bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lemierre’s syndrome in a child
Authors: Hemani Fatima , Naveed Anjum , Akhtar Shakil , Shahid Saba
Published: December 2021

Lemierre’s Syndrome (LS) is a rare syndrome most frequently due to an anaerobic organism, Fusobacterium Necrophorum. It is commonly a complication of an acute oropharyngeal infection, but there are exceptions to its presentations. In our case the cause of LS was otitis media caused by Streptococcus species. This is a rather unusual presentation of LS. LS is caused due to septic complications of oropharyngeal infections, which lead to thrombophlebitis of internal jugular vein leading to thrombosis formation. In this case report, we present a case of Lemierre’s syndrome in a seven-year-old male child. The patient presented with high grade fever spikes and earache, which were unresponsive to oral antibiotics. LS was diagnosed in this patient on the basis of clinical, microbiological and radiological findings. After the diagnosis, treatment involved using broad spectrum antibiotics and anticoagulants, followed by surgery. Though role of anticoagulants is controversial in LS, but there is no specific guideline contraindicating the use of anti-coagulants. In our case, timely diagnosis and management enabled us to discharge the patient without any symptoms.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5773

How to cite this:Hemani F, Naveed A, Akhtar S, Shahid S. Lemierre’s syndrome in a child. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(2):433-435.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5773

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Effect of Remdesivir on mortality and length of stay in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A single center study
Authors: Shaikh Quratulain , Sarfaraz Samreen , Rahim Anum , Hussain Mujahid , Shah Rabeea , Soomro Sara
Published: December 2021

Objectives: To see the difference in mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients given Remdesivir (RDV) with those who were not given RDV.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients who were admitted to the COVID-19 isolation unit at The Indus Hospital, Korangi Campus Karachi between March and June 2020.

Results: Groups were similar in age and gender distribution. RDV group was more hypoxic, had severe ARDS and needed higher Oxygen support compared to non-RDV group (p=0.000). Median SOFA score was 2 in RDV vs 5 in non-RDV (p=0.000). More than moderate COVID pneumonia was found in 92% of the RDV group while 89% of non-RDV group (p value=0.001). Median day of illness to administer Remdesivir was 10. There was no difference in mortality (45.5% in RDV vs 40.4% in non-RDV; p=0.4) between the two groups. Median length of hospital stay was 12 days (IQR=7.5-14.5) in RDV group compared to 10 days (IQR=6-14) in non-RDV group (p=0.009).

Conclusion: RDV did not show any difference in in-hospital mortality in our patients. More patients had severe ARDS in the RDV group while patients in the non-RDV group had higher SOFA score and multi-organ failure. Length of stay was longer in patients receiving Remdesivir.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5779

How to cite this:Shaikh Q, Sarfaraz S, Rahim A, Hussain M, Shah R, Soomro S. Effect of Remdesivir on mortality and length of stay in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A single center study. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(2):405-410.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.ICON-2022.5779

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Bryoerythrophyllum alpigenum (Bryophyta, Pottiaceae) confirmed in the moss flora of Poland, with a review of the nomenclatural issues associated with this species name
Authors: Ochyra Ryszard
Published: December 2021

Occurrence of Bryoerythrophyllum alpigenum (Jur.) P.C.Chen in Poland is confirmed. The species is known from a single record from the Western Tatra Mountains in the Polish Western Carpathians. A description and illustrations of the Polish material of this species is provided and its distribution mapped. Taxonomic and nomenclatural comments on B. alpigenum are presented and its global geographical distribution is reviewed. This species was first recognised as a variety, Didymodon rubellus var. dentatus Schimp., in 1860 by W. P. Schimper. It was subsequently described in 1882 by J. Juratzka as Didymodon alpigenus Jur., and its name should be ascribed to Juratzka alone, not to Venturi as suggested in Index muscorum and D. alpigenus Jur. is the basionym of Bryoerythrophyllum alpigenum. The epithet alpigenus appeared in the literature for the first time as Trichostomum alpigenum Venturi in Pfeffer’s work of 1869 dealing with the mosses of the Rhaetian Alps, but the name was not validly published under Art. 36.1, because Pfeffer did not accept it. Likewise, the name Didymodon alpigenus was not validly published by Venturi ten years later under Art. 38.1, because no description or diagnosis or a reference to a previously and effectively published description or diagnosis were provided. The current statistics of the moss flora of Poland is given. Since the publication of the catalogue of Polish mosses in 2003, some 17 species, one subspecies and three varieties of moss have been added to and two species were excluded from the moss flora of Poland, so currently some 715 species, nine subspecies and 90 varieties are known to occur in the country.
The lichens of Pukhtolova Gora (St. Petersburg, Russia)
Authors: Stepanchikova Irina S , Himelbrant Dmitry E. , S. Kuznetsova Ekaterina , Chesnokov Sergey  V. , Konoreva Liudmila A. , Pankova Viktoria V.
Published: December 2021

