bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ambulante Pflege in den ersten beiden Wellen der COVID-19-Pandemie: Herausforderungen für Personal und Pflegebedürftige
Authors: Preuß Benedikt , Schmidt Annika , Seibert Kathrin , Hoel Viktoria , Domhoff Dominik , Heinze Franziska , Wiegelmann Henrik , Rothgang Heinz , Wolf-Ostermann Karin
Published: February 2023

Einleitung

In der COVID-19-Pandemie zählen Pflegebedürftige zu den besonders vulnerablen Bevölkerungsgruppen. Ambulante Pflegedienste befanden sich gerade zu Beginn der Pandemie in einer Ausnahmesituation. In dieser Arbeit sollen die Situation und die Probleme der Pflegedienste und der versorgten Pflegebedürftigen in den ersten beiden Wellen der Pandemie in Deutschland untersucht werden.

Methoden

Während der ersten beiden COVID-19-Wellen wurden zwei Querschnittstudien durchgeführt (erste Befragung: 28.04.–12.05.2020, zweite Befragung: 12.01.–07.02.2021). Insgesamt wurden Daten aus N = 1029 ambulanten Pflegediensten in die Analyse einbezogen. Die Analyse erfolgte anhand deskriptiver Maßzahlen.

Ergebnisse

Die Klient:innen von Pflegediensten waren in den ersten beiden Wellen der Pandemie stark belastet. Dies zeigt sich einerseits an einem erhöhten Erkrankungsrisiko und einer erhöhten Mortalität und andererseits am Wegfall verschiedener Versorgungs- und Unterstützungsangebote. Letzteres hat z. B. auch negative Auswirkungen auf die psychosoziale Verfassung der Pflegebedürftigen. Die Pflegedienste waren von hohen Personalausfällen und zusätzlicher Arbeit durch Schutzmaßnahmen betroffen.

Diskussion

Die COVID-19-Pandemie führte zu großen Belastungen von Pflegebedürftigen und ambulanten Pflegediensten und zu einer Reduzierung der Versorgungsangebote. Die Verschlechterung der Versorgung traf auf eine bereits angespannte Situation. Es zeigt sich, dass die Versorgung Pflegebedürftiger durch ambulante Pflegedienste nicht krisensicher gestaltet ist und dass zusätzliche Herausforderungen wie die einer Pandemie dramatische Folgen haben können. Zukünftig sollte es verlässliche Strukturen und schnell verfügbare Notfallpläne mit konkreten Handlungsanweisungen geben.
Verletzte Geburtsintegrität während der COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland: Erfahrungen von Gebärenden mit der geburtshilflichen Versorgung
Authors: Batram-Zantvoort Stephanie , Alaze Anita , Lazzerini Marzia , Pessa Valente Emanuelle , Mariani Ilaria , Covi Benedetta , Miani Céline
Published: February 2023

Einleitung

Die COVID-19-Pandemie könnte die Vulnerabilität von Frauen gegenüber einer Verletzung ihrer Integrität während der Geburt verstärken. In einer Querschnittsstudie (März 2020 bis März 2022) wurde untersucht, wie Gebärende die Geburtshilfe während der Pandemie in Deutschland erlebten und welche Faktoren mit Geburtsintegrität assoziiert sind.

Methodik

In der Befragung (validierter Fragebogen und zwei offene Fragen) beschrieben Frauen ≥ 18 Jahre ihre Erfahrungen mit geburtshilflicher Versorgung. Die quantitative Auswertung erfolgte durch deskriptive Statistik und logistische Regressionsanalysen zum Zusammenhang von Erfahrungen mit geburtshilflicher Versorgung und dem Gefühl, würdevoll behandelt und emotional unterstützt zu sein, gedeutet als gewahrte Geburtsintegrität. Die offenen Fragen wurden mittels qualitativer induktiver Inhaltsanalyse analysiert.

Ergebnisse

Daten von 1271 Gebärenden und 214 Kommentare wurden ausgewertet. Die Mehrheit fühlte sich emotional unterstützt (71 %) und mit Würde behandelt (76 %). Ein Drittel gab an, manchmal oder nie in die Entscheidungsfindung involviert worden zu sein, 14 % sahen sich körperlichen, verbalen oder emotionalen Übergriffen ausgesetzt. Für 57 % der Frauen war die Begleitperson nur begrenzt oder nicht anwesend. Diese Faktoren sind alle mit der Chance assoziiert, sich würdevoll behandelt und emotional unterstützt zu fühlen. Die qualitativen Kommentare geben Aufschluss darüber, was Frauen als integritätsverletzend wahrnehmen.

