bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q-IT) in people with Parkinson disease: a validity and reliability study
Authors: Mezzarobba Susanna , Cosentino Carola , Putzolu Martina , Panuccio Francescaroberta , Fabbrini Giovanni , Valente Donatella , Costi Stefania , Galeoto Giovanni , Pelosin Elisa
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Freezing
of gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a challenging clinical symptom to assess, due to its episodic nature. A valid and reliable tool is the New FOG Questionnaire (NFOG-Q) used worldwide to measure FOG symptoms in PD.

Objective

The aim of this study was to translate, to culturally adapt, and to test the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the NFOG-Q (NFOG-Q-It).

Methods

The translation and cultural adaptation was based on ISPOR TCA guidelines to finalize the 9-item NFOG-Q-It. Internal consistency was assessed in 181 Italian PD native speakers who experienced FOG using Cronbach’s alpha. Cross-cultural analysis was tested using the Spearman's correlation between the NFOG-Q-It and the Modified Hoehn-Yahr Scale (M-H&Y).

To assess construct validity, correlations among NFOG-Q-It, Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), the 6-min Walking Test (6MWT), the Mini Balance Evaluation System Test (Mini-BESTest) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were investigated.

Results

The Italian N-FOGQ had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.859). Validity analysis showed significant correlations between NFOG-Q-IT total score and M-H&Y scores (r = 0.281 p < 0.001), MDS-UPDRS (r = 0.359 p < 0.001), FES-I (r = 0.230 p = 0.002), Mini BESTest (r = -0.256 p = 0.001) and 6MWT (r = -0.166 p = 0.026). No significant correlations were found with SPPB, MOCA and MMSE.

Conclusion

The NFOG-It is a valuable and reliable tool for assessing FOG symptoms, duration and frequency in PD subjects. Results provide the validity of NFOG-Q-It by reproducing and enlarging previous psychometric data.
Bandpass Shape of Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emission Ratio Functions Reflects Cochlear Frequency Tuning in Normal-Hearing Mice
Authors: Dewey James B. , Shera Christopher A.
Published: April 2023

The frequency selectivity of the mammalian auditory system is critical for discriminating complex sounds like speech. This selectivity derives from the sharp tuning of the cochlea’s mechanical response to sound, which is largely attributed to the amplification of cochlear vibrations by outer hair cells (OHCs). Due to its nonlinearity, the amplification process also leads to the generation of distortion products (DPs), some of which propagate out to the ear canal as DP otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). However, the insight that these signals provide about the tuned micro- and macro-mechanics underlying their generation remains unclear. Using optical coherence tomography to measure cochlear vibrations in mice, we show that the cochlea’s frequency tuning is reflected in the bandpass shape that is observed in DPOAE amplitudes when the ratio of the two evoking stimulus frequencies is varied (here termed DPOAE “ratio functions”). The tuning sharpness of DPOAE ratio functions and cochlear vibrations co-varied with stimulus level, with a similar quantitative agreement in tuning sharpness observed for both apical and mid-cochlear locations. Measurement of intracochlear DPs revealed that the tuning of the DPOAE ratio functions was not caused by mechanisms that shape DPs locally near where they are generated. Instead, simple model simulations indicate that the bandpass shape is due to a more global wave interference phenomenon. It appears that the filtering of DPOAEs by wave interactions over an extended spatial region allows them to provide a window onto the frequency tuning of single cochlear locations.
Multispectral Imaging Method for Rapid Identification and Analysis of Paraffin-Embedded Pathological Tissues
Authors: Sijilmassi Ouafa , López Alonso José-Manuel , Del Río Sevilla Aurora , Barrio Asensio María del Carmen
Published: April 2023

The study of the interaction between light and biological tissue is of great help in the identification of diseases as well as structural alterations in tissues. In the present study, we have developed a tissue diagnostic technique by using multispectral imaging in the visible spectrum combined with principal component analysis (PCA). We used information from the propagation of light through paraffin-embedded tissues to assess differences in the eye tissues of control mouse embryos compared to mouse embryos whose mothers were deprived of folic acid (FA), a crucial vitamin necessary for the growth and development of the fetus. After acquiring the endmembers from the multispectral images, spectral unmixing was used to identify the abundances of those endmembers in each pixel. For each acquired image, the final analysis was performed by performing a pixel-by-pixel and wavelength-by-wavelength absorbance calculation. Non-negative least squares (NNLS) were used in this research. The abundance maps obtained for the first endmember revealed vascular alterations (vitreous and choroid) in the embryos with maternal FA deficiency. However, the abundance maps obtained for the third endmember showed alterations in the texture of some tissues such as the lens and retina. Results indicated that multispectral imaging applied to paraffin-embedded tissues enhanced tissue visualization. Using this method, first, it can be seen tissue damage location and then decide what kind of biological techniques to apply.
Dynamics in spatial use by Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) during the breeding season revealed by GPS tracking
Authors: Meyburg Bernd-Ulrich , Roepke Dietrich , Meyburg Christiane , Holte Daniel
Published: April 2023

