bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Access and equity: what do we know about government primary school students' remote learning experience during school closures in Bangladesh?
Authors: Mousumi Manjuma Akhtar
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The study explores government primary school students' remote learning experience during school closures due to COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection. The study used a snowball sampling procedure to select 24 participants.

Findings

This study shows that students experienced setbacks in learning due to not having access to resources. Besides, online classes were expensive as they were not able to buy devices, internet package and other resources to participate in the remote classes. Since many students were unable to access digital media and get parental and teacher support for education, students' engagement in learning was very low. Moreover, the paucity of learning due to school closures has lowered students' motivation for learning. The study also contributed to understanding children's emotional attachment with the schools and how the closure affected their well-being. The results indicate that the students, teachers and parents did not have a positive experience with remote teaching–learning and the modalities did not contribute to continuing with meaningful learning.

Originality/value

The remote learning experience shared in this study can be used to inform policymakers, educators and stakeholders exploring remote learning solutions in low-resource contexts. This study contributes to understanding the skills and competencies teachers require to support children's learning during any crisis.
Bouncing between screens: social TV and Brazilian NBA audience
Authors: de Souza-Leão André Luiz Maranhão , Moura Bruno Melo , Carneiro-Leão Fernando Sacic
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Sports leagues have stood out in the entertainment industry due to their great economic value and cultural impact. This is the case of the American sports leagues, with emphasis on the National Basketball Association (NBA), whose largest Latin American market lies on Brazil. The aforementioned league’s audience is constantly growing, a fact that can be partially explained by the encouragement provided for its viewers to interact through social media, in a phenomenon called social TV. Accordingly, the aim of the present study is to investigate how social TV works as a means for Brazilian fans to coproduce their NBA broadcasting enjoyment through social media interactions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a netnography on the community of fans engaged in Twitter hashtag #NBAnaESPN, which was released by ESPN to promote audience integration during NBA games' broadcasting.

Findings

A theorization about the role played by social TV in the way fan culture articulates through social media to enjoy broadcasting media products was herein presented. The findings of this study have evidenced three categories concerning the role played by television broadcasting, social media and the fandom in NBA consumption by Brazilian fans. Based on these findings, the authors got to the conclusion that social TV establishes a mediatized environment where fan culture can be articulated through social media to enable interactions about television broadcasting.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited to members of the Brazilian NBA audience who engage in the official social media of the league’s broadcasting.

Originality/value

The study heads toward a theoretical generalization based on the research results.
Competitive intensity in differently regulated men's football leagues: evidence from English premier league and German Bundesliga
Authors: Wagner Fabio , Schubert Mathias , Preuss Holger , Könecke Thomas
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The Premier League (PL) and the Bundesliga (BL) were chosen for this study due to their fundamentally different approaches to ownership regulation and the distribution of media revenues. Regulation in the PL is very liberal if compared to the BL's 50+1-rule. In the BL, the distribution of media revenues is mainly based on past performance, whereas equal distribution is dominant in the PL. The specific aim of this paper was a longitudinal analysis with a focus on the final outcome of the seasons.

Design/methodology/approach

This study looks at competitive intensity (CI) in the men's BL and the English PL because it is a crucial indicator for the long-term success of a sports league and the participants. To calculate the CI of both leagues and of all relevant sub-competitions (championship, Champions League (CL), Europa League (EL), Conference League (CoL) and fight against relegation), a CI index (CII) model was generalised and applied for an examination period spanning from 1998/99 to 2020/21.

Findings

Until 2008/09, seasonal CI in the BL was somewhat higher than in the PL. But afterwards, the BL's championship race's CI dropped considerably, while the PL's CI for qualification for the CL rose profoundly. Results also showed that the introduction of the CoL raised the leagues' CI indices.

Originality/value

Besides a methodological contribution with the generalisation of the applied CI index model, the findings are discussed in the context of the above-mentioned regulatory and distribution mechanisms also taking into account the very current discussion regarding general regulatory changes within European football.
Polymorphism at the nestling stage and host‐specific mimicry in an Australasian cuckoo‐host arms race
Authors: Attisano Alfredo , Gill Brian J. , Anderson Michael G. , Gula Roman , Langmore Naomi E. , Okahisa Yuji , Sato Nozomu J. , Tanaka Keita D. , Thorogood Rose , Ueda Keisuke , Theuerkauf Jörn
Published: November 2022

Decades of research have shown that the coevolutionary arms race between avian brood parasites and their hosts can promote phenotypic diversification in hosts and brood parasites. However, relatively little is known about the role of brood parasitism in promoting phenotypic diversification of nestlings.

We review field data collected over four decades in Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand to assess potential for coevolutionary interactions between the shining bronze‐cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus) and its hosts, and how diversification at the nestling stage may be generating different subspecies.

The shining bronze‐cuckoo is a specialist parasite of a few hosts in the family Acanthizidae. It has diversified into subspecies, of which the nestlings closely mimic the respective host nestlings in each region. Additionally, some cuckoo subspecies have polymorphic nestlings.

