bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Topographic patterns of white matter hyperintensities are associated with multimodal neuroimaging biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Gaubert Malo , Lange Catharina , Garnier-Crussard Antoine , Köbe Theresa , Bougacha Salma , Gonneaud Julie , de Flores Robin , Tomadesso Clémence , Mézenge Florence , Landeau Brigitte , de la Sayette Vincent , Chételat Gaël , Wirth Miranka
Published: January 2021

Background

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are frequently found in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Commonly considered as a marker of cerebrovascular disease, regional WMH may be related to pathological hallmarks of AD, including beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to examine the regional distribution of WMH associated with Aβ burden, glucose hypometabolism, and gray matter volume reduction.

Methods

In a total of 155 participants (IMAP+ cohort) across the cognitive continuum from normal cognition to AD dementia, FLAIR MRI, AV45-PET, FDG-PET, and T1 MRI were acquired. WMH were automatically segmented from FLAIR images. Mean levels of neocortical Aβ deposition (AV45-PET), temporo-parietal glucose metabolism (FDG-PET), and medial-temporal gray matter volume (GMV) were extracted from processed images using established AD meta-signature templates. Associations between AD brain biomarkers and WMH, as assessed in region-of-interest and voxel-wise, were examined, adjusting for age, sex, education, and systolic blood pressure.

Results

There were no significant associations between global Aβ burden and region-specific WMH. Voxel-wise WMH in the splenium of the corpus callosum correlated with greater Aβ deposition at a more liberal threshold. Region- and voxel-based WMH in the posterior corpus callosum, along with parietal, occipital, and frontal areas, were associated with lower temporo-parietal glucose metabolism. Similarly, lower medial-temporal GMV correlated with WMH in the posterior corpus callosum in addition to parietal, occipital, and fontal areas.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that local white matter damage is correlated with multimodal brain biomarkers of AD. Our results highlight modality-specific topographic patterns of WMH, which converged in the posterior white matter. Overall, these cross-sectional findings corroborate associations of regional WMH with AD-typical Aß deposition and neurodegeneration.
“An apple pie a day does not keep the doctor away”: Fictional depictions of gout in contemporary film and television
Authors: Derksen Christina , Murdoch Rachel , Petrie Keith J. , Dalbeth Nicola
Published: January 2021

Background

Fictional portrayals of illness and medical management in film and television can reflect and perpetuate cultural stereotypes about illness. The aim of this study was to analyse fictional depictions of gout in contemporary film and television.

Methods

We conducted a search for English language depictions of gout in film and television since 1990 using the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), other internet media databases, and member suggestions from the Gout, Hyperuricemia and Crystal-Associated Disease Network (G-CAN). Film and television episodes with gout content were analysed for depictions of characters with gout, causal factors, and management strategies (n=44).

Results

Gout was used to denote royalty or nobility in historical settings, and as a plot device to explain the absence of characters from key events. The most commonly depicted causes of gout were overindulgence of food and alcohol (61%), and portrayals of biological causes were infrequent (12%). Common management strategies were change in diet (36%) and short-term pain relief (32%), with only one mention of urate-lowering therapy (5%). The majority of films and television episodes depicted gout as humorous (59%) and embarrassing (50%).

Conclusions

In contemporary film and television, gout is portrayed as a humorous and embarrassing condition, caused by dietary indulgence. These depictions may reinforce inaccurate beliefs about the causes of gout and its management.
Chemical composition and toxicity of some Agro waste-derived insecticides against Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga ceralella (Olivier) [Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae] infesting stored paddy grains
Authors: Ashamo Michael Olufemi , Ileke Kayode David , Onasile Ayomiposi Idowu
Published: January 2021

Background

Agriculture being one of the major practices in the world has contributed to environmental pollution, especially in developing countries where there were no equipment to recycle the agricultural wastes. Considering the high level of infestation of paddy by Sitotroga cerealella and the high level of pollution caused by agricultural wastes, this research investigated the chemical composition and toxicity of agro wastes (rice husk, maize cob, groundnut and cowpea pods) as eco-friendly protectants of paddy against Sitotroga cerealella. Parameters assessed include adult mortality, oviposition, adult emergence and egg hatchability. Gas chromatography and mass spectrophotometry were used to isolate and characterize the active compounds present in the most effective crude extract.

Results

The results of the study revealed that all agricultural wastes showed high mortality effect on S. cerealella. Cowpea pod powder was the most toxic to adult paddy moth that caused 33.33%, 36.67%, 46.67%, 50% and 60% mortality of S. cerealella at concentrations 0.1 g, 0.2 g, 0.3 g, 0.4 g and 0.5 g/20 g of paddy grains after 24 h of exposure, respectively. The Cowpea pod, groundnut pod and maize cob extracts caused 100% mortality of S. cerealella at concentration 0.5 ml/20 g of paddy grains after 96 h of exposure, respectively. The lethal concentrations LC50 and LC90 of cowpea pod after 24 h were 0.16 and 0.64 ml which were the lowest of all agro waste extract tested. GC–MS analysis revealed that 19 chemical compounds were present in cowpea pod extract, 9, 12-Octadecadienoic acid (a methyl ester) has the highest percentage total of 39.57% and 4-Pentenal, 2-methylene (0.12%) has the least percentage total.

