bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-center, single-blind randomized controlled trial comparing functional electrical stimulation therapy to conventional therapy in incomplete tetraplegia
Authors: Anderson Kim D. , Korupolu Radha , Musselman Kristin E. , Pierce Jacqueline , Wilson James R. , Yozbatiran Nuray , Desai Naaz , Popovic Milos R. , Thabane Lehana
Published: September 2022

Background

Loss of upper extremity function after tetraplegia results in significant disability. Emerging evidence from pilot studies suggests that functional electrical stimulation (FES) therapy may enhance recovery of upper extremity function after tetraplegia. The aim of this trial was to determine the effectiveness of FES therapy delivered by the Myndmove stimulator in people with tetraplegia.

Methods

A multi-center, single-blind, parallel-group, two-arm, randomized controlled trial was conducted comparing FES to conventional therapy in adults (≥18 years) with C4–C7 traumatic incomplete tetraplegia between 4 and 96 months post-injury, and with a baseline spinal cord injury independence measure III -self-care (SCIM III-SC) score of ≤10. Participants were enrolled at four SCI-specialized neurorehabilitation centers in the U.S. and Canada. Participants were stratified by center and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 40 sessions of FES or conventional therapy targeting upper extremities over a 14-week period. Blinded assessors measured SCIM III, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Hand Function Test, and Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensibility, and Prehension at baseline, after 20th session, after 40th session or 14 weeks after 1st session, and at 24 weeks after 1st session. The primary outcome measure was change in SCIM III-SC from baseline to end of the treatment. Based on the primary outcome measure, a sample size of 60 was calculated. Seventeen participants' progress in the study was interrupted due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The protocol was modified for these participants to allow them to complete the study.

Results

Between June 2019 to August 2021, 51 participants were randomized to FES (n = 27) and conventional therapy (n = 24). Both groups gained a mean of 2 points in SCIM-SC scores at the end of treatment, which was a clinically meaningful change. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups on any outcomes.

Conclusion

Forty sessions of FES therapy delivered by the MyndMove stimulator are as effective as conventional therapy in producing meaningful functional improvements that persist after therapy is completed. Limitations of this study include the impact of COVID-19 limiting the ability to recruit the target sample size and per-protocol execution of the study in one-third of the participants.

Registration

This trial is registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03439319.
Using a longitudinal multi-method approach to document, assess, and understand adaptations in the Veterans Health Administration Advanced Care Coordination program
Authors: McCreight Marina , Rohs Carly , Lee Marcie , Sjoberg Heidi , Ayele Roman , Battaglia Catherine , Glasgow Russell E. , Rabin Borsika Adrienn
Published: September 2022

Background

Understanding adaptations supports iterative refinement of the implementation process and informs scale out of programs. Systematic documentation of adaptations across the life course of programs is not routinely done, and efficient capture of adaptations in real world studies is not well understood.

Methods

We used a multi-method longitudinal approach to systematically document adaptations during pre-implementation, implementation, and sustainment for the Veteran Health Administration (VA) Advanced Care Coordination program. This approach included documenting adaptations through a real-time tracking instrument, process maps, Implementation and Evaluation (I&E) team meeting minutes, and adaptation interviews. Data collection was guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) enhanced framework for reporting adaptations and modifications to evidence-based interventions (FRAME) model. Adaptations were evaluated across 9 categories, and analytic team consensus and member-checking were used to validate the results.

Results

A total of 144 individual adaptations were identified across two implementation sites and the four data sources; analytic team consensus and member-checking processes resulted in 50 unique adaptations. Most adaptations took place during the early implementation and mid-implementation phases and were: 1) planned; 2) made to address changes in program delivery; 3) made to extend a component; 4) related to the core component of the intervention concerning notification of the community emergency department visit; 5) initiated by the entire or most of the I&E team; 6) made on the basis of: pragmatic/practical considerations; 7) made with an intent to improve implementation domain (to make the intervention delivered more consistently; to better fit the local practice, patient flow or Electronic Health Record (EHR) and/or for practical reasons); 8) a result of internal influences; 9) perceived to impact the RE-AIM implementation dimension (consistent delivery of quality care or costs). I&E team meeting minutes and process maps captured the highest numbers of unique adaptations (n = 19 and n = 13, respectively).

