bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Skeletal Deficits in Male and Female down Syndrome Model Mice Arise Independent of Normalized Dyrk1a Expression in Osteoblasts
Authors: Thomas Jared R. , Sloan Kourtney , Cave Kelsey , Wallace Joseph M. , Roper Randall J.
Published: October 2021

Trisomy 21 (Ts21) causes alterations in skeletal development resulting in decreased bone mass, shortened stature and weaker bones in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). There is a sexual dimorphism in bone mineral density (BMD) deficits associated with DS with males displaying earlier deficits than females. The relationships between causative trisomic genes, cellular mechanisms, and influence of sex in DS skeletal abnormalities remain unknown. One hypothesis is that the low bone turnover phenotype observed in DS results from attenuated osteoblast function, contributing to impaired trabecular architecture, altered cortical geometry, and decreased mineralization. DYRK1A, found in three copies in humans with DS, Ts65Dn, and Dp1Tyb DS model mice, has been implicated in the development of postnatal skeletal phenotypes associated with DS. Reduced copy number of Dyrk1a to euploid levels from conception in an otherwise trisomic Ts65Dn mice resulted in a rescue of appendicular bone deficits, suggesting DYRK1A contributes to skeletal development and homeostasis. We hypothesized that reduction of Dyrk1a copy number in trisomic osteoblasts would improve cellular function and resultant skeletal structural anomalies in trisomic mice. Female mice with a floxed Dyrk1a gene (Ts65Dn,Dyrk1afl/wt) were mated with male Osx-Cre+ (expressed in osteoblasts beginning around E13.5) mice, resulting in reduced Dyrk1a copy number in mature osteoblasts in Ts65Dn,Dyrk1a+/+/Osx-Cre P42 male and female trisomic and euploid mice, compared with littermate controls. Male and female Ts65Dn,Dyrk1a+/+/+ (3 copies of DYRK1A in osteoblasts) and Ts65Dn,Dyrk1a+/+/Osx-Cre (2 copies of Dyrk1a in osteoblasts) displayed similar defects in both trabecular architecture and cortical geometry, with no improvements with reduced Dyrk1a in osteoblasts. This suggests that trisomic DYRK1A does not affect osteoblast function in a cell-autonomous manner at or before P42. Although male Dp1Tyb and Ts65Dn mice exhibit similar skeletal deficits at P42 in both trabecular and cortical bone compartments between euploid and trisomic mice, female Ts65Dn mice exhibit significant cortical and trabecular deficits at P42, in contrast to an absence of genotype effect in female Dp1Tyb mice in trabecular bone. Taken together, these data suggest skeletal deficits in DS mouse models and are sex and age dependent, and influenced by strain effects, but are not solely caused by the overexpression of Dyrk1a in osteoblasts. Identifying molecular and cellular mechanisms, disrupted by gene dosage imbalance, that are involved in the development of skeletal phenotypes associated with DS could help to design therapies to rescue skeletal deficiencies seen in DS.
Study of Quasispecies Complexity and Liver Damage Progression after Liver Transplantation in Hepatitis C Virus Infected Patients
Authors: Llorens-Revull Meritxell , Gregori Josep , Dopazo Cristina , Rodriguez-Frías Francisco , Garcia-Cehic Damir , Soria Maria Eugenia , Chen Qian , Rando Ariadna , Perales Celia , Esteban Juan Ignacio , Quer Josep , Bilbao Itxarone
Published: October 2021

Cirrhosis derived from chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is still a common indication for liver transplantation (LT). Reinfection of the engrafted liver is universal in patients with detectable viral RNA at the time of transplant and causes fast progression of cirrhosis (within 5 years) in around one-third of these patients. To prevent damage to the liver graft, effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is required as soon as possible. However, because of post-LT clinical instability, it is difficult to determine the optimal time to start DAAs with a low risk of complications. Evaluate changes in quasispecies complexity following LT and seek a predictive index of fast liver damage progression to determine the timing of DAA initiation. HCV genomes isolated from pre-LT and 15-day post-LT serum samples of ten patients, who underwent orthotopic LT, were quantified and sequenced using a next-generation sequencing platform. Sequence alignments, phylogenetic trees, quasispecies complexity measures, biostatistics analyses, adjusted R2 values, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were carried out. Three different patterns of reinfection were observed (viral bottlenecking, conserved pre-LT population, and mixed populations), suggesting that bottlenecking or homogenization of the viral population is not a generalized effect after liver graft reinfection. None of the quasispecies complexity measures predicted the future degree of liver damage. Higher and more uniform viral load (VL) values were observed in all pre-LT samples, but values were more dispersed in post-LT samples. However, VL increased significantly from the pre-LT to 15-day post-LT samples in patients with advanced fibrosis at 1-year post-LT, suggesting that a VL increase on day 15 may be a predictor of fast liver fibrosis progression. HCV kinetics after LT differ between patients and are not fibrosis-dependent. Higher VL at day 15 post-LT versus pre-LT samples may predict fast liver fibrosis progression.
Factors Influencing the Development of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Community-Dwelling People Aged 75 Years and Older
Authors: Goda Akio , Murata Shin , Shiraiwa Kayoko , Abiko Teppei , Nakano Hideki , Nonaka Koji , Iwase Hiroaki , Anami Kunihiko , Kikuchi Yuki , Horie Jun
Published: October 2021

