bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cost-effectiveness analysis of patent foramen ovale closure versus medical therapy alone after cryptogenic stroke
Authors: Shijoh Yoko , Saito Shota , Dai Zhehao , Ohde Sachiko
Published: June 2022

Background

Closure of a patent foramen ovale reduces the risk of recurrent stroke compared with medical therapy alone in young patients with cryptogenic strokes revealed by randomized control trials. Some cost-effectiveness analyses outside Japan have shown that patent foramen ovale closure is cost-effective, but no studies have examined cost-effectiveness in Japan. The objective of this study is to assess cost-effectiveness, from the perspective of a Japanese healthcare payer, of patent foramen ovale closure versus medical therapy alone for patients with patent foramen ovale related to cryptogenic strokes.

Methods

A cost-effectiveness study was conducted by developing a decision tree and a Markov model. Probabilities and a 5.9-year time horizon followed the RESPECT study. Utilities and costs were based upon published studies and assumptions. All assumptions were assessed by experts, including a cardiologist and a statistical expert. The target population comprised patients with cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale, aged 60 years or younger. The model was discounted at 2.0% and its cycle was one month. A willingness-to-pay threshold is set at $50,000 / quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was evaluated. Then one-way sensitivity analyses as deterministic sensitivity analysis, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess data robustness.

Results

Incremental quality-adjusted life years, incremental costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were 0.464, $13,562, and $29,208 per QALY gained, respectively. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that the stable state utility score difference between patent foramen ovale closure and medical therapy had the largest impact on incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Patent foramen ovale closure is cost-effective at a stable state utility score difference of >0.051, compared with medical therapy. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses demonstrated that patent foramen ovale closure was 50.3% cost-effective.

Conclusions

Patent foramen ovale closure was cost-effective compared with medical therapy for Japanese patients with cryptogenic stroke who were ≤60 years.
Cholecalciferol supplementation and angiogenic markers in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Kaur Jaskiran , Kamboj Kajal , Yadav Ashok Kumar , Kaur Prabhjot , Kumar Vivek , Jha Vivekanand
Published: June 2022

Vitamin D plays an important role in proliferation and differentiation of cells and deficiency of vitamin D disturbs angiogenic balance. Previous studies in animal models have reported an association between serum levels of vitamin D and balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors. There is insufficient evidence about the effect of vitamin D on mediators of angiogenesis in patients with CKD. We investigated the effect of cholecalciferol supplementation on serum levels of angiogenic markers in non-diabetic patients with CKD stage 3–4. In this secondary analysis on stored samples of our previously published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, stable patients of either sex, aged 18–70 years, with non-diabetic CKD stage 3–4 and vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D ≤20 ng/ml) were randomized to receive either two directly observed oral doses of cholecalciferol (300,000 IU) or matching placebo at baseline and 8 weeks. The primary outcome was change in brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation at 16 weeks. Changes in levels of serum angiogenesis markers (angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2, VEGF-A, VEGEF-R, and Tie-2) between groups over 16 weeks were compared. A total 120 patients were enrolled. Supplementation with cholecalciferol led to significant improvement in FMD. Serum 25(OH)D levels were similar in both groups at baseline (13.21±4.78 ng/ml and 13.40±4.42 ng/ml; p = 0.888). At 16 weeks, the serum 25(OH)D levels increased in the cholecalciferol group but not in the placebo group (between-group difference in mean change:23.40 ng/ml; 95% CI, 19.76 to 27.06; p<0.001). Serum levels of angiogenic markers were similar at baseline. At 16 weeks, angiopoietin-2 level decreased in cholecalciferol group (mean difference:-0.73 ng/ml, 95%CI, -1.25 to -0.20, p = 0.002) but not in placebo group (mean difference -0.46 ng/ml, 95%CI, -1.09 to 0.17, p = 0.154), however there was no between-group difference at 16 weeks (between-group difference in mean change: -0.27 ng/ml, 95%CI, -1.09 to 0.55, p = 0.624). Serum angiopoietin-1 level increased [mean change: 5.63 (0.51 to 10.75), p = 0.018] and VEGF-R level decreased [mean change: -87.16 (-131.89 to -42.44), p<0.001] in placebo group but did not show any change in cholecalciferol group. Our data shows the changes in Ang-1, Ang-2 and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio after high dose oral cholecalciferol supplementation in patients with non-diabetic G3-4 CKD. The data suggests changes in circulating levels of angiogenic markers which needs to be confirmed through an adequately powered study.
EEG-based vibrotactile evoked brain-computer interfaces system: A systematic review
Authors: Huang Xiuyu , Liang Shuang , Li Zengguang , Lai Cynthia Yuen Yi , Choi Kup-Sze
Published: June 2022

