bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of medical/therapeutic clowns on the playfulness of children with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Feniger‐Schaal Rinat , Stern Amitai , Elizarov Einat
Published: November 2022

Background

Play is an essential component of children's development. Children with intellectual disability tend to have poor socioemotional abilities and impaired play. This study examined the effects of a medical/therapeutic clowning play intervention on the playfulness of children with intellectual disability.

Method

Two medical clowns facilitated a play intervention in a preschool classroom setting with a total of 52 children with intellectual disability. We compared before and after two groups that received the intervention: group 1 met the medical clowns once a week for 6 months (long‐intervention group) and group 2 for 3 months (short intervention group). Children's functioning was assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales. Children's playfulness was scored using the Test of Playfulness observational assessment. A teachers' focus‐ group was used to gather additional information on the clowns' work.

Results

Children's playfulness increased significantly at the end of the intervention, whereas the improvement in the playfulness scores of group 1 was significantly larger than those of group 2 (t50 = −4.82, p < .001). The teachers' focus group revealed additional benefits of the medical clowns' work.

Conclusion

The results shed light on the play and playfulness of children with intellectual disability and the possible contribution of a clowning play intervention to their development.
Trustworthy remote assessments: A typology of pedagogical and technological strategies
Authors: Hilliger Isabel , Ruipérez‐Valiente José A. , Alexandron Giora , Gašević Dragan
Published: November 2022

Background

Online learning has grown significantly during the past two decades, and COVID‐19 pandemic has expedited this process. However, previous research has shown how academic dishonesty is more prevalent under these modalities. Therefore, there is the challenge of performing trustworthy remote assessments, in order to obtain valid and reliable measures of students' knowledge.

Objectives

The research question that drove this research was: what actions have been proposed in contemporary research to improve remote assessment trustworthiness from a technological and pedagogical perspective?

Methods

We analysed the papers accepted for the special issue titled ‘Trustworthy Assessment and Academic Integrity in Remote Learning’ following a deductive qualitative category coding methodology to find the main approaches.

Results and conclusions

We identified eight approaches to improve trustworthiness in remote assessment: four for exams and high‐stake tests, one exclusively for performance‐based assessments, and three for any type of assessment. Our findings shift attention from academic dishonesty to trustworthy assessment, integrating recent findings of papers accepted to this special issue.

Implications

Our findings deepen current understanding of trustworthy remote assessments, inviting practitioners and researchers to explore different types of assessment methods and different moments related to assessing learning.
Readmission and adverse outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with dementia
Authors: Park Dae Yong , Hu Jiun‐Ruey , Alexander Karen P. , Nanna Michael G.
Published: November 2022

Background

As the population ages, clinicians increasingly encounter ischemic heart disease in patients with underlying dementia. Therefore, we quantified differences in inhospital adverse events and 30‐day readmission rates among patients with and without dementia undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

Using the National Readmissions Database 2017–2018, we identified 755,406 index hospitalizations in which PCI was performed, of which 17,309 (2.3%) had a diagnosis of dementia. After propensity score matching patients with and without dementia, we assessed 30‐day readmission and inhospital adverse events by Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression modeling and compared them with those of other common cardiac (pacemaker placement [PP]) and noncardiac (hip replacement surgery [HRS]) procedures.

Results

Thirty‐day readmission was significantly higher in patients with dementia than patients without dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.60–1.74). Patients with dementia also experienced higher odds of delirium (odds ratio [OR] 4.37, CI 3.69–5.16), inhospital mortality (OR 1.15, CI 1.01–1.30), cardiac arrest (OR 1.19, CI 1.01–1.39), acute kidney injury (OR 1.30, CI 1.21–1.39), and fall (OR 2.51, CI 2.06–3.07). On multivariable Cox modeling, dementia independently predicted 30‐day readmission (HR 1.14, CI 1.07–1.20). The higher readmission risk with PCI (11%) among those with dementia was similar to that of patients undergoing PP (10%), but lower than in those undergoing HRS (41%).

Conclusion

Patients with dementia who undergo PCI experience significantly increased rates of inhospital delirium, mortality, kidney injury, falls, and 30‐day readmission. These adverse outcomes should be considered during shared decision‐making with patients and their families.
Improving performance and self‐efficacy of novice nurses using hybrid simulation‐based mastery learning
Authors: Takashiki Rinko , Komatsu Junko , Nowicki Mari , Moritoki Yuki , Okazaki Mieko , Ohshima Shigetoshi , Hasegawa Hitoshi , Nomura Kyoko , Ouchi Gen , Berg Benjamin W. , Shirakawa Hideko , Nakayama Katsutoshi , Takahashi Naoto
Published: November 2022

Aim

Acute chest pain is a commonly encountered symptom in hospital medical/surgical units; however, almost half of nurses in their second year of clinical experience in our facility have reported struggling to care for acute chest pain patients. We developed, implemented, and examined the effectiveness of a simulation‐based, mastery learning clinical nursing educational program to improve self‐efficacy and performance in caring for patients with acute chest pain.

