bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis managed with heparin and insulin: a case report
Authors: Anbessie Zablon Mesfin , Gebremeskel Yohannes Birhanu
Published: June 2023

Background

Alcohol and gall stones are common causes of pancreatitis. Other causes of pancreatitis include hypertriglyceridemia, trauma, congenital anomalies, and medications. Hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis is distinguished, as it is more severe and complicated. The management of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis, other than the basic care given to other pancreatitis patients, is to decrease the serum triglyceride level to less than 500 mg/dl as soon as possible. Plasmapheresis, hemofiltration, and other modalities have been proven effective therapies, but, are expensive and not easily accessible. Insulin and heparin which are cheaper alternatives for treatment, have been reported in case reports along with one randomized controlled trial. The number of patients in these reports was small, so, the therapy is not well established. For most African countries like ours, the only option for management is heparin and insulin. Despite this fact, there has not been any publication regarding this issue on our continent.

Case report

We report the case of a 24 years old Ethiopian male who presented with severe central abdominal pain, easy fatiguability, and vomiting of one-day duration. He was tachycardic and tachypneic with diffuse abdominal tenderness, and had tendon xanthomas. His plasma was lactescent with a serum triglyceride level of 4775 mg/dl. His abdominal CT scan showed diffuse pancreatic swelling with a peripancreatic fluid collection, and his serum lipase was elevated. With a diagnosis of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis, he was managed with intravenous insulin infusion along with subcutaneous heparin. His random blood sugar was checked hourly with three episodes of hypoglycemia during therapy. His serum triglyceride level dropped to less than 500 mg/dl in three days, and he was discharged with no complications.

Conclusion

Since our findings are consistent with a prior randomized controlled trial and compilation of case reports, it would strengthen the evidence for safety and efficacy of insulin and heparin therapy. This therapy, which is the only available therapy in most countries of our continent, would decrease most of the complications of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis that we face. We believe, our report would be a wake-up call for researchers and clinicians in our continent to change their practice and strengthen the evidence for the treatment.
Gene editing with ‘pencil’ rather than ‘scissors’ in human pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Park Ju-Chan , Park Mihn Jeong , Lee Seung-Yeon , Kim Dayeon , Kim Keun-Tae , Jang Hyeon-Ki , Cha Hyuk-Jin
Published: June 2023

Owing to the advances in genome editing technologies, research on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have recently undergone breakthroughs that enable precise alteration of desired nucleotide bases in hPSCs for the creation of isogenic disease models or for autologous ex vivo cell therapy. As pathogenic variants largely consist of point mutations, precise substitution of mutated bases in hPSCs allows researchers study disease mechanisms with “disease-in-a-dish” and provide functionally repaired cells to patients for cell therapy. To this end, in addition to utilizing the conventional homologous directed repair system in the knock-in strategy based on endonuclease activity of Cas9 (i.e., ‘scissors’ like gene editing), diverse toolkits for editing the desirable bases (i.e., ‘pencils’ like gene editing) that avoid the accidental insertion and deletion (indel) mutations as well as large harmful deletions have been developed. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in genome editing methodologies and employment of hPSCs for future translational applications.
Comparison of the therapeutic effects between stem cells and exosomes in primary ovarian insufficiency: as promising as cells but different persistency and dosage
Authors: Park Hang-soo , Chugh Rishi Man , Seok Jin , Cetin Esra , Mohammed Hanaa , Siblini Hiba , Liakath Ali Farzana , Ghasroldasht Mohammad Mousaei , Alkelani Hiba , Elsharoud Amro , Ulin Mara , Esfandyari Sahar , Al-Hendy Ayman
Published: June 2023

Background

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) refers to the loss of ovarian function under the age of 40 and results in amenorrhea and infertility. Our previous studies have shown that transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MSC-derived exosomes in chemotherapy-induced POI mouse ovaries can reverse the POI and eventually achieve pregnancy. Based on our recent studies, MSC-derived exosomes have almost equal therapeutic potentials as transplanted MSCs. However, it is still unclear whether exosomes can completely replace MSCs in POI treatment. For the reliable application of cell-free treatment for POI patients using exosomes, there is a need to understand whether there is any outcome and effectiveness difference between MSC and MSC-derived exosome treatment.

Methods

Comparing the therapeutic effect of intravenous injection using MSCs and equal amounts of exosomes in a POI mouse model will reveal the difference between the two therapeutic resources. In this study, we induced POI in C57/BL6 mice by chemotherapy (CXT) using a standard protocol. We then injected four different doses of MSCs or equal amounts of commercialized MSC-derived exosomes by retro-orbital injection post-CXT.

