MINARET: A Recommendation Framework for Scientific Reviewers

International audienceWe are witnessing a continuous growth in the size of scientific communities and the number of scientific publications. This phenomenon requires a continuous effort for ensuring the quality of publications and a healthy scientific evaluation process. Peer reviewing is the de facto mechanism to assess the quality of scientific work. For journal editors, managing an efficient and effective manuscript peer review process is not a straightforward task. In particular, a main component in the journal editors' role is, for each submitted manuscript, to ensure selecting adequate reviewers who need to be: 1) Matching on their research interests with the topic of the submission, 2) Fair in their evaluation of the submission, i.e., no conflict of interest with the authors, 3) Qualified in terms of various aspects including scientific impact, previous review/authorship experience for the journal , quality of the reviews, etc. Thus, manually selecting and assessing the adequate reviewers is becoming tedious and time consuming task. We demonstrate MINARET, a recommendation framework for selecting scientific reviewers. The framework facilitates the job of journal editors for conducting an efficient and effective scientific review process. The framework exploits the valuable information available on the modern scholarly Websites (e.g., Google Scholar, ACM DL, DBLP, Publons) for identifying candidate reviewers relevant to the topic of the manuscript, filtering them (e.g. excluding those with potential conflict of interest), and ranking them based on several metrics configured by the editor (user). The framework extracts the required information for the recommendation process from the online resources on-the-fly which ensures the output recommendations to be dynamic and based on up-to-date information

Seroprevalence and Molecular Identification of Brucella spp. in Camels in Egypt

Brucellosis is one of the most important worldwide zoonoses of many countries including Egypt. Camel brucellosis has not gained much attention in Egypt yet. This study is focused on the three governorates with the highest camel populations and the largest camel markets in the country to determine the disease seroprevalence and identify the Brucella species in local camel holdings. In total, 381 serum samples were collected from male and female camels from Giza, Aswan, and Al-Bahr Al-Ahmar (the Red Sea) governorates. Samples were serologically examined using the Rose–Bengal plate test (RBPT), indirect ELISA (i-ELISA), competitive ELISA (c-ELISA) and complement fixation test (CFT). Brucella antibodies were detected in 59 (15.5%), 87 (22.8%), 77 (20.2%) and 118 (31.0%) of sera by RBPT, i-ELISA, c-ELISA and CFT, respectively. Using real-time PCR, Brucella DNA was amplified in 32 (8.4%) seropositive samples including Brucella abortus (25/32), Brucella suis (5/32) and Brucella melitensis (2/32), defining a complex epidemiological status. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting Brucella suis DNA in camel serum. The risk-associated factors including age, sex, breed and geographical distribution were statistically analyzed, showing non-significant association with seroprevalence. The results of this study will raise awareness for camel brucellosis and help develop effective control strategies

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative sars-cov-2 infection: An international cohort study

Background The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (740%) had emergency surgery and 280 (248%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (261%) patients. 30-day mortality was 238% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (512%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 380% (219 of 577), accounting for 817% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 175 [95% CI 128-240], p<00001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (230 [165-322], p<00001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3-5 versus grades 1-2 (235 [157-353], p<00001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (155 [101-239], p=0046), emergency versus elective surgery (167 [106-263], p=0026), and major versus minor surgery (152 [101-231], p=0047). Interpretation Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Role of Designer to Meet the Needs of Landscaping Users in The Egyptian City

Urban Planning Sciences is general and the Landscape Science in particular aimed at studying the needs of users and ways to meet those needs. Landscape programs and projects are the applications of those sciences and the results of research that observe and study every new thing that happens in society. This is done by combining three important elements: the components of the physical environment, design sciences and implementation methods to cover the needs of the user at the site. In view of the state of the Egyptian city, you will find some problems and negatives that resulted from the loss of part of this department ... This part is the lack of knowledge of the needs of the users of the basic and complementary, and ignore the inclusion in the plans and programs of the state projects in the Landscape in the Egyptian city. By looking for possible solutions to this problem, designers have an important role to play in fully understanding that they have a role in understanding the needs of users and using the monitoring and analysis methods to meet the needs of the target group (real users) to understand their basic and complementary needs , And turn them into elements and design standards that meet those needs and even exceed the expected future prospects because the planning does not specify a period of time or a certain period. The designer of his scientific and practical background is required to provide his knowledge and ideas in the form of programs or proposals for political decision makers to establish or create an urban product with which the user interacts and achieves a level of satisfaction of buildings, networks, roads, gardens, squares, public spaces, infrastructure and coordination operations, And services such as trade, industry, transport, education, health services…etc. The real objective of the research is to design carefully studied programs in a scientific way to meet the needs of the Landscape users in Egypt. The opportunity is available to develop the current situation in Egyptian city, in the existing and new cities to improve the urban situation, and try to transform the Egyptian city to the level of developed cities

Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement: Comparative Study between Percutaneous Image-Guided versus Laparoscopic Techniques

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes and complications of percutaneous image-guided versus laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter placement techniques in the urgent-start setting. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 273 patients who had their first PD catheter between November 2012 and May 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into radiologic group (n = 26) and laparoscopic group (n = 16). Descriptive and Kaplan–Meier (KM) analysis were used to compare time to first complication, time to catheter removal, and patient survival between the two groups. Complication-free and catheter removal rates at 1, 3, and 12 months were estimated from KM analysis. Results: A total of 42 patients were included in the study. The baseline demographics were similar between the two groups. In the radiologic group, the estimated 1, 3, and 12 months' complication-free rate were 100%, 94%, and 67%, respectively, which was not significantly different from 93%, 85%, and 45%, respectively, in the laparoscopic group (P = 0.543). The rate of catheter complications was not significantly different between the radiologic group (50%) and the laparoscopic group (31%) (P = 0.3382). The catheter removal rate in the radiologic group was 8, 18%, and 38% at 1, 3, and 12 months, respectively, versus 0%, 8%, and 20%, respectively, in the laparoscopic group (P = 0.298). The overall patient survival between two groups was not significantly different (P = 0.116) with estimated patient mortality of 15.4% at 12 months in the radiologic group and no deaths in the laparoscopic group. Conclusion: Image-guided percutaneously placed PD catheters have a similar complication and removal rates compared to laparoscopically placed catheters in the urgent-start setting

Percutaneous embolization of cystic duct stump leak following failed endoscopic management

A case of a 79-year-old man, status post laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a drainage catheter placed at the gallbladder fossa is presented. The case was complicated postoperatively by abdominal pain and bilious discharge from the drainage catheter. Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography demonstrated leakage through the cystic duct stump into the gallbladder fossa. Placement of a covered metal stent endoscopically failed to seal the leak. We performed percutaneous embolization of the cystic duct stump using a combination of coils and gelatin sponge through the drainage catheter in the gallbladder fossa. To our knowledge, this technique has not been previously described in the literature