Diskussion

Während der COVID-19-Pandemie zeigt sich die Vulnerabilität von Gebärenden gegenüber Integritätsverletzungen. Maßnahmen zur Förderung einer respektvollen Geburtshilfe umfassen strukturelle und politische Lösungen sowie Forschung zu weiteren Determinanten von Geburtsintegrität.
Methodology for modelling and simulation of tailored 3D functionally graded auxetic metamaterials
Authors: Páscoa Frederico T. , Machado Carla M. , Cardoso João O. , Borges João Paulo , Velhinho Alexandre
Published: February 2023

The description of methodologies for modelling auxetic structures with functional gradient and simulating their behaviour under loading is lacking in the literature, despite an increase of the interest in auxetics and the quantity of experimental data on these structures. This work proposes a method that allows modelling of tailored complex functionally graded auxetic structures, achieved through modifications in the equations defining the basic surfaces that characterize the aforementioned structures. In this method, the simulation studies were performed by means of the finite element method. To showcase the capabilities of this method with complex geometries, the gyroid surface was the chosen example from which to form the auxetic structures. The study was performed on geometries with different gradient types and steepness’s to obtain comprehensive data that allows to infer on the accuracy of the method. The obtained results demonstrate that even for large deformations (> 10%), the simulations concur with the experimental results. The good agreement between computational and experimental results points out the validation of the proposed methodology and the further application for various auxetic structures.
Estimation of temperature in the cutting area during orthogonal turning of grade 2 titanium
Authors: Ślusarczyk Łukasz , Franczyk Emilia
Published: February 2023

The authors introduce an experimental-analytical method for determining the average temperature values in the PSZ (primary shear zone) and the SSZ (secondary shear zone) during orthogonal turning of grade 2 titanium with a use of an uncoated carbide tool with a positive rake angle and a flat rake face. The presented method is based on an algorithm in which the values of shear stress in the PSZ and the SSZ are calculated by means of the Johnson–Cook constitutive equation and Oxley’s model of cutting mechanics. Average temperature values in the PSZ and the SSZ are determined by iteratively finding the minimum difference between the calculated stress values. As its inputs, the algorithm uses the values of the feed and the tangential cutting force components, the value of chip flow velocity on the rake face, and the constants of the Johnson–Cook constitutive equation. The model was validated with a use of empirical data collected during the experiments. The test rig consisted of a KNUTH Masterturn 400 precision lathe equipped with a dynamometer, a high-speed camera, and a thermal imaging camera.
Analysis of risk variables for association with maxillary sinus mucosal thickenings: a cone-beam computed tomography-based retrospective study
Authors: Betin-Noriega Carolina , Urbano-del Valle Samuel Enrique , Saldarriaga-Naranjo Clara Inés , Obando-Castillo Jorge Luis , Tobón-Arroyave Sergio Iván
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to determine which patient-related, anatomical, pathologic, or iatrogenic variables may be directly associated with and which may have a modifying effect on the generation of maxillary sinus (MS) mucosal thickenings.

Methods

A total of 278 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans obtained from 114 males and 164 females were evaluated. The protocol included the assessment of 21 candidate variables, of which 18 were bilateral and 3 were unique. The relationship among the study variables and the mucosal thickenings were examined individually and adjusted for confounding using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models.

Results

The prevalence of mucosal thickenings was 71.20% at patient level and 53.40% at sinus level. The ostium height > 28.15 mm, the infundibulum length ≤ 9.55 mm, the infundibulum width ≤ 0.50 mm, along the occurrence of periapical lesions and slight-to-severe periodontal bone loss acted as strong/independent risk variables for MS mucosal thickenings. Confounding and interaction relationships between MS height and depth, and between the alveolar process type and the presence of foreign materials with respect to age stratum > 47.50 years might be also associated with the mucosal thickenings.

Conclusions

While increased ostium height, decreased infundibulum length/width, the presence of periapical lesions and periodontal involvement might be the foremost indicator variables for MS mucosal thickenings, there are synergistic relationships among the increased sinus height and depth as well as aging regarding atrophic/partially atrophic alveolar process status and the presence of foreign materials that may be also associated with a greater proportion of these mucosal abnormalities.
Subspine femoroacetabular impingement: retrospective study of a series of patients treated by hip arthroscopic resection
Authors: Frances Borrego Alberto , Martinez Garcia Alvaro , Del Baño Barragán Laura , Rodríguez González Alberto , Echevarría Marín Marta , Marco Martinez Fernando
Published: February 2023

Background

Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common hip pathology that causes pain and functional limitation in young patients. subspine femoroacetabular impingement (SFAI) is an increasingly diagnosed extra-articular subtype that occurs from mechanical conflict of the anteroinferior iliac spine (AIIS) with the cervico-diaphyseal junction during hip flexion, which is poorly described in the literature.

Questions/purposes

We aimed to describe the clinical, functional, and radiological results of the arthroscopic treatment of a group of patients with SFAI treated in our Hip Unit.

Study design

Case series.

Methods

We present a retrospective study of ten patients with SFAI treated between 2013 and 2020 with arthroscopic resection. Clinical results were assessed with scales such as visual analog scale (VAS); modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), and Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS). Radiological results were assessed with radiological measurements, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) reconstructions.

Results

Six patients had a Type III AIIS and four of them had Type II. Two patients had previously been surgically treated for FAIS. The range of motion improved in flexion from 107 ± 11 degrees before surgery to 127.5 ± 6 degrees (p = 0.005). MHHS improved from 48.1 (38–75.3) before surgery to 83.1 (57–91) (p = 0.007) and HOOS improved from 65.2 (58–75) to 89 (68.1–100) (p = 0.007). VAS improved from 7.3 (5–9) pre-surgical to 2.5 (0–8) post-surgical (p = 0.005). We did not have significant complications except for an asymptomatic case of heterotopic ossification (Brooker I).

