bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Bayesian network model to predict the role of hospital noise, annoyance, and sensitivity in quality of patient care
Authors: Abbasi Milad , Yazdanirad Saied , Zokaei Mojtaba , Falahati Mohsen , Eyvazzadeh Nazila
Published: September 2022

Background

Hospital noise can adversely impact nurses’ health, their cognitive function and emotion and in turn, influence the quality of patient care and patient safety. Thus, the aim of this study was to predict the contributing roles of exposure to hospital noise, staff noise-sensitivity and annoyance, on the quality of patient care.

Methods

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out among nurses in an Iranian hospital. To determine nurses’ noise exposure level, the noise was measured in 1510 locations across the hospital in accordance with ISO 9612 standards using KIMO DB 300/2 sound level meter and analyzer. An online survey was used to collect nurses’ individual data. Study questionnaires included demographics, Weinstein noise sensitivity scale, noise annoyance scale, and quality of patient care scale. Finally, to analyze the data, Bayesian Networks (BNs), as probabilistic and graphical models, were used.

Results

For the high noise exposure state, high noise sensitivity, and high annoyance, with the probability of 100%, the probability of delivering a desirable quality of patient care decreased by 21, 14, and 23%, respectively. Moreover, at the concurrently high noise exposure and high noise sensitivity with the probability of 100%, the desirable quality of patient care decreased by 26%. The Bayesian most influence value was related to the association of noise exposure and annoyance (0.636). Moreover, annoyance had the highest association with the physical aspect of quality of care (0.400) and sensitivity had the greatest association with the communication aspect (0.283).

Conclusion

Annoyance induced from environmental noise and personal sensitivity affected the quality of patient care adversely. Moreover, noise and sensitivity had a separate direct adverse effect upon the quality of patient care, and their co-occurrence reduced the potential for delivering quality patient care.
Tirzepatide, a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor co-agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes with unmatched effectiveness regrading glycaemic control and body weight reduction
Authors: Nauck Michael A. , D‘Alessio David A.
Published: September 2022

Tirzepatide is the first dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor co-agonist approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in the USA, Europe, and the UAE. Tirzepatide is an acylated peptide engineered to activate the GIP and GLP-1 receptors, key mediators of insulin secretion that are also expressed in regions of the brain that regulate food intake. Five clinical trials in type 2-diabetic subjects (SURPASS 1–5) have shown that tirzepatide at 5–15 mg per week reduces both HbA1c (1.24 to 2.58%) and body weight (5.4–11.7 kg) by amounts unprecedented for a single agent. A sizable proportion of patients (23.0 to 62.4%) reached an HbA1c of < 5.7% (which is the upper limit of the normal range indicating normoglycaemia), and 20.7 to 68.4% lost more than 10% of their baseline body weight. Tirzepatide was significantly more effective in reducing HbA1c and body weight than the selective GLP-1 RA semaglutide (1.0 mg per week), and titrated basal insulin. Adverse events related to tirzepatide were similar to what has been reported for selective GLP-1RA, mainly nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation, that were more common at higher doses. Cardiovascular events have been adjudicated across the whole study program, and MACE-4 (nonfatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, cardiovascular death and hospital admission for angina) events tended to be reduced over up to a 2 year-period, albeit with low numbers of events. For none of the cardiovascular events analysed (MACE-4, or its components) was a hazard ratio > 1.0 vs. pooled comparators found in a meta-analysis covering the whole clinical trial program, and the upper bounds of the confidence intervals for MACE were < 1.3, fulfilling conventional definitions of cardiovascular safety. Tirzepatide was found to improve insulin sensitivity and insulin secretory responses to a greater extent than semaglutide, and this was associated with lower prandial insulin and glucagon concentrations. Both drugs caused similar reductions in appetite, although tirzepatide caused greater weight loss. While the clinical effects of tirzepatide have been very encouraging, important questions remain as to the mechanism of action. While GIP reduces food intake and body weight in rodents, these effects have not been demonstrated in humans. Moreover, it remains to be shown that GIPR agonism can improve insulin secretion in type 2 diabetic patients who have been noted in previous studies to be unresponsive to GIP. Certainly, the apparent advantage of tirzepatide, a dual incretin agonist, over GLP-1RA will spark renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of GIP in type 2 diabetes, obesity and related co-morbidities.
Control of redox potential in a novel continuous bioelectrochemical system led to remarkable metabolic and energetic responses of Clostridium pasteurianum grown on glycerol
Authors: Arbter Philipp , Widderich Niklas , Utesch Tyll , Hong Yaeseong , Zeng An-Ping
Published: September 2022

Background

Electro-fermentation (EF) is an emerging tool for bioprocess intensification. Benefits are especially expected for bioprocesses in which the cells are enabled to exchange electrons with electrode surfaces directly. It has also been demonstrated that the use of electrical energy in BES can increase bioprocess performance by indirect secondary effects. In this case, the electricity is used to alter process parameters and indirectly activate desired pathways. In many bioprocesses, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is a crucial process parameter. While C. pasteurianum fermentation of glycerol has been shown to be significantly influenced electrochemically, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. To this end, we developed a system for the electrochemical control of ORP in continuous culture to quantitatively study the effects of ORP alteration on C. pasteurianum by metabolic flux analysis (MFA), targeted metabolomics, sensitivity and regulation analysis.

