bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motivational traits: An objective behavioral test using a computer game
Authors: Fernández-Avilés Daniel , de Antonio Angélica , Villalba-Mora Elena
Published: October 2022

An objective behavioral test for motivational traits has been developed taking as a reference the structure of the Motivational Trait Questionnaire, which is a validated self-report questionnaire to measure motivational traits in the population. The objective test consists of a computer game, which makes it possible to evaluate a person’s motivational traits and to display them on the same scale as the Motivational Trait Questionnaire. To evaluate the validity of the results obtained in the measurement of motivational traits using the objective behavioral test, a study was carried out with 31 participants whose motivational traits were evaluated using the two methods, and the results obtained were compared to find out whether the two forms of assessment can be considered equivalent. Statistical tests support the high degree of similarity of the results, concluding that the objective behavioral test can be a useful instrument to assess motivational traits as an alternative to the self-report questionnaire. Despite the increasing popularity of game-based assessment of personality traits, this is the first time a game has been designed for the assessment of motivational traits. Being able to obtain a model of the user’s motivational traits without having to rely on a questionnaire opens the possibility to build software applications that adapt to the user’s motivational profile, providing them with the kind of motivational support that best fits their needs.
Spatial stimuli in films: Uncovering the relationship between cognitive emotion and perceived environmental quality
Authors: Sakhaei Hamidreza , Biloria Nimish , Azizmohammad Looha Mehdi
Published: October 2022

Objectives

The research paper establishes the impact of spatial stimulus on human cognition and emotion by studying environmental events as cues to understand how people perceive spatial qualities. The medium of film to implement visually disruptive events was used in the research to find the relationship between the subjective evaluation of space and emotional responses.

Method

Ninety participants participated in watching three films showcasing unexpected spatial stimuli, thus impacting their psychological state. Standard questionnaires involving Aesthetic chills and The Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) model were used to capture emotional responses, and Normalized Accumulated Quality (NAQ) model was used to receive space quality assessments. The Pearson correlation coefficient was subsequently used to find the association of chills and The SAM with NAQ. Univariate and multivariate regression models were also conducted to find the impact of emotional responses on NAQ.

Results

A significant association of NAQ with chills (p-value: 0.001), pleasure (p-value <0.001), arousal (p-value: 0.016), and dominance (p-value: 0.015) was witnessed in film 1. In film 2, NAQ was significantly associated with pleasure (p-value <0.001), while in film 3, NAQ was highly associated with arousal (p-value: 0.043). According to the adjusted impact of variables on NAQ in film 1, significant impacts of chills (p-value: 0.028), arousal (p-value: 0.117), pleasure (p-value <0.001), and dominance (p-value: 0.113) on NAQ were observed. In film 2, pleasure (p-value <0.001) and dominance (p-value: 0.113) impacted NAQ using the univariate model, while only pleasure had an impact on NAQ in the multivariate model. In film 3, arousal was the only variable to impact NAQ (p-value: 0.043) in a univariate model. In regression analyses, higher slopes were witnessed for models in film 1.

Conclusion

The experiment highlighted that using affect-based video clips can help us capture the relationship between emotional responses and perceived quality of space. The appearance of spatial stimuli can engage learning, expectation, and attention, leading to a superior improvement of cognitive ability and mental health in space. This level of understanding can help design a more sustainable place.
Are owners chalk and cheese in the context of dividend smoothing asymmetry?
Authors: Ali Zahid , Hanming Yang , Zhongxin Wu , Ali Shuaib
Published: October 2022

The study analyzes the impact of ownership structure on dividend smoothing via the lens of agency and information asymmetry theory. The study also investigates the impact of ownership on dividend smoothing in the unexamined asymmetric context Dividend smoothing is measured via speed of adjustment and relative volatility. The study documents that higher individual, management, and institutional ownerships are positively associated with increased dividend smoothing. Consistent with the rental hypothesis in foreign-owned firms smooth less also concentrated firms bear with cuts and omissions. Foreign ownership has the opposite impact on dividend smoothing in adjusting dividends from below and above i.e., always prefer high dividends. Individual ownership has also exhibited a different impact in smoothing from below and above. Institutional owners avoid cuts and omissions and negatively affect SOA (smooth more) in case of adjusting dividends from above. Ownership concentration is negatively associated with dividend smoothing irrespective of whether the firm is smoothing from above or below. In contrast, management ownership negatively affected SOA in adjusting from above or below. Family firms in Pakistan smooth more to win minor shareholders' trust and signal that they sacrifice their private benefits to reduce the type II agency problem. Finally, the authors found a negative association between dividend smoothing and corporate governance quality. Over all the findings of the current study provides insight to the investors and regulators by offering dividend smoothing as an alternative monitoring mechanism to corporate governance.
RETRACTED: Empirical analysis of the impact of China–Japan–South Korea transportation infrastructure investment on environmental degradation and the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis
Authors: Lu Hongbo , Liu Yuanhao , Ali Arshad , Tian Rongzhi , Chen Yuanchun , Luo Yuanwei
Published: October 2022