Conclusion

Arthroscopic decompression of AIIS in SFAI patients is a safe procedure that provides satisfactory short-term functional results, improving clinical symptoms, function, sports performance, and range of motion in our study.
Egyptian adaptation and validation of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Screen (ECAS-EG)
Authors: Soliman Radwa , Rashed Hebatallah R. , Moustafa Ramez R. , Hamdi Nabila , Swelam Mahmoud S. , Osman Ahmad , Fahmy Nagia
Published: February 2023

Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common, fatal adult neuromuscular disease. It is a multi-system disorder characterized primarily by motor manifestations, but there is established evidence for cognitive and behavioral impairment, which is associated with poor prognosis, hence, the importance of tools for its assessment. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral Assessment Screen (ECAS) is an invaluable assessment tool for cognition in ALS-front temporal spectrum dementia (FTSD), as it accommodates physical challenges that usually confound traditional neuropsychological testing in those patients.

Objective and methods

To validate the Egyptian Arabic version of ECAS (ECAS-EG) based on the original English scale. This is a prospective study. The ECAS was adapted and administered to 62 Egyptian ALS patients and 60 healthy controls. Patients were recruited from the Neuromuscular Unit, Ain Shams University Hospital. The ECAS was adapted to Egyptian Arabic after being translated using the back translation method. Internal consistency of the test, inter-rater reliability, and construct validity were assessed.

Results

The Egyptian Arabic version of ECAS (ECAS-EG) showed good internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha of 0.84. Inter-rater reliability was tested, values for all variables were compared, and no statistically significant differences were found (ICC = .997). ECAS-EG discriminated significantly between the patients from the control subjects (p-value of 0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between the ECAS-EG total score and the MoCA total score with a p-value of 0.001, thus indicating convergent validity. The test showed that 63% of Egyptian ALS patients were cognitively affected; most affected domains were executive functions and verbal fluency.

Conclusion

The current study proves that the Egyptian version of the ECAS (ECAS-EG) is valid and reliable among Egyptian ALS patients and it would be applicable to the general Arabic-speaking population.
The transmittable through stinging microbiota differs between honeybees and wasps: a potentially greater microbial risk of the wasp sting for humans
Authors: Gkitsaki Ioanna , Papachristoforou Alexandros , Michailidou Sofia , Karamvalis Nikolaos , Iliadis Ioannis , Graikini Dimitra , Sakarikou Christina , Tsoukis Evangelos , Argyriou Anagnostis , Giaouris Efstathios
Published: February 2023

The present research investigated whether accidental contact through stinging with honeybees, wasps, and hornets could represent a microbial hazard for humans. It has been previously suggested that such contact may transmit pathogens causing infections that could even be fatal for some susceptible individuals. Stinging simulation experiments were performed in the lab with live insects collected from the environment in Lemnos Island (north-eastern Greece), while different selective agar media targeting some clinically important bacteria (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecalis/faecium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were used as substrates for microbial recovery and identification. Results revealed none of the target pathogenic bacterial species in the honeybee samples, with bacilli, staphylococci, and micrococci dominating their surveyed microbiota. However, most of the suspect colonies isolated from wasps and hornets belonged to important hygienic indicators (i.e., enterococci, Proteus mirabilis, and coliforms), implying possible contact of these insects with fecal origin materials. To sum up, the microbiota that may be transmitted to humans through stinging appears to differ between honeybees and wasps/hornets, while the isolation from the latter samples of some other important opportunistic pathogens, such as Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp., also known for multidrug resistance, could be an additional reason of concern.
The role of education in health policy reform outcomes: evidence from Japan
Authors: Oikawa Masato
Published: February 2023

This study analyzes the role of education in the outcomes of the reform of the Japanese annual health checkup program. In April 2008, the annual checkup was redesigned to address concerns about metabolic syndrome. As the checkup is mandatory only for salaried workers, their participation rate is significantly higher than other workers; thus, they were most affected by the reform. Using institutional information, a difference-in-differences estimation was conducted with salaried workers as the treatment group and self-employed workers as the control group. We found that the reform caused significant changes in health behaviors and outcomes only among university graduates who were at a relatively high risk of metabolic syndrome. This highly educated group increased their physical activity, brought energy intake close to an ideal level, and achieved significant weight loss and BMI reduction to levels that minimize all-cause mortality among middle-aged Japanese. A secondary analysis implies that the difference in cognitive functioning test scores may be a critical factor in explaining the heterogeneous responses to the reform, suggesting that thoroughly well-articulated recommendations for healthy behaviors are needed in order to improve reform uptake.
Remembering to whom we transmit information during pandemics: the effect of face masks on destination memory
Authors: Pinto Raquel , Lima Diogo , Mello Beatriz , Albuquerque Pedro B.
Published: February 2023

