bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategies for the Development of Music Education Philosophy for Preservice Music Teachers: A Literature Review
Authors: Song Julie Myung Ok
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this literature review was to analyze and synthesize pedagogical approaches related to developing music education philosophy for preservice music teachers. The literature that I identified covered procedures and strategies that preservice music teachers could apply to their teaching practice. On my analysis of the existing literature, I categorized the development of a philosophy into a four-stage process of (1) discovery, (2) articulation, (3) application, and (4) reflection and revision. Results found in the literature included clear expectations and practical tools for each stage, such as dialogues, reading, writing, and constructive feedback, providing a critical view of music education philosophy and guidelines for effective teaching. Understanding the four-stage process may help preservice music teachers and music teacher educators to establish a concrete plan for the development of music education philosophy, allowing preservice music teachers to acquire more confidence in their transition to inservice teaching.
Inducible Sbds deletion impairs bone marrow niche capacity to engraft donor bone marrow after transplantation
Authors: Zha Ji , Kunselman Lori K. , Xie Hongbo M. , Ennis Brian , Shah Yash B. , Qin Xia , Fan Jian-Meng , Babushok Daria V. , Olson Timothy S.
Published: October 2021

Bone marrow (BM) niche-derived signals are critical for facilitating engraftment after hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation (HSCT). HSCT is required for restoration of hematopoiesis in patients with inherited BM failure syndromes (iBMFSs). Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) is a rare iBMFS associated with mutations in SBDS. Previous studies have demonstrated that SBDS deficiency in osteolineage niche cells causes BM dysfunction that promotes leukemia development. However, it is unknown whether BM niche defects caused by SBDS deficiency also impair efficient engraftment of healthy donor HSC after HSCT, a hypothesis that could explain morbidity noted after clinical HSCT for patients with SDS. Here, we report a mouse model with inducible Sbds deletion in hematopoietic and osteolineage cells. Primary and secondary BM transplantation (BMT) studies demonstrated that SBDS deficiency within BM niches caused poor donor hematopoietic recovery and specifically poor HSC engraftment after myeloablative BMT. We have also identified multiple molecular and cellular defects within niche populations that are driven by SBDS deficiency and are accentuated by or develop specifically after myeloablative conditioning. These abnormalities include altered frequencies of multiple niche cell subsets, including mesenchymal lineage cells, macrophages, and endothelial cells; disruption of growth factor signaling, chemokine pathway activation, and adhesion molecule expression; and p53 pathway activation and signals involved in cell cycle arrest. Taken together, this study demonstrates that SBDS deficiency profoundly impacts recipient hematopoietic niche function in the setting of HSCT, suggesting that novel therapeutic strategies targeting host niches could improve clinical HSCT outcomes for patients with SDS.
Stories That Make History
Authors: Stephen Lynn
Published: October 2021

From covering the massacre of students at Tlatelolco in 1968 and the 1985 earthquake to the Zapatista rebellion in 1994 and the disappearance of forty-three students in 2014, Elena Poniatowska has been one of the most important chroniclers of Mexican social, cultural, and political life. In Stories That Make History, Lynn Stephen examines Poniatowska's writing, activism, and political participation, using them as a lens through which to understand critical moments in contemporary Mexican history. In her crónicas—narrative journalism written in a literary style featuring firsthand testimonies—Poniatowska told the stories of Mexico's most marginalized people. Throughout, Stephen shows how Poniatowska helped shape Mexican politics and forge a multigenerational political community committed to social justice. In so doing, she presents a biographical and intellectual history of one of Mexico's most cherished writers and a unique history of modern Mexico.
Multisituated
Authors: Sunder Rajan Kaushik
Published: October 2021

In Multisituated Kaushik Sunder Rajan evaluates the promises and potentials of multisited ethnography with regard to contemporary debates around decolonizing anthropology and the university. He observes that at the current moment, anthropology is increasingly peopled by diasporic students and researchers, all of whom are accountable to multiple communities beyond the discipline. In this light, Sunder Rajan draws on his pedagogical experience and dialogues to reconceptualize ethnography as a multisituated practice of knowledge production, ethical interlocution, and political intervention. Such a multisituated ethnography responds to contemporary anthropology’s myriad commitments as it privileges attention to questions of scale, comparison, and the politics of ethnographic encounters. Foregrounding the conditions of possibility and difficulty for those doing and teaching ethnography in the twenty-first-century, Sunder Rajan gestures toward an ethos and praxis of ethnography that would open new forms of engagement and research.
The role of emotional eating and BMI in the context of chocolate consumption and avoiding situations related to body exposure in women of normal weight
Authors: Modrzejewska Adriana , Czepczor-Bernat Kamila , Brytek-Matera Anna
Published: October 2021

Cel pracy

Celem badań było określenie roli jedzenia emocjonalnego oraz wskaźnika masy ciała (BMI) w relacji między pragnieniem konsumpcji czekolady a unikaniem sytuacji społecznych związanych z jedzeniem i ekspozycją ciała u kobiet z prawidłową masą ciała.Testowano efekt bezpośredni, pośredni i buforowy oraz model moderowanej mediacji.

Metoda

Badaniem objęto 311 kobiet. Średnia wieku wyniosła 25,56 lat (SD = 8,99), zaś wskaźnik BMI równy był 23,19 kg/m2 (SD = 5,05). W badaniu wykorzystano Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, Kwestionariusz Postaw wobec Czekolady oraz Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire.