Building sustainable and affordable transport systems is a key issue for social development and sustainable urban expansion. The study used dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) to examine the impact of transport infrastructure investment on environmental degradation in China, Japan, and South Korea over the period 1995–2020 and the validity of the EKC hypothesis. The results show that GDP has a significant positive effect, and GDP2 and GDP3 have significant adverse effects on environmental degradation, respectively. These results confirm the validity of the inverted U shaped EKC hypothesis in selected Asian countries. Road infrastructure investment has a significant positive effect, while railway infrastructure investment has a significant adverse effect on environmental degradation. Air infrastructure investment and trade opening have a progressive and statistically significant impact on environmental pollution. Modern rail systems that run on electricity are considered less polluting, so the share of rail infrastructure investment in the transport mix can help build sustainable and safe transport systems at the city Centre and intercity levels and reduce emissions in Asian countries. Moreover, strict enforcement of the prevailing environmental conditions of trade agreements should be encouraged to reduce the increasing impact of free trade on environmental pollution.
Theory of mind in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review
Authors: Morellini Lucia , Izzo Alessia , Ceroni Martino , Rossi Stefania , Zerboni Giorgia , Rege-Colet Laura , Biglia Elena , Sacco Leonardo
Published: October 2022

The focus of this systematic review was to collect and align studies which analyze the functionality of theory of mind (TOM) in patients with mild cognitive impairments (MCI). Specifically, we identified 20 papers published between 2012 and 2022 which met inclusion criteria. Papers search, selection, and extraction followed the PRISMA guidelines. In order to summarize data from the papers, we used a narrative synthesis approach. Results in 18 of these 20 papers show that theory of mind (TOM) is impaired in all types of MCI patients—regardless of different etiology and diagnostic criteria. Only 2 out of 20 reported no significant differences in TOM performance between MCI patients and healthy control subjects. The review additionally aimed to bundle the variety of the type of tasks used by the author to assess multiple domains of TOM. This heterogeneity does not allow us to make a comprehensive comparison between the results, so we suggest the need to align the results using the same type of tests and TOM assessment. In the end, our work highlights the 2 neuropsychological studies which confirm more of our results; due to the objective approach adopted to investigate this topic, we suggest exploring this point of view more in future research.
The influence of big data analytic capabilities building and education on business model innovation
Authors: Cui Yong , Firdousi Saba Fazal , Afzal Ayesha , Awais Minahil , Akram Zubair
Published: October 2022

As organizations are benefiting from investments in big data analytics capabilities building and education, our study has analyzed the impact of big data analytics capabilities building and education on business model innovation. It has also assessed technological orientation and employee creativity as mediating and moderating variables. Questionnaire data from 499 managers at enterprises in Jiangsu, China have been analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SmartPLS. Big data analytics capabilities building and education strengthen technological orientation and increase business model innovation. Technology orientation increases business model innovation and plays a mediating role. Employee creativity also boosts innovation. These findings show that business managers should adopt and promote a technological orientation. They should hire and train employees with big data education and training. Organizations can try to select and support employees who show creativity.
Toward biophysical markers of depression vulnerability
Authors: Pinotsis D. A. , Fitzgerald S. , See C. , Sementsova A. , Widge A. S.
Published: October 2022

A major difficulty with treating psychiatric disorders is their heterogeneity: different neural causes can lead to the same phenotype. To address this, we propose describing the underlying pathophysiology in terms of interpretable, biophysical parameters of a neural model derived from the electroencephalogram. We analyzed data from a small patient cohort of patients with depression and controls. Using DCM, we constructed biophysical models that describe neural dynamics in a cortical network activated during a task that is used to assess depression state. We show that biophysical model parameters are biomarkers, that is, variables that allow subtyping of depression at a biological level. They yield a low dimensional, interpretable feature space that allowed description of differences between individual patients with depressive symptoms. They could capture internal heterogeneity/variance of depression state and achieve significantly better classification than commonly used EEG features. Our work is a proof of concept that a combination of biophysical models and machine learning may outperform earlier approaches based on classical statistics and raw brain data.
Applying network analysis to understand the relationships between impulsivity and social media addiction and between impulsivity and problematic smartphone use
Authors: Guo Zhihua , Liang Shuyi , Ren Lei , Yang Tianqi , Qiu Rui , He Yang , Zhu Xia
Published: October 2022

Background

Prior studies have revealed the relationships between impulsivity and social media addiction (SMA) and between impulsivity and problematic smartphone use (PSU) based on total scores on standardized self-report scales. However, there has been a lack of studies exploring how the dimensions of impulsivity and components of SMA or PSU are interrelated. The present study aimed to investigate the structural relationships between the dimensions of impulsivity and components of SMA and PSU and determine the critical bridge node using network analysis.

