bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening for broad-spectrum antimicrobial endophytes from Rosa roxburghii and multi-omic analyses of biosynthetic capacity
Authors: Zhang Hong , Yang Mao-Fa , Zhang Qian , Yan Bin , Jiang Yu-Lan
Published: November 2022

Plants with certain medicinal values are a good source for isolating function-specific endophytes. Rosa roxburghii Tratt. has been reported to be a botanical source of antimicrobial compounds, which may represent a promising candidate for screening endophytic fungi with antimicrobial potential. In this study, 54 endophytes were isolated and molecularly identified from R. roxburghii. The preliminary screening using the plate confrontation method resulted in 15 different endophytic strains showing at least one strong inhibition or three or more moderate inhibition against the 12 tested strains. Further re-screening experiments based on the disc diffusion method demonstrated that Epicoccum latusicollum HGUP191049 and Setophoma terrestris HGUP190028 had excellent antagonistic activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test for extracellular metabolites finally indicated that HGUP191049 had lower MIC values and a broader antimicrobial spectrum, compared to HGUP190028. Genomic, non-target metabolomic, and comparative genomic studies were performed to understand the biosynthetic capacity of the screened-out endophytic fungus. Genome sequencing and annotation of HGUP191049 revealed a size of 33.24 megabase pairs (Mbp), with 24 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), where the putative antimicrobial compounds, oxyjavanicin, patulin and squalestatin S1 were encoded by three different BGCs, respectively. In addition, the non-targeted metabolic results demonstrated that the strain contained approximately 120 antimicrobial secondary metabolites and was structurally diverse. Finally, comparative genomics revealed differences in pathogenicity, virulence, and carbohydrate-active enzymes in the genome of Epicoccum spp. Moreover, the results of the comparative analyses presumed that Epicoccum is a promising source of antimicrobial terpenes, while oxyjavanicin and squalestatin S1 are antimicrobial compounds shared by the genus. In conclusion, R. roxburghii and the endophytic HGUP191049 isolated from it are promising sources of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents.
Talking really does matter: Lay perspectives from older people on talking about suicide in later life
Authors: Hafford-Letchfield Trish , Hanna Jeffrey R. , Ellmers Toby J. , Rasmussen Susan , Cogan Nicola , Gleeson Helen , Goodman Jolie , Martin Sophie , Walker Patrick , Quaife Matthew
Published: November 2022

Background

The cumulative body of research on suicidality in later life describes its unique and complex features in older people when compared with that in other population groups. Yet significant gaps exist in how research informs the further development of suitable interventions. The perspectives of older people are also limited in research findings.

Aims

Therefore, this exploratory study aimed to (1) identify potential barriers and enablers in discussing suicidal thoughts and their expression in later life from the perspectives of lay older people and (2) explore where opportunities might occur in approach, place, relationships, and language with older people to discuss suicidal thoughts and their expression.

Method

We conducted in-depth qualitative individual interviews with 15 people aged 70–89 years. This method helped explore older peoples' own lay perspectives on suicidal thoughts in later life and how these are expressed, and their understanding of where and how people might seek support.

Results

A total of three themes were generated from the dataset: (1) intergenerational and socio-cultural differences in suicide expression, (2) the normalization of suicidal thoughts in later life, and (3) the importance and difficulties of everyday discussion and opportunities to express suicidal thoughts.

Conclusion

Suicidal thoughts and their expression appear commonly and are normalized in later life yet remain taboo and hidden. The participants revealed how such thoughts and behaviors are typically expressed through colloquial or “off-hand” remarks and comments and the importance of authentic listening. The findings highlight the importance of more informal discussions around these topics and how care professionals, practitioners, and providers might frame opportunities for dialogue with people who may want to access support. Further engagement with community-informed participatory research methods in which older people provide their own perspectives and experiences is important in addressing these gaps. There is a need for co-designing in developing screening, assessment, and signposting outside of clinical settings that can be used in everyday caring relationships with people in later life.
On a path to becoming more self-regulated: Reflective journals’ impact on Chinese English as a foreign language students’ self-regulated writing strategy use
Authors: Zhang Yining , Li Mingzhu , Chieh YuanTzu , Han Shuyuan
Published: November 2022