Wyniki

Uzyskane rezultaty pokazują, że pomiędzy jedzeniem emocjonalnym a wskaźnikiem BMI oraz unikaniem sytuacji społecznych związanych z jedzeniem i ekspozycją ciała istnieje słaby dodatni związek. Natomiast silny dodatni związek obserwuje się w odniesieniu do relacji pomiędzy jedzeniem emocjonalnym a pragnieniem spożycia czekolady. Jedzenie emocjonalne jest również istotnym całkowitym mediatorem związku między unikaniem sytuacji społecznych związanych z jedzeniem i ekspozycją ciała a pragnieniem spożycia czekolady. Natomiast, nie moderuje związku między tymi zmiennymi.

Wnioski

Prezentowane wyniki dowodzą, że jedzenie emocjonalne istotnie wiąże się z wskaźnikiem BMI, postawami wobec czekolady i własnego ciała u badanych kobiet z prawidłową masą ciała. Ważnym elementem jest również sam wskaźnik BMI, który wchodzi w interakcję ze stosunkiem wobec własnego ciała oraz jedzenia. Uzyskane wyniki badań dają podstawę, aby wnioskować, że jedzenie emocjonalne oraz wskaźnik masy ciała są znaczącymi elementami, na które należy zwrócić uwagę w zmianie nawyków żywieniowych oraz pracy nad akceptacją własnego ciała.
Progress and stumbling blocks in the discovery of biological and genetic basis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Dmitrzak-Weglarz Monika , Duda Joanna , Słopień Agnieszka
Published: October 2021

Zespół nadpobudliwości psychoruchowej z deficytem uwagi (ADHD) jest jednym z najczęstszych zaburzeń neurorozwojowych, który dotyka około 5% dzieci w wieku szkolnym. Pomimo zdefiniowanych kryteriów diagnostycznych, nie zawsze jesteśmy w stanie postawić diagnozę tak szybko, jak to możliwe i rozpocząć optymalne leczenie. Pomimo szerokiego wachlarza nowoczesnych metod wykorzystywanych w badaniach nadal nie w pełni rozumiemy biologiczne przyczyny rozwoju ADHD. Dlatego kontynuujemy badania mające na celu wyjaśnienie genetycznego i neurobiologicznego podłoża ADHD. W analizie genetycznej badania skupiają się na poszukiwaniu genów ryzyka (np. mutacji, polimorfizmów wariantów CNV), ich transkryptów i białek, jak również mechanizmów modyfikujących ekspresję genów (np. modyfikacje epigenetyczne). W badaniach szczególną uwagę poświęcamy identyfikacji nieinwazyjnych, prostych i tanich biomarkerów obwodowych, niezwykle cennych w diagnostyce, przewidywaniu i monitorowaniu choroby. Praca podsumowuje wiedzę obecny stan dotyczący procesów biologicznych leżących u podstaw ADHD. Wyniki prezentowanych badań molekularnych i neuroobrazowych wskazują wyzwania badacze i możliwości zastosowania klinicznego istotnych biomarkerów genetycznych i niegenetycznych związanych z ADHD.
Heterogeneity of cognitive profiles in students with borderline intellectual functioning
Authors: Jankowska Anna , Łockiewicz Marta , Łada-Maśko Ariadna
Published: October 2021

Cel pracy

Inteligencja niższa niż przeciętna (ang. Borderline Intellectual Functioning - BIF) jest jednostką kliniczną o polietiologicznym podłożu, którą cechuje różnorodność deficytów poznawczych. Celem badania było wyróżnienie i opisanie grup o homogenicznych profilach funkcjonowania poznawczego w heterogenicznej grupie uczniów z inteligencją niższą niż przeciętna.

Metoda

Profile poznawcze 114 uczniów z BIF zostały wyróżnione i scharakteryzowane na podstawie wyników uzyskanych przez badanych w Skali Inteligencji Wechslera dla Dzieci – Wersja Zmodyfikowana.

Wyniki

Przy użyciu hierarchicznej analizy skupień, wyróżniono cztery odmienne profile funkcjonowania poznawczego: a) dzieci z głębokimi deficytami umiejętności werbalnych, a zdolnościami wzrokowo-przestrzennymi na poziomie przeciętnym; b) dzieci z deficytami pamięci krótkotrwałej i uwagi; c) dzieci o profilu ACID, typowym dla trudności w uczeniu się; d) dzieci o ,,spłaszczonym’’ profilu funkcjonowania poznawczego, w którym wszystkie zdolności werbalne i niewerbalne były na poziomie niższym niż przeciętny.

