bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive-Based Interventions for Improving Psychological Health and Well-Being for Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Li Sini , Yong Yijing , Li Yamin , Li Jianhe , Xie Jiao
Published: September 2023

This review aims to systematically summarize existing evidence to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-based interventions (CBIs) on psychological health and well-being among parents of children with developmental disabilities (DD). Six databases were searched to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from their inception to April 2023. The revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for RCTs was applied to assess the risk of bias and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model. Twenty-five RCTs involving 1915 participants were identified. The results indicated that CBIs reduced parental stress levels (Hedges’ g = − 0.69), depressive symptoms (g = − 0.95), anxiety levels (g = − 0.78), and parental distress (g = − 0.29), and improved parental well-being (g = 0.62) and parent‒child relationships (g = 0.43) postintervention compared with the active/inactive control groups. Subgroup analysis of the effectiveness of interventions using mindfulness-based interventions and cognitive behavioural therapy showed positive effects. The favourable intervention duration and participant targets were also identified in this review. Furthermore, the effects of CBIs were impacted by the different types of DD among the children. This review highlighted the positive effects of CBIs on parental stress levels, depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, parental distress levels, parental well-being levels, and parent‒child relationships. Future well-designed RCTs are needed to further investigate the effects of MBIs and CBT interventions on children with DD and their parents, as well as the factors and mechanisms of action affecting the efficacy of these interventions.
Leader Identity on the Fly: Intra-personal Leader Identity Dynamics in Response to Strong Events
Authors: Nieberle Karolina W. , Acton Bryan P. , Braun Susanne , Lord Robert G. , Fu Yue
Published: September 2023

Recent theorizing challenges the notion that leadership, and especially leader identities, is static. Yet, we know little about the dynamics that characterize how leader identities change within individuals across short periods of time. The current work integrates theorizing on temporal dynamics in leadership research with event systems theory to describe and predict day-to-day shifts (i.e., unidirectional, sudden changes) and dynamic ebb and flow patterns (i.e., multidirectional, potentially nonlinear changes over multiple days) of individuals’ leader identities. Specifically, we argue that the experience of strong (i.e., novel, disruptive, extraordinary) daily events facilitates positive leader identity shifts, and that over time, the resulting identity ebb and flows are more pronounced in unfamiliar compared to familiar contexts. We collected experience sampling data from 69 young adults at a university in the UK across seven-day periods at three different time points during the academic year (1159 data points). Using dynamical systems modeling, we analyze the velocity (i.e., rate of change) and the acceleration (i.e., change in velocity) parameters of individuals’ leader identity dynamics. We find that (a) on a daily level, strong events prompt positive shifts in leader identity, and that (b) over time, chains of stronger and weaker events provoke similar patterns of leader identity ebb and flows. However, these relationships are not stronger in unfamiliar compared to familiar contexts. Our research informs the theoretical understanding of events and short-term leader identity dynamics. We discuss implications for theory and research, in particular how events can trigger leader identity formation.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children with Severe or Moderate Intellectual Disability: A Study Using the Diagnostic Interview Trauma, Stressors – Severe/Moderate ID
Authors: Hoogstad Annemieke , Mevissen Liesbeth , Didden Robert
Published: September 2023

No research has been conducted on PTSD manifestation in children with severe or moderate intellectual disability (SID; IQ 20 – 49) and no PTSD measurement instrument was available. This pilot explores the psychometric properties of a new diagnostic instrument to investigate trauma and to classify PTSD in children with SID. The Diagnostic Interview Trauma and Stressors-Severe Intellectual Disabilities (DITS-SID), Aberrant Behavior Checklist and Child and Adolescent Trauma Screener 3-6 were administered to parents and residential caregivers of fifteen children with SID. The inter-rater reliability of the DITS-SID is good to excellent. There are indications of a good convergent validity. PTSD prevalence seems high at 27%-33%. Self-injurious behavior was one of the most commonly reported PTSD symptoms. There is evidence that the PTSD manifestation of children with SID does not differ from that of children without SID. PTSD is probably underdiagnosed in this target group. In understanding challenging behavior, it is important to consider an underlying PTSD in order to provide appropriate treatment. The DITS-SID is potentially suitable for diagnosing PTSD. Follow-up research in a larger sample is needed.
Refugees’ Care Experiences, Self-Reported Health Outcomes and Transition to Mainstream Health Care After One Year at the Refugee Engagement and Community Health (REACH) Clinic
Authors: Reboe-Benjamin Monique , Brindamour Mahli , Leis Karen , Hanson Jacelyn , Verity-Anderson Lori , Gomez Maria , Baerg Melanie , Leis Anne
Published: September 2023

