bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Translatable System for Bi-Directional Stimulation and Evoked Response Measurement to Enable Neuronal Network Exploration
Authors: Hageman Kristin , Peterson Erik , Stypulkowski Paul , Corey Robert , Jensen Randy , Billstrom Tina , Netoff Theoden , Stanslaski Scott
Published: February 2023

Neural stimulation therapies continue to evolve as new technologies are introduced into clinical practice. It has been over a decade since the initial descriptions of fully implantable, bidirectional neural systems, which allowed for concurrent sensing and stimulation, have been published. A major confounding issue in these types of neural recordings is the contamination of the signal of interest with electrical stimulus artifact, which can obscure short latency evoked activity and corrupt spectral analysis of longer duration signals. Approach. Here we describe the design and early preclinical evaluation of a neurostimulator with improved capabilities for sensing, with particular emphasis on managing stimulus artifact. The system was tested in three ovine deep brain stimulation (DBS) subjects, one with a DBS lead targeting the hippocampus, and two with DBS leads targeting the subthalamic nucleus (STN). All leads were externalized with percutaneous lead extensions. Main results. Results demonstrate that it was possible to record evoked potentials with a latency of 1–2 ms following stimulation in all subjects with the new system. Recordings from the hippocampal target showed clear short-latency responses exhibiting behavior consistent with evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs). In contrast, recordings from the STN target demonstrated highly resonant activity, dependent upon stimulus frequency, which could persist for 20–30 ms following individual stimuli. Both directional stimulation and directional recordings were evaluated to determine their influence on this evoked resonant neural activity (ERNA). The system was also characterized for sensing in one spinal cord stimulation (SCS) ovine subject and one sacral nerve modulation ovine subject. Significance. The bidirectional stimulation and evoked-response sensing system presented here enables sensing evoked responses elicited from stimulation, empowering continued research to expand the understanding and optimization of DBS therapy. Additionally, the example recordings from other therapy spaces demonstrate the capability of the system across neural stimulation therapies.
Muscle Constitutive Model With a Tangent Modulus Approximation: Ansys Implementation and Verification
Authors: Sampaio de Oliveira Manuel Lucas , Uchida Thomas K.
Published: February 2023

Sophisticated muscle material models are required to perform detailed finite element simulations of soft tissue; however, state-of-the-art muscle models are not among the built-in materials in popular commercial finite element software packages. Implementing user-defined muscle material models is challenging for two reasons: deriving the tangent modulus tensor for a material with a complex strain energy function is tedious and programing the algorithm to compute it is error-prone. These challenges hinder widespread use of such models in software that employs implicit, nonlinear, Newton-type finite element methods. We implement a muscle material model in Ansys using an approximation of the tangent modulus, which simplifies its derivation and implementation. Three test models were constructed by revolving a rectangle (RR), a right trapezoid (RTR), and a generic obtuse trapezoid (RTO) around the muscle's centerline. A displacement was applied to one end of each muscle, holding the other end fixed. The results were validated against analogous simulations in FEBio, which uses the same muscle model but with the exact tangent modulus. Overall, good agreement was found between our Ansys and FEBio simulations, though some noticeable discrepancies were observed. For the elements along the muscle's centerline, the root-mean-square-percentage error in the Von Mises stress was 0.00%, 3.03%, and 6.75% for the RR, RTR, and RTO models, respectively; similar errors in longitudinal strain were observed. We provide our Ansys implementation so that others can reproduce and extend our results.
XPS characterization of a PuGa-7 at. % alloy
Authors: Roussel P. , Hernandez S. C. , Joyce J. J. , Graham K. S. , Venhaus T.
Published: February 2023

A δ-Pu(Ga-7 at. %) alloy has been characterized using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in the as-received condition, during sputter depth profiling through the surface oxide and following oxidation either by exposure to Langmuir quantities of oxygen or by oxidation from the residual gases in the ultrahigh vacuum environment. To enable quantitative analysis, we develop a procedure to separate the C 1s and Pu 5p1/2 peak intensities, which occur at the same binding energy. Sputter yields for the various oxides and alloys were calculated. The plutonium, oxygen, and gallium chemical state plots are presented for the oxides and alloy measured here.
Far-field analytical solutions of the non-homogeneous Helmholtz and wave equations for spatially non-localized sources
Authors: Sabatini Roberto , Pailhas Yan , Xenaki Angeliki , Monti Alessandro , Cristini Paul
Published: February 2023

Non-localized impulsive sources are ubiquitous in underwater acoustic applications. However, analytical expressions of their acoustic field are usually not available. In this work, far-field analytical solutions of the non-homogeneous scalar Helmholtz and wave equations are developed for a class of spatially extended impulsive sources. The derived expressions can serve as benchmarks to verify the accuracy of numerical solvers.
The impact of temporally coherent visual and vibrotactile cues on speech recognition in noise
Authors: Oh Yonghee , Kalpin Nicole , Hunter Jessica , Schwalm Meg
Published: February 2023