Wnioski

Możliwość zidentyfikowania zarówno mocnych stron, jak i trudności w funkcjonowaniu poznawczym na podstawie odmiennych profili funkcjonowania poznawczego uczniów z BIF, ma istotne znaczenie dla prawidłowego rozpoznania tych uczniów oraz zróżnicowanego podejścia do opracowywania interwencji edukacyjnych i wspierających rozwój.
Numerical and Experimental Study of Inverse Diffusion LPG-Air Flames Pulsation
Authors: Magdy Mahmoud , Kamal Mahmoud , Hamed Ashraf Mostafa , Hussin Ahmed Eldein , Aboelsoud W.
Published: October 2021

This study uses Ansys 16 commercial package to investigate an accurate numerical model that can trace the flame shape from inverse diffusion combustion of LPG with a focus on the effect of air pulsation on the combustion characteristics. The simulation is based on solving the energy, mass and momentum equations. The large eddy simulation turbulence model and the non-premixed combustion model are used to simulate the pulsating combustion reaction flows in a cylindrical chamber with an air frequency of 10,20,50,100 and 200 rad/sec. The numerical results are in great agreement with the experimental results in the flame shape and the temperature distribution along the combustion chamber in both pulsating and non-pulsating combustion. Diffusion combustion responds positively to pulsating combustion and increases mixing in the reaction zone. Increasing the air frequency increases the temperature fluctuations, the peak turbulent kinetic energy and maximum velocity magnitude, respectively, by 27.3%, 300%, and 200%. Increasing the Strouhal number to 0.23 shortens the flame by 40% and reduces nitric oxide and carbon monoxide by 12% and 40%, respectively, including an environmentally friendly combustion product. The maximum average temperature dropped from 1800 K to 1582 K with a very homogeneous temperature distribution along the combustion chamber which is very important for furnaces.
Attention and prediction modulations in expected and unexpected visuospatial trajectories
Authors: Baker Kristen S. , Pegna Alan J. , Yamamoto Naohide , Johnston Patrick
Published: October 2021

Humans are constantly exposed to a rich tapestry of visual information in a potentially changing environment. To cope with the computational burden this engenders, our perceptual system must use prior context to simultaneously prioritise stimuli of importance and suppress irrelevant surroundings. This study investigated the influence of prediction and attention in visual perception by investigating event-related potentials (ERPs) often associated with these processes, N170 and N2pc for prediction and attention, respectively. A contextual trajectory paradigm was used which violated visual predictions and neglected to predetermine areas of spatial interest, to account for the potentially unpredictable nature of a real-life visual scene. Participants (N = 36) viewed a visual display of cued and non-cued shapes rotating in a five-step predictable trajectory, with the fifth and final position of either the cued or non-cued shape occurring in a predictable or unpredictable spatial location. To investigate the predictive coding theory of attention we used factors of attention and prediction, whereby attention was manipulated as either cued or non-cued conditions, and prediction manipulated in either predictable or unpredictable conditions. Results showed both enhanced N170 and N2pc amplitudes to unpredictable compared to predictable stimuli. Stimulus cueing status also increased N170 amplitude, but this did not interact with stimulus predictability. The N2pc amplitude was not affected by stimulus cueing status. In accordance with previous research these results suggest the N170 is in part a visual prediction error response with respect to higher-level visual processes, and furthermore the N2pc may index attention reorientation. The results demonstrate prior context influences the sensitivity of the N170 and N2pc electrophysiological responses. These findings add further support to the role of N170 as a prediction error signal and suggest that the N2pc may reflect attentional reorientation in response to unpredicted stimulus locations.
Distribution, expression and methylation analysis of positively selected genes provides insights into the evolution in Brassica rapa
Authors: Guo Yue , Liu Jing , Wang Xingna , Li Ying , Hou Xilin , Du Jianchang
Published: October 2021

It is believed that positive selection is one of the major evolutionary forces underlying organism phenotypic diversification. Nevertheless, the characteristics of positively selected genes (PSGs), have not been well investigated. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of orthologous genes betweenBrassica rapa(B.rapa) andBrassica oleracea(B.oleracea), and identified 468 putative PSGs. Our data show that, (1) PSGs are enriched in plant hormone signal transduction pathway and the transcription factor family; (2) PSGs are significantly lower expressed than randomly selected non-PSGs; (3) PSGs with tissue specificity are significantly higher expressed in the callus and reproductive tissues (flower and silique) than in vegetable tissues (root, stem and leaf); (4) the proportion of PSGs is positively correlated with the number of retained triplication gene copies, but the expression level of PSGs decay with the increasing of triplication gene copies; (5) the CG and CHG methylation levels of PSGs are significantly higher in introns and UTRs than in the promoter and exon regions; (6) the percent of transposable element is in proportion to the methylation level, and DNA methylation (especially in the CG content) has the tendency to reduce the expression of PSGs. This study provides insights into the characteristics, evolution, function, expression and methylation of PSGs inB.rapa.
Ensemble ecological niche modeling of West Nile virus probability in Florida
Authors: Beeman Sean P. , Morrison Andrea M. , Unnasch Thomas R. , Unnasch Robert S.
Published: October 2021

Ecological Niche Modeling is a process by which spatiotemporal, climatic, and environmental data are analyzed to predict the distribution of an organism. Using this process, an ensemble ecological niche model for West Nile virus habitat prediction in the state of Florida was developed. This model was created through the weighted averaging of three separate machine learning models—boosted regression tree, random forest, and maximum entropy—developed for this study using sentinel chicken surveillance and remote sensing data. Variable importance differed among the models. The highest variable permutation value included mean dewpoint temperature for the boosted regression tree model, mean temperature for the random forest model, and wetlands focal statistics for the maximum entropy mode. Model validation resulted in area under the receiver curve predictive values ranging from good [0.8728 (95% CI 0.8422–0.8986)] for the maximum entropy model to excellent [0.9996 (95% CI 0.9988–1.0000)] for random forest model, with the ensemble model predictive value also in the excellent range [0.9939 (95% CI 0.9800–0.9979]. This model should allow mosquito control districts to optimize West Nile virus surveillance, improving detection and allowing for a faster, targeted response to reduce West Nile virus transmission potential.
The effectiveness of a digital game to improve public perception of dementia: A pretest-posttest evaluation
Authors: Carter Gillian , Brown Wilson Christine , Mitchell Gary
Published: October 2021

