bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dyad learning versus individual learning under medical simulation conditions: a systematic review
Authors: Ding Jack , Xiao Xin , Biagi Shanon , Varkey Thomas
Published: November 2022

Background: Dyad learning is a two-person learning dynamic in which one student observes the other performing tasks, with their roles then being reversed such that both students experience the observer and the performer role. The efficacy of dyad learning has been tested in medical education contexts, such as in medical simulation. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review that has evaluated the efficacy of dyad learning in a medical simulation context.

Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library databases were searched in September 2021 and January 2022. Prospective studies of randomized design that compared dyad learning to a single medical student or physician learning in a medical simulation were included. Non-English language studies, secondary literature papers, non-human based studies, and papers that were published prior to 2000 were excluded. The methodological quality of these studies was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). The Kirkpatrick model was used to conceptualize study outcomes.

Results: The identified papers included eight studies from four countries that totaled 475 participants. Students reported positively on their experiences as dyads, especially regarding the social aspects of it. Studies showed non-inferior learning outcomes for dyads. As most studies were one or two days long, there is limited evidence that this non-inferiority extends to longer term training modules. There is some evidence to suggest that dyad learning outcomes may be replicable in a clinical context following simulation training.

Conclusions: Dyad learning in medical simulation is a pleasant experience for students and may be as effective as conventional learning. These findings set the foundation for future studies of longer duration, which is needed to determine the efficacy of dyad learning in lengthier curriculums and long-term knowledge retention. While cost-reduction is an implied benefit, studies that explicate cost reduction are needed to formalize this.
I Am in Eskew: Soundscape, Cityscape and Mindscape of Hostile Architecture
Authors: Kobus Aldona
Published: November 2022

Am in Eskew is the epitome of an independent podcast, written, produced and performed by two people – Jon Ware and Muna Hussen. It tells the story of David Ward (Jon Ware), a man trapped in the city of Eskew, where nightmares become real. The story offers manifold answers and interpretations, depending which genre and mode of reception we choose to follow. On a literal level it is a fantasy horror story about a cursed city that tortures its entrapped residents by creating cityscapes full of monsters, spatial and body horror (Eskew as a landscape); on a metaphorical level I Am in Eskew is a representation of mental illness and mental disorders (Eskew as a mindscape). The present article discusses the use of medium in I Am in Eskew and the capabilities of podcasts in creating an immersive horror story (Eskew as a soundscape) as well as possible interpretations of the podcast, focusing on the concept of hostile architecture as an expression of the late capitalist inclination to dehumanize various aspects of human life (space, relationships etc.). The article discusses hostile architecture as a form of narration and narration as a form of hostile architecture through the lense of Derridian hauntology.
Opinie na temat podcastu Raport o stanie świata wśród patronów wspierających go finansowo
Authors: Doliwa Urszula , Kaźmierczak Piotr , Stachowicz Ada , Szczepańska Paulina , Szydłowska Magdalena
Published: November 2022

Podcast Raport o stanie świata jest na polskim rynku medialnym rozpoznawalną marką. Zawdzięcza to jakości produkcji i osobowości twórcy – Dariusza Rosiaka. Raport… jest subiektywnym komentarzem na temat aktualnych wydarzeń, realizowanym przez Rosiaka i współpracowników. Odbiorcami podcastu są wierni i bardzo świadomi słuchacze, którzy mają wyrobione zdanie na temat produkcji, co dotyczy zwłaszcza patronów wspierających ją finansowo. Celem prezentowanych w artykule badań było poznanie opinii patronów na temat podcastu, a także sprawdzenie, kim są i z jakiej perspektywy dokonują swych ocen. Członkowie zespołu badawczego dołączyli do zamkniętej grupy patronów Raportu… na Facebooku i za jej pośrednictwem przeprowadzili badanie ankietowe, w którym udział wzięło 80 respondentów. Jako największe jej zalety ocenianej produkcji uczestnicy badania wskazywali jej duży profesjonalizm oraz walory poznawcze, jak również niezależność twórców. Doceniali też fakt, że audycja jest dystrybuowana w formie podcastu, co pozwala na wielokrotne korzystanie z niej w dowolnym miejscu i czasie.
Efecto de las migraciones en las concentraciones urbanas de Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, La Paz y El Alto, Bolivia.
Authors: Ledo García María del Carmen
Published: November 2022

