bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A case of migration of fractured tracheostomy tube—a case presentation
Authors: Singhal Gaurang , Kumar Pallika , Goel Sachin , Goit Sanjeet , Pathak Anjali
Published: February 2022

Background

Tracheostomy is widely used for securing the airway; however, complications do occur. One such rare complication is a fracture of the tracheostomy tube which presents as a foreign body of the tracheobronchial tree.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 7-year-old child who presented with mild respiratory distress following fracture and migration of non-metallic tracheostomy tube in the airway. Successful removal was done via rigid bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia.

Conclusion

Careful inspection of the tracheostomy tube before placing and appropriate tracheostomy care is the cornerstone to prevent such rare complications associated with a tracheostomy.
Polyethylene terephthalate nanoparticles effect on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells
Authors: Aguilar-Guzmán J. Cristóbal , Bejtka Katarzyna , Fontana Marco , Valsami-Jones Eugenia , Villezcas Anaid Meza , Vazquez-Duhalt Rafael , Rodríguez-Hernández Ana G.
Published: February 2022

Plastic pollution is a major environmental concern due to its pervasiveness which continues to increase year on year, as a result of a continuing acceleration in global plastic production and use. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is among the most produced plastics, commonly used as food and beverage containers. Once released in the environment, the degradation of plastic materials produces micro-and nano-plastics, with a particular concern about potential toxicological effects if they cross epithelial barriers via inhalation or ingestion. In this work, the effect of PET nanoparticles (PET-NPs) (≤ 250 d.nm) was assayed on mouse macrophages cell line (RAW 264.7) in in vitro experiments. Results showed that PET nanoparticles were easily internalized by the cells, 15 μg/mL of nanoparticles concentration had exhibited effects in cell proliferation and a slightly increased production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which seems to trigger cell response as foreign particles related to upregulation of PCDH12, IGH-V10, ROBO1 genes, and cell maintenance functions, related to FTSJ2 gene upregulation. Thus, the RAW 264.7 results showed here are useful towards for a preliminary and understanding of the potentially toxic effects related to PET nanoparticles and complementary to other in vitro assays, as the first step into the development of the risk assessment framework.
Morpho-functional comparison of differentiation protocols to create iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes
Authors: Nijak Aleksandra , Simons Eline , Vandendriessche Bert , Van de Sande Dieter , Fransen Erik , Sieliwończyk Ewa , Van Gucht Ilse , Van Craenenbroeck Emeline , Saenen Johan , Heidbuchel Hein , Ponsaerts Peter , Labro Alain J. , Snyders Dirk , De Vos Winnok , Schepers Dorien , Alaerts Maaike , Loeys Bart L.
Published: February 2022

Cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CMs) offer an attractive platform for cardiovascular research. Patient-specific iPSC-CMs are very useful for studying disease development, and bear potential for disease diagnostics, prognosis evaluation and development of personalized treatment. Several monolayer-based serum-free protocols have been described for the differentiation of iPSCs into cardiomyocytes, but data on their performance are scarce. In this study, we evaluated two protocols that are based on temporal modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway for iPSC-CM differentiation from four iPSC lines, including two control individuals and two patients carrying an SCN5A mutation. The SCN5A gene encodes the cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav1.5) and loss-of-function mutations can cause the cardiac arrhythmia Brugada syndrome. We performed molecular characterization of the obtained iPSC-CMs by immunostaining for cardiac specific markers and by expression analysis of selected cardiac structural and ionic channel protein-encoding genes with qPCR. We also investigated cell growth morphology, contractility and survival of the iPSC-CMs after dissociation. Finally, we performed electrophysiological characterization of the cells, focusing on the action potential (AP) and calcium transient (CT) characteristics using patch-clamping and optical imaging, respectively. Based on our comprehensive morpho-functional analysis, we concluded that both tested protocols result in a high percentage of contracting CMs. Moreover, they showed acceptable survival and cell quality after dissociation (>50% of cells with a smooth cell membrane, possible to seal during patch-clamping). Both protocols generated cells presenting with typical iPSC-CM AP and CT characteristics, although one protocol (that involves sequential addition of CHIR99021 and Wnt-C59) rendered iPSC-CMs, which were more accessible for patch-clamp and calcium transient experiments and showed an expression pattern of cardiac-specific markers more similar to this observed in human heart left ventricle samples.
Reprogramming cellular identity in vivo
Authors: Leaman Sydney , Marichal Nicolás , Berninger Benedikt
Published: February 2022

Cellular identity is established through complex layers of genetic regulation, forged over a developmental lifetime. An expanding molecular toolbox is allowing us to manipulate these gene regulatory networks in specific cell types in vivo. In principle, if we found the right molecular tricks, we could rewrite cell identity and harness the rich repertoire of possible cellular functions and attributes. Recent work suggests that this rewriting of cell identity is not only possible, but that newly induced cells can mitigate disease phenotypes in animal models of major human diseases. So, is the sky the limit, or do we need to keep our feet on the ground? This Spotlight synthesises key concepts emerging from recent efforts to reprogramme cellular identity in vivo. We provide our perspectives on recent controversies in the field of glia-to-neuron reprogramming and identify important gaps in our understanding that present barriers to progress.
Assessment of anterior thigh muscle size and fat infiltration using single-slice CT imaging versus automated MRI analysis in adults
Authors: Niklasson Erik , Borga Magnus , Dahlqvist Leinhard Olof , Widholm Per , Andersson Daniel P , Wiik Anna , Holmberg Mats , Brismar Torkel B , Gustafsson Thomas , Lundberg Tommy R
Published: February 2022

