bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between the single nucleotide variants of the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene (MT-CYB) and the male infertility
Authors: Saleh Jaweesh Mayyas , Hammadeh Mohamad Eid , Dahadhah Fatina W. , Al Zoubi Mazhar Salim , Amor Houda
Published: February 2022

Background

Idiopathic male infertility can be attributed to genetic predispositions that affect sperm performance and function. Genetic alterations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been linked to certain types of male infertility and abnormal sperm function. Mutations in the mitochondrial cytochrome B (MT-CYB) gene might lead to some deficiencies in mitochondrial function. Thus, in the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of mutations in theMT-CYBgene on sperm motility and male infertility.

Methods and results

Semen specimens were collected from 111 men where 67 men were subfertile and 44 were fertile. QIAamp DNA Mini Kit and REPLI-g Mitochondrial DNA Kit from QIAGEN were used to isolate and amplify the mitochondrial DNA. Followed by PCR and Sanger sequencing for the target sequence in theMT-CYPgene. Sequencing of theMT-CYBgene revealed a total of thirteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Eight SNPs were non-synonymous variant (missense variant) including: rs2853508, rs28357685, rs41518645, rs2853507, rs28357376, rs35070048, rs2853506, and rs28660155. While five SNPs were Synonymous variant: rs527236194, rs28357373, rs28357369, rs41504845, and rs2854124. Among these SNPs, three variants showed a significant difference in the frequency of the genotypes between subfertile and fertile groups: rs527236194 (T15784C) (P = 0.0005), rs28357373 (T15629C) (P = 0.0439), and rs41504845 (C15833T) (P = 0.0038). Moreover, two SNPs showed a significant association between allelic frequencies of rs527236194 (T15784C) (P = 0.0014) and rs41504845 (C15833T) (P = 0.0147) and male subfertility.

Conclusion

The current study showed a significant association between theMT-CYBgene polymorphisms and the development of male infertility. In particular, rs527236194, rs28357373 and rs41504845 variants were found to be the most related to the subfertility group. Further studies on larger and other populations are required to reveal the exact role of this gene in the development of male infertility. In addition, functional studies will be helpful to elucidate the molecular impact of the MT-CYPpolymorphisms on mitochondrial function.
Neural Correlates of Impaired Self-awareness of Deficits after Acquired Brain Injury: A Systematic Review
Authors: Terneusen Anneke , Winkens Ieke , van Heugten Caroline , Stapert Sven , Jacobs Heidi I. L. , Ponds Rudolf , Quaedflieg Conny
Published: February 2022

Self-awareness is essential for the process and outcome of rehabilitation but is often affected by acquired brain injury (ABI). While many studies investigated the psychological aspects of self-awareness deficits, the biological underpinnings are not well understood. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the neural correlates of self-awareness after ABI. Results indicate that anticipation of future problems is associated with lesions and decreased neural functioning in the right frontal lobe, as well as increased diffusivity throughout the white matter of the brain. Poor behavioral adjustment on implicit awareness tasks is associated with less functional connectivity of anterior cingulate cortex and right or middle inferior frontal gyri to the fronto-parietal control network, as well as more activation in the left insula and left parietal operculum during error processing. Recognition of mistakes is associated with internetwork connectivity of anterior or posterior default mode network to salience network. In conclusion, after ABI, different results in brain activation and connectivity are found depending on level of awareness measured. Future studies are necessary to confirm these findings.
Stress recovery algorithm for reduced order models of mechanical systems in nonlinear dynamic operative conditions
Authors: Battiato Giuseppe , Firrone Christian M.
Published: February 2022

Nonlinear forced response analyses of mechanical systems in the presence of contact interfaces are usually performed in built-in numerical codes on reduced order models (ROM). Most of the cases these derive from complex finite element (FE) models, resulting from the high accuracy the designers require in modeling and meshing the components in commercial FE software. In the technical literature several numerical methods are proposed for the identification of the nonlinear forced response in terms of a kinematic quantity (i.e. displacement, velocity and acceleration) associated either to the master degrees-of-freedom retained in the ROM, or to the slave ones after having expanded the reduced response through the reduction matrix. In fact, the displacement is the quantity usually adopted to monitor the nonlinear response, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a partially loose friction interface in damping vibrations, with respect to a linear case where no friction interfaces exist and no energy dissipation can take place. However, when a ROM is used the engineering quantities directly involved in the mechanical design, i.e. the strains and stresses, cannot be retrieved without a further data processing. Moreover, in the case of a strong nonlinear behavior of the mechanical joints, the distributions of the nonlinear strains and stresses over the structure is likely different than the one obtained as a superposition of linear mode shapes whose definition require a-priori assumptions on the boundary conditions at the contact interface. This means that the mentioned approximation cannot be used to predict the safety margins of a structure working in real (nonlinear) operative conditions. This paper addresses this topic and presents a novel stress recovery algorithm for the identification of the strains and stresses resulting from a nonlinear forced response analysis on a ROM. The algorithm is applied to a bladed disk with friction contacts at the shroud joint, which make the behavior of the blades nonlinear and non-predictable by means of standard linear analyses in commercial FE software.
Exposure to Extremely Partisan News from the Other Political Side Shows Scarce Boomerang Effects
Authors: Casas Andreu , Menchen-Trevino Ericka , Wojcieszak Magdalena
Published: February 2022