Considering the global pandemic we currently experience, face masks have become standard in our daily routine. Even though surgical masks are established as a safety measure against the dissemination of COVID-19, previous research showed that their wearing compromises face recognition. Consequently, the capacity to remember to whom we transmit information—destination memory—could also be compromised. In our study, through a between-participants design (experiment 1) and a within-participants design (experiment 2), undergraduate students have to transmit Portuguese proverbs to masked and unmasked celebrity faces. Following our hypothesis, participants who shared information with masked faces had worse destination memory performance than those who shared information with unmasked faces. Also, we observed lower recognition for masked faces compared to unmasked faces. These results were expected since using a surgical mask affects facial recognition, thus making it harder to recognize a person to whom information was previously transmitted. More importantly, these results also support the idea that variables associated with the recipient’s face are important for destination memory performance.
The Integrated Application of Phosphorous and Zinc Affects the Physiological Status, Yield and Quality of Canola Grown in Phosphorus-suffered Deficiency Saline Soil
Authors: Shaaban Ahmed , El-Mageed Taia A. Abd , El-Momen Wasfi Ramadan Abd , Saudy Hani Saber , Al-Elwany Omar A. A. I.
Published: February 2023

Despite the soil could contain high amount of phosphorus (P), salinity reduce its availability for crop plants. Hence, farmers should practice several tactics to ameliorate P deficiency in soils. The current study aimed to assess the importance of zinc (Zn) supply for mitigating the deficiency of P for canola grown in saline soil. The effects of three Zn rates (0, 150 and 300 mg L−1, Zn0, Zn150and Zn300, respectively) under three P rates (0, 36 and 72 kg P2O5ha−1, P0, P36, and P72, respectively) on physiological status, yield and quality of canola were measured. Treatments were arranged in the strip plot design based on completely randomized blocks with three replicates. Findings exhibited that P36recorded the highest values of membrane stability index in the 2nd season, while statistically leveled P72for relative water content and chlorophyll fluorescence in both seasons. Zn300exhibited potent effect on all canola physiological traits in both seasons. In both seasons, P36 × Zn300, P72 × Zn150and P72 × Zn300showed the maximum chlorophyll fluorescence and performance index values. Plots treated with P72achieved 70.0% increase in canola seed yield, greater than the untreated ones. Seed yield obtained with Zn300were higher than Zn0and Zn150by1.30 and 1.10 times in 2019/20 season and 1.23 and 1.05 times in 2020/21 season. The highest oil % was recorded with P0 × Zn150and P72 × Zn0in the 1st season and with P72 × Zn150in the 2nd season.
The Influence of Diagnostic Labels on the Evaluation of Students: a Multilevel Meta-Analysis
Authors: Franz David J. , Richter Tobias , Lenhard Wolfgang , Marx Peter , Stein Roland , Ratz Christoph
Published: February 2023

Research suggests that children suffering from different types of disorders (learning disorders, behavioral disorders, or intellectual disabilities) are sometimes evaluated differently simply due to the presence of a diagnostic label. We conducted a multilevel meta-analysis of experimental studies (based on data from 8,295 participants and on 284 effects nested in 60 experiments) to examine the magnitude and robustness of such label effects and to explore the impact of potential moderators (type of evaluation, diagnostic category, expertise, student’s gender, and amount and type of information). We found a moderately negative overall label effect (Hedges’ g = −0.42), which was robust across several types of evaluation, different samples, and different diagnostic categories. There was no indication that expertise and the gender of the child moderated the effect. Presenting participants with only a label yielded the strongest negative effect of g = −1.26, suggesting that the effect was dependent on the amount of information being presented to participants. We conclude that labeling a child can exacerbate negative academic evaluations, behavioral evaluations, evaluations of personality, and overall assessments of the child. Further implications for theory and future research are discussed.
Identification of a new type of resistance breaking strain of tomato spotted wilt virus on tomato bearing the Sw-5b resistance gene
Authors: Almási Asztéria , Pinczés Dóra , Tímár Zoltán , Sáray Réka , Palotás Gábor , Salánki Katalin
Published: February 2023

Sw-5b is a widely used resistance gene in tomato breeding to control tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). The NSm protein encoded by TSWV is identified as the avirulence (AVR) determinant in Sw-5b-mediated resistance. In the last decades, Sw-5b resistance breaking (RB) isolates were found and identified in many locations around the world. The resistance-breaking phenotype in all the previously verified TSWV Sw-5b RB strains is associated with the NSmC118Y or NSmT120N mutations. In the summer of 2022, a Sw-5b RB TSWV strain was recognized in a greenhouse in Hungary. In inoculation experiments this strain was able to infect tomato plants with the Sw-5b resistance gene. Molecular analysis of the NSm avirulence determinant revealed a single alteration in the NSm protein, D122G mutation was identified. To our knowledge, this is the first report to identify this amino acid alteration associated with resistance-breaking phenotype in Sw-5b resistant tomato plants.
Roxborough Park Community Wildfire Evacuation Drill: Data Collection and Model Benchmarking
Authors: Gwynne Steve M. V. , Ronchi Enrico , Wahlqvist Jonathan , Cuesta Arturo , Gonzalez Villa Javier , Kuligowski Erica D. , Kimball Amanda , Rein Guillermo , Kinateder Max , Benichou Noureddine , Xie Hui
Published: February 2023