The migratory behaviour of Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) has been well studied using satellite telemetry, but studies on their behaviour in the breeding area are scarce. We caught and fitted 17 adult Ospreys with solar-powered GPS-enhanced satellite transmitters in northeast Germany and tracked them for up to 7 years. There was a high variation in home range size depending on sex, nesting site and breeding success. The home ranges of successfully breeding males (median 33.4 km2, 95% kernel density estimations) were significantly larger than those of females (median 4.6 km2) and varied in extent and shape between individuals. Some females made long excursions and sometimes spent the night at great distances to their nests after the juveniles had fledged but they also returned to the nesting area before they left for migration. The males’ home range areas were consistent during the breeding period. The proportion of water surfaces on the home range areas of males ranged between 9.6 and 29%. The overnight roosts were found in distances up to 7.83 km (median 980 m) for successfully breeding males and up to 105 km (median 568 m) for successfully breeding females. The correlation between overnight roost-nest distance and the corresponding home range area was significant for females but not for males. The overlap in the home ranges of individual males that occupied the same nests in different years varied between 37.3 and 54.7% of the mutual home ranges. Males partly included the same waterbodies in their home ranges, but they also visited different lakes. In the incubation and nestling phases, females are closely bound to the nest, whereas their mates can range over vast areas.
Bursts of white noise trigger song in domestic Canaries
Authors: Goto Hana , de Framond Léna , Leitner Stefan , Brumm Henrik
Published: April 2023

Acoustic communication is fundamentally constrained by noise. In birds, the masking of mating signals (songs) may reduce fitness and, hence, they have evolved various mechanisms to maintain communication in noise. One of these tactics is the adjustment of song timing to avoid overlap with masking sounds, but previous studies yielded contrasting results regarding the occurrence and magnitude of this behavioural plasticity. Here, we investigated how temporal noise avoidance varies with noise intensity. We exposed singing Canaries (Serinus canaria) to playbacks of masking noise of varying amplitude [60–80 dB(A) SPL]. Contrary to our prediction, the birds did not shift song onsets to the silent intervals between noise bursts at high noise amplitudes, nor did they increase singing outside the playback period. Rather, we found that noise generally triggered the onset of song: the Canaries preferentially sang during the noise bursts independent of the noise amplitude. This behaviour is somewhat paradox because it leads to the most unfavourable signal-to-noise ratios. Our results, together with findings from the current literature, indicate marked species differences in the noise-induced song plasticity of birds. Therefore, we suggest a more comprehensive conception of noise that incorporates both supressing and stimulating effects.
Blue intensity of Swiss stone pine as a high-frequency temperature proxy in the Alps
Authors: Cerrato Riccardo , Salvatore Maria Cristina , Carrer Marco , Brunetti Michele , Baroni Carlo
Published: April 2023

Tree rings are widely used for climatic reconstructions and for improving our understanding of ongoing climate change in high-altitude sensitive areas. X-ray maximum latewood density is a very powerful parameter to reconstruct past climatic variations, especially if compared to tree-ring width, but this method is neither inexpensive nor timesaving. However, blue intensity (BI) has resulted in an excellent maximum wood density surrogate that measures the intensity of reflected light from latewood in the blue spectra. This methodology is still considered a prototype parameter, and more data are needed for validation of the method. We present the first BI values coming from Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) collected on the southern margin of the Alps. Analyses were performed by testing different solvents and polishing techniques, as well as different CooRecorder pixel percentage settings. The results demonstrate that solvents and software parameters have little influence on the final chronologies. Dendroclimatic analyses demonstrate that Swiss stone pine BI can be a useful tool to extract at least the high-frequency variations in July–August temperatures with a correlation coefficient of up to 0.6 (over the 1800–2017 time period). The immunity of Swiss stone pine to insect defoliator outbreaks further enhances the reliability of the BI values of this species in reconstructing past high-frequency temperature variations in high-altitude sensitive areas.
Tensile and Compressive Mechanical Behaviour of Human Blood Clot Analogues
Authors: Cahalane Rachel M. E. , de Vries Judith J. , de Maat Moniek P. M. , van Gaalen Kim , van Beusekom Heleen M. , van der Lugt Aad , Fereidoonnezhad Behrooz , Akyildiz Ali C. , Gijsen Frank J. H.
Published: April 2023