Conclusion

Our longitudinal, multi-method approach provided a feasible way to collect adaptations data through engagement of multiple I&E team members, allowing and a broader understanding of adaptations that took place. Recommendations for future research include pragmatic assessment of the impact of adaptations and meaningful data collection without overburdening the implementing teams and front-line staff.
Farmers' Decision to Adoption of Modern Irrigation Systems Under Risk Condition: Application of Stochastic Efficiency With Respect to a Function Approach
Authors: Jahangirpour Dorna , Zibaei Mansour
Published: September 2022

To effectively tackle the issue of increasing irrigation water scarcity, farmers need to convert to modern irrigation systems with lower water use while achieving higher yields and profitability. Unlike the government support to cover a proportion of irrigation modernizing costs by public subsidies in Iran, the adoption rate is low. This is due to farmers' uncertainty about the trade-off between benefits from yield improvement and the added production costs. The historical gross margin of barley, wheat, forage corn, and tomato under surface, drip, permanent sprinkler, and semi-permanent sprinkler irrigation systems was generated using simulation and survey-based data for yield and published data for costs and prices over a 5-year period (2009–2015). The stochastic dominance (SD) and stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF) approaches were used to evaluate the risk efficiency of various irrigation systems for main crops in the Bakhtegan Basin. Estimating certainty equivalent (CE), we ranked irrigation alternatives at different absolute risk-aversion coefficient (ra) levels. The findings show that drip irrigation systems for forage corn and tomato have higher CE values at all levels of absolute risk-aversion coefficient; however, the preferred system for barley and wheat varies with ra. Moreover, estimated risk premiums revealed that risk-neutral farmers would pay to move from surface systems to more efficient systems, whereas risk-averse farmers need to be paid to have the tendency to change their irrigation system. The important policy implication of these results is that risk premiums can consider justifying subsidy allocation in a manner that induces farmers to more risk-efficient irrigation systems.
Global research status and hotspot analysis of meniscal root tears based on the WOS database
Authors: Wang Yifan , Huang Chen , Qi Yansong , Bao Huricha , Xu Yongsheng
Published: September 2022

Background

Meniscal root tears are one of the common diseases in the field of orthopedics and sports medicine today and are the subject of many current investigative efforts.

Purpose

This study aims to identify and evaluate the global trends, hotspots and frontiers in meniscal root tear research using bibliometric analysis.

Methods

A bibliometric analysis of research findings related to meniscal root tears over the past three decades was performed. CiteSpace was used to conduct document co-citation and cluster analyses on the collected data. The research was conducted based on the following factors: country and institution distribution, chronological distribution, source journal analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and reference co-citation analysis.

Results

A total of 626 research articles on meniscal root tears in English published from 1989 to 2021 were obtained. There was a significant upward trend in the total number of scientific publications over the past decades, especially in 2015–2020. The most productive countries, institutions, journals and authors are the USA, STEADMAN PHILIPPON, KNEE SURGERY SPORTS TRAUMATOLOGY ARTHROSCOPY, and LAPRADE RF. North America and East Asia made outstanding contributions to the research on meniscal root tears, but cooperation and exchanges between countries and institutions were not close enough. A total of 9 clusters were obtained from the citation analysis, and 8 clusters were obtained from the keyword analysis. The main keywords that ranked first were posterior root tear, medial meniscus, menisci tibial, and ACL reconstruction, and these clusters combined with the corresponding emergence reflected the current status of research at different times.

Conclusion

Research in this field over the past 32 years has gone through a phase of exploration in the understanding of the anatomy of the meniscal root and the diagnosis of this disease and a phase of development with in-depth biomechanical studies and improved and innovative surgical techniques. The current research focuses on the innovation of meniscal root tear repair techniques, the long-term efficacy of surgery, the variability in the efficacy of different surgical techniques, and surgical strategies for combined injuries. There will be more breakthroughs in surgical techniques, surgical equipment and surgical materials to resolve meniscal root tears.
Global research hotspots and trends in the field of spine surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: A bibliometric and visual analysis
Authors: Lin Guang-Xun , Kotheeranurak Vit , Chen Chien-Min , Hu Bao-Shan , Rui Gang
Published: September 2022

Background

The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) significantly affected the healthcare and research systems, including spine surgery, throughout the world. A bibliometric analysis allows graphical visualization of the development of an academic field and its frontiers. Since research concerning spine surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic is being constantly upgraded, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of this literature to investigate the current status, research hotspots, and trends in this field.

Methods

We searched the Web of Science database for literature published (from December 1, 2019, to March 24, 2022) using the terms “COVID-19” OR “2019-nCoV” OR “SARS-CoV-2” AND “spine surgery” OR “spinal surgery” OR “discectomy” OR “decompression” OR “laminectomy” OR “interbody fusion” OR “pedicle screws.” Detailed bibliometric and visual analysis of the number of publications, geographical distribution, institutions, journals, authors, and keywords was done using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R-Bibliometrix.

Results

Of the initially screened 173 articles, we included 84 relevant articles—62 original articles, 10 editorial materials, 8 reviews, and 4 others. The United States, China, Egypt, and Argentina were most actively publishing in the field of spine surgery and COVID-19. The AOSpine International community contributed 7 articles (24 citations). The Hospital for Special Surgery (13.1%) and Johns Hopkins University (13.1%) were institutions with the most publications. Using the Law of Bradford, we found that World Neurosurgery, Global Spine Journal, and European Spine Journal are the core journals in this field, with P. K. Louie being the most influential author. “Elective surgery,” “intensive care,” “telehealth,” “patient satisfaction,” and “follow-up” had the strongest citation bursts.

