bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Context-specific emergence and growth of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant
Authors: McCrone John T. , Hill Verity , Bajaj Sumali , Pena Rosario Evans , Lambert Ben C. , Inward Rhys , Bhatt Samir , Volz Erik , Ruis Christopher , Dellicour Simon , Baele Guy , Zarebski Alexander E. , Sadilek Adam , Wu Neo , Schneider Aaron , Ji Xiang , Raghwani Jayna , Jackson Ben , Colquhoun Rachel , O’Toole Áine , Peacock Thomas P. , Twohig Kate , Thelwall Simon , Dabrera Gavin , Myers Richard ,   The COVID-19 genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium, Faria Nuno R. , Huber Carmen , Bogoch Isaac I. , Khan Kamran , du Plessis Louis , Barrett Jeffrey C. , Aanensen David M. , Barclay Wendy S. , Chand Meera , Connor Thomas , Loman Nicholas J. , Suchard Marc A. , Pybus Oliver G. , Rambaut Andrew , Kraemer Moritz U.G.
Published: December 2021

The Delta variant of concern of SARS-CoV-2 has spread globally causing large outbreaks and resurgences of COVID-19 cases1–3. The emergence of Delta in the UK occurred on the background of a heterogeneous landscape of immunity and relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions4,5. Here we analyse 52,992 Delta genomes from England in combination with 93,649 global genomes to reconstruct the emergence of Delta, and quantify its introduction to and regional dissemination across England, in the context of changing travel and social restrictions. Through analysis of human movement, contact tracing, and virus genomic data, we find that the focus of geographic expansion of Delta shifted from India to a more global pattern in early May 2021. In England, Delta lineages were introduced >1,000 times and spread nationally as non-pharmaceutical interventions were relaxed. We find that hotel quarantine for travellers from India reduced onward transmission from importations; however the transmission chains that later dominated the Delta wave in England had been already seeded before restrictions were introduced. In England, increasing inter-regional travel drove Delta’s nationwide dissemination, with some cities receiving >2,000 observable lineage introductions from other regions. Subsequently, increased levels of local population mixing, not the number of importations, was associated with faster relative growth of Delta. Among US states, we find that regions that previously experienced large waves also had faster Delta growth rates, and a model including interactions between immunity and human behaviour could accurately predict the rise of Delta there. Delta’s invasion dynamics depended on fine scale spatial heterogeneity in immunity and contact patterns and our findings will inform optimal spatial interventions to reduce transmission of current and future VOCs such as Omicron.
Vandetanib Reduces Inflammatory Cytokines and Ameliorates COVID-19 in Infected Mice
Authors: Puhl Ana C. , Gomes Giovanni F. , Damasceno Samara , Fritch Ethan J. , Levi James A. , Johnson Nicole J. , Scholle Frank , Premkumar Lakshmanane , Hurst Brett L. , LeeMontiel Felipe , Veras Flavio P. , Batah Sabrina S. , Fabro Alexandre T. , Moorman Nathaniel J. , Yount Boyd L. , Dickmander Rebekah , Baric Ralph , Pearce Kenneth H. , Cunha Fernando Q. , Alves-Filho José C. , Cunha Thiago M. , Ekins Sean
Published: December 2021

The portfolio of SARS-CoV-2 small molecule drugs is currently limited to a handful that are either approved (remdesivir), emergency approved (dexamethasone, baricitinib) or in advanced clinical trials. We have tested 45 FDA-approved kinase inhibitorsin vitroagainst murine hepatitis virus (MHV) as a model of SARS-CoV-2 replication and identified 12 showing inhibition in the delayed brain tumor (DBT) cell line. Vandetanib, which targets the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the RET-tyrosine kinase showed the most promising results on inhibition versus toxic effect on SARS-CoV-2-infected Caco-2 and A549-hACE2 cells (IC500.79 μM) while also showing a reduction of > 3 log TCID50/mL for HCoV-229E. Thein vivoefficacy of vandetanib was assessed in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection and statistically significantly reduced the levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and mitigated inflammatory cell infiltrates in the lungs of infected animals but did not reduce viral load.

Vandetanib rescued the decreased IFN-1β caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice to levels similar to that in uninfected animals. Our results indicate that the FDA-approved vandetanib is a potential therapeutic candidate for COVID-19 positioned for follow up in clinical trials either alone or in combination with other drugs to address the cytokine storm associated with this viral infection.
Keeping doors open: A cross-sectional survey of family physician practice patterns during COVID-19, needs, and intentions
Authors: Kiran Tara , Wang Rick , Handford Curtis , Laraya Nadine , Eissa Azza , Pariser Pauline , Brown Rebecca , Pedersen Cheryl
Published: December 2021

Objective

To determine the extent to which family physicians closed their doors altogether or for in-person visits during the pandemic, their future practice intentions, and related factors.

