bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating the costs of blindness and moderate to severe visual impairment among people with diabetes in India
Authors: Redding Stuart , Anderson Robert , Raman Rajiv , Sivaprasad Sobha , Wittenberg Raphael
Published: June 2023

Objectives

This study provides an estimate of the annual cost of blindness and moderate to severe visual impairment (MSVI) among people with diabetes aged 40 years and above in India in the year 2019.

Design

A cost of illness study.

Setting

India.

Participants

People with diabetes aged 40 years and above in India in the year 2019.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Estimates are provided for the total costs of screening for most common vision-threatening eye conditions, treatment of these conditions, economic activity lost by these people and their family carers whose ability to work is affected, and loss of quality of life experienced by people with diabetes and blindness or MSVI.

Results

It is estimated that for people with diabetes aged 40 years or above, annual screening followed by eye examination where required would cost around 42.3 billion Indian rupees (INR) (4230 crores) per year; treating sight problems around 2.87 billion INR (287 crores) per year if 20% of those needing treatment receive it; and lost economic activity around 472 billion INR (47 200 crores). Moreover, 2.86 million (0.286 crores) quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) are lost annually due to blindness and MSVI. The estimate of lost production is highly sensitive to the proportion of people with MSVI able to work and how their output compares with that of a person with no visual impairment.

Conclusions

This is the first study to estimate the cost of blindness and MSVI for people aged 40 years and over with diabetes in India. The annual cost to the Indian economy is substantial. This cost will be expected to fall if a successful screening and treatment plan is introduced in India. Further work is suggested using more robust data, when available, to estimate the loss of productivity and loss of QALYs, as this would be worthwhile.
Postpartum depression screening in mothers and fathers at well-child visits: a feasibility study within the NASCITA cohort
Authors: Segre Giulia , Clavenna Antonio , Cartabia Massimo , Bonati Maurizio
Published: June 2023

Objective

To assess the feasibility of the family paediatrician’s (FP) role in identifying the signs of postpartum depression in parents in time to guarantee child well-being.

Design, setting and participants

Data for this observational prospective study were collected within the NASCITA (NAscere e creSCere in ITAlia) cohort. During the first visit, paediatricians collected sociodemographic data regarding the parents and information about their health status, the pregnancy and the delivery. Whooley questions were administered during the first and second visits (scheduled 60–90 days after childbirth). Moreover, on the third visit (5–7 months after childbirth) the FP was asked to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a question on the parental postpartum depression, based on his knowledge and on the acquired information.

Results

In 2203 couples who completed the assessment, 529 mothers (19.9%), 141 fathers (6.3%) and 110 (5%) couples reported any depressive symptomatology. Of these, 141 mothers (5.3% of the total sample) and 18 fathers (0.8% of the total sample) were classified as ‘likely depressed’. An association was found between maternal postnatal depressive symptoms and having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder during pregnancy (OR 9.49, 95% CI: 3.20 to 28.17), not exclusively breastfeeding at hospital discharge (OR 1.76, 95% CI: 1.19 to 2.61) and the presence of child sleeping disorders at 3 (OR 2.46, 95% CI: 1.41 to 4.28) and 6 months (OR 2.18, 95% CI: 1.37 to 3.47). Another significant predictor of postpartum depression was being primiparous (OR 1.99, 95% CI: 1.31 to 3.02). Concerning the fathers, a significant association was reported only between likely depressed fathers and child sleeping disorders at 3 months (OR 7.64, 95% CI: 2.92 to 19.97). Moreover, having a likely depressed partner was strongly associated with depressive symptoms in fathers (OR 85.53, 95% CI 26.83 to 272.69).

Conclusions

The findings of this study support the feasibility of an active screening programme for parental postnatal depression during well-child visits as an integral part of postpartum care.

Trial registration number

NCT03894566; Pre-results.
Determining the usefulness of systematic18F-FDG PET/CT for the management of invasive fungal infection (PETIFI project): a prospective national multicentre cohort study protocol
Authors: Gutiérrez Andrea , Rodriguez Begoña , Velasquez Karina , Gutiérrez Isabel , García Sonia , Múñez Elena , Calderón-Parra Jorge , Callejas-Diaz Alejandro , Ramos-Martinez Antonio , Fernandez-Cruz Ana
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The evaluation of staging and activity of invasive fungal infection (IFI) is used to adjust the type and duration of antifungal therapy (AT). Typically anatomy-based imaging is used. Positron emission tomography/CT with18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG PET/CT) not only evaluates more than one body area in one session, but adds functional information to the anatomic data provided by usual imaging techniques and can potentially improve staging of IFI and monitoring of the response to therapy. Our objective is to analyse the impact of the systematic use of18F-FDG PET/CT in IFI diagnostic and therapeutic management.

Methods and analysis

Multicentre prospective cohort study of IFI with performance of systematic18F-FDG PET/CT at diagnosis and follow-up that will be carried out in 14 Spanish tertiary hospitals. It is planned to include 224 patients with IFI over a 2-year study period. Findings and changes in management before and after18F-FDG PET/CT will be compared. Additionally, the association of initial quantitative18F-FDG PET/CT parameters with response to therapy will be evaluated.