A narrow information diet may be partly to blame for the growing political divides in the United States, suggesting exposure to dissimilar views as a remedy. These efforts, however, could be counterproductive, exacerbating attitude and affective polarization. Yet findings on whether such boomerang effect exists are mixed and the consequences of dissimilar exposure on other important outcomes remain unexplored. To contribute to this debate, we rely on a preregistered longitudinal experimental design combining participants’ survey self-reports and their behavioral browsing data, in which one should observe boomerang effects. We incentivized liberals to read political articles on extreme conservative outlets (Breitbart, The American Spectator, and The Blaze) and conservatives to read extreme left-leaning sites (Mother Jones, Democracy Now, and The Nation). We maximize ecological validity by embedding the treatment in a larger project that tracks over time changes in online exposure and attitudes. We explored the effects on attitude and affective polarization, as well as on perceptions of the political system, support for democratic principles, and personal well-being. Overall we find little evidence of boomerang effects.
A Tutorial on Cognitive Diagnosis Modeling for Characterizing Mental Health Symptom Profiles Using Existing Item Responses
Authors: Tan Zhengqi , de la Torre Jimmy , Ma Wenchao , Huh David , Larimer Mary E. , Mun Eun-Young
Published: February 2022

In research applications, mental health problems such as alcohol-related problems and depression are commonly assessed and evaluated using scale scores or latent trait scores derived from factor analysis or item response theory models. This tutorial paper demonstrates the use of cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) as an alternative approach to characterizing mental health problems of young adults when item-level data are available. Existing measurement approaches focus on estimating the general severity of a given mental health problem at the scale level as a unidimensional construct without accounting for other symptoms of related mental health problems. The prevailing approaches may ignore clinically meaningful presentations of related symptoms at the item level. The current study illustrates CDMs using item-level data from college students (40 items from 719 respondents; 34.6% men, 83.9% White, and 16.3% first-year students). Specifically, we evaluated the constellation of four postulated domains (i.e., alcohol-related problems, anxiety, hostility, and depression) as a set of attribute profiles using CDMs. After accounting for the impact of each attribute (i.e., postulated domain) on the estimates of attribute profiles, the results demonstrated that when items or attributes have limited information, CDMs can utilize item-level information in the associated attributes to generate potentially meaningful estimates and profiles, compared to analyzing each attribute independently. We introduce a novel visual inspection aid, the lens plot, for quantifying this gain. CDMs may be a useful analytical tool to capture respondents’ risk and resilience for prevention research.
The effect of high temperature and humidity on milk yield in Ankole and crossbred cows
Authors: Niyonzima Yvan Bienvenu , Strandberg Erling , Hirwa Claire D’Andre , Manzi Maximilian , Ntawubizi Martin , Rydhmer Lotta
Published: February 2022

Tropical regions are characterized by high temperature and humidity across the year. At high values of temperature humidity index (THI), there is a risk of heat stress leading to lower milk yield. The objective of this study was to describe the effect of season and the effect of maximum daily THI on milk yield of that day in purebred Ankole and Ankole-Friesian, Ankole-Jersey and Ankole-Sahiwal crosses in a tropical climate. In total, 53,730 records of daily milk yield from 183 cows in Rwanda were analyzed. The results showed that THI had a negative effect on daily milk yield above a threshold, but the effect was small (− 0.11 kg milk/THI unit at most). Purebred Ankole cows had the lowest daily milk yield and the lowest threshold (THI mean 66), as compared to the crossbreds (THI mean 68–69). Ankole-Friesian had a steeper decline in daily milk yield above the threshold than Ankole. The crossbreds, especially Ankole-Friesian, had higher daily milk yield than purebred Ankole also at very high THI. The results indicate some differences between breed groups in the way of coping with a hot and humid climate and raise questions about dairy cows’ adaptation to such a climate.
Learning-Based Multi Attribute Network Selection in Heterogeneous Wireless Access
Authors: Cinemre Idris , Mahmoodi Toktam
Published: February 2022

