bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The dominant model of meat production and consumption as a socially acute question for activist education
Authors: Cabello-Garrido Aurelio , Cebrián-Robles Daniel , España-Ramos Enrique , González-García Francisco José , Cruz-Lorite Isabel María , España-Naveira Paloma , Blanco-López Ángel
Published: August 2023

Public debate often centers on issues that affect our lives and which reflect interests of various social groups and scientific communities, leading to controversies about what we may call socially acute questions (SAQs). In this paper we focus on two SAQs linked to the dominant model of meat production and consumption in Western countries, namely its impact on the environment and the health problems associated with high-meat diets. Given the importance of education in relation to these SAQs, our main objectives here were to examine the extent to which a Cartography of Controversy (CoC) approach is a useful tool for exploring and visualizing the views and ideas of preservice teachers about the controversies associated with this model of meat production and consumption, and to compare their initial maps with our own, one that is informed by a more detailed socio-epistemological analysis. As a complement to this inquiry, we also present theSAQ–Eating Meatproject, the aim of which is to encourage citizens to reflect on how food production and consumption may impact health and the environment, and then to take action toward change. In comparison with our own map, those produced by students did not reflect the full complexity of the controversies surrounding the dominant model of meat production and consumption, and some actants were missing. The results nevertheless suggest that a CoC approach is a useful way of engaging students with SAQs and that it offers them a framework in which to extend their inquiry and knowledge, providing a platform from which they may move toward taking action for change.
Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Cryptosporidium spp. Isolates from Bats in Colombia
Authors: Silva-Ramos Carlos Ramiro , Noriega Juliana , Fajardo Rafael F. , Chala-Quintero Sandra M. , Del Pilar Pulido-Villamarín Adriana , Pérez-Torres Jairo , Castañeda-Salazar Rubiela , Cuervo Claudia
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasiteCryptosporidiumspp., frequently found in several animal species, including bats. SeveralCryptosporidiumgenotypes have been described in bats worldwide, suggesting that bats are infected by host-specificCryptosporidiumspp. To date, there are no published reports aboutCryptosporidiumspp. in bats from Colombia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the presence and molecular diversity ofCryptosporidiumspp. in Colombian bats.

Methods

A total of 63 gut samples from three bat species served for molecular detection ofCryptosporidiumspp. 18S rDNA gene by qPCR. The sequenced amplicons were used in subsequent phylogenetic analyses to identify them as species or genotypes.

Results

Cryptosporidiumspp. qPCR detection occurred in 9.5% (6/63) of bat intestines, and four sequences represented two new genotypes, calledCryptosporidiumbat genotypes XIX and XX, were identified.

Conclusions

This study describes the detection of two novelCryptosporidiumbat genotypes, in two species of bats from a region of Colombia, requiring further studies to determine the relationhip betweenCryptosporidiumand bats in Colombia.
Robot-assisted versus laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy: superior outcomes after completion of the learning curve
Authors: Khajeh Elias , Nikbakhsh Rajan , Ramouz Ali , Majlesara Ali , Golriz Mohammad , Müller-Stich Beat P. , Nickel Felix , Morath Christian , Zeier Martin , Mehrabi Arianeb
Published: August 2023

The use of robots in donor nephrectomy has increased in recent years. However, whether robot-assisted methods have better outcomes than traditional laparoscopic methods and how surgical experience influences these outcomes remains unclear. This meta-analysis compares the outcomes of robot-assisted donor nephrectomy (RADN) with those of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) and to investigate the effects of surgical experience on these outcomes. A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline (through PubMed) and Web of Science databases. Perioperative data were extracted for meta-analysis. To assess the impact of the learning curve, a subgroup analysis was performed to compare outcomes between inexperienced and experienced surgeons. Seventeen studies with 6970 donors were included. Blood loss was lower (mean difference [MD] = – 13.28, p < 0.01) and the warm ischemia time was shorter (MD = – 0.13, p < 0.05) in the LDN group than the RADN group. There were no significant differences in terms of conversion to open surgery, operation time, surgical complications, hospital stay, costs, and delayed graft function between the groups. Subgroup analysis revealed that operation time (MD = – 1.09, p < 0.01) and length of hospital stay (MD = – 1.54, p < 0.05) were shorter and the rate of conversion to open surgery (odds ratios [OR] = 0.14, p < 0.0001) and overall surgical complications (OR = 0.23, p < 0.05) were lower in experienced RADN surgeons than in experienced LDN surgeons. Surgical experience enhances the perioperative outcomes following RADN more than it does following LDN. This suggests that RADN could be the method of choice for living donor nephrectomy as soon as surgeons gain sufficient experience in robotic surgery.
Hypertension, uncontrolled hypertension and resistant hypertension: prevalence, comorbidities and prescribed medications in 228,406 adults resident in urban areas. A population-based observational study
Authors: Romano Simone , Rigon Giulio , Albrigi Martina , Tebaldi Giacomo , Sartorio Andrea , Cristin Luca , Burrei Giulia , Fava Cristiano , Minuz Pietro
Published: August 2023