The primary endpoint is to compare the yield of18F-FDG PET/CT with standard management without18F-FDG PET/CT in IFI at initial assessment (staging) and in monitoring the response to treatment.

The impact of the results of18F-FDG PET/CT on the diagnostic-therapeutic management of patients with IFI (added value), as well as the prognostic ability of different quantification parameters of18F-FDG PET/CT will be secondary endpoints.

Ethics and dissemination

The Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda University Hospital approved the protocol of the study at the primary site. We plan to publish the results in high-impact journals.

Trial registration number

NCT05688592.
Safety and effectiveness of the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) system for the treatment of wide necked bifurcation aneurysms: final 5 year results of the pivotal WEB Intra-saccular Therapy study (WEB-IT)
Authors: Fiorella David , Molyneux Andy , Coon Alex , Szikora Istvan , Saatci Isil , Baltacioglu Feyyaz , Aziz-Sultan Mohammad A , Hoit Daniel , Delgado Almandoz Josser E , Elijovich Lucas , Cekirge H Saruhan , Byrne James , Klisch Joachim , Arthur Adam S
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The US Woven EndoBridge Intra-saccular Therapy (WEB-IT) study is a pivotal, prospective, single arm, investigational device exemption study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the WEB device for the treatment of wide neck bifurcation aneurysms (WNBAs). We present complete 5 year data for the cohort of 150 patients.

Methods

150 patients with WNBAs were enrolled at 21 US and six international centers. Imaging from the index procedure, 6 month, 1 year, 3 year, and 5 year follow-up were reviewed by a core laboratory. Adverse events were reviewed and adjudicated by a clinical events adjudicator.

Results

83 patients had 5 year follow-up imaging and 123 had clinical follow-up. No ruptured (0/9) or unruptured aneurysm (0/141) rebled or bled during follow-up. No new device or procedure related adverse events or serious adverse events were reported after 1 year. At 5 years, using the LOCF method, complete occlusion was observed in 58.1% and adequate occlusion in 87.2% of patients. For patients with both 1 year and 5 year occlusion statuses available, 76.8% (63/82) of aneurysms remained stable or improved with no retreatment. After 1 year, 18 aneurysms were retreated, 11 of which were adequately occluded at 1 year, and 15 of which were retreated in the absence of any deterioration in occlusion grade.

Conclusions

Five year follow-up data from the WEB-IT study demonstrated that the WEB device was safe and effective when used in the treatment of WNBAs. Aneurysm occlusion rates achieved at 1 year follow-up were durable, with rates of progressive thrombosis far exceeding rates of recurrence over time.
Method to evidence hypernuclear halos from a two-target interaction cross section measurement
Authors: Velardita Simone , Alvarez-Pol Hector , Aumann Thomas , Ayyad Yassid , Duer Meytal , Hammer Hans-Werner , Ji Liancheng , Obertelli Alexandre , Sun Yelei
Published: June 2023

We present a two-target measurement method to determine the interaction cross section of hypernuclei with a target nucleus. The method allows to extract from two independent measurements the production cross section of a given hypernucleus as well as its interaction cross section on a specific target. The latter is then further analyzed to deduce the matter radius of the hypernucleus. The sensitivity of the method has been investigated for the specific case of the lightest hyperhalo candidate hypertriton ($$^3_\Lambda $$

Λ
3

H) produced from $$^{12}$$

12

C+$$^{12}$$

12

C collisions at 1.9 GeV/nucleon. Furthermore, its feasibility is demonstrated by detailed simulations for realistic experimental conditions at GSI/FAIR, using a dedicated HYDRA (HYpernuclei Decay at R$$^3$$

3

B Apparatus) time-projection chamber prototype. A precision of 15% or better in the interaction cross section can be achieved, allowing an extraction of the unknown $$^3_\Lambda $$

Λ
3

H matter radius and assessing its halo or non-halo character.
A Reusable Model-agnostic Framework for Faithfully Explainable Recommendation and System Scrutability
Authors: Xu Zhichao , Zeng Hansi , Tan Juntao , Fu Zuohui , Zhang Yongfeng , Ai Qingyao
Published: June 2023

State-of-the-art industrial-level recommender system applications mostly adopt complicated model structures such as deep neural networks. While this helps with the model performance, the lack of system explainability caused by these nearly blackbox models also raises concerns and potentially weakens the users’ trust in the system. Existing work on explainable recommendation mostly focuses on designing interpretable model structures to generate model-intrinsic explanations. However, most of them have complex structures, and it is difficult to directly apply these designs onto existing recommendation applications due to the effectiveness and efficiency concerns. However, while there have been some studies on explaining recommendation models without knowing their internal structures (i.e., model-agnostic explanations), these methods have been criticized for not reflecting the actual reasoning process of the recommendation model or, in other words,faithfulness. How to develop model-agnostic explanation methods and evaluate them in terms of faithfulness is mostly unknown. In this work, we propose a reusable evaluation pipeline for model-agnostic explainable recommendation. Our pipeline evaluates the quality of model-agnostic explanation from the perspectives of faithfulness and scrutability. We further propose a model-agnostic explanation framework for recommendation and verify it with the proposed evaluation pipeline. Extensive experiments on public datasets demonstrate that our model-agnostic framework is able to generate explanations that are faithful to the recommendation model. We additionally provide quantitative and qualitative study to show that our explanation framework could enhance the scrutability of blackbox recommendation model. With proper modification, our evaluation pipeline and model-agnostic explanation framework could be easily migrated to existing applications. Through this work, we hope to encourage the community to focus more on faithfulness evaluation of explainable recommender systems.
Mercury Ion Sensing Using Aptamer-Modified Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistors and a Handheld Device
Authors: Lee Chun-Ta , Paulose Akhil K. , Kuo Tzuhan , Zeng Guan-Cheng , Lin Chia-Kai , Cheng Yu-Ying , Lin Zong-Hong , Chen Jung-Chih , Dong Guo-Chun , Li Bor-Ran , Hung Sheng-Chun , Wang Yu-Lin
Published: June 2023