Objectives:

We examined the longitudinal and cross-sectional relationship between automated MRI-analysis and single-slice axial CT imaging for determining muscle size and muscle fat infiltration (MFI) of the anterior thigh.

Methods:

Twenty-two patients completing sex-hormone treatment expected to result in muscle hypertrophy (n = 12) and atrophy (n = 10) underwent MRI scans using 2-point Dixon fat/water-separated sequences and CT scans using a system operating at 120 kV and a fixed flux of 100 mA. At baseline and 12 months after, automated volumetric MRI analysis of the anterior thigh was performed bilaterally, and fat-free muscle volume and MFI were computed. In addition, cross-sectional area (CSA) and radiological attenuation (RA) (as a marker of fat infiltration) were calculated from single slice axial CT-images using threshold-assisted planimetry. Linear regression models were used to convert units.

Results:

There was a strong correlation between MRI-derived fat-free muscle volume and CT-derived CSA (R = 0.91), and between MRI-derived MFI and CT-derived RA (R = −0.81). The 95% limits of agreement were ±0.32 L for muscle volume and ±1.3% units for %MFI. The longitudinal change in muscle size and MFI was comparable across imaging modalities.

Conclusions:

Both automated MRI and single-slice CT-imaging can be used to reliably quantify anterior thigh muscle size and MFI.

Advances in knowledge:

This is the first study examining the intermodal agreement between automated MRI analysis and CT-image assessment of muscle size and MFI in the anterior thigh muscles. Our results support that both CT- and MRI-derived measures of muscle size and MFI can be used in clinical settings.
Mammographic breast density and breast cancer risk in the Saudi population: a case–control study using visual and automated methods
Authors: Aloufi Areej S , AlNaeem Abdulrahman N , Almousa Abeer S , Hashem Amani M , Malik Mehreen A , Altahan Fatina M , Elsharkawi Mahmoud M , Almasar Khalid A , ElMahdy Manal H , Squires Steven E , Alzimami Khalid S , Harkness Elaine F , Astley Susan M
Published: February 2022

Objective

This study aims to establish risk of breast cancer based on breast density among Saudi women and to compare cancer prediction using different breast density methods.

Methods

1140 pseudonymised screening mammograms from Saudi females were retrospectively collected. Breast density was assessed using Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density categories and visual analogue scale (VAS) of 285 cases and 855 controls matched on age and body mass index. In a subset of 160 cases and 480 controls density was estimated by two automated methods, Volpara Density™ and predicted VAS (pVAS). Odds ratios (ORs) between the highest and second categories in BI-RADS and Volpara density grades, and highest vs lowest quartiles in VAS, pVAS and Volpara Density™, were estimated using conditional logistic regression.

Results:

For BI-RADS, the OR was 6.69 (95% CI 2.79–16.06) in the highest vs second category and OR = 4.78 (95% CI 3.01–7.58) in the highest vs lowest quartile for VAS. In the subset, VAS was the strongest predictor OR = 7.54 (95% CI 3.86–14.74), followed by pVAS using raw images OR = 5.38 (95% CI 2.68–10.77) and Volpara Density ™ OR = 3.55, (95% CI 1.86–6.75) for highest vs lowest quartiles. The matched concordance index for VAS was 0.70 (95% CI 0.65–0.75) demonstrating better discrimination between cases and controls than all other methods.

Conclusion

Increased mammographic density was strongly associated with risk of breast cancer among Saudi women. Radiologists’ visual assessment of breast density is superior to automated methods. However, pVAS and Volpara Density ™ also significantly predicted breast cancer risk based on breast density.

Advances in knowledge

Our study established an association between breast density and breast cancer in a Saudi population and compared the performance of automated methods. This provides a stepping-stone towards personalised screening using automated breast density methods.
Reflecting upon the Greek state-school teacher’s changing role in the 21st century: an ‘ecosystemic’ approach
Authors: Tzotzou Maria , Poulou Maria , Karalis Thanassis , Ifanti Amalia
Published: February 2022

AbstractIn the 21st-century globalized context, education systems world-wide are challenged to respond to increasingly rapid and often unpredictable demands of the globalized society in an interdependent way towards achieving common education goals on a transnational level. In this globalized space, the Greek state-school teacher’s role evolves and changes towards thinking and acting both locally and globally, as an active participant of the global ‘ecosystem’. The purpose of this article is to reflect upon the Greek state-school teacher’s changing role in the 21st century taking into consideration the global educational context in conjunction with the changing state-school context in Greece as well as the characteristics, challenges and changes of the teacher’s role internationally identified, both conceptual and practical, through an ‘ecosystemic’ approach.
Identification of potential biological targets of oxindole scaffolds via in silico repositioning strategies
Authors: Tinivella Annachiara , Pinzi Luca , Gambacorta Guido , Baxendale Ian , Rastelli Giulio
Published: February 2022