Result

After MSC/exosome treatment, tissue and serum samples were harvested to analyze molecular changes after treatment, while other mice in parallel experiments underwent breeding experiments to compare the restoration of fertility. Both the MSC- and exosome-treated groups had a restored estrous cycle and serum hormone levels compared to untreated POI mice. The pregnancy rate in the MSC-treated group was 60–100% after treatment, while the pregnancy rate in the exosome-treated group was 30–50% after treatment. Interestingly, in terms of long-term effects, MSC-treated mice still showed a 60–80% pregnancy rate in the second round of breeding, while the exosome-treated group became infertile again in the second round of breeding.

Conclusions

Although there were some differences in the efficacy between MSC treatment and exosome treatment, both treatments were able to achieve pregnancy in the POI mouse model. In conclusion, we report that MSC-derived exosomes are a promising therapeutic option to restore ovarian function in POI conditions similar to treatment with MSCs.
The effect of butylscopolamine on [18F]FDG uptake in the gastrointestinal tract is negligible and regionally variable
Authors: Gühne Falk , Ndum Ferdinand , Seifert Philipp , Winkens Thomas , Drescher Robert , Freesmeyer Martin
Published: June 2023

Background

Butylscopolamine (or hyoscine butylbromide, trade name Buscopan®) is occasionally administered as a premedication to reduce non-specific FDG uptake in the gastrointestinal tract based on its antiperistaltic effect. To date, there are no consistent recommendations for its use. The aim of this study was to quantify the reduction in intestinal and non-intestinal uptake by butylscopolamine administration and to derive relevance for clinical evaluation.

Results

458 patients (PET/CT for lung cancer) were retrospectively reviewed. 218 patients with butylscopolamine and 240 patients without butylscopolamine had comparable characteristics. While the SUVmean in the gullet/stomach and small intestine was significantly reduced with butylscopolamine, the colon and rectum/anus showed no difference. The liver and salivary glands showed a reduced SUVmean, while skeletal muscle and blood pool were unaffected. An effect of butylscopolamine was particularly evident in men and patients under 65 years of age. There was no difference in the perceived confidence in the assessment of intestinal findings in the subjective evaluation, although in the butylscopolamine group further diagnostics appeared advisable more frequently.

Conclusions

Butylscopolamine reduces gastrointestinal FDG accumulation only in selected segments and, despite a significant effect, only to a small extent. A general recommendation for the use of butylscopolamine cannot be derived from these results, its use for specific issues could be considered individually.
Performance of active learning models for screening prioritization in systematic reviews: a simulation study into the Average Time to Discover relevant records
Authors: Ferdinands Gerbrich , Schram Raoul , de Bruin Jonathan , Bagheri Ayoub , Oberski Daniel L. , Tummers Lars , Teijema Jelle Jasper , van de Schoot Rens
Published: June 2023

Background

Conducting a systematic review demands a significant amount of effort in screening titles and abstracts. To accelerate this process, various tools that utilize active learning have been proposed. These tools allow the reviewer to interact with machine learning software to identify relevant publications as early as possible. The goal of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of active learning models for reducing the workload in systematic reviews through a simulation study.

Methods

The simulation study mimics the process of a human reviewer screening records while interacting with an active learning model. Different active learning models were compared based on four classification techniques (naive Bayes, logistic regression, support vector machines, and random forest) and two feature extraction strategies (TF-IDF and doc2vec). The performance of the models was compared for six systematic review datasets from different research areas. The evaluation of the models was based on the Work Saved over Sampling (WSS) and recall. Additionally, this study introduces two new statistics, Time to Discovery (TD) and Average Time to Discovery (ATD).

Results

The models reduce the number of publications needed to screen by 91.7 to 63.9% while still finding 95% of all relevant records (WSS@95). Recall of the models was defined as the proportion of relevant records found after screening 10% of of all records and ranges from 53.6 to 99.8%. The ATD values range from 1.4% till 11.7%, which indicate the average proportion of labeling decisions the researcher needs to make to detect a relevant record. The ATD values display a similar ranking across the simulations as the recall and WSS values.

Conclusions

Active learning models for screening prioritization demonstrate significant potential for reducing the workload in systematic reviews. The Naive Bayes + TF-IDF model yielded the best results overall. The Average Time to Discovery (ATD) measures performance of active learning models throughout the entire screening process without the need for an arbitrary cut-off point. This makes the ATD a promising metric for comparing the performance of different models across different datasets.
Reviewing the current state of virtual reality integration in medical education – a scoping review protocol
Authors: Mergen Marvin , Meyerheim Marcel , Graf Norbert
Published: June 2023

Background

Due to an increasing focus of medical curricula on clinical decision-making skills, new learning tools are constantly developed. Virtual reality (VR) is one of the emerging technologies with the potential to improve health professionals’ education. Highly realistic learning experiences with repeatable training scenarios can be created within a protected environment that is independent from real patients' presence. Our project “medical tr.AI.ning” is following this approach aiming to simulate immersive virtual first-person scenarios with intelligent, interactable virtual patients. So far, VR has been mainly used in surgical training, but there is evidence for effectiveness in training different procedural skills, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, knowledge acquisition, and improvement of reasoning and creativity, while still being cost-effective.