The rise of heterogeneous networks including macro, micro, pico, femto, and WLAN presents new challenges in optimizing user’s access to the networks. To fully utilize the capacity of such rich field of heterogeneous wireless connectivity, mobile devices should be able to select Radio Access Network (RAN) for their connection depending on their need. The proposed algorithm here is based on an autonomous agent at the mobile node and assisted by integration of distributed cloud services, e.g. the edge cloud. The selection of RAN is based on a Multi Attribute Decision Making process combined with the Reinforcement Learning that reinforces historical data collected from the edge cloud. Mobile agent is responsible for collecting data, executing the selection algorithm, possibly offloading the parts of the execution to the edge cloud, and providing feedback to the edge cloud after termination of the connection. The ultimate aim is to the design of RAN selection algorithm owned by autonomous and intelligent user agents that can significantly improve the user’s experience in terms of network coverage, data rate, latency, and battery lifetime. Through extensive simulation scenarios, we demonstrate the stability and precision of our proposed algorithm.
Computation and application of generalized linear mixed model derivatives using lme4
Authors: Wang Ting , Graves Benjamin , Rosseel Yves , Merkle Edgar C.
Published: February 2022

Maximum likelihood estimation of generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) is difficult due to marginalization of the random effects. Derivative computations of a fitted GLMM’s likelihood are also difficult, especially because the derivatives are not by-products of popular estimation algorithms. In this paper, we first describe theoretical results related to GLMM derivatives along with a quadrature method to efficiently compute the derivatives, focusing on fitted lme4 models with a single clustering variable. We describe how psychometric results related to item response models are helpful for obtaining the derivatives, as well as for verifying the derivatives’ accuracies. We then provide a tutorial on the many possible uses of these derivatives, including robust standard errors, score tests of fixed effect parameters, and likelihood ratio tests of non-nested models. The derivative computation methods and applications described in the paper are all available in easily obtained R packages.
COVID-19 Vaccine Rollouts and the Reproduction of Urban Spatial Inequality: Disparities Within Large US Cities in March and April 2021 by Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Composition
Authors: DiRago Nicholas V. , Li Meiying , Tom Thalia , Schupmann Will , Carrillo Yvonne , Carey Colleen M. , Gaddis S. Michael
Published: February 2022

Rollouts of COVID-19 vaccines in the USA were opportunities to redress disparities that surfaced during the pandemic. Initial eligibility criteria, however, neglected geographic, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic considerations. Marginalized populations may have faced barriers to then-scarce vaccines, reinforcing disparities. Inequalities may have subsided as eligibility expanded. Using spatial modeling, we investigate how strongly local vaccination levels were associated with socioeconomic and racial/ethnic composition as authorities first extended vaccine eligibility to all adults. We harmonize administrative, demographic, and geospatial data across postal codes in eight large US cities over 3 weeks in Spring 2021. We find that, although vaccines were free regardless of health insurance coverage, local vaccination levels in March and April were negatively associated with poverty, enrollment in means-tested public health insurance (e.g., Medicaid), and the uninsured population. By April, vaccination levels in Black and Hispanic communities were only beginning to reach those of Asian and White communities in March. Increases in vaccination were smaller in socioeconomically disadvantaged Black and Hispanic communities than in more affluent, Asian, and White communities. Our findings suggest vaccine rollouts contributed to cumulative disadvantage. Populations that were left most vulnerable to COVID-19 benefited least from early expansions in vaccine availability in large US cities.
A Bayesian Exploration of C.S. Lewis’s ‘Argument from Desire’
Authors: Simek Slater
Published: February 2022

C.S. Lewis’s ‘Argument from Desire’ is best summed up by his famous line, ‘If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world’. In short, unfulfilled ‘seemingly transcendent desires’ point to fulfilment in another realm. Lewis’s argument is fraught with disagreement, and subsequently, questions remain as to its efficacy as a theistic argument. In this essay, I will take a novel approach by using Bayes’ theorem to assess the success of Lewis’s argument in support of theism over and against naturalism. As I will argue, a strength of this approach is that it allows me to largely bypass a significant area of disagreement within the literature, namely, whether these desires are best seen as natural or artificial. Additionally, I will argue for why these desires are the sort of good God would be interested in giving to persons. Then, I will proceed to outline what I take to be the best naturalistic accounts of these desires and outline some of the challenges these accounts face. Finally, I will conclude with plugging these results into Bayes’ theorem.
Can assistive technology support social services during Covid-19 emergency? Barriers and opportunities
Authors: Fiorini Laura , Rovini Erika , Sorrentino Alessandra , Khalid Omair , Coviello Luigi , Radi Lorenzo , Toccafondi Lara , Cavallo Filippo
Published: February 2022