Background: Drug repurposing is an alternative strategy to traditional drug discovery that aims at predicting new uses for already existing drugs or clinical candidates. Drug repurposing has many advantages over traditional drug development, such as reduced attrition rates, time and costs. This is especially the case considering that most drugs investigated for repurposing have already been assessed for their safety in clinical trials. Repurposing campaigns can also be designed for libraries of already synthesized molecules at different levels of biological experimentation, from null to in vitro and in vivo. Such an extension of the “repurposing” concept is expected to provide significant advantages for the identification of novel drugs, as the synthetic accessibility of the desired compounds is often one of the limiting factors in the traditional drug discovery pipeline.

Methods: In this work, we performed a computational repurposing campaign on a library of previously synthesized oxindole-based compounds, in order to identify potential new targets for this versatile scaffold. To this aim, ligand-based approaches were firstly applied to evaluate the similarity degree of the investigated compound library, with respect to ligands extracted from the DrugBank, Protein Data Bank (PDB) and ChEMBL databases. In particular, the 2D fingerprint-based and 3D shape-based similarity profiles were evaluated and compared for the oxindole derivates.

Results: The analyses predicted a set of potential candidate targets for repurposing, some of them emerging by consensus of different computational analyses. One of the identified targets, i.e., the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) kinase, was further investigated by means of docking calculations, followed by biological testing of one candidate.

Conclusions: While the compound did not show potent inhibitory activity towards VEGFR-2, the study highlighted several other possibilities of therapeutically relevant targets that may be worth of consideration for drug repurposing.
The knowledge, attitude and practice level of dental auxiliaries regarding oral health care for pregnant patients in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alibrahim Daneah , El. Mahalli Azza
Published: February 2022

Background: The purpose of this research was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental auxiliaries related to oral health care for pregnant patients in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire survey was conducted. The knowledge, attitude, and practice were rated using the Likert scale out of 5. Knowledge and practice were categorized using Bloom’s cut off point methods (≥80% is good, and <80% is bad). Concerning attitude, (≥80% is positive, and <80% is negative). The questionnaires were sent to all dental hygienists and assistants (N=358), and responses were collected from 218. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was utilixed to conduct statistical analysis.

Results: Out of the 358, 218 responded (response rate = 61%). More than half of the respondents showed relatively good knowledge (57.3%). Most respondents had a positive attitude (89.4%). Regarding practice, approximately two-thirds had a good practice (67.4%). The knowledge score of hygienists was significantly higher than dental assistants, and respondents with experience in treating pregnant patients had significantly higher knowledge scores than others who did not have experience in treating pregnant patients. There is a statistically significant positive correlation between practice scores and education.

Conclusions: The findings suggest the need to establish continuous education programs and for dental hygienists and dental assistants to adopt the best practice guidelines on perinatal oral health.
The effect of a siamese pumpkin and tuna-based powder (CHAGURO) diet in improving chol/HDL ratios in prediabetes individuals with dyslipidemia: a randomised trial
Authors: Sudargo Toto , Prameswari Atika Anif , Aulia Bianda , Aristasari Tira , Ratri Fitria Aninda , Muslichah Rahadyana , Putri Sheila Rosmala
Published: February 2022

Background: The study aimed to examine the effect of administering CHAGURO (a product of the combination of siamese pumpkin and tuna-based powder) on the lipid profile in prediabetes individuals with dyslipidemia.

Methods: The experimental trial was conducted with two intervention groups, with each group receiving a dose of 7.5g/70kg body weight (BW)/day (low dose) and 15g/70kg BW/day (high dose) for 60 days. Respondents were randomized into intervention groups using simple randomization. Before and after the intervention, pre-test and post-test examinations were performed, factors examined included hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), lipid profile, blood pressure, food intake with the SQ-FFQ (Semi Quantitative-Food Frequency Questionnaire) interview, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity using International Physical Activity Questionnaires-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). During the intervention, blood pressure and BMI data were taken before and after the study. Statistical analysis included descriptive tests, independent and paired T-tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results: Compared to the baseline, HbA1c, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides in the two groups did not improve significantly by 60 days. For lipid variables, a significant improvement in the cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (chol/HDL) ratios were observed when compared against the baseline for the two groups. When comparing the changes between groups, 7.5 g of CHAGURO showed a larger improvement in HDL-C (mean differences: 1.86 mg/dL; 95% CI: -0.86-4.59), compared to 15 g of CHAGURO (mean differences: -3.62 mg/dL; 95% CI: -7.53-0.28). A significant (p<0.05) decrease in the chol/HDL ratio was observed in the 7.5 g CHAGURO group (mean differences: -0.20 mg/dL; 95% CI: -0.39-(-0.01)).