In Asia, including Japan, dementia incidence peaks in older adults over ≥75 years; it is therefore important to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and prevent its onset in this age group. Our study hypothesized that physical and psychological status would be associated with MCI incidence among community-dwelling people aged 75 years and older. The study population comprised 291 such individuals. Participants with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 28 or more were considered non-MCI, and those with a score of less than 28 and greater than 24 were considered to have MCI. Several other measures were also evaluated, including information about their current medical visits due to diseases, depressive symptom severity, various physical functions (trunk function, 30 s chair-stand test, one-legged stance test, timed up and go test time, 5 m walking time, grip strength, knee-extension strength, and toe-grip strength), and body composition (body fat and skeletal muscle mass). Participants suspected of having MCI had significantly shorter educational histories, higher rates of medical visits due to hypertension, and poorer balance abilities. The results suggest that these indices can be considered screening indicators for detecting MCI in people aged 75 years and older, which may be useful for planning intervention programs for this population.
Sensor-Based Fall Risk Assessment: A Survey
Authors: Zhao Guangyang , Chen Liming , Ning Huansheng
Published: October 2021

Fall is a major problem leading to serious injuries in geriatric populations. Sensor-based fall risk assessment is one of the emerging technologies to identify people with high fall risk by sensors, so as to implement fall prevention measures. Research on this domain has recently made great progress, attracting the growing attention of researchers from medicine and engineering. However, there is a lack of studies on this topic which elaborate the state of the art. This paper presents a comprehensive survey to discuss the development and current status of various aspects of sensor-based fall risk assessment. Firstly, we present the principles of fall risk assessment. Secondly, we show knowledge of fall risk monitoring techniques, including wearable sensor based and non-wearable sensor based. After that we discuss features which are extracted from sensors in fall risk assessment. Then we review the major methods of fall risk modeling and assessment. We also discuss some challenges and promising directions in this field at last.
A Practical Application for Quantitative Brain Fatigue Evaluation Based on Machine Learning and Ballistocardiogram
Authors: Xu Yanting , Yang Zhengyuan , Li Gang , Tian Jinghong , Jiang Yonghua
Published: October 2021

Brain fatigue is often associated with inattention, mental retardation, prolonged reaction time, decreased work efficiency, increased error rate, and other problems. In addition to the accumulation of fatigue, brain fatigue has become one of the important factors that harm our mental health. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the practical and accurate brain fatigue detection method, especially for quantitative brain fatigue evaluation. In this study, a biomedical signal of ballistocardiogram (BCG), which does not require direct contact with human body, was collected by optical fiber sensor cushion during the whole process of cognitive tasks for 20 subjects. The heart rate variability (HRV) was calculated based on BCG signal. Machine learning classification model was built based on random forest to quantify and recognize brain fatigue. The results showed that: Firstly, the heart rate obtained from BCG signal was consistent with the result displayed by the medical equipment, and the absolute difference was less than 3 beats/min, and the mean error is 1.30 ± 0.81 beats/min; secondly, the random forest classifier for brain fatigue evaluation based on HRV can effectively identify the state of brain fatigue, with an accuracy rate of 96.54%; finally, the correlation between HRV and the accuracy was analyzed, and the correlation coefficient was as high as 0.98, which indicates that the accuracy can be used as an indicator for quantitative brain fatigue evaluation during the whole task. The results suggested that the brain fatigue quantification evaluation method based on the optical fiber sensor cushion and machine learning can carry out real-time brain fatigue detection on the human brain without disturbance, reduce the risk of human accidents in human–machine interaction systems, and improve mental health among the office and driving personnel.
In Vitro Adventitious Regeneration of Artemisia annua L. Influencing Artemisinin Metabolism
Authors: Blando Federica , Rizzello Francesca , Durante Miriana , De Paolis Angelo , Caretto Sofia , Mita Giovanni
Published: October 2021

Artemisia annua L. is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, known for producing, although at low levels, the sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin (AN), which is highly effective against malaria. In this study, an in vitro regeneration process of A. annua L. using ‘Artemis’ progeny was established and the potential of tissue culture for inducing new variability in terms of AN metabolism of in vitro regenerated plants was investigated. Among the plant growth regulators tested, the cytokinin 6-benzyladenine (BA) at 4.4 μM in combination with the auxin indole-butyric acid (IBA) at 0.35 μM yielded the greatest frequency of shoot induction. The optimal multiplication medium contained BA at 0.9 μM and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at 0.05 μM. Regenerated plants (RPs), after transferring to the greenhouse and subsequently to the field, were analyzed during the growth cycle at different sampling times, showing a peak of AN content 20 days before blossom. Variability among different RPs and sampling times, in terms of AN and its precursors dihydroartemisinic acid (DHAA) and artemisinic acid (AA) was observed. This suggests that adventitious shoot induction could provide a useful strategy to induce variability influencing artemisinin metabolism as a consequence of in vitro manipulation.
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster: To Boost or Not to Boost
Authors: Shekhar Rahul , Garg Ishan , Pal Suman , Kottewar Saket , Sheikh Abu Baker
Published: October 2021