Although hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide, it remains difficult to control. The prevalence of uncontrolled and resistant hypertension (RH) may be underestimated and can reach up to 50% of all hypertensive patients. The aim of this observational study was to analyze the prevalence of hypertension, uncontrolled hypertension and RH, and their associations with risk factors or diseases in a large cohort of patients referred to primary care physician. In a population of 228406 adults, we only collected data from people with a diagnosis of arterial hypertension for a total of 43,526 patients. For this purpose, we used the MySQL database, run by Azalea.NET, built on the medical records of 150 General Practitioners (GPs). Patient data included sex, age, blood pressure (BP) values, number of antihypertensive drugs and presence of major cardiovascular comorbidities. We classified patients with RH as those treated with 3 different antihypertensive agents, with recorded BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg, or patients taking ≥ 4 medications. The prevalence of hypertension was 19.06%, that of resistant hypertension was 2.46% of the whole population and 20.85% of the hypertensive group. Thirteen thousand hundred, forty-six patients (30.20% of the hypertensive group) had uncontrolled BP (≥ 140/90 mmHg), whereas 16,577 patients did not have BP measurements done in the last 2 years (38.09% of the hypertensive group). Patients with uncontrolled BP were mainly female, used less drugs and showed a lower prevalence of all major cardiovascular comorbidities, except for diabetes. Instead, patients with RH had a significantly higher prevalence of all considered comorbidities compared to those without RH. Our results evidence that a broad number of patients with hypertension, especially those without comorbidities or with a low number of antihypertensive drugs, do not achieve adequate BP control. To improve the clinical management of these patients it is very important to increase the collaboration between GPs and clinical specialists of hypertension.
Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) of subterranean habitats in Slovakia: a review and a case study
Authors: Grundmann Bernd , Oboňa Jozef , Mocek Bohuslav , Mock Andrej
Published: August 2023

During biospeleological surveys in Slovakia in the past, phorid flies were usually overlooked or ignored. Only one species, Triphleba antricola (Schmitz, 1918), has been reported from some caves in Slovakia. The first more comprehensive study of phorid flies of subterranean ecosystems in Slovakia is herein presented. During the investigation of seven caves and one gallery located in the Malé Karpaty Mts. in 2021 a total of nine species of Phoridae were documented. They represent the three genera Borophaga (1 sp.), Triphleba (2 spp.) and Megaselia (6 spp.). Triphleba antricola, distributed along all depths and environmental gradients between entrances and the deepest parts of the caves and the gallery, represents the most common and abundant troglophilous species. Other species probably represent only temporal visitors of the shallow spaces in caves. The position, dimensions and condition of the cave/mine entrances are probably the limits of the species events of scuttle flies in caves. Megaselia breviterga (Lundbeck, 1920) and Megaselia vernalis (Wood, 1909) are recorded in Slovakia for the first time.
Safer Traffic Recovery from the Pandemic in London – Spatiotemporal Data Mining of Car Crashes
Authors: Qian Kejiang , Li Yijing
Published: August 2023

In the aim to provide evidence for deployment policies towards post-pandemic safer recovery from COVID-19, this study investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of age-involved car crashes and affecting factors, upon answering two main research questions: (1) “What are spatiotemporal patterns of car crashes and any observed changes in two years, 2019 and 2020, in London, and waht were the influential factors for these crashes?”; (2) “What are spatiotemporal patterns of casualty by age, and how do people’s daily activities affect the patterns pre- and during the pandemic”? Three approaches, spatial analysis (network Kernel Density Estimation, NetKDE), factor analysis, and spatiotemporal data mining (tensor decomposition), had been implemented to identify the temporal patterns of car crashes, detect hot spots, and to understand the effect on citizens’ daily activity on crash patterns pre- and during the pandemic. It had been found from the study that car crashes mainly clustered in the central part of London, especially busier areas around denser hubs of point-of-interest (POIs); the POIs, as an indicator for citizens’ daily activities and travel behaviours, can be of help to analyze their relationships with crash patterns, upon further assessment on interactions through the geographical detector; the casualty patterns varied by age group, with distinctive relationships between POIs and crash pattern for corresponding age group categorised. In all, the paper introduced new approaches for an in-depth analysis of car crashes and their casualty patterns in London to support London’s safer recovery from the pandemic by improving road safety.
The Role of Trait Mindfulness in the Association between Loneliness and Psychological Distress
Authors: Coutts-Smith Jahne R. , Phillips Wendy J.
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Loneliness is associated with elevated psychological distress. This study examined whether trait mindfulness mediates or moderates the positive association between loneliness and psychological distress.

Method

A convenience sample of 297 adults (79.1% female, 20.5% male) aged 18 to 75 years (M = 38.38, SD = 11.31) completed an online questionnaire that assessed loneliness, trait mindfulness and its facets (Non-Judging, Awareness, Non-Reactivity, Describing, Observing), and psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress).

