bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aspergillus endocarditis in the recent years, report of cases of a multicentric national cohort and literature review
Authors: Valerio Maricela , Camici Marta , Machado Marina , Galar Alicia , Olmedo Maria , Sousa Dolores , Antorrena‐Miranda Isabel , Fariñas Maria Carmen , Hidalgo‐Tenorio Carmen , Montejo Miguel , Vena Antonio , Guinea Jesús , Bouza Emilio , Muñoz Patricia ,   the GAMES Study Group
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectives(1) To describe the incidence, clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of Aspergillus Endocarditis (AE) in a nationwide multicentric cohort (GAMES). (2) To compare the AE cases of the GAMES cohort, with the AE cases reported in the literature since 2010. (3) To identify variables related to mortality.MethodsWe recruited 10 AE cases included in the GAMES cohort (January 2008‐December 2018) and 51 cases from the literature published from January 2010 to July 2019.Results4528 patients with infectious endocarditis (IE) were included in the GAMES cohort, of them 10 (0.2%) were AE. After comparing our 10 cases with the 51 of the literature, no differences were found. Analysing the 61 AE cases together, 55.7% were male, median age 45 years. Their main underlying conditions were as follows: prosthetic valve surgery (34.4%) and solid organ transplant (SOT) (19.7%). Mainly affecting mitral (36.1%) and aortic valve (29.5%). Main isolated species were as follows: Aspergillus fumigatus (47.5%) and Aspergillus flavus (24.6%). Embolisms occurred in 54%. Patients were treated with antifungals (90.2%), heart surgery (85.2%) or both (78.7%).Overall, 52.5% died. A greater mortality was observed in immunosuppressed patients (59.4% vs. 24.1%, OR = 4.09, 95%CI = 1.26–13.19, p = .02), and lower mortality was associated with undergoing cardiac surgery plus azole therapy (28.1% vs. 65.5%, OR = 0.22, 95%CI = 0.07–0.72, p = .01).ConclusionsAE accounts for 0.2% of all IE episodes of a national multicentric cohort, mainly affecting patients with previous valvular surgery or SOT recipients. Mortality remains high especially in immunosuppressed hosts and azole‐based treatment combined with surgical resection are related to a better outcome.
Impact of a white noise app on sleep quality among critically ill patients
Authors: Warjri Evansaralin , Dsilva Fatima , Sanal Thankappan S. , Kumar Abhishek 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundSleep disturbance negatively affects recovery and survival of patients in intensive care units (ICUs).Aims and ObjectivesThis study aimed to measure the noise levels and evaluate the impact of a white noise app on the sleep quality of critically ill patients.DesignA quasi‐experimental time series pre‐test–post‐test control group design with repeated measures was adopted.MethodsThe study was conducted in the high dependency unit (HDU) of a selected tertiary care hospital in Mangalore, Karnataka State, India. Conscious oriented patients with systolic blood pressure ranging from 100/70 to 140/90 mm Hg and hearing acuity of at most 20 dB in both ears were included in the study. Noise levels in the HDU were measured using calibrated sound level meter on weekdays/weekends in three different shifts and an average of 24 readings was obtained per shift. A 4‐point Likert scale was used to assess the sleep quality. The intervention included administration of white noise app twice a day, for three consecutive days by using different masking sounds such as white noise on day 1 which resembles to a humming AC conditioner, pink noise on day 2 which resembles to the sound of ocean waves and brown noise on day 3 which resembles a steady rainfall. The app was used with the help of JBL earphones C10SI an excellent noise cancellation and noise isolating earphone.ResultsAmong the 54 subjects, the mean age of the patients was 40.28 years, majority 34 (63%) were males. The noise level in the ICU was more than 60 dB. There was a significant difference in the sleep quality after the application of the white noise app in the experimental group on Day 1 (Z = −3.996;P = .001), Day 2 (Z = −3.302;P = .001), and Day 3 (−2.822;P = .005) compared to the control group.ConclusionAdoption of technology driven noise reduction applications would enhance the quality of sleep among the ICU patients.Relevance to clinical practiceThe use of a technology‐driven application helps control noise levels which promotes improved sleep quality among critically ill patients in the intensive care units.
