bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of fetal hydrocephalus with other embryological anomalies: A prenatal ultrasound-based study
Authors: Surti Ambreen , Usmani Ambreen , Javaid Quratulain , Shafique Sehrish
Published: June 2022

Objective: To determine the incidence of fetal hydrocephalus in pregnant women and to identify the association of fetal hydrocephalus with other embryological anomalies.

Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 36 pregnant women at a private ultrasound clinic in Karachi over a period of eight months. The participants were divided into age groups, 21-30 years and 31-40 years. Toshiba APLIO 300 ultrasound machine was used to assess fetal age by measuring biparietal diameter (BPD) and femur length, whereas atrium of lateral ventricle was measured to diagnose fetal hydrocephalus.

Results: Twenty-two cases of fetal hydrocephalus were observed in maternal age of 21-30 years with a p-value of 0.011. Severe dilatation of ≥15mm was observed in 85.7% cases in age group of 31-40 years. Cranial anomalies were found in 20 cases with significant results while extracranial anomalies were observed in cases of severe dilatation only. Hydrocephalus was prevalent in male fetuses and was observed in 30 (83.33%) fetuses.

Conclusion: Most cases of fetal hydrocephalus were observed in women of younger age (p=0.011). Fetal hydrocephalus of severe type exhibiting ventricular dilatation >15mm was observed in fetuses of male gender.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.6.5223

How to cite this:Surti A, Usmani A, Javaid Q, Shafique S. Association of fetal hydrocephalus with other embryological anomalies: A prenatal ultrasound-based study. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(6):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.6.5223

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.
Role of Politics, Guilds and Pedagogy in defining Policies in Medical Education: The Pakistan Scenario
Authors: Baig Lubna , Ali Syeda Kauser , Sarfaraz Shaur
Published: June 2022

Politics in education is not a new concept and has been a sore point of discussion between academia and policy makers. The politics of medical education has led to the formation of informal guilds that have taken control over medical education. Policy decisions concerning medical/dental education affecting the lives of the community, at large are implemented without giving due consideration to the pedagogy of medical education. This paper delves into the definitions of politics, pedagogy and guilds and with evidence identifies that major policy decisions in medical education are strongly influenced by politics. The paper will discuss that politics of medical education is not necessarily a bad thing if it ensures public safety and is based on best evidence medical education. In the same context the guilds formed for medical education reforms should uphold the principles of pedagogy.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.6.6057

How to cite this:Baig LA, Ali SK, Sarfaraz S. Role of Politics, Guilds and Pedagogy in defining Policies in Medical Education: The Pakistan Scenario. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(6):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.6.6057

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.
Global Bioethics in the Post-Coronavirus Era: A Discussion with Roberto Andorno
Authors: Andorno Roberto , Boutlas George
Published: June 2022

A discussion with Roberto Andorno about global bioethics and biolaw, the Coronavirus pandemic, and its impact on human dignity and rights. Can we foresee the emerging new profile of global bioethics and biolaw in the post-Coronavirus era? How significant are they going to be in the future, after the enormous pressure that the Coronavirus pandemic has exercised on key political, legal, and ethical values? Must the voice of bioethicists -compared to the ‘hard’ scientific data- be louder in the future concerning decisions about emergency social and medical measures? Is there a hope that public empowerment will support robust, global public engagement and meaningful deliberation? How much does Roberto Andorno’s view on human dignity reveal a supposed commitment to moral realism? The massive deaths of elderly people living in hospices of Sweden, Spain, and Italy, based on an implicit ‘fair innings’ view, has recently posed certain questions on the moral unacceptability of such practices. The same questions arise in the case of the legalization of euthanasia grounded on the implicit acceptance of the view that life is not worth living under certain circumstances. Is it possible that the human rights bodies worldwide will acquire executive power, and how could this become possible? How influential the ‘precautionary principle’ can become regarding clinical and research ethics in the future? How urgent is the importance of the introduction of bioethical education in the curricula of ‘hard’ empirical studies? Roberto Andorno discusses with us all these controversial and under heated public debate issues, giving sometimes provocative answers.
Turbulent parameters at different heights in the atmosphere. Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor data
Authors: Shikhovtsev Artem , Kiselev Aleksandr , Kovadlo Pavel , Kolobov Dmitriy , Russkikh Ivan , Tomin Vitaliy
Published: June 2022