Results

Mediation analysis identified an indirect path from loneliness to psychological distress through trait mindfulness. Participants who reported greater loneliness reported lower trait mindfulness that, in turn, tended to associate with greater psychological distress. Multiple mediation analysis found indirect paths via Non-Judging, Awareness, Non-Reactivity, and Describing. Moderation analysis found that the association between loneliness and psychological distress was significant for participants with low trait mindfulness but non-significant for those with high trait mindfulness. However, analysis of the mindfulness facets as simultaneous moderators found that no facet individually moderated the association. Rather, all contributed to a cumulative interactive role of the composite mindfulness construct. A supplementary analysis found that lower levels of loneliness mediated the association between mindfulness and psychological distress.

Conclusions

A tendency to respond to loneliness with low levels of Non-Judging, Awareness, Non-Reactivity, and Describing may exacerbate distress. These results suggest that future research may benefit from investigating whether interventions that increase these mindfulness facets may mitigate psychological distress associated with loneliness.
The impact of ethical leadership on organizational identity in digital startups: does employee voice matter?
Authors: Hosseini Elahe , Ferreira João J.
Published: August 2023

Ethical leadership can lead to preparing the ground for employee voice, highlighting employees’ creativity, and encouraging knowledge-sharing behavior in the organization. Thus, this study examines the impact of ethical leadership on organizational identity with the mediating role of employee voice in digital startups. However, previous studies investigating the relationship between ethical leadership and organizational identity disregarded the intervening role of employee voice in this relationship. A cross-sectional design using a sample of 137 managers of digital startups in science parks. Through the PLS3 software, the results show that employees tend to discuss their work-related opinions and concerns more often if they consider their leaders trustworthy, and this can lead to competitive advantage and quick responses to environmental crises. According to the findings of this study, ethical leadership can prepare the ground for employee voice, highlight employees’ creativity, and encourage knowledge-sharing behavior in the organization. Hence, we suggest that leaders demonstrate personal integrity, openly receive employees’ ideas and recommendations, treat employees impartially, and attempt to maximize the benefits to their employees.
Goodwillie’s cosimplicial model for the space of long knots and its applications
Authors: Shi Yuqing
Published: August 2023

We work out the details of a correspondence observed by Goodwillie between cosimplicial spaces and good functors from a category of open subsets of the interval to the category of compactly generated weak Hausdorff spaces. Using this, we compute the first page of the integral Bousfield–Kan homotopy spectral sequence of the tower of fibrations, given by the Taylor tower of the embedding functor associated to the space of long knots. Based on the methods in Conant (Am J Math 130(2):341–357. https://doi.org/10.1353/ajm.2008.0020, 2008), we give a combinatorial interpretation of the differentials $$d^1$$

d
1

mapping into the diagonal terms, by introducing the notion of (i, n)-marked unitrivalent graphs.
The impact of diabetic polyneuropathy on toe grip strength in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Yoshida Koji , Miura Yasushi , Nakanishi Shuhei , Tanaka Shigeharu , Kuniyasu Katsushi , Matsumoto Shinsuke , Hanayama Kozo
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and concomitant diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) induce muscle weakness. Muscle weakness in the foot is associated with foot deformities and falls. However, factors affecting toe grip strength (TGS) are not well known. Therefore, the present study investigated factors related to TGS in patients with T2DM.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study involving 100 patients with T2DM who were hospitalized for the treatment of T2DM and 50 healthy adults. The subjects were divided into three groups: a group of healthy subjects, a group of T2DM patients without DPN, and a group of T2DM patients with DPN. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed with TGS and the TGS-to-weight ratio (TGS/Wt%) as dependent variables and with age, the presence of T2DM, and DPN as independent variables, and sex and BMI as confounders.

Results

There were no significant differences in age or sex among the three groups. In the final regression analysis, age and presence of T2DM and DPN were associated in both models with TGS and TGS/Wt% as dependent variables.

Conclusion

DPN, T2DM, and age were found to be related to TGS. The findings of this study could contribute to healthcare providers developing foot care and rehabilitation programs for diabetic patients.

Trial registration

This study was registered with UMIN-CTR (UMIN000034320) on 1 November 2018.
The EU Commission’s Proposal for Improving the Electricity Market Design: Treading Water, but not Drowning
Authors: Batlle Carlos , Schittekatte Tim , Mastropietro Paolo , Rodilla Pablo
Published: August 2023

Purpose of Review

On March 14, 2023, the European Commission (EC) published the much awaited “Proposal for a regulation (…) to improve the Union’s electricity market design.” The proposed regulation reflects the verdict of the EC after several months of fervent debate triggered by the energy crisis that has affected the European region. In this paper, we discuss several crucial elements that are part of the proposed regulation.

Recent Findings

In a nutshell, we deem the EC has done a great job managing a highly complicated situation. The proposal preserves the crucial role of short-term electricity markets and puts the focus on the key flaw: the perennial incompleteness of long-term power markets. The EC has put forward a large battery of measures, covering different dimensions and with very different potential impacts on the market design.