Methods

A total of 325 healthy adults aged 18–36 years participated in the study. SMA and PSU were assessed using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS), respectively. Impulsivity was measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11). Network analysis was used to construct an SMA-Impulsivity network and a PSU-Impulsivity network. Bridge centrality (bridge expected influence, BEI) was estimated to identify influential bridge nodes.

Results

In addition to relationships within each community, network analysis revealed that the dimensions of impulsivity were closely associated with the components of SMA and PSU. Particularly, I2 “motor impulsivity” had a relatively strong connection with SMA3 “mood modification” and SMA4 “relapse” in the SMA-Impulsivity network, and with PSU2 “conflict” and PSU5 “withdrawal” in the PSU-Impulsivity network. Moreover, I2 “motor impulsivity” was identified as the most critical bridge node in both networks.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate potential pathways between different dimensions of impulsivity and the components of SMA and PSU, providing new evidence relevant to understanding the underlying mechanisms that account for how highly impulsive individuals develop SMA and PSU, and highlight the critical bridge node—motor impulsivity—that may be a promising and effective target for the prevention and treatment of SMA and PSU.
Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic consumption: A systematic review comparing 2019 and 2020 data
Authors: Fukushige Mizuho , Ngo Nhat-Hoang , Lukmanto Donny , Fukuda Shinichi , Ohneda Osamu
Published: October 2022

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced antibiotic consumption over a long period, with variability in trends among studies. We conducted this systematic review to explore and compare the effect of the pandemic on overall and individual antibiotic consumption in 2020 with that in 2019.

Methods

This systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. Data on antibiotic consumption in Japan was sourced from the Japan Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption.

Results

A total of 1,442 articles and reports were screened, and 16 eligible articles were reviewed. The included studies were conducted in Jordan, Australia, Canada, UK, Japan, Brazil, India, China, and the EU. There was no study from African and Southeast Asian Countries. Overall, antibiotic consumption in the community consistently reduced in 2020. Studies from Australia, Canada, Portugal, Spain, the UK, Japan, and the European Union reported both decreases in overall and selected individual antibiotics consumption. In contrast, hospital-based studies reported both increases and decreases. Hospital-based studies in Lebanon, Spain, Italy, India, and the UK reported an increase in antibiotic consumption in 2020. Studies reporting an interruption of antibiotic stewardship programs during the pandemic also reported increases in antibiotic consumption for hospitalized patients in 2020 compared with that in 2019.

Conclusion

Our results showed a different trend between communities and hospitals in antibiotic consumption during 2020 compared to 2019. The continuity of the antibiotic stewardship program might have influenced the antibiotic consumption trend variability among hospitals in 2020. Alongside this, the lack of information on antibiotic consumption from low-income countries and limited reports from middle-income countries revealed gaps that need to be urgently filled.
A general health promotion approach to helping smokers with non-communicable diseases quit smoking: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Li William Ho Cheung , Ho Laurie Long Kwan , Cheung Ankie Tan , Wong Man Ping , Cheung Derek Yee Tak , Xia Wei , Lam Tai Hing
Published: October 2022

Background

Despite evidence showing that continued smoking in patients with non-communicable diseases can reduce treatment efficacy and increase the risk of disease progression and multimorbidity, many smoker patients either have no intention to quit or have had failed attempts at quitting.

Objective

To examine the feasibility of a general health promotion approach that uses instant messaging to deliver brief motivational interviewing to help smokers with non-communicable diseases quit smoking.

Methods

In total, 60 participants who had medical follow-up in a special out-patient clinic were randomized into two groups, 30 in the intervention group received brief motivational interviewing to assist them with their chosen behavioral changes, and 30 in the control group received only a smoking cessation booklet. The outcome measures included self-reported 7-day point prevalence of smoking abstinence and any behavioral change reported by the participants at 6 and 12 months. Biochemical validation was performed for those who verbally reported a 7-day point prevalence of smoking abstinence at 12 months.

Results

The majority (95%) of smokers who attended the out-patient clinic owned a smartphone. The response rate was 73.2%. Retention rates at 6-month and 12-month follow-up were 83.3 and 71.7%, respectively. The process evaluation indicated that participants were satisfied with the content of the brief MI messages and appreciated the use of instant messaging as a way to provide them with professional advice and support for managing their health-related lifestyles. The intervention group had a higher biochemically validated abstinence rate than the control group at 12 months (16.7 vs. 6.7 P = 0.23) although the difference was not statistically significant (Adjusted odd ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval, 0.43–13.75; P = 0.32.), In addition, the proportion of participants reporting a behavioral change was higher in the intervention group at 6 and 12 months.

