bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Experiences and Perceptions of Teachers of the Deaf Children in a South African Sign Language Class
Authors: Grace Madisha 
Published: April 2023

Since Deaf children lack the foundation of a primary language, they find it difficult to learn a second language. As a result, it is suggested that South African Sign Language[1] be taught as a first language and that the environment's dominant vocal language, such as English, be learnt as a second language, primarily through writing. This essay summarises the results of a master's degree study that looked at teachers' experiences teaching Deaf students in South Africa's Gauteng region English as a First Additional Language (EFAL) using a qualitative research design. The purpose of this study was to investigate teaching methods appropriate for Deaf youngsters. Four data collection tools were used: focus group interviews, individual interviews, observations, field notes and documentation. Interviews with four female Foundation teachers took place in semi-structured focus groups and a one-on-one session. Four female Foundation Phase teachers who utilised EFAL as a language of learning and instructed Deaf students to use Sign Language as a form of communication participated in semi-structured focus groups. One of the four teachers is Deaf. The responses of the participants were recorded and analysed. Two key themes emerged from the interview data: (1) team teaching and its advantages, and (2) the use of customised test questions. The results showed that team teaching, which pairs two competent instructors—one Deaf and the other Hearing—to give learners full access to classroom communication and learning, can improve the lack of teachers' training in teaching Deaf students. The modified assessment was found to enhance these kids' academic performance and EFAL learning.
Microbial characterization of the nasal cavity in patients with allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis
Authors: Che Yanlu , Wang Nan , Ma Qianzi , Liu Junjie , Xu Zhaonan , Li Qiuying , Wang Jingting , Sun Yanan 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionAlthough recent studies have shown that the human microbiome is involved in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, the impact of microbiota on allergic rhinitis (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis (nAR) has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the composition of the nasal flora in patients with AR and nAR and their role in the pathogenesis.MethodFrom February to September 2022, 35 AR patients and 35 nAR patients admitted to Harbin Medical University’s Second Affiliated Hospital, as well as 20 healthy subjects who underwent physical examination during the same period, were subjected to 16SrDNA and metagenomic sequencing of nasal flora.ResultsThe microbiota composition of the three groups of study subjects differs significantly. The relative abundance of Vibrio vulnificus and Acinetobacter baumanni in the nasal cavity of AR patients was significantly higher when compared to nAR patients, while the relative abundance of Lactobacillus murinus, Lactobacillus iners, Proteobacteria, Pseudomonadales, and Escherichia coli was lower. In addition, Lactobacillus murinus and Lacttobacillus kunkeei were also negatively correlated with IgE, while Lacttobacillus kunkeei was positively correlated with age. The relative distribution of Faecalibacterium was higher in moderate than in severe AR patients. According to KEGG functional enrichment annotation, ICMT(protein-S-isoprenylcysteine O-methyltransferase,ICMT) is an AR microbiota-specific enzyme that plays a role, while glycan biosynthesis and metabolism are more active in AR microbiota. For AR, the model containing Parabacteroides goldstemii, Sutterella-SP-6FBBBBH3, Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea, Lachnospiraceae bacterium-615, and Bacteroides coprocola had the highest the area under the curve (AUC), which was 0.9733(95%CI:0.926-1.000) in the constructed random forest prediction model. The largest AUC for nAR is 0.984(95%CI:0.949−1.000) for the model containing Pseudomonas-SP-LTJR-52, Lachnospiraceae bacterium-615, Prevotella corporis, Anaerococcus vaginalis, and Roseburia inulinivorans.ConclusionIn conclusion, patients with AR and nAR had significantly different microbiota profiles compared to healthy controls. The results suggest that the nasal microbiota may play a key role in the pathogenesis and symptoms of AR and nAR, providing us with new ideas for the treatment of AR and nAR.