This study reports how refugees experienced care at an integrated clinic during their first year in Canada and how they transitioned to a community physician. A survey was completed by 75 Government Assisted Refugees followed at the REACH clinic between 2018 and 2020; 16 agreed to an additional interview. Regression modelling explored the relationship between “perceived health status at one year” and several independent variables. Qualitative thematic analysis provided context. Tailored access to care and enhanced communication through interpretation contributed to satisfaction with clinic services. A significant positive relationship was found between their perceived health status and frequency of visits (p < 0.042), and “doctors’ advice about how to stay healthy” (p < 0.039). Interview findings highlighted the important role of settlement agencies, timing for a successful transition and physicians’ support resources. While refugees benefit from attending integrated clinics, these should also prepare the care transition to community physicians. Targeted government funding and continued medical education could enhance refugees’ transition experience.
A Speed Restart Scheme for a Dynamics with Hessian-Driven Damping
Authors: Maulén Juan José , Peypouquet Juan
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we analyze a speed restarting scheme for the inertial dynamics with Hessian-driven damping, introduced by Attouch et al. (J Differ Equ 261(10):5734–5783, 2016). We establish a linear convergence rate for the function values along the restarted trajectories. Numerical experiments suggest that the Hessian-driven damping and the restarting scheme together improve the performance of the dynamics and corresponding iterative algorithms in practice.
Does risk preference influence farm level adaptation strategies? – Survey evidence from Denmark
Authors: Nainggolan Doan , Moeis Faizal Rahmanto , Termansen Mette
Published: September 2023

Farmers’ decisions to adopt new technology or measures for agricultural production processes are crucial for adapting to climate change. Meanwhile, risk preference has received great attention over the years in agriculture-related studies as it has been identified as a strong driver for agricultural production decisions. However, empirical studies on the relationship between farmers' risk preferences and adaptation choices in response to climate change remain scant. The present study, utilizing data from a farmer survey in Denmark, aims to examine farmer risk attitude and determine to what extent it influences crop choice decisions, such as crop changes, as an important part of farm level adaptation strategies. Applying a logit regression method, our study finds that: (1) the majority of farmers in the survey were identified as risk tolerant; (2) several demographic and socio-economic factors, such as work experience and farmland tenure were significantly related with farmer risk preference; (3) actual adoption of the majority of farm level adaptation strategies through crop changes and management was found to be significantly less likely for risk averse farmers compared to risk tolerant farmers. Therefore, policy development to promote successful adaptation measures in the agricultural sector should take into account farmers' risk preferences. To this end, risk averse farmers may need better targeting strategies. Future studies could further investigate the role of farmers' risk preferences on the adoption of a wider range of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and technologies.
Strategic Action Fields Through Digital Network Data: An Examination of Charitable Food Provision in Greater Manchester
Authors: Oncini Filippo , Ciordia Alejandro
Published: September 2023

This article illustrates how qualitative and network evidence complement one another for obtaining a deeper understanding of meso-level social orders theorized as strategic action fields. Making use of network data based on Twitter follower relationships and building on a previous qualitative study on the food charities active in Greater Manchester, we show how network-analytic formalizations of even apparently unimportant digital connections—Twitter ‘follows’—can provide meaningful insights into the functioning of strategic action fields. Focusing on this local charitable food provision field, the article makes a number of broader empirical and methodological contributions potentially relevant to the study of non-profits and other multi-organizational fields. The results of the network analyses mostly confirm the findings obtained using qualitative data, but also point to potential contradictions and puzzles that may indicate further lines of inquiry. In the discussion, we highlight the strengths and limitations of this approach and suggest how researchers could use easily available digital network data at different phases of their field investigations.
Effect of short-term exposure to air pollution on daily cardio- and cerebrovascular hospitalisations in areas with a low level of air pollution
Authors: Hasnain Md Golam , Garcia-Esperon Carlos , Tomari Yumi Kashida , Walker Rhonda , Saluja Tarunpreet , Rahman Md Mijanur , Boyle Andrew , Levi Christopher R. , Naidu Ravi , Filippelli Gabriel , Spratt Neil J.
Published: September 2023

