bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making Weak Antigens Strong: Preparing Immune Complexes for Injection
Authors: Greenfield Edward A. , DeCaprio James , Brahmandam Mohan
Published: September 2021

If antibodies against a particular antigen are available, that antigen can be purified and used for further immunizations, and antigens thus purified can show enhanced immunogenicity. Purified immune complexes can be injected directly, or while coupled to beads; the presence of antibodies and/or beads stimulates phagocytosis and usually will not influence the response. This method provides a useful means of antigen enrichment for a variety of applications, such as using antibodies raised against a denatured antigen to harvest a native protein for further immunizations, or when using a monoclonal antibody as an intermediate to the preparation of polyclonal antisera. Injecting antibody-coated antigens has also been used to mask a particularly immunodominant epitope on an antigen, and thereby develop a response against other epitopes. The amount of antigen needed to elicit a strong response using immune complexes will vary from one compound to another. Doses as low as 50 ng of antigen have been used successfully when delivered this way.
A Guide to Cloning the Products of Polymerase Chain Reactions
Authors: Green Michael R. , Sambrook Joseph
Published: September 2021

This introduction outlines various methods to clone amplified DNAs and to facilitate the construction of complex multicomponent genetic units. Because of the ease with which the termini of amplified DNAs can be tailored by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), many of the methods outlined here use PCR not only to synthesize DNAs but also to link them together into purpose-designed constructs. The most recent refinements however have been the development of modular genetic units that can be harnessed to target DNAs not by PCR but by site-specific recombination enzymes.
Pandemic preparedness and response in service hub cities: lessons from Northwestern Ontario
Authors: Schiff Rebecca , Krysowaty Bonnie , Hay Travis , Wilkinson Ashley
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Responding to the needs of homeless and marginally housed persons has been a major component of the Canadian federal and provincial responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, smaller, less-resourced cities and rural regions have been left competing for limited resources (Schiff et al., 2020). The purpose of this paper is to use a case study to examine and highlight information about the capacities and needs of service hub cities during pandemics.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on the experience of Thunder Bay – a small city in Northern Ontario, Canada which experienced a serious outbreak of COVID-19 amongst homeless persons and shelter staff in the community. The authors catalogued the series of events leading to this outbreak through information tracked by two of the authors who hold key funding and planning positions within the Thunder Bay homeless sector.

Findings

Several lessons may be useful for other cities nationally and internationally of similar size, geography and socio-economic position. The authors suggest a need for increased supports to the homeless sector in small service–hub cities (and particularly those with large Indigenous populations) to aid in the creation of pandemic plans and more broadly to ending chronic homelessness in those regions.

Originality/value

Small hub cities such as Thunder Bay serve vast rural areas and may have high rates of homelessness. This case study points to some important factors for consideration related to pandemic planning in these contexts.
HTMT2–an improved criterion for assessing discriminant validity in structural equation modeling
Authors: Roemer Ellen , Schuberth Florian , Henseler Jörg
Published: September 2021

Purpose

One popular method to assess discriminant validity in structural equation modeling is the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT). However, the HTMT assumes tau-equivalent measurement models, which are unlikely to hold for most empirical studies. To relax this assumption, the authors modify the original HTMT and introduce a new consistent measure for congeneric measurement models: the HTMT2.

Design/methodology/approach

The HTMT2 is designed in analogy to the HTMT but relies on the geometric mean instead of the arithmetic mean. A Monte Carlo simulation compares the performance of the HTMT and the HTMT2. In the simulation, several design factors are varied such as loading patterns, sample sizes and inter-construct correlations in order to compare the estimation bias of the two criteria.

Findings

The HTMT2 provides less biased estimations of the correlations among the latent variables compared to the HTMT, in particular if indicators loading patterns are heterogeneous. Consequently, the HTMT2 should be preferred over the HTMT to assess discriminant validity in case of congeneric measurement models.

Research limitations/implications

However, the HTMT2 can only be determined if all correlations between involved observable variables are positive.

Originality/value

This paper introduces the HTMT2 as an improved version of the traditional HTMT. Compared to other approaches assessing discriminant validity, the HTMT2 provides two advantages: (1) the ease of its computation, since HTMT2 is only based on the indicator correlations, and (2) the relaxed assumption of tau-equivalence. The authors highly recommend the HTMT2 criterion over the traditional HTMT for assessing discriminant validity in empirical studies.
Geographies of information behaviour: a conceptual exploration
Authors: Cox Andrew , Fulton Crystal
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This article examines the relation between place, space and information behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Concepts of place and space are explored through a comparison of three leisure pursuits: running, urban exploration and genealogy, based on the authors' research and the published literature.

Findings

A socially constructed meaning of place is central to each leisure activity but how it is experienced physically, emotionally and imaginatively are different. Places have very different meanings within each practice. Mirroring this, information behaviours are also very different: such as the sources used, the type of information created and how it is shared or not shared. Information behaviour contributes to the meanings associated with place in particular social practices.

