bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of excluded providers on Medicare beneficiaries’ mental health care
Authors: Fullen Matthew C. , Dolbin‐MacNab Megan L. , Wiley Jonathan D. , Brossoie Nancy , Lawson Gerard
Published: December 2021

Mental health conditions are relatively common among Medicare beneficiaries. Yet, Medicare provider eligibility was last updated in 1989, raising concerns about beneficiaries’ access to mental health care in the United States. Beneficiaries are currently restricted from accessing mental health services provided by licensed professional counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists. Little is known about the impact of this Medicare mental health coverage gap (MMHCG) on Medicare beneficiaries. Hermeneutic phenomenology was used to analyze semistructured interviews with 18 beneficiaries who had attempted to access mental health care but were limited due to the MMHCG. Three themes emerged: (a) exasperating experiences with the MMHCG, (b) the MMHCG compounds barriers to mental health care, and (c) Medicare as a flawed system. These findings suggest current Medicare mental health policy interferes with beneficiaries’ access to needed mental health services. Implications for the counseling profession are described.
The relationship of COVID‐19 traumatic stress, cumulative trauma, and race to posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms
Authors: Ashby Jeffrey S. , Rice Kenneth G. , Kira Ibrahim A. , Davari Jaleh
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study was to test if coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) traumatic stress predicts posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after cumulative trauma and whether there is a three‐way interaction between COVID‐19 traumatic stress, cumulative trauma, and race in the prediction of PTSD. Using a cross‐sectional design, a diverse sample of 745 participants completed measures of cumulative trauma, COVID‐19 traumatic stress, and PTSD. COVID‐19 traumatic stress accounted for a significant amount of the variance in PTSD above and beyond cumulative trauma. A significant interaction effect was found, indicating that the effect of COVID‐19 traumatic stress in predicting PTSD varied as a function of cumulative trauma and that the effects of that interaction were different for Asians and Whites. There were generally comparable associations between COVID‐19 traumatic stress and PTSD at low and high levels of cumulative trauma across most racial groups. However, for Asians, higher levels of cumulative trauma did not worsen the PTSD outcome as a function of COVID Traumatic Stress but did at low levels of cumulative trauma.
Membrane fouling and removal performance of submerged aerobic membrane bioreactors: a comparative study of optimizing operational conditions and membrane modification
Authors: Oghyanous Farid A , Etemadi Habib , Yegani Reza , Ghofrani Borhan
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND

The effects of sludge retention time, organic loading rate, specific aeration demand per membrane area (SADm) and exploiting poly(vinyl chloride)/polycarbonate/modified silver nanoparticles (PVC/PC/MAg) nanocomposite membrane in membrane fouling and removal performance of submerged membrane bioreactors (SMBRs) were compared. A reference membrane bioreactor (R‐SMBR) having a pure PVC/PC hollow fiber membrane module and no operational condition improvement was used as a reference for comparison.

RESULTS

The results revealed that all of the parameters had a considerable influence on improving membrane fouling, among which optimizing SADm and installing nanocomposite membranes in the SMBRs had comparable performances. Although the nanocomposite membrane had excellent potential to boost the membrane flux up to 62% in comparison with the R‐SMBR, it did not play any noticeable roles in rectifying the removal efficiency of the SMBR. On the other hand, not only did SADm increase the membrane flux up to 55%, but it also increased about 5% of COD and 3% of NH4+‐N removal.

CONCLUSIONS

Sludge characteristics were not affected by membrane modification since the concentration of extracellular polymeric substances, soluble microbial products and mean particle size were 110 ± 1 mg g−1 VSS, 54 ± 1 mg L−1 and 50 μm, respectively, for both the R‐SMBR and the SMBR in which the modified membrane was installed. However, the operational parameters could also modify the treatment performance of the SMBRs by positively impacting on sludge characteristics besides mitigating membrane fouling. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Binding of phosphatidylserine‐positive microparticles by PBMCs classifies disease severity in COVID‐19 patients
Authors: Rausch Lisa , Lutz Konstantin , Schifferer Martina , Winheim Elena , Gruber Rudi , Oesterhaus Elina F. , Rinke Linus , Hellmuth Johannes C. , Scherer Clemens , Muenchhoff Maximilian , Mandel Christopher , Bergwelt‐Baildon Michael , Simons Mikael , Straub Tobias , Krug Anne B. , Kranich Jan , Brocker Thomas
Published: December 2021

Infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 is associated with thromboinflammation, involving thrombotic and inflammatory responses, in many COVID‐19 patients. In addition, immune dysfunction occurs in patients characterised by T cell exhaustion and severe lymphopenia. We investigated the distribution of phosphatidylserine (PS), a marker of dying cells, activated platelets and platelet‐derived microparticles (PMP), during the clinical course of COVID‐19. We found an unexpectedly high amount of blood cells loaded with PS+ PMPs for weeks after the initial COVID‐19 diagnosis. Elevated frequencies of PS+PMP+ PBMCs correlated strongly with increasing disease severity. As a marker, PS outperformed established laboratory markers for inflammation, leucocyte composition and coagulation, currently used for COVID‐19 clinical scoring. PS+ PMPs preferentially bound to CD8+ T cells with gene expression signatures of proliferating effector rather than memory T cells. As PS+ PMPs carried programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1), they may affect T cell expansion or function. Our data provide a novel marker for disease severity and show that PS, which can trigger the blood coagulation cascade, the complement system, and inflammation, resides on activated immune cells. Therefore, PS may serve as a beacon to attract thromboinflammatory processes towards lymphocytes and cause immune dysfunction in COVID‐19.
Synopsis of a clinical practice guideline for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with peritoneal dissemination in Japan; Japan Peritoneal Malignancy Study Group
Authors: Satoi Sohei , Takahara Naminatsu , Fujii Tsutomu , Isayama Hiroyuki , Yamada Suguru , Tsuji Yasushi , Miyato Hideyo , Yamaguchi Hironori , Yamamoto Tomohisa , Hashimoto Daisuke , Yamaki So , Nakai Yousuke , Saito Kei , Baba Hayato , Watanabe Toru , Ishii Shigeto , Hayashi Masamichi , Kurimoto Keisuke , Shimada Hideaki , Kitayama Joji
Published: December 2021

Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with peritoneal dissemination have a dismal prognosis because discontinuation of systemic chemotherapy is required for massive ascites or poor performance status. The natural history, diagnosis and treatment of PDAC with peritoneal dissemination have not been fully investigated. We systematically reviewed published information on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PDAC with peritoneal dissemination using the PubMed database (2000‐2020) and provided recommendations in response to clinical questions. This guideline was created according to the "Minds Clinical Practice Guideline Development Guide 2017". The literature quality and body of evidence were evaluated with the GRADE System and classified into four levels (“strong”, “medium”, “weak”, “very weak”). The strength of each final recommendation was decided by a vote of committee members based on the GRADE Grid method. These guidelines address three subjects: diagnostic, chemotherapeutic, and surgical approaches. They include nine clinical questions and statements with recommendation strengths, evidence levels, and agreement rates, in addition to one “column”. This is the English synopsis of the 2021 Japanese clinical practice guideline for PDAC with peritoneal dissemination. It summarizes the clinical evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of PDAC with peritoneal dissemination and provides future perspectives.
Prevalence characteristics of cervical human papillomavirus genotypes in Nanning, China: A 10‐year survey of 77,756 women from one medical center
Authors: Wei Xiaoning , Lu Qinghua , Wang Shaowei
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and HPV genotypes varies in different regions. However, there is little data on HPV prevalence and genotyping in Guangxi Province, South China. This study conducted a 10‐year survey in a health center, to estimate the prevalence characteristics of HPV genotypes.

Methods

By using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and nucleic acid molecular hybridization, the HPV genotypes were detected from 77,756 females who were patients of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and those who visited the Health Management Center for a physical examination between August 2011 and November 2020. The prevalence, genotypes, age‐related HPV infections, as well as chronological change of HPV prevalence, and the HPV genotype distribution were analyzed.

Results

The overall prevalence of HPV infection was 21.14% (16,439/77,756). The HPV infection rate differed significantly between the patients of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the women who underwent a physical examination (22.98% vs. 9.88%, p < 0.05). The prevalence rates of high‐risk HPV, low‐risk HPV, mixed HPV (mixed high‐risk, and low‐risk HPV infection), and multiple HPV infections were 18.96% (14,739/77,756), 4.09% (3178/77,756), 1.90% (1478/77,756), and 4.94% (3838/77,756), respectively. The most prevalent genotypes were HPV 52, 16, and 58. The age‐associated HPV prevalence showed bimodal curves, with the first peak at <25 years and the second peak at >56 years.

Conclusions

This study provides baseline data on the HPV prevalence in the general female population of Nanning, Guangxi Province. Women <25 and >56 years old faced the greatest threat of HPV infection, and HPV 52, 16, and 58 were the most common genotypes.
High‐dose supplementation of selenium in left ventricular assist device implant surgery: A double‐blinded, randomized controlled pilot trial
Authors: Laaf Elena , Benstoem Carina , Rossaint Rolf , Wendt Sebastian , Fitzner Christina , Moza Ajay , Zayat Rashad , Hill Aileen , Heyland Daren K. , Schomburg Lutz , Goetzenich Andreas , Stoppe Christian
Published: December 2021

Background

Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress remain the main causes of complications in patients with heart failure receiving a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Selenoproteins are a cornerstone of antioxidant defense mechanisms for improving inflammatory conditions.

Methods

In a monocentric, double‐blinded pilot trial patients scheduled for LVAD implantation were randomized to receive 300 mcg of selenium orally the evening before surgery, followed by a high‐dose of intravenous selenium supplementation (3000 mcg after anesthesia induction, 1000 mcg upon intensive care unit [ICU] admission, and 1000 mcg daily in the ICU for a maximum of 14 days) or placebo. The main outcomes were feasibility and effectiveness in restoring serum selenium concentrations.