Endovascular thrombectomy procedures are significantly influenced by the mechanical response of thrombi to the multi-axial loading imposed during retrieval. Compression tests are commonly used to determine compressiveex vivothrombus and clot analogue stiffness. However, there is a shortage of data in tension. This study compares the tensile and compressive response of clot analogues made from the blood of healthy human donors in a range of compositions. Citrated whole blood was collected from six healthy human donors. Contracted and non-contracted fibrin clots, whole blood clots and clots reconstructed with a range of red blood cell (RBC) volumetric concentrations (5–80%) were prepared under static conditions. Both uniaxial tension and unconfined compression tests were performed using custom-built setups. Approximately linear nominal stress–strain profiles were found under tension, while strong strain-stiffening profiles were observed under compression. Low- and high-strain stiffness values were acquired by applying a linear fit to the initial and final 10% of the nominal stress–strain curves. Tensile stiffness values were approximately 15 times higher than low-strain compressive stiffness and 40 times lower than high-strain compressive stiffness values. Tensile stiffness decreased with an increasing RBC volume in the blood mixture. In contrast, high-strain compressive stiffness values increased from 0 to 10%, followed by a decrease from 20 to 80% RBC volumes. Furthermore, inter-donor differences were observed with up to 50% variation in the stiffness of whole blood clot analogues prepared in the same manner between healthy human donors.
Adapting Community Health Worker Care Models to Advance Mental Health Services Among LGBTQ Youth
Authors: Barnett Miya L. , Salem Hanan , Rosas Yessica Green , Feinberg Emily , Nunez-Pepen Rocio , Chu Andrea , Belmont-Ryu Hana , Matsuno Em , Broder-Fingert Sarabeth
Published: April 2023

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth of color experience high rates of mental health disorders, yet they experience challenges to accessing mental health services. Community health worker (CHW) models of care have potential to promote equitable mental health services among LGBTQ youth. Our aim was to understand how CHW models could be adapted to better support LGBTQ youth of color in accessing mental health services. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with LGBTQ youth of color (n = 16), caregivers of LGBTQ youth (n = 11), and CHWs (n = 15) in Massachusetts and California. Interviews were coded by 8 members of the research team. A Rapid Qualitative Analysis was conducted to identify themes. Caregivers, youth, and CHWs all endorsed the value of CHW models for this population. They also almost universally suggested multiple adaptations are needed for the model to be effective. Four main categories of themes emerged related to intervention adaptations: (1) Why adaptations are needed for LGBTQ youth, (2) Who should serve as CHWs providing care, (3) How CHWs should be trained, and (4) What content needs to be included in the intervention. Broadly, findings suggest the relevance of having CHW models for LGBTQ youth of color to address stigma and discrimination experienced, access to culturally and linguistically relevant services, and the need for caregiver support of LGBTQ youth. CHWs need increased training in these areas.
Fungal feeding preferences and molecular gut content analysis of two abundant oribatid mite species (Acari: Oribatida) under the canopy of Prosopis laevigata (Fabaceae) in a semi-arid land
Authors: Sánchez-Chávez Daniel Isaac , Rodríguez-Zaragoza Salvador , Velez Patricia , Cabirol Nathalie , Ojeda Margarita
Published: April 2023

Prosopis laevigata(mesquite; Fabaceae) forms fertility islands in soils of semi-arid lands where microbial diversity concentrates in response to the accumulation of resources in the soil beneath individual plants, promoting organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling. This phenomenon provides suitable conditions for the proliferation of key edaphic elements such as fungi and mites. Mite-fungal interactions are central for our understanding of nutrient cycling processes in resource-limited arid food webs; yet, no information is available about fertility islands in semi-arid lands. Thus, we aimed to determine in vitro fungal-based feeding preferences and molecular gut content of the oribatid mite speciesZygoribatulacf.floridanaandScheloribatescf.laevigatus, which are abundant under the canopy ofP. laevigatain an intertropical semi-arid zone in Central Mexico. Our results on the gut content analysis of these oribatid species resulted in the ITS-based identification of the following fungi:Aspergillus homomorphus,Beauveria bassiana,Filobasidiumsp.,Mortierellasp.,Roussoellasp.,Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Sclerotiniaceae sp. andTriparticalcarsp. Furthermore, under laboratory conditions both oribatid mite species exhibited feeding preferences on melanized fungi, such asCladosporiumspp., whereasA. homomorphusandFusarium penzigiwere avoided. Our findings indicated that the analyzed oribatid mite species have similar feeding preferences for melanized fungi, which might suggest resource partitioning and a degree of preference, explaining the coexistence of both oribatid species.
Association between gout and subsequent breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study including 67,598 primary care patients in Germany
Authors: Gremke Niklas , Griewing Sebastian , Kostev Karel , Wagner Uwe , Kalder Matthias
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to analyze the cumulative incidence of breast cancer following gout and to investigate the association between gout and subsequent breast cancer in 67,598 primary care patients in Germany.