Research limitations/implications

Meaning attached to place can be understood as actively constructed within social practices. Rather than context for information behaviours in the sense of an outside, containing, even constraining, environment, the meaning of place can be seen as actively constructed within social practices and by the information behaviours that are part of them.

Originality/value

The paper adds a new perspective to the understanding of place and space in the study of information behaviour.
3D printing of clay paste enhanced by scrap polymer from powder bed processes
Authors: Mele Mattia , Ricciarelli Michele , Campana Giampaolo
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Powder bed additive manufacturing processes are widespread due to their many technical and economic advantages. Nevertheless, the disposal of leftover powder poses a problem in terms of process sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternative solution to recycle waste PA12 powder from HP multi jet fusion. In particular, the opportunity to use this material as a dispersion in three-dimensional (3D) printed clay is investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

A commercial fused deposition modelling printer was re-adapted to extrude a viscous paste composed of clay, PA12 and water. Once printed, parts were dried and then put in an oven to melt the polymer fraction. Four compositions with different PA12 concentration were studied. First, the extrudability of the paste was observed by testing different extrusion lengths. Then, the surface porosities were evaluated through microscopical observations of the manufactured parts. Finally, benchmarks with different geometries were digitalised via 3D scanning to analyse the dimensional alterations arising at each stage of the process.

Findings

Overall, the feasibility of the process is demonstrated. Extrusion tests revealed that the composition of the paste has a minor influence on the volumetric flow rate, exhibiting a better consistency in the case of long extrusions. The percentage of surface cavities was proportional to the polymer fraction contained in the mix. From dimensional analyses, it was possible to conclude that PA12 reduced the degree of shrinkage during the drying phase, while it increased dimensional alterations occurring in the melting phase. The results showed that the dimensional error measured on the z-axis was always higher than that of the XY plane.

Practical implications

The method proposed in this paper provides an alternative approach to reuse leftover powders from powder bed fusion processes via another additive manufacturing process. This offers an affordable and open-source solution to companies dealing with polymer powder bed fusion, allowing them to reduce their environmental impacts while expanding their production.

Originality/value

The paper presents an innovative additive manufacturing solution for powder reuse. Unlike the recycling methods in the body of literature, this solution does not require any intermediate transformation process, such as filament fabrication. Also, the cold material deposition enables the adoption of very inexpensive extrusion equipment. This preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility and the benefits of this process, paving the way for numerous future studies.
Reservoir dynamics of rabies in south‐east Tanzania and the roles of cross‐species transmission and domestic dog vaccination
Authors: Lushasi Kennedy , Hayes Sarah , Ferguson Elaine A. , Changalucha Joel , Cleaveland Sarah , Govella Nicodem J. , Haydon Daniel T. , Sambo Maganga , Mchau Geofrey J. , Mpolya Emmanuel A. , Mtema Zacharia , Nonga Hezron E. , Steenson Rachel , Nouvellet Pierre , Donnelly Christl A. , Hampson Katie
Published: September 2021

Understanding the role of different species in the transmission of multi‐host pathogens, such as rabies virus, is vital for effective control strategies. Across most of sub‐Saharan Africa domestic dogs Canis familiaris are considered the reservoir for rabies, but the role of wildlife has been long debated. Here we explore the multi‐host transmission dynamics of rabies across south‐east Tanzania.

Between January 2011 and July 2019, data on probable rabies cases were collected in the regions of Lindi and Mtwara. Hospital records of animal‐bite patients presenting to healthcare facilities were used as sentinels for animal contact tracing. The timing, location and species of probable rabid animals were used to reconstruct transmission trees to infer who infected whom and the relative frequencies of within‐ and between‐species transmission.

During the study, 688 probable human rabies exposures were identified, resulting in 47 deaths. Of these exposures, 389 were from domestic dogs (56.5%) and 262 from jackals (38.1%). Over the same period, 549 probable animal rabies cases were traced: 303 in domestic dogs (55.2%) and 221 in jackals (40.3%), with the remainder in domestic cats and other wildlife species.

Although dog‐to‐dog transmission was most commonly inferred (40.5% of transmission events), a third of inferred events involved wildlife‐to‐wildlife transmission (32.6%), and evidence suggested some sustained transmission chains within jackal populations.

A steady decline in probable rabies cases in both humans and animals coincided with the implementation of widespread domestic dog vaccination during the first 6 years of the study. Following the lapse of this program, dog rabies cases began to increase in one of the northernmost districts.

