bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate and polyvinyl alcohol particles for bronchial artery embolisation in primary lung cancer: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lee Jae Hwan , Yoon Chang Jin , Jung Yun Su , Choi Won Seok , Lee Chong-ho , Lee Guy Mok
Published: September 2022

Background

Bronchial artery embolisation (BAE) is an effective treatment option to control haemoptysis in primary lung cancer. However, no studies have investigated optimal embolisation material for BAE in lung cancer patients. Thus, this study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of BAE performed using n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles in primary lung cancer patients to determine which embolic material is better for patients with haemoptysis.

Methods

This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board, and consent was waived. The rates of hemostasis, complications, procedure time, dose–area product, and haemoptysis-free survival were retrospectively compared between primary lung cancer (non-small cell [n = 111] and small cell [n = 11]) patients who underwent BAE using NBCA (n = 58) or PVA particles (n = 64) between January 2004 and December 2019. Predictors of recurrent haemoptysis were analysed using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Results

Among 122 patients (mean age, 66 ± 10 years; range 32–86 years; 103 men), more patients in the NBCA group (81.0%; 47 of 58) achieved complete hemostasis than did patients in the PVA group (53.1%; 34 of 64) (P = 0.002). No major complications were observed in either group. The procedure time (36.4 ± 21.6 vs. 56.3 ± 27.4 min, P < 0.001) was shorter, and the dose–area product (58.6 ± 64.0 vs. 233.5 ± 225.0 Gy*cm2, P < 0.001) was smaller in the NBCA group than in the PVA group. The median haemoptysis-free survival was 173.0 in the NBCA group compared with 20.0 days in the PVA group (P < 0.001). The PVA use (P < 0.001) and coagulopathy (P = 0.014) were independent predictors of shortened haemoptysis-free survival.

Conclusion

BAE using NBCA showed significantly superior initial hemostasis with longer haemoptysis-free survival, shorter procedure time, and reduced radiation dose than BAE using PVA particles. The PVA use and coagulopathy were independent predictors of recurrent haemoptysis.

Trial registration: Retrospectively registered
Cancer surgery during COVID increased the patient mortality and the transmission risk to healthcare workers: results from a retrospective cohort study (NCT05240378)
Authors: Soni Kishan , Neville J. F. , Purwar Roli , Kumar Tarun , Yadav Ghanshyam , Verma Nimisha , Pandey Manoj
Published: September 2022

Background

India encountered two waves of COVID-19 pandemic with variability in its characteristics and severity. Concerns were raised over the safety of treatment, and higher morbidity was predicted for oncological surgery. The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the rate of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing curative surgery for cancer before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

The prospectively obtained clinical data of 1576 patients treated between April 2019 and May 2021 was reviewed; of these, 959 patients were operated before COVID-19 and 617 during the pandemic. The data on complications, deaths, confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, and COVID-19 infection among health workers (HCW) was extracted.

Results

A 35% fall in number of surgeries was seen during the COVID period; significant fall was seen in genital and esophageal cancer. There was no difference in postoperative complication; however, the postoperative mortality was significantly higher. A total of 71 patients had COVID-19, of which 62 were preoperative and 9 postoperative, while 30/38 healthcare workers contracted COVID-19, of which 7 had the infection twice and 3 were infected after two doses of vaccination; there was no mortality in healthcare workers.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates higher mortality rates after surgery in cancer patients, with no significant change in morbidity rates. A substantial proportion of HCWs were also infected though there was no mortality among this group. The results suggest higher mortality in cancer patients despite following the guidelines and protocols.
Dose birthweight matter to quality of life? A comparison between Japan, the U.S., and India
Authors: Yamane Chisako , Tsutsui Yoshiro
Published: September 2022

Background

Birthweight is a widely accepted indicator of infant health and has significant and lasting associations. Several studies have found that low and high birthweight have significant negative associations with adult health. A new study in the field of social sciences has established that birthweight has significant negative associations with not only adult health but also social attributes, such as income and occupation; however, no studies have evaluated the associations between birthweight and quality-of-life (QOL) attributes such as happiness.

Methods

In this study, we use data from Japan, the U.S., and India, collected in 2011, in which the respondents were asked about their own birthweights to examine the long-term associations between low and high birthweight and eight outcome variables related to the QOL: adolescent academic performance, height, education, marital status, body mass index, income, health, and happiness. We regressed each of the eight outcome variables on low and high birthweight and the interaction terms of the old age and the birthweight dummies for each country. We estimated both the reduced and the recursive-structural forms. While the former estimates the total, that is, the sum of direct and indirect associations between birthweight and each outcome, the latter reports the direct association between birthweight and each outcome.