In this research, we have designed, fabricated, and characterized an Electrical double-layer (EDL) gated FET platform to detect heavy metals. The electrical double layer (EDL)-gated field-effect transistor-based sensor is garnering interest due to its sensitivity, portable configuration, selectivity, inexpensive operation, as well as their user-friendly nature. the sensing platform designed for rapid detection of Hg2+ using DNA-based aptamers. The investigation was carried out by introducing different concentrations of Mercury ions and a lower detection limit of 1 μM was achieved. The sensor surface was validated with Kelvin Probe Force Microscope (KPFM), which is consistent with the electrical response obtained. Sensor selectivity was studied and exhibited a high sensitivity toward Mercury ion detection. Considering its limit of detection, compatibility, and fast turnaround; the proposed system has the potential to be used to detect Mercury ions instantly for environmental monitoring, where quick and accurate detection of Mercury ions is essential.
Effect of Pre-Treatment Time On Graphene Nanosheets Produced by Exfoliation Method
Authors: Güzel Tamer , İşlek Yasemin , Yıldız Oğuzhan
Published: June 2023

2D-Materials are the biggest candidates to take today’s electronic technology to a new point. In particular, graphene can find its place in many areas due to its unique properties. This has made the investigation of the factors that can affect the quality of graphene production up-to-date. In the present study, effect of pre-treatment time on graphene nanosheets produced was investigated. The structural analyses were carried out by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spektrometresi (F-TIR). The morphological analyses of the surface were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The number of layers and crystallite of graphene nanoparticles was calculated and the results were compared with the literature. The results show that the pre-treatment time affects the structural properties of the graphene nanosheets produced by the exfoliation method and there is a more positive effect on exfoliated graphene quality for 20 min pre-treatment time.
Structure and Electric Properties of Anodized Aluminum with PEDOT:PSS Conductive Polymer Cathode
Authors: Matsuya Hisato , Quintero David , Kitano Sho , Habazaki Hiroki
Published: June 2023

Aluminum solid electrolytic capacitors using a conductive polymer as a cathode material has the advantages of low equivalent series resistance (ESR) and high thermal stability compared to aluminum electrolytic capacitors using liquid electrolytes. A disadvantage of aluminum solid electrolytic capacitors with a conductive polymer is the low breakdown voltages, limiting the operating voltage of the capacitors to ∼100 V or less. In this study, for a possible future increment of the withstand voltages of solid electrolytic capacitors, PEDOT:PSS-coated aluminum with an amorphous or crystalline alumina layer formed at 500 V has been characterized using SEM, STEM/EDS, and conductive AFM to understand the distribution of PEDOT:PSS conductive polymer and its influence on the electric properties. The crystalline alumina layer, developed beneath a porous hydrated alumina layer, contains many voids, which increase the leakage current compared to the void-less amorphous alumina layer. However, the crystalline alumina layer with PEDOT:PSS exhibits a higher breakdown voltage than the amorphous one. The limited incorporation of PEDOT:PSS into the inner part of the porous hydrated alumina layer may introduce a resistive surface layer, possibly contributing to the increased dielectric breakdown.
Prevalence and Determinants of Premarital Sexual Practice among Youths in Ethiopia: Based on the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey Data
Authors: Shitu Kegnie , Kassie Ayenew , Wolde Maereg
Published: June 2023

Background. Premarital sexual practice becomes a common phenomenon among youths in Ethiopia. It is usually associated with unwanted pregnancies, abortions, and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. Objective. This study is aimed at assessing the magnitude and determinants of premarital sexual practice among Ethiopian youths. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in all regions of Ethiopia from January 18 to June 27, 2016. A total of 7389 youths with the age range from 19 to 24 were included in the present study. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with premarital sex. A 95% CI and

p

value < 0.05 were used to declare statistical significance. Result. The prevalence of premarital sexual practice was 10.8% (95% CI, 10%–11.5%). Being in the age group of 20-24 (