Methods

The study adopted a single‐site, single‐cohort design using simulation‐based performance assessment and self‐efficacy surveys on a convenience sample of 37 second‐year clinical nurse participants in multi‐stage hybrid mastery learning educational intervention using asynchronous e‐learning, and hands‐on simulation training and assessment with feedback on caring for chest pain patients. Performance assessments and self‐efficacy surveys were administered pre‐, post‐, and 5 months post‐intervention.

Results

Clinical performance on the post‐ and 5 months follow‐up assessments were significantly higher than those for the pre‐test (P < .0001). The self‐efficacy scores for the post‐ and the 5 months follow‐up assessments were significantly higher than the pre‐course scores (P < .0001). Participants' self‐efficacy perceptions were positively correlated with their performances at 5 months post‐intervention.

Conclusion

Performance and self‐efficacy of novice nurses in caring for acute chest pain patients improved significantly with the multi‐stage hybrid mastery learning educational intervention, with improvements retained 5 months post‐intervention. The results suggest the applicability of simulation‐based mastery learning in a clinical setting for novice nurses to attain specific skills, and raise their self‐perception of competence to care for patients in acute settings.
3D differential interference contrast microscopy using polarisation‐sensitive tomographic diffraction microscopy
Authors: Verrier Nicolas , Taddese Asemare Mengistie , Abbessi Riadh , Debailleul Matthieu , Haeberlé Olivier
Published: November 2022

Tomographic diffraction microscopy (TDM) is a generalisation of digital holographic microscopy (DHM), for which the illumination angle onto the sample is fully controlled, which has become a tool of choice for 3D, high‐resolution imaging of unlabelled samples. TDM makes it possible to obtain the optical field in both amplitude and phase for each illumination angle. Proper information reallocation eventually allows for 3D reconstruction of the complex refractive index map. On the other hand, polarisation array sensors (PAS) paves new way for TDM, as vectorial information assessment about the investigated sample. In this contribution, we show an alternative use of this polarisation information based on the phase sensitive nature of TDM. Here, we demonstrated that TDM coupled with PAS can lead to a 3D differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope with almost no experimental configuration modification.
Soap or alcohol‐based products? The effect of hand hygiene on skin characteristics during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Chopin‐Doroteo Mario , Krötzsch Edgar
Published: November 2022

Background

Different strategies for hand skin hygiene have been used to prevent the spread of SARS‐CoV‐2. However, frequent hand sanitization has been associated with skin damage. The present study aimed to evaluate hand hygiene habits during the COVID‐19 pandemic and the effect of the repetitive use of soap or alcohol‐based products on skin characteristics.

Methods

We conducted a survey regards hand hygiene habits acquired during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Also, we performed cutometry in a cohort of individuals who cleansed their volar forearms every 30 min, during 4 h, using soap or alcohol‐based products.

Results

We received 138 responses from people with medium‐high educational level who reported a 2.5‐time increase in the frequency of hand cleansing (p < 0.0001) that resulted in skin damage. An in vivo analysis of skin moisture and elasticity was also performed among 19 health workers and students. In general, skin moisture decreased with every cleansing, mainly after 2 h of washing with soap (p < 0.01), while skin elasticity only reduced after 4 h of treatment (p < 0.05). Alcohol‐based solution or alcohol‐based gel (70% ethanol, both) did not affect skin moisture or elasticity during testing.

Conclusion

It is known that the excessive use of soap or alcohol‐based products causes dermatological issues. The present study demonstrates that non‐medicated soap significantly affects skin moisture and elasticity, probably because the soap removes the hydrolipidic protective barrier, favoring transepidermal water loss, where the lack of the appropriate stratum corneum hydration also affects skin elasticity, mainly associated with changes in epidermal structure.
Influence of preconception carbohydrate intake on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: The Japan Environment and Children's Study
Authors: Omoto Takahiro , Kyozuka Hyo , Murata Tsuyoshi , Imaizumi Karin , Yamaguchi Akiko , Fukuda Toma , Isogami Hirotaka , Yasuda Shun , Sato Akiko , Ogata Yuka , Shinoki Kosei , Hosoya Mitsuaki , Yasumura Seiji , Hashimoto Koichi , Nishigori Hidekazu , Fujimori Keiya ,   the Japan Environment and Children's Study Group
Published: November 2022

Aim

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a crucial cause of morbidity and mortality. We aimed to examine whether preconception carbohydrate intake is associated with new‐onset HDP and small for gestational age (SGA) births.

Methods

We identified 93 265 normotensive (primiparous, 37 387; multiparous, 55 878) participants from the Japan Environmental Children's Study database who delivered between 2011 and 2014. After excluding participants with multiple gestations, preconception hypertension, and insufficient data, primiparous and multiparous participants were categorized into five groups according to their preconception carbohydrate‐intake quintiles (Q1 and Q5 were the lowest and highest groups, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the effect of preconception carbohydrate intake on early (<34 weeks) and late‐onset (≥34 weeks) HDP and the incidence of SGA births.