Results

In Japan, while low birthweight is negatively associated with all outcomes, the associations of high birthweight were limited. In the U.S., low birthweight was not associated with any outcomes, but high birthweight had significantly negative associations with health and happiness. In contrast, in India, high birthweight was significantly and positively associated with income, health, and happiness, while low birthweight was associated with several outcomes negatively, similar to Japan. These associations were stronger in youth than in old age.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that the associations of birthweight with QOL are widely diversified across countries: low birthweight, rather than high birthweight, is a problem in Japan and India. However, the opposite is true for the U.S., indicating that policymakers in developed countries must pay closer attention to the problems caused by high birthweight, whereas those in developing countries are better to focus on low birthweight.
The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care physicians in Israel, with comparison to an international cohort: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Adler Limor , Vinker Shlomo , Heymann Anthony D. , Van Poel Esther , Willems Sara , Zacay Galia
Published: September 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on primary care and primary care physicians (PCPs) in Israel and around the world. There is paucity of information regarding treatment of patients with COVID-19 in the community, since most research was performed in hospitals. The aim of this study was to describe the Israeli PCPs’ experience.

Methods

This study is a part of an international cross-sectional study, the PRICOV-19. A translated version of the questionnaire was distributed among Israeli PCPs from December 2020 to July 2021. In this study, we describe the Israeli results and compare them to the international results.

Results

5,961 respondents from 29 countries answered the questionnaire, 94 from Israel, with an Israeli response rate of 16%. Israeli PCPs reported an increase in use of telemedicine from 11 to 49% during the COVID epidemic. PCPs also reported a decline in their wellbeing; absence of secured time slots for keeping updated; perception that the Ministry of Health guidelines were a threat to the staff wellbeing and organization of practice and delays in the examination of non-COVID urgent cases.

Conclusions

The findings of this study raise concerns regarding the PCPs experience and may form the basis for an improved process of care. Guidelines for proper usage of telemedicine, substitutes for the physical examination and procedures for minimizing delayed patient examination for urgent conditions should be developed. Government directives and clinical guidelines should be communicated in a timely manner, with secured timeslots for physicians’ self-learning or updating. Ensuring physicians’ well-being in general should be an organization priority.
Incorporating kernelized multi-omics data improves the accuracy of genomic prediction
Authors: Liang Mang , An Bingxing , Chang Tianpeng , Deng Tianyu , Du Lili , Li Keanning , Cao Sheng , Du Yueying , Xu Lingyang , Zhang Lupei , Gao Xue , Li Junya , Gao Huijiang
Published: September 2022

Background

Genomic selection (GS) has revolutionized animal and plant breeding after the first implementation via early selection before measuring phenotypes. Besides genome, transcriptome and metabolome information are increasingly considered new sources for GS. Difficulties in building the model with multi-omics data for GS and the limit of specimen availability have both delayed the progress of investigating multi-omics.

Results

We utilized the Cosine kernel to map genomic and transcriptomic data as $${n}\times {n}$$

n
×
n

symmetric matrix (G matrix and T matrix), combined with the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) for GS. Here, we defined five kernel-based prediction models: genomic BLUP (GBLUP), transcriptome-BLUP (TBLUP), multi-omics BLUP (MBLUP, $$\boldsymbol M=\mathrm{ratio}\times\boldsymbol G+(1-\mathrm{ratio})\times\boldsymbol T$$

M

=
ratio
×

G

+
(
1
-
ratio
)
×

T

), multi-omics single-step BLUP (mssBLUP), and weighted multi-omics single-step BLUP (wmssBLUP) to integrate transcribed individuals and genotyped resource population. The predictive accuracy evaluations in four traits of the Chinese Simmental beef cattle population showed that (1) MBLUP was far preferred to GBLUP (ratio = 1.0), (2) the prediction accuracy of wmssBLUP and mssBLUP had 4.18% and 3.37% average improvement over GBLUP, (3) We also found the accuracy of wmssBLUP increased with the growing proportion of transcribed cattle in the whole resource population.

Conclusions

We concluded that the inclusion of transcriptome data in GS had the potential to improve accuracy. Moreover, wmssBLUP is accepted to be a promising alternative for the present situation in which plenty of individuals are genotyped when fewer are transcribed.
Machine Learning–Based Prediction of Elevated PTH Levels Among the US General Population
Authors: Kato Hajime , Hoshino Yoshitomo , Hidaka Naoko , Ito Nobuaki , Makita Noriko , Nangaku Masaomi , Inoue Kosuke
Published: September 2022

Context

Although elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels are associated with higher mortality risks, the evidence is limited as to when PTH is expected to be elevated and thus should be measured among the general population.

Objective

This work aimed to build a machine learning–based prediction model of elevated PTH levels based on demographic, lifestyle, and biochemical data among US adults.

Methods

This population-based study included adults aged 20 years or older with a measurement of serum intact PTH from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003 to 2006. We used the NHANES 2003 to 2004 cohort (n = 4096) to train 6 machine-learning prediction models (logistic regression with and without splines, lasso regression, random forest, gradient-boosting machines [GBMs], and SuperLearner). Then, we used the NHANES 2005 to 2006 cohort (n = 4112) to evaluate the model performance including area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results

Of 8208 US adults, 753 (9.2%) showed PTH greater than 74 pg/mL. Across 6 algorithms, the highest AUC was observed among random forest (AUC [95% CI] = 0.79 [0.76-0.81]), GBM (AUC [95% CI] = 0.78 [0.75-0.81]), and SuperLearner (AUC [95% CI] = 0.79 [0.76-0.81]). The AUC improved from 0.69 to 0.77 when we added cubic splines for the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the logistic regression models. Logistic regression models with splines showed the best calibration performance (calibration slope [95% CI] = 0.96 [0.86-1.06]), while other algorithms were less calibrated. Among all covariates included, eGFR was the most important predictor of the random forest model and GBM.