The paper presents the results of studies of wavefront distortions at different heights in the atmosphere. We have used measurement wavefront data to determine optical turbulence parameters along the line of sight of the Large Solar Vacuum Telescope. Through cross-correlation analysis of differential motions of sunspots at spaced wavefront sensor subapertures, we determined turbulent parameters at different heights at the Large Solar Vacuum Telescope site. The differential motions of sunspots characterize the small-scale structure of turbulent phase distortions in the atmosphere. Synchronous temporal changes in the amplitude of these distortions at certain regions of the telescope aperture are conditioned by turbulent layers at different heights. We have estimated the contribution of optical turbulence to integral distortions at the telescope aperture for layers 0–0.6, 0.6–1.1, 1.1–1.7 km. The contribution of optical turbulence concentrated in a 1.7 km atmospheric layer to the wavefront distortions at the aperture telescope is shown to be ~43 %.
Correspondence of a global isolated substorm to the McPherron statistical model
Authors: Parhomov Vladimir , Eselevich Viktor , Eselevich Maxim , Tsegmed Battuulai , Khomutov Sergey , Tero Raita , Popov Georgiy , Mochalov Aleksey , Pilgaev Sergey , Rakhmatulin Ravil
Published: June 2022

It is shown that a diamagnetic structure (DS) of the slow solar wind (SW), the source of which on the Sun was a chain of streamers, arrived at Earth’s orbit on December 22, 2015. It interacted with Earth’s magnetosphere under conditions when the northward Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) remained for a long time in preceding undisturbed SW. The interaction and a sharp change in the direction of Bz to the south generated an isolated substorm whose duration depends on the duration of interaction with the DS. The substorm began at midday with the passage of the DS into the magnetosphere and spread to the east. All phases of the substorm — growth, expansion, and recovery — were observed for two hours. Variations in the SW and IMF parameters are shown to coincide for the isolated substorm whose energy source was the slow solar wind DS, and a trigger was the abrupt change in the direction of the vertical IMF component from north to south. The coincidence is justified by statistical generalizations of the same parameters in 40 % of cases of long-term observations of individual substorms whose trigger was a change in Bz direction.
The puzzle of post-pandemic recovery, transatlantic relations and European solidarity
Authors: Czech Sławomir
Published: June 2022

Motivation: The coronacrisis has highlighted the fragility of the highly interdependent world economic order. The economic recession following numerous lockdowns weakened the position of the West in the geopolitical arena. Thus economic recovery is a must, though its significance for the US and the EU differs considerably.

Aim: The paper aims to discuss the state and prospects of transatlantic relations in the era of new challenges posed in front of the US and the EU. We have selected two main issues: the incremental rivalry between the US and China, and the solidarity principle within the EU. The departure point for the analysis is the assumption that the tightening of economic cooperation between the US and the EU seems desired, but it might also lead to socioeconomic consequences questioning European solidarity in the long term. We employ the perspective of institutionalist political economy to understand the interplay between actors and the rules they create. We assume thus that actors pursue their goals, but must take various limitations into account. We also refer to the literature on economic policymaking and economic systems.

Results: Under possible regionalization of the world economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, transatlantic relations will be under pressure to generate growth. As far as the US is willing to embrace this imperative, the EU might face the dilemma between struggling for better economic performance and rebuilding solidarity between member countries.
How Employee Capital Plans qualify under the IORP II Directive
Authors: Jakubowski Sebastian
Published: June 2022

Motivation: The pension system in Poland is undergoing another major reform. Between 2019 and 2021 Employee Capital Plans (ECP) are being implemented. This common system of voluntary pension savings schemes is a new element of the third pillar. The purpose of the ECP is to cover the majority of employees and to provide additional pension security for the large part of the labour force in Poland. Since Poland is still implementing the reform, and the system is still quite young, the research background is limited.

Aim: This article tries to provide deeper, both legal and economic, analysis of the ECP. On the legal ground, it considers whether ECP provide “cover against biometric risk” or “guarantees a given level of benefits” for the purposes of Article 13(2) of EU Directive 2016/2341 (the “IORP II Directive”). If no such cover and no such guarantee are provided, then an ECP scheme is not required to comply with the technical provisions, buffer, and other funding requirements applicable to an IORP which is classified as a “regulatory own fund” in Article 15 of the IORP II Directive. From the economic perspective, the purpose of the article is to answer the question of how much the ECP members are covered against the risk of longevity. To achieve the research objective the method of critical legal dogmatics and the economic analysis of law method are employed.

Results: The article explores how the ECP schemes are classified under the IORP II Directive. It also answers the question of how much the ECP members are covered against the risk of longevity. The main finding of this analysis is that the ECP, as a defined contribution plan, does not protect participants from either biometric risk or asset value declines.
Determinants of digital financial exclusion as a barrier to the adoption of mobile banking services in Poland
Authors: Solarz Małgorzata , Adamek Jacek
Published: June 2022

Motivation: the contemporary phenomenon of financial exclusion, in the sphere of its reasons, consequences and activities aimed at its reduction can be connected, e.g., with using new technologies and financial innovations. The new dimension of such exclusion is created by the digital financial exclusion developed through a diverse set of behavioral, environmental and demographic factors. Their identification and analysis has become an essential activity influencing, e.g., the effectiveness of selective choice and application of proper tools to reduce this exclusion.

