bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Augmenting gait in a population exhibiting foot drop with adaptive functional electrical stimulation
Authors: Robison Jeremiah , Gibbons Ren , Achelis Dean , Bent Brinnae , Wajda Doug , Webster Rebecca
Published: April 2022

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can be used for improvement of gait in people with foot drop resulting from neurological disease or injury. However, existing FES solutions suffer from significant limitations. First, fixed placement electrode devices are difficult to tune stimulation for improved ankle dorsiflexion while maintaining balanced ankle eversion. Second, standard tilt-sensor-like triggers do not allow for adaptive, configurable stimulation sequencing algorithms.

Here, we introduce the first FES system with adaptive current steering for an array of FES electrodes enabling precise control over dorsiflexor and evertor muscles, allowing for personalized treatment to correct key foot drop characteristics including dorsiflexion at heel strike and ankle inversion during swing phase.

We share results of a pre-test, post-test study on thirty-two participants exhibiting symptoms of foot drop. The differences in pre-test versus post-test primary and secondary outcome measures were statistically significant (p<0.0125) within our cohort. With adaptive, current-steering FES, ankle dorsiflexion at heel strike increased an average 5.2°, and ankle inversion during swing phase was reduced by an average -3.6°, bringing the ankle to a more neutral position for stabilization.

By significantly increasing ankle dorsiflexion at heel strike and decreasing ankle inversion during swing phase, adaptive FES enabled a more neutral ankle at heel strike, which is associated with greater ankle stability and decreased fall risk. Gait augmentation using adaptive, current-steering FES improved gait in a population exhibiting symptoms of foot drop.
Classifying sex with MRI
Authors: Ebel Matthis , Lotze Martin , Domin Martin , Neumann Nicola , Stanke Mario
Published: April 2022

Sex differences in the size of specific brain structures have been extensively studied but careful and reproducible statistical hypothesis testing to identify them produced overall small effect sizes and differences brains of males and females. On the other hand, multivariate statistical or machine learning methods that analyse MR images of the whole brain have reported respectable accuracies for the task of distinguishing males from females. However, most existing studies lacked a careful control for brain volume differences between sexes and, if done, their accuracy often declined to 70% or below. This raises questions on the relevance of accuracies achieved without careful control of overall volume. Also the potential applicability is uncertain insofar as the robustness of methods had rarely been tested or they suffered from poor accuracy when applied on a different cohort.

We examined how accurately sex can be classified with multivariate methods from gray matter properties of the human brain when correcting for overall brain volume. We also tested, how robust machine learning classifiers are when predicting cross-cohort, i.e. when they are used on a different cohort than they were trained on. Further, we studied how their accuracy depends on the size of the training set. MRI data was used from two population based data sets of 3308 mostly older adults from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) and 1113 mostly younger adults from the Human Connectome Project (HCP), respectively. Our new open source program BraiNN is based on a 3D convolutional neural network and was compared with a simple logistic regression approach.

When using the gold standard method of matching male and female participants for total intracranial volume, BraiNN achieved 86% accuracy when predicting sex on the same (SHIP) cohort and 73% accuracy when cross-predicting on the HCP cohort. Logistic regression achieved an accuracy >90% on the SHIP cohort, but required a large number of training examples to perform well and did not generalize well across cohorts. On the other hand, BraiNN lost less than 2% accuracy when the cohort size was reduced from 3308 to 1274.
A cross-sectional study of Q fever in Camels: risk factors for infection, the role of small ruminants and public health implications for desert-dwelling pastoral communities
Authors: Holloway Peter , Gibson Matthew , Nash Stephen , Holloway Tanja , Cardwell Jacqueline , Omari Bilal Al , Abu-Basha Ehab , Mangtani Punam , Guitian Javier
Published: April 2022

Q fever represents an important ‘neglected zoonosis’, with high prevalences recorded across the Middle East region. Among rural desert-dwelling communities in the region, camel milk is largely consumed raw, due to perceptions of dromedaries as a uniquely clean livestock species mentioned in the Qur’an and Islamic hadith, while milk from other livestock species is usually boiled. As a result, camels present a unique public health threat among such communities from milk-borne pathogens, including C. burnetii. In view of this, an epidemiological survey was conducted among dromedary herds in southern Jordan between September 2017 and October 2018, including 404 camels from 121 randomly selected herds. In addition, 510 household members associated with these herds were interviewed regarding potential high-risk practices for zoonotic transmission. Weight adjusted camel population seroprevalence for C. burnetii was 49.6% (95% CI: 44.7 – 54.5), with evidence of maternally derived immunity in calves ≤6 months old. Adjusted herd-level prevalence was 76.0% (95%CI 72.7–80.2), with 30.4% (144/477) of individuals estimated to consume raw milk from infected herds monthly or more. Following multivariable logistic regression analysis, seropositive status in camels was found to be associated with increasing age, high herd tick burdens, keeping the herd together throughout the year including when calving, and owning larger (>50) sheep and goat flocks, with goats presenting a higher risk than sheep. Racing camel status was found to be protective. Socioculturally appropriate interventions aimed at raising awareness of potential risks associated with drinking raw camel milk, alongside appropriate livestock management interventions, should be considered.
Mapping the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants on a university campus
Authors: Weil Ana A. , Luiten Kyle G. , Casto Amanda M. , Bennett Julia C. , O’Hanlon Jessica , Han Peter D. , Gamboa Luis , McDermot Evan , Truong Melissa , Gottlieb Geoffrey S. , Acker Zack , Wolf Caitlin R. , Magedson Ariana , Chow Eric J. , Lo Natalie K. , Pothan Lincoln C. , McDonald Devon , Wright Tessa , McCaffrey Kathryn , Figgins Marlin D. , Englund Janet A. , Boeckh Michael , Lockwood Christina M. , Nickerson Deborah A. , Shendure Jay , Bedford Trevor , Hughes James P. , Starita Lea M. , Chu Helen Y.
Published: April 2022