The objective of this scoping review is to explore the usage and identify key areas of VR applications in the field of medical education. Furthermore, the corresponding requirements, evaluation methods and outcomes, advantages, and disadvantages will be covered.

Methods

This scoping review protocol implements the updated JBI Scoping Review Methodology. In March 2022, a preliminary literature research in PubMed was performed by two independent reviewers to refine search terms and strategy as well as inclusion criteria of the protocol, accounting for actuality and scientific relevance. The final search will be conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, and JBI Evidence Synthesis. Search, study screening, and data extraction will be done in parallel and independently by two reviewers. Discrepancies will be handled by consensus or consulting a third review author.

Discussion

With this scoping review, we anticipate collating the range of application of VR in medical education while using a transparent and reproducible search strategy. This may contribute to the design and development of novel educational VR platforms and their integration into medical curricula while pointing out previous omissions and pitfalls.
Spin on adverse effects in abstracts of systematic reviews of orthodontic interventions: a cross-sectional study (part 2)
Authors: Steegmans Pauline A. J. , Di Girolamo Nicola , Meursinge Reynders Reint A.
Published: June 2023

Background

It is critical that abstracts of systematic reviews transparently report both the beneficial and adverse effects of interventions without misleading the readers. This cross-sectional study assessed whether adverse effects of interventions were reported or considered in abstracts of systematic reviews of orthodontic interventions and whether spin on adverse effects was identified when comparing the abstracts with what was sought and reported in these reviews.

Methods

This cross-sectional study (part 2 of 2) used the same sample of 98 systematic reviews orthodontic interventions as used in part 1. Eligible reviews were retrieved from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the 5 leading orthodontic journals between August 1 2009 and July 31 2021. Prevalence proportions were sought for 3 outcomes as defined in the published protocol. Univariable logistic regression models were built to explore associations between the presence of spin in the abstract and a series of predictors. Odds ratios (OR) 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used to quantify the strength of associations and their precision.

Results

76.5% (75/98) of eligible reviews reported or considered (i.e., discussed, weighted etc.) potential adverse effects of orthodontic interventions in the abstract and the proportion of spin on adverse effects was 40.8% (40/98) in the abstract of these reviews. Misleading reporting was the predominant category of spin, i.e., 90% (36/40). Our explorative analyses found that compared to the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews all 5 orthodontic journals had similar odds of the presence of spin on adverse effects in abstracts of systematic reviews of orthodontic interventions. The odds of the presence of spin did not change over the sampled years (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.9 to 1.16) and did not depend on the number of authors (OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.21), or on the type of orthodontic intervention (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.45 to 2.67), or whether conflicts of interests were reported (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.32 to 1.68).

Conclusion

End users of systematic reviews of orthodontic interventions have to be careful when interpreting results on adverse effects in the abstracts of these reviews, because they could be jeopardized by uncertainties such as not being reported and misleading reporting as a result of spin.
Ancient mural inpainting via structure information guided two-branch model
Authors: Deng Xiaochao , Yu Ying
Published: June 2023

Ancient murals are important cultural heritages for our exploration of ancient civilizations and are of great research value. Due to long-time exposure to the environment, ancient murals often suffer from damage (deterioration) such as cracks, scratches, corrosion, paint loss, and even large-region falling off. It is an urgent work to protect and restore these damaged ancient murals. Mural inpainting techniques refer to virtually filling the deteriorated regions by reconstructing the structure and texture elements of the mural images. Most existing mural inpainting approaches fail to fill loss contents that contain complex structures and diverse patterns since they neglect the importance of structure guidance. In this paper, we propose a structure-guided two-branch model based on the generative adversarial network (GAN) for ancient mural inpainting. In the proposed model, the mural inpainting process can be divided into two stages: structure reconstruction and content restoration. These two stages are conducted by using a structure reconstruction network (SRN) and a content restoration network (CRN), respectively. In the structure reconstruction stage, SRN employs the Gated Convolution and the Fast Fourier Convolution (FFC) residual block to reconstruct the missing structures of the damaged murals. In the content restoration stage, CRN uses the structures (generated by SRN) to guide the missing content restoration of the murals. We design a two-branch parallel encoder to improve the texture and color restoration quality for the missing regions of the murals. Moreover, we propose a cascade attention module that can capture long-term relevance information in the deep features. It helps to alleviate the texture-blur and color-bias problem. We conduct experiments on both simulated and real damaged murals, and compare our inpainting results with other four competitive approaches. Experimental results show that our proposed model outperforms other approaches in terms of texture clarity, color consistency and structural continuity of the restored mural images. In addition, the mural inpainting results of our model can achieve comparatively high quantitative evaluation metrics.
Constraints on magma storage conditions based on geodetic volume change and erupted magma volume and application to the 2011 and 2018 eruptions at Kirishima Shinmoe-dake volcano, Japan
Authors: Kozono Tomofumi , Koyaguchi Takehiro , Ueda Hideki , Ozawa Taku , Yamasaki Tadashi
Published: June 2023

