bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The implications of remittances for agricultural land use and fuelwood collection: evidence from the remaining forested landscapes in the Philippines
Authors: Zhunusova Eliza , Lippe Melvin , Yang Anastasia Lucy , Günter Sven
Published: December 2021

Despite the projected sharpest decline in remittances in history due to the global economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, remittances are expected to remain an important source of external financing for many developing countries. The Philippines is among the top five recipients of remittances worldwide, while outmigration is an important livelihood strategy for rural communities in the country due to rapid population growth, poor employment opportunities, and scarce agricultural land. Migration and remittances can influence smallholder land use with potential implications for forest resource use through an impact on household income and household decisions on local activities. However, little attention has been paid in previous research to how remittances relate to changes in rural households’ land use and their implications for forests. The goal of this study is to investigate the links between the inflow of both international and internal remittances and rural households’ land use in forested landscapes in the Philippines. In order to do that, we use the data from 1024 household surveys and an instrumental variable approach to investigate the impact of remittances on fuelwood use and on the area cultivated by perennials and cereals. The findings of this study show that remittances positively influence the size of land planted by perennials and reduce households’ reliance on fuelwood use. Our findings provide an improved understanding of the links between migration—remittances—natural resource management, which will become especially relevant as countries struggle to deal with the economic fallout associated with COVID-19. We argue that demographic policy measures should play a bigger role in land use, land use change, and forestry negotiations than before. Moreover, global sustainability agendas such as the sustainable development goals should recognize the impacts of migration on natural resources to help bridge the gap between developmental and environmental goals.
Analyticity of the energy in an Ising spin glass with correlated disorder
Authors: Nishimori Hidetoshi
Published: December 2021

The average energy of the Ising spin glass is known to have no singularity along a special line in the phase diagram although there exists a critical point on the line. This result on the model with uncorrelated disorder is generalized to the case with correlated disorder. For a class of correlations in disorder that suppress frustration, we show that the average energy in a subspace of the phase diagram is expressed as the expectation value of a local gauge variable of the Z
2 gauge Higgs model, from which we prove that the average energy has no singularity although the subspace is likely to have a phase transition on it. Though it is difficult to obtain an explicit expression of the energy in contrast to the case of uncorrelated disorder, an exact closed-form expression of a physical quantity related to the energy is derived in three dimensions using a duality relation. Identities and inequalities are proved for the specific heat and correlation functions.
Mixed magnetic edge states in graphene quantum dots
Authors: Li Junyao , Liu Xiaofeng , Wan Lingyun , Qin Xinming , Hu Wei , Yang Jinlong
Published: December 2021

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) exhibit abundant magnetic edge states with promising applications in spintronics. Hexagonal zigzag GQDs possess a ground state with an antiferromagnetic (AFM) inter-edge coupling, followed by a metastable state with ferromagnetic (FM) inter-edge coupling. By analyzing the Hubbard model and performing large-scale spin-polarized density functional theory calculations containing thousands of atoms, we predict a series of new mixed magnetic edge states of GQDs arising from the size effect, namely mix-n, where n is the number of spin arrangement parts at each edge, with parallel spin in the same part and anti-parallel spin between adjacent parts. In particular, we demonstrate that the mix-2 state of bare GQDs (C

6

N
2

) appears when

N
⩾
4

and the mix-3 state appears when

N
⩾
6

, where N is the number of six-membered-ring at each edge, while the mix-2 and mix-3 magnetic states appear in the hydrogenated GQDs with N = 13 and N = 15, respectively.
Building adaptive capacity of smallholder agriculture to climate change: evidence synthesis on learning outcomes
Authors: Silici Laura , Rowe Andy , Suppiramaniam Nanthikesan , Knox Jerry W
Published: December 2021

Increasing climate uncertainty coupled with more frequent extreme events poses a serious threat to the sustainability of smallholder communities dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. Whilst there is extensive literature on adaptation options, there is a pressing need to understand what interventions have been successful in building smallholder’s adaptive capacity, and how these have been transferred (nationally and internationally) through learning outcomes. The aim of this rapid evidence assessment was to assess the extent to which learning outcomes have supported initiatives to mainstream adaptation, focussing on three key areas, (i) scaling up climate sensitive adaptive interventions, (ii) the role of knowledge management to promote effective adaptive solutions, and (iii) human-ecosystem interactions in climate change adaptation. A protocol for the review was defined, from which 806 sources of evidence were retrieved. After screening for relevance using inclusion criteria, 91 were selected and the salient evidence extracted and synthesised. Access to knowledge remains one of the most important determinants of smallholders’ decisions to respond to climate risk and a critical element in building adaptive capacity. The way knowledge is generated and exchanged is also directly relevant to securing effective scaling-up pathways. Learning platforms through participatory action research, farmer field schools and community-based initiatives were found to be particularly effective. However, knowledge based on local practices alone may be insufficient to prompt transformative action. Bridging local and external knowledge is critical because it widens the smallholders’ knowledge base and encourages ‘proactive’ adaptation alongside more typical ‘reactive’ strategies. The contribution of evidence reviews to provide new insights to inform decision-making and investment in international development and the implications for advocating climate-sensitive policies at national and global levels are discussed.
It Takes a Village
Authors: Hopp Amanda M , Tetzlaff Julie E , Kopidlansky Kyle , Leventaki Vasiliki , Parsons Lauren N , Bone Kathleen , Drendel Holli M , Sreynich Korb , Lyvannak Sam , Heng Sing , Chanpheaktra Ngoun , Putchhat Hour , Khauv Phara , Camitta Bruce M , Jarzembowski Jason A
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Partnerships between low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs) is one strategy to mitigate observed health disparities. Cambodia’s Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC), an LMIC institution, faces shortages in health care resources, including pathology services. A partnership was created with Children’s Wisconsin (CW), an HIC hospital, including provision of pathology services. We describe our established pathology workflow, examine cases seen in AHC patients, and evaluate the impact of CW’s interpretations.