During the COVID-19 emergency, most domiciliary social services were suspended to avoid the risk of contagion, leaving older people at a greater risk of social isolation. Assistive technology has the potential to support the work of social professionals in promoting social inclusion and assistance of the older people. In this context, this paper aims to investigate the expectations of social operators toward assistive technology before and during the COVID-19 emergency. It also explores how the said emergency could guide us to implement social services in the future, including a discussion on the barriers to the adoption of assistive technologies. A total of 72 social professionals participated in this study comprising of three phases: two online questionnaires and one semi structured interview. In the first two phases, the two online questionnaires were administered before and during the COVID-19 emergency to 62 social professionals. In the third phase, 10 social workers were interviewed to discuss the results of the previous questionnaires to gain an in-depth understanding. The results highlight that the COVID-19 emergency is responsible for an increased perceived need of services involving telepresence, proposing a hybrid paradigm of assistance with both remote and in-presence assistance. Furthermore, the identified barriers to technology adoption are lack of organizational structure and ready-to-use technology. As for the facilitators for the technology adoption, social workers suggested investing in education and training of social professionals to reduce skepticism towards the usefulness of technology. The social professionals involved in this study highlight a generally positive view of technology in supporting their work. Finally, the lessons learned is also presented as a guideline for researchers in this field.
Revising the Role of Integrin Subunit β4 Expression in Colon Cancer Progression and Survival
Authors: Rademaker Eva , Bastiaannet Esther , Oosting Jan , Dekker-Ensink Neeltje G. , Kuppen Peter J. K. , de Miranda Noel F. C. C. , Liefers Gerrit J.
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Integrin subunit β4 (β4) has been proposed to play an important role in colon cancer progression through its involvement in hemidesmosome disassembly processes and tumor cell migration. However, the association between β4 expression and clinicopathological outcomes in colon cancer remains unclear.

Methods

Expression of β4 was assessed by immunohistochemistry in a large cohort of 651 colon cancer patients, the largest colon cancer cohort so far. Chi-squared tests were used to study the association between β4 expression and clinicopathological features. Overall and disease-free survival were assessed by Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

Loss of β4 expression was associated with local tumor invasion. Only 17.9% of the pT1 tumors displayed weak β4 expression level versus 28.1% of pT4 tumors, and 25.0% of the pT1 tumors had a high expression level versus 8.6% of the pT4 tumors (p = 0.012). No association between β4 expression and overall (p = 0.845) or disease-free survival (p = 0.767) was encountered, which disputes the role of β4 as a biomarker of malignant behavior in colon cancer.

Conclusion

Contradictory reports have suggested opposite roles for β4 expression in (colon) cancer progression. In the present large cohort of colon cancer patients, we found that β4 expression was not associated with worse clinical prognosis, but decreased with advanced pathological tumor stage. Future studies should establish whether loss of β4 expression promotes invasive characteristics of colon cancer cells.
Verbal manifestations of metacognitive and social cognitive operations in patients with schizophrenia who received metacognitive training
Authors: Fekete Zita , Vass Edit , Farkas-Pócs Martina , Balajthy Ramóna , Kuritárné Ildikó Szabó
Published: February 2022

The study investigates with inductive content analysis the verbal manifestations of schizophrenia patients, their utterances within the theory of mind modules of Metacognitive Training. Participants were recruited via psychiatrists’ verbal referrals. Four small groups were formed, two of which consented to the audio recording of their sessions. Only the sessions of these two groups of five and four patients respectively were investigated. As two participants dropped out, the verbalisations of seven participants were eventually analysed. All patients had schizophrenia diagnosis (mean age: 43 years, male: two, female: five). The verbal contents were transcribed, then two independent coders did the categorisation of the content; investigator triangulation ensured the reliability and validity of the study. As a result, a five-level hierarchy of cognitive operations was revealed in a bottom-up way. Patients attempted to interpret not only facial expressions but expressive movements, too, during emotion recognition. When deducing the state of others, patients sought contextual information; moreover, the burden of the illness and stigmatisation became easy to share. No signs of awareness of the consequences of the inferred states were found regarding future adjustment. Our hierarchical structure was consistent with related literature, and the specificities of cognitive operations of participants were also revealed.
Asymptomatic saccular portal vein aneurysm: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Villani Rosanna , Lupo Pierluigi , Angeletti Anna Grazia , Sacco Antonia Federica , Macarini Luca , Serviddio Gaetano
Published: February 2022

Portal vein aneurysms are rare abnormal dilations of the portal vein and represent less than 3% of all visceral aneurysms. They may be congenital or acquired, symptomatic or asymptomatic, complicated or uncomplicated. Portal vein aneurysms may be fusiform or saccular and this last one has a low prevalence. Due to the small number of cases reported in the medical literature and the lack of specific guidelines, the management and treatment of this condition is still undefined. In this review, we report a case of saccular portal vein aneurysm in a 73-year old man with liver cirrhosis and discuss all cases of portal vein aneurysms reported in literature.
Two-layer LSTM network-based prediction of epileptic seizures using EEG spectral features
Authors: Singh Kuldeep , Malhotra Jyoteesh
Published: February 2022