We investigated magma storage conditions prior to the 2011 and 2018 eruptions at Kirishima Shinmoe-dake volcano in Japan based on the relationship between geodetic volume change of magma chamber and erupted magma volume. We derived an analytical expression for the ratio of the erupted magma volume to the geodetic volume change (“volume ratio”), which was formulated as a function of parameters related to the magma storage conditions. This expression shows that the volume ratio is strongly dependent on the effective compressibility of the magma chamber, which in turn depends on the rigidity of surrounding host rocks and shape of the chamber. For the Shinmoe-dake eruptions, the magnitude of the volume change (i.e., deflation) of a spherical magma chamber associated with lava effusion was estimated based on geodetic observations. The erupted magma volume was estimated from a SAR image analysis of the lava accumulation inside the summit crater. Based on these observations, we estimated that the volume ratio in 2011 and 2018 was 2.69 and 2.33, respectively. Substituting the estimated volume ratio into the analytical expression revealed that the observed geodetic data and volume ratio can be explained only when the magma chamber, which was assumed to be spherical, is filled with bubble-free magma. This result suggests that efficient gas segregation from the chamber occurred prior to the eruptions. Our results indicate that combining multi-observation data based on the volume ratio provides valuable information about the magma storage process, such as the behavior of the gas phase in the magma chamber.

Graphical Abstract
The ethical implications of resonance theory
Authors: Taylor Charles
Published: June 2023

In the first part of this paper, I want to look at the ethical implications of Hartmut Rosa’s Resonance theory for a critical theory of society. I know that this widening of the scope of critical theory is an important objective which Hartmut has pursued. Then I will look at some of the sources of resonance theory in the poetry of the Romantic period. These still provide the basis for important Resonanzachsen today. At the end of this essay, I deal with the issue of the epistemic status of the convictions this poetry inspires.
Diagnostic accuracy of shear wave elastography in evaluating renal fibrosis in children with chronic kidney disease: a comparative study with nuclear scan
Authors: Yadav Abhishek Kumar , Sherwani Poonam , Yhoshu Enono , Dhingra Vandana Kumar , Bhat Nowneet Kumar
Published: June 2023

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant health issue in pediatric patients due to fibrosis progression. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a noninvasive technique used to assess fibrosis in CKD, but its efficacy needs to be better established. This study aimed to compare SWE with nuclear scan in assessing fibrosis in pediatric CKD patients.

Aim

To determine the area of scarring/fibrosis of each kidney using shear wave elastography in chronic kidney disease and compare it with technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) results.

Methods

A prospective study included 39 chronic kidney disease patients who underwent shear wave elastography and grayscale ultrasound. DMSA scans were performed to identify scar areas of the kidneys. Young modulus was recorded for each pole of both kidneys and compared with scar areas on DMSA. Thirty-nine age-matched controls underwent shear wave elastography to estimate the average elasticity value in the normal population.

Results

Thirty-nine CKD patients underwent this study, with 10 females and 29 males. The median age was 6.5 years. The cutoff value of cortical thickness ≤ 10.2 predicted scar on DMSA with a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 77%. The cutoff value of elasticity value ≥ 5.57 kPa predicted scar on DMSA with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 96%. Median SWE values were significantly higher with the scar on DMSA (12.6 kPa) compared to no scar on DMSA (4.1 kPa). The controls mean values and standard deviation were 2.42 kPa and 0.45 kPa, respectively.

Conclusions

Shear wave elastography has revealed that patients with chronic kidney disease exhibit higher values in the areas where scarring has occurred, compared to non-scarred areas. Fortunately, integrating shear wave elastography into routine ultrasonography assessments is a straightforward and painless process that requires no additional preparation from the patient. Not only is this method time efficient, but it also eliminates the need for potentially risky radiation exposure from radionuclide tests in the future.
The Emergency nurse Protocols Initiating Care—Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (EPIC-START) trial: protocol for a stepped wedge implementation trial
Authors: Curtis Kate , Dinh Michael M. , Shetty Amith , Kourouche Sarah , Fry Margaret , Considine Julie , Li Ling , Lung Thomas , Shaw Timothy , Lam Mary K. , Murphy Margaret , Alkhouri Hatem , Aggar Christina , Russell Saartje Berendsen , Seimon Radhika V. , Hughes James A. , Varndell Wayne , Shaban Ramon Z.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a global problem and a threat to the quality and safety of emergency care. Providing timely and safe emergency care therein is challenging. To address this in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the Emergency nurse Protocol Initiating Care—Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (EPIC-START) was developed. EPIC-START is a model of care incorporating EPIC protocols, the START patient admission prediction tool, and a clinical deterioration tool to support ED flow, timely care, and patient safety. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of EPIC-START implementation across 30 EDs on patient, implementation, and health service outcomes.

