bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the rheology of kaolinite clay suspensions using Bayesian inference
Authors: Ran Ranjiangshang , Pradeep Shravan , Kosgodagan Acharige Sébastien , Blackwell Brendan C. , Kammer Christoph , Jerolmack Douglas J. , Arratia Paulo E.
Published: November 2022

Mud is a suspension of fine-grained particles (sand, silt, and clay) in water. The interaction of clay minerals in mud gives rise to complex rheological behaviors, such as yield stress, thixotropy, and viscoelasticity. Here, we experimentally examine the flow behaviors of kaolinite clay suspensions, a model mud, using steady shear rheometry. The flow curves exhibit both yield stress and rheological hysteresis behaviors for various kaolinite volume fractions (ϕk). Further understanding of these behaviors requires fitting to existing constitutive models, which is challenging due to numerous fitting parameters. To this end, we employ a Bayesian inference method, Markov chain Monte Carlo, to fit the experimental flow curves to a microstructural viscoelastic model. The method allows us to estimate the rheological properties of the clay suspensions, such as viscosity, yield stress, and relaxation time scales. The comparison of the inherent relaxation time scales suggests that kaolinite clay suspensions are strongly viscoelastic and weakly thixotropic at relatively low ϕk, while being almost inelastic and purely thixotropic at high ϕk. Overall, our results provide a framework for predictive model fitting to elucidate the rheological behaviors of natural materials and other structured fluids.
Hippo signaling instructs ectopic but not normal organ growth
Authors: Kowalczyk W. , Romanelli L. , Atkins M. , Hillen H. , Bravo González-Blas C. , Jacobs J. , Xie J. , Soheily S. , Verboven E. , Moya I. M. , Verhulst S. , de Waegeneer M. , Sansores-Garcia L. , van Huffel L. , Johnson R. L. , van Grunsven L. A. , Aerts S. , Halder G.
Published: November 2022

The Hippo signaling pathway is widely considered a master regulator of organ growth because of the prominent overgrowth phenotypes caused by experimental manipulation of its activity. Contrary to this model, we show here that removing Hippo transcriptional output did not impair the ability of the mouse liver and
Drosophila
eyes to grow to their normal size. Moreover, the transcriptional activity of the Hippo pathway effectors Yap/Taz/Yki did not correlate with cell proliferation, and hyperactivation of these effectors induced gene expression programs that did not recapitulate normal development. Concordantly, a functional screen in
Drosophila
identified several Hippo pathway target genes that were required for ectopic overgrowth but not normal growth. Thus, Hippo signaling does not instruct normal growth, and the Hippo-induced overgrowth phenotypes are caused by the activation of abnormal genetic programs.
Aberrant hyperexpression of the RNA binding protein FMRP in tumors mediates immune evasion
Authors: Zeng Qiqun , Saghafinia Sadegh , Chryplewicz Agnieszka , Fournier Nadine , Christe Lucine , Xie Yu-Qing , Guillot Jeremy , Yucel Simge , Li Pumin , Galván José A. , Karamitopoulou Eva , Zlobec Inti , Ataca Dalya , Gallean Fleuriane , Zhang Peng , Rodriguez-Calero José Antonio , Rubin Mark , Tichet Mélanie , Homicsko Krisztian , Hanahan Douglas
Published: November 2022

Many human cancers manifest the capability to circumvent attack by the adaptive immune system. In this work, we identified a component of immune evasion that involves frequent up-regulation of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) in solid tumors. FMRP represses immune attack, as revealed by cancer cells engineered to lack its expression. FMRP-deficient tumors were infiltrated by activated T cells that impaired tumor growth and enhanced survival in mice. Mechanistically, FMRP’s immunosuppression was multifactorial, involving repression of the chemoattractant C-C motif chemokine ligand 7 (CCL7) concomitant with up-regulation of three immunomodulators—interleukin-33 (IL-33), tumor-secreted protein S (PROS1), and extracellular vesicles. Gene signatures associate FMRP’s cancer network with poor prognosis and response to therapy in cancer patients. Collectively, FMRP is implicated as a regulator that orchestrates a multifaceted barrier to antitumor immune responses.
Initializing film homogeneity to retard phase segregation for stable perovskite solar cells
Authors: Bai Yang , Huang Zijian , Zhang Xiao , Lu Jiuzhou , Niu Xiuxiu , He Ziwen , Zhu Cheng , Xiao Mengqi , Song Qizhen , Wei Xueyuan , Wang Chenyue , Cui Zhenhua , Dou Jing , Chen Yihua , Pei Fengtao , Zai Huachao , Wang Wei , Song Tinglu , An Pengfei , Zhang Jing , Dong Juncai , Li Yiming , Shi Jiangjian , Jin Haibo , Chen Pengwan , Sun Yuchao , Li Yujing , Chen Haining , Wei Zhongming , Zhou Huanping , Chen Qi
Published: November 2022