Results

In the ORP range of −462 mV to −250 mV, the developed algorithm enabled a stable anodic electrochemical control of ORP at desired set-points and a fixed dilution rate of 0.1 h−1. An overall increase of 57% in the molar yield for 1,3-propanediol was observed by an ORP increase from −462 to −250 mV. MFA suggests that C. pasteurianum possesses and uses cellular energy generation mechanisms in addition to substrate-level phosphorylation. The sensitivity analysis showed that ORP exerted its strongest impact on the reaction of pyruvate-ferredoxin-oxidoreductase. The regulation analysis revealed that this influence is mainly of a direct nature. Hence, the observed metabolic shifts are primarily caused by direct inhibition of the enzyme upon electrochemical production of oxygen. A similar effect was observed for the enzyme pyruvate-formate-lyase at elevated ORP levels.

Conclusions

The results show that electrochemical ORP alteration is a suitable tool to steer the metabolism of C. pasteurianum and increase product yield for 1,3-propanediol in continuous culture. The approach might also be useful for application with further anaerobic or anoxic bioprocesses. However, to maximize the technique's efficiency, it is essential to understand the chemistry behind the ORP change and how the microbial system responds to it by transmitted or direct effects.
Apoptin mediates mitophagy and endogenous apoptosis by regulating the level of ROS in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Li Yiquan , Shang Chao , Liu Zirui , Han Jicheng , Li Wenjie , Xiao Pengpeng , Li Nan , Li Shanzhi , Xiu Zhiru , Song Gaojie , Li Yaru , Jin Ningyi , Fang Jinbo , Li Xiao , Zhu Yilong
Published: September 2022

Background

Apoptin, as a tumor-specific pro-apoptotic protein, plays an important anti-tumoral role, but its mechanism of autophagy activation and the interaction between autophagy and apoptosis have not been accurately elucidated. Here, we studied the mechanism of apoptin-induced apoptosis and autophagy and the interaction between two processes.

Methods

Using crystal violet staining and the CCK-8 assay, we analyzed the effect of apoptin in the inhibition of liver cancer cells in vitro and analyzed the effect of inhibiting liver cancer in vivo by establishing a nude mouse tumor model. Flow cytometry and fluorescence staining were used to analyze the main types of apoptin-induced apoptosis and autophagy. Subsequently, the relationship between the two events was also analyzed. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the effect of ROS on apoptin-mediated apoptosis and autophagy mediated by apoptin. The effect of ROS on two phenomena was analyzed. Finally, the role of key genes involved in autophagy was analyzed using gene silencing.

Results

The results showed that apoptin can significantly increase the apoptosis and autophagy of liver cancer cells, and that apoptin can cause mitophagy through the increase in the expression of NIX protein. Apoptin can also significantly increase the level of cellular ROS, involved in apoptin-mediated autophagy and apoptosis of liver cancer cells. The change of ROS may be a key factor causing apoptosis and autophagy.

Conclusion

The above results indicate that the increase in ROS levels after apoptin treatment of liver cancer cells leads to the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, resulting in endogenous apoptosis and mitophagy through the recruitment of NIX. Therefore, ROS may be a key factor connecting endogenous apoptosis and autophagy induced by apoptin in liver cancer cells.

Graphical abstract
Rebalancing meat and legume consumption: change-inducing food choice motives and associated individual characteristics in non-vegetarian adults
Authors: Reuzé Anouk , Méjean Caroline , Carrère Myriam , Sirieix Lucie , Druesne-Pecollo Nathalie , Péneau Sandrine , Touvier Mathilde , Hercberg Serge , Kesse-Guyot Emmanuelle , Allès Benjamin
Published: September 2022

Background

A shift toward more plant-based foods in diets is required to improve health and to reduce environmental impact. Little is known about food choice motives and associated characteristics of those individuals who have actually reduced their consumption of animal-based foods. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify change-inducing motives related to meat and legume consumptions among non-vegetarians. The association between change-inducing motives and individual characteristics was also studied.

Methods

This study included 25,393 non-vegetarian participants in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort (77.4% women, mean age 55.4 ± 13.9 y.). The motives related to the declared change in meat and legume consumptions (e.g., taste, environment, social pressure) were assessed by an online questionnaire in 2018. For each motive, respondents could be classified into three groups: no motive; motive, not change-inducing; change-inducing motive. Associations between change-inducing motives and individual characteristics were evaluated using multivariable polytomic logistic regressions. Characteristics of participants who rebalanced their meat and legume consumptions were also compared to those who reduced their meat but did not increase their legume consumption.