Recently, a novel electroencephalogram-based brain-computer interface (EVE-BCI) using the vibrotactile stimulus shows great potential for an alternative to other typical motor imagery and visual-based ones. (i) Objective: in this review, crucial aspects of EVE-BCI are extracted from the literature to summarize its key factors, investigate the synthetic evidence of feasibility, and generate recommendations for further studies. (ii) Method: five major databases were searched for relevant publications. Multiple key concepts of EVE-BCI, including data collection, stimulation paradigm, vibrotactile control, EEG signal processing, and reported performance, were derived from each eligible article. We then analyzed these concepts to reach our objective. (iii) Results: (a) seventy-nine studies are eligible for inclusion; (b) EEG data are mostly collected among healthy people with an embodiment of EEG cap in EVE-BCI development; (c) P300 and Steady-State Somatosensory Evoked Potential are the two most popular paradigms; (d) only locations of vibration are heavily explored by previous researchers, while other vibrating factors draw little interest. (e) temporal features of EEG signal are usually extracted and used as the input to linear predictive models for EVE-BCI setup; (f) subject-dependent and offline evaluations remain popular assessments of EVE-BCI performance; (g) accuracies of EVE-BCI are significantly higher than chance levels among different populations. (iv) Significance: we summarize trends and gaps in the current EVE-BCI by identifying influential factors. A comprehensive overview of EVE-BCI can be quickly gained by reading this review. We also provide recommendations for the EVE-BCI design and formulate a checklist for a clear presentation of the research work. They are useful references for researchers to develop a more sophisticated and practical EVE-BCI in future studies.
Severity of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 lineage among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Belgium
Authors: Van Goethem Nina , Vandromme Mathil , Van Oyen Herman , Haarhuis Freek , Brondeel Ruben , Catteau Lucy , André Emmanuel , Cuypers Lize ,   Belgian Collaborative Group on COVID-19 Hospital surveillance,   COVID-19 Genomics Belgium consortium, Blot Koen , Serrien Ben
Published: June 2022

Introduction

The pathogenesis of COVID-19 depends on the interplay between host characteristics, viral characteristics and contextual factors. Here, we compare COVID-19 disease severity between hospitalized patients in Belgium infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 and those infected with previously circulating strains.

Methods

The study is conducted within a causal framework to study the severity of SARS-CoV-2 variants by merging surveillance registries in Belgium. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 (‘exposed’) was compared to infection with previously circulating strains (‘unexposed’) in terms of the manifestation of severe COVID-19, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, or in-hospital mortality. The exposed and unexposed group were matched based on the hospital and the mean ICU occupancy rate during the patient’s hospital stay. Other variables identified as confounders in a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) were adjusted for using regression analysis. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the influence of selection bias, vaccination rollout, and unmeasured confounding.

Results

We observed no difference between the exposed and unexposed group in severe COVID-19 disease or in-hospital mortality (RR = 1.15, 95% CI [0.93–1.38] and RR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.62–1.23], respectively). The estimated standardized risk to be admitted in ICU was significantly higher (RR = 1.36, 95% CI [1.03–1.68]) when infected with the B.1.1.7 variant. An age-stratified analysis showed that among the younger age group (≤65 years), the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 was significantly associated with both severe COVID-19 progression and ICU admission.

Conclusion

This matched observational cohort study did not find an overall increased risk of severe COVID-19 or death associated with B.1.1.7 infection among patients already hospitalized. There was a significant increased risk to be transferred to ICU when infected with the B.1.1.7 variant, especially among the younger age group. However, potential selection biases advocate for more systematic sequencing of samples from hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Assessment of the percentage of full recombinant adeno-associated virus particles in a gene therapy drug using CryoTEM
Authors: Colomb-Delsuc Mathieu , Raim Roman , Fiedler Christian , Reuberger Stefan , Lengler Johannes , Nordström Rickard , Ryner Martin , Folea Ioana Mihaela , Kraus Barbara , Hernandez Bort Juan A. , Sintorn Ida-Maria
Published: June 2022

In spite of continuous development of gene therapy vectors with thousands of drug candidates in clinical drug trials there are only a small number approved on the market today stressing the need to have characterization methods to assist in the validation of the drug development process. The level of packaging of the vector capsids appears to play a critical role in immunogenicity, hence an objective quantitative method assessing the content of particles containing a genome is an essential quality measurement. As transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allows direct visualization of the particles present in a specimen, it naturally seems as the most intuitive method of choice for characterizing recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) particle packaging. Negative stain TEM (nsTEM) is an established characterization method for analysing the packaging of viral vectors. It has however shown limitations in terms of reliability. To overcome this drawback, we propose an analytical method based on CryoTEM that unambiguously and robustly determines the percentage of filled particles in an rAAV sample. In addition, we show that at a fixed number of vector particles the portion of filled particles correlates well with the potency of the drug. The method has been validated according to the ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines and the components investigated during the validation are presented in this study. The reliability of nsTEM as a method for the assessment of filled particles is also investigated along with a discussion about the origin of the observed variability of this method.
Heart rate variability in hypothyroid patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Brusseau Valentin , Tauveron Igor , Bagheri Reza , Ugbolue Ukadike Chris , Magnon Valentin , Navel Valentin , Bouillon-Minois Jean-Baptiste , Dutheil Frederic
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Hypothyroidism may be associated with changes in the autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system, which may have clinical implications.

Objective

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of hypothyroidism on HRV.