Conclusion

All the observations revealed that cowpea pod was the most effective. The findings also suggested that the selected agricultural wastes have a promising insecticidal potential and can be used as alternatives to synthetic chemical insecticides for the control of stored product insects.
High prevalence of qnrA and qnrB genes among fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli isolates from a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria
Authors: Nsofor Chibuzor M. , Tattfeng Mirabeau Y. , Nsofor Chijioke A.
Published: January 2021

Background

This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of qnr genes among fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli (FREC) isolates from Nigeria. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion technique. Polymerase chain reaction was used to identify Escherichia coli (E. coli) and for the detection of qnr genes.

Results

A total of 206 non-duplicate E. coli were isolated from 300 clinical specimens analyzed. In all, 30 (14.6%) of these isolates were FREC; the resistance to fluoroquinolones among these 30 FREC showed 80% (24), 86.7% (26), 86.7% (26), 100% (30), 86.7% (26), 93.3% (28) and 86.7% (26) were resistant to pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, nalidixic acid, ofloxacin and moxifloxacin, respectively. The distribution of FREC among the various sample sources analyzed showed that 14%, 10%, 13.3%, 16.7% and 20% of the isolates came from urine, stool, high vaginal swab, endo cervical swab and wound swab specimens, respectively. More FREC were isolated from female samples 73.3% (22) compared to male samples 26.7% (8) and were more prevalent among the age group 26–35 years (40%). Twenty eight out of the 30 (93.3%) FREC isolates possessed at least one fluoroquinolone resistance gene in the form of qnrA 10 (33.3%) and qnrB 18 (60%), respectively; qnrS was not detected among the FREC isolates analyzed and 13.5% of the isolates possessed both the qnrA and qnrB genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these isolates were genetically diverse.

Conclusions

These findings suggest a possible resistance to fluoroquinolone is of high interest for better management of patients and control of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria.
Exploring the use of spectral indices to assess alterations in soil properties in pine stands affected by crown fire in Spain
Authors: Fernández Cristina , Fernández-Alonso José Mª , Vega José A. , Fontúrbel Teresa , Llorens Rafael , Sobrino José A.
Published: January 2021

Background

Forest fires have increased in extent and intensity in the Mediterranean area in recent years, threatening forest ecosystems through loss of vegetation, changes in soil properties, and increased soil erosion rates, particularly in severely burned areas. However, establishing the relationships between burn severity and soil properties that determine infiltration remain challenging. Determining where soil burn severity evaluation should be carried out is critical for planning urgent measures to mitigate post-fire soil erosion. Although previous research has indicated that spectral indices are suitable for assessing fire severity, most of the classifications used consider combined effects in vegetation and soil. Moreover, the relationship between spectral indices and soil burn severity has scarcely been explored until now.

Results

We selected three pine stands in Spain for study immediately after being burned by wildfires. We analyzed various soil properties (soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, mean weight diameter of soil aggregates, and soil organic carbon) in relation to six levels of soil burn severity in all three stands. In addition, we established 25 field plots in the burned areas. We computed ten spectral indices for each plot by using Sentinel-2 satellite data. The soil burn severity categories indicated the degree of degradation of important soil properties related to soil erosion susceptibility. Of the spectral indices considered, the relativized burn ratio (RBR) was the best predictor of cumulative infiltration and mean weight diameter of soil aggregates. The differenced mid-infrared bispectral index (dMIRBI) was most closely correlated with soil organic carbon content.

Conclusions

The findings demonstrate the potential applicability of remote sensing to determining changes in soil properties after fire.
Establishment and application of information resource of mutant mice in RIKEN BioResource Research Center
Authors: Masuya Hiroshi , Usuda Daiki , Nakata Hatsumi , Yuhara Naomi , Kurihara Keiko , Namiki Yuri , Iwase Shigeru , Takada Toyoyuki , Tanaka Nobuhiko , Suzuki Kenta , Yamagata Yuki , Kobayashi Norio , Yoshiki Atsushi , Kushida Tatsuya
Published: January 2021