Synthesis and applications. In south‐east Tanzania, despite a relatively high incidence of rabies in wildlife and evidence of wildlife‐to‐wildlife transmission, domestic dogs remain essential to the reservoir of infection. Continued dog vaccination alongside improved surveillance would allow a fuller understanding of the role of wildlife in maintaining transmission in this area. Nonetheless, dog vaccination clearly suppressed rabies in both domestic dog and wildlife populations, reducing both public health and conservation risks and, if sustained, has potential to eliminate rabies from this region.
Climate Change and Agriculture: an Integrated Dutch Perspective
Authors: Jongeneel Roel , Gonzalez‐Martinez Ana
Published: September 2021

The Netherlands is facing a set of serious interrelated environmental and economic challenges, some of which are developing to crisis levels. These challenges also impinge significantly on agriculture. With respect to agriculture, Phosphate, Nitrate, water and climate impacts present key environmental challenges. The preservation of biodiversity, landscapes, animal welfare and the use of antibiotics are also elements which could be added to the list. Given the multiple challenges and the need to adhere to the legal commitments of several sustainability and climate objectives, an integrated approach to addressing these challenges is needed. In other words, there is a need for policy optimisation. As a follow‐up to their commitment to the Paris Agreement, the Dutch government took action by developing a national Climate Agreement (Klimaatakkoord). In order to provide more insights into the actions needed for the longer run (until 2050), a special study exploring different scenarios was issued, the main outcomes of which are presented in this article with a focus on the climate challenge. This study suggests that there is still considerable potential from both livestock farming and agricultural soils to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, even at the current scale of the agricultural sector.
Are glucocorticoids good indicators of disturbance across populations that exhibit cryptic variation in contaminant tolerance?
Authors: Shidemantle G. , Buss N. , Hua J.
Published: September 2021

Glucocorticoids (corticosterone/cortisol; cort) are frequently used in conservation as biomarkers of disturbance in wild populations. However, the context‐dependent nature of cort means that it may not always accurately reflect disturbance. For example, there is growing evidence that wildlife populations can evolve or acclimate to human‐induced environmental change (i.e. contaminants) by expressing higher levels of tolerance. Mechanisms that allow for populations to achieve higher contaminant tolerance can be related to cort and thereby impact the reliability of cort as an indicator of disturbance. This study asks: (1) do wildlife populations that differ in tolerance to contaminants differentially express baseline and stress‐induced cort and (2) is cort a viable indicator of disturbance across populations that differ in tolerance to contaminants? Toward this goal, we identified three wood frog Rana sylvatica populations with relatively high NaCl tolerance and three populations with relatively low NaCl tolerance. Tadpoles from these populations were reared to metamorphosis in either an environmentally relevant concentration of NaCl (0.5 g L−1 NaCl) or a control (0 g L−1 NaCl). At metamorphosis we used a non‐invasive waterborne assay to measure baseline and stress‐induced cort release rates and measured fitness‐related metrics. We found that contaminant tolerance influences cort levels. More tolerant populations had lower baseline cort and higher fitness compared to less tolerant populations. However, despite variation in cort across populations with different levels of tolerance, cort still represents a viable indicator of condition as our results show a consistent negative relationship between cort and fitness. Lastly, we found that levels of cort were consistent regardless of whether amphibians were reared in NaCl contaminated or non‐contaminated environments. Overall, we emphasize the importance of recognizing population‐level variation in cort due to contaminant tolerance when using cort as a biomarker for conservation purposes.
Characteristics and intentions of heterosexual couples comprising a transgender man awaiting sperm donation to conceive a child
Authors: Bonan Sarah , Chapel‐Lardic Emeline , Rosenblum Ouriel , Dudkiewicz‐Sibony Charlotte , Chamouard Laura , Wolf Jean‐Philippe , Thiounn Nicolas , Condat Agnès , Chalas Céline , Patrat Catherine , Mendes Nicolas , Drouineaud Véronique
Published: September 2021

Background

More than half of transgender (TG) men wish to have children. Until recently, TG people in France were rarely offered gamete donation, mainly because the Bioethics Law allows the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) only in infertile couples. The only option currently available for heterosexual couples with a TG man is ART with sperm donation. The Center for Study and Preservation of Eggs and Sperm (CECOS) of the Cochin Hospital is the first French center to propose sperm donation to such couples, and has done so since 1999.

Objectives

To determine the main characteristics and intentions of 43 couples, including a TG man and his cisgender female partner awaiting sperm donation.

Materials and methods

A retrospective analysis was carried out on the records from October 2010 to December 2019, of 43 couples with a TG man who applied for sperm donation at the CECOS of the Cochin Hospital (Paris, France).

Results

The mean age of TG men and cisgender women was 32 ± 6.6 and 29.7 ± 4.6 years, respectively. In 77% of cases, the couple met before the man's transition. Eighty‐one percent of the couples were in a stable relationship for at least 3 years, and 94% wished to have a child for no more than 5 years. Almost all of the couples (95%) intended to inform their child of their conception by sperm donation and the father's transidentity (92%).

Discussion

Due to restrictive French legislation, the profile of our couples probably does not reflect that of all couples consisting of a TG man and a cisgender woman. The study took place over a long period of time and the characteristics of the couples could probably change over time.