Review of the diagnosis and management of pediatric psychodermatologic conditions: Part I
Authors: Mosca Megan , Martin Kari , Hadeler Edward , Hong Julie , Brownstone Nicholas , Koo John 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPediatric psychodermatologic conditions encompass both primary dermatologic conditions with psychiatric comorbidities and primary psychiatric conditions with self‐induced dermatologic manifestations. Detection, diagnosis, and management of primary psychiatric conditions with dermatologic manifestations are challenging due to patient‐perceived stigma and lack of educational opportunities for dermatology providers. This two‐part series highlights the most up‐to‐date evidence‐based data and management techniques of some of the more common dermatoses of primary psychiatric conditions in children. Part I includes trichotillomania, skin‐picking disorder, and onychophagia, and part II covers dermatitis artefacta, body dysmorphic disorder, and delusions of parasitosis by proxy, with special considerations for family dynamics.
Graft‐versus‐host disease after pediatric liver transplantation: A diagnostic challenge
Authors: Attas Rabab Ali Al , Bader Razan M. , Mashhour Miral , AlQahtani Zuhoor A. , Mohammed Amani , Qahtani Masood , Arain Zahid B. , Faraidy Nadya , Awaji Mohammad , Mohammed Gamil , Alharbi Hassan A. , AlZahrani Mariam , Aqool Amal , Salim Ghandorah 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundGraft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) is a rare but serious complication after pediatric liver transplantation (LTx). Early diagnosis is difficult due to nonspecific presenting symptoms and non‐pathognomonic skin histopathological features. The aim of this article was to describe a case of pediatric GVHD after LTx and to review available data on pediatric GVHD highlighting the diagnostic difficulty. We also propose a diagnostic algorithm to improve the diagnostic capability and increase clinical awareness about this potentially fatal condition.MethodsWe did a comprehensive literatures review on studies on GvHD following pediatric LTx between 1990 and February 2021, chimerism study by short tandem repeat (STR), HLA typing by sequence‐specific oligonucleotide (SSO) method, and flowcytometry crossmatch.ResultsOur search yielded 23 case reports. The most common clinical manifestations were fever and rash (91%) followed by diarrhea. Mortality rate was 36.8% mainly due to sepsis and organ failure. Diagnosis was challenging and chimerism study to confirm donor engraftment was performed on only half of the cases. Prevalence of “donor dominant HLA one‐way matching” typically occurs in homozygous parents‐to‐child transplantation was 75% in cases with HLA testing.ConclusionSo far, there are no available standard diagnostic criteria for GVHD following pediatric LTx. Recognition of multiple risk factors through proper laboratory assessment can predict the occurrence, and early chimerism study can confirm suggestive clinical manifestation. The strong likelihood of developing GVHD in “donor one‐way HLA match” and the severe problems imposed by this complication may justify avoidance of HLA homozygous parent's donation.
Revisiting the criticisms of rational choice theories
Authors: Herfeld Catherine 
Published: December 2021

AbstractTheories of rational choice are arguably the most prominent approaches to human behaviour in the social and behavioral sciences. At the same time, they have faced persistent criticism. In this paper, I revisit some of the core criticisms that have for a long time been levelled against them and discuss to what extent those criticisms are still effective, not only in light of recent advancements in the literature but also of the fact that there are different variants of rational choice theories that have not been considered explicitly when criticizing them.