Inputs delivered to different sensory organs provide us with complementary speech information about the environment. The goal of this study was to establish which multisensory characteristics can facilitate speech recognition in noise. The major finding is that the tracking of temporal cues of visual/tactile speech synced with auditory speech can play a key role in speech-in-noise performance. This suggests that multisensory interactions are fundamentally important for speech recognition ability in noisy environments, and they require salient temporal cues. The amplitude envelope, serving as a reliable temporal cue source, can be applied through different sensory modalities when speech recognition is compromised.
XerC Is Required for the Repair of Antibiotic- and Immune-Mediated DNA Damage in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Ledger Elizabeth V. K. , Lau Katie , Tate Edward W. , Edwards Andrew M.
Published: February 2023

To survive in the host environment, pathogenic bacteria need to be able to repair DNA damage caused by both antibiotics and the immune system. The SOS response is a key bacterial pathway to repair DNA double-strand breaks and may therefore be a good target for novel therapeutics to sensitize bacteria to antibiotics and the immune response.
Ratio of Histamine-Producing/Non-Histamine-Producing Subgroups of Tetragenococcus halophilus Determines the Histamine Accumulation during Spontaneous Fermentation of Soy Sauce
Authors: Ma Jinjin , Nie Yao , Zhang Lijie , Xu Yan
Published: February 2023

Inhibiting the production of microbiological hazards under the assumption of stable and high-quality fermentation is a critical and time-consuming task for the food fermentation industry. For spontaneously fermented food, it can be realized theoretically by finding and controlling the focal hazard-producing microorganism in complex microbiota.
Of Murines and Humans: Modeling Persistent Powassan Disease in C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Scroggs Stacey L. P. , Offerdahl Danielle K. , Stewart Philip E. , Shaia Carl , Griffin Amanda J. , Bloom Marshall E.
Published: February 2023

Half of Powassan infection survivors experience long-term, mild to severe neurological symptoms. The progression from acute to chronic Powassan disease is not well understood, severely limiting treatment and prevention options.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Aurantimicrobium
sp. Strain INA4, Isolated from an Oligotrophic Lake in Japan
Authors: Ogata Yusuke , Watanabe Keiji , Takemine Shusuke , Kaida Kaoru , Tanokura Maki , Suda Wataru
Published: February 2023

The globally distributed freshwater bacterioplankton of the genus
Aurantimicrobium
belong to the tribe Luna2. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of
Aurantimicrobium
sp. strain INA4, which was isolated from an oligotrophic lake surface water in Japan.
A New EBS2b-IBS2b Base Paring (A
−8
/T
−8
) Improved the Gene-Targeting Efficiency of Thermotargetron in Escherichia coli
Authors: Cui Guzhen , Hua Dengxiong , Zhao Xingxing , Zhou Jia , Yang Ying , Huang Tingyu , Wang Xinxin , Zhao Yan , Zhang Ting , Liao Jian , Guan Zhizhong , Luo Peng , Chen Zhenghong , Qi Xiaolan , Hong Wei
Published: February 2023

The randomized base pairing in the interval of IBS2 and IBS1 of Tel3c/4c intron (−8 and −7 sites) in Thermotargetron (TMT) results in a low success rate and gene-targeting efficiency in bacteria. In the present work, we constructed a randomized gene-targeting plasmids pool (RGPP) to study whether there is a base preference in target sequences.
Microbial Diversity, Community Turnover, and Putative Functions in Submarine Canyon Sediments under the Action of Sedimentary Geology
Authors: Liu Hualin , Cai Xueyu , Luo Kunwen , Chen Sihan , Su Ming , Lu Jianguo
Published: February 2023

Deep-sea microbes have received growing attention due to their contribution to biogeochemical cycles and climate change. However, related research lags due to the difficulty of collecting samples.
Treatment of gangrenous digit-threatening paraneoplastic acrocyanosis with vasodilator therapy
Authors: Biddle Kathryn , Nathan Joseph , Sandhu Virinderjit
Published: February 2023

A man in his 70s, with a recent diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, reported a 2-month history of discolouration, pain and paraesthesia affecting his fingers. Clinical assessment noted peripheral acrocyanosis with areas of digital ulceration and gangrene. Following further work-up to evaluate potential causes, he was diagnosed with paraneoplastic acrocyanosis. He proceeded to undergo robotic cystoprostatectomy and received adjuvant chemotherapy for the management of his cancer. In parallel to the chemotherapy, vasodilatory therapy was administered as two courses of intravenous synthetic prostacyclin analogue iloprost along with sildenafil. This resulted in a significant improvement in digital pain and gangrene with healing of ulceration.
Obstructive sleep apnoea presenting as a stroke mimic
Authors: Wan Mark , Beran Roy
Published: February 2023

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is never considered the aetiology of focal neurological symptoms or in the differential of stroke-like symptoms. Although it is a risk factor for stroke and can produce global neurological symptoms, such as confusion and decreased consciousness, it has never been reported to produce focal neurology. This case describes a patient with OSA, diagnosed through polysomnography, who had multiple presentations of focal stroke-like symptoms and signs, despite initial optimal post-stroke management. Symptomatic cessation was only achieved after the patient received continuous positive airway pressure therapy.
Addition of nebulised lidocaine to prevent refractory bronchospasms in a patient receiving serial bronchoscopies
Authors: Grell Ryan
Published: February 2023