Methods

Between March and June 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional survey using email, fax, and phone of 1,186 family doctors practicing comprehensive family medicine in Toronto, Ontario. We asked about practice patterns in January 2021, use of virtual care, and practice intentions.

Results

Of the 1,016 (86%) that responded to the survey, 99.7% (1001/1004) indicated their practice was open in January 2021 with 94.8% (928/979) seeing patients in-person and 30.8% (264/856) providing in-person care to patients reporting COVID-19 symptoms. Respondents estimated spending 58.2% of clinical care time on phone visits and an additional 5.8% on video and 7.5% on email. 17.2% (77/447) were planning to close their current practice in the next five years. There was a higher proportion of physicians who worked alone in a clinic among those who did not see patients in-person (27.6% no vs 12.4% yes, p<0.05), did not see symptomatic patients (15.6% no vs 6.5 % yes, p<0.001), and those who planned to close their practice in the next 5 years (28.9% yes vs 13.9% no, p<0.01).

Interpretation

The vast majority of family physicians in Toronto were open to in-person care in January 2021 but almost one-fifth are considering closing their practice in the next five years. Policy-makers need to prepare for a growing family physician shortage and better understand factors that support recruitment and retention.
Binding and Neutralizing Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 in Infants and Young Children Exceed Those in Adults
Authors: Karron Ruth A. , Quesada Maria Garcia , Schappell Elizabeth A. , Schmidt Stephen D. , Knoll Maria Deloria , Hetrich Marissa K. , Veguilla Vic , Doria-Rose Nicole , Dawood Fatimah S. ,   SEARCh Study Team
Published: December 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infections are frequently milder in children than adults, suggesting that immune responses may vary with age. However, information is limited regarding SARS-CoV-2 immune responses in young children. We compared Receptor Binding Domain binding antibody (RBDAb) and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (neutAb) in children aged 0-4 years, 5-17 years, and in adults aged 18-62 years in a SARS-CoV-2 household study. Among 55 participants seropositive at enrollment, children aged 0-4 years had >10-fold higher RBDAb titers than adults (373 vs.35,P<0.0001), and the highest RBDAb titers in 11/12 households with seropositive children and adults. Children aged 0-4 years had 2-fold higher neutAb than adults, resulting in higher binding to neutralizing (B/N)Ab ratios compared to adults (1.9 vs. 0.4 for ID50, P=0.0002). Findings suggest that young children mount robust antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 following community infections. Additionally, these results support using neutAb to measure the immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 0-4 years.
Molecular evidence for segmental duplication across chromosomes of soybean using transcription factor gene family
Authors: Srivastava Manoj Kumar , Satpute Gyanesh Kumar
Published: December 2021

Duplication of genome is an important genetic innovation. Large genome size (1.1 Gb) along with ancient and recent duplication events make the soybean genome more complex. Analyzing the distribution and duplication event in soybean transcription family genes, the segmental duplication within chromosomes was revealed. Our study provides a strong evidence that the large segmental duplication event in genome architecture and evolution of soybean genome using simple method of sequence and order analysis of TF genes. Finally, a scheme for interrelationship of different chromosomes has been proposed.
The catscape: spatial manifestation of a pet cat population with outdoor access
Authors: Bischof Richard , Hansen Nina Rosita , Nyheim Øyvind Skarsgard , Kisen Astrid , Prestmoen Lillian , Haugaasen Torbjørn
Published: December 2021

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is the most popular companion animal and the most abundant carnivore globally. It is also a pet with an immense ecological footprint, because even non-feral and food-subsidized cats are prolific predators. Whereas knowledge about the spatial behavior of individual domestic cats is growing, we still know little about how a local population of free-ranging pet cats occupies the landscape. Using a citizen science approach, we GPS-tagged 92 pet cats with outdoor access living in a residential area in southern Norway. The resulting position data allowed us to construct both individual home range kernels and a population-level utilization distribution. Our results reveal a dense predatory blanket that outdoor cats drape over and beyond the urban landscape. It is this population-level intensity surface - the “catscape” - that potential prey have to navigate. There were almost no gaps in the catscape within our residential study area and therefore few terrestrial refuges from potential cat predation. However, cats spent on average 79% of their outdoor time within 50 meters to their owner’s home, which suggests that the primary impact is local and most acute for wildlife in the vicinity to homes with cats. We discuss the catscape as a conceptual and quantitative tool for better understanding and mitigating the environmental impact of domestic cats.
Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2-(perfluorophenyl)acetamide in comparison with some related compounds
Authors: Novikov Anton P. , Bezdomnikov Alexey A. , Grigoriev Mikhail S. , German Konstantin E.
Published: December 2021