The lichen diversity of the proposed protected area Pukhtolova Gora counts 252 species, including 232 lichenized, 12 lichenicolous, and 8 non-lichenized saprobic fungi. Micarea laeta, M. pusilla, and Pyrenidium actinellum s. lat. are new to North-Western European Russia; Parmelia serrana, Rhizocarpon cinereovirens, and Stereocaulon taeniarum are new to St. Petersburg. Altogether 13 species recorded in the study area are red-listed in St. Petersburg, with two of them known only from historical collections. Pukhtolova Gora is an area with a high conservation value; the lichen biota of this area is one of the richest within the city limits due to the well-preserved forest habitats.
The mycological collection of G. C. Girgensohn from the middle of the 19th century
Authors: Pärtel Kadri , Suija Ave , Yatsiuk Iryna
Published: December 2021

Since 1844, vouchers of mycological specimens collected from the territory of the historic Baltic provinces of the Russian Empire have been preserved in Estonian natural history collections. A pedagogue and an amateur bryologist, Gustav Carl Girgensohn (1786–1872) compiled a collection of 109 specimens of fungi and myxomycetes sampled from the Livonian Governorate, mostly from the vicinity of Tartu, in years 1844–1859. Girgensohn’s collection, which is kept in the fungarium of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, is introduced here for the first time. Among his specimens there are two notable ascomycetes—coprophilous Poronia punctata (Xylariaceae, Sordariomycetes), recently evaluated in Estonia as Critically Endangered according to IUCN criteria, and Microstoma protractum (Sarcoscyphaceae, Pezizomycetes), recently evaluated as Endangered. The collection’s eleven quite well-preserved specimens of myxomycetes represent six species, the least common of which is Diderma radiatum. In addition, the article introduces nine lichen specimens and one fungal specimen from Girgensohn’s bryophyte collection at the Natural History Museum of the University of Tartu. The most remarkable species among this collection is Lobaria pulmonaria (Lobariaceae, Lecanoromycetes), red-listed and protected in many countries.
The Comparison of the Results of Ultrasound, CT and MRI in the Diagnosis of Angiomyolipoma Kidneys, Including Complicated by Development of the Syndrome Wunderlich
Authors: Vorotynceva N. , Gaidukova M.
Published: December 2021

Purpose: Analysis the effectiveness of various methods of radiation studies for the detection of renal angiomyolipomas (RAMLs), including the diagnosis of Wunderlich syndrome.

Material and methods: The analysis of the results of a comprehensive radiation study of the kidneys of 115 patients who were diagnosed with focal formation in primary renal ultrasound was carried out. Further, of those 115 people, 47 patients underwent MRI of the kidneys, 60 patients – CT and 8 patients complex MRI+CT, including contrast-enhanced vasculature.

Results and discussion: Angiomyolipoma was detected by ultrasound in 38 (33.0 %) of 115 patients, and according to MRI and CT in total in 27 (23.5 %) patients. Coincidence of ultrasound findings and MRI and CT results was in 18 patients. Consequently, the sensitivity of ultrasound in the diagnosis of RAML was compared with MRI – 45 %; when compared with CT – 42.8 %, and specificity – 55 % and 57.1 %, respectively. Reliable signs of RAML in ultrasound were hyperechogenic homogeneous structure, clear smooth contours of the formation. The rounded form of education is statistically unreliable. Statistically significant characteristics of RAML in magnetic resonance imaging are heterogeneous structure, heterogeneous hyperintense MR-signal on T1 and heterogeneously hypointensity on T2-weighted images, always uniformly hypo-Fs for T1 / T2 Fs, with hypo clear boundary between education and renal parenchyma on T1 in the opp phase. Reliable signs of RAML with CT are non-uniform structure of education, with non-uniform x-ray density.

Conclusion: Ultrasound diagnosis is necessary for screening kidney disease, while CT and MRI have greater sensitivity and specificity to determine the nature of focal formation. With the development of Wunderlich’s syndrome, a complex of radiological methods, including ultrasound, MRI and CT, allows to diagnose the cause of hemorrhage, as well as to obtain complete diagnostic information necessary for the surgeon to plan treatment.
COVID-19: On the Peculiarities of Lexical Neoplasms Emerged During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Based on the English Language Material)
Authors: Polonskaya O. , Polonskaya Ya.
Published: December 2021

The proliferation of new words and phrases accompanying the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has led to new lexical and sociolinguistic changes that have become part of our lives. The present study attempts to examine the nature of new English words and expressions that emerged after the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the type of word-formation processes that contributed to the emergence of these neologisms in English. The problem is that the emergence of a large number of neologisms associated with the COVID 19 pandemic creates difficulties when translating and applying them in speech. The object of the study is neologisms that appeared during the period of the COVID pandemic in the English language in 2020-2021. The subject of the research is the peculiarities of the formation of neologisms in modern English. The relevance of this work is conditioned by the need to study the new vocabulary that appears in speech due to the changes taking place in modern society under the influence of globalization. Language reflects today's changes as a global and unprecedented phenomenon, the memory of which will remain in history. Lexical neoplasms emerged during the pandemic period allow people to be versed in what is happening, regulate relationships and adapt to new living conditions.
Sociolinguistics. Reading-Book
Authors: Chubina E.
Published: December 2021