Methods and analysis

This study protocol adopts an effectiveness-implementation hybrid design (Med Care 50: 217-226, 2012) and uses a stepped–wedge cluster randomised control trial of EPIC-START, including uptake and sustainability, within 30 EDs across four NSW local health districts spanning rural, regional, and metropolitan settings. Each cluster will be randomised independently of the research team to 1 of 4 dates until all EDs have been exposed to the intervention. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations will be conducted on data from medical records and routinely collected data, and patient, nursing, and medical staff pre- and post-surveys.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval for the research was received from the Sydney Local Health District Research Ethics Committee (Reference Number 2022/ETH01940) on 14 December 2022.

Trial registration

Australian and New Zealand Clinical trial, ACTRN12622001480774p. Registered on 27 October 2022.
Quick clay monitoring using distributed acoustic sensing: A case study from Rissa, Norway
Authors: Rørstadbotnen Robin André , Dong Hefeng , Landrø Martin , Duffaut Kenneth , Growe Kevin , Kakhkhorov Umedzhon , Wienecke Susann , Jacobsen Joacim
Published: June 2023

Quick clay avalanche is one of the most devastating landslide types worldwide. Hence, an early warning system is in demand to mitigate the fatal consequences caused by such events. To address this, distributed acoustic sensing data are collected in an area containing quick clay deposits between July 2021 and February 2022 in Rissa, Norway, while a new road is constructed on the quick clay. Road construction can induce unwanted changes to the mass balance in the clay, and previous landslides have been triggered by such changes. For this purpose, passive and active data are collected to test and compare various analysis methods. Using extracted Rayleigh wave dispersion from active sledgehammer shots, shear-wave velocity depth profiles covering the first 15 m could be estimated and compared using a linearized and a nonlinear surface wave inversion method. Furthermore, ambient noise crosscorrelation is used to obtain the dispersion from the ambient noise and associated shear-wave velocity profiles, providing two possible data collection methods for the early warning system. The obtained dispersion curves and the estimated shear-wave velocity profiles show small time-lapse variation during the acquisition period (up to approximately 23 m/s), where the variation is within one standard deviation. Such a small variation suggests that the construction work and the extra load added to the quick clay do not alter the quick clay’s properties. Nevertheless, the obtained results capture the nonrepeatability effects within the acquisition period and provide reference curves for the study area at undisturbed conditions and valuable information for future comparisons to refer to potential failure scenarios. This is the first step in exploring an early warning system for quick clay landslides using fiber-optic cables. Further work will investigate the possibility of automatizing the system and improving the accuracy of the sensing system.
Understanding seismic velocity variations of subsea permafrost: A sensitivity study
Authors: Bustamante Jefferson , Fabien-Ouellet Gabriel , Duchesne Mathieu J. , Ibrahim Amr
Published: June 2023

Monitoring the change in permafrost conditions and distribution is crucial for forecasting global warming. As seismic velocities increase with ice content, marine seismic surveys can map the top of ice-bearing subsea permafrost on a large scale. However, conventional seismic methods cannot fully map internal velocity variations linked to changes in ice content because the removal of guided waves and multiples is challenging for reflection processing. Nevertheless, these arrivals carry information about velocity variations with depth. We investigate if a joint analysis of various wave arrivals could provide information about velocity variations within permafrost and accurately estimate the permafrost thickness. Through a sensitivity analysis, we estimate the feasibility of using different wave arrivals, such as reflections, refractions, multiples, and guided waves, to better characterize permafrost conditions. We find that guided waves are sensitive to velocity variations within permafrost and can detect the depth of the permafrost’s base under certain geologic conditions. Then, we combine the analysis of all seismic arrivals to derive a subsurface permafrost model for a seismic line collected in the Beaufort Sea. The joint analysis reveals the transitions in depth between ice-bonded and partially ice-bonded permafrost and offers a crude estimate of permafrost thickness.
3D DC inversion, visualization, and processing of dense time-lapse data in fine domains applied to remediation monitoring
Authors: Domenzain Diego , Liu Lichao , Yélamos Vela Iván , Christiansen Anders Vest
Published: June 2023