Epilepsy is a chronic nervous disorder, which disturbs the normal daily routine of an epileptic patient due to sudden seizure onset. In this era of smart healthcare, automated seizure prediction techniques could assist the patients, their family, and medical personnel to control and manage these seizures. This paper proposes a spectral feature-based two-layer LSTM network model for automatic prediction of epileptic seizures using long-term multichannel EEG signals. This model makes use of spectral power and mean spectrum amplitude features of delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands of 23-channel EEG spectrum for this task. Initially, the proposed single-layer and two-layer LSTM models have been evaluated for EEG segments having durations in the range of 5–50 s for 24 epileptic subjects, out of which EEG segments of 30 s duration are found to be useful for accurate seizure prediction using two-layer LSTM model. Afterwards, to validate the performance of this classifier, the spectral features of 30 s duration EEG segments are fed to random forest, decision tree, k-nearest neighbour, support vector machine, and naive Bayes classifiers, which are empowered with grid search-based parameter estimation. Finally, the iterative simulation results and comparison with recently published existing techniques firmly reveal that the proposed two-layer LSTM model with EEG spectral features is an effective technique for accurately predicting seizures in real time with an average classification accuracy of 98.14%, average sensitivity of 98.51%, and average specificity of 97.78%, thereby enabling the epileptic patients to have a better quality of life.
Why Conserve Nature?
Authors: Trudgill Stephen
Published: February 2022

How we view nature transforms the world around us. People rehearse stories about nature which make sense to them. If we ask the question 'why conserve nature?', and the answers are based on myths, then are these good myths to have? Scientific knowledge about the environment is fundamental to ideas about how nature works. It is essential to the conservation endeavour. However, any conservation motivation is nested within a society's meanings of nature and the way society values it. Given the therapeutic and psychological significance of nature for us and our culture, this book considers the meanings derived from the poetic and emotional attachment to a sense of place, which is arguably just as important as scientific evidence. The functional significance of species is important, but so too is the therapeutic value of nature, together with the historic and spiritual meanings entwined in a human feeling for landscape and wildlife.
Investigation of environmental awareness and attitudes of children attending nature centred private kindergartens and public kindergartens
Authors: Biber Kazım , Cankorur Hülya , Güler Rabia Sultan , Demir Ecenur
Published: February 2022

The aim of the research is to examine the environmental awareness and attitudes towards the environment of 5–6-year-old children attending nature-centred private kindergartens and public kindergartens. The study group of the descriptive research that used a screening model consists of 48 children from nature-centred Private Maki Kindergartens and 48 children from public kindergartens in the province of Balikesir in the 2020–2021 academic year. A Personal Information Form and Environmental Awareness and Attitude Scale for Preschool Children, developed by Soydan and Samur (International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education, 7(1), 78–97, 2017) for 60–72 months old children, were used in the study. The scale consists of two sub-dimensions as Attitude Towards Environment (15 items) and Environmental Awareness (11 Items) and 26 pictures. The Cronbachαcoefficients of the Environmental Awareness (.74) and Attitude (.78) Scale for Preschool Children and the overall scale (.82) were calculated. The data were collected by the researcher through one-on-one meetings with each child. The mean, mode, median, skewness and kurtosis values of the variables in the study were calculated. To determine whether the environmental awareness and environmental attitudes of the study group differ according to the school they attend, independent samplest-test was conducted. According to the results of the research, a significant difference was found in environmental attitudes and environmental awareness of children in nature-centred kindergartens compared to children in public kindergartens. Children attending public schools are less exposed to the environment. Preparing the Pre-School Education Program in an environment-friendly manner to increase the environmental awareness of children attending public schools will be effective in terms of making a difference in their attitudes towards the environment.
Decay of correlations for certain isometric extensions of Anosov flows
Authors: SIDDIQI SALMAN
Published: February 2022

We establish exponential decay of correlations of all orders for locally G-accessible isometric extensions of transitive Anosov flows, under the assumption that the strong stable and strong unstable distributions of the base Anosov flow are 
$C^1$
. This is accomplished by translating accessibility properties of the extension into local non-integrability estimates measured by infinitesimal transitivity groups used by Dolgopyat, from which we obtain contraction properties for a class of ‘twisted’ symbolic transfer operators.
Hausdorff dimension of escaping sets of meromorphic functions II
Authors: ASPENBERG MAGNUS , CUI WEIWEI
Published: February 2022

A function which is transcendental and meromorphic in the plane has at least two singular values. On the one hand, if a meromorphic function has exactly two singular values, it is known that the Hausdorff dimension of the escaping set can only be either
$2$
or
$1/2$
. On the other hand, the Hausdorff dimension of escaping sets of Speiser functions can attain every number in
$[0,2]$
(cf. [M. Aspenberg and W. Cui. Hausdorff dimension of escaping sets of meromorphic functions. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc.374(9) (2021), 6145–6178]). In this paper, we show that number of singular values which is needed to attain every Hausdorff dimension of escaping sets is not more than
$4$
.
The life cycle of conspiracy theories: evidence from a long-term panel survey on conspiracy beliefs in Italy
Authors: Mancosu Moreno , Vassallo Salvatore
Published: February 2022