A patient in his 20s with a history of granulomatosis with polyangiitis required 15 bronchoscopies with dilations in 1 year due to bronchial fibrosis and secretions leading to worsening shortness of breath. During these bronchoscopies, the patient experienced increasingly severe bronchospasms refractory to conventional preventative and treatment methodologies leading to prolonged hypoxia, reintubations and ICU admissions. During his 8th to 15th bronchoscopies, nebulised lidocaine was added to the pretreatment regimen, which eliminated perioperative bronchospasms and allowed for the elimination of all other adjunctive preventative treatments. This case highlights the novel perioperative use of nebulised lidocaine, in combination with nebulised albuterol and intravenous hydrocortisone, to successfully prevent previously refractory bronchospasms in a patient undergoing a general anaesthetic.
Long-term visual acuity outcomes following cataract surgery in eyes with ocular inflammatory disease
Authors: Gangaputra Sapna , Newcomb Craig , Armour Rebecca , Choi Dongseok , Ying Gui-shuang , Groth Sylvia , Begum Hosne , Fitzgerald Tonetta , Artornsombudh Pichaporn , Daniel Ebenezer , Bhatt Nirali , Foster Stephen , Jabs Douglas , Levy-Clarke Grace , Nussenblatt Robert , Rosenbaum James T , Sen H Nida , Suhler Eric , Thorne Jennifer , Dreger Kurt , Buchanich Jeanine , Kempen John H
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term visual acuity (VA) outcome of cataract surgery in inflammatory eye disease.

Setting

Tertiary care academic centres.

Design

Multicentre retrospective cohort study.

Methods

A total of 1741 patients with non-infectious inflammatory eye disease (2382 eyes) who underwent cataract surgery while under tertiary uveitis management were included. Standardised chart review was used to gather clinical data. Multivariable logistic regression models with adjustment for intereye correlations were performed to evaluate the prognostic factors for VA outcomes. Main outcome measure was VA after cataract surgery.

Results

Uveitic eyes independent of anatomical location showed improved VA from baseline (mean 20/200) to within 3 months (mean 20/63) of cataract surgery and maintained through at least 5 years of follow-up (mean 20/63). Eyes that achieved 20/40 or better VA at 1 year were more likely to have scleritis (OR=1.34, p<0.0001) or anterior uveitis (OR=2.2, p<0.0001), VA 20/50 to 20/80 (OR 4.76 as compared with worse than 20/200, p<0.0001) preoperatively, inactive uveitis (OR=1.49, p=0.03), have undergone phacoemulsification (OR=1.45 as compared with extracapsular cataract extraction, p=0.04) or have had intraocular lens placement (OR=2.13, p=0.01). Adults had better VA immediately after surgery, with only 39% (57/146) paediatric eyes at 20/40 or better at 1 year.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that adult and paediatric eyes with uveitis typically have improved VA following cataract surgery and remain stable thereafter for at least 5 years.
Development of a family-community interaction programme in the treatment of women with postpartum depression: protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Guo Panpan , Wang Shiguang , Niu Meilan , Yang Huashan , Yun Yi , Zhao Di , Wu Chuqiao , Wang Panpan , Wang Shanshan , Wang Peng , Ma Rui
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Postpartum depression has great harm and becomes a serious public health problem. Most women stay at home after childbirth, so the support from community and family is particularly important in the treatment of postpartum depression. The cooperation between family and community can effectively improve treatment effect of patients with postpartum depression. It is imperative to conduct a study on the collaboration and interaction among patients, family and community in the treatment of postpartum depression.

Methods and analysis

The aim of this study is to determine the experience and demands of patients with postpartum depression, family caregivers and community providers for the interaction, construct an interaction intervention programme bettween family and community and promote the rehabilitation of patients with postpartum depression. From September 2022 to October 2022, this study will select postpartum depression patient families from seven communities in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province in China. The researchers, after training, will conduct semi-structured interview to collect research data. According to the integration results of qualitative research and literature review, the interaction intervention programme will be constructed and revised using the Delphi expert consultation method. Then the participants will be selected to accept the intervention of the interaction programme and evaluated through questionnaires.

Ethics and dissemination

The study is approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Zhengzhou University (ZZUIRB2021-21). The results of this study will contribute to clarify the responsibilities of family subjects and community subjects in the treatment of postpartum depression, more effectively promote the rehabilitation of patients with postpartum depression and reduce the burden of family and society. Moreover, this research will be a profitable exploration at home and abroad. And the findings will be disseminated through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR2100045900.
Association of clinical and genetic risk factors with management of dyslipidaemia: analysis of repeated cross-sectional studies in the general population of Lausanne, Switzerland
Authors: Chekanova Valeriya , Abolhassani Nazanin , Vaucher Julien , Marques-Vidal Pedro
Published: February 2023

Objectives

To assess the importance of clinical and genetic factors in management of dyslipidaemia in the general population.

Design

Repeated cross-sectional studies (2003–2006; 2009–2012 and 2014–2017) from a population-based cohort.

