bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of Response to Oral Medications and Low-Histamine Diet in Patients with Chronic Urticaria
Authors: Chiang Hui-Ling , Chen Chen-Hung , Koo Malcolm , Tsai Tzung-Yi , Wu Cheng-Han
Published: February 2022

Background. Chronic urticaria (CU) is comprised of diverse phenotypes, and thus, a shift towards a precision medical approach is warranted in its management. Methods. This study enrolled 78 patients with CU. Serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hemoglobin, hematocrit, eosinophil count, IgE, antinuclear antibody (ANA), and serum diamine oxidase (DAO) levels of the patients were measured and were compared according to the patient’s response to second-generation antihistamines (sgAH), corticosteroids, leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA), H2 blockers, and low-histamine diet. Results. Age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that patients with duration of

CU
>
3

years (adjusted odd ratio

aOR

=
4.39

) and a

DAO
 
level
<
10
 
U
/
mL

(

aOR
=
3.90

) were significantly associated with a good sgAH response.

Age
>
50

years (

aOR
=
0.02

), duration of

chronic
 
urticaria
>
3

years (aOR =0.06), and an

ANA
 
titer
≥
1
:
80

(

aOR
=
0.03

) were significantly and inversely associated with corticosteroid response. A low-histamine diet response was significantly associated with LTRA response (

aOR
=
67.29

). In addition, a DAO

level
<
5.4
 
U
/
mL

(

aOR
=
71.95

) was significantly associated with H2 blocker response. Furthermore, concomitant angioedema (

aOR
=
10.56

), multiple food triggers (

aOR
=
11.69

), and a

DAO
 
level
<
5.4
 
U
/
mL

(

aOR
=
3.78

) were significantly associated with a low-histamine diet response. Conversely, dermatographic urticaria and a

hematocrit
 
level
<
36
%

were significantly and inversely associated with low-histamine diet response. Conclusions. Several promising biomarkers were identified in this study to predict the efficacy of chronic urticaria treatment. DAO could be a novel biomarker for predicting the efficacy not only of dietary intervention but also for antagonists of H1 and H2 receptors.
The Numerical Algorithms and Optimization Approach Used in Extracting the Parameters of the Single-Diode and Double-Diode Photovoltaic (PV) Models
Authors: Prabu R. Thandaiah , Parasuraman S. , Sahoo Satyajeet , Amirthalakshmi T. M. , Ramesh S. , Shifani S. Agnes , Jayadhas S. Arockia , Reddy M. Indra , Al Obaid Sami , Alfarraj Saleh , Kumar S. S.
Published: February 2022

The current-voltage association of the single-diode photovoltaic (PV) cell comparable circuit system was characterized by its nonlinear implicit logical equation that would be hard to be resolved numerically. Because of the difficulty, various strategies for explaining this equation by using numerical approaches have been developed. The double-diode model is used to depict the PV cell in this research. This design is more accurate at the low irradiance levels, allowing for an extra accurate estimate performance of the PV system. The number of input variables is decreased to four to save time, and the values of

R

p

and

R

s

are calculated using an effective iterative technique. This research analyzes and compares three commonly used strategies for explaining the current-voltage equation parameter of a single-diode solar PV model. The chaotic optimization approach (COA) is used to evaluate the single-diode and double-diode solar cell characteristics. The suggested method relies on experimentally established current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. The suggested approach uses the curves of I-V characteristics obtained in the research laboratory for several standards of the solar temperature and the radiation and demonstrates its applicability in terms of efficacy, accuracy, and the simplicity of execution in an extensive range of real-world situations. As a conclusion, COA-based restriction approximation is beneficial to photovoltaic power generator manufacturers that want a timely and efficient PV cell/module model. It demonstrates that no single approach performs the best among all parameters and the method selection is always a trade-off depending on the user’s focus.
Youth Participation in Agricultural Enterprises as Rural Job Creation Work and Its Determinants in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Tarekegn Kassa , Kamaylo Kusse , Galtsa Duge , Oyka Endrias
Published: February 2022

Even though agriculture has ample potential to absorb a large number of people, youths tend to stand away from the subsector. As a result, rural job creation works were started in southern Ethiopia by participating youth in different agricultural enterprises in the form of groups and cooperatives. However, as compared to sector potential, youths are not participating in agricultural job creation works in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was intended to assess factors affecting youth participation in agricultural enterprises in selected districts of Southern Ethiopia. A multistage sampling procedure was followed to select 160 sample youths. The collected data from sampled youths were analyzed by both descriptive statistics and a probit econometric model. Among the agricultural enterprises, the majority of the youths (63.3%) preferred livestock enterprises indicating livestock sector job creation capacity in Ethiopia. The seasonal nature of agricultural income, fear of agricultural risk, and lack of initial capital were the top three factors hindering youth participation in the agricultural enterprise as rural job creation works. The probit model result shows that, among the hypothesized variables, education level, credit getting bureaucracy, lack of initial capital, fear of the group, risk and uncertainty, and lack of working place determine significantly youth participation in agriculture enterprises. Hence, respective bodies must group youths based on their preferred interest and evaluate their business plan critical before credit disbursement, while solving credit providing terms problems on the microfinance side and the introduction of agricultural insurance through these youth agricultural enterprises for agricultural risk fear needs stakeholders’ interventions. Overall, initial savings, interest rate, and payback period of credit need special policy adjustments to increase youth participation in an agricultural enterprise.
Radiological Analysis of COVID-19 Using Computational Intelligence: A Broad Gauge Study
Authors: Vineth Ligi S. , Kundu Soumya Snigdha , Kumar R. , Narayanamoorthi R. , Lai Khin Wee , Dhanalakshmi Samiappan
Published: February 2022