Wildfires are increasing in scale, frequency and longevity, and are affecting new locations as environmental conditions change. This paper presents a dataset collected during a community evacuation drill performed in Roxborough Park, Colorado (USA) in 2019. This is a wildland–urban interface community including approximately 900 homes. Data concerning several aspects of community response were collected through observations and surveys: initial population location, pre-evacuation times, route use, and arrival times at the evacuation assembly point. Data were used as inputs to benchmark two evacuation models that adopt different modelling approaches. The WUI-NITY platform and the Evacuation Management System model were applied across a range of scenarios where assumptions regarding pre-evacuation delays and the routes used were varied according to original data collection methods (and interpretation of the data generated). Results are mostly driven by the assumptions adopted for pre-evacuation time inputs. This is expected in communities with a low number of vehicles present on the road and relatively limited traffic congestion. The analysis enabled the sensitivity of the modelling approaches to different datasets to be explored, given the different modelling approaches adopted. The performance of the models were sensitive to the data employed (derived from either observations or self-reporting) and the evacuation phases addressed in them. This indicates the importance of monitoring the impact of including data in a model rather than simply on the data itself, as data affects models in different ways given the modelling methods employed. The dataset is released in open access and is deemed to be useful for future wildfire evacuation modelling calibration and validation efforts.
Type I Interferonopathy due to a Homozygous Loss-of-Inhibitory Function Mutation in STAT2
Authors: Zhu Gaofeng , Badonyi Mihaly , Franklin Lina , Seabra Luis , Rice Gillian I. , Anne-Boland-Auge  , Deleuze Jean-François , El-Chehadeh Salima , Anheim Mathieu , de Saint-Martin Anne , Pellegrini Sandra , Marsh Joseph A. , Crow Yanick J. , El-Daher Marie-Therese
Published: February 2023

Purpose

STAT2 is both an effector and negative regulator of type I interferon (IFN-I) signalling. We describe the characterization of a novel homozygous missense STAT2 substitution in a patient with a type I interferonopathy.

Methods

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to identify the genetic basis of disease in a patient with features of enhanced IFN-I signalling. After stable lentiviral reconstitution of STAT2-null human fibrosarcoma U6A cells with STAT2 wild type or p.(A219V), we performed quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and co-immunoprecipitation to functionally characterize the p.(A219V) variant.

Results

WGS identified a rare homozygous single nucleotide transition in STAT2 (c.656C > T), resulting in a p.(A219V) substitution, in a patient displaying developmental delay, intracranial calcification, and up-regulation of interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression in blood. In vitro studies revealed that the STAT2 p.(A219V) variant retained the ability to transduce an IFN-I stimulus. Notably, STAT2 p.(A219V) failed to support receptor desensitization, resulting in sustained STAT2 phosphorylation and ISG up-regulation. Mechanistically, STAT2 p.(A219V) showed defective binding to ubiquitin specific protease 18 (USP18), providing a possible explanation for the chronic IFN-I pathway activation seen in the patient.

Conclusion

Our data indicate an impaired negative regulatory role of STAT2 p.(A219V) in IFN-I signalling and that mutations in STAT2 resulting in a type I interferonopathy state are not limited to the previously reported R148 residue. Indeed, structural modelling highlights at least 3 further residues critical to mediating a STAT2-USP18 interaction, in which mutations might be expected to result in defective negative feedback regulation of IFN-I signalling.
The impact of brain lesions on health-related quality of life in patients with WHO CNS grade 3 or 4 glioma: a lesion-function and resting-state fMRI analysis
Authors: Heinzel Alexander , Mottaghy Felix M. , Filss Christian , Stoffels Gabriele , Lohmann Philipp , Friedrich Michel , Shah Nadim J. , Caspers Svenja , Lucas Carolin Weiss , Ruge Maximilian I. , Galldiks Norbert , Fink Gereon R. , Langen Karl-Josef , Kocher Martin
Published: February 2023

Purpose

In glioma patients, tumor development and multimodality therapy are associated with changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). It is largely unknown how different types and locations of tumor- and treatment-related brain lesions, as well as their relationship to white matter tracts and functional brain networks, affect HRQoL.

Methods

In 121 patients with pretreated gliomas of WHO CNS grades 3 or 4, structural MRI, O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) PET, resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and self-reported HRQoL questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30/BN20) were obtained. Resection cavities, T1-enhancing lesions, T2/FLAIR hyperintensities, and lesions with pathologically increased FET uptake were delineated. Effects of tumor lateralization, involvement of white matter tracts or resting-state network nodes by different types of lesions and within-network rs-fMRI connectivity were analyzed in terms of their interaction with HRQoL scores.

Results

Right hemisphere gliomas were associated with significantly less favorable outcomes in physical, role, emotional and social functioning, compared with left-sided tumors. Most functional HRQoL scores correlated significantly with right-sided white-matter tracts involvement by T2/FLAIR hyperintensities and with loss of within-network functional connectivity of right-sided nodes. Tumors of the left hemisphere caused significantly more communication deficits.