Conspiracy theories are gaining increasing interest in academic and public debate. A broad research agenda focused on the socio-political and psychological determinants of conspiracy theory beliefs, on the effect of social media as a new channel of dissemination, on the role played by populist leaders in explaining those theories, and on the impact on social and political outputs. This introduction to the special issue proposes a summary of this growing literature and addresses an aspect that is still under-investigated: the life cycle of conspiracy theories. Previous empirical studies investigated the topic either in a cross-sectional fashion or by employing short-term panels – focusing on how conspiracy theories change over a small period (e.g., before and after an election). Using panel survey data, we take a medium-term approach. We base our investigation on a longitudinal study composed of two survey waves, administered in 2016 and late 2020. Respondents were asked to rate the plausibility of different ‘classic’ conspiracy theories. This allows comparing changes in beliefs in those conspiracy theories over this 4-year time frame. Results show that believes in these theories decrease over time. Furthermore, this decline can only be marginally explained by individual socio-demographic characteristics or political orientations. After thoroughly describing these differences over time, we speculate on why this decline occurs, mainly basing our argument on the role of the media landscape in shaping public opinion.
Turbulence kinetic energy transfers in direct numerical simulation of shock-wave–turbulence interaction in a compression/expansion ramp
Authors: Tonicello Niccolò , Lodato Guido , Vervisch Luc
Published: February 2022

A direct numerical simulation is performed for a supersonic turbulent boundary layer interacting with a compression/expansion ramp at an angle

$\alpha =24^{\circ }$

, matching the same operating conditions of the direct numerical simulation by Priebe & Martín (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 699, 2012, pp. 1–49). The adopted numerical method relies on the high-order spectral difference scheme coupled with a bulk-based, low-dissipative, artificial viscosity for shock-capturing purposes (Tonicello et al., Comput. Fluids, vol. 197, 2020, 104357). Filtered and averaged fields are evaluated to study total kinetic energy transfers in the presence of non-negligible compressibility effects. The compression motions are shown to promote forward transfer of kinetic energy down the energy cascade, whereas expansion regions are more likely to experience backscatter of kinetic energy. A standard decomposition of the subgrid scale tensor in deviatoric and spherical parts is proposed to study the compressible and incompressible contributions in the total kinetic energy transfers across scales. On average, the correlation between subgrid scale dissipation and large-scale dilatation is shown to be caused entirely by the spherical part of the Reynolds stresses (i.e. the turbulent kinetic energy). On the other hand, subtracting the spherical contribution, a mild correlation is still noticeable in the filtered fields. For compressible flows, it seems reasonable to assume that the eddy-viscosity approximation can be a suitable model for the deviatoric part of the subgrid scale tensor, which is exclusively causing forward kinetic energy cascade on average. Instead, more complex models are likely to be needed for the spherical part, which, even in statistical average, provides an important mechanism for backscatter.
The effect of isolated ridges and grooves on static menisci in rectangular channels
Authors: Johnstone Eleanor C. , Hazel Andrew L. , Jensen Oliver E.
Published: February 2022

We present theoretical and numerical results that demonstrate the sensitivity of the shape of a static meniscus in a rectangular channel to localised geometric perturbations in the form of narrow ridges and grooves imposed on the channel walls. The Young–Laplace equation is solved for a gas/liquid interface with fixed contact angle using computations, analytical arguments and semi-analytical solutions of a linearised model for small-amplitude perturbations. We find that the local deformation of the meniscus's contact line near a ridge or groove is strongly dependent on the shape of the perturbation. In particular, small-amplitude perturbations that change the channel volume induce a change in the pressure difference across the meniscus, resulting in long-range curvature of its contact line. We derive an explicit expression for this induced pressure difference directly in terms of the boundary data. We show how contact lines can be engineered to assume prescribed patterns using suitable combinations of ridges and grooves.
Particle segregation in inclined high-speed granular flows
Authors: Neveu Aurélien , Larcher Michele , Delannay Renaud , Jenkins James T. , Valance Alexandre
Published: February 2022

We report on the discovery, using numerical simulations, of a segregation pattern in high-speed granular flows, in which size segregation is primarily driven by two-dimensional granular temperature gradients, rather than by gravity. In contrast to slower flows on gentle slopes, in high-speed flows on steep slopes, large particles no longer accumulate in the upper layers of the flow, but are trapped in the interior. The strong temperature gradients that develop between the interior of the flow and the surrounding dilute periphery appear to govern the segregation mechanism. Interestingly, these new segregated flows run at a much faster speed than similar monodisperse flows. This opens up promising perspectives for transporting granular material with enhanced efficiency. Importantly, we show that the kinetic theory for dense, inclined flows of binary mixtures can provide a relevant theoretical framework to explain the segregation patterns observed in the numerical simulations.
Mineral micronutrient status and spatial distribution among the Ethiopian population
Authors: Belay Adamu , Gashu Dawd , Joy Edward J. M. , Lark Murray R. , Chagumaira Christopher , Zerfu Dilnesaw , Ander Louise E. , Young Scott D. , Bailey Elizabeth H. , Broadley Martin R.
Published: February 2022