The global impact of dementia is a key healthcare priority, and although it is possible to live well with dementia, public perception is often negative. Serious digital games are becoming a credible delivery method to educate/train individuals in the business and health sectors and to challenge perceptions. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital game prototype on individual attitudes towards dementia. A digital game to improve public knowledge and understanding about dementia (www.dementiagame.com) was co-designed with people living with dementia and student nurses. The Game was evaluated using a pretest-posttest design. Participants for the evaluation were recruited via social media in one UK university and completed the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ) before and after playing the game. Overall, 457 individuals completed both pre and post test questionnaires. The total ADQ score demonstrated a significant improvement in positive attitudes (p < 0.001), and both subscales of Hope and Recognition of Personhood also saw significant improvements (p < 0.001). The use of a serious digital game has demonstrated a significant effect on the respondents’ perceptions of dementia. Overall, there was a more positive view of the abilities of people with dementia and what their capabilities were. They were also more likely to be recognised as unique individuals with the same values as any other person. The benefit of using digital gaming to improve perceptions of dementia has been demonstrated, nonetheless further research is required to reach a more diverse population and test as a Randomised Control Trial to provide definitive evidence for use in policy and practice.
Impacts of mild COVID-19 on elevated use of primary and specialist health care services: A nationwide register study from Norway
Authors: Skyrud Katrine Damgaard , Hernæs Kjersti Helene , Telle Kjetil Elias , Magnusson Karin
Published: October 2021

Aim

To explore the temporal impact of mild COVID-19 on need for primary and specialist health care services.

Methods

In all adults (≥20 years) tested for SARS-CoV-2 in Norway March 1st 2020 to February 1st 2021 (N = 1 401 922), we contrasted the monthly all-cause health care use before and up to 6 months after the test (% relative difference), for patients with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 (non-hospitalization, i.e. mild COVID-19) and patients with a negative test (no COVID-19).

Results

We found a substantial short-term elevation in primary care use in all age groups, with men generally having a higher relative increase (men 20–44 years: 522%, 95%CI = 509–535, 45–69 years: 439%, 95%CI = 426–452, ≥70 years: 199%, 95%CI = 180–218) than women (20–44 years: 342, 95%CI = 334–350, 45–69 years = 375, 95%CI = 365–385, ≥70 years: 156%, 95%CI = 141–171) at 1 month following positive test. At 2 months, this sex difference was less pronounced, with a (20–44 years: 21%, 95%CI = 13–29, 45–69 years = 38%, 95%CI = 30–46, ≥70 years: 15%, 95%CI = 3–28) increase in primary care use for men, and a (20–44 years: 30%, 95%CI = 24–36, 45–69 years = 57%, 95%CI = 50–64, ≥70 years: 14%, 95%CI = 4–24) increase for women. At 3 months after test, only women aged 45–70 years still had an increased primary care use (14%, 95%CI = 7–20). The increase was due to respiratory- and general/unspecified conditions. We observed no long-term (4–6 months) elevation in primary care use, and no elevation in specialist care use.

Conclusion

Mild COVID-19 gives an elevated need for primary care that vanishes 2–3 months after positive test. Middle-aged women had the most prolonged increased primary care use.
Effects of a group-based lifestyle medicine for depression: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ip Agnes Ka-Yan , Ho Fiona Yan-Yee , Yeung Wing-Fai , Chung Ka-Fai , Ng Chee H. , Oliver Georgina , Sarris Jerome
Published: October 2021

Given the growing evidence that a range of lifestyle factors are involved in the etiology of depression, a ‘lifestyle medicine’ approach can be potentially safe and cost-effective to prevent or treat depression. To examine the effects and acceptability of a group-based, integrative lifestyle medicine intervention as a standalone treatment for managing depressive symptoms, a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in a Chinese adult population in 2018. Participants (n = 31) with PHQ-9 score above the cut-off of ≥ 10, which was indicative of moderate to severe depression, were recruited from the general community in Hong Kong and randomly assigned to lifestyle medicine group (LM group) or care-as-usual group (CAU group) in a ratio of 1:1. Participants in the LM group received 2-hour group sessions once per week for six consecutive weeks, which covered diet, exercise, mindfulness, psychoeducation, and sleep management. Linear mixed-effects model analyses showed that the LM group had a significant reduction in PHQ-9 scores compared to the CAU group at immediate posttreatment and 12-week posttreatment follow-up (d = 0.69 and 0.73, respectively). Moreover, there were significantly greater improvements in anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms (measured by DASS-21 and ISI) at all time points in the LM group (d = 0.42–1.16). The results suggests that our 6-week group-based, integrative lifestyle intervention program is effective in lowering depressive, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms in the Chinese population. Further studies in clinical populations with a larger sample size and longer follow-up are warranted.
Translation and validation of the Alberta Context Tool for use in Norwegian nursing homes
Authors: Igland Jannicke , Potrebny Thomas , Bendixen Bente E. , Haugstvedt Anne , Espehaug Birgitte , Titlestad Kristine B. , Graverholt Birgitte
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Organizational context is recognized as important for facilitating evidence-based practice and improving patient outcomes. Organizational context is a complex construct to measure and appropriate instruments that can quantify and measure context are needed. The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Alberta Context Tool (ACT) to Norwegian, and to test the reliability and structural validity among registered nurses (RNs) and licenced practice nurses (LPNs) working in nursing homes.

