bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visualization of incidentally imaged pituitary gland on three-dimensional arterial spin labeling of the brain
Authors: Bohara Manisha , Nakajo Masanori , Kamimura Kiyohisa , Yoneyama Tomohide , Ayukawa Takuro , Yoshiura Takashi
Published: April 2021

Objective:

To evaluate the visualization of incidentally imaged normal pituitary gland on three-dimensional (3D) pseudo continuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) perfusion imaging of the brain.

Methods:

Ninety-three patients with a normal pituitary gland who underwent 3D PCASL for suspected brain diseases were retrospectively included. Visualization of the pituitary gland on PCASL cerebral blood flow (CBF) maps was assessed independently by two observers using a three-point grading system: Grade 1, pituitary CBF ≤ CBF of the cerebral white matter (WM); Grade 2, CBF of WM < pituitary CBF ≤ CBF of the cortical gray matter (GM); and Grade 3, CBF of GM < pituitary CBF. The interobserver agreement of visual grading was determined using weighted κ statistic. The associations of visual grades with age, sex, and pituitary volume were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Pituitary glands were divided equally into three groups (small, medium, and large) according to their volume for categorization.

Results:

The interobserver agreement for visual rating was excellent (weighted κ = 0.823). Of the 93 cases, Grades 1, 2, and 3 included 17 (18.3%), 41 (44.1%), and 35 cases (37.6%), respectively. Medium and large pituitary volume were significantly associated with Grade 3 visualization (p = 0.0153, OR = 4.8323; 95% CI: 1.3525, 17.2649 and p = 0.0009; OR = 9.0299; 95% CI: 2.4663, 33.0614, respectively), whereas there was no significant association for age or sex.

Conclusion:

The normal pituitary gland is often visualized with higher CBF than cortical GM on 3D PCASL, especially in individuals with larger pituitary volume.

Advances in knowledge:

Appearance of the normal pituitary gland on 3D PCASL has been documented for the first time.
Statistical methods in human resources competencies data
Authors: Παπουτσόγλου Μαρία
Published: April 2021