Conclusion

This study suggested the potential efficacy and feasibility of a general health promotion approach that uses instant messaging to deliver brief motivational interviewing to help smokers with non-communicable diseases quit smoking. The findings can be used to create a new smoking cessation service model that implements a flexible, proactive and personalized approach to help smokers quit smoking.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03983330.
Tobacco industry messaging around harm: Narrative framing in PMI and BAT press releases and annual reports 2011 to 2021
Authors: Fitzpatrick Iona , Dance Sarah , Silver Karin , Violini Marzia , Hird Thomas R.
Published: October 2022

Influencing public perception is a key way in which all transnational corporations (TNCs) maintain market dominance and political power. Transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) have a long history of leveraging narratives to serve commercial ambitions. The global reach of these companies' narratives has been highlighted as a challenge in combatting public health problems caused by tobacco. The corporate power of TTCs is carefully curated, and their narratives play an important role in the setting of governance dynamics at local, national and transnational levels. This qualitative work explores and compares the language used by British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) around harm, harm reduction and terms used to refer to newer nicotine and tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products. We systematically examine framings used by these two TTCs through company reports published between 2011 and 2021. Qualitative coding was carried out by four coders, according to a protocol developed specifically for this work. We firstly identified the presence of pre-selected keywords and then assigned chunks of text containing those key words to one or more associated frames drawn from Boydstun's policy frames codebook (2013). Qualitative coding identified the most common frames from Boydstun's codebook and thematic analysis highlighted three overarching themes. The most common frames assigned were “capacity and resources”, “health and safety” and “economic” frames. The overarching themes were individualization, normalization, and regulation. These themes capture how both BAT and PMI use particular framings to downplay the role of TTCs in the perpetuation of population- and individual-level harms related to tobacco use. They seek to normalize their role in public discussions of health policy, to cast themselves as instrumental in the redress of tobacco-related inequalities and shift responsibility for the continuation of tobacco-product use onto individual consumers. These tactics are problematic for the effective and impartial development and implementation of local, national and international tobacco control agendas.
Impact of climate change on wood and woodworkers—Cryptostroma corticale (sooty bark disease): A risk factor for trees and exposed employees
Authors: Kespohl Sabine , Riebesehl Janett , Grüner Jörg , Raulf Monika
Published: October 2022

Climate changes have promoted an increased fungal infection of maple trees with Cryptostroma corticale, the causative agent of sooty bark disease. The hosts of C. corticale are maples, and since the early 2000s the fungus has been appearing more frequently in European forests, due to the droughts and hot summers of recent years. Infestation by C. corticale discolors the wood and makes it unusable for further processing, which leads to considerable economic damage in the timber industry. Therefore, the occurrence and spread of sooty bark disease raise serious problems. In addition to forestry and economic problems, the conidiospores of C. corticale can also cause health problems in exposed wood workers and they can trigger hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). Since the spores, which are deposited over the entire area under the bark of infected trees, can spread during processing, exposed workers must take special precautions to protect themselves against exposure. If an occupational disease is nevertheless suspected following exposure to C. corticale, valid diagnostics are required to confirm possible HP and derive appropriate therapies and exposure reduction or avoidance. Diagnosis of HP is based on several criteria, one of them is the detection of specific IgG in patient's serum against the potentially triggering antigens, in this case C. corticale antigens. To produce a diagnostic tool to measure C. corticale specific IgG, which is not commercially available so far, spores and mycelial material from ITS-sequenced strains of C. corticale was prepared and analyzed. These biochemically characterized extracts of spore and mycelial antigens were biotinylated and coupled to Streptavidin-ImmunoCAPs. To validate these diagnostic test tools the first step is to measure the concentration of C. corticale specific IgG in sera of healthy non-exposed and healthy exposed subjects to establish cut-off values. Suitable participants were recruited and the individual exposure to C. corticale and symptoms experienced during or after working with infected maple trees were recorded using questionnaires. Finally, diagnostic tools for serological testing in suspected cases of HP by C. corticale were created and evaluated. The following article provides recommendations for the treatment and disposal of infected damaged wood and for occupational health protection procedures. Secondly, the diagnosis of HP induced by exposure to C. corticale as an occupational disease is described including the verification of newly developed serological test tools for antigens of C. corticale.
Meta-analysis of public health risks of lead accumulation in wastewater, irrigated soil, and crops nexus
Authors: Ali Adane Sirage , Bayih Argaw Ambelu , Gari Sirak Robele
Published: October 2022

