Nevin Manimala

J Emerg Manag. 2021 Sep-Oct;19(5):493-503. doi: 10.5055/jem.0544.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to assess the potential of urban agriculture (UA) to secure daily needs during the armed conflicts, in addition to assess the contribution of UA in alleviating poverty levels and unemployment rates for its practitioners. A combination of both quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed in this study. In the quantitative design, 129 randomly selected urban farmers from the area of the survey completed the self-administered close-ended questionnaires, whereas the statistical analysis presents the socio-demographic, economic, and other aspects of the households. The qualitative data collection included interviews with six governmental and nongovernmental officials. The results show that 89.2 percent of the UA practitioners are feeling food security. However, a small percentage of the households who practice UA are still experiencing difficulties with food security. In the meantime, the armed conflict forced most of the urban farmers to evacuate their homes or lands; thus, only 34.9 percent of urban farmers managed to gain food during the 2014 armed conflict. In a nutshell, UA significantly and positively contributes to alleviating household food insecurity in the study area. However, its role was very limited during the 2014 armed conflict.

PMID:34812484 | DOI:10.5055/jem.0544

J Emerg Manag. 2021 Sep-Oct;19(5):469-478. doi: 10.5055/jem.0550.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The emergency departments of the hospitals and emergency medical services (EMSs) centers have a critical role for providing urgent medical care for patients. The statistical data of the present study were provided by the EMS headquarters of the city of Isfahan, from August to November 2017.

RESULTS: The findings showed that on average, 210 missions were accomplished each day by the emergency call center, with an average duration of about 53 minutes, for each mission. In addition, the average time for response time (the time between a call and dispatch of the ambulance) was less than 3 minutes, and the average time for arrival time (the time between request of ambulance and the arrival to the scene) was 8.1 minutes. Adequacy of current number of ambulances and staff is evaluated.

CONCLUSION: Considering an average of 8.1 minutes for arrival time, we conclude that the EMS of Isfahan is within an acceptable range, compared to the international standards. In fact, it is shown that the infrastructures of EMS system including ambulance fleets, staff, and equipment are sufficient, and as an effective step for reducing the total time of the mission, the EMS has to operate seamlessly with the patient’s admission process in hospitals. Information such as workload hours, availability of resources and staff, etc. ought to be shared between the EMS and the hospital.

PMID:34812482 | DOI:10.5055/jem.0550

J Emerg Manag. 2021 Sep-Oct;19(5):451-460. doi: 10.5055/jem.0653.

ABSTRACT

Firefighting is an essential occupation that is hazardous and stressful. While researchers have established that firefighters are likely to experience burnout, compassion fatigue (CF), and vicarious trauma (VT), no studies to date have focused on these variables in a context specific to wildfire response. As wildfires and their intensity continue to be a growing concern in the Western United States, there is a need to understand the extent of burnout, CF, and VT among firefighters, particularly those who respond to wildfires. This study was conducted at a large metropolitan fire department located in Colorado (n = 186). There were three scales used for this study: the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, the Vicarious Trauma Scale, and the Compassion Fatigue Self-Test. Survey results indicated that the firefighters experienced emotional exhaustion (μ = 16.99), moderate depersonalization (μ = 11.12), low reduced personal accomplishment (μ = 29.29), extremely high CF (μ = 22.60), and moderate VT (μ = 29.15). There were no significant differences between wildfire responders and nonwildfire responders. However, firefighters who were midcareer (11-15 years of service) and those who were between the ages of 35 and 55 were statistically more likely to experience emotional exhaustion and depersonalization than their younger and older peers, thus suggesting that further research is warranted to understand midcareer and midlife stressors among firefighters.