The textbook "Sociolinguistics. Reading-book", intended for students studying in the direction of "Forensic expertise", is being prepared for publication. The book includes fragments from the works of famous domestic and foreign linguists devoted to the main sociolinguistics problems (subject area, conceptual apparatus, social and communicative system, social marking of language units, research methods, language policy, etc.). Each text is accompanied by control questions and tasks. The textbook provides students with additional material for individual work. The book can be useful to teachers in preparation for lectures and seminars, and is also of interest to a wide range of readers.
Russia’s Soft Power
Authors: Łoś Robert
Published: December 2021

Russia has always been a country seeking the Great Power status. Even though it lost its importance after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the desire to return to the role of the creator of international order force it to introduce new strategy that will implement soft power resources. This represents a certain obstacle for Russia, which traditionally is accustomed to hard power resources like economic pressure or the use of armed forces. Culture is Russia’s soft power resource that is significant. Values can be more problematic for Russia, because in Moscow’s intentions they should be different from the Western values. Russia is trying to create an alternative soft power project, competitive to that of the West. Russia is trying to make good use of its diplomacy, including digital diplomacy, in order to show the use of its hard power to be seen as soft.
The Role of Reunified Germany in Poland’s Accession to NATO and the European Union
Authors: Fiszer Józef
Published: December 2021

The study is devoted to Poland’s accession to NATO and the European Union (EU) and describes Germany’s stance on Poland’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations after 1989, which, despite various assessments, was not explicit and enthusiastic. However, it evolved gradually and was determined by a difficult internal situation after the reunification of Germany and its new geopolitics and geoeconomics. For Germany that reunified on 3 October 1990, an issue of greater importance than Polish accession to NATO and the EU was the presence of Soviet troops on the territory of the former GDR and normalization of relations with neighbors, particularly with France, Poland, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Both France and the United Kingdom, as well as the Soviet Union, and to a lesser extent, the United States initially were afraid of a reunified Germany and opposed Polish membership in Euro-Atlantic structures. At the time, hopes and fears were rife about the future of Europe. A common question was being asked in Paris, London, Moscow, Washington, and Warsaw – would reunified Germany remain a European state, or would Europe become German? Should Germany stay in NATO or leave after the reunification? There were questions also about Moscow’s policy towards reunified Germany and its position on Poland’s accession to Euro-Atlantic structures. Unfortunately, for a long time, it was negative. Today, thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, we can see that the black scenarios that were outlined in 1989-1990 did not actually come true. Despite the fears, those events opened the way for Poland to “return to Europe” and to gain membership in Euro-Atlantic structures, i.e., NATO and the European Union (EU). The path was not at all simple and it was not easy for Poland to make it through. In the study the author analyses subjective and objective difficulties related to Poland's accession to NATO and the EU and describes the evolution and role of Germany in this process.
Proces starzenia się społeczeństw
Authors: Tkaczyński Jan W. , Guzik Joanna M. , Pletnia Maciej
Published: December 2021

The Process of Ageing of Societies: On the Need for Research on (In)Resilience of Demographic Change and (In)Appropriateness of State Social Policy in the Context of the Japanese, South Korean, German and Polish Experiences
The existence of a low birth rate has so far frequently been associated with the repercussions of either armed conflicts or epidemics. Economic crises, religious upheavals, cultural changes or industrial revolutions have also been cited as causes, albeit less frequently. The phenomenon of the ageing of societies which we are currently observing, however, has – by all indications – other and not yet fully defined causes. It is therefore worth considering not only why this is happening, but also if the phenomenon stems from the same causes everywhere. It may well be that the phenomenon of ageing societies occurs in various parts of the globe, but this does not prove that it is an automatism, caused by the same combination of factors. Therefore, it is crucial to clarify which of the defined factors play a catalytic role in the process under consideration, and which factors are indifferent or of marginal significance in relation to it, as well as whether it is possible, on the basis of comparative analysis of the cases of the proposed countries, to ascribe universal importance to all of them?
Dynamic Programs with Shared Resources and Signals: Dynamic Fluid Policies and Asymptotic Optimality
Authors: Brown David B. , Zhang Jingwei
Published: December 2021