Online databases are crucial infrastructures to facilitate the wide effective and efficient use of mouse mutant resources in life sciences. The number and types of mouse resources have been rapidly growing due to the development of genetic modification technology with associated information of genomic sequence and phenotypes. Therefore, data integration technologies to improve the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of mouse strain data becomes essential for mouse strain repositories. In 2020, the RIKEN BioResource Research Center released an integrated database of bioresources including, experimental mouse strains, Arabidopsis thaliana as a laboratory plant, cell lines, microorganisms, and genetic materials using Resource Description Framework-related technologies. The integrated database shows multiple advanced features for the dissemination of bioresource information. The current version of our online catalog of mouse strains which functions as a part of the integrated database of bioresources is available from search bars on the page of the Center (https://brc.riken.jp) and the Experimental Animal Division (https://mus.brc.riken.jp/) websites. The BioResource Research Center also released a genomic variation database of mouse strains established in Japan and Western Europe, MoG+ (https://molossinus.brc.riken.jp/mogplus/), and a database for phenotype-phenotype associations across the mouse phenome using data from the International Mouse Phenotyping Platform. In this review, we describe features of current version of databases related to mouse strain resources in RIKEN BioResource Research Center and discuss future views.
Ligand-based drug design and molecular docking simulation studies of some novel anticancer compounds on MALME-3M melanoma cell line
Authors: Umar Abdullahi Bello , Uzairu Adamu , Shallangwa Gideon Adamu , Uba Sani
Published: January 2021

Background

Melanoma cancer causes serious health problem worldwide because of its rapid invasion to other organs and lack of satisfactory chemotherapy. The pGI50 anticancer activity values of 70 compounds from the NCI (National Cancer Institute) on MALME-3M cell line was modeled to describe the quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) of the compounds, and some selected compounds were docked.

Results

The generated QSAR model was found to be statistically significant based on the obtained values of the validation keys such as R2 (0.885), $$ {R}_{\mathrm{adjusted}}^2 $$

R
adjusted
2

(0.868), Q2cv (0.842), and $$ {R}_{pred}^2 $$

R
pred
2

(0.738) required to evaluate the strength and robustness of QSAR model. Compound 39 was selected as a template due to its good pGI50 (9.205) and was modified to design new potent compounds. The predicted pGI50 activity of the designed compounds by the built model was N1 (9.836), N2 (12.876), N3 (10.901), and N4 (11.263) respectively. These proposed compounds were docked with V600E-BRAF receptor and the result shows that, N1, N2, N3, and N4 with free binding energy (FBE) of − 11.7 kcal mol−1, − 12.8 kcal mol−1, − 12.7 kcal mol−1, and − 12.9 kcal mol−1 respectively were better than the parent structure of the template (compound 39, FBE = − 7.0 kcal mol−1) and the standard V600E-BRAF inhibitor (Vemurafenib, FBE = − 11.3 kcal mol−1). Additionally, these compounds passed the drug-likeness criteria successfully to be orally bioavailable.

Conclusion

The proposed compounds were considered optimal as their performances are comparable to vemurafenib and possessed enhanced physicochemical properties. Thus recommends further research such as synthesis, in vivo, and ex-vivo evaluation.
Fetus in fetu: two case reports from North African country
Authors: Ragab Moutaz , Abdelhakeem Omar Nagy , Mansour Omar , Gad Mai , Hussein Hesham Anwar
Published: January 2021

Background

Fetus in fetu is a rare congenital anomaly. The exact etiology is unclear; one of the mostly accepted theories is the occurrence of an embryological insult occurring in a diamniotic monochorionic twin leading to asymmetrical division of the blastocyst mass. Commonly, they present in the infancy with clinical picture related to their mass effect. About 80% of cases are in the abdomen retroperitoneally.

Case presentation

We present two cases of this rare condition. The first case was for a 10-year-old girl that presented with anemia and abdominal mass, while the second case was for a 4-month-old boy that was diagnosed antenatally by ultrasound. Both cases had vertebrae, recognizable fetal organs, and skin coverage. Both had a distinct sac. The second case had a vascular connection with the host arising from the superior mesenteric artery. Both cases were intra-abdominal and showed normal levels of alpha-fetoprotein. Histopathological examination revealed elements from the three germ layers without any evidence of immature cells ruling out teratoma as a differential diagnosis.

Conclusions

Owing to its rarity, fetus in fetu requires a high degree of suspicion and meticulous surgical techniques to avoid either injury of the adjacent vital structures or bleeding from the main blood supply connection to the host. It should be differentiated from mature teratoma.
Offspring Educational Attainment and Older Parents' Cognition in Mexico
Authors: Ma Mingming , Yahirun Jenjira , Saenz Joseph , Sheehan Connor
Published: January 2021

Population-level disparities in later-life cognitive health point to the importance of family resources. Although the bulk of prior work on the topic has established the directional flow of resources from parents to offspring, the linked lives perspective raises the question of how offspring resources could affect parental health as well. This study examines whether adult children's education influences older parents' (aged 50+) cognitive health in Mexico, where schooling reforms have contributed to significant gains in the educational achievements of recent birth cohorts. Harnessing a change in compulsory school laws and applying an instrumental variables approach, we found that each year of offspring schooling was associated with higher overall cognition among parents but was less predictive across different cognitive functioning domains. More offspring schooling improved parents' cognitive abilities in verbal learning, verbal fluency, and orientation, but not in visual scanning, visuospatial ability, or visual memory. The beneficial effects of offspring schooling on those cognitive domains are more salient for mothers than for fathers, suggesting potential gendered effects in the influence of offspring schooling. The results remained robust to controls for parent-child contact and geographic proximity, suggesting other avenues through which offspring education could affect parental health and a pathway for future research. Our findings contribute to growing research stressing the causal influence of familial educational attainment on population health.
Cross-Sectional Average Length of Life Childless
Authors: Mogi Ryohei , Nisén Jessica , Canudas-Romo Vladimir
Published: January 2021