Existe un efecto de las migraciones en las concentraciones urbanas y modelo de crecimiento segregado de las cuatro grandes ciudades bolivianas (Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, La Paz y El Alto). Según el último censo (2012), el rostro femenino de la migración desde el altiplano boliviano dirigida hacia los espacios periurbanos de las ciudades de mayor tamaño revela la búsqueda de respuesta a una gama de insatisfacciones socioeconómicas. En cambio, los inmigrantes internacionales procedentes de Brasil, Estados Unidos y Argentina son predominantemente hombres que se dirigen con mayor fuerza a los espacios residenciales de las grandes ciudades. En el caso de las mujeres inmigrantes internacionales, proceden de España e Italia, independientemente el espacio de residencia residencial o periurbano. En el ámbito de la emigración internacional, los hombres se dirigen con mayor fuerza hacia la Argentina y Brasil, ambos limítrofes con Bolivia; en cambio, existe feminización de las migraciones hacia España, Italia y Chile. Se utilizan las bases de datos de los censos nacionales de población y vivienda desde 1900 al 2012 y, con objeto de demostrar la direccionalidad migratoria segregada espacialmente, se utilizan las encuestas de derecho sobre migraciones transnacionales realizadas en las ciudades de Cochabamba, La Paz y El Alto. Dichas bases de datos se obtuvieron gracias al financiamiento de la cooperación belga de CIUF en Cochabamba y de la cooperación financiera de la Fundación Esperanza y CAN, para los casos de las ciudades de La Paz y El Alto. Los resultados de la aplicación del modelo multivariado ratifican la existencia de segregación socioespacial y desigualdades socioeconómicas, es elocuente la exclusión y vulnerabilidad de los hogares más pobres residentes en la periferia de las ciudades estudiadas.
Construyendo la primera ciudad latinoamericana de Chile. Rompiendo Barreras desde el Macrocampamento Los Arenales en Antofagasta.
Authors: Andrade Elizabeth
Published: November 2022

Mujeres de distintas nacionalidades latinoamericanas lideran un proceso autogestionario, Rompiendo Barreras, para incidir en el reconocimiento de sus derechos en la radicación de uno de los mayores asentamientos populares de Chile, Los Arenales, con dos mil familias, en la ciudad de Antofagasta. Por el derecho a la ciudad, ellas aspiran a un entorno ideal y quieren ser parte de su construcción. Esta lucha se inscribe entre los desafíos del Chile de hoy: el proceso constitucional emancipador; el inicio de un gobierno de relevo generacional y socialmente comprometido; las barreras del acceso a la vivienda y al suelo; y el alto flujo migratorio, especialmente en el norte del país. Al cabo de siete años de organización solidaria y de interculturalidad, están dadas las condiciones para proponer un proceso de integración social, por la producción de un espacio de vida y por mejores condiciones habitacionales.
Fidelidad y servicio. La Corte de Juan II de Aragón como plataforma de ascenso social y movilidad entre reinos / Loyalty and service. The Court of John II of Aragon as a platform for social ascent and mobility between kingdoms.
Authors: Velasco Marta Irene
Published: November 2022

: La llegada de los Trastámara al trono aragonés favoreció la movilidad geográfica de un importante sector de las élites castellanas que pronto se instaló en sus nuevos territorios patrimoniales. El presente artículo analiza las transformaciones derivadas de esta migración de élites durante el reinado de Juan II (1458-1479), en el que cristalizaron las dinámicas iniciadas previamente por su padre, Fernando I. Mediante la consulta de registros de cancillería y documentación notarial y municipal, se ha realizado el análisis prosopográfico de algunos de los linajes e individuos castellanos al servicio del tercer Trastámara aragonés para comprobar su nivel de integración entre las élites locales. Con este propósito abordamos, en primer lugar, el proceso de articulación de su entorno curial, primero como infante y posteriormente como rey de Aragón, para profundizar a continuación en el proceso de instalación de esta nueva élite castellana en el reino de Aragón y, especialmente, en su capital.
Órdenes religiosas, sociedad civil y propiedad. Los dominicos de Chinchilla en el Bajo Medievo 7 Religious Orders, Civil Society and Property. The Dominicans of Chinchilla in The Late Middle Ages
Authors: Ayllón Gutiérrez Carlos
Published: November 2022

El artículo despeja varios errores historiográficos atribuidos a la fundación del convento de la Orden de Predicadores asentado en la ciudad castellana de Chinchilla, esclarece algunas de sus circunstancias fundacionales y profundiza en la influencia que la formación de bandos políticos durante el siglo XV ejerció sobre tal comunidad religiosa. Asimismo, se expone la función que los frailes desempeñaron como elemento de atracción de flujo monetario continuo desde el campo circundante a la ciudad de Chinchilla.
La sucesión de un cónsul de Francia en Galicia en 1735-1736. La pugna entre el hijo, el canciller y un vicecónsul o excesos, intereses e influencias / The Succession of a Consul of France in Galicia in 1735-1736. The Struggle Between The Son, The Chancellor and a Vice Consul or Excesses, Interests and Influences
Authors: García Hurtado Manuel-Reyes
Published: November 2022

El nombramiento de un cónsul de Francia era competencia exclusiva de las autoridades francesas, pero los individuos que aspiraban al puesto ejercían su influencia a través de sus redes de contactos en la embajada en la Corte española y en el entorno de la Secretaría de Marina en París. Presentamos el análisis del enfrentamiento para obtener el consulado de Galicia por parte del hijo del cónsul que lo ostentó hasta 1735, que vio su candidatura profundamente marcada por su estilo de vida y sus problemas con la justicia, con el canciller del consulado, que actuó de modo inteligente defendiendo a aquel y supeditando su postulación solo de manera secundaria, y con un antiguo vicecónsul con quien había tenido serias diferencias el cónsul. Todos van a movilizar, unos de manera abierta y otros de modo más reservado, argumentos y personas en su defensa y/o descrédito de los otros. Finalmente, la selección del nuevo cónsul demostró que los intereses de Francia no se supeditaban a las intrigas locales.
Crunching the cost
Authors: Swales Paul
Published: November 2022