The molecular and crystal structures of the title compound, C8H4F5NO, were examined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Hirshfeld surface analysis. The title compound was synthesized by a new method at the interface of aqueous solutions of LiOH and pentafluorophenylacetonitrile. In the crystal, hydrogen bonds and π–halogen interactions connect the molecules into double layers. Analysis of the Hirshfeld surface showed that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are made by F...F (30.4%), C...F/F...C (22.9%), O...H/H...O (14.9%), H...F/F...H (14.0%) and H...H (10.2%) contacts. The Hirshfeld surfaces of analogues of the title compound were compared and the effect of perfluorination on the crystal packing was shown.
Methyl α-L-sorboside monohydrate
Authors: Matsumoto Mao , Nagayama Natsumi , Hirose Ryo , Takeshita Kei , Ishii Tomohiko
Published: December 2021

Methyl L-sorboside monohydrate, C7H14O6·H2O, was prepared from the rare sugar L-sorbose, C6H12O6, and crystallized. It was confirmed that methyl L-sorboside formed α-pyranose with a 2
C
5 conformation and crystallized with one water molecule of crystallization. In the crystal, molecules are linked by O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network. The unit-cell volume of the title compound, methyl L-sorboside monohydrate, is 481.13 (2) Å3 (Z = 2), which is about 108.16 Å3 (29.0%) greater than that of half the amount of the chemical α-L-sorbose [745.94 (2) Å3 (Z = 4)].
Claim management office maturity model (CMOMM) in project-oriented organizations in the construction industry
Authors: Parchamijalal Majid , Moradi Saeed , Zabihi Shirazi Mohsen
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Claim formation is a fact and a regular occurrence in construction industry projects and often leads to a waste of money and time for organizations. Organizations can, however, reduce and control claims by promoting an integrated claim management system and improving productivity in the results of the claims. Establishing a claim management office is one of the ways to help organizations achieve this.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on library research, expert opinion and analysis of organizations' contracts as case studies and identifying the root causes of the claim, this paper proposes a claim management office maturity model and determines its levels.

Findings

This paper proposes a claim management office maturity model and also determines its levels. The general structure of this model is based on three parameters: “characteristics of each level,” “requirements of each level” and “transition period of each level” in five levels, where the first level is the most basic level and level five is the highest level of the implementation of a claim management office in the organization.

Originality/value

It can be clearly emphasized that this research is one of the first research studies that has dealt with the issue of claim management office in the construction industry and has proposed the model of maturity and development of claim management office in the organization. The use of numerous and experienced experts in achieving the results and case organizations to develop this research has increased the value and credibility of this research. This study also helps to improve the level of claim management in construction industry organizations so that these organizations can implement each level of claim management maturity model in the organization according to their competence and need for claim management. And by implementing it correctly, solve or reduce the problems of claim management in the organization and their projects.
Adoption of students' loan schemes: the contingent role of financial knowledge
Authors: Ocran Gloria , Caesar Livingstone Divine
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Despite the introduction of structural reforms to the students' loan scheme (SLS) in Ghana's higher education sector, patronage is still low. This paper aims to examine the complexity of technological and behavioural factors underpinning the low rate of students' loan adoption in Ghana. It further contributes to the body of knowledge by exploring the moderating role of financial knowledge in the hypothesized relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a positivistic research approach, a sample of 700 tertiary students with experience in accessing SLSs were surveyed. An 88% response rate was realized and the data analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

Four dimensions of technological factors (relative advantage, trialability, observability and compatibility) and two of behavioural factors (attitude and control behaviour) were positively related to adoption of the SLS. Financial knowledge only moderated the relationship between compatibility, attitude, behavioural control and students' loan adoption.

Practical implications

Financial knowledge plays a critical role in influencing the investment decisions of people. Management of SLSs needs to offer financial education to targeted parents/students to clear misconceptions. It is also imperative that all other technical challenges are addressed to enhance adoption rates for the SLS. Review of guarantor requirements is needed also.

Originality/value

This paper introduces financial knowledge as a moderating variable to investigate the hypothesized relationships. It offers a developing country insight into how technological/behavioural factors and financial knowledge might be impacting adoption of SLSs.
In search of virtuous learning circles: absorptive capacity and its antecedents in the education sector
Authors: Lenart-Gansiniec Regina , Czakon Wojciech , Pellegrini Massimiliano Matteo
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study aims to identify context-specific antecedents to schools’ absorptive capacity (AC) and to show how those can enact “a virtuous learning circle.”

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a mixed method: an exploration based on semi-structured interviews with educational experts; the development of a measurement scale and a partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the impact of the antecedents.

Findings

The results yielded four empirically-grounded antecedents and their measurement scales, namely, prior knowledge, employees’ skills, educational projects and interactions with the environment (Studies one and two). All antecedents are significantly and positively related to AC processes (study three). Using the organizational learning theory perspective, the results have been interpreted as an AC “virtuous learning circle.”

Practical implications

With increasing pressures to adapt, a case of which was the COVID-19 pandemic, schools can greatly benefit from absorbing knowledge flows. This suggests the construction a favourable environment for AC. To this end, the individual (employees’ prior knowledge and skills), organizational (educational projects) and institutional level of managerial action (interactions with the environment) can be effective when create a recursive organizational learning circle. In addition, this study offers an expert-validated measurement scale for self-assessment of a school’s specific contingencies, and thus, for planning of punctual interventions to develop AC.