Results

With the middle carbohydrate intake group (Q3) as a reference, the risk for late‐onset HDP among multiparous women was higher in the Q5 group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.69). The incidence of SGA births was higher in the Q1 group among both primiparous (aOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.33) and multiparous women (aOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02–1.32).

Conclusions

Excessive carbohydrate intake increases the incidence of HDP in multiparous women, while low‐carbohydrate intake increases the incidence of SGA births. New recommendations for preconception carbohydrate intake are required to prevent major HDP‐related complications.
Feeling unloved is the most robust sign of adolescent depression linking to family communication patterns
Authors: Zhou Han‐yu , Zhu Wen‐qi , Xiao Wen‐yi , Huang Ya‐ting , Ju Kang , Zheng Hong , Yan Chao
Published: November 2022

Using network analysis, this study investigated how family communication patterns (Conversation and Conformity) were related to and predictive of adolescent overall depression severity and specific symptoms. A community sample of adolescents (10–17 years, n = 1327) completed the Children's Depression Inventory and the Revised Family Communication Pattern Instrument. Depressive symptoms were also re‐assessed 6 months later. Results showed that Conversation orientation protected against, whereas Conformity orientation increased the risk of adolescent depression. Family communication particularly influenced the child's feeling of being unloved, and feeling unloved was the only symptom prospectively predicted by two communication orientations at baseline. These findings revealed the path linking family factors to adolescent depression and may have implications for future family‐based interventions.
COVID‐19‐Related Facilitators and Barriers to In‐Person Learning for Children With Intellectual and Development Disabilities
Authors: Vestal Liz E. , Schmidt Ann M. , Dougherty Nikole L. , Sherby Michael R. , Newland Jason G , Mueller Nancy B. ,   for the COMPASS‐T Study Group
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND

Schools provide essential functions for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), but their vulnerability to infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 are a barrier to in‐person learning. This qualitative study aimed to understand how weekly SARS‐CoV‐2 screening testing of students and staff could best facilitate in‐school learning during the pandemic.

METHODS

Thirty‐one focus groups were held with school staff and parents of children with IDD to examine the perceptions of COVID‐19 during the 2020‐2021 school year. Responses were analyzed using a directed thematic content analysis approach.

RESULTS

Five principal themes were identified: risks of returning to in‐person learning; facilitators and barriers to participation in SARS‐CoV‐2 screening testing; messaging strategies; and preferred messengers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY

Staff and families agreed that saliva‐based SARS‐CoV‐2 screening testing helps increase comfort with in‐person learning. Screening testing increased family and school staff comfort with in‐person learning particularly because many students with special needs cannot adhere to public health guidelines.

CONCLUSION

To keep children with IDD in school during the pandemic, families found SARS‐CoV‐2 screening testing important, particularly for students that cannot adhere to mitigation guidelines.
A Collaborative Analysis of Trends in Referrals to the Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program from 2013 to 2018
Authors: Sekhar Deepa L. , Schaefer Eric W. , Hoke Alicia M. , Rosen Perri , Chuzie Roberta A. , Milakovic Dana M.
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND

The Student Assistance Program (SAP) is mandated kindergarten to 12th grade in Pennsylvania schools to address barriers to student academic success. Following student referral, SAP teams use a systematic process to inform recommendations for school or community‐based services. To evaluate program outcomes, a review of student SAP referral trends over a 5‐year period was undertaken.

METHODS

The Pennsylvania Network for Student Assistance Services (PNSAS), the state leadership providing oversight of SAP, partnered with Penn State College of Medicine in a retrospective analysis of student referral data from 2013 to 2018. Public school enrollment demographics were used for comparison. Frequencies and percentages were calculated.

RESULTS

Referrals (total n = 352,640) increased by 24% over the 5 years; demographics 55% male, 69% non‐Hispanic white, 16% non‐Hispanic black, and 10% Hispanic. Referrals were most commonly for behavioral concerns (31%). Discontinued referrals (39%) were primarily for parent refusal/no permission. Trends included rising minority and elementary referrals over the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

SAP referral demographics were consistent with state public school enrollment race/ethnicity breakdown suggesting lack of systematic bias. The proportion of behavioral referrals was consistent with rising youth behavioral health needs. PNSAS must consider strategies to support rising referral numbers and trends.
Shared reading: Parental attitudes, practices and barriers in Turkey
Authors: Celik Pelin , Ozdereli Zeynep , Bayram Sen Meltem , Karakutuk Ayse , Baykal Altunkaya Gokce , Celenk Nuran
Published: November 2022

Aim

Understanding the nature of parent–child shared reading (SR) practices is important to reach children's developmental potential and subsequent achievement. We evaluated the parental attitudes and practices, associated variables and barriers related to SR.

Methods

This prospective study enrolled 624 parents of children aged 1–72 months who presented to a tertiary hospital for well‐child care or acute minor illness. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted using a questionnaire.