Conclusion

In this nationally representative data in the United States, we developed a prediction model that potentially helps us to make accurate and early detection of elevated PTH in general clinical practice. Future studies are warranted to assess whether this prediction tool for elevated PTH would improve adverse health outcomes.
Biopsychosocial factors associated with depression in the elderly: A systematic literature review
Authors: Harjono Hadiwiardjo Yanti , Damayanti Rita
Published: September 2022

Background: One of the most common mental illnesses worldwide and that has significant negative effects on well-being and physical health, is depression. Many factors that affect the occurrence of depression are biopsychosocial. Elderly people have high risk factors for depression. This study aims to review and find a gap in current evidence of biopsychosocial factors affecting depression in the elderly.

Methods: We conducted an advanced search on PubMed database between October and November 2021. We screened the bibliographies of the articles from the database search using a set of inclusion criteria: studies with quantitative design; elderly population sample; exploration of at least one biopsychosocial factor; depression as the outcome or dependent variable; written in English; and published between 2011 and 2021.

Results: We found 54 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Of these, five papers discussed biopsychosocial factors, 18 discussed biological and psychological/social factors, five discussed psychosocial factors, and the rest of the studies discussed one component of biopsychosocial factors. Biological factors influencing elderly depression include being female, having health problems or low health status, older age, genetics, brain structure, and biomarkers, taking certain drugs, and lack of or inability to carry out daily activities. Psychosocial factors include lack of social support, low education level, financial problems, single/unmarried, lack of contact with family/friends, living alone, low self-perceived health, stressful life events, loneliness, and losing hobbies. From the literature search, it was also found that there are biopsychosocial factors that have not been studied and are expected to be able to make references for future research. From this literature review, we found gaps in the availability of evidence about biopsychosocial factors that require further research.

Conclusions: Knowing the biopsychosocial factors that affect them can help to prevent depression in the elderly.
The circadian clock mediates the response to oxidative stress in a cone photoreceptor‒like (661W) cell line via regulation of glutathione peroxidase activity
Authors: Baba Kenkichi , Suen Ting-Chung , Goyal Varunika , Stowie Adam , Davidson Alec , DeBruyne Jason , Tosini Gianluca
Published: September 2022

Background: The mammalian retina contains an autonomous circadian clock that controls many physiological functions within this tissue. Our previous studies have indicated that disruption of this circadian clock by removing Bmal1 from the retina affects the visual function, retinal circuitry, and cone photoreceptor viability during aging. In the present study, we employed a mouse-derived cone photoreceptor‒like cell, 661W, to investigate which molecular mechanisms of the circadian clock may modulate cone photoreceptor viability during aging.

Methods: Bmal1 knockout (BKO) cells were generated from 661W cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tool. Deletion of Bmal1 from 661W was verified by western blot and monitoring Per2-luc bioluminescence circadian rhythms. To investigate the effect of Bmal1 removal on an oxidative stress challenge, cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2,1 mM) for two hours and then cell viability was assessed. Cells were also cultured and harvested for gene expression analysis and antioxidant assay.

Results: Our data indicated that 661W cells contain a functional circadian clock that mediates the response to an oxidative stress challenge in vitro and that such a response is no longer present in the BKO cell. We also hypothesized that the effect was due to the circadian regulation of the intracellular antioxidant defense mechanism. Our results indicated that in 661W cells, the antioxidant defense mechanism is under circadian control, whereas in BKO cells, there is an overall reduction in this antioxidant defense mechanism, and it is no longer under circadian control.

Conclusions: Our work supported the notion that the presence of a functional circadian clock and its ability to modulate the response to an oxidative stress is the underlying mechanism that may protect cones during aging.
Understanding the funding characteristics of research impact: A proof-of-concept study linking REF 2014 impact case studies with Researchfish grant agreements
Authors: Reddick Gavin , Malkov Dmitry , Sherbon Beverley , Grant Jonathan
Published: September 2022

Background: All parts of the research community have an interest in understanding research impact whether that is around the pathways to impact, processes around impact, methods for measurement, describing impact and so on. This proof of concept study explored the relationship between research funding and research impact using the case studies submitted to the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise in 2014 as a proxy for impact.

Methods: The paper describes an approach to link the REF impact case studies with the underpinning research grants present in the Researchfish dataset, primarily using the publications captured in both datasets. Where possible the methodology utilised unique identifiers such as Digital Object Identifiers and PubMed ID’s, and where this was not possible the funding information within each publication was used.