Methods

AHC provides clinical history and impression and ships samples to CW, which processes the samples, and pathologists provide interpretations, sending reports electronically to AHC. For analysis, final diagnoses were considered “concordant,” “refined,” or “discordant” based on agreement with the clinical impression. Cases were also classified as “did not change management” or “changed management” based on how CW interpretation affected clinical management.

Results

We included 347 specimens (177 malignant, 146 benign, 24 insufficient for diagnosis). Of these cases, 31% were discordant and 44% of cases with clinical follow-up had a change in management with CW interpretation.

Conclusions

Inclusion of pathology services in LMIC-HIC partnerships is crucial for resolving health disparities between the institutions involved. The described partnership and established pathology workflow can be adapted to the needs and resources of many institutions.
Gradual genome size evolution and polyploidy inAlliumfrom the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wang Guangyan , Zhou Ning , Chen Qian , Yang Ya , Yang Yongping , Duan Yuanwen
Published: December 2021

Background and Aims

Genome size is an important plant trait, with substantial interspecies variation. The mechanisms and selective pressures underlying genome size evolution are important topics in evolutionary biology. There is considerable diversity in Allium from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, where genome size variation and related evolutionary mechanisms are poorly understood.

Methods

We reconstructed the Allium phylogeny using DNA sequences from 71 species. We also estimated genome sizes of 62 species, and determined chromosome numbers in 65 species. We examined the phylogenetic signal associated with genome size variation, and tested how well the data fit different evolutionary models. Correlations between genome size variations and seed mass, altitude and 19 bioclimatic factors were determined.

Key Results

Allium genome sizes differed substantially between species and within diploids, triploids, tetraploids, hexaploids and octaploids. Size per monoploid genome (1Cx) tended to decrease with increasing ploidy levels. Allium polyploids tended to grow at a higher altitude than diploids. The phylogenetic tree was divided into three evolutionary branches. The genomes in Clade I were mostly close to the ancestral genome (18.781 pg) while those in Clades II and III tended to expand and contract, respectively. A weak phylogenetic signal was detected for Allium genome size. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were detected between genome size and seed mass, as well as between genome size and altitude. However, genome size was not correlated with 19 bioclimatic variables.

Conclusions

Allium genome size shows gradual evolution, followed by subsequent adaptive radiation. The three well-supported Allium clades are consistent with previous studies. The evolutionary patterns in different Allium clades revealed genome contraction, expansion and relative stasis. The Allium species in Clade II may follow adaptive radiation. The genome contraction in Clade III may be due to DNA loss after polyploidization. Allium genome size might be influenced by selective pressure due to the conditions on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (low temperature, high UV irradiation and abundant phosphate in the soil).
Endonuclease V from the archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis is an inosine-specific ribonuclease
Authors: Shiraishi Miyako , Hidaka Michihi , Iwai Shigenori
Published: December 2021

Endonuclease V (EndoV) is an inosine-specific endonuclease which is highly conserved in all domains of life: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya; and, therefore, may play an important role in nucleic acid processes. It is currently thought that bacterial EndoVs are involved in DNA repair, while eukaryotic EndoVs are involved in RNA editing based on the differences in substrate preferences. However, the role of EndoV proteins, particularly in the archaeal domain, is still poorly understood. Here, we explored the biochemical properties of EndoV from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis (TkoEndoV). We show that TkoEndoV has a strong preference for RNA over DNA. Further, we synthesized 1-methylinosine-containing RNA that is a simple TΨC loop mimic of archaeal tRNA and found that TkoEndoV discriminates between 1-methylinosine and inosine, and selectively acts on inosine. Our findings suggest a potential role of archaeal EndoV in the regulation of inosine-containing RNA.
ADENet: a novel network-based inference method for prediction of drug adverse events
Authors: Yu Zhuohang , Wu Zengrui , Li Weihua , Liu Guixia , Tang Yun
Published: December 2021