Στόχος της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η ανάλυση δεδομένων δεξιοτήτων ανθρώπινου δυναμικού με χρήση στατιστικών μεθόδων. Ιδιαίτερη έμφαση δίνεται στον διαχωρισμό των ικανοτήτων και των δεξιοτήτων. Ωστόσο είναι σημαντική η μελέτη και των δυο στοιχείων για την ουσιαστική εξαγωγή αποτελεσμάτων και συμπερασμάτων. Ως πηγές δεδομένων για ανάλυση χρησιμοποιούνται σύγχρονες πηγές του διαδικτύου σχετικές με ικανότητες και δεξιότητες. Οι διαδικτυακές πηγές έχουν διαμορφώσει μια νέα μορφή της αγοράς εργασίας. Όλος αυτός ο όγκος πληροφορίας οδηγεί στην ανάγκη για ποιοτική αξιολόγηση πέρα από τις βασικές ικανότητες. Ανάγκες που παρατηρούνται είναι η μελέτη του ανθρώπινου παράγοντα, ικανότητες και δεξιότητες που απαιτούνται από την αγορά εργασίας, νέες αναδυόμενες ανάγκες, προφίλ υποψηφίων που χρειάζονται σε θέσεις κλπ. Η διενεργούμενη έρευνα για να μελετήσει αυτές τις ανάγκες, σε πρώτο στάδιο μελετάει τις πηγές του διαδικτύου υπό το πρίσμα της ανάλυσης πηγών που προσφέρουν πληροφορίες σχετικές με ικανότητες και δεξιότητες αναζητώντας κατάλληλους τρόπους συλλογής των δεδομένων. Στην συνέχεια η προσέγγιση της μελέτης των αναγκών γίνεται με εφαρμογές ανάλυσης κειμένου και με χρήση κατάλληλων στατιστικών μεθόδων στα αντίστοιχα δεδομένα.Καθώς οι πηγές περιεχομένου στον τομέα της ανάλυσης του ανθρώπινου παράγοντα υπήρξε μια σχετικά νέα τάση στην έρευνα, το πρώτο κεφάλαιο της παρούσας διατριβής εισάγει τον αναγνώστη στις βασικές έννοιες των διαδικτυακών πηγών περιεχομένου και την χρήση των δεδομένων για ανάλυση της αγοράς εργασίας. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο μέσω μιας συστηματικής βιβλιογραφικής ανάλυσης εντοπίζονται ποιες είναι οι κατάλληλες πηγές περιεχομένου στο διαδίκτυο για την ανάλυση της αγοράς εργασίας στον τομέα της τεχνολογίας λογισμικού και της πληροφορικής. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται τα εμπειρικά αποτελέσματα της ανάλυσης των αγγελιών εργασίας από το Stack Overflow το οποίο αναδεικνύεται ως μια νέα πηγή περιεχομένου για καταγραφή των τάσεων της αγοράς εργασίας από την πλευρά της προσφοράς εργασίας. Στο τέταρτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται δυο εμπειρικές προσεγγίσεις σχετικά με τα χαρακτηριστικά προσωπικότητας των προγραμματιστών που συμμετέχουν στην κοινότητα του Stack Overflow και πώς αυτά μπορούν να επηρεάσουν ή να επηρεαστούν από ένα μηχανισμό παιγνίων επιβράβευσης. Στο πέμπτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζεται το εμπειρικό πλαίσιο με τα αντίστοιχα αποτελέσματα σχετικά με μια γενική δεξιότητα σημαντική στον τομέα της τεχνολογίας λογισμικού που προσελκύει το ενδιαφέρον των δυνητικών εργαζομένων, η οποία είναι η χρήση των αδειών λογισμικού. Το έκτο κεφάλαιο εστιάζει στην χρήση διαδικτυακών πηγών περιεχομένου τόσο από την πλευρά της προσφοράς εργασίας όσο και από την ζήτηση σχετικά με ικανότητες και δεξιότητες που καταγράφονται στον τομέα των ηλεκτρικών οχημάτων καθώς είναι ένα σημαντικό κομμάτι της πράσινης οικονομίας. Τέλος, στο κεφάλαιο επτά παρέχονται συμπεράσματα και ιδέες για μελλοντικές επεκτάσεις της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής.
Enabling change in public health services: Insights from the implementation of nurse mentoring interventions to improve quality of obstetric and newborn care in two North Indian states
Authors: Kane Sumit , Dayal Prarthna , Mahapatra Tanmay , Kumar Sanjiv , Bhasin Shikha , Gore Aboli , Das Aritra , Reddy Sandeep , Mahal Ajay , Krishnan Suneeta , Kermode Michelle
Published: April 2021

Background: Few studies have explicitly examined the implementation of change interventions in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) public health services. We contribute to implementation science by analyzing the implementation of an organizational change intervention in a large, hierarchical and bureaucratic public service in a LMIC health system.

Methods: Using qualitative methods, we critically interrogate the implementation of an intervention to improve quality of obstetric and newborn services across 692 facilities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states of India to reveal how to go about making change happen in LMIC public health services.

Results: We found that focusing the interventions on a discreet part of the health service (labour rooms) ensured minimal disruption of the status quo and created room for initiating change. Establishing and maintaining respectful, trusting relationships is critical, and it takes time and much effort to cultivate such relationships. Investing in doing so allows one to create a safe space for change; it helps thaw entrenched practices, behaviours and attitudes, thereby creating opportunities for change. Those at the frontline of change processes need to be enabled and supported to: lead by example, model and embody desirable behaviours, be empathetic and humble, and make the change process a positive and meaningful experience for all involved. They need discretionary space to tailor activities to local contexts and need support from higher levels of the organisation to exercise discretion.

Conclusions: We conclude that making change happen in LMIC public health services, is possible, and is best approached as a flexible, incremental, localised, learning process. Smaller change interventions targeting discreet parts of the public health services, if appropriately contextualised, can set the stage for incremental system wide changes and improvements to be initiated. To succeed, change initiatives need to cultivate and foster support across all levels of the organisation.
Spatial variability of urban forest topsoil properties: towards representative and robust sampling design
Authors: Galle Nadina , Brinton William , Vos Robin , Duarte Fábio , Collier Marcus , Ratti Carlo , Pilla Francesco
Published: April 2021

Background:Soil spatial variability is a major concern when deciding how to collect a representative topsoil sample for laboratory analysis. Sampling design to capture site-specific variability is documented in the agricultural literature, but poorly understood for urban forest soils where soils may be characterized by strong horizontal and vertical variability and large temporal anthropogenic disturbances.