Results: Through this automated approach 21% of the non-redacted case studies could be linked to a specific research grant. Additional qualitative analysis was then done for unlinked REF impact case studies, which involved reading the document to identify additional information to make the linkage. This approach was taken on 100 REF impact case studies selected at random and resulted in only seven having no identifiable research grants funding associated. The linked research grants were analysed to identify characteristics that are more frequently associated with these grants, than non-linked ones.

Conclusions: This analysis did point to some interesting observations such as the grant funding linked to REF impact case studies are more likely to be longer, higher financial value, have more publications and be more collaborative (amongst other characteristics). These findings should be used with caution at present and not be over interpreted, this is due to the sample size for this proof of concept study and some potential limitations on the data which were not addressed at this stage.
Methodological approaches in aggregate formation and microscopic analysis to assess pseudoislet morphology and cellular interactions
Authors: Wieland Fredrik , Schumacher Anika , Roumans Nadia , van Blitterswijk Clemens , LaPointe Vanessa , Rademakers Timo
Published: September 2022

Microscopy has revolutionised our view on biology and has been vital for many discoveries since its invention around 200 years ago. Recent developments in cell biology have led to a strong interest in generating spheroids and organoids that better represent tissue. However, the current challenge faced by many researchers is the culture and analysis of these three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures. With the technological improvements in reconstructing volumetric datasets by optical sections, it is possible to quantify cells, their spatial arrangement, and the protein distribution without destroying the physical organization. We assessed three different microwell culture plates and four analysis tools for 3D imaging data for their applicability for the analysis of 3D cultures. A key advantage of microwell plates is their potential to perform high-throughput experiments in which cell cultures are generated and analysed in one single system. However, it was shown that this potential could be impacted by the material composition and microwell structure. For example, antibody staining was not possible in a hydrogel microwell, and truncated pyramid–structured microwells had increased background fluorescence due to their structure. Regarding analysis tools, four different software, namely CellProfiler, Fiji/ImageJ, Nikon GA3 and Imaris, were compared for their accuracy and applicability in analysing datasets from 3D cultures. The results showed that the open-access software, CellProfiler and Fiji, could quantify nuclei and cells, yet with varying results compared to manual counting, and may require post-processing optimisation. On the other hand, the GA3 and Imaris software packages showed excellent versatility in usage and accuracy in the quantification of nuclei and cells, and could classify cell localisation. Together these results provide critical considerations for microscopic imaging and analysis of 3D cell cultures.
Processes of globalisation and small and medium-sized cities
Authors: Szpak Agnieszka , Modrzyńska Joanna , Dahl Michał
Published: September 2022

Progressive urbanization, economic integration, and development of modern technologies lead to the emergence of a new generation of globally networked cities attracting capital, ideas and people. Size is not the most significant factor influencing the importance of a city. At least equally important are innovation, activity in city networks, the activity of the inhabitants and the quality of life. The research problem of this paper is the question whether and how small and medium-sized cities show their manifestations of globalisation? The hypothesis is that every city, including small and medium-sized ones, shows some manifestations of globalisation. Such manifestations may be classified as political, economic, socio-cultural, and other. The conclusions confirm that the hypothesis has been positively verified. The cities chosen for examination include the European cities of Arhus (Denmark), Basel (Switzerland), and Tallinn (Estonia) as they are representative for other small and medium-sized cities. The paper is based on qualitative research methods, primarily discourse analysis (e.g. strategies implemented by cities and political manifestos of local officials), multiple case studies, and literature analysis.
Eosinophilic Myocarditis Presenting as Cardiac Tamponade: A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Vo Kristine , Nishimura Yoshito , Yokoyama Jennifer , Wasko Amanda , Miyake Taryn , Vu Kimberly , Zhang James , Pino Moreno Jesus , Banerjee Dipanjan , Kim Lisa , Chong Christina
Published: September 2022

Eosinophilic myocarditis (EM) is a rare cause of acute heart failure. It can occur secondary to drug hypersensitivity, autoimmune diseases such as vasculitis, idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) or malignancy, but is often under-recognized and underdiagnosed, being confused with other causes of heart failure. While EM is associated with various clinical symptoms, it is rarely associated with cardiac tamponade that requires urgent pericardiocentesis. Here we describe a patient with EM who presented with cardiac tamponade and decompensated heart failure likely secondary to autoimmune disease.
“Movements Come and Go and Are Soon Forgotten”: The Black Campus Movement at Fayetteville State, 1966-1972
Authors: Turner Francena
Published: September 2022

Broad surveys of college student activism are impossible without the study of individual campuses. Studies of activism on historically Black college and university (HBCU) campuses in the United States tend to focus on larger more well-known campuses or those in large urban areas. Studies of student activism within North Carolina repeatedly highlight only three of the eleven extant institutions. This study contributes to the historiography of Black campus activism by using nine oral history interviews conducted with university alumni paired with extensive archival research to excavate the ways Fayetteville State University students contributed to the Black Campus Movement. This essay is a narrative of student protests between 1966 and 1972. Ultimately, such protests were grounded in major breakdowns in meaningful communication between faculty, administrators, alumni, and students and in HBCU students’ shared desire to have a say in decisions that affected their lives. Fayetteville State’s student body fully invoked James Baldwin’s notion of critiquing America in that they loved their institution more than any other institution in the world, and, exactly for that reason, they insisted on the right to criticize Fayetteville State and demanded that she rise to the occasion for which she was formed.
AIRRscape: An interactive tool for exploring B-cell receptor repertoires and antibody responses
Authors: Waltari Eric , Nafees Saba , McCutcheon Krista M. , Wong Joan , Pak John E.
Published: September 2022