Allocating Resources Across Systems Coupled by Shared Information

Many sequential decision problems involve repeatedly allocating a limited resource across subsystems that are jointly affected by randomly evolving exogenous factors. For example, in adaptive clinical trials, a decision maker needs to allocate patients to treatments in an effort to learn about the efficacy of treatments, but the number of available patients may vary randomly over time. In capital budgeting problems, firms may allocate resources to conduct R&D on new products, but funding budgets may evolve randomly. In many inventory management problems, firms need to allocate limited production capacity to satisfy uncertain demands at multiple locations, and these demands may be correlated due to vagaries in shared market conditions. In this paper, we develop a model involving “shared resources and signals” that captures these and potentially many other applications. The framework is naturally described as a stochastic dynamic program, but this problem is quite difficult to solve. We develop an approximation method based on a “dynamic fluid relaxation”: in this approximation, the subsystem state evolution is approximated by a deterministic fluid model, but the exogenous states (the signals) retain their stochastic evolution. We develop an algorithm for solving the dynamic fluid relaxation. We analyze the corresponding feasible policies and performance bounds from the dynamic fluid relaxation and show that these are asymptotically optimal as the number of subsystems grows large. We show that competing state-of-the-art approaches used in the literature on weakly coupled dynamic programs in general fail to provide asymptotic optimality. Finally, we illustrate the approach on the aforementioned dynamic capital budgeting and multilocation inventory management problems.
Memórias sobre o trabalho nos anos finais do Ensino Fundamental: o uso de documentos históricos em sala de aula
Authors: Da Silva Juliano Alves
Published: December 2021

O presente artigo tem por objetivo apresentar uma contribuição acerca da construção do conhecimento histórico em sala de aula. Dessa forma, o objeto desta reflexão enuncia um conjunto de práticas realizadas por estudantes do Ensino Fundamental na Escola Estadual José Emygdio de Faria, na cidade de Jaci-SP, no ano letivo de 2014. As discussões sobre temporalidades históricas, memórias, o uso de fontes e escrita da História são, em certa medida, parte de muitas possibilidades para o Ensino de História diante do imediatismo e desvalorização da área enquanto campo de conhecimento científico. Pensar no Ensino de História, trouxe grandes desafios para o entendimento de sua percepção transformadora e, sobretudo, para os encantos de uma ciência comprometida com os fascínios da evolução dos seres humanos ao longo do tempo.
A educação no cenário pandêmico: o que dizem os professores da educação básica sobre o retorno às aulas presenciais
Authors: Dos Santos Rosane Barreto Ramos , De Queiroz Paulo Pires
Published: December 2021

O trabalho apresenta o contexto da educação em tempos de pandemia pelo novo coronavírus. A pesquisa trouxe como objetivo geral: analisar os efeitos da pandemia no trabalho docente e como objetivos específicos: compreender a perspectiva dos educadores sobre as práticas educativas surgidas no contexto da pandemia e investigar alternativas pedagógicas para o retorno das aulas presenciais. Configurou-se como uma pesquisa qualitativa que utilizou o recurso da análise de conteúdo para o tratamento dos dados coletados nos 69 questionários aplicados aos professores da educação básica refletindo sobre o ensino remoto, a saúde mental docente e o retorno às aulas presenciais. Os resultados encontrados apontam para as dificuldades dos atos de ensinar e a urgência de medidas eficazes de prevenção que garantam um retorno seguro às atividades escolares.
Uma obra denúncia: olhares da imprensa do Rio de Janeiro sobre a Geografia da Fome
Authors: De Amorim Helder Remigio
Published: December 2021

Este artigo problematiza a repercussão na imprensa brasileira da publicação da obra Geografia da Fome (1946) de autoria do intelectual e político Josué de Castro (1908-1973). O livro foi publicado no ambiente do Pós-guerra, momento em que as políticas públicas de combate a fome estavam na ordem do dia. Nesse sentido, o presente texto procura articular a trajetória de Josué de Castro com os debates suscitados pela publicação de Geografia da Fome no Brasil. O fim do Estado Novo e a tentativa de reconstrução da democracia representaram um momento propício para o lançamento de um livro que promoveu uma denúncia sobre a condição de desnutrição em que a maior parcela da população brasileira vivia. Desse modo, o presente texto analisa a veiculação de notícias sobre a repercussão da publicação de Geografia da Fome nos periódicos Diário de Notícias, O Jornal e Tribuna Popular, possibilitando reflexões sobre a sua dimensão humanista e de como se tornou uma referência para às políticas públicas de combate a fome.
Sobre los estudios de historia intelectual y la temática de las independencias
Authors: Sarmiento da Silva Érica , Carvalho Marieta Pinheiro de , Louzada Celso
Published: December 2021

Entrevista otorgada por el profesor José Carlos Chiaramonte en Niterói, el 10 de abril de 2019, en la que presenta un panorama de los estudios de historia intelectual y el tema de la independencia.
Single-path single-shot phase-shifting digital holographic microscopy without a laser light source
Authors: Tahara Tatsuki , Kozawa Yuichi , Oi Ryutaro
Published: December 2021

We propose single-path single-shot phase-shifting digital holographic microscopy (SSP-DHM) in which the quantitative phase information of an object wave is acquired without a laser light source. Multiple phase-shifted holograms are simultaneously obtained using a linear polarizer, a liquid crystal on a silicon spatial light modulator (LCoS-SLM), and a polarization-imaging camera. Complex amplitude imaging of a USAF1951 test target and phase imaging of transparent HeLa cells are performed to show its quantitative phase-imaging ability. We also conduct an experiment for the motion-picture imaging of transparent particles to highlight the single-shot imaging ability of SSP-DHM.
Sensitive vapor detection with hollow thin film arrays
Authors: Zhang Tingting , Hua Shuangquan , Li zhenghua , Wang Wenjie , Liu Shaoding
Published: December 2021