Identification of adverse drug events (ADEs) is crucial to reduce human health risks and improve drug safety assessment. With an increasing number of biological and medical data, computational methods such as network-based methods were proposed for ADE prediction with high efficiency and low cost. However, previous network-based methods rely on the topological information of known drug-ADE networks, and hence cannot make predictions for novel compounds without any known ADE. In this study, we introduced chemical substructures to bridge the gap between the drug-ADE network and novel compounds, and developed a novel network-based method named ADENet, which can predict potential ADEs for not only drugs within the drug-ADE network, but also novel compounds outside the network. To show the performance of ADENet, we collected drug-ADE associations from a comprehensive database named MetaADEDB and constructed a series of network-based prediction models. These models obtained high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values ranging from 0.871 to 0.947 in 10-fold cross-validation. The best model further showed high performance in external validation, which outperformed a previous network-based and a recent deep learning-based method. Using several approved drugs as case studies, we found that 32–54% of the predicted ADEs can be validated by the literature, indicating the practical value of ADENet. Moreover, ADENet is freely available at our web server named NetInfer (http://lmmd.ecust.edu.cn/netinfer). In summary, our method would provide a promising tool for ADE prediction and drug safety assessment in drug discovery and development.
AMC: accurate mutation clustering from single-cell DNA sequencing data
Authors: Yu Zhenhua , Du Fang
Published: December 2021

Single-cell DNA sequencing (scDNA-seq) now enables high-resolution profiles of intra-tumor heterogeneity. Existing methods for phylogenetic inference from scDNA-seq data perform acceptably well on small datasets but suffer from low computational efficiency and/or degraded accuracy on large datasets. Motivated by the fact that mutations sharing common states over single cells can be grouped together, we introduce a new software called AMC (accurate mutation clustering) to accurately cluster mutations, thus improve the efficiency of phylogenetic inference. AMC first employs principal component analysis followed by K-means clustering to find mutation clusters, then infers the maximum likelihood estimates of the genotypes of each cluster. The inferred genotypes can subsequently be used to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree with high efficiency. Comprehensive evaluations on various simulated datasets demonstrate AMC is particularly useful to efficiently reason the mutation clusters on large scDNA-seq datasets.

Availability and implementation

AMC is freely available at https://github.com/qasimyu/amc.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Risk-dependent centrality in the Brazilian stock market
Authors: Alexandre Michel , De Moraes Kauê L , Rodrigues Francisco A
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this article is to calculate the risk-dependent centrality (RDC) assessing the Brazilian stock market. We computed the RDC for assets traded on the Brazilian stock market between January 2008 and June 2020 at different levels of external risk. We observed that the ranking of assets based on the RDC depends on the external risk. Rankings’ volatility is related to crisis events, capturing the recent Brazilian economic-political crisis. Moreover, we computed the RDC employing an empirically computed external risk level, relying on the Emerging Markets Bond Index index. We show that some economic sectors (oil, gas and biofuels and financial) become more central during crisis periods. Moreover, the volatility of the RDC is positively correlated with the external risk level.
When Should International Courts Intervene? How Populism, Democratic Decay and Crisis of Liberal Internationalism Complicate Things
Authors: Petrov Jan
Published: December 2021

Shai Dothan’s book International Judicial Review aims to refute criticism which stresses international courts’ (ICs) lack of legitimacy, epistemic inferiority, suffocation of public deliberation, susceptibility to capture and production of bad outcomes. This essay argues, however, that there is an important line of criticism of ICs stemming from a profounder disagreement with the post-Cold War international legal system – the critique related to ethno-national and/or authoritarian populism – which poses novel challenges to justifying ICs. Engaging with Dothan’s arguments through the prism of the populist backlash, this essay contributes to recent scholarship on populism and international law by explaining how populism challenges the justification of IC interventions. Populists treat majority will and national/regional identity as the exclusive sources of the common good, and this casts doubts on arguments favouring multilateralism, such as the Condorcet Jury Theorem used by Dothan. It also allows populists to re-frame IC interventions as threats to people’s well-being and disseminate ‘counter-myths’ delegitimizing ICs, which may impair ICs’ ability to produce good outcomes. Altogether, populism has the capacity to increase the costs of international judicial intervention for ICs and reduce the costs of non-compliance and exit for the populists, which confronts IC scholars and judges with new challenges.
A high-quality genome and comparison of short- versus long-read transcriptome of the palaearctic duck Aythya fuligula (tufted duck)
Authors: Mueller Ralf C , Ellström Patrik , Howe Kerstin , Uliano-Silva Marcela , Kuo Richard I , Miedzinska Katarzyna , Warr Amanda , Fedrigo Olivier , Haase Bettina , Mountcastle Jacquelyn , Chow William , Torrance James , Wood Jonathan M D , Järhult Josef D , Naguib Mahmoud M , Olsen Björn , Jarvis Erich D , Smith Jacqueline , Eöry Lél , Kraus Robert H S
Published: December 2021

Background

The tufted duck is a non-model organism that experiences high mortality in highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks. It belongs to the same bird family (Anatidae) as the mallard, one of the best-studied natural hosts of low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Studies in non-model bird species are crucial to disentangle the role of the host response in avian influenza virus infection in the natural reservoir. Such endeavour requires a high-quality genome assembly and transcriptome.