Paul Swales outlines the cost-of-living crisis causes, and what you can do to aid your outgoings.
Easing away the awkwardness
Authors: Rees Kimberly Lloyd
Published: November 2022

Kimberly Lloyd Rees details the importance of empathy around patients dental embarrassment.
Prehospital triage tools in major trauma: a critical appraisal of a systematic review
Authors: Bell Steve , Hill James E
Published: November 2022

Effective triage is critical to ensure patients suffering major trauma are identified and access a pathway to definitive major trauma care, which is typically provided in a major trauma centre as part of an established major trauma system. The prehospital triage of trauma patients often relies upon the use of major trauma triage tools; this commentary critically appraises a recent systematic review that sought to evaluate and compare the accuracy of prehospital triage tools for major trauma.
Longitudinal monitoring of pancreatic islet damage in streptozotocin-treated mice with optical coherence microscopy
Authors: Park Won Yeong , Kim Jaeyoon , Le Hoan , Kim Bumju , Berggren Per-Olof , Kim Ki Hean
Published: November 2022

Pancreatic islets regulate glucose homeostasis in the body, and their dysfunction is closely related to diabetes. Islet transplantation into the anterior chamber of the eye (ACE) was recently developed for both in vivo islet study and diabetes treatment. Optical coherence microscopy (OCM) was previously used to monitor ACE transplanted islets in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice for detecting autoimmune attack. In this study, OCM was applied to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mouse models for the early detection of islet damage. A custom extended-focus OCM (xfOCM) was used to image islet grafts in the ACE longitudinally during STZ-induced beta cell destruction together with conventional bright-field (BF) imaging and invasive glucose level measurement. xfOCM detected local structural changes and vascular degradation during the islet damage which was confirmed by confocal imaging of extracted islet grafts. xfOCM detection of islet damage was more sensitive than BF imaging and glucose measurement. Longitudinal xfOCM images of islet grafts were quantitatively analyzed. All these results showed that xfOCM could be used as a non-invasive and sensitive monitoring method for the early detection of deficient islet grafts in the ACE with potential applications to human subjects.
Super multi-view near-eye display with a lightguide combiner
Authors: Han Woongseob , Han Jiyun , Ju Yeon-Gyeong , Jang Junyoung , Park Jae-Hyeung
Published: November 2022

We propose a lightguide-type super multi-view near-eye display that uses a digital micromirror device and a LED array. The proposed method presents three-dimensional images with a natural monocular depth cue using a compact combiner optics which consists of a thin lightguide and holographic optical elements (HOEs). Feasibility of the proposed method is verified by optical experiments which demonstrate monocular three-dimensional image presentation over a wide depth range. We also analyze the degradation of the image quality stemming from the spectral spread of the HOEs and show its reduction by a pre-compensation exploiting an adaptive moment estimation (Adam) optimizer.
Sparse denoising and adaptive estimation enhances the resolution and contrast of fluorescence emission difference microscopy based on an array detector
Authors: Prigent Sylvain , Dutertre Stéphanie , Bidaud-Meynard Aurélien , Bertolin Giulia , Michaux Grégoire , Kervrann Charles
Published: November 2022

An array detector allows a resolution gain for confocal microscopy by combining images sensed by a set of photomultipliers tubes (or sub-detectors). Several methods have been proposed to reconstruct a high-resolution image by linearly combining sub-detector images, especially the fluorescence emission difference (FED) technique. To improve the resolution and contrast of FED microscopy based on an array detector, we propose to associate sparse denoising with spatial adaptive estimation. We show on both calibration slides and real data that our approach applied to the full stack of spatially reassigned detector signals, enables us to achieve a higher reconstruction performance in terms of resolution, image contrast, and noise reduction.
Thin-film optical-acoustic combiner enables high-speed wide-field multi-parametric photoacoustic microscopy in reflection mode
Authors: Zhong Fenghe , Hu Song
Published: November 2022

Multi-parametric photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is uniquely capable of simultaneous high-resolution mapping of blood oxygenation and flow in vivo. However, its speed has been limited by the dense sampling required for blood flow quantification. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a high-speed multi-parametric PAM system, which enables simultaneous acquisition of ∼500 densely sampled B-scans by superposing the rapid optical scanning across the line-shaped focus of a cylindrically focused ultrasonic transducer over the conventional mechanical scan of the optical-acoustic dual foci. A novel, to the best of our knowledge, optical-acoustic combiner (OAC) is designed and implemented to accommodate the short working distance of the transducer, enabling convenient confocal alignment of the dual foci in reflection mode. A resonant galvanometer (GM) provides stabilized high-speed large-angle scanning. This new system can continuously monitor microvascular blood oxygenation (sO2) and flow over a 4.5 × 3 mm2 area in the awake mouse brain with high spatial and temporal resolutions (6.9 µm and 0.3 Hz, respectively).
Posteromedial thalamic nucleus activity significantly contributes to perceptual discrimination
Authors: Qi Jia , Ye Changquan , Naskar Shovan , Inácio Ana R. , Lee Soohyun
Published: November 2022