Results

Twenty patients were included in the analysis. The average duration of study intervention was 12.6 days (7–14), with 97.7% dose compliance. No patient received open‐label selenium. The supplementation strategy was effective in compensating low serum selenium concentrations (before surgery: control, 63.5 ± 11.9 mcg/L vs intervention, 65.8 ± 16.5 mcg/L; ICU admission: control, 49.0 ± 9.8 mcg/L vs intervention, 144.2 ± 45.4 mcg/L). Serum selenium concentrations in the intervention group were significantly higher during the observation period (baseline: mean of placebo (MoP), 63.1 vs mean of selenium (MoS), 64.0; ICU admission: MoP, 49.0 vs MoS, 144.6; day 1‐13: MoP, 43.6‐48.5 vs MoS, 100.4‐131.0).

Conclusion

Selenium supplementation in patients receiving LVAD implantation is feasible and effective to compensate a selenium deficiency.
Natural Course of Fetal Hyaloid Artery: SlowflowHD Longitudinal Study
Authors: Hata Toshiyuki , Koyanagi Aya , Yamanishi Tomomi , Bouno Saori , Takayoshi Riko , Miyake Takahito
Published: December 2021

Objective

To assess the natural course of the fetal hyaloid artery (FHA) using SlowflowHD during pregnancy.

Methods

One‐hundred and eighteen normal fetuses were studied longitudinally using SlowflowHD to assess the natural course of FHA at 18–21 + 6, 28–31 + 6, and after 35 weeks of gestation. Blood flow of FHA with/without its branches (BF) was evaluated using SlowflowHD, and the band of FHA without blood flow (Band) was identified in each gestational period. The natural course of FHA was classified into six types: Type A, not detected (ND) in each gestational period; Type B, Band at 18–21 + 6 weeks; Type C, Band at 18–21 + 6 and 28–31 + 6 weeks; Type D, BF at 18–21 + 6 weeks; Type E, BF at 18–21 + 6 weeks and Band at 28–31 + 6 weeks; Type F, BF at 18–21 + 6 and 28–31 + 6 weeks.

Results

BF, Band, and ND were 83.5, 15.5, and 1.0% at 18–21 + 6 weeks, 8.8, 15.5, and 75.7% at 28–31 + 6 weeks, and 0, 0, and 100% after 35 weeks, respectively. Type A was 1.0%, Type B was 13.6%, Type C was 1.9%, Type D was 61.2%, Type E was 13.6%, and Type F was 8.7%.

Conclusions

The presence of FHA blood flow before 30 weeks of gestation should be regarded as a physiologic phenomenon in normal fetuses.
Polymer Architecture Effects on Poly(N,N‐Diethyl Acrylamide)‐b‐Poly(Ethylene Glycol)‐b‐Poly(N,N‐Diethyl Acrylamide) Thermoreversible Gels and Their Evaluation as a Healthcare Material
Authors: Haddow Peter J. , da Silva Marcelo A. , Kaldybekov Daulet B. , Dreiss Cecile A. , Hoffman Ewelina , Hutter Victoria , Khutoryanskiy Vitaliy V. , Kirton Stewart B. , Mahmoudi Najet , McAuley William J. , Cook Michael T.
Published: December 2021

Thermoreversible gels which transition between liquid‐like and solid‐like states when warmed have enabled significant novel healthcare technologies. Poly(N,N‐diethyl acrylamide) (PDEA) is a thermoresponsive polymer which can be used as a trigger to form thermoreversible gels, however its use in these materials is limited and crucial design principles are unknown. Herein ABA copolymers with the structure PDEA‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐b‐PDEA are synthesized to give four block copolymers with varied molecular weight of PDEA and PEG blocks. Rheometry on solutions of the block copolymers reveals that high molecular weight PEG blocks are required to form thermoreversible gels with predominantly solid‐like behavior. Furthermore, small‐angle X‐ray scattering elucidates clear differences in the nanostructure of the copolymer library which can be linked to distinct rheological behaviors. A thermoreversible gel formulation based on PDEA (20 kDa)‐b‐PEG (10 kDa)‐b‐PDEA (20 kDa) is designed by optimizing the polymer concentration and ionic strength. It is found that the gel is mucoadhesive, stable, and non‐toxic, as well as giving controlled release of a hydrophobic drug. Overall, this study provides insight into the effect of polymer architecture on the nanostructure and rheology of PDEA‐b‐PEG‐b‐PDEA and presents the development of a highly functional thermoreversible gel with high promise for healthcare applications.
Clinical, pathologic, and molecular features of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in children and adolescents
Authors: Pire Aurore , Orbach Daniel , Galmiche Louise , Berrebi Dominique , Irtan Sabine , Boudjemaa Sabah , Brisse Hervé J. , Berteloot Laureline , Moalla Salma , Mussini Charlotte , Philippe‐Chomette Pascale , Tilea Bogdana , Pierron Gaelle , Guerin Florent , Minard‐Colin Véronique , Sarnacki Sabine
Published: December 2021

Background

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMT) are rare, intermediate malignant tumors harboring frequent somatic molecular rearrangements. The management of IMT has not been standardized.

Methods

A retrospective multicenter study was conducted on all pediatric patients treated for IMT between 2000 and 2019.