Here we focus on what we consider to be the four key elements of the proposal: (i) the promotion of long-term contracting, (ii) interventions during electricity price crises, (iii) the strategy for an efficient supplier risk management, and (iv) flexibility support schemes and capacity remuneration mechanisms.
Insufficienza surrenalica da sospensione di glucocorticoidi esogeni
Authors: Vincenzi Ludovica , Sbardella Emilia , Isidori Andrea M.
Published: August 2023

Sommario

I glucocorticoidi sintetici sono ampiamente utilizzati per le loro azioni antinfiammatorie e immunosoppressive. Un possibile effetto indesiderato è la soppressione dell’asse ipotalamo-ipofisi-surrene mediante somministrazione cronica di alte dosi di glucocorticoidi, rappresentando la causa più comune di insufficienza surrenalica terziaria. I fattori che influenzano tale rischio comprendono la durata della terapia, la modalità di somministrazione, la dose e la potenza dei glucocorticoidi, farmaci concomitanti interferenti con il metabolismo e la suscettibilità individuale. Più del 70% delle diagnosi di insufficienza surrenalica da glucocorticoidi avviene durante il ricovero ospedaliero. Risulta quindi di cruciale importanza un’adeguata consulenza al paziente e un approccio attento alla riduzione graduale dei glucocorticoidi fino al raggiungimento del recupero della funzione surrenale. Di conseguenza, è necessario lo sviluppo di nuove linee guida che incrementino la consapevolezza e forniscano raccomandazioni chiare su tale condizione clinica, applicabili in ambito interdisciplinare.
A non-linear model of public debt with bonds and money finance
Authors: Bacchiocchi Andrea , Bellocchi Alessandro , Bischi Gian Italo , Travaglini Giuseppe
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we study the dynamic relationship between the public debt ratio and the inflation rate. Using a non-linear macroeconomic model of difference equations, we analyze the role of monetary and fiscal policy in influencing the stability of the debt ratio and inflation. We get three main results. First, we find that, in a low inflation scenario, money finance can be helpful in stabilizing the debt ratio. Second, we show that in a dynamic setting, standard Taylor rules may not be sufficient to control inflation. The Central Bank’s credibility in driving inflation expectations is indeed crucial to control price developments and to achieve macroeconomic stability. Finally, an active budget adjustment rule has a stabilizing effect on the debt ratio, even if it may not be enough to avoid explosive patterns. Notably, the stability of the steady state depends on the fine-tuning of the policy mix. One of the novelties of our analysis is the presence of a threshold level for the debt ratio and inflation, beyond which the debt ratio becomes unsustainable following an explosive path. The distance between this threshold and the steady state can be considered a proxy of the robustness of the economy to exogenous shocks.
A Virtual Sensing Active Noise Control System Based on a Functional Link Neural Network for an Aircraft Seat Headrest
Authors: Mylonas Dimitrios , Erspamer Alberto , Yiakopoulos Christos , Antoniadis Ioannis
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The goal of this work is to propose a local Active Noise Control system for an aircraft seat’s headrest. This system should be able to extend the quiet zone beyond the physical microphones that can be placed behind the passenger’s head due to space constraints. Furthermore, the control algorithm should perform efficiently when non-linear phenomena exist during the sound propagation.

Methods

A functional link neural network and a computationally efficient Multiple Input Multiple Output approach are used for the system’s implementation. The quiet zone is extended by linearly estimating the acoustic pressure in front of the headrest surface. The main novelty of this paper is the combination of these methods in an attempt to improve acoustic pressure attenuation performance, while keeping computational complexity low.

Results

The proposed control algorithm has been evaluated through numerical simulations, including Finite Element Method and experimental tests at an aircraft cabin mock-up. The results show that for a real-world acoustic disturbance, a 10 dB reduction in sound pressure level was achieved 10 cm away from the headrest surface. In addition, the attenuation of some harmonics can reach 20 dB and in most cases is bigger than the linear FxLMS algorithm.

Conclusions

To summarize, it has been demonstrated that a multichannel functional link neural network using a simple virtual sensing technique can efficiently attenuate synthesized and real world acoustic disturbances captured in a tilt-rotor aircraft’s cabin. Finally, it can create an adequate quiet zone for gentle head movement while maintaining its stability.
Re-evaluation of a microbiological acceptable daily intake for tylosin based on its impact on human intestinal microflora
Authors: Kim Min Ji , Kim Ji Young , Choi Jang Duck , Moon Guiim
Published: August 2023

As veterinary drugs available for fish is very restricted, there is growing trials for repurposing livestock drugs as aquatic animal drugs. Tylosin is one of the most effective antibiotics to treat bacterial infections approved for livestock, and would be used in fish. Hence, we investigated the toxicological and microbiological aspects of tylosin to establish health-based guidance value (HBGV) and maximum residue limit (MRL) in fishes, and reevaluated the microbiological acceptable daily intake (mADI) based on updated relevant data and international guildeline. Lastly, exposure assessment was performed to confirm the appropriateness of MRL. By investigating available microbiologcial studies on tylosin, the microbiological point of departure was determined as 0.308 μg/mL, which was mean 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50), obtained from the Food Safety Committee of Japan (FSCJ) evaluation report. Furthermore, as a factor for the derivation of mADI, the volume of colon content was recently changed to 500 mL in compliance with the International Cooperation on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH) guidelines. This was previously defined as the mass of colon content (220 g). We applied correction factor 0.224 to the mean MIC50 for tylosin in the equation of mADI, since the drug is transformed to metabolites with reduced activity prior to entering the colon and bound to fecal materials within the colon of human. The mADI was evaluated as 0.01 mg/kg bw/day. Finally, the hazard index, calculated by dividing the estimated chronic dietary exposure by mADI, did not exceed 100%, suggesting that chronic dietary exposure to tylosin residues from veterinary use was unlikely to be a public health concern. Overall, this study contributes significantly in updating HBGV by application of the concept of mADI for the first time in Korea based on the revised microbiological risk assessment guidelines and in providing scientific rationale for the risk management of veterinary drug residues in food.
Overview of intelligent video coding: from model-based to learning-based approaches
Authors: Ma Siwei , Gao Junlong , Wang Ruofan , Chang Jianhui , Mao Qi , Huang Zhimeng , Jia Chuanmin
Published: August 2023

