bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differential expression of cancer associated plasma miRNAs in the ordnance factory workers, exposed to 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene
Authors: Aamir Muhammad , Naveed Abdul Khaliq , Afzal Muhammad , Siddique Aamir 
Published: January 2022

Objectives: To determine differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in plasma of 2, 4, 6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) exposed ordnance factory workers.
Methods: A case control study was conducted at the Department of Toxicology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi from July to December 2020. A total 30 subjects were recruited from an ordnance factory that were directly exposed to TNT and 120 non-exposed individuals from non-factory healthy population. Plasma levels of five miRNAs including miRNA-let-7a-2, miRNA-34a-1, miRNA-21-2, miRNA-106b-1, miRNA-122a-1 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results: Micro RNAs showed a wide range of Ct (cycle threshold) values ranging from 23.48 to 41.94. Among the five miRNAs let-7a-2 and miRNA-122a-1 displayed relatively high expression with Ct values ranging from 26.58 ± 2.25 to 27.18 ± 0.80 respectively. Relative fold change expression for all five miRNAs of exposed individuals were found high (p <0.0001) vs non-exposed. Dividing fold change expression of exposed individuals into two groups as ≤ 10 and > 10, the individuals having ≤ 10-fold change expression were19 (63.3%) in miRNA-let-7a-2, 30 (100%) in miRNA-34a-1 and 23 (76.7%) in miRNA-122a-1 while in miRNA-21-2 and miR-106b-1, 23 (76.7%) and 18(60%) individuals had > 10-fold change expression respectively. Among the five miRNAs in exposed individuals, miRNA-let-7a-2, miR-21-2, miR-106b-1 and miR-122a-1 were found highly expressed with fold change expression > 10 (p <0.0001). No significant association was found between miRNAs expression levels with age and working duration.
Conclusion: The study shows upregulation of all five miRNAs in TNT exposed subjects with no significant association of expression levels with age and working duration.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.3.4928
How to cite this:Aamir M, Naveed AK, Afzal M, Siddique A. Differential expression of cancer associated plasma miRNAs in the ordnance factory workers, exposed to 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(3):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.3.4928
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Study Pre-protocol for “BronchStart - The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Timing, Age and Severity of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Emergency Presentations; a Multi-Centre Prospective Observational Cohort Study”
Authors: Williams Thomas C. , Lyttle Mark D. , Cunningham Steve , Sinha Ian , Swann Olivia V. , Maxwell-Hodkinson Abigail , Marlow Robin , Roland Damian ,   Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI)
Published: January 2022

Background: Bronchiolitis (most frequently caused by respiratory syncytial virus; RSV) is a common winter disease predominantly affecting children under one year of age. It is a common reason for presentations to an emergency department (ED) and frequently results in hospital admission, contributing to paediatric units approaching or exceeding capacity each winter. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the circulation of RSV was dramatically reduced in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Evidence from the Southern Hemisphere and other European countries suggests that as social distancing restrictions for SARS-CoV-2 are relaxed, RSV infection returns, causing delayed or even summer epidemics, with different age distributions. Study question: The ability to track, anticipate and respond to a surge in RSV cases is critical for planning acute care delivery. There is an urgent need to understand the onset of RSV spread at the earliest opportunity. This will influence service planning, to inform clinicians whether the population at risk is a wider age range than normal, and whether there are changes in disease severity. This information is also needed to inform decision on the timing of passive immunisation of children at higher risk of hospitalisation, intensive care admission or death with RSV infection, which is a public health priority. Methods and likely impact: This multi-centre prospective observational cohort study will use a well-established research network (Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland, PERUKI) to report in real time cases of RSV infection in children aged under two years, through the collection of essential, but non-identifying patient information. Forty-five centres will gather initial data on age, index of multiple deprivation quintile, clinical features on presentation, and co-morbidities. Each case will be followed up at seven days to identify treatment, viral diagnosis and outcome. Information be released on a weekly basis and used to support clinical decision making.
When Is Society Susceptible to Manipulation?
Authors: Mostagir Mohamed , Ozdaglar Asuman , Siderius James 
Published: January 2022

We consider a social learning model where agents learn about an underlying state of the world from individual observations as well as from exchanging information with each other. A principal (e.g., a firm or a government) interferes with the learning process in order to manipulate the beliefs of the agents. By utilizing the same forces that give rise to the “wisdom of the crowd” phenomenon, the principal can get the agents to take an action that is not necessarily optimal for them but is in the principal’s best interest. We characterize the social norms and network structures that are susceptible to this kind of manipulation and derive conditions under which a social network is impervious and cannot be manipulated. In the process, we develop a new centrality measure and describe how our model offers insights into designing networks that are resistant to manipulation. This paper was accepted by Gabriel Weintraub, revenue management and market analytics.
Emergency capacity analysis in Ethiopia: Results of a baseline emergency facility assessment
Authors: Firew Tsion , Mishra Diksha , Makonnen Tirsit , Fantaye Helena Hailu , Workeye Bethlehem , Kebede Sofia , Ebrahim Yimer Fatuma , Abebe Yonas , Shiferaw Betelehem , Gebreyesus Alegnta , Sultan Menbeu , Azazh Aklilu 
Published: January 2022