Novel variants continue to emerge in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. University testing programs may provide timely epidemiologic and genomic surveillance data to inform public health responses. We conducted testing from September 2021 to February 2022 in a university population under vaccination and indoor mask mandates. A total of 3,048 of 24,393 individuals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR; whole genome sequencing identified 209 Delta and 1,730 Omicron genomes of the 1,939 total sequenced. Compared to Delta, Omicron had a shorter median serial interval between genetically identical, symptomatic infections within households (2 versus 6 days, P=0.021). Omicron also demonstrated a greater peak reproductive number (2.4 versus 1.8) and a 1.07 (95% confidence interval: 0.58, 1.57; P<0.0001) higher mean cycle threshold value. Despite near universal vaccination and stringent mitigation measures, Omicron rapidly displaced the Delta variant to become the predominant viral strain and led to a surge in cases in a university population.
Which countries need COVID-19 vaccines the most? Development of a prioritisation tool
Authors: Jain Vageesh , Atun Rifat , Hansen Paul , Lorgelly Paula
Published: April 2022

Background

Assessing relative needs for COVID-19 vaccines across countries has been challenging. The objective of this study was to identify the most important factors for assessing countries’ needs for vaccines, and to weight each, generating a scoring tool for prioritising countries.

Methods

The study was conducted between March and November 2021. The first stage involved a Delphi survey with a purposive and snowball sample of public health experts, to reach consensus on country-level factors for assessing relative needs for COVID-19 vaccines. The second stage involved a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to determine weights for the factors.

Results

The study included 28 experts working across 13 different countries and globally. The Delphi survey found 37 factors related to needs. Nine of the most important factors were included in the DCE. Among these, the most important factor was the ‘proportion of overall population not fully vaccinated’ with a mean weight of 19.5, followed by ‘proportion of high-risk population not fully vaccinated’ (16.1), ‘health system capacity’ (14.2), ‘capacity to purchase vaccines’ (11.9) and the ‘proportion of the population clinically vulnerable’ (11.3).

Conclusions

By assessing relative needs, this scoring tool can build on existing methods to further the role of equity in global COVID-19 vaccine allocation.
Assessing clinical outcomes of vancomycin treatment in adult patients with penicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium bacteremia
Authors: Sasano Hiroshi , Arakawa Ryutarou , Hanada Kazuhiko
Published: April 2022

Enterococcal bacteremia is associated with high mortality and long-term hospitalization. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes and evaluate risk factors for mortality in adult patients treated with vancomycin (VCM) for penicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) bacteremia. Data were collected from inpatients at a single university hospital between January 2009 and December 2020. The area under the curve (AUC) of VCM was calculated using the Bayesian approach. The primary outcome was 30-day in-hospital mortality. Univariate analysis showed significant differences in the combined use of vasopressors, history of the use of inactive antimicrobial agents against E. faecium, VCM plasma trough concentration, and renal dysfunction during VCM administration between 30-day mortality and survival groups. However, the AUC/minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was not significantly different. Multivariate analysis revealed that concomitant vasopressors were an independent risk factor for 30-day all-cause mortality (odds risk, 7.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.16–52.9; P = 0.035). VCM plasma trough concentrations and AUC/MIC in the mortality group were higher than those in the surviving group. Depending on the drug-susceptibility results of E. faecium, it is considered that the AUC/MIC is calculated at a double AUC value. No association between AUC/MIC and treatment effect in E. faecium bacteremia was assumed because the known target AUC/MIC was sufficiently achieved in the mortality group. When an immunocompromised host develops E. faecium bacteremia with septic shock, especially in situations where the hemodynamics of using a pressor agent is unstable, treating it exclusively by sufficient exposure to antibacterial agents may be difficult.
Can accurate demographic information about people who use prescription medications non-medically be derived from Twitter?
Authors: Yang Yuan-Chi , Al-Garadi Mohammed Ali , Love Jennifer S. , Cooper Hannah L. F. , Perrone Jeanmarie , Sarker Abeed
Published: April 2022