Aim: identification and assessment of the determinants related to digital financial exclusion as a barrier in the adoption of mobile banking services, considered from the perspective of their impact on the segmentation of the analysed population.

Results: the ranking, identified by the authors, regarding the importance of predictors indicated that the dependent variable — Y (i.e. people who have an online bank account classified based on the mobile forms of its use) is most influenced by the generation factor — X4 (1.0), followed by: personal innovativeness — X2 (0.92), digital skills — X1 (0.90) and the perceived risks of new technologies — X3 (0.66).
Managing Product Transitions: A Bilevel Programming Approach
Authors: Khorramfar Rahman , Özaltın Osman Y. , Kempf Karl G. , Uzsoy Reha
Published: June 2022

We model the hierarchical and decentralized nature of product transitions using a mixed-integer bilevel program with two followers, a manufacturing unit and an engineering unit. The leader, corporate management, seeks to maximize revenue over a finite planning horizon. The manufacturing unit uses factory capacity to satisfy the demand for current products. The demand for new products, however, cannot be fulfilled until the engineering unit completes their development, which, in turn, requires factory capacity for prototype fabrication. We model this interdependency between the engineering and manufacturing units as a generalized Nash equilibrium game at the lower level of the proposed bilevel model. We present a reformulation where the interdependency between the followers is resolved through the leader’s coordination, and we derive a solution method based on constraint and column generation. Our computational experiments show that the proposed approach can solve realistic instances to optimality in a reasonable time. We provide managerial insights into how the allocation of decision authority between corporate leadership and functional units affects the objective function performance. This paper presents the first exact solution algorithm to mixed-integer bilevel programs with interdependent followers, providing a flexible framework to study decentralized, hierarchical decision-making problems.
Learning from the Technologist 1.0
Authors: Dobbs Tom
Published: June 2022

Our new Technologist takes notes from his predecessor as he settles into his new role, and reflects on his advice.
The extended surgical team pilot: year 2
Authors: Tierney GM
Published: June 2022

Health Education England's pilot is in its second year and will be focusing on digital technology and multiprofessional supervision. Gill Tierney tells us more.
A trainee’s recent experience of sitting the MFDS part 1 and part 2 examinations
Authors: Baldock Ellie
Published: June 2022

How can you best prepare for MFDS examinations to maximise your chance of success?
Clinical Guide to Oral Diseases
Authors: Crean StJohn
Published: June 2022

Our Editor reviews Clinical Guide to Oral Diseases by Dimitris Malamos and Crispian Scully.
The Commerce of Commemoration: Commissioned Muzhiming in the Mid- to Late Tang
Authors: Ditter Alexei
Published: June 2022

Abstract: This article examines muzhiming , primarily excavated, written between 760 and 846 that were composed on commission, i.e., at the explicit behest of another party. I argue that in commissioning muzhiming , clients wished to do more than merely create a record of the deceased or identify the tomb occupant in perpetuity; they sought in addition to titivate the posthumous reputation of the deceased as well as enhance the reputations of family and friends among the broader audience for these texts. Moreover, because commissioned texts were often regarded with skepticism, writers of commissioned muzhiming employed a variety of rhetorical tactics within their compositions—quoted speech, final words, and the careful framing of the circumstances under which they were commissioned—in attempting to convince audiences of the reliability of their accounts. Finally, I explore why, other than for compensation, writers may have been willing to compose muzhiming on commission. My contention is that writers used these texts to enhance their own reputations as writers, or, less commonly, to make broader arguments illustrated or exemplified by their account of the life of the deceased.
Classical Learning and the Law: Erudition as Persuasion in the Dragon Sinews, Phoenix Marrow Judgments of Zhang Zhuo
Authors: Qian Tony D.
Published: June 2022

Abstract: Tang literary judgments were essays written in the persona of an official resolving legal and administrative questions. They were an essential component of the civil service selection examination, whereby candidates holding nominal official status were appointed to actual posts in the bureaucracy. Zhang Zhuo’s Longjin fengsui pan (Dragon Sinews, Phoenix Marrow Judgments) is the earliest surviving collection of model judgment answers meant to aid candidates in preparing for the selection examinations. The judgments, composed in parallel prose of four and six syllables, are ornate and erudite, and rarely deal precisely with Tang formal law. This study goes beyond examining Zhang’s work from the perspective of the formal law by exploring how classical learning itself served as a persuasive force in the resolution of cases. I argue that the Longjin fengsui pan shows that the literati were well-versed in the formal law, but prized displays of erudition as a means of articulating the moral, rather than the technical, side of law.
Recalling Xuanzong and Lady Yang: A Selection of Mid- and Late Tang Poems
Authors: Kroll Paul W.
Published: June 2022