Results

The median age for starting SR was 12 (0–72) months. Daily SR activities were provided by 29.5% of the parents. Owning >10 children's books, higher socioeconomic status, attending pre‐school/kindergarten and being a single child were associated with daily reading (P < 0.001). In total, 36.5% of the parents reported that they had not yet started SR and planned to start SR when their children reached a median age of 20.5 (2–72) months. The most commonly reported barriers were time constraints and the perception that their child was too young. Almost 10% of the parents had received an SR recommendation. Parents who had received a recommendation and those who had a habit of self‐reading multiple times a week were more likely to begin SR at younger child age and to read daily (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated low rates of parent–child SR activities in early childhood, particularly in the first years of life, in Turkey. Our findings emphasise the need for a national strategy integrated into the healthcare system to promote SR.
Application of comprehensive score of risk factors to determine the best time for surgical intervention in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Rao Hongping , Xie Yanmei , Zhou Yuxiang , Liao Zhihang
Published: November 2022

Aim

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe digestive systemic disease. Surgery is critical treatment for NEC patients. However, it is still hard to predict the optimal timing of surgery. Our study aimed to explore the indicative effect of comprehensive risk factors method in surgical intervention in NEC patients.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was made on newborns with NEC, who were divided into group I (patients with NEC conservative therapeutic approach or no necrosis or perforation found in NEC operation) and group II (patients with necrosis or perforation found in NEC operation or failure of NEC conservative approach). Clinical manifestations and complications were recorded and the risk factors scores were calculated. The receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden index were calculated.

Results

One hundred and six NEC patients in Huizhou Central People's hospital were analysed. Significant difference was observed in the comprehensive scores of the two groups to judge the indications of NEC surgery. Among the risk factors of NEC surgery, the incidence specificity of abdominal induration, abdominal tenderness, hypotension and pneumoperitoneum was 100% in group II. The area under the curve of the comprehensive score of risk factors was 0.981 (95% confidence interval 0.958–1.000). The best cutoff value obtained by the maximum Youden index is 3.5 (sensitivity 97.2%; specificity 52.8%). When the specificity is 100%, the best interception value is 7.5 (sensitivity 91.4%; specificity 100%). Complications such as surgical intervention, mortality, stenosis after conservative treatment, perforation or necrosis during surgery were significantly different in different comprehensive scores.

Conclusions

Abdominal induration, abdominal tenderness, hypotension and pneumoperitoneum are independent predictors of NEC surgery. Comprehensive risk factors score may be a potentially useful clinical decision‐making tool for NEC surgery.
Phraseological Use and Development During a Stay Abroad: Exploring Sensitivity to Frequency and Cue Contingency
Authors: Edmonds Amanda , Gudmestad Aarnes
Published: November 2022

Usage‐based approaches to additional‐language acquisition have identified numerous determinants of language learning, two of which were the focus of our study: frequency and cue contingency. Specifically, we examined how an immersion experience may impact sensitivity to these two determinants as reflected in the production of 4,808 pairs of nouns (N) and adjectives (ADJ) by 50 anglophone learners of Spanish and French. We analyzed the use of N/ADJ combinations using mixed linear regressions for frequency and two measures of delta P, a unidirectional measure of lexical association strength reflecting cue contingency. In all three models, we explored the impact of time and four additional variables: task, initial proficiency, target language, and phraseological unit. Our analysis revealed stasis over time. Additionally, our analysis revealed phraseological unit, task, and target language each to be significant in at least one model; initial proficiency did not contribute to significantly predicting phraseological use.
Methane supply drives prokaryotic community assembly and networks at cold seeps of the South China Sea
Authors: Niu Mingyang , Deng Longhui , Su Lei , Ruff S. Emil , Yang Na , Luo Min , Qi Qi , Li Jiangtao , Wang Fengping
Published: November 2022

Marine cold seeps are unique chemosynthetic habitats fuelled by deeply sourced hydrocarbon‐rich fluids discharged at the seafloor. Through oxidizing methane and other hydrocarbons, microorganisms inhabiting cold seeps supply subsurface‐derived energy to higher trophic levels, sustaining highly productive oases of life in the deep sea. Despite the central role of microbiota in mediating biogeochemical cycles, the factors that govern the assembly and network of prokaryotic communities in cold seeps remain poorly understood. Here we analysed the geochemical and microbiological profiles of 11 different sediment cores from two spatially distant cold seeps of the South China Sea. We show that prokaryotic communities belonging to the same methane‐supply regimes (high‐methane‐supply, low‐methane‐supply and non‐seep control sediments) had a highly similar community structure, regardless of geographical location, seep‐associated biota (mussel, clam, microbial mat) and sediment depth. Methane supply appeared to drive the niche partitioning of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) at the regional scale, with ANME‐1 accounting for >60% sequence abundance of ANME in the high‐methane‐supply sediments, while ANME‐2 dominated (>90%) the low‐methane‐supply sediments. Increasing methane supply enhanced the contribution of environmental selection but lessened the contributions of dispersal limitation and drift to overall community assembly. High methane supply, moreover, promoted a more tightly connected, less stable prokaryotic network dominated by positive correlations. Together, these results provide a potentially new framework for understanding the niches and network interplay of prokaryotic communities across different methane seepage regimes in cold‐seep sediments.
Profile evaluation of rail joint in a 3‐m wavelength based on unsupervised learning
Authors: Cong Jianli , Yan Xue , Chen Rong , Gao Mingyuan , An Boyang , Tang Huiyue , Wang Yuan , Wang Ping
Published: November 2022