Traditional surveillance mechanisms for nonmedical prescription medication use (NPMU) involve substantial lags. Social media-based approaches have been proposed for conducting close-to-real-time surveillance, but such methods typically cannot provide fine-grained statistics about subpopulations. We address this gap by developing methods for automatically characterizing a large Twitter NPMU cohort (n=288,562) in terms of age-group, race, and gender. Our methods achieved 0.88 precision (95%-CI: 0.84-0.92) for age-group, 0.90 (95%-CI: 0.85-0.95) for race, and 0.94 accuracy (95%-CI: 0.92-0.97) for gender. We compared the automatically-derived statistics for the NPMU of tranquilizers, stimulants, and opioids from Twitter to statistics reported in traditional sources (eg., the National Survey on Drug Use and Health). Our estimates were mostly consistent with the traditional sources, except for age-group-related statistics, likely caused by differences in reporting tendencies and representations in the population. Our study demonstrates that subpopulation-specific estimates about NPMU may be automatically derived from Twitter to obtain early insights.
Measuring Autonomic Symptoms with the Body Perception Questionnaire Short Form (BPQ-SF): Factor Analysis, Derivation of U.S. Adult Normative Values, and Association with Sensor-Based Physiological Measures
Authors: Kolacz Jacek , Chen Xiwei , Nix Evan J. , Roath Olivia K. , Holmes Logan G. , Tokash Clarissa , Porges Stephen W. , Lewis Gregory F.
Published: April 2022

Objective

Autonomic regulation of organ and tissues may give rise to disruptions of typical functions. The Body Perception Questionnaire Short Form (BPQ-SF) includes items that were developed to assess autonomic symptoms in daily life. This pair of studies aimed to establish previously unexplored psychometric properties of the BPQ-SF, develop normative values for clinical and research use, and validate the self-reports with sensor-based measures.

Methods

Study 1 reports exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on BPQ-SF autonomic reactivity items from a large U.S. population-based online study (n = 2048). In study 2, BPQ-SF scores were examined for associations with heart period, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and skin conductance (SC) during seated leg lifts in a community sample (n = 62).

Results

Study 1 results supported a 2-factor supra- and sub-diaphragmatic autonomic symptom solution (CFA:RMSEA= .040,CFI= .99,TLI= .99), though a 1-factor solution also fit the data well (RMSEA= .080,CFI= .99,TLI= .99). In study 2, flexible HP responses to lifts and rests were demonstrated at all autonomic symptom levels. However, low self-reported autonomic symptoms were associated with flexible dynamic RSA and SC, moderate symptoms with prolonged SC responses during rest periods, and high symptoms with little systematic changes in RSA and SC during leg lifts.

Conclusion

Results support the validity of self-reports of autonomic symptoms in research and clinical applications, with higher symptoms likely indicating impairment in autonomic flexibility.
Using Primary Care Text Data and Natural Language Processing to Monitor COVID-19 in Toronto, Canada
Authors: Meaney Christopher , Moineddin Rahim , Kalia Sumeet , Aliarzadeh Babak , Greiver Michelle
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Objective

To investigate whether a rule-based natural language processing (NLP) system, applied to primary care clinical text data, can be used to monitor COVID-19 viral activity in Toronto, Canada.

Design

We employ a retrospective cohort design. We include primary care patients with a clinical encounter between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 at one of 44 participating clinical sites.

Setting and Context

The study setting is Toronto, Canada. During the study timeframe the city experienced a first wave of COVID-19 in spring 2020; followed by a second viral resurgence beginning in the fall of 2020.

Methods and Data

Study objectives are descriptive. We use an expert derived dictionary, pattern matching tools and a contextual analyzer to classify documents as 1) COVID-19 positive, 2) COVID-19 negative, or 3) unknown COVID-19 status. We apply the COVID-19 biosurveillance system across three primary care electronic medical record text streams: 1) lab text, 2) health condition diagnosis text and 3) clinical notes. We enumerate COVID-19 entities in the clinical text and estimate the proportion of patients with a positive COVID-19 record. We construct a primary care COVID-19 NLP-derived time series and investigate its correlation with other external public health series: 1) lab confirmed COVID-19 cases, 2) COVID-19 hospitalizations, 3) COVID-19 ICU admissions, and 4) COVID-19 intubations.

Results

Over the study timeframe 1,976 COVID-19 positive documents, and 277 unique COVID-19 entities were identified in the lab text. 539 COVID-19 positive documents and 121 unique COVID-19 entities were identified in the health condition diagnosis text. And 4,018 COVID-19 positive documents, and 644 unique COVID-19 entities were identified in the clinical notes. A total of 196,440 unique patients were observed over the study timeframe, of which 4,580 (2.3%) had at least one positive COVID-19 document in their primary care electronic medical record. We constructed an NLP-derived COVID-19 time series describing the temporal dynamics of COVID-19 positivity status over the study timeframe. The NLP derived series correlates strongly with external public health series under investigation.