In this manuscript, we explored the performance of a hollow thin film array (HTFA) for the detection of HCl vapor based on fluorescence quenching. The HTFA structure was fabricated by manually stacking layers of an active thin film and a supporting film, alternately, with a hollow structure in each supporting film. The total penetration depth of vapor molecules in the HTFA sample is 2n times increased, where n is the layer number of the active thin film. We tested the sensing performance of the HTFA sample using fluorescence emission and laser emission in a Fabry-Pérot (FP) microcavity. In the fluorescence sensing, the sensing efficiency increases with the vapor concentration, and can be as high as 80% with a vapor concentration of 400 ppm. While in the laser sensing, the efficiency can achieve 100% with an external pump intensity three times of the lasing threshold at a vapor concentration of 85 ppm. The HTFA sample is not only suitable for vapor detection but also suitable for molecule detection in liquid.
Reverse design of pixel-type terahertz band-pass filters
Authors: Ju Xuewei , Zhu Guofeng , Huang Feng , Dai Zhenrong , Chen Yanqing , Guo Cuixia , Deng Li , Wang Xiangfeng
Published: December 2021

Reverse design is a frontier direction in the optical research field. In this work, reverse design is applied to the design of terahertz devices. We have employed direct binary search (DBS) and binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) algorithms to design pixel-type terahertz band-pass filters, respectively. Through a comparative analysis of the designed devices, we found that BPSO algorithm converged faster than DBS algorithm, and the device performance is better on out-of-band suppression. We have fabricated a sample utilizing femtosecond laser micromachining and characterized it by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. The experimental results were consistent with the finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation. Our method can simultaneously optimize multiple characteristics of the band-pass filters, including the peak transmittance, out-of-band transmittance, bandwidth, and polarization stability, which can not be achieved by traditional optical design methods.
Measurement of circular intensity differential scattering (CIDS) from single airborne aerosol particles for bioaerosol detection and identification
Authors: Pan Yong-Le , Kalume Aimable , Arnold Jessica , Beresnev Leonid , Wang Chuji , Rivera Danielle N. , Crown Kevin K. , Santarpia Joshua
Published: December 2021

The circular intensity differential scattering (CIDS), i.e. the normalized Mueller matrix element -S14/S11, can be used to detect the helical structures of DNA molecules in biological systems, however, no CIDS measurement from single particles has been reported to date. We report an innovative method for measuring CIDS phase functions from single particles individually flowing through a scattering laser beam. CIDS signals were obtained from polystyrene latex (PSL) microspheres with or without coating of DNA molecules, tryptophan particles, and aggregates of B. subtilis spores, at the size of 3 μm in diameter. Preliminary results show that this method is able to measure CIDS phase function in tens of microseconds from single particles, and has the ability to identify particles containing biological molecules.
High-Q localized surface plasmon resonance based on bound states in the continuum for enhanced refractive index sensing
Authors: Chen Haoran , Wang Hongfei , Wong Kwok-yin , Lei Dangyuan
Published: December 2021

Nanophotonics based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) has emerged as a vibrant arena for research into enhanced light–matter interactions with potential applications in imaging, sensing, and computing. However, the low quality (Q) factor of LSPR is a significant barrier to comprehensive device applications. Here, we demonstrate that coupling the LSPR of a gold nanowire array with the optical bound states in the continuum (BIC) of a dielectric double-layer grating can significantly increase the Q factor of LSPR. We realize two hybrid modes with Q factors of up to 111 at 558 nm and 83 at 582 nm, which are about 14 and 10 times larger than those of an uncoupled gold nanowire array. Based on temporal coupled-mode theory, we further show that the resonance frequencies and Q factors of the hybrid modes can be modulated and optimized by varying relevant structural parameters. This coupled system provides a new platform for improving the figures of merit (FoMs) of LSPR-based refractive index sensors, and the concept of LSPR–BIC coupling can be extended to other similar nanosystems.
The role of artificial photo backgrounds of shelter dogs on pet profile clicking and the perception of sociability
Authors: Lamb Fiona , Andrukonis Allison , Protopopova Alexandra
Published: December 2021