Previously, electronic straightedges with a length of 1 m were widely used to measure the longitudinal profiles of rail joints. However, owing to the lack of an efficient measurement device, rail joints with 3‐m wavelengths are seldom studied. In this study, a rail measurement trolley based on the chord‐reference method was developed with a measurement wavelength of up to 3 m. A field measurement was performed on a 53‐km metro line, and the waveforms of 4340 rail joints were obtained. First, to visualize the distribution of the dataset and to find out the common features, t‐distributed stochastic neighbor embedding dimensionality reduction was applied to the rail joint dataset, and each rail joint waveform was mapped to a point in a two‐dimensional space. Second, K‐means was applied to the rail joint dataset, and six categories of rail joints were obtained. The results indicated that there are two types of rail joints: M‐type and W‐type, accounting for 18.41% and 76.08% of the total number of joints, respectively, and the remainder are bolted rail joints. Third, to better evaluate rail joint status, the concept of rail joint triangle (RJT) is proposed, and five shape‐based features of a rail joint in 3‐m wavelength are defined. Finally, using RJT distribution analysis, we observed that the shape‐based features provide more essential information about a rail joint, such as symmetry, asymmetry, M‐type, or W‐type, compared with conventional indexes such as the quality index. Notably, compared with the waveform of a rail joint at 1 m, a 3‐m waveform provides significantly more essential information, which can be meaningful for future research on the dynamic impact of rail joints, as well as profile grinding around rail joints. To help other researchers follow our research, our dataset is available on Mendeley Data (RWJ‐3 m dataset).
A robust real‐time method for identifying hydraulic tunnel structural defects using deep learning and computer vision
Authors: Li Yangtao , Bao Tengfei , Li Tianyu , Wang Ruijie
Published: November 2022

Robots with cameras provide a non‐contact information acquisition solution for hydraulic tunnels, while manual damage‐related information extraction is time‐consuming and costs labor. This study proposes a robust real‐time framework for identifying hydraulic tunnel underwater structural damage using deep learning and computer vision. First, a high‐performance detector is built via the You Only Look Once v5s and adaptively spatial feature fusion module. A series of comparative experiments are used to explore the setting of the sparsification and pruning ratios to trade off a balance between accuracy and efficiency. Model sparsity ratio of 0.01 with a pruning ratio of 0.3 can be combined to change the weight distribution in the batch normalization layer and reduce network redundant parameters for slimming. Then, model fine‐tuning with knowledge distillation is utilized to recover the accuracy degradation caused by pruning. A hydraulic tunnel is utilized as the case study, and three defects including rust, exfoliation, and calcification precipitate are utilized as research items. The performance of the models was evaluated based on detection accuracy, robustness, and efficiency. Five extreme attributes of underwater scenes, including oblique angles, high brightness, uneven illumination, low visibility, and obstacle interference, were considered to test model generalization and efficacy. Experimental results show it achieves good detection performance in complicated underwater scenes, achieving 0.814 precision, 0.980 recall, 0.889 F1_score, and 0.894 Mean Average Precision (mAP)@0.5 in the test set. Moreover, the proposed method achieved a 50 Frames Per Second (FPS) detection speed when detecting video with 1080p, indicating its real‐time detection capability.
The Hare and the Tortoise: The Race on the Course of L2 Learning
Authors: TEIMOURI YASSER , TABANDEH FARHAD , TAHMOURESI SOMAYEH
Published: November 2022

Defined as a combination of perseverance and passion for long‐term goals, grit has been hypothesized to be as important as talent in determining the success of students, adding incremental predictive validity for achievement criteria above and beyond natural or inherent ability. In this study, we tested this hypothesis by comparing the effects of second language (L2) aptitude and L2 grit on L2 achievement. We also explored how age, L2 learning experience, and gender of the students influenced their L2 aptitude and L2 grit levels. The findings showed that L2 aptitude and L2 grit had similar, positive effects in predicting language achievement measures. Moreover, some aspects of the students’ language aptitude and L2 grit were susceptible to change as they aged and gained more L2 learning experiences, but their gender played no reliable part in this regard.
(Re)imagining the idea of India: Contestations about Hindutva among the Indian American diaspora
Authors: Biswas Bidisha
Published: November 2022

This paper explores the motivations and actions of Indian Americans who actively oppose Hindutva, that is, a Hindu nationalist vision for India. Diaspora activists who advocate in favour of progressive values for India tend to be underreported in the media and underanalysed in scholarship. The following study addresses this gap. Based on public records, interviews with activist leaders, and participant‐observation, the paper demonstrates how anti‐Hindutva diaspora actors identify and leverage political opportunities in order to engage in moral signalling in local, national and global spaces. By shining a light on ongoing counternarratives to Hindutva, this study highlights contestations within Indian‐origin communities and challenges monolithic portrayals of diaspora politics.
Disease severity scoring systems in mucosal lichen planus: A systematic review
Authors: Unnikrishnan Sreedevi P. , Rampersaud Edward , Mcgee Alice , Cruickshank Maggie E. , Abu‐Eid Rasha , Hijazi Karolin
Published: November 2022