Developing safe and effective vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at a breakneck speed has been an exceptional human achievement. It remains our best hope of containing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, newer, more aggressive SARS-CoV-2 viral strains, as well as the possibility of fading immunity following vaccination, have prompted health officials to investigate the necessity for additional immunization. This has put further pressure on disregarded human life in lower-income countries that already have minimal access to COVID-19 vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended a third COVID-19 vaccine dose in immunocompromised individuals in a recent announcement. Governments and health care officials need to develop usage guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine booster doses while considering the dangers of potential waning immunity and new viral strains and prioritizing vulnerable populations everywhere, including those living in lower-income countries.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Levels of Adherence to the Completion of Nursing Records for Inpatients in Isolation
Authors: Fernández-Castro Mercedes , Jiménez José-María , Martín-Gil Belén , Muñoz-Moreno María-Fé , Castro María-José , Cao María-José , López María
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased workload for nurses and organisational and structural changes, which have been necessary to meet the needs of inpatients in isolation. Aim: To describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on levels of adherence to the completion of nursing records that document the risk of developing pressure ulcers, falling, and social vulnerability among hospitalised patients in isolation. Methods: Observational pre-post comparison study. Comparison between nursing records (the Braden, Downton, and Gijón scales) belonging to 1205 inpatients took place in two phases. Phase 1: 568 patients admitted in February 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, vs. phase 2: 637 patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in March–April 2020, during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic. This research adheres to the STROBE guidelines for the reporting of observational studies. Results: The degree of completion of the Braden, Downton, and Gijón scales decreased significantly in phase 2 vs. phase 1 (p < 0.001). The mean Downton and Gijón scale scores for patients admitted in phase 1 were higher compared to those of patients admitted in phase 2 (p < 0.001). The mean Braden scale score in phase 2 was higher than in phase 1 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease in the completion of nursing records in the clinical records of patients in isolation. The levels of risk of developing PUs, falling, and social vulnerability of patients admitted to hospital were lower during the first wave of the pandemic.
Hybrid Model-Based Simulation Analysis on the Effects of Social Distancing Policy of the COVID-19 Epidemic
Authors: Kang Bong Gu , Park Hee-Mun , Jang Mi , Seo Kyung-Min
Published: October 2021

This study utilizes modeling and simulation to analyze coronavirus (COVID-19) infection trends depending on government policies. Two modeling requirements are considered for infection simulation: (1) the implementation of social distancing policies and (2) the representation of population movements. To this end, we propose an extended infection model to combine analytical models with discrete event-based simulation models in a hybrid form. Simulation parameters for social distancing policies are identified and embedded in the analytical models. Administrative districts are modeled as a fundamental simulation agent, which facilitates representing the population movements between the cities. The proposed infection model utilizes real-world data regarding suspected, infected, recovered, and deceased people in South Korea. As an application, we simulate the COVID-19 epidemic in South Korea. We use real-world data for 160 days, containing meaningful days that begin the distancing policy and adjust the distancing policy to the next stage. We expect that the proposed work plays a principal role in analyzing how social distancing effectively affects virus prevention and provides a simulation environment for the biochemical field.
More Land, Less Pollution? How Land Transfer Affects Fertilizer Application
Authors: Wu Junqian , Wen Xin , Qi Xiulin , Fang Shile , Xu Chenxi
Published: October 2021

Reducing fertilizer use is key to curbing agricultural pollution and ensuring food safety. Land transfer enables farmers to obtain a more appropriate production scale, but its effect on the intensity of fertilizer application is not theoretically certain. On one hand, farmers with more land may adopt more scientific production methods, thus reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. On the other hand, the short-term behavior of land grantees on transferred land may increase fertilizer use intensity. This paper attempts to theoretically elucidate the specific mechanisms by which land transfer affects the intensity of fertilizer application and to verify the relationship between the two using data from fixed rural observation sites across China from 2011–2014 with the fixed-effects model and the mediating effect model. This paper concludes that (1) land transfer significantly reduces the intensity of fertilizer use; (2) land transfer increases the land size and promotes the use of machinery by farmers, but only the increase in land size further reduces the intensity of fertilizer application; (3) the effect of land transfer on fertilizer application intensity is significant only for food crops and not for cash crops, and (4) the effect of land transfer on fertilizer application intensity is most pronounced in western China, where land fragmentation is the severest and insignificant in eastern China, where agricultural modernization is more advanced.
The Development of a Nutrition Screening Tool for Mental Health Settings Prone to Obesity and Cardiometabolic Complications: Study Protocol for the NutriMental Screener
Authors: Teasdale Scott B. , Moerkl Sabrina , Moetteli Sonja , Mueller-Stierlin Annabel
Published: October 2021