Higher-order sensory thalamic nuclei are densely connected with multiple cortical and subcortical areas, yet the role of these nuclei remains elusive. The posteromedial thalamic nucleus (POm), the higher-order thalamic nucleus in the rodent somatosensory system, is an anatomical hub broadly connected with multiple sensory and motor brain areas yet weakly responds to passive sensory stimulation and whisker movements. To understand the role of POm in sensory perception, we developed a self-initiated, two-alternative forced-choice task in freely moving mice during active sensing. Using optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation, we show that POm plays a significant role in sensory perception and the projection from the primary somatosensory cortex to POm is critical for the contribution of POm in sensory perception during active sensing.
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis PE15/PPE20 complex transports calcium across the outer membrane
Authors: Boradia Vishant , Frando Andrew , Grundner Christoph
Published: November 2022

The mechanisms by which nutrients traverse theMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) outer membrane remain mostly unknown and, in the absence of classical porins, likely involve specialized transport systems. Calcium ions (Ca2+) are an important nutrient and serve as a second messenger in eukaryotes, but whether bacteria have similar Ca2+signaling systems is not well understood. To understand the basis for Ca2+transport and signaling inMtb, we determinedMtb’stranscriptional response to Ca2+. Overall, only few genes changed expression, suggesting a limited role of Ca2+as a transcriptional regulator. However, 2 of the most strongly down-regulated genes were thepe15andppe20genes that code for members of a large family of proteins that localize to the outer membrane and comprise many intrinsically disordered proteins. PE15 and PPE20 formed a complex and PPE20 directly bound Ca2+. Ca2+-associated phenotypes such as increased ATP consumption and biofilm formation were reversed in ape15/ppe20knockout (KO) strain, suggesting a direct role in Ca2+homeostasis. To test whether the PE15/PPE20 complex has a role in Ca2+transport across the outer membrane, we created a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based Ca2+reporter strain. Ape15/ppe20KO in the FRET background showed a specific and selective loss of Ca2+influx that was dependent on the presence of an intact outer cell wall. These data show that PE15/PPE20 form a Ca2+-binding protein complex that selectively imports Ca2+, show a distinct transport function for an intrinsically disordered protein, and support the emerging idea of a general family-wide role of PE/PPE proteins as idiosyncratic transporters across the outer membrane.
TGFβ pathway is required for viable gestation of Fanconi anemia embryos
Authors: Rodríguez Alfredo , Epperly Michael , Filiatrault Jessica , Velázquez Martha , Yang Chunyu , McQueen Kelsey , Sambel Larissa A. , Nguyen Huy , Iyer Divya Ramalingam , Juárez Ulises , Ayala-Zambrano Cecilia , Martignetti David B. , Frías Sara , Fisher Renee , Parmar Kalindi , Greenberger Joel S. , D’Andrea Alan D.
Published: November 2022

Overexpression of the TGFβ pathway impairs the proliferation of the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) pool in Fanconi anemia (FA). TGFβ promotes the expression of NHEJ genes, known to function in a low-fidelity DNA repair pathway, and pharmacological inhibition of TGFβ signaling rescues FA HSPCs. Here, we demonstrate that genetic disruption of Smad3, a transducer of the canonical TGFβ pathway, modifies the phenotype of FA mouse models deficient for Fancd2. We observed that the TGFβ and NHEJ pathway genes are overexpressed during the embryogenesis of Fancd2-/- mice and that the Fancd2-/-Smad3-/- double knockout (DKO) mice undergo high levels of embryonic lethality due to loss of the TGFβ-NHEJ axis. Fancd2-deficient embryos acquire extensive genomic instability during gestation which is not reversed by Smad3 inactivation. Strikingly, the few DKO survivors have activated the non-canonical TGFβ-ERK pathway, ensuring expression of NHEJ genes during embryogenesis and improved survival. Activation of the TGFβ-NHEJ axis was critical for the survival of the few Fancd2-/-Smad3-/- DKO newborn mice but had detrimental consequences for these surviving mice, such as enhanced genomic instability and ineffective hematopoiesis.
mRNA 5′ terminal sequences drive 200-fold differences in expression through effects on synthesis, translation and decay
Authors: van den Elzen Antonia M. G. , Watson Maegan J. , Thoreen Carson C.
Published: November 2022