Methods:This paper evaluates the spatial variability of selected topsoil properties under urban trees to define a statistically robust sampling design that optimizes the number of samples to reliably characterize basal soil respiration (BSR), a property associated with soil health. To provide a reference on variability, two additional soil properties were measured, unrelated to BSR: electrical conductivity (EC) and bulk density (BD). Thirteen sampling sites comprising both park and street trees (Acer rubrum) were selected in Cambridge, MA, USA.

Results:Results indicate street tree topsoil had approximately twice as much variation, requiring more intensive sampling, as did park tree topsoil, even though street trees had smaller soil sampling zones, constricted by tree pits. The variability of BSR was nearly identical to that of EC, and BD results varied least. A large number of samples would be required for acceptable levels of statistical reliability (90% CI - 10% ER) of 44.4, 41.7, and 6.4 for BSR, EC, and BD, respectively, whereas by accepting a lower level of certainty (80% CI - 20% ER) the number of required soil samples was calculated as 6.8, 6.4, and 0.4 for BSR, EC, and BD, respectively.

Conclusions:The use of EC testing as a baseline measure to determine spatial variation in the topsoil is proposed, to alleviate the financial implications of more expensive BSR testing. Factors of topsoil disturbance and soil access restrictions at sites with severe root-sidewalk conflicts and the overall generalizability of the results are also discussed.
La accesibilidad lingüística como servicio en la atención de usuarios en las entidades del tercer sector
Authors: imenez-Andres Maria J.
Published: April 2021

La accesibilidad lingüística es un requisito básico para las entidades que asisten a personas desplazadas. Este artículo analiza las prácticas de accesibilidad lingüística de cinco entidades del tercer sector en cuatro países: Grecia, Italia, España y Reino Unido. Después de repasar brevemente las normativas de los cuatro países, se presentan los resultados de entrevistas en profundidad con el personal de las ONG que atienden a refugiados y solicitantes de asilo. Los resultados muestran la pluralidad de las prácticas multilingües, multimodales y digitales en estas entidades y los retos de comunicación a los que se enfrentan las entidades en la gestión del sistema estatales de acogida.
Competencias digitales del profesorado para innovar en la docencia universitaria. Analizando el uso de los dispositivos móviles
Authors: Rodríguez-Hoyos Carlos , Fueyo Gutiérrez Aquilina , Hevia Artime Isabel
Published: April 2021

Tomando como marco teórico el DigCompEdu, este artículo analiza las competencias digitales que el profesorado pone en juego a la hora de utilizar los dispositivos móviles en las aulas universitarias en experiencias educativas innovadoras. Para alcanzar este objetivo se diseñó una investigación mixta en la que se utilizaron dos técnicas de recogida de datos. Se presentan los resultados de un cuestionario en el que participó una muestra de 155 docentes de diferentes universidades españolas que habían participado en procesos de innovación docente con dispositivos móviles. Además, se desarrollaron tres grupos de discusión en varias universidades españolas destinados a comprender qué significados atribuían los docentes al tipo de competencias que estaban poniendo en juego al desarrollar procesos educativos innovadores en los que se estaban empleando dispositivos móviles. Los resultados sugieren que el profesorado universitario presenta competencias digitales que les permiten utilizar los dispositivos móviles para la selección de recursos digitales. El profesorado encuestado sugiere que, más allá de los dispositivos empleados, el carácter innovador de las experiencias se relaciona con la forma en que estos se implican en proyectos diseñados para la innovación y la mejora, aprovechando al máximo su potencial comunicativo y de acceso a la información.
Autopercepção da saúde e fatores associados em usuários da Atenção Básica à Saúde, de Vitória de Santo Antão, PE
Authors: Silva Juliana Barbosa da , Costa Emília Chagas
Published: April 2021