AOR
=
3.6

, 95% CI (2.8, 4.6)), male sex (

AOR
=
1.7

, 95% CI (1.3, 2.2)), employed (

AOR
=
1.4

, 95% CI (1.03, 1.8)), from pastoral region (

AOR
=
1.4

, 95% CI (1.3,2.4)), having mobile phone (

AOR
=
1.7

, 95% CI, (1.3, 2.3)), ever use of internet (

AOR
=
1.8

, 95% CI (1.3, 2.5)), ever drinking alcohol (

AOR
=
2.4

, 95% CI (1.7, 2.5)), ever chewed khat (

AOR
=
2.4

, 95% CI (1.6, 3.5), and ever tested for HIV (

AOR
=
1.3

, 95% CI (1.1,1.6)) were statistically significant factors associated with premarital sex. Conclusion. For every 10 youths, at least one of them had sexual intercourse before they got married. Being in the age group of 20-24, male sex, employed, from a pastoral region, having a mobile phone, ever use of the internet, alcohol drinking, khat chewing, and ever tested for HIV were important factors affecting premarital sex. Thus, national sexual education and reproductive health behavior change interventions should give due attention to those groups. Furthermore, adequate education should be given about premarital sexual intercourse when youths come for HIV tests.
Supplemental Table 1 from Siglec-15 promotes evasion of adaptive immunity in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Pillsbury Claire E. , Dougan Jodi , Rabe Jennifer L , Fonseca Jairo A , Zhou Chengjing , Evans Alysa N , Abukharma Hasan , Ichoku Ona , Gonzalez-Flamenco Gloria , Park Sunita I. , Aljudi Ahmed , DeRyckere Deborah , Castellino Sharon M , Rafiq Sarwish , Langermann Solomon , Liu Linda N , Henry Curtis J , Porter Christopher C
Published: June 2023

All gRNA, shRNA, and primer sequences for genetic modification and RT-qPCR analysis.
Hypoganus fedorenkoi sp. nov., the first record of the genus in Vietnam (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae)
Authors: PROSVIROV ALEXANDER S. , QIU LU
Published: June 2023

Hypoganus fedorenkoi sp. nov. is described from Northern Vietnam (Lào Cai Province); the genus is recorded for the first time in Vietnam. The position of this species and its allies within the genus is discussed.
Molecular and morphometric analyses reveal host-specific cryptic speciation in a mite species, Tetranychus neocaledonicus (Andre, 1933) (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Authors: MEGHANA R. , ANAND P. P. , VARDHANAN Y. SHIBU
Published: June 2023

Host- and habitat-induced morphological shape and size variations are common in phytophagous and parasitic taxa. Several integrated morphological and molecular techniques have been commonly used to understand host-induced morpho-cryptic species forms. Compared to other arthropods, cryptic speciation was more common in Acari. This study focused on the host-specific morphological cryptic shape and size variations of Tetranychus neocaledonicus, collected from moringa and cassava hosts. We used geometric morphometric analysis to uncover the shape and size of inter-and intra-spider mite populations, and discovered that host-specific shape and size variations existed in spider mites regardless of sex. Interestingly, there was no phylogenetic signal in spider mites, implying that the morpho-cryptic speciation of T. neocaledonicus is solely based on the host-induced selection. The molecular clock hypothesis was accepted in our CO1 and 18s rRNA phylogeny analyses, and spider mites collected from both hosts were genetically less diverse. We conclude that T. neocaledonicus exhibited morphologically detectable cryptic population diversity in each host but that these populations are evolutionarily young form. Apart from these host-induced variations, we also monitored the impact of the clearing agent (lactic acid) on the shape and size of T. neocaledonicus; from this study, we proved that the clearing agent significantly alters the taxonomically important morphological traits of spider mites irrespective of the mites’ sex, as confirmed by multivariate statistical analysis. This is the first study report to investigated the host-induced morphological variations of spider mites and the impact of a clearing agent.
Description of a new species of the genus Xyrosaris Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) from the Far East of Russia with notes on congeneric species
Authors: PONOMARENKO MARGARITA G. , BELJAEV EVGENY A.
Published: June 2023

A new species, Xyrosaris insularis sp. n., was found in the Far East of Russia. Most of the specimens were obtained through the rearing of larvae that fed on Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. (Celastraceae). The genetic distances between the mtCOI sequences in X. insularis and congeneric species are in the range 1.2–13.9%. Minimal genetic distance (1.2%) was discovered between new species and X. lichneuta Meyrick from Shaanxi (China), which is lower than the standard mtCOI barcoding threshold of 2% for species delineation, but both taxa differ well in the genital morphology. The description of a new species is accompanied by illustrations of variations in the pattern, by the genitalia of both sexes, and by larva on its host plant.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 5 Promotes the Proliferation of Corneal Epithelium Through Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B Signaling Pathway Activation
Authors: Jiang Hao , Zhou Ziying , Ou Shangkun , Zhao Su , Huang Chao , Long Qiurong , Zhang Lingli , Zhang Liying , Gu Hao
Published: June 2023