People living with serious mental illness (SMI) experience physical health complications at disproportionate rates to people without an SMI. Unhealthy dietary intake and disordered eating behaviors are key driving factors. There is a lack of valid nutrition-risk screening tools targeted to mental health services, and typically used nutrition-risk screening tools are not suitable for mental health services. This paper details the rationale and study protocol for development and validation of the NutriMental screener, a tool for use in clinical practice to identify service users who are at risk for common nutrition issues experienced by this population group and trigger referral to a specialist clinician. The development process includes five phases. Phase I is the development of nutrition-related domains of interest from screening tools used in mental health services. Phase II involves a literature review and service-user interviews to identify additional domains. Phase III consists of international workshops with relevant clinicians and persons with SMI to gain a consensus on questions to be included in the draft tool. Phase IV involves conducting multinational feasibility and preliminary validation studies. Phase V consists of performing formal validation studies. The development of a nutrition-risk screening tool for mental health services is a necessary step to help rectify the physical-health disparities and life-expectancy gap for people with SMI.
Desert Related Death
Authors: Madadin Mohammed , Al-Abdulrahman Rozanna , Alahmed Shatha , Alabdulqader Rana , Alshehri Lama , Alkathery Norah
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Desert death is defined as any death that occurs in the desert and could be attributed to a list of causes including environmental, animal related, undetermined, and other causes. Death in the desert seems to be obscure and little discussed in the field of forensic medicine, despite its importance, and there is only limited literature available on this broad topic. This narrative review aims to identify the most common causes of desert death and its medicolegal implications. Desert death causes: Environmental causes of death could be a result of temperature and lightening-related causes. Moreover, a variety of animals found in deserts are considered to be threatening and fatal, in addition to other and undetermined causes. Medicolegal implications of desert death: Likely to arise from the difficulties faced in finding the cause of death are the identification of the victim and the postmortem injuries that occur. Conclusion: Desert death is a broad topic with great medicolegal significance. More information and case reports need to be added in the literature. Guidelines for people about the danger of going to deserts in specific weather conditions should be implemented. Safety regulations must be taken into account at all times.
Residential Area Sociodemographic and Breast Cancer Screening Venue Location Built Environmental Features Associated with Women’s Use of Closest Venue in Greater Sydney, Australia
Authors: Khan Jahidur Rahman , Carroll Suzanne J. , Coffee Neil T. , Warner-Smith Matthew , Roder David , Daniel Mark
Published: October 2021

Understanding environmental predictors of women’s use of closest breast screening venue versus other site(s) may assist optimal venue placement. This study assessed relationships between residential-area sociodemographic measures, venue location features, and women’s use of closest versus other venues. Data of 320,672 Greater Sydney screening attendees were spatially joined to residential state suburbs (SSCs) (n = 799). SSC-level sociodemographic measures included proportions of: women speaking English at home; university-educated; full-time employed; and dwellings with motor-vehicles. A geographic information system identified each woman’s closest venue to home, and venue co-location with bus-stop, train-station, hospital, general practitioner, and shop(s). Multilevel logistic models estimated associations between environmental measures and closest venue attendance. Attendance at closest venue was 59.4%. Closest venue attendance was positively associated with SSC-level women speaking English but inversely associated with SSC-level women university-educated, full-time employed, and dwellings with motor-vehicles. Mobile venue co-location with general practitioner and shop was positively, but co-location with bus-stop and hospital was inversely associated with attendance. Attendance was positively associated with fixed venue co-location with train-station and hospital but inversely associated with venue co-location with bus-stop, general practitioner, and shop. Program planners should consider these features when optimising service locations to enhance utilisation. Some counterintuitive results necessitate additional investigation.
Dispersion of Aerosols Generated during Dental Therapy
Authors: Takanabe Yusuke , Maruoka Yutaka , Kondo Junko , Yagi Shotaro , Chikazu Daichi , Okamoto Ryuta , Saitoh Masao
Published: October 2021

The novel coronavirus pandemic has resulted in an urgent need to study the risk of infection from aerosols generated during dental care and to conduct a review of infection controls. However, existing studies on aerosol particles related to dental treatment have mainly evaluated only the scattering range. Few studies have been conducted on the specifics of the generation of aerosol particles in clinical settings, their mechanisms and patterns of distribution throughout open or enclosed spaces, the duration that they remain suspended in air, and the amount and size of particles present. To minimize the influence of background particles, laser lights, a high-sensitivity camera, and particle counters were used in a large super clean laboratory to investigate the dynamics of aerosols generated during the operation of dental micromotors. The results indicate that aerosols tend to scatter upward immediately after generation and then gradually disperse into the surroundings. Most of the particles are less than 5 µm in size (only a few are larger), and all particles are widely distributed over the long term. Our research clearly elucidates that aerosols produced in dental care are distributed over a wide area and remain suspended for a considerable time in dental clinics before settling.
Does Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy Alleviate Urban Haze Pollution? Empirical Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China
Authors: Yan Jinling , Zhao Junfeng , Yang Xiaodong , Su Xufeng , Wang Hailing , Ran Qiying , Shen Jianliang
Published: October 2021