Reactivity of Singlet Oxygen with DNA, an Update†
Authors: Ravanat Jean‐Luc , Dumont Elise 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTThe reactivity of singlet oxygen with DNA constituents and in particular with the guanine base has been studied during more than four decades but the exact mechanisms by which such a reactive oxygen species reacts with DNA is still a matter of debate. In this review article, a summary of the data that were obtained from several laboratories and using complementary experimental and theoretical approaches are presented. Reaction mechanisms of 1O2 with guanine and its oxidation product 8‐oxo7,8‐dihydroguanine are presented both at the nucleoside level and when the base is inserted into DNA since significant differences have been observed. Efforts have been made to propose tentative mechanisms to explain the conflicting results that were sometimes reported and hypotheses have been put forward to tentatively explain still contradictory observations.
Minimizing conditional value‐at‐risk under a modified basestock policy
Authors: Li Bo , Arreola‐Risa Antonio 
Published: December 2021

Consider a single‐product, make‐to‐stock, risk‐averse company that manages its finished goods inventory by a basestock policy. Item demand is modeled as a Poisson process, and unit production time is modeled as an exponential random variable. Annual cost is equal to the sum over one year of the inventory‐holding and back‐ordering costs. The company wants to minimize the annual cost conditional value‐at‐risk by an appropriate basestock selection called the optimal basestock. After offering evidence that the optimal basestock is analytically intractable, we derive a closed‐form approximation of the optimal basestock. In two independent simulation experiments, we found that the average penalty for using the approximation is less than 1%; we believe this accuracy would be acceptable for practical applications. Leveraging the approximation's accuracy and simplicity, we establish several results that may serve as predictors of the company's appropriate basestock adjustments to changes in operational, economic, and risk aversion parameters. We illustrate how our research results were successfully applied in a Fortune 10 energy company. We extend the problem setting in two different directions to widen the applicability of our research results.
Combined influences of strategy and selection history on attentional control
Authors: Abbasi Hossein , Kadel Hanna , Hickey Clayton , Schubö Anna 
Published: December 2021

AbstractVisual attention is guided by top‐down mechanisms and pre‐stimulus task preparation, but also by selection history (i.e., the bias to prioritize previously attended items). Here we examine how these influences combine. Two groups of participants completed two intermingled tasks. One task involved categorization of a unique target; one group categorized the target based on color, and the other based on shape. The other task involved searching for a target defined by unique shape while ignoring a distractor defined by unique color. Our expectation was that the search task would be difficult for the color‐categorization group because their categorization task required attentional resolution of color, but the search task required that they ignore color. In some experimental blocks, trials from the two tasks appeared predictably, giving the color‐categorization group an opportunity to strategically prepare by switching between color‐prioritizing and shape‐prioritizing attentional templates. We looked to pre‐stimulus oscillatory activity as a direct index of this preparation, and to reaction times and post‐stimulus ERPs for markers of resultant change in attentional deployment. Results showed that preparation in the color‐categorization group optimized attentional templates, such that these participants became less sensitive to the color distractor in the search task. But preparation was not sufficient to entirely negate the influence of selection history, and participants in the color‐categorization group continued to show a propensity to attend to the color distractor. These results indicate that preparatory effort can be scaled to the anticipated attentional requirements, but attention is nevertheless considerably biased by selection history.
A rich palette of Bible use: A theoretical and empirical contribution from the context of Protestant Christian secondary schools in the Netherlands
Authors: de Kock A. (Jos) , Sonnenberg P. M. (Ronelle) , Nagel‐Herweijer C. H. (Corina) 
Published: December 2021

AbstractHow the Bible functions in (Christian) education in the international discourse on religious education, particularly in the Dutch context, has rarely been empirically investigated. The purpose of this article is to gain insight into how the Bible is functioning in the context of Protestant secondary schools in the Netherlands. In addition to providing a theoretical account, it presents the results of an empirical, explorative, and qualitative study on how the Bible is used in Protestant Christian secondary education in the Netherlands, with a focus on exploring the perspectives of teachers, including religious educators. Seventeen focus group interviews with teachers and school administrators from six secondary schools revealed a variety of goals held by teachers with regard to the use of the Bible in education and identified a variety of divisions in terms of teacher–learner roles. This article reflects on these findings through the use of religious education literature and concepts from the field of Bible didactics.