Introduction
In Ethiopia, the specialty of Emergency Medicine is a relatively new discipline. In the last few decades, policymakers have made Emergency Medicine a priority for improving population health. This study aims to contribute to this strengthening of Emergency Medicine, by conducting the country’s first baseline gap analysis of Emergency Medicine Capacity at the pre-hospital and hospital level in order to help identify needs and areas for intervention.

Methods
This is a cross sectional investigation that utilized a convenience sampling of 22 primary, general and tertiary hospitals. Trained personnel visited the hospitals and conducted 4-hour interviews with hospital administrators and emergency care area personnel. The tool used in the interview was the Columbia University sidHARTe Program Emergency Services Resource Assessment Tool (ESRAT) to evaluate both emergency and trauma capacity in different regions of Ethiopia. The findings of this survey were then compared against two established standards: the World Health Organization’s Essential Package of Emergency Care (EPEC), as well as those set by Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health.

Results
The tool assessed the services provided at each hospital and evaluated the infrastructure of emergency care at the facility. Triage systems differed amongst the hospitals surveyed though triaging and emergency unit infrastructures were relatively similar amongst the hospitals. There was a marked variability in the level of training, guidelines, staffing, disaster preparedness, drug availability, procedures performed, and quality assurance measures from hospital to hospital. Most regional and district hospitals did not have nurses or doctors trained in Emergency Medicine and over 70% of the hospitals did not have written guidelines for standardized emergency care.

Conclusion
This gap analysis has revealed numerous inconsistencies in health care practice, resources, and infrastructure within the scope of Emergency Medicine in Ethiopia. Major gaps were identified, and the results of this assessment were used to devise action priorities for the Ministry of Health. Much remains to be done to strengthen Emergency Medicine in Ethiopia, and numerous opportunities exist to make additional short and long-term improvements.
Homologous recombination DNA repair gene RAD51, XRCC2 & XRCC3 polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in South Indian women
Authors: Rajagopal Taruna , Seshachalam Arun , Rathnam Krishna Kumar , Talluri Srikanth , Venkatabalasubramanian Sivaramakrishnan , Dunna Nageswara Rao 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundHomologous recombination repair (HRR) accurately repairs the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and is crucial for genome stability. Genetic polymorphisms in crucial HRR pathway genes might affect genome stability and promote tumorigenesis. Up to our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate the impact of HRR gene polymorphisms on BC development in South Indian women. The present population-based case-control study investigated the association of polymorphisms in three key HRR genes (XRCC2-Arg188His,XRCC3-Thr241Met andRAD51-G135C) with BC risk.Materials and methodsPolymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used for genotyping the HRR variants in 491 BC cases and 493 healthy women.ResultsWe observed that theXRCC3Met allele was significantly associated with BC risk [OR:1.27 (95% CI: 1.02–1.60); p = 0.035]. In addition, the homozygous mutant (C/C) genotype ofRAD51G135C variant conferred 2.19 fold elevated risk of BC [OR: 2.19 (95% CI: 1.06–4.54); p = 0.034]. Stratified analysis of HRR variants and BC clinicopathological features revealed that theXRCC3-Thr241Met andRAD51-G135C variants are associated with BC progression. Combined SNP analysis revealed that the individuals withRAD51-C/C,XRCC2-Arg/Arg, andXRCC3-Thr/Thr genotype combination have three-fold increased BC risk.ConclusionThe present study imparts additional evidence that genetic variants in crucial HRR pathway genes might play a pivotal role in modulating BC risk in South Indian women.
Outside any therapeutic trial prescription of hydroxychloroquine for hospitalized patients with covid-19 during the first wave of the pandemic: A national inquiry of prescription patterns among French hospitalists
Authors: Bosquet Antoine , Affo Comlan , Plaisance Ludovic , Poenou Géraldine , Mortier Emmanuel , Mahé Isabelle 
Published: January 2022

Introduction
During the first wave of the coronavirus-disease 2019 (covid-19) pandemic in early 2020, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was widely prescribed in light of in vitro activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our objective was to evaluate in early 2020 the rate of French hospitalists declaring having prescribed HCQ to treat covid-19 patients outside any therapeutic trial, compare the reasons and the determinants for having prescribed HCQ or not.