The mixtures of cations and anions used in hybrid halide perovskites for high-performance solar cells often undergo element and phase segregation, which limits device lifetime. We adapted Schelling’s model of segregation to study individual cation migration and found that the initial film inhomogeneity accelerates materials degradation. We fabricated perovskite films (FA

1–x

Cs

x

PbI
3
; where FA is formamidinium) through the addition of selenophene, which led to homogeneous cation distribution that retarded cation aggregation during materials processing and device operation. The resultant devices achieved enhanced efficiency and retained >91% of their initial efficiency after 3190 hours at the maximum power point under 1 sun illumination. We also observe prolonged operational lifetime in devices with initially homogeneous FACsPb(Br
0.13
I
0.87
)
3
absorbers.
Mechanical nanolattices printed using nanocluster-based photoresists
Authors: Li Qi , Kulikowski John , Doan David , Tertuliano Ottman A. , Zeman Charles J. , Wang Melody M. , Schatz George C. , Gu X. Wendy
Published: November 2022

Natural materials exhibit emergent mechanical properties as a result of their nanoarchitected, nanocomposite structures with optimized hierarchy, anisotropy, and nanoporosity. Fabrication of such complex systems is currently challenging because high-quality three-dimensional (3D) nanoprinting is mostly limited to simple, homogeneous materials. We report a strategy for the rapid nanoprinting of complex structural nanocomposites using metal nanoclusters. These ultrasmall, quantum-confined nanoclusters function as highly sensitive two-photon activators and simultaneously serve as precursors for mechanical reinforcements and nanoscale porogens. Nanocomposites with complex 3D architectures are printed, as well as structures with tunable, hierarchical, and anisotropic nanoporosity. Nanocluster-polymer nanolattices exhibit high specific strength, energy absorption, deformability, and recoverability. This framework provides a generalizable, versatile approach for the use of photoactive nanomaterials in additive manufacturing of complex systems with emergent mechanical properties.
Toward gallium oxide power electronics
Authors: Tadjer Marko J.
Published: November 2022

Ultrawide-bandgap semiconductors show promise for high-power transistors
Hydraulic flux–responsive hormone redistribution determines root branching
Authors: Mehra Poonam , Pandey Bipin K. , Melebari Dalia , Banda Jason , Leftley Nicola , Couvreur Valentin , Rowe James , Anfang Moran , De Gernier Hugues , Morris Emily , Sturrock Craig J. , Mooney Sacha J. , Swarup Ranjan , Faulkner Christine , Beeckman Tom , Bhalerao Rishikesh P. , Shani Eilon , Jones Alexander M. , Dodd Ian C. , Sharp Robert E. , Sadanandom Ari , Draye Xavier , Bennett Malcolm J.
Published: November 2022

Plant roots exhibit plasticity in their branching patterns to forage efficiently for heterogeneously distributed resources, such as soil water. The xerobranching response represses lateral root formation when roots lose contact with water. Here, we show that xerobranching is regulated by radial movement of the phloem-derived hormone abscisic acid, which disrupts intercellular communication between inner and outer cell layers through plasmodesmata. Closure of these intercellular pores disrupts the inward movement of the hormone signal auxin, blocking lateral root branching. Once root tips regain contact with moisture, the abscisic acid response rapidly attenuates. Our study reveals how roots adapt their branching pattern to heterogeneous soil water conditions by linking changes in hydraulic flux with dynamic hormone redistribution.
Defining the onset of the Anthropocene
Authors: Waters Colin N. , Turner Simon D.
Published: November 2022

Twelve sites are considered for defining the Anthropocene geological epoch
Toward attojoule switching energy in logic transistors
Authors: Datta Suman , Chakraborty Wriddhi , Radosavljevic Marko
Published: November 2022

Advances in the theory of semiconductors in the 1930s in addition to the purification of germanium and silicon crystals in the 1940s enabled the point-contact junction transistor in 1947 and initiated the era of semiconductor electronics. Gordon Moore postulated 18 years later that the number of components in an integrated circuit would double every 1 to 2 years with associated reductions in cost per transistor. Transistor density doubling through scaling—the decrease of component sizes—with each new process node continues today, albeit at a slower pace compared with historical rates of scaling. Transistor scaling has resulted in exponential gain in performance and energy efficiency of integrated circuits, which transformed computing from mainframes to personal computers and from mobile computing to cloud computing. Innovations in new materials, transistor structures, and lithographic technologies will enable further scaling. Monolithic 3D integration, design technology co-optimization, alternative switching mechanisms, and cryogenic operation could enable further transistor scaling and improved energy efficiency in the foreseeable future.
Synergy of the Two Alginate Lyase Domains of a Novel Alginate Lyase from
Vibrio
sp. NC2 in Alginate Degradation
Authors: Wang Xiao-Han , Sun Xiao-Hui , Chen Xiu-Lan , Li Ping-Yi , Qin Qi-Long , Zhang Yu-Qiang , Xu Fei
Published: November 2022