Conclusion

The couples often met before the man's transition, cohabited for several years, intended to inform their child of sperm donation and the father's transidentity.
Birth outcomes between 22 and 26 weeks' gestation in national population‐based cohorts from Sweden, England and France
Authors: Morgan Andrei S. , Zeitlin Jennifer , Källén Karin , Draper Elizabeth S. , Maršál Karel , Norman Mikael , Serenius Fredrik , van Buuren Stef , Johnson Samantha , Benhammou Valérie , Pierrat Véronique , Kaminski Monique , Foix L'Helias Laurence , Ancel Pierre‐Yves , Marlow Neil
Published: September 2021

Aim

We investigated the timing of survival differences and effects on morbidity for foetuses alive at maternal admission to hospital delivered at 22 to 26 weeks’ gestational age (GA).

Methods

Data from the EXPRESS (Sweden, 2004–07), EPICure‐2 (England, 2006) and EPIPAGE‐2 (France, 2011) cohorts were harmonised. Survival, stratified by GA, was analysed to 112 days using Kaplan‐Meier analyses and Cox regression adjusted for population and pregnancy characteristics; neonatal morbidities, survival to discharge and follow‐up and outcomes at 2–3 years of age were compared.

Results

Among 769 EXPRESS, 2310 EPICure‐2 and 1359 EPIPAGE‐2 foetuses, 112‐day survival was, respectively, 28.2%, 10.8% and 0.5% at 22–23 weeks’ GA; 68.5%, 40.0% and 23.6% at 24 weeks; 80.5%, 64.8% and 56.9% at 25 weeks; and 86.6%, 77.1% and 74.4% at 26 weeks. Deaths were most marked in EPIPAGE‐2 before 1 day at 22–23 and 24 weeks GA. At 25 weeks, survival varied before 28 days; differences at 26 weeks were minimal. Cox analyses were consistent with the Kaplan‐Meier analyses. Variations in morbidities were not clearly associated with survival.

Conclusion

Differences in survival and morbidity outcomes for extremely preterm births are evident despite adjustment for background characteristics. No clear relationship was identified between early mortality and later patterns of morbidity.
A decision framework for estimating the cost of marine plastic pollution interventions
Authors: Murphy Erin L. , Bernard Miranda , Iacona Gwenllian , Borrelle Stephanie B. , Barnes Megan , McGivern Alexis , Emmanuel Jorge , Gerber Leah R.
Published: September 2021

Marine plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Although there has been a surge in global investment for implementing interventions to mitigate plastic pollution, there has been little attention given to the cost of these interventions. We developed a decision support framework to identify the economic, social, and ecological costs and benefits of plastic pollution interventions for different sectors and stakeholders. We calculated net cost as a function of six cost and benefit categories with the following equation: cost of implementing an intervention (direct, indirect, and nonmonetary costs) minus recovered costs and benefits (monetary and nonmonetary) produced by the interventions. We applied our framework to two quantitative case studies (a solid waste management plan and a trash interceptor) and four comparative case studies, evaluating the costs of beach cleanups and waste‐to‐energy plants in various contexts, to identify factors that influence the costs of plastic pollution interventions. The socioeconomic context of implementation, the spatial scale of implementation, and the time scale of evaluation all influence costs and the distribution of costs across stakeholders. Our framework provides an approach to estimate and compare the costs of a range of interventions across sociopolitical and economic contexts.
Efficacy of the colchicine add‐on therapy in patients with autoimmune chronic urticaria
Authors: Nabavizadeh Sayed Hesamedin , Babaeian Masroor , Esmaeilzadeh Hossein , Mortazavifar Nasrin , Alyasin Soheila
Published: September 2021

Chronic urticaria is in some cases very difficult to treat, we aimed to evaluate the effect of colchicine on chronic urticaria management. Fifty‐five euthyroid patients with chronic urticaria were examined based on UQL and UAS7 questionnaires. The overall UQL‐Q score after 3 months has not any statistical difference between groups. The overall UQL‐Q score changes between groups was not statistically different. However, the UQL‐Q score significantly reduces during study period in each group. In conclusion, colchicine can manage the sign and symptoms of chronic urticaria, which improve the patients' quality of life.
‘You just feel more relaxed’: An Investigation of Art Room Atmosphere
Authors: Thomson Pat , Hall Christine
Published: September 2021

Art educators are increasingly interested in the affective dimensions of pedagogy. This article explores students’ reports of feeling more relaxed and less stressed in the art room, data drawn from a three‐year study of thirty arts‐rich secondary schools. Drawing on recent scholarship on affect, we suggest that these feelings were in part the result of ‘atmosphere’ – mobile bodies in (1) a curated space, engaged with educational activities associated with (2) a signature text and pedagogy, enacted as an (3) isorhythmic practice. We suggest that these three elements of atmosphere not only help us to understand how to produce positive feelings about art, but they also have some potential for use in professional reflection on practice.
Partner support and connection protect couples during pregnancy: A daily diary investigation
Authors: Kumar Shaina A. , Brock Rebecca L. , DiLillo David
Published: September 2021

Objective

The objective of the current study was to examine associations between daily subjective stress and relationship satisfaction as a function of two protective factors—partner support and connection (i.e., intimacy, passion, and commitment)—among couples during pregnancy.