Results

This series included 39 cases of IMT, with a median age at diagnosis of 7 years (range 20 days to 16 years). Tumor location included pelvis‐abdomen (n = 16), thorax (n = 14), head and neck (n = 7), and limbs (n = 2). One patient had metastatic disease. Immunochemistry showed 21/39 (54%) anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)‐positive tumors. Somatic tyrosine kinase rearrangement was present in 31/36 (86%) of the tumors analyzed: 21 ALK, five ROS1, and five NTRK. Immediate surgery was performed in 24 patients (62%), with adjuvant therapy for three patients. Delayed surgery after neoadjuvant therapy was possible in 10 cases. Exclusive systemic therapy was delivered to four patients; one patient with orbital IMT was managed by watchful waiting. After a median follow‐up of 33 months (range 5–124), eight (20%) recurrences/progressions occurred after surgery (seven after primary surgery and one after delayed surgery), after a median interval of 7 months (range 2–21), all in thoracic locations. The 3‐year overall and disease‐free survivals were 96.8% (95% CI: 79.2%–94.0%) and 77.4% (95% CI: 59.6%–88.1%), respectively. Relapses/progressions were more common in patients with a thoracic primary (p < .001) or after incomplete surgery with no adjuvant therapy (p = .027).

Conclusion

Surgery is effective in most cases of pediatric IMT. Systematic analysis of tyrosine kinase rearrangement is recommended. When the tumor is deemed only partially resectable to preserve organs and function, neoadjuvant therapy may be proposed to allow adequate conservative surgery.
A simple tree planting framework to improve climate, air pollution, health, and urban heat in vulnerable locations using non‐traditional partners
Authors: Hopkins Loren P. , January‐Bevers Deborah J. , Caton Erin K. , Campos Laura A.
Published: December 2021

Societal Impact Statement

Planting trees is considered an effective method for climate change adaptation and mitigation. This framework provides a replicable blueprint to improve health, urban heat, flooding, and air pollution via a multisectoral, collaborative, environmental data‐driven approach. Native tree species with targeted ecosystem services are selected, and sites are strategically identified based on environmental and health benefits, with the intent of engaging community involvement through education and large‐scale tree plantings. Including non‐traditional partners in the framework provides heightened awareness of the relationship between climate change and health, thus catalyzing decision‐making regarding sustainable actions that reduce effects of climate change. This native tree planting framework is highly adaptable in other cities.

A multidisciplinary framework is presented for a data‐driven, climate change adaptation and climate change and air pollution mitigation project. This framework leverages heightened awareness of the connections between climate change, air pollution, and health to expand the cadre and societal impacts of those working to intervene in resilience planning and implementation.

The framework, implemented in Houston, Texas, USA, beginning in 2019, consists of three parts: (1) identification of optimal native tree species for climate change adaptations and air pollution mitigation around variables important locally; (2) selection of large‐scale native tree planting locations where populations are already disproportionately experiencing flooding, increased heat, and air pollution‐related health effects that could be further exacerbated from climate change; and (3) engagement of multisectoral leadership broadened beyond those traditionally working on climate change resilience through heightening awareness of the link to human health.

Native tree species were identified that had the highest combination of absorption of carbon dioxide, other air pollutants, and water absorption (aiding in flood adaptation and air pollution/heat mitigation). Thousands of the top tree species were planted in locations that experience substantial flooding during large rain events, have high rates of health effects exacerbated by air pollution (e.g., cardiac arrest and asthma attacks), and experience multiple days of elevated heat and air pollution.

This multidisciplinary framework addresses a critical need to provide interventions accessible to the community; educate on the connection between climate change adaptation, air pollution mitigation, and health; and foster multisectoral leadership to accelerate local resilience actions.
Delayed radical prostatectomy after a period of active surveillance is not associated with the use of secondary treatments compared with immediate prostatectomy
Authors: Arcot Rohith , Cher Michael L. , Qi Ji , Linsell Susan M. , Dunn Rodney L. , George Arvin K. , Montie James E. , Ginsburg Kevin B. ,   for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative
Published: December 2021

Background

We evaluated the use of secondary treatments in men with grade group (GG) 1 PC following a period of active surveillance (AS) compared with men undergoing immediate radical prostatectomy (RP) to evaluate what is potentially lost in terms of cancer control, if a patient trials AS and transitions to treatment.

Methods

We reviewed the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) registry for men with GG1 PC undergoing RP from April 2012 to July 2018. Men were classified into groups based on time from diagnosis to RP: immediate (surgery within 1 year of diagnosis) and delayed RP (surgery >1 year after initiation of AS). Time to secondary treatment was estimated using Kaplan–Meier curves and compared using the log‐rank test. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was fit to assess the association between timing of RP and use of secondary treatments. A chi‐squared test was used to assess the association between delayed RP and adverse pathology.

Results

We identified 1878 men that underwent an RP during the study period, of which 1489 (79%) underwent immediate RP and 389 (21%) underwent delayed RP. The incidence of adverse pathology was higher in men with delayed versus immediate RP (49% vs. 36%, p < 0.0001, respectively). However, we noted only a small absolute difference in the estimated 24‐month secondary treatment‐free probability between men with delayed versus immediate RP (93% and 96%, respectively). On multivariable analysis, delayed RP was associated with increased use of secondary treatments (hazard ratio = 1.94, 95% confidence interval = 1.23–3.06, p = 0.004).