The Acanthizidae hosts have similar breeding and nesting habits and only moderately effective frontline defences against parasitism at cuckoo egg laying or at the egg stages. However, some hosts have developed highly effective defences at the nestling stage by recognising and ejecting cuckoo nestlings from the nest. As with the cuckoo nestlings, some hosts have polymorphic nestlings.

The coevolutionary interactions in each region suggest different evolutionary stages of the arms race in which either the parasite or the host is currently in the lead. The presence of moderately effective defences at the egg laying and egg stages might explain why some hosts do not have defences at the nestling stage.

The south‐Pacific cuckoo – host systems are excellent models to explore the evolutionary mechanisms driving the diversification at the nestling stage in the coevolutionary arms race between avian brood parasites and their hosts.
Microbiome analysis in Lascaux Cave in relation to black stain alterations of rock surfaces and collembola
Authors: Alonso Lise , Pommier Thomas , Simon Laurent , Maucourt Flavien , Doré Jeanne , Dubost Audrey , Trân Van Van , Minard Guillaume , Valiente Moro Claire , Douady Christophe J. , Moënne‐Loccoz Yvan
Published: November 2022

Anthropization of Palaeolithic caves open for tourism may favour collembola invasion and result in the formation of black stains attributed to pigmented fungi. However, ecological processes underpinning black stain formation are not fully understood. Here, we tested the hypotheses that black stains from the Apse room of Lascaux Cave display a specific microbiota enriched in pigmented fungi, and that collembola thriving on the stains have the potential to consume and disseminate these black fungi. Metabarcoding showed that the microbiota of black stains and neighbouring unstained parts strongly differed, with in black stains a higher prevalence of Ochroconis and other pigmented fungi and the strong regression of Pseudomonas bacteria (whose isolates inhibited in vitro the growth of pigmented fungi). Isotopic analyses indicated that Folsomia candida collembola thriving on stains could feed on black stain in situ and assimilate the pigmented fungi they were fed with in vitro. They could carry these fungi and disseminate them when tested with complex black stains from Lascaux. This shows that black stain formation is linked to the development of pigmented fungi, which coincides with the elimination of antagonistic pseudomonads, and points towards a key role of F. candida collembola in the dynamics of pigmented fungi.
Evidence for residual SARS‐CoV‐2 in corpus cavernosum of patients who recovered from COVID‐19 infection
Authors: Kervancioglu Demirci Elif , Dursun Murat , Seviç Erva , Ergül Rıfat Burak , Önel Mustafa , Ağaçfidan Ali , Kadıoğlu Ateş
Published: November 2022

Background

The COVID‐19 is an ongoing health problem with millions of cases and deaths worldwide. Although the virus is transmitted with droplets through the respiratory system, the involvement of different organs has been reported.

Objectives

The pandemic caused urological procedures to be postponed when patient is infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. However, the reliability of 1 month postpone period and long‐term complications of the virus, such as a possible erectile dysfunction (ED) is not clarified. We aimed to compare the corpus cavernosum of patients 1 and 7 months after COVID‐19 infection with control patients who had not COVID‐19 and search for SARS‐CoV‐2 in tissues using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.

Materials and methods

Three groups of subjects underwent penile prosthesis implantation and Nesbit procedure for Peyronie's disease 1 and 7 months after COVID‐19 infection and control group without previous COVID‐19 infection. We searched for SARS‐CoV‐2 in penile tissue using RT‐PCR, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

Results

Electron microscopy and immunohistochemical staining showed SARS CoV‐2 virus in the penile corpus cavernosum of patients 1 month after COVID‐19 recovery. Immunohistochemical staining intensity correlated with the severity of previous infection. Transmission electron microscopy revealed intracellular virtual particles of about 80 nm with a typical morphology of prominent spikes and electron‐dense dots of nucleocapsid in addition to vesicles filled with virus‐like particles. Cells showed increased membrane trafficking. The 1 month after COVID‐19 group showed an increased number of fibroblasts. The 7 months after COVID‐19 group had similar morphology and immunoreactivity as control group.

Discussion

This is the first study of late post‐COVID examination of penis and the second study of early post‐COVID examination of corpus cavernosum. For 1 month post‐COVID patients, the aetiology of ED could be the viral infection that is also affecting corpora cavernosa. We hypothesize that viral infection affects the endocytic and exocytic pathways, hence the metabolic activity of cells that can be the reason of altered functions in some post‐COVID patients.