Pulmonary medical image analysis using image processing and deep learning approaches has made remarkable achievements in the diagnosis, prognosis, and severity check of lung diseases. The epidemic of COVID-19 brought out by the novel coronavirus has triggered a critical need for artificial intelligence assistance in diagnosing and controlling the disease to reduce its effects on people and global economies. This study aimed at identifying the various COVID-19 medical imaging analysis models proposed by different researchers and featured their merits and demerits. It gives a detailed discussion on the existing COVID-19 detection methodologies (diagnosis, prognosis, and severity/risk detection) and the challenges encountered for the same. It also highlights the various preprocessing and post-processing methods involved to enhance the detection mechanism. This work also tries to bring out the different unexplored research areas that are available for medical image analysis and how the vast research done for COVID-19 can advance the field. Despite deep learning methods presenting high levels of efficiency, some limitations have been briefly described in the study. Hence, this review can help understand the utilization and pros and cons of deep learning in analyzing medical images.
Caricature Face Photo Facial Attribute Similarity Generator
Authors: Khan Muhammad Irfan , Hanif Muhammad Kashif , Talib Ramzan
Published: February 2022

Caricatures can help to understand the perception of a face. The prominent facial feature of a subject can be exaggerated, so the subject can be easily identified by humans. Recently, significant progress has been made to face detection and recognition from images. However, the matching of caricature with photographs is a difficult task. This is due to exaggerated features, representation of modalities, and different styles adopted by artists. This study proposed a cross‐domain qualitative feature‐based approach to match caricature with a mugshot. The proposed approach uses Haar‐like features for the detection of the face and other facial attributes. A point distribution measure is used to locate the exaggerated features. Furthermore, the ratio between different facial features was computed using different vertical and horizontal distances. These ratios were used to calculate the difference vector which is used as input to different machine and deep learning models. In order to attain better performance, stratifiedk‐fold cross‐validation with hyperparameter tuning is used. Convolution neural network‐based implementation outperformed the machine learning‐based models.
A Retrospective, Observational, EMR-Based Real-World Evidence Study to Assess the Incidence of Pedal Edema in Essential Hypertensive Patients on Amlodipine or Cilnidipine
Authors: Dalal Jamshed , Sawhney J. P. , Jayagopal P. B. , Hazra P. K. , Khan Mohammed Yunus , Gaurav Kumar , Pinto Colette , Mane Amey , Rao Sachin , Jain Madhur
Published: February 2022

Introduction. Calcium channel blockers have pedal edema as one of the confining factors of treatment. A real-world study may help evident reality of the situation in regular Indian clinical practice. The aim of the study is to assess effectiveness and incidence of pedal edema in essential hypertensive patients treated with amlodipine or cilnidipine monotherapy. Methods. Retrospective EMR data of adult essential hypertensive patients, prescribed amlodipine (n = 800) or cilnidipine (n = 800) as monotherapy, were analyzed. Incidence of pedal edema from baseline visit was analyzed in terms of dose and duration of treatment. The changes in systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) from baseline and proportion of patients achieving target BP goals were assessed. Results. In amlodipine and cilnidipine groups, mean changes in SBP and DBP from baseline to end of the study period were 28.4 and 15.1 mmHg and 24.3 and 13.5 mmHg, respectively (

p

value <0.05). More than 50% of patients in both groups achieved BP goal at the end of the study (

p

value 0.266). In amlodipine group, total 23.9% reported pedal edema, while in cilnidipine, 27.6% (

p

value 0.0863). At the end of the study, 3.5% and 8.2% of patients remain with pedal edema, respectively, in both groups (

p

value <0.005). Conclusion. Amlodipine demonstrated greater BP reduction at a lower average dose, better efficacy, and tolerability in terms of pedal edema count as a lesser number of patients reported edema at the end of the study and a higher percentage of patients continued the prescribed baseline dosage regimen as compared to cilnidipine. Thus, the study established amlodipine as an effective and well-tolerated antihypertensive for Indians.
Investigation on the Height Calculation of Water Flowing Fracture Zone during Coal Mining under Ordovician Limestone Nappe Aquifer
Authors: Chu Chengcheng
Published: February 2022