Lead (Pb) from different sources accumulate in the irrigation water, irrigated soil and in different parts of plants. Reports show contradictory findings and high variability of lead accumulation and associated public health risks. We hypothesized that lead accumulation in irrigation water, soil and edible plants is high enough to be a public health risk. By using the standard procedures for meta-analysis, 24 studies were qualified. The studies included in the meta-analysis are concentrated in few countries with strong authors' key words co-occurrence relationship. The mean concentration of Pb in the irrigation wastewater ranged from 0.0196 ± 0.01 mg/l to 52.4 ± 0.02 mg/l in wastewater and about 50% of the values are beyond the limits for irrigation water standard. The study also showed that the concentration of Pb in the irrigated soil vary significantly from a minimum of 0.04 ± 2.3 mg/l in Ethiopia to a maximum of 441 ± 19.8 mg/l in Iran (P < 0.01). Based on effect size analysis, the weight of the studies ranged from 0.1 to 5.4% indicating that the studies' contribution to the overall effect is barely different. The heterogeneity test statistics also indicates considerable variability between the studies (I2 = 98%, P-value < 0.001). The subgroup analysis showed large between-studies heterogeneity in both groups (Tau2 = 28.64; T2 = 98%). A total of 44 crops were studied, of which 38 were leafy and non-leafy vegetables. Most popular crops including spinach, cabbage and lettuce are most frequently studied crops. In all crops, the Pb level in crops produced by using untreated wastewater are beyond the WHO limit for edibility. In all of the studies, the pollution load index (PLI) and soil accumulation factor (SAF) is much higher indicating that there is a buildup of Pb concentration in wastewater irrigated soil. The plant concentration factor (PCF) calculated shows the high Pb accumulation potential of the edible parts of the crops. The health risk index (HRI) calculated shows that in all of the studied crops from India, Iraq, Morocco and Egypt are much higher than one indicating the high health risk of consumption.
Resource mobilization for tetanus vaccination in Vietnam: Uptake, demand and willingness to pay among women of reproductive age
Authors: Nguyen Thang Huu , Le Xuan Thi Thanh , Nguyen Long Hoang , Le Huong Thi , Do Toan Thanh Thi , Nguyen Huong Lan Thi , Nguyen Hien Thu , Latkin Carl A. , Ho Cyrus S. H. , Ho Roger C. M.
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Tetanus vaccine coverage in Vietnam has been declining in recent years due to a rapid population growth rate, shrinking budget, and inefficient resource mobilization strategy. This study examined the uptake, demand, and willingness to pay (WTP) for tetanus vaccines in Vietnamese women of reproductive age as well as determined associated factors and assessed the feasibility of the long-term tetanus vaccine resource mobilization scheme.

Methods

Cross-sectional data were obtained on 807 women of childbearing age in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2016. Tetanus vaccine uptake, demand, and willingness to pay were collected by using a structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic and interval regression models were used to examine associated factors with vaccine uptake, demand, and WTP.

Results

Of 807 participants, 42.4 and 64.8% had sufficient tetanus vaccination (i.e., received at least three doses of vaccine) and were willing to pay for tetanus vaccination. The mean amount of WTP for one dose of tetanus was US$ 7.3 (95% CI = 6.7–7.9). Having children or being aware that the tetanus vaccine was free-of-charge were negatively associated with WTP for tetanus vaccine. Having a high school education, living in a rural area, and not being aware of vaccine prices or being aware that vaccines were provided freely reduced the amount of WTP. WTP increased among women receiving information from friends and relatives.

Conclusion

Despite of exemption from the tetanus vaccination programs, this study indicated a low tetanus vaccination coverage and a moderate degree of WTP for tetanus vaccine among Vietnamese women of childbearing age. Target-specific educational and financial support interventions, along with efforts to reduce vaccination costs are critical to improving the vaccine uptake, demand, and WTP for tetanus immunization among women.
The mediation path of physical multimorbidity on the vulnerability to health-related poverty of rural aging families in Ningxia, China: A cross-sectional survey
Authors: Guo Wenqin , Du Jiancai , Chen Kexin , Wang Wenlong , Gao Baokai , Hu Zhaoyan , Qiao Hui
Published: October 2022

Background

Vulnerability to health-related poverty can predict the probability of families falling into poverty due to health risk impact. In this study, we measured the vulnerability to health-related poverty and examined the mediation path of physical multimorbidity on the vulnerability to health-related poverty of rural aging families in Ningxia, China.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ningxia, China, in February 2019. A multi-stage stratified cluster-randomized design was used to obtain a representative sample in each county. We included participants aged 60 years and older, who had lived there for more than 1 year. A total of 3,653 rural residents older than 60 years old were selected as the research subjects. The three-stage generalized least square method was used to calculate the expected vulnerability to poverty. We used mediating effect model to test the mediation path of poverty vulnerability related to the physical multimorbidity.

Results

Under different poverty line standards, i.e., $1.9/day as low vs. $3.1/day as the high poverty line, the proportion of families that could fall into poverty in the future was 5.3 and 53.7%, respectively. The prevalence of chronic diseases and physical multimorbidity among rural residents >60 years old was 64.62 and 21.24%, respectively. The results of mediating effect test showed that self-rated health status (indirect effect a × b = −0.0052), non-agricultural employment (a × b= −0.0046), household cattle production (a × b = 0.0004), housing type (a × b = −0.0008), gift expenses (a × b = 0.0006) and loan for illness (a × b = 0.0034) were the mediation paths of poverty vulnerability related to the physical multimorbidity.