mRNA regulatory sequences control gene expression at multiple levels including translation initiation and mRNA decay. The 5′ terminal sequences of mRNAs have unique regulatory potential because of their proximity to key post-transcriptional regulators. Here we have systematically probed the function of 5′ terminal sequences in gene expression in human cells. Using a library of reporter mRNAs initiating with all possible 7-mer sequences at their 5′ ends, we find an unexpected impact on transcription that underlies 200-fold differences in mRNA expression. Library sequences that promote high levels of transcription mirrored those found in native mRNAs and define two basic classes with similarities to classic Initiator (Inr) and TCT core promoter motifs. By comparing transcription, translation and decay rates, we identify sequences that are optimized for both efficient transcription and growth-regulated translation and stability, including variants of terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) motifs. We further show that 5′ sequences of endogenous mRNAs are enriched for multi-functional TCT/TOP hybrid sequences. Together, our results reveal how 5′ sequences define two general classes of mRNAs with distinct growth-responsive profiles of expression across synthesis, translation and decay.
Assessment of the status quo of social responsibility performance of inclusive kindergartens: Evidence from China
Authors: Lv Yang , Wu Min , Ma Chenwei , Hao Xinxin , Zeng Xun
Published: November 2022

China is determined to accomplish universal preschool education by asking the kindergartens to participate in social responsibility programs. This study intends to assess the level of participation of inclusive kindergartens in social responsibility programs. This study uses the Delphi expert method, integrated ISO26000 International Standard Guidelines for Social Responsibility, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Scale, and the characteristics of the preschool education industry to construct a social responsibility evaluation model for inclusive kindergartens. It includes five dimensions (responsibility management, customer responsibility, employee responsibility, social service, and organizational responsibility) to show the social responsibility status of kindergartens. Data was collected from 832 respondents from 27 provinces, cities, and regions in China. This study reveals that the overall performance of social responsibility of inclusive kindergarten (3.67) is better, while organization responsibility (3.91) shows the highest performance. In comparison, customer (3.63) and staff responsibility (3.63) deliver average performance, and responsibility management (3.56) offers lower performance. The statistical analysis shows that the nature of kindergartens, whether inclusive or not, the number of classes, years of establishment, the distribution area, and performance are different. Kindergartens should have certain social values, including specific behaviors and participating in social activities in the spirit of social service. They should ensure preschool teacher’s professional and vocational development through multiple subjects’ synergetic governance. In addition to fulfilling the teachers’ social responsibility and professional development, the findings can put forward the cooperation with the government, social organizations, and kindergartens to improve teachers’ professional quality and social responsibility.
Prevalence of hypertension and possible risk factors of hypertension unawareness among individuals aged 30–75 years from two Panamanian provinces: Results from population-based cross-sectional studies, 2010 and 2019
Authors: Del Rio Angela Isabel , Moreno Velásquez Ilais , Roa Reina , Montenegro Mendoza Roger , Motta Jorge , Quintana Hedley K.
Published: November 2022

Background

Recent estimates of hypertension in Panama remain unknown. We aim to describe the variation in prevalence and unawareness of hypertension in two Panamanian provinces using two different cross-sectional population-based studies and to investigate risk factors associated with hypertension unawareness.

Methods

Data were derived from a sub-national study conducted in the provinces of Panama and Colon (PREFREC-2010 [2,733 participants]) and from a nationally representative study (ENSPA-2019), in which we restricted our analyses to the same provinces (4,653 participants). Individuals aged 30–75 years who had (a) self-reported history of hypertension or (b) blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90mmHg or (c) a combination or both were classified as hypertensive. Participants with BP≥140/90mmHg who denied a history of hypertension were considered unaware of the condition. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between risk factors and unawareness, expressed as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Findings

In 2010, the prevalence and unawareness of hypertension in men were 51.6% (95% CI: 45.7–57.5) and 32.3% (25.4–40.1), respectively, and in women 46.0% (42.1–49.9) and 16.1% (12.6–20.4), respectively. In 2019, the prevalence and unawareness of hypertension in men were 46.5% (42.1–51.0) and 52.3% (45.9–58.6), and in women 42.1% (39.6–44.7) and 33.3% (29.8–37.0). Men (2010 and 2019), age <50 years (2010 and 2019), having no/primary education (2010), and living in a non-urban region (2019) were positively associated with hypertension unawareness, whereas obesity (2010), physical inactivity (2010), family history of hypertension (2019), and BP assessment in the year before study enrollment (2010 and 2019) were inversely associated with hypertension unawareness.

Interpretation

Benefits of a decrease in the prevalence of hypertension are being undermined by an increase in hypertension unawareness. Actions should be encouraged to strengthen the implementation of the existing healthcare program for cardiovascular risk factor control.
Opioid and gabapentinoid prescriptions in England from 2015 to 2020
Authors: Xia Yixue , Forget Patrice
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Concerns gradually arose about misuse of gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin), especially when used in combination with opioids. Because it can be a driver of usage, trends in prescribing habits may be interesting to analyse. The aim of this study is to examine the evolution of prescriptions of opioids and gabapentinoids in England from 2015 to 2020 at a regional level.

Methods

This study included data from April 2015 to February 2020, focusing on prescribing data, extracted the OpenPrescribing database. We described the evolution of the prescriptions of opioids and gabapentinoids and calculated their ratios for each month. We used Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) to compare data between and within regions (over time).