Background

Stress brought into the intimate relationship by each partner is often associated with relational dissatisfaction and discord, referred to as stress spillover. Although much research has focused on risk for poor relational outcomes associated with partner stress, it is equally important to focus on resilience.

Method

We examined this phenomenon among 154 couples navigating pregnancy. Couples attended an initial laboratory session and then completed daily diary measures from home across 14 days.

Results

Multilevel modeling techniques revealed that higher daily subjective stress than usual was negatively associated with relationship satisfaction that day for fathers and mothers, and partner support and connection attenuated this link to a significant degree. As these protective factors increased, the strength of the negative association between daily stress and relationship satisfaction decreased for both parents. Exploratory analyses showed no significant within‐person associations between daily stress and next‐day relationship satisfaction at any level of support or connection.

Conclusion

These findings add innovative components to the investigation of the spillover process, including the examination of this process among couples during pregnancy, utilization of daily diary methods to study this phenomenon on a micro‐level over time, and identification of protective factors mitigating daily stress spillover.
Efficacy of medical dissolution for suspected struvite cystoliths in dogs
Authors: Wingert Allie M. , Murray Olivia A. , Lulich Jody P. , Hoelmer Alexis M. , Merkel Lindsay K. , Furrow Eva
Published: September 2021

Background

Medical dissolution of struvite uroliths in dogs is commonly recommended, but data on success rates and complications are limited.

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of medical dissolution for suspected struvite cystoliths in dogs.

Animals

Fifty client‐owned dogs fed a therapeutic dissolution diet, with or without administration of antimicrobials, for treatment of suspected struvite cystoliths.

Methods

Single institution, retrospective case series. Medical records were reviewed for dogs with at least 1 follow‐up visit. Dissolution success, complications, and possible predictors of success were evaluated.

Results

Full dissolution of cystoliths was achieved in 58% (29/50) of dogs within a median of 35 days (range, 13‐167). Of 21 dogs without success, 7 each had partial dissolution, no dissolution, or undetermined outcome. Uroliths containing >10% nonstruvite mineral were common in the nonsuccess group (11/16 analyzed). Maximum urolith diameter, number of uroliths, and baseline urine pH did not differ significantly between dogs with and without success. Dissolution was more likely in dogs receiving antimicrobial therapy (OR = 16.3, 95% confidence interval 1.9‐787.4, P = .002). Adverse events occurred in 9 dogs (18%); urethral obstructions were the most common, but 3 of 4 dogs with this complication were obstructed on presentation, before trial initiation.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Results support a medical dissolution trial for dogs with suspected struvite cystoliths. If no reduction in urolith size or number occurs by 1 month, a nonstruvite composition is likely, and alternative interventions should be considered. Dogs presenting with urethral obstructions should not be considered candidates for medical dissolution.
PK/PD integration and pharmacodynamic cutoff of cefquinome against cow mastitis due to Escherichia coli
Authors: Xiao Xia , Chen Xiaojun , Yan Kexu , Jiang Lijie , Li Ruichao , Liu Yuan , Wang Mianzhi , Wang Zhiqiang
Published: September 2021

Cefquinome is the fourth generation of cephalosporin approved solely in animal usage. In order to slow down the resistance development of E. coli to cefquinome, and to protect and maintain the effectiveness of cefquinome, an ex vivo PK/PD modeling of cefquinome against E. coli in cows after intramammary infusion administration was conducted. The epidemiologic cutoff (ECOFF) and pharmacodynamic cutoff (COPD) of cefquinome against E. coli in lactation cows after intramammary infusion administration were recommended. The MICs of cefquinome against 1073 clinical E. coli isolates ranged from 0.015 to >64 μg/ml, and the ECOFF was defined as 0.125 μg/ml. The pharmacokinetic results showed that cefquinome maintained high concentration in milk for a long period with the T1/2β of 10.60 h after intramammary infusion in dairy cows. The drug concentration in skimmed milk was still as high as 0.15 mg/ml after 48 h. Cefquinome displayed bacterial killing effect at 2× MIC with the initial inoculum of 106 cfu/ml in vitro; however, the same effect was attained with a concentration as high as 32× MIC with the initial inoculum of 108 cfu/ml both in artificial medium and in skimmed milk. The initial inoculum is an important factor on time‐killing curve accounting for weakened killing pattern of cefquinome. The AUC0–24 h/MIC index correlated well with ex vivo efficacy. The AUC0–24 h/MIC values for bactericidal effect were 50, 016, and 67,644, respectively, for initial inoculum of 106 and 108 cfu/ml, indicating the bacterial loading or the severity of infection would infect the PK/PD modeling results. The ex vivo PK/PD‐based population dose prediction indicated a target attainment rate (TAR) at the existing daily dose (75 mg/udder) of 84.77% against E. coli. Thus, it was recommended as rational dosage. The COPD of cefquinome against E. coli was determined as 8 μg/ml at the dose of 75 mg/udder. The derived ECOFF, COPD, together with ex vivo PK/PD‐based population dose prediction served as important steps in the establishment of optimum dose regimen and provided a useful interpretative criterion to categorize the antimicrobial susceptibility testing results of cefquinome.
Dietary diversity and social determinants of nutrition among late adolescent girls in rural Pakistan
Authors: Baxter Jo‐Anna B. , Wasan Yaqub , Islam Muhammad , Cousens Simon , Soofi Sajid B. , Ahmed Imran , Sellen Daniel W. , Bhutta Zulfiqar A.
Published: September 2021