Frailty in hypertensive population and its association with all-cause mortality: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Li Li , Wang Yuge , Yang Chunlei , Huang Chenhui , Duan Lanzhi , Zhou Jianghua , Lu Yanyu , Zhao Guojun 
Published: April 2023

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the relationship between frailty and all-cause mortality in hypertensive population.MethodsWe used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2002 and mortality data from the National Death Index. Frailty was assessed using the revised version of the Fried frailty criteria (weakness, exhaustion, low physical activity, shrinking, and slowness). This study aimed to evaluate the association between frailty and all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between frailty category and all-cause mortality, adjusted for age, sex, race, education, poverty–income ratio, smoking, alcohol, diabetes, arthritis, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, stroke, overweight, cancer or malignancy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, and taking medicine for hypertension.ResultsWe gathered data of 2,117 participants with hypertension; 17.81%, 28.77%, and 53.42% were classified as frail, pre-frail, and robust, respectively. We found that frail [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.33–3.27] and pre-frail (HR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.19–1.59] were significantly associated with all-cause mortality after controlling for variables. We found that frail (HR = 3.02, 95% CI = 2.50–3.65) and pre-frail (HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.15–1.58) were associated with all-cause mortality in the age group ≥65 years. For the frailty components, weakness (HR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.55–2.03), exhaustion (HR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.92–2.65), low physical activity (HR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.95–2.61), shrinking (HR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.13–1.92), and slowness (HR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.22–1.69) were associated with all-cause mortality.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that frailty and pre-frailty were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension. More attention should be paid to frailty in hypertensive patients, and interventions to reduce the burden of frailty may improve outcomes in these patients.
Manual cell selection in single cell transcriptomics using scSELpy supports the analysis of immune cell subsets
Authors: Dedden Mark , Wiendl Maximilian , Müller Tanja M. , Neurath Markus F. , Zundler Sebastian 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionSingle cell RNA sequencing plays an increasing and indispensable role in immunological research such as in the field of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Professional pipelines are complex, but tools for the manual selection and further downstream analysis of single cell populations are missing so far.MethodsWe developed a tool called scSELpy, which can easily be integrated into Scanpy-based pipelines, allowing the manual selection of cells on single cell transcriptomic datasets by drawing polygons on various data representations. The tool further supports the downstream analysis of the selected cells and the plotting of results.ResultsTaking advantage of two previously published single cell RNA sequencing datasets we show that this tool is useful for the positive and negative selection of T cell subsets implicated in IBD beyond standard clustering. We further demonstrate the feasibility for subphenotyping T cell subsets and use scSELpy to corroborate earlier conclusions drawn from the dataset. Moreover, we also show its usefulness in the context of T cell receptor sequencing.DiscussionCollectively, scSELpy is a promising additive tool fulfilling a so far unmet need in the field of single cell transcriptomic analysis that might support future immunological research.
The role of feedback in supporting trainees who underperform in clinical environments
Authors: Ajjawi Rola , Bearman Margaret , Molloy Elizabeth , Noble Christy 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionUnderperformance in clinical environments can be costly and emotional for all stakeholders. Feedback is an important pedagogical strategy for working with underperformance – both formal and informal strategies can make a difference. Feedback is a typical feature of remediation programs, and yet there is little consensus on how feedback should unfold in the context of underperformance.MethodsThis narrative review synthesises literature at the intersections of feedback and underperformance in clinical environments where service, learning and safety need to be considered. We do so with a critical eye towards generating insights for working with underperformance in the clinical environment.Synthesis and discussionThere are compounding and multi-level factors that contribute to underperformance and subsequent failure. This complexity overwrites simplistic notions of ‘earned’ failure through individual traits and deficit. Working with such complexity requires feedback that goes beyond educator input or ‘telling’. When we shift beyond feedback as input to process, we recognise that these processes are fundamentally relational, where trust and safety are necessary for trainees to share their weaknesses and doubts. Emotions are always present and they signal action. Feedback literacy might help us consider how to engage trainees with feedback so that they take an active (autonomous) role in developing their evaluative judgements. Finally, feedback cultures can be influential and take effort to shift if at all. A key mechanism running through all these considerations of feedback is enabling internal motivation, and creating conditions for trainees to feel relatedness, competence and autonomy. Broadening our perceptions of feedback, beyond telling, might help create environments for learning to flourish.