Introdução: A autopercepção da saúde analisa as condições de saúde considerando aspectos biológicos, psicológicos e sociais, sendo um instrumento norteador das necessidades em saúde de uma população. Objetivo: Este artigo avaliou a autopercepção da saúde e seus fatores associados em usuários frequentadores de grupos de emagrecimento da atenção básica à saúde do município de Vitória de Santo Antão-PE. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal analítico com 24 usuários. A autopercepção da saúde foi analisada através da pergunta “Como você considera o seu estado de saúde?”, sendo as respostas agrupadas em positiva e negativa e associadas com as condições demográficas e socioeconômicas, de saúde e estilo de vida, perfil alimentar e estado nutricional. Resultados: A prevalência da autopercepção negativa foi de 83,3%, sendo associada a uma maior ingestão diária de medicamentos (p=0,017) e o não seguimento aos Dez Passos Para Uma Alimentação Saudável (p=0,010). Conclusão: A elevada prevalência da autopercepção negativa da saúde indica a necessidade de maior entendimento sobre como os fatores associados ao processo saúde-doença influenciam a forma como o sujeito percebe sua própria saúde, de modo a promover intervenções específicas e efetivas em saúde nessa população.
Self-perception of body size in schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Costa Larissa Da Cunha Feio , Silva Diego Augusto Santos , Das Neves Janaina , Corrêa Elizabeth Nappi , Gabriel Cristine Garcia , De Souza Lidiamara Dornelles , De Vasconcelos Francisco De Assis Guedes
Published: April 2021

Introdução: A identificação precoce de imprecisões nas estimativas do tamanho corporal pode ser fundamental para planejar e realizar ações de prevenção e tratamento mais eficazes relacionadas à percepção e distúrbios da imagem corporal. Objetivo: Estimar a prevalência de superestimação e subestimação do tamanho corporal em escolares com magreza, peso normal e obesidade e os fatores associados. Métodos: Estudo transversal e de base escolar realizado em Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brasil. O estudo foi realizado com uma amostra de 1.530 escolares de sete a dez anos matriculados em escolas públicas e privadas de Florianópolis. Foram analisados dados sociodemográficos e antropométricos, bem como suas percepções sobre a imagem corporal. As percepções do tamanho corporal foram avaliadas utilizando-se as Escalas de Silhuetas para Crianças Brasileiras. Foi utilizada regressão logística para análise das associações. Resultados: A prevalência de magreza ou de peso normal em escolares que se consideravam com obesidade foi de 10%. Nenhum dos escolares com obesidade se consideraram magros ou com peso normal. Nos escolares magros, a imagem corporal desejada referente à obesidade manteve-se associada à percepção de considerar-se obeso (odds ratio = 2,64, p < 0,05). O sobrepeso, no sexo feminino, se manteve associado à condição de considerar-se magro (odds ratio = 3,07, p < 0,05). Conclusões: A superestimação e subestimação do tamanho corporal foram observadas entre crianças de 7 a 10 anos, particularmente do sexo feminino. Outros estudos utilizando diferentes variáveis e abordagens metodológicas são necessários para identificar, em profundidade, as causas da distorção da imagem corporal.
O USO DA TECNOLOGIA QR CODE E DE OUTROS RECURSOS DIGITAIS EM ESTUDOS DE INVERTEBRADOS
Authors: Soibelman Renée , Barbosa Oscar Rocha
Published: April 2021

Este artigo tem como objetivo disponibilizar uma metodologia de uso da tecnologia QR Code e outros recursos digitais na construção do conhecimento, em estudos de invertebrados. Através de uma sequência didática, em uma página da Web, o projeto irá proporcionar  um enfoque investigativo no estudo deste grupo zoológico. A ideia desse projeto surgiu da necessidade de se produzir um recurso tecnológico  para se inserir o conteúdo de estudos dos invertebrados utilizando as tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TICs), tão presentes no cotidiano dos alunos.  O professor, através de uma aula diversificada, irá conduzir os alunos a atividades e pesquisas, que serão apresentadas por meio do QR Code e links do site, objetivando promover nos discentes as competências de leitura, construções de textos e motivação para o estudo de zoologia dos invertebrados. O smartphone sendo utilizado como recurso didático será um diferencial para os alunos já que é presença constante no seu cotidiano. No  cenário atual da Covid 19, em que as aulas presenciais foram suspensas, o uso de sequência didática online poderá auxiliar os docentes como metodologia de ensino. Essa sequência didática também ficará disponibilizada em pôsteres com os códigos QR, de forma que somente com o aparelho celular com acesso a internet e com leitor de código, o professor poderá conduzir a sequência didática. Como sugestões para trabalhos futuros essa metodologia poderia ser utilizada para qualquer conteúdo de Biologia ou em qualquer outra disciplina.
Editorial
Authors: Almeida Josimar Ribeiro de
Published: April 2021

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A current guide to airway management in prehospital patient care
Authors: Sampson Michael
Published: April 2021