Findings

This study presents the first high-quality, chromosome-level reference genome assembly of the tufted duck using the Vertebrate Genomes Project pipeline. We sequenced RNA (complementary DNA) from brain, ileum, lung, ovary, spleen, and testis using Illumina short-read and Pacific Biosciences long-read sequencing platforms, which were used for annotation. We found 34 autosomes plus Z and W sex chromosomes in the curated genome assembly, with 99.6% of the sequence assigned to chromosomes. Functional annotation revealed 14,099 protein-coding genes that generate 111,934 transcripts, which implies a mean of 7.9 isoforms per gene. We also identified 246 small RNA families.

Conclusions

This annotated genome contributes to continuing research into the host response in avian influenza virus infections in a natural reservoir. Our findings from a comparison between short-read and long-read reference transcriptomics contribute to a deeper understanding of these competing options. In this study, both technologies complemented each other. We expect this annotation to be a foundation for further comparative and evolutionary genomic studies, including many waterfowl relatives with differing susceptibilities to avian influenza viruses.
Validation of existing risk scores for mortality prediction after a heart transplant in a Chinese population
Authors: Zheng Shanshan , Tang Hanwei , Zheng Zhe , Song Yunhu , Huang Jie , Liao Zhongkai , Liu Sheng
Published: December 2021

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to validate 3 existing heart transplant risk scores with a single-centre cohort in China and evaluate the efficacy of the 3 systems in predicting mortality.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 428 patients from a single centre who underwent heart transplants from January 2015 to December 2019. All patients were scored using the Index for Mortality Prediction After Cardiac Transplantation (IMPACT) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and risk stratification scores (RSSs). We assessed the efficacy of the risk scores by comparing the observed and the predicted 1-year mortality. Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the 3 risk scores. Model discrimination was assessed by measuring the area under the receiver operating curves. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were performed after the patients were divided into different risk groups.

RESULTS

Based on our cohort, the observed mortality was 6.54%, whereas the predicted mortality of the IMPACT and UNOS scores and the RSSs was 10.59%, 10.74% and 12.89%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the IMPACT [odds ratio (OR), 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15–1.36; P < 0.001], UNOS (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.37–2.07; P < 0.001) and risk stratification (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.30–2.00; P < 0.001) scores were predictive of 1-year mortality. The discriminative power was numerically higher for the IMPACT score [area under the curve (AUC) of 0.691)] than for the UNOS score (AUC 0.685) and the RSS (AUC 0.648).

CONCLUSIONS

We validated the IMPACT and UNOS scores and the RSSs as predictors of 1-year mortality after a heart transplant, but all 3 risk scores had unsatisfactory discriminative powers that overestimated the observed mortality for the Chinese cohort.
Seven mysteries of LAG-3: a multi-faceted immune receptor of increasing complexity
Authors: Burnell Stephanie E A , Capitani Lorenzo , MacLachlan Bruce J , Mason Georgina H , Gallimore Awen M , Godkin Andrew
Published: December 2021

Despite three decades of research to its name and increasing interest in immunotherapies that target it, LAG-3 remains an elusive co-inhibitory receptor in comparison to the well-established PD-1 and CTLA-4. As such, LAG-3 targeting therapies have yet to achieve the clinical success of therapies targeting other checkpoints. This could, in part, be attributed to the many unanswered questions that remain regarding LAG-3 biology. Of these, we address: (i) the function of the many LAG-3-ligand interactions, (ii) the hurdles that remain to acquire a high-resolution structure of LAG-3, (iii) the under-studied LAG-3 signal transduction mechanism, (iv) the elusive soluble form of LAG-3, (v) the implications of the lack of (significant) phenotype of LAG-3 knockout mice, (vi) the reports of LAG-3 expression on the epithelium, and (vii) the conflicting reports of LAG-3 expression (and potential contributions to pathology) in the brain. These mysteries which surround LAG-3 highlight how the ever-evolving study of its biology continues to reveal ever-increasing complexity in its role as an immune receptor. Importantly, answering the questions which shroud LAG-3 in mystery will allow the maximum therapeutic benefit of LAG-3 targeting immunotherapies in cancer, autoimmunity and beyond.
Foreign Aid, Development, and US Strategic Interests in the Cold War
Authors: Lee James
Published: December 2021