Conclusions

Using a rule-based NLP system we identified hundreds of unique COVID-19 entities, and thousands of COVID-19 positive documents, across millions of clinical text documents. Future work should continue to investigate how high quality, low-cost, passively collected primary care electronic medical record clinical text data can be used for COVID-19 monitoring and surveillance.
SARM1 is responsible for calpain-dependent dendrite degeneration in mouse hippocampal neurons
Authors: Miyamoto Takashi , Kim Chaeyoung , Chow Johann , Dugas Jason C , DeGroot Jack , Bagdasarian Alex L , Thottumkara Arun P , Larhammar Martin , Calvert Meredith EK , Fox Brian M , Lewcock Joseph W , Kane Lesley A
Published: April 2022

Sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1 (SARM1) is a critical regulator of axon degeneration that acts through hydrolysis of NAD+following injury. Recent work has defined the mechanisms underlying SARM1’s catalytic activity and advanced our understanding of SARM1 function in axons, yet the role of SARM1 signaling in other compartments of neurons is still not well understood. Here we show in cultured hippocampal neurons that endogenous SARM1 is present in axons, dendrites and cell bodies and that direct activation of SARM1 by the neurotoxin Vacor causes not just axon degeneration, but degeneration of all neuronal compartments. In contrast to the axon degeneration pathway defined in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), SARM1-dependent hippocampal axon degeneration in vitro is not sensitive to calpain inhibition whereas dendrite degeneration downstream of SARM1 is calpain-dependent in this cell type. This data indicates SARM1 plays a critical role in neurodegeneration outside of axons and elucidates divergent pathways leading to degeneration in hippocampal axons and dendrites.
Acceptability and Feasibility of Genetic Testing to Assess Risk of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Impairment among Thai Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Santoro Anthony F. , Ferraris Christopher M. , Aghvinian Maral , Aurpibul Linda , Kolson Dennis , Robbins Reuben N.
Published: April 2022

Host genetic factors may modify the risk of developing HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (HIV-NCI), and genetic research has the potential to inform novel treatments for HIV-NCI. However, there is a need to better understand the acceptability of genetic testing among distinct populations of people living with HIV at increased risk for HIV-NCI, such as young people living with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to gauge the feasibility of genetic research within these populations. This pilot study evaluated the acceptability and feasibility of genetic testing to assess risk of future neurocognitive problems in fifty Thai adolescents and young adults (12-24 years; Mage=19.16; 52% female) with PHIV and demographically similar HIV-negative controls. Participants completed a survey assessing acceptability of and concerns about genetic testing and were asked to provide blood samples for genetic testing. Descriptive statistics and blood draw completion rates were produced and calculated. Reported concerns about genetic testing were grouped thematically and tallied. Independent t tests and chi-squares explored demographic differences between participants who reported concerns and peers. Results indicated 46 participants (92%) rated genetic testing as “acceptable” or “completely acceptable.” Eight participants (16%) reported concerns about genetic testing. The most common concerns were related to genetic information being shared or misused. Compared to peers, participants who reported concerns had more years of education and were more likely to have post-secondary schooling. Regarding completion rates, 49 participants (98%) agreed to genetic testing and provided blood samples. Overall, results support the acceptability and feasibility of incorporating genetic testing into research investigating HIV-NCI among adolescents and young adults in Thailand. Findings provide important considerations for planning future genetic studies among young people in Thailand and perhaps other LMICs.
Extended Effects of a Wearable Sensory Prosthesis on Gait, Balance Function and Falls After 26 Weeks of Use in Persons with Peripheral Neuropathy and High Fall Risk – The walk2Wellness Trial
Authors: Oddsson Lars IE , Bisson Teresa , Cohen Helen S , Iloputaife Ikechukwu , Jacobs Laura , Kung Doris , Lipsitz Lewis A , Manor Brad , McCracken Patricia , Rumsey Yvonne , Wrisley Diane M , Koehler-McNicholas Sara R
Published: April 2022

Background

We recently reported that individuals with impaired plantar sensation and high fall risk due to sensory peripheral neuropathy (PN) improved gait and balance function following 10 weeks of use of Walkasins®, a wearable lower limb sensory prosthesis that provides directional tactile stimuli related to plantar pressure measurements during standing and walking (RxFunction Inc., MN, USA). Here, we report 26-week outcomes and compare pre- and in-study fall rates. We expected improvements in outcomes and reduced fall rates reported after 10 weeks of use to be sustained.

Methods

Participants had clinically diagnosed PN with impaired plantar sensation, high fall risk (Functional Gait Assessment, FGA score <23) and ability to sense tactile stimuli above the ankle at the location of the device. Additional outcomes included 10m Gait Speed, Timed Up&Go (TUG), Four-Stage Balance Test, and self-reported outcomes, including Activities-Specific Balance Confidence scale and Vestibular Disorders Activities of Daily Living Scale. Participants tracked falls using a calendar.