Conclusion

This study is important because it did not detect any virus residue in the tissue samples at the seventh month. In addition, we can say that the penile surgeries should be postponed more than 1 month after the COVID infection according to this study. But, there is a need for new studies with large series and high levels of evidence that can show how long the virus remains in the corpus cavernosum. Patients should be followed in this respect.
Importance of decisional capacity tools in obtaining informed consent in clinical settings
Authors: Radenković Miroslav
Published: November 2022

Informed consent represents a specific protocol for obtaining consent from a fully informed human subject to take part in clinical research. Still, informed consent is not only required for clinical trials but it also represents a critical precondition before enrolment in standard everyday medical procedures. Relevant fundamental criteria for obtaining informed consent must be followed, and that is that patient must have the decisional capacity to reach autonomous decision. The patient must be adequately informed and not coerced. Evaluating decisional capacity is crucial to providing the required level of care. The decision of which decisional capacity tool to use can be challenging because of various dissimilarities among the instruments. In this paper, four widely documented instruments have been evaluated, namely, the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT‐T), the Hopkins Competency Assessment Test (HCAT), the Structured Interview for Competency/Incompetency Assessment Testing, Ranking Inventory (SICIATRI), and the Capacity Assessment Tool (CAT). Some of them include a fully structured interview; semi‐structured forms characterise others. Most of them are adaptable for different scenarios, and yet, some are tailored for specific treatment decisions. Some evaluate all four components of decisional capacity, while others do not. Although a broad range of capacity assessment tools is available, it has been shown that they notably improve the accuracy of capacity evaluations. Given that many pathological conditions could result in impaired decisional capacity, physicians must be able to correctly and consistently assess the capacity for which education and previous experience are pivotal.
High diversity and low specificity of fungi associated with seedless epiphytic plants
Authors: Cook Kel , Taylor D. Lee
Published: November 2022

Epiphytes, which grow on other plants for support, make up a large portion of Earth's plant diversity. Like other plants, their surfaces and interiors are colonized by diverse assemblages of fungi that can benefit their hosts by increasing tolerance for abiotic stressors and resistance to disease or harm them as pathogens. Fungal communities associated with epiphytic plants and the processes that structure these communities are poorly known. To address this, we sampled seven epiphytic seedless plant taxa in a Costa Rican rainforest and examined the effects of host identity and microhabitat on external and endophytic fungal communities. We found low host specificity for both external and endophytic fungi and weak differentiation between epiphytic and neighboring epilithic plant hosts. High turnover in fungi within and between hosts and habitats reveals that epiphytic plant‐associated fungal communities are highly diverse and suggests that they are structured by stochastic processes.

Abstract in Spanish is available with online material
Persistent symptoms among post‐COVID‐19 survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Rochmawati Erna , Iskandar Ayuk Cucuk , Kamilah Farhah
Published: November 2022

Background

Single studies support the presence of several post‐COVID‐19 symptoms; however, there is no evidence for the synthesis of symptoms.

Objective

We attempt to provide an overview of the persistent symptoms that post‐COVID‐19 patients encounter, as well as the duration of these symptoms to help them plan their rehabilitation.

Design

Systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Participants

A total of 16 studies involving 8756 patients post‐COVID‐19 were included.

Methods

The CINAHL, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from 2019 to August 2021. Observational studies that reported data on post‐COVID‐19 symptoms were included. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal for Observational Studies. We included medium‐ to high‐quality studies. We used a random‐effects model for the meta‐analytical pooled prevalence of each post‐COVID‐19 symptom, and I2 statistics for heterogeneity.

Results

From the 2481 studies identified, 16 met the inclusion criteria. The sample included 7623 hospitalised and 1133 non‐hospitalised patients. We found the most prevalent symptoms were fatigue and dyspnea with a pooled prevalence ranging from 42% (27%–58%). Other post‐COVID‐19 symptoms included sleep disturbance 28% (14%–45%), cough 25% (10%–44%), anosmia/ageusia 24% (7%–47%), fever 21% (4%–47%), myalgia 17% (2%–41%), chest pain 11% (5%–20%), and headache 9% (2%–20%). In addition to physical symptoms, anxiety/depression was also prevalent 27% (8%–53%).

Conclusions

Fatigue and dyspnea were the most prevalent post‐COVID‐19 symptoms and experienced up to 12 months.

Relevance to clinical practice

Multiple persistent symptoms are still experienced until 12 months of post‐Covid 19. This meta‐analysis should provide some awareness to nurses to highlights the unmet healthcare needs of post‐COVID‐19 patients. Long‐term monitoring for the evaluation and treatment of symptoms and conditions and rehabilitation programs should be conducted.
Mantram repetition and psychological distress: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Schneider Joanne Kraenzle , Abdullahi Saratu Garba , Easton Scott D. , Willis Danny G.
Published: November 2022

Accessible Summary

What is known on the subject?

Researchers have examined several interventions for psychological distress, mindfulness being a popular one. One intervention that fosters mindfulness is mantram repetition.

Mantram repetition is an ancient traditional practice of repeating a sacred word/phrase at various times throughout the day and whenever needed. Psychologically, mantram repetition can mitigate immediate stressors. When used consistently, mantram repetition promotes resilience and deepens mindfulness, thereby promoting recovery from distress.

What the paper adds to existing knowledge?

This paper examines the overall effect of mantram repetition on psychological distress symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety and somatization).

What are the implications for practice?