Increases in the average age at first birth and in the proportion of women remaining childless have extended the total number of years that women spend childless during their reproductive lifetime in several countries. To quantify the number of years that reproductive-age women live without children, we introduce the cross-sectional average length of life childless (CALC). This measure includes all the age-specific first-birth information available for the cohorts present at time t; it is a period measure based on cohort data. Using the Human Fertility Database, CALC is calculated for the year 2015 for all countries with long enough histories of fertility available. Results show that women in the majority of the studied countries spend, on average, more than half of their reproductive lives childless. Furthermore, the difference between CALCs in two countries can be decomposed to give a clear visualization of how each cohort contributes to the difference in the duration of the length of childless life in those populations. Our illustration of the decomposition shows that (1) in recent years, female cohorts in Japan and Spain at increasingly younger ages have been contributing to more years of childless life compared with those in Sweden, (2) the United States continues to represent an exception among the high-income countries with a low expectation for childless life of women, and (3) Hungary experienced a strong period effect of the recent Great Recession. These examples show that CALC and its decomposition can provide insights into first-birth patterns.
Genetic background modifies vulnerability to glaucoma-related phenotypes in Lmx1b mutant mice
Authors: Tolman Nicholas G. , Balasubramanian Revathi , Macalinao Danilo G. , Kearney Alison L. , MacNicoll Katharine H. , Montgomery Christa L. , de Vries Wilhelmine N. , Jackson Ian J. , Cross Sally H. , Kizhatil Krishnakumar , Nair K. Saidas , John Simon W. M.
Published: January 2021

Variants in the LIM homeobox transcription factor 1-beta (LMX1B) gene predispose individuals to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), a key risk factor for glaucoma. However, the effect of LMX1B mutations varies widely between individuals. To better understand the mechanisms underlying LMX1B-related phenotypes and individual differences, we backcrossed the Lmx1bV265D (also known as Lmx1bIcst) allele onto the C57BL/6J (B6), 129/Sj (129), C3A/BLiA-Pde6b+/J (C3H) and DBA/2J-Gpnmb+ (D2-G) mouse strain backgrounds. Strain background had a significant effect on the onset and severity of ocular phenotypes in Lmx1bV265D/+ mutant mice. Mice of the B6 background were the most susceptible to developing abnormal IOP distribution, severe anterior segment developmental anomalies (including malformed eccentric pupils, iridocorneal strands and corneal abnormalities) and glaucomatous nerve damage. By contrast, Lmx1bV265D mice of the 129 background were the most resistant to developing anterior segment abnormalities, had less severe IOP elevation than B6 mutants at young ages and showed no detectable nerve damage. To identify genetic modifiers of susceptibility to Lmx1bV265D-induced glaucoma-associated phenotypes, we performed a mapping cross between mice of the B6 (susceptible) and 129 (resistant) backgrounds. We identified a modifier locus on Chromosome 18, with the 129 allele(s) substantially lessening severity of ocular phenotypes, as confirmed by congenic analysis. By demonstrating a clear effect of genetic background in modulating Lmx1b-induced phenotypes, providing a panel of strains with different phenotypic severities and identifying a modifier locus, this study lays a foundation for better understanding the roles of LMX1B in glaucoma with the goal of developing new treatments.
Omega-3 fatty acids accelerate fledging in an avian marine predator: a potential role of cognition
Authors: Lamarre Jessika , Cheema Sukhinder Kaur , Robertson Gregory J. , Wilson David R.
Published: January 2021

Consuming omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) during development improves cognition in mammals, but the effect remains untested in other taxa. In aquatic ecosystems, n-3 LCPUFAs are produced by phytoplankton and bioaccumulate in the food web. Alarmingly, the warming and acidification of aquatic systems caused by climate change impair n-3 LCPUFA production, with an anticipated decrease of 80% by the year 2100. We tested whether n-3 LCPUFA consumption affects the physiology, morphology, behaviour and cognition of the chicks of a top marine predator, the ring-billed gull. Using a colony with little access to n-3 LCPUFAs, we supplemented siblings from 22 fenced nests with contrasting treatments from hatching until fledging; one sibling received n-3 LCPUFA-rich fish oil and the other, a control sucrose solution without n-3 LCPUFAs. Halfway through the nestling period, half the chicks receiving fish oil were switched to the sucrose solution to test whether n-3 LCPUFA intake remains crucial past the main growth phase (chronic versus transient treatments). Upon fledging, n-3 LCPUFAs were elevated in the blood and brains of chicks receiving the chronic treatment, but were comparable to control levels among those receiving the transient treatment. Across the entire sample, chicks with elevated n-3 LCPUFAs in their tissues fledged earlier despite their morphology and activity levels being unrelated to fledging age. Fledging required chicks to escape fences encircling their nest. We therefore interpret fledging age as a possible indicator of cognition, with chicks with improved cognition fledging earlier. These results provide insight into whether declining dietary n-3 LCPUFAs will compromise top predators' problem-solving skills, and thus their ability to survive in a rapidly changing world.
Συλλέκτες συμβάντων
Authors: Ζιώγας Γιάννης
Published: January 2021