Results

We assessed falls and self-reported outcomes from 44 individuals after 26 weeks of device use; 30 of them conducted in-person testing of clinical outcomes. Overall, improvements in clinical outcomes seen at 10 weeks of use remained sustained at 26 weeks with statistically significant increases compared to baseline seen in FGA scores (from 15.0 to 19.2), self-selected gait speed (from 0.89 m/s to 0.97 m/s), and 4-Stage Balance Test (from 25.6s to 28.4s), indicating a decrease in fall risk. Non-significant improvements were observed in TUG and fast gait speed. Overall, 39 falls were reported; 31 of them did not require medical treatment and four caused severe injury. Participants who reported falls over 6 months prior to the study had a 43% decrease in fall rate during the study as compared to self-report 6-month pre-study (11.8 vs. 6.7 falls/1000 patient days, respectively, p<0.004), similar to the 46% decrease reported after 10 weeks of use.

Conclusion

A wearable sensory prosthesis can improve outcomes of gait and balance function and substantially decreases incidence of falls during long-term use. The sustained long-term benefits in clinical outcomes reported here lessen the likelihood that improvements are placebo effects.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT03538756)
“Somos fieles creyentes”: children’s construction of spiritual and literate identities at home
Authors: Dávila Denise
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Set in a Mexican-American community of a US Gulf Coast state, the purpose of this paper was to describe how three young siblings and their family members constructed their spiritual, ethnic and communicative identities within the context of a virtual family literacy program during COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

This project was approached as an illustrative case study that focused on one family’s engagement with a children’s book in which the protagonists retell the legend of the Catholic patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Findings

The case study illustrates how the children's spiritual/religious identities were inseparably intertwined with their home literacy practices and their identities as communicators with others. The children’s everyday spiritual/religious practices, routines and activities motivated familial conversations and dialogue that engage and support children’s literacy development.

Originality/value

Although there is a large corpus of scholarship about secular early literacy program for families with preschool children, there are few that describe the recognition and inclusion of families’ spiritual/religious identities.
Readiness for sustainable-resilience in healthcare organisations during Covid-19 era
Authors: Thomas Albi , Suresh M.
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Using total interpretive structural modelling (TISM), this paper aims to “identify”, “analyse” and “categorise” the sustainable-resilience readiness factors for healthcare during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

To obtain the data, a closed-ended questionnaire was used in addition to a scheduled interview with each respondent. To identify how the factors interact, the TISM approach was employed and the cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to a classification method was used to rank and categorise the sustainable-resilience readiness factors.

Findings

This study identified ten sustainable-resilience readiness factors for healthcare during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study states that the major factors are environmental scanning, awareness and preparedness, team empowerment and working, transparent communication system, learning culture, ability to respond and monitor, organisational culture, resilience engineering, personal and professional resources and technology capability.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused primarily on sustainable-resilience readiness characteristics for the healthcare sector.

Practical implications

This research will aid key stakeholders and academics in better understanding the factors that contribute to sustainable-resilience in healthcare.

Originality/value

This study proposes the TISM technique for healthcare, which is a novel attempt in the subject of readiness for sustainable-resilience in this sector. The paper proposes a framework including a mixture of factors for sustainability and resilience in the healthcare sector for operations.
BUILD: a five-step process to develop theory-driven social marketing interventions
Authors: Van Hierden Yannick , Dietrich Timo , Rundle-Thiele Sharyn
Published: April 2022

Purpose

In social marketing practice, there is no all-encompassing approach that guides researchers and practitioners to build theory-driven social marketing interventions. While the Co-create–Build–Engage (CBE) process offers a roadmap for marketing application, including outlining when and where social marketing’s eight benchmark principles have been applied, limited practical guidance on how and when theory should be applied is offered. This paper reports one case study demonstrating how theory was applied to deliver a theory-informed well-being behavior change intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes and applies a new five-step theory-driven social marketing intervention build process (BUILD) drawn from an extensive base of social marketing research and application. Using a case study method, we showcase how the five-step process was applied to inform the design, build and implementation of a well-being behavior change intervention.

Findings

This study proposes a five-step process to build theory-driven social marketing interventions called BUILD: Begin with the objective, Use theory, Initiate program design, Let’s produce and Develop the engagement plan. This study provides a step-by-step and easy-to-follow BUILD process which outlines how social marketers can apply a selected theory to inform program design and implementation.

Practical implications

The BUILD process offers a roadmap to build theory-driven social marketing interventions that include all elements of intervention development, namely, objective-setting, theory evaluation, selection and application, producing the program and planning for program engagement.

Originality/value

This study provides a novel five-step process to help social marketing researchers and practitioners build theory-driven social marketing interventions.
Evaluation of safety-based performance in construction projects with neutrosophic data envelopment analysis
Authors: Li Jianzhong , Alburaikan Alhanouf , de Fátima Muniz Rita
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to create a suitable structure based on neutrosophic numbers to evaluate the safety performance in construction projects in such a way that the shortcomings can be highlighted with the reasoned measurement and possible strategies can be recommended.