The portable, cost‐effective, mantram repetition intervention outperformed standard therapies.

In people who are prone to psychological distress, practitioners might teach this technique, encouraging them to use it initially as they go through their day and then when they are experiencing distress.

Mantram repetition can quiet the mind and pairs well with breathing exercises and routine activities such as walking or exercising, or during chores, thus, integrating the mantram into daily life.

Introduction

Researchers have examined several interventions for psychological distress, mindfulness being a popular one. One mindfulness intervention is mantram repetition. Mantram repetition is an ancient traditional practice of repeating a sacred word/phrase at various times throughout the day and whenever needed.

Aim

To examine the evidence of the effect of mantram repetition on psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety and somatization).

Method

We searched 16 databases and retrieved 12 studies testing the effects of mantram repetition; only four of these measured aspects of psychological distress with comparison groups.

Results

All studies showed positive effects ranging from very mild (.08) to very strong (.71). The summary effect across all studies was small (.23, p = .015). Importantly, this small effect was found when compared to treatment as usual and even psychotherapy.

Discussion

The portable, cost‐effective, mantram repetition intervention outperformed standard therapies.

Implications for Practice

In patients who are prone to psychological distress, practitioners might teach this technique, encouraging them to use it initially as they go through their day and then when they are experiencing distress. Mantram repetition could be practiced with breathing exercises, when walking or exercising, or during chores, integrating the mantram into daily life.
Faculty development participants' experiences of working with change in clinical settings
Authors: Elmberger Agnes , Blitz Julia , Björck Erik , Nieminen Juha , Bolander Laksov Klara
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Many universities offer faculty development to support teachers in developing and improving clinical education in the health professions. Although research shows outcomes on individual levels after faculty development, little is known about its contribution to change within the organisation. To advance current faculty development and ensure that it can support wider educational change in healthcare organisations, a better understanding of educational change practices in these settings is needed. This study therefore explores the experiences of working with educational change in clinical workplaces from the perspective of clinical educators that have undergone faculty development training. The study adopts perspectives on change as influenced by context to include the impact from clinical workplaces on individuals' change work.

Methods

A collective case study design with a multi‐institutional approach was applied and individual interviews with 14 clinical educators from two universities, one in Sweden and one in South Africa, were conducted. Data were analysed separately before a cross‐case analysis was performed, synthesising the findings from both sites.

Findings

Participants shared experiences of having limited opportunities to work with educational change beyond their own individual teaching practices within their clinical workplaces. Also, participants appeared to refrain from leading change and rather pursued change on their own or relied on indirect approaches to change. They described several workplace aspects influencing their work, including the organisation and management of teaching, the resources and incentives for teaching and the attitudes and beliefs about teaching within the clinical community.

Conclusions

The study shows that clinical educators are part of communities and contexts that shape their approaches to educational change and influence which changes are feasible and which ones are not. It thus adds to the understanding of change as contextual and dynamic and contributes with implications for how to advance faculty development to better support change in practice.
Spatiotemporal matching method for tracking pavement distress using high‐frequency detection data
Authors: Pan Ning , Liu Hao , Wu Difei , Liu Chenglong , Du Yuchuan
Published: November 2022

Various algorithms based on deep learning have achieved promising results in pavement distress detection. However, the detected distresses are not tracked throughout the life cycle. In long‐term application scenarios, pavement distresses may take on different forms due to image acquisition mode, distress development, and environmental change, which make tracking distresses a tough question. We present in this study a spatiotemporal matching method based on high‐frequency real pavement distress datasets. Pavement distresses of fixed routes were collected 30 times over 5 months, and distresses with spatiotemporal information were obtained at time series. We apply image rectification, stitching and distress class, and bounding box generation algorithms for pre‐processing to align the collected images to the same‐detail level and angle. A four‐step spatiotemporal matching module is designed, including global positioning system (GPS) filtering, class filtering, relative position filtering, and distress feature filtering. The results reveal that the comprehensive rank‐3 hit rate of the matching method reaches 88.73%, and the method is robust to environmental factors, which helps show performance decay of distresses and the effect of maintenance operations. It is concluded that the spatiotemporal matching method is convenient to operate, and it lays the foundation for an agency to track distress evolution and make timely treatment of distresses in the life cycle.
Spatial and temporal zoning of watershed resilience using a multidimensional composition approach
Authors: Farzi Parisa , Sadeghi Seyed Hamidreza , Jomehpour Mahmoud
Published: November 2022