Materials and methods

PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar were searched until 20 August 2021 for articles reporting HRV parameters in untreated hypothyroidism and healthy controls. Random-effects meta-analysis were stratified by degree of hypothyroidism for each HRV parameters: RR intervals (or normal to normal-NN intervals), SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50ms variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit), HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low frequency), and LF/HF ratio.

Results

We included 17 studies with 11438 patients: 1163 hypothyroid patients and 10275 healthy controls. There was a decrease in SDNN (effect size = -1.27, 95% CI -1.72 to -0.83), RMSSD (-1.66, -2.32 to -1.00), pNN50 (-1.41, -1.98 to -0.84), TP (-1.55, -2.1 to -1.00), HFnu (-1.21, -1.78 to -0.63) with an increase in LFnu (1.14, 0.63 to 1.66) and LF/HF ratio (1.26, 0.71 to 1.81) (p <0.001). HRV alteration increased with severity of hypothyroidism.

Conclusions

Hypothyroidism is associated with a decreased HRV, that may be explained by molecular mechanisms involving catecholamines and by the effect of TSH on HRV. The increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity may have clinical implications.
Does work passion benefit or hinder employee’s career commitment? The mediating role of work–family interface and the moderating role of autonomy support
Authors: Jung Yeseul , Sohn Young Woo
Published: June 2022

Based on the dualistic model of passion, this study explored the relationship between distinct types of work passion and career commitment, as well as the mediating role of work–family interface and the moderating role of autonomy support. A two-wave study was conducted among South Korean workers (N = 250) over a 5-month time period. Results showed that harmonious work passion was positively associated with career commitment, whereas obsessive work passion was not significantly associated with career commitment. Moreover, work–family enrichment partially mediated the positive effect of harmonious work passion on career commitment, and work–family conflict fully mediated the negative effect of obsessive work passion on career commitment. Results further indicated that autonomy support strengthens the positive effect of harmonious work passion on work–family enrichment. Furthermore, this study expanded the understanding of the underlying psychological mechanisms of effects of work passion. The implications and limitations of the study and potential topics for future research are discussed.
Development, validation and evaluation of an online medication review tool (MedReview)
Authors: Thiruchelvam Kaeshaelya , Hasan Syed Shahzad , Pudmenzky Alex , Se Wong Pei , Kairuz Therese
Published: June 2022

Objectives

To develop, validate and evaluate a computerized clinical decision support system (MedReview) that aids medication reviewers with pharmacological decision-making.

Methods

This study included three phases; the development phase included computerizing a consolidated medication review algorithm (MedReview), followed by validation and evaluation of MedReview and responding to a web-based survey designed using patient scenarios. Participants had to be ‘fully registered’ with the Malaysian Pharmacy Board and work full-time at a community pharmacy.

Results

MedReview was developed as a web app. It was validated among 100 community pharmacists from May-July 2021 using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). There was acceptable content validity and fair inter-rater agreement, and good convergent and discriminant validity. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in five domains to determine the attitude of pharmacists about using MedReview: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, intention to use, trust, and personal initiatives and characteristics; the total variance explained by five factors was 76.36%. The survey questionnaire had a high overall reliability value of 0.96. Evaluation of MedReview was based on mean scores of survey items. Of all items included in the survey, the highest mean score (out of 7) was achieved for ‘I could use MedReview if it is meaningful/relevant to my daily tasks’ (5.78 ± 1.10), followed by ‘I could use MedReview if I feel confident that the data returned by MedReview is reliable’ (5.77 ± 1.21), and ‘I could use MedReview if it protects the privacy of its users’ (5.73 ± 1.20).

Conclusion

Community pharmacists generally had a positive attitude towards MedReview. They found that MedReview is trustworthy and they had the intention to use it when conducting medication reviews. The adaptation of the TAM in the survey instrument was reliable and internally valid.
Temporal bone pneumatization: A scoping review on the growth and size of mastoid air cell system with age
Authors: Aladeyelu Okikioluwa Stephen , Olaniyi Kehinde Samuel , Olojede Samuel Oluwaseun , Mbatha Wonder-Boy Eumane , Sibiya Andile Lindokuhle , Rennie Carmen Olivia
Published: June 2022

The interest in the mastoid air cell system arose from the association between temporal bone aeration and otitis media. Its size and growth have been considered when planning chronic and middle ear surgeries. The objective of this review was to explore the literature on the size of mastoid air cells with age, highlighting various growth rates reported and mapping out areas yet to be fully understood for further research. A three-step systematic search was conducted for available literature on the subject matter viz; Google Scholar, Medline, Cochrane Library, and PubMed. Eligibility criteria guided the study selection, and eligible studies were subjected to appraisal using screening and quantitative criteria of mixed-method appraisal tool. A data extraction form was developed to extract information from eligible studies. Nine studies met the eligibility criteria. 55.6% of the included studies were conducted among the east and south Asian population, 33.3% were conducted among Scandinavians, and 11.1% in South America. Age groupings varied among studies; 33.3% utilized 1-year age grouping, 33.3% utilized 5-year age grouping, 11.1% utilized 10-year age grouping. In reporting the size of mastoid air cells across age groupings, 66.7% utilized area, 22.2% utilized volume, while 11.1% utilized both area and volume. Findings from this review showed that the mastoid air cells’ size with respect to age differs among populations of different origins. The most common measurements were the area of air cells. The highest growth rate was reported up to 30 years. Findings also show the influence of sex on the size of mastoid air cells and growth rate with age, as females were reported to have larger air cells with rapid growth until puberty. However, the male mastoid air cell system continues a steady growth after puberty and becomes larger. Information still lacks in the volume of air cells in pediatric pneumatization.
Social media shines light on the “hidden” impact of nighttime guided-gigging charters on Texas’ Southern Flounder fishery: A stab in the dark
Authors: Hall Quentin A. , Coffey Daniel M. , Streich Matthew K. , Fisher Mark R. , Stunz Gregory W.
Published: June 2022