This paper focused on the height calculation of water flowing fracture zone during mining under the Ordovician limestone nappe aquifer. According to the critical conditions of crack arresting under the action of compression‐shear stress, a formula for calculating the height of water flowing fracture zone during mining under the Ordovician limestone nappe aquifer was proposed, which takes tectonic stress, the influence of fault, the mechanical effect of the seepage field on the stress field, and the rock softening with water into consideration. The formula was applied to calculate the height of water flowing fracture zone above panel E3213 in the first eastern mining area of the Qianyingzi coalmine. The comparison between the theoretical calculation and the measured result shows that the formula proposed in this paper is closest to the measured value and further improves the calculation accuracy compared with the previous formulas. This study not only has important theoretical and practical significance for the safe mining of Qianyingzi coalmine, but also has important theoretical and practical significance for the coalmine facing the double threat of Ordovician limestone confined aquifer and reverse fault.
Calculated Event Rates for Axion Detection via Atomic and Nuclear Processes
Authors: Vergados John D. , Divari Paraskevi C. , Ejiri Hiroyasu
Published: February 2022

The possibility of detection of 5.5 MeV and 14.4 keV solar axions by observing axion-induced nuclear and atomic transitions is investigated. The presence of nuclear transitions between spin orbit partners can be manifested by the subsequent deexcitation via gamma ray emissions. The transition rates can also be studied in the context of radiative axion absorption by a nucleus. The elementary interaction is obtained in the context of the axion-quark couplings predicted by existing axion models. Then, these couplings will be transformed to the nucleon level utilizing reasonable existing models, which lead to effective transition operators. Using these operators, we calculate the needed nuclear matrix elements employing wave functions obtained in the context of the nuclear shell model. With these ingredients, we discuss possibilities of experimental observation of the axion-induced nuclear gamma rays. In the second part, we will examine the axion-induced production of X-rays (axion-photon conversion) or ionization from deeply bound electron orbits. In this case, the axion electron coupling is predicted by existing axion models; no renormalization is needed. The experimental signal is the observation of directly produced electrons and/or the emission of hard X-rays and Auger electrons, following the deexcitation of the final atom. Critical discussion is made on the experimental feasibility of detecting the solar axions by using multiton scale NaI detectors.
Multiprojector Interreflection Compensation Using a Deep Convolution Network
Authors: Li Xiaofeng , Hu Zhihui , Gu Haiyan , Yang Ting , Lei Qinghua , Chen Hu , Cheng Peng , You Zhisheng
Published: February 2022

The aim of multiprojector interreflection compensation is to modify input images to remove complex physical stray-light effects (interreflection) from a multiprojector immersive system. This is an important but often ignored problem, which can lead to degradation of a projection image. Traditional methods usually address this problem by computing a matrix inversion. These traditional methods often ignore issue of the clarity of the generated images. In this paper, we describe a method for learning the inversion using a deep convolutional neural network (CNN), named Superresolution Compensation Net (SRCN). SRCN consists of four convolution layers to learn interactions of global light, six convolution layers, and two transposed convolution layers to extract multilevel features and generate compensation images. We also used a subpixel convolution layer to increase the resolution. To make compensation images more consistent with human visual perception, we used a perceptual loss, which compares the differences between feature maps on the VGG16 network. We implemented an immersive projector-camera display prototype (Pro-Cam) and calculated the quality index of the compensation images and the projection results. Our method achieved better results than previous methods in both objective evaluations and subjective visual perception.
A New Projection-Based Integrally Embedded Discrete Fracture Model and Its Application in Coupled Flow and Geomechanical Simulation for Fractured Reservoirs
Authors: Wu Dawei , Di Yuan , Wu Yu-Shu
Published: February 2022

The embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) has been popular for the modeling of fractured reservoirs due to its flexibility and efficiency while maintaining the complex geometry of fracture networks. Though the EDFM has been validated for single-phase flow simulations, some recent cases show that the EDFM might result in apparent errors in multiphase flow situations. The projection-based embedded discrete fracture model (pEDFM) and the integrally embedded discrete fracture model (IEDFM) are two recently developed methods, which intend to improve the accuracy of the EDFM. In this study, a projection-based integrally embedded discrete fracture model (pIEDFM) is proposed, which combines the advantages of the pEDFM and the IEDFM. Similar to the pEDFM, the pIEDFM uses a kind of additional connections between fracture and nonneighboring matrix cells to obtain more physically authentic velocity fields. As a significant improvement, a semi-analytical cone-shaped pressure distribution that follows the IEDFM is adopted in the pIEDFM to capture the sharp pressure change near the fracture surfaces. Comparisons with benchmark results and explicit-fracture fine grid simulation results show that the pIEDFM provides accurate solutions using a moderate amount of grids. The proposed pIEDFM is also applied to coupled flow and geomechanical simulation for fractured reservoirs. Comparison of our coupled simulation results with that of the EDFM shows that the pIEDFM is applicable for the coupled simulation, and the different methods for matrix-fracture transmissibility between the pIEDFM and the EDFM may lead to deviations in stress fields predicted by geomechanical modeling, which eventually affects the oil production, water cut, and oil saturation profiles.
Evolution of Microstructure during Rapid Solidification of SiC under High Pressure
Authors: Yan Wanjun , Qin Xinmao , Zhang Zhongzheng , Zhang Chunhong , Gao Tinghong
Published: February 2022