Conclusions

Concerted efforts are needed to reduce poverty vulnerability related to the physical multimorbidity. The strategy of alleviating poverty should emphasis on promoting non-agricultural employment of vulnerable groups sustainability and developing rural economy, which are important paths to reduce family's vulnerability to health-related poverty.
First insights in perception of feet and lower-body stimuli for proximity and collision feedback in 3D user interfaces
Authors: Kruijff Ernst , Riecke Bernhard E. , Trepkowski Christina , Lindeman Robert W.
Published: October 2022

The visual and auditory quality of computer-mediated stimuli for virtual and extended reality (VR/XR) is rapidly improving. Still, it remains challenging to provide a fully embodied sensation and awareness of objects surrounding, approaching, or touching us in a 3D environment, though it can greatly aid task performance in a 3D user interface. For example, feedback can provide warning signals for potential collisions (e.g., bumping into an obstacle while navigating) or pinpointing areas where one’s attention should be directed to (e.g., points of interest or danger). These events inform our motor behaviour and are often associated with perception mechanisms associated with our so-called peripersonal and extrapersonal space models that relate our body to object distance, direction, and contact point/impact. We will discuss these references spaces to explain the role of different cues in our motor action responses that underlie 3D interaction tasks. However, providing proximity and collision cues can be challenging. Various full-body vibration systems have been developed that stimulate body parts other than the hands, but can have limitations in their applicability and feasibility due to their cost and effort to operate, as well as hygienic considerations associated with e.g., Covid-19. Informed by results of a prior study using low-frequencies for collision feedback, in this paper we look at an unobtrusive way to provide spatial, proximal and collision cues. Specifically, we assess the potential of foot sole stimulation to provide cues about object direction and relative distance, as well as collision direction and force of impact. Results indicate that in particular vibration-based stimuli could be useful within the frame of peripersonal and extrapersonal space perception that support 3DUI tasks. Current results favor the feedback combination of continuous vibrotactor cues for proximity, and bass-shaker cues for body collision. Results show that users could rather easily judge the different cues at a reasonably high granularity. This granularity may be sufficient to support common navigation tasks in a 3DUI.
Polar Amplification: Stronger Warming in the Arctic and Antarctic
Authors: Gorodetskaya Irina , Lauer Melanie , Kiszler Theresa
Published: October 2022

During the past several decades, our planet has warmed because people have added a lot of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The warming in the polar regions (the Arctic, and parts of the Antarctic) has been much higher than in the rest of the world. Melting of snow and ice, disappearing glaciers, and rising global sea levels are evidence of the strong warming occurring in the polar regions. Various measurement techniques are used to discover how much the temperature, as well as sea ice and snow cover, have changed in the polar regions. In this article, you will learn how shrinking ice and snow, increasing clouds, and thinner ice help to warm the polar regions much more than other regions of the world.
The PI launchpad: Expanding the base of potential principal investigators across space sciences
Authors: Hamden Erika , New Michael H. , Pugel D.E. (Betsy) , Liemohn Michael , Wessen Randii , Quinn Richard , Propster Paul , Petree Kirsten , Gertsen Ellen M. , Evans Paula , Salazar Nicole Cabrera
Published: October 2022

The PI Launchpad attempts to provide an entry level explanation of the process of space mission development for new Principal Investigators (PIs). In particular, PI launchpad has a focus on building teams, making partnerships, and science concept maturity for a space mission concept, not necessarily technical or engineering practices. Here we briefly summarize the goals of the PI Launchpad workshops and present some results from the workshops held in 2019 and 2021. The workshop attempts to describe the current process of space mission development (i.e. space-based telescopes and instrument platforms, planetary missions of all types, etc.), covering a wide range of topics that a new PI may need to successfully develop a team and write a proposal. It is not designed to replace real experience but to provide an easily accessible resource for potential PIs who seek to learn more about what it takes to submit a space mission proposal, and what the first steps to take can be. The PI Launchpad was created in response to the high barrier to entry for early career or any scientist who is unfamiliar with mission design. These barriers have been outlined in several recent papers and reports, and are called out in recent space science Decadal reports.
Case Report: Endovascular Treatment of Chronic Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Total Occlusions with Failed Medical Therapy
Authors: Li Pengyu , Niu Guochen , Yan Ziguang , Zhang Bihui , Yang Min
Published: October 2022

Background

Current guidelines generally no longer support revascularization for chronic renal artery occlusive diseases because results from randomized controlled trials favor medical therapy over angioplasty. However, increasing reports indicate that patients with renal artery occlusion (RAO) can benefit from revascularization under certain circumstances.