As a comprehensive environmental regulation, the low-carbon city pilot policy (LCCP) may have an impact on haze pollution. The evaluation of the effectiveness of LCCP on haze pollution is greatly significant for air pollution prevention and control. Taking LCCP as the starting point, in this study we constructed DID, PSM-DID, and intermediary effect models to empirically test the impact and mechanism of LCCP on haze pollution, based on the panel data of 271 cities in China from 2005 to 2018. The findings show that (1) LCCP has significantly reduced the urban haze pollution, and the average annual concentration of PM2.5 in pilot cities decreased by 14.29%. (2) LCCP can inhibit haze pollution by promoting technological innovation, upgrading the industrial structure, and reducing energy consumption. Among these impacts, the effect of technological innovation is the strongest, followed by industrial structure, and energy consumption. (3) LCCP has significantly curbed the haze pollution of non-resource dependent cities, Eastern cities, and large cities, but exerted little impact on resource-dependent cities, Central and Western regions, and small and medium-sized cities. (4) LCCP has a spatial spillover effect. It can inhibit the haze pollution of adjacent cities through demonstration and warning effects. This study enriches the relevant research on LCCP and provides empirical support and policy enlightenment for pollution reduction.
The Impact of Shift Work on Occupational Health Indicators among Professionally Active Adults: A Comparative Study
Authors: Pereira Henrique , Fehér Gergely , Tibold Antal , Monteiro Samuel , Costa Vítor , Esgalhado Graça
Published: October 2021

The analysis of the impact of shift work on occupational health still needs further contributions. Therefore, we developed this research with the purpose of assessing the impact of shift work on occupational health indicators, namely burnout, work-engagement, occupational self-efficacy, and mental health functioning (symptoms of depression and anxiety), by comparing workers who did shift work (44.2% of participants) with workers who did not (55.8% of participants). A total of 695 Portuguese professionally active adults between 18 and 73 years of age (Mage = 37.71; SD = 12.64) participated in this study and completed a survey containing a sociodemographic questionnaire and four occupational health measures: The Burnout Assessment Tool, The Work-Engagement questionnaire (UWES), The Occupational Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and the BSI-18 for mental health symptoms. Results showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) for all indicators, demonstrating that participants who worked shifts presented lower scores of work-engagement and occupational self-efficacy, and higher scores of burnout, depression, and anxiety when compared to participants who did not work shifts. Linear regressions showed that shift work explained significant but low percentages of anxiety symptoms, low work-engagement, depression symptoms, low occupational self-efficacy, and burnout. We concluded that non-standard working hours (by shifts) are detrimental to employee occupational health, by increasing the risk of anxiety and depression levels, and burnout, and by reducing work-engagement (as a well-being indicator) and occupational self-efficacy perceptions.
Lessons of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict for Public Health: The Case of the COVID-19 Vaccination Gap
Authors: Dahdal Yara , Davidovitch Nadav , Gilmont Michael , Lezaun Javier , Negev Maya , Sandler Deborah , Shaheen Mohammed
Published: October 2021

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a faceless, non-adversarial threat that endangered Israelis and Palestinians with the same ferocity. However, the capacities of the health systems to address it were not equal, with Israel more equipped for the outbreak with infrastructure, resources, manpower and later, vaccines. The pandemic demonstrated the life-saving benefits of cooperation and the self-defeating harms brought by non-cooperation. These trends are explored here by an international team of public health and environmental scholars, including those from different sides of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. This article explores the importance of recognizing the Israeli and Palestinian jurisdictions as a single epidemiological unit, and illustrates how doing so is a pragmatic positioning that can serve self-interest. We demonstrate how despite political shocks precipitating non-cooperation, there has been a recurrent tendency towards limited cooperation. The paper concludes with lessons over the need for reframing public health as a potential bridge, the need for structural changes creating sustainable platforms for accelerated transboundary cooperation to enable the steady management of current and future public and environmental health crises regardless of dynamic political crises, and the importance of civil society and international organizations in forging collaboration in advance of governmental engagement.
Changing the Home Food Environment: Parents’ Perspectives Four Years after Starting Obesity Treatment for Their Preschool Aged Child
Authors: Nowicka Paulina , Keres Johan , Ek Anna , Nordin Karin , Sandvik Pernilla
Published: October 2021