A number of studies have confirmed the positive effect of writing reflective journals on L2 learning. However, the relationship between writing reflective journals and the use of self-regulated writing strategies remains unclear. To redress this knowledge gap, we assigned 38 Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) students three journal-writing tasks in which they reflected on their writing processes and explored (1) the types of self-regulated writing strategies and changes to those strategies that the students’ reflective journals documented; (2) how students with varied writing-proficiency levels differed in their use of self-regulated writing strategies; and (3) the effects of reflective-journal writing on students’ self-perceived use of self-regulated writing strategies in particular, and on their L2 writing in general. Among the 19 kinds of strategies identified in 112 reflective-journal entries, only five (i.e., handling feedback, resource management, text processing, emotion regulation, and idea planning) were demonstrated relatively frequently. The use of seven strategies (i.e., self-monitoring and evaluation, idea planning, perspective change, emotional control, effort regulation, peer learning, and resource management) exhibited significant increases over time, especially during the second-half of the focal semester. In addition, our journal data highlighted individual variation in proficiency levels: with high-proficiency students significantly more likely than others to apply idea planning, feedback handling, and resource management and low-proficiency ones significantly more likely than others to engage in goal-setting. The qualitative results suggest that the practice of journaling raised students’ awareness and may have contributed to an increase in their use of self-regulated writing strategies. In particular, the findings reveal how students internalized and reconstructed the various SRL processes taking place via writing reflective journals. For L2 educators using or considering using reflective journals, these findings contain fresh insights that could help them not only to increase their students’ SRL levels, but also to provide more individualized SRL guidance.
Causes of the male-female ratio of depression based on the psychosocial factors
Authors: Tang Jun , Zhang Tianyi
Published: November 2022

Recently, depression has been a great concern of researchers, and the research on the male-female ratio of depression mainly covers the fields of epidemiology and clinical studies. This study is made to explore the causes of the male-female ratio of depression from a humanistic perspective, namely, the psychosocial factors, thus providing some support and reference for further research on depression. Thereby, the authors select and analyze word lists closely collocated with “depression” according to word score and frequency through the word sketch in enTenTen20 by the corpus tool “Sketch Engine.” Meanwhile, the above words are further explored for the causes of the male-female ratio in depression from the biological, psychological, and social aspects based on the Biopsychosocial Model as well as some existing relevant medical research findings. Consequently, women are found to be more likely to suffer from emotional problems and depression than men under the influence of biological basis, general psychological characteristics, and social environment interference.
Early psychological intervention in adult patients after hospitalization during COVID-19 pandemia. A single center observational study
Authors: Lazzaroni Elisa , Tosi Davide , Pontiggia Silvia , Ermolli Riccardo , Borghesi Luca , Rigamonti Vittorio , Frisone Enrico , Piconi Stefania
Published: November 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has represented an individual and collective trauma with an impact on mental health. COVID-19 survivors need to be screened for psychological distress regularly for timely intervention. After March 2020, an outpatients clinic for follow up of discharged COVID-19 patients was set up at Infectious Diseases Department of the Hospital of Lecco, Italy. Blood exams, specialistic visits were performed for each patients and IES-R and BDI scales were dispensed. 523 patients were referred to the clinic; 93 of them resulted positive at IES-R and/or BDI self-report and 58 agreed to have early interviews with psychologist specialist. Patients could receive only a short psychoeducation/psychological support intervention or in addition to the same, even a specific trauma-focused psychotherapeutic intervention with EMDR where clinically indicated. IES-R e BDI were administered pre- and post-intervention. The results show that the average of the post-traumatic stress scores detected at IES-R is above the clinical cut-off for the entire sample. There is an overall change in the decrease in mean scores on the IES and BDI scales before and after psychological intervention. Among the patients for whom psychopharmacological therapy was also necessary, those who had COVID-mourning in family improved the most at IES-R scale post- intervention. With respect to EMDR treatment, there is a significant improvement in depressive symptoms noticed at BDI for male patients who have received neither psychotropic drugs nor CPAP. Being hospitalized for coronavirus has a significant impact on the patient’s mental health and it is a priority to arrange early screening to intercept psychological distress and give it an early response.
How do Chinese people evaluate “Tang-Ping” (lying flat) and effort-making: The moderation effect of return expectation
Authors: Hsu Han-Yu
Published: November 2022

“Tang-Ping” (TP), referring to “lying flat” literally, has been a buzzword in China web media since 2021. As the opponent of effort-making (EM) behaviors which have both instrumental and purpose values in Confucian culture, TP has a negative moral implication in China and has been criticized by the state-owned media. Meanwhile, the meaning of TP also contains a negative form of resistance toward social and organizational inequality, which may be acceptable under unfair circumstances. This study employed the imagined-scenario method to investigate the public’s moral evaluations of TP and EM behaviors under conditions of different return expectations. An online questionnaire with 2 (TP vs. EM) by 2 (low vs. high return expectation) between-participants designed scenarios were employed, along with the measurements of obligation belief of effort (OBE) and improvement belief of effort (IBE) scales (N = 210). The results found that (1) TP behaviors were evaluated as morally wrong in general, while EM behaviors were morally right; (2) the return expectation of the scenario moderated the behavior type’s effect on moral evaluation, that EM behaviors were evaluated positively regardless of return expectation, while TP behaviors became acceptable with a neutral score under the low return expectation; (3) both OBE and IBE correlated positively with evaluations of EM while negatively with evaluations of TP. The theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
Myth or reality? Some directions on translation universals in recent corpus based case studies
Authors: Jia Juan , Afzaal Muhammad , Naqvi Swaleha Bano
Published: November 2022