Results

Motives most strongly declared as having induced a change in meat or legume consumptions were health and nutrition (respectively 90.7 and 81.0% declared these motives as change-inducing for the meat reduction), physical environment (82.0% for meat reduction only) and taste preferences (77.7% for legume increase only). Other motives related to social influences, meat avoidance and meat dislike were reported by fewer individuals, but were declared as having induced changes in food consumption. Most motives that induced a meat reduction and a legume increase were more likely to be associated with specific individual characteristics, for example being a woman or highly educated for health motives.

Conclusions

Besides the motives reported as important, some motives less frequently felt important were declared as having induced changes in meat or legume consumptions. Change-inducing motives were reported by specific subpopulations. Public campaigns on health and sustainability could usefully develop new tools to reach populations less willing to change.

Trial registrations

The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03335644).
Increasing cervical cancer screening in Iran: effectiveness of a theory-based educational intervention
Authors: Hosseini Zahra , Mohseni Shokrollah , Momeni Rahimeh , Aghamolaei Teamur , Alavi Azin , Dadipoor Sara
Published: September 2022

Purpose of study

The high mortality rate of cervical cancer in developing countries is mainly related to inefficient screening programs. The aim of the present study was, thus, to determine the effect of an educational intervention based on BASNEF (Belief, Attitudes, Subjective Norms, and Enabling Factors) model on increasing the rate of cervical cancer screening (CCS) in Bandar Deir in the south of Iran.

Methods

A quasi-experimental educational intervention was made with 202 women participants (101 in the intervention group (IG) and 101 in the control group (CG)) in 2019–20. The sampling was convenience in type. The data were collected using a reliable and valid tripartite questionnaire (demographic information, knowledge, BASNEF constructs). A total number of 14 training sessions were held each taking 60 min, at two levels, personal and interpersonal (for family members, health workers and healthcare givers). Finally, there was a three-month follow-up held in December 2021.

Results

After the training, a statistically significant difference was found between the IG and CG in all model constructs (p < 0.001). Before the intervention, in the IG, the personal health score was 4.35 ± 2.52, which was increased to 5.25 ± 0.753 after the training (p < 0.001). However, in the CG, the difference was not statistically significant (p < 0.030). 63.4% of women in the IG and 32.7% in the CG performed the CCS and the between-group difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Attitude, enabling factors and behavioral intention were the main predictors of CCS.

Conclusion

The present findings showed though the training intervention based on the BASNEF model had limited resources and was run in a short time, it managed to motivate women to perform the CCS. It could maximally remove barriers at both personal and interpersonal levels and suggest strategies in the light of these barriers to achieve a successful screening program.
Reasons for informal payments from the perspective of health care providers and recipients: a qualitative study in Iran
Authors: Arab Mohammad , Khosravi Bahman , Safari Hossein , Rahmani Hojat , Rajabi Vasokolaei Ghasem , Mobinizadeh Mohammadreza , Habibi Farhad
Published: September 2022

Background

Informal payments are one of the major obstacles to health system reform in many developing countries, and its elimination is on the agenda of health system policymakers in many countries, including Iran. This study was conducted to identify the causes of informal payments in the Iranian health system.

Methods

This was a qualitative and exploratory study. The study environment included the Ministry of Health, physicians' offices, medical universities, and hospitals and health centers. The study population included health care providers (physicians and hospital staff, managers, supervisors, and nurses) and health care recipients (patients or patients who had a history of dealing with informal payments). Data were collected using open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews. Snowball sampling method was used to select managers, chief executive officers (CEOs) and nurses. Convenience sampling was used to select physicians due to their lack of participation and cooperation. Content analysis method was used to analyze the data.

Results

Reasons for informal payments were divided into 4 themes including: Economic factors (improper tariff valuation of services; failure to increase tariffs proportionate to inflation; lack of comprehensive participation of stakeholders in determining tariffs; tariff inconsistency in the public, private and charity sectors; etc.); socio-cultural factors (decreased social capital of the medical community among the people; improving the quality of life; incorrect comparison of providers' income levels with the income of doctors in other countries; existence of a culture of gratitude and appreciation; health as a priority for society; pride of service recipients; pride of service providers; etc.); service delivery challenges (high professional skills of the doctor; use of modern medical equipment; the monopoly of some doctors, etc.) and legal-political factors (inadequate monitoring by upstream organizations; lack of strict rules; difficulty of proving informal payments; presence of stakeholders in management and policy making processes).