PMID:34812480 | DOI:10.5055/jem.0653

Genet Mol Biol. 2021 Nov 22;44(4):e20210058. doi: 10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2021-0058. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant cancer affecting oral cavity. Recent studies have demonstrated that Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) was upregulated in several types of cancers. USP7 expression was associated with various proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. However, USP7 expression level and its functional role in OSCC is unclear. In the current study, we showed that USP7 expression in OSCC tissues was generally upregulated compared to normal adjacent tissues by using IHC. Furthermore, statistical analysis uncovered that USP7 expression was positively correlated with Ki-67, MMP2, VEGF in OSCC tissues. Importantly, high USP7 expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and histological differentiation in OSCC patients. So, our hypothesis is that USP7 plays a tumor-promoting role in OSCC. Knocking down of USP7 in tumor cells not only suppressed HSC3 cells proliferation, migration and invasion, but also promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, USP7 siRNA blocked the activation of Akt/ERK signaling pathway. In conclusion, data presented here suggests that USP7 promotes the progression of OSCC. USP7 may be used as a new therapeutic target for OSCC diagnosis and treatment.

PMID:34812471 | DOI:10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2021-0058

Food Funct. 2021 Nov 23. doi: 10.1039/d1fo01555a. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Postmenopausal women experience an increase in bone remodeling with the rate of bone resorption superseding the rate of bone formation. This results in a net bone loss with a subsequent increased risk for osteoporosis and fractures. High blood pressure (BP) has been associated with loss of bone mineral density and increased propensity to fractures. Strawberries are rich in polyphenols, which have been shown to have anti-hypertensive and bone-protective properties. Thus, we examined whether daily intake of strawberries would positively affect biomarkers of bone metabolism in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension. Participants (age: 59 ± 6 years; body mass index: 31.5 ± 4.1 kg m^-2; systolic BP: 140 ± 13 mmHg) were randomly assigned to consume (1) 50 g of freeze-dried strawberry powder (FDSP), (2) 25 g FDSP + 25 g of placebo powder, or (3) 50 g placebo powder for eight weeks. Results indicate a significant time-by-treatment interaction (P = 0.04) for serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, a hormone that plays a major role in bone formation. Serum concentrations of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, a marker of bone formation, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b, a specific marker of bone resorption, were not affected by FDSP compared to placebo. Although not statistically significant, after eight weeks, osteocalcin increased in the 50 g FDSP group with a large effect size (d = 0.6) when compared to the placebo-control group. Adiponectin increased by 5% and 6% in the 25 g and 50 g FDSP groups, respectively, while it declined in the placebo-control group by 25% (P = 0.03 for time-by-treatment interaction). Our findings suggest that consumption of 25 g FDSP increases IGF-1 in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension. However, further studies are needed to assert the effectiveness of a strawberry intervention for bone health.

PMID:34812466 | DOI:10.1039/d1fo01555a

Anal Methods. 2021 Nov 23. doi: 10.1039/d1ay01756j. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the electrochemical response of chloramphenicol (CHL) was investigated on a bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and after modification with reduced graphene oxide (GCE/rGO). Preliminary studies by cyclic voltammetry demonstrated an adsorption-controlled mass transport regime of CHL species and a pH-dependent behavior on both electrode surfaces. An adsorptive stripping differential pulse voltammetry (AdSDPV) method was proposed and under optimized instrumental conditions, a comparison of the analytical characteristics of both sensors was performed. The GCE/rGO sensor showed an increase in sensitivity (10-fold), and an anticipation of the reduction potential (200 mV), compared to the bare electrode, due to the adsorptive character (pre-concentration of the CHL species) and the electrocatalytic effect of the nanomaterial. The method was applied to skimmed and whole milk samples, which were simply diluted (50-fold) in supporting electrolyte. The results by AdSDPV using GCE/rGO showed adequate detectability (0.22 μmol L^-1), good precision with a 6% relative standard deviation (RSD) and satisfactory recovery ranging from 93 to 108%. The obtained results were statistically similar (95% confidence level) with those performed through ultra-fast liquid chromatography (UFLC). Furthermore, the sensor showed an improvement in the analytical performance for CHL detection, when compared to other sensors reported in the literature. Therefore, the developed method is reliable and promising for implementation in monitoring CHL residues in milk samples.

PMID:34812438 | DOI:10.1039/d1ay01756j

Rhinology. 2021 Nov 23. doi: 10.4193/Rhin21.320. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of MMP-12 in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps (CRSwNP).