Abstract: The romance of the Tang emperor Xuanzong (r. 712–756) and his Precious Consort Yang is the most famous, and tragic, of imperial liaisons in Chinese history. Following Lady Yang’s death and the emperor’s abdication, the story very quickly became a topic for retelling in both prose and verse. Bo Juyi’s “Song of Lasting Regret” from 806 has become the most famous of these accounts, but it was not seen in its time as the best or only version of the story. There are scores of other poems, short and long, on the subject from Tang poets both before and after Bo Juyi. Most of these center on the emperor’s winter retreat at Mount Li and its seductive hot springs, while some focus on the Mawei post-station where Lady Yang met her death. A selection of these poems, mostly by lesser-known writers, is offered here.
Put Not Your Trust in Princes: A Political Analysis of the Imperial Clan from 755 To 805
Authors: McMullen David L.
Published: June 2022

Abstract: This article describes the policies that the post-Rebellion Emperors Suzong, Daizong, and Dezong had toward the imperial clan (zongshi 宗室), focusing on the period from the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion in 755 to Xianzong’s accession in 805. The Rebellion dealt a shattering blow to the Tang political, military and economic system. Understanding the effects of this blow at its apex will contribute to understanding broader trends over the period. The article is divided into three parts: “Rebuilding our Ancient State” (Jiu bang zai zao 舊邦再造), on the institutional framework and prestige of the imperial clan in wider society; “Inner Difficulties” and “Outer Insults” (Nei nan 內難, wai wu 外侮), on the sequestration and control from afar policies, and the function of clansmen as brides and envoys; and “Exhortation to Clansmen” (Mianli zongqin 勉勵宗親), on the tensions of the clansmen and their relationship with the scholar community.
The Tang Dynasty in Song-Period Stories: The Case of Yijian Zhi
Authors: Egan Ronald
Published: June 2022

Abstract: A few of the many ways the Tang dynasty weighed heavily on the minds of people of the succeeding Song dynasty show themselves in the voluminous twelfth-century story collection, Yijian zhi . But these are not what we normally think of as nostalgia for the past in literary culture. This article looks at old things, that is, Tang antiques that come to life in the world of the Song as well as Tang persons who are reborn or who reappear as their original selves in the Song stories, centuries later. The storytellers' fascination with Tang things and persons, rather than those from other time periods, is unmistakable and invites us to consider why that period seemed so distant and yet so palpably present in Song life.
Orbital angular momentum spectrum of pin-like optical vortex beams in turbulent atmosphere
Authors: Cao Jiaxuan , Han Lu , Liang Huijian , Wu Gaofeng , Pang Xiaoyan
Published: June 2022

The analytical formula of the probability density of a single orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode for pin-like optical vortex beams (POVBs) in turbulent atmosphere is derived. Its OAM spectrum in the receiving plane is obtained by the numerical calculation. For comparison, the OAM spectrum of commonly Gaussian vortex beams is showed, too. Those results show that POVBs show good performance on resisting the cross talk of the OAM mode induced by the turbulence in some cases, such as smaller radius of the receiving aperture, longer propagation distance, and stronger turbulence. Our finding has application in free-space optical communication based on the OAM mode.
Generation of partial roll rotation in a hexagonal NaYF4 particle by switching between different optical trapping configurations
Authors: Lokesh Muruga , Nalupurackal Gokul , Roy Srestha , Chakraborty Snigdhadev , Goswami Jayesh , M Gunaseelan , Roy Basudev
Published: June 2022

Typically a rigid body can have three degrees of rotational freedom. Among these, there can be two types of out-of-plane rotational modes, called the pitch and the roll. The pitch motion is typically to turn the particle along an axis orthogonal to the axis of symmetry. However, rotation about the axis of symmetry (called the roll motion) has so far not been shown in optical tweezers. It is here that we use a hexagonal shaped particle (NaYF4) which prefers to align side on with the optical tweezers [Rodriguez-Sevilla et al., Nano Letters 16, 8005 (2016)10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b04583]. In this work, we find that the stable configuration of the hexagonal particle changes while using one beam and two beams, so that when one of the tweezers beams is switched on and off, the particle tends to switch between the different configurations. Thus we get a controlled roll motion. This is the first time that controlled partial roll motions have been generated in optical tweezers.
Remote sensing of seawater optical properties and the subsurface phytoplankton layer in coastal waters using an airborne multiwavelength polarimetric ocean lidar
Authors: Yuan Dapeng , Mao Zhihua , Chen Peng , He Yan , Pan Delu
Published: June 2022