A patent airway linking the nose and mouth with the lungs is essential to life. In emergency care, individuals may experience airway difficulties for many reasons including major trauma, airway inflammation and altered consciousness. Airway management is therefore a core skill for paramedics and other practitioners working in prehospital care. This article reviews the anatomy and physiology of the airway before moving on to consider causes of airway obstruction. A look-listen-feel approach to airway assessment is described, followed by a discussion of techniques used to clear, open and maintain the airway. Commonly used airway devices including oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal and supraglottic airways are evaluated, and their indications and insertion techniques discussed. The use of endotracheal intubation by paramedics is also evaluated.
Interference-based wide-range dynamic tuning of the plasmonic color of
single gold nanoparticles
Authors: Nakayama Bokusui , Nakabayashi Takahito , Esashika Keiko , Hiruta Yuki , Saiki Toshiharu
Published: April 2021

Dynamic tuning of nanoscale coloration by exploiting localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) combined with an interference coloration mechanism is demonstrated experimentally. When interference between the scattering field from AuNPs and the reflected field from the substrate is observed under back-scattering white-light microscopy, the AuNPs exhibit various colors depending on their distance to the substrate. When the numerical aperture of the microscope objective is optimized, much greater coverage of the color space than was achieved with previously reported plasmon-based approaches is attained. Also, color tunability is examined by exploiting the temperature-induced volume change of a temperature-responsive hydrogel with embedded AuNPs to dynamically modify the distance to the substrate.
Broadband sum-frequency generation of spectrally incoherent pulses
Authors: Dorrer Christophe , Spilatro Michael , Herman Steven , Borger Ted , Hill Elizabeth M.
Published: April 2021

We study and demonstrate the nonlinear frequency conversion of broadband optical pulses from 1053 nm to 351 nm using sum-frequency generation with a narrowband pulse at 526.5 nm. The combination of angular dispersion and noncollinearity cancels out the wave-vector mismatch and its frequency derivative, yielding an order-of-magnitude increase in spectral acceptance compared to conventional tripling. This scheme can support the nonlinear frequency conversion of broadband spectrally incoherent nanosecond pulses generated by high-energy lasers and optical parametric amplifiers to mitigate laser−plasma instabilities occurring during interaction with a target. The experimental results obtained with KDP crystals are in excellent agreement with modeling, demonstrating the generation of spectrally incoherent pulses with a bandwidth larger than 10 THz at 351 nm.
Quantitative laser speckle auto-inverse covariance imaging for robust estimation of blood flow
Authors: Hong Jiachi , Zhu Xuan , Lu Jinling , Li Pengcheng
Published: April 2021

We present a quantitative model to provide robust estimation of the decorrelation time using laser speckle auto-inverse covariance. It has the advantages of independence from the statistical sample size, speckle size, static scattering, and detector noise. We have shown cerebral blood flow imaging through an intact mouse skull using this model. Phantom experiments and two animal models, middle cerebral artery occlusion, and cortical spreading depression were used to evaluate its performance.
Unidirectional guided resonances in anisotropic waveguides
Authors: Mukherjee Samyobrata , Gomis-Bresco Jordi , Artigas David , Torner Lluis
Published: April 2021

We show that anisotropic planar anti-guiding waveguide structures with two radiation channels toward the surrounding cladding materials can support unidirectional guided resonances (UGRs), where radiation is canceled in one of the radiation channels and redirected into the other. Their formation is subtle as it requires breaking the so-called polar anisotropy-symmetry of the structures. Then, UGRs appear at specific wavelengths and light propagation directions, are robust, and are characterized by phase singularities in the channel in which radiation is canceled. The mechanism we describe allows for ready selection of the radiation direction, as well as tuning of the wavelength and the propagation angle at which UGRs occur.
Fast fiber mode decomposition with a lensless fiber-point-diffraction interferometer
Authors: Li Junbo , Zhang Xiaoyu , Zheng Yunhan , Li Fangxin , Shan Xiaoqin , Han Zhigang , Zhu Rihong
Published: April 2021