Conclusions

The use of secondary treatment after RP in men with GG1 PC undergoing immediate or delayed prostatectomy was rare. These data suggest that the burden of treatment is near equivalent in patients who progress to treatment on AS compared with those who underwent immediate RP.
A fast converging and concise algorithm for computing the departure points in semi‐Lagrangian weather and climate models
Authors: Diamantakis Michail , Váňa Filip
Published: December 2021

Accurate calculation of departure points is crucial for the overall accuracy of a semi‐Lagrangian advection scheme. The iterative method used in the semi‐Lagrangian advection scheme of the ECMWF model IFS (Integrated Forecast System) is based on SETTLS (Stable Extrapolation Two‐Time‐Level Scheme). The scheme converges slowly due to the long timesteps that the spectral semi‐implicit, semi‐Lagrangian formulation permits: five iterations are needed for accurate determination of the departure points. Spherical coordinates increase the expense and complexity of the relevant code while computations become sensitive to arithmetic precision and require further approximations in the polar high‐curvature region. In this article, an accurate alternative, derived by reformulating the current SETTLS scheme on a geocentric Cartesian framework, is proposed. The new scheme simplifies considerably the computations by avoiding the update of the Lagrangian trajectory equations in spherical coordinates, which involve additional expensive metric terms, eliminates approximations, and is advantageous for single precision. Methods to accelerate the convergence of the departure points were also investigated. The most accurate and efficient approach was to start the SETTLS iterations from the departure point of the previous timestep. Testing the proposed method in high‐resolution global forecast and 4D‐Var analysis experiments yields equally accurate results as the existing method, while reducing the cost of the iterative scheme.
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis in a patient with hyper‐IgE syndrome
Authors: Kasuga Keisuke , Nakamoto Keitaro , Doi Kazuyuki , Kurokawa Nozomi , Saraya Takeshi , Ishii Haruyuki
Published: December 2021

Hyperimmunoglobulin E (IgE) syndrome (HIES) is a rare disease with an unclear prognosis. We report a case of HIES comorbid with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). A 19‐year‐old male was referred to our department with a medical history of bacterial pneumonia and skin infection. Laboratory data showed an elevated eosinophil count and serum IgE level. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a pneumatocele and bronchiectasis. On the basis of the clinical and laboratory findings and genetic mutation analysis, we diagnosed him as having HIES. Fourteen months later, he complained of blood‐tinged sputum and haemoptysis. Chest CT showed pneumatocele wall thickening, fungus ball and consolidation. Serum Aspergillus precipitating antibody and serum galactomannan Aspergillus antigen were positive, and Aspergillus fumigatus was detected in the sputum. We diagnosed CPA and treated him using antifungal agents and bronchial artery embolization. CPA is a complication that requires attention in patients with HIES.
Sensor fault estimation and fault tolerant control for IT2 fuzzy system via sliding mode approach
Authors: Sun Xingjian , Kang Haobo , Ma Hongjun
Published: December 2021

The point of this article is the sensor fault estimation and fault‐tolerant controller design for IT2 fuzzy systems via sliding mode approach. In order to estimate accurately the system states and sensor faults, a novel proportional and derivative sliding mode observer is introduced, which provide more design freedom and eliminate the effects of sensor faults. By splitting the operating domain and estimating the membership functions, a set of relaxation stability conditions subject to the information of membership functions and system states are obtained. Then, a sliding mode controller in form of IT2 fuzzy model is designed to stabilize the closed‐loop systems. An example of bolt‐tightening tool model is considered to demonstrate the validity of the proposed results.
“Because we have lived it”: Chicanx/Latinx Youth Multimodal Literacies in Youth Participatory Action Research
Authors: González Ybarra Mónica
Published: December 2021

This article highlights how Chicanx/Latinx youth draw on their lived realities as lenses to guide their inquiry and share their findings in a Youth Participatory Action Research project. In this project, youth collected testimonios from residents and staff within their migrant housing community to better understand histories of migration and community building. Drawing on a critical multimodal analysis framework which centers Chicanx/Latinx youth literacies and epistemologies, this article focuses on how youth drew on their community cultural knowledge and lived experiences in multimodal creation to bring attention to sociopolitical issues they cared about and impacted their community.
3D Printed Biocatalytic Living Materials with Dual‐Network Reinforced Bioinks
Authors: He Fukun , Ou Yangteng , Liu Ji , Huang Qiu , Tang Bao , Xin Fengxue , Zhang Jing , Jiang Min , Chen Su , Yu Ziyi
Published: December 2021

The field of living materials seeks to harness living cells as microfactories that can construct a material itself or enhance the performance of material in some manner. While recent advances in 3D printing allow microbe manipulation to create bespoke living materials, the effective coupling of these living components in reinforced bioink designs remains a major challenge due to the difficulty in building a robust and cell‐friendly microenvironment. Here, a type of dual‐network bioink is reported for the 3D printing of living materials with enhanced biocatalysis capabilities, where bioinks are readily printable and provide a biocompatible environment along with desirable mechanical performance. It is demonstrated that integrating microbes into these bioinks enables the direct printing of catalytically living materials with high cell viability and maintains metabolic activity, which those living materials can be preserved and reused. Further, a bacteria‐algae coculture system is fabricated for the bioremediation of chemicals, giving rise to its potential field applications.
Antibiotic fate in an artificial‐constructed urban river planted with the algae Microcystis aeruginosa and emergent hydrophyte
Authors: Zhou Haidong , Cui Jinyu , Li Xin , Wangjin Yadan , Pang Lidan , Li Mengwei , Chen Xiaomeng
Published: December 2021