Scholars have argued that during the Cold War, the United States gave aid to its allies to reward them for maintaining an anti-Communist foreign policy rather than to promote their economic development. This finding is mostly based on data starting in the 1970s and does not accurately characterize US grand strategy before the 1970s,  when the United States used aid to promote development among its allies in order to strengthen them against Communism. Using original data collected from historical editions of USAID's “Greenbook,” this article identifies the amount of unconditional aid in the United States’ foreign-aid programs in the period 1955–1970. This type of aid was designed to be politically attractive rather than to be developmentally effective. This article also develops an original measure of aid recipients’ geopolitical alignment that draws on hand coding of 466 diplomatic documents. Using these data, this article finds that there was more unconditional aid in the United States’ aid programs to neutral and nonaligned countries than in the United States’ aid programs to its allies and security partners—a counterintuitive finding that shows how different the first half of the Cold War was from the second.1
Toxicity and Repellency of Magnolia grandiflora Seed Essential Oil and Selected Pure Compounds Against the Workers of Hybrid Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Ali Abbas , Chen Jian , Khan Ikhlas A
Published: December 2021

We tested Magnolia grandiflora L. (Magnoliales: Magnoliaceae) seed essential oil and its pure compounds for their repellency and toxicity against workers of hybrid imported fire ants. Series of dosages were tested starting from 156 µg/g to the dose where the treatment failed. Workers removed significantly less sand from the vials with M. grandiflora seed essential oil and 1-octanol treated sand at serial dosages of 156–4.9 µg/g than the solvent control whereas the amount removed at 2.4–0.6 µg/g was similar to the solvent control. In 1-decanol treatments, workers removed significantly less sand at serial dosages of 156–0.15 µg/g than the solvent control whereas the removal of sand at the dose of 0.08 µg/g was similar to the solvent control. In DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) treatments, workers removed significantly less sand at serial dosages of 156–78 µg/g than the solvent control whereas the quantity of removed sand at 39 µg/g was similar to the solvent control. Based on the mean amount of sand removed, M. grandiflora essential oil, 1-decanol, and 1-octanol showed significantly higher repellency than DEET. 1-Decanol and 1-octanol, present in seed essential oil showed toxicity against fire ant workers. 1-Decanol with LC50 of 140.6 µg/g was the most toxic natural compound followed by 1-octanol (LC50 = 486.8 µg/g). Bifenthrin with LC50 value of 0.018 µg/g showed much higher toxicity than these natural compounds. High repellency and toxicity of 1-decanol makes it a natural compound of interest for further studies under field conditions.
Spatiotemporal patterns of riparian bat assemblages in a novel riparian ecosystem
Authors: Lin Jessica , Harris Leila S , Truan Melanie L , Engilis Andrew , Kelt Douglas A
Published: December 2021

Despite increasing awareness of the ecological roles and ecosystem services that bats provide, spatiotemporal patterns in bat abundance and community assembly remain poorly understood outside of select sites in the tropics. We conducted systematic full-spectrum acoustic surveys of bats over the course of a year at eight permanent sites spanning nearly 50 km along Putah Creek, a stream in California’s Central Valley that has been subject to restoration efforts and changes to its in-stream flow regime over the past two decades. We surveyed all sites for 1 week each month. In 158 sampling nights over 11 months, we recorded 157,762 identifiable calls, thereby documenting a rich bat assemblage comprising 15 species from eight genera and two families. Seven species appeared to occur here year-round, whereas six others evidently migrated seasonally, and two were incidental visitors. Species richness and activity diversity were effectively invariant across this 50-km gradient, but assemblage composition varied both spatially and temporally. Spatial patterns suggest species-specific distributions that presumably reflect individualistic habitat preferences and responses to extrinsic factors. Species also varied temporally, with bat activity generally declining in winter, with an unexpected dip in richness and activity in late spring. For the three most commonly detected species, generalized linear models further highlighted the species-specific and individualistic nature of spatiotemporal activity patterns. When integrated with available data from other temperate sites, our results suggest that local species richness is high in temperate riparian systems. Additionally, our observations suggest that species responses to environmental variation are individualistic (e.g., “Gleasonian”) in nature and that local composition varies greatly over spatiotemporal gradients, but that emergent assemblage characteristics do not. The generality of these observations, and the underlying mechanism(s) leading to invariance in emergent characters, warrant further investigation. Similarly, the extent to which greater bat species richness provides complementary ecosystem services (hence, ecological insurance) is of both ecological and economic interest.
Salutogenic and Pathogenic Factors Among Young Adult Refugees in Germany: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Laufer Avital , Böttche Maria , Walg Marco , Khatib Anwar , Maoz-Dotan Carmel , Hassan Hiam , Finkelstein Michal
Published: December 2021