Southern Flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) populations are declining in the Gulf of Mexico basin. This is particularly true in Texas, where this unique and culturally important fishery has been in decline since the 1980s despite increasingly stringent regulatory measures. Current angler-intercept creel surveys used to estimate recreational flounder harvest levels are conducted during daylight hours and do not account for the high levels of nighttime flounder gigging (spearing) activity, a popular and efficient harvest method for this fishery. There are legitimate scientific and logistical concerns that have prevented the use of wide-spread nighttime creel surveys to monitor the flounder gigging fishery in the past, however this has made accurate catch and effort estimates difficult to obtain. Given the concern about this economically important fishery’s status, we adopted a unique approach utilizing social media to provide unprecedented information into this fishery’s impact during periods that are not traditionally monitored. Specifically, we reconstructed seasonal flounder harvest and effort metrics stemming from the nighttime recreational guided flounder gigging sector over 2.6 years using guided flounder gigging charter photo archives publicly available through Facebook. These metrics show large average client party sizes, large trip harvests, and near-perfect bag limit efficiencies. Temporal trends indicated peak recreational guided flounder gigging effort and harvest occurs during the summer months, a time not traditionally associated with flounder gigging. The addition of nighttime guided-gigging recreational harvest estimates from this study to traditional daytime harvest estimates and commercial harvest estimates resulted in total annual harvest estimates nearly two times greater than current estimates. Overall, this study demonstrates the high pressure guided-gigging charters are placing on Texas’ flounder fishery and illustrates the critical need for additional information on the nighttime recreational flounder fishery for both guided and private gigging anglers. Moreover, our results also demonstrate the usefulness of mining social media platforms to capture catch and effort data that are otherwise unavailable.
Genetic diversity of Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim. germplasm revealed by simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers
Authors: Chen Jianhua , Liu Quangang , Lu Caiyun , Liu Qingbai , Pan Jingjing , Zhang Jian , Dong Shengjun
Published: June 2022

The genetic diversity and genetic structure of P. armeniaca var. ansu were analyzed based on SSR markers. The aim was to provide scientific basis for conservation, efficient utilization, molecular marker assisted breeding and improved variety selection of P. armeniaca var. ansu germplasm resources. The results showed that the level of genetic diversity within the population was high. Among the 30 SSR markers, the mean number of observed alleles was 11.433, the mean number of effective alleles was 4.433, the mean of Shannon information index was 1.670, and the mean of polymorphic information content was 0.670. Among the eight provenances, Tuanjie Township, Xinyuan County, Xinjiang had the highest genetic diversity. The observed alleles, effective alleles, Shannon information index and Nei’s gene diversity index among provenances were higher than those within provenances. Based on Bayesian mathematical modeling and UPGMA cluster analysis, 86 P. armeniaca var. ansu accessions were divided into three subpopulations and four groups, which reflected individual differences in provenances. Subpopulations classified by Bayesian mathematical modeling and groups classified by UPGMA cluster analysis were significantly correlated with geographical provenance (Sig<0.01) and the provenances significantly impacted classification of groups. The provenances played an important role in classification of groups. The genetic distance between Tuanjie Township of Xinyuan County and Alemale Township of Xinyuan County was the smallest, while the genetic relationship between them was the closest and the degree of genetic differentiation was small.
Comparison of abortion incidence estimates derived from direct survey questions versus the list experiment among women in Ohio
Authors: Hood Robert B. , Moseson Heidi , Smith Mikaela , Chakraborty Payal , Norris Alison H. , Gallo Maria F.
Published: June 2022

Abortion is highly stigmatized in the United States which prevents its accurate measurement in surveys. The list experiment aims to improve the reporting of abortion history. We evaluated whether a list experiment resulted in higher reporting of abortion experiences than did two direct questions. Utilizing data from a representative survey of adult women of reproductive age in Ohio, we examined abortion history using two direct questions and a double list experiment. Through the double list experiment, we asked respondents to report how many of two lists of health items they had experienced; one list included abortion. We compared weighted history of abortion between these measures and by respondent demographic characteristics (age and socioeconomic status). Estimates of abortion history were similar between direct and list experiment questions. When measured with the two different direct question of abortion history, 8.4% and 8.0% of all respondents indicated ever having an abortion and with the list experiment, 8.5% indicated ever having an abortion. In a Midwestern state-level survey, the list experiment did not lead to increases in abortion reporting as compared to the direct questions. Subgroup analyses require larger samples, and future iterations should incorporate related but non-stigmatized control items to reduce misclassification and under-powering of such subgroup analyses.
Feature ranking and network analysis of global financial indices
Authors: Rakib Mahmudul Islam , Hossain Md. Javed , Nobi Ashadun
Published: June 2022