Alginate is a major component in the cell walls of brown algae. Alginate degradation is carried out by alginate lyases.
Species-Specific Patterns of Gut Metabolic Modules in Dutch Individuals with Different Dietary Habits
Authors: Shetty Sudarshan A. , Stege Paul B. , Hordijk Joost , Gijsbers Esther , Dierikx Cindy M. , van Duijkeren Engeline , Franz Eelco , Willems Rob J. L. , Paganelli Fernanda L. , Fuentes Susana
Published: November 2022

Diet is an important modulator of the human gut microbiome, which is susceptible to increased consumption of plant fibers in vegan or vegetarian lifestyles. To investigate this, we compared the gut microbiome of Dutch adults following omnivorous, pescatarian, vegan and vegetarian diets.
On the Feasibility of Using an Ultra-Fast DirectMS1 Method of Proteome-Wide Analysis for Searching Drug Targets in Chemical Proteomics
Authors: Solovyeva Elizaveta M. , Bubis Julia A. , Tarasova Irina A. , Lobas Anna A. , Ivanov Mark V. , Nazarov Alexey A. , Shutkov Ilya A. , Gorshkov Mikhail V.
Published: November 2022

Protein quantitation in tissue cells or physiological fluids based on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry is one of the key sources of information on the mechanisms of cell functioning during chemotherapeutic treatment. Information on significant changes in protein expression upon treatment can be obtained by chemical proteomics and requires analysis of the cellular proteomes, as well as development of experimental and bioinformatic methods for identification of the drug targets. Low throughput of whole proteome analysis based on liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry is one of the main factors limiting the scale of these studies. The method of direct mass spectrometric identification of proteins, DirectMS1, is one of the approaches developed in recent years allowing ultrafast proteome-wide analyses employing minute-scale gradients for separation of proteolytic mixtures. Aim of this work was evaluation of both possibilities and limitations of the method for identification of drug targets at the level of whole proteome and for revealing cellular processes activated by the treatment. Particularly, the available literature data on chemical proteomics obtained earlier for a large set of onco-pharmaceuticals using multiplex quantitative proteome profiling were analyzed. The results obtained were further compared with the proteome-wide data acquired by the DirectMS1 method using ultrashort separation gradients to evaluate efficiency of the method in identifying known drug targets. Using ovarian cancer cell line A2780 as an example, a whole-proteome comparison of two cell lysis techniques was performed, including the freeze-thaw lysis commonly employed in chemical proteomics and the one based on ultrasonication for cell disruption, which is the widely accepted as a standard in proteomic studies. Also, the proteome-wide profiling was performed using ultrafast DirectMS1 method for A2780 cell line treated with lonidamine, followed by gene ontology analyses to evaluate capabilities of the method in revealing regulation of proteins in the cellular processes associated with drug treatment.
Use of cell salvage and HBOC-201 in a pregnant Jehovah’s Witness with sickle beta+thalassaemia undergoing emergency caesarean section
Authors: Fortier Julia , Pang Shiyi , Schutte Soleil , Zumberg Marc Stuart , Rajasekhar Anita
Published: November 2022

Patients with severe anaemia who refuse or cannot safely receive red cell transfusion present challenges during pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period. Strategies including HBOC-201 (Hemopure) and intraoperative use of cell salvage have been used in non-pregnant patients to improve oxygen carrying capacity; however, these products pose unique risks in pregnant patients, those with sickle cell disease (SCD) and those undergoing caesarean section (C-section). We describe a case of a pregnant sickle beta+thalasasaemia patient who presented at 27 weeks gestation with pre-eclampsia and severe anaemia. As a Jehovah’s Witness, she declined allogenic blood transfusion. The patient successfully underwent emergent C-section with cell salvage and received HBOC-201 immediately after delivery, during the operative procedure. To our knowledge, this is the first published report documenting a Jehovah’s Witness patient with SCD who successfully received cell salvage and then HBOC-201 immediately postdelivery.
Sex related inequalities in the management and prognosis of acute coronary syndrome in Switzerland: cross sectional study
Authors: Huber Elodie , Le Pogam Marie-Annick , Clair Carole
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To assess the differences in the management and prognosis of acute coronary syndrome in men and women who were admitted to hospital for acute coronary syndrome.

Design

Cross sectional study.

Setting

Discharge data from Swiss hospitals linked at the hospital and patient levels.

Participants

224 249 adults (18 years and older) were admitted to hospital for acute coronary syndrome between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2017 in any Swiss hospital, of which 72 947 (32.5%) were women. People who were discharged against medical advice were excluded.