This paper contributes to the ongoing debate on the existence of translation universals (TUs) by mapping the theoretical literature on the TUs and evaluating selected corpus-based studies which investigate a swath of hypothesized universals. Based on a review of empirical research carried out over recent years in translation studies, this paper attempts to develop a holistic picture of the evidence on TUs pertaining to multiple aspects of translation. We found that although some evidence for certain hypothesized universals exists, it cannot be definitively claimed that TUs comprise an indisputable reality. Based on review of the studies surveyed, the present study concluded that several universal claims within research, over the period of time, proved to have been falsified at a universal level, while being proved right as lower-level translation modes or determined generalizations for particular types. Thus as the hypotheses regarding universals have been worked upon on a very small range of languages or pair of languages, it is imprudent to declare them as translation universals.
The relationship among idiosyncratic deals, psychological empowerment, and internal locus of control: A moderated mediation model
Authors: Shams Muhammad Shahid , Mei Tang Swee , Adnan Zurina , Niazi Murtaza Masud , Khan Kaleemullah
Published: November 2022

Building upon the job demands–resources (JD-R) theory, this research offers an in-depth exploration of the mechanisms by which idiosyncratic deals (I-deals), such as personalized work arrangements, can enhance academics’ psychological empowerment (PE) and hence affect their work engagement. This study’s purpose was to investigate whether PE mediates the relationships between task and work responsibilities I-deals, flexibility I-deals, and work engagement among academics in higher education and whether the mediating effects are moderated by academics’ internal locus of control. Using an online platform, the survey questionnaire was sent to 650 academics working in higher education. The results reveal that task and work responsibilities I-deals and flexibility I-deals, are positively associated with the academics’ work engagement and that PE mediates those relationships. Additionally, the internal locus of control strengthens the positive relationship between task and work responsibilities I-deals and PE, and it enhances the indirect effect of task and work responsibilities I-deals on academics’ work engagement through PE. Though, this study did not find the moderating effect of internal locus of control on the flexibility I-deals–PE relationship; however, the results indicate that internal locus of control boosts the indirect effect of flexibility I-deals on academics’ work engagement through PE.
Screen time and adolescents' mental health before and after the COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland: A natural experiment
Authors: Marciano Laura , Viswanath Kasisomayajula , Morese Rosalba , Camerini Anne-Linda
Published: November 2022

Background

During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, adolescents' mental health was largely undermined. A general increment in screen time was reported. However, the long-term effects of the latter on adolescents' mental health are still little explored.

Methods

In the present natural experiment, we investigated these effects using longitudinal data collected before and after the first lockdown in Switzerland. Data come from 674 Swiss adolescents (56.7% females, Mage = 14.45, SDage = 0.50) during Spring 2019 (T1) and Autumn 2020 (T2) as part of the longitudinal MEDIATICINO study. Self-reported mental health measures included somatic symptoms, inattention, anxiety, irritability, anger, sleep problems, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, loneliness, and depression. Measures for screen-media activities included time spent on the Internet, smartphones, social media, video gaming, instant messaging, and television viewing. They were all assessed at T1 and T2.

Results

Paired-sample t-tests with Bonferroni's correction showed that most mental health problems increased over time with an overall medium effect size (Hedge's g = 0.337). In particular, medium effect sizes were found for anxiety, depression, and inattention; small-to-medium effect sizes were reported for loneliness, sleep problems, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms; and a small effect size was found for somatic symptoms. Screen-media activities increased, with the exception of television viewing and video gaming. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that, controlling for covariates, increased time spent on social media – calculated as the difference between T2 and T1 – was the only screen-media activity significantly associated with worse mental health at T2 (β = 0.112, p = 0.016). More time spent in structured media activities like television viewing diminished levels of inattention (β = −0.091, p = 0.021) and anxiety (β = −0.093, p = 0.014). Among covariates, being female, experiencing two or more life events, having mental health problems at T1, and using screens for homeschooling negatively influenced mental health at T2.