Case summary

Here, we present a patient with renal artery stenosis (RAS) who does not have refractory hypertension or fit any clinical trial inclusion criteria by far. Medical therapy failed to prevent the progression of RAS in this patient, leading to total occlusion of his right renal artery. This patient had progressive renal insufficiency but recovered renal function after endovascular treatment.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates that angioplasty can be beneficial in selected RAO patients, especially those with residual renal function and collateral perfusion.
Herbicide Options for the Management of Navua Sedge (Cyperus aromaticus) Plants Established through Seeds
Authors: Chauhan Bhagirath Singh , Mahajan Gulshan
Published: October 2022

Navua sedge is a difficult-to-control perennial sedge in north Australian farming systems, including fallow fields, pastures, and along roadsides and fencelines. A set of pot trials were conducted to evaluate the performance of different herbicides when used alone or in mixtures on different sizes of Navua sedge plants, and the performance of different adjuvant treatments on the rainfastness of halosulfuron-methyl. Glyphosate at 1080 g·ha−1, halosulforon-methyl at 49 g·ha−1, and paraquat at 600 g·ha−1 provided complete control of Navua sedge at the 6-leaf stage. Azimsulfuron at 20 g·ha−1 resulted in 18% and 39% survival of the 14 to 18 leaf stage and 60–70 leaf stage plants, respectively. Compared with the nontreated, this herbicide treatment suppressed plant biomass by 99.6% and 93%, respectively, and the surviving plants did not produce seed heads. A sole application of azimsulfuron, glyphosate, or halosulfuron-methyl was not effective on very large plants (140–150 leaf stage; 40–42 cm tall) of Navua sedge. However, a mixture of any two herbicides resulted in the complete control of Navua sedge. Compared with the currently used adjuvants at 0.5 to 1% concentrations, the use of non-ionic adjuvants at high concentrations (i.e., 2% ActivatorTM, HastenTM, and UptakeTM) improved the rainfastness of halosulfuron-methy when applied at 49 g·ha−1 on Navua sedge. This study identified effective herbicide treatments (e.g., azimsulfuron-based combinations) for the management of large plants of Navua sedge.
Food-Grade Cultivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from Potato Waste
Authors: Cui Na , Pozzobon Victor
Published: October 2022

Potato waste is generated in a high amount, stably over the year, by operators capable of recovering it. Currently, it is valorized as feed, bioethanol, or biogas. This work explores another avenue to increase the valorization of this waste: the production of yeast production to serve as fodder or single-cell protein. First, potatoes were deconstructed into fermentable sugars by acid hydrolysis using food-grade techniques. Then, after pH adjustment, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was inoculated, and cell growth was monitored. For optimization purposes, this procedure was led over a large range of temperature (90–120 °C) and operation time (30–120 min), for a 1/2 solid/liquid ratio. Response surfaces methodology allowed to achieve a maximum sugar release (44.4 g/L) for 99 min under 103 °C. Then, a numerical model combining biological performances and factory process planning was used to derive process productivity (the best compromise between sugar release and cell growth). Maximal productivity (82.8 gYeast/w/L in batch mode, 110 gYeast/w/L in fed-batch mode) was achieved for 103 min under 94 °C. Furthermore, the process’s robustness was confirmed by a sensibility analysis. Finally, as the proposed procedure preserves the food-grade quality of the substrate, the produced yeast can be used as food or feed.
Genetic Signature and Serocompatibility Evidence for Drug Resistant Campylobacter jejuni
Authors: Al-Khresieh Rozan O. , Al-Daghistani Hala I. , Abu-Romman Saeid M. , Abu-Niaaj Lubna F.
Published: October 2022

Campylobacteriosis, a foodborne illness, is one of the world′s leading causes of gastrointestinal illness. This study investigates the link between human campylobacteriosis and the consumption of potentially contaminated food with Campylobacter jejuni. Three hundred sixty samples were collected from humans, chicken cloaca, raw chicken meat, unpasteurized milk, and vegetables. The chickens were obtained from licensed and non-licensed slaughterhouses, and only the necks and wings were studied. Samples were enriched under microaerobic conditions then cultured on the modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar. Bacteria was identified by staining, biochemical testing, and molecular identification by the polymerase chain reaction for the virulence genes; hipO, asp, dnaJ, cadF, cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC. The genomic homogeneity of C. jejuni between human and chicken isolates was assessed by the serological Penner test and the pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Campylobacter was not detected in the vegetables and pasteurized milk, though, only twenty isolates from chickens and clinical samples were presumed to be Campylobacter based on their morphology. The biochemical tests confirmed that five isolates were C. coli, and fifteen isolates were C. jejuni including two isolates from humans, and the remaining were from chickens. The colonization of C. jejuni in chickens was significantly lower in necks (6.66%) obtained from licensed slaughterhouses compared to those obtained from non-licensed slaughterhouses (33.3%). The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that all identified C. jejuni isolates were resistant to antibiotics, and the majority of isolates (53.5%) showed resistance against six antibiotics, though, all isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and aztreonam. The Penner test showed P:21 as the dominant serotype in isolates from humans, necks, and cloaca. The serohomology of C. jejuni from human isolates and chicken necks, wings, and cloaca was 71%, 36%, 78%, respectively. The PFGE analysis of the pattern for DNA fragmentation by the restriction enzyme Smal showed a complete genotypic homology of C. jejuni human isolates and chicken necks compared to partial homology with cloacal isolates. The study brings attention to the need for effective interventions to ensure best practices for safe poultry production for commercial food chain supply to limit infection with foodborne pathogens, including Campylobacter.
Determinants of the Empiric Use of Antibiotics by General Practitioners in South Africa: Observational, Analytic, Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Guma Sinenhlanhla Pearl , Godman Brian , Campbell Stephen M. , Mahomed Ozayr
Published: October 2022