Results

Women admitted to hospital with acute coronary syndrome were older than their male counterparts (mean age 74.9 years (standard deviation 12.4)v67.0 years (13.2)). Irrespective of acute coronary syndrome type, women were less likely to undergo diagnostic procedures, such as coronary angiography (adjusted odds ratio 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.77 to 0.82) for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctionv0.87 (0.84 to 0.91) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction)) and ventriculography (0.84 (0.82 to 0.87)v0.90 (0.87 to 0.91)). Women were also less likely to receive treatments, such as percutaneous coronary intervention (0.67 (0.65 to 0.69)v0.76 (0.73 to 0.78)) and coronary artery bypass graft (0.57 (0.53 to 0.61)v0.79 (0.72 to 0.87)). Women had a poorer prognosis than men, with a higher likelihood of healthcare related complications (1.10 (1.06 to 1.15)v1.14 (1.09 to 1.21)) and of a longer hospital stay (1.24 (1.20 to 1.27)v1.24 (1.20 to 1.29)). In non-adjusted models, the likelihood of death in hospital was higher among women (odds ratio 1.30 (95% confidence interval 1.24 to 1.37) for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctionv1.75 (1.66 to 1.85) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction), but the association was reversed for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (adjusted odds ratio 0.87 (0.82 to 0.92)) or was non-significant for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (1.00 (0.94 to 1.06)) after adjustment for confounding variables. The main effect modifier was age: younger women were more likely to die than men of the same age and older women were less likely to die than men of the same age. For example, women who were younger than 50 years had a 38% increased likelihood of dying compared with men of the same age range (adjusted odds ratio 1.38 (1.04 to 1.83)).

Conclusions

Sex inequalities were reported in the management of heart disease in this population of patients from a high income country with good healthcare coverage. These differences affect mortality and morbidity, especially in younger women. Efforts are needed to overcome these inequalities, including educational programmes aimed at healthcare professionals.
Role of multiresolution vulnerability indices in COVID-19 spread in India: a Bayesian model-based analysis
Authors: Bhattacharyya Rupam , Burman Anik , Singh Kalpana , Banerjee Sayantan , Maity Subha , Auddy Arnab , Rout Sarit Kumar , Lahoti Supriya , Panda Rajmohan , Baladandayuthapani Veerabhadran
Published: November 2022

Objectives

COVID-19 has differentially affected countries, with health infrastructure and other related vulnerability indicators playing a role in determining the extent of its spread. Vulnerability of a geographical region to COVID-19 has been a topic of interest, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries like India to assess its multifactorial impact on incidence, prevalence or mortality. This study aims to construct a statistical analysis pipeline to compute such vulnerability indices and investigate their association with metrics of the pandemic growth.

Design

Using publicly reported observational socioeconomic, demographic, health-based and epidemiological data from Indian national surveys, we compute contextual COVID-19 Vulnerability Indices (cVIs) across multiple thematic resolutions for different geographical and spatial administrative regions. These cVIs are then used in Bayesian regression models to assess their impact on indicators of the spread of COVID-19.

Setting

This study uses district-level indicators and case counts data for the state of Odisha, India.

Primary outcome measure

We use instantaneous R (temporal average of estimated time-varying reproduction number for COVID-19) as the primary outcome variable in our models.

Results

Our observational study, focussing on 30 districts of Odisha, identified housing and hygiene conditions, COVID-19 preparedness and epidemiological factors as important indicators associated with COVID-19 vulnerability.

Conclusion

Having succeeded in containing COVID-19 to a reasonable level during the first wave, the second wave of COVID-19 made greater inroads into the hinterlands and peripheral districts of Odisha, burdening the already deficient public health system in these areas, as identified by the cVIs. Improved understanding of the factors driving COVID-19 vulnerability will help policy makers prioritise resources and regions, leading to more effective mitigation strategies for the present and future.
Use of social media platforms by migrant and ethnic minority populations during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review
Authors: Goldsmith Lucy Pollyanna , Rowland-Pomp May , Hanson Kristin , Deal Anna , Crawshaw Alison F , Hayward Sally E , Knights Felicity , Carter Jessica , Ahmad Ayesha , Razai M , Vandrevala Tushna , Hargreaves Sally
Published: November 2022

Objective

Migrants and ethnic minority groups have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have lower levels of vaccine uptake in some contexts. We aimed to determine the extent and nature of social media use in migrant and ethnic minority communities for COVID-19 information, and implications for preventative health measures including vaccination intent and uptake.

Design

A systematic review of published and grey literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched databases including Embase, Web of Science, PubMed NIH, CINAHL, facilitated through the WHO Global Research on COVID-19 database from 31 December 2019 to 9 June 2021.

Eligibility criteria for study selection

Research reporting the use of social media by migrants and/or ethnic minority groups in relation to COVID-19.

Data extraction

We extracted data on key outcomes, study design, country, population under study and sample size.

Results

1849 unique records were screened, and 21 data sources were included, including populations in the UK, USA, China, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey. We found evidence of consistent use of a range of social media platforms for COVID-19 information in some migrant and ethnic minority populations (including WeChat, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), which may stem from difficulty in accessing COVID-19 information in their native languages or from trusted sources. Some evidence suggested circulating misinformation and social media use may be associated with lower participation in preventative health measures, including vaccine intent and uptake, findings which are likely relevant to multiple population groups.

Conclusions

Social media platforms are an important source of information about COVID-19 for some migrant and ethnic minority populations. Urgent actions and further research are now needed to better understand effective approaches to tackling circulating misinformation, and to seize on opportunities to better use social media platforms to support public health communication and improve vaccine uptake.