The vertical profiles of the seawater optical properties and subsurface phytoplankton layer observed during an airborne lidar flight experiment carried out on 29 January 2021 in the coastal waters near Qionghai city were studied. We employed a hybrid inversion model combining the Klett and perturbation retrieval methods to estimate the seawater optical properties, while the vertical subsurface phytoplankton layer profiles were obtained by an adaptive evaluation. The airborne lidar data preprocessing scheme and inversion of the seawater optical properties were described in detail, and the effects of water environment parameters on the airborne lidar detection performance in coastal waters were discussed. The obtained seawater optical properties and phytoplankton layer profiles exhibit characteristic spatiotemporal distributions. The vertical stratification of seawater optical properties along a flight track from 19.19°N to 19.27°N is more pronounced than that from 19.27°N to 19.31°N. The subsurface phytoplankton layer appears along the flight track at water depths of 5–14 m with a thickness of 2–8.3 m. The high concentrations of chlorophyll, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in coastal waters are the main factors leading to the shallower detection depth for airborne lidar. A 532 nm laser emission wavelength is more suitable than 486 nm for investigating coastal waters. The 532 nm receiving channel with 25 mrad receiving field of view achieves a better detection performance than that with 6 mrad. These results indicate that lidar technology has great potential for the wide-range and long-term monitoring of coastal waters.
Temporal characterization of broadband femtosecond laser pulses by a surface third-harmonic dispersion scan with a ptychographic retrieval
Authors: Gomes Tiago , Canhota Miguel , Crespo Helder
Published: June 2022

We present a new, to the best of our knowledge, variant of dispersion scan (d-scan) based on surface third-harmonic generation (STHG) and a ptychographic algorithm tailored for full retrieval (amplitude and phase) of broadband laser pulses. We demonstrate the technique by temporally measuring and compressing few-cycle pulses with 7 fs and 2.5 nJ from a Ti:sapphire oscillator, using a sapphire window as the nonlinear medium. The results are in very good agreement with standard second-harmonic d-scan measurements based on a nonlinear crystal. The intrinsically broadband and phase-matching-independent nature of STHG make this technique very suitable for the characterization of ultrashort laser pulses over a broad wavelength range extending into the mid-infrared.
The potential of digital molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors:   The Digital Diagnostics for Africa Network
Published: June 2022

There is a large gap between diagnostic needs and diagnostic access across much of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly for infectious diseases that inflict a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality. Accurate diagnostics are essential for the correct treatment of individuals and provide vital information underpinning disease surveillance, prevention, and control strategies. Digital molecular diagnostics combine the high sensitivity and specificity of molecular detection with point-of-care format and mobile connectivity. Recent developments in these technologies create an opportunity for a radical transformation of the diagnostic ecosystem. Rather than trying to emulate diagnostic laboratory models in resource-rich settings, African countries have the potential to pioneer new models of healthcare designed around digital diagnostics. This article describes the need for new diagnostic approaches, highlights advances in digital molecular diagnostic technology, and outlines their potential for tackling infectious diseases in SSA. It then addresses the steps that will be necessary for the development and implementation of digital molecular diagnostics. Although the focus is on infectious diseases in SSA, many of the principles apply to other resource-limited settings and to noncommunicable diseases.
Exploring the non-communicable disease (NCD) network of multi-morbid individuals in India: A network analysis
Authors: Puri Parul , Singh Shri Kant
Published: June 2022

Nationally representative evidence discussing the interplay of non-communicable diseases (diseases) are scarce in India. Therefore, the present study aims to fill this research void by providing empirical evidence on disease networking using a large nationally representative cross-sectional sample segregated by gender among older adults in India. The analysis utilized data on 10,606 multimorbid women and 7,912 multimorbid men from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), 2017–18. Multimorbidity was defined as the co-occurrence of two or more diseases in an individual using a list of 16 self-reported diseases. Weighted networks were visualized to illustrates the complex relationships between the diseases using network analysis. The findings suggest that women possess a higher burden of multimorbidity than men. Hypertension, musculoskeletal disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, diabetes mellitus, and skin diseases were reported as the most recurrent diseases. ‘Hypertension-musculoskeletal disorder’, ‘diabetes mellitus-hypertension’, ‘gastrointestinal disorders-hypertension’ and ‘gastrointestinal disorders- musculoskeletal disorder’ were recurrent disease combinations among the multimorbid individuals. The study generated compelling evidence to establish that there are statistically significant differences between the prevalence of diseases and how they interact with each other between women and men. These findings further accentuate that disease networks are slightly more complex among women. In totality, the study visualizes disease association, identifies the most influential diseases to the network, and those which acts as a bridge between other diseases, causing multimorbidity among the older adult population in India.
Impact of the Liberian National Community Health Assistant Program on childhood illness care in Grand Bassa County, Liberia
Authors: White Emily , Mendin Savior , Kolubah Featha R. , Karlay Robert , Grant Ben , Jacobs George P. , Subah Marion , Siedner Mark J. , Kraemer John D. , Hirschhorn Lisa R.
Published: June 2022