Several scoring systems have been developed to evaluate disease severity in mucosal lichen planus, but only a few have been validated to ensure reproducible and accurate assessment of disease severity. The current systematic review was undertaken to identify clinical severity scoring systems in mucosal lichen planus that have undergone validity or reliability testing and to describe their operating characteristics. We performed a bibliographic search in five databases from their inception to October 2022 for severity scoring systems in mucosal lichen planus that have undergone validity or reliability tests. Quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools. We have included 118 studies and identified 11 clinical severity scoring systems for oral lichen planus that have undergone validity or reliability testing. Of these, the most reported were the Thongprasom score, the Oral Disease Severity Score (ODSS) and the REU (Reticular/hyperkeratotic, Erosive/erythematous, Ulcerative) scoring systems. We did not identify clinical scoring systems for extraoral mucosal lichen planus that have undergone validity or reliability testing. The ODSS and REU scoring systems have undergone the highest number of validation attempts and reliability assessments for oral lichen planus respectively. However, we have identified numerous factors that have hampered the universal adoption of a standardised scoring system. There is a need for the development and validation of scoring systems for extraoral mucosal lichen planus.
Out‐of‐hospital health care costs of childhood food allergy in Australia: A population‐based longitudinal study
Authors: Hua Xinyang , Dalziel Kim , Brettig Tim , Dharmage Shyamali C. , Lowe Adrian , Perrett Kirsten P. , Peters Rachel L. , Ponsonby Anne‐Louise , Tang Mimi L. K. , Koplin Jennifer
Published: November 2022

Background

Australia has one of the highest prevalence of childhood food allergy in the world, but there are no data on its economic burden in Australia.

Methods

We used data from the HealthNuts study, a population‐based longitudinal study undertaken in Melbourne, Australia. Infants were recruited at age 12 months between Sept 2007 and Aug 2011 with food allergy diagnosed using oral food challenges. Health care costs of out‐of‐hospital services were collected through data linkage to Australia's universal health insurance scheme Medicare. Two‐part model was used to compare costs after controlling for potential confounders.

Results

2919 children were included, and 390 (13.4%) had challenge‐confirmed food allergy at age 1 year. Compared with children without food allergy, children with food allergy had significantly higher costs for GP visits, specialist visits, tests, and prescriptions in the first four years of life. The total Medicare cost associated with food allergy from age 1 to 4 years was estimated to be AUD$889.7 (95% CI $566.1–$1188.3) or €411.0 (95% CI €261.5–€549.0) per child. This was projected into an annual Medicare cost of AUD$26.1 million (95% CI $20.1–$32.3 million) or €12.1 (95% CI €9.3–€14.9 million) based on population size in 2020.

Conclusions

Childhood food allergy causes considerable Medicare costs for out‐of‐hospital services in the first four years after birth in Australia. These findings can help anticipate the financial impact on the health care system associated with childhood food allergy, act as a useful costing resource for future evaluations, and inform management of childhood food allergy internationally.
Can we work more safely and healthily with robot partners? A human‐friendly robot–human‐coordinated order fulfillment scheme
Authors: Sheu Jiuh‐Biing , Choi Tsan‐Ming
Published: November 2022

This work addresses the issue of intelligent robot–human‐coordinated parts‐to‐picker order fulfillment carried out in a human‐friendly manner. One unique feature of the proposed approach involves integrating a real‐time data‐driven stochastic‐dynamic model with a fatigue accumulation function. The optimal solutions help achieve coordination between human pickers and robots, such that robots can agilely adapt to the coordinated pickers’ efficiency and fatigue conditions. Specifically, the proposed method estimates human pickers’ instantaneous performance and robot queue lengths, which are then fed back in real time as indexes to adjust robots’ speeds of handling racks and moving them to human pickers. Using data that are provided by a giant electronic commerce (e‐commerce) company, our analyses demonstrate that the proposed robot–picker coordination system permits alleviating a picker's fatigue without much influence on picking efficiency. In particular, a picker's accumulated fatigue can be reduced by 53.74% at the expense of lowering picker efficiency by 14.79% if the proposed robot–picker coordination system is applied in the focal firm of the study case. Through our scenario design and sensitivity analysis, additional findings and managerial insights, including the rules of human‐friendly robot behaviors for coordination with human pickers in different operational scenarios are provided. They facilitate the development of “human‐friendly” intelligent robot‐human‐coordinated order‐fulfillment systems for intelligent logistics operations.
Carotenoids modulate stress tolerance and immune responses in aquatic animals
Authors: Lim Keng Chin , Yusoff Fatimah Md. , Karim Murni , Natrah Fatin M. I.
Published: November 2022