The sequencing of antibody repertoires of B-cells at increasing coverage and depth has led to the identification of vast numbers of immunoglobulin heavy and light chains. However, the size and complexity of these Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire sequencing (AIRR-seq) datasets makes it difficult to perform exploratory analyses. To aid in data exploration, we have developed AIRRscape, an R Shiny-based interactive web browser application that enables B-cell receptor (BCR) and antibody feature discovery through comparisons among multiple repertoires. Using AIRR-seq data as input, AIRRscape starts by aggregating and sorting repertoires into interactive and explorable bins of germline V-gene, germline J-gene, and CDR3 length, providing a high-level view of the entire repertoire. Interesting subsets of repertoires can be quickly identified and selected, and then network topologies of CDR3 motifs can be generated for further exploration. Here we demonstrate AIRRscape using patient BCR repertoires and sequences of published monoclonal antibodies to investigate patterns of humoral immunity to three viral pathogens: SARS-CoV-2, HIV-1, and DENV (dengue virus). AIRRscape reveals convergent antibody sequences among datasets for all three pathogens, although HIV-1 antibody datasets display limited convergence and idiosyncratic responses. We have made AIRRscape available as a web-based Shiny application, along with code on GitHub to encourage its open development and use by immuno-informaticians, virologists, immunologists, vaccine developers, and other scientists that are interested in exploring and comparing multiple immune receptor repertoires.
Stigma, coping strategies, and their impact on treatment and health outcomes among young men living with HIV in Vietnam: A qualitative study
Authors: Tran Nhu Kieu , Vu Bach Ngoc , Susa Jordan , DeSilva Mary
Published: September 2022

Background

Stigma affects persons living with HIV in myriad ways, including mental health, adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and retention in care, and may manifest at inter- and intra-personal levels. Youth are particularly vulnerable; those in vulnerable groups may experience multiple stigmas. In Vietnam, new HIV infections are rising among men in young age groups. To better understand the facets of stigma experienced by young men living with HIV in Vietnam, we conducted a qualitative study with youth and clinicians.

Methods

We conducted in-depth interviews with ten youth and two clinicians in Hanoi, querying experiences of inter- and intra-personal stigma, coping strategies, and disclosure. As a framework for further research, we developed a conceptual model based on our findings and the published evidence base which portrays interactions among HIV-related stigma, coping strategies, and ART adherence, care engagement, and health outcomes.

Results

Common themes that emerged from interviews with youth included extensive internalized/self-stigma and perceived stigma, yet limited experienced interpersonal stigma due to non-disclosure and avoidant coping strategies. Within different types of relationships or contexts, youth used different strategies. Non-disclosure with family, friends, and workplaces/school, and avoidance of romantic relationships and health care were common. Mental health and social support appeared to be mediating factors between coping strategies and health outcomes.

Conclusions

Validation of this model of mechanisms of the impact of stigma for youth will require further research with larger samples. In the meantime, public campaigns to increase public awareness related to HIV should be implemented in Vietnam. Critical support for youth and their mental health should involve approaches tailored to the individual, taking into account context and personal capacity, including adequate time to prepare psychologically for disclosure. Some strategies for safe and effective disclosure are suggested.
Pulse: Entanglements of air and light in pandemic academia
Authors: Beitiks Meghan Moe
Published: September 2022

Artist Meghan Moe Beitiks considers her first-person perspective of entanglements of light and air during the 2020–21 pandemic from her position in academia and Florida.
Lévinas’s débâcle: Looking for the face(s) of the human in the twenty-first century
Authors: Murawska Monika
Published: September 2022

We are living in an age when ‘everything is coming apart at the seams’, as the poet and painter Erna Rosenstein put it. Given this, I analyse the concept of the débâcle formulated and used by the French phenomenologist François-David Sebbah to explore the philosophy of Emmanuel Lévinas. The débâcle connotes catastrophe, fracture, failure, collapse and disintegration, but its semantic range also encompasses the breaking up of ice, escape and ruin. As Sebbah dissects this concept in the context of the philosophy of Lévinas, it comes to tie in with ‘the anonymous rustling of the there is (il y a)’, the abyss of being. Besides discussing the débâcle in the context of Lévinas’s philosophy, I will explore how this concept is relevant to the description of the present, in particular to artistic practices interpretable as revealing the unsteady rhythm of phenomena from which a fragile and unstable structure of meaning emerges. I will also ponder whether thus-conceived the débâcle is perhaps a paradigmatic figure of the present day.
Role of alternative medicine in myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion.
Authors: Elahi Subhan , Khalid Hassaan , Tahir Usman
Published: September 2022