Conclusions

Knowing the causes of informal payments can help reduce or eliminate it. The results of this study identified the causes of informal payments in the Iranian health system. Accurate knowledge of the needs and motivations of both health care providers and recipients can be effective in accurately identifying and eliminating this phenomenon.
Seismic Soundoff: Staying safe during earthquakes
Authors: Geary Andrew
Published: September 2022

In this episode, Sara McBride discusses her recent paper in Geophysics, “Evidence-based guidelines for protective actions and earthquake early-warning systems.” McBride highlights the various protective actions people can take during an earthquake, the latest research in warning people of danger, and a helpful path forward to continue to save lives. Hear the full episode at https://seg.org/podcast/post/14798 .
Polarization, Valence, and Policy Competition
Authors: Buisseret Peter , Van Weelden Richard
Published: August 2022

We study an election between two office-seeking candidates who are polarized along a partisan issue dimension when one candidate has a valence advantage. The candidates compete by choosing policy on a second issue dimension about which voters’ preferences are uncertain. Existing work predicts that the low-valence candidate “gambles for resurrection” by adopting non-centrist policies in order to differentiate from a stronger opponent. We show that this prediction is reversed in a highly polarized environment: the strong candidate chooses policies less aligned with the electorate but nonetheless wins the election with higher probability. (JEL D11, D72)
Good is not meaningful?
Authors: Zaidi Shabih H , Zaidi Hasan
Published: August 2022

Ethics is a branch of moral philosophy. It is as old as mankind itself. Even the caveman observed a code of conduct for owning or sharing a piece of land, cultivating it, hunting for food, building a shelter and so forth.

Medical ethics is embedded with medicine. And yet it has not been given its due status until recently. COVID-19 may have played a significant role in its recognition as a measuring tool of professionalism. We all know that ethics teaches us how to differentiate good from evil. But what's more pertinent is, the practical illustrations of goodness during the pandemic.

One major lesson we learnt was the moral failure of governments and health authorities in telling the truth. Was telling the truth not good? Might telling it have embarrassed the authorities?
Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Video Game Narratives: Pandemic Themes in Covid Times
Authors: Haddad Vanessa L.
Published: September 2022

This article explores the relationship between Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and its influence on video game narratives. Video game sales have increased significantly since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The influence of Stoker’s Dracula and the narratives of vampire and pandemic video games is important, since some popular games are explicitly centred around pandemics and vampires, and are being played during the Covid-19 pandemic. The article explores the historical connection between epidemics and the vampire myth, and how that influenced the narrative of Dracula, especially the connection between the influence of cholera and his upbringing in Ireland. It then examines how the narrative has been influential in video game narratives. Finally, the article touches on how video games with pandemic themes may be used by a player to find a sense of control, explore difficult narratives in a structured environment, and explore various points of view and catharsis.
“Do you think it is a Pandemic?” Apocalypse, Anxiety and the Environmental Grotesque in Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl
Authors: Sarkar Sanchar , Rangarajan Swarnalatha
Published: September 2022

Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl (2009), set in the post fossil-fuel, post turbo-capitalist country of Thailand, portrays the shocking after effects of bioengineering and gene-hack modifications in food crops. The narrative depicts a country tottering on the brink of an agricultural apocalypse on account of food production being severely affected by crop driven anomalies and rogue diseases such as “cibiscosis” and “blister rust” transmitted by variants of mutating pests. Natural seed stock becomes completely supplanted by the new genetically engineered seeds which become sterile after a single seasonal cycle of sowing and harvesting. The native population of Thailand is adversely affected by the pandemic scenario, which becomes aggravated by an expedient “scientocracy” that is at the heart of the neocolonial enterprises of American megacorporations and calorie companies like Agrigen, PurCal and Redstar who hail gene hacking as the new future of food resources and market profiteering. The consumption of the gene-hacked produce spreads through crops and affects the human body in unimaginable ways thereby resulting in a considerable rise of health issues including digestive and respiratory failures.

This paper intends to articulate the idea of a pandemic, its historical understanding and affective influences in the context of a post techno-fossil fuel economy set in Thailand. It will analyse the idea of epidemiological colonialism; diseases introduced by colonising forces that reshape the natives’ existing environment thereby bringing forth a deep pandemic anxiety that percolates the collective memory of the Thai people. It also highlights how the novel portrays the conflict between traditional ecological knowledge systems and modern extractive enterprises that acts as a catalyst to hasten the destruction of sustainable systems of agriculture and food production that have endured the impact of climate change and ecological fallout. The paper will study the relevance of the pandemic as an agency of ecocatastrophe and its function in an eco-speculative science fictional narrative. Finally, the paper looks into the concept of the posthuman android, genetically modified humans in a “technologiade”, a society reconfigured by technoscience to resist the impact of environmental collapse, and explores how this trope is incorporated in Bacigalupi’s narrative to celebrate human striving for hope and survival in an imagined environmental future marked by a self-created agro-scientific grotesqueness.
The impact of COVID-19 on obsessive-compulsive disorder - literature review
Authors: Grabowy Paulina , Drożak Martyna , Milanowska Joanna
Published: August 2022