Changing the home food environment is key to childhood obesity treatment. However, new challenges arise as the child grows older. This study investigates parents’ views on the longer-term management of the home food environment, 4 years after starting obesity treatment for their preschool-aged child. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 parents (85% mothers, 48% with a university degree) of 33 children (mean age 9.3 (SD 0.7), 46% girls) from Sweden. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Two main themes were developed. Making changes in the home food environment illustrates the types of changes families make over time in relation to child development. It consists of three subthemes: covert changes, overt changes and child-directed changes. The second theme, an ongoing negotiation, captures parents’ experiences of managing the home food environment as a continuous process of balancing and recalibrating in relation to present challenges and concerns about the future. It includes three subthemes: concern and care, two steps forward one back and maintaining everyday balance. Managing the home food environment is a constant process affected by everyday life, parents’ strategies and the child’s development. Our findings can strengthen childhood obesity treatment and help prepare parents for challenges that lie ahead.
Are Resistance Training-Induced BDNF in Hemodialysis Patients Associated with Depressive Symptoms, Quality of Life, Antioxidant Capacity, and Muscle Strength? An Insight for the Muscle–Brain–Renal Axis
Authors: Deus Lysleine Alves , Corrêa Hugo de Luca , Neves Rodrigo Vanerson Passos , Reis Andrea Lucena , Honorato Fernando Sousa , Silva Victor Lopes , Souza Michel Kendy , de Araújo Thaís Branquinho , de Gusmão Alves Lucas Santos , Sousa Caio Victor , Reis Thaís Lucena , de Aguiar Lucas Soares , Simões Herbert Gustavo , Prestes Jonato , Melo Gislane Ferreira , Rosa Thiago Santos
Published: October 2021

Background: Hemodialysis patients are suffering from depressive symptoms. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels are negatively associated with depressive symptoms and decrease during a single hemodialysis session. Resistance training (RT) might be an additional non-pharmacological tool to increase BDNF and promote mental health. Methods: Two randomized groups of hemodialysis patients: control (CTL, n = 76/F36; 66.33 ± 3.88 years) and RT (n = 81/F35; 67.27 ± 3.24 years). RT completed six months of training thrice a week under the supervision of strength and conditioning professional immediately before the dialysis session. Training loads were adjusted using the OMNI rating of perceived exertion. The total antioxidant capacity (TROLOX), glutathione (GSH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and BDNF levels were analyzed in serum samples. Quality of life (assessed through Medical Outcomes—SF36), and Beck Depression Inventory was applied. Results: RT improved handgrip strength (21.17 ± 4.38 vs. 27.17 ± 4.34; p = 0.001) but not for CTL (20.09 ± 5.19 vs. 19.75 ± 5.54; p = 0.001). Post-training, RT group had higher values as compared to CTL related to TROLOX (RT,680.8 ± 225.2 vs. CTL,589.5 ± 195.9; p = 0.001) and GSH (RT, 9.33 ± 2.09 vs. CTL,5.00 ± 2.96; p = 0.001). RT group had lower values of TBARS as compared to CTL at post-training (RT, 11.06 ± 2.95 vs. CTL, 13.66 ± 2.62; p = 0.001). BDNF increased for RT (11.66 ± 5.20 vs. 19.60 ± 7.23; p = 0.001), but decreased for CTL (14.40 ± 4.99 vs. 10.84 ± 5.94; p = 0.001). Quality of life and mental health increased (p = 0.001) for RT, but did not change for CTL (p = 0.001). BDNF levels were associated with emotional dimensions of SF36, depressive symptoms, and handgrip (p = 0.001). Conclusions: RT was effective as a non-pharmacological tool to increased BDNF levels, quality of life, temper the redox balance and decrease depressive symptoms intensity in hemodialysis patients.
Review of Deep Learning-Based Atrial Fibrillation Detection Studies
Authors: Murat Fatma , Sadak Ferhat , Yildirim Ozal , Talo Muhammed , Murat Ender , Karabatak Murat , Demir Yakup , Tan Ru-San , Acharya U. Rajendra
Published: October 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia that can lead to stroke, heart failure, and premature death. Manual screening of AF on electrocardiography (ECG) is time-consuming and prone to errors. To overcome these limitations, computer-aided diagnosis systems are developed using artificial intelligence techniques for automated detection of AF. Various machine learning and deep learning (DL) techniques have been developed for the automated detection of AF. In this review, we focused on the automated AF detection models developed using DL techniques. Twenty-four relevant articles published in international journals were reviewed. DL models based on deep neural network, convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network, long short-term memory, and hybrid structures were discussed. Our analysis showed that the majority of the studies used CNN models, which yielded the highest detection performance using ECG and heart rate variability signals. Details of the ECG databases used in the studies, performance metrics of the various models deployed, associated advantages and limitations, as well as proposed future work were summarized and discussed. This review paper serves as a useful resource for the researchers interested in developing innovative computer-assisted ECG-based DL approaches for AF detection.
Coping during COVID-19: The Impact of Cognitive Appraisal on Problem Orientation, Coping Behaviors, Body Image, and Perceptions of Eating Behaviors and Physical Activity during the Pandemic
Authors: Starick Elisha , Montemarano Vanessa , Cassin Stephanie E.
Published: October 2021