In this cross-sectional study, we explored the association of salutogenic variables—resilience and quality of life (QOL)—with posttraumatic stress (PTS) and depressive symptoms of 55 refugees who came to Germany as minors from various disputed Middle East and Africa countries. Results revealed that 53 per cent of participants showed a clinically relevant level of PTS, and 32 per cent scored in the clinical range for depression. Levels of resilience and QOL were moderate. Regression models revealed that resilience was the only significant variable associated with PTS over and above traumatic events and demographic variables. Pre-migration traumatic events and QOL were found to be significant variables associated with depression. Quality of life was found to mediate the relation between resilience and depression. Pre- and peri-traumatic events were not associated with resilience or QOL. Post-migration stressors were negatively associated with resilience and QOL. These findings suggest that the impact of forced migration on the young adults’ adjustment should be investigated not only in terms of psychological symptoms, but also in terms of resilience and QOL. In addition, therapeutic interventions should focus not only on diminishing psychological difficulties, but also in helping these young refugees increase, build, and maintain resilience and QOL.
Diffuse proliferative cerebral angiopathy: a case report and literature review on a very rare and misdiagnosed entity
Authors: Panthi Sagar , Khanal Nimesh , Poudel Sajana , Bhandari Siddhartha , Khatiwada Pradeep , Acharya Rochana , Bhattarai Raksha , Bhattarai Bharosha , Khanal Sandeep
Published: December 2021

Diffuse proliferative cerebral angiopathy (DPCA) is an uncommon type of cerebral vascular malformation, mostly diagnosed in young females. It is characteristically different from other cerebral arteriovenous malformations and can be differentiated by its peculiar imaging findings. A nidus of normal brain parenchyma is present between the abnormal vascular channels. Therefore, it is crucial to diagnose it as a separate entity because unnecessary treatment of DPCA increases the risk of damage to the normal parenchyma leading to neurological deficits. Here we describe a case of a 60-year-old male who presented with severe neurological deficits and was later diagnosed with DPCA. He was managed conservatively with antiepileptics and almost completely recovered to normal within 2 weeks. A rare case of DPCA confused with other hemorrhagic disorders is discussed here. Rare cases are often overlooked. Correct diagnosis helps to prevent tragic consequences.
Adapting Nearest Neighbor for Multiple Imputation: Advantages, Challenges, and Drawbacks
Authors: Andridge Rebecca Roberts , Thompson Katherine Jenny
Published: December 2021

The U.S. Census Bureau has historically used nearest neighbor (NN) or random hot deck (RHD) imputation to handle missing data for many types of survey data. Using these methods removes the need to parametrically model values in imputation models. With strong auxiliary information, NN imputation is preferred because it produces more precise estimates than RHD. In addition, NN imputation is robust against a misspecified response mechanism if missingness depends on the auxiliary variable, in contrast to RHD which ignores the auxiliary information. A compromise between these two methods is k-NN imputation, which identifies a set of the k closest neighbors (“donor pool”) and randomly selects a single donor from this set. Recently these methods have been used for multiple imputation (MI), enabling variance estimation via the so-called Rubin’s Combining Rules. The Approximate Bayesian Bootstrap (ABB) is a simple-to-implement algorithm that makes the RHD “proper” for MI. In concept, ABB should work to propagate uncertainty for NN MI; bootstrapping respondents mean each nonrespondent’s one “nearest” donor will not be available for every imputation. However, we demonstrate through simulation that NN MI using ABB leads to variance underestimation. This underestimation is somewhat but not entirely attenuated with k-NN imputation. An alternative approach to variance estimation after MI, bootstrapped MI, eliminates the underestimation with NN imputation, but we show that it suffers from overestimation of variance with nonnegligible sampling fractions under both equal and unequal probability sampling designs. We propose a modification to bootstrapped MI to account for nonnegligible sampling fractions. We compare the performance of RHD and the various NN MI methods under a variety of sampling designs, sampling fractions, distribution shapes, and missingness mechanisms.
The National Quality Framework: The Benchmark for the Alcohol and Other Drug Sector in Australia
Authors: Henriksen Simone M
Published: December 2021

A National Quality Framework, developed by the Australian Government Department of Health, currently in a transitional phase, has been introduced to improve the quality of alcohol and other drug treatment services and provide a nationally consistent approach to treatment quality in the sector in Australia. This article examines how the National Quality Framework aims to achieve these goals. The article draws on the theory of quality frameworks to demonstrate how quality of treatment services may be improved under the National Quality Framework. The most difficult challenge for the National Quality Framework will be to deliver a nationally consistent approach to improving quality under the current structural arrangements for monitoring and enforcement of the framework.
Transcription factor GTF2B regulates AIP protein expression in growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas and influences tumor phenotypes
Authors: Cai Feng , Chen Shasha , Yu Xuebin , Zhang Jing , Liang Weiwei , Zhang Yan , Chen Yike , Chen Sheng , Hong Yuan , Yan Wei , Wang Wei , Zhang Jianmin , Wu Qun
Published: December 2021

Background

Clinically, the low expression of wild-type aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) in patients with sporadic growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary adenoma (GHPA) is associated with a more aggressive phenotype. However, the mechanism by which AIP expression is regulated in GHPA remains unclear. Herein, we investigated a transcription factor that regulates AIP expression and explored its role in tumor phenotypes.