The present initiative study has been planned to develop a conceptual model for watershed resilience for which rare documents have been reported yet, particularly in developing countries where such studies are necessary. In this vein, different ecological, social, economic, and infrastructural and cultural key domains were applied for the modeling processes of watershed resilience for the Shazand Watershed in Iran. To this end, watershed resilience was firstly conceptualized according to the prevailing conditions for three periods 1986–1998, 1999–2008, and 2009–2016. Accordingly, the watershed health index was used for the ecological dimension, and 13, 8, and 13 criteria were consequently considered for social, economic, and infrastructural and cultural dimensions, respectively. The whole data required for the last three dimensions were collected through the distribution of questionnaires among the stockholders of the Shazand Watershed. The principal component analysis (PCA) method was used to weighting and prioritize the criteria and dimensions. The overall resilience index was ultimately calculated by aggregating all four dimensions using a geometric mean. The effect of each dimension on resilience was also assessed by applying multivariable regression. According to the resilience map of the period 2009–2016, 40%, 9%, 34%, and 17% of the Shazand Watershed has been classified as very low and low resilience, moderate, high, and very high resilience. This study showed that the resilience of the Shazand Watershed has improved over time. The necessity of resilience modeling for practical and integrated management of watersheds was also confirmed during the present research.
Comparison of reflectance confocal microscopy and line‐field optical coherence tomography for the identification of keratinocyte skin tumours
Authors: Cinotti Elisa , Bertello Martina , Cartocci Alessandra , Fiorani Diletta , Tognetti Linda , Solmi Valentina , Cappilli Simone , Peris Ketty , Perrot Jean Luc , Suppa Mariano , Del Marmol Veronique , Rubegni Pietro
Published: November 2022

Background

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT) are non‐invasive imaging devices that can help in the clinical diagnosis of actinic keratosis (AK) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). No studies are available on the comparison between these two technologies for the identification of the different features of keratinocyte skin tumours.

Objectives

To compare RCM and LC‐OCT findings in AK and SCC.

Methods

A retrospective multicenter study was conducted. Tumours were imaged with RCM and LC‐OCT devices before surgery, and the diagnosis was confirmed by histological examinations. LC‐OCT and RCM criteria for AK/SCC were identified, and their presence/absence was evaluated in all study lesions. Gwet AC1 concordance index was calculated to compare RCM and LC‐OCT.

Results

We included 52 patients with 33 AKs and 19 SCCs. Irregular epidermis was visible in most tumours and with a good degree of agreement between RCM and LC‐OCT (Gwet's AC1 0.74). Parakeratosis, dyskeratotic keratinocytes and both linear dilated and glomerular vessels were better visible at LC‐OCT than RCM (p < 0.001). Erosion/ulceration was identified with both methods in more than half of the cases with a good degree of agreement (Gwet AC1 0.62).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that both LC‐OCT and hand‐held RCM can help clinicians in the identification of AK and SCC, providing an in vivo and non‐invasive identification of an irregular epidermis. LC‐OCT proved to be more effective in identifying parakeratosis, dyskeratotic keratinocytes and vessels in this series.
Infrastructure and intra‐regional trade in Africa
Authors: Tandrayen‐Ragoobur Verena , Ongono Patrice , Gong Jiong
Published: November 2022

This study examines the impact of infrastructural development on bilateral trade flows using a panel of 51 African countries from 2003 to 2015. An infrastructure‐augmented gravity model was estimated with different indicators of infrastructural development. Three aggregate indicators were computed namely: (i) a soft infrastructure index, (ii) a hard infrastructure measure, and (iii) an effective infrastructure index combining both soft and hard infrastructure components. The soft and hard infrastructure indices were constructed using the principal component analysis. Disaggregated hard infrastructural development indices for transport, information and communication technologies (ICT), and electricity were also used to assess their differential effects on intra‐African trade. By adopting the Pseudo Poisson Maximum Likelihood estimator with High Dimension Fixed Effects, the results confirm that both hard and soft infrastructures matter for trade in Africa. A disaggregation of the hard infrastructure index reveals that the electricity composite index has a greater impact on trade flows relative to transport and ICT infrastructures. Importantly, there is evidence that soft infrastructure matters most and complements hard infrastructure in the region. Targeted policies and resources should be channelled towards improving energy infrastructure and soft infrastructure in terms of streamlining trading rules and procedures to better propel and maximise the benefits of intra‐African trade.
Assessment of statistical methods for converting biochemical oxygen demand and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand to total organic carbon in wastewater
Authors: Brose Dominic A. , Pluth Thaís Bremm , Grunwald Paul , Jesernik Ashley
Published: November 2022

The 5‐day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and carbonaceous BOD5 (CBOD5) tests are widely used parameters for monitoring wastewater. Total organic carbon (TOC) has many advantages over these tests. Wastewater utilities have conducted studies to modify National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to allow TOC analysis; however, statistical methods vary across studies. This study examined parametric and nonparametric correlation and parametric, nonparametric, and nonlinear regression methods for analysing BOD5, CBOD5, and TOC concentrations collected for 1 year from seven wastewater treatment plants from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Spearman ρ correlation and Theil–Sen regression on log‐transformed concentrations were the most appropriate methods. Correlation coefficients were 0.83 or greater and regression residuals were as small as or smaller than the other two methods. This study demonstrated that nonparametric methods performed best for analysing non‐normal data in seeking to incorporate TOC analysis into NPDES reporting.
Conformational changes in mitochondrial complex I of the thermophilic eukaryote
Chaetomium thermophilum
Authors: Laube Eike , Meier-Credo Jakob , Langer Julian D. , Kühlbrandt Werner
Published: November 2022