Liberia launched its National Community Health Assistant Program in 2016, which seeks to ensure that all people living 5 kilometers or farther from a health facility have access to trained, supplied, supervised, and paid community health workers (CHWs). This study aims to evaluate the impact of the national program following implementation in Grand Bassa County in 2018 using data from population-based surveys that included information on 1291 illness episodes. We measured before-to-after changes in care for childhood illness by qualified providers in a portion of the county that implemented in a first phase compared to those which had not yet implemented. We also assessed changes in whether children received oral rehydration therapy for diarrhea and malaria rapid diagnostic tests if they had a fever by a qualified provider (facility based or CHW). For these analyses, we used a difference-in-differences approach and adjusted for potential confounding using inverse probability of treatment weighting. We also assessed changes in the source from which care was received and examined changes by key dimensions of equity (distance from health facilities, maternal education, and household wealth). We found that care of childhood illness by a qualified provider increased by 60.3 percentage points (95%CI 44.7–76.0) more in intervention than comparison areas. Difference-in-differences for oral rehydration therapy and malaria rapid diagnostic tests were 37.6 (95%CI 19.5–55.8) and 38.5 (95%CI 19.9–57.0) percentage points, respectively. In intervention areas, care by a CHW increased from 0 to 81.6% and care from unqualified providers dropped. Increases in care by a qualified provider did not vary significantly by household wealth, remoteness, or maternal education. This evaluation found evidence that the Liberian National Community Health Assistant Program has increased access to effective care in rural Grand Bassa County. Improvements were approximately equal across three measured dimensions of marginalization.
Using text data instead of SIC codes to tag innovative firms and classify industrial activities
Authors: Marra Alessandro , Baldassari Cristiano
Published: June 2022

The paper uses text mining and semantic algorithms to tag innovative firms and offer an alternative perspective to classify industrial activities. Instead of referring to firms’ standard industrial classification codes, we gather information from companies’ websites and corporate purposes, extract keywords and generate tags concerning firms’ activities, specializations, and competences. Evidence is interesting because allows us to understand ‘what firms do’ in a more penetrating and updated way than referring to standard industrial classification codes. Moreover, through matching firms’ keywords, we can explore the degree of closeness between the firms under observation, a measure by which researchers can derive industrial proximity. The analysis can provide policymakers with a detailed and comprehensive picture of the innovative trajectories underlying the industrial structure in a geographic area.
Effects of affiliation-, achievement-, and power-related topics in mathematical word problems on students’ performance, task-related values, and expectancies
Authors: Scheidemann Bettina , Gasteiger Hedwig , Puca Rosa M.
Published: June 2022

A motivational downturn in mathematics during secondary school has been well documented for many students. As a way to address this, creating personally relevant tasks is supposed to increase students’ motivation for mathematical tasks. According to recent research, topics relating to affiliation, achievement, and power are personally relevant for young people. Prior research showed that motive imagery in school tasks increases students’ task-related intrinsic value and success expectancies. The present study examined the effect of motive topics in word problems on students’ task performance. We contextualized mathematical tasks either with affiliation, achievement, and power topics or with neutral topics not related to motive topics. The tasks were comparable regarding their mean word count, text, and mathematical complexity. In three experimental studies (N1 = 56, N2 = 63, N3 = 62), the students solved four tasks for each motive topic and neutral tasks, respectively. The dependent variables were task performance, intrinsic values, and expectancies of success. Repeated measures analyses of variance with the four-level, within-subjects factor motive imagery revealed positive effects of motive imagery in word problems on students’ task performance. This was particularly true for achievement-related tasks compared with neutral tasks. The results also indicated slightly positive effects for affiliation-related word problems on students’ performance. In addition, the intrinsic value for affiliation-related (Experiment 1) and achievement-related tasks (Experiment 3) was higher than for neutral tasks. Power imagery did not affect students’ task performance; it negatively affected students’ intrinsic value compared with neutral tasks. Task-related success expectancies were not influenced by motive imagery. The present study replicates and extends previous findings that indicate that tasks referring to affiliation and achievement imagery are more appealing to students and can benefit their performance.
Forecasting elections with agent-based modeling: Two live experiments
Authors: Gao Ming , Wang Zhongyuan , Wang Kai , Liu Chenhui , Tang Shiping
Published: June 2022

Election forecasting has been traditionally dominated by subjective surveys and polls or methods centered upon them. We have developed a novel platform for forecasting elections based on agent-based modeling (ABM), which is entirely independent from surveys and polls. The platform uses statistical results from objective data along with simulation models to capture how voters have voted in past elections and how they are likely to vote in an upcoming election. We screen for models that can reproduce results that are very close to the actual results of historical elections and then deploy these selected models to forecast an upcoming election with simulations by combining extrapolated data from historical demographic record and more updated data on economic growth, employment, shock events, and other factors. Here, we report the results of two recent experiments of real-time election forecasting: the 2020 general election in Taiwan and six states in the 2020 general election in the United States. Our mostly objective method using ABM may transform how elections are forecasted and studied.
Grower decision-making factors in adoption of specialty cultivars: A case study of potatoes in the San Luis Valley
Authors: Toulabi Sahar B. , Jablonski Becca , Holm David G. , Carolan Michael S. , Heuberger Adam L.
Published: June 2022