Conclusions: CHAGURO can be a functional food alternative to improve the condition of prediabetes people with dyslipidemia.

Trial registration: Dr. Sardjito General Hospital (KE/FK/0951/EC/2020), 27/08/2020
Can behavioural change interventions improve self-efficacy and exercise adherence among people with Parkinson’s? A systematic review protocol
Authors: Ahern Leanne , Timmons Prof Suzanne , Lamb Prof Sarah E , McCullagh Dr Ruth
Published: February 2022

Context: People with Parkinson’s (PwP) have a higher tendency to engage in sedentary lifestyle behaviours and have lower physical activity levels compared to their healthy peers. Previous research has indicated that personal factors including poor outcome expectation and low self-efficacy are stronger predictors of exercise adherence than disease severity. Objectives: The purpose of this review is to synthesize the best available evidence on interventions that encompass self-management strategies to overcome barriers to exercise and improve self-efficacy and exercise adherence among PwP. Methods: The following databases will be searched using a comprehensive search strategy: EBSCO, Medline, Cinhal, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library from database inception to 2020. The title, abstract and full-text screening will be conducted by two independent reviewers. The Joanne Briggs Institute Checklist will be used to assess the quality of each included study. The quality of evidence will be reviewed using the GRADE criteria. Data will be extracted by two independent reviewers. The outcomes of interest will be self-efficacy outcomes and measures of exercise adherence. A systematic narrative synthesis will be conducted using a framework analysis, applying the Theoretical Domains Framework and Behaviour Change Wheel, producing findings focusing on practice-orientated outcomes. Presentation of data will include tables and text summarizing the characteristics and findings of the eligible studies. Discussion: The review will synthesize the best available evidence on interventions to enhance self-efficacy, improve quality of life, physical function, and ultimately improve exercise adherence among PwP and provide invaluable information for healthcare professionals. The findings of this review will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conference proceedings. This review will make recommendations for appropriate self-management strategies for maximum effect and may have implications for policy and practice regarding enhancing self-efficacy and long-term exercise adherence among PwP.
Aruanne Petserimaa poliitilise ja sotsiaalse olukorra kohta 1927. aastal
Authors: Koor Ott
Published: February 2022

The issue of Petseri County is still an important element of national continuity. The Tartu Peace Treaty transferred the rural municipalities of the Petseri region, which had previously belonged to the Governorate of Pskov, to the administration of the Republic of Estonia. This severed relations with eastern regions from the period of the Russian Empire. This detour brought rapid impoverishment in some communities, giving rise to a series of social problems in the region such as unemployment, alcoholism, etc. That is why anti-state sentiments emerged in the interwar period, primarily in the eastern part of Petseri County, which was populated mainly by Russian citizens whose interests were more closely linked to Russia’s interior regions. Pro-Soviet political forces exploited such sentiments.

The published report is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs archival collection (National Archives, RA, ERA.14.1.1395). It was drawn up in 1927 by Assistant Commissioner of the Political Police Nikolai Nuder at the request of Minister of Internal Affairs Jaan Hünerson. The reason for writing the report was the government’s aim to re-establish the position of Petseri County Commander, which had existed in the first years of independence, in order to supervise local institutions and to bind Petseri more closely with the Estonian state. S. Sommer’s comment on the report has been identified at the end of the publication. The value of the source lies in its relatively wide-ranging problematics, reflecting a clash of political and social, national and community interests in the region. In addition to the problems described, the report proposes possible solutions, yet without presenting more specific action plans. The document’s focus is on the eastern regions of Petseri County in particular, demonstrating the region’s weaker coherence with other Estonian territories. In addition to political and social aspects, the source also draws attention to man and the changing environment around him. In this case, rapid population growth and the paludification of areas along Lake Pskov led to a decrease in people’s living space in the region.
Labirynt tożsamości. Czeczeńska lezginka w perspektywie antropologii tańca
Authors: Brzeziński Daniel
Published: February 2022

Celem pracy jest antropologiczna analiza wybranej formy tradycyjnego tańca czeczeńskiego, lezginki. Autor stawia tezę o istotnej roli tego fenomenu kultury w międzypokoleniowym przekazie kulturowym w społeczności Czeczenów (inaczej Wajnachów) oraz obecnych w tańcu, dających się obserwować uniwersaliach charakterystycznych dla ich zbiorowej tożsamości. W toku wywodu powołuje się na prace antropologów amerykańskich i polskich, wykorzystując do opisu pojęcia takie jak wiedza ucieleśniona, kontekst oraz uniwersalia kulturowe. Podejmuje analizę poszczególnych elementów tańca, w tym spiralę jako formę organizującą ruch tancerzy, a także relacje tancerz-tancerka oraz tancerz-widownia. Każdy z elementów opatruje komentarzem kulturowym. Ważnym punktem odniesienia jest kategoria labiryntu. Autor przywołuje badania potwierdzające związek lezginki ze starogreckim mitem o Tezeuszu i labiryntem jako bogatym semantycznie tropem interpretacji czeczeńskiego chełchar (tańca). W końcowej części pracy zawarty jest wniosek o ograniczeniach, jakim podlega antropologiczna analiza form tanecznych.
Czesko-polskie pieśni pielgrzymkowe w drukach kramarskich z XVIII i XIX w.
Authors: Szturcová Monika
Published: February 2022