The recovery of corneal epithelial wounds is a complex process involving several physiological and pathological mechanisms that require further investigation. Our study has unveiled that the primary expression of FGF5 and FGFR1 occurs in the basal epithelium of the limbus. In the early 48 hours of the corneal epithelial wound healing process, FGF5 expression gradually rose and subsequently returned to baseline levels. The mice corneal epithelial cells (TKE2) proliferation was promoted by rhFGF5. Furthermore, the stemness-related genes K14, K15, P63, and the proliferation marker Ki67 levels expression increased after treatment with rhFGF5.In vivo, rhFGF5 promoted corneal epithelial wound healing. The RNA sequencing analysis of rhFGF5 treated TKE2 cells revealed 1512 differentially expressed genes. Different genes related to the cell cycle, proliferation, and regulatory signaling pathways were enriched. Moreover, the activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT) signaling pathway due to FGF5 led to the amplification of corneal progenitor cells. When FGF5 expression was curbed using siRNA, both proliferation and PI3K-AKT signaling pathway activation decreased. Our investigation has demonstrated that FGF5 stimulates the expansion of corneal limbal stem cells by activating the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Therefore, FGF5 has the potential to be an efficacious therapeutic intervention for treating corneal epithelial injuries.
Emergency General Surgery Transfers to Definitive Care: An Assessment of Patient and Systemic Factors in Appendicitis Referrals
Authors: Kanney Jill , Distler Katerina , Santini Jon , Rostedt Leslie , Collopy Kevin , Powers William F.
Published: June 2023

Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with an Emergency General Surgery (EGS) problem often require transfer to a tertiary facility. Issues impacting EGS mirror the same issues trauma surgery faced prior to the implementation of current trauma guidelines. This study analyzed the cost, time, and transport resource utilization of EGS patients with acute appendicitis when transferred from network hospitals to a level II trauma center. This was a retrospective study. Patients were transferred by a critical or specialty care transport team 62% of the time, although no skills performed required a critical or specialty care provider. The median time from decision to transfer to incision was 254 minutes, with an average transport time of 27 minutes. This study suggests that there is an opportunity to improve access to the operating room and to decrease resource utilization of specialty care and critical care transport for patients.
Filter Fluorometer Calibration Without the Fluorometer
Authors: English Caitlyn M. , Kitzhaber Zechariah B. , Sanim Kazi Ragib I. , Vitzilaios Nikolaos , Hodgson Michael E. , Richardson Tammi L. , Myrick Michael L.
Published: June 2023

We recently described a lightweight, low-power, waterproof filter fluorometer using a 180° backscatter geometry for chlorophyll-a (chl- a) detection. Before it was constructed it was modeled to ensure it would have satisfactory performance. This manuscript repeats the modeling process that allows the calibration slope and detection limit for a fluorescent analyte in water to be estimated from system component performance and conventional spectrofluorometry alone. These values are validated by comparison to the experimental result of calibration from the completed instrument. Our model yields a calibration slope of 8.22 mV-L/µg for dissolved chl- a, consistent with the experimentally measured slope of 8.21 mV-L/µg. The detection limit modeled from this slope and an estimate of the baseline noise of the instrument was 0.15 µg/L chl- a, while the measured detection limit using real blank samples was 0.18 µg/L, in 0.1 s differential measurements.
Is Neighborhood Nature an Ecological Precursor of Parenting Practices, Infant-Parent Bonding, and Infant Socioemotional Function?
Authors: Mygind Lærke , Greenwood Christopher , Letcher Primrose , Mavoa Suzanne , Lycett Kate , Wang Yichao , Flensborg-Madsen Trine , Bentsen Peter , Macdonald Jacqui A. , Thomson Kimberly , Hutchinson Delyse , Olsson Craig A. , Enticott Peter G.
Published: June 2023

Nurturing relationships are crucial for adaptive child development. The objectives of the study were to investigate whether nature availability was associated with early nurturing parenting practices, mother-infant bonding, and infant socioemotional function. Data were from the Australian Temperament Project ( n = 809 infants to 515 parents residing in Victoria, Australia) and were linked cross-sectionally to residential greenness (i.e., Normalized Difference in Vegetation Index). There were no observable associations between residential greenness within a 1,600 m network radius and parenting practices, mother-infant bonding, or infant socioemotional function. The findings were largely corroborated by sensitivity analyses (i.e., NDVI within 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 m and distance to park). Shorter distances to a park were associated with less hostile parenting. More residential greenness (1,000 and 1,600 m) was associated with stronger father-infant bonding and more hostile parenting amongst the most stressed parents in exploratory analyses. Residential greenness might be a socioecological precursor for father-infant bonding.
The fiction of colorblind Italy and Orio Vergani's Io, povero negro (1929)
Authors: Hom Stephanie Malia
Published: June 2023

Taking aim at the myth that il razzismo non esiste in Italy, this article explores the rhetorical mechanisms that underpin anti-black racism vis-à-vis Italian colonial fiction—fictions that give life to the deceit that Italy is colorblind. It focuses attention on the work of Orio Vergani (1898-1960) who was one of the most prolific documentarians of Italian East Africa. His reportage established a vast image repository of exoticized, black bodies that reinforced prevailing colonial stereotypes about Africa in the Italian cultural imagination during the early-20th century. Yet his novel, Io, povero negro (1929)—claimed to be Italy's first with a black protagonist—was written before Vergani ever set foot in Africa. The text presents a formulation of blackness conceived of obliquely, in the absence of Italy, and belonging to an elsewhere, that is, between an unnamed colony in Africa, France, and the United States. In so doing, it advances a rhetoric of race defined by absence, blockage, and deflection that was conceived transnationally, which, in turn, helps to set the conditions for both the denial and naturalization of racism in Italy today.
Union Bargaining Power and Institutional Investors: Evidence from 20 OECD Countries, 1980–2017
Authors: Mohamed Yasmine , Darcillon Thibault
Published: June 2023