Originality/value

This study advances the existing body of knowledge management in the educational context by rigorously identifying and validating a scale for measuring the antecedents of AC and developing an interpretive approach to the AC “virtuous circle.”
Trespassing the gates of research: identifying algorithmic mechanisms that can cause distortions and biases in academic social media
Authors: Monteiro-Krebs Luciana , Zaman Bieke , Caregnato Sonia Elisa , Geerts David , Grassi-Filho Vicente , Htun Nyi-Nyi
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The use of recommender systems is increasing on academic social media (ASM). However, distinguishing the elements that may be influenced and/or exert influence over content that is read and disseminated by researchers is difficult due to the opacity of the algorithms that filter information on ASM. In this article, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how algorithmic mediation through recommender systems in ResearchGate may uphold biases in scholarly communication.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a multi-method walkthrough approach including a patent analysis, an interface analysis and an inspection of the web page code.

Findings

The findings reveal how audience influences on the recommendations and demonstrate in practice the mutual shaping of the different elements interplaying within the platform (artefact, practices and arrangements). The authors show evidence of the mechanisms of selection, prioritization, datafication and profiling. The authors also substantiate how the algorithm reinforces the reputation of eminent researchers (a phenomenon called the Matthew effect). As part of defining a future agenda, we discuss the need for serendipity and algorithmic transparency.

Research limitations/implications

Algorithms change constantly and are protected by commercial secrecy. Hence, this study was limited to the information that was accessible within a particular period. At the time of publication, the platform, its logic and its effects on the interface may have changed. Future studies might investigate other ASM using the same approach to distinguish potential patterns among platforms.

Originality/value

Contributes to reflect on algorithmic mediation and biases in scholarly communication potentially afforded by recommender algorithms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical study on automated mediation and biases in ASM.
Painting Historicity: William Dunlap's Engagement with the Circumstances of Time and Place
Authors: Kuhn Léa
Published: December 2021

Through a case study of the paintings and writings of William Dunlap, a well‐known figure in early Republican art discourse in the United States, this essay argues for a re‐evaluation of art‐historical thinking at the turn of the nineteenth century. I assert that Dunlap, both as painter and writer, develops an important explanatory model for the local art production of his time. Following from his strongly contextual notion of artistic production, he defines the artwork primarily as a ‘historical document’. On the basis of Dunlap's original, relativist conception of art, the essay proposes a reassessment of the relevance of his paintings as well as a new perspective on one of the key texts of art historiography from the early United States. By closely analysing Dunlap's hitherto neglected self‐portraits, this essay makes a case for the epistemic role that painting played in the development of art‐historical narratives around 1800.
15 years of microbial biotechnology: the time has come to think big—and act soon
Authors: de Lorenzo Víctor
Published: December 2021

Our epoch is largely characterized by the growing realization and concern about the reality of climate change and environmental deterioration, the surge of global pandemics, the unacceptable inequalities between developed and underdeveloped countries and their unavoidable translation into messy immigration, overpopulation and food crises. While all of these issues have a fundamentally political core, they are not altogether removed from the fact that Earth is primarily a microbial planet and microorganisms are the key agents that make the biosphere (including ourselves) function as it does. It thus makes sense that we bring the microbial world—that is the environmental microbiome—to the necessary multi‐tiered conversation (hopefully followed by action) on how to avoid future threats and how to make our globe a habitable common house. Beyond discussion on governance, such a dialogue has technical and scientific aspects that only frontline microbial biotechnology can help to tackle. Fortunately, the field has witnessed the onset of new conceptual and material tools that were missing when the journal started.
A working guide to spatial mechanistic modelling in Julia
Authors: Schouten Rafael , Baudrot Virgile , Umina Paul , Maino James
Published: December 2021

Models that can predict the dynamics of larger scale ecological processes are increasingly important in a rapidly changing world. The Julia language gives a unique opportunity to produce new, generic tools to develop spatial mechanistic models, and to simultaneously increase their performance, resolution and predictive power.

Here, we describe two new Julia software packages, DynamicGrids.jl and Dispersal.jl, that facilitate the development of spatial mechanistic models that are concise, extensible and performant, with several key attributes. First, they allow arbitrary spatially and temporally heterogeneous inputs (e.g. regional climatic data to drive population dynamics). Second, they apply rules to discrete spatial grids, including: (a) single grid cells (e.g. population growth, Allee effects, land‐use change), (b) neighborhoods (e.g. local dispersal); and (c) arbitrary locations (e.g. long‐distance wind dispersal, human‐mediated dispersal). Finally, they allow interactions between multiple grids (e.g. predator–prey models, management/environmental feedbacks).

Through in‐line examples, we explore how these properties can be used to develop simple and complex grid‐based mechanistic models that run on both CPUs and GPUs. We demonstrate models of population growth, wind and self‐directed dispersal and host–parasitoid dynamics. We also demonstrate the ease by which custom rules can be combined with rules provided by packages, and the potential for use in other fields and interdisciplinary research.