Exposure to air pollution is associated with increased cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. However, the evidence regarding the short-term effect of air pollution on cardio- and cerebrovascular hospitalisations in areas with relatively low air pollution levels is limited. This study aims to examine the effect of short-term exposure to different air pollutants on hospital admissions due to cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases in rural and regional Australia with low air pollution. The study was conducted in five local Government areas of Hunter New England Local Health District (HNE-LHD). Hospitalisation data from January 2018 to February 2020 (820 days) were accessed from the HNE-LHD admitted patients’ dataset. Poisson regression model was used to examine the association between the exposure (air pollutants) and outcome variables (hospitalisation due to cardio- and cerebrovascular disease). The concentrations of gaseous air pollutants, Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Ammonia (NH3) were below national benchmark concentrations for every day of the study period. In single pollutant models, SO2 and NO2 significantly increased the daily number of cardio- and cerebrovascular hospitalisations. The highest cumulative effect for SO2 was observed across lag 0–3 days (Incidence Rate Ratio, IRR: 1.77; 95% Confidence Interval, CI: 1.18–2.65; p-value: 0.01), and for NO2, it was across lag 0–2 days (IRR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02–1.25; p-value: 0.02). In contrast, higher O3 was associated with decreased cardio- and cerebrovascular hospitalisations, with the largest effect observed at lag 0 (IRR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.89–0.98; p-value: 0.02). In the multi-pollutant model, the effect of NO2 remained significant at lag 0 and corresponded to a 21% increase in cardio- and cerebrovascular hospitalisation (95% CI: 1–44%; p-value = 0.04). Thus, the study revealed that gaseous air pollutants, specifically NO2, were positively related to increased cardio- and cerebrovascular hospitalisations, even at concentrations below the national standards.
Integrating consumer behaviour into the environmental assessment of circular packaging: a scoping review
Authors: Corona Blanca , Tunn Vivian S. C. , van den Broek Karlijn L.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The impact of applying circular strategies to products is often measured through life cycle assessment (LCA). While LCA estimates and compares the impacts of circular products, its ability to integrate consumer behaviour is currently limited. The integration of consumer behavioural insights is especially relevant in the packaging sector, where consumer actions at the end-of-life are crucial for the success of circular strategies. This study explores integrating behavioural insights from consumer behaviour sciences (including psychology, sociology and socio-technical approaches) into LCA for a better assessment and design of circular packaging.

Methods

Through a scoping review, scientific literature was mapped to (1) investigate the current integration of consumer behaviour aspects within packaging LCAs and (2) explore the behavioural determinants influencing the recycling and reusing of circular packaging. By building on the insights from these reviews, this study provides recommendations on how to integrate behavioural insights with LCA to assess the impact of circular packaging systems.

Results and discussion

The results indicate that LCA studies for packaging are generally based on assumptions on consumer behaviour, reducing their utility for circular decision-making. The main methods currently used to integrate behaviour variability are scenario and sensitivity analysis, with some studies using consumer profiles and behaviour research to support LCA modelling. Socio-technical approaches, e.g. agent-based modelling or system dynamics, have not been applied yet to integrate a behavioural perspective into the LCA of circular packaging, while this may be a promising avenue. The behaviour science literature covered several predictors found to be important to understand packaging reuse and recycling behaviour. Our review shows that attitudinal and value dimensions have consistently been found to influence both packaging reuse and recycling behaviour, while the latter is also strongly driven by control factors. While LCA modellers can obtain behavioural insights from the behavioural literature, the step of transforming these insights into quantifiable behaviour patterns still needs to be taken. Such endeavours can help to translate individual behaviour predictors into behavioural patterns regarding packaging reuse and recycling.

Conclusions

Consumer behaviour is currently not widely considered in the LCA of circular packaging. Insights from consumer behaviour sciences can contribute to LCA studies in two main ways: defining consumer profiles and modelling socio-technical parameters. Consumer profiles could be drawn from the psychological behaviour literature, while socio-technical approaches can provide models of system behaviour where the interaction of different system actors and items is quantitatively modelled and coupled with LCA models.
Partizipation im studentischen Gesundheitsmanagement: Förderfaktoren und Barrieren der Mitbestimmung Studierender
Authors: Westbrock Anna
Published: September 2023

Hintergrund

Für ein erfolgreiches studentisches Gesundheitsmanagement (SGM) ist die Partizipation Studierender entscheidend. Die Vorteile von Partizipation sind vielfach belegt und verschiedene Partizipationsmöglichkeiten im SGM bereits erprobt. Dennoch gestaltet es sich schwierig, Partizipierende zu gewinnen. Um dem entgegenwirken, ist es das Ziel der folgenden Arbeit, Förderfaktoren und Barrieren der Studierendenpartizipation im SGM zu identifizieren und erste Empfehlungen für die Praxis abzuleiten.

Methode

Da bisher ein sehr eingeschränkter Forschungsstand hinsichtlich der genannten Fragestellung vorliegt, wurde ein qualitatives, exploratives Vorgehen gewählt. Es wurden 9 semistrukturierte Interviews mit Studierenden der Hochschule Kempten geführt. Die Auswertung erfolgte anhand der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Kuckartz.

Ergebnisse

Die Studierenden berichten von förderlichen und hinderlichen Faktoren, die sich in personenbezogene und verhältnisbezogene aufteilen lassen. Zu den personenbezogenen Einflussfaktoren zählen individuelle, soziale sowie studiums- und berufsbezogene Einflüsse. Als verhältnisbezogene Faktoren wurden die Einbettung der Partizipation, die Art des Projekts und der Zusammenarbeit, Bekanntheit und Zugang zum SGM, der Studienrhythmus und zusätzliche Anreize identifiziert.