Using electrical direct-current (DC) data to monitor the subsurface is an efficient solution for observing changes in the shallow subsurface. Recent advances in instrumentation enable the acquisition of large data sets over 3D domains in a reasonable time. We have developed an inversion approach capable of handling very large amounts of data on a finely discretized domain, which enables the delivery of time-lapse results of dense data acquisitions in a feasible time and with high resolution. To spatially represent 3D DC data, a visualization method is introduced that formally generalizes the focusing point of a common pseudosection in three dimensions. The method physically describes subsurface properties for simple geologic scenarios. In addition, the focusing points are used to design our 3D measuring protocol. We develop a DC data processing scheme using the full time-domain induced polarization (IP) waveform data by applying two novel physics-based criteria that enforce charge buildup and steady state. These criteria are tested on DCIP field data and find that 98% of the filtered DC data have less than 1% relative error. The 3D visualization method and inversion algorithm are evaluated on synthetic scenarios of 3D DC dense borehole data. Then, we indicate time-lapse results of DC field data acquired at an uncontaminated site where a remediation agent was injected at depth. The data are acquired with a new DCIP instrument capable of measuring dense data sets at fast acquisition times. Accounting for DCIP data acquisition, signal processing, and 3D inversion of 60,000 DC measurements, our results locate in 14 h the 3D spread of the remediation agent in a [Formula: see text] volume.
Horizontal well path design with seismic inversion for a shale oil reservoir in the Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Hu Xinhai , Lu Minghui , Cao Hong , Yang Zhifang , Song Jianyong
Published: June 2023

The Ordos Basin is located in the western part of the North-China Platform, where China’s largest shale oil field was discovered. Most of the production originates from relatively thin and tight sand bodies within the Chang 7 member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation. This consequently requires accurate and high-resolution inversion data to characterize the reservoirs and define the horizontal well paths. In this paper, we adopt full-waveform inversion (FWI) to obtain the velocity model for time-to-depth inversion. Compared with conventional migration velocity analysis, FWI can produce velocity models with more high-wavenumber variations that reflect thin and localized geologic features. Geologic statistical inversion is also applied to resolve the thin beds beyond seismic resolution. A comprehensive index is then computed with the inverted parameters to evaluate the reservoir and build a sweet-spot map. We define the coordinates, direction, and length of the horizontal well on the maps. The well path is subsequently carefully designed on the sections of the time-to-depth converted inversion data. The effectiveness of the workflow is verified using the application case of the Qingcheng oil field at the Ordos Basin.
Shared Decision Making in the Care of Patients With Cancer
Authors: Shickh Salma , Leventakos Konstantinos , Lewis Mark A. , Bombard Yvonne , Montori Victor M.
Published: June 2023

Shared decision making (SDM) is a method of care that is suitable for the care of patients with cancer. It involves a collaborative conversation seeking to respond sensibly to the problematic situation of the patient, cocreating a plan of care that makes sense intellectually, practically, and emotionally. Genetic testing to identify whether a patient has a hereditary cancer syndrome represents a prime example of the importance for SDM in oncology. SDM is important for genetic testing because not only results affect current cancer treatment, cancer surveillance, and care of relatives but also these tests generate both complex results and psychological concerns. SDM conversations should take place without interruptions, disruptions, or hurry and be supported, where available, by tools that assist in conveying the relevant evidence and in supporting plan development. Examples of these tools include treatment SDM encounter aids and the Genetics Adviser. Patients are expected to play a key role in making decisions and implementing plans of care, but several evolving challenges related to the unfettered access to information and expertise of varying trustworthiness and complexity in between interactions with clinicians can both support and complicate this role. SDM should result in a plan of care that is maximally responsive to the biology and biography of each patient, maximally supportive of each patient's goals and priorities, and minimally disruptive of their lives and loves.
User-Centered Design of a Machine Learning Dashboard for Prediction of Postoperative Complications
Authors: Fritz Bradley A. , Pugazenthi Sangami , Budelier Thaddeus P. , Tellor Pennington Bethany R. , King Christopher R. , Avidan Michael S. , Abraham Joanna
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND:

Machine learning models can help anesthesiology clinicians assess patients and make clinical and operational decisions, but well-designed human-computer interfaces are necessary for machine learning model predictions to result in clinician actions that help patients. Therefore, the goal of this study was to apply a user-centered design framework to create a user interface for displaying machine learning model predictions of postoperative complications to anesthesiology clinicians.

METHODS:

Twenty-five anesthesiology clinicians (attending anesthesiologists, resident physicians, and certified registered nurse anesthetists) participated in a 3-phase study that included (phase 1) semistructured focus group interviews and a card sorting activity to characterize user workflows and needs; (phase 2) simulated patient evaluation incorporating a low-fidelity static prototype display interface followed by a semistructured interview; and (phase 3) simulated patient evaluation with concurrent think-aloud incorporating a high-fidelity prototype display interface in the electronic health record. In each phase, data analysis included open coding of session transcripts and thematic analysis.

RESULTS:

During the needs assessment phase (phase 1), participants voiced that (a) identifying preventable risk related to modifiable risk factors is more important than nonpreventable risk, (b) comprehensive patient evaluation follows a systematic approach that relies heavily on the electronic health record, and (c) an easy-to-use display interface should have a simple layout that uses color and graphs to minimize time and energy spent reading it. When performing simulations using the low-fidelity prototype (phase 2), participants reported that (a) the machine learning predictions helped them to evaluate patient risk, (b) additional information about how to act on the risk estimate would be useful, and (c) correctable problems related to textual content existed. When performing simulations using the high-fidelity prototype (phase 3), usability problems predominantly related to the presentation of information and functionality. Despite the usability problems, participants rated the system highly on the System Usability Scale (mean score, 82.5; standard deviation, 10.5).