This article investigates the relationship between the share of assets held by institutional investors relative to GDP and a synthetic index of union bargaining power in 20 OECD countries from 1980 to 2017. Findings from the use of fixed-effects OLS and instrumental variables regressions show that the share of assets held by institutional investors, especially insurance companies and pension funds, is correlated with a decline in union bargaining power. The authors argue that by contributing to significant changes in corporate strategies and governance through potential effects on jobs and wages, institutional investors in most OECD countries may have weakened the influence of trade unions, thereby leading to a higher decentralization of wage bargaining. Mixed evidence is found, however, when investigating the role of complementarity across institutions to explain cross-country heterogeneity.
Global, regional, and national burden and quality of care index (QCI) of bipolar disorder: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990 to 2019
Authors: Aghababaie-Babaki Paria , Malekpour Mohammad-Reza , Mohammadi Esmaeil , Saeedi Moghaddam Sahar , Rashidi Mohammad-Mahdi , Ghanbari Ali , Heidari-Foroozan Mahsa , Esfahani Zahra , Mohammadi Fateh Sahar , Hajebi Amirali , Haghshenas Rosa , Foroutan Mehr Elmira , Rezaei Negar , Larijani Bagher , Farzadfar Farshad
Published: June 2023

Background:

Bipolar disorders (BD) are significant debilitating mental problems. Here, we introduced a novel index as a representative of the quality of care delivered to BD patients worldwide.

Methods:

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study was the primary data source on BD, including prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability (YLDs). Secondary indices were created and transformed into a single component that accounted for most of the variation, using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method. This component, reported on a scale of 0 to 100, was presented as the quality of care index (QCI). The QCI was estimated in different age groups and areas within a 30-year time frame. Gender disparity ratio (GDR), as the female-to-male ratio of the QCI, was reported.

Results:

The Global QCI slightly increased from 50.4 in 1990 to 53.1 in 2019. The GDR value was 0.95 in 2019. The high-middle SDI quintile had the highest QCI estimate of 63.0, and the lowest QCI value of 36.9 was regarding the low SDI quintile. Western-Pacific Region and South-East Asia had the highest and lowest QCI among WHO regions, with estimates of 70.7 and 31.2, respectively. The age group of 20 to 24 years old patients reported the lowest QCI estimate of 30.2, and the highest QCI of 59.8 was regarding 40 to 44 years old patients.

Conclusion:

The QCI in BD had only a subtle increase from 1990 to 2019 and is in need of further improvement. Inequalities between different regions and age groups are considerable and require proper attention.
The Predicament of Land Acquisition, Displacement and Resettlement: An Analysis of Indian Scenario
Authors: Sapre Abhilash Arun , Gori Saira
Published: June 2023

India is the fifth largest economy and stands third in purchasing power parity, according to a report by International monetary fund. According to the 2011 census, 31.16% of India’s total population lived in cities in 2011. Due to population growth and economic growth, construction is rapidly increasing. This is one of the reasons for expanding land use in urban areas. People are adversely impacted by the mega-development projects the State and government initiated. Large-scale land acquisition has resulted in the displacement of people from their land, forests and homes. India has been experiencing certain challenges in rehabilitating the individuals whose lives were disrupted by the construction of industrial projects, which is the primary motivation for this action. Failure to adequately implement resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) strategies and plans results in various obstacles for the People and the governments. Even the Supreme Court has noticed that while dealing with rehabilitation and displacement, there is some administrative deficiency on the part of the State. This paper embarks on the study of land acquisition issues in India while dealing with the newly implemented ‘The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013’ and Rule 2014, the idea of eminent domain, and the acquisitions took place historically in India.
Rebel, Remain, or Resign? Military Elites’ Decision-Making at the Onset of the American Civil War
Authors: White Peter B.
Published: June 2023

A critical element in civil wars is military fragmentation. Yet, we have a limited understanding of why military elites fight in civil wars and on what side. In this article I develop a theory of the economic and professional motivations of military elites. I test this theory using the case of West Point graduates in the American Civil War. I argue that in addition to home state, economic and professional interests were a major influence on West Pointers. Graduates with connections to Southern cash crops were less likely to fight for the Union and more likely to fight for the Confederacy. Higher ranking graduates were more likely to fight for both sides, as they were better positioned to compete for promotion. I test this argument using a new dataset of more than 1000 West Point graduates’ wartime allegiances and antebellum careers and find strong evidence in support of my expectations.
The Dilemma of Socialist Solidarity: East German Specialists in Mao's China, 1952–64
Authors: Chen Tao
Published: June 2023

During the 1950s and early 1960s, a large number of specialists from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) were sent by their government to China to assist in the latter's socialist construction, in which the GDR government had significant room to manoeuvre. These experts helped improve the GDR's economic relations with China yet during their tenure in China, they enjoyed preferential treatment from the Chinese government, and their living conditions were much better than those of the average Chinese people around them, which triggered resentment and violence from ordinary Chinese people. Meanwhile, East Germans were deeply concerned about Chinese technological catch-up via imitation and reproduction. The hierarchical system of socialist economic and technological cooperation and the legacy of technology transfer between Germany and China since the late nineteenth century were two main reasons for this predicament in bilateral relations, which undermined their cooperation even before the bilateral split became widely known.
Painful Feelings: Opioids as Tools for Avoiding Emotional Labor in Hospital Work
Authors: Brewer Alexandra
Published: June 2023