Intelligent video coding (IVC), which dates back to the late 1980s with the concept of encoding videos with knowledge and semantics, includes visual content compact representation models and methods enabling structural, detailed descriptions of visual information at different granularity levels (i.e., block, mesh, region, and object) and in different areas. It aims to support and facilitate a wide range of applications, such as visual media coding, content broadcasting, and ubiquitous multimedia computing. We present a high-level overview of the IVC technology from model-based coding (MBC) to learning-based coding (LBC). MBC mainly adopts a manually designed coding scheme to explicitly decompose videos to be coded into blocks or semantic components. Thanks to emerging deep learning technologies such as neural networks and generative models, LBC has become a rising topic in the coding area. In this paper, we first review the classical MBC approaches, followed by the LBC approaches for image and video data. We also discuss and overview our recent attempts at neural coding approaches, which are inspiring for both academic research and industrial implementation. Some critical yet less studied issues are discussed at the end of this paper.
Indolent presentation of a right-sided spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Warn Michael J. , Swisher Austin R. , Pitco Alexandra , Ghyaz Zahan , Vitek Ross , Khurana Neharika
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Introduction and Importance

Diaphragmatic hernias are the herniation of abdominal contents through the diaphragm into the thorax and are categorized as congenital or acquired. Most commonly, acquired diaphragmatic hernia is preceded by blunt or penetrating trauma to the abdomen with the former occurring more frequently. In less than 1% of cases, acquired diaphragmatic hernias can occur spontaneously, which can be recognized incidentally on imaging or by patients presenting with non-specific symptoms. Without prompt diagnosis, patients are at risk for incarceration and strangulation of the herniated contents, resulting in bowel necrosis.

Case presentation

Here, we present the case of a 36-year-old male who presented with worsening 3-month history of dyspnea and palpitations. Initial clinical exam was notable for tachypnea and accessory muscle recruitment. Auscultation revealed bowel sounds in the right lung fields. Semi-upright chest radiograph uncovered a large right-sided pneumothorax containing portions of the stomach, liver, and numerous loops of bowel, with significant cardiomediastinal left shift. Surgical intervention for diaphragmatic hernia repair was promptly planned.

Clinical discussion

Spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia occurring secondary to a defect on the right side of the diaphragm without any history of trauma or surgery is an extraordinarily infrequent pathology. This subacute clinical presentation despite extensive anatomic involvement highlights the importance of thorough physical examination, with auscultation of bowel sounds in the thorax serving as a near pathognomonic finding for a spontaneous diaphragmatic hernia, including patients without a known history of acute trauma or previous surgery.

Conclusion

Surgical management of such rare hernias via abdominal, thoracic, or a combined approach coupled with pulmonary monitoring proves to be an effective treatment, and awareness of this case will aid in its identification and the ability to provide prompt intervention.

Highlights
Roadmap to engagement: Bringing patient partners into cancer research and beyond
Authors: Kimminau Kim S. , Jernigan Cheryl , Krebill Hope , Douglas Sara , Peltzer Jill , Hamilton-Reeves Jill , Chen Ronald C. , Jensen Roy
Published: August 2023

The University of Kansas Cancer Center (KU Cancer Center) initiated an engagement program to leverage the lived experience of individuals and families with cancer. KU Cancer Center faculty, staff, and patient partners built an infrastructure to achieve a patient-designed, patient-led, and research-informed engagement program called Patient and Investigator Voices Organizing Together (PIVOT). This special communication offers an engagement roadmap that can be replicated, scaled, and adopted at other cancer centers and academic health systems. PIVOT demonstrates that collaboration among academic leaders, investigators, and people with a lived experience yields a patient-centered, vibrant environment that enriches the research enterprise.
Comparison of clinical outcomes over time of inpatients with healthcare-associated or community-acquired coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A multicenter, prospective cohort study
Authors: Grant Rebecca L. , Sauser Julien , Atkinson Andrew , D’Incau Stéphanie , Buetti Niccolò , Zanella Marie-Céline , Harbarth Stephan , Marschall Jonas , Catho Gaud ,   for the CH-SUR Collaborative Network
Published: August 2023

Objective:

To compare clinical outcomes over time of inpatients with healthcare-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (HA-COVID-19) versus community-acquired COVID-19 (CA-COVID-19).

Design:

We conducted a multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of inpatients with COVID-19.