The utility of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in athletes and physically active individuals with or without persistent symptoms after COVID-19
Authors: Brito Gisele Mendes , Prado Danilo Marcelo Leite do , Rezende Diego Augusto , de Matos Luciana Diniz Nagem Janot , Loturco Irineu , Vieira Marcelo Luiz Campos , de Sá Pinto Ana Lúcia , Alô Rodrigo Otávio Bougleux , de Albuquerque Lorena Christine Araújo , Bianchini Flavia Riva , Pinto Ana Jéssica , Roschel Hamilton , Lemes Ítalo Ribeiro , Gualano Bruno ,   Coalition SPORT-COVID-19
Published: April 2023

IntroductionCardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) may capture potential impacts of COVID-19 during exercise. We described CPET data on athletes and physically active individuals with or without cardiorespiratory persistent symptoms.MethodsParticipants’ assessment included medical history and physical examination, cardiac troponin T, resting electrocardiogram, spirometry and CPET. Persistent symptoms were defined as fatigue, dyspnea, chest pain, dizziness, tachycardia, and exertional intolerance persisting &gt;2 months after COVID-19 diagnosis.ResultsA total of 46 participants were included; sixteen (34.8%) were asymptomatic and thirty participants (65.2%) reported persistent symptoms, with fatigue and dyspnea being the most reported ones (43.5 and 28.1%). There were a higher proportion of symptomatic participants with abnormal data for slope of pulmonary ventilation to carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2 slope; p&lt;0.001), end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure at rest (PETCO2 rest; p=0.007), PETCO2 max (p=0.009), and dysfunctional breathing (p=0.023) vs. asymptomatic ones. Rates of abnormalities in other CPET variables were comparable between asymptomatic and symptomatic participants. When assessing only elite and highly trained athletes, differences in the rate of abnormal findings between asymptomatic and symptomatic participants were no longer statistically significant, except for expiratory air flow-to-percent of tidal volume ratio (EFL/VT) (more frequent among asymptomatic participants) and dysfunctional breathing (p=0.008).DiscussionA considerable proportion of consecutive athletes and physically active individuals presented with abnormalities on CPET after COVID-19, even those who had had no persistent cardiorespiratory symptomatology. However, the lack of control parameters (e.g., pre-infection data) or reference values for athletic populations preclude stablishing the causality between COVID-19 infection and CPET abnormalities as well as the clinical significance of these findings.
Neonatal infection in Sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional pilot study on bacterial pathogens and maternal risk factors
Authors: Blumenröder Simone , Wilson Damas , Ndaboine Edgard , Mirambo Mariam M. , Mushi Martha F. , Bader Oliver , Zimmermann Ortrud , Mshana Stephen E. , Groß Uwe 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionAlthough child morbidity and mortality could be reduced in Sub-Saharan Africa during the last years both remain high. Since neonatal infections play a major role, we conducted a cross-sectional pilot study in the lake region of Western Tanzania in order to analyze not only the prevalence of neonatal infection with its bacterial etiology including antimicrobial resistance pattern but also to detect potential maternal risk factors.MethodsWe screened 156 women for potential risk factors and examined their neonates for clinical signs of an infection including microbiological verification. All women were interviewed for medical history and their socio-economic background. High-vaginal swabs (HVS) of pregnant women and blood cultures of sick infants were investigated for bacterial pathogens using culture followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) or polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR)-based assays. Antimicrobial resistances were determined using a disk diffusion test and verified by VITEK 2. Maternal malaria, blood glucose, and hemoglobin levels were determined by rapid tests and helminth infections by stool microscopy.Results and discussionOur results showed a prevalence of 22% for neonatal infections. In total, 57% of them had culture-positive bloodstream infections with Gram-negative bacteria being the most prevalent. All these expressed resistance against ampicillin. The prevalence of maternal infection with helminths or Plasmodium was low, indicating that anti-worming strategies and intermittent preventive treatment of malaria for pregnant women (IPTp) are effective. The study identified maternal urinary tract infection (UTI) and an elevated blood glucose level as potential maternal risk factors for early neonatal infection, an elevated blood glucose level, and maternal anemia for a late-onset infection.ConclusionOur study, therefore, indicates that monitoring maternal UTI in the last trimester as well as levels of maternal hemoglobin and blood glucose might be important to predict and eventually manage neonatal infections. As Gram-negative bacteria with resistance to ampicillin were most prevalent in culture-proven neonatal sepsis, WHO recommendations for calculated antibiosis in the sick young infant should be discussed.