Design/methodology/approach

Data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is a useful tool for performance appraisal, along with neutrosophic logic, which is one of the most complete tools for handling uncertainty phenomenon, has been used to evaluate the safety performance of construction projects. With this hybrid model, a new strategy is considered as an indicator for safety performance and comparisons are made between different units.

Findings

A total of 35 Chinese organizations with construction projects lasting between 1.5 and 2 years were selected for comparison. After processing the data into neutrosophic numbers and using the NN-DEA model, it can be found that projects that pay more attention to safety issues such as training and equipment are more efficient.

Originality/value

Since in the real world, there are uncertainties with different contradictions, and neutrosophical data can handle many of these challenges, using DEA model with neutrosophic numbers to evaluate the performance of construction projects from a safety perspective, can provide significantly better results. Therefore, considering that no study has been presented in this field so far, the authors will deal with this topic.
Simplified predictive current controller for three-to-five-phase direct matrix converter
Authors: Roy Taposh Kumar , Habibullah Md
Published: April 2022

Purpose

Predictive current control (PCC) of three-to-five-phase direct matrix converters (DMCs) is computationally expensive. For this reason, this study aims to consider a reduced number of switching states of DMC in PCC algorithm to predict the control objectives, such as output current control and input reactive power control.

Design/methodology/approach

The switching sequences which yield the voltage vectors of variable amplitude at a constant frequency in space are considered for the prediction and optimization step of PCC algorithm. For the selected voltage vectors, the phase angles of the output vectors are independent on the phase angles of the input vectors. In a three-to-five-phase DMC, there are 243 valid switching states. Among the switching states, only 91 states are considered using the aforementioned concept of variable amplitude output at a constant frequency. This reduced number of switching states simplifies the computational complexity of MPC based current control of three-to-five-phase DMC.

Findings

The computational complexity of the proposed PCC based DMC is lower than the all 243 vectors based PCC. The current total harmonic distortion, transient current response and input reactive power control for the simplified 91 vector based PCC are similar to the all 243 vectors based PCC.

Originality/value

A reduced number of switching sequence is considered for the prediction and optimization step of PCC algorithm. Hence, PCC algorithm can be sampled at a high frequency in real-time applications. Then, the performance of the PCC will be improved.
Quantitative assessment of wheat quality using near‐infrared spectroscopy: A comprehensive review
Authors: Du Zhenjiao , Tian Wenfei , Tilley Michael , Wang Donghai , Zhang Guorong , Li Yonghui
Published: April 2022

Wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops throughout the world. A great need exists for wheat quality assessment for breeding, processing, and products production purposes. Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a rapid, low‐cost, simple, and nondestructive assessment method. Many advanced studies associated with NIRS for wheat quality assessment have been published recently, either introducing new chemometrics or attempting new assessment parameters to improve model robustness and accuracy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of NIRS methodology including its principle, spectra pretreatments, spectral wavelength selection, outlier disposal, dataset division, regression methods, and model evaluation. More importantly, the applications of NIRS in the determination of analytical parameters, rheological parameters, and end product quality of wheat are summarized. Although NIRS showed great potential in the quantitative determination of analytical parameters, there are still challenges in model robustness and accuracy in determining rheological parameters and end product quality for wheat products. Future model development needs to incorporate larger databases, integrate different spectroscopic techniques, and introduce cutting‐edge chemometrics methods. In addition, calibration based on external factors should be considered to improve the predicted results of the model. The NIRS application in micronutrients needs to be extended. Last, the idea of combining standard product sensory attributes and spectra for model development deserves further study.
Balloon dilatation complications during esophagogastric anastomotic stricture treatment under fluoroscopy: Risk factors, prevention, and management
Authors: Wang Shuai , Li Xiaobing , Zhang Chenchen , Yin Meipan , Ma Yaozhen , Tong Yalin , Wang Meng , Liu Chao , Zhu Ming , Wu Gang
Published: April 2022

Background

Balloon dilatation (BD) is a common treatment for esophagogastric anastomotic stricture (EAS), but with complications. This study investigates the risk factors, prevention, and management of BD complications to provide clinical guidance.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 378 patients with EAS treated by BD from March 2011 to June 2021. The association between esophagogastric anastomotic rupture outcome and patient and stricture characteristics and treatment were analyzed by logistic regression.

Results

BD was performed 552 times and technical success, 98.0%; overall clinical success, 97.8%; major adverse events, 1.3%; minor adverse events, 9.4%; mortality, 0.3%. Logistic regression showed that age (p = 0.080), sex (p = 0.256), interval from surgery to stricture development (p = 0.817), number of dilatations (p = 0.054), cause of stricture (p ≥ 0.168), and preoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.679) were not associated with anastomotic rupture. Balloon diameter (p < 0.001), preoperative radiotherapy (p = 0.003), and chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.021) were correlated with anastomotic rupture. All patients with type I and II ruptures resumed oral feeding without developing into type III rupture. Type III rupture occurred in six cases, who resumed oral feeding after 7–21 days of nasal feeding and liquid feeding. One patient died of massive bleeding after BD.