Risk factors and outcomes of COVID associated mucormycosis in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Bansal Shyam B. , Rana Abhyuday , Babras Mayur , Yadav Dinesh , Jha Pranaw , Jain Manish , Sethi Sidharth K. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundInvasive mucormycosis (IM) is a life‐threatening fungal infection occurring mostly in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, patients with hematological malignancies, and diabetes. A sudden spurt of mucormycosis has been reported in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic in India; however, there is little data about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) associated mucormycosis (CAM) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).MethodsWe describe the clinical presentations, risk factors, treatment and outcomes of 11 mucormycosis cases in KTRs post‐COVID‐19 infection from February 2020 to June 2021 at a single center in India.ResultsMucormycosis was seen in 11/102 (10.7%) KTRs during the pandemic. Six patients had mild disease and rest five had moderate disease. Seven patients had pre‐existing diabetes mellitus and four developed new onset hyperglycemia after receiving steroids for COVID‐19 infection. All had poorly controlled sugars at the time of presentation. Most common presentation was rhino‐orbital‐cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) in 10/11 (89%) patients and one has pulmonary mucormycosis. All patients received combination of amphotericin B and surgical debridement/excision of affected tissue followed by posaconazole prophylaxis. Nine patients recovered, however two patients succumbed to their illness after median of 14 (7–21) days from diagnosis. One patient developed acute T‐cell‐mediated rejection during the course of recovery. At last follow up, the mean serum creatinine was 2.05 mg/dl as compared to 1.4 mg/dl at presentation.ConclusionsIM is a common fungal infection in transplant recipients in India after COVID‐19. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with combination of surgical debridement and liposomal amphotericin B are key to better outcomes in CAM. Judicious use of steroids and control of hyperglycemia is key to avoid flaring up of the fungal infection.
Safety and tolerability of solvent/detergent‐treated plasma for pediatric patients requiring therapeutic plasma exchange: An open‐label, multicenter, postmarketing study
Authors: Josephson Cassandra D. , Goldstein Stuart , Askenazi David , Cohn Claudia S. , Spinella Philip C. , Metjian Ara , Fasano Ross M. , Music‐Aplenc Lejla 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundThis study investigated the real‐world safety and tolerability of solvent/detergent‐treated (S/D) plasma for pediatric patients requiring therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE).Study design and methodsLAS‐213 was a multicenter, open‐label, interventional, phase 4 study. Patients (≥2 to ≤20 years) receiving TPE therapy were eligible. A total plasma volume of 40–60 ml/kg was recommended, with an infusion rate not exceeding 0.020–0.025 citrate/kg body weight/min (<1 ml/kg body weight/min). The primary endpoint was assessment of safety, monitoring the following: serious adverse events (SAEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs), thrombotic events (TEs), thromboembolic events (TEEs), and specific laboratory tests.ResultsIn total, 41 children (2 to <12 years [n = 15]; 12 to <17 years [n = 13]; ≥17 years [n = 13]) underwent 102 TPEs with a total of 135,137 ml of S/D plasma exchanged. Each patient group received between 1 and 6 TPEs (mean: 2.5 TPEs). Actual dose administered per TPE was 4–72 ml/kg (mean: 28.6 ml/kg), with a mean total volume of 1324.9 ml (range: 113–4000 ml). Overall safety was excellent for 96/102 (94.0%) TPEs. Six TPEs had a “moderate” safety profile for four patients experiencing eight ADRs. Of these, seven were mild in intensity and one (pyrexia) was moderate, all resolving by study end. Mild citrate toxicity (n = 2) was the most common ADR. One SAE was reported but was unrelated to the study drug. No TEs, TEEs, or changes in laboratory safety parameters were reported.ConclusionS/D plasma was well tolerated and demonstrated favorable safety, supporting the use of S/D plasma for TPE in pediatrics.