METHODOLOGY: Tissue samples from 37 patients with CRSwNP undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery and healthy mucosa specimens from 12 healthy controls were obtained intraoperatively. The mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP-12 were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively.

RESULTS: mRNA levels of MMP-12 were significantly elevated in the CRSwNP tissue samples compared to those in control ones. The protein levels of MMP-12 showed a trend of increasing but with no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS: Elevation of MMP-12 in patients with CRSwNP suggests its potential implication in the pathogenesis of the disease. The difference in the expression profile observed between mRNA and protein levels could be due to post-translational gene expression regulation. Our findings provide evidence that MMP-12 along with other MMPs may serve as a biomarker and therapeutic target in the management of the disease.

PMID:34812434 | DOI:10.4193/Rhin21.320

Glob Food Sec. 2021 Nov 18:100594. doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100594. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study investigates consumer experiences of food environments and food acquisition practices during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our rapid assessment online survey featured a convenience sample of 2015 individuals from 119 countries, spanning Western Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Data collection took place in April 2020 during the second month of the pandemic. Participants were recruited via existing networks of the United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition, through social media, and by snowballing. The majority of participants were female (71.9%), from low- and middle-income countries (51.0%), and working in nutrition or healthcare (39.3%). Qualitative thematic analysis and descriptive statistics reveal a series of common global experiences related to food availability and accessibility, food prices and affordability, food acquisition practices, and food preparation and consumption. The importance of community food participation, food sharing, and resource allocation are highlighted, along with increasing awareness of healthy diets and food waste. We identify ten synergistic policy entry points to: 1) build resilient and equitable food environments resistant to stresses and shocks; 2) harness positive dietary-related behaviors manifested during the pandemic; and, 3) mitigate the projected nutrition crisis and promote sustainable healthy diets for all.

PMID:34812406 | PMC:PMC8598973 | DOI:10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100594

IEEE Access. 2021 Jun 2;9:85442-85454. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3085418. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

In this work we implement a COVID-19 infection detection system based on chest X-ray images with uncertainty estimation. Uncertainty estimation is vital for safe usage of computer aided diagnosis tools in medical applications. Model estimations with high uncertainty should be carefully analyzed by a trained radiologist. We aim to improve uncertainty estimations using unlabelled data through the MixMatch semi-supervised framework. We test popular uncertainty estimation approaches, comprising Softmax scores, Monte-Carlo dropout and deterministic uncertainty quantification. To compare the reliability of the uncertainty estimates, we propose the usage of the Jensen-Shannon distance between the uncertainty distributions of correct and incorrect estimations. This metric is statistically relevant, unlike most previously used metrics, which often ignore the distribution of the uncertainty estimations. Our test results show a significant improvement in uncertainty estimates when using unlabelled data. The best results are obtained with the use of the Monte Carlo dropout method.

PMID:34812397 | PMC:PMC8545186 | DOI:10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3085418

IEEE Access. 2021 May 11;9:74044-74067. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3079217. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

Cardio Vascular Diseases (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally and is increasing at an alarming rate, according to the American Heart Association’s Heart Attack and Stroke Statistics-2021. This increase has been further exacerbated because of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, thereby increasing the pressure on existing healthcare resources. Smart and Connected Health (SCH) is a viable solution for the prevalent healthcare challenges. It can reshape the course of healthcare to be more strategic, preventive, and custom-designed, making it more effective with value-added services. This research endeavors to classify state-of-the-art SCH technologies via a thorough literature review and analysis to comprehensively define SCH features and identify the enabling technology-related challenges in SCH adoption. We also propose an architectural model that captures the technological aspect of the SCH solution, its environment, and its primary involved stakeholders. It serves as a reference model for SCH acceptance and implementation. We reflected the COVID-19 case study illustrating how some countries have tackled the pandemic differently in terms of leveraging the power of different SCH technologies, such as big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, and mobile applications. In combating the pandemic, SCH has been used efficiently at different stages such as disease diagnosis, virus detection, individual monitoring, tracking, controlling, and resource allocation. Furthermore, this review highlights the challenges to SCH acceptance, as well as the potential research directions for better patient-centric healthcare.

PMID:34812394 | PMC:PMC8545204 | DOI:10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3079217