W artykule przedstawiono analizę pieśni pielgrzymkowych funkcjonujących równolegle w języku polskim i czeskim. Na tym przykładzie zaprezentowano perspektywy prowadzenia badań nad czesko-polskimi kontaktami w zakresie literatury kramarskiej w XVIII i XIX w. oraz sformułowano ogólną koncepcję badawczą dotyczącą transferów kulturowych na pograniczu czesko-polskim.
The Real Response to Uncertainty Shocks: The Risk Premium Channel
Authors: Bretscher Lorenzo , Hsu Alex , Tamoni Andrea
Published: February 2022

Uncertainty shocks are also risk premium shocks. With countercyclical risk aversion (RA), a positive shock to uncertainty increases risk and elevates RA as consumption growth falls. The combination of high RA and high uncertainty produces significant equity risk premia in bad times, which in turn, exacerbate the decline of macroeconomic aggregates and equity prices. Moreover, in the cross-section of equity returns, investors demand a risk premium for stocks that perform poorly in times of high uncertainty and elevated risk aversion. In a model with endogenously time-varying RA, uncertainty shocks lead to large falls in investment and equity prices that closely match state-dependent data responses.

This paper was accepted by Tomasz Piskorski, finance.

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4335 .
Scalable Reinforcement Learning for Multiagent Networked Systems
Authors: Qu Guannan , Wierman Adam , Li Na
Published: February 2022

Highlighted by success stories like AlphaGo, reinforcement learning (RL) has emerged as a powerful tool for decision making in complex environments. However, the success of RL has thus far been limited to small-scale or single-agent systems. To apply RL to large-scale networked systems such as energy, transportation, and communication networks, a critical hurdle is the curse of dimensionality, because for these systems, the state and action space can be exponentially large in the number of nodes in the network. This article attempts to break this curse of dimensionality and designs a scalable RL method, named scalable actor critic (SAC), for large networked systems. The key technical contribution is to exploit the network structure to derive an exponential decay property, which enables the design of the SAC approach.
Olecranon fractures: applied anatomy, clinical assessment and evidence-based management
Authors: Karthikappallil Dileep , Cash Thomas , Fischer Jochen , Waseem Mohammad
Published: February 2022

Olecranon fractures are common injuries, making up 10% of all fractures of the upper limb. They usually result from a fall from standing height in older people, or from a direct blow in young people. The olecranon's superficial location, with poor soft tissue and muscle protection, make it liable to fracture following direct impact.

Factors such as the degree of initial force and the quality of the patient's bone result in a range of injury patterns, from simple undisplaced fractures to complex open fracture dislocations. In the context of high energy trauma, the patient should first be assessed for life-threatening injuries. A thorough history and clinical examination including neurovascular assessment should then be completed. Antero-posterior and lateral X-rays are sufficient to confirm the diagnosis. Initial management includes immobilisation in an above elbow backslab, a sling and analgesia.

Owing to the pull of the triceps muscle which attaches to the tip of the olecranon, fracture displacement is common and surgical intervention is often required, usually with good outcomes. Surgical techniques include tension band wiring, open reduction internal fixation with a pre-contoured locking plate and tension band suture fixation. Undisplaced fractures or displaced fractures in older patients can be managed conservatively with an above elbow cast for 4 weeks. This article covers applied anatomy, initial presentation, clinical assessment and evidence-based management.
Linear systems of Diophantine equations
Authors: Szechtman Fernando
Published: February 2022

Given free modules $M\subseteq L$ of finite rank $f\geq 1$ over a principal ideal domain $R$, we give a procedure to construct a basis of $L$ from a basis of $M$ assuming the invariant factors or elementary divisors of $L/M$ are known. Given a matrix $A\in M_{m,n}(R)$ of rank $r$, its nullspace $L$ in $R^n$ is a free $R$-module of rank $f=n-r$. We construct a free submodule $M$ of $L$ of rank $f$ naturally associated with $A$ and whose basis is easily computable, we determine the invariant factors of the quotient module $L/M$ and then indicate how to apply the previous procedure to build a basis of $L$ from one of $M$.
AMR-CNN: Abstract Meaning Representation with Convolution Neural Network for Toxic Content Detection
Authors: Elbasani Ermal , Kim Jeong-Dong
Published: February 2022