Introduction: COVID-19 appeared in 2019. The first outbreak of the disease was in China, but it quickly spread to other countries, thus becoming a pandemic. This caused a tremendous stress and anxiety among the public, which also had a negative impact on their mental health. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder are especially sensitive in this respect.
The aim of the study: Paying attention to the correlation between exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and COVID-19 pandemic.
Material and method: The research was done using PubMed and Google Scholar articles about the topic of: obsessive-compulsive disorder, COVID-19 pandemic, stress, mental health.
Description of the state of knowledge: According to many studies, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted mental health of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The stress related to the pandemic resulting from concerns about being infected exacerbated the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Doctors should pay close attention to OCD patients during pandemic and provide them with the treatment they need.
Summary: Research results confirmed that COVID-19 contributed to the deterioration of symptoms in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Selected effects of combined oral contraceptives use
Authors: Bogucka Julia , Brzyska Anna , Domańska Natalia , Bojarska Małgorzata , Wilczek Natalia , Piecewicz-Szczęsna Halina
Published: September 2022

Introduction and objective:: Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are one of the most popular methods of contraception worldwide. The universality of this method leads to the constant analysis of its influence on the female body. The purpose of this study is to discuss selected side effects of COC use.

Review methods: In July 2022, articles found in the Medline (Pubmed) and Google Scholar databases were selected by using the following keywords: oral contraceptive use; risk of cancer; depression; side effects of hormonal contraception; venous thrombosis.

Brief description of the state of knowledge: COC use has been shown to be associated with a 2-6 fold increase in the risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). The component responsible for this side effect was initially thought to be synthetic estrogen - ethinylestradiol. It is now recognized as having the greatest influence on mood disorders. An increased risk of cancer has been reported in women taking COCs in case of breast cancer and liver cancer. Inverse relationship was observed in colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer.

Summary: COC use can have side effects, but it also has many health benefits. Therefore, it is important to constantly learn about this topic and minimize the risk of adverse side effects.
Sharing Successful Appreciative Inquiry Practices in Education
Authors: Subirana Miriam
Published: September 2022

The author facilitated sessions at the April 2022 AI Jam hosted by David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, based in the Robert P. Stiller School of Business at Champlain College, which shared the successes of several whole-system summits in education, some global, some local, that she was involved in during the pandemic.
Empowering Users with Narratives: Examining the Efficacy of Narratives for Understanding Data-Oriented Conceptual Models
Authors: Hvalshagen Merete , Lukyanenko Roman , Samuel Binny M.
Published: August 2022

Elevator Pitch

A quiet revolution is happening in the offices, cubicles, and boardrooms of the world. Non-IT professionals are becoming empowered by leveraging organizational data for analytics. We support this movement by offering a powerful way to make data more usable via a combination of graphical conceptual models with narratives.

Longer Version

We are witnessing a quiet revolution—the rise of empowered users. These non-IT professionals increasingly seek to leverage the ever-expanding amount of organizational data for analytics to support their initiatives, decisions, and actions. All too often, however, the enthusiasm of these users collides against the harsh reality—many of them lack sophisticated IT skills, and they struggle to find/access relevant data, understand their meaning, and extract and adapt them to meet their needs.

We propose a powerful way to support empowered users with a combination of conceptual models and narratives. Conceptual models are diagrams that accurately and succinctly represent rules and patterns captured in data. Although somewhat intuitive, these models alone do not suffice, as interpreting them still requires some specialized IT knowledge. Hence, we add narratives—stories written in natural language. The narratives intuitively explain some of the challenging aspects of the conceptual models.

We conducted a series of experiments and interviews with empowered users to assess our idea. These studies show the value of the conceptual models with narratives for understanding organizational data. Our work unlocks an important missing puzzle for further user empowerment—a way for non-IT professionals to get the most out of the data.
Cross-Channel Integration and Customer Experience in Omnichannel Retail Services
Authors: Chung Kyunghwa , Oh Kyung Wha , Kim Minjeong
Published: August 2022

Despite the increasing attention being given to cross-channel integration services, an understanding of the impact of cross-channel integration on customer experience is still lacking. This study fills this gap. With a focus on retail brand experience, this study demonstrates that cross-channel integration impacts customer experience and further results in changes in perception and behavioral intention. A conceptual model that illustrates the customers’ psychological mechanism responding to cross-channel integration was developed. To test the model, a scenario-based online experiment was conducted. The results show that perceived channel integration impacts retail brand experience, which in turn impacts perceived service convenience, satisfaction, and patronage intention. Creating a better experience is a key challenge for retailers to ensure customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Our results show that cross-channel integration services can play a pivotal role in the shaping of retail brand experience in today’s competitive retail environment that continuously evolves, owing to digital technology. The findings of this study add valuable new knowledge to the growing omnichannel retailing literature and provide practical insights to develop omnichannel retail services.