Schlussfolgerung

Anhand der Interviews konnten konkrete Einflussfaktoren auf die Partizipation der Studierenden an der Hochschule Kempten erfasst werden. Diese bilden wichtige Ansatzpunkte für die erfolgreiche Mitwirkung Studierender im SGM und können damit langfristig zu einer nachhaltigen Förderung der Gesundheit Studierender beitragen.
Frailty and its influence on mortality and morbidity in COPD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Verduri Alessia , Carter Ben , Laraman James , Rice Ceara , Clini Enrico , Maskell Nick Anthony , Hewitt Jonathan
Published: September 2023

Frailty increases vulnerability to adverse outcomes. Long-term conditions increase the risk of frailty. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE from inception to March 2022. Quality assessment was conducted using the NOS. Data was analysed in a pooled a random-effects meta-analysis. Our primary outcome was the impact of frailty on mortality in adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) diagnosis according to the guidelines. Secondary outcomes were: frailty and association with readmissions, hospitalisations, exacerbation rates, and prevalence of frailty in COPD. We identified 25 studies, with 5882 participants. The median prevalence of frailty was 47% (IQR, 39.3–66.3%, range 6.4–72%). There was an association between COPD patients living with frailty and increased risk of mortality versus COPD patients without frailty (pooled OR, 4.21 (95% CI 2.99–5.93, I2 55%). A descriptive analysis of relationship between frailty and hospital readmission and all cause hospitalization showed positive associations. The relationship between frailty and the risk of exacerbation showed a pooled OR, 1.45 (95% CI 0.37–5.70, I2 80%). Frailty is significantly associated with higher mortality risk in COPD. Frailty is common in patients with COPD and its measurement should be considered in clinical practice to better characterise COPD.
Development of a signature verification model based on a small number of samples
Authors: Chang Shyang-Jye , Wu Tai-Rong
Published: September 2023

In this study, an improved AlexNet and transfer learning architecture was used to construct a signature recognition model based on a small number of samples to verify offline signatures. To enhance the features of signatures, drawing boards were used to extract the pen pressure and brush stroke of these signatures. The signatures of eight individuals were used to build the samples and test the generalizability of the model for signatures of different individuals. Visualization technology was first used to adjust the architecture, activation function, and normalization of the model, improving the accuracy from 77.50 to 96.87%. Subsequently, transfer learning was used to solve the problem of the small number of samples, and the number of channels of the model was changed to improve its feature extraction. After all samples were prepared, 560 samples of the source database and 80 samples of the target database were used for transfer learning, which further improved the accuracy to 97.28%. To verify whether the model can recognize newly collected signatures, several original signatures, simple forged signatures, and skilled forged signatures were tested, revealing recognition rates of 91.25%, 95.63%, and 85.63%, respectively. In addition, the overall precision, recall, and F1 score of the model were 90.68%, 91.25%, and 90.97%, respectively, confirming an improvement in the feature extraction capability by extracting brush stroke and that transfer learning can be used with a small number of samples to create a model with excellent recognition rates and generalizability.
Identifying the natural and anthropogenic drivers of absorbing aerosols using OMI data and HYSPLIT model over South Asia
Authors: Nawaz Hasan , Tariq Salman , Haq Zia ul , Mehmood Usman
Published: September 2023

Aerosols absorption contributes significantly to the total radiative effects of aerosols and so an important component of radiative forcing estimates. Therefore, this study explores the spatiotemporal distribution of ultraviolet aerosol index (UVAI), future trends, potential sources of absorbing aerosols and their relationship with temperature, wind speed, precipitation and total ozone column using Ozone Monitoring Instrument retrieved UVAI and HYSPLIT model over South Asia during October 2004 to March 2022. The mean UVAI within the ranges of 0.56–1.62 are observed over Eastern and Southern Pakistan and Northern India associated with dust and biomass burning aerosols. The interannual variations in UVAI show that the values of UVAI increases from 1.73 to 3.11 during 2018–2021 over the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Contrary to this, UVAI < 0 is observed along the Karakorum and Himalaya range during 2005–2021 indicating presence of non-absorbing aerosols. The interaannual variations in UVAI reveal highest UVAI of 0.64 in December followed by 0.51 in July over South Asia. Seasonally, UVAI shows increasing trend at the rate of 0.9064 DJF−1, 0.3810 JJA−1, 0.2707 SON−1 and 0.0774 MAM−1 over South Asia. A positive correlation of 0.56 is observed between UVAI and wind speed followed by over Southern Pakistan followed 0.43 between UVAI and total ozone column Southern Pakistan and India. The UVAI shows increasing trend at the rate of 0.1409, 0.1124, 0.1224, 0.1015, 0.1242 and 0.2054 per year over Lahore, Karachi, Kanpur, New-Delhi, Varanasi, and Dhaka with maximum UVAI of 5.55, 4.47, 4.51, 4.99, 4.61 and 4.65 respectively during the study period. The anthropogenic productivity analysis reveals that primary industry and secondary industry contributes in lowering UVAI values whereas tertiary industry, energy consumption and gross domestic products increase aerosols loading in South Asia. Moreover, HYSPLIT cluster analysis further reveals the localized and trans-boundary sources of absorbing aerosols over the selected cities.
Treatment of Lp(a): Is It the Future or Are We Ready Today?
Authors: Tselepis Alexandros D.
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

The goal of this review is to present the pharmacodynamic effectiveness as well as the clinical efficacy and safety of investigational antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interference RNAs (siRNAs) drugs that specifically target lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)). The review will discuss whether the existing lipid-lowering therapies are adequate to treat high Lp(a) levels or whether it is necessary to use the emerging new therapeutic approaches which are based on the current RNA technologies.