Recently, the growing interest in few-mode fibers in telecommunications and high-power lasers has stimulated the demand for fiber mode decomposition (MD). Here we present a fast fiber MD method with a lensless fiber-point-diffraction interferometer. The complex amplitude at the fiber end is achieved by the polarization phase-shifting technique and the lensless imaging technique. Then, the eigenmode coefficients are determined by the mode orthogonal operations of the complex amplitude. In the experiment, the SMF-28e fiber containing 10 linear polarized modes at the wavelength of 632.8 nm is studied for MD. The decomposition of the 50 * 50 pixels interferograms takes only 0.0168 s. The similarity of the intensity patterns of the testing light is larger than 97% before and after the MD. This new, to the best of our knowledge, method can achieve fast and accurate 10-mode MD without using any imaging systems.
Chirped dissipative solitons in driven optical resonators
Authors: Spiess Christopher , Yang Qian , Dong Xue , Bucklew Victor G. , Renninger William H.
Published: April 2021

Solitons are self-sustaining particle-like wave packets found throughout nature. Optical systems such as optical fibers and mode-locked lasers are relatively simple, are technologically important, and continue to play a major role in our understanding of the rich nonlinear dynamics of solitons. Here we present theoretical and experimental observations of a new class of optical soliton characterized by pulses with large and positive chirp in normal dispersion resonators with strong spectral filtering. Numerical simulations reveal several stable waveforms including dissipative solitons characterized by large frequency chirp. In experiments with fiber cavities driven with nanosecond pulses, chirped dissipative solitons matching predictions are observed. Remarkably, chirped pulses remain stable in low quality-factor resonators despite large dissipation, which enables new opportunities for nonlinear pattern formation. By extending pulse generation to normal dispersion systems and supporting higher pulse energies, chirped dissipative solitons will enable ultrashort pulse and frequency comb sources that are simpler and more effective for spectroscopy, communications, and metrology. Scaling laws are derived to provide simple design guidelines for generating chirped dissipative solitons in microresonator, fiber resonator, and bulk enhancement cavity platforms.
Service user experiences of community services for complex emotional needs: A qualitative thematic synthesis
Authors: Sheridan Rains Luke , Echave Athena , Rees Jessica , Scott Hannah Rachel , Lever Taylor Billie , Broeckelmann Eva , Steare Thomas , Barnett Phoebe , Cooper Chris , Jeynes Tamar , Russell Jessica , Oram Sian , Rowe Sarah , Johnson Sonia
Published: April 2021

Background

There is a recognised need to develop clear service models and pathways to provide high quality care in the community for people with complex emotional needs, who may have been given a “personality disorder” diagnosis. Services should be informed by the views of people with these experiences.

Aims

To identify and synthesise qualitative studies on service user experiences of community mental health care for Complex Emotional Needs.

Methods

We searched six bibliographic databases for papers published since 2003. We included peer reviewed studies reporting data on service user experiences and views about good care from community-based mental health services for adults with CEN, including generic mental health services and specialist “personality disorder” services. Studies using any qualitative method were included and thematic synthesis used to identify over-arching themes.

Results

Forty-seven papers were included. Main themes were: 1) The need for a long-term perspective on treatment journeys; 2) The need for individualised and holistic care; 3) Large variations in accessibility and quality of mental health services; 4) The centrality of therapeutic relationships; 5) Impacts of ‘personality disorder’ diagnosis. Themes tended to recur across studies from different countries and years.

Discussion

Recurrent major themes included wanting support that is individualised and holistic, provides continuity over long journeys towards recovery, and that is delivered by empathetic and well-informed clinicians who are hopeful but realistic about the prospects of treatment. Care that met these simple and clearly stated priorities tended to be restricted to often limited periods of treatment by specialist “personality disorder” services: generic and primary care services were often reported as far from adequate. There is an urgent need to co-design and test strategies for improving long-term support and treatment care for people with “personality disorders” throughout the mental health care system.
Using survival prediction techniques to learn consumer-specific reservation price distributions
Authors: Jin Ping , Haider Humza , Greiner Russell , Wei Sarah , Häubl Gerald
Published: April 2021

A consumer’s “reservation price” (RP) is the highest price that s/he is willing to pay for one unit of a specified product or service. It is an essential concept in many applications, including personalized pricing, auction and negotiation. While consumers will not volunteer their RPs, we may be able to predict these values, based on each consumer’s specific information, using a model learned from earlier consumer transactions. Here, we view each such (non)transaction as acensored observation, which motivates us to use techniques from survival analysis/prediction, to produce models that can generate a consumer-specific RP distribution, based on features of each new consumer. To validate this framework of RP, we run experiments on realistic data, with four survival prediction methods. These models performed very well (under three different criteria) on the task of estimating consumer-specific RP distributions, which shows that our RP framework can be effective.
Transition to adult care: Exploring factors associated with transition readiness among adolescents and young people in adolescent ART clinics in Uganda
Authors: Mbalinda Scovia Nalugo , Bakeera-Kitaka Sabrina , Lusota Derrick Amooti , Musoke Philippa , Nyashanu Mathew , Kaye Dan Kabonge
Published: April 2021