Material and methods
A national inquiry submitted by email from May 7 to 25, 2020, to a sample of French hospitalists: doctors managing patients hospitalized for covid-19 in a French department of internal medicine or infectious diseases and identified in the directories of French hospitals or as a member of the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF). Primary outcome was the percentage of hospitalists declaring having prescribed HCQ to covid-19 patients. Secondary outcomes were reasons and determinants of HCQ prescription.

Results
Among 400 (22.8%) responding hospitalists, 45.3% (95% CI, 40.4 to 50.1%) declared having prescribed HCQ to covid-19 patients. Two main profiles were discerned: HCQ prescribers who did not raise its efficacy as a motive, and non-prescribers who based their decision on evidence-based medicine. Multivariate analysis retained the following prescription determinants (adjusted odds ratio; 95% confidence interval): a departmental procedure for HCQ prescription (8.25; 4.79 to 14.20), having prescribed other treatments outside a therapeutic trial (3.21; 1.81 to 5.71), prior HCQ prescription (2.75; 1.5 to 5.03) and HCQ prescribed within the framework of a therapeutic trial (0.56; 0.33 to 0.95).

Conclusion
Almost half of the hospitalists prescribed HCQ. The physician’s personality (questioning or not evidence-based–medicine principles in the context of the pandemic) and departmental therapeutic procedures were the main factors influencing HCQ prescription. Establishment of “therapeutic” procedures represents a potential means to improve the quality of therapeutic decision-making during a pandemic.
Clinical factors to predict flare-up in patients with inflammatory bowel disease during international air travel: A prospective study
Authors: Park Jihye , Yoon Hyuk , Shin Cheol Min , Park Young Soo , Kim Nayoung , Lee Dong Ho 
Published: January 2022

Backgrounds and aims
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients often experience disease flare-ups during international air travel. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with IBD flare-up during international air travel.

Methods
Patients with scheduled international air travel were enrolled in the study from the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital IBD clinic. Flight information and clinical data were collected via questionnaires and personal interviews, and risk factors associated with IBD flares were determined.

Results
Between May 2018 and February 2020, 94 patients were prospectively enrolled in the study (mean age, 33.0 years; males, 53.2%; mean disease duration, 56.7 months), including 56 (59.6%) with ulcerative colitis and 38 (40.4%) with Crohn’s disease. Of the 94 patients enrolled, 15 (16.0%) experienced an IBD flare-up and 79 (84.0%) remained in remission throughout travel. Logistic regression analysis revealed that high fecal calprotectin levels before travel (odds ratio [OR]: 1.001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.000–1.001, p = 0.016), the presence of a comorbidity (OR: 6.334, 95% CI: 1.129–35.526, p = 0.036), and history of emergency room visit (OR: 5.283, 95% CI: 1.085–25.724, p = 0.039) were positively associated with disease flare-up. The previous and current use of immunomodulators and biologics, time of flight, altitude, number countries visited, travel duration, objective of visit, and previous medical consultations were not associated with disease flare-up.

Conclusions
Elevated fecal calprotectin levels, history of emergency room visits, and the presence of a comorbidity predicted IBD flare-up during international air travel.
O problema das falhas activas na engenharia civil
Authors: Coelho António 
Published: January 2022

O problema das falhas activas na engenharia civil insere-se na questão mais geral da avaliação do perigo sísmico dos locais de implantação dos grandes empreendimentos, como as instalações da indústria nuclear, as grandes barragens ou as armazenagens de LNG, que se caracterizam por um risco potencial elevado.
Na análise do problema das falhas activa cruzam-se fundamentalmente três domínios – a geologia, a sismologia e a avaliação do perigo sísmico (no contexto da engenharia civil) – cuja aplicação define uma mar cha do geral para o particular, dos estudos académicos e regionais para os estudos aplicados e específicos.
Nesta perspectiva, importa começar por enquadrar o problema das falhas activas no plano científico fun damental e analisar a real natureza do problema em Portugal continental, tendo em conta a sua situação parti cular no quadro da tectónica global.
Daqui, podemos então partir para a consideração dos métodos mais adequados ao estudo específico do sítio de um empreendimento, que permitam servir de fundamento ao exercício de julgamentos e à tomada de decisões, baseados em resultados conjugados de ciência, tecnologia e experiência, designadamente: – Decidir se nos devemos preocupar com as falhas;
– Reconhecer uma falha activa;
– Decidir se uma falha representa um perigo inaceitável de rotura à superfície.
A Randomized Pilot Study to Compare the Effectiveness of a Low FODMAP Diet vs Psyllium in Patients With Fecal Incontinence and Loose Stools
Authors: Menees Stacy B. , Jackson Kenya , Baker Jason R. , Fenner Dee E. , Eswaran Shanti , Nojkov Borko , Saad Richard , Lee Allen A. , Chey William D. 
Published: January 2022

INTRODUCTION:
The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of a low fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide, and polyol diet (LFD) vs psyllium on the frequency and severity of fecal incontinence (FI) episodes in patients with loose stools.