Registration

This study has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021259190).
Better assessment of neonatal jaundice at home (BEAT Jaundice @home): protocol for a prospective, multicentre diagnostic study
Authors: Westenberg Lauren E H , van der Geest Berthe A M , Lingsma Hester F , Nieboer Daan , Groen Henk , Vis Jolande Y , Ista Erwin , Poley Marten J , Dijk Peter H , Steegers Eric A P , Reiss Irwin K M , Hulzebos Christian V , Been Jasper V
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia can place a neonate at risk for acute bilirubin encephalopathy and kernicterus spectrum disorder. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent these deleterious sequelae. Currently, screening by visual inspection followed by laboratory-based bilirubin (LBB) quantification is used to identify hyperbilirubinaemia in neonates cared for at home in the Netherlands. However, the reliability of visual inspection is limited. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of universal transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) screening as compared with visual inspection to: (1) increase the detection of hyperbilirubinaemia necessitating treatment, and (2) reduce the need for heel pricks to quantify bilirubin levels. In parallel, we will evaluate a smartphone app (Picterus), and a point-of-care device for quantifying total bilirubin (Bilistick) as compared with LBB.

Methods and analysis

We will undertake a multicentre prospective cohort study in nine midwifery practices across the Netherlands. Neonates born at a gestational age of 35 weeks or more are eligible if they: (1) are at home at any time between days 2 and 8 of life; (2) have their first midwife visit prior to postnatal day 6 and (3) did not previously receive phototherapy. TcB and the Picterus app will be used after visual inspection. When LBB is deemed necessary based on visual inspection and/or TcB reading, Bilistick will be used in parallel. The coprimary endpoints of the study are: (1) hyperbilirubinaemia necessitating treatment; (2) the number of heel pricks performed to quantify LBB. We aim to include 2310 neonates in a 2-year period. Using a decision tree model, a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the Medical Research Ethical Committee of the Erasmus MC Rotterdam, Netherlands (MEC-2020-0618). Parents will provide written informed consent. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

Dutch Trial Register (NL9545).
Novel care pathway to optimise antimicrobial prescribing for uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia: study protocol for a prospective before–after cohort study in the emergency department of a tertiary care Canadian children’s hospital
Authors: Pernica Jeffrey M , Kam April J , Eltorki Mohamed , Khan Sarah , Goldfarb David M , Smaill Fiona , Wong Jacqueline , Ewusie Joycelyne , Smieja Marek , Sung Melani , Mertz Dominik , Thabane Lehana , Loeb Mark
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Evidence-based recommendations for paediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) diagnosis and management are needed. Uncomplicated CAP is often caused by respiratory viruses, especially in younger children; these episodes self-resolve without antibiotic treatment. Unfortunately, there are no clinical criteria that reliably discriminate between viral and bacterial disease, and so the majority of children diagnosed with CAP are given antibiotics—even though these will often not help and may cause harm. We have developed a novel care pathway that incorporates point-of-care biomarkers, radiographic patterns, microbiological testing and targeted follow-up. The primary study objective is to determine if the care pathway will be associated with less antimicrobial prescribing.

Methods and analysis

A prospective, before–after, study. Previously well children aged≥6 months presenting to a paediatric emergency department (ED) that have at least one respiratory symptom/sign, receive chest radiography, and are diagnosed with CAP by the ED physician will be eligible. Those with medical comorbidities, recently diagnosed pulmonary infection, or ongoing fever after≥4 days of antimicrobial therapy will be excluded. In the control (before) phase, eligible participants will be managed as per the standard of care. In the intervention (after) phase, eligible participants will be managed as per the novel care pathway. The primary outcome will be the proportion of participants in each phase who receive antimicrobial treatment for CAP. The secondary outcomes include: clinical cure; re-presentation to the ED; hospitalisation; time to resolution of symptoms; drug adverse events; caregiver satisfaction; child absenteeism from daycare/school; and caregiver absenteeism from work.

Ethics and dissemination

All study documentation has been approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board and informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Data from this study will be presented at major conferences and published in peer-reviewed publications to facilitate collaborations with networks of clinicians experienced in the dissemination of clinical guidelines.

Trial registration number

NCT05114161.
Pregnancy among adolescent girls in humanitarian settings: a case in refugee camp of Gambella regional state, community-based cross-sectional study, Southwest Ethiopia, 2021
Authors: Bol Koang Nyak , Negera Ebissa , Gedefa Abdi Geda
Published: November 2022

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of pregnancy and associated factors among adolescent girls in Nguenyyiel Refugee Camp.

Design

Cross-sectional study was employed to conduct this study.

Setting

A community-based cross-sectional study was done in Nguenyyiel Refugee Camp.

Participants

Four hundred and fourteen adolescent girls participated in this study. The systematic random sampling technique was used to select respondents. Data were collected using a well-structured and pretested questionnaire. Pregnancy test was done using the human chorionic gonadotropin test. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was run to identify factors associated with adolescent pregnancy.