How do clinicians manage the negative emotions that emerge when hospital patients are dissatisfied with their pain treatment? Drawing on a 21-month hospital ethnography, I show that clinicians view opioids as tools that can allow them to avoid engaging in emotional labor with dissatisfied pain patients. I detail two different strategies that clinicians pursued. Through permissive prescription, clinicians used intravenous (IV) opioids liberally to placate unhappy pain patients, temporarily minimizing patients’ emotional needs. Through restrictive prescription, clinicians advocated for the more conservative use of IV opioids in the hopes that dissatisfied patients would leave the hospital, reducing their overall emotional workload. Divergent strategies for using opioids to avoid emotional labor led to hierarchical interprofessional conflict, which was itself a source of negative emotions that needed to be managed. Based on these findings, I argue that the desire to avoid emotional labor can shape patient care and workplace relationships.
Smooth particle hydrodynamics: a meshless approach for structural mechanics
Authors: Shrey Shubh , Kothavale Basavraj , Saraf Mangesh , Kakade Hrishikesh , Shelke Sujay , Kusupudi Krishna
Published: June 2023

This article provides an overview of the smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) approach and its mathematical modeling. SPH is a numerical technique based on a mesh-free Lagrangian scheme for evaluating the continuum mechanics problems. This method is suitable in the case of continuum objects undergoing large deformation, as conventional finite element methods are unreliable due to mesh failure and convergence issues. It is a widely used approach in the field of astrophysics, fluid mechanics, structural mechanics, soil mechanics, automobiles, and so on. A numerical example is also considered in this research paper to demonstrate the applicability of the method. The simulation process was achieved using LS-Dyna explicit solver software, and plots related to cutting and thrust forces, von Mises stress, plastic strain, temperature distribution, and so on, were obtained. Also, the effect of Time-Scaling Factor (TSSFAC) on SPH simulations was observed in this research.
COVID-19 risk mitigation in reopening mass cultural events: population-based observational study for the UK Events Research Programme in Liverpool City Region
Authors: Burnside Girvan , Cheyne Christopher P , Leeming Gary , Humann Michael , Darby Alistair , Green Mark A , Crozier Alexander , Maskell Simon , O’Halloran Kay , Musi Elena , Carmi Elinor , Khan Naila , Fisher Debra , Corcoran Rhiannon , Dunning Jake , Edmunds W John , Tharmaratnam Kukatharmini , Hughes David M , Malki-Epshtein Liora , Cook Malcolm , Roberts Ben M , Gallagher Eileen , Howell Kate , Chand Meera , Kemp Robin , Boulter Matthew , Fowler Tom , Semple Malcolm G , Coffey Emer , Ashton Matt ,   The COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium, García-Fiñana Marta , Buchan Iain E
Published: June 2023

Objectives

To understand severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission risks, perceived risks and the feasibility of risk mitigations from experimental mass cultural events before coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions were lifted.

Design

Prospective, population-wide observational study.

Setting

Four events (two nightclubs, an outdoor music festival and a business conference) open to Liverpool City Region UK residents, requiring a negative lateral flow test (LFT) within the 36 h before the event, but not requiring social distancing or face-coverings.

Participants

A total of 12,256 individuals attending one or more events between 28 April and 2 May 2021.

Main outcome measures

SARS-CoV-2 infections detected using audience self-swabbed (5–7 days post-event) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, with viral genomic analysis of cases, plus linked National Health Service COVID-19 testing data. Audience experiences were gathered via questionnaires, focus groups and social media. Indoor CO2 concentrations were monitored.

Results

A total of 12 PCR-positive cases (likely 4 index, 8 primary or secondary), 10 from the nightclubs. Two further cases had positive LFTs but no PCR. A total of 11,896 (97.1%) participants with scanned tickets were matched to a negative pre-event LFT: 4972 (40.6%) returned a PCR within a week. CO2 concentrations showed areas for improving ventilation at the nightclubs. Population infection rates were low, yet with a concurrent outbreak of >50 linked cases around a local swimming pool without equivalent risk mitigations. Audience anxiety was low and enjoyment high.

Conclusions

We observed minor SARS-CoV-2 transmission and low perceived risks around events when prevalence was low and risk mitigations prominent. Partnership between audiences, event organisers and public health services, supported by information systems with real-time linked data, can improve health security for mass cultural events.
Habilitation beyond the Bionic Metaphor: Producing Deafnesses of the Future
Authors: Lloyd Stephanie , Bonventre Chani
Published: June 2023