The feature ranking method of machine learning is applied to investigate the feature ranking and network properties of 21 world stock indices. The feature ranking is the probability of influence of each index on the target. The feature ranking matrix is determined by using the returns of indices on a certain day to predict the price returns of the next day using Random Forest and Gradient Boosting. We find that the North American indices influence others significantly during the global financial crisis, while during the European sovereign debt crisis, the significant indices are American and European. The US stock indices dominate the world stock market in most periods. The indices of two Asian countries (India and China) influence remarkably in some periods, which occurred due to the unrest state of these markets. The networks based on feature ranking are constructed by assigning a threshold at the mean of the feature ranking matrix. The global reaching centrality of the threshold network is found to increase significantly during the global financial crisis. Finally, we determine Shannon entropy from the probabilities of influence of indices on the target. The sharp drops of entropy are observed during big crises, which are due to the dominance of a few indices in these periods that can be used as a measure of the overall distribution of influences. Through this technique, we identify the indices that are influential in comparison to others, especially during crises, which can be useful to study the contagions of the global stock market.
Biomass and mineral nutrient partitioning among self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit on the same strawberry plant
Authors: Dinh Dung Cao , Wallace Helen M. , Hosseini Bai Shahla , Ogbourne Steven M. , Trueman Stephen J.
Published: June 2022

Pollen-parent effects on fruit size and quality have been found previously among competing self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit on the same Redlands Joy strawberry plant. These effects occur independently of the percentage of fertilized seeds on the fruit, but the expression of these effects on fruit size and some aspects of quality are greatest when calcium is in shortest supply. Here, we aimed to clarify at what developmental stages the self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit diverge in size and quality and whether differences between self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit are due to early differences in nutrient accumulation. Fruit were harvested at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after hand-pollination and at full ripeness, approximately 4 weeks after hand-pollination. We measured fruit mass, length, diameter, colour, and the concentrations of aluminium, boron, calcium, copper, iron, nitrogen, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phospho-rous, potassium and zinc. Temporary increases in fruit mass, length or diameter due to cross-pollination were evident at 1 or 2 weeks after pollination. Consistent increases in size and skin darkness from cross-pollination emerged in the final week of fruit development. We found little evidence that self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit differed in mineral nutrient accumulation at any stage of fruit development. The results demonstrate that cross-pollination effects on strawberry fruit size are evident briefly during early fruit growth but emerge mainly during the final week of fruit development. The effects of cross-pollination on fruit size are not the result of early differences in mineral nutrient accumulation between self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit.
A study of clinical and economic burden of surgical site infection in patients undergoing caesarian section at a tertiary care teaching hospital in India
Authors: Hirani Shilpa , Trivedi Niyati A. , Chauhan Janki , Chauhan Yash
Published: June 2022

Background

Caesarian section is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in India. Determination of the incidence as well as the clinical and financial burden of post caesarian surgical site infection (SSI), is of critical importance for all the stakeholders for rational and fair allocation of resources.

Methods

This study was a prospective observational case-control study. The mean direct and indirect cost of treatment for the cases were compared with the control patients. An unpaired t-test was used to compare the mean between the two groups.

Results

Out of 2024 patients, who underwent caesarian section during the study period, 114 had acquired incisional surgical site infection (ISSI), with the infection incidence being 5.63%. The total cost of illness due to post caesarian ISSI was almost three times higher compared to the non-infected matched control group. (P<0.0001). An average length of hospital stay in the ISSI patient group was 10 days longer than that in the control group (P<0.0001) and importantly total length of antimicrobial therapy(LOT) in patients with ISSI was also almost three times higher than the control group (P<0.0001).

Conclusion

The development of post caesarian SSI imposes a significant clinical as well as a financial burden. The study highlights the necessity of taking effective preventive measures to decrease the incidence of SSI.
Detection of Fusobacterium nucleatum DNA in primary care patient stool samples does not predict progression of colorectal neoplasia
Authors: Aitchison Alan , Pearson John F. , Purcell Rachel V. , Frizelle Frank A. , Keenan Jacqueline I.
Published: June 2022

Background

Carriage of certain bacterial species may represent potential biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC). Prominent among these is Fusobacterium nucleatum. We explored the association of F. nucleatum DNA in stool samples with the presence of colonic neoplastic lesions in a cohort of primary care patients, and compared our findings with those from an unrelated cohort of colonoscopy patients followed clinically over time.

Methods

Carriage rates of F. nucleatum in stool samples were assessed in 185 patients referred for a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) by their general practitioners (GPs). Comparisons were made with stool samples from 57 patients diagnosed with CRC and 57 age-matched healthy controls, and with tissue samples taken at colonoscopy from 150 patients with a decade of subsequent clinical follow-up.