Methods

General transcription factor IIB (GTF2B) was predicted by several bioinformatic tools to regulate AIP expression transcriptionally. Regulation by GTF2B was evaluated using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), reverse transcription PCR, luciferase reporter, and western blot experiments in SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, transwell invasive assay, ELISA, western blot, immunohistochemical staining, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling were performed to investigate the effects of GTF2B and AIP on tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, growth hormone secretion, and invasiveness in GH3 cells and mouse xenograft models. Moreover, correlations between GTF2B and AIP expression were explored in GHPA cases.

Results

ChIP and luciferase reporter studies demonstrated that the regulation of AIP expression by GTF2B was dependent on the intergenic-5′ untranslated region element of AIP and the initial residual S65 of GTF2B. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that GTF2B regulated AIP expression to impact the GHPA phenotype; this was confirmed by data from 33 GHPA cases.

Conclusions

We determined the regulation by GTF2B of AIP transcription in GHPA and its impact on tumor phenotype. Our findings suggest that GTF2B may be a potential therapeutic target for GHPA with low AIP expression.
Estimation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Hospitalization Costs From a Large Electronic Administrative Discharge Database, March 2020–July 2021
Authors: Shrestha Sundar S , Kompaniyets Lyudmyla , Grosse Scott D , Harris Aaron M , Baggs James , Sircar Kanta , Gundlapalli Adi V
Published: December 2021

Background

Information on the costs of inpatient care for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is very limited. This study estimates the per-patient cost of inpatient care for adult COVID-19 patients seen at >800 US hospitals.

Methods

Patients aged ≥18 years with ≥1 hospitalization during March 2020–July 2021 with a COVID-19 diagnosis code in a large electronic administrative discharge database were included. We used validated costs when reported; otherwise, costs were calculated using charges multiplied by cost-to-charge ratios. We estimated costs of inpatient care per patient overall and by severity indicator, age, sex, underlying medical conditions, and acute complications of COVID-19 using a generalized linear model with log link function and gamma distribution.

Results

The overall cost among 654673 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was $16.2 billion. Estimated per-patient hospitalization cost was $24 826. Among surviving patients, estimated per-patient cost was $13 090 without intensive care unit (ICU) admission or invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), $21 222 with ICU admission alone, and $59 742 with IMV. Estimated per-patient cost among patients who died was $27 017. Adjusted cost differential was higher among patients with certain underlying conditions (eg, chronic kidney disease [$12 391], liver disease [$8878], cerebrovascular disease [$7267], and obesity [$5933]) and acute complications (eg, acute respiratory distress syndrome [$43 912], pneumothorax [$25 240], and intracranial hemorrhage [$22 280]).

Conclusions

The cost of inpatient care for COVID-19 patients was substantial through the first 17 months of the pandemic. These estimates can be used to inform policy makers and planners and cost-effectiveness analysis of public health interventions to alleviate the burden of COVID-19.
Mistaken Payments, Quasi-contracts, and the ‘Justice’ of Unjust Enrichment
Authors: Georgiou Alexander
Published: December 2021

The law of unjust enrichment has often been described as the law of events materially identical to a mistaken payment. By this, lawyers often mean that the cause of action in unjust enrichment is somehow shaped and grounded by the reason why the recipient of (some) mistaken payments morally ought to refund the payor. The difficulty, however, is that the normativity of mistaken payments remains a challenge to explain. This article aims to reinvigorate the view that the moral duty to return mistaken payments is grounded by a tacit agreement between the payor and payee that the payment was conditional (coupled with the failure of that condition). To do so, it critically examines the ways in which our intentions can be conditioned, and how those conditions are communicated in our agreements. The article concludes by examining what implications a conditions-based understanding might have for the law of unjust enrichment.
Implementing Public Accounts Committee Recommendations: Evidence from the UK Government’s ‘Progress Reports’ since 2012
Authors: Elston Thomas , Zhang Yuxi
Published: December 2021

The Public Accounts Committee is the oldest and, reputedly, most influential oversight committee in the British parliament. Since 2012, the government has published an unprecedented volume of data explaining its actions in response to the PAC’s inquiries. By tracking all 615 of the Committee’s recommendations from 2010 to 2012 across the first 14 of these ‘progress reports’, we explore how effectively this novel reporting mechanism serves to inform parliament about the executive’s responsiveness to scrutiny. We find the reports to yield rich data on the fate of many individual recommendations, but only limited information on the overall timeliness and quality of implementation. Flexibilities and inconsistencies in reporting style also make the arrangements vulnerable to gaming. We identify potential improvements and research opportunities.
On the Depth of Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems
Authors: Cheng Yong
Published: December 2021