Results

During this period, opioid prescriptions remained stable (from -3.3% to +2.2%/year) and increased for gabapentinoids generally (from +1.5% to +2.2%). The ratio between gabapentinoid to opioid prescriptions increased by more than 20% in 2020 compared to 2015, variably between regions (F(6,406) = [120.2]; P<0.001; LSD Test: P<0.001; ANOVA for repeated measures: P<0.05). In 2019, a decline in the ratio occurred in all regions, but only persisting in the London commissioning region in 2020 (-14.4% in comparison with 2018, 95%CI: -12.8 to -16.3).

Conclusions

Gabapentinoids are increasingly prescribed in England. The ratio of gabapentinoid to opioid prescriptions in England increased from 2015 to 2020. The reclassification of gabapentinoids as controlled drugs, in 2019, may have been associated with a significant reduction, although larger prescribers may have been less influenced.
Cancer and diabetes co-occurrence: A national study with 44 million person-years of follow-up
Authors: Gurney Jason , Stanley James , Teng Andrea , Krebs Jeremy , Koea Jonathan , Lao Chunhuan , Lawrenson Ross , Meredith Ineke , Sika-Paotonu Dianne , Sarfati Diana
Published: November 2022

The number of new cases of cancer is increasing each year, and rates of diabetes mellitus are also increasing dramatically over time. It is not an unusual occurrence for an individual to have both cancer and diabetes at the same time, given they are both individually common, and that one condition can increase the risk of the other. In this manuscript, we use national-level diabetes (Virtual Diabetes Register) and cancer (New Zealand Cancer Registry) data on nearly five million individuals over 44 million person-years of follow-up to examine the occurrence of cancer amongst a national prevalent cohort of patients with diabetes. We completed this analysis separately by cancer for the 24 most commonly diagnosed cancers in Aotearoa New Zealand, and then compared the occurrence of cancer among those with diabetes to those without diabetes. We found that the rate of cancer was highest amongst those with diabetes for 21 of the 24 most common cancers diagnosed over our study period, with excess risk among those with diabetes ranging between 11% (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and 236% (liver cancer). The cancers with the greatest difference in incidence between those with diabetes and those without diabetes tended to be within the endocrine or gastrointestinal system, and/or had a strong relationship with obesity. However, in an absolute sense, due to the volume of breast, colorectal and lung cancers, prevention of the more modest excess cancer risk among those with diabetes (16%, 22% and 48%, respectively) would lead to a substantial overall reduction in the total burden of cancer in the population. Our findings reinforce the fact that diabetes prevention activities are also cancer prevention activities, and must therefore be prioritised and resourced in tandem.
Synthesis, characterization, and in vivo safety evaluation of propylated Dioscorea abyssinica starch
Authors: Brhane Yonas , Gebre-Mariam Tsige , Belete Anteneh
Published: November 2022

The use of starch, a natural polymeric material, and derivatives thereof is based on its adhesive, thickening, gelling, swelling, and film-forming properties, as well as its ready availability. The objective of this research work is to develop an effective propylatedDioscorea abyssinicastarch (PDAS) as a hydrophobic excipient for pharmaceutical applications with a reasonable price. This paper reports on the synthesis, characterization, andin vivosafety evaluation of PDAS.Native Dioscorea abyssinicastarch (NDAS) was modified to its propylated form with propionic anhydride and characterized. Crystallinity, morphological structure, thermal behavior, solubility, and safety of PDAS were evaluated using x-ray diffraction, SEM, thermogravimetric, gravimetric, and toxicity studies, respectively. Propionyl content and degree of substitution (DS) of starch increased significantly (p < 0.05) with an increase in reaction time and temperature. Propionyl content and DS of starch increased significantly (p < 0.05) with a decrease in the ratio of starch to pyridine and starch to propionic anhydride in the reaction medium. FTIR spectra of PDAS indicated that hydroxyl groups participated in the propylation reaction. X-ray diffraction results showed that the chemical modification destroyed the crystalline structure of the NDAS. SEM of NDAS showed a rounded shape which became irregular after propylation. Thermogravimetric curves revealed that all the PDAS samples decomposed at higher temperatures than their native counterparts. At higher DS, swelling power and solubility in an aqueous environment significantly (p < 0.05) decreased below that of the native starch. PDAS with high DS, were soluble in organic solvents at room temperature. But PDAS with lower DS didn’t dissolve in all types of organic solvents used. PDAS (DS = 2.842) in distilled water did not produce adverse effects in rats. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that PDAS can be considered as a generally safe excipient and fulfills the physicochemical properties of a hydrophobic excipient.
Genetic variation and microbiota in bumble bees cross-infected by different strains of C. bombi
Authors: Barribeau Seth M. , Schmid-Hempel Paul , Walser Jean-Claude , Zoller Stefan , Berchtold Martina , Schmid-Hempel Regula , Zemp Niklaus
Published: November 2022