These Julia packages provide concise, extensible and performant tools for a wide range of grid‐based spatial models in ecology and beyond. More broadly, they highlight new opportunities for ecological modelling using the Julia language, with its combination of clear syntax, extensibility from its solution to the expression problem and its performance on CPUs and GPUs.
Day drinking among college students and its association with risky substance use behaviors
Authors: Calhoun Brian H. , Maggs Jennifer L.
Published: December 2021

Background

Day drinking, or drinking during the daytime, is a term used colloquially in the media and among college students based on anecdotal evidence. Drinking at tailgate parties, generally thought to be a type of day drinking, tends to be particularly heavy and to achieve levels comparable to drinking on holidays and special occasions. The objective of this study was to assess how many and how often students day drink and whether day drinking days (i.e., days drinking began before 4:00 p.m.) were associated with heavy drinking, legal intoxication, negative alcohol‐related consequences, and three risky substance use behaviors.

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal daily diary study of college students who were followed for their first seven semesters of college. The analytic sample includes 7,633 drinking days nested with 619 student drinkers. We used logistic and Poisson multilevel models to test associations between day drinking days and substance use outcomes and negative consequences.

Results

Approximately 50% of drinkers drank durinng the day at least once, and day drinking occurred on 9% of drinking days. Greek organization participants reported significantly more day drinking days than non‐participants. Day drinking days were characterized by heavy drinking as evidenced by strong, positive associations between day drinking and drinking to heavy episodic drinking (HED) and high‐intensity drinking (HID) thresholds on a given day. In contrast, students were less likely to reach legal intoxication and experienced fewer negative alcohol‐related consequences on day drinking days than days on which drinking began in the evening or nighttime. Students who reported day drinking more often throughout the study also reported having more days of drinking at the HED and HID thresholds and playing drinking games and mixed alcohol with energy drinks more frequently.

Conclusions

Day drinking was common among this sample of college students. Findings suggest that day drinking days may be characterized by heavy drinking and may be a behavior most typically engaged in by heavy drinkers, including members of Greek organizations.
Monsters reveal patterns: bifurcated annelids and their implications for the study of development and evolution
Authors: Ponz‐Segrelles Guillermo , Ribeiro Rannyele P. , Aguado M. Teresa
Published: December 2021

During recent decades, the study of anatomical anomalies has been of great relevance for research on development and its evolution. Yet most animal groups have never been studied under this perspective. In annelids, one of the most common and remarkable anomalies is anteroposterior axis bifurcation, that is animals that have two or more heads and/or tails. Bifurcated annelids were first described in the 18th century and have been occasionally reported since then. However, these animals have rarely been considered other than curiosities, one‐off anomalies, or monsters, and a condensed but comprehensive analysis of this phenomenon is lacking. Such an analysis of the existing knowledge is necessary for addressing the different patterns of annelid bifurcation, as well as to understand possible developmental mechanisms behind them and their evolution. In this review we summarize reports of annelid bifurcation published during the last 275 years and the wide variety of anatomies they present. Our survey reveals bifurcation as a widespread phenomenon found all over the annelid tree. Moreover, it also shows that bifurcations can be classified into different types according to anatomy (lateral versus dorsoventral) or developmental origin (embryonic versus postembryonic, the latter occurring in relation to regeneration, reproduction, or growth). Regarding embryos, three different types of bifurcation can be found: conjoined twins (in clitellates); Janus embryos (two posterior ends with a single head which shows duplicated structures); and duplicitas cruciata embryos (with anterior and posterior bifurcation with a 90° rotation). In adults, we show that while lateral bifurcation can result in well‐integrated phenotypes, dorsoventral bifurcation cannot since it requires the discontinuity of at least some internal organs. The relevance of this distinction is highlighted in the case of the Ribbon Clade, a group of syllid annelids in which some species reproduce by collateral and successive gemmiparity (which involves dorsoventral bifurcation), while others grow by branching laterally. Although most known cases of bifurcation came from accidental findings in the wild or were unintentionally produced, experimental studies resulting in the induction of bifurcation of both embryos and adults are also reviewed. In embryos, these experimental studies show how mechanical or chemical disruption of the zygote can result in bifurcation. In adults, the ventral nervous system and the digestive tract seem to play a role in the induction of bifurcation. Based on the reviewed evidence, we argue that the long‐forgotten study of annelid developmental anomalies should be incorporated into the growing field of annelid EvoDevo and examined with modern techniques and perspectives.
A scoping review of the daily mobilities of older adults in the Global South
Authors: Villena‐Sanchez Jessica , Boschmann E. Eric
Published: December 2021