A Genetic Algorithm and RNN-LSTM Model for Remaining Battery Capacity Prediction
Authors: Singh Mukul , Bansal Shrey , Vandana  , Panigrahi B. K. , Garg Akhil 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Li-ion batteries have diversified applications in everyday life. The temperature change, overcharging and over-discharging, is playing critical roles in affecting battery life in a significant manner. In this paper, the deep learning-based method is applied for the prognostics of a single Li-ion battery. The proposed design uses a recurrent neural network variant, long–short-term memory. The model’s parameters are optimized through a genetic algorithm-based parameter selector. The method applies to a sequence of data values comprising of the voltage, the charge capacity, the current, and the temperature. The estimation of battery capacity is not only based on the current or defined state of battery, instead, it is generated on the complete data profile. The robustness of the model is tested by comparing it with techniques such as support vector regressor, Kalman filter, and neural networks on normal and noisy test sets. The paper also proposes a feature selection and engineering scheme for battery capacity prediction. The proposed model outperforms the techniques available in the literature with high generalization to noise and other perturbations. The model is independent of the section of the charging curve used for the prediction of battery capacity. Various experimentation has been conducted on the model and the results have been validated.
The Human Genome, Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health
Authors: Bouchard Claude 
Published: December 2021

A summary of the evidence for a contribution of genetic variability to physical activity–related traits is presented. The availability of a reference human DNA sequence has made it possible to screen individuals and populations for the presence of genomic differences. Even though more than 100 million DNA variants have been identified, human beings share a genomic sequence, which is more than 99% identical. Four major lessons can be derived from ongoing genomic and genetic studies. First, the connection between a genotype and a phenotype is highly complex. Second, the expression of genes is regulated via multiple interacting mechanisms. Third, redundancy and compensatory mechanisms are ubiquitous. Fourth, complex, multifactorial traits are influenced by polygenic systems defined by hundreds and thousands of loci with most alleles characterized by very small effect sizes. The contribution of genetic variability is briefly summarized for human longevity, common chronic diseases, physical activity level, cardiorespiratory fitness in the sedentary state, and in response to exercise programs.
Accumulative Weekly External and Internal Load Relative to Match Load in Elite Male Youth Soccer Players
Authors: de Dios-Álvarez Vicente , Alkain Pello , Castellano Julen , Rey Ezequiel 
Published: December 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was 2-fold: (1) to assess and compare the external and internal load of elite young soccer players during competitive microcycles and (2) to describe the training/match ratios (TMr) in elite male youth soccer players. Method: Twenty-one youth soccer players were monitored using a 10-Hz global positioning system. Total distance covered, running distance (RD), high-speed RD, sprint distance, number of accelerations and decelerations, player load, and rated perceived exertion were recorded during training sessions and matches. The TMr was calculated for each load measure. All variables were also normalized dividing the load per minute of activity. Results: The RD, high-speed running, and sprint distance were higher 3 days before the match and 2 days before match compared with the rest of the training sessions. However, accelerations, decelerations, and player load were higher 4 days before match than other sessions. Besides this, the TMr of RD, high-speed running, and sprint distance were associated with lower values than the TMr of total distance covered, accelerations, decelerations, and player load. The match constituted the highest load during competitive microcycle. Conclusions: The present data support the idea that youth soccer coaches and practitioners must consider relative training load according to match demands to better manage and evaluate player periodization.
In Vitro
Activity of Gepotidacin against Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Anaerobes
Authors: Hackel Meredith A. , Karlowsky James A. , Canino Michele A. , Sahm Daniel F. , Scangarella-Oman Nicole E. 
Published: December 2021

Gepotidacin (formerly GSK2140944) is a first-in-class triazaacenaphthylene antibacterial currently in phase III clinical trials. When tested against Gram-negative (
n
= 333) and Gram-positive (
n
= 225) anaerobes by agar dilution, gepotidacin inhibited 90% of isolates at concentrations of 4 and 2 μg/mL, respectively.