Recognizing the offensive, abusive, and profanity of multimedia content on the web has been a challenge to keep the web environment for user’s freedom of speech. As profanity filtering function has been developed and applied in text, audio, and video context in platforms such as social media, entertainment, and education, the number of methods to trick the web-based application also has been increased and became a new issue to be solved. Compared to commonly developed toxic content detection systems that use lexicon and keyword-based detection, this work tries to embrace a different approach by the meaning of the sentence. Meaning representation is a way to grasp the meaning of linguistic input. This work proposed a data-driven approach utilizing Abstract meaning Representation to extract the meaning of the online text content into a convolutional neural network to detect level profanity. This work implements the proposed model in two kinds of datasets from the Offensive Language Identification Dataset and other datasets from the Offensive Hate dataset merged with the Twitter Sentiment Analysis dataset. The results indicate that the proposed model performs effectively, and can achieve a satisfactory accuracy in recognizing the level of online text content toxicity.
Clinician preferences in the treatment of acutely symptomatic hernia: the ‘MASH’ survey
Authors: O’Connor OM , Burns FA , Proctor VK , Green SK , Sayers AE , Smart NJ , Lee MJ
Published: February 2022

Introduction

There is limited high-quality evidence to guide the management of acute hernia presentation. The aim of this study was to survey surgeons to assess current trends in assessment, treatment strategy and operative decisions in the management of acutely symptomatic hernia.

Methods

A survey was developed with reference to current guidelines, and reported according to Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys guidelines. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Sheffield (UREC:034047). The survey explored practice in groin, umbilical/paraumbilical and incisional hernia presenting acutely. It captured respondent demographics, and preferences for investigations, treatment strategies and repair techniques for each hernia type, using a five-point Likert scale.

Results

Some 145 responses were received, of which 39 declared a specialist hernia practice. Essential investigations included urea and electrolytes (58.6%) and inflammatory markers (55.6%). Computed tomography scan of the abdomen was essential for assessment of incisional hernia (90.9%), but not for other hernia types. Bowel compromise drives early surgery, and increasing American Society of Anesthesiology score pushes towards non-operative management. Type of repair was driven by hernia contents, with increasing contamination associated with increased rates of suture repair. Where mesh was proposed in contaminated settings, biological types were preferred. There was variation in the potential use of laparoscopy for groin hernia.

Conclusions

This survey provides a snapshot of current trends in the management of acutely symptomatic hernia. It demonstrates variation across aspects of assessment and repair technique. Additional data are required to inform practice in these areas.
Management dilemmas of tracheal paraganglioma: a case report and review of literature
Authors: Verma R , Hage N , Gude G
Published: February 2022

Paragangliomas of the trachea are rare neoplasms and can present to the clinician with acute airway problems. These neoplasms sometimes are misdiagnosed by general practitioners as asthmatic exacerbation. We present the case of a 66-year-old woman who presented to us with a history of dyspnoea at rest in the supine position and on exertion and a productive cough. This was diagnosed as bronchial asthma and she was treated with corticosteroid inhalers for four months by her GP. She was subsequently evaluated by computed tomography of the neck and thorax, which revealed an intratracheal enhancing lesion measuring around 11 mm in the lower cervical trachea. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy showed a mass lesion at the level of mid trachea. A low tracheostomy was followed by telescopic examination and the mass was resected using coablation. Histology of the mass was reported as paraganglioma. Difficulties encountered and literature review of various management options are presented in this report.
Study of display white point based on mixed chromatic adaptation
Authors: Zhang Jiaxun , Xu Haisong , Jiang Hao
Published: February 2022

In this study, the settings of the display white points were investigated, which presented the color appearance matched with a neutral surface as observed in the state of mixed chromatic adaptation. A psychophysical experiment was conducted under 20 illumination and viewing conditions via successive binocular color matching. It is discovered that the metameric light sources have generally equivalent effects on the observers’ adaptation states and the resulting white points. The correlated color temperature (CCT) of the illumination and the adapting luminance, both with a significant influence on the mixed chromatic adaptation, exhibit a positive and a negative relation to the white point CCT, respectively. The immersive illumination affects the white point through the adaptation ratio and the baseline illuminant. Finally, the experimental results were verified to be predictable with an amended mixed chromatic adaptation model, which produced a mean chromaticity error of only 0.0027 units of CIE 1976 u′v′.
Design and simulation of a GST-based metasurface with strong and switchable circular dichroism
Authors: Jiang Huan , Peng Kangzhun , Cui Ying , Zhong Jiyou , Zhang Hui , Jiang Yongyuan , Zhao Weiren
Published: February 2022