Setting

Single centre in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Participants

617 (42.6% women, mean±SD: 61.6±8.5 years), 844 (48.5% women, 64.5±8.8 years) and 798 (50.3% women, 68.1±9.2) participants of the baseline, first and second follow-ups receiving any type of lipid-lowering drug. Participants were excluded if they had missing information regarding lipid levels, covariates or genetic data.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Management of dyslipidaemia was assessed according to European or Swiss guidelines. Genetic risk scores (GRSs) for lipid levels were computed based on the existing literature.

Results

Prevalence of adequately controlled dyslipidaemia was 52%, 45% and 46% at baseline, first and second follow-ups, respectively. On multivariable analysis, when compared with intermediate or low-risk individuals, participants at very high cardiovascular risk had an OR for dyslipidaemia control of 0.11 (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.18), 0.12 (0.08 to 0.19) and 0.38 (0.25 to 0.59) at baseline, first and second follow-ups, respectively. Use of newer generation or higher potency statins was associated with better control: OR of 1.90 (1.18 to 3.05) and 3.62 (1.65 to 7.92) for second and third generations compared with first in the first follow-up, with the corresponding values in the second follow-up being 1.90 (1.08 to 3.36) and 2.18 (1.05 to 4.51). No differences in GRSs were found between controlled and inadequately controlled subjects. Similar findings were obtained using Swiss guidelines.

Conclusion

Management of dyslipidaemia is suboptimal in Switzerland. The effectiveness of high potency statins is hampered by low posology. The use of GRSs in the management of dyslipidaemia is not recommended.
Association between attending cultural events and all-cause mortality: a longitudinal study with three measurements (1982–2017)
Authors: Bygren Lars Olov , Jansåker Filip , Sundquist Kristina , Johansson Sven-Erik
Published: February 2023

Objectives

To examine the association between cultural attendance and all-cause mortality.

Design

A longitudinal cohort study over 36 years (1982–2017) with three 8-year interval measurements of exposure (1982/1983, 1990/1991 and 1998/1999) to cultural attendance and a follow-up period to 31 December 2017.

Setting

Sweden.

Participants

The study included 3311 randomly selected individuals from the Swedish population with complete data for all three measurements.

Primary outcome measurements

All-cause mortality during the study period in relation to level of cultural attendance. Cox regression models with time-varying covariates were used to estimate HRs adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

The HRs of cultural attendance in the lowest and middle levels compared with the highest level (reference; HR=1) were 1.63 (95% CI 1.34 to 2.00) and 1.25 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.51), respectively.

Conclusion

Attending cultural events has a suggested gradient, the lesser cultural exposure the higher all-cause mortality during the follow-up.
Configurations and outcomes of acute hospital care for frail and older patients with moderate to major trauma: a systematic review
Authors: Halter Mary , Jarman Heather , Moss Phil , Kulnik Stefan Tino , Baramova Desislava , Gavalova Lucia , Cole Elaine , Crouch Robert , Baxter Mark
Published: February 2023

Objective

To systematically review research on acute hospital care for frail or older adults experiencing moderate to major trauma.

Setting

Electronic databases (Medline, Embase, ASSIA, CINAHL Plus, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, EconLit, The Cochrane Library) were searched using index and key words, and reference lists and related articles hand-searched.

Included articles

Peer-reviewed articles of any study design, published in English, 1999–2020 inclusive, referring to models of care for frail and/or older people in the acute hospital phase of care following traumatic injury defined as either moderate or major (mean or median Injury Severity Score ≥9). Excluded articles reported no empirical findings, were abstracts or literature reviews, or referred to frailty screening alone.

Methods

Screening abstracts and full text, and completing data extractions and quality assessments using QualSyst was a blinded parallel process. A narrative synthesis, grouped by intervention type, was undertaken.

Outcome measures

Any outcomes reported for patients, staff or care system.

Results

17 603 references were identified and 518 read in full; 22 were included—frailty and major trauma (n=0), frailty and moderate trauma (n=1), older people and major trauma (n=8), moderate or major trauma (n=7) 0r moderate trauma (n=6) . Studies were observational, heterogeneous in intervention and with variable methodological quality.

Specific attention given to the care of older and/or frail people with moderate to major trauma in the North American context resulted in improvements to in-hospital processes and clinical outcomes, but highlights a relative paucity of evidence, particularly in relation to the first 48 hours post-injury.

Conclusions

This systematic review supports the need for, and further research into an intervention to address the care of frail and/or older patients with major trauma, and for the careful definition of age and frailty in relation to moderate or major trauma.

International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO)

CRD42016032895.
Infrapyloric (No. 206) and greater curvature (No. 204) lymph node metastasis in adenocarcinoma located in the right half of the transverse colon (InCLART Study): protocol for a multicentre prospective observational study
Authors: Yalikun Abudushalamu , Cai Zhenghao , Hong Hi-Ju , Dai Kefan , Li Shuchun , Kwan Wingyan , Ma Junjun , Feng Bo , Lu Aiguo , Zheng Minhua , Zang Lu
Published: February 2023

Introduction

In the case of right-sided transverse colon cancer (RTCC) and hepatic flexure colon cancer (HFCC), there is a potential connection of lymph drainage between mesentery and greater omentum. However, most previous reports have been limited case series with No. 206 and No. 204 lymph node (LN) dissection for RTCC and HFCC.