Conclusion

In pretreated high-grade gliomas, right hemisphere lesions are associated with reduced HRQoL scores in most functional domains except communication ability, compared to tumors of the left hemisphere. These relationships are mainly observed for T2/FLAIR lesions involving structural and functional networks in the right hemisphere. The data suggest that sparing the right hemisphere from treatment-related tissue damage may improve HRQoL in glioma patients.
Pedagogical challenges in integrating refugee students in the Global North: A literature review
Authors: Radhouane Myriam
Published: February 2023

For several years now, military conflict, climate change, lack of food, and other forces have compelled many people around the globe to leave their countries and live in exile. As shown by exponentially increasing statistics, children are leaving their homes, sometimes their families, and their schools. Once they arrive in a country of resettlement, they face the challenge of new schooling. To understand how best to support these exile communities and those who work with them—students, their parents, teachers, schools—I searched the international literature for the main challenges of schooling refugee students in resettlement countries in the Global North. This literature review identifies the variety of their profiles, the challenges related to pre- and post-migration experiences, as well as all the intertwined issues taking place within the school: language learning, relationships with the teacher and with other students, teacher training, etc. These challenges are numerous and their intertwining only makes them more complex. Understanding them therefore seems to be the basis of any action in support of refugee education.
Decolonizing AI Ethics: Relational Autonomy as a Means to Counter AI Harms
Authors: Mhlambi Sábëlo , Tiribelli Simona
Published: February 2023

Many popular artificial intelligence (AI) ethics frameworks center the principle of autonomy as necessary in order to mitigate the harms that might result from the use of AI within society. These harms often disproportionately affect the most marginalized within society. In this paper, we argue that the principle of autonomy, as currently formalized in AI ethics, is itself flawed, as it expresses only a mainstream mainly liberal notion of autonomy as rational self-determination, derived from Western traditional philosophy. In particular, we claim that the adherence to such principle, as currently formalized, does not only fail to address many ways in which people’s autonomy can be violated, but also to grasp a broader range of AI-empowered harms profoundly tied to the legacy of colonization, and which particularly affect the already marginalized and most vulnerable on a global scale. To counter such a phenomenon, we advocate for the need of a relational turn in AI ethics, starting from a relational rethinking of the AI ethics principle of autonomy that we propose by drawing on theories on relational autonomy developed both in moral philosophy and Ubuntu ethics.
Fluxes of settling sediment particles and associated mercury in a coastal environment contaminated by past mining (Gulf of Trieste, northern Adriatic Sea)
Authors: Pavoni Elena , Petranich Elisa , Signore Sergio , Fontolan Giorgio , Bezzi Annelore , Covelli Stefano
Published: February 2023

Purpose

As the result of historical mining at Idrija (Slovenia), mercury (Hg) contamination in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea) is still an issue of environmental concern. The element has been conveyed into the coastal area by the Isonzo/Soča River inputs of freshwater and suspended particles for centuries. This research aims to investigate the occurrence of Hg bound to the settling sediment particles (SSP) in the coastal water and to assess the sedimentary Hg fluxes.

Methods

Settling sediment particles were collected at four sites located in the innermost sector of the Gulf, a shallow and sheltered embayment where the accumulation of fine sediments is promoted. Six sampling campaigns were performed under different environmental conditions in terms of discharge from the Isonzo River and 12 sediment traps were installed in the upper and bottom water column for SSP collection. Settling sediment particles (SSP) were collected approximately every 2 weeks and analysed for grain size and total Hg.

Results

Settling sediment particles (SSP) consisted predominantly of silt (77.7 ± 10.1%), showing a concentration of Hg ranging overall between 0.61 and 6.87 µg g−1. Regarding the daily SSP fluxes, the minimum (7.05 ± 3.26 g m−2 day−1) and the maximum (92.4 ± 69.0 g m−2 day−1) values were observed under conditions of low and high river discharge, respectively. The daily Hg fluxes displayed a notable variability, up to an order of magnitude, both in the surface water layer (3.07–94.6 µg m−2 day−1) and at the bottom (11.3–245 µg m−2 day−1), reaching the maximum values following periods of high river flow.

Conclusions

The Isonzo River inputs of suspended particulate matter continue to convey Hg into the Gulf of Trieste, especially following river flood events, which represent one of the most relevant natural factors affecting the variations of the Hg flux in the investigated area.
An end-to-end deep learning approach for real-time single image dehazing
Authors: Jeong Chi Yoon , Moon KyeongDeok , Kim Mooseop
Published: February 2023

Image dehazing methods can restore clean images from hazy images and are popularly used as a preprocessing step to improve performance in various image analysis tasks. In recent times, deep learning-based methods have been used to sharply increase the visual quality of restored images, but they require a long computation time. The processing time of image-dehazing methods is one of the important factors to be considered in order not to affect the latency of the main image analysis tasks such as detection and segmentation. We propose an end-to-end network model for real-time image dehazing. We devised a zoomed convolution group that processes computation-intensive operations with low resolution to decrease the processing time of the network model without performance degradation. Additionally, the zoomed convolution group adopts an efficient channel attention module to improve the performance of the network model. Thus, we designed a network model using a zoomed convolution group to progressively recover haze-free images using a coarse-to-fine strategy. By adjusting the sampling ratio and the number of convolution blocks that make up the convolution group, we distributed small and large computational complexities respectively in the early and later operational stages. The experimental results with the proposed method on a public dataset showed a real-time performance comparable to that of another state-of-the-art (SOTA) method. The proposed network’s peak-signal-to-noise ratio was 0.8 dB lower than that of the SOTA method, but the processing speed was 10.4 times faster.
Diagnosis and Management of Posterior Cortical Atrophy
Authors: Yong Keir X. X. , Graff-Radford Jonathan , Ahmed Samrah , Chapleau Marianne , Ossenkoppele Rik , Putcha Deepti , Rabinovici Gil D. , Suarez-Gonzalez Aida , Schott Jonathan M. , Crutch Sebastian , Harding Emma
Published: February 2023

Purpose of review

The study aims to provide a summary of recent developments for diagnosing and managing posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). We present current efforts to improve PCA characterisation and recommendations regarding use of clinical, neuropsychological and biomarker methods in PCA diagnosis and management and highlight current knowledge gaps.