Circular dichroism (CD) is required in the applications of biological detection, analytical chemistry, etc. Here, we numerically demonstrated large-range switchable CD by controlling the phase change of Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) in a zigzag array. At the amorphous state of GST (a-GST), the strong and dual-waveband CD effects are realized via the selective excitations of electric, magnetic, and toroidal resonances. With the transition from a-GST to crystalline state GST, CD strengths are tailored dynamically in large ranges. In detail, the CD magnitudes change by about 0.93 and the modulation depths exceed 94% at dual wavebands. The strong CD effects and large-range switch capability in the GST-based metasurfaces will boost the development of active chiroptical devices.
Ultra-compact wideband filter with sidelobe suppression based on double modulated grating-assisted microring resonator
Authors: Fang Chuanqi , Shrestha Vivek Raj , Ukaegbu Ikechi Augustine , Ren Guanghui , Pan Shilong , Nakarmi Bikash
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we propose an ultra-compact wideband filter (WBF) with high sidelobe suppression. The filter consists of a single microring resonator incorporated with a proposed new structure of double modulated subwavelength gratings. The double modulated subwavelength gratings are obtained via two different fill factors with the same period. The ultra-compact WBF achieved FSR-free, flat response with a 3 dB bandwidth of 1.0734 THz and a sidelobe suppression of 19.79 dB. In addition, a low insertion loss of <0.6 dB and a low in-band ripple of less than 0.2 dB were obtained. The filter has a compact device footprint of 380 μm2.
Comprehensive BCMA Expression Profiling in Adult Normal Human Brain Suggests a Low Risk of On-target Neurotoxicity in BCMA-targeting Multiple Myeloma Therapy
Authors: Marella Mathieu , Yao Xiang , Carreira Vinicius , Bustamante Marta F. , Clark H. Brent , Jackson Carolyn C. , Zudaire Enrique , Schecter Jordan M. , Glover Tynisha D. , Shenton Jacintha , Cornax Ingrid
Published: February 2022

B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is a target for the treatment of multiple myeloma with cytolytic therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cells or T-cell redirecting antibodies. To better understand the potential for “on-target/off-tumor” toxicity caused by BCMA-targeting cytolytic therapies in the brain, we investigated normal brain BCMA expression. An immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay using the E6D7B commercial monoclonal antibody was applied to 107 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain samples (cerebrum, basal ganglia, cerebellum, brainstem; 63 unique donors). Although immunoreactivity was observed in a small number of neurons in brain regions including the striatum, thalamus, midbrain, and medulla, this immunoreactivity was considered nonspecific and not reflective of BCMA expression because it was distinct from the membranous and Golgi-like pattern seen in positive control samples, was not replicated when a different IHC antibody (D6 clone) was used, and was not corroborated by in situ hybridization data. Analysis of RNA-sequencing data from 478 donors in the GTEx and Allen BrainSpan databases demonstrated low levels of BCMA RNA expression in the striatum of young donors with levels becoming negligible beyond 30 years of age. We concluded that BCMA protein is not present in normal adult human brain, and therefore on-target toxicity in the brain is unlikely.
Learning as filtering: Implications for spike-based plasticity
Authors: Jegminat Jannes , Surace Simone Carlo , Pfister Jean-Pascal
Published: February 2022

Most normative models in computational neuroscience describe the task of learning as the optimisation of a cost function with respect to a set of parameters. However, learning as optimisation fails to account for a time-varying environment during the learning process and the resulting point estimate in parameter space does not account for uncertainty. Here, we frame learning as filtering, i.e., a principled method for including time and parameter uncertainty. We derive the filtering-based learning rule for a spiking neuronal network—the Synaptic Filter—and show its computational and biological relevance. For the computational relevance, we show that filtering improves the weight estimation performance compared to a gradient learning rule with optimal learning rate. The dynamics of the mean of the Synaptic Filter is consistent with spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) while the dynamics of the variance makes novel predictions regarding spike-timing dependent changes of EPSP variability. Moreover, the Synaptic Filter explains experimentally observed negative correlations between homo- and heterosynaptic plasticity.
Attitudes towards and experiences with economic incentives for engagement in HIV care and treatment: Qualitative insights from a randomized trial in Kenya
Authors: Iguna Sarah , Getahun Monica , Lewis-Kulzer Jayne , Odhiambo Gladys , Adhiambo Fridah , Montoya Lina , Petersen Maya L. , Bukusi Elizabeth , Odeny Thomas , Geng Elvin , Camlin Carol S.
Published: February 2022

Growing literature has shown heterogenous effects of conditional cash incentives (CCIs) on HIV care retention. The field lacks insights into reasons why incentives impact various patients in different ways–differences that may be due to variations in psychological and social mechanisms of effect. A deeper understanding of patients’ perceptions and experiences of CCIs for retention may help to clarify these mechanisms. We conducted a qualitative study embedded in the ADAPT-R trial (NCT#02338739), a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) that evaluated economic incentives to support retention in HIV care among persons living with HIV (PLHIV) initiating antiretroviral therapy in Kenya. Participants who attended their scheduled clinic visits received an incentive of approximately $4 each visit. Interviews were conducted between July 2016 and June 2017 with 39 participants to explore attitudes and experiences with economic incentives conditional on care engagement. Analyses revealed that incentives helped PLHIV prioritize care-seeking by alleviating transport barriers and food insecurity: “I decided to forgo [work] and attend clinic […] the voucher relieved me”. Patients who borrowed money for care-seeking reported feeling relieved from the burden of indebtedness to others: “I borrow with confidence that I will pay after my appointment.” Incentives fostered their autonomy, and enabled them to support others: “I used the money to buy some clothes and Pampers for the children.” Participants who were intrinsically motivated to engage in care (“my life depends on the drugs, not the incentive”), and those who mistrusted researchers, reported being less prompted by the incentive itself. For patients not already prioritizing care-seeking, incentives facilitated care engagement through alleviating transport costs, indebtedness and food insecurity, and also supported social role fulfillment. Conditional cash incentives may be an important cue to action to improve progression through the HIV treatment cascade, and contribute to better care retention.
Similarities between bacterial GAD and human GAD65: Implications in gut mediated autoimmune type 1 diabetes
Authors: Bedi Suhana , Richardson Tiffany M. , Jia Baofeng , Saab Hadeel , Brinkman Fiona S. L. , Westley Monica
Published: February 2022