Methods and analysis

The InCLART Study is a prospective observational study aiming to enrol 427 patients with RTCC and HFCC treated at 21 high-volume institutions in China. The prevalence of infrapyloric (No. 206) and greater curvature (No. 204) LN metastasis and short-term outcomes will be investigated in a consecutive series of patients with T2 or deeper invasion RTCC or HFCC, following the principle of complete mesocolic excision with central vascular ligation. Primary endpoints were performed to identify the prevalence of No. 206 and No. 204 LN metastasis. Secondary analyses will be used to estimate prognostic outcomes, intraoperative and postoperative complications, the consistency of preoperative evaluation and postoperative pathological results of LN metastasis.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval for the study has been granted by the Ruijin Hospital Ethics Committee (approval number: 2019-081) and has been or will be approved successively by each participating centre’s Research Ethics Board. The findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT03936530;https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03936530).
Standard patient training versus Vik-Asthme chatbot-guided training: ‘AsthmaTrain’ – a protocol for a randomised controlled trial for patients with asthma
Authors: Suehs Carey Meredith , Vachier Isabelle , Galeazzi David , Vaast François , Cardon Fanny , Molinari Nicolas , Bourdin Arnaud
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Therapeutic education for patients with asthma has been shown to reduce asthma morbidity. The high availability of smart phones provides the opportunity to furnish patient training via specifically designed chatbot applications. The goal of this protocol is to perform a first pilot comparison of traditional face to face versus chatbot-guided patient therapeutic education programmes for patients with asthma.

Methods and analysis

Eighty adult patients with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of asthma will be enrolled in a two-parallel-arm, randomised (1:1) controlled pilot trial. A single-Zelen consent procedure is deployed to first enrol all participants in the comparator arm, that is, the standard patient therapeutic education programme at the University Hospitals of Montpellier, France. This means of patient therapeutic education is based on reoccurring interviews and discussion with qualified nursing staff as per usual care. Following baseline data acquisition, randomisation will be performed. Those patients randomised to the comparator arm will not be informed of the second arm. Those patients randomised to the experimental arm will be proposed access to a specifically designed chatbot (Vik-Asthme) as the second tested means of patient training (refusals continue with standard training, though analysed as intention to treat). The primary outcome is change in the total Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score at the end of follow-up (6 months). Secondary outcomes cover asthma control, spirometry, general health status, programme adherence and burden for medical staff, exacerbations and medical resource use (medications, consults, emergency visits, hospitalisation and intensive care).

Ethics and dissemination

This study (‘AsthmaTrain’ protocol version 4–20220330) has been approved by the Committee for the Protection of Persons Ile-de-France VII on 28 March 2022 (reference number 21.03617.000059). Enrolment began on 24 May 2022. Results will be published in international peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT05248126.
Understanding barriers to using long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) in primary care: a qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Linton Emma , Mawson Rebecca , Hodges Victoria , Mitchell Caroline Anne
Published: February 2023

Background

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are highly effective. In primary care, LARCs are prescribed less frequently than user-dependent contraceptives despite higher efficacy rates. Unplanned pregnancies are rising in the UK, and LARCs may have a role in reducing these through and redressing inequitable contraceptive access. To provide contraceptive services that offer maximal choice and patient benefit, we must understand what contraception users and healthcare professionals (HCPs) think about LARCs and uncover barriers to their use.

Methods

A systematic search using CINAHL, MEDLINE via Ovid, PsycINFO, Web of Science and EMBASE identified research about LARC use for pregnancy prevention in primary care. The approach adhered to the ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses’ methodology, critically appraised the literature, and used NVivo software to organise data and perform thematic analysis to determine key themes.

Results

Sixteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Three themes were identified: (1) trustworthiness (where and from whom participants obtained information regarding LARCs), (2) control (whether LARCs detract from personal autonomy) and (3) systems (how HCPs influenced LARC access). Misgivings about LARCs frequently arose from social networks and fears of surrendering control over fertility were prominent. HCPs perceived access issues and lack of familiarity or training as the main barriers to prescribing LARCs.

Conclusions

Primary care plays a key role in improving access to LARC but barriers need to be addressed especially those involving misconception and misinformation. Access to LARC removal services are key to empower choice and prevent coercion. Facilitating trust within patient-centred contraceptive consult is essential.
What does the TIME study tell us about morning and evening dosing of antihypertensive medication?
Authors: Khong Teck K , Lin George S
Published: February 2023

Commentary on:Mackenzie IS, Rogers A, Poulter NR,et al. Cardiovascular outcomes in adults with hypertension with evening vs morning dosing of usual antihypertensives in the UK (TIME study): a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded-endpoint clinical trial.Lancet. 2022;400:1417–25.
Obedient mothers, healthy children: communication on the risks of reproduction in state-socialist Czechoslovakia
Authors: Dudová Radka , Hašková Hana
Published: February 2023