The microstructure evolution of liquid silicon carbide (SiC) during rapid solidification under different pressure values is simulated with the Tersoff potential using molecular dynamics. The structure evolution characteristics of SiC are analyzed by considering the pair distribution function, bond angle distribution, coordination number, and the diagrams of the microstructure during rapid solidification. The results show that the average energy of atoms gradually increases with pressure. When the pressure reaches 100 GPa, the average energy of the atom is greater than the average energy of the atom in the initial liquid state. Under different pressures, the diffusion of atoms tends to remain stable at a temperature of about 3700 K. The application of pressure has a major impact on the arrangement of atoms, except on the third-nearest neighbor, while the impact on the nearest neighbor and the second-nearest neighbor is relatively small. The pressure increases the medium-range order of the system. The coordination numbers of Si and C atoms gradually decrease with the decrease in temperature and increase in pressure. Pressure changes the microstructure of the SiC amorphous system after solidification, and the density can be increased by adjusting the coordination number of atoms. As the pressure increases, the SiC amorphous system exhibits a dense structure with coordination numbers of 4, 5, 6, and 7.
Safety Evaluation in Healthy Colombian Volunteers of P2Et Extract Obtained from Caesalpinia spinosa: Design 3+3 Phase I Clinical Trial
Authors: Duran María I , Ballesteros-Ramírez Ricardo , Tellez Angélica , Torregrosa Lilian , Olejua Peter A , Galvis Silvia , Urueña Claudia , Fiorentino Susana
Published: February 2022

The polyphenol-enriched extract called P2Et derived from Caesalpinia spinosa (C. spinosa) had antitumor and immunomodulatory activities reported in breast cancer, leukemia, and melanoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and maximum tolerated dose of P2Et extract in Colombian healthy volunteers in a phase 1 clinical trial, open labelled, single-arm, dose-escalation design 3 + 3. Seven healthy volunteers were included; P2Et was administrated in capsules of 600 mg/d for 28 days. Analysis by intention to treat was performed. 4 volunteers showed adverse events and discontinued the intervention. 94.6% of AE were grade 1, and most of AE had a reasonable possibility of a relationship with the P2Et (83.8%). We found that the oral administration of P2Et is safe in healthy humans with a maximum tolerated dose of 600 mg/d. There was no severe toxicity; most of the adverse events were mild, without significant changes in the safety parameters evaluated.
On Chemical Invariants of Semitotal-Point Graph and Its Line Structure of the Acyclic Kragujevac Network: A Novel Mathematical Analysis
Authors: Kanwal Salma , Safdar Rabia , Rauf Asia , Afzal Ammara , Jamshed Wasim , Alanazi Meznah M. , Zahran H. Y.
Published: February 2022

Acyclic Kragujevac network is denoted by

K

;

K
∈
K

g

q
=
r

2
s
+
1

+
1
,
r

. In this article, we have taken a deep look at some of the topological properties of the semitotal-point graph as well as its line structure by computing some algebraic polynomials. Few degree-dependent chemical invariants that can primarily be obtained via these algebraic expressions are also put forward.
Feature Fusion for Weld Defect Classification with Small Dataset
Authors: Hou Wenhui , Rao Lulu , Zhu Andong , Zhang Dashan
Published: February 2022

Detecting defects from weld radiography images is an important topic in the field of nondestructive testing. Many intelligent detection systems are constructed based on computer. Feature extraction is critical for constructing such system to recognize and classify the weld defects. Deep neural networks have powerful ability to learn representative features that are more sensitive to classification. However, a large number of samples are usually required. In this paper, a stacked autoencoder network is used to pretrain a deep neural network with a small dataset. We can learn the hierarchical feature from the network. In addition, two kinds of traditional manual features are extracted from the same set. These features are combined into new fusion feature vectors for classifying different weld defects. Two evaluation methods are used to test the classification performance of these features through several experiments. The results show that deep feature based on stacked autoencoder network performs better than the other features. The classification performance of fusion features is better than single feature.
Fast Method of Detecting Packaging Bottle Defects Based on ECA-EfficientDet
Authors: Sheng Zhenwen , Wang Guiyun
Published: February 2022

Conventional methods of detecting packaging defects face challenges with multiobject simultaneous detection for automatic filling and packaging of food. Targeting this issue, we propose a packaging defect detection method based on the ECA-EfficientDet transfer learning algorithm. First, we increased the complexity in the sampled data using the mosaic data augmentation technique. Then, we introduced a channel-importance prediction mechanism and the Mish activation function and designed ECA-Convblock to improve the specificity in the feature extractions of the backbone network. Heterogeneous data transfer learning was then carried out on the optimized network to improve the generalization capability of the model on a small population of training data. We conducted performance testing and a comparative analysis of the trained model with defect data. The results indicate that, compared with other algorithms, our method achieves higher accuracy of 99.16% with good stability.
Role of Circulating Tumor DNA Profiling in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with EGFR Inhibitor
Authors: Ku Bo Mi , Kim Yeon Jeong , Park Donghyun , Lee Se-Hoon , Ahn Jin Seok , Park Keunchil , Ahn Myung-Ju , Sun Jong-Mu
Published: February 2022