Setting:

The study was conducted across 16 acute-care hospitals in Switzerland.

Participants and methods:

We compared HA-COVID-19 cases, defined as patients with a positive severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) test > 5 days after hospital admission, with hospitalized CA-COVID-19 cases, defined as those who tested positive within 5 days of admission. The composite primary outcome was patient transfer to an intensive care unit (ICU) or an intermediate care unit (IMCU) and/or all-cause in-hospital mortality. We used cause-specific Cox regression and Fine-Gray regression to model the time to the composite clinical outcome, adjusting for confounders and accounting for the competing event of discharge from hospital. We compared our results to those from a conventional approach using an adjusted logistic regression model where time-varying effects and competitive risk were ignored.

Results:

Between February 19, 2020, and December 31, 2020, we included 1,337 HA-COVID-19 cases and 9,068 CA-COVID-19 cases. HA-COVID-19 patients were significantly older: median, 80 (interquartile range [IQR], 71–87) versus median 70 (IQR, 57–80) (P < .001). A greater proportion of HA-COVID-19 patients had a Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 5 (79% vs 55%; P < .001) than did CA-COVID-19 patients. In time-varying analyses, between day 0 and 8, HA-COVID-19 cases had a decreased risk of death or ICU or IMCU transfer compared to CA-COVID-19 cases (cause-specific hazard ratio [csHR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33–0.56). In contrast, from day 8 to 30, HA-COVID-19 cases had an increased risk of death or ICU or IMCU transfer (csHR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.20–1.85), with no significant effect on the rate of discharge (csHR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.61–1.14). In the conventional logistic regression model, HA-COVID-19 was protective against transfer to an ICU or IMCU and/or all-cause in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.79, 95% CI, 0.67–0.93).

Conclusions:

The risk of adverse clinical outcomes for HA-COVID-19 cases increased substantially over time in hospital and exceeded that for CA-COVID-19. Using approaches that do not account for time-varying effects or competing events may not fully capture the true risk of HA-COVID-19 compared to CA-COVID-19.
Indication-driven order entry decreases stewardship and pharmacist interventions
Authors: Nishiguchi Jacey L. , Bio Laura L. , Cornell Sean T. , Schwenk Hayden T.
Published: August 2023

Indication-driven order entry (IDOE) was implemented at our pediatric institution for cefazolin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and meropenem; the 3 most intervened upon antibiotics during prospective audit and feedback (PAF) by the antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP). IDOE was associated with a significant reduction in both ASP PAF recommendations and clinical pharmacist interventions.
Efficacy of 23 commonly used liquid disinfectants against Candida auris isolates from the 4 major clades
Authors: Haq Muhammed F. , Pearlmutter Basya S. , Cadnum Jennifer L. , Donskey Curtis J.
Published: August 2023

We tested the effectiveness of 23 disinfectants used in healthcare facilities against isolates from the 4 major clades of Candida auris. Sporicidal disinfectants were consistently effective, whereas quaternary-ammonium disinfectants had limited activity. Quaternary-ammonium–alcohol and hydrogen-peroxide–based disinfectants varied in effectiveness against C. auris.
When to give weight to weighty religious disagreement
Authors: Jensen Jennifer
Published: August 2023

When we encounter a disagreeing interlocutor in the weighty domains of religion, philosophy, and politics, what is the rational response to the disagreement? I argue that the rational response is to proportion the degree to which you give weight to the opinion of a disagreeing interlocutor to the degree to which you and your interlocutor share relevant beliefs. I begin with Richard Fumerton's three conditions under which we can rationally give no weight to the opinions of a disagreeing peer. I argue that his conditions are incomplete; I propose a fourth condition that maintains that disagreeing interlocutors (whether they are peers or not) need not give weight to each other's opinions when the interlocutors do not share rationally held relevant beliefs. By contrast, when rationally held relevant beliefs are shared, rationality demands that we re-evaluate and even moderate or change beliefs in the face of disagreement. I then defend my condition against two objections. First, I argue that the condition does not entail a coherence theory of justification. Second, I consider the charge that my condition recommends operating within an epistemic bubble.
Biobehavioral mechanisms underlying testosterone and mood relationships in peripubertal female adolescents
Authors: Andersen Elizabeth , Prim Julianna , Campbell Alana , Schiller Crystal , Baresich Kayla , Girdler Susan
Published: August 2023

The pubertal transition is characterized by pronounced sex hormone fluctuation, refinement of affective neural circuitry, and an increased risk of depression in female adolescents. Sex hormones, including testosterone, exert modulatory effects on frontal-limbic brain networks and are associated with emotion dysregulation and depressive symptoms. Weekly changes in hormones predict affective symptoms in peripubertal female adolescents, particularly in the context of stress; however, the biobehavioral mechanisms underlying hormone change and mood relationships during the pubertal transition have yet to be determined and was the objective of the present study. Forty-three peripubertal female adolescents (ages 11–14) collected 8-weekly salivary hormone (estrone, testosterone) samples and mood assessments to evaluate hormone-mood relationships, followed by a biobehavioral testing session with psychosocial stress and EEG. Within-person correlations between weekly hormone changes and corresponding mood were performed to determine individual differences in mood sensitivity to weekly hormone change. Increased frontal theta activity indexing emotion reactivity, reduced cortisol reactivity, and reduced vagal efficiency predicted the strength of the relationship between testosterone and mood. Further, testosterone-sensitivity strength was associated with the enhancement of negative affect following stress testing. Results identify divergent frontal theta and stress responses as potential biobehavioral mechanisms underlying mood sensitivity to peripubertal testosterone fluctuation.
The Effect of the 2004 EU Enlargement on the Development and Similarity of the Insurance Sectors in the EU
Authors: Denkowska Anna , Wanat Stanisław , Vieito João Paulo
Published: August 2023