Conclusions

Symptomatic treatment for type I and II ruptures and transnasal decompression and jejunal nutrition tubes for type III rupture, are suggested pending rupture healing. Tumor recurrence, preoperative radiotherapy, and balloon diameter affected the anastomotic rupture outcome.
Hematospermia is rarely associated with urologic malignancy: Analysis of United States claims data
Authors: Hakam Nizar , Lui Jason , Shaw Nathan M. , Nabavizadeh Behnam , Smith James F. , Eisenberg Michael L. , Breyer Benjamin N.
Published: April 2022

Background

Hematospermia is an alarming symptom and can cause significant patient distress, but work‐up is often negative.

Objective

To characterize the clinical evaluation of hematospermia and its association with the diagnosis of urologic malignancy.

Materials and methods

Using MarketScan insurance claims database, we identified adult males 18–64 years old diagnosed with hematospermia from 2010 to 2018. Benign hematospermia was defined as the absence of hematuria and elevated prostate‐specific antigen. Patients with urologic cancer prior to diagnosis of hematospermia were excluded. We identified those who were diagnosed with a urologic malignancy.

Results

The annual average incidence rate of hematospermia was 56.6 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval 55.4–57.8 per 100,000) in 2010 and increased to 73.6 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval 71.7–75.4 per 100,000) in 2018. A total of 56,157 patients presented with benign hematospermia. Most (57.5%) underwent at least one test, with the most common being urinalysis (51.7%), followed by prostate‐specific antigen testing (11.9%). All other tests were performed in less than 3% of patients. Forty‐seven patients were diagnosed with a urologic cancer, including 28 with prostate cancer (0.05%), nine with testicular cancer (0.016%), six with prostate carcinoma in situ (0.01%), and four with bladder cancer (0.007%). Stratified by age, there was only one cancer diagnosis (testicular) in 15,106 patients under 40 years (0.01%) and 46 cancer diagnoses in 40,611 patients 40 years old or above (0.11%). The median age of patients diagnosed with cancer was 56 years (interquartile range 52–61).

Discussion and conclusion

A small minority of patients with benign hematospermia were later diagnosed with urologic cancer in a large nationally representative sample. After excluding hematuria with urinalysis, physicians should conservatively manage and reassure patients with hematospermia, especially those under 40 years of age.
Evaluating the diagnostic role of in‐bore magnetic resonance imaging guided prostate biopsy: a single‐centre study
Authors: Furrer Marc A. , Hong Anne , Wetherell David , Heinze Stefan B. , Simkin Paul , Chow Ken , Lawrentschuk Nathan , Zargar Homayoun
Published: April 2022

Background

To evaluate the role of in‐bore MRI‐guided biopsy (IB‐MRGB) in the diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa).

Methods

In this tertiary single centre study, a total of 125 consecutive patients receiving IB‐MRGB over a three‐year period were evaluated, including 73 patients who had prior biopsies and 52 biopsy‐naïve patients. We assessed cancer detection rate of patients according to the degree of suspicion based on mpMRI findings. Histopathological data were reviewed by experienced uropathologists.

Results

The mpMRI was suspicious for PCa (PI‐RADS 4/5) in 77% (96/125) and equivocal (PI‐RADS 3) in 23% (29/125). The detection rate for csPCa was 54.2% (52/96) and 20.7% (6/29) for suspicious lesions (PI‐RADS 4/5) and equivocal lesions (PI‐RADS 3), respectively. In subgroup analysis, patients with previous negative biopsy, overall positive biopsy rate and csPCa detection rate were 48.3% (19/35) and 34.5% (13/35), respectively. In patients on AS, 36/44 (81.8%) and 21/44 (47.8%) had PCa and csPCa respectively. In biopsy‐naïve patients 34/52 (65.4%) and 27/52 (51.92%) had PCa and csPCa respectively. Of the patients on AS, 18/44 (41.6%) upgraded from ISUP 1 to ISUP 2 PCa, and 4/44 (9.1%) upgraded from ISUP 1 to ISUP 3 PCa on IB‐MRGB. A total of 14 Clavien‐Dindo≤2 complications occurred in 14 patients (11.2%) that were directly related to the biopsy. No Clavien‐Dindo≥3 complications occurred.