The bumblebee Bombus terrestris is commonly infected by a trypanosomatid gut parasite Crithidia bombi. This system shows a striking degree of genetic specificity where host genotypes are susceptible to different genotypes of parasite. To a degree, variation in host gene expression underlies these differences, however, the effects of standing genetic variation has not yet been explored. Here we report on an extensive experiment where workers of twenty colonies of B. terrestris were each infected by one of twenty strains of C. bombi. To elucidate the host’s genetic bases of susceptibility to infection (measured as infection intensity), we used a low-coverage (~2 x) genome-wide association study (GWAS), based on angsd, and a standard high-coverage (~15x) GWAS (with a reduced set from a 8 x 8 interaction matrix, selected from the full set of twenty). The results from the low-coverage approach remained ambiguous. The high-coverage approach suggested potentially relevant genetic variation in cell surface and adhesion processes. In particular, mucin, a surface mucoglycoprotein, potentially affecting parasite binding to the host gut epithelia, emerged as a candidate. Sequencing the gut microbial community of the same bees showed that the abundance of bacterial taxa, such as Gilliamella, Snodgrassella, or Lactobacillus, differed between ’susceptible’ and ’resistant’ microbiota, in line with earlier studies. Our study suggests that the constitutive microbiota and binding processes at the cell surface are candidates to affect infection intensity after the first response (captured by gene expression) has run its course. We also note that a low-coverage approach may not be powerful enough to analyse such complex traits. Furthermore, testing large interactions matrices (as with the full 20 x 20 combinations) for the effect of interaction terms on infection intensity seems to blur the specific host x parasite interaction effects, likely because the outcome of an infection is a highly non-linear process dominated by variation in individually different pathways of host defence (immune) responses.
Integrated Diabetes Self-Management (IDSM) mobile application to improve self-management and glycemic control among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Indonesia: A mixed methods study protocol
Authors: Prihatin Putri Dewi Murdiyanti , Suhoyo Yoyo , Putri Pertiwi Ariani Arista , Effendy Christantie
Published: November 2022

The number of patients with diabetes in Indonesia reach 19,47 million in 2021, mostly is caused by the adoption of sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles. Continuous self-management is important in diabetes care. It requires optimal coordination and communication between patients, families, and health care provider. The use of communication technology could be solution to the problem. This study aims to initiate an android-based mobile apps technology as a tool for patient, family, and healthcare provider to optimize patient with T2DM treatment. This study will be conducted in Public Health Centers (PHCs) in Yogyakarta using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design which is divided into three phases. The first phase will use qualitative descriptive methods. Patients with T2DM, families, nurses, physicians and Health Social Security Agency officers in Indonesia will be involved in a focus group discussion (FGD) and in-depth interviews to understand their needs in optimizing the treatment. The second phase will be the development of an android-based application on the first phase results. The apps will be usability tested by involving experts (heuristic evaluation) and users (think aloud method) to ensure that the apps really meet targeted user’s need. In the third phase, we will collect feedback from user after using this apps for three months. The effectiveness of the apps will be measured by self-management improvement and glycemic control of patients with T2DM. The non-equivalent control group design will be applied using a pre-repeated post-test control group. The result of this study will be an Android-based Application which will be called Integrated Diabetes Self-Management (IDSM) app to optimize the implementation of diabetes self-management which can improve glycemic control of patients with T2DM as one of the indicators of the Indonesian Chronic Disease Management Program at PHCs.
FRAME—Monte Carlo model for evaluation of the stable isotope mixing and fractionation
Authors: Lewicki Maciej P. , Lewicka-Szczebak Dominika , Skrzypek Grzegorz
Published: November 2022

Bayesian stable isotope mixing models are widely used in geochemical and ecological studies for partitioning sources that contribute to various mixtures. However, none of the existing tools allows accounting for the influence of processes other than mixing, especially stable isotope fractionation. Bridging this gap, new software for the stable isotope Fractionation And Mixing Evaluation (FRAME) has been developed with a user-friendly graphical interface (malewick.github.io/frame). This calculation tool allows simultaneous sources partitioning and fractionation progress determination based on the stable isotope composition of sources/substrates and mixture/products. The mathematical algorithm applies the Markov-Chain Monte Carlo model to estimate the contribution of individual sources and processes, as well as the probability distributions of the calculated results. The performance of FRAME was comprehensively tested and practical applications of this modelling tool are presented with simple theoretical examples and stable isotope case studies for nitrates, nitrites, water and nitrous oxide. The open mathematical design, featuring custom distributions of source isotope signatures, allows for the implementation of additional processes that alternate the characteristics of the final mixture and its application for various range of studies.
Iodine status, household salt iodine content, knowledge and practice assessment among pregnant women in Butajira, South Central Ethiopia
Authors: Tadesse Senait , Hymete Ariaya , Lieberman Marya , Gebreyesus Seifu Hagos , Ashenef Ayenew
Published: November 2022

Background

Iodine is one of the crucial micronutrients needed by the human body, and is vitally important during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the iodine status of pregnant women and their knowledge, and practices regarding iodized salt. All participants were enrolled in the Butajira nutrition, mental health and pregnancy (BUNMAP) cohort, Butajira, Ethiopia in February-May, 2019.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 152 pregnant women without hypertension or known thyroid disease before or during pregnancy were randomly selected from the BUNMAP mother to child cohort (n = 832). Spot urine samples were collected to estimate the level of urinary iodine concentration (UIC). Salt samples were also collected from their homes. The Sandall-Kolthoff (S-K) method was used to measure the level of iodine in the urine samples, and iodometric titration was used to measure the level of iodine in the salt. Data was entered and cleaned using Epi-info version 3.5.3 and then exported to SPSS version 20 for further analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify associations in the collected data.