Methods

This study included adult female patients (≥ 18 years) with an initial diagnosis of gout in 1284 general practices in Germany between January 2005 and December 2020. Individuals without gout were matched to gout patients using propensity score matching based on average yearly consultation frequency during the follow-up period, diabetes, obesity, chronic bronchitis/COPD diagnoses, and diuretic therapy. The 10-year cumulative incidence of breast cancer in the cohorts with and without gout was also studied using Kaplan–Meier curves, which were then compared using the log-rank test. Finally, a univariable Cox regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between gout and breast cancer.

Results

After up to 10 years of follow-up, 4.5% of gout and 3.7% of non-gout patients were diagnosed with breast cancer. A Cox regression analysis revealed a significant association between gout and subsequent breast cancer in the total population (HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.05–1.31). In the age-stratified analyses, gout was only strongly associated with subsequent breast cancer in the age group ≤ 50 (HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.10–2.27), but the association was not significant in women over 50 years old.

Conclusion

Taken together, the findings of our study provide evidence for the association between gout and subsequent breast cancer diagnosis, particularly in the youngest age group.
“If you dress like a whore you have to accept being treated like one”: An Interview Study About Women’s Experiences of Misogynistic Hate Crime
Authors: Hagerlid Mika
Published: April 2023

The inclusion of gender in hate crime legislation has been the subject of scholarly debate since the 1990s, but only a handful of empirical studies have focused on victims’ experiences of gender-bias hate crime. Therefore, misogynistic hate crimes are primarily discussed as a theoretical or legal category of events. In this study, the aim is instead to shed light on how female victims define, describe, and are affected by their experiences of gender-bias hate crime. In doing so, the study contributes insights into misogynistic hate crimes as lived experiences, rather than as an abstract legal or theoretical concept.
On Rigidity for the Four-Well Problem Arising in the Cubic-to-Trigonal Phase Transformation
Authors: Rüland Angkana , Simon Theresa M.
Published: April 2023

We classify all exactly stress-free solutions to the cubic-to-trigonal phase transformation within the geometrically linearized theory of elasticity, showing that only simple laminates and crossing-twin structures can occur. In particular, we prove that although this transformation is closely related to the cubic-to-orthorhombic phase transformation, all its solutions are rigid. The argument relies on a combination of the Saint-Venant compatibility conditions together with the underlying nonlinear relations and non-convexity conditions satisfied by the strain components.
Serious Actualism, Typography, and Incompossible Sentences
Authors: Masterman Christopher James
Published: April 2023

Serious actualists take it that all properties are existence entailing. I present a simple puzzle about sentence tokens which seems to show that serious actualism is false. I then consider the most promising response to the puzzle. This is the idea that the serious actualist should take ordinary property-talk to contain an implicit existential presupposition. I argue that this approach does not work: it fails to generalise appropriately to all sentence types and tokens. In particular, it fails to capture the right distinctions we ought to make between what I call typographical sentence types—an interesting and previously undiscussed class of fine-grained sentence types which are partially individuated by their typography, or how they look when written out.
Higher abundance of adult pike in Baltic Sea coastal areas adjacent to restored wetlands compared to reference bays
Authors: Tibblin Petter , Bergström Kristofer , Flink Henrik , Hall Marcus , Berggren Hanna , Nordahl Oscar , Larsson Per
Published: April 2023

The abundance of pike, a keystone top-predator, have declined dramatically in the Baltic Sea since the 1990s likely owing to recruitment failure. It has been proposed that wetland restoration can aid the recovery of the pike stock by increasing the number of recruits produced by anadromous populations. Yet, no previous studies have addressed whether wetland restorations are associated with higher abundances of adult pike in the coastal habitat. To address this, we performed standardised rod-and-reel survey fishing in paired bays with and without wetlands across three coastal areas and 3 years. To estimate dispersal and the contribution of wetland pike to the coastal stock, we tagged captured pike with passive integrated responders (PIT) and employed PIT reader stations in wetland inlets. The results showed that pike abundances were on average 90% higher in bays with an adjacent wetland although the effect varied among areas. Moreover, PIT-data uncovered that wetland pike constituted a high proportion of the pike found in adjacent coastal habitats and that some wetland fish dispersed up to 10 km. These results support that wetland restoration is a valuable tool to aid the coastal pike stock and ultimately restore the function and services of the coastal ecosystem.
Exploring the Development of the Quality of Topic Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Planning: the Case of Grade 8 Natural Sciences Teachers
Authors: Buma Anastasia Malong , Sibanda Doras , Rollnick Marissa
Published: April 2023