CONCLUSIONS:

Incorporating user needs and preferences into the design of a machine learning dashboard results in a display interface that clinicians rate as highly usable. Because the system demonstrates usability, evaluation of the effects of implementation on both process and clinical outcomes is warranted.
Η κουλτούρα του Ελληνικού δημόσιου σχολείου: προσπάθεια τυπολογικής κατάταξης με βάση τις απόψεις των εκπαιδευτικών
Authors: Λαλιώτη Ευθυμία , Kουτούζης Μανώλης
Published: June 2023

Η παρουσιαζόμενη έρευνα αποτέλεσε προσπάθεια χαρτογράφησης της κουλτούρας του Δημόσιου Σχολείου στην Ελλάδα με βάση τις απόψεις των Εκπαιδευτικών (Διευθυντών/-ντριών και Διδασκόντων/-ουσών). Σε μια προσέγγιση τυπολογικής κατάταξης (για την απάντηση στο δεύτερο κυρίως από τα τρία ερευνητικά ερωτήματα: Ο βαθμός επίδρασης των στοιχείων που συνθέτουν την ιδιαιτερότητα της σχολικής κουλτούρας στην Ελλάδα κατά τη  διαμόρφωσή της αποτελεί κριτήριο για την ανάπτυξη ενός μοντέλου τυπολογικής -με την έννοια των προσανατολισμών- κατάταξης αυτής;) αναδείχτηκαν δύο βασικοί προσανατολισμοί κουλτούρας, ο επικρατέστερος της ανθρωποκεντρικής-ανοιχτής-συνεργατικής κουλτούρας και ο σπανιότερος της γραφειοκρατικής-κλειστής κουλτούρας, με σχετική σύγκλιση μεταξύ τους στην πρόσληψη του συγκεντρωτισμού. Ως παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν -με μη υψηλή βεβαιότητα- τις απόψεις και επιλογές των εκπαιδευτικών ως προς τους προσανατολισμούς της σχολικής κουλτούρας αναδείχτηκαν η θέση που κατέχουν οι εκπαιδευτικοί στη σχολική μονάδα, ο τύπος της σχολικής μονάδας και το μέγεθος αυτής (αριθμός μαθητών και αριθμός εκπαιδευτικών). Η διερεύνηση του θέματος στηρίχτηκε στο θεωρητικό μοντέλο των Ανταγωνιζόμενων Αξιών των Cameron and Quinn (1999, 2006, 2011) για τους τέσσερις τύπους οργανωσιακής κουλτούρας, με προσαρμοσμένη χρήση του Ερωτηματολογίου Maslowski (2001) για διερεύνηση των απόψεων των εκπαιδευτικών σχετικά με την κουλτούρα της σχολικής μονάδας τους, σε δείγμα σχολείων και των δύο Βαθμίδων Σχολικής Εκπαίδευσης από όλη την Ελλάδα.
Case Report: Rehabilitation of bilateral below-knee and partial-hand amputations in a developing country
Authors: Noviana Astika Cahya , Pawana I Putu Alit , Kusumawardani Martha Kurnia
Published: June 2023

Limb ischemia is a complication of peripheral artery disease (PAD)which can lead to amputation. Amputation occurs in approximately 3-4% of PAD patients. In Indonesia, post-amputation patients are only hospitalized for the acute phase and the post-amputation rehabilitation programs must be done as an outpatient. This could be a barrier to the continuity of rehabilitation programs. A solution is the application of home-based rehabilitation programs. A 57-year-old female was referred from the Cardiothoracic Surgery Outpatient Clinic post-amputation with bilateral below-knees and partial-hands amputation after being diagnosed with PAD. On initial examination, all her elbows, wrists, thumbs, hips, and knees showed weakness. The patient received neuromuscular electrical stimulations (NMES) as well as a home-based rehabilitation programs. On the second examination, after considering the data from the clinical finding and supporting examination, the patient received bilateral below-knee prostheses and bilateral functional partial-hand prostheses, created using 3D printing technology with polylactic acid material. After a few months, she was able to do most of her activities of daily living (ADLs) independently, work as a shopkeeper in her store, and feel more confident interacting with others. A comprehensive rehabilitation programs, patient adherence to exercise, and caregiver support are critical to improving functional capacity and the quality of life in a patient with bilateral below-knee and bilateral partial-hand amputation caused by PAD.
A blended model of interior design studio practice due to COVID-19
Authors: Assali Imad
Published: June 2023

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic upended the educational system around the globe. During this challenging period, universities and colleges looked for other effective alternative methods of learning, such as Virtual Learning Environments (VL). Besides, Ahlia University has implemented E-learning in response to COVID-19. There needs to be more attention given to the challenges associated with technology adoption facing interior design and architecture programs, where over 60% of courses are practical, especially design studios, which form the core of the curriculum. According to a review of the relevant literature, there needs to be more research on blended learning in interior design and architecture. In order to enhance the teaching and learning of interior design and architecture, further research is required to combine cutting-edge techniques and technology. The aim of this study was to review the classroom materials for Ahlia University's interior design studio.