Alternative medicines are vital in numerous sectors of global healthcare, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) treatment. This study investigates the role of alternative medicine (probiotic treatment) as an adjuvant source to lowering cholesterol and blood pressure in myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemia-reperfusion (IR) patients. The MI (n=100) and IR (n=100) were enrolled in this study from different private hospital sectors. The instructions were given to every patient of MI and IR to take a probiotic-rich diet for one month at least. Before and after probiotic-rich diet treatment, the data were analyzed by using SPSS-20 version software. Results showed a significant decrease in cholesterol and blood pressure after a probiotics-rich diet compared to before treatment. The study revealed the critical role of alternative probiotic treatment as an additional source in improving cardiovascular disease. However, large-scale studies are required to confirm and correlate with other disease risk factors
.
Every breath counts!
Authors: Human Anri , Corten Lieselotte , Lozano-Ray Eleonora , Morrow Brenda May
Published: September 2022

Progressive respiratory muscle weakness and ineffective cough contributes to morbidity and mortality in children with neuromuscular diseases (NMD). Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) aims to preserve or improve respiratory muscle strength and reduce respiratory morbidity. This study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of IMT in children with NMD. A randomised cross-over study compared three-month intervention (IMT) with control periods. During the intervention, children with NMD (5-18 years) from two provinces in South Africa performed 30 breaths (at 30% of inspiratory muscle strength (Pimax)) with an electronic threshold device, twice daily. During the control period participants did not perform any IMT. Twenty-three participants (median (IQR) age of 12.33 (10.03-14.17) years), mostly male (n=20) and non-ambulant (n=14) were included. No adverse events related to IMT were reported. There was no evidence of a difference in median patient hospitalisation and respiratory tract infection rates between control and intervention periods (p=0.60; p=0.21). During IMT, Pimax and peak cough flow improved with a mean (SD) of 14.57 (±15.67) cmH
2O and 32.27 (±36.60) L/min, compared to a change of 3.04(±11.93)cmH
2O (p=0.01) and -16.59 (±48.29) L/min (p=0.0005) during the control period. There was no evidence of change in spirometry, functional ability and total health-related quality of life scores following intervention. Patient satisfaction with IMT was high (median 8/10 (IQR 5-10)) and adherence was good. A three-month IMT programme in children with NMD is well tolerated, appears to be safe and is associated with a significant improvement in respiratory muscle strength and cough efficacy.
Insights of Primary care Physicians of South Asian Descent In Addressing Barriers to COVID-19;

Vaccination and Managing Vaccine Hesitancy
Authors: Family Name Deactivated Given Names Deactivated
Published: September 2022

campaign.
Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activity of Volatile Oils from Morinda citrifolia and Beta vulgaris Leaves from Nigeria
Authors: Onanuga Adesegun Olusimba , Okpala Ejike Onwudiegwu
Published: September 2022

Morinda citrifolia L. and Beta Vulgaris L leaves are both ethnomedicinal use for the treatment of arthritis, indigestion and skin infections with no reports on their essential oils compositions. The colourless volatile oils with a percentage yield of 0.6 and 0.4 (w/w) for Morinda citrifolia L. and Beta Vulgaris L respectively were obtained. Forty-five compounds representing 94.31 % of the total percentage compositions were identified in the leaf essential oil of M. citrifolia with the most abundant compound as 14-beta-H-pregna- (33.13%). Forty-eight compounds representing 74.18% of the total oil composition were identified in the leaf oil of B. Vulgaris with phytol (24.20%) as the dominant compound. The essential oils showed good free radical scavenging activity when compared to ascorbic acid used as control, with % inhibition varying from 88.74 ± 0.010 to 96.61 ± 0.004 as compared to 95.68 ± 0.010 to 97.31±0.003 of the ascorbic acid at (100 to 6.25 mg/ml) concentrations. The leaves essential oils of Morinda citrifolia L. and Beta Vulgaris L contains chemical compounds that might be responsible for their antioxidant activity. This result validates the traditional usage of these plants in the treatment of arthritis, indigestion and skin infections.
Gambaran Perilaku Higiene Sanitasi Makanan dan Kontaminasi E.coli pada Pedagang Makanan Jajanan di Sekolah Dasar Kecamatan Genuk, Kota Semarang
Authors: Astuti Intan Ayuning , Nurjazuli Nurjazuli , Dewanti Nikie Astorina Yunita
Published: September 2022