This review examines the current state of the literature on the daily mobility patterns of older adults in the Global South to discover what is known and uncover dominant themes. We used a scoping review approach to search literature in geography and other allied disciplines that primarily focus on elderly daily travel behaviours and related studies. We included 57 papers to review and identified three dominant themes across them: trip mode choice, unmet mobility needs, and socio‐economic aspects of mobility. Results show that the elderly in the Global South, in contrast to their peers in the Global North, walk and use public transportation more frequently than personal vehicles. Some common unmet mobility needs of the elderly in the Global South include safety concerns, gender inequalities, and unequal access to public transportation. Socio‐economic aspects that influence elderly mobilities include employment status, living arrangements, caregiving relationships, and social networks. We conclude that there is a need for more mobility studies that promote the participation of older adults in the Global South and that use longitudinal, qualitative, and/or mixed method approaches. Lastly, transportation policies should address specific elderly needs and avoid “one‐size fits all” approaches.
Predictive model specific to young adults for estimating thoracic gas volume for air‐displacement plethysmography
Authors: Ducharme Jeremy B. , Hsiao Yu‐Yu , Gibson Ann L. , Mermier Christine M.
Published: December 2021

Background

Thoracic gas volume either measured (mTGV) or predicted by the BodPod® (bpTGV) is used during air‐displacement plethysmography to obtain a better estimate of percent body fat. Evidence suggests that bpTGV underestimates mTGV for young adults and this is especially evident for young males.

Aims

We developed, validated, and cross‐validated a TGV prediction model (pTGV) for males and females 18–30 years of age to address this underestimation.

Materials & Methods

Participants (N = 181; 18–30 years) that had their body composition assessed with the BodPod® were retrospectively randomly assigned to one of two independent subgroups, a validation (n = 145) or cross‐validation (n = 36) sample. Ten iterations of the k‐fold validation procedure were performed to assess the internal replicability of pTGV within the validation sample. External replicability of pTGV was evaluated by assessing the difference and standard error of the estimate (SEE) compared to mTGV in the cross‐validation group.

Results

The model using height, sex and body mass yielded the highest adjusted R2 (0.627) and the lowest SEE (0.56 L): pTGV = 0.615338 × Sex (0 = Female, 1 = Male) + 0.056267 × Height (cm) – 0.011006 × Body Mass (kg) – 5.358839. R2 remained stable across 10 iterations of the k‐fold procedure (average R2 = 0.64). Differences between pTGV and mTGV were not significantly different than zero for the total cross‐validation sample (−0.06 ± 0.7 L; SEE = 3.0%), for males (−0.11 ± 0.7 L; SEE = 3.7%), or for females (−0.02 ± 0.7 L; SEE = 5.3%).

Conclusion

We recommend that when it is impractical to obtain mTGV, the strong internal and external replicability of the new prediction model supports its use for males and females ages 18–30 years old during air‐displacement plethysmography.
Yield and fracture loci for a ductile cast iron EN‐GJS‐600–3 under biaxial stresses
Authors: Benedetti Matteo , Curtolo Tommaso , Dallago Michele , Fontanari Vigilio , Lusuardi Danilo
Published: December 2021

Biaxial (axial and torsional loading) static tests were performed for the first time on EN‐GJS‐600–3 ductile cast iron tubular specimens obtained reproducing the solidification conditions typical of thick‐walled castings. The experimental results were elaborated to determine the yield and fracture loci of the material, which exhibited significant deviations from those predicted by the von Mises and Mohr–Coulomb criteria usually adopted for steels and gray cast iron, respectively. For this purpose, several alternative criteria proposed in the technical literature, some of them specifically devised for composite materials, have been calibrated and compared to account for the peculiar mechanical properties of this natural composite material.
Detecting climate signals in populations across life histories
Authors: Jenouvrier Stéphanie , Long Matthew C. , Coste Christophe F. D. , Holland Marika , Gamelon Marlène , Yoccoz Nigel G. , Sæther Bernt‐Erik
Published: December 2021

Climate impacts are not always easily discerned in wild populations as detecting climate change signals in populations is challenged by stochastic noise associated with natural climate variability, variability in biotic and abiotic processes, and observation error in demographic rates. Detection of the impact of climate change on populations requires making a formal distinction between signals in the population associated with long‐term climate trends from those generated by stochastic noise. The time of emergence (ToE) identifies when the signal of anthropogenic climate change can be quantitatively distinguished from natural climate variability. This concept has been applied extensively in the climate sciences, but has not been explored in the context of population dynamics. Here, we outline an approach to detecting climate‐driven signals in populations based on an assessment of when climate change drives population dynamics beyond the envelope characteristic of stochastic variations in an unperturbed state. Specifically, we present a theoretical assessment of the time of emergence of climate‐driven signals in population dynamics (). We identify the dependence of on the magnitude of both trends and variability in climate and also explore the effect of intrinsic demographic controls on . We demonstrate that different life histories (fast species vs. slow species), demographic processes (survival, reproduction), and the relationships between climate and demographic rates yield population dynamics that filter climate trends and variability differently. We illustrate empirically how to detect the point in time when anthropogenic signals in populations emerge from stochastic noise for a species threatened by climate change: the emperor penguin. Finally, we propose six testable hypotheses and a road map for future research.
Prescription drug survey of elderly patients with degenerative musculoskeletal disorders
Authors: Sato Keigo , Inagaki Risa , Michikawa Takehiro , Kawabata Soya , Ito Kaori , Morita Mitsuhiro , Hayakawa Kazue , Kaneko Shinjiro , Yamada Shigeki , Fujita Nobuyuki
Published: December 2021