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Τα του βού νου
Authors: Ντούνεμπιρ Ίνγκο
Published: January 2021

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Για μια περιφέρεια με γεωγραφική κι όχι πολιτισμική απόσταση
Authors: Πετσίνη Πηνελόπη
Published: January 2021

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Η εμπειρία, το μέλλον
Authors: Αγγελή Μαρία Α.
Published: January 2021

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Σώμα, Χώρος
Authors: Αυγητίδου Αγγελική
Published: January 2021

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ΟΔΟFG SPORTS
Authors: Ζιώγας Γιάννης
Published: January 2021

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Τα της λίμνης και ο βιντεοπροβολέας στην Κούλα
Authors: Ντούννεμπιρ Ίνγκο
Published: January 2021

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To Συνεχές Μνημείο
Authors: Ρήγος Ιάκωβος
Published: January 2021

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Είμαι ο τόπος όπου βρίσκομαι - Συγκέντρωση υλικού για έναν Εικαστικό Οδηγό Περιήγησης – Επιβίωσης
Authors: Κυριακού Σοφία
Published: January 2021

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Double Trouble: (Σχεδόν) 50 Χρόνια Τέχνης και Ακτιβισμού
Authors: Felshin Nina
Published: January 2021

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Θεωρία, κριτική και καλλιτεχνικές δράσεις
Authors: Παναγιωτόπουλος Νίκος , Πετσίνη Πηνελόπη
Published: January 2021

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ΤΑ ΕΡΓΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΙΚΑΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΠΟΡΕΙΑΣ 2011
Authors: Ζιώγας Γιάννης
Published: January 2021

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Φύση -Όρια-Υλικά
Authors: Γιάννης Ζιώγας Στέλλα
Published: January 2021

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Πλέγμα - Ιστός
Authors: Γκούμας Άκης
Published: January 2021

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Καλλιτεχνοσύνη και εμπειρία
Authors: Ζιώγας Γιάννης
Published: January 2021

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EXISTENTIAL EXPOSURES, τo έργο του Πάνου Κοκκινιά
Authors: Πέτσινη Πηνελόπη
Published: January 2021

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ΕΠΙΜΕΤΡΟ - ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΠΙΟ
Authors: Σταθάτος Γιάννης
Published: January 2021

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Epidemiological, humanistic and economic burden of dog-mediated rabies in India: a systematic review protocol
Authors: John Denny , Royal Abhishek , Bharti Omesh
Published: January 2021

Background: Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease. It is transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal and dog bites are responsible for around 95% of human cases. The disease is almost fatal after the onset of symptoms. It is an endemic and major public health problem in India with one-third of the global deaths reported from this country.

Protocol: This systematic review aims to estimate the epidemiological, humanistic and economic burden of dog-mediated rabies in India. Initially the existence of controlled descriptors in MeSH terms (such as 'Epidemiology', 'Rabies', 'Cost', 'Dog bite', 'Quality of Life', 'India' etc), and their synonyms (key words) was identified in MEDLINE, and were later combined with Boolean operators 'AND' and 'OR' to develop a detailed search strategy. Two independent reviewers will screen the titles and abstracts and select the studies as per the inclusion criteria. The selected studies will be assessed for their quality and risk of bias. Data will be extracted using standardized data extraction tools and will be synthesized for analysis. Disagreements that arise between the reviewers will be resolved through discussion, or with a third reviewer.

Discussion: This systematic review will be performed to critically examine relevant literature and report the epidemiological, humanistic and economic burden of dog-mediated rabies in Indian context. The findings will help in estimation of burden of the disease in India and expected to contribute in policy making and planning of the program and interventions in the country.

Protocol registration: PROSPERO ID: CRD4202021326
Children and young people's experiences of living with developmental coordination disorder/dyspraxia: study protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: O'Dea Áine , Coote Susan , Robinson Katie
Published: January 2021

Background

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) face significant challenges to deal with everyday activities due to underlying motor proficiency difficulties. These challenges affect children and young people’s participation; that is, involvement in daily life situations. Recent years have seen a growing body of qualitative research examining children’s experiences of living with DCD.  Meta-ethnographic synthesis offers a rigorous approach to bring together the findings of discrete qualitative studies to be synthesised in order to advance the conceptual understanding of living with DCD, which is not well conceptualised in the literature to date. Conducting a meta-ethnographic synthesis will help to illuminate the meaning of children and young people’s experiences of DCD regarding their involvement in everyday activities and situations.