Results

The WHO recommended level of iodine for populations of pregnant women is 150–249 F06Dg/L. The median UIC among pregnant women in this study was 151.2 μg/L [interquartile range (IQR) = 85.5–236.2 F06Dg/L], at the low end of this range. About half (49.65%) of the participants were likely to be iodine deficient. There was a significant association between having a formal job (AOR = 2.56; CI = 1.11–5.96) and iodine sufficiency. Based on a cutoff of >15 ppm (mg/kg), 91.7% (95% CI: 87.2–96.2) of the salts collected from the household had adequate iodine content. The median iodine level of the collected salt samples was 34.9 mg/kg (ppm) (IQR = 24.2–44.6 mg/kg).

Conclusions

The UNICEF 2018 guidelines for adequate iodine nutrition in pregnant women include both a recommended median range of 150–249 μg/L, and an upper limit of 20% on the fraction of the population with UIC below 50 μg/L. Because our study population’s median level is 151.2 μg/L and the percentage of pregnant women with urinary iodine concentration of less than 50 μg/L is 9.7% (14/145), the women received adequate iodine nutrition. The availability of adequately iodized salt in households is more than 90%, as recommended by WHO. In light of previous iodine deficiency in this region of Ethiopia, the salt iodization program promotes the health of babies and mothers.
Regulation of yak longissimus lumborum energy metabolism and tenderness by the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathways during postmortem storage
Authors: Yang Yayuan , Yang Jieyuan , Yu Qunli , Gao Yongfang , Zheng Ya , Han Ling , Ding Xuezhi
Published: November 2022

AMPK can activate nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), increasing the ratio of oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)/reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) ratio, leading to the activation of the energy receptor SIRT1. This pathway is known as the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway. SIRT1 deacetylates and activate LKB1, which is activated by phosphorylation of AMPK (Thr172) and inhibited by phosphorylase-mediated dephosphorylation of AMPK. At the same time, increased AMP/ATP and NAD+/NADH ratios lead to the activation of AMPK and SIRT1. SIRT1 and AMPK can activate each other forming a positive feedback loop, which can strengthen catabolism and weaken anabolism thus maintaining energy homeostasis of energy metabolism. At present, there has been no systematic study on AMPK-associated signaling cascades in stored yak meat and details of the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling under these conditions are not known. In this study, NAD+, NADH were added to yak longissimus thoracic muscles to study AMPK pathway regulation by AMPK/SIRT1 signaling. NAD+ significantly increased the activity of AMPK and glycolysis during postmortem maturation, increased the rate of energy metabolism, and increased the expression of AMPK protein, indicating that NAD+ increased energy metabolism in the stored muscle by promoting AMPK activity. NADH treatment inhibited both AMPK activation and glycolysis, together with increasing the pH in the muscle. The results showed that SIRT1 activation elevated the activity of AMPK, leading to its phosphorylation and the activation of glycolysis. Thus, AMPK activity was found to increase in yak meat as an adaptation to hypoxic conditions. This allows more effective regulation of energy production and improves the tenderness of the meat.
Student trainee and paid internship programs have positive results but do little to influence long-term employee diversity in the USDA forest service
Authors: Dockry Michael J. , Sachdeva Sonya S. , Fisher Cherie L. , Kenefic Laura S. , Locke Dexter H. , Westphal Lynne M.
Published: November 2022

Women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) employees are underrepresented in science and natural resource management institutions. Student and recent graduate trainee and internship programs have been used to try to address this in United States federal agencies over the last few decades. Our study evaluates how effective such programs are at improving U.S. federal workforce diversity. We used a comprehensive employee dataset from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service–which has the largest natural resource management workforce in the country–to analyze the demographic characteristics and career paths of paid interns from 1996–2017. We found that a majority of employees who started as interns later converted to permanent employment with the USDA Forest Service. In addition, Black and Hispanic interns were, respectively, 5 and 3 times more likely than White interns to work for the agency in permanent positions after their internships. However, people who started as interns had significantly shorter USDA Forest Service careers than those who started in permanent positions. White women entering directly into permanent positions typically advanced to higher pay grades through promotion faster than White women who entered as interns. Finally, male BIPOC interns involuntarily separated (i.e., were fired) at significantly higher rates than all other employees. Our study suggests that while internship employment programs can be an effective tool for hiring a diverse workforce, they are not sufficient to close the overall workforce diversity gap. In addition, only a small percentage of new hires every year are interns. To achieve a level of representation that mirrors the civilian labor force, our study suggests that internship programs need to focus on long-term employee retention and be of significantly larger scale.