With the increasing prevalence of technology, the internet is often the first step for potential pet owners searching for an adoptable dog. However, best practices for the online portrayal of shelter and foster dogs remain unclear. Different online photo backgrounds appearing on adoption websites for shelter dogs may impact adoption speed by influencing viewer interest. Online clicking behaviour on pet profiles and human-directed sociability, broadly defined, has been previously linked to increased adoption likelihood. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the relationship between photo backgrounds of shelter dogs and online clicking as well as perceived human-directed sociability. In a virtual experiment, 680 participants were asked to rank the sociability and friendliness of four different adoptable dogs on a scale from 0–10. The photo background of each dog was digitally altered and randomly assigned to four experimental background conditions: 1) outdoor, 2) home indoor, 3) in-kennel, and 4) plain coloured. As a proxy for adoption interest, a link to the dog’s adoption profile was presented on each slide and the clicking behaviour of participants on this link was recorded. Mixed logistic regression and Poisson models revealed that background did not affect participants’ link-clicking behaviour (chisq = 3.55, df = 3, p = .314) nor perceptions of sociability (statistic = 6.19, df = 3, p = .103). Across all backgrounds, only 4.74% of presented slides culminated in participant link-clicking. Sociability scores also did not predict link clicking. Assessment of participant-related factors and dog ID revealed that link-clicking and sociability scores of photographs were influenced by differences between dogs themselves and unaffected by participants’ awareness of study hypotheses. We conclude that artificial background types did not affect participant responses. The results demonstrate the importance of empirical data in making marketing decisions in animal shelters. Understanding which aspects of online marketing materials impact viewer interest will provide guidance for both animal shelter personnel and foster families to improve the speed of adoption of the animals in their care.
A real-world comparison of outcomes between fractional flow reserve-guided versus angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Wong Christopher C. Y. , Ng Austin C. C. , Ada Cuneyt , Chow Vincent , Fearon William F. , Ng Martin K. C. , Kritharides Leonard , Yong Andy S. C.
Published: December 2021

Background

Fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been shown to be superior to angiography-guided PCI in randomized controlled studies. However, real-world data on the use and outcomes of FFR-guided PCI remain limited. Thus, we investigated the outcomes of patients undergoing FFR-guided PCI compared to angiography-guided PCI in a large, state-wide unselected cohort.

Methods and results

All patients undergoing PCI between June 2017 and June 2018 in New South Wales, Australia, were included. The cohort was stratified into the FFR-guided group when concomitant FFR was performed, and the angiography-guided group when no FFR was performed. The primary outcome was a combined endpoint of death or myocardial infarction (MI). Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, cardiovascular (CVS) death, and MI. The cohort comprised 10,304 patients, of which 542 (5%) underwent FFR-guided PCI. During a mean follow-up of 12±4 months, the FFR-guided PCI group had reduced occurrence of the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR] 0.34, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.20–0.56, P<0.001), all-cause death (HR 0.18, 95% CI 0.07–0.47, P = 0.001), CVS death (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.07–0.66, P = 0.01), and MI (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.25–0.84, P = 0.01) compared to the angiography-guided PCI group. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed FFR-guidance to be an independent predictor of the primary outcome (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.27–0.75, P = 0.002), all-cause death (HR 0.22, 95% CI 0.08–0.59, P = 0.003), and CVS death (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.09–0.83, P = 0.02).

Conclusions

In this real-world study of patients undergoing PCI, FFR-guidance was associated with lower rates of the primary outcome of death or MI, as well as the secondary outcomes of all-cause death and CVS death.
Demographic profiles and environmental drivers of variation relate to individual breeding state in a long-lived trans-oceanic migratory seabird, the Manx shearwater
Authors: Wood Matt J. , Canonne Coline , Besnard Aurélien , Lachish Shelly , Fairhurst Stace M. , Liedvogel Miriam , Boyle Dave , Patrick Samantha C. , Josey Simon , Kirk Holly , Dean Ben , Guilford Tim , McCleery Robin M. , Perrins Chris M. , Horswill Cat
Published: December 2021

Understanding the points in a species breeding cycle when they are most vulnerable to environmental fluctuations is key to understanding interannual demography and guiding effective conservation and management. Seabirds represent one of the most threatened groups of birds in the world, and climate change and severe weather is a prominent and increasing threat to this group. We used a multi-state capture-recapture model to examine how the demographic rates of a long-lived trans-oceanic migrant seabird, the Manx shearwaterPuffinus puffinus, are influenced by environmental conditions experienced at different stages of the annual breeding cycle and whether these relationships vary with an individual’s breeding state in the previous year (i.e., successful breeder, failed breeder and non-breeder). Our results imply that populations of Manx shearwaters are comprised of individuals with different demographic profiles, whereby more successful reproduction is associated with higher rates of survival and breeding propensity. However, we found that all birds experienced the same negative relationship between rates of survival and wind force during the breeding season, indicating a cost of reproduction (or central place constraint for non-breeders) during years with severe weather conditions. We also found that environmental effects differentially influence the breeding propensity of individuals in different breeding states. This suggests individual spatio-temporal variation in habitat use during the annual cycle, such that climate change could alter the frequency that individuals with different demographic profiles breed thereby driving a complex and less predictable population response. More broadly, our study highlights the importance of considering individual-level factors when examining population demography and predicting how species may respond to climate change.
A qualitative study of child participation in decision-making: Exploring rights-based approaches in pediatric occupational therapy
Authors: O’Connor Deirdre , Lynch Helen , Boyle Bryan
Published: December 2021

Background

According to Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, therapists are duty-bound to include children in decisions that impact them. Although occupational therapists champion client-centred, collaborative practice, there remains a paucity of studies detailing children’s rights and experiences of decision-making in pediatric occupational therapy.