Large surveys indicate that many people perceive that their health behaviors (i.e., eating behaviors, physical activity, and self-care routines) and body image have changed during COVID-19; however, large individual variation exists. A person’s cognitive appraisal of COVID-19 disruptions may help account for individual differences. Those with a negative problem orientation perceive problems as “threats”, whereas those with a positive problem orientation reframe problems as “opportunities”. The present experimental study examined the impact of appraisals, specifically being prompted to reflect on the changes in health routines precipitated by COVID-19 restrictions as either “threats” or “opportunities”, on problem orientation, coping behaviours, body image, and perceptions of eating behaviors and physical activity in a sample of female undergraduate students (N = 363). The group that reflected on challenges/barriers reported having a more negative problem orientation, being more negatively impacted by COVID-19, engaging in more maladaptive coping behaviors, and having less positive body image compared to participants who reflected on opportunities presented during the pandemic. Findings suggest that appraisals and problem orientation are malleable, and that people who tend to fixate on the challenges associated with COVID-19 may benefit from strategically reflecting on their own resilience and new opportunities that have arisen for engaging in health behaviors.
Implementing the Circular Economy by Tracing the Sustainable Impact
Authors: Lawrenz Sebastian , Leiding Benjamin , Mathiszig Marit Elke Anke , Rausch Andreas , Schindler Mirco , Sharma Priyanka
Published: October 2021

Sustainability is one of the most critical issues today. Thus, the unsustainable consumption of resources, such as raw materials, CO2 emissions, and the Linear Economy needs to be changed. One framework for a more sustainable economy is the Circular Economy. Although the concept of the Circular Economy has been around since the 1990s, yet we are still far from enabling a Circular Economy. Therefore, a turnaround to the current linear economy as well as a change in society is necessary. In this paper, we get down to the essence of the status quo in the Circular Economy, identify the main barriers, such as lack of information, unsustainable economic models, ignorance, missing incentives, and propose software-driven solutions to tackle these challenges. Our solution extends the service description language by introducing the sustainability impact factor. The goal is to motivate end-users towards a more sustainable behavior without making massive restrictions on their lives.
Usability of Virtual Visits for the Routine Clinical Care of Trans Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Youth and Caregiver Perspectives
Authors: Silva Carolina , Fung Alex , Irvine Michael A. , Ziabakhsh Shabnam , Hursh Brenden E.
Published: October 2021

We evaluated families’ perspectives on the usability of virtual visits for routine gender care for trans youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey, which included a validated telehealth usability questionnaire, was sent to families who had a virtual Gender Clinic visit between March and August 2020. A total of 87 participants completed the survey (28 trans youth, 59 caregivers). Overall, usability was rated highly, with mean scores between “quite a bit” and “completely” in all categories (usefulness, ease of use, interface and interaction quality, reliability, and satisfaction). Caregivers reported higher usability scores compared to trans youth [mean (SD) 3.43 (0.80) vs. 3.12 (0.93), p = 0.01]. All families felt that virtual visits provided for their healthcare needs. A total of 100% of youth and caregivers described virtual appointments as safer or as safe as in-person visits. A total of 94% of participants would like virtual visits after the pandemic; families would choose a mean of two virtual and one yearly in-person visit with a multidisciplinary team. Overall, virtual gender visits for trans youth had impressive usability. Participants perceived virtual visits to be safe. For the future, a combination of virtual and in-person multidisciplinary visits is the most desired model.
“Only My Husband and My Doctor Know. And You, Girls”: Online Discussions of Stigma Coping Strategies for Russian Surrogate Mothers
Authors: Yeshua-Katz Daphna , Khvorostianov Natalia
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: Gestational surrogacy is the most common type of surrogacy today. Although technologically well-developed and legal in many countries, it challenges and even contradicts the basic traditional concepts of family, motherhood, and gender roles. In the present study, we examined the types of stigma coping strategies surrogate mothers discussed in an online support group in post-Soviet Russia. (2) Method: We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of 15,602 posts on a Russian-language online support group for surrogate mothers. (3) Findings: group members discussed four types of coping strategies: stigma internalization, stigma avoidance, group identification, and stigma challenging. Nevertheless, these strategies varied across the surrogate motherhood stages. Group members advised each other on specific strategies to use to cope with the state of discreditable (invisible) stigma (i.e., during the first few months of their pregnancies), with different strategies for when the pregnancies became visible and they risked becoming discredited people. Furthermore, group members disclosed that they used these strategies even when they returned to their previous family and work routines. Theoretically, our findings challenge Goffman’s classic theoretical dichotomy and coping research concerning discreditable (invisible) and discredited (visible) stigma. (4) Conclusion: Our findings indicate that surrogate mothers anticipate experiencing stigma and therefore plan for it by discussing potential coping strategies in the online group. Moreover, any intervention designed to cater to the needs of surrogate mothers must, therefore, take into consideration the social needs of their entire family.
Involvement of Intestinal Goblet Cells and Changes in Sodium Glucose Transporters Expression: Possible Therapeutic Targets in Autistic BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J Mice
Authors: Franco Caterina , Bonomini Francesca , Borsani Elisa , Castrezzati Stefania , Franceschetti Lorenzo , Rezzani Rita
Published: October 2021