The intervention programmes have a direct influence on teachers’ knowledge of teaching different topics. This paper focuses on how Grade 8 natural science teachers’ knowledge developed during an intervention programme. Eight schools were selected to participate, and 25 Grade 8 Natural Sciences teachers from Gauteng province participated. Data were collected during the intervention sessions, and participants completed a written TSPCK test and content representation tool. Quantitative data were analysed using the Rasch analysis model, and qualitative data were analysed using content analysis of TSPCK episodes using the TSPCK rubric. The episode was a response segment, where TSPCK components were used to transform the topic content. The findings showed that teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge improved significantly in different components of TSPCK. The teachers’ PCK development was revealed through extensive use of knowledge of representation including demonstrations using diagrams aimed at transforming the concept in planning. Besides, during the intervention, teachers were able to collaborate, have explicit discussions on specific topics, and provide explanations on the use of the five TSPCK components. The study implies that the development of PCK in fundamental topics in a discipline can be implemented through a TSPCK-based intervention.
On the Velocity of a Small Rigid Body in a Viscous Incompressible Fluid in Dimension Two and Three
Authors: Bravin Marco , Nečasová Šárka
Published: April 2023

In this paper we study the evolution of a small rigid body in a viscous incompressible fluid, in particular we show that a small particle is not accelerated by the fluid in the limit when its size converges to zero under a lower bound on its mass. This result is based on a new a priori estimate on the velocities of the centers of mass of rigid bodies that holds in the case when their masses are also allowed to decrease to zero.
Steering the Direction of Research through Organizational Identity Formation
Authors: Franssen Thomas , Borlaug Siri Brorstad , Hylmö Anders
Published: April 2023

Public research organizations respond to external pressures from national research evaluation systems, performance-based funding systems and university rankings by translating them into internal goals, rules and regulations and by developing organizational identities, profiles and missions. Organizational responses have primarily been studied at the central organizational level, and research on the steering of research has primarily focused on the impacts of performance-based funding systems. However, research evaluation exercises may also have a formative impact, especially below the central organizational level. This paper uses a case study of a research unit of a biomedical research school in the Netherlands to explore the organizational response to a relatively critical external assessment report. It shows that the participation in the Dutch research evaluation cycle legitimated the formation of a new organizational identity for the research unit, which functions as a frame that suggests to staff members a new interpretation of the type of research that is at the core of what the research unit does. We identify three additional steering mechanisms that support the enactment of the organizational identity: steering by resource allocation, by suggesting and by re-organizing. We, furthermore, explore the epistemic effects – the direction and conduct of research – of the organizational response, through interview data in combination with a bibliometric analysis.
Scrambling and quantum teleportation
Authors: Kim MuSeong , Hwang Mi-Ra , Jung Eylee , Park DaeKil
Published: April 2023

Scrambling is a concept introduced from information loss problem arising in black hole. In this paper we discuss the effect of scrambling from a perspective of pure quantum information theory regardless of the information loss problem. We introduce 7-qubit quantum circuit for a quantum teleportation. It is shown that the teleportation can be perfect if a maximal scrambling unitary is used. From this fact we conjecture that “the quantity of scrambling is proportional to the fidelity of teleportation”. In order to confirm the conjecture, we introduce $$\theta $$
θ
-dependent partially scrambling unitary, which reduces to no scrambling and maximal scrambling at $$\theta = 0$$

θ
=
0

and $$\theta = \pi / 2$$

θ
=
π
/
2

, respectively. Then, we compute the average fidelity analytically, and numerically by making use of qiskit (version 0.36.2) and 7-qubit real quantum computer ibm$$\_$$
_
oslo. Finally, we show that our conjecture can be true or false depending on the choice of qubits for Bell measurement.
Ethical Expertise and Moral Authority
Authors: Dowding Keith
Published: April 2023

Whether or not there is such a thing as moral expertise, and, if so, what constitutes it, is much debated. Empirical expertise bestows epistemic authority over propositional content; that is not the case in moral domains, technical expertise notwithstanding. This article identifies three types of agencies with some authority over decisions in moral matters. It shows that the source of the authority wielded by such agencies, while varying across the three forms identified, is based on empirical and technical knowledge and does not derive solely from any moral expertise of its members. The article examines, and finds wanting, two recent arguments for giving others authority over moral content.
Facilitators and Barriers Influencing Antipsychotic Medication Prescribing and Deprescribing Practices in Critically Ill Adult Patients: a Qualitative Study
Authors: Jaworska Natalia , Krewulak Karla D. , Schalm Emma , Niven Daniel J. , Ismail Zahinoor , Burry Lisa D. , Leigh Jeanna Parsons , Fiest Kirsten M.
Published: April 2023

Background

Antipsychotic medications do not alter the incidence or duration of delirium, but these medications are frequently prescribed and continued at transitions of care in critically ill patients when they may no longer be necessary or appropriate.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe relevant domains and constructs that influence antipsychotic medication prescribing and deprescribing practices among physicians, nurses, and pharmacists that care for critically ill adult patients during and following critical illness.