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, spine surgeons were more concerned with surgical timing, care, treatment, and patient’s quality of life. Accordingly, research hotspots in spine surgery during the pandemic shifted from “early healthcare” to “virus management” and “experience and education.”
Short term outcomes and complications of distal ulnar ostectomy in 23 juvenile dogs with carpal valgus secondary to discordant radial-ulnar physeal growth
Authors: Christopher Scott
Published: September 2022

Objective

The goal of this study was to report short term clinical and radiographic outcomes after distal ulnar ostectomy in dogs with carpal valgus due to discordant radial-ulnar growth.

Study design

Retrospective case study.

Sample group

Client owned dogs under 1 year of age with carpal valgus and open distal radial physes pre-operatively.

Methods

Medical records from four veterinary referral centers were searched from January 1, 2015 to January 1, 2022 for juvenile dogs that had been treated with distal ulnar ostectomy for carpal valgus due to premature closure of the distal ulnar physis. Patients were excluded if they were skeletally mature at the time of ostectomy; medical records were incomplete; radial physis was closed at surgery; or definitive corrective osteotomy was performed. Radiographs were evaluated pre-operatively and for short term follow up at ~8 weeks. Complications and short term clinical outcomes were evaluated also.

Results

31 limbs from 23 dogs were evaluated. Patients ranged from 4 to 10.8 months of age. All dogs presented for visible carpal valgus and varying degrees of thoracic limb lameness. Sixty-four percent of patients showed resolution of lameness while an additional 13% showed an improvement in clinical lameness without complete resolution. Complications were seen in 32% of patients with 70% percent of those being minor, bandage related complications. Radiographically, 38% of limbs showed bridging callus formation of the ostectomy at an average of 7.5 weeks post operatively and 75% percent of patients with elbow incongruity improved radiographically. There was no significant difference in radial joint angles pre-operatively and at the time of follow up.

Conclusion

Distal ulnar ostectomy ameliorates lameness in juvenile dogs with premature distal ulnar physeal closure and shows lack of progression of distal carpal valgus deformity, but does not improve joint angulation.

Clinical significance

Distal ulnar ostectomy is associated with mild bandage-related complications and halting of progressive limb deformity within the time frame evaluated, and should therefore be considered a treatment for premature closure of the distal ulnar physis. It does not lead to deformity correction at 8 weeks following surgery but is associated with improved elbow congruity.
An Artemisia ordosica extract: Effects on growth performance, immune, and inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide-challenged broilers
Authors: Shi Lulu , Guo Yanfei , Cheng Yuchen , Xing Yuanyuan , Guo Shiwei , Zhang Linghui , Xu Yuanqing , Jin Xiao , Yan Sumei , Shi Binlin
Published: September 2022

Artemisia ordosica has been applied as a traditional Chinese/Mongolian medicine for treating csertain inflammatory ailments. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Artemisia ordosica alcohol extract (AOAE) supplemented in diets on growth performance, immune, and inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old Arbor Acre male broilers were randomly allotted into 5 groups with 6 replicates (n = 8), which were basal diet group (CON), LPS-challenge and basal diet group (LPS), LPS-challenge and the basal diet added with low (500 mg/kg), middle (750 mg/kg), and high (1,000 mg/kg) dose of AOAE groups (AOAE-L, AOAE-M, and AOAE-H), respectively. On d 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, all broilers were injected intra-abdominally either with LPS or an equivalent amount of saline. Results showed that dietary AOAE alleviated the LPS-induced decrease in average daily gain and average daily feed intake in the broilers (P < 0.05). Dietary AOAE supplementation reversed the increased spleen index and the decreased bursa index in LPS-challenged broilers (P < 0.05). Moreover, feeding AOAE could mitigate the elevation of IL-1β in serum, liver, and spleen, IL-2 in serum and liver, IL-6 in serum and spleen, and the decrease of IgG in spleen, IgM in serum, liver, and spleen, and IL-4 in serum of the LPS-challenged broilers (P < 0.05). This study also showed that AOAE supplementation alleviated the increase of mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF6, NF-κB p65, NF-κB p50, IL-1β, and IL-6, and the decrease of gene expression of IκBα and PPARγ in liver and/or spleen of broilers challenged by LPS (P < 0.05). We speculated that AOAE administration could effectively alleviate LPS-induced inflammation via decreasing over-production of proinflammatory cytokines, ultimately relieving the growth inhibition of broilers caused by LPS. In conclusion, 1,000 mg/kg AOAE has a strong capacity to enhance immunity and inhibit inflammation, and can be used as a potential novel feed additive with applications in treating inflammation-related diseases and bacterial infection in broilers.
Wild-type Yellow fever virus in cerebrospinal fluid from fatal cases in Brazil, 2018
Authors: Rezende Izabela Mauricio de , Cenachi Adriana Regina Campolina , Costa Thais Alkifeles , Oliveira Gabriela Fernanda Garcia , Rabelo Livia , Menezes Leticia Mattos , Penido Indiara , Pereira Leonardo Soares , Arruda Matheus Soares , Gonçalves Andreza Parreiras , Alves Pedro Augusto , Kroon Erna Geessien , Calzavara-Silva Carlos Eduardo , Ramalho Dario Brock , Martins-Filho Olindo Assis , Teixeira-Carvalho Andrea , LaBeaud A. Desiree , Drumond Betânia Paiva
Published: September 2022