Findings

F. nucleatum DNA was found at a high rate (47.0%) in stool samples from primary care patients, and more often in stool samples from CRC patients (47.4%) than in healthy controls (7.0%), (P = 7.66E-7). No association was found between carriage of F. nucleatum and FIT positivity (P = 0.588). While evidence of stool-associated F. nucleatum DNA was significantly more likely to indicate a lesion in those primary care patients progressed to colonoscopy (P = 0.023), this finding did not extend to the progression of neoplastic lesions in the 150 patients with a decade of follow up.

Conclusion

The finding of F. nucleatum DNA at similar rates in stool samples from patients diagnosed with CRC and in primary care patients with pre-cancerous lesions supports growing awareness that the presence of these bacteria may be a biomarker for increased risk of disease. However, molecular evidence of F. nucleatum did not predict progression of colonic lesions, which may lessen the utility of this bacterium as a biomarker for increased risk of disease.
Network analysis among World of Warcraft players’ social support variables: A two-way approach
Authors: Zhao Xiang , Obst Patricia L. , White Katherine M. , O’Connor Erin L. , Longman Huon
Published: June 2022

World of Warcraft (WoW) is one of the most popular massively multiplayer online games. Previous studies have found evidence of in-game and offline social support among WoW players; however, the interplay of different types of social support such as informational and emotional support among this cohort has not been examined. This study used a reciprocal social support perspective to explore the system-level relationships among different types of social support in a sample of WoW players (N=181). Using network analysis, two major types of social support, informational and emotional, given and received within WoW and offline systems were included as model indicators. Social support networks of guild and non-guild members were compared. Clear separation was found between offline and in-game social support. Informational support played a key role in all networks but differences in the social support networks were identified between guild and non-guild members. These findings indicate dynamics between different types of social support overlooked in previous studies. By revealing such dynamics, network analysis has been shown as a promising tool for evidencing the subtle dynamics between distinct constructs.
Can stereotypical housewives in Flemish family comics divorce? The cases of Jommeke and De Kiekeboes
Authors: De Dobbeleer Michel
Published: June 2022

For decades the best-selling comics in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern half of Belgium, have without any doubt been the so-called familiestrips. In this article, I probe the Flemishness of this particular type of comics book (or ‘album’). Since there is a lot of confusion, I explain at length why ‘family comics’ would be a more suitable English translation for this term than the more obvious and more often encountered ‘family strip’ (which better suits the Dutch-type familiestrip). The article’s other objective is to explain why not only the Zeitgeist, but also the very format, of the Flemish familiestrip has made it difficult to broach the topic of serious inter-family conflicts such as marital problems among protagonists. I will demonstrate this by focusing on the stereotypical housewife characters of what could be considered Flanders’s two most ‘basic’ familiestrip series: Jommeke (for c. 7 to 10 years old) and De Kiekeboes (c. 10+). With the help of two thematically comparable albums about the mothers in the respective families, I will show how their creators have tried to deal with the tricky topic of marital problems – and, related to that, the emancipation of women – while still respecting the Flemish-type familiestrip format. Together with an elaboration on how Jommeke originated and how De Kiekeboes has changed its focus in the new millennium, the analysis of the albums shows what is possible within the rather strict but nevertheless evolving ‘rules’ of the Flemish familiestrip, and what is not possible with respect to inter-family conflicts in Flanders’s by-far most successful kind of comics.
Drawing childhood in conflict: Malik Sajad’s Munnu: A Boy from Kashmir
Authors: Dong Lan
Published: June 2022

Influenced by Art Spiegelman and Joe Sacco, Kashmiri artist Malik Sajad’s graphic narrative Munnu: A Boy from Kashmir calls the reader’s attention to the ongoing conflict in Kashmir, a South Asian region controlled by India, Pakistan and China since the 1940s. Using the hangul elk (an engendered species) to represent Kashmiris while portraying others as human characters, Sajad’s deliberate choice visually sets Kashmiris apart from the rest of the world. This article examines how the main character’s development from a boy with intermittent schooling to a cartoonist with political awareness is interlaced with the escalating violence in Kashmir from the early 1990s to the 2010s. In particular, it discusses how Sajad’s book presents massacres, curfews, crackdowns, mass graves and cover-ups as normalcy in Kashmiri daily life, how it experiments the conventions of comics, interrupts the temporal and spatial arrangements of the panels and creates gaps in the visual and verbal narratives often without foreshadowing or explanations and how it presents history as experiences lived instead of knowledge learned. Sajad’s graphic narrative does not provide a solution and ‘frustrates a reader looking for closure’. The closing panel visualizes Munnu disappearing into the all-encompassing darkness with only a flashlight guiding his way. Filling in the blanks of the ‘K-word’, the story comes to a stop without a sense of conclusion or a direction for the future, thus prompting the reader to contemplate the status of Kashmiris who have been left in a political limbo for decades and continue to be ‘endangered’.
Drawing on Religion: Reading and the Moral Imagination in Comics and Graphic Novels, Ken Koltun-Fromm (2020)
Authors: Hancock Rae
Published: June 2022