Objectives: During targeted therapy, tumor heterogeneity can drive the evolution of multiple tumor subclones harboring unique resistance mechanisms. Sequential profiling of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) provides a noninvasive method for early detection of patient progression. We investigated whether the genetic dynamics detected in cfDNA during treatment can act as a predictive or prognostic marker of outcome. Methods: Patients with advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were included for consecutive blood sampling during EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. Blood samples were serially collected from patients at baseline, first follow-up, and progression. Extracted cfDNA was analyzed with next-generation sequencing. Results: Serial plasma samples (n = 187) from 63 patients were analyzed, and 44 patients showed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). EGFR mutations were detected in 36 of the 44 patients at baseline (81.8%). EGFR mutations were no longer detected in 19 of 36 shedders (52.8%) at 2 months after EGFR-TKI treatment and rebounded with resistant EGFR mutations (T790M or C797S) at progression. Other driver mutations such as KRAS G12D and BRAF V600E were found at baseline regardless of tissue EGFR status, suggesting tumor heterogeneity. Detection of ctDNA (shedder) at baseline associated with poor overall survival (p = 0.04) compared to nonshedder. Furthermore, in patients showing EGFR mutations in plasma at baseline, the clearing rate of those during the first 8 weeks of treatment served as a positive predictor for clinical outcome. Conclusion: Longitudinal liquid biopsies capture spatial and temporal heterogeneity underlining resistance to EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC. Thus, ctDNA monitoring during EGFR-TKI treatment is useful for detecting resistance mutations or predicting response. Dense serial monitoring using blood enables early prediction of treatment failure and provides a window of opportunity for well-timed intervention.
A New Potential Antidepressant: Dexmedetomidine Alleviates Neuropathic Pain-Induced Depression by Increasing Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus
Authors: Xu Shan , Zhao Xiaofeng , Zhu Zhaoqiong , He Miao , Zheng Xue , Zhang Xiaoxi
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Studies have suggested dexmedetomidine (DEX) as a potential antidepressant. However, no relevant research exists on its effects and mechanisms in curing depression caused by chronic pain. Therefore, an understanding of DEX’s role in depressive disorders proposes new approaches for antidepressant treatment. Methods: In this study, C57Bl/6 mice (n = 80) were divided into sham (n = 8) and chronic constrictive injury (CCI, n = 72) groups. The CCI group was further divided into six subgroups: CCI + normal saline (NS), CCI + DEX6.25, CCI + DEX12.5, CCI + DEX25, CCI + DEX50, and CCI + DEX100. Fourteen days after CCI, mice that did not develop a depressive phenotype were excluded through sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swimming test (FST), paw thermal withdrawal latency (PTWL), and serum corticosterone (CORT). Subsequently, mice in the sham group were administered 0.1 mL/10 g NS once daily. However, mice in the CCI subgroups were administered NS (0.1 mL/10 g), DEX (6.25 µg/kg), DEX (12.5 µg/kg), DEX (25 µg/kg), DEX (50 µg/kg), and DEX (100 µg/kg) intraperitoneally once daily for 1 week, respectively. Afterward, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was injected intraperitoneally once daily as well for 3 consecutive days before sampling, following BrdU- and doublecortex (DCX)-positive cell detection in the hippocampus through immunofluorescence. Results: The success rate of the chronic pain-depression (CPD) model was 62.5%. As observed, DEX dose-dependently affected sucrose preferences during the SPT and immobility time during FST. Results also showed that 25 µg/kg DEX had the best promotion effect during increased sucrose preference and reduced immobility time. Moreover, although DEX improved PTWL and serum CORT, no improvement over the DEX 25 µg/kg treatment was observed. Compared to the sham group, the percentage of BrdU+ and DCX+ cells was also significantly lower in the CCI + NS group. Besides, DEX dose-dependently affected cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Additionally, the percentage of BrdU+ and DCX+ cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) region of the hippocampus was highest in the CCI + DEX25 group. Conclusion: Therefore, DEX dose-dependently alleviates depression induced by chronic pain through neurogenesis promotion in the DG region of the hippocampus.
Growth Differentiation Factor 15 Is Superior to Troponin I in the Evaluation of Kidney Transplant Candidates
Authors: de Cos Gomez Marina , Garcia Unzueta Maria Teresa , Benito Hernandez Adalberto , Aguilera Fernandez Alejandro , Perez Arnedo Mario , Lopez del Moral Cuesta Covadonga , Kislikova Maria , Valero San Cecilio Rosalia , Ruiz San Millan Juan Carlos , Rodrigo Calabia Emilio
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Pretransplant cardiac troponin I (cTNI) has demonstrated its predicting value in survival after kidney transplant. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a biomarker currently studied as a predictor of mortality and cardiovascular events (CVE) in different scenarios. The aim of this study was to compare the utility of these two biomarkers in the prediction of events after kidney transplant. Methods: We included 359 kidney transplants performed in our center between 2005 and 2015. cTNI and GDF-15 were measured on stored serum samples obtained pretransplant. Results: Median GDF-15 was 5,346.4 pg/mL, and cTNI was 5.6 ng/L. After follow-up, 77 (21.5%) patients died, and the incidence of cerebrovascular accident (CVA), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and major adverse CVEs (MACE) was 6.38%, 12.68%, and 20.56%, respectively. Patients were stratified in tertiles according to GDF-15 and cTNT levels. By multivariate cox regression analysis including both biomarkers and different clinical characteristics, we found a significant relation between GDF-15 and mortality, CVAs, and MACE (highest tertile hazard ratio [HR] 2.2 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.2–4.1], p = 0.01, HR 9.7 CI 95% [2.2–43.1], p = 0.003 and HR 2.7 CI 95% [1.4–5.1], p = 0.002). On the contrary, posttransplant ACS was related to cTNI (highest cTNI tertile HR 3.2 CI 95% [1.5–7.3], p = 0.003). Discussion: Our study indicates the potential utility of GDF-15 as a mortality and CVE predictor after kidney transplant and its superiority compared to cTNI. By contrast, probably due to its tissue specificity, cardiac troponin showed a stronger correlation with acute coronary events. Although more studies are needed to confirm our findings, these two molecules could be used in conjunction with other tools to predict adverse events after transplant and ideally find strategies to minimize them.
Education-Based Cutoffs for Cognitive Screening of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Alenius Minna , Ngandu Tiia , Koskinen Sanna , Hallikainen Ilona , Hänninen Tuomo , Karrasch Mira , Kivipelto Miia , Raivio Minna M. , Laakkonen Marja-Liisa , Krüger Johanna , Suhonen Noora-Maria , Hokkanen Laura
Published: February 2022