ABSTRAKLatar belakang: Banyak makanan jajanan sekolah yang kurang memenuhi persyaratan kesehatan yang mengancam kesehatan anak. Sehingga diperlukan aspek penilaian higiene sanitasi makanan untuk mengendalikan resiko pencemaran pada makanan. Bakteri yang sering dijadikan indikator pencemaran makanan adalah Escherichia coli. Tujuan utama penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui gambaran praktik higiene sanitasi dan kontaminasi E.coli pada pedagang makanan jajanan di lingkungan sekolah dasar wilayah Kecamatan Genuk, Kota Semarang.Metode: Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian deskriptif dengan menggunakan metode pendekatan kualitatif berupa observasi, wawancara dan uji laboratorium. Sampel diambil dengan metode purposive sampling, sebanyak 33 pedagang makanan jajanan di sekolah dasar wilayah Kecamatan Genuk, Kota Semarang.Hasil: Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tingkat pengetahuan pedagang makanan jajanan sudah baik yaitu sebanyak 18 (54,5%) responden. Sikap pedagang yang baik yaitu sebanyak 17 (51,5%). Ketersedediaan fasilitas higiene sanitasi yang kurang baik sebanyak 17 (51,5%).Simpulan: Praktik higiene sanitasi pedagang makanan jajanan masih kurang baik yaitu sebesar 18 (54,5%) dan terdapat makanan jajanan yang terkontaminasi bakteri E.coli yaitu sebanyak 11 (33,3%) sehingga higiene sanitasi dari pedagang makanan jajanan perlu diperbaiki. Kata kunci: makanan, higiene, sanitasi, Escherichia coliABSTRACTTitle: A Description of Food Hygiene and Sanitation and E.coli contamination in Snack Food Traders in Genuk Sub-District Primary Schools, Semarang City  Background: Many school snacks is not health for requirements and threaten children's. Some aspects of assessment hygiene and sanitation, control the risk of contamination of the food. Bacteria are often used as indicators of food contamination is Escherichia coli. The main purpose of this research to know the description of food hygiene and sanitation with E. coli contamination on traders' food snacks in elementary school Kecamatan Genuk, Semarang City.Method: This research is a type of descriptive research using a qualitative approach in the form of observation, interviews and laboratory tests. Samples were taken by purposive sampling method, as many as 33 snacks traders in elementary schools in the Genuk District, Semarang City.Result: The results showed the level of knowledge of street food vendors was already good as many as 18 (54.5%) respondents. A good attitude of traders is as much as 17 (51.5%). The availability of poor sanitation hygiene facilities is 17 (51.5%).Conclusion: The sanitation hygiene practices of street food vendors are still not good at 18 (54.5%) and some snacks are contaminated with E. coli bacteria as many as 11 (33.3%) so that the sanitation hygiene of street food vendors needs to be improved.  Keywords: food, hygiene, sanitation, Escherichia coli
Gambaran Cemaran Timbal pada Jajanan Gorengan di Salah Satu Kecamatan Kota Semarang
Authors: Sagita Mutiara Afri , Dewanti Nikie Astorina Yunita , Sulistiyani Sulistiyani
Published: September 2022

Latar Belakang: Makanan jajanan sudah menjadi keseharian masyarakat Indonesia, salah satunya adalah gorengan. Namun, gorengan merupakan jajanan berisiko terkontaminasi logam, yangmana memiliki efek toksik pada tubuh manusia. Hasil studi ini, ditemukan gorengan mengandung timbal dan melebihi batas seharusnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui gambaran cemaran timbal pada gorengan di salah satu kecamatan Kota Semarang.Metode: Penelitian ini merupakan observasional deskriptif dengan metode cross sectional. Penentuan sampel secara total sampling sebanyak 38 pedagang gorengan dan sampel bakwan.Hasil: Hasil penelitian menunjukkan kadar timbal pada gorengan tidak memenuhi syarat sebesar (26,3%) dengan rata-rata sebesar 0,184 mg/kg dan kondisi sanitasi sarana penjaja masih buruk (28,9%). Jenis minyak yang banyak digunakan pedagang gorengan adalah minyak curah dengan kondisi minyak goreng awal berjualan adalah minyak campuran. Hasil perhitungan peneliti, rata-rata frekuensi menggoreng pedagang sebanyak ±24 kali dalam sesaat. Kadar timbal sebelum dan sesudah penggorengan pada minyak goreng curah yaitu 0,087 dan 0,152 mg/kg, sedangkan minyak goreng kemasan sebesar <0,010 dan 0,015 mg/kg.Simpulan: Gorengan di Kecamatan X Kota Semarang positif mengandung timbal dengan hasil rata-rata sebesar 0,184 mg/kg dan 31,58% tidak memenuhi syarat serta 28,9% sanitasi sarana buruk.Kata kunci: timbal, gorengan, sanitasi sarana penjajaABSTRACTTitle: Description of Lead Contamination in Fried Snacks in One District of Semarang City  Introduction: treet foods have become daily food of Indonesian, which one of is fried foods. But, fried food is a risk contaminated by metals, which has a toxic effect on the human body. In this study, the level of lead present on fried foods and not eligible. This study aims to determine lead contamination in fried foods in one of the sub-districts of Semarang City.Method: This study is observational-descriptive with a cross-sectional design. There were 38 fried food sellers and bakwan by total sampling. Result: The results showed (26.3%) the level of lead in fried food didn't eligible with an average of 0.184 mg/kg and (28.9%) the sanitation of the vendor was poor. The most oil used is bulk oil with a source from mixed oil. The average frequency of frying is ± 24 times in a moment. The level of lead on before and after frying in bulk oil is 0.087 mg/kg and 0.152 mg/kg, while the oil package is <0.010 and 0.015 mg/kg. Conclusion: Fried foods in Sub-district X of Semarang City positively contained lead with an average of 0.184 mg/kg, 31.58% didn’t eligible and 28,9% sanitation of facility still poor. Keywords: lead, fried foods, sanitation of vendor facilities
„Fred Koch. Naturfotografie der 1920/30er Jahre“
Authors: Eden Friederike
Published: September 2022