Mitochondrial complex I is a redox-driven proton pump that generates proton-motive force across the inner mitochondrial membrane, powering oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis in eukaryotes. We report the structure of complex I from the thermophilic fungus
Chaetomium thermophilum
, determined by cryoEM up to 2.4-Å resolution. We show that the complex undergoes a transition between two conformations, which we refer to as state 1 and state 2. The conformational switch is manifest in a twisting movement of the peripheral arm relative to the membrane arm, but most notably in substantial rearrangements of the Q-binding cavity and the E-channel, resulting in a continuous aqueous passage from the E-channel to subunit ND5 at the far end of the membrane arm. The conformational changes in the complex interior resemble those reported for mammalian complex I, suggesting a highly conserved, universal mechanism of coupling electron transport to proton pumping.
MicroRNAs are deeply linked to the emergence of the complex octopus brain
Authors: Zolotarov Grygoriy , Fromm Bastian , Legnini Ivano , Ayoub Salah , Polese Gianluca , Maselli Valeria , Chabot Peter J. , Vinther Jakob , Styfhals Ruth , Seuntjens Eve , Di Cosmo Anna , Peterson Kevin J. , Rajewsky Nikolaus
Published: November 2022

Soft-bodied cephalopods such as octopuses are exceptionally intelligent invertebrates with a highly complex nervous system that evolved independently from vertebrates. Because of elevated RNA editing in their nervous tissues, we hypothesized that RNA regulation may play a major role in the cognitive success of this group. We thus profiled messenger RNAs and small RNAs in three cephalopod species including 18 tissues of the
Octopus vulgaris
. We show that the major RNA innovation of soft-bodied cephalopods is an expansion of the microRNA (miRNA) gene repertoire. These evolutionarily novel miRNAs were primarily expressed in adult neuronal tissues and during the development and had conserved and thus likely functional target sites. The only comparable miRNA expansions happened, notably, in vertebrates. Thus, we propose that miRNAs are intimately linked to the evolution of complex animal brains.
An automated DNA computing platform for rapid etiological diagnostics
Authors: Ma Qian , Zhang Mingzhi , Zhang Chao , Teng Xiaoyan , Yang Linlin , Tian Yuan , Wang Junyan , Han Da , Tan Weihong
Published: November 2022

Rapid and accurate classification of the etiology for acute respiratory illness not only helps establish timely therapeutic plans but also prevents inappropriate use of antibiotics. Host gene expression patterns in peripheral blood can discriminate bacterial from viral causes of acute respiratory infection (ARI) but suffer from long turnaround time, as well as high cost resulting from the measurement methods of microarrays and next-generation sequencing. Here, we developed an automated DNA computing–based platform that can implement an in silico trained classification model at the molecular level with seven different mRNA expression patterns for accurate diagnosis of ARI etiology in 4 hours. By integrating sample loading, marker amplification, classifier implementation, and results reporting into one platform, we obtained a diagnostic accuracy of 87% in 80 clinical samples without the aid of computer and laboratory technicians. This platform creates opportunities toward an accurate, rapid, low-cost, and automated diagnosis of disease etiology in emergency departments or point-of-care clinics.
Angular Dependence of the Polarization Transfer to the Proton in the $$e\vec {p} \to e\vec {p}$$ Process
Authors: Galynskii M. V.
Published: November 2022

The dependence of the longitudinal polarization transfer to the proton in the $$e\vec {p} \to e\vec {p}$$ process on the proton scattering angle has been numerically analyzed for the case where the initial (at rest) proton is partially polarized along the direction of motion of the detected recoil proton. The analysis is based on the results of JLab polarization experiments on measuring the ratio of the Sachs form factors in the $$\vec {e}p \to e\vec {p}$$ process using the Kelly (2004) and Qattan (2015) parameterizations for their ratio, in the kinematics of the SANE Collaboration experiment (2020) on measuring the double spin asymmetry in the $$\vec {e}\vec {p} \to ep$$ process. It is shown that the violation of the scaling of the Sachs form factors leads to a significant increase in the magnitude of the polarization transfer to the proton in comparison with the case of dipole dependence.
Neuropathic arthropathy of the wrist revealing a syringomyelia
Authors: Masmoudi Karim , Feki Afef , Akrout Rim , Baklouti Sofien
Published: November 2022

Syringomyelia is uncommonly revealed by a neuropathic arthropathy (Charcot joint) and characterised by its slow progression with late neurological symptoms. In this particular field, neuropathic arthropathies mainly affect the shoulders and the elbows.

We report a new case of neuropathic arthropathy of the wrist caused by syringomyelia, because of the rarity of this condition as well as its uncommon location.