Yellow fever virus (YFV) is the causative agent of yellow fever (YF), a hemorrhagic and viscerotropic acute disease. Severe YF has been described in approximately 15-25% of YF patients, with 20-50% of severe YF cases being fatal. Here we analyzed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected during the YF outbreak in Brazil in 2018, aiming to investigate CNS neuroinvasion in fatal YFV cases. YFV RNA was screened by RT-qPCR targeting the 3’UTR region of the YFV genome in CSF. CSF samples were tested for the presence of anti-YFV IgM and neutralizing antibodies, coupled with routine laboratory examinations. Among the 13 patients studied, we detected anti-YFV IgM in CSF from eight patients and YFV RNA in CSF from five patients. YFV RNA genomic load in CSF samples ranged from 1.75x103 to 5.42x103 RNA copies/mL. We genotyped YFV from three CSF samples that grouped with other YFV samples from the 2018 outbreak in Brazil within the South-American I genotype. Even though descriptions of neurologic manifestations due to wild type YFV (WT-YFV) infection are rare, since the last YF outbreak in Brazil in 2017-2018, a few studies have demonstrated WT-YFV RNA in CSF samples from YF fatal cases. Serological tests indicated the presence of IgM and neutralizing antibodies against YFV in CSF samples from two patients. Although the presence of viral RNA, IgM and neutralizing antibodies in CSF samples could indicate neuroinvasiveness, further studies are needed to better elucidate the role of YFV neuroinvasion and possible impacts in disease pathogenesis.
Adaptive Piecewise Poly-Sinc Methods for Ordinary Differential Equations
Authors: Khalil Omar , El-Sharkawy Hany , Youssef Maha , Baumann Gerd
Published: September 2022

We propose a new method of adaptive piecewise approximation based on Sinc points for ordinary differential equations. The adaptive method is a piecewise collocation method which utilizes Poly-Sinc interpolation to reach a preset level of accuracy for the approximation. Our work extends the adaptive piecewise Poly-Sinc method to function approximation, for which we derived an a priori error estimate for our adaptive method and showed its exponential convergence in the number of iterations. In this work, we show the exponential convergence in the number of iterations of the a priori error estimate obtained from the piecewise collocation method, provided that a good estimate of the exact solution of the ordinary differential equation at the Sinc points exists. We use a statistical approach for partition refinement. The adaptive greedy piecewise Poly-Sinc algorithm is validated on regular and stiff ordinary differential equations.
A Practical Staff Scheduling Strategy Considering Various Types of Employment in the Construction Industry
Authors: Park Chan , Ko Young
Published: September 2022

The Korean government implemented a 52-h workweek policy for employees’ welfare. Consequently, companies face workforce availability reduction with the same number of employees. That is, labor-dependent companies suffer from workforce shortage. To handle the workforce shortage, they increase irregular employees who are paid relatively less. However, the problem of ‘no-show’, due to the stochastic characteristics of irregular employee’s absence, happens. Therefore, this study aims to propose a staff scheduling strategy considering irregular employee absence and a new labor policy by using linear programming. By deriving a deterministic staff schedule through system parameters derived from the features and rules of an actual company in the numerical experiment, the practicality and applicability of the developed mathematical model are proven. Furthermore, through sensitivity analysis and simulation considering the stochastic characteristics of absences, various proactive cases are provided. Through the proactive cases, the influence of the change of the average percent of irregular employees’ absences on the total labor costs and staff schedules and the expected number who would not come to work could be given when assuming the application in practice. This finding can help decision-makers prepare precautious measures, such as assigning extra employees in case of an irregular employee’s absence.
Soil Particle Modeling and Parameter Calibration Based on Discrete Element Method
Authors: Yan Dongxu , Yu Jianqun , Wang Yang , Zhou Long , Tian Ye , Zhang Na
Published: September 2022

In order to establish a Discrete Element Method (DEM) model of soil particles, the soil in the laboratory soil bin was used as the research object. The soil texture was determined to be sandy loam by sieving, and the shape of the soil particles was analyzed by an image particle analyzer to establish a geometric model of the soil particles. The Edinburgh Elasto-Plastic Adhesion (EEPA) model was chosen as the contact model for the soil particle simulation analysis, and the accuracy of the model selection was determined by texture tests. The parameters in the contact model played a crucial role in the results of the simulation. Test methods were used to obtain parameters for the soil particles that were easy to measure. For parameters that could not be measured in the contact model, a direct shear test was used as the calibration test, and after screening the sensitive parameters using the PB test, the response surface method was used to calibrate the sensitive parameters. The accuracy of the calibration results was verified by comparing the simulation and test results of the direct shear test under different loadings.
Crushing Characteristics of Sorghum Grains Subjected to Compression and Impact Loading at Different Moisture Contents
Authors: Qiu Shujin , Yu Yao , Feng Yu , Tang Zhong , Cui Qingliang , Yuan Xiangyang
Published: September 2022