In this article, we travel back to the early days of experimental use of cochlear implants (CIs) in the 1970s, when unsettled expectations of the device and broad investigations of its effects began to settle and center on speech outcomes. We describe how this attention to speech outcomes coalesced into specific understandings of what CIs do, and how implicit or explicit understandings of CIs as bionic devices that normalize hearing influenced research on and expectations of CIs into the present. We conclude that accumulated evidence about what is known and unknown about experiences and materialities with CIs calls for a decisive break from the metaphor of the bionic ear. This shift would create a space to reconsider the “deafness of history and the present,” as well as experiences of brain–computer interfaces that are inclusive of nonnormative life. This article is based on fieldwork in research and clinical facilities in Australia, Canada, and the United States. It included forty-three interviews with clinical experts and leading researchers in the fields of audiology, psychoacoustics, and neuroscience, among them scientists involved in the development and commercialization of one of the first CIs.
Socorro: Persistent bricoleurs at the urban margins
Authors: Auyero Javier , Servián Sofía
Published: June 2023

This article examines the ways in which the urban poor in Argentina help one another in the arduous task of making ends meet when neither the formal labor market nor state welfare policies are able to secure their subsistence. Drawing on long-term ethnographic fieldwork, the article makes one substantive, one analytic, and one theoretical claim. Substantively, the article argues by way of empirical illustration that the urban poor are hardworking bricoleurs. Analytically, the article demonstrates the advantages of studying poor people’s strategies in a simultaneously historic and ethnographic fashion through joint collaborative fieldwork. Theoretically, the article pushes toward replacing the notions of ‘strategy of survival or subsistence’ with the more encompassing notion of ‘strategy of persistence’.
Walking ability of individuals fitted with transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses: A comparative study of gait parameters
Authors: Ranaldi Simone , Naaim Alexandre , Marchis Cristiano De , Robert Thomas , Dumas Raphael , Conforto Silvia , Frossard Laurent
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study presents the walking abilities of participants fitted with transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses using a total of 14 gait parameters.

Design

Two-centre retrospective cross-sectional comparative study.

Setting

Research facilities equipped with tridimensional motion capture systems.

Participants

Two control arms included eight able-bodied participants arm (54 ± 9 years, 1.75 ± 0.07 m, 76 ± 7 kg) and nine participants fitted with transfemoral socket-suspended prostheses arm (59 ± 9 years, 1.73 ± 0.07 m, 80 ± 16 kg). The intervention arm included nine participants fitted with transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses arm (51 ± 13 years, 1.78 ± 0.09 m, 87.3 ± 16.1 kg).

Intervention

Fitting of transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses.

Main measures

Comparisons were performed for two spatio-temporal, three spatial and nine temporal gait parameters.

Results

The cadence and speed of walking were 107 ± 6 steps/min and 1.23 ± 0.19 m/s for the able-bodied participants arm, 88 ± 7 steps/min and 0.87 ± 0.17 m/s for the socket-suspended prosthesis arm, and 96 ± 6 steps/min and 1.03 ± 0.17 m/s for bone-anchored prosthesis arm, respectively. Able-bodied participants and bone-anchored prosthesis arms were comparable in age, height, and body mass index as well as cadence and speed of walking, but the able-bodied participant arm showed a swing phase 31% shorter. Bone-anchored and socket-suspended prostheses arms were comparable for age, height, mass, and body mass index as well as cadence and speed of walking, but the bone-anchored prosthesis arm showed a step width and duration of double support in seconds 65% and 41% shorter, respectively.

Conclusions

Bone-anchored and socket-suspended prostheses restored equally well the gait parameters at a self-selected speed. This benchmark data provides new insights into the walking ability of individuals using transfemoral bionics bone-anchored prostheses.
The New Zealand drug harms ranking study: A multi-criteria decision analysis
Authors: Crossin Rose , Cleland Lana , Wilkins Chris , Rychert Marta , Adamson Simon , Potiki Tuari , Pomerleau Adam C , MacDonald Blair , Faletanoai Dwaine , Hutton Fiona , Noller Geoff , Lambie Ian , Sheridan Jane L , George Jason , Mercier Kali , Maynard Kristen , Leonard Louise , Walsh Patricia , Ponton Rhys , Bagshaw Sue , Muthukumaraswamy Suresh , McIntosh Tracey , Poot Edward , Gordon Paul , Sharry Patrick , Nutt David , Boden Joseph
Published: June 2023

Aims:

The harms arising from psychoactive drug use are complex, and harm reduction strategies should be informed by a detailed understanding of the extent and nature of that harm. Drug harm is also context specific, and so any comprehensive assessment of drug harm should be relevant to the characteristics of the population in question. This study aimed to evaluate and rank drug harms within Aotearoa New Zealand using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework, and to separately consider harm within the total population, and among youth.

Methods:

Two facilitated workshops involved the separate ranking of harm for the total population, and then for youth aged 12–17, by two expert panels. In the total population workshop, 23 drugs were scored against 17 harm criteria, and those criteria were then evaluated using a swing weighting process. Scoring and weighting were subsequently updated during the youth-specific workshop. All results were recorded and analysed using specialised MCDA software.

Results:

When considering overall harm, the MCDA modelling results indicated that alcohol, methamphetamine and synthetic cannabinoids were the most harmful to both the overall population and the youth, followed by tobacco in the total population. Alcohol remained the most harmful drug for the total population when separately considering harm to those who use it, and harm to others.

Conclusions:

The results provide detailed and context-specific insight into the harm associated with psychoactive drugs use within Aotearoa New Zealand. The findings also demonstrate the value of separately considering harm for different countries, and for different population subgroups.