Results

The prevalence of pregnancy among adolescent girls in the Nguenyyiel Refugee Camp was 21.7% (95% CI: 17.6% to 25.6%). Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy were age (17–19 years) (AOR): 2.79; 95% CI: 1.55 to 5.05; educational status: primary education (AOR: 7.69; 95% CI: 3.55 to 16.68) and no formal education (AOR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.59 to 7.36); and household living arrangement: living with none of the biological parents (AOR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.02 to 4.49) and living with either of the biological parent (AOR: 3.71; 95% CI: 1.76 to 7.81).

Conclusions and recommendations

This study showed that there is a high prevalence of pregnancy among adolescent girls in the study setting. Age (17–19 years), educational status and household living arrangement (living with none of the biological parents and living with either of the biological parents) were among the factors significantly associated with adolescent pregnancy. Hence, health workers and other stakeholders in the camps should focus on strengthening adolescent sexual health education giving special attention to late adolescents, uneducated and living without biological family.
Scoping review protocol to map studies on self-healing practices for suicide loss survivors
Authors: Putri Adelia Khrisna , Armstrong Gregory , Andriessen Karl
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Suicide loss survivors often find it challenging to access professional help due to social stigma despite being at a higher risk of developing suicidal behaviour and mental health problems. Most available grief interventions are professional-led and heavily rely on help-seeking behaviour. Self-healing is a growing alternative intervention that is still relatively under-researched for suicide-bereaved individuals. This scoping review aims to determine the extent to which self-healing research has been undertaken, how well all subpopulations and geographical areas are represented, the methodologies used and outcomes associated with self-healing practices in suicide-related grief. The research gap in this area will be highlighted to inform future study direction.

Method and analysis

The proposed review will be guided by the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley in 2015. Articles will be retrieved from CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Peer-reviewed publications that provide data on self-healing practices within the context of suicide loss survivors will be included. The research team will screen the retrieved articles through a two-step screening process: (1) Title and abstract screening and (2) full-text screening. The reporting of the scoping review will be done following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guideline.

Ethics and dissemination

This study does not require ethical approval because it will synthesise information from available publications. Results of this scoping review will be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed journal and potentially be presented at relevant conferences.
The mental health of China and Pakistan, mental health laws and COVID-19 mental health policies: a comparative review
Authors: Shah S Mudasser , Sun Taipeng , Xu Wei , Jiang Wenhao , Yuan Yonggui
Published: November 2022

Mental health is one of the major causes of disability worldwide, and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are ranked among the top 25 leading causes of disease burden in the world. This burden is considerable over the lifetime of both men and women and in various settings and ages. This study aims to compare the mental health status of people in China and Pakistan and to highlight the mental health laws and policies during COVID-19 and afterwards. According to the literature on mental health, before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health problems increased gradually, but during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, an abrupt surge occurred in mental health problems. To overcome mental health disorders, most (but not all) countries have mental health laws, but some countries ignore mental health disorders. China is one such country that has mental health laws and policies and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, China made beneficial and robust policies and laws, thereby succeeding in defeating the COVID-19 pandemic. The mortality rate and financial loss were also lower than in other countries. While Pakistan has mental health laws and general health policies, the law is only limited to paperwork and books. When it came to COVID-19, Pakistan did not make any specific laws to overcome the virus. Mental health problems are greater in Pakistan than in China, and China’s mental health laws and policies are more robust and more widely implemented than those in Pakistan. We conclude that there are fewer mental health issues in China than in Pakistan both before and since the COVID-19 pandemic. China has strong mental health laws and these are robustly implemented, while the mental health law in Pakistan is not applied in practice.
History of abuse is associated with thoughts of harm among patients with pain after accounting for depressive symptoms
Authors: Mohan Nitesh , Zhu Guohao , Hassett Afton L , Fatabhoy Megha G , Pierce Jennifer
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Screening for depressive symptoms is often the first step to understanding risk for thoughts of harm among patients with pain. Pain characteristics and history of abuse are also associated with thoughts of harm; however, little is known about these associations after accounting for depressive symptoms. This study examined the association between pain characteristics and history of abuse with thoughts of harm among pain patients with moderate to severe and low to mild depressive symptoms.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of patients (n=7510) who presented to a tertiary-care, outpatient pain clinic.

Results

Abuse history was significantly associated with increased odds of reporting thoughts of harm for both patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms as well as low to mild depressive symptoms. Abuse did not modify the association between any of the pain characteristics and thoughts of harm.

Discussion

Our results highlight the importance of abuse history in assessing thoughts of harm. Although we are unable to infer causality due to the cross-sectional design, this study highlights the importance of screening for abuse history when assessing for suicidal and homicidal ideation.
Serum calprotectin (S100A8/A9): a promising biomarker in diagnosis and follow-up in different subgroups of juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors: La Céline , Lê Phu Quoc , Ferster Alina , Goffin Laurence , Spruyt Delphine , Lauwerys Bernard , Durez Patrick , Boulanger Cecile , Sokolova Tatiana , Rasschaert Joanne , Badot Valérie
Published: November 2022

Introduction

In the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), there is a lack of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. This study assesses the use of serum calprotectin (sCal) as a marker to monitor disease activity, and as a classification and prognosis tool of response to treatment or risk of flares in patients with JIA.