Recent advances in the combination of cellular therapy with stem cells and nanoparticles after a spinal cord injury
Authors: García Elisa , Sánchez-Noriega Samantha , González-Pacheco Guadalupe , González-Vázquez Alejandro Naat , Ibarra Antonio , Rodríguez-Barrera Roxana 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundCurrently, combined therapies could help to reduce long-term sequelae of spinal cord injury (SCI); stem cell therapy at the site of injury in combination with other therapies has shown very promising results that can be transferred to the clinical field. Nanoparticles (NPs) are versatile technologies with applications to medical research for treatments of SCI since they could deliver therapeutic molecules to the target tissue and may help to reduce the side effects of non-targeted therapies. This article's purpose is to analyze and concisely describe the diverse cellular therapies in combination with NPs and their regenerative effect after SCI.MethodsWe reviewed the literature related to combinatory therapy for motor impairment following SCI that has been published by Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO host, and PubMed databases. The research covers the databases from 2001 to December 2022.ResultAnimal models of SCI have shown that the combination of NPs plus stem cells has a positive impact on neuroprotection and neuroregeneration. Further research is required to better understand the effects and benefits of SCI on a clinical level; therefore, it is necessary to find and select the most effective molecules that are capable of exacerbating the neurorestorative effects of the different stem cells and then try them out on patients after SCI. On the other hand, we consider that synthetic polymers such as poly [lactic-co-glycolic acid] (PLGA) could be a candidate for the design of the first therapeutic strategy that combines NPs with stem cells in patients with SCI. The reasons for the selection are that PLGA has shown important advantages over other NPs, such as being biodegradable, having low toxicity levels, and high biocompatibility; In addition, researchers could control the release time and the biodegradation kinetics, and most importantly, it could be used as NMs on other clinical pathologies (12 studies on www.clinicaltrials.gov) and has been approved by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDA).ConclusionThe use of cellular therapy and NPs may be a worthwhile alternative for SCI therapy; however, it is expected that the data obtained from interventions after SCI reflect an important variability of molecules combined with NPs. Therefore, it is necessary to properly define the limits of this research to be able to continue to work on the same line. Consequently, the selection of a specific therapeutic molecule and type of NPs plus stem cells are crucial to evaluate its application in clinical trials.
Research advances in imaging markers for predicting hematoma expansion in intracerebral hemorrhage: a narrative review
Authors: Huang Yong-Wei , Huang Hai-Lin , Li Zong-Ping , Yin Xiao-Shuang 
Published: April 2023

IntroductionStroke is a major global health concern and is ranked as the second leading cause of death worldwide, with the third highest incidence of disability. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke that is responsible for a significant proportion of stroke-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Hematoma expansion (HE), which occurs in up to one-third of ICH patients, is a strong predictor of poor prognosis and can be potentially preventable if high-risk patients are identified early. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of previous research in this area and highlight the potential use of imaging markers for future research studies.Recent advancesImaging markers have been developed in recent years to aid in the early detection of HE and guide clinical decision-making. These markers have been found to be effective in predicting HE in ICH patients and include specific manifestations on Computed Tomography (CT) and CT Angiography (CTA), such as the spot sign, leakage sign, spot-tail sign, island sign, satellite sign, iodine sign, blend sign, swirl sign, black hole sign, and hypodensities. The use of imaging markers holds great promise for improving the management and outcomes of ICH patients.ConclusionThe management of ICH presents a significant challenge, and identifying high-risk patients for HE is crucial to improving outcomes. The use of imaging markers for HE prediction can aid in the rapid identification of such patients and may serve as potential targets for anti-HE therapies in the acute phase of ICH. Therefore, further research is needed to establish the reliability and validity of these markers in identifying high-risk patients and guiding appropriate treatment decisions.
Prognostic biomarker CCR6 and its correlation with immune infiltration in cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Nurzat Yeltai , Dai Damao , Hu Julong , Zhang Feiyu , Lin Zaihuan , Huang Yang , Gang Liang , Ji Hang , Zhang Xiaowen 
Published: April 2023

BackgroundCutaneous melanoma (CM) is an aggressive type of skin cancer. Even after standard treatment, the recurrence and malignant progression of CM were almost inevitable. The overall survival (OS) of patients with CM varied widely, making it critical for prognostic prediction. Based on the correlation between CCR6 and melanoma incidence, we aimed to investigate the prognostic role of CCR6 and its relationship with immune infiltration in CM.MethodsWe obtained RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to analyze the CM expression. Functional enrichment analyses, immune infiltration analyses, immune checkpoint analyses, and clinicopathology analyses were performed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent prognostic factors. A nomogram model had been developed. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and log-rank test were used to estimate the relationship between OS and CCR6 expression.ResultsCCR6 was significantly upregulated in CM. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that CCR6 was correlated with immune response. Most immune cells and immune checkpoints were positively correlated with CCR6 expression. Kaplan–Meier analyses showed that high CCR6 expression was associated with a good outcome in CM and its subtypes. Cox regression showed that CCR6 was an independent prognostic factor in patients with CM (HR = 0.550, 95% CI = 0.332–0.912, p&lt;0.05).ConclusionsCCR6 is considered to be a new prognostic biomarker for patients with CM, and our study provides a potential therapeutic target for CM treatment.