Design

We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with critical care and ward healthcare professionals including physicians, nurses, and pharmacists to understand antipsychotic prescribing and deprescribing practices for critically ill adult patients during and following critical illness.

Participants

Twenty-one interviews were conducted with 11 physicians, five nurses, and five pharmacists from predominantly academic centres in Alberta, Canada, between July 6 and October 29, 2021.

Main Measures

We used deductive thematic analysis using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to identify and describe constructs within relevant domains.

Key Results

Seven TDF domains were identified as relevant from the analysis: Social/Professional role and identity; Beliefs about capabilities; Reinforcement; Motivations and goals; Memory, attention, and decision processes; Environmental context and resources; and Beliefs about consequences. Participants reported antipsychotic prescribing for multiple indications beyond delirium and agitation including patient and staff safety, sleep management, and environmental factors such as staff availability and workload. Participants identified potential antipsychotic deprescribing strategies to reduce ongoing antipsychotic medication prescriptions for critically ill patients including direct communication tools between prescribers at transitions of care.

Conclusions

Critical care and ward healthcare professionals report several factors influencing established antipsychotic medication prescribing practices. These factors aim to maintain patient and staff safety to facilitate the provision of care to patients with delirium and agitation limiting adherence to current guideline recommendations.
Notions of fair earnings for high-status and low-status professions
Authors: Eder Anja , Höllinger Franz
Published: April 2023

In contemporary European societies, notions of earnings justice are based on the one hand, on the meritocratic principle, that people who perform better in their job should earn more; on the other hand, these notions are shaped by historically grown ideas of social justice which differ between countries. Against this backdrop, we examine what earnings gaps between high-status occupations (managers, cabinet ministers, doctors) and low-status jobs (shop assistants, unskilled workers) are considered as fair by the population of 14 Western and Eastern European countries. Analyses are based on survey data from the International Social Survey Programme. Comparing results for 2009 and 2019, we also analyze, whether notions of legitimate differences in earnings between occupational groups changed, in a period of increasing social inequality and precarious working conditions.
Parents’ perceived social support and children’s mental health: the chain mediating role of parental marital quality and parent‒child relationships
Authors: Yan Zhonglian , Yu Siqi , Lin Wenqi
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between parents’ perceived social support and children’s mental health and the mediating role of parental marital quality and parent‒child relationships. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Parental Marital Quality Scale, the Child‒Parent Relationship Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were used to survey 822 parents of young children (50% fathers) in Changchun, Jilin Province, China. The results indicated that (1) parents’ perceived social support was positively correlated with children’s mental health; (2) parental marital quality and parent‒child relationships play a simple mediating role between parents’ perceived social support and children’s mental health; and (3) parental marital quality and parent‒child relationships also play a chain mediating role between parents’ perceived social support and children’s mental health. This suggests that providing good social support for parents enhances the quality of marriages and parent‒child relationships and will also contribute to good mental health in children.
Measurement invariance and country difference in death anxiety: evidence from portuguese and arab samples
Authors: Gonçalves Gabriela , AL-Dossary Saeed A. , Sousa Cátia
Published: April 2023

Death is something inevitable and common to all human beings. However, cultures vary in how they define and manage living with the inevitability of death and what happens when a person dies. Among the possible responses to this inescapable reality, there is death anxiety. Several instruments have proliferated in the literature to assess death anxiety. Among them, stands out the Scale of Death Anxiety (SDA) which contemplates somatic, cognitive, emotional and behavioural reactions from a symptomatic perspective. Thus, the objective of this study is the validation and measurement invariance of the SDA in Portuguese and Arab samples (N = 216 and N = 377, respectively). Confirmatory factor analyses, multi-group confirmatory factor analyses measurement invariance and latent mean differences were performed across cultures and gender groups. Our results provided important preliminary evidence for the validity of the scale in both samples. The structure of the SDA remained unchanged in both cultures and genders. The SDA showed partial scalar invariance across cultural groups, and full scalar invariance across gender groups. As expected, the Arab participants showed higher levels of anxiety than the Portuguese sample. The analyses also showed that females in both cultural groups obtained higher scores than males on dysphoria and fear of death. However, the two genders did not differ significantly on avoidance of death. The results show that the SDA is a reliable and valid measure for the study of death anxiety, showing to be invariant between cultures and between genders.
Sentiment analysis for formative assessment in higher education: a systematic literature review
Authors: Grimalt-Álvaro Carme , Usart Mireia
Published: April 2023