The behavior and removal of six antibiotics, that is, azithromycin, clarithromycin, sulfathiazole, sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline, in an artificial‐controllable urban river (ACUR) were investigated. The ACUR was constructed to form five artificial eco‐systems by planting three emergent hydrophytes and Microcystis aeruginosa: (1) Control; (2) MA: M. aeruginosa only; (3) MA‐J‐C: M. aeruginosa combined with Juncus effusus and Cyperus alternifolius; (4) MA‐C‐A: M. aeruginosa combined with C. alternifolius and Acorus calamus L.; (5) MA‐A‐J: M. aeruginosa combined with A. calamus L. and J. effusus. The MA‐C‐A system achieved the best removal of azithromycin and clarithromycin after 15‐day test with the final concentrations 0.92 and 0.83 μg/L. The contents of ciprofloxacin and tetracycline in sediment were highest, up to 1453 and 1745 ng/g. The antibiotic plant bioaccumulation was higher in roots rather than the shoots (stem and leaves). No target antibiotics were detected in algae cells. The combination of hybrid hydrophytes had a certain effect on the removal of antibiotics, and thus selecting appropriate hydrophytes in urban rivers could greatly improve water quality. The overall removal of six antibiotics was greatly improved by the ACUR containing the hybrid hydrophytes and the algae, indicating a synergistic effect on antibiotic removal.

Practitioner points

Controllable‐mobile artificial eco‐systems were developed with emergent hydrophytes and M. aeruginosa.

The M. aeruginosa + Cyperus alternifolius + Acorus calamus L. system removed azithromycin and clarithromycin most at the end of tests.

Emergent hydrophytes and M. aeruginosa have a synergistic effect on the removal of antibiotics.

The combination of emergent hydrophytes did play an important role in the removal of antibiotics.

The artificial eco‐systems containing the hybrid hydrophytes and the algae could greatly improve the overall removal of antibiotics.
Deepfake attribution: On the source identification of artificially generated images
Authors: Khoo Brandon , Phan Raphaël C.‐W. , Lim Chern‐Hong
Published: December 2021

Synthetic media or "deepfakes" are making great advances in visual quality, diversity, and verisimilitude, empowered by large‐scale publicly accessible datasets and rapid technical progress in deep generative modeling. Heralding a paradigm shift in how online content is trusted, researchers in digital image forensics have responded with different proposals to reliably detect AI‐generated images in the wild. However, binary classification of image authenticity is insufficient to regulate the ethical usage of deepfake technology as new applications are developed. This article provides an overview of the major innovations in synthetic forgery detection as of 2020, while highlighting the recent shift in research towards ways to attribute AI‐generated images to their generative sources with evidence. We define the various categories of deepfakes in existence, the subtle processing traces and fingerprints that distinguish AI‐generated images from reality and each other, and the different degrees of attribution possible with current understanding of generative algorithms. Additionally, we describe the limitations of synthetic image recognition methods in practice, the counter‐forensic attacks devised to exploit these limitations, and directions for new research to assure the long‐term relevance of deepfake forensics. Reliable, explainable, and generalizable attribution methods would hold malicious users accountable for AI‐enabled disinformation, grant plausible deniability to appropriate users, and facilitate intellectual property protection of deepfake technology.

This article is categorized under:

Commercial, Legal, and Ethical Issues > Security and Privacy

Algorithmic Development > Multimedia
Military Workforce Analytics
Authors: Straver Michelle C.
Published: December 2021

As a consequence of the closed, hierarchical nature of military organizations, good planning is key to ensuring that a military workforce will be well-situated to meet future demands. This chapter explores the role of data-driven decision support (referred to as analytics) in military workforce planning. As an applied research field, analytics aims to provide actionable insights and practical solutions to questions posed by decision-makers. Since data underlie all analytics, this chapter touches on the challenges of data-related issues such as accessibility, integration, and completeness, highlighting the importance of understanding the data and the context around it. Next, several areas where analytics are used to solve military workforce planning problems are discussed. This will give the reader a sense of the breadth of the domain, as well as the various approaches that can be employed by a practitioner.
Introduction
Authors: Sweet Ryan
Published: December 2021

This introductory chapter sets out the book’s argument that nineteenth-century prosthesis narratives, though presented in a predominantly ableist and sometimes disablist manner, challenge the dominance of physical completeness as they question the logic of prostheticization or present non-normative subjects in threateningly powerful ways. The chapter positions this argument in relation to various scholarly fields, including disability studies, Victorian studies, the history of science and technology, and literature and science. It addresses several methodological questions, including those pertaining to the prosthetic devices, historical period, and specific sources selected for investigation. In responding to these questions, the chapter provides potted histories of the technological developments of nineteenth-century artificial limbs, eyes, teeth, and hair. It also explains the author’s decision to use terms such as wholeness and incompleteness.
“The Infurnal Thing”: Autonomy and Ability in Narratives of Disabling, Self-acting, and Weaponized Prostheses
Authors: Sweet Ryan
Published: December 2021