Funding: This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2017S1A5A8022718).
CRESPOGOGIA, PRÁTICAS DE RE-EXISTÊNCIAS: Experiências curriculantes com crianças negras dentro dos espaços escolares
Authors: SANTOS FATIMA SANTANA , SOUSA LADJANE ALVES
Published: August 2022

As perspectivas investigativas neste artigo sobre os fazeres e saberes que transitam entre as práticas de ensino e aprendizagem buscam socializar experiências curriculares antirracistas. Apresenta-se uma proposta de uma pedagogia outra, nascida no chão da escola, a partir de proposições metodológicas de docentes que entendem a necessidade da educação para as relações étnico-raciais. Usaremos as narrativas visuais que constam em fotografias de práticas escolares que pensam os territórios periféricos e os corpos, as marcas e os atravessamentos do corpo docente e discente, formado por uma maioria de pessoas negras, e que reconhecem as necessidades de considerar as discussões de gênero, sexualidade, raça, classe, entre outros eixos de subordinação social. Os principais autores que nos ajudam a pensar a pedagogia outra que relatamos neste trabalho são Crenshaw (1998, 2002), Collins (2001, 2016), Collins e Bilge (2021), Akotirene (2019), Sueli Carneiro (2011), Luiza Bairros (1995), Lélia Gonzalez (1988), Beatriz Nascimento (1989) e Jurema Werneck (2005).
How practice nurses could raise awareness of ovarian cancer
Authors: Lang Valerie
Published: September 2022

Valerie Lang advises on how practice nurses can opportunistically raise awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer
Determination of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Sugarcane Single-Bud Billets
Authors: Wang Meimei , Liu Qingting , Ou Yinggang , Zou Xiaoping
Published: September 2022

Highlights

Coefficients of restitution between billet and steel decreased with an increase in drop height and moisture content.

Coefficients of restitution between billets increased with an increase in moisture content.

Static friction coefficient between billet and steel, and between billets decreased with an increase in contact area.

Rolling friction coefficient between billet and steel increased with an increase in angle and interval.

Rolling fiction coefficient among billets first increased and then decreased with an increase in angle.

Abstract. Determining the physical and mechanical properties of sugarcane single-bud billets is a critical step in the mechanical structure design of a sugarcane planter. In this study, samples of the Tai Tang F66 cultivar sugarcane billets were analyzed. The moisture content of the samples of billets ranged from 63.78% to 77.72%, and their average density was 244.67 kg/m3. The coefficient of restitution (CoR) of the samples was determined by a drop test wherein samples were dropped onto a steel plate from different heights. The static friction coefficient (SFC) of four types of samples was determined by the inclined plate method at two orientations. In addition, the rolling friction coefficient (RFC) was determined at three plate inclination angles and sample displacement. The experiment results showed that with increasing drop height and moisture content, the billet-steel CoR decreased from 0.625 to 0.458, while the billet-billet CoR increased from 0.603 to 0.698. With an increase in contact area, the billet-steel SFC decreased from 0.515 to 0.377 and the billet-billet SFC decreased from 0.498 to 0.323. With increasing angle and sample displacement, the billet-steel RFC increased from 0.0315 to 0.2175 and the billet-billet RFC increased from 0.0203 to 0.1007. These parameters can help to build a more accurate simulation model of a single-bud billet particle for the discrete element analysis of a sugarcane single-bud billet planter mechanical structure. Keywords: Coefficient of restitution, Rolling friction coefficient, Single-bud billet, Static friction coefficient.
Investigation of dissipative solitons in an Er-doped fiber laser through machine-learning online optimization based on the Gaussian process
Authors: Chen Beibei , Zhao Minghe , Liu Xuanyi , Ye Feng , Fu H. Y. , Li Qian
Published: September 2022

We have applied a machine-learning online optimization method based on the Gaussian process to the numerical modeling of dissipative solitons in an Er-doped and nonlinear polarization rotation mode-locked fiber laser. Three types of dissipative solitons are achieved both experimentally and numerically in the negative, near-zero, and positive net cavity dispersion regions. Corresponding optimum cavity parameters in simulation can be determined quickly and precisely via optimization. The optimization goal is the high similarity between the experimental results and the simulation results, which is calculated by the sum of Fréchet distance of the normalized spectral waveforms and autocorrelation traces. In numerical analyses, the characteristics of the output pulse in different dispersion conditions, the pulse dynamics inside the laser cavity, and the initial process of mode-locking are also investigated. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness and universality of machine-learning online optimization based on the Gaussian process method in the optimization process of fiber laser modeling, which can further provide more insights and extend large-scale potential applications of machine-learning algorithms in fiber lasers.
Nonvolatile multi-level adjustable optical switch based on the phase change material
Authors: Quan Zhiqiang , Wan Yuanjian , Ma Xiaoxiao , Wang Jian
Published: September 2022