Aim

This study aims to systematically review and synthesise qualitative literature regarding children and young people’s experiences and views of everyday life and living with DCD.

Methods

The method of qualitative evidence synthesis that will be followed in this review is a meta-ethnography. The eMERGe and PRISMA reporting guidelines will be adhered to. Ten databases will be searched; Academic Search Complete, AMED, CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsychArticles, PsychInfo, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. The Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist will be used by two independent reviewers to appraise all included papers. PROSPERO registration number CRD42019129178

Discussion

The findings of this meta-ethnography will endeavour to inform future research, policy and practice. In particular, the results will help to inform the design of future complex interventions to meet the needs of children and young people with DCD. Dissemination will involve the publication of the results in a peer-reviewed journal. Increasingly researchers and policymakers are calling for services to be informed by the perspective and voice of children with DCD. Therefore, a policy brief will be published so that the findings are widely available.
Anticipate study protocol: Baseline profile and care outcomes of patients attending Mater Misericordiae University Hospital with COVID-19 infection
Authors: Avramovic Gordana , McHugh Tina , Connolly Stephen P , Cullen Walter , Lambert John S
Published: January 2021

Background: While the COVID-19 pandemic is currently impacting on health and social care in Ireland, this impact is most marked in metropolitan Dublin. This is especially the case for the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) in Dublin’s North Inner, which is situated in an area where local socially deprived communities are at high risk of infection and of experiencing adverse outcomes.

Aims: To determine baseline characteristics and longer-term care outcomes of COVID-19 patients presenting to / attending the Infectious Diseases Department at MMUH, including the virtual clinic.

Methods: Retrospective study: we will retrospectively examine clinical records and extract anonymised data on patient demographics, baseline morbidity and outcomes.

Prospective study: we will prospectively examine healthcare outcomes among patients who consent to follow up at two time points (three months, and six months to 12 months after discharge/onset of disease). Two patient groups will be assessed for morbid complications: those hospitalised with COVID infection and those followed-up remotely with confirmed COVID infection.

Deliverables: The project will involve collaboration with Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) Clinical Programmes and Ireland East Hospital Group to inform health service policies that will attenuate the adverse impacts of the COVID pandemic on population health. This research protocol will evaluate morbid complications of COVID depending on the severity of the disease.
Implication of backward contact tracing in the presence of overdispersed transmission in COVID-19 outbreaks
Authors: Endo Akira ,   Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Working Group, Leclerc Quentin J. , Knight Gwenan M. , Medley Graham F. , Atkins Katherine E. , Funk Sebastian , Kucharski Adam J.
Published: January 2021

Introduction: Contact tracing has the potential to control outbreaks without the need for stringent physical distancing policies, e.g. civil lockdowns. Unlike forward contact tracing, backward contact tracing identifies the source of newly detected cases. This approach is particularly valuable when there is high individual-level variation in the number of secondary transmissions (overdispersion).

Methods: By using a simple branching process model, we explored the potential of combining backward contact tracing with more conventional forward contact tracing for control of COVID-19. We estimated the typical size of clusters that can be reached by backward tracing and simulated the incremental effectiveness of combining backward tracing with conventional forward tracing.

Results: Across ranges of parameter values consistent with dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, backward tracing is expected to identify a primary case generating 3-10 times more infections than a randomly chosen case, typically increasing the proportion of subsequent cases averted by a factor of 2-3. The estimated number of cases averted by backward tracing became greater with a higher degree of overdispersion.

Conclusion: Backward contact tracing can be an effective tool for outbreak control, especially in the presence of overdispersion as is observed with SARS-CoV-2.
Learning Optimal Forecast Aggregation in Partial Evidence Environments
Authors: Babichenko Yakov , Garber Dan
Published: January 2021

We consider the forecast aggregation problem in repeated settings where the forecasts are of a binary state of nature. In each period multiple experts provide forecasts about the state. The goal of the aggregator is to aggregate those forecasts into a subjective accurate forecast. We assume that the experts are Bayesian and the aggregator is non-Bayesian and ignorant of the information structure (i.e., the distribution over the signals) under which the experts make their forecasts. The aggregator observes the experts’ forecasts only. At the end of each period, the realized state is observed by the aggregator. We focus on the question of whether the aggregator can learn to optimally aggregate the forecasts of the experts, where the optimal aggregation is the Bayesian aggregation that takes into account all the information in the system. We consider the class of partial evidence information structures, where each expert is exposed to a different subset of conditionally independent signals. Our main results are positive: we show that optimal aggregation can be learned in polynomial time in quite a wide range of instances in partial evidence environments. We provide an exact characterization of the instances where optimal learning is possible as well as those where it is impossible.
Payment Models to Coordinate Healthcare Providers with Partial Attribution of Outcome Costs
Authors: Rajagopalan Sampath , Tong Chunyang
Published: January 2021