Focusing on the themes of agency and ability, this chapter examines the power play at work between person and prosthetic part in various nineteenth-century imaginaries. The chapter draws from mechanical and materialist understandings of the human body and attitudes to automatic machines to place literary and cultural representations within wider historical contexts pertaining to ability, autonomy, and wholeness. Exploring the extent to which artificial body parts were seen to enhance or assume the agency of the user, the chapter argues that a range of prosthesis narratives produce transgressive prosthesis users or false body parts that threaten the dominance of the physically whole. It investigates three key tropes: narratives of disabling, self-acting, and weaponized prostheses.
Conclusion
Authors: Sweet Ryan
Published: December 2021

This concluding chapter uses British free-to-air television broadcasting network Channel 4’s “Superhumans Return” advertising campaign for its coverage of the 2016 Paralympic Games as a case study with which to explore the overlaps between nineteenth-century and contemporary cultural representations of prosthesis users. It highlights the way that contemporary sources, including Channel 4’s campaign, interrogate a privileging of normalcy while remaining encoded by ableist inclinations. The chapter draws together the various strands of the book’s argument to make the case that the literary history of prosthesis is rich, complicated, and conflicted.
Environment-Friendly Energy Research in Norway
Authors: Silvast Antti , Foulds Chris
Published: December 2021

The Research Council of Norway established the Centres for Environment-Friendly Energy Research in 2009. These are long-term national centres that are meant to integrate academics with industries, private companies, regulating bodies, governmental organisations, and research institutes, to trigger a clean-energy transition and pursue environmental innovations. Increasingly, addressing energy issues through the integration of technological and Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines has become expected in these Centres. This chapter draws from interviews with the project participants and fieldwork to demonstrate how different academics and professionals experienced these interdisciplinary collaborations, including what consequences and dynamics such collaborations generated. We round up by interpreting the findings along with the traits of interdisciplinarity that have been emerging in this book.
Multimodal Multi-tasking for Skin Lesion Classification Using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Carvalho Rafaela , Pedrosa João , Nedelcu Tudor
Published: December 2021

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and, with its increasing incidence, accurate early diagnosis is crucial to improve prognosis of patients. In the process of visual inspection, dermatologists follow specific dermoscopic algorithms and identify important features to provide a diagnosis. This process can be automated as such characteristics can be extracted by computer vision techniques. Although deep neural networks can extract useful features from digital images for skin lesion classification, performance can be improved by providing additional information. The extracted pseudo-features can be used as input (multimodal) or output (multi-tasking) to train a robust deep learning model. This work investigates the multimodal and multi-tasking techniques for more efficient training, given the single optimization of several related tasks in the latter, and generation of better diagnosis predictions. Additionally, the role of lesion segmentation is also studied. Results show that multi-tasking improves learning of beneficial features which lead to better predictions, and pseudo-features inspired by the ABCD rule provide readily available helpful information about the skin lesion.
Correction to: The Sydney Language on Our Campuses and in Our Curriculum
Authors: Quinnell Rosanne , Troy Jakelin , Poll Matthew
Published: December 2021

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What is Happiness? Why is Happiness Important?
Authors: Ng Yew-Kwang
Published: December 2021

The (net) happiness (or welfare) of an individual is the excess of her positive affective feelings over negative ones. This subjective definition of happiness is more consistent with common usage and analytically more useful. Over the past century or so, both psychology and economics has gone through the anti-subjectivism revolution (behaviorism in psychology and ordinalism in economics) but has come back to largely accept subjectivism (cognitive psychology and recent interest of economists on happiness issues).
Factors Affecting Happiness
Authors: Ng Yew-Kwang
Published: December 2021

Many factors may affect happiness, including how our needs (including the five levels identified by Maslow) are satisfied. Four important F’s for happiness at the individual level are: faith, form/fitness, family, and friends. At the social level, important factors include environmental quality, equality, social capital (including trust).
The East-Asian Happiness Gap: Causes and Implications
Authors: Ng Yew-Kwang
Published: December 2021

Despite spectacular economic growth, most East Asian countries (especially those with the Confucian cultures) score relatively low in happiness surveys. This chapter discusses the reasons for this East-Asian happiness gap, including environmental disruption, excessive competitiveness, repressive education, excessive conformity, negative attitudes towards enjoyment, and the emphasis on outward appearance. Implications on the desired direction of future growth especially regarding the relative importance of public spending on the environment and research and the non-material aspects of life are also briefly touched on.
Happiness Versus Preference
Authors: Ng Yew-Kwang
Published: December 2021

The preference of an individual may differ from her happiness due to imperfect information, a true concern for the welfare of others (non-affective altruism), and imperfect rationality. In some exceptional circumstances, such as the traditional Chinese custom of giving the deceased parent a decent burial and not to disturb them by re-burial, some measures (like banning slavery and using a cemetery for essential developments) may improve social welfare, even if against the preferences of most, and perhaps all, people.
Does Money Buy Happiness?
Authors: Ng Yew-Kwang
Published: December 2021