Methods

This study was a validation study utilizing a cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of n = 956 healthcare personnel from 28 nursing homes from a municipality in Norway. In the first stage, the ACT was translated before being administered in 28 nursing homes. In the second stage, internal consistency and structural validity were explored using Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis.

Results

A rigorous forward-and-back translation process was performed including a team of academics, experts, professional translators and the copyright holders, before an acceptable version of the ACT was piloted and finalized. The Norwegian version of the ACT showed good internal consistency with Chronbachs alpha above .75 for all concepts except for Formal interactions where the alpha was .69. Structural validity was acceptable for both RNs and LPNs with factors loadings more than .4 for most items.

Conclusions

The Norwegian version of the ACT is a valid measure of organizational context in Norwegian nursing homes among RNs and LPNs.
Group theoretical analysis for unsteady magnetohydrodynamics flow and radiative heat transfer of power-law nanofluid subject to Navier’s slip conditions
Authors: Javaid Saba , Aziz Asim , Aziz Taha
Published: October 2021

The present work covers the flow and heat transfer model for the Power-law nanofluid in the presence of a porous medium over a penetrable plate. The flow is caused by the impulsive movement of the plate embedded in Darcy’s porous medium. The flow and heat transfer models are examined with the effect of linear thermal radiation in the flow regime. The Rosseland approximation is utilized for the optically thick nanofluid. The governing partial differential equations are solved using Lie symmetry analysis to find the reductions and invariants for the closed-form solutions. These invariants are then utilized to obtain the exact solutions for the shear-thinning, Newtonian, and shear-thickening nanofluids. In the end, all solutions are plotted for theCu-water nanofluid to observe the effect of different emerging flow and heat transfer parameters.
Evaluating the quality of remote sensing products for agricultural index insurance
Authors: Kenduiywo Benson K. , Carter Michael R. , Ghosh Aniruddha , Hijmans Robert J.
Published: October 2021

Agricultural index insurance contracts increasingly use remote sensing data to estimate losses and determine indemnity payouts. Index insurance contracts inevitably make errors, failing to detect losses that occur and issuing payments when no losses occur. The quality of these contracts and the indices on which they are based, need to be evaluated to assess their fitness as insurance, and to provide a guide to choosing the index that best protects the insured. In the remote sensing literature, indices are often evaluated with generic model evaluation statistics such as R2 or Root Mean Square Error that do not directly consider the effect of errors on the quality of the insurance contract. Economic analysis suggests using measures that capture the impact of insurance on the expected economic well-being of the insured. To bridge the gap between the remote sensing and economic perspectives, we adopt a standard economic measure of expected well-being and transform it into a Relative Insurance Benefit (RIB) metric. RIB expresses the welfare benefits derived from an index insurance contract relative to a hypothetical contract that perfectly measures losses. RIB takes on its maximal value of one when the index contract offers the same economic benefits as the perfect contract. When it achieves none of the benefits of insurance it takes on a value of zero, and becomes negative if the contract leaves the insured worse off than having no insurance. Part of our contribution is to decompose this economic well-being measure into an asymmetric loss function. We also argue that the expected well-being measure we use has advantages over other economic measures for the normative purpose of insurance quality ascertainment. Finally, we illustrate the use of the RIB measure with a case study of potential livestock insurance contracts in Northern Kenya. We compared 24 indices that were made with 4 different statistical models and 3 remote sensing data sources. RIB for these indices ranged from 0.09 to 0.5, and R2 ranged from 0.2 to 0.51. While RIB and R2 were correlated, the model with the highest RIB did not have the highest R2. Our findings suggest that, when designing and evaluating an index insurance program, it is useful to separately consider the quality of a remote sensing-based index with a metric like the RIB instead of a generic goodness-of-fit metric.
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Palestinian population: A primary health center-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Maraqa Beesan , Basha Walid , Khayyat Rasha , Abdul-Hadi Abdul-Rahman , Jabareen Jurouh , Al-Shakhra Kamal , Al-Kaila Mai , Nazzal Zaher
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) total antibodies in the north, middle, and south regions of West Bank and the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies (IgA, IgM, and IgG) in the Palestinian population. This was a cross-sectional study. The serological and epidemiological data of 1269 persons were assessed. Participants were selected randomly among primary health care center attendees in Palestine between November 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. All serum samples were tested for total antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. IgM, IgG, and IgA-specific antibody titers were measured using ELISA. The overall prevalence (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of SARS-CoV-2 total antibodies and specific antibodies were estimated. A multivariate regression model was used to assess the predictive factors for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 24·0% (95% CI, 21·7%–26·5%). Seroprevalence was significantly higher among people living in south West Bank (adjusted Odds ratio [aOR], 2·22; 95% CI: 1·58–3·11), people who had COVID-19 symptoms (aOR, 3·92; 95% CI, 2·83–5·43), people with a COVID-19 contact history (aOR, 1·44; 95% CI, 1·03–2·03), patients with hypertension (aOR, 1·57; 95% CI, 1·06–2·33), and non-smokers (aOR, 0·47; 95% CI, 0·31–0·72). A total of 171 blood samples from SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were chosen at random for additional serological testing. Specific IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies were positive in 14·0% (95% CI, 9·2%–20·2%), 88·3% (82·5%–92·7%), and 42·1% (34·6%–59·9%) of the samples, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were common among PHC center attendees and were significantly associated to sex, smoking, and COVID-19 contact history. However, considering that almost three-quarters of this population remains susceptible, maintaining public health measures and encouraging access to immunization is critical in protecting this population.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a Latin American country: Results from the ECCOVID multicenter prospective study
Authors: Cordova Ezequiel , Mykietiuk Analia , Sued Omar , De Vedia Lautaro , Pacifico Natalia , Garcia Hernandez Matias H. , Baeza Natalia M. , Garibaldi Franco , Alzogaray Maria Fernanda , Contreras Rosa , Soler Puy Lucrecia , Scapellato Pablo G. , Barcelona Laura , Golikow Mariana L. , Piñeiro Maria Florencia , Miño Hugo J. , Consalvo Maria Fernanda , Nemirovsky Corina , Sanchez Marisa , Cabral Myrna , Lamponi Tappata Lucia , Blasco Mariano , Ballivian Jamile , Lopardo Gustavo , Stryjewski Martin E. ,   on behalf of the ECCOVID study group
Published: October 2021