Recent findings

Recent multi-centre consensus recommendations provide PCA criteria with implications for different management strategies (e.g. targeting clinical features and/or disease). Studies emphasise the preponderance of primary or co-existing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology underpinning PCA. Evidence of approaches to manage PCA symptoms is largely derived from small studies.

PCA diagnosis is frequently delayed, and people are likely to receive misdiagnoses of ocular or psychological conditions. Current treatment of PCA is symptomatic — pharmacological and non-pharmacological — and the use of most treatment options is based on small studies or expert opinion. Recommendations for non-pharmacological approaches include interdisciplinary management tailored to the PCA clinical profile — visual-spatial — rather than memory-led, predominantly young onset — and psychosocial implications. Whilst emerging disease-modifying treatments have not been tested in PCA, an accurate and timely diagnosis of PCA and determining underlying pathology is of increasing importance in the advent of disease-modifying therapies for AD and other albeit rare causes of PCA.
Personality trait estimation in group discussions using multimodal analysis and speaker embedding
Authors: Mawalim Candy Olivia , Okada Shogo , Nakano Yukiko I. , Unoki Masashi
Published: February 2023

The automatic estimation of personality traits is essential for many human–computer interface (HCI) applications. This paper focused on improving Big Five personality trait estimation in group discussions via multimodal analysis and transfer learning with the state-of-the-art speaker individuality feature, namely, the identity vector (i-vector) speaker embedding. The experiments were carried out by investigating the effective and robust multimodal features for estimation with two group discussion datasets, i.e., the Multimodal Task-Oriented Group Discussion (MATRICS) (in Japanese) and Emergent Leadership (ELEA) (in European languages) corpora. Subsequently, the evaluation was conducted by using leave-one-person-out cross-validation (LOPCV) and ablation tests to compare the effectiveness of each modality. The overall results showed that the speaker-dependent features, e.g., the i-vector, effectively improved the prediction accuracy of Big Five personality trait estimation. In addition, the experimental results showed that audio-related features were the most prominent features in both corpora.
A Reinforcement Learning approach for bus network design and frequency setting optimisation
Authors: Yoo Sunhyung , Lee Jinwoo Brian , Han Hoon
Published: February 2023

This paper proposes a new approach to solve the problem of bus network design and frequency setting (BNDFS). Transit network design must satisfy the needs of both service users and transit operators. Numerous optimisation techniques have been proposed for BNDFS in the literature. Previous approaches tend to adopt a sequential optimisation strategy that conducts network routing and service frequency setting in two separate steps. To address the limitation of sequential optimisation, our new algorithm uses Reinforcement Learning for a simultaneous optimisation of three key components of BNDFS: the number of bus routes, the route design and service frequencies. The algorithm can design the best set of bus routes without defining the total number of bus routes in advance, which can reduce the overall computational time. The proposed algorithm was tested on the benchmark Mandl Swiss network. The algorithm is further extended to the routing of express services. The validation includes additional test scenarios which modify the transit demand level on the Mandl network. The new algorithm can be useful to assist transit agencies and planners in improving existing routing and service frequency to cope with changing demand conditions.
A small assemblage of early Oligocene rodents and insectivores from the Sivas basin, Turkey
Authors: van de Weerd Andrew A. , de Bruijn Hans , Wessels Wilma
Published: February 2023

The assemblage of small mammals from a site near Yeniköy (Anatolia) is described. The assemblage was collected by screen-washing a sample from a locality in the Selimye Formation (Sivas basin). The site has a magneto-stratigraphic calibrated age of 29 Ma (younger part of the early Oligocene). The murids dominate in this relatively small collection with Eucricetodon and Pseudocricetodon. In addition, a dipodid, an unidentified erinaceide and the new baluchimyin hystricognath genus and species Zorania milosi nov. gen. et nov. sp. are present. The study of Eucricetodon, Pseudocricetodon and Zorania nov. sp. includes an analysis of incisor enamel microstructure. The incisor microstructure of Eucricetodon shows that there are several parallel long-living lineages within the genus. The Anatolia-Balkans biogeography of the late Eocene-Oligocene is reviewed. Its rodent assemblages are characterised by dominance of murids and presence of taxa that are known from low-latitude Asia. The Paleogene Anatolia-Balkans biogeographic province, is therefore rather different from those of western European and the Indian subcontinent.
Intersecting Inequalities in Access to Justice for Trans and Non-binary Sex Workers in Canada
Authors: Scheim Ayden I. , Santos Heather , Ciavarella Sophia , Vermilion Jelena , Arps Freddie S. E. , Adams Noah , Nation Kelendria , Bauer Greta R.
Published: February 2023

Introduction

In the context of renewed debate about Canada’s “end demand” sex work laws, we took an intersectional approach to characterize experiences with the criminal legal system and perceived access to justice among transgender (trans) and nonbinary sex workers in Canada.