Conclusion

These results align with literature indicating a small but negative effect of social media time on mental health. Underlying mechanisms are manifold, including increased exposure to COVID-19 news, heightened fear of missing out, social comparison, and time-displaced for activities such as physical activity and green time. However, in line with the structured days hypothesis, getting involved in media-structured activities like television viewing might protect against mental health symptoms.
Psychotic experiences, emotion regulation, and suicidal ideation among Chilean adolescents in the general population
Authors: Wastler Heather M. , Núñez Daniel
Published: November 2022

Psychotic experiences are associated with increased risk for suicide. Despite this well-established finding, very little is known about factors that contribute to this relationship. The current study investigated the relationship between psychotic experiences, emotion regulation, and suicidal ideation among 1,590 Chilean adolescents in the general population. Participants completed self-report measures of psychotic experiences (Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences), emotion regulation (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and suicidal ideation (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale). Statistical analyses included Mann–Whitney U tests, point-biserial correlations, logistic regression, and moderation analyses. Results suggest that paranoid ideation, bizarre experiences, and perceptual abnormalities were moderately associated with suicidal ideation. Additionally, greater expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal were associated with suicidal ideation. Results from the logistic regression indicate that paranoid ideation, perceptual abnormalities, and expressive suppression have the strongest relationship with suicidal ideation, even when controlling for depression and relevant demographic variables. Additionally, paranoid ideation interacted with expressive suppression to predict suicidal ideation, with expressive suppression having the strongest relationship with suicidal ideation when paranoid ideation was low to moderate. Taken together, these findings support the broader literature suggesting that emotion regulation might be a transdiagnostic risk factor for suicidal ideation. Additional longitudinal research is needed to examine whether expressive suppression and other maladaptive emotion regulation strategies serve as a mechanism for suicidal ideation both in the general population and among individuals with psychotic experiences.
Can the perceived risk of particulate matter change people's desires and behavior intentions?
Authors: Park Junghyun , Park Yunmi , Yoo Jae Leame , Yue Gong , Yu Jongsik
Published: November 2022

Particulate matter (PM) is a hazardous airborne pollutant that encompasses all airborne particles with diameters ranging from 0.001 to 100 μm. It is composed of total suspended particles (TSPs), consisting of two main particle sizes: PM10 and PM2.5. PM poses various threats to human health because of its rapid mobility and its ability to spread over a wide area. In particular, it has long-term negative effects on such organs as the lungs and heart. China and South Korea, located in Northeast Asia, are representative of the countries at risk of PM, and their populations live with an awareness that the harms of PM go beyond physical risks. Therefore, based on previous studies, this study classifies the perceived PM risks into physical, psychological, financial, functional, and time risks. It has tried to verify the effect of this risk perception on the behavior intention of Chinese and Koreans and examine the moderating effect according to the difference in nationality. The study's conceptual model was constructed by applying Ajzen's proven theory of planned action. Utilizing AMOS 22.0 and SPSS 22.0, an analysis was performed. Following this analysis, it was determined that there was a significant causal relationship between perceived PM risk and behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Additionally, it was discovered that perceived PM risk significantly impacted desire and behavioral intention. These findings demonstrate that when persons are exposed to high concentrations of PM, they perceive a variety of risks that go beyond the merely physical, and they can form different attitudes depending on their nationality. This study greatly contributes to the theoretical and practical implications by presenting more diverse perspectives on PM risk.
Home delivery among pregnant women with ANC follow-up in Ethiopia; Evidence from the 2019 Ethiopia mini demographic and health survey
Authors: Tariku Mandaras , Enyew Daniel Berhanie , Tusa Biruk Shalmeno , Weldesenbet Adisu Birhanu , Bahiru Nebiyu
Published: November 2022

Background

Maternal mortality has remained an international public health problem although it is decreasing in recent years. Developing countries particularly Sub-Saharan African countries bears the high burden of maternal deaths. There was no study conducted to assess prevalence and associated factors of home delivery among women in Ethiopia on antenatal care (ANC) follow up nationally. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the magnitude and associated factors of home delivery in Ethiopia.

Objectives

To assess the magnitude of home delivery and associated factors among women who had ANC follow up in Ethiopia.

Methods

Secondary data analysis was carried out using Ethiopian Mini Demography and Health Survey (EMDHS 2019). A total weighted sample of 2,143 women who had ANC follow up during pregnancy was incorporated in the study. In a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM), Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p < 0.05 were declared as associated factors of home delivery.

Results

The prevalence of home delivery was 31.27% [95% CI: 29.34%, 33.27%] among women who had ANC follow up in Ethiopia. Attended higher education [AOR = 0.27; 95% CI: (0.13, 0.54)], rural resident [AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: (1.19, 3.90)], richest in the wealth index [AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: (0.10, 0.32)], had adequate ANC follow up [AOR = 0.25; 95% CI: (0.13, 0.51)] and being in third trimesters [AOR = 0.64; 95% CI: (0.49, 0.83)] during first ANC visit were significantly associated factors of home delivery.