Background

Clinical features and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infections diverge in different countries. The aim of this study was to describe clinical characteristics and outcomes in a cohort of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 in Argentina.

Methods

Multicenter prospective cohort study of ≥18 years-old patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection consecutively admitted to 19 hospitals in Argentina. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with 30-day mortality and admission to intensive care unit (ICU).

Results

A total of 809 patients were analyzed. Median age was 53 years, 56% were males and 71% had at least one comorbidity. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (32%), obesity (23%) and diabetes (17%). Disease severity at admission was classified as mild 25%, moderate 51%, severe 17%, and critical 7%. Almost half of patients (49%) required supplemental oxygen, 18% ICU, and 12% invasive ventilation. Overall, 30-day mortality was 11%. Factors independently associated with ICU admission were male gender (OR 1.81; 95%CI 1.16–2.81), hypertension (OR 3.21; 95%CI 2.08–4.95), obesity (OR 2.38; 95%CI 1.51–3.7), oxygen saturation ≤93% (OR 6.45; 95%CI 4.20–9.92) and lymphopenia (OR 3.21; 95%CI 2.08–4.95). Factors independently associated with 30-day mortality included age ≥60 years-old (OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.63–4.43), oxygen saturation ≤93% (OR 3.19; 95%CI 1.97–5.16) and lymphopenia (OR 2.65; 95%CI 1.64–4.27).

Conclusions

This cohort validates crucial clinical data on patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 in Argentina.
Effective control of two genotypes of Phytophthora infestans in the field by three oxathiapiprolin fungicidal mixtures
Authors: Cohen Yigal , Rubin Avia E. , Galperin Mariana
Published: October 2021

In two field experiments, performed in 2020 and 2021, potato Nicola plants were sprayed once with three (Exp. 1) or two (Exp. 2) doses of Zorvec Vinabel (oxathiapiprolin+ zoxamide = ZZ), Zorvec Encantia (oxathiapiprolin+ famoxadone = ZF), Zorvec Endavia (oxathiapiprolin+ benthiavalicarb = ZE), Infinito (= INF) or Mefenoxam (= MFX) and thereafter inoculated with genotype 23A1 or 36A2 of Phytophthora infestans. Disease development was recorded at periodic intervals for a month. In both experiments, Zorvec mixtures were significantly more effective in suppressing the disease than INF or MFX. They delayed the onset of the disease and its progress, regardless the genotype used for inoculation. Among the three Zorvec mixtures, ZZ was least effective and ZE most effective. Sensitivity monitoring assays revealed zero mutants of P. infestans resistant to oxathiapiprolin. The data confirmed good efficacy of Zorvec mixtures, especially ZE, in field-grown potato crops as evident by the very effective control of late blight for one month.
Drug resistance and its risk factors among extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Diriba Getu , Tola Habteyes Hailu , Alemu Ayinalem , Yenew Bazezew , Gamtesa Dinka Fikadu , Kebede Abebaw
Published: October 2021

Background

Drug-resistant tuberculosis and extrapulmonary tuberculosis are the world major public health issues. Although some primary studies have been reported on the burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis in extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia, there is no systematic review and meta-analysis that attempt to summarize the available literature. Thus, we aimed to estimates the prevalence of drug-resistance in extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients and summarize the risk factors associated with the occurrence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Ethiopia.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the published primary studies on extrapulmonary drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ethiopia.