Methods

The Trans PULSE Canada community-based study collected multimode survey data in fall 2019. Data were cross-stratified by lifetime sex work and sex assigned at birth, ethnoracial group, or household income. Age adjustment did not meaningfully impact results.

Results

Of 2012 included participants (median age = 30, 66.5% assigned female at birth, 48.9% non-binary), 280 (16.1%) had ever done sex work. While access to justice was limited for trans and non-binary people overall, sex workers were more likely to anticipate (72.1% vs. 50.5%) and experience (43.2% vs. 15.7%) police mistreatment. In the previous 5 years, sex workers were more likely to experience violence for any reason (61.4% vs. 27.4% of other participants) or due to being trans or non-binary (41.4% vs. 14.0%), and to have avoided calling 911 for police (51.4% vs. 18.1%). Few sex workers trusted that they would be treated fairly by police if they experienced physical (10.8% vs. 34.9%) or sexual (4.7% vs. 20.6%) violence. Intersectional inequalities included that sex workers assigned male at birth and street-based workers were most likely to have experienced gender-based violence, and that Indigenous and racialized sex workers reported higher levels of police mistreatment and 911 avoidance.

Conclusions

Overall, trans and non-binary people in Canada reported high levels of violence and limited access to justice. Sex workers faced large inequities in these outcomes, which were exacerbated for transfeminine, Indigenous, racialized, and street-based workers.

Policy Implications

These findings challenge the notion that Canadian sex work laws protect sex workers and highlight the limitations of formal legal protections for trans people. These inequities must be addressed in sex work legal reform efforts.
Personal GHG emissions accounting and the driving forces decomposition in the past 10 years
Authors: Zhou Yuxiao , Li Jiyang , Cui Jicui , Wang Hui , Wang Chuan , Zhang Ruina , Zhu Ying , Zhu Nanwen , Lou Ziyang
Published: February 2023

Personal greenhouse gas (PGHG) emissions were crucial for achieving carbon peak and neutrality targets. The accounting methodology and driving forces identification of PGHG emissions were helpful for the quantification and the reduction of the PGHG emissions. In this study, the methodology of PGHG emissions was developed from resource obtaining to waste disposal, and the variations of Shanghainese PGHG emissions from 2010 to 2020 were evaluated, with the driving forces analysis based on Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model. It showed that the emissions decreased from 3796.05 (2010) to 3046.87 kg carbon dioxides (CO2) (2014) and then increased to 3411.35 kg CO2 (2018). The emissions from consumptions accounted for around 62.1% of the total emissions, and that from waste disposal were around 3.1%, which were neglected in most previous studies. The PGHG emissions decreased by around 0.53 kg CO2 (2019) and 405.86 kg CO2 (2020) compared to 2018 and 2019, respectively, which were mainly affected by the waste forced source separation policy and the COVID-19 pandemic. The income level and consumption GHG intensity were two key factors influencing the contractively of GHG emissions from consumption, with the contributing rate of 169.3% and − 188.1%, respectively. Energy consumption was the main factor contributing to the growth of the direct GHG emissions (296.4%), and the energy GHG emission factor was the main factor in suppressing it (− 92.2%). Green consumption, low carbon lifestyles, green levy programs, and energy structure optimization were suggested to reduce the PGHG emissions.
Multi-step semi-analytical solutions for a chikungunya virus system
Authors: Chamekh Mourad , Latrach Mohamed Ali , Jday Fadel
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we propose a semi-analytical solution for a dynamical system of differential equations describing Chikungunya virus propagation within the human population. For this, we propose an efficient method based on a modified differential method which can be useful for dynamical systems. At the numerical level, we compared the obtained solutions with Runge–Kutta 4 solutions, and we propose a study on the effect of this disease during an epidemic.
Retrospective analysis of COVID-19 patients developing otherwise rare complications
Authors: Stepanek Kevin , Chitagi Pritha
Published: February 2023

Background

Over the last 2 years, it has been felt that there was a disproportionate incidence of complications including pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and renal disease necessitating dialysis in patients with COVID-19 as compared to patients without COVID-19.

Methods

In a retrospective cohort, all patients were admitted to St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan, between March 2020 and November 2021. The data collected included age, sex, BMI, length of stay, COVID-19 PCR result, diagnosis of pneumothorax, diagnosis of pneumomediastinum, diagnosis of renal failure, orders for dialysis, and orders for mechanical ventilation.

Results

Nine thousand five hundred twenty-two patients are included in this study, with 35.6% (3,392 patients) COVID-19 suspected or confirmed positive and 64.4% (6130 patients) confirmed COVID-19 negative. There were 29 cases of pneumomediastinum and 24 cases of pneumothorax, none of which occurred in intubated patients. The incidence of pneumomediastinum (p = 0.001), CODE BLUE (p = 0.01), and mechanical ventilation (p = 0.001) was significantly higher in the COVID-19 positive/suspected group. There was no significant difference in incidence of pneumothorax (p = 0.294). The incidence of dialysis was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in the COVID-19 negative group.

Conclusions

In review of prior literature and proposed mechanisms, we believe that it was possibly the damage that SARS-CoV-2 inflicts upon lung parenchyma that led to the increased incidence of pneumomediastinum. Given our mixed findings of incidences of pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and dialysis, our hope is to remain vigilant to uncover further disease associations and/or complications as more COVID-19 case data becomes available.