The overuse of antibiotics is the main driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, there has been limited surveillance data on AMR and antibiotic prescribing at a primary healthcare level in South Africa. An observational, analytic, cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess key factors associated with empiric antibiotic prescribing among private sector general practitioners (GPs) in the eThekwini district in South Africa, particularly for patients with acute respiratory infections (ARIs). A semi-structured web-based questionnaire was used between November 2020–March 2021. One hundred and sixteen (55.5%) responding GPs prescribed antibiotics empirically for patients with ARIs more than 70% of the time, primarily for symptom relief and the prevention of complications. GPs between the ages of 35–44 years (OR: 3.38; 95%CI: 1.15–9.88), >55 years (OR: 4.75; 95% CI 1.08–21) and in practice < 15 years (OR: 2.20; 95%CI: 1.08–4.51) were significantly more likely to prescribe antibiotics empirically. Three factors—workload/time pressures; diagnostic uncertainty, and the use of a formulary, were significantly associated with empiric prescribing. GPs with more experience and working alone were slightly less likely to prescribe antibiotics empirically. These findings indicate that a combination of environmental factors are important underlying contributors to the development of AMR. As a result, guide appropriate interventions using a health system approach, which includes pertinent prescribing indicators and targets.
Highly Sensitive Determination of Antibiotic Residues in Aquatic Products by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Ye Hongli , Li Siman , Xi Yinfeng , Shi Yongfu , Shang Xiaorui , Huang Dongmei
Published: October 2022

Antibiotic drug residues are crucial to ensure food safety and minimize risk to human health. Herein, a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of antibiotic residues (mainly amphenicols) consisting of chloramphenicol (CAP), thiamphenicol (TAP), florfenicol (FF), and florfenicol amine (FFA) in aquatic products. Amphenicols were well separated on a Kinetex F5 (100 mm × 3.0 mm, 2.6 µm) chromatographic column with the mobile phases of 1 mM ammonium acetate aqueous solution and methanol solution and measured after positive and negative electrospray ionizations using four internal standards. To our knowledge, it was the first time to report the good performance of F5 column and four internal standards for the determination of amphenicols. The established method featured a good linear relationship between chromatographic peak area ratios and the concentrations of amphenicols (R2 > 0.992), a wide and low detection matrix-based range of 0.01–5 μg/L, a low detection limit of 0.01 μg/kg, etc. The spiked assays evidenced the accuracy and reliability of the developed method with the recoveries between 84.0 and 105%, the intraday relative standard deviations (RSDs) over the range of 0.769–13.7%, and the interday RSDs over the range of 0.582–13.3%. Finally, the proposed method was applied to investigate amphenicol residues in various aquatic products, including fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, and other aquatic species.
Phytogenic Blend Improves Intestinal Health and Reduces Obesity, Diabetes, Cholesterol and Cancers: A Path toward Customised Supplementation
Authors: Yu Sung J. , Bajagai Yadav S. , Petranyi Friedrich , de las Heras-Saldana Sara , Van Thi Thu Hao , Stanley Dragana
Published: October 2022

Poultry production is among the most challenging industries for pathogen control. High animal density and abundance of faecal material demand strict biosecurity measures and continual vigilance in monitoring animal health parameters. Despite this vigilance, dealing with disease outbreaks is a part of farmers’ routines. Phytogenic feed additives comprised of herbs, spices, essential oils, and oleoresins have potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions. Related studies are gaining substantial interest in human and animal health worldwide. In this study, a commercial blend phytogenic feed additive was supplemented to layers in an industrial free-range production system with 20,000 birds in both control and treatment groups. At the end of the trial, the ileum tissue was sampled for RNAseq transcriptomic analysis to study the host reaction to the supplement. Phytogenic supplement significantly inhibited four cholesterol-related pathways and reduced the Arteriosclerosis disease category towards improved cardiovascular health. The supplemented birds exhibited reduced disease susceptibility for 26 cancer categories with p-values in the range from 5.23 × 10−4 to 1.02 × 10−25. Major metabolic shifts in Lipid metabolism in combination with Carbohydrate metabolism have resulted in a decrease in the Obesity category, altering the ratio of fat and carbohydrate metabolism toward lower fat storage.