Aquaculture continues to expand swiftly and remains the fastest‐growing food industry worldwide amidst ever‐present threats from chronic stressors and emerging diseases. Nutrition plays a pivotal role in the profitability and viability of the aquaculture industry that steered a paradigm shift to therapeutic nutrition. Carotenoids, also termed tetraterpenoids, have garnered considerable attention owing to their therapeutic attributes and immeasurable health benefits, which incited a surge in global demand. These biological pigments are recognized to promote immune systems and antioxidant defence mechanisms in both aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates. This review brings forth existing scientific evidence and underscores the notable roles of carotenoids as biologically active constituents with anti‐stress and immunostimulatory potentials in farmed aquatic animals whilst explicating possible mechanisms of action. Empirical data unequivocally established the modulatory functions of carotenoids on endogenous antioxidant enzymes, innate and adaptive arms of the immune response, as well as the expression of multiple antioxidant and immune‐related genes. The comprehensive information presented is beneficial to deepen our understanding of the utilization of carotenoids as potent stress alleviators and immunostimulants in cultured aquatic animals, which is translated into improved health. Advancements in aquatic animal health and welfare could principally contribute to reconstructing a more sustainable aquaculture industry. This article may be useful for subsequent investigations towards further advances in research and innovation to a greener blue revolution in solving the challenge of global food security.
Ore‐forming process of the Haigou gold deposit in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt, NE China: Constrains from EPMA and LA‐ICP‐MS analysis of Au‐bearing pyrite
Authors: Chen Yuanlin , Li Huan , Zheng Chaoyang , Elatikpo Safiyanu Muhammad , Cheng Shanlin , Jiang Wenting
Published: November 2022

The Haigou lode deposit, containing 40 t of gold at an average grade of 3.5 g/t, is one of the largest deposits in the Jiapigou gold belt located along the eastern segment of the northern margin of the North China Craton. The deposit comprises 15 gold‐bearing quartz veins hosted in a Carboniferous monzonite–monzogranite stock. Although many studies relating the genesis of this deposit have been carried previously, the understanding of ore‐forming process remains controversial. In this study, we combined field geological mapping with petrography, Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) and in situ LA‐ICP‐MS analysis of gold‐bearing pyrite to provide new insight into the genesis of the gold deposit. Our results show that Au in the Haigou gold deposit mainly exists in the form of native gold. LA‐ICP‐MS in situ multi‐element mapping shows that Au has a significant positive correlation with Ag, Te, Bi and Pb in Au‐bearing pyrite, indicating that these elements co‐precipitated with Au in pyrite lattice. The ore‐forming fluid existed under medium to low temperature, aiding complexing of the gold with sulfur, chlorine, and tellurium. Decoupling of sulfide and telluride complexes facilitated gold precipitation in the Haigou area. The abundance of lead and nickel tellurides in the Haigou gold deposits with general absence of tellurium in native gold is indicative of expulsion of tellurium through boiling during the process of fluid migration and evolution. Also, coexistence of Bi in native gold indicates that they were at Au–Bi eutectic. The gold‐bearing pyrite is characterized by dispersed magnetite in and around the fractures. The Au–Te–Bi–Pb element anomalies indicate that fluid oxygen fugacity increases while sulfur fugacity decreases with time, resulting in Au precipitation. Our results provide a new theoretical basis for the establishment of metallogenic model and deep prospecting of the Haigou gold deposit.
Qualitative insights into the acceptance of QGIS in South Africa
Authors: Henrico Susan , Coetzee Serena , Cooper Antony
Published: November 2022

We conducted a study to find out whether and why South African users accepted QGIS. In the quantitative part of the study, we found that QGIS acceptance is primarily influenced by habit, followed by facilitating conditions, price value, and social influence. To better understand and explain these results, we conducted a qualitative study in which semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 12 geospatial practitioners. While a geographic information system (GIS) product was often prescribed by their workplace, interviewees had clear preferences for a specific GIS product for certain kinds of tasks, supporting the finding that habit is the main reason for using a GIS product. Interviewees used QGIS because it opens most data formats and there is one license for all functionality (facilitating conditions), is free (price value), and/or had been advised by someone important (social influence). The interviews revealed why software support (commercial or free) was not significant in the quantitative results: users think GIS support is not necessary or else available online. Identical to the quantitative study, interviews confirmed that customizability, no vendor lock‐in, improved reliability, quality, and security do not play a role when deciding to use QGIS. These qualitative results provide a deeper understanding of the quantitative results and can be used by promotors of open‐source geospatial software to increase uptake. In general, they can also help managers embed new products into any organization's workflows. In our study, interviewees and questionnaire respondents were selected to be users. Repeating the study for GIS developers and/or managers will provide further insight into QGIS acceptance.
Effects of intra‐articular injection of an acellular equine liquid amniotic allograft in healthy equine joints
Authors: Wolkowski Danica D. , McCarthy Robert D. , Schoonover Mike J. , Taylor Jared D. , Eastman Timothy G.
Published: November 2022

Objective

Evaluate effects of acellular equine liquid amnion allograft (ELAA) injected into healthy equine joints.

Study design

Randomized, blinded, controlled experiment.

Animals

Eight healthy adult horses.