The conditions in which adolescent girls mature shape their health, development and nutrition. Nutrient requirements increase to support growth during adolescence, but gaps between consumption and requirements exist in low‐ and middle‐income countries. We aimed to identify and quantify the relationship between dietary intake and diverse social determinants of nutrition (SDN) among a subset of adolescent girls 15–18.9 years (n = 390) enrolled within the Matiari emPowerment and Preconception Supplementation (MaPPS) Trial. The primary outcome, dietary diversity score (DDS), was derived by applying the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women 10‐item scale to 24‐h dietary recall data collected three times per participant. To examine the associations between the SDN‐related explanatory variables and DDS, we generated a hierarchical, causal model using mixed effects linear regression to account for the cluster‐randomized trial design. Using all data, diets lacked diversity (DDS mean ± SD: 3.35 ± 1.03 [range: 1–7; n = 1170]), and the minimum cut‐off for dietary diversity was infrequently achieved (13.5%; 95% CI: 11.6–15.6%). Consumption of starches was reported in all recalls, but micronutrient‐rich food consumption was less common. Of the SDN considered, wealth quintile had the strongest association with DDS (P < 0.0001). The diets of the sampled Pakistani adolescent girls were insufficient to meet micronutrient requirements. Poverty was the most important predictor of a diet lacking in diversity, indicating limited purchasing power or access to nutritious foods. Dietary diversification and nutrition education strategies alone are unlikely to lead to improved diets without steps to tackle this barrier, for example, through fortification of staple foods and provision of supplements.
Bone mineral density in pediatric heart transplanted patients: A retrospective single‐center study at Skåne University Hospital in Lund 1988–2016
Authors: Löfdahl Eveline , Tran‐Lundmark Karin , Haggård Carl , Nilsson Johan , Odermarsky Michal , Rådegran Göran
Published: September 2021

Background

Impaired bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis are commonly found in patients who have undergone heart transplantation (HT), which increases the risk for bone fractures which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in adults. However, the long‐term evolution of BMD after HT in pediatric patients has not been thoroughly investigated.

Method

Bone mineral density up to 10 years after HT was investigated in 30 patients who underwent HT at an age <20 years at Skåne University Hospital in Lund 1988–2016.

Results

The total observed time was 235 person‐years. Before HT, 86% had low BMD for chronologic age in the lumbar spine. In lumbar spine, BMD was significantly lower than normal for chronological age before HT (p = .034), but recovered at the 4th year (p = .009). In whole body, BMD was normal at the 4th annual check‐up (p = .030) and remained so throughout the follow‐up period. The median T score in the lumbar spine and femoral neck 10 years after HT did not differ between the two groups based on age at HT (<20 years vs 20 years or older; p = .779 in the lumbar spine and p = .388 in the femoral neck).

Conclusions

Patients who undergo HT at an age of <20 years have low BMD for chronological age already before HT, but BMD may recover completely within the first 4 years after HT. The results indicate no difference in BMD at 10 years after HT between pediatric and adult patients.
Severity of illness by pregnancy status among laboratory‐confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infections occurring in reproductive‐aged women in Colombia
Authors: Rozo Nathaly , Valencia Diana , Newton Suzanne M. , Avila Greace , Gonzalez Maritza A. , Sancken Christina L. , Burkel Veronica K. , Ellington Sascha R. , Gilboa Suzanne M. , Rao Carol Y. , Azziz‐Baumgartner Eduardo , Ospina Martha L. , Prieto Franklyn E. , Tong Van T.
Published: September 2021

Background

Multiple studies have described increased risk of severe coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) among pregnant women compared to nonpregnant women. The risk in middle‐income countries where the distributions of age groups and preexisting conditions may differ is less known.

Objectives

To determine whether pregnant women with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection are at increased risk for severe COVID‐19 compared to nonpregnant women in Colombia.

Methods

We analysed national surveillance data from Colombia, of women aged 15–44 years with laboratory‐confirmed infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 by molecular or antigen testing, from 6 March 2020 to 12 December 2020. An enhanced follow‐up of pregnant women with COVID‐19 was established to monitor pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Results

Of 371,363 women aged 15–44 years with laboratory‐confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, 1.5% (n = 5614) were reported as pregnant; among those, 2610 (46.5%) were considered a complete pregnancy for reporting purposes at the time of analysis. Hospitalisation (23.9%) and death (1.3%) occurred more frequently among pregnant symptomatic women compared to nonpregnant symptomatic women (2.9% and 0.3%, respectively). Compared to nonpregnant symptomatic women, pregnant symptomatic women were at increased risk of hospitalisation (adjusted risk ratio [RR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.07, 2.32) and death (RR 1.82, 95% CI 1.60, 2.07), after adjusting for age, type of health insurance and presence of certain underlying medical conditions. Among complete pregnancies, 55 (2.1%) were pregnancy losses, 72 (2.8%) resulted in term low birthweight infants and 375 (14.4%) were preterm deliveries.