Conclusion

Near to one-third of women in Ethiopia have delivered their babies at home even if they had an ANC follow up. Educational status, place of residence, wealth index, timing of first antenatal check and adequate ANC visit has shown significant association with home delivery. Therefore, focused intervention packages need to be implemented at all levels of the health care system in Ethiopia to improve health seeking behaviors of women who have ANC follow up to have delivery in health care institutions. While doing so, special attention should be given for poor, uneducated and rural dweller women.
“I have nothing more to give”: Disparities in burnout and the protective role of immigrant status during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Otuonye Gene Chibuchim , Shenoi Nancy , Wu Tianshi David , Guntupalli Kalpalatha , Moukaddam Nidal
Published: November 2022

Burnout is an epidemic, with deleterious effects on individuals, patient care, and healthcare systems. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may be exacerbating this problem. We aimed to explore socio-cultural and gender norms that modulate burnout development in physicians during the pandemic and analyze any disparities associated with gender, marital and immigration status and work-life balance. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of physicians (August–November, 2021): The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) was used to measure burnout, combined with a validated survey assessing work-life balance. Demographic data was obtained for each participant. MBI-HSS subscales were measured, along with work and home related changes due to COVID-19. The association between life changes due to COVID-19 and odds of burnout was estimated by logistic regression. Complementary analysis was performed to determine factors most associated with burnout. 352 respondents were analyzed. There was a high prevalence of burnout. Over half of individuals reported a high degree of emotional exhaustion (EE) (56%). 83% of individuals reported at least one life factor changed due to COVID-19. Home-related life changes due to COVID-19 were associated with 143% higher odds of emotional burnout [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49, 3.98] after covariate adjusted analysis. High EE was most evident when there were three or more life changes, suggesting a cumulative effect. First-generation immigrants, older physicians, and trainees were identified as protective factors. Although female gender was identified as a factor related to EE through forward selection, this was not statistically significant (aOR 1.34; 95% CI 0.80, 2.24). Burnout remains pervasive among physicians. We highlight new risk factors for EE (home-life changes due to COVID-19), and protective factors (first-generation immigrants) not previously explored. Understanding burnout and its disparities allows for improved mitigation strategies, decreasing its deleterious effects.
Implications of providing social support to close network members on the social well-being of older people in Kitui County, Kenya
Authors: Mbuthia Kezia , Mwangi Samuel , Owino George
Published: November 2022

Social support is a strong predictor of social well-being. Older people are key providers of social support to others, but an overemphasis on received social support in gerontological literature portrays them as mere recipients. We examined the association between social support provided by older people and its influence on their social well-being. Data were collected from 369 respondents residing in rural dwellings in Kitui County using mixed methods and were analyzed for association using chi-square statistics. Instrumental, emotional, and information support provision was determined by asking four questions in each category about whether the respondents provided social support to close network members. The subjective experience of support provision using a satisfaction question for each domain of social support was used to determine the influence of providing social support on the social well-being of older people. Provision of social support across the three domains was found to be significantly associated with social well-being. The level of statistical significance was highest for emotional and information support compared to instrumental support. Older people are important providers of social support. The majority of those who provided social support reported being satisfied. Therefore, offering social support, especially emotional and information support, is an important contributor to satisfaction with these aspects of social well-being.
Impact of traffic congestion on spatial access to healthcare services in Nairobi
Authors: Mutono Nyamai , Wright Jim A. , Mutunga Mumbua , Mutembei Henry , Thumbi S. M.
Published: November 2022

Background

Geographic accessibility is an important determinant of healthcare utilization and is critical for achievement of universal health coverage. Despite the high disease burden and severe traffic congestion in many African cities, few studies have assessed how traffic congestion impacts geographical access to healthcare facilities and to health professionals in these settings. In this study, we assessed the impact of traffic congestion on access to healthcare facilities, and to the healthcare professionals across the healthcare facilities.

Methods

Using data on health facilities obtained from the Ministry of Health in Kenya, we mapped 944 primary, 94 secondary and four tertiary healthcare facilities in Nairobi County. We then used traffic probe data to identify areas within a 15-, 30- and 45-min drive from each health facility during peak and off-peak hours and calculated the proportion of the population with access to healthcare in the County. We employed a 2-step floating catchment area model to calculate the ratio of healthcare and healthcare professionals to population during these times.

Results

During peak hours, <70% of Nairobi's 4.1 million population was within a 30-min drive from a health facility. This increased to >75% during off-peak hours. In 45 min, the majority of the population had an accessibility index of one health facility accessible to more than 100 people (<0.01) for primary health care facilities, one to 10,000 people for secondary facilities, and two health facilities per 100,000 people for tertiary health facilities. Of people with access to health facilities, a sub-optimal ratio of <4.45 healthcare professionals per 1,000 people was observed in facilities offering primary and secondary healthcare during peak and off-peak hours.