Introduction: The educational background and size of the elderly population are undergoing significant changes in Finland during the 2020s. A similar process is likely to occur also in several European countries. For cognitive screening of early Alzheimer’s disease (AD), using outdated norms and cutoff scores may negatively affect clinical accuracy. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of education, age, and gender on the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease neuropsychological battery (CERAD-nb) in a large register-based, clinical sample of patients with mild AD and nondemented at-risk persons from the general population (controls) and to examine whether corrected cutoff scores would increase the accuracy of differentiation between the 2 groups. Methods: CERAD-nb scores were obtained from AD patients (n = 389, 58% women, mean age 74.0 years) and from controls (n = 1,980, 52% women, mean age 68.5 years). The differences in CERAD-nb performance were evaluated by univariate GLM. Differentiation between the 2 groups was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, where a larger area under the ROC curve represents better discrimination. Youden’s J was calculated for the overall performance and accuracy of each of the measures. Results: Of the demographic factors, education was the strongest predictor of CERAD-nb performance, explaining more variation than age or gender in both the AD patients and the controls. Education corrected cutoff scores had better diagnostic accuracy in discriminating between the AD patients and controls than existing uncorrected scores. The highest level of discrimination between the 2 groups overall was found for two CERAD-nb total scores. Conclusions: Education-corrected cutoff scores were superior to uncorrected scores in differentiating between controls and AD patients especially for the highest level of education and should therefore be used in clinical cognitive screening, also as the proportion of the educated elderly is increasing substantially during the 2020s. Our results also indicate that total scores of the CERAD-nb are better at discriminating AD patients from controls than any single subtest score. A digital tool for calculating the total scores and comparing education-based cutoffs would increase the efficiency and usability of the test.
Incomplete Cytoreduction of Colorectal Cancer Peritoneal Metastases: Survival Outcomes by a Cytoreduction Score
Authors: Sugarbaker Paul H. , Chang David
Published: February 2022