Sorghum is an important grain crop in many countries worldwide, yet it often suffers from high levels of fragmentation during harvest due to varying maturity. To this end, a study was conducted to investigate the crushing characteristics of sorghum grains subjected to compression and impact loading at different moisture contents. By configuring sorghum kernels with varying ranges of water and determining their physical parameters, such as length, width, etc., the geometric mean diameter of sorghum kernels was 3.105–3.550 mm, and the sphericity was above 75%. Compression tests were conducted on sorghum kernels in the triaxial direction. The compression energy was calculated to be 13.409–19.229 J on the X-axis, 16.313–21.409 J on the Y-axis, and 17.609–24.741 J on the Z-axis. In contrast, the apparent contact modulus of elasticity was calculated, with the maximum modulus of elasticity up to 72 MPa in the Z-axis direction, and the variations in the X-axis and Y-axis were approximate. Finally, mechanical impact tests were conducted to measure the critical angle of seed breakage, and a mathematical model was established to predict the impact of mechanical breakage force. The error between the predicted and experimental values was within 3%. This paper conducted compression and impact mechanics tests on sorghum seeds at different moisture contents to provide a design basis for sorghum harvesting and processing and other harvesting equipment.
Classifier’s Performance for Detecting the Pecking Pattern of Broilers during Feeding
Authors: Seber Rogério Torres , de Alencar Nääs Irenilza , de Moura Daniella Jorge , da Silva Lima Nilsa Duarte
Published: September 2022

Broiler feeding is an efficient way of evaluating growth performance, health, and welfare status. This assessment might include the number of meals, meal period, ingestion rate, meal intervals, and the proportion of time spent eating. These parameters can be predicted by studying the birds’ pecking activity. The present study aims to design, examine, and validate classifying algorithms to determine individual bird pecking patterns at the feeder. Broilers were reared from 1 to 42 days, with feed and water provided ad libitum. A feeder equipped with a force sensor was installed and used by the birds starting at 35 days of age, to acquire the pecking force data during feeding until 42 days. The obtained data were organized into two datasets. The first comprises 17 attributes, with the supervised attribute ‘pecking detection’ with two classes, and with ‘non-pecking’ and ‘pecking’ used to analyze the classifiers. In the second dataset, the attribute ‘maximum value’ was discretized in three classes to compose a new supervised attribute of the second dataset comprising the classes’ non-pecking, light pecking, medium, and strong. We developed and validated the classifying models to determine individual broiler pecking patterns at the feeder. The classifiers (KNN, SVM, and ANN) achieved high accuracy, greater than 97%, and similar results in all investigated scenarios, proving capable of performing the task of detecting pecking.
Prioritizing Cell Tower Site Recommendations outside U.S. Metropolitan Areas
Authors: Pflughoeft Kurt , Nemecek Grace , Butz Nikolaus T.
Published: September 2022

Cell phone technology has advanced rapidly with the start of 5G being rolled out across the networks. To keep up with this demand, cell tower companies have responded by erecting numerous towers. Engineers and researchers analyze the network topography to make recommendations for cell tower locations. Cell tower companies evaluate these recommendations using a host of other factors. In this research, a model was developed to help a regional telecommunications company predict throughput for locations using competitive and demand factors. Model results represented a large improvement over internal key performance indicators.
Physiological Demands and Muscle Activity of Jockeys in Trial and Race Riding
Authors: Legg Kylie , Cochrane Darryl , Gee Erica , Macdermid Paul , Rogers Chris
Published: September 2022

Physiological parameters and muscle activity of jockeys may affect their fall and injury risk, performance, and career longevity, as well as the performance and welfare of the horses they ride. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the physiological demands, body displacement, and electromyographic (EMG) activity of twelve jockeys riding 52 trials and 16 professional races. The jockeys were instrumented with heart rate (HR) monitors, accelerometers, and integrated EMG clothing (recording eight muscle groups: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteal, erector spinae/lower back, abdominal external obliques, abdominal, trapezial and pectoral) which recorded continuously whilst riding. During race day, jockeys rode an average of 5 ± 4 trials and 4 ± 2 races over 2–2.5 h. The trials represented lower intensity cardiovascular demand (~81% HRmax) and Training Impulse (TRIMP) scores (4.4 ± 1.8) than races at maximal intensity effort (~94% HRmax, 7.2 ± 1.8 TRIMP, p < 0.05). Jockey head displacement was similar in trials (5.4 ± 2.1 cm) and races (5.6 ± 2.2 cm, p > 0.05), with more vertical (6.7 ± 2.7 cm) and less medio/lateral (2.3 ± 0.7 cm) and fore/aft (3.7 ± 1.6 cm) displacement for jockeys riding in trials than races (5.5 ± 2.3, 2.8 ± 1.0, 5.6 ± 2.5 cm, p < 0.05). Jockeys in races adopted a lower crouched posture, with their centre of mass (COM) shifted anteriorly, using greater hamstring activation and less upper arm muscle activation than in trials. The differences in riding posture and physiological demands on jockeys riding in a race rather than a trial, highlight the requirement for an off-horse race-specific training programme to improve jockey fitness and performance. Greater jockey stability and coordination will have mutual benefits for both horse welfare and performance.
Instant Gratification and Overtreating to Be Safe: Perceptions of U.S. Intensive Care Unit Pharmacists and Residents on Antimicrobial Stewardship
Authors: Rynkiewich Katharina , Uttla Kruthika , Hojat Leila
Published: September 2022