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental syndrome with a complicated etiology and could be responsible for disrupted gastrointestinal tract microbiota. The aim of this work was to study intestinal samples from an autistic animal model (BTBR mouse strain) to better describe gastrointestinal alterations. We performed a morphological and biological evaluation of small intestine samples. In terms of morphology, we studied the goblet cells, cells of intestinal mucosal responsible for the production and maintenance of the protective mucous blanket. Alterations in their secretion may indicate an altered rate of mucus synthesis and this is one of the possible causes of gastrointestinal problems. In terms of biological evaluation, impaired regulation of glucose homeostasis regulated by sodium-glucose transporters has been suggested as an important component of obesity and associated comorbidities; therefore, this study analyzed the expression of sodium/glucose transporter-1 and -3 in BTBR mice to better define their role. We demonstrated that, in BTBR mice as compared to C57BL/6J (B6) strain animals: (1) The goblet cells had different protein content in their vesicles and apparently a larger number of Golgi cisternae; (2) the expression and level of sodium/glucose transporters were higher. These findings could suggest new possible targets in autism spectrum disorder to maintain mucus barrier function.
Using a Mobile Application for Health Communication to Facilitate a Sense of Coherence: Experiences of Older Persons with Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Piculell Erik , Skär Lisa , Sanmartin Berglund Johan , Anderberg Peter , Bohman Doris
Published: October 2021

The increasing use of technology by older persons and their preferences for living at home and being independent have created an avenue for self-care and care delivery using mobile technologies and health communication. This study aimed to explain how older persons with cognitive impairment experienced technology-based health communication through the use of a mobile application to facilitate a sense of coherence. Individual, semi-structured interviews with 16 participants in the SMART4MD project were conducted. The interviews were transcribed then coded deductively and thematically, creating themes that corresponded to the central components of the sense of coherence model: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. The findings produced an overall theme: a challenging technology that can provide support, based on the three identified themes: making sense of mobile technologies, mastering mobile technologies, and the potential added value to use mobile technologies. The participants’ experiences were influenced by their previous use and expectations for the application. Personal support, cognitive and physical ability, and different sources for information impacted use. The participants experienced that using the application created an ambiguity to be challenging and have possible benefits. The study suggests that the sense of coherence model may be used as a method to understand the use of technology by older populations.
Changes in Families’ Leisure, Educational/Work and Social Screen Time Behaviours before and during COVID-19 in Australia: Findings from the Our Life at Home Study
Authors: Arundell Lauren , Veitch Jenny , Sahlqvist Shannon , Uddin Riaz , Ridgers Nicola D. , Salmon Jo , Timperio Anna , Parker Kate
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to understand differences in leisure, educational/work and social screen time behaviours experienced by parents and children due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, which may inform behaviour change strategies and policy in the transition to a COVID-normal life. Participants in the “Our Life at Home” study (n = 218 parents from Australia, 43.4 ± 6.8 years, 88% female) completed a cross-sectional online survey in April/May 2020. Parents recalled their own and their child (8.7 ± 2.0 years, 42% female) or adolescents (15.0 ± 1.5 years, 50% female) participation in nine screen time behaviours in the past month (during lockdown) and retrospectively for February 2020 (pre-lockdown), providing data on 436 individuals. Screen time behaviours included leisure (computer/laptop and tablet/smartphone for leisure, TV/videos/DVDs and game consoles); education/work (computer/laptop and tablet/smartphone for work/education); and social screen time (computer/tablet/smartphone for social communication with friends, family and work (parents only)). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and effect sizes (r) compared the time spent in each behaviour pre-lockdown and during lockdown. Large differences were observed in social (parents: r = 0.41–0.57; children: r = 0.55–0.65; adolescents: r = 0.28–0.43) and education (children: r = 0.50–0.65 and adolescents: r = 0.25–0.37) behaviours. There were small or no differences in leisure time screen use. COVID-19 lockdown restrictions have impacted parent’s and children’s screen time, and future research and policy should consider strategies to support families to manage screen time.
Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Association between Neighborhood Environment and Perceived Control in Older Adults: Findings from HRS
Authors: Lee Sunwoo
Published: October 2021

The current study examined how neighborhood environments are related to older adults’ perceived control over time. A longitudinal study design was employed using data sampled from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2014 and 2018. In total, 3170 older adults, whose age ranged between 60 and 99 years at the baseline, were followed up with a 4-year lag. Measures included two domains of neighborhood characteristics: social cohesion and physical disorder (at baseline and follow-up) and perceived control (at follow-up). Path coefficients between the latent factors were examined using structural equation modeling. Results showed that there was a significant cross-sectional and longitudinal association between neighborhood social cohesion and older adults’ perceived control, while neighborhood physical disorder was cross-sectionally associated with perceived control. Study findings provide evidence for promoting social integration and social capital in their neighborhood that might contribute to older adults’ perceived competence and beliefs in control.