The enlargement of the European Union to new countries in 2004 introduced mechanisms to support the development of various social and economic areas, while also aiming to level the differences between the member states. The primary purpose of this study is to analyse the development and similarities of the insurance markets in the old and new member states of the EU after the enlargement in 2004. We examine the insurance sector of both groups of countries, i.e., those that were members before 2004 and those that joined in 2004, using Hellwig’s development measure, which takes into account several characteristics. Additionally, we analyse the similarity of these countries using three statistical methods of unsupervised classification: Ward’s method, the k-means method, and the Partitioning Among Medoids. Our results indicate that there was a significant variation in the insurance characteristics of these compared groups of EU members after 2004. In general, the insurance markets of the old and new EU countries developed differently. Since the enlargement in 2004, the insurance markets of the old and new EU countries have not yet aligned.
The assessment of geriatric malnutrition, geriatric depression and associated co-morbidities among forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Mohammad Morshad , Das Rajib , Clara Afrin Ahmed , Mohsin Faroque Md , Rumi Md Anwar Hossain , Wahab Abrar , Hasan Md Abeed , Hawlader Mohammad Delwer Hossain
Published: August 2023

Objective:

To assess the nutritional status and depression of the elderly forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMN) in Bangladesh and determine the associated factors of geriatric depression (GD).

Design:

This was a community-based, cross-sectional study among elderly FDMN. The Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA@-SF) and Geriatric Depression Scale Short-Form (GDS-15 SF) were used to determine malnutrition and GD, respectively.

Setting:

The study was conducted between November 2021 and March 2022 in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

Participants:

The study participants were elderly FDMN aged ≥ 60 years (n 430).

Results:

The mean age and BMI were 71·7(±7·8) years and 21·94(±2·6) kg/m2, respectively. There was a high prevalence of self-reported diabetes mellitus (32·1 %), hypertension (26·7 %), hypotension (20 %), skin diseases (28·4 %) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (16·5 %). The prevalence of malnutrition was 25·3 %, and another 29·1 % were at risk. The prevalence of GD was 57·9 %, and co-occurrences of GD and malnutrition were seen in 17·5 % of participants. GD was significantly higher among elderly people with malnutrition (adjusted OR, AOR = 1·71, 95 % CI: 1·01, 2·89). FDMN aged ≥ 80 years were at higher risk of GD (AOR = 1·84, 95 % CI: 1·01, 3·37), and having fewer than five members in the household was an independent predictor of GD. Diabetes mellitus (AOR = 1·95, 95 % CI: 1·24, 3·08) and hypotension (AOR = 2·17, 95 % CI: 1·25, 2·78) were also significantly associated with an increased risk of GD.

Conclusion:

A high prevalence of GD and malnutrition was observed among elderly FDMN in Bangladesh. The agencies working in Cox’s Bazar should focus on geriatric malnutrition and GD for the improvement of the health situation of FDMN in Bangladesh.
Evidence that ectoparasites influence the hematological parameters of the host: a systematic review
Authors: Nogueira Bárbara Cristina Félix , da Silva Soares Elaine , Mauricio Ortega Orozco Andrés , Abreu da Fonseca Leandro , Kanadani Campos Artur
Published: August 2023

Ectoparasites are important to the one health concept because their parasitism can result in the transmission of pathogens, allergic reactions, the release of toxins, morbidity, and even death of the host. Ectoparasites can affect host physiology, as reflected in immune defenses and body condition as well as hematological and biochemical parameters. Thus, evidence that ectoparasites influence host hematological parameters was systematically reviewed, and the methodological quality of these studies was analyzed. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed, and the studies included were limited to those that evaluated changes in hematological tests in ectoparasite-infested and non-infested animals, and bias and methodological quality were evaluated using the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments guideline. Thirty-four studies were selected and information about the host, ectoparasite infestation, blood collection, and analysis was collected and compared whenever possible. In this review, the presence of ectoparasites influenced both the red series and the white series of hematological parameters. Among the main parameters analyzed, hematocrit, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and lymphocytes showed reductions, probably due to ectoparasite blood-feeding, while including eosinophils, neutrophils, and basophils increased in infested animals due to the host immune response. However, methodologic improvements are needed to reduce the risk of bias, enhance the reproducibility of such studies, and ensure results aligned with the mechanisms that act in the ectoparasite-host relationship.
Hazelnut abscission is delayed by simulated drift of 2,4-D
Authors: Moretti Marcelo L. , de Souza Larissa Larroca
Published: August 2023