Aims

Elderly patients with musculoskeletal disorders are generally expected to receive many prescription drugs for non‐musculoskeletal comorbidities and for alleviating chronic musculoskeletal pains. The aims of this study were to review the use of prescription drugs in elderly patients with elective surgeries for musculoskeletal disorders and to identify the factors associated with polypharmacy in elderly patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

Methods

We retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients aged ≥65 years who underwent knee arthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty, or spinal surgery for lumbar or cervical degenerative disorders at our institution. The following data were evaluated: age, body mass index, sex, surgical site, prescription drugs used, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status grade, and medical history, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, stroke, malignancy, and smoking. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of six or more drugs.

Results

In the present study, 767 consecutive patients were evaluated retrospectively. The prevalence of polypharmacy was >50% in the elderly patients with musculoskeletal disorders. The mean numbers of total drugs and pain relief medications were significantly higher in the lumbar surgery group than in the other surgery groups. Multivariable analysis revealed that the factors associated with polypharmacy were lumbar surgery, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and malignancy.

Conclusions

This is the first study to cross‐sectionally review the drugs prescribed to patients with degenerative musculoskeletal disorders. It clearly identified the factors associated with polypharmacy in elderly patients with degenerative musculoskeletal disorders. Particular attention should be paid to polypharmacy in elderly patients with lumbar degenerative disorders. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 121–126.
Trichoscopic features of hair and scalp in noncomplaining individuals: A descriptive study
Authors: Abdel Hay Rania , Sayed Khadiga S. , Hegazi Soha Ahmad , Nada Ahmed , Amer Marwa Ahmed
Published: December 2021

Background

Trichoscopy is a simple noninvasive tool that is used in calculating different hair parameters and the diagnosis of different hair/scalp diseases at variable magnifications.

Objective

The aim of this work is to describe the features and parameters of hair and scalp in a healthy sample of Egyptian population using videodermoscopy. This may help to provide standard range of measurements of normal hair in both males and females.

Methods

A nonrandomized, observational study for features and parameters of hair structure, performed on 368 healthy Egyptian subjects with no hair/scalp complaint.

Results

Each scalp area has its own vascular pattern. Male subjects showed different values regarding their hair parameters from the female subjects. No significant difference was seen after application of hair dye, except for few values. In both genders, there was a change in hair parameters with age. Smoking had a negative influence on hair parameters.

Conclusion

Hair features and parameters observed in our population are different from those reported by other populations. Smoking affects hair thickness and density. Dyed hair has greater thickness mostly due to the protective effect of hair conditioners.
Effectiveness of manual therapy applied to craniomandibular structures in temporomandibular disorders: A systematic review
Authors: Asquini Giacomo , Pitance Laurent , Michelotti Ambra , Falla Deborah
Published: December 2021

Background

Within physical therapy, manual therapy is known to be effective for managing temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). However, manual therapy is a broad term including different approaches applied to different body regions.

Aims

This is the first systematic review that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of manual therapy applied specifically to the craniomandibular structures (Cranio‐Mandibular Manual Therapy [CMMT]) on pain and maximum mouth opening in people with TMD.

Material and methods

This systematic review was developed based on a pre‐determined published protocol which was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019160213). A search of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ZETOC, Web of Science, SCOPUS, PEDro, PubMed, Cochrane Library and Best Evidence, EBM reviews–Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Index to Chiropractic Literature ChiroAccess and Google Scholar databases was conducted from inception until October 2020. Randomised controlled trials comparing the effect of CMMT on pain and maximum mouth opening versus other types of treatment in TMDs were included. Two reviewers independently screened articles for inclusion, extracted data, assessed risk of bias with the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised trials and evaluated the overall quality of evidence with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations.

Results

A total of 2720 records were screened, of which only 6 (293 participants) satisfied the inclusion criteria. All studies showed some concerns in risk of bias, except for one, which was high risk of bias. The overall quality of evidence was very low for all outcomes because of high heterogeneity and small sample sizes. All studies showed a significant improvement in pain and maximum mouth opening for CMMT from baseline in the mid‐term, but only two showed superiority compared to other interventions. Given the high heterogeneity and small sample sizes of the included studies, a quantitative synthesis was not performed.