Methods

Eighty-one patients with JIA from the CAP48 multicentric cohort were included in this study, as well as 11 non-paediatric healthy controls. An ELISA method was used to quantify sCal with a commercial kit.

Results

Patients with an active disease compared with healthy controls and with patients with inactive disease showed an eightfold and a twofold increased level of sCal, respectively. sCal was found to be correlated with the C-reactive protein (CRP) and even more strongly with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Evolution of DAS28 scores correlated well with evolution of sCal, as opposed to evolution of CRP. With regard to CRP, sCal could differentiate forms with active oligoarthritis from polyarthritis and systemic forms. However, sCal brought an added value compared with the CRP as a prognosis marker. Indeed, patients with active disease and reaching minimal disease activity (according to Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score) at 6 months following the test had higher sCal levels, while patients with inactive disease had higher sCal levels if a flare was observed up to 3–9 months following the test.

Conclusions

This study confirms the potential uses of sCal as a biomarker in the diagnosis and follow-up of JIA.
Assistive technology in palliative care: a statewide equipment programme
Authors: Manning Bridget , Kelly Renae , Broome Kieran
Published: November 2022

Objectives

This paper examines the impact of the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme (MASS) Palliative Care Equipment Programme (PCEP), a new initiative across Queensland, Australia, and explores the translational potential of this large scale, comprehensive, government funded programme to other jurisdictions.

Methods

The five dimensions of the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance framework were retrospectively applied to MASS PCEP, with primary programme data compared with data from secondary sources.

Results

Extensive Reach and Adoption of the programme was demonstrated, with 3695 unique clients accessing the programme from the 17 Queensland hospital and health services. Seventy-four per cent of clients had a cancer diagnosis. Operationalising Effectiveness, Implementation and Maintenance dimensions revealed many positive programme aspects at individual and organisational levels, as well as ongoing challenges including transporting equipment to rural and remote regions and the impact on the workforce to respond to referrals and prescribe assistive products. Programme participants had a shorter public hospital stay (4.5 days), compared with the Queensland palliative care average (7.1 days).

Conclusions

The programme has high translational potential to other jurisdictions. Assistive equipment at the end stages of life may enhance well-being by extending time spent at home, increasing independence and reducing carer burden.
How not to manage a pandemic, and how to recover from it: Lessons from Ecuador
Authors: Coral-Almeida Marco , Carrington Sarah J. , Carrión-Yaguana Vanessa D. , Mascialino Guido
Published: November 2022

Since the initial outbreak in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in more than four million deaths worldwide. Ecuador initially experienced one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world. The pandemic quickly overwhelmed health care systems resulting in excess deaths of 37 000 from March to October, 2020. The public health measures taken to stop the spread of the virus had a devastating impact on the economy. There was a sharp contraction (7.8%) in Ecuador’s GDP in 2020. Furthermore, income poverty and inequality increased dramatically. The lasting effects of the pandemic will be harder to overcome. This article recounts and analyzes the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador, to draw lessons from this complex experience, and from the benefit of limited but important successes. We also aim to provide suggestions for best practices moving forward.
Sterile neutrinos, $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ decay and the W-boson mass anomaly in a flipped SU(5) from F-theory
Authors: Basiouris Vasileios , Leontaris George K.
Published: November 2022

We investigate the low energy properties of an effective local model with flipped $$SU(5)\times U(1)_{\chi }$$

S
U

(
5
)

×
U

(
1
)

χ

gauge group, constructed within the framework of F-theory. Its origin is traced back to the SO(10) symmetry – associated with a geometric singularity of the compactification manifold – broken by an internal flux which is turned on along the seven-brane in the $$U(1)_{\chi }$$

U

(
1
)

χ

direction. Topological properties and the choice of flux parameters determine the massless spectrum of the model to be that of the minimal flipped SU(5) supplemented with an extra right-handed electron-type state and its complex conjugate, $$E^c+{{\bar{E}}}^c$$

E
c

+

E

¯

c

, as well as neutral singlet fields. The subsequent symmetry breaking to the $$SU(3)\times SU(2)\times U(1)_Y$$

S
U

(
3
)

×
S
U

(
2
)

×
U

(
1
)

Y

gauge group occurs with a Higgs pair in $$10+{\overline{10}}$$

10
+

10
¯

representations of SU(5). Next we proceed to the phenomenological analysis of the resulting effective model and the salient outcomes are: The $$E^c+{{\bar{E}}}^c$$

E
c

+

E

¯

c

pair acquires a mass of few TeV and as such could solve the $$g_{\mu }-2$$

g
μ

-
2

discrepancy. Neutrino couplings to extra neutral singlets lead to an inverse seesaw mechanism where an extra light state could be a suitable dark matter candidate. The predictions of the model for the $${0\nu }\beta \beta $$