Background: The surgical management of peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer has been a topic of controversial discussion for many decades. Peritonectomy and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy added options for surgical treatment of this condition beyond palliative surgery. The most favorable outcomes are recorded when peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer can be resected to no visible evidence of disease. Methods: To determine if any benefit from surgical treatment of patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases can occur from incomplete resection of peritoneal metastases, we studied patients by the completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score. The CC-3 indicated a palliative resection, CC-2 gross residual disease, and CC-1 almost complete cytoreduction but visible residual disease. The impact of clinical-, pathologic-, and treatment-related variables on the survival of the three groups was compared. Results: Eighty-five patients with long-term follow-up were available for study. The median age was 53 years (range 18–82). There were 60 males (70.6%). Symptomatic patients, those with bowel obstruction, and patients with positive retroperitoneal lymph nodes had significantly reduced survival. The median survival of the CC-3, CC-2, and CC-1 groups were significantly different (p = 0.0027). The 2-year or greater survivals of the three groups were 4.8%, 15.1%, and 38.7%, respectively. Conclusions: If a near complete cytoreduction combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy can be performed, short-term survival benefit could be observed.
Effects of Oral Pirfenidone on Colon Anastomosis Healing and Adhesion Formation in Rats
Authors: Betancourt-Vicencio Shadya , Prieto-Aldape Manuel Rodrigo , Alvarez-Villaseñor Andrea Socorro , Fuentes-Orozco Clotilde , Cortes-Flores Ana Olivia , Castillo-Cardiel Guadalupe , Sánchez-Martínez José Antonio , Reyes-Elizalde Emilio Alberto , González-Hernández Paola Guadalupe , Zamora-Inzunza José Gerardo , Romero-Arredondo Victoria Amaranta , Barbosa-Camacho José Francisco , Brancaccio-Pérez Irma Valeria , Guzmán-Ramírez Bertha Georgina , González-Ojeda Alejandro
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Many experimental studies have examined multiple drugs or treatments to improve the healing of intestinal anastomoses. Synthetic prostacyclin analogs, immunosuppressants, erythropoietin, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor type 1, synthetic metalloproteinases inhibitors, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy have produced promising results in low-risk models of anastomosis dehiscence. However, in high-risk models, only hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to be useful. Pirfenidone (PFD), a commonly used antifibrosing drug, has not been shown to be effective for this purpose. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of PFD on anastomosis healing and adhesion genesis in a low-risk rat model of dehiscence of colonic anastomosis. Methods: An experimental study was conducted on 40 healthy Wistar rats randomly assigned to the control group or PFD experimental group (20 rats in each group). Colon anastomosis was performed 3 cm above the peritoneal reflection using the same technique in all animals. Mechanical resistance was studied by measuring bursting pressure. Adhesions were evaluated macroscopic and histologically using common staining techniques. Animals received the first PFD dose 12 h after surgery at a dose of 500 mg/kg one a day (SID) for 5 consecutive days. On day 6, the animals were reoperated on to measure the bursting pressure in situ and to classify adhesions macroscopically, and the anastomosed colon was resected for histological analysis. Results: There were no deaths, complications, or anastomosis dehiscence in either group. The mean bursting pressure was 120.8 ± 11 mm Hg and 135.5 ± 12.4 in the control and PFD groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The adhesions were less dense and had less inflammatory cell infiltration in the PFD group (p < 0.02 and 0.002, respectively). Collagen content was slightly higher in the PFD group (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Our results revealed favorable effects of PFD in this low-risk colon anastomosis model; for example, the bursting pressure was higher, and the macroscopic adhesions were soft and exhibited less inflammatory infiltration and higher collagen content in the PFD group than in the control group. The results showing that PFD treatment was associated with better healing of minor adhesions seem to be paradoxical because the therapeutic indications for this drug are directed at treating fibrosing diseases.
Development and Internal Validation of a Practical Model to Identify Observe Patients of the European Society of Cardiology 0/1-h Algorithm at Low Risk of a Coronary Diagnosis
Authors: Arslan Murat , Boersma Eric , Dedic Admir , Dubois Eric A.
Published: February 2022

Background: Patients with suspected non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) assigned to the “observe” zone of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1-h algorithm form a heterogeneous group known to have an unfavourable prognosis. We aim to elucidate the clinical characteristics and management of these patients and generate a model that is predictive of a coronary diagnosis at index visit to the emergency department (ED). Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study, including adult patients presenting to the ED with suspected NSTE-ACS assigned to the “observe” zone of the ESC 0/1-h algorithm. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed for the prediction of a coronary diagnosis. Internal validation was performed using bootstrap resampling. Results: A total of 750 patients were included; mean age 66 ± 13 years, 35% women, 50% with prior history of coronary artery disease (CAD). In 372 (50%) patients a diagnosis was established within 30 days of index presentation, of whom 169 (45%) patients had a coronary-related event. Multivariable logistic regression analysis generated a 12-point risk score incorporating 5 variables for the prediction of such event, including type of angina, chest pain occurring during inspiration, prior history of CAD, ST-segment deviation on electrocardiogram, and estimated glomerular filtration rate <60. The final model had an optimism-corrected c-statistic of 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74–0.82). A score <6 ruled out a coronary event in 276 (37%) patients, with a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 90% (95% CI: 84–94) and 94% (91–96), respectively. Conclusion: A score <6 identifies patients at low risk of a coronary diagnosis and can guide clinical decision-making in choosing the appropriate diagnostic test.
Infodemic amidst the Covid-19 in the Philippines: Spotted By Vera Files.Org
Authors: Sabonsolin John Cavin M.
Published: February 2022

This study analyzes the infodemic in the Philippines during the intense lockdowns during the early stages of the covid-19 pandemic. With the said lockdown, people are observed to be more present in social media. World Health Organization pronounced that "infodemic" poses a severe problem in public health. This article analyzes the fact-checked articles of Verafiles.Org, fact-checkers certified by non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network, during the first six months of covid-19 era. Using content analysis, the researcher examines the sources, claims, treatment, and access to the voice of Verafiles fact-checking articles. The researcher quantifies the variables and coded the data using the tables in order to obtain the findings of the study. Results show that most fact-checked "fake news" claims found in vera files.org are disinformation. It is also noted that Facebook and Youtube are the top platforms as a source of disinformation. The treatment of the fake information is usually done as facebook post or youtube video. It also found out that most of the claims are about Covid- 19 pandemic and political propaganda. Troll accounts, Facebook groups, pages, and websites supported Duterte, and even government officials listed as a source of "fake news."
Antropônimos na língua turca: a dinâmica na escolha de prenomes e sobrenomes na Turquia pós-república
Authors: Pinto Marco Syrayama de
Published: February 2022