Conclusions

Although pregnant women were infrequently reported with laboratory‐confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, pregnant symptomatic women with COVID‐19 were at increased risk for hospitalisation and death compared to nonpregnant symptomatic women. Almost all infections we reported on were third‐trimester infections; ongoing follow‐up is needed to determine pregnancy outcomes among women infected earlier in pregnancy. Healthcare providers should counsel pregnant women about preventive measures to protect from SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and when to seek care.
Sector Bias and the Credibility of Performance Information: An Experimental Study of Elder Care Provision
Authors: Meier Kenneth J. , Song Miyeon , Davis Jourdan A. , Amirkhanyan Anna A.
Published: September 2021

Reporting government performance to the public is key tool in improving accountability. Some evidence, however, has shown that individuals’ anti‐public sector biases may distort performance information about public organizations. Using an experimental vignette on U.S. nursing homes, this study fills four gaps in the literature: (1) the need to include nonprofit organizations rather than just public and for‐profit, (2) consideration of the credibility of the source of performance information, (3) the use of simple commonly used performance metrics, and (4) the willingness to use services as a performance dimension. We find the public has a general but modest anti‐for‐profit sector bias in nursing home care with nonprofits perceived the most positively. Sector biases generally disappear when clear performance data are presented. The credibility of the source matters, and respondents' willingness to use organizational services is more sensitive to both sector bias and performance ratings than are performance measures.

Practitioner Points

In the field of long‐term care, individuals have no anti‐public sector bias, and they have more favorable views of nonprofit organizations than for‐profit organizations.

Perceived sector bias disappears when simple and unambiguous performance information is introduced.

The source of performance information matters: individuals perceive the information from government and nonprofit sources as more credible than that from for‐profit sources.

A high degree of credibility amplifies the effect of performance information in shaping individuals’ evaluations of public services.
Frege's Conception of Logic: Truth, the True, and Assertion
Authors: Kim Junyeol
Published: September 2021

Gottlob Frege takes logic to be the science of truth throughout his career. However, the mature Frege makes remarks which seem to go against the idea that logic is the science of truth. This paper shows that we can explain away this tension in the mature Frege's conception of logic if we accept that truth is an object, that is, the truth‐vale True qua the reference of a sentence, for Frege. Even though the main thesis of this paper is a conditional, I provide reasons why we ought to consider the possibility seriously that truth is an object for Frege. I also explain how we can make sense of Frege's conception of logic as the science of truth while accepting truth is an object.
Corte Suprema de Justicia. Sala Civil SC296-2021 Radicación n.° 05001-31-03-013-2010-00006-01 Febrero 15 de 2021 Magistrado ponente: Álvaro Fernando García Restrepo
Authors: Isaza Posse Maria Cristina
Published: September 2021

Abogada Universidad Javeriana. Especialista y Magistra en Derecho de Seguros, Universidad Javeriana. Asesora y Consultora. Profesora Universitaria. Contacto: mcisaza@isazaposse.com
Los seguros agrícolas en Latinoamérica. La necesidad de superar asimetrías a través de una adecuada gestión de los riesgos implicados
Authors: Signorino Barbat Andrea
Published: September 2021

El clima es una circunstancia que escapa al control humano con lo cual la incertidumbre ínsita en el riesgo climático significa una amenaza mayor para los productores agrícolas y para la economía toda.  Latinoamérica no escapa de esta situación y las estrategias de adaptación ante los riesgos climáticos son esenciales para las economías de sus países. La tecnología aplicada al estudio y predicción de los eventos climáticos ha servido, incluso, para mejorar la técnica aseguradora permitiendo la elaboración de modelos que ayudan a mejorar la técnica estadística y probabilística, permitiendo una mejora tarificación de los riesgos implicados. Asimismo. ha permitido impulsar ciertos seguros paramétricos. No obstante, la penetración de la tecnología no es igual entre los países en vías de desarrollo y los desarrollados, con lo cual la asimetría en la competitividad entre ellos se agrava por este factor, entre varios otros.   En Latinoamérica, las acciones para gestionar estos riesgos se han centrado en acciones reactivas y de emergencia, ante los eventos climáticos adversos. Esto es insuficiente y requiere una estrategia de gestión del riesgo, abordada con una visión integral.
La hipofosfatemia ligada al cromosoma X y su impacto en los tejidos duros de cavidad Oral. Una revisión Integradora
Authors: Escobar Arregocés Francina Maria
Published: September 2021