Dem Fotografen Fred Koch (1904–1947) entging kein Detail; scharf und pointiert zeigen seine Aufnahmen Pflanzen, Tiere und Kristalle. Seine ästhetischen Fotografien sprechen eine neusachliche Sprache, die sich in keiner anderen Kunstform so überzeugend artikuliert wie in der Fotografie. Hier werden die erste Werkpräsentation des heute weitgehend vergessenen Fotografen in der Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung in Berlin sowie der zugehörige Ausstellungskatalog, in dem sich Stefanie Odenthal, Kuratorin der Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung, und Rainer Stamm, Direktor des Landesmuseums für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte Oldenburg, dem frühen OEuvre des Fotografen widmen, besprochen. In diesen wird nicht nur Kochs Biografie beleuchtet, es wird ihm auch ­erstmals ein Werk zugeschrieben, das sich somit kontextualisieren lässt. Mehr als acht Jahrzehnte nach seinem Tod erhält Fred Koch somit eine umfassende Würdigung.
An updated systematic review on the maternal exposure to environmental pesticides and involved mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) progression risk in children
Authors: Maleki Maryam , Noorimotlagh Zahra , Mirzaee Seyyed Abbas , Jaafarzadeh Neemat , Martinez Susana Silva , Rahim Fakher , Kaffashian Mohammadreza
Published: September 2022

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increased dramatically over the past 25 years because of genetic and environmental factors. This systematic review (SR) aimed to determine the association between maternal exposure during pregnancy to environmental pesticides and other associations with the risk of ASD progression in children. PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus (Elsevier) and the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science were searched using appropriate keywords up to March 2021. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were selected. Most studies reported that ASD increases the risk of offspring after prenatal exposure to environmental pesticides in pregnant mother’s residences, against offspring of women from the same region without this exposure. The main potential mechanisms inducing ASD progressions are ROS and prostaglandin E2 synthesis, AChE inhibition, voltage-gated sodium channel disruption, and GABA inhibition. According to the included studies, the highest rates of ASD diagnosis increased relative to organophosphates, and the application of the most common pesticides near residences might enhance the prevalence of ASD.
Interpreting the Strength Activity Index of Fly Ash with Machine Learning
Authors: Song Yu , Zhang Steven , Wang Kaixin , Jin Chen , Sant Gaurav , Bauchy Mathieu
Published: September 2022

Fly ash from the coal combustion at electric plants is commonly used for partially replacing portland cement in concrete production. Because of the varying nature of the coal source and the different processing protocols, different fly ashes exhibit wide ranges of physical and chemical characteristics, resulting in distinct impacts on concrete strength. Thus far, the most adopted method for assessing a given fly ash is specified by ASTM C618, Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use in Concrete, wherein a series of influential chemical and physical features can be correlated to fly ash’s strength activity index (SAI). However, limited knowledge is available on how exactly the individual material attribute affects SAI, so accurately predicting the SAI remains out of reach. Here, we take advantage of recent advances in machine learning to reveal the origins of fly ash’s SAI. Leveraging a data set comprising 2,158 fly ash samples, we trained neural network models to predict 28-day SAI based on the sole knowledge of ASTM C618 material attributes. The results demonstrate that SAI is a complex property that does not systematically follow the conventional Class C/F classification. To gain a deeper insight into this matter, we further quantify the influence of each attribute on SAI as captured by the machine learning model.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer screening and early diagnosis
Authors: Corpes Erilaine de Freitas , Leite Kauane Matias , Silva Denise Montenegro da , Alves Ana Cínthia Silva , Castro Régia Christina Moura Barbosa , Rodrigues Andrea Bezerra
Published: September 2022

Objective: to analyze the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer screening and early diagnosis. Methods: an ecological retrospective study of data from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System collected between 2016 and 2020 was carried out. The data collection was guided by a semi-structured script, and the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer screen and diagnosis was established by using a formula and comparing the period of interest to 2020. Results: in Brazil, there was a significant drop in mammograms performed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a decrease of 361,855 exams from 2016 to 2020. Most diagnostic investigations were conducted with patients between 50 and 59 years, and there was a significant drop in mammograms in women aged under 40 years. Conclusion: the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted screening and early diagnosis of breast cancer due to reduced availability. Contributions to practice: the study reinforces the importance of investing in public policies to face the pandemic scenario so that screening and treatment protocols be well targeted to guarantee better care for cancer patients.