Recent Findings

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a causal risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), independent of other conventional risk factors. High Lp(a) levels are also independently associated with an increased risk of aortic stenosis progression rate. Plasma Lp(a) levels are primarily genetically determined by variation in the LPA gene coding for apo(a). All secondary prevention trials have demonstrated that the existing hypolipidemic therapies are not adequate to reduce Lp(a) levels to such an extent that could lead to a substantial reduction of ASCVD risk. This has led to the development of new drugs that target the mRNA transcript of LPA and efficiently inhibit Lp(a) synthesis leading to potent Lp(a) reduction. These new drugs are the ASO pelacarsen and the siRNAs olpasiran and SLN360. Recent pharmacodynamic studies showed that all these drugs potently reduce Lp(a) up to 98%, in a dose-dependent manner. Ongoing clinical trials will determine the Lp(a)-lowering efficacy, tolerability, and safety of these drugs as well as their potential effectiveness in reducing the ASCVD risk attributed to high plasma Lp(a) levels.

We are not ready today to significantly reduce plasma Lp(a). Emerging therapies potently decrease Lp(a) and ongoing clinical trials will determine their effectiveness in reducing ASCVD risk in subjects with high Lp(a) levels.
Chitosan oligosaccharide suppresses osteosarcoma malignancy by inhibiting CEMIP via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway
Authors: Sim IlJin , Choe WonGyom , Ri JinJu , Su Hang , Moqbel Safwat Adel Abdo , Yan WeiQi
Published: September 2023

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor that is prone to metastasize early and primarily affects children and adolescents. Cell migration-inducing protein (CEMIP) plays a crucial role in the progression and malignancy of various tumor diseases, including osteosarcoma. Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS), an oligomer isolated from chitin, has been found to have significant anti-tumor activity in various cancers. This study investigates the effects of COS on CEMIP expression in osteosarcoma and explores the underlying mechanism. In present study, in vitro experiments were conducted to confirm the inhibitory activity of COS on human osteosarcoma cells. Our results demonstrate that COS possesses inhibitory effects against human osteosarcoma cells and significantly suppresses CEMIP expression in vitro. Next, we studied the inhibition of the expression of CEMIP by COS and then performed bioinformatics analysis to explore the potential inhibitory mechanism of COS against signaling pathways involved in regulating CEMIP expression. Bioinformatics analysis predicted a close association between the PI3K signaling pathway and CEMIP expression and that the inhibitory effect of COS on CEMIP expression may be related to PI3K signaling pathway regulation. The results of this study show that COS treatment significantly inhibits CEMIP expression and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, as observed both in vitro and in vivo. This study demonstrates that COS could inhibit the expression of CEMIP, which is closely related to osteosarcoma malignancy. This inhibitory effect may be attributed to the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo.
Traditional Management of Maize in the Sierra Sur, Oaxaca, Maintains Moderate Levels of Genetic Diversity and Low Population Differentiation Among Landraces
Authors: Aragón-Martínez María del Consuelo , Serrato-Díaz Alejandra , Rocha-Munive Martha Graciela , Ramírez-Corona Fabiola , Vargas-Mendoza Carlos Fabián , Rendón-Aguilar Beatriz
Published: September 2023

Oaxaca is one of the areas of early maize diversification, with 28 to 35 recognized agronomic races. Campesinos (farmers) cultivate at least ten different races in the Los Loxicha region. There is evidence of introgression between them; however, some traditional practices have promoted further differentiation evidenced by the presence of different landraces, clearly recognized by various morphological and phenological characteristics. Therefore, moderate levels of genetic diversity and low levels of population differentiation are expected. Seven communities belonging to two municipalities were selected in 2005. In total, 140 semistructured interviews were administered, inquiring about cultural practices, which included questions about maize seed, ear, and cob management and selection and maize cultivation. Based on interviews and permissions, 30 maize plants from each of 28 fields (milpas) with maize crop belonging to five landraces (Conejo, Hueso, Tablita, Tepecente, and Pinto) were sampled. From the 82 ISSR loci amplified, Hueso and Conejo exhibited the highest and lowest number of loci (70 and 56 loci, respectively); 72% of loci analyzed in the five populations were polymorphic. The Hueso landrace presented the highest percentage of polymorphism (73%) and Conejo the lowest (54%). The expected heterozygosity (HeT) for the five landraces was 0.225 ± 0.032, and the genetic diversity of Nei (HST) was 0.225 ± 0.034. The population differentiation values obtained with GST indicated that Tablita and Hueso were the least differentiated, while the most differentiated were Pinto and Tepecente. STRUCTURE analysis identified two genetically differentiated groups (k = 2), consistent with the length of their agricultural cycle (number of days until flowering). UPGMA analysis showed that milpas belonging to the same landrace and with a specific agricultural cycle length were grouped, regardless of their geographic distribution. These results indicate that traditional management of maize in the Los Loxicha region, particularly as it relates to the selection of ears and seeds and control of the agricultural cycle, maintains a balance between morphological differentiation, moderate levels of genetic diversity and gene flow, and low levels of population differentiation. This has contributed to the high richness and low evenness of agronomic races reported for the mountainous regions of the Sierra Madre del Sur and for Oaxaca.
Perspectives on Healthy Eating of Adult Populations in High-Income Countries: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis
Authors: Klink Urte , Härtling Victoria , Schüz Benjamin
Published: September 2023