Potatoes are the most consumed vegetable worldwide and play an important role in the U.S. economy. Growers make critical decisions each year in choosing which cultivar to grow, based on factors such as yield, resilience to the growing environment, and utility in the food industry. Current research supports the finding that less-common specialty cultivars (SCs) have benefits for human health. However, growers have been slow to adopt SCs into mainstream operations. Here, we identify major factors in the decision-making process that determine whether a population of growers in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, a major potato-growing region, adopt SC potatoes. We used a combination of ethnographic techniques and quantitative methods to examine drivers of adoption. The data demonstrate grower perceptions within potato farming and the complexity of interacting factors in decision-making. An integration of the Theory of Planned Behavior, Rational Expectation Hypothesis, and Diffusion of Innovation models identifies economic and social factors that influence grower decision-making. Growers that were more aware of specialty cultivar innovation and associated consumer demand were more open to SCs adoption. Other influencing factors include a grower’s experience selling a SC in the previous year and access to diverse markets. Based on these data, we developed a new model to explain grower decision-making processes in adopting SCs. The model demonstrates that one current barrier to adoption is access to buyers, including warehouses, retailers, and households. Taken together, this research demonstrates how rational expectations stem from economic outcomes, knowledge, and experience in the potato industry. These results are important in helping to consider opportunities for growers to access new, higher value markets, while also improving consumer access to nutritious cultivars.
Mental well-being in young people with psychiatric disorders during the early phase of COVID-19 lockdown
Authors: Orfeuvre Emilie , Franck Nicolas , Plasse Julien , Haesebaert Frédéric
Published: June 2022

Background

Mental health and well-being were seriously impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown especially among young people and people with psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to identify factors associated with well-being in young people with psychiatric disorders, during early phase of COVID-19 lockdown in France.

Methods

A national cross-sectional online study started on the 8th day of COVID-19 lockdown in France (during March 25–30, 2020). We included young people aged from 16 to 29 who responded to the questionnaire, living and being confined in France, with past or current psychiatric treatment. The questionnaire was accessible online and explored demographics and clinical factors, well-being, stress, situation during lockdown. Well-being was measured by the Warwick-Edinburg Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were carried out.

Results

439 individuals were included with 262 (59.7%) previously treated and 177 (40.3%) currently treated. WEMWBS total score were 42.48 (9.05). Feeling of useful was the most affected dimension. Well-being was positively correlated with: currently working on site, physical activity, abilities to cope with difficulties, family and social supports (p<0.05). It was negatively correlated with: elevated stress level, anxious ruminations, dissatisfaction with information, difficulties to sleep or reorganize daily life, feeling supported by medicines (p<0.05). No individual factor was correlated with well-being. The stepwise linear multivariate model had simple R2 coefficient of determination of 0.535.

Conclusion

In the specific population of young people with psychiatric disorders, factors associated with well-being at early stage of lockdown were mainly psychosocial and related to brutal disorganisation of daily life.
NEPENTHES HARAUENSIS, A NEW SPECIES OF NEPENTHACEAE FROM WEST SUMATRA
Authors: Hernawati Hernawati , Satria Robi , Lee Ch'ien C.
Published: June 2022

HERNAWATI, SATRIA, R. & LEE, C. C. 2022. Nepenthes harauensis, a new species of Nepenthaceae from West Sumatra. Reinwardtia 21(1): 19‒23. — A new species of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) from the Harau region of West Sumatra is described as Nepenthes harauensis Hernawati, R.Satria & Chi.C.Lee. This species shares specific characteristics with both N. bongso and N. singalana but is unique in its thickly coriaceous and petiolate leaves, which are elliptic-oblong and have a distinctly peltate tendril insertion.
Freeway accident duration prediction based on social network information
Authors: Ji KeKe , Li ZhengZhong , Chen Jian , Wang GuanYan , Liu KeLiang , Luo Yi
Published: June 2022

Accident duration prediction is the basis of freeway emergency management, and timely and accurate accident duration prediction can provide a reliable basis for road traffic diversion and rescue agencies. This study proposes a method for predicting the duration of freeway accidents based on social network information by collecting Weibo data of freeway accidents in Sichuan province and using the advantage that human language can convey multi-dimensional information. Firstly, text features are extracted through a TF-IDF model to represent the accident text data quantitatively; secondly, the variability between text data is exploited to construct an ordered text clustering model to obtain clustering intervals containing temporal attributes, thus converting the ordered regression problem into an ordered classification problem; finally, two nonparametric machine learning methods, namely support vector machine (SVM) and k-nearest neighbour method (KNN), to construct an accident duration prediction model. The results show that when the ordered text clustering model divides the text dataset into four classes, both the SVM model and the KNN model show better prediction results, and their average absolute error values are less than 22 %, which is much better than the prediction results of the regression prediction model under the same method.
Freshwater and fisheries: The need for comparative valuation
Authors: Bartley Devin Michael
Published: June 2022