Conclusion

Our study shows access to healthcare being negatively impacted by traffic congestion, highlighting the need for multisectoral collaborations between urban planners, health sector and policymakers to optimize health access for the city residents. Additionally, growing availability of traffic probe data in African cities should enable similar analysis and understanding of healthcare access for city residents in other countries on the continent.
Wireless sensor and wireless body area network assisted biosensor network for effective monitoring and prevention of non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia
Authors: Abubeker K. M. , Baskar S.
Published: November 2022

Air pollution, climate change, and chemical exposure constitute the world's most significant environmental health concern, resulting in the early deaths of 6. 5 million people annually. Reducing child mortality from preventable causes, primarily pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses, would have contributed to the united nation's sustainable development goals (SDG). Some significant goals are sustainable cities, industry innovation, green and resilient infrastructure, good health, and well-being. Non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) is a severe but preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Despite being the most frequent and fatal hospital-acquired infection (HAI), NV-HAP is not tracked, documented, or avoided in most hospitals. The success of NV-HAP prevention and monitoring initiatives relies on reliable, up-to-date surveillance data. Surveillance offers the information needed to target, analyze, and quantify the efficacy of preventative activities by identifying patients at the highest risk for NV-HAP. However, pneumonia monitoring is complex due to the clinical criteria's subjective, imprecise, inconsistently recorded, and labor-intensive nature. Non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia must be monitored and standardized, which demands cutting-edge technologies and the deployment of advanced sensors. In the framework of this research, initially, a wireless body area networks (WBANs) architecture has built by making use of wearable biosensors, and then real-time sensor data were uploaded to a cloud platform. Researchers have devised a wireless sensor network (WSN) to track volatile organic compounds (VOC) and other atmospheric characteristics in real time to curb the spread of NV-HAP. The ESP32 Internet of Things (IoT) and Raspberry Pi 4B graphical processing unit platforms host the finalized WBAN and WSN network. To reduce the mortality rate of NV-HAP, this research aims to investigate clinics' and hospitals' indoor and outdoor air quality. The developed biosensor-assisted IoT enabled framework is used in hospitals to keep tabs on the conditions of individual patient rooms, treatment areas, and critical care units in real time. The research found the suggested technique achieves better results than existing state-of-the-art methods regarding computing cost, communication overhead, storage cost, and energy utilization.
Augmented reality hologram combined with pre-bent distractor enhanced the accuracy of distraction vector transfer in maxillary distraction osteogenesis, a study based on 3D printed phantoms
Authors: Yuan Zongyi , He Shixi , Jiang Tianhua , Xie Qingtiao , Zhou Nuo , Huang Xuanping
Published: November 2022

Background

Vector control is a significant concern in maxillary distraction osteogenesis (DO). Distraction vector planning on the patient's 3D-printed skull phantom is more intuitive for surgeons and cost-efficient than virtual surgical planning. However, the accuracy of transferring the planned vector to intraoperative (vector transfer) according to the shape of the pre-bent footplate alone is relatively limited. The application of augmented reality (AR) in surgical navigation has been studied for years. However, few studies have focused on its role in maxillary DO vector transfer. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of AR surgical navigation combined with the pre-bent distractor in vector transfer by comparing it with the pre-bent distractor alone.

Methods

Ten patients with maxillary hypoplasia were enrolled with consent, and three identical 3D-printed skull phantoms were manufactured based on per patient's corresponding pre-operative CT data. Among these, one phantom was for pre-operative planning (n = 10), while and the other two were for the AR+Pre-bending group (n = 10) and the Pre-bending group (n = 10) for the experimental surgery, respectively. In the Pre-bending group, the distraction vector was solely determined by matching the shape of footplates and maxillary surface. In the AR+Pre-bending group, the distractors were first confirmed to have no deformation. Then AR surgical navigation was applied to check and adjust the vector in addition to the steps as in the Pre-bending Group.

Results

For the angular deviation of the distraction vector, the AR+Pre-bending group was significantly smaller than the Pre-bending group in spatial (p < 0.001), x-y plane (p = 0.002), and y-z plane (p < 0.001), and there were no significant differences in the x-z plane (p = 0.221). The AR+Pre-bending group was more accurate in deviations of the Euclidean distance (p = 0.004) and the y-axis (p = 0.011). In addition, the AR+Pre-bending group was more accurate for the distraction result.

Conclusions

In this study based on 3D printed skull phantoms, the AR surgical navigation combined with the pre-bent distractor enhanced the accuracy of vector transfer in maxillary DO, compared with the pre-bending technique alone.
Construction of a predictive model of abdominal lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and preliminary analysis of its effect on target for postoperative radiotherapy
Authors: Gao Hong-Mei , Zhang Xue-Yuan , Shen Wen-Bin , Xu Jin-Rui , Li You-Mei , Li Shu-Guang , Zhu Shu-Chai
Published: November 2022

Purpose

To investigate the influencing factors of abdominal lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC), and to construct its predictive model, in order to analyze the targets for postoperative radiotherapy.