Background

Understanding how individuals currently perceive healthy eating is essential for developing food policies and dietary recommendations that improve the health and well-being of populations. The purpose of this qualitative evidence synthesis was to systematically outline the views and understandings of healthy eating, focusing on how foods are classified as healthy and unhealthy and what meanings are attached to food and eating by the general adult population in high-income countries.

Methods

A systematic search of four electronic databases was conducted and yielded 24 relevant primary qualitative studies of generally healthy, community-dwelling adults.

Results

Thematic synthesis of the included studies identified three analytic themes: constructions of healthy and unhealthy eating, considerations on dietary recommendations, and meanings attached to food and eating. Study participants generally understood what constitutes a healthy and unhealthy diet which was in line with dietary recommendations, but those of lower socioeconomic status exhibited gaps in nutrition knowledge. Participants expressed diverse opinions on dietary recommendations, including skepticism and a lack of trust. Food and eating were associated with various meanings, including pleasure, stress relief, and feelings of guilt. Moral, health, and sociocultural considerations also played a role in dietary behaviors.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that improving population diet requires considering how dietary recommendations are phrased and communicated to ensure that healthy eating is associated with pleasure and immediate well-being. This review provides valuable insights for developing consumer-oriented, practicable, and acceptable food policies and dietary recommendations that effectively improve population health and well-being.
On the impact of outliers in loss reserving
Authors: Avanzi Benjamin , Lavender Mark , Taylor Greg , Wong Bernard
Published: September 2023

The sensitivity of loss reserving techniques to outliers in the data or deviations from model assumptions is a well known challenge. It has been shown that the popular chain-ladder reserving approach is at significant risk to such aberrant observations in that reserve estimates can be significantly shifted in the presence of even one outlier. As a consequence the chain-ladder reserving technique is non-robust. In this paper we investigate the sensitivity of reserves and mean squared errors of prediction under Mack’s Model (ASTIN Bull 23(2):213–225, 1993). This is done through the derivation of impact functions which are calculated by taking the first derivative of the relevant statistic of interest with respect to an observation. We also provide and discuss the impact functions for quantiles when total reserves are assumed to be lognormally distributed. Additionally, comparisons are made between the impact functions for individual accident year reserves under Mack’s Model and the Bornhuetter–Ferguson methodology. It is shown that the impact of incremental claims on these statistics of interest varies widely throughout a loss triangle and is heavily dependent on other cells in the triangle. Results are illustrated using data from a Belgian non-life insurer.
Imperfections in natural diamond: the key to understanding diamond genesis and the mantle
Authors: Day Maxwell C. , Pamato Martha G. , Novella Davide , Nestola Fabrizio
Published: September 2023

Diamond has unique physical, thermal, electrical, and optical properties with respect to other minerals and related synthetic compounds that make it extremely valuable from an economic and industrial perspective. Natural diamond that forms in the upper mantle, transition zone, and lower mantle may encapsulate mantle minerals during growth and protect them from physical breakdown and chemical alteration upon ascent of the diamond to the surface via kimberlite eruption. Such mineral inclusions serve as the only direct means to study the deep Earth and provide critical information about the pressure, temperature, and redox conditions and the chemical and isotopic composition of the mantle. Natural diamonds show a wide range of ages and thus allow one to reconstruct the history of large-scale Earth processes, such as the formation and amalgamation of Earth’s lithosphere, the onset and evolution of tectonic processes (e.g., Wilson cycles), and the recycling of C, H, and N between different primordial and crustal reservoirs. In this review, a detailed description of all types of imperfections (e.g., mineral and fluid inclusions and structural defects) and the methods by which such imperfections can be analyzed to elucidate aspects of Earth’s complex geologic history is given.
Current status of immunotherapy in gastric cancer
Authors: Ji Ke , Ji Jia-Fu
Published: September 2023

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancer with high mortality and morbilidity in East Asia, especially in China. In recent year, new treatment strategies for gastric cancer have developed. Immune check point inhibitors (ICIs) have been detected as a new standard treatment in Gastric cancer, which helped to improve the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Attempts to combine immunotherapy have become one of the research focuses. In this article, application of immunotherapy in neoadjuvant therapy and translational treatment of gastric cnacer are reviewed. Which is expected to be a reference for comprehensive treatment plan of accurate treatment methods for gastric cancer patients. In order to provide experiences and reference to develop individualized treatment of gastric cancer in clinical practice.
The Nature and Normativity of Defeat
Authors: Kelp Christoph
Published: September 2023