Multiple micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in Ethiopia. However, the distribution of Se and Zn deficiency risks has previously shown evidence of spatially dependent variability, warranting the need to explore this aspect for wider micronutrients. Here, blood serum concentrations for Ca, Mg, Co, Cu and Mo were measured (n3102) on samples from the Ethiopian National Micronutrient Survey. Geostatistical modelling was used to test spatial variation of these micronutrients for women of reproductive age, who represent the largest demographic group surveyed (n1290). Median serum concentrations were 8·6 mg dl−1for Ca, 1·9 mg dl−1for Mg, 0·4 µg l−1for Co, 98·8 µg dl−1for Cu and 0·2 µg dl−1for Mo. The prevalence of Ca, Mg and Co deficiency was 41·6 %, 29·2 % and 15·9 %, respectively; Cu and Mo deficiency prevalence was 7·6 % and 0·3 %, respectively. A higher prevalence of Ca, Cu and Mo deficiency was observed in north western, Co deficiency in central and Mg deficiency in north eastern parts of Ethiopia. Serum Ca, Mg and Mo concentrations show spatial dependencies up to 140–500 km; however, there was no evidence of spatial correlations for serum Co and Cu concentrations. These new data indicate the scale of multiple mineral micronutrient deficiency in Ethiopia and the geographical differences in the prevalence of deficiencies suggesting the need to consider targeted responses during the planning of nutrition intervention programmes.
Influence of sugar consumption from foods with different degrees of processing on anthropometric indicators of children and adolescents after 18 months of follow-up
Authors: Barreto Jamile Rafaela Pereira da Silva , Assis Ana Marlúcia de Oliveira , de Santana Mônica Leila Portela , Pitangueira Jacqueline Costa Dias , Cunha Carla de Magalhães , Costa Priscila Ribas de Farias
Published: February 2022

Excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with the development of metabolic changes in children and adolescents. However, the consumption of total sugars, monosaccharides and disaccharides present in these ultra-processed foods and other food groups and its association with anthropometric indicators must be evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed at analysing the influence of sugar consumption from foods with different degrees of processing on anthropometric indicators of children and adolescents after 18 months of follow-up. This cohort study was conducted among 492 children and adolescents aged 7–15 years. Information on food consumption and anthropometry was collected during three follow-up stages. NOVA classification was used for food categorisation. The influence of sugar consumption on the variation of anthropometric measurements over time was evaluated using generalised estimation equation models. During the analysis period, for each increase of 1 g/d in the consumption of total sugars and monosaccharides from ultra-processed foods, there was an increase of 0·002 kg/m2 (P = 0·030) and 0·001 kg/m2 (P = 0·019) in BMI/Age; increase of 0·073 (P < 0·001), 0·032 (P < 0·001) and 0·100 (P < 0·001) in the BMI/Age z-score; and increase of 0·001 cm (P = 0·001), 0·001 cm (P = 0·003) and 0·003 cm (P < 0·001) in waist circumference, with the consumption of total sugars, monosaccharides and disaccharides, respectively. Our study findings support the evidence that the consumption of total sugars, monosaccharides and disaccharides from ultra-processed foods is associated with weight gain and abdominal fat in children and adolescents, which may represent an important risk factor for excess weight in this age group.
Polyphenol-rich tart cherries (Prunus Cerasus, cv Montmorency) improve sustained attention, feelings of alertness and mental fatigue and influence the plasma metabolome in middle-aged adults: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Kimble Rachel , Keane Karen M. , Lodge John K. , Cheung William , Haskell-Ramsay Crystal F. , Howatson Glyn
Published: February 2022

Tart Montmorency cherries (MC) are a particularly rich source of anthocyanins and other polyphenols that have been shown to elicit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vasomodulatory actions. The current study aimed to determine the influence of chronic MC supplementation on cognitive function and mood. In a 3-month double-blinded, placebo-controlled parallel study, middle-aged adults (mean ± sd: 48 ± 6 years) were randomly assigned to either 30 ml twice daily of MC (n 25) or the same amount of an isoenergetic placebo (n 25). Cognitive function and mood were assessed before and after supplementation using a computerised cognitive task battery and visual analogue scales. Cerebral blood flow was also monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy during the task battery, and questionnaires were administered to determine subjective sleep and health status and plasma metabolomics were analysed before and after supplementation. After 3 months, the MC resulted in higher accuracy in digit vigilance (mean difference: 3·3, 95 % CI: 0·2, 6·4 %) with lower number of false alarms (mean difference: −1·2, 95 % CI: −2·0, −0·4) compared with the placebo. There was also a treatment effect for higher alertness (mean difference: 5·9, 95 % CI: 1·3, 10·5 %) and lower mental fatigue ratings (mean difference −9·5, 95 % CI: −16·5, −2·5 %) with MC. Plasma metabolomics revealed an increase in a number of amino acids in response to MC intake, but not placebo. These data suggest an anti-fatiguing effect of MC supplementation as well as the ability to improve sustained attention during times of high cognitive demand, this could be related to changes in amino acid metabolism.
INTRA-COMMUNAL AND INTER-COMMUNAL DIMENSIONS OF CONFLICT AND PEACE IN LEBANON
Authors: Barak Oren
Published: February 2022