Antimicrobial stewardship programs have been associated with numerous impacts on medical practice including reductions in costs, antimicrobial resistance, and adverse events. While antimicrobial stewardship is now considered an essential element of medical practice, the understandings of the value of antimicrobial stewardship among medical practitioners vary. Additionally, non-physician practitioners are regularly left out of antimicrobial stewardship interventions targeting antimicrobial decision-making. Here, we contribute the perspective from resident physicians and specialists in pharmacy regarding their involvement in antimicrobial prescribing. Notably, our semi-structured interviews with 10 residents and pharmacy specialists described their limited autonomy in the clinical setting. However, the participants regularly worked alongside primary antimicrobial decision-makers and described feeling pressure to overtreat to be safe. The clear rationales and motivations associated with antimicrobial prescribing have a noticeable impact on physicians in training and non-physician practitioners, and as such, we argue that antimicrobial stewardship interventions targeting primary antimicrobial decision-makers are missing an opportunity to address the breadth of antimicrobial prescribing culture. By looking at the perspectives and rationales of physicians in training and non-physician practitioners, we can see evidence that the act of antimicrobial prescribing is impacted by individuals on all levels of the hierarchies present in medical practice.
MEF: Multidimensional Examination Framework for Prioritization of COVID-19 Severe Patients and Promote Precision Medicine Based on Hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approaches
Authors: Abdulkareem Karrar , Al-Mhiqani Mohammed , Dinar Ahmed , Mohammed Mazin , Al-Imari Mustafa , Al-Waisy Alaa , Alghawli Abed , Al-Qaness Mohammed
Published: September 2022

Effective prioritization plays critical roles in precision medicine. Healthcare decisions are complex, involving trade-offs among numerous frequently contradictory priorities. Considering the numerous difficulties associated with COVID-19, approaches that could triage COVID-19 patients may help in prioritizing treatment and provide precise medicine for those who are at risk of serious disease. Prioritizing a patient with COVID-19 depends on a variety of examination criteria, but due to the large number of these biomarkers, it may be hard for medical practitioners and emergency systems to decide which cases should be given priority for treatment. The aim of this paper is to propose a Multidimensional Examination Framework (MEF) for the prioritization of COVID-19 severe patients on the basis of combined multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. In contrast to the existing literature, the MEF has not considered only a single dimension of the examination factors; instead, the proposed framework included different multidimensional examination criteria such as demographic, laboratory findings, vital signs, symptoms, and chronic conditions. A real dataset that consists of data from 78 patients with different examination criteria was used as a base in the construction of Multidimensional Evaluation Matrix (MEM). The proposed framework employs the CRITIC (CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) method to identify objective weights and importance for multidimensional examination criteria. Furthermore, the VIKOR (VIekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje) method is utilized to prioritize COVID-19 severe patients. The results based on the CRITIC method showed that the most important examination criterion for prioritization is COVID-19 patients with heart disease, followed by cough and nasal congestion symptoms. Moreover, the VIKOR method showed that Patients 8, 3, 9, 59, and 1 are the most urgent cases that required the highest priority among the other 78 patients. Finally, the proposed framework can be used by medical organizations to prioritize the most critical COVID-19 patient that has multidimensional examination criteria and to promptly give appropriate care for more precise medicine.
Two-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network for Depression Episodes Detection in Real Time Using Motor Activity Time Series of Depresjon Dataset
Authors: Espino-Salinas Carlos H. , Galván-Tejada Carlos E. , Luna-García Huizilopoztli , Gamboa-Rosales Hamurabi , Celaya-Padilla José M. , Zanella-Calzada Laura A. , Tejada Jorge I. Galván
Published: September 2022