Discussion and conclusion

There is the need for future high methodology research investigating different manual therapy techniques applied to different regions and different populations (e.g., chronic versus acute TMD) to determine what is most effective for pain and maximum mouth opening in patients with TMDs.
STRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION AND SOURCE ROCK CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BALUTI FORMATION FROM SELECTED WELLS IN THE ZAGROS FOLD BELT, KURDISTAN REGION, NORTHERN IRAQ
Authors: Mohialdeen Ibrahim M. J. , Fatah Sardar S. , Abdula Rzger A. , Hakimi Mohammed H. , Abdullah Wan H. , Khanaqa Polla A. , Lunn Grenville A.
Published: December 2021

The Upper Triassic Baluti Formation has been identified and mapped based on its log response in selected wells from the Zagros foldbelt in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. A preliminary evaluation of the formation's source rock potential was made by Rock‐Eval screening analysis in four wells along a NW‐SE profile (Atrush‐1, Shaikan‐5B, Taq Taq‐22 and Miran‐2) with maturity determined from reflectance measurements in samples from well Taq Taq‐22. The Baluti Formation consists of thinly interbedded shales, carbonates and anhydrite ranging in thickness from 48 m in well Atrush‐1 to 118 m in well Miran‐2. The Rock‐Eval screening was conducted primarily on bulk cuttings samples plus selected picked cuttings. The TOC content is low to moderate (0.23 to 1.14 wt%). However, the shale content in many of the analysed bulk samples was relatively low, making assessment of the source potential problematic. The highest TOCs are recorded from the thickest analysed sections from wells Miran‐2 and Taq Taq‐22, where high‐gamma bituminous shales are present. Rock‐Eval Tmax values ranging from 295 to 438°C are not consistent with estimates of pre‐Zagros burial to depths of between 4600 m (Atrush‐1) and 6900 m (Miran‐2). The relatively low Tmax values suggest that the S2 response does not reflect kerogen pyrolysis in these samples and may be due to the presence of solid bitumen, which is observed in the Baluti Formation in at least three of the study wells (Taq Taq‐22, Miran‐2 and Shaikan‐5B). Little pyrolysable organic matter remains in the formation due to the interpreted deep pre‐Zagros burial and the consequent high maturity in Taq Taq‐22 (VR = 1.51%Ro) and Miran‐2 (estimated VR >2%Ro), and the poor source character in Atrush‐1 and Shaikan‐5B. Organic petrography suggests the presence of vestiges of Types I and II kerogen in Taq Taq‐22, with bitumen observed as stains in the matrix of the shales and also in the pores and fractures of interbedded dolostones. However, bitumen reflectance determinations for Taq Taq‐22 indicate an equivalent vitrinite reflectance maturity of no more than 0.93%Ro, which is significantly less than that of the indigenous vitrinite, implying the solid bitumen in this well is derived primarily from migrated hydrocarbons. Further detailed analysis is required, but the results suggest that the Baluti Formation may have sourced hydrocarbons in its depocentre which is identified in this study as covering a NW‐SE trending area between Bekhme and Sangaw.
Towards a theory of diaspora formation through conflict deterritorialization
Authors: Féron Élise , Voytiv Sofiya
Published: December 2021

Building on different cases of conflicts in homelands triggering diaspora mobilization, we develop a theory of diaspora formation through processes of conflict deterritorialization. We argue that an armed conflict in the country of origin can trigger specific processes of diaspora formation in the countries of settlement and in the transnational space, depending on the actors involved and the particular context in both the home and host countries. We suggest that this specific non‐linear process of diaspora formation can happen at the individual and collective levels, and can both turn a migrant into a diasporic individual as well as mobilize diasporic individuals for collective action. This mobilization, we argue, builds on narratives about and from the homeland, the country of residence, and the transnational space, and can, in turn, lead to conflict autonomization in diaspora settings.
Magnetic Method for Rapid Detection of Carburization Degree of Fe–Cr–Ni Series High-Temperature Heat-Resistant Alloy
Authors: Chen Tao , Chen Xuedong , Chen Junhai , Zhang Jihong , Liu Chunjiao
Published: December 2021

Rapid detection technology of the carburization of Fe–Cr–Ni high-temperature heat-resistant alloys in the ethylene cracking furnace and the hydrogen conversion furnace is in great need to prevent industrial accident. This paper implemented the GMRI-I carburizing detector to test the degree of carburization of 25Cr35NiNb+ microalloy inlet tube and 35Cr45NiNb+ microalloy outlet tube of the ethylene cracking furnace after service as well as the reinforced joint made of UNS N08810 from the hydrogen-producing reformer. In conjunction with the results of the low-power acid corrosion test, a rapid detection method for the degree of carburization was proposed. Based on the experimental results of the carburizing detector and the laboratory test data, the carburization degree test curve of the above three alloys based on the magnetic field strength has been established. The detection accuracy was circa. 5% and the error was ±10%, which is convenient for guiding the use and replacement of Fe–Cr–Ni high-temperature heat-resistant alloy materials for ethylene cracking furnace and hydrogen conversion furnace, thereby ensuring the safe and stable operation of the device.