Sentiment Analysis (SA), a technique based on applying artificial intelligence to analyze textual data in natural language, can help to characterize interactions between students and teachers and improve learning through timely, personalized feedback, but its use in education is still scarce. This systematic literature review explores how SA has been applied for learning assessment in online and hybrid learning contexts in higher education. Findings from this review show that there is a growing field of research on SA, although most of the papers are written from a technical perspective and published in journals related to digital technologies. Even though there are solutions involving different SA techniques that can help predicting learning performance, enhancing feedback and giving teachers visual tools, its educational applications and usability are still limited. The analysis evidence that the inclusion of variables that can affect participants’ different sentiment expression, such as gender or cultural context, remains understudied and should need to be considered in future developments.
Tourists’ valuation of nature in protected areas: A systematic review
Authors: Gross Milena , Pearson Jasmine , Arbieu Ugo , Riechers Maraja , Thomsen Simon , Martín-López Berta
Published: April 2023

In the face of biodiversity loss, it is crucial to broaden the arguments for conservation of protected areas by acknowledging diverse values of nature. We systematically reviewed empirical studies to investigate tourists’ values of nature in protected areas over time and across regions. To do so, we explored (1) the main ecological and social characteristics of the case studies; (2) methodological approaches; and (3) value types. Based on the review of 152 articles, we found that economic valuation has received the most scientific attention, while socio-cultural valuation approaches have recently increased. Values were primarily elicited and analyzed quantitatively and in monetary metrics, although valuation methods and frameworks have diversified over the past two decades. However, considering the role of valuation methods and frameworks as value-articulating institutions, we suggest that future research on nature valuation also applies qualitative and non-monetary methods, elicits diverse values, and conducts plural valuation.
Teaching project management to primary school children: a scoping review
Authors: Delle-Vergini Sante , Eacersall Douglas , Dann Chris , Ally Mustafa , Chakraborty Subrata
Published: April 2023

Teachers have used projects in children’s education for over a century. More recently, project management knowledge and skills have become essential when students manage technological solutions from inception to presentation. This paper presents the first scoping literature review on teaching project management to primary school students. A total of 33 publications between 2000 and 2022 were analysed and presented both descriptively and thematically. While the review did not identify any empirical studies of teaching project management to primary school students, it did reveal several examples of suggested teaching approaches, project management activity, and common elements associated with project management. The review concludes with a recommendation for researchers, educators, and project management practitioners to build upon this research by exploring the effectiveness of comprehensive approaches to teaching project management to primary school students. This paper represents a significant area of research as project management is one of the most critical skills for students to achieve success in the twenty-first century.
Expression of a truncated maize SPS increases source capacity in maize
Authors: Duff Stephen M. G. , Kretzmer Keith
Published: April 2023

In an attempt to increase source capacity, transgenic corn was generated by expressing a truncated maize sucrose phosphate synthase (ZmSPSΔ482) under two leaf mesophyll cellspecific promoters (CAB and PPDK). The endogenous and truncated SPS proteins from transgenic leaf extracts were distinguishable by protein immunoblot analysis. The expression of transgenic SPS protein across events varied from very low to very high and included several cosuppressed events. SPS activity showed a diurnal pattern in both transgenic and wild-type maize leaves. In greenhouse experiments, transgenic maize had higher leaf sucrose and lower leaf starch, suggesting a shift in carbon partitioning from starch to sucrose. Conversely, cosuppressed events had lower leaf sucrose and higher leaf starch. A field test was performed to compare sucrose and starch in positive and negative isolines of hybrid maize CAB and PPDK ZmSPSΔ482 events. In the field, many positive isolines had higher levels of both leaf sucrose and starch than the negative isolines. This suggests that in the field, with higher light intensity the shift in carbon partitioning from starch to sucrose, observed under greenhouse conditions did not occur. This in turn suggests that the environment affects the phenotype of the transgenics and that in the field, there was an overall increase in carbon assimilation. Six events from each construct were tested in a pilot multi-density yield trial but overall, no effect on yield was observed. Therefore, although the transgenic plants had more source capacity, this did not translate into higher seed yield.
The Current State and Future Directions of Swallowing Care in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Kao Tabitha H. , Perry Bridget J.
Published: April 2023

Purpose of Review

Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is of great concern to patients with ALS as its complications can increase mortality and reduce the quality of life. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent developments and the current state of assessment, treatment, and management of dysphagia in ALS.

Recent Findings

The optimal timing of assessment, treatment, and management of dysphagia may be early in the ALS disease process, even before the dysphagia occurs. There is wide heterogeneity in SLP practice patterns for the management of dysphagia.