Depression is a common illness worldwide, affecting an estimated 3.8% of the population, including 5% of all adults, in particular, 5.7% of adults over 60 years of age. Unfortunately, at present, the ways to evaluate different mental disorders, like the Montgomery–Åsberg depression rating scale (MADRS) and observations, need a great effort, on part of specialists due to the lack of availability of patients to obtain the necessary information to know their conditions and to detect illness such as depression in an objective way. Based on data analysis and artificial intelligence techniques, like Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), it is possible to classify a person, from the mental status examination, into two classes. Moreover, it is beneficial to observe how the data of these two classes are similar in different time intervals. In this study, a motor activity database was used, from which the readings of 55 subjects of study (32 healthy and 23 with some degree of depression) were recorded with a small wrist-worn accelerometer to detect the peak amplitude of movement acceleration and generate a transient voltage signal proportional to the rate of acceleration. Motor activity data were selected per patient in time-lapses of one day for seven days (one week) in one-minute intervals. The data were pre-processed to be given to a two-dimensional convolutional network (2D-CNN), where each record of motor activity per minute was represented as a pixel of an image. The proposed model is capable of detecting depression in real-time (if this is implemented in a mobile device such as a smartwatch) with low computational cost and accuracy of 76.72% In summary, the model shows promising abilities to detect possible cases of depression, providing a helpful resource to identify the condition and be able to take the appropriate follow-up for the patient.
Probiotic-Based Intervention in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: Conventional and New Approaches
Authors: Štofilová Jana , Kvaková Monika , Kamlárová Anna , Hijová Emília , Bertková Izabela , Guľašová Zuzana
Published: September 2022

Although there are number of available therapies for ulcerative colitis (UC), many patients are unresponsive to these treatments or experience secondary failure during treatment. Thus, the development of new therapies or alternative strategies with minimal side effects is inevitable. Strategies targeting dysbiosis of gut microbiota have been tested in the management of UC due to the unquestionable role of gut microbiota in the etiology of UC. Advanced molecular analyses of gut microbiomes revealed evident dysbiosis in UC patients, characterized by a reduced biodiversity of commensal microbiota. Administration of conventional probiotic strains is a commonly applied approach in the management of the disease to modify the gut microbiome, improve intestinal barrier integrity and function, and maintain a balanced immune response. However, conventional probiotics do not always provide the expected health benefits to a patient. Their benefits vary significantly, depending on the type and stage of the disease and the strain and dose of the probiotics administered. Their mechanism of action is also strain-dependent. Recently, new candidates for potential next-generation probiotics have been discovered. This could bring to light new approaches in the restoration of microbiome homeostasis and in UC treatment in a targeted manner. The aim of this paper is to provide an updated review on the current options of probiotic-based therapies, highlight the effective conventional probiotic strains, and outline the future possibilities of next-generation probiotic and postbiotic supplementation and fecal microbiota transplantation in the management of UC.
Devices and Technology in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gutierrez Mario Ibrahin , Poblete-Naredo Irais , Mercado-Gutierrez Jorge Airy , Toledo-Peral Cinthya Lourdes , Quinzaños-Fresnedo Jimena , Yanez-Suarez Oscar , Gutierrez-Martinez Josefina
Published: September 2022

The technology for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has significantly changed over the years, with important improvements in the signal generators, the coils, the positioning systems, and the software for modeling, optimization, and therapy planning. In this systematic literature review (SLR), the evolution of each component of TMS technology is presented and analyzed to assess the limitations to overcome. This SLR was carried out following the PRISMA 2020 statement. Published articles of TMS were searched for in four databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, IEEE). Conference papers and other reviews were excluded. Records were filtered using terms about TMS technology with a semi-automatic software; articles that did not present new technology developments were excluded manually. After this screening, 101 records were included, with 19 articles proposing new stimulator designs (18.8%), 46 presenting or adapting coils (45.5%), 18 proposing systems for coil placement (17.8%), and 43 implementing algorithms for coil optimization (42.6%). The articles were blindly classified by the authors to reduce the risk of bias. However, our results could have been influenced by our research interests, which would affect conclusions for applications in psychiatric and neurological diseases. Our analysis indicates that more emphasis should be placed on optimizing the current technology with a special focus on the experimental validation of models. With this review, we expect to establish the base for future TMS technological developments.
Investigation of Electron Transfer Mechanistic Pathways of Ferrocene Derivatives in Droplet at Carbon Electrode
Authors: Ayaz Sidra , Shah Afzal , Munir Shamsa
Published: September 2022

The results of cyclic, differential pulse and square wave voltammetric studies of four ferrocene derivatives, i.e., 4-ferrocenyl-3-methyl aniline (FMA), 3-Chloro-4-ferrocenyl aniline (CFA), 4-ferrocenyl aniline (FA) and ferrocenyl benzoic acid (FBA) on carbon electrode, revealed that the redox behavior of these compounds is sensitive to pH, concentration, scan number and scan rate. One electron, diffusion controlled, with a quasi-reversible redox signal displaying ferrocene/ferrocenium couple was observed for each of the studied ferrocenyl derivatives. Quasi-reversibility of this signal is evidenced by ∆Ep, Ia/Ic current ratio and ksh values. Another one electron and one proton irreversible oxidation signal was noticed in the voltammograms of these compounds except FBA. This signal corresponds to the electro-oxidation of the amine group and its irreversibility, as supported by ∆Ep, Ia/Ic current ratio and ksh values, is due to the influence of the electron donating nature of the amine group. A number of electrochemical parameters such as D, ksh, LOD and LOQ were evaluated for the targeted ferrocene derivatives. The obtained parameters are expected to provide insights into the redox mechanism for understanding their biochemical actions. The electrochemistry presented in this work is done using a unique environmentally benign and cost-effective droplet electrochemical approach.
Differential DNA Methylation of THOR and hTAPAS in the Regulation of hTERT and the Diagnosis of Cancer
Authors: Ott Pauline , Araúzo-Bravo Marcos J. , Hoffmann Michèle J. , Poyet Cedric , Bendhack Marcelo L. , Santourlidis Simeon , Erichsen Lars
Published: September 2022