Problem definition: In many healthcare systems, general practitioners refer patients to specialists, who make treatment decisions under limited capacity. We evaluate the effectiveness of different payment schemes, both traditional ones, where the payer contracts separately with the providers, and bundled schemes, where the providers share a single bundled payment. A key feature considered is a performance-based payment component to coordinate the decisions of the general practitioner and specialist by a single payer. The providers are partially responsible for the patient outcomes and costs stemming from their treatment decisions. Academic/practical relevance: We propose and analyze a model to address how referral and specialist treatment decisions in healthcare impact each other and how payment schemes impact the coordination of care between the general practitioner and specialist. Our work is valuable to policymakers in understanding the trade-offs between using bundled and unbundled payment schemes in a referral-based healthcare system. Methodology: The underlying research method is the analysis of optimization models (with congestion effects embedded) to explore the effects of different payment schemes on different entities and various operational performance measures in a healthcare system. Results: A bundled scheme has higher referral rates, lower time spent with the patient by the specialist, higher specialist utilization relative to an unbundled system in most scenarios, and higher system costs. Our conclusions are robust to various model changes. Managerial implications: Our work provides specific managerial insights into the relative performance of bundled and unbundled payment systems on operational metrics in a referral-based healthcare system. It also sheds light on how the level of attributability of service outcomes to providers interacts with payment schemes to influence referral and specialist treatment decisions and impact various quality and cost metrics.
Hiding in the Herd: The Product Recall Clustering Phenomenon
Authors: Mukherjee Ujjal K. , Ball George P. , Wowak Kaitlin D. , Natarajan Karthik V. , Miller Jason W.
Published: January 2021

Problem definition: Product recalls have serious consequences for firms and consumers. Little is known, however, about how firms manage the timing of recalls and how this timing influences the financial consequences of recalls. In this study, we provide evidence for a previously unknown phenomenon: recall clustering, a collection of recalls within close temporal proximity in which a leading recall (the first recall in a cluster) excites following recalls (subsequent recalls in a cluster). We also investigate how the stock market penalizes firms differently depending upon their position within the recall cluster. Academic/practical relevance: By demonstrating that auto firms cluster their recalls and that the market penalizes firms differently based on the position of a recall within a cluster, we contribute to the literature that investigates recall timing and stock market event studies and provide guidance for regulators who oversee auto recalls and managers who make recall decisions. Methodology: We first develop analytical predictions using a dynamic game theoretic model to motivate our hypotheses. We then examine empirical support for our hypotheses by analyzing 3,117 auto recalls across 48 years using a Hawkes process model. Hawkes process models are designed to examine self-excitation of events across time and can be used to investigate recall clustering, while categorizing recalls as leading or following within a cluster. Finally, we use the leading and following recall designations obtained from the Hawkes process model in an event study to examine how the stock market effects of a recall vary depending on its position within a cluster. Results: We find that 73% of recalls occur in clusters, and they form after a 16-day gap in recall announcements. On average, clusters last for 34 days and are comprised of 7.6 following recalls announced after the leading recall. Leading recalls are associated with as high as a 67% larger stock market penalty than following recalls. Further, we find that the stock market benefit realized by a following recall weakens as the time since the leading recall increases and that the stock market penalty faced by a leading recall grows as the time since the end of the last cluster increases. Managerial Implications: Our findings lead to a key implication for regulators who oversee auto recalls by demonstrating evidence of recall clustering and the underlying stock market effects that are attributable to it. We provide a cost-neutral policy recommendation for the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration that should limit recall clustering.
Initial management of acute ischaemic stroke
Authors: Appleton Jason P , Mullhi Randeep , Singh Naginder
Published: January 2021

The management of acute ischaemic stroke has been revolutionised by effective reperfusion therapies including thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy. In particular, mechanical thrombectomy has heralded a new era in stroke medicine. There have also been developments to improve clinical outcomes for patients who have had an acute ischaemic stroke but are not eligible for this procedure. This article presents an update on the initial management of acute ischaemic stroke, including reperfusion therapies, periprocedural considerations and ongoing research for potential improvements in the care of these patients.
COCON – Swiss Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
Authors: Buchmann Marlis , Grütter Jeanine , Igel Corinne
Published: January 2021

This study profile describes COCON – the acronym for COmpetence and CONtext. This is an interdisciplinary, multi-cohort and multi-informant longitudinal study with a primary focus on how children and adolescents cope with the developmental tasks of early life course transitions. It strives to detect the social and individual antecedents and consequences associated with the handling of these transitions. The project frames child and adolescent development in the triple theoretical perspective of challenges imposed by early transitions in the institutionalised life course, inequality in resources and opportunities, and young people’s competencies. Thanks to the longitudinal and multi-cohort design of the study, this conceptual perspective facilitates the joint examination of intra-individual development, inter-individual differences in developmental outcomes and social change in developmental processes.

COCON consists of three age groups, whereby each groups represents a prototypical stage in the process of growing up: mid-childhood (6-year-olds), mid-adolescence (15-year-olds) and early adulthood (21-year-olds). The samples are representative for the French- and German-speaking parts of Switzerland. The large sample sizes and the multilingual context of Switzerland permit the analysis of group disparities as well as cross-cultural differences. The multi-informant component of the study includes the primary caregiver and class teacher.