Conclusion

MRI‐targeted biopsy is suitable for assessment of csPCa. Given the favourable complications profile, its use may be considered in both the initial biopsy and re‐biopsy settings.
Informal Waste Recycling Economies in the Global South and the Chimera of Green Capitalism
Authors: Fevrier Kesha
Published: April 2022

This paper contends that green growth/economy strategies directed at the global South through ideas such as the circular economy (CE) can maintain and reproduce predatory practices that aggressively exploit racialised groups, while simultaneously cannibalising their environments. These green strategies facilitate transfers of wealth from the global South to the North through new socio‐spatial frontiers for wealth creation, global South cities, and their expanding, dispossessed, unhoused, and racialised army of informal labour. Green growth/economy strategies—mechanisms that attempt to “green” capitalism—are portrayed as a chimera that can reproduce racial forms of exploitation and accumulation in discursive and material ways. Green campaigns that attempt to reconstruct notions of waste and value, and re‐imagine informal waste work as good and safe, neglect an accounting of race and the historical, political, and economic factors that make possible waste recycling as a viable economic strategy for sustainable development in the global South.
Care relationships and the autonomy of people with physical disabilities
Authors: Sampaio Mauren Alexandra , Bellezi Guilhem Dirce
Published: April 2022

As a form of functional diversity, spinal cord injury expressed by tetraplegia is one of the most serious events that can impact people, affecting their family and socioeconomic life. The type of care relationship established in these cases will be essential for preserving autonomy. The objective of this study was to understand how care relationships influence the autonomy of people with tetraplegia and the dynamics that trigger practices of autonomy violation, maintenance and promotion. This research is inspired by problematization as a methodology using the Arch of Maguerez as an analytical approach strategy that enables an engagement between empirical and theoretical data. Some models of care relationships identified in this study either promote or violate autonomy: the protectionist model, based on the biomedical interpretation model of disability and the bodily impediments caused by spinal cord injury; the participatory model, involving the patient's interest in adapting to their new condition of family and community life, seeking to understand the practical aspects of daily life; the sharing model, in which the complicity and understanding of new forms of bodily expression allow the caregiver to be almost an extension of the tetraplegic person's body; the delegate model, which occurs in relationships with professional caregivers; and the emancipatory model, which seeks to empower the patient, highlight potentialities, and encourage autonomy. The key components of these conceptual care models guided the elaboration of hypotheses for intervention with the objective of maintaining and promoting the autonomy of people with tetraplegia through supported care.
A public–private collaboration model for clinical innovation
Authors: Wegner Craig D. , Mount Bobbie Ann , Colvis Christine M.
Published: April 2022

Launched in May 2012 as part of the New Therapeutic Uses program, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)’ National Institutes of Health (NIH)‐Industry Partnerships initiative fostered collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and the biomedical research community to advance therapeutic development. Over the 10‐year life of the initiative, the industry partners included: AstraZeneca; AbbVie (formerly Abbott); Bristol‐Myers Squibb; Eli Lilly and Company; GlaxoSmithKline; Janssen Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C.; Pfizer; Sanofi; and Mereo (out licensed assets). The initiative provided researchers at academic medical centers with a rare opportunity to propose clinical trials to test ideas for new therapeutic uses for a selection of clinic‐ready and often previously proprietary experimental pharmaceutical assets that were provided by industry partners. Here, we describe the process by which collaborations between pharmaceutical companies with viable experimental assets and academic researchers with ideas for new uses of those assets were established; and how NCATS/NIH funding supported not only phase I and II clinical trials as well as any nonclinical studies needed before testing in a new patient population, it also provided an opportunity for testing innovative outcome measures for proof‐of‐concept trials. Although the program did not demonstrate improved success rates for phase II clinical trials, this collaboration model leverages the strengths of each party and with a focus toward evaluating an innovative outcome measure, could be used to reduce patient burden and trial costs, and improve patient engagement.
Urbanization and artificial light at night reduce the functional connectivity of migratory aerial habitat
Authors: Korpach Alicia M. , Garroway Colin J. , Mills Alex M. , von Zuben Valerie , Davy Christina M. , Fraser Kevin C.
Published: April 2022

Flying animals use aerial habitats to forage, communicate and travel. However, human activities that fragment aerial habitat with built structures, noise, and chemical or light pollution, may limit the ability of wildlife to use airspace efficiently. Applying landscape connectivity theory to aerial habitats could reveal how long‐distance migrants respond to sources of aerial habitat fragmentation along their migratory routes. Artificial light at night is a major component of urbanization that fragments dark skies across North America. Attraction of nocturnal migrants to urban light is well documented, but species‐specific responses, especially throughout a full migration from breeding to wintering grounds, are not. We tested hypotheses about long‐distance migratory movements in relation to artificial light using a highly nocturnal, Nearctic‐Neotropical avian migrant (Eastern whip‐poor‐will Antrostomus vociferus). We applied a resource selection framework at multiple spatial scales to explore whether GPS‐tracked birds (n = 10) responded to urbanization in general, or artificial light specifically, during migratory flights. We found little evidence of attraction to artificial light during nocturnal flights. Artificial light and urbanization were highly correlated and difficult to disentangle, but the birds generally avoided urban areas and selected dark‐connected skies for travel. Migratory stopovers (locations where GPS‐tracked birds (n = 20) paused for at least one night), were located almost exclusively in dark, rural areas. Our results illustrate that considering how nocturnal aerial migrants respond to both aerial and terrestrial habitat elements can improve our understanding of what may facilitate their long‐distance movements.