Background

Transition readiness refers to a client who knows about his/her illness and oriented towards future goals and hopes, shows skills needed to negotiate healthcare, and can assume responsibility for his/ her treatment, and participate in decision-making that ensures uninterrupted care during and after the care transition to adult HIV care. There is a paucity of research on effective transition strategies. This study explored factors associated with adolescent readiness for the transition into adult care in Uganda.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 786 adolescents, and young people living with HIV randomly selected from 9 antiretroviral therapy clinics, utilizing a structured questionnaire. The readiness level was determined using a pre-existing scale from the Ministry of Health, and adolescents were categorized as ready or not ready for the transition. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.

Results

A total of 786 adolescents were included in this study. The mean age of participants was 17.48 years (SD = 4). The majority of the participants, 484 (61.6%), were females. Most of the participants, 363 (46.2%), had no education. The majority of the participants, 549 (69.8%), were on first-line treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that readiness to transition into adult care remained significantly associated with having acquired a tertiary education (AOR 4.535, 95% CI 1.243–16.546, P = 0.022), trusting peer educators for HIV treatment (AOR 16.222, 95% CI 1.835–143.412, P = 0.012), having received counselling on transition to adult services (AOR 2.349, 95% CI 1.004–5.495, P = 0.049), having visited an adult clinic to prepare for transition (AOR 6.616, 95% CI 2.435–17.987, P = < 0.001) and being satisfied with the transition process in general (AOR 0.213, 95% CI 0.069–0.658, P = 0.007).

Conclusion

The perceived readiness to transition care among young adults was low. A series of individual, social and health system and services factors may determine successful transition readiness among adolescents in Uganda. Transition readiness may be enhanced by strengthening the implementation of age-appropriate and individualized case management transition at all sites while creating supportive family, peer, and healthcare environments.
Dual proteomics of Drosophila melanogaster hemolymph infected with the heritable endosymbiont Spiroplasma poulsonii
Authors: Masson Florent , Rommelaere Samuel , Marra Alice , Schüpfer Fanny , Lemaitre Bruno
Published: April 2021

Insects are frequently infected with heritable bacterial endosymbionts. Endosymbionts have a dramatic impact on their host physiology and evolution. Their tissue distribution is variable with some species being housed intracellularly, some extracellularly and some having a mixed lifestyle. The impact of extracellular endosymbionts on the biofluids they colonize (e.g. insect hemolymph) is however difficult to appreciate because biofluid composition can depend on the contribution of numerous tissues. Here we investigate Drosophila hemolymph proteome changes in response to the infection with the endosymbiont Spiroplasma poulsonii. S. poulsonii inhabits the fly hemolymph and gets vertically transmitted over generations by hijacking the oogenesis in females. Using dual proteomics on infected hemolymph, we uncovered a weak, chronic activation of the Toll immune pathway by S. poulsonii that was previously undetected by transcriptomics-based approaches. Using Drosophila genetics, we also identified candidate proteins putatively involved in controlling S. poulsonii growth. Last, we also provide a deep proteome of S. poulsonii, which, in combination with previously published transcriptomics data, improves our understanding of the post-transcriptional regulations operating in this bacterium.
Food insecurity in older female mice affects food consumption, coping behaviors, and memory
Authors: Estacio Samantha M. , Thursby Madalyn M. , Simms Noel C. , Orozco Vanessa A. , Wu Jessica P. , Miawotoe Alyssa A. , Worth Whitney W. , Capeloto Claire B. , Yamashita Kyla , Tewahade Kayla R. , Saxton Katherine B.
Published: April 2021