METHODS:
This was a single-center, randomized pilot trial of adult patients with FI (Rome III) with at least 1 weekly FI episode associated with loose stool. Eligible patients were randomized to 4 weeks of either a dietitian-led LFD or 6 g/d psyllium treatment.

RESULTS:
Forty-three subjects were randomized from October 2014 to May 2019. Thirty-seven patients completed the study (19 LFD and 18 psyllium). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of treatment responders (>50% reduction in FI episodes compared with baseline) for treatment weeks 1–4 (LFD 38.9%, psyllium 50%, P = .33). Compared with baseline, mean fecal incontinence severity index score significantly improved with LFD (39.4 vs 32.6, P = .02) but not with psyllium (35.4 vs 32.1, P = .29). Compared with baseline values, the LFD group reported improvements in fecal incontinence quality of life coping/behavior, depression/self-perception, and embarrassment subscales. The psyllium group reported improvement in incontinence quality of life coping/behavior.

DISCUSSION:
In this pilot study, there was no difference in the proportion of patients who reported a 50% reduction of FI episodes with the LFD or psyllium. Subjects in the psyllium group reported a greater reduction in overall FI episodes, whereas the LFD group reported consistent improvements in FI severity and quality of life. Further work to understand these apparently discrepant results are warranted but the LFD and psyllium seem to provide viable treatment options for patients with FI and loose stools.
Kullback-Leibler Divergence of Mixture Autoregressive Random Processes via Extreme-Value-Distributions (EVDs) Noise with Application of the Processes to Climate Change
Authors: Olanrewaju Rasaki Olawale , Waititu Anthony Gichuhi 
Published: January 2022

This paper designs inter-switch autoregressive random processes in a mixture manner with Extreme-Value-Distributions (EVDs) random noises to give EVDs-MAR model. The EVDs-MAR model comprises of Fréchet, Gumbel, and Weibull distributional error terms to form FMA, GMA, and WMA models with their embedded inter-switching transitional weights (wk) , distributional parameters, and autoregressive coefficients . The Kullback-Leibler divergence was used to measure the proximity (D) between finite/ delimited mixture density and infinite mixture density of the EVDs-MAR model with Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm adopted as the parameter estimation technique for the extreme mixture model. The FMA, GMA, and WMA models were subjected to monthly temperature in Celsius (oC) from 1900 to 2020 and annual rainfall in Millimeter (mm) from 1960 to 2020 datasets in Nigeria context.
The Genius of Bureaucracy: SOM’s Hajj Terminal and Geiger Berger Associates’ Form-Finding Software
Authors: Allen Matthew 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Through a reconstruction of the murky process involved in the design of the Hajj Terminal at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Matthew Allen examines how computational expertise negotiated a new role for itself within the hierarchy of late twentieth-century corporate architecture. In The Genius of Bureaucracy: SOM’s Hajj Terminal and Geiger Berger Associates’ Form-Finding Software he explores how Henry-Russell Hitchcock’s rubric of “the architecture of genius and the architecture of bureaucracy” played out in a situation where the two ideals converged. Unusual among other large corporate firms, SOM not only invested in computation early on but also leveraged computer-generated images to promote its practice. Examination of SOM’s printouts from the Hajj Terminal project reveals the pervasive presence of the lower ranks of the corporate hierarchy—particularly the engineering subconsultants Geiger Berger Associates, who developed unique software for engineering tensile structures. In this contest between decisive SOM designers such as Gordon Bunshaft and Fazlur Khan and engineering paperwork, a new understanding of “the computer” emerged that congealed around the concept of form-finding, or “smart” digital modeling.
Education sector policies and their role in the integration of workplace learning and higher education: A case of Tanzania’s higher technical and engineering education
Authors: Mmari James Elikana , Kovács Zsuzsa , Kálmán Csaba 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Tanzania’s education system has been passing through different changes in its policies and strategic implementation plans. As a result, improvements in various areas, such as increased students’ enrolment rate, improved pass rates, and improved infrastructure at all levels have been realized. This pilot study aimed at understanding the awareness and perception of policymakers, employers, instructors, and students of the importance of policies in integrating workplace learning and technical higher education. With the main question being, how stakeholders in the education sector perceive the importance of policies in integrating workplace learning and technical higher education. In order to answer the above question, a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted with policymakers, employers, instructors, and students. Most of the interviewees stated that policies have significant roles in ensuring the smooth integration and implementation of these two learning modes. On the other side, several challenges were mentioned in policy implementation and realization of the strategic plans. These challenges were categorized as those related to the public’s and students’ awareness and readiness, financial constraints, educational institutes’ readiness, and operationalization of the organizations and educational institutes. From this pilot study, insightful information is gained on the importance of having policies that take into account all main stakeholders in higher education.