The article analyses medical communication in popular media relating to the risks in reproduction in the state-socialist Czechoslovakia between 1948 and 1989 and shows how it used emotions as an instrument to control women’s reproductive behaviour. In particular, we use an approach inspired by Donati’s (1992) political discourse analysis and by Snow and Bedford’s (1988) framing analysis to explore communication on the risk of infertility in the abortion debate, the risk of fetal abnormalities in the prenatal screening debate, and the risk of emotional deprivation and morbidity in infants in the debate on mothering practices. The analysis contributes to the knowledge on how the construction of risk in reproduction, including childcare, serves to create a moral order of motherhood by defining what constitutes ‘irresponsible’ reproductive behaviours and their associated risks, and in doing so may lead to the further marginalisation of already marginalised people. We explain how expert discourse on reproduction and care aimed at the general public worked by constructing risks, a fear of these risks, and women’s responsibility for avoiding them in order to regulate women’s behaviour through self-discipline, which worked alongside other disciplinary techniques. These techniques were applied unequally and mainly to marginalised groups of women, such as women of Roma ethnicity and single mothers.
Does initial skeletal muscle size or sex affect the magnitude of muscle loss in response to 14 days immobilization?
Authors: Coffey Vernon G. , McGlory Chris , Phillips Stuart M. , Doering Thomas M.
Published: February 2023

We aimed to determine whether there was a relationship between pre-immobilization skeletal muscle size and the magnitude of muscle atrophy following 14 days of unilateral lower limb immobilization. Our findings ( n = 30) show that pre-immobilization leg fat-free mass and quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA) were unrelated to the magnitude of muscle atrophy. However, sex-based differences may be present, but confirmatory work is required. In women, pre-immobilization leg fat-free mass and CSA were associated with changes in quadriceps CSA after immobilization ( n = 9, r2 = 0.54–0.68; P < 0.05). The extent of muscle atrophy is not affected by initial muscle mass, but there is potential for sex-based differences.
Person re-identification from multiple surveillance cameras combining face and body feature matching
Authors: Nguyen Ha X. , Hoang Dong N. , Nguyen Thang V. , Dang Tuan M. , Pham An D. , Nguyen Duc-Toan
Published: February 2023

In this work, a new method for human re-identification (Re-ID) from multiple surveillance cameras is proposed. Unlike traditional methods in which only the body features are used for matching, our proposed method uses both body and facial features for the Re-ID process. This combination allows us to re-identify people in challenging conditions, such as people with a uniform or similar-looking outfit, a partial or occluded body, appearance changes, or illumination. The face and body feature extraction models were developed using the state-of-the-art deep neural backbones and the synthesis of existing datasets in the literature. The performance of the method was evaluated on a self-generated dataset, which contains images under challenging conditions. The evaluation results show that our method outperforms traditional methods, in which the accuracy Rank1 reaches 91.30% while the traditional ones have a Rank1 of only 86.96%. This newly introduced method can be used for many practical applications in security surveillance of buildings and offices where challenging conditions often appear.
Does the Functional Status of the Upper Limb Influence Limb Length Discrepancy in a Child with Birth Brachial Plexus Palsy?
Authors: BHARDWAJ Praveen , MALOKAR Dipak , SANKARAN Ajeesh , VARADHARAJAN Vigneswaran , VENKATRAMANI Hari , SABAPATHY S. Raja
Published: February 2023

Background: Limb length discrepancy (LLD) is a frequent observation in children with birth brachial plexus palsy (BBPP) and a common concern among parents. A common assumption is that the LLD decreases if the child is using the involved limb more. However, there is no literature evidence for this assumption. The present study was conducted to assess the correlation between the functional status of the involved limb and the LLD in children with BBPP.

Methods: One hundred consecutive patients (age > 5 years) with unilateral BBPP seen at our institute underwent measurements of limb lengths to assess the LLD. The arm, forearm and hand segments were measured separately. The functional status of the involved limb was assessed using modified House’s Scoring system (Scores 0–10). The correlation between limb length and functional status was assessed using the one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. Post-hoc analyses were performed as required.

Results: A length difference was observed in 98% of the limbs with brachial plexus lesions. The average absolute LLD was 4.6 cm with a standard deviation of 2.5 cm. We found a statistically significant difference in LLD among the patients with a House score of <7 (‘Poor function’) and 7 and above (‘Good function’; p < 0.001) with later indicative of independent use of the involved limb. We found no correlation between age and LLD. More extensive plexus involvement resulted in higher LLD. The maximal relative discrepancy was found in the hand segment of the upper extremity.

Conclusions: LLD was seen in most of the patients with BBPP. The functional status of the involved upper limb in BBPP was found to be significantly associated with LLD. Though causation cannot be assumed. We found that children using the involved limb independently tend to have the least LLD.

Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)
Wide Bandgap Engineering in Power Transistors Using GaN Windows
Authors: Mehrad Mahsa , Zareiee Meysam
Published: February 2023

In this paper a new LDMOS structure using wide bandgap material is proposed. The proposed GaN-LDMOS structure is formed by the GaN windows in the drift region. Four similar windows which are surrounded by Si3N4 show higher breakdown voltage and reduced specific on-resistance. The simulation with ATLAS simulator shows that the optimized length and number of the windows are important to have an acceptable power characteristic. Moreover, higher current flow due to the extended depletion region in the drift region and high doping density of the Si3N4 region is achieved in the proposed GaN-LDMOS in comparison to the conventional LDMOS transistor (C-LDMOS).
Spatial response of jejunal pacing defined by a novel high-resolution multielectrode array
Authors: Nagahawatte Nipuni D. , Avci Recep , Paskaranandavadivel Niranchan , Angeli-Gordon Timothy R. , Cheng Leo K.
Published: February 2023

A novel surface-contact electrode array customized for the small intestine anatomy enabled simultaneous pacing and high-resolution response mapping. The spatial response of small intestine bioelectrical activity to pacing was mapped for the first time in vivo. Antegrade and circumferential pacing achieved spatial entrainment over 70% of the time and their induced pattern was held for 4–6 cycles postpacing at high energy (4 mA, 100 ms, at ∼2.7 s which corresponds to 1.1 × intrinsic frequency).
Characteristics of In Situ Stress and Reservoir Pressure in Deep Coal Seams and Their Influences on Reservoir Depletion: A Field Case Study
Authors: Li Rui , Lu Yiyu , Xia Binwei , Chen Wenwen , Sun Hansen
Published: February 2023

The production of coalbed methane resources is greatly dependent on the reservoir depletion process. To improve the depressurization efficiency of deep coalbed methane (DCBM) reservoirs, the fluid production characteristics and implications of in situ stress and reservoir pressure for reservoir depletion in the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin are analyzed. The results indicate that the duration of the single-phase water production stage is overall long, with the gas declining stage occurring too early. The daily gas production volume of DCBM wells is only a few hundred m3. For DCBM reservoirs, it is considered that in situ stress, initial reservoir pressure, and critical desorption pressure significantly affect the fluid production and depressurization process. A high in situ stress in deep coal seams is likely to damage the flow conductivity of fracture systems due to the increase in effective stress during reservoir depletion. Based on the in situ stress characteristics of deep coal seams and their implications for reservoir depletion, we propose that the depressurization of DCBM reservoirs during gas production can be promoted via a new method of stress release. Slots or cavities created in coal seams by high-pressure hydraulic jet can provide space for stress release. This novel depressurization method could help improve the gas production efficiency of DCBM reservoirs.
ETNK2 Low-Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Renal Cell Carcinoma with Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Chu Jian , Qian Xiong-Xian , Zhang Xiang-Min , Jiang Ting , Li Xiao-Jun , Sun Wei
Published: February 2023

Background. The ethanolamine kinase 2 (ETNK2) gene is implicated in carcinogenesis, but its expression and involvement in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remain unknown. Methods. Initially, we conducted a pan-cancer study in which we searched the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, the UALCAN, and the Human Protein Atlas databases to determine the expression level of the ETNK2 gene in KIRC. The Kaplan–Meier curve was then used to calculate the overall survival (OS) of KIRC patients. We then used the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enrichment analysis to explain the mechanism of the ETNK2 gene. Finally, the immune cell infiltration analysis was performed. Results. Although the ETNK2 gene expression was lower in KIRC tissues, the findings illustrated a link between the ETNK2 gene expression and a shorter OS time for KIRC patients. DEGs and enrichment analysis revealed that the ETNK2 gene in KIRC involved multiple metabolic pathways. Finally, the ETNK2 gene expression has been linked to several immune cell infiltrations. Conclusions. According to the findings, the ETNK2 gene plays a crucial role in tumor growth. It can potentially serve as a negative prognostic biological marker for KIRC by modifying immune infiltrating cells.
ANGPTL2 Deletion Attenuates Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Dysfunction Induced by Isoflurane in Aged Mice through Modulating MAPK Pathway
Authors: Huang Xiaoyan , Su Zegeng , Zhang Shuncai , Xu Xiaoling , Yang Bo , Xu Xiang
Published: February 2023

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a well-known complication after surgery with cognitive impairments. Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2) has been found to be associated with inflammation. However, the role of ANGPTL2 in inflammation of POCD is unclear. Here, mice were subjected into isoflurane anesthesia. It was demonstrated that isoflurane increased ANGPTL2 expression and promoted pathological change in brain tissues. However, downregulation of ANGPTL2 alleviated the pathological change and elevated learning and memory abilities, improving isoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice. In addition, isoflurane-induced cell apoptosis and inflammation were repressed via ANGPTL2 knockdown in mice. Downregulation of ANGPTL2 was also verified to suppress isoflurane-induced microglial activation, evidenced by a decrease of Iba1 and CD86 expressions and an increase of CD206 expression. Further, the isoflurane-induced MAPK signaling pathway was repressed through downregulation of ANGPTL2 in mice. In conclusion, this study proved that downregulation of ANGPTL2 attenuated isoflurane-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in mice via modulating the MAPK pathway, which provided a new therapeutic target for POCD.
A PTEN-Autophagy Risk Model for the Prediction of Prognosis and Immune Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Huang Fei , Yaermaimaiti Dilinaer , Ding Guanxin , Zhao Lijun , Zhou Jing , Wu Shunhua
Published: February 2023

