patients’ participation in rehabilitation programs is often low. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Future Patient Telerehabilitation Program developed for patients with heart failure offered a new approach. The aim of the Future Patient program has been to increase the quality of life and educate patients to monitor any worsening of their symptoms. Patients used self-tracking devices for monitoring their physical activity, blood pressure, sleep, respiration, and pulse, with their data transmitted to a shared web platform (called the Heart Portal), which could be accessed by patients, their relatives, and health care professionals across sectors.

Objective

The aim of this paper is to determine whether the Future Patient Telerehabilitation Program has increased the quality of life of patients with heart failure and to empower them to manage their own disease.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial (n=140) was conducted. Data from the intervention group (n=70, 50%) on patient-reported outcomes were collected and analyzed using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and Spiegel Sleep Questionnaire. Semistructured interviews with 12 patients (n=6, 50% men and n=6, 50% women) were conducted and analyzed.

Results

The patients participating in the Future Patient program experienced a significant increase in clinical and social well-being as well as in quality of life. The patients participating in the program articulated their experiences in terms of the following themes: a sense of security and an increased sense of empowerment in managing their disease using the Heart Portal. The Heart Portal proved to be a valuable tool for remote monitoring and better communication with health care professionals across sectors.

Conclusions

Telerehabilitation of patients with heart failure can improve their quality of life and empower them to manage their own disease remotely.
Impact of Digital Literacy Levels of Health Care Professionals on Perceived Quality of Care
Authors: Khare Amitesh , Jain Kanika , Laxmi Vijay , Khanna Puneet
Published: August 2022

Background

Multiple digital technologies were used during and after the COVID-19 pandemic with an intent to improve quality of patient care. It has been seen that the perception of patients toward the use of digital solutions in clinical care varies significantly. This has also been attributed to varying levels of digital literacy among the health care professionals (HCP) involved in patient care.

Objective

Our paper aims to study the impact of digital literacy levels of HCPs, including hospital attendants and support staff who were involved in a clinical care team of COVID-19 patients, so that barriers toward the implementation of digital health solutions could be identified.

Methods

A standardized survey using responses based on Likert scale was developed, which measured the confidence levels of HCPs and their attitudes toward digital technologies. The survey consisted of questions from the Technology Acceptance Model as well as the unified theory of acceptancy and use of technology to assess the attitude of HCPs. A total of 100 Hospital attendants directly employed in patient care were enrolled in the study. They were also asked to respond to feedback received from patients on the perceived quality of care.

Results

Around 60% of the HCPs showed high digital literacy levels. Most respondents showed confidence in the use of technology. Moreover, around 20% of HCPs showed apprehension toward using digital solutions for direct patient care. A significant difference was found between study population with high digital literacy and perceived quality of care.

Conclusions

Our study found that poor digital literacy in HCPs adversely affects the safety and quality of patient care. It is important that institutions provide targeted education and training to not only doctors and nursing staff but also other support staff with low digital literacy levels and to boost their confidence in providing clinical care.
Evaluating the Applicability of Existing Lexicon-Based Sentiment Analysis Techniques on Family Medicine Resident Feedback Field Notes: Retrospective Cohort Study (Preprint)
Authors: Lu Kevin Jia Qi , Meaney Christopher , Guo Elaine , Leung Fok-Han
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND

Field notes, a form for resident-preceptor clinical encounter feedback, are widely adopted across Canadian medical residency training programs for documenting residents’ performance. This process generates a sizeable cumulative collection of feedback text, which is difficult for medical education faculty to navigate. As sentiment analysis is a subfield of text mining that can efficiently synthesize the polarity of a text collection, sentiment analysis may serve as an innovative solution.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the feasibility and utility of sentiment analysis using 3 popular sentiment lexicons on medical resident field notes.

METHODS

We used a retrospective cohort design, curating text data from University of Toronto medical resident field notes gathered over 2 years (from July 2019 to June 2021). Lexicon-based sentiment analysis was applied using 3 standardized dictionaries, modified by removing ambiguous words as determined by a medical subject matter expert. Our modified lexicons assigned words from the text data a sentiment score, and we aggregated the word-level scores to a document-level polarity score. Agreement between dictionaries was assessed, and the document-level polarity was correlated with the overall preceptor rating of the clinical encounter under assessment.

RESULTS

Across the 3 original dictionaries, approximately a third of labeled words in our field note corpus were deemed ambiguous and were removed to create modified dictionaries. Across the 3 modified dictionaries, the mean sentiment for the “Strengths” section of the field notes was mildly positive, while it was slightly less positive in the “Areas of Improvement” section. We observed reasonable agreement between dictionaries for sentiment scores in both field note sections. Overall, the proportion of positively labeled documents increased with the overall preceptor rating, and the proportion of negatively labeled documents decreased with the overall preceptor rating.

CONCLUSIONS

Applying sentiment analysis to systematically analyze field notes is feasible. However, the applicability of existing lexicons is limited in the medical setting, even after the removal of ambiguous words. Limited applicability warrants the need to generate new dictionaries specific to the medical education context. Additionally, aspect-based sentiment analysis may be applied to navigate the more nuanced structure of texts when identifying sentiments. Ultimately, this will allow for more robust inferences to discover opportunities for improving resident teaching curriculums.