This paper aims at examining the changes in naming processes brought about by the advent of the republic in Turkey in 1923, which has seen drastic changes in several aspects of social, cultural and linguistic spheres. Along with the creation of a policy ofpurification of the language from foreign influences, which was part of a series of reforms promulgated by Atatürk to bring the country closer to the West, the Soyadt Kanunu (1934-6) "Surname Law" was enacted, which hada great impact on the choice of given names and surnames. From an inventory of mostly Arabic names, which by no means have ceased to exist, there came an increase in the choice of words of Turkish stock.
A (im)potência da linguagem: sobre a dúvida e o testemunho do intelectual (de Tolstói a Tsípkin)
Authors: D'Angelo Biagio
Published: February 2022

This paper aims at showing the ethics of the intellectual and his testimony as a responsibility in front of Literature and History. As a support for this hypothesis, we will analyze The Kreutzer Sonata, by L. Tolstoy, and Summer in Baden-Baden, by L. Tsípkin.
O branco sobre negro e o contexto literário russo através do Russian Booker Prize
Authors: Oliveira Deise de
Published: February 2022

This article deals with the concept of Russian postmodernism regarding the national award Russian Booker Prize as an important vehicle for the literary market.
A Note on the Philippine Anti-Torture Act’s Compliance with the Convention against Torture
Authors: Falcon Banuar Reuben A.
Published: February 2022

The Philippines had been a State party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for over two decades before implementing legislation was passed. This note reviews the substantive provisions of the implementing legislation and assesses whether they comply with the Philippines’ international treaty obligations.
Smart Parenting? The Internet of Things, Children’s Privacy, and Data Justice
Authors: Mann Monique , Wilson Michael , Warren Ian
Published: February 2022

This paper examines children’s privacy and the Internet of Things (IoT). After describing the operation of IoTs directly marketed to and for children, we outline research concerning the surveillance of children and issues associated with children’s right to privacy, including the role of parents or guardians in protecting their children’s right to privacy. We then present the findings of a survey of Australian IoT consumers and non-consumers (n = 1,052), which shows parents and guardians who purchase IoTs care about their children’s privacy and are concerned about practices of corporate surveillance. Finally, our data show that female parents or guardians have lower rates of privacy literacy than males. Analysed through the lens of data justice (Dencik et al., 2016), we argue the protection of children’s privacy rights must be understood with regard to broader structural factors, such as gender discrimination and digital housekeeping, and ultimately requires addressing corporate practices that characterise the contemporary surveillance landscape.
Children’s Right to Participation in Early Childhood Education and Care: An Analysis in Finnish Policy Documents
Authors: Mansikka Jan-Erik , Lundkvist Marina
Published: February 2022

Finland has gone through considerable reforms in early childhood education and care in recent years, with a new Act followed by a new National Core Curriculum (2018). The reforms have implied much more emphasis on both education and children’s perspectives. Because of the changes, we are interested in what role the concept of children’s rights, and more particularly children’s right to participation, has had in this recent development. Our analysis of the recent curriculum in Finland shows three different ways of describing children’s right to participate: social, political and learning dimensions on participation. Moreover, we could see that each dimension contained two poles, oscillating between children’s autonomy and interdependence. We believe that finding new ways of describing children’s rights to participate will help professionals working within ecec to overcome the gap between theory and practice.
The Right to Physical Integrity for Child Patients Jeopardized in Health and Medical Care?
Authors: Holmqvist Anna
Published: February 2022

Sweden was the first country in the world banning corporal punishment in 1979, protecting children’s physical and mental integrity. Forty years later, this fundamental view on children’s rights, respecting the child’s integrity, has not had any effect in Swedish health and medical care when children are patients. In this article, children’s rights when the child is a patient will be discussed in relation to the Swedish Patient Act (pa, 2014:81) and the advocacy role of Swedish patient organisations. It is shown that children’s rights in the Patient Act are constructed based on the child patient as deviant and subordinated to adult patients and parental rights, making not only the child’s voice subject to valuation by adults, but also the child’s integrity. Further, the patient organisations, acting as advocates for different patient groups in the legislative process, stay silent on issues concerning child patients’ basic human rights.
The advent of the citizen expert: Democratising or pushing the boundaries of expertise?
Authors: Krick Eva , Meriluoto Taina
Published: February 2022

This contribution introduces Current Sociology’s special subsection ‘The advent of the citizen expert: Democratising or pushing the boundaries of expertise?’, which deals with the increasing involvement of ‘ordinary citizens’ as experts into political and social debates. From an integrated perspective that transcends policy fields and societal realms, the special subsection deals with the epistemic and democratic implications of this transformation in civic participation and knowledge validation practice. It pays special attention to the tensions that can be implied by citizen expertise’s ‘double promise’ of tapping into novel channels of participation and idle knowledge resources at the same time. Three promising themes and research avenues are identified that the advent of the citizen expert highlights: The changes in liberal-democratic culture indicated by the emergence of this new actor category, the way societal power relations are impacted by the elevation of citizen expertise and the subsequently shifting boundaries and standards of what can count as knowledge or expertise.