Methods

One intercarpal joint (ICJ) of each horse was randomly assigned to be injected with 1.5 ml of ELAA (treatment) while the contralateral ICJ was injected with 1.5 ml of 0.9% NaCl (control). Subjective lameness evaluation, force plate analysis, and synovial fluid analysis, including interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1ra) analysis, were performed before (day 0) and at days 1, 3, 5, and 10. Synovial fluid analysis was also performed on days 20 and 30.

Results

No difference in subjective lameness (P = .75) and no decrease in peak vertical force or vertical impulse were seen in any limb on any day. Total nucleated cell count (TNCC) was increased in treatment joints on days 1 (P = .0007; T: 6039 cells/μl, C: 240 cells/μl) and 3 (P < .0001; T: 1119 cells/μl, C: 240 cells/μl). Log‐10 transformed values for IL‐1ra were higher in treated joints on days 1 (P = .0005; T: 3553.7 pg/ml, C: 1890.1 pg/ml) and 3 (P = .01; T: 2283.2 pg/ml, C: 1250.7 pg/ml).

Conclusion

Injection of ELAA into the ICJ caused an increase in synovial fluid TNCC in comparison with saline control but no lameness was observed. There was increased IL‐1ra on days 1 and 3 after ELAA injection.

Clinical significance

Intra‐articular injection of ELAA into healthy equine joints results in no significant safety concerns. The observed increase in IL‐1ra may provide beneficial effects in inflamed joints.
Social Media & Agenda Melding: Understanding Trump’s Proposed Border Wall
Authors: Spencer Anthony , Croucher Stephen
Published: November 2022

This study explores how belief in social media outlets is an important aspect of agenda melding in an online environment. In this study, the researchers employ agenda melding as a theoretical lens to explore how belief in social media outlet can predict support for the proposed Border Wall. The researchers surveyed 232 people to find out how belief in media outlet contributes to building an online media agenda in the context of immigration. Social media networks continue to grow in influence when it comes to understanding important political issues and the way they manifest themselves in mainstream United States immigration policy.
Changes in cerebral autoregulation and vasoreactivity after surgical aortic valve replacement: a prospective study
Authors: Pedro Tiago , Costa Andreia , Ferreira Juliana , Rocha Ana Luísa , Salgueiro Elson , Pereira Gilberto , Azevedo Elsa , Castro Pedro
Published: November 2022

Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) alters the natural course of severe aortic stenosis (AS). In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of the disease on dynamic cerebral autoregulation and vasoreactivity (VR) and to assess their changes after SAVR. We recruited 23 patients diagnosed with severe AS eligible for SAVR and 15 healthy matched controls. AS patients had lower mean VR to CO2 (P = 0.005) than controls, but dynamic cerebral autoregulation was preserved. Cerebral haemodynamics showed no significant change after SAVR. Patients with smaller baseline aortic valve areas presented with smaller low frequency phase changes after surgery (P = 0.016). Severe AS does not seem to impact dynamic cerebral autoregulation but does reduce VR to CO2. SAVR does not alter cerebral autoregulation nor vasoreactivity.
Disrupted T‐tubular network accounts for asynchronous calcium release in MTM1‐deficient skeletal muscle
Authors: Szentesi Peter , Dienes Beatrix , Kutchukian Candice , Czirjak Tamas , Buj‐Bello Ana , Jacquemond Vincent , Csernoch László
Published: November 2022

In mammalian skeletal muscle, the propagation of surface membrane depolarization into the interior of the muscle fibre along the transverse (T) tubular network is essential for the synchronized release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in response to the conformational change in the voltage‐sensor dihydropyridine receptors. Deficiency in 3‐phosphoinositide phosphatase myotubularin (MTM1) has been reported to disrupt T‐tubules, resulting in impaired SR calcium release. Here confocal calcium transients recorded in muscle fibres of MTM1‐deficient mice were compared with the results from a model where propagation of the depolarization along the T‐tubules was modelled mathematically with disruptions in the network assumed to modify the access and transmembrane resistance as well as the capacitance. If, in simulations, T‐tubules were assumed to be partially or completely inaccessible to the depolarization and RyRs at these points to be prime for calcium‐induced calcium release, all the features of measured SR calcium release could be reproduced. We conclude that the inappropriate propagation of the depolarization into the fibre interior is the initial critical cause of severely impaired SR calcium release in MTM1 deficiency, while the Ca2+‐triggered opening of RyRs provides an alleviating support to the diseased process.

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Key points

Myotubular myopathy is a fatal disease due to genetic deficiency in the phosphoinositide phosphatase MTM1.

Although the causes are known and corresponding gene therapy strategies are being developed, there is no mechanistic understanding of the disease‐associated muscle function failure.

Resolving this issue is of primary interest not only for a fundamental understanding of how MTM1 is critical for healthy muscle function, but also for establishing the related cellular mechanisms most primarily or stringently affected by the disease, which are thus of potential interest as therapy targets.

The mathematical modelling approach used in the present work proves that the disease‐associated alteration of the plasma membrane invagination network is sufficient to explain the dysfunctions of excitation–contraction coupling, providing the first integrated quantitative framework that explains the associated contraction failure.