Neuropathic arthropathy caused by syringomyelia is poorly published in the literature. This atypical entity should be considered in case of Charcot arthropathy associated with neurological loss, especially when it affects the upper limbs.
Predicting 60–4 visual field tests using 3D facial reconstruction
Authors: Jamali Dogahe Sepideh , Garmany Armin , Sadegh Mousavi Seyedmostafa , Khanna Cheryl L
Published: November 2022

Background

Despite, the potential clinical utility of 60–4 visual fields, they are not frequently used in clinical practice partly, due to the purported impact of facial contour on field defects. The purpose of this study was to design and test an artificial intelligence-driven platform to predict facial structure-dependent visual field defects on 60–4 visual field tests.

Methods

Subjects with no ocular pathology were included. Participants were subject to optical coherence tomography, 60–4 Swedish interactive thresholding algorithm visual field tests and photography. The predicted visual field was compared with observed 60–4 visual field results in subjects. Average and point-specific sensitivity, specificity, precision, negative predictive value, accuracy, and F1-scores were primary outcome measures.

Results

30 healthy were enrolled. Three-dimensional facial reconstruction using a convolution neural network (CNN) was able to predict facial contour-dependent 60–4 visual field defects in 30 subjects without ocular pathology. Overall model accuracy was 97%±3% and 96%±3% and the F1-score, dependent on precision and sensitivity, was 58%±19% and 55%±15% for the right eye and left eye, respectively. Spatial-dependent model performance was observed with increased sensitivity and precision within the far inferior nasal field reflected by an average F1-score of 76%±20% and 70%±29% for the right eye and left eye, respectively.

Conclusions

This pilot study reports the development of a CNN-enhanced platform capable of predicting 60–4 visual field defects in healthy controls based on facial contour. Further study with this platform may enhance understanding of the influence of facial contour on 60–4 visual field testing.
Optical coherence tomography angiography for the characterisation of retinal microvasculature alterations in pregnant patients with anaemia: a nested case‒control study
Authors: Wu Yuxuan , Wang Dongyu , Wu Xiaohang , Shen Lixia , Zhao Lanqin , Wang Wei , Xiao Hui , Wang Xun , Liu Lixue , Lin Zhenzhe , Yang Jingyuan , Lin Xiaohong , Yun Dongyuan , Iao Wai Cheng , Wu Yi , Xu Miaohong , Song Kexin , Xu Zemeihong , Huang Yihong , Shi Shaole , Zhang Mo , Zhou Junling , Yang Zhuofan , Wang Zilian , Lin Haotian
Published: November 2022

Aims

To characterise retinal microvascular alterations in the eyes of pregnant patients with anaemia (PA) and to compare the alterations with those in healthy controls (HC) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods

This nested case‒control study included singleton PA and HC from the Eye Health in Pregnancy Study. Fovea avascular zone (FAZ) metrics, perfusion density (PD) in the superficial capillary plexus, deep capillary plexus and flow deficit (FD) density in the choriocapillaris (CC) were quantified using FIJI software. Linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the differences in OCTA metrics between PA and HC. Subgroup analyses were performed based on comparisons between PA diagnosed in the early or late trimester and HC.

Results

In total, 99 eyes of 99 PA and 184 eyes of 184 HC were analysed. PA had a significantly reduced FAZ perimeter (βcoefficient=−0.310, p<0.001), area (βcoefficient=−0.121, p=0.001) and increased circularity (βcoefficient=0.037, p<0.001) compared with HC. Furthermore, higher PD in the central (βcoefficient=0.327, p=0.001) and outer (βcoefficient=0.349, p=0.007) regions were observed in PA. PA diagnosed in the first trimester had more extensive central FD (βcoefficient=4.199, p=0.003) in the CC, indicating impaired perfusion in the CC.

Conclusion

It was found that anaemia during pregnancy was associated with macular microvascular abnormalities, which differed in PA as pregnancy progressed. The results suggest that quantitative OCTA metrics may be useful for risk evaluation before clinical diagnosis.

Trial registration numbers

2021KYPJ098 and ChiCTR2100049850.
Transform-Us! cluster RCT: 18-month and 30-month effects on children’s physical activity, sedentary time and cardiometabolic risk markers
Authors: Salmon Jo , Arundell Lauren , Cerin Ester , Ridgers Nicola Dawn , Hesketh Kylie D , Daly Robin M , Dunstan David , Brown Helen , Della Gatta Jacqui , Della Gatta Paul , Chinapaw Mai J M , Shepphard Lauren , Moodie Marj , Hume Clare , Brown Vicki , Ball Kylie , Crawford David
Published: November 2022

Objective

To test the efficacy of theTransform-Us!school- and home-based intervention on children’s physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and cardiometabolic risk factor profiles.

Methods

A 30-month 2×2 factorial design cluster randomised controlled trial delivered in 20 primary schools (148 Year 3 classes) in Melbourne, Australia (2010–2012), that used pedagogical and environmental strategies to reduce and break up SB, promote PA or a combined approach, compared with usual practice. Primary outcomes (accelerometry data; n=348) were assessed at baseline, 18 and 30 months. Secondary outcomes included body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) (n=564), blood pressure (BP) (n=537) and biomarkers (minimum n=206). Generalised linear mixed models estimated the interactive effects of the PA and SB interventions on the outcomes. If there was no interaction, the main effects were assessed.