Results

Eight observational studies were included in this review from different regions of Ethiopia. The overall pooled prevalence of rifampicin resistance was 6% (95% CI 0.03–0.10), while isoniazid resistance was 7% (95% CI 0.03–0.12). The pooled prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was 4% (95% CI 0.01–0.07). Previous tuberculosis treatment history and male gender are frequently reported risk factors for developing drug-resistant tuberculosis in extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Conclusion

The current review has identified a high proportion of resistance to rifampicin, isoniazid, and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Ethiopia. Clinicians should request drug susceptibility testing for all patients with presumptive extrapulmonary tuberculosis to detect drug-resistance.
Quality assured implementation of the Slovenian breast cancer screening programme
Authors: Jarm Katja , Kadivec Maksimiljan , Šval Cveto , Hertl Kristijana , Primic Žakelj Maja , Dean Peter B. , von Karsa Lawrence , Žgajnar Janez , Gazić Barbara , Kutnar Veronika , Zdešar Urban , Kurir Borovčić Mateja , Zadnik Vesna , Josipović Igor , Krajc Mateja
Published: October 2021

Setting

The organised, population-based breast cancer screening programme in Slovenia began providing biennial mammography screening for women aged 50–69 in 2008. The programme has taken a comprehensive approach to quality assurance as recommended by the European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening and diagnosis (4th edition), including centralized assessment, training and supervision, and proactive monitoring of performance indicators. This report describes the progress of implementation and rollout from 2003 through 2019.

Methods

The screening protocol and key quality assurance procedures initiated during the planning from 2003 and rollout from 2008 of the screening programme, including training of the professional staff, are described. The organisational structure, gradual geographical rollout, and coverage by invitation and examination are presented.

Results

The nationwide programme was up and running in all screening regions by the end of 2017, at which time the nationwide coverage by invitation and examination had reached 70% and 50%, respectively. Nationwide rollout of the population-based programme was complete by the end of 2019. By this time, coverage by invitation and examination had reached 98% and 76%, respectively. The participation rates consistently exceeded 70% from 2014 to 2019.

Conclusions

The successful implementation of the screening programme can be attributed to an independent central management, external guidance, and strict adherence to quality assurance procedures, all of which contributed to increasing governmental and popular support. The benefits of quality assurance have influenced all aspects of breast care and have provided a successful model for multidisciplinary management of other diseases.
The effect of whole body vibration on the sprint ability of Korean national bobsled and skeleton athletes
Authors: Min Seok-Ki , Lee Kwangkyu , Lim Seung-Taek
Published: October 2021

This study aims to find out whether whole body vibration has an effect on the sprint ability to shorten the time of bobsled-skeleton athletes. Seventeen bobsled-skeleton athletes (male = 11, female = 6) were recruited from Korea Winter Olympics National Team. Participants were randomly assigned to either a sprint immediately after whole body vibration or a sprint without whole body vibration protocol during two separate visits by a period of 3 months. To evaluate the effects of the sprint ability, measurements were performed 60-m sprint recorded test. In males, at the 45m (p<0.05) significant faster sprint section record after WBV more than Non-WBV. In females, at the 15m (p<0.05), 30m (p<0.01), 45m (p<0.05), and 60m (p<0.05) significant faster sprint section record after WBV more than Non-WBV. In males, at the 30m (p<0.05), 45m (p<0.05), and 50m (p<0.05) significant faster sprint cumulative record after WBV more than Non-WBV. In females, at the 15m (p<0.05), 30m (p<0.05), 45m (p<0.01), 50m (p<0.01), and 60m (p<0.01) significant faster sprint cumulative record after WBV more than Non-WBV. This study indicated that significant faster after WBV more than Non-WBV in males and females bobsled-skeleton athletes.
Toward a methodology for evaluating DNA variants in nuclear families
Authors: Miller Dustin B. , Robison Reid , Piccolo Stephen R.
Published: October 2021

The genetic underpinnings of most pediatric-cancer cases are unknown. Population-based studies use large sample sizes but have accounted for only a small proportion of the estimated heritability of pediatric cancers. Pedigree-based studies are infeasible for most human populations. One alternative is to collect genetic data from a single nuclear family and use inheritance patterns within the family to filter candidate variants. This approach can be applied to common and rare variants, including those that are private to a given family or to an affected individual. We evaluated this approach using genetic data from three nuclear families with 5, 4, and 7 children, respectively. Only one child in each nuclear family had been diagnosed with cancer, and neither parent had been affected. Diagnoses for the affected children were benign low-grade astrocytoma, Wilms tumor (stage 2), and Burkitt’s lymphoma, respectively. We used whole-genome sequencing to profile normal cells from each family member and a linked-read technology for genomic phasing. For initial variant filtering, we used global minor allele frequencies, deleteriousness scores, and functional-impact annotations. Next, we used genetic variation in the unaffected siblings as a guide to filter the remaining variants. As a way to evaluate our ability to detect variant(s) that may be relevant to disease status, the corresponding author blinded the primary author to affected status; the primary author then assigned a risk score to each child. Based on this evidence, the primary author predicted which child had been affected in each family. The primary author’s prediction was correct for the child who had been diagnosed with a Wilms tumor; the child with Burkitt’s lymphoma had the second-highest risk score among the seven children in that family. This study demonstrates a methodology for filtering and evaluating candidate genomic variants and genes within nuclear families that may merit further exploration.
Direct costs of managing in-ward dengue patients in Sri Lanka: A prospective study
Authors: Sigera Chathurani , Rodrigo Chaturaka , de Silva Nipun L. , Weeratunga Praveen , Fernando Deepika , Rajapakse Senaka
Published: October 2021

Introduction

The cost in managing hospitalised dengue patients varies across countries depending on access to healthcare, management guidelines, and state sponsored subsidies. For health budget planning, locally relevant, accurate costing data from prospective studies, is essential.