After a relatively low level of survival and comfort, additional consumption does not increase happiness significantly, especially at the social level. At the individual level, people want more due to the relative competition effect which cancels out at the social level. In addition, the adaptation effects and environmental disruption effects also work to limit the contributions of higher consumption and enlarge the gap between expectation and actuality.
The tadpole problem
Authors: Bena Iosif , Blåbäck Johan , Graña Mariana , Lüst Severin
Published: December 2021

Abstract

We examine the mechanism of moduli stabilization by fluxes in the limit of a large number of moduli. We conjecture that one cannot stabilize all complex-structure moduli in F-theory at a generic point in moduli space (away from singularities) by fluxes that satisfy the bound imposed by the tadpole cancellation condition. More precisely, while the tadpole bound in the limit of a large number of complex-structure moduli goes like 1/4 of the number of moduli, we conjecture that the amount of charge induced by fluxes stabilizing all moduli grows faster than this, and is therefore larger than the allowed amount. Our conjecture is supported by two examples: K3 × K3 compactifications, where by using evolutionary algorithms we find that moduli stabilization needs fluxes whose induced charge is 44% of the number of moduli, and Type IIB compactifications on $$ \mathbbm{CP} $$
CP
3, where the induced charge of the fluxes needed to stabilize the D7-brane moduli is also 44% of the number of these moduli. Proving our conjecture would rule out de Sitter vacua obtained via antibrane uplift in long warped throats with a hierarchically small supersymmetry breaking scale, which require a large tadpole.
Patient age affects sex-based differences in post-traumatic mortality: a national trauma registry study in Japan
Authors: Umemura Yutaka , Katayama Yusuke , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Kiyohara Kosuke , Hirose Tomoya , Kiguchi Takeyuki , Tachino Jotaro , Nakao Shunichiro , Nakagawa Yuko , Shimazu Takeshi
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Sex-based differences in post-traumatic mortality have been widely discussed for quite some time. We hypothesized that age-related pathophysiologic changes would affect sex-based differences in post-traumatic mortality and aimed to verify the hypothesis using a nationwide trauma registry in Japan.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of trauma patients registered in The Japanese Trauma Data Bank. We stratified the study population into the following three subsets based on age: (1) pediatric subset (age ≤ 14), (2) adult subset (age 15–50) and (3) senior adult subset (age ≥ 51). We evaluated both sex-based differences in mortality in each subset separately using multivariate logistic regression analysis and the two-way interaction effect for predicted survival between the continuous increase of age and the sexes using a nonlinear multivariate regression model.

Results

We included 122,819 trauma patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and classified them into the 3 subsets according to age. Male patients were more likely to die compared to female patients only in the senior adult subset (adjusted odds ratio: 1.26; 95% confidence interval: 1.18–1.36), whereas there were no statistically significant differences in the other two subsets. Furthermore, non-linear logistic regression analysis revealed that predicted survival probability in male patients decreased more sharply in accordance with the increase of age compared to that in female patients (p for interaction: 0.051).

Conclusion

Age-related change in post-traumatic mortality was significantly different between males and females, and male patients had a relatively higher risk of death in the older population.
The role of the SLC6A3 3’ UTR VNTR in nicotine effects on cognitive, affective, and motor function
Authors: Schröder Rebekka , Reuter Martin , Faßbender Kaja , Plieger Thomas , Poulsen Jessie , Lui Simon S. Y. , Chan Raymond C. K. , Ettinger Ulrich
Published: December 2021

Rationale

Nicotine has been widely studied for its pro-dopaminergic effects. However, at the behavioural level, past investigations have yielded heterogeneous results concerning effects on cognitive, affective, and motor outcomes, possibly linked to individual differences at the level of genetics. A candidate polymorphism is the 40-base-pair variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism (rs28363170) in the SLC6A3 gene coding for the dopamine transporter (DAT). The polymorphism has been associated with striatal DAT availability (9R-carriers > 10R-homozygotes), and 9R-carriers have been shown to react more strongly to dopamine agonistic pharmacological challenges than 10R-homozygotes.

Objectives

In this preregistered study, we hypothesized that 9R-carriers would be more responsive to nicotine due to genotype-related differences in DAT availability and resulting dopamine activity.

Methods

N=194 non-smokers were grouped according to their genotype (9R-carriers, 10R-homozygotes) and received either 2-mg nicotine or placebo gum in a between-subject design. Spontaneous blink rate (SBR) was obtained as an indirect measure of striatal dopamine activity and smooth pursuit, stop signal, simple choice and affective processing tasks were carried out in randomized order.

Results

Reaction times were decreased under nicotine compared to placebo in the simple choice and stop signal tasks, but nicotine and genotype had no effects on any of the other task outcomes. Conditional process analyses testing the mediating effect of SBR on performance and how this is affected by genotype yielded no significant results.

Conclusions

Overall, we could not confirm our main hypothesis. Individual differences in nicotine response could not be explained by rs28363170 genotype.