A variety of islet autoantibodies (AAbs) can predict and possibly dictate eventual type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis. Upwards of 75% of those with T1D are positive for AAbs against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65 or GAD), a producer of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in human pancreatic beta cells. Interestingly, bacterial populations within the human gut also express GAD and produce GABA. Evidence suggests that dysbiosis of the microbiome may correlate with T1D pathogenesis and physiology. Therefore, autoimmune linkages between the gut microbiome and islets susceptible to autoimmune attack need to be further elucidated. Utilizing in silico analyses, we show that 25 GAD sequences from human gut bacterial sources show sequence and motif similarities to human beta cell GAD65. Our motif analyses determined that most gut GAD sequences contain the pyroxical dependent decarboxylase (PDD) domain of human GAD65, which is important for its enzymatic activity. Additionally, we showed overlap with known human GAD65 T cell receptor epitopes, which may implicate the immune destruction of beta cells. Thus, we propose a physiological hypothesis in which changes in the gut microbiome in those with T1D result in a release of bacterial GAD, thus causing miseducation of the host immune system. Due to the notable similarities we found between human and bacterial GAD, these deputized immune cells may then target human beta cells leading to the development of T1D.
Sexual harassment in secondary school: Prevalence and ambiguities. A mixed methods study in Scottish schools
Authors: Sweeting Helen , Blake Carolyn , Riddell Julie , Barrett Simon , Mitchell Kirstin R.
Published: February 2022

Background

Adolescence is characterized by identity formation, exploration and initiation of intimate relationships. Much of this occurs at school, making schools key sites of sexual harassment. Schools often lack awareness and understanding of the issue, and UK research on the topic is scarce. We explored prevalence and perceptions of sexual harassment in a school-based mixed-methods study of 13–17 year-old Scottish adolescents.

Methods

A student survey (N = 638) assessed past 3-months school-based victimization and perpetration prevalence via 17 behavioral items based on the most commonly used school-based sexual harassment measure (‘Hostile Hallways’). Eighteen focus groups (N = 119 students) explored which of 10 behaviors were perceived as harassing/unacceptable and why.

Results

Two-thirds reported anyvictimization: 64.7% ‘visual/verbal’ (e.g. sexual jokes) and 34.3% ‘contact/personally-invasive’ behaviors (e.g. sexual touching; most of whom also reported experiencing visual/verbal types) in the past 3-months. Data suggested a gateway effect, such that contact/personally-invasive behaviors are more likely to be reported by those also reporting more common visual/verbal behaviors. Some survey participants reported being unsure about whether they had experienced certain behaviors; and in focus groups, participants expressed uncertainty regarding the acceptability of most behaviors. Ambiguities centered on behavioral context and enactment including: degree of pressure, persistence and physicality; degree of familiarity between the instigator-recipient; and perception of the instigator’s intent. In attempting to resolve ambiguities, students applied normative schemas underpinned by rights (to dignity, respect and equality) and ‘knowingness’, usually engendered by friendship.

Conclusions

Our study confirms school-based sexual harassment is common but also finds significant nuance in the ways in which students distinguish between acceptable and harassing. School-based strategies to tackle sexual harassment must engage with this complexity.
Estimated impact of the 2020 economic downturn on under-5 mortality for 129 countries
Authors: Cardona Marcelo , Millward Joseph , Gemmill Alison , Jison Yoo Katelyn , Bishai David M.
Published: February 2022

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), economic downturns can lead to increased child mortality by affecting dietary, environmental, and care-seeking factors. This study estimates the potential loss of life in children under five years old attributable to economic downturns in 2020. We used a multi-level, mixed effects model to estimate the relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and under-5 mortality rates (U5MRs) specific to each of 129 LMICs. Public data were retrieved from the World Bank World Development Indicators database and the United Nations World Populations Prospects estimates for the years 1990-2020. Country-specific regression coefficients on the relationship between child mortality and GDP were used to estimate the impact on U5MR of reductions in GDP per capita of 5%, 10%, and 15%. A 5% reduction in GDP per capita in 2020 was estimated to cause an additional 282,996 deaths in children under 5 in 2020. At 10% and 15%, recessions led to higher losses of under-5 lives, increasing to 585,802 and 911,026 additional deaths, respectively. Nearly half of all the potential under-5 lives lost in LMICs were estimated to occur in Sub-Saharan Africa. Because most of these deaths will likely be due to nutrition and environmental factors amenable to intervention, countries should ensure continued investments in food supplementation, growth monitoring, and comprehensive primary health care to mitigate potential burdens.