Objective

To characterise the direct costs of managing hospitalised patients with suspected dengue infection in Sri Lanka.

Methods

Colombo Dengue Study is a prospective single centre cohort study in Sri Lanka recruiting suspected hospitalised dengue fever patients in the first three days of fever and following them up until discharge. The diagnosis of dengue is retrospectively confirmed and the cohort therefore has a group of non-dengue fever patients with a phenotypically similar illness, managed as dengue while in hospital. The direct costs of hospital admission (base and investigation costs, excluding medication) were calculated for all recruited patients and compared between dengue and non-dengue categories as well as across subgroups (demographic, clinical or temporal) within each of these categories. We also explored if excluding dengue upfront, would lead to an overall cost saving in several hypothetical scenarios.

Results

From October 2017 to February 2020, 431 adult dengue patients and 256 non-dengue fever patients were recruited. The hospitalisation costs were USD 18.02 (SD: 4.42) and USD 17.55 (SD: 4.09) per patient per day for dengue and non-dengue patients respectively (p>0.05). Laboratory investigations (haematological, biochemical and imaging) accounted for more than 50% of the total cost. The costs were largely homogenous in all subgroups within or across dengue and non-dengue categories. Excluding dengue upfront by subsidised viral genomic testing may yield overall cost savings for non-dengue patients.

Conclusion

As non-dengue patients incur a similar cost per day as the dengue patients, confirming dengue diagnosis using subsidised tests for patients presenting in the first three days of fever may be cost-efficient.
Task-driven assessment of experimental designs in diffusion MRI: A computational framework
Authors: Epstein Sean C. , Bray Timothy J. P. , Hall-Craggs Margaret A. , Zhang Hui
Published: October 2021

This paper proposes a task-driven computational framework for assessing diffusion MRI experimental designs which, rather than relying on parameter-estimation metrics, directly measures quantitative task performance. Traditional computational experimental design (CED) methods may be ill-suited to experimental tasks, such as clinical classification, where outcome does not depend on parameter-estimation accuracy or precision alone. Current assessment metrics evaluate experiments’ ability to faithfully recover microstructural parameters rather than their task performance. The method we propose addresses this shortcoming. For a given MRI experimental design (protocol, parameter-estimation method, model, etc.), experiments are simulated start-to-finish and task performance is computed from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and associated summary metrics (e.g. area under the curve (AUC)). Two experiments were performed: first, a validation of the pipeline’s task performance predictions against clinical results, comparing in-silico predictions to real-world ROC/AUC; and second, a demonstration of the pipeline’s advantages over traditional CED approaches, using two simulated clinical classification tasks. Comparison with clinical datasets validates our method’s predictions of (a) the qualitative form of ROC curves, (b) the relative task performance of different experimental designs, and (c) the absolute performance (AUC) of each experimental design. Furthermore, we show that our method outperforms traditional task-agnostic assessment methods, enabling improved, more useful experimental design. Our pipeline produces accurate, quantitative predictions of real-world task performance. Compared to current approaches, such task-driven assessment is more likely to identify experimental designs that perform well in practice. Our method is not limited to diffusion MRI; the pipeline generalises to any task-based quantitative MRI application, and provides the foundation for developing future task-driven end-to end CED frameworks.
CCRK/CDK20 regulates ciliary retrograde protein trafficking via interacting with BROMI/TBC1D32
Authors: Noguchi Tatsuro , Nakamura Kentaro , Satoda Yuuki , Katoh Yohei , Nakayama Kazuhisa
Published: October 2021

CCRK/CDK20 was reported to interact with BROMI/TBC1D32 and regulate ciliary Hedgehog signaling. In various organisms, mutations in the orthologs of CCRK and those of the kinase ICK/CILK1, which is phosphorylated by CCRK, are known to result in cilia elongation. Furthermore, we recently showed that ICK regulates retrograde ciliary protein trafficking and/or the turnaround event at the ciliary tips, and that its mutations result in the elimination of intraflagellar transport (IFT) proteins that have overaccumulated at the bulged ciliary tips as extracellular vesicles, in addition to cilia elongation. However, how these proteins cooperate to regulate ciliary protein trafficking has remained unclear. We here show that the phenotypes ofCCRK-knockout (KO) cells closely resemble those ofICK-KO cells; namely, the overaccumulation of IFT proteins at the bulged ciliary tips, which appear to be eliminated as extracellular vesicles, and the enrichment of GPR161 and Smoothened on the ciliary membrane. The abnormal phenotypes ofCCRK-KO cells were rescued by the exogenous expression of wild-type CCRK but not its kinase-dead mutant or a mutant defective in BROMI binding. These results together indicate that CCRK regulates the turnaround process at the ciliary tips in concert with BROMI and probably via activating ICK.
Covid 19 Pandemic Mitigation in Indonesia
Authors: Alkatiri Zeffry
Published: October 2021

Reviewing Mas`udi, W. & Winanti., P. W. (2020). Tata Kelola Penanganan COVID-19 di Indonesia: Kajian Awal. Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada University Press.