For the advantages of the faster computation speed and lower energy consumption, all-optical computation has attracted great attention compared with the traditional electric computation method. Optical switches are the critical elementary units of optical computation devices. However, the traditional optical switches have two shortcomings, expending the outside energy to keep the switch state and the weak multi-level adjustable ability, which greatly restrict the realization of the large-scale photonic integrated circuits and optical spiking neural networks. In this paper, we use a subwavelength grating slot-ridge (SWGSR) waveguides on the silicon platform to design a nonvolatile multi-level adjustable optical switch based on the phase change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST). Changing the phase state of GST can modulate the transmission of the optical switch, and the change of the optical transmittance of the optical switch is about 70%, which is much higher than that of previous optical switches. As no static power is required to maintain the phase state, it can find promising applications in optical switch matrices and reconfigurable optical spiking neural networks.
Nonlinear optics in diamond-fin photonic nanowires: soliton formation and frequency comb generation
Authors: Fernandez Laguna Victor M. , Panoiu Nicolae C.
Published: September 2022

We present a detailed study of the nonlinear optical properties of newly developed subwavelength diamond-fin waveguides, along with an analysis of soliton generation and pulse spectral broadening in these structures. Our rigorous mathematical model includes all the key linear and nonlinear optical effects that govern the pulse dynamics in these diamond waveguides. As a relevant application of our investigations, we demonstrate how these waveguides can be employed to efficiently generate frequency combs in the visible spectral domain.
The “trauma pitch”: How stigma emerges for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking disability compensation
Authors: Hooyer Katinka
Published: August 2022

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder continues to be a highly stigmatized disease for the veteran population and stigma, experienced as a mark of discredit or shame, continues to be identified as the main deterrent in treatment seeking. Little attention has been paid to how the process of obtaining service-connected disability status can amplify veterans’ perceptions of being stigmatized. The following ethnographic study identified how combat veterans experienced stigma in processing through Veterans Affairs care and the effects of linking a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis with disability compensation. Stigma was identified in two inter-related areas: 1) the structural level in the Veterans Affairs disability claims process and 2) the individual level in interactions with Veterans Affairs service providers. Findings based on veterans’ narratives suggest that the disability claims process, requiring multiple repetitions of personal trauma, coupled with perceptions of institutional stigmas of malingering, created bureaugenic effects: a worsening of symptoms caused by bureaucratic protocols intended to help veterans. This process influenced first time treatment users of the Veterans Affairs by deterring treatment-seeking behavior but was not found to affect veterans who had already initiated treatment. Despite the experience of stigma and commodification of their suffering through disability and diagnostic screening, veterans still sought disability compensation. Veterans viewed this compensation as acknowledgment of their loss and validation of their sacrifice.
The in vivo RNA structurome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, a protozoan with an A/U-rich transcriptome
Authors: Dumetz Franck , Enright Anton J. , Zhao Jieyu , Kwok Chun Kit , Merrick Catherine J.
Published: September 2022

Plasmodium falciparum, a protozoan parasite and causative agent of human malaria, has one of the most A/T-biased genomes sequenced to date. This may give the genome and the transcriptome unusual structural features. Recent progress in sequencing techniques has made it possible to study the secondary structures of RNA molecules at the transcriptomic level. Thus, in this study we produced the in vivo RNA structurome of a protozoan parasite with a highly A/U-biased transcriptome. We showed that it is possible to probe the secondary structures of P. falciparum RNA molecules in vivo using two different chemical probes, and obtained structures for more than half of all transcripts in the transcriptome. These showed greater stability (lower free energy) than the same structures modelled in silico, and structural features appeared to influence translation efficiency and RNA decay. Finally, we compared the P. falciparum RNA structurome with the predicted RNA structurome of an A/U-balanced species, P. knowlesi, finding a bias towards lower overall transcript stability and more hairpins and multi-stem loops in P. falciparum.

This unusual protozoan RNA structurome will provide a basis for similar studies in other protozoans and also in other unusual genomes.
The mental health benefits of visiting canals and rivers: An ecological momentary assessment study
Authors: Bergou Nicol , Hammoud Ryan , Smythe Michael , Gibbons Jo , Davidson Neil , Tognin Stefania , Reeves Graeme , Shepherd Jenny , Mechelli Andrea
Published: August 2022