Methods and materials

From January 2008 to December 2014, the clinicopathological data of 479 patients who underwent radical resection for esophageal cancer in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The influencing factors of postoperative abdominal lymph node metastasis were analyzed, and a predictive model was constructed based on their independent influencing factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to analyze the predictive value of this model; in the meantime, the postoperative locoregional recurrence (LRR) of this group was analyzed.

Results

The postoperative pathology of all patients showed that the lymph node metastasis rate (LNR) was 39.7%, of which the abdominal lymph node metastasis rate was 22.0%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the patient's lesion location, pN stage, vascular invasion, LND and mediastinal lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors for the positive rate of abdominal lymph nodes after surgery (P = 0.000, 0.000, 0.033, 0.000, 0.000). The probability of abdominal lymph node metastasis was Y = ex/(1 + ex), and X = −5.502 + 1.569 × lesion location + 4.269 × pN stage + 1.890 × vascular invasion + 1.950 × LND-4.248 × mediastinal lymph node metastasis. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of this model in predicting abdominal lymph node metastasis was 0.962 (95% CI, 0.946–0.977). This mathematical model had a high predictive value for the occurrence of abdominal lymph node metastasis (P = 0.000), and the sensitivity and specificity of prediction were 94.6% and 88.3% respectively. The overall survival rate was significantly higher (X2 = 29.178, P = 0.000), while abdominal lymph node recurrence rate was lower in patients with negative abdominal lymph nodes than in those with negative lymph nodes (1.4%&7.7%, X2 = 12.254, P = 0.000).

Conclusion

The lesion location, pN stage, vascular invasion, LND and mediastinal lymph node metastasis are independent influencing factors of abdominal lymph node metastasis in patients with TESCC. The mathematical model constructed by these indicators can accurately predict abdominal lymph node metastasis, which can help clinicians to choose the targets for postoperative radiotherapy.
A New Insight on Carcass and Meat Quality in Ruminants
Authors: Ripoll Guillermo , Panea Begoña
Published: November 2022

Ruminant production systems are very important in many areas of the world and a key aspect of the economy and culture [...]
Novel Bidirectional Isolated DC/DC Converter with High Gain Ratio and Wide Input Voltage for Electric Vehicle Storage Systems
Authors: Wu Yu-En , Tai Chen-Han
Published: November 2022

This study proposes a novel bidirectional isolated DC/DC converter with a high gain ratio and wide input voltage for electric vehicle (EV) storage systems. The DC bus of an EV can be used to charge its battery, and the battery pack can discharge energy to the DC bus through the bidirectional converter when the DC bus lacks power. The input voltage range of the proposed converter is 24 to 58 V on the low-voltage side, which meets the voltage specifications of most servers and batteries on the market. The proposed topology is verified through design, simulation, and implementation, and voltage gain, voltage stress, and current stress are investigated. The control bidirectional converter is simple. Only one set of complementary signals is required for step-up and step-down modes, which greatly reduces costs. The converter also features a continuous current at the low-voltage side, a leakage inductance function for energy recovery, and zero-voltage switching (ZVS) on certain switches, which can prevent voltage spikes on the switches and increase the efficiency of the proposed converter. A bidirectional converter with a total power of 1 kW is used to verify the topology’s feasibility and practicability. The power at the low-voltage side was 24–58 V, and the maximum efficiency in step-up mode was 94.5%, 96.5%, and 94.8%, respectively; the maximum efficiency in step-down mode was 94.4%, 95.4%, and 93.7%, respectively.
Lung Cancer Risk Prediction with Machine Learning Models
Authors: Dritsas Elias , Trigka Maria
Published: November 2022

The lungs are the center of breath control and ensure that every cell in the body receives oxygen. At the same time, they filter the air to prevent the entry of useless substances and germs into the body. The human body has specially designed defence mechanisms that protect the lungs. However, they are not enough to completely eliminate the risk of various diseases that affect the lungs. Infections, inflammation or even more serious complications, such as the growth of a cancerous tumor, can affect the lungs. In this work, we used machine learning (ML) methods to build efficient models for identifying high-risk individuals for incurring lung cancer and, thus, making earlier interventions to avoid long-term complications. The suggestion of this article is the Rotation Forest that achieves high performance and is evaluated by well-known metrics, such as precision, recall, F-Measure, accuracy and area under the curve (AUC). More specifically, the evaluation of the experiments showed that the proposed model prevailed with an AUC of 99.3%, F-Measure, precision, recall and accuracy of 97.1%.
The Existing Recovery Approaches of the Huangjiu Lees and the Future Prospects: A Mini Review
Authors: Zhang Rongbin , Liu Yizhou , Liu Shuangping , Mao Jian
Published: November 2022