Defeat is the loss of justification for believing something in light of new information. This Element mainly aims to work towards developing a novel account of defeat. It distinguishes among three broad views in the epistemology of defeat: scepticism, internalism, and externalism and argues that that sceptical and internalist accounts of defeat are bound to remain unsatisfactory. As a result, any viable account of defeat must be externalist. While there is no shortage of externalist accounts, the Element provides reason to think that extant accounts remain unsatisfactory. The Element also explains the constructive tasks of developing an alternative account of defeat and showing that it improves on the competition.
Beyond antibiotic prescribing rates: first-line antibiotic selection, prescription duration, and associated factors for respiratory encounters in urgent care
Authors: Seibert Allan M. , Schenk Carly , Buckel Whitney R. , Patel Payal K. , Fino Nora , Stanfield Valoree , Hersh Adam L. , Stenehjem Eddie
Published: September 2023

Objective:

Assess urgent care (UC) clinician prescribing practices and factors associated with first-line antibiotic selection and recommended duration of therapy for sinusitis, acute otitis media (AOM), and pharyngitis.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Participants:

All respiratory UC encounters and clinicians in the Intermountain Health (IH) network, July 1st, 2019–June 30th, 2020.

Methods:

Descriptive statistics were used to characterize first-line antibiotic selection rates and the duration of antibiotic prescriptions during pharyngitis, sinusitis, and AOM UC encounters. Patient and clinician characteristics were evaluated. System-specific guidelines recommended 5–10 days of penicillin, amoxicillin, or amoxicillin-clavulanate as first-line. Alternative therapies were recommended for penicillin allergy. Generalized estimating equation modeling was used to assess predictors of first-line antibiotic selection, prescription duration, and first-line antibiotic prescriptions for an appropriate duration.

Results:

Among encounters in which an antibiotic was prescribed, the rate of first-line antibiotic selection was 75%, the recommended duration was 70%, and the rate of first-line antibiotic selection for the recommended duration was 53%. AOM was associated with the highest rate of first-line prescriptions (83%); sinusitis the lowest (69%). Pharyngitis was associated with the highest rate of prescriptions for the recommended duration (91%); AOM the lowest (51%). Penicillin allergy was the strongest predictor of non–first-line selection (OR = 0.02, 95% CI [0.02, 0.02]) and was also associated with extended duration prescriptions (OR = 0.87 [0.80, 0.95]).

Conclusions:

First-line antibiotic selection and duration for respiratory UC encounters varied by diagnosis and patient characteristics. These areas can serve as a focus for ongoing stewardship efforts.
Analysis of seasonal variation of antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract diagnoses in primary care practices
Authors: Serletti Lacey , Dutcher Lauren , Degnan Kathleen O. , Szymczak Julia E. , Cluzet Valerie , David Michael Z. , Cressman Leigh , Glassman Lindsay W. , Hamilton Keith W. ,   for The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prevention Epicenters Program
Published: September 2023

Objective:

To determine antibiotic prescribing appropriateness for respiratory tract diagnoses (RTD) by season.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Primary care practices in a university health system.

Patients:

Patients who were seen at an office visit with diagnostic code for RTD.

Methods:

Office visits for the entire cohort were categorized based on ICD-10 codes by the likelihood that an antibiotic was indicated (tier 1: always indicated; tier 2: sometimes indicated; tier 3: rarely indicated). Medical records were reviewed for 1,200 randomly selected office visits to determine appropriateness. Based on this reference standard, metrics and prescriber characteristics associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing were determined. Characteristics of antibiotic prescribing were compared between winter and summer months.

Results:

A significantly greater proportion of RTD visits had an antibiotic prescribed in winter [20,558/51,090 (40.2%)] compared to summer months [11,728/38,537 (30.4%)][standardized difference (SD) = 0.21]. A significantly greater proportion of winter compared to summer visits was associated with tier 2 RTDs (29.4% vs 23.4%, SD = 0.14), but less tier 3 RTDs (68.4% vs 74.4%, SD = 0.13). A greater proportion of visits in winter compared to summer months had an antibiotic prescribed for tier 2 RTDs (80.2% vs 74.2%, SD = 0.14) and tier 3 RTDs (22.9% vs 16.2%, SD = 0.17). The proportion of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing was higher in winter compared to summer months (72.4% vs 62.0%, P < .01).

Conclusions:

Increases in antibiotic prescribing for RTD visits from summer to winter were likely driven by shifts in diagnoses as well as increases in prescribing for certain diagnoses. At least some of this increased prescribing was inappropriate.
Evaluating outpatient diagnostic stewardship of comprehensive polymerase chain reaction Clostridioides difficile testing in a regional health system
Authors: Golovaty Ilya , Tulloch-Palomino Luis
Published: September 2023

Objective:

We examined the use of comprehensive and targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) among immunocompetent patients with and without CDI risk factors across different outpatient settings. A priori, we expected patients with higher CDI risk to be associated with targeted testing to reflect providers incorporating pretest risk factors in their choice of test assay.