Dysphagia is common and debilitating; however, for various reasons, there is no clear consensus on how best to manage dysphagia in this population. Future work centered around predicting swallowing decline and improving interventions aimed at prolonging swallowing function in the early stages of the disease process may promote improved dysphagia care.
Methods of Monitoring Internal and External Loads and Their Relationships with Physical Qualities, Injury, or Illness in Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review and Best-Evidence Synthesis
Authors: Dudley Charles , Johnston Rich , Jones Ben , Till Kevin , Westbrook Harrison , Weakley Jonathon
Published: April 2023

Background

With the increasing professionalisation of youth sports, training load monitoring is increasingly common in adolescent athletes. However, the research examining the relationship between training load and changes in physical qualities, injury, or illness in adolescent athletes is yet to be synthesised in a systematic review.

Objective

The aim of this review was to systematically examine the research assessing internal and external methods of monitoring training load and physical qualities, injury, or illness in adolescent athletes.

Methods

Systematic searches of SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, CINAHL and SCOPUS were undertaken from the earliest possible records to March 2022. Search terms included synonyms relevant to adolescents, athletes, physical qualities, injury, or illness. To be eligible for inclusion, articles were required to (1) be original research articles; (2) be published in a peer-reviewed journal; (3) include participants aged between 10 and 19 years and participating in competitive sport; (4) report a statistical relationship between a measure of internal and/or external load and physical qualities, injury or illness. Articles were screened and assessed for methodological quality. A best-evidence synthesis was conducted to identify trends in the relationships reported.

Results

The electronic search yielded 4125 articles. Following screening and a review of references, 59 articles were included. The most commonly reported load monitoring tools were session ratings of perceived exertion (n = 29) and training duration (n = 22). Results of the best-evidence synthesis identified moderate evidence of positive relationships between resistance training volume load and improvement in strength, and between throw count and injury. However, evidence for other relationships between training load and change in physical qualities, injury, or illness were limited or inconsistent.

Conclusions

Practitioners should consider monitoring resistance training volume load for strength training. Additionally, where appropriate, monitoring throw counts may be useful in identifying injury risk. However, given the lack of clear relationships between singular measures of training load with physical qualities, injury, or illness, researchers should consider multivariate methods of analysing training load, as well as factors that may mediate the load–response relationship, such as maturation.
Gender inequalities at work in Southern Europe
Authors: Ren Yijun , Guglielmi Alessandra , Maestripieri Lara
Published: April 2023

Despite a long-term trend towards reduction, the gender gap in employment keeps standing in Southern Europe. Numerous potential causes have been individuated, such as the household configuration, women’s human capital, or the institutions that regulate the labour market. Less is known about the role of the locality. This paper explores what covariates influence women’s access to labour markets, and whether it is unevenly distributed across different countries and regions in Southern Europe. The analysis is based on the dataset round 9 (2018) from the European Social Survey. We focus on the following countries available in the dataset: Cyprus, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Italy and Spain are further differentiated into vulnerable and affluent regions according to the regional GDP in 2018. We apply a regression model for the binary response that is the indicator of having been doing paid work for the last 7 days of each individual in the sample. We adopt the Bayesian approach, to derive conclusions via a whole probability distribution, i.e., the posterior of all parameters, given data. The statistical goal is the selection of the most important covariates for access to the labour market, focusing on gender differences. Our analysis finds out that individual characteristics are mediated by household composition. Even though higher education increases women’s employment, the presence of children and having an employed partner reduce such involvement. Moreover, a larger gender gap is detected in vulnerable regions rather than affluent ones, especially in Italy.
Update on bioethical, medical and fertility issues in gender incongruence during transition age
Authors: Conflitti A. C. , Spaziani M. , Pallotti F. , Tarsitano M. G. , Di Nisio A. , Paoli D. , Lombardo F. ,   TALENT Study Group
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Many issues still remain unresolved in the management of pubertal patients with gender incongruence (GI). The aim of this review is to discuss the main aspects of the treatment of these patients to provide a practical approach for clinicians.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search within PubMed was performed to provide updates of available evidence regarding the impact on bioethical, medical and fertility issues in gender incongruence during transition age.

Results

Gender Affirming Hormone Treatment (GAHT) and Gender Affirming Surgery (GAS) can induce unsatisfaction with change, future regrets, and the risk of infertility. This raises ethical issues especially in the management of pubertal patients that remain unresolved. Therapy with GnRH analogues (GnRHa) is intended to delay puberty, so as to give the adolescent a longer period of time to decide whether to continue with the treatments. At the level of physical changes, this therapy may have an effect on bone mineralization and body composition; however, long-term longitudinal data are not yet available. An important feature related to the use of GnRHa is the risk of fertility. Gamete cryopreservation is the most established method of fertility preservation (FP) and should be counselled to transgender adolescents. However, these patients are not always interested in having biological children.

Conclusion

Based on the current evidence, there is a need to conduct further research to clarify certain issues and to standardize clinical practice and improve counselling in transgender adolescent decision making and avoid regrets in the future.