Background. The clinical behavior and molecular mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are complex and highly variable, limiting the discovery of new targets and therapies in clinical research. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is one of the tumor suppressor genes. It is of great interest to discover the role of unexplored correlation among PTEN, the tumor immune microenvironment, and autophagy-related signaling pathways and to construct a reliable risk model for prognosis during HCC progression. Method. We first performed differential expression analysis on the HCC samples. By using Cox regression and LASSO analysis, we determined the DEGs contributing to the survival benefit. In addition, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify potential molecular signaling pathways regulated by the PTEN gene signature, autophagy, and autophagy-related pathways. ESTIMATE was also employed for evaluating the composition of immune cell populations. Results. We found a significant correlation between PTEN expression and the tumor immune microenvironment. The low-PTEN expression group had higher immune infiltration and lower expression of immune checkpoints. In addition, PTEN expression was found to be positively correlated with autophagy-related pathways. Then, differentially expressed genes between tumor and tumor-adjacent samples were screened, and 2895 genes were significantly associated with both PTEN and autophagy. Based on PTEN-related genes, we identified 5 key prognostic genes, including BFSP1, PPAT, EIF5B, ASF1A, and GNA14. The 5-gene PTEN-autophagy risk score (RS) model was demonstrated to have favorable performance in the prediction of prognosis. Conclusion. In summary, our study showed the importance of the PTEN gene and its correlation with immunity and autophagy in HCC. The PTEN-autophagy.RS model we established could be used to predict the prognosis of HCC patients and showed significantly higher prognostic accuracy than the TIDE score in response to immunotherapy.
Metal Fractionation and Leaching in Soils from a Gold Mining Area in the Equatorial Rainforest Zone
Authors: Sarpong Lilian , Boadi Nathaniel Owusu , Akoto Osei
Published: February 2023

In this article, a modified BCR procedure and a column leaching test were used to examine the bioavailability and mobility of heavy metals in soils collected from a gold mining area in Ghana. The results for the fractionation of Cd, Cr, Fe, and Mn indicated that high percentages of metals were found in the residual fraction. This implies that the concentrations of metals in the soil are stable under normal environmental conditions. The bioavailability of metals in the soils declined in the following order: Mn (92.4%) > Cd (64.6%) > Cr (46.4%) > Fe (39%). However, the concentrations of labile metals may pose no risk to the environment. In the column test, different rainwater conditions (i.e., natural rainwater and acidified rainwater) were used to imitate the leaching potential of the metals in the actual field. The pH of the soil primarily controlled metal migration into deeper layers. Cumulative metal concentrations in the leachates showed that Fe, Mn, and Cd were high in the tested soils but present at low concentrations, except for Cd. Cadmium showed a higher concentration than the WHO guideline for drinking water, and its seepage into deeper layers may affect the quality of groundwater.
Behavior of Wild Pigs toward Conspecific Carcasses: Implications for Disease Transmission in a Hot, Semiarid Climate
Authors: Leivers Samantha , Campbell Tyler , Bodenchuk Michael , Tomeĉek John
Published: February 2023

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a prolific, invasive species in the United States of America and act as vectors for many pathogens. An emerging pathogen of concern to the USA is African swine fever (ASF), a deadly viral disease affecting swine that is endemic to Africa and has spread to parts of Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. ASF affects both wild and domesticated pigs and can be transmitted via several avenues, including interactions between and consumption of dead pigs by their live conspecifics. As wild pigs are considered a serious threat in the transmission of ASF, understanding the behavior of wild pigs towards their dead conspecifics is imperative when considering the transmission of ASF and other diseases in the USA. We placed camera traps at a sample of wild pig carcasses dispatched during four aerial shooting events between November, 2020, and June, 2022, at East Foundation’s San Antonio Viejo Ranch, South Texas. We recorded visitation events to carcasses by live wild pigs and recorded their behavior. Furthermore, we assessed daily carcass decomposition rates by visiting carcass sites without cameras. We found no evidence of cannibalism and recorded live wild pig visitations to only 33% of carcasses before advanced stages of decomposition were reached. Carcass decomposition was rapid (2.5 to 3 days), regardless of season, and the time to the first visitation and investigation of carcasses by live conspecifics was quicker than has been recorded in Europe. We posit that active scavenger guilds at our study site, coupled with high temperatures, result in the rapid decomposition of wild pig carcasses, which reduces opportunities for live wild pigs to interact with them when compared to milder climates. We suggest additional research investigating the persistence of ASF in hot, arid climates and the interactions between live pigs and the skeletonized remains of conspecifics.
On Some New Types of Fuzzy Soft Compact Spaces
Authors: Saleh S. , Al-shami Tareq M. , Mhemdi Abdelwaheb
Published: February 2023

In this article, we apply the concept of fuzzy soft

δ

-open sets to define new types of compactness in fuzzy soft topological spaces, namely,

δ

-compactness and

δ

∗

-compactness. We explore some of their basic properties and reveal the relationships between these types and that which are defined by other authors. Also, we show that

δ

∗

-compactness is more general than that which is presented in other papers. To clarify the obtained results and relationships, some illustrative examples are given.