Methods: After completing the INTD 212, INTD 216, INTD 311, and INTD 404 studios in mid-March 2022, a short Qualtrics poll was done to assess the difficulties of e-learning and offer potential consequences.

Results: Though students were conveniently attending courses online, there was not much discussion and interaction like in the face-to-face model. Blended teaching in design studio courses offered many benefits. The results showed that blended design studios achieved pedagogical results as students developed their knowledge.  

Conclusions: Based on the findings, this research concludes that teaching and learning should be shifted from face-to-face and online learning to the best practice of a blended format.
The identification of high-performing antibodies for TDP-43 for use in Western Blot, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence
Authors: Worrall Donovan , Ayoubi Riham , Fotouhi Maryam , Southern Kathleen , McPherson Peter S. , Laflamme Carl ,   NeuroSGC/YCharOS/EDDU collaborative group,   ABIF Consortium
Published: June 2023

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a DNA/RNA binding protein playing a critical role in the regulation of transcription, splicing and RNA stability. Mutations in TARDBP leading to aggregation, are suspected to be a characteristic feature of various neurogenerative diseases. The lack of well-characterized anti- TDP-43 antibodies acts as a barrier to establish reproducible TDP-43 research. In this study, we characterized eighteen TDP-43 commercial antibodies for Western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. We identified many well-performing antibodies and encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibody for their specific needs.
A cross-sectional survey measuring effectiveness of fuel subsidy restructure in Malaysia
Authors: Yee Yen Yuen , Jing Wen Lai , Ramasamy Suganthi , Puspitawati Eka
Published: June 2023

Background: Out of the MYR 14 billion of fuel subsidy, the top 20% households (T20) in the country enjoy MYR 8 billion compared to MYR 6 billion of the fuel subsidy restructure enjoyed by the low income (B40) households. As the Malaysian government has started to restructure the fuel subsidy scheme in December 2022 when the national economy began to recover post coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this study is in need as it highlights the key concerns of B40 and middle 40% (M40) households to the government. This research aims to determine key factors affecting fuel subsidy restructure effectiveness from the perspective of B40 and M40 households in Malaysia post COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:  A total of 150 questionnaires were disseminated to Malaysia B40 and M40 households. The questionnaire was completed by 105 households with no missing value. This paper utilized cross-sectional design to examine factors that contribute to fuel subsidy restructure in Malaysia post COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Efficient targeting and social protection were the most important factor that contribute to the effectiveness of fuel subsidy restructure in Malaysia.

Conclusions: This research serves as the pioneer research to provide valuable insights to the Malaysian government to effectively restructure fuel subsidy initiative towards creating greater social protection, efficient targeting and better governance and administrative capacity in improving the quality of life of the B40 and M40 households.
Case Report: Concomitant presence of two STIs in a male patient
Authors: Rusia Kaveri , Madke Bhushan , Kashikar Yash
Published: June 2023

Background: The spirochaete Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, which causes the infectious disease syphilis, can be spread through sexual contact or perinatal transmission. In recent years, cases of syphilis have increased, especially among individuals engaging in behaviour that makes them more vulnerable (condomless sex and multiple sexual partners) and in men who have sex with men. Condylomata acuminata (external genital warts) is one of the most common viral sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Individuals who are behaviourally vulnerable are also highly prone to be exposed to one or more STIs. Our case exemplifies the occurrence of two STIs in a young man who was behaviourally vulnerable to acquiring STIs.

Case: We report a case of a 21-year-old year old heterosexual man presenting with concomitant primary syphilis and genital warts. He presented with a painless genital ulcer and warty growths on his glans penis. Examination showed a painless indurated ulcer and multiple genital warts. Serology was positive for quantitative serological disease research laboratory test (1:16 titre). The patient was diagnosed with two concomitant STIs. He was treated as per the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for primary syphilis and podophyllin resin for genital warts. After four weeks, the genital ulcer showed complete healing and there was a significant reduction of genital warts.

Conclusions: Individuals with multiple sexual partners engaging in sexual activity without the use of prevention tools are at a greater chance of acquiring two or more STIs. To reduce concomitant transmission, preventive measures against genital ulcer diseases caused by human papilloma virus, syphilis, herpes, and chancroid, such as early identification and treatment, and condom distribution, must be strengthened as part of national STI prevention. Patients with two or more STIs should be followed regularly to assess the progress of infection and should be offered timely medical treatment.