Background: Although DNA methylation in the gene promoters usually represses gene expression, the TERT hypermethylated oncological region (THOR) located 5′ of the hTERT gene is hypermethylated when hTERT is expressed in diverse cancer types, including urothelial cancer (UC). Methods: Comprehensive MeDIP and DNA methylation array analyses complemented by the technically independent method of bisulfite genomic sequencing were applied on pathologically reviewed and classified urothelial carcinoma specimens and healthy urothelial tissue samples to reveal the methylation status of THOR in detail. Results: The detailed DNA methylation profiles reveal the exact positions of differentially methylated CpG dinucleotides within THOR in urothelial cancer and provide evidence ofa diverging role of methylation of these CpGs in the regulation of hTERT. In particular, our data suggest a regulating mechanism in which THOR methylation acts on hTERT expression through epigenetic silencing of the lncRNA hTERT antisense promoter-associated (hTAPAS), which represses hTERT. Conclusions: These findings precisely define the most differentially methylated CpGs of THOR in early urothelial cancer, enabling optimal design of Methylation-Specific PCR (MSPCR) primers to reliably probe these methylation differences for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. In addition, this strategy presents a prime example that is also applicable to many other malignancies. Finally, the first evidence for the underlying epigenetic mechanism regulating hTERT expression through the methylation status of THOR is provided.
Two Distinct Mechanisms Underlying γδ T Cell-Mediated Regulation of Collagen Type I in Lung Fibroblasts
Authors: Okuno Daisuke , Sakamoto Noriho , Akiyama Yoshiko , Tokito Takatomo , Hara Atsuko , Kido Takashi , Ishimoto Hiroshi , Ishimatsu Yuji , Tagod Mohammed S. O. , Okamura Haruki , Tanaka Yoshimasa , Mukae Hiroshi
Published: September 2022

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic intractable lung disease, leading to respiratory failure and death. Although anti-fibrotic agents delay disease progression, they are not considered curative treatments, and alternative modalities have attracted attention. We examined the effect of human γδ T cells on collagen type I in lung fibroblasts. Collagen type I was markedly reduced in a γδ T cell number-dependent manner following treatment with γδ T cells expanded with tetrakis-pivaloxymethyl 2-(thiazole-2-ylamino) ethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (PTA) and interleukin-2. Collagen type I levels remained unchanged on addition of γδ T cells to the culture system through a trans-well culture membrane, suggesting that cell–cell contact is essential for reducing its levels in lung fibroblasts. Re-stimulating γδ T cells with (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate (HMBPP) reduced collagen type I levels without cell–cell contact, indicating the existence of HMBPP-induced soluble anti-fibrotic factors in γδ T cells. Adding anti-interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-neutralizing mAb restored collagen type I levels, demonstrating that human γδ T cell-derived IFN-γ reduces collagen type I levels. Conversely, interleukin-18 augmented γδ T cell-induced suppression of collagen type I. Therefore, human γδ T cells reduce collagen levels in lung fibroblasts via two distinct mechanisms; adoptive γδ T cell transfer is potentially a new therapeutic candidate.
Poly(acrylic acid)/Dipeptide Double-Network Hydrogel to Achieve a Highly Stretchable Strain Sensor
Authors: Luo Xin , Ding Boya , Liu Xingcen
Published: September 2022

Flexible and stretchable strain sensors can be applied for human health monitoring and disease diagnoses via the output of multiple biophysical signals. However, it is still a challenge to fabricate short-peptide-based strain sensors. Here, we prepared a novel polymer-dipeptide double-network hydrogel with excellent stretchability, responsiveness, and stability. The poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) gel, by cross-linking, maintains mechanical and flexible properties, and the fluorenyl methoxycarbonyl-diphenylalanine (Fmoc-FF) network, by non-covalent interactions, is helpful for energy dissipation. With increasing tensile or compression strains, the PAA/Fmoc-FF hydrogel exhibited a high mechanical strength and fast recovery. Moreover, as the presence of KCl improves the electronic conductivity, the hybrid gel exhibited a cyclic strain-stress performance, which is the foundation of a strain sensor. Based on that, its application as a motion sensor was demonstrated by monitoring the movements of human joints, such as the forefinger, wrist, elbow, and knee. Consequently, the hybrid polymer-peptide gel could be an ideal candidate for wearable sensors in the future.