Review of: Drawing on Religion: Reading and the Moral Imagination in Comics and Graphic Novels, Ken Koltun-Fromm (2020)

University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press,

ISBN 978-0-271-08775-7, p/bk, £27.95
History, Technology, and Politics: the political uses of railways in Portugal (1850-1900)
Authors: Pereira Hugo Silveira
Published: June 2022

In the nineteenth century, Portugal undertook a public works programme, spearheaded by railways, seeking the modernisation of the country. In this paper, I use the approach of technopolitics to study how the implementation of railways in Portugal influenced Portuguese politics and vice-versa. I analyse the interactions between engineers, policymakers, and local caciques, their associations in technopolitical regimes, in different arenas: the parliament, assemblies of experts, inauguration ceremonies, and the media (illustrated press that republished photographs). I show that railways became a powerful tool to pursue other objectives than those originally envisaged by its promoters, namely political goals related with governance, extension of the influence of central government to the periphery, and socio-political affirmation of the engineers. Sources include parliamentary debates, engineering journals, illustrated newspapers, and photography. I aim to contribute to the debate about the relationship between the technological implementation and politics, including rhetoric, material, and iconographic practices.
Las lealtades del general Vicente Rojo. Un militar fiel a su profesión
Authors: Colomines i Companys Agustí
Published: June 2022

A pesar de su conservadurismo, el general Vicente Rojo (1894-1966), quien alestallar la guerra era comandante, se mantuvo leal a la República, mientras que otros militares, amigos suyos y compañeros en la Academia Militar de Toledo, se incorporaron al Ejército Nacional, como por ejemplo el también comandante Emilio Alamán. Este artículo se centra en las historias humanas que vivieron entre ellos. A partir de su testimonio, plasmado en una autobiografía inédita, reconstruimos sus decisiones y angustias. Mediante entrevistas a los familiares de Rojo se reconstruyen algunos episodios de la vida cotidiana durante la guerra y el exilio. Si el exilio fue un refugio amargo, la vuelta a casa del general Rojo se convirtió en una maldición, como puede constatarse en sus escritos memorialistas, por su aislamiento e infortunio, y por lo que él consideró una falta de compañerismo por parte de sus antiguos camaradas. Para él fue una memoria afligida.
Otro modelo de transición: el centrismo de Madariaga como lugar de convergencia de la oposición al franquismo (1944-1948)
Authors: De Navascués Santiago
Published: June 2022

Con la derrota de las potencias del Eje en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, la caída del régimen de Franco parecía inminente. Los opositores al régimen, todavía muy divididos tras la guerra civil, comenzaron a proyectar distintas alternativas al régimen franquista. Una de ellas fue la que planteó Salvador de Madariaga, que trató de encontrar elementos de convergencia entre los socialistas de la facción de Indalecio Prieto y los monárquicos de Gil Robles. Esta alternativa «centrista» pretendía garantizar una transición estable y sin violencia revolucionaria, unificando la acción de los opositores al franquismo. En esas primeras negociaciones se aprecian los límites del antifranquismo en la búsqueda de la democracia, al tiempo que se sientan las bases para un diálogo entre las diversas culturas políticas en el exilio a través del paradigma del europeísmo.
Euskal Irrati Telebistak (EITB.eus) klima-aldaketaren trataera informatiboari buruzko analisia, Erantzukizun Sozial Korporatiboaren (ESKren) ikuspuntutik
Authors: Alonso Jurnet Ángela , Larrondo Ureta Ainara
Published: June 2022

2018 eta 2019 urteak inflexio-puntu izan dira, klima-aldaketaren pertzepzio zientifiko, sozial eta komunikatiboari dagokienez. Egoera berri honetan, komunikabideek garrantzi handia dute eta funtsezko eragile dira ingurumenaren gaineko kontzientziazioan. Hori aitzaki, EITB.eus webgunean klima-aldaketari buruz argitaratutako albisteak aztertu dira, 2013 eta 2020 urte artekoak. Helburua da ingurumenari dagokionez Erantzukizun Sozial Korporatiboa aplikatzean aurkitu diren indargune eta ahulguneak azaleratzea. Hainbat indargune aurkitu dira, hala nola, frame sozial eta zientifikoak txertatzea, baita ahulguneak ere, esaterako, klima-aldaketari buruzko etengabeko komunikaziorik ez egotea.
Los roles de género en la publicidad de los productos de limpieza: el caso de los anuncios de Don Limpio
Authors: Tardivo Giuliano , Díaz Cano Eduardo , Suárez-Vergne Álvaro
Published: June 2022

Este artículo pretende estudiar la pervivencia de los estereotipos de género en las publicidades españolas contemporáneas en las que se promocionan productos de limpieza. Para analizar las publicidades seleccionadas, según el método del muestreo oportunista, hemos utilizado la técnica del análisis de contenido cualitativo. Los resultados demuestran la pervivencia de estereotipos de género en este tipo de publicidades. En la mayoría de los anuncios seleccionados son las mujeres que se dedican a las tareas de la limpieza, mientras que los hombres se asocian más a la fuerza y al trabajo experto. Sólo pocos anuncios retoman el modelo familiar igualitario.
Políticas públicas, concentración y desarrollo del sistema comunicacional en Argentina (1989-2021). Análisis crítico a través del estudio de caso de Telefónica
Authors: Labio Bernal Aurora , Fernández Camila
Published: June 2022