Aquatic ecosystems and specifically the freshwater therein, provide several ecosystem benefits including provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services. These benefits are substantial but are not partitioned equally or equitably among the various stakeholders. Demand for freshwater is expected to double by 2050; the inland fisheries sector is in competition with other users of freshwater and will need to demonstrate the value of freshwater and its fisheries to ensure appropriate policies to manage inland aquatic ecosystems.

I have examined published material to estimate the value of water to industry, domestic, agriculture, and fisheries users. Although the estimates are extremely rough, there are differences of many orders of magnitude in the value of freshwater depending on what it is used for. For example: Inland fisheries harvested in 2016 ∼ 10.2 million t worth US$5.5 billionInland aquaculture produced in 2016 33.8 million t worth US$61.1 billion45,000 large dams generated 20 percent of world electricity worth US$5.7 trillionLarge dams irrigated 100 million ha of land worth US$665 billion

The large values associated with water use by non-fisheries sectors are often not realized by the fisheries, sector, but need to be in policy negotiations. The large differences in dollar value between inland fisheries’ products and the other users of freshwater do not reflect the true value of inland fisheries in terms of nutrition, food security, and cultural values for many stakeholders. Those values are difficult to determine, and the stakeholders are often rural communities in developing countries whose needs are not often addressed. As reflected in the Rome Declaration: Ten steps to responsible inland fisheries, efforts must be made to engage other users of freshwater and accurately value the services provided by freshwater ecosystems. Examples of specific benefits derived from freshwater fish are provided to help develop a robust valuation system for these ecosystem services. Inland fisheries will never produce the number of pounds of product produced from irrigated farmland, or surpass the value of electricity from hydropower, but crops and electricity do not have the nutritional value of fish. Therefore, elements of a more robust value system and framework are proposed that acknowledges the other uses of freshwater and addresses the social and cultural needs of communities that depend on inland fisheries for their livelihood.
Ecosystem services in the floodplains: Socio-cultural services associated with ecosystem unpredictability in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil
Authors: Chiaravalloti Rafael Morais , Bolzan Fabio , Roque Fabio de Oliveira , Biswas Sumalika
Published: June 2022

Ecosystem services do not exist independently from human perceptions and recognition. They are socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally scale- and context-dependent. Socio-cultural services tend to be difficult to evaluate and invisible to policymakers and conservation practitioners. Based on six years’ qualitative analysis of a floodplain fishery in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil, we bring an in-depth understanding of the socio-cultural ecosystem services in the region. We show that the inter- and intra-annual ecosystem dynamics variations in the flood pulse are closely associated with local people's governance structure, identity, and cosmological histories. All of them, to some extent, capture some of the unpredictable changes in the Pantanal. Our study uncovers part of the complex and rich social-cultural ecosystem service created from the interaction between local people and the ecosystem in which they are embedded. We also present the threats faced by these services in the face of current development projects in the Pantanal, such as the Waterway and Hydrometric Dams. We argue that the predicted outcome may jeopardize not only the social-cultural services in the Pantanal, but also the local people themselves and the environment that they are currently protecting.
La CUT frente a las reformas del trabajo en Brasil: de Lula a Temer
Authors: Iglesias Esteban
Published: June 2022

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar las variaciones en el protagonismo político de la Central Única de los Trabajadores (CUT) desde 2003, momento que asumió el Partido de los Trabajadores al gobierno nacional, hasta 2018, fecha en que finalizó el gobierno de Michel Temer. Esto lo abordamos desde la problemática de la acción colectiva y a partir del análisis de procesos políticos significativos para el período: el «Foro Nacional del Trabajo» (2004-2008), las «Jornadas de Junio» (2013), la «Ley de Terciarización Laboral» (2015) y la «Reforma del Trabajo» (2017). La principal hipótesis que se sustenta radica en que el cambio en el protagonismo político de la CUT se explica por su relación con el PT. Así, se han identificado dos etapas: la de 2004-2011 de gravitación política fuerte y la de 2013-2018 de gravitación política débil. En ambos períodos la estrategia política de la CUT no se modificó sustantivamente, combinando participación institucional con la movilización social. Sin embargo, lo que cambió fue el desempeño político del partido en el gobierno, que tuvo su momento de auge durante el lulismo y luego de declive y crisis durante los mandatos de Dilma Rousseff.