The herbicide 2,4-D is commonly used for sucker control in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). However, the use of 2,4-D for sucker control has been implicated in delaying natural abscission in hazelnut. Hazelnuts naturally abscise and are collected from the orchard floor. Delays in abscission may reduce nut quality due to the onset of the rainy season, increasing mold and mud in the nuts. The effect of basal-directed applications of 2,4-D on hazelnut abscission, yield, and quality was assessed. In the first study, four basal-directed applications of 2,4-D (1.06 kg ae ha−1) did not affect hazelnut abscission, yield, or quality compared with glufosinate (1.1 kg ai ha−1) or manual pruning. In a second 3-yr study, a single yearly simulated drift of 2,4-D to the tree canopy at 0.06 and 0.6 mg L−1 increased the growing degree-day requirement from 50 to 141 to reach 50% hazelnut abscission, compared with the nontreated control. This is the equivalent of 5 to 15 calendar days. No effect was observed in the third year of the study when the simulated drift was not performed. No differences in abscission were observed with basal-directed applications of 2,4-D at rates up to 4.4 kg ha−1 when applied four times each season during all 3 yr of the study. Simulated drift reduced hazelnut yield by up to 37% and reduced the percentage of marketable nuts during 1 yr of the study. No effect on average kernel weight was observed. However, 2,4-D drift did delay hazelnut abscission, highlighting the importance of drift control measures.
Dry Live Fuels Increase the Likelihood of Lightning‐Caused Fires
Authors: Rao Krishna , Williams A. Park , Diffenbaugh Noah S. , Yebra Marta , Bryant Colleen , Konings Alexandra G.
Published: August 2023

Live fuel moisture content (LFMC) is a key determinant of landscape ignition potential, but quantitative estimates of its effects on wildfire are lacking. We present a causal inference framework to isolate the effect of LFMC from other drivers like fuel type, fuel amount, and meteorology. We show that in California when LFMC is below a critical flammability threshold, the likelihood of fires is 1.8 times as high statewide (2.25% vs. 1.27%) and 2.5 times as high in shrubs, compared to when LFMC is greater than the threshold. This risk ratio is >2 times when LFMC is 10% less than the threshold. Between 2016 and 2021, the risk ratio was highest in 2020 (2.3 times), potentially contributing to the record‐breaking wildfire activity in 2020. Our estimates can inform several wildfire prediction and management applications, including wildfire suppression, prescribed burn planning, and public safety power shutoff implementation.
The First Ground Level Enhancement Seen on Three Planetary Surfaces: Earth, Moon, and Mars
Authors: Guo Jingnan , Li Xiaolei , Zhang Jian , Dobynde Mikhail I. , Wang Yuming , Xu Zigong , Berger Thomas , Semkova Jordanka , Wimmer‐Schweingruber Robert F. , Hassler Donald M. , Zeitlin Cary , Ehresmann Bent , Matthiä Daniel , Zhuang Bin
Published: August 2023

On 28 October 2021, solar eruptions caused intense and long‐lasting solar energetic particle (SEP) flux enhancements observed by spacecraft located over a wide longitudinal range in the heliosphere. SEPs arriving at Earth caused the 73rd ground level enhancement (GLE) event recorded by ground‐based neutron monitors. In particular, this is also the first GLE event seen on the surface of three planetary bodies, Earth, Moon, and Mars, by particle and radiation detectors as shown in this study. We derive the event‐integrated proton spectrum from measurements by near‐Earth spacecraft and predict the lunar and martian surface radiation levels using particle transport models. Event doses at the lunar and martian surfaces of previous GLE events are also modeled and compared with the current event. This statistical and comparative study advances our understanding of potential radiation risks induced by extreme SEP events for future human explorations of the Moon and Mars.
Accelerating Atmospheric Gravity Wave Simulations Using Machine Learning: Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability and Mountain Wave Sources Driving Gravity Wave Breaking and Secondary Gravity Wave Generation
Authors: Dong Wenjun , Fritts David C. , Liu Alan Z. , Lund Thomas S. , Liu Han‐Li , Snively Jonathan
Published: August 2023

Gravity waves (GWs) and their associated multi‐scale dynamics are known to play fundamental roles in energy and momentum transport and deposition processes throughout the atmosphere. We describe an initial machine learning model—the Compressible Atmosphere Model Network (CAM‐Net). CAM‐Net is trained on high‐resolution simulations by the state‐of‐the‐art model Complex Geometry Compressible Atmosphere Model (CGCAM). Two initial applications to a Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability source and mountain wave generation, propagation, breaking, and Secondary GW (SGW) generation in two wind environments are described here. Results show that CAM‐Net can capture the key 2‐D dynamics modeled by CGCAM with high precision. Spectral characteristics of primary and SGWs estimated by CAM‐Net agree well with those from CGCAM. Our results show that CAM‐Net can achieve a several order‐of‐magnitude acceleration relative to CGCAM without sacrificing accuracy and suggests a potential for machine learning to enable efficient and accurate descriptions of primary and secondary GWs in global atmospheric models.