Results

At 18 months, there were intervention effects on children’s weekday SB (−27 min, 95% CI: −47.3 to −5.3) for the PA intervention, and on children’s average day PA (5.5 min, 95% CI: 0.1 to 10.8) for the SB intervention. At 30 months, there was an intervention effect for children’s average day SB (−33.3 min, 95% CI: −50.6 and −16.0) for the SB intervention. Children’s BMI (PA and SB groups) and systolic BP (combined group) were lower, and diastolic BP (PA group) was higher. There were positive effects on WC at both time points (SB intervention) and mixed effects on blood parameters.

Conclusions

TheTransform-Us!PA and SB interventions show promise as a pragmatic approach for reducing children’s SB and adiposity indicators; but achieving substantial increases in PA remains challenging.

Trial registration

ISRCTN83725066; ACTRN12609000715279.
Against abandoning the dead donor rule: reply to Smith
Authors: Omelianchuk Adam
Published: November 2022

Smith argues that death caused by transplant surgery will not harm permanently unconscious patients, because they will not suffer a setback to their interests in the context of donation. Therefore, so the argument goes, the dead donor rule can be abandoned, because requiring a death declaration before procurement does not protect any relevant interest from being thwarted. Smith contends that a virtue of his argument is that it avoids the controversies over defining and determining death. I argue that it does not and explain why no change in policy is justified.
Alcohol use and its associated factors among Ethiopian military personnel
Authors: Fida Alemu Tesfahun , Kaba M , Worku A
Published: November 2022

Background

Studies indicate that alcohol use is more prevalent in the military and that such use is related to coping mechanisms for stress. Alcohol use could result in health and social problems. However, little is known about alcohol use in Ethiopian military personnel.

Objective

To assess the level of alcohol use and its associated factors in the Ethiopian military.

Methods

A cross-sectional study including participants from the Ground and Air Forces of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces was conducted from February to June 2021. A representative sample of 502 military personnel from the two forces participated in the study. A structured questionnaire was developed to assess the individual level of alcohol use and its associated factors. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to identify likely problematic alcohol use (AUDIT score ≥8). Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression models were run to identify associated factors with alcohol consumption.

Results

Approximately half of the respondents (49.8%, 95% CI 45.4% to 54.0%) were alcohol drinkers. Of the current alcohol users, 142 (63.1 %) were infrequent users; 60 (26.7 %) were moderate drinkers; and 23 (10.2 %) were heavy drinkers. Based on the AUDIT composite score, 71 (33.0%) of male participants were classified as having a score indicative of hazardous and harmful drinking and possible alcohol dependence behaviours. After adjusting for covariates, alcohol drinking was statistically significantly associated with higher odds of being: male, younger age, part of the Ground Force, smoker and high risk-taker.

Conclusions

This study provides an initial step to addressing patterns of harmful and hazardous alcohol use in the Ethiopian National Defence Forces. Findings indicate the need to integrate alcohol abuse prevention into existing health education and behaviour change efforts of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces.
Uric acid in advanced heart failure: relation to central haemodynamics and outcome
Authors: Deis Tania , Rossing Kasper , Ersbøll Mads Kristian , Wolsk Emil , Gustafsson Finn
Published: November 2022

Objective

The role of hyperuricaemia as a prognostic maker has been established in chronic heart failure (HF) but limited information on the association between plasma uric acid (UA) levels and central haemodynamic measurements is available.

Methods

A retrospective study on patients with advanced HF referred for right heart catherisation. Regression analyses were constructed to investigate the association between UA and haemodynamic variables. Cox models were created to investigate if UA was a significant predictor of adverse outcome where log1.1(UA) was used to estimate the effect on outcome associated with a 10% increase in UA levels.

Results

A total of 228 patients were included (77% males, age 49±12 years, mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 17%±8%). Median UA was 0.48 (0.39–0.61) mmol/L. UA level was associated to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and cardiac index (CI) in univariable (both p<0.001) and multivariable regression analysis (p<0.004 and p=0.025 for PCWP and CI). When constructing multivariable Cox models including PCWP, CI, central venous pressure, age, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), use of loop diuretics and LVEF, log1.1(UA) independently predicted the combined endpoint (left ventricular assist device, total artificial heart implantation, heart transplantation or all-cause mortality) (hazard ratio (HR): 1.10 (1.03–1.17), p=0.004) as well as all-cause mortality (HR: 1.15 (1.06–1.25), p=0.001).

Conclusions

Elevated UA is associated with greater haemodynamic impairment in advanced HF. In adjusted Cox models (age, eGFR, LVEF and haemodynamics), UA predicts the combined endpoint and all-cause mortality in long-term follow-up.