Antecedentes: La hipofosfatemia ligada al cromosoma X (HLX) es una enfermedad genética rara en la que el aumento de la pérdida de fosfato en el riñón conduce a la hipofosfatemia y evita la mineralización normal de los huesos y tejidos duros del diente. Objetivo: Analizar el impacto que tiene esta patología genética sobre los tejidos duros dentales y periodontales tales como dentina, cemento y hueso alveolar. Método: Se realizo una revisión integradora de la literatura a partir de búsquedas en las bases de PubMed y SciELO. Los términos de búsqueda fueron hipofosfatemia ligada a X, tejido dental, periodonto, dentina, esmalte, cemento y hueso alveolar. La búsqueda se restringió a literatura en español e inglés publicada entre 2000 y 2020. Resultados: Se incluyeron 13 artículos que daban cuenta del impacto de la hipofosfatemia sobre los tejidos dentales, principalmente sobre la dentina y el cemento. También se informa de un impacto negativo de la hipofosfatemia sobre los tejidos periodontales especialmente sobre el hueso alveolar. Conclusiones: Los hallazgos de la presente revisión integradora muestran que la HLX altera la estructura de los tejidos duros de cavidad oral, lo cual afecta la calidad de vida de los pacientes. Genera la necesidad de seguir investigando sobre el efecto y el comportamiento de esta patología sobre los tejidos duros de cavidad oral, así como su comportamiento como factor de riesgo para la presencia de enfermedad dental y periodontal.
A First Assessment of an Aerodynamic Barrier Layer for Filtering Airborne Hygroscopic Particles
Authors: Arias Francisco J. , De Las Heras Salvador
Published: September 2021

In this work, consideration is given to an aerodynamic concept to boost the filtration in face masks of airborne hygroscopic particles such as those caused by an infected person when coughs or sneezes. Nowadays, increasing the filtration efficiency of face masks implies either increasing the number of crisscrossing fiber layers or decreasing the equivalent hydraulic diameter of the pore, however, both measures are in clear detriment of its breathability. Here, a novel strategy is proposed in which the filtration of an airborne particle is boosted by increasing its diameter. We called properly this concept as the aerodynamic barrier layer. In this concept, a traditional crisscrossing fiber layer is replaced by a parallel rearranged of the fibers in the direction of the flow. This rearrangement will promote central lift forces which will push the particles toward the center of the channel where after clustering they will coalesce resulting in a bigger particle that can be now easily captured by a conventional fiber crisscrossing layer. Utilizing a simplified geometrical model, an expression for the required length of the aerodynamic barrier layer was derived. It is shown that an aerodynamic barrier layer with a length of only a few millimeters can aerodynamically focus water droplets around 1 μm-diameter and the penetration of airborne particles can be reduced up to 55%.
An In Vivo Data-Based Computational Study on Sitting-Induced Hemodynamic Changes in the External Iliac Artery
Authors: Hou Jixin , Li Xuanyu , Li Zhaojun , Yin Lekang , Chen Xin , Liang Fuyou
Published: September 2021

Although sedentary behavior (characterized by prolonged sitting without otherwise being active in daily life) is widely regarded as a risk factor for peripheral artery disease (PAD), underlying biomechanical mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. In this study, geometrical models of ten external iliac arteries were reconstructed based on angiographic data acquired from five healthy young subjects resting in supine and sitting (mimicked by side lying with bent legs) positions, respectively, which were further combined with measured blood flow velocity waveforms in the common iliac arteries (with each body posture being maintained for 30 min) to build computational models for simulating intra-arterial hemodynamics. Morphological analyses showed that the external iliac arteries suffered from evident bending deformation upon the switch of body posture from supine to sitting. Measured blood flow velocity waveforms in the sitting position exhibited a marked decrease in mean flow velocity while increase in retrograde flow ratio compared with those in the supine position. Hemodynamic computations further revealed that sitting significantly altered blood flow patterns in the external iliac arteries, leading to a marked enlargement of atheroprone wall regions exposed to low and oscillatory wall shear stress (WSS), and enhanced multidirectional disturbance of WSS that may further impair endothelial function. In summary, our study demonstrates that prolonged sitting induces atheropromoting hemodynamic changes in the external iliac artery due to the combined effects of vascular bending deformation and changes in flow velocity waveform, which may provide important insights for understanding the involvement of biomechanical factors in sedentary behavior-related PAD.
Broad omnidirectional acoustic band gaps in a three-dimensional phononic crystal composed of face-centered cubic Helmholtz resonator network
Authors: Biçer Ahmet , Korozlu Nurettin , Kaya Olgun A. , Cicek Ahmet
Published: September 2021

Broad omnidirectional band gaps in a three-dimensional phononic crystal consisting of a face-centered cubic array of spherical air voids connected by cylindrical conduits in solid background are numerically and experimentally demonstrated. With a low material filling fraction of 37.7%, the first bandgap covers 3.1–13.6 kHz frequency range with 126.1% gap-over-midgap ratio. Finite-element method is employed in band structure and numerical transmission analyses. Omnidirectional band gaps are observed in only two-period thick slabs in the 100, 110, and 111 orientations. Experimental transmission characteristics are in good agreement with numerical data. The phononic crystal can be employed in low-frequency sound proofing.