Existing evidence shows positive effects of being in nature on wellbeing, but we know little about the mental health benefits of spending time near canals and rivers specifically. This study investigates the association between visits to canals and rivers and mental wellbeing. We addressed the following questions: Are visits to canals and rivers associated with higher levels of mental wellbeing? Does this association depend on age and gender? Does this association vary between people with and without a diagnosis on mental illness? We used Urban Mind, a flexible smartphone application for examining the impact of different aspects of the built and social environment on mental wellbeing, a strong predictor of mental health. Participants were invited to complete an ecological momentary assessment three times a day for fourteen days. Each assessment included questions about their surrounding environment and mental wellbeing. A total of 7,975 assessments were completed by 299 participants including 87 with a diagnosis of mental illness. Multilevel regression models were used to analyse the data. We found positive associations between visits to canals and rivers and mental wellbeing (p < .05) when compared to being anywhere else and when compared to being in green spaces. Increases in mental wellbeing were still evident after the visit had taken place. These effects remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity and education, and were consistent in people with and without a diagnosis of mental illness. Spending time near canals and rivers is associated with better mental wellbeing. These findings have potential implications for mental health as well as urban planning and policy. Visits to canals and rivers could become part of social prescribing schemes, playing a role in preventing mental health difficulties and complementing more traditional interventions.
Under-screened Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s perspectives on cervical screening
Authors: Butler Tamara L. , Lee Natasha , Anderson Kate , Brotherton Julia M. L. , Cunningham Joan , Condon John R. , Garvey Gail , Tong Allison , Moore Suzanne P. , Maher Clare M. , Mein Jacqueline K. , Warren Eloise F. , Whop Lisa J.
Published: August 2022

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have lower participation in Australia’s National Cervical Screening Program than other Australian women. Under-screened (including never screened) women’s voices are rarely heard in research evidence, despite being a priority group for interventions to increase cervical screening participation. This study aimed to describe under-screened Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s perspectives on cervical screening. Participants were 29 under-screened (women who had either never screened, had not screened in the previous five years or had recently screened in the past three months after more than five years) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from five communities across three states/territories. Female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers Yarned with women about why they did not participate in screening and how to improve screening. Yarning is an Indigenous qualitative research method in which relationships and trust facilitate culturally safe conversation. Transcripts were analysed thematically. The proportion of eligible women who screened within 30 days after the Yarn was calculated. We identified four themes describing how the harms outweighed the benefits of cervical screening for under-screened women. These were: 1) distress, discomfort, and trauma; 2) lack of privacy and control; 3) complicated relationships with health care providers (HCPs); and 4) pressured, insensitive, and/or culturally unsafe communication from HCPs. Under-screened women who had recently screened had maintained privacy and control through self-collection and had experienced trauma-informed and empathetic care from their HCPs. While we cannot unequivocally attribute women’s subsequent participation in screening to their involvement in this study, it is notable that one third of eligible under-screened women were screened within 30 days after the Yarn. Enhancing privacy, implementing trauma-informed approaches to care and sensitivity to the clinician-client relationship dynamics could enhance women’s sense of comfort in, and control over, the screening procedure. The opportunity to Yarn about cervical screening and self-collection may address these issues and support progress toward cervical cancer elimination in Australia.
A new anthropometric model for body composition estimation: Comparison with a bioelectrical impedance consumer device
Authors: Dahlmann Nicolaus , Demond Vera
Published: September 2022

Background

The present study refers to an anthropometric model, Dahlmann-Body-Analysis (DBA), based on formerly developed weight-height-frame tables. Including the anthropometric variable abdomen circumference (AC), a further differentiation into muscularity and fat mass could be realized. This enables to calculate the individual percentage fat mass (%FM), providing a cost-effective method for epidemiological studies. The present work sets out to investigate, whether %FM computed by the DBA model compares to BIA measurements, notably under conditions of heavy obesity.

Subjects/methods

In 103 adults (37 males, 66 females, age 42.5 ± 12.5 years, BMI 38.2 ± 4.8 kg/m²) %FM was estimated by a tetrapolar BIA device and compared to results derived by the DBA system. Bland-Altman and simple linear regression analyses were used to determine agreement between methods.

Results

The mean %FM estimates of men (women) ± standard deviation were 36.1 ± 4.8 (49.7 ± 4.5) for BIA and 36.7 ± 4.2 (49.1 ± 4.9) for DBA measurements. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) were r = 0.86 and CCC = 0.84 for men and r = 0.85 and CCC = 0.83 for women, respectively. Bland-Altman plot showed limits of agreement between DBA and BIA %FM that ranged from 5.5% to -4.3% for men and 4.6% to– 5.7% for women, respectively. Correlations between values measured by both methods were high and the observed confidence interval (SD of the difference between DBA and BIA result multiplied by 2) was low. No systematic error was found. The DBA system overestimates FM by 0.63 ± 4.98 (2SD) % for men and underestimates FM by -0.56 ± 5.28 (2SD) % for women, respectively, compared to the BIA results. The result for both genders is -0.066 ± 5.17 (2SD) %FM. Over all, there is a strong concordance and reproducibility between the DBA and BIA data sets.

Conclusions

The implementation of the abdomen circumference (AC) into the DBA model as a proxy for body fat (%FM) resulted in a strong concordance with BIA measurements. These findings indicate that the DBA model may reflect the body shape of severely obese white European patients with regard to body composition.