0
ν

β
β

decay rate could be tested in near future experiments. There are non-unitarity deviations from the lepton mixing matrix $$(U_{PMNS}),$$

(

U

PMNS

)
,

which could in principle explain the new precision measurement of the W-boson mass recently reported by the CDF II collaboration.
Bichromatic state-dependent disordered potential for Anderson localization of ultracold atoms
Authors: Lecoutre Baptiste , Guo Yukun , Yu Xudong , Niranjan M. , Mukhtar Musawwadah , Volchkov Valentin V. , Aspect Alain , Josse Vincent
Published: November 2022

The ability to load ultracold atoms at a well-defined energy in a disordered potential is a crucial tool to study quantum transport, and in particular Anderson localization. In this paper, we present a new method for achieving that goal by rf transfer of atoms in an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate from a disorder-insensitive state to a disorder-sensitive state. It is based on a bichromatic laser speckle pattern, produced by two lasers whose frequencies are chosen so that their light-shifts cancel each other in the first state and add up in the second state. Moreover, the spontaneous scattering rate in the disorder-sensitive state is low enough to allow for long observation times of quantum transport in that state. We theoretically and experimentally study the characteristics of the resulting potential.

Graphic abstract
Thermal evolution and resources of the Bowland Basin (NW England) from apatite fission-track analyses and multidimensional basin modelling
Authors: Lodhia Bhavik Harish , Parent Adeline , Fraser Alastair J. , Nuemaier Martin , Hennissen Jan A. I.
Published: November 2022

Once highlighted for having significant shale gas resource potential, the Bowland Basin has been at the centre of both scientific and political controversy over the last decade. Previous shale gas resource estimates range from 10
3
to 10
1
TCF. Repeated events of induced seismicity following hydraulic fracturing operations led to an indefinite government moratorium and abandonment of operations across the mainland UK. We use apatite fission-track analyses to investigate the magnitude and timing of post-Triassic uplift and exhumation. Results indicate that maximum palaeotemperatures of 90–100°C were reached in the stratigraphically younger Sherwood Sandstone. We combine palaeotemperature predictions to constrain palaeo heat flow and erosion in regional basin models for the first time. Our results indicate variable maximum Late Cretaceous palaeo heat flow values of 62.5–80 mW m
−2
and the removal of 800–1500 m of post-Triassic strata at wells across the basin. Regional 2D basin modelling indicates a gas-in-place estimate of 131 ± 64 TCF for the Bowland Shale. This reduces to a resource potential of 13.1 ± 6.4 TCF, assuming a recovery factor of 10%. These values are significantly lower than previous resource estimates and reflect the highly complex nature of the Bowland Basin and relatively unknown history of post-Triassic uplift, exhumation and erosion.
Requirement Analysis and Teaching Strategies for Advanced English Writing Course Based on Blended Learning Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Tian
Published: November 2022

To make advanced English writing course in colleges and universities better service economic development, the teaching status quo of advanced English writing in several colleges and universities in Xi'an is studied through the questionnaire survey, and suggestions from students are collected and analyzed based on the theory of requirement analysis. The questionnaire survey results show that 60% of students take advanced English writing course to be more competitive in their professional fields. However, teaching in advanced English writing at this stage cannot meet their requirements for academic paper writing, and 50% of the students are less satisfied with the current advanced English writing course. They hope that academic English can be incorporated into comprehensive English, so that they can improve their ability to use academic English. The requirement analysis on advanced English writing reveals that students hope to have a more comprehensive teaching mode for English writing, and put forward different requirements for teachers' qualifications, class size, teaching mode, and teaching content. In response to these requirements, teaching strategies on advanced English writing are discussed, so as to establish a more complete teaching system for advanced English writing. This study is of great significance for research on advanced English writing course in China.
Event-Based Automatic Differentiation of OpenMP with OpDiLib
Authors: Blühdorn Johannes , Sagebaum Max , Gauger Nicolas
Published: November 2022

We present the new software OpDiLib, a universal add-on for classical operator overloading AD tools that enables the automatic differentiation (AD) of OpenMP parallelized code. With it, we establish support for OpenMP features in a reverse mode operator overloading AD tool to an extent that was previously only reported on in source transformation tools. We achieve this with an event-based implementation ansatz that is unprecedented in AD. Combined with modern OpenMP features around OMPT, we demonstrate how it can be used to achieve differentiation without any additional modifications of the source code; neither do we impose a priori restrictions on the data access patterns, which makes OpDiLib highly applicable. For further performance optimizations, restrictions like atomic updates on adjoint variables can be lifted in a fine-grained manner. OpDiLib can also be applied in a semi-automatic fashion via a macro interface, which supports compilers that do not implement OMPT. We demonstrate the applicability of OpDiLib for a pure operator overloading approach in a hybrid parallel environment. We quantify the cost of atomic updates on adjoint variables and showcase the speedup and scaling that can be achieved with the different configurations of OpDiLib in both the forward and the reverse pass.