Huangjiu lees (HL) is a byproduct in Chinese Huangjiu production with various nutrient and biological functional components. Without efficient treatment, it could cause environmental issues and bioresource wasting. Existing dominant recovery approaches focus on large-scale disposal, but they ignore the application of high-value components. This study discusses the advantages and limitations of existing resourcing approaches, such as feed, food and biogas biological production, considering the efficiency and value of HL resourcing. The extraction of functional components as a suggestion for HL cascade utilization is pointed out. This study is expected to promote the application of HL resourcing.
The Impact of Antipsychotic Treatment on Neurological Soft Signs in Patients with Predominantly Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Authors: Petrescu Cristian , Papacocea Ioana R. , Vilciu Crisanda , Mihalache Oana A. , Vlad Diana M. , Marian Gabriela , Focseneanu Brindusa E. , Sima Cristian T. , Ciobanu Constantin A. , Riga Sorin , Ciobanu Adela M.
Published: November 2022

Schizophrenia is a complex and incompletely elucidated pathology that affects sensorimotor function and also produces numerous therapeutic challenges. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to identify the profile of neurological soft signs (NSS) in patients with predominantly negative symptoms of schizophrenia (PNS) compared with patients with schizophrenia who do not present a predominance of negative symptoms (NPNS) and also to objectify the impact of treatment on the neurological function of these patients. Ninety-nine (n = 99; 56 females and 43 males) patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-V were included; these patients were undergoing antipsychotic (4 typical antipsychotics, 86 atypical antipsychotics, and 9 combinations of two atypical antipsychotics) or anticholinergic treatment (24 out of 99) at the time of evaluation, and the PANSS was used to identify the patients with predominantly negative symptoms (n = 39), the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) was used for the evaluation of neurological soft signs (NSS), and the SAS was used for the objectification of the extrapyramidal side effects induced by the neuroleptic treatment, which was converted to chlorpromazine equivalents (CPZE). The study’s main finding was that, although the daily dose of CPZE did not represent a statistically significant variable, in terms of neurological soft signs, patients with PNS had higher rates of NSS.
Trait-Related Impulsivity, Affective Temperaments and Mood Disorders: Results from a Real-World Multicentric Study
Authors: Luciano Mario , Sampogna Gaia , Mancuso Emiliana , Simonetti Alessio , De Fazio Pasquale , Di Nicola Marco , Di Lorenzo Giorgio , Pepe Maria , Sambataro Fabio , Signorelli Maria Salvina , Koukopoulos Alexia Emilia , Delle Chiaie Roberto , Sani Gabriele , Fiorillo Andrea
Published: November 2022

Trait-related impulsiveness is highly prevalent in patients with mood disorders, being associated with negative outcomes. The predictive role of affective temperaments on trait-related impulsivity is still understudied. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and affective temperaments in a sample of euthymic patients with mood disorders. This is a real-world multicentric observational study, carried out at the outpatient units of seven university sites in Italy. All patients filled in the short version of Munster Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. The study sample included 653 participants, mainly female (58.2%), with a mean age of 46.9 (±14.1). Regression analyses showed that higher levels of trait-related impulsivity were associated to suicide attempts (p < 0.000), the presence of psychotic symptoms during acute phases (p < 0.05), a seasonal pattern (p < 0.05), a lower age at onset of the disorder (p < 0.05), cyclothymic (p < 0.01) and irritable temperaments (p < 0.01). The results of our study highlight the importance to screen patients with mood disorders for impulsivity and affective temperaments in order to identify patients who are more likely to present a worse outcome and to develop personalized and integrated early pharmacological and psychosocial treatment plans. Novelties of the present paper include the recruitment of patients in a stable phase, which reduced possible bias in patients’ self-reports, and the multicentric nature of the study, resulting in the recruitment of a large sample of patients with mood disorders, geographically distributed across Italy, thus improving the generalizability of study results.
Recent Trends and Advancements in the Diagnosis and Management of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Haque Emaan , Esmail Abdullah , Muhsen Ibrahim , Salah Haneen , Abdelrahim Maen
Published: November 2022

Gastric cancer is an enigmatic malignancy that has recently been shown to be increasing in incidence globally. There has been recent progress in emerging technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Improvements in non-invasive diagnostic techniques with serological tests and biomarkers have led to decreased use of invasive procedures such as endoscopy. A multidisciplinary approach is used to treat gastric cancer, with recent significant advancements in systemic therapies used in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapies. New therapeutic targets have been identified and clinical trials are taking place to assess their efficacy and safety. In this review, we provide an overview of the current and emerging treatment strategies and diagnostic techniques for gastric cancer.