Desde la década de los noventa, los principales operadores de telecomunicaciones en Argentina han tenido capital transnacional y han logrado un alto nivel de concentración gracias a regulaciones estatales que han promovido su crecimiento. Entre estas compañías, Telefónica Argentina se ha visto respaldada por los gobiernos en su expansión y posición dominante de mercado. En este artículo se realiza un análisis crítico de las políticas públicas de comunicación en Argentina entre 1989 y 2021, utilizando el estudio de caso de Telefónica, bajo el enfoque de la economía política.
Pedir más a la Universidad en línea. ¿Podemos pensar juntos estando separados por una pantalla?
Authors: Marin Lavinia
Published: June 2022

El cambio a la educación en línea que se produjo durante la pandemia del coronavirus puso en primer plano las preguntas sobre el valor y la conveniencia de una universidad totalmente en línea. Este artículo explora hasta qué punto es deseable una universidad totalmente en línea desde una perspectiva educativa, en la que la educación se considera una experiencia valiosa tomada en sí misma, independientemente de su resultado. Parto de la hipótesis de que una dimensión fundamental de las prácticas de estudio en la universidad es la experiencia del pensamiento colectivo desencadenado por acuerdos materiales y sociales específicos. Procedo a describir las condiciones materiales para desencadenar el pensamiento en términos de lo que llamo desplazamiento mediático, que es una forma de integrar los medios en las prácticas educativas que permite un tipo de atención fluctuante. El artículo concluye argumentando que necesitamos desarrollar nuevas tecnologías para la educación en línea y entrenar nuestra atención deliberadamente para los entornos en línea estableciendo nuevos protocolos para tratar la dispersión digital de la atención.
La idea de Universidad desde un enfoque humanista: la contribución del aprendizaje-servicio como filosofía de la educación superior
Authors: García-Gutiérrez Juan , Ruiz Corbella Marta
Published: June 2022

Este trabajo se enmarca en una línea novedosa de trabajos académicos que reflexionan sobre la idea de universidad y el desarrollo de la educación superior desde un enfoque filosófico-educativo. Nuestra hipótesis de partida es que la crisis de identidad que atraviesa la Universidad no es negativa. Antes bien, está obligando a la comunidad académica a elaborar y proponer respuestas que están revitalizando la propia noción de educación superior desde un enfoque humanista. En este contexto proponemos el aprendizaje-servicio como un enfoque filosófico-educativo práctico y normativo y, por tanto, como una “teoría ética de la formación humana”, que ayuda a responder a los interrogantes y desafíos del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES). Para ello, y siguiendo una metodología de indagación crítico-hermenéutica, examinamos la construcción del EEES a través de sus documentos constitutivos, a la vez que ahondamos y contrastamos con la idea de universidad que se está reclamando. Este primer movimiento, en el que tratamos de establecer un equilibrio entre posturas más vocacionales y aquellas más liberales, nos permitirá ir construyendo y analizando la consistencia teórica que muestran las principales aportaciones que el aprendizaje-servicio, como filosofía de la educación superior, puede realizar a la Universidad y a los procesos de desarrollo del EEES. Contribuciones que agrupamos en tres aportaciones: el servicio como valor en la educación superior; el APS como enfoque que alinea los pilares clásicos de la Universidad y, por último, esta metodología como propuesta virtual que nos ayuda a reflexionar sobre el sentido de las tecnologías digitales en la educación superior.
CARACTERÍSTICAS EMPREENDEDORAS E DESEMPENHO DA VITIVINICULTURA NA REGIÃO DA CAMPANHA GAÚCHA DO BRASIL
Authors: Caliari Leonardo , Viana João Garibaldi Almeida , Hoff Debora Nayar
Published: June 2022

No meio rural, o aumento da concorrência e a disputa por novos mercados têm demandado dos produtores certas características comportamentais, tais como inovar, assumir riscos calculados e tomar decisões diante de incertezas, isto é, um comportamento empreendedor. Com isso, o estudo buscou analisar a relação de características empreendedoras e o desempenho de vitivinicultores da região da Campanha Gaúcha do Brasil. Com uma abordagem quantitativa, aplicaram-se questionários para 57 produtores de uva da região da Campanha Gaúcha, sendo os dados analisados por estatística descritiva, teste de hipóteses e regressão linear múltipla. Nos resultados, constatou-se relação entre as características empreendedoras e o desempenho econômico-financeiro e mercadológico dos produtores de uva, com destaque à característica “Inovação e Planejamento”. Além disso, o estudo traz um panorama da produção vitivinícola da Campanha Gaúcha, a qual possui capacidade para inovação e desenvolvimento regional. O estudo contribui ao relacionar o comportamento empreendedor e o desempenho do agronegócio da produção de uvas, sendo que o modelo teórico elaborado no estudo propicia sua futura utilização em diferentes contextos agropecuários.