Design:

Retrospective analysis of adult patients from clinic, emergency room, and non-medically acute inpatient settings.

Setting:

A tertiary academic medical center offering inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical, mental health, and rehabilitation services to Veterans across the Puget Sound region.

Patients:

Immunocompetent adult patients with ≥1 stool PCR assay performed between January 2016 and December 2019.

Intervention:

Patients were tested with either a specific tcdB PCR assay or a comprehensive gastrointestinal PCR panel that tests for 22 pathogens.

Results:

A total of 2,717 tests (74% targeted, 26% comprehensive) were obtained from 2,156 patients, among which 13% detected C. difficile and 7% detected other organisms. The proportion of comprehensive PCR tests increased nearly four-fold from 2016 to 2019 in clinic and emergency room settings, independent of CDI risk factors. Only two CDI risk factors (prior history of CDI and antibiotic use within three months before testing) were associated with increased targeted testing.

Conclusion:

The use of comprehensive GI PCR among immunocompetent adults with diarrhea is increasing in the outpatient setting. There may be an opportunity for diagnostic stewardship by nudging providers to consider all CDI risk factors at the time of test selection.
An investigation of big life decisions
Authors: Camilleri Adrian R.
Published: September 2023

What are life’s biggest decisions? In Study 1, I devised a taxonomy comprising 9 decision categories, 58 decision types, and 10 core elements of big decisions. In Study 2, I revealed people’s perceptions of and expectations for the average person’s big life decisions. In the flagship Study 3, 658 participants described their 10 biggest past and future decisions and rated each decision on a variety of decision elements. This research reveals the characteristics of a big life decision, which are the most common, most important, and most positively evaluated big life decisions, when such decisions happen, and which factors predict ‘good’ decisions. This research contributes to knowledge that could help people improve their lives through better decision-making and living with fewer regrets.
Negotiating conservation and competition: national parks and ‘victory-over-communism’ diplomacy in South Korea
Authors: Hyun Jaehwan
Published: September 2023

Focusing on South Korean biologists and their efforts to establish national parks in the 1960s and 1970s, I illuminate the ways in which they negotiated their relationship with the ecological diplomacy of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the anti-communist and developmentalist diplomacy of the South Korean government. To justify their activities, these South Korean biologists emphasized the importance of nature conservation activities in the competition for international recognition and economic development with their northern counterparts. The national-park initiative was thus subsumed into the politics of this legitimacy competition between the two Koreas, or what I call ‘victory-over-communism’ diplomacy. The IUCN's influence over South Korea was limited to the extent that both the government and scientists recognized the diplomatic merit they could gain in the context of their Cold War competition and developmentalism. It is also shown how, during the short detente period of the two Koreas, South Korean biologists used victory-over-communism diplomacy to renew their government's attention to their activities. This Korean episode contributes to the wider perspective of decentralizing the Cold War history of environmental diplomacy in the free-world bloc by illustrating the importance of its entanglement with the Cold War politics surrounding Asian developmentalism.
The Economic Interest Test in UK Trade Remedy Investigations
Authors: Serwicka Ilona Elzbieta , Chapman Geoffrey , Tyler Bradley
Published: September 2023

The UK's Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) conducts economic assessments of the ramifications of trade remedies, the Economic Interest Test (EIT). Such assessments are not mandated by the World Trade Organization but are conducted by certain trade remedy investigating authorities, including those of Brazil, Canada, the European Union, and New Zealand. The EIT is a mandatory part of the UK trade remedy system and is arguably more transparent than similar interest tests conducted by other trade remedy investigating authorities. However, stakeholder participation remains a challenge and the TRA is working on ways to improve participation. To date, the TRA has completed 11 EITs in its trade remedy cases, with a further ten live cases. These cases cover different products, markets, and countries, across which the likely positive and negative impacts of trade remedy differ. This paper invites experts to review the TRA's EIT methodology.
Trade and Sustainable Development: Non-Economic Objectives in the Theory of Economic Policy
Authors: François Joseph F. , Hoekman Bernard , Nelson Douglas R.
Published: September 2023

While the theory of economic policy offers a potential framework for thinking about the joint pursuit of economic objectives (EOs) and non-economic objectives (NEOs), over time the theory of economic policy was formalized in a way that considers NEOs as constraints that are given, rather than as goals that may themselves be endogenous alongside EOs. We examine the analytical treatment of NEOs as co-determined with EOs, revisiting some of the ground broken by Alan Winters in his analysis of NEOs. We review the place of NEOs in the theory of economic policy, discuss current practice in the representation of such objectives as exogenous constraints, and develop an argument for representation of NEOs as objectives in themselves.