Recent contributions to the study of ethnic conflict, which attempt to explain why and under what circumstances members of ethnic groups, or communities,1 mobilize and engage in violence, include several works that are inspired by the “security dilemma”—a basic concept of the realist tradition of international theory.2 Barry Posen, for instance, argues that ethnic groups behave like sovereign states in the international system and are influenced by their proximity to other, similar groups in the same way that states are affected by their neighbors. Because security is the primary concern of these communities, each tries to enhance its security by strengthening its position. The actions the community takes, however, trigger the response of other groups, whose members intrinsically view it as offensive, regardless of its motives. A paradox thus emerges, as “what one does to enhance one's own security causes reactions that, in the end, can make one less secure.”3
The Leadership of Co-Production in Health and Social Care Integration in Scotland: A Qualitative Study
Authors: CONNOLLY JOHN , MUNRO ALISON , MACGILLIVRAY STEPHEN , MULHERIN TAMARA , TOMA MADALINA , GRAY NICOLA , ANDERSON JULIE
Published: February 2022

The involvement of citizens in the production and creation of public services has become a central tenet for administrations internationally. In Scotland, co-production has underpinned the integration of health and social care via the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. We report on a qualitative study that examined the experiences and perspectives of local and national leaders in Scotland on undertaking and sustaining co-production in public services. By adopting a meso and macro perspective, we interviewed senior planning officers from eight health and social care partnership areas in Scotland and key actors in national agencies. The findings suggest that an overly complex Scottish governance landscape undermines the sustainability of co-production efforts. As part of a COVID-19 recovery, both the implementation of meaningful co-production and coordinated leadership for health and social care in Scotland need to be addressed, as should the development of evaluation capacities of those working across health and social care boundaries so that co-production can be evaluated and report to inform the future of the integration agenda.
Conditional Solidarity - Attitudes Towards Support for Others During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: GANDENBERGER MIA K. , KNOTZ CARLO M. , FOSSATI FLAVIA , BONOLI GIULIANO
Published: February 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to study how humans allocate scarce resources in times of hardship. We study public preferences regarding who should get access to government aid for the self-employed, a bed in the intensive care unit, and permission to cross the border using original conjoint survey experiments administered to an incentivised online panel in Switzerland during the first and second waves of the pandemic in 2020. We find that across the three areas, even in extraordinary circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluations of deservingness to aid and support are still based on an underlying logic of conditional solidarity and identity: in all experiments, contributing to the community, be it through past actions and contributions or through current efforts, plays a crucial role in determining an individual’s deservingness, as does their nationality (and legal status) with nationals being perceived as more deserving than non-nationals.
JumpSTART Triage Protocol in Disaster Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Stéfani Giovanna M. , de Melo Murilo E. , Zardeto Heloísa N. , Costa Victor S. L. P. , Lima Fabiana S. , Cola Maíra
Published: February 2022

Introduction:

In a mass-casualty incident (MCI) involving children, there is a need to apply accurate triage tools in order to help those who require important care, and at the same time, to avoid unnecessary use of resources. Thus, it is discussed which would be the best triage device to use in these situations. One of the most used is a modification of Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, JumpSTART, whose performative quality this review focuses on.

Study Objective:

This review sought to compare the performance parameters of JumpSTART with other triage algorithms used in pediatric disaster victims.

Methods:

This systematic review was performed according to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and registered with the PROSPERO database of systematic reviews with the number CRD42021258415. The last update of the search in the databases was on August 12, 2021 and resulted in six documents to be analyzed. The inclusion criteria included the peer-reviewed academic papers in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian languages, and the databases used were PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE/Bireme (Virtual Library of Health), Web of Science, and CINAHL, which executes the query on the topic, keywords, or abstracts. Also to be included, documents that were available with full-text access through CAPES, Google, or Google Scholar. Books, non-academic research, and content in languages other than the presented ones were represented as exclusion criteria. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists were used to evaluate the methodological quality of the retrieved studies. The results were presented through narrative synthesis. This review was not funded.

Results:

Of the collected publications, five articles were used to carry out this review, with the addition of an extra article captured by citation tracking. The findings from the obtained results were that JumpSTART was the preferred tool and presented the fastest speed of use. Only one of the five studies that dealt with accuracy showed JumpSTART as the most accurate algorithm, while three of the other four showed its inferiority in most aspects. In one study, no significant difference was observed amongst the chosen protocols.

Conclusions:

There is insufficient evidence to validate JumpSTART as a universal triage tool, given the disparities in the results obtained from the comparisons. No tool performed satisfactorily well, therefore there is an urgent need to create a reliable algorithm.