The current study profile outlines the most important characteristics of the study in the context of the conceptual framework and discusses strengths and caveats related to study management as well as ethical considerations and information on data availability.
Data-defined naïve Bayes (DNB) based decision scheme for the nonlinear mitigation for OAM mode division multiplexed optical fiber communication
Authors: Zhou Sitong , Gao Ran , Zhang Qi , Chang Huan , Xin Xiangjun , Zhao Yang , Liu Jie , Lin Zhenrui
Published: January 2021

In this manuscript, a data-defined naïve Bayes (DNB)-based decision scheme for nonlinear mitigation is presented for an orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode-division multiplexed optical fiber communication system. Due to the inherent nonlinearity characteristic of opto-electronic devices, the strong nonlinear impairments are deemed inevitable in OAM mode-division multiplexed transmission, leading to severely nonlinear effects. A DNB algorithm based on the prior probability distribution is adopted to mitigate the strong device nonlinearity of the OAM communication system, which is hard to solve using the conventional approaches due to the complex theoretical model of opto-electronic devices. An experiment using eight-mode OAM with a 32GBaud Nyquist QPSK signal optical fiber communication system is carried out with ring core fiber (RCF) transmission over 10 km to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The experimental results demonstrate that the nonlinear effects on OAM transmission can be effectively mitigated using a DNB-based decision with a bit error rate (BER) reduction of at most 66%. Moreover, compared with other nonlinear decision algorithms based on machine learning, such as support vector machine (SVM) or k-nearest neighbors (KNN), the digital signal processing complexity of the DNB algorithm is significantly reduced.
Teaching Nordic cinema: Perspectives and possibilities
Authors: Thomson C. Claire
Published: January 2021

For the tenth anniversary issue of Journal of Scandinavian Cinema (JSCA), C. Claire Thomson reflects on fifteen years of teaching Nordic cinema at University College London (UCL). The article outlines the teaching and learning contexts in which the subject is taught, and how teaching has been transformed by developments in scholarship in the field and online resources. The constraints and opportunities offered by the pivot to remote teaching during the 2020 pandemic are also considered. Three extracts from essays by students are offered as illustrations of how students from different disciplinary backgrounds and different parts of the world engage with Nordic cinema.
Euskarazko on-line artikuluetan aipatutako izendun entitate nabarmenen identifikazioa denbora errealean
Authors: Fernández de Landa Joseba , Agerri Rodrigo
Published: January 2021

an honen helburu nagusia, hedabideetako euskarazko edukian aipatzen diren izendun entitate nabarmenen identifikazioa da, identifikazioa denbora errealean eginez. Horretarako, euskaraz argitaratutako albisteetatik izendun entitateak automatikoki jaso eta etiketatzeko sistema garatu da, artearen egoerako Ikasketa Sakoneko ereduak erabiliz. Izendun entitateen identifikadoreari esker, denbora errealean jasotako albisteetako izendun entitateak etengabe identifikatu eta jasotzen dira, erregistro bat osatuz. Bukatzeko, identifikatutako izendun entitate nabarmenak astero publikatzen dira Wikipediako orri batean, Euskarazko Wikipedian artikulurik ez daukaten entitate nabarmenak erakusteko asmoz.
Obstructive urolithiasis in buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis): Serum changes of Vitamins A and D and efficacy of surgical management using tube cystostomy
Authors: Abdallah Abdelmonem , Ezzeldein Shimaa , Eisa Eslam , Abd El Raouf Mustafa , Bayoumi Yasmin
Published: January 2021

Background and Aim: Obstructive urolithiasis is one of the major health problems in livestock animals, mainly in young calves. The present study was designed first to investigate the changes in the serum levels of Vitamins A and D in buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis) with obstructive urolithiasis and second to investigate the efficacy of tube cystostomy technique in management of such condition. Materials and Methods: One hundred and forty-nine buffalo calves of variable ages ranged from 3 to 7 months with a history of retained urine were examined clinically and ultrasonographically. Then, they were subjected to surgical treatment using the tube cystostomy technique. The serum levels of Vitamins A and D were investigated in retained urine calves in addition to 10 clinically healthy calves of the same age used as a control group. Results: Based on clinical and ultrasonographic findings, the calves were diagnosed as obstructive urolithiasis with intact bladder (n=64 calves) or with bladder rupture (n=85 calves) with the peak incidence in winter months. Tube cystostomy was an efficient and quick surgical technique for the management of such condition and 95.3% of calves returned their normal urination within 7–14 days after surgery. Significant hypovitaminoses A and D were found between retained urine calves and control ones (p= 0.01 and 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: Hypovitaminoses A and D suggested predisposing obstructive urolithiasis in buffalo calves, but further clinical studies are recommended for more confirmation. Surgical treatment using tube cystostomy technique is recommended for the management of obstructive urolithiasis in buffalo calves.