Purpose

This qualitative study described the decision-making experiences of children, parents and therapists in occupational therapy.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants (six children, five parents and six occupational therapists), and data analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

Three themes emerged: 1) Goal-setting experiences; 2) Adults: child-rights gatekeepers or defenders? and 3) Decision-making in context. Findings suggest that decision-making is mostly adult directed, and children’s voices are subsumed by adult-led services, priorities, and agendas.

Implications

Children’s rights need to be embedded as an aspect of best practice in providing services that are child-centred in occupational therapy practices and education.
Metformin attenuates osteoclast-mediated abnormal subchondral bone remodeling and alleviates osteoarthritis via AMPK/NF-κB/ERK signaling pathway
Authors: Guo Haohui , Ding Dong , Wang Limei , Yan Jiangbo , Ma Long , Jin Qunhua
Published: December 2021

This study explored the mechanism by which metformin (Met) inhibits osteoclast activation and determined its effects on osteoarthritis (OA) mice. Bone marrow-derived macrophages were isolated. Osteoclastogenesis was detected using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining. Cell proliferation was evaluated using CCK-8, F-actin rings were detected by immunofluorescence staining, and bone resorption was detected using bone slices. Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor of activated T-cell cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1) were detected using luciferase assays, and the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), NF-κB, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were detected using western blotting. Finally, expression of genes involved in osteoclastogenesis was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A knee OA mouse model was established by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM). MaleC57BL/6Jmice were assigned to sham-operated, DMM+vehicle, and DMM+Met groups. Met (100 mg/kg/d) or vehicle was administered from the first day postoperative until sacrifice. At 4- and 8-week post OA induction, micro-computed tomography was performed to analyze microstructural changes in the subchondral bone, hematoxylin and eosin staining and Safranin-O/Fast Green staining were performed to evaluate the degenerated cartilage, TRAP-stained osteoclasts were enumerated, and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), AMPK, and NF-κB were detected using immunohistochemistry. BMM proliferation was not affected by Met treatment below 2 mM. Met inhibited osteoclast formation and bone resorption in a dose-dependent mannerin vitro. Met suppressed RANKL-induced activation of p-AMPK, NF-κB, phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK) and up-regulation of genes involved in osteoclastogenesis. Met reversed decreases in BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.N, and CD, and an increase in Tb.Sp at 4 weeks postoperatively. The number of osteoclasts and OARSI score were decreased by Met without effect on body weight or blood glucose levels. Met inhibited RANKL, p-AMPK, and NF-κB expression in early OA. The mechanism by which Met inhibits osteoclast activation may be associated with AMPK/NF-κB/ERK signaling pathway, indicating a novel strategy for OA treatment.
Visual field differences in temporal synchrony processing for audio-visual stimuli
Authors: Takeshima Yasuhiro
Published: December 2021

Audio-visual integration relies on temporal synchrony between visual and auditory inputs. However, differences in traveling and transmitting speeds between visual and auditory stimuli exist; therefore, audio-visual synchrony perception exhibits flexible functions. The processing speed of visual stimuli affects the perception of audio-visual synchrony. The present study examined the effects of visual fields, in which visual stimuli are presented, for the processing of audio-visual temporal synchrony. The point of subjective simultaneity, the temporal binding window, and the rapid recalibration effect were measured using temporal order judgment, simultaneity judgment, and stream/bounce perception, because different mechanisms of temporal processing have been suggested among these three paradigms. The results indicate that auditory stimuli should be presented earlier for visual stimuli in the central visual field than in the peripheral visual field condition in order to perceive subjective simultaneity in the temporal order judgment task conducted in this study. Meanwhile, the subjective simultaneity bandwidth was broader in the central visual field than in the peripheral visual field during the simultaneity judgment task. In the stream/bounce perception task, neither the point of subjective simultaneity nor the temporal binding window differed between the two types of visual fields. Moreover, rapid recalibration occurred in both visual fields during the simultaneity judgment tasks. However, during the temporal order judgment task and stream/bounce perception, rapid recalibration occurred only in the central visual field. These results suggest that differences in visual processing speed based on the visual field modulate the temporal processing of audio-visual stimuli. Furthermore, these three tasks, temporal order judgment, simultaneity judgment, and stream/bounce perception, each have distinct functional characteristics for audio-visual synchrony perception. Future studies are necessary to confirm the effects of compensation regarding differences in the temporal resolution of the visual field in later cortical visual pathways on visual field differences in audio-visual temporal synchrony.
Detection of child depression using machine learning methods
Authors: Haque Umme Marzia , Kabir Enamul , Khanam Rasheda
Published: December 2021

Background

Mental health problems, such as depression in children have far-reaching negative effects on child, family and society as whole. It is necessary to identify the reasons that contribute to this mental illness. Detecting the appropriate signs to anticipate mental illness as depression in children and adolescents is vital in making an early and accurate diagnosis to avoid severe consequences in the future. There has been no research employing machine learning (ML) approaches for depression detection among children and adolescents aged 4–17 years in a precisely constructed high prediction dataset, such as Young Minds Matter (YMM). As a result, our objective is to 1) create a model that can predict depression in children and adolescents aged 4–17 years old, 2) evaluate the results of ML algorithms to determine which one outperforms the others and 3) associate with the related issues of family activities and socioeconomic difficulties that contribute to depression.