We use Gödel’s incompleteness theorems as a case study for investigating mathematical depth. We examine the philosophical question of what the depth of Gödel’s incompleteness theorems consists in. We focus on the methodological study of the depth of Gödel’s incompleteness theorems, and propose three criteria to account for the depth of the incompleteness theorems: influence, fruitfulness, and unity. Finally, we give some explanations for our account of the depth of Gödel’s incompleteness theorems.
Pelvic Floor Symptoms Are an Overlooked Barrier to Exercise Participation: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey of 4556 Women Who Are Symptomatic
Authors: Dakic Jodie G , Cook Jill , Hay-Smith Jean , Lin Kuan-Yin , Ekegren Christina , Frawley Helena C
Published: December 2021

Objective

This study aimed to: (1) investigate barriers to exercise in women with pelvic floor (PF) symptoms (urinary incontinence [UI], anal incontinence [AI], and pelvic organ prolapse [POP]); (2) determine factors associated with reporting PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier; and (3) investigate the association between reporting PF symptoms as an exercise barrier and physical inactivity.

Methods

In this cross-sectional survey, Australian women who were 18 to 65 years of age and had PF symptoms completed an anonymous online survey (May–September 2018) containing validated PF and physical activity questionnaires: Questionnaire for Female Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis, Incontinence Severity Index, Pelvic Floor Bother Questionnaire, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants reported exercise barriers and the degree to which the barriers limited participation. Binary logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with (1) identifying PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier and (2) physical inactivity.

Results

In this cohort (N = 4556), 31% (n = 1429) reported PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier; UI was the most frequently reported barrier. Two-thirds of participants who identified POP and UI as exercise barriers had stopped exercising. The odds of reporting PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier were significantly higher for women with severe UI (odds ratio [OR] = 4.77; 95% CI = 3.60–6.34), high symptom bother (UI OR = 10.19; 95% CI = 7.24–14.37; POP OR = 22.38; 95% CI = 13.04–36.60; AI OR = 29.66; 95% CI = 7.21–122.07), those who had a vaginal delivery (1 birth OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.63–2.56), or those with a third- or fourth-degree obstetric tear (OR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.24–1.76). The odds of being physically inactive were greater in women who identified PF symptoms as an exercise barrier than in those who did not (OR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.1–1.59).

Conclusion

One in 3 women reported PF symptoms as a substantial exercise barrier, and this was associated with increased odds of physical inactivity.

Impact

Physical inactivity is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in women. Pelvic floor symptoms stop women participating in exercise and are associated with physical inactivity. Screening and management of PF symptoms could allow women to remain physically active across their life span.

Lay Summary

Pelvic floor symptoms are a substantial barrier to exercise in women of all ages, causing them to stop exercising and increasing the odds of being physical inactive. Physical therapists can screen and help women manage their PF symptoms so that they remain physically active.
Feasibility and Safety of Physical Exercise to Preserve Bone Health in Men With Prostate Cancer Receiving Androgen Deprivation Therapy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cagliari Maribel , Bressi Barbara , Bassi Maria Chiara , Fugazzaro Stefania , Prati Giuseppe , Iotti Cinzia , Costi Stefania
Published: December 2021

Objective

Men with prostate cancer (PCa) receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) experience the loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and lean body mass, which can increase their risk of falls and fractures. Physical exercise programs with appropriate components and dosage are suggested to preserve BMD and muscle strength, thereby potentially reducing accidental falls and fractures and associated morbidity and mortality. These benefits can be obtained if exercise programs are feasible and safe and if patient adherence is adequate. This systematic review investigates the feasibility and safety of exercise programs aimed at preventing the risk of accidental falls and fractures and BMD loss in men with PCa undergoing ADT.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library were searched from database inception to June 7, 2021. Randomized controlled trials were included when they analyzed the feasibility and safety of experimental exercise programs targeting bone health in men with PCa receiving ADT. Two reviewers independently selected the studies, assessed their methodological quality, and extracted the data. Exercise feasibility was measured through recruitment, retention, and adherence rates. Exercise safety was measured through the number, type, and severity of adverse events. Furthermore, the components, setting, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise programs were extracted.

Results

Ten studies were included, with a total of 633 participants. Exercise consisted of a combination of aerobic, resistance, and impact-loading exercise or football training. Exercise is feasible in men with PCa undergoing ADT, although football training should be prescribed with caution for safety reasons.

Conclusion

Multicomponent exercise programs targeting bone health seem feasible and safe in this population; however, adverse events should be systematically documented according to current guidelines.

Impact

The study shows that men with PCa receiving ADT can safely perform exercise programs to preserve bone health and supports that those programs should become part of lifestyle habits.

Lay Summary

Men with PCa who are receiving ADT can safely perform exercise programs to preserve bone health and should make exercise an important part of their lifestyle.