Methods

The YMM, the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2013–14 has been used as data source in this research. The variables of yes/no value of low correlation with the target variable (depression status) have been eliminated. The Boruta algorithm has been utilized in association with a Random Forest (RF) classifier to extract the most important features for depression detection among the high correlated variables with target variable. The Tree-based Pipeline Optimization Tool (TPOTclassifier) has been used to choose suitable supervised learning models. In the depression detection step, RF, XGBoost (XGB), Decision Tree (DT), and Gaussian Naive Bayes (GaussianNB) have been used.

Results

Unhappy, nothing fun, irritable mood, diminished interest, weight loss/gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue, thinking or concentration problems or indecisiveness, suicide attempt or plan, presence of any of these five symptoms have been identified as 11 important features to detect depression among children and adolescents. Although model performance varied somewhat, RF outperformed all other algorithms in predicting depressed classes by 99% with 95% accuracy rate and 99% precision rate in 315 milliseconds (ms).

Conclusion

This RF-based prediction model is more accurate and informative in predicting child and adolescent depression that outperforms in all four confusion matrix performance measures as well as execution duration.
Cultural factors weaken but do not reverse left-to-right spatial biases in numerosity processing: Data from Arabic and English monoliterates and Arabic-English biliterates
Authors: Lopiccolo Dominique , Chang Charles B.
Published: December 2021

Directional response biases due to a conceptual link between space and number, such as a left-to-right hand bias for increasing numerical magnitude, are known as the SNARC (Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes) effect. We investigated how the SNARC effect for numerosities would be influenced by reading-writing direction, task instructions, and ambient visual environment in four literate populations exemplifying opposite reading-writing cultures—namely, Arabic (right-to-left script) and English (left-to-right script). Monoliterates and biliterates in Jordan and the U.S. completed a speeded numerosity comparison task to assess the directionality and magnitude of a SNARC effect in their numerosity processing. Monoliterates’ results replicated previously documented effects of reading-writing direction and task instructions: the SNARC effect found in left-to-right readers was weakened in right-to-left readers, and the left-to-right group exhibited a task-dependency effect (SNARC effect in the smaller condition, reverse SNARC effect in the larger condition). Biliterates’ results did not show a clear effect of environment; instead, both biliterate groups resembled English monoliterates in showing a left-to-right, task-dependent SNARC effect, albeit weaker than English monoliterates’. The absence of significant biases in all Arabic-reading groups (biliterates and Arabic monoliterates) points to a potential conflict between distinct spatial-numerical mapping codes. This view is explained in terms of the proposed Multiple Competing Codes Theory (MCCT), which posits three distinct spatial-numerical mapping codes (innate, cardinal, ordinal) during numerical processing—each involved at varying levels depending on individual and task factors.
REVOLUTION (Routine EValuatiOn of people LivIng with caNcer)—Protocol for a prospective characterisation study of patients with incurable cancer
Authors: Patton Rebekah , Cook Jane , Haraldsdottir Erna , Brown Duncan , Dolan Ross D. , McMillan Donald C. , Skipworth Richard J. E. , Fallon Marie , Laird Barry J. A.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

There is a pressing need for a holistic characterisation of people with incurable cancer. In this group, where quality of life and improvement of symptoms are therapeutic priorities, the physical and biochemical manifestations of cancer are often studied separately, giving an incomplete picture. In order to improve care, spur therapeutic innovation, provide meaningful endpoints for trials and set priorities for future research, work must be done to explore how the tumour influences the clinical phenotype. Characterisation of the host-tumour interaction may also provide information regarding prognosis, allowing appropriate planning of investigations, treatment and referral to palliative medicine services.

Methods

Routine EValuatiOn of people LivIng with caNcer (REVOLUTION) is a prospective observational study that aims to characterise people with incurable cancer around five key areas, namely body composition, physical activity, systemic inflammatory response, symptoms, and quality of life by developing a bio-repository. Participants will initially be recruited from a single centre in the UK and will have assessments of body composition (bio-impedance analysis [BIA] and computed tomography [CT]), assessment of physical activity using a physical activity monitor, measurement of simple markers of inflammation and plasma cytokine proteins and three symptom and quality of life questionnaires.

Discussion

This study aims to create a comprehensive biochemical and clinical characterisation of people with incurable cancer. Data in this study can be used to give a better understanding of the ‘symptom phenotype’ and quality of life determinants, development of a profile of the systemic inflammatory response and a detailed characterisation of body composition.