Food insecurity correlates with poor physical and mental health in older individuals, but has not been studied in a laboratory animal model. This explorative study developed a laboratory mouse model for analyzing the impact of food insecurity on food consumption, stress coping mechanisms, exploratory behavior, and memory. 18-month-old CD-1 female mice were assigned to either the food insecurity exposure condition (31 mice, 8 cages) or the control condition (34 mice, 8 cages) by cage. Over four weeks, the mice that were exposed to food insecurity received varied, unpredictable portions of their baseline food consumption (50%, 75%, 125%, 150% of baseline) for four days, followed by ad libitum access for three days, to approximate the inconsistent access to food observed in households experiencing food insecurity. Behavioral tasks were conducted before and after food insecurity exposure. Mice in the food insecurity exposure condition ate less compared to control mice during food insecurity (two-way ANOVA: group x time interaction: F7,93 = 10.95, P < 0.01) but ate more when given access to high fat food (two-way ANOVA, group x time interaction: F1,14 = 11.14, P < 0.01). Mice exposed to food insecurity increased active escaping behaviors in the forced swim test (repeated measures two-way ANOVA, group x time interaction: F1,63 = 5.40, P = 0.023). Exploratory behaviors were unaffected by food insecurity. Mice exposed to food insecurity showed a reduction in memory (repeated measures two-way ANOVA, group x time interaction: F1,61 = 4.81, P = 0.037). These results suggest that exposure to food insecurity is associated with differences in food consumption patterns, active coping mechanisms, and memory. The behavioral changes associated with food insecurity may inform research on food insecurity’s impact on health in elderly humans.
Lifestyle changes associated with COVID-19 quarantine among young Saudi women: A prospective study
Authors: Al-Musharaf Sara , Aljuraiban Ghadeer , Bogis Rania , Alnafisah Ruyuf , Aldhwayan Madhawi , Tahrani Abd
Published: April 2021

Background

Negative lifestyle behaviors are associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes from coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This study aimed to assess lifestyle changes affecting weight, sleep, mental health, physical activity, and dietary habits prospectively from before COVID-19 to during lockdown.

Methods

A total of 297 Saudi women, aged 19–30 years (mean age, 20.7 ± 1.4 years), were interviewed at two time points, before and during the quarantine. The data collected included anthropometrics, sociodemographic data, clinical history, food frequency questionnaire responses, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores, Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) responses, and Perceived Stress Scale measures. In addition, during quarantine, COVID-19 and nutrition-related information and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores were collected. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the indicators of weight gain and loss from before COVID-19 (baseline) until during lockdown.

Results

Although approximately half of the participants did not report a weight change, 30% revealed weight loss and 18%, weight gain. The variables associated with increased weight gain were self-quarantine since COVID-19 started (OR: 5.17, 95% CI: 1.57–17.01, p = 0.007), age (OR: 1.53, 1.03–2.28, p = 0.04), and stress at baseline and during lockdown (OR: 1.15, 1.03–1.29, p = 0.01; OR: 1.10, 1.01–1.19, p = 0.03, respectively). The variables associated with a reduced risk of weight gain were the GPAQ score during lockdown (OR: 0.16, 0.04–0.66, p = 0.01), coffee consumption (OR: 0.36, 0.19–0.67, p = 0.01), and total sleep time (OR: 0.70, 0.51–0.97, p = 0.03).

Conclusion

While most young Saudi women experienced no weight change during the COVID-19 lockdown, one-third lost weight and a significant proportion gained weight. Factors associated with weight, such as stress, sleep hours, physical activity, and coffee consumption, highlight the need to carefully consider those at risk during future circumstances that may require lockdowns. These factors could also aid in implementing policies for future lockdowns and support those most at risk of gaining weight.
Conducting large, repeated, multi-game economic experiments using mobile platforms
Authors: Li Zhi , Lin Po-Hsuan , Kong Si-Yuan , Wang Dongwu , Duffy John
Published: April 2021

We demonstrate the possibility of conducting synchronous, repeated, multi-game economic decision-making experiments with hundreds of subjects in-person or remotely with live streaming using entirely mobile platforms. Our experiment provides important proof-of-concept that such experiments are not only possible, but yield recognizable results as well as new insights, blurring the line between laboratory and field experiments. Specifically, our findings from 8 different experimental economics games and tasks replicate existing results from traditional laboratory experiments despite the fact that subjects play those games/task in a specific order and regardless of whether the experiment was conducted in person or remotely. We further leverage our large subject population to study the effect of large (N= 100) versus small (N= 10) group sizes on behavior in three of the scalable games that we study. While our results are largely consistent with existing findings for small groups, increases in group size are shown to matter for the robustness of those findings.
What do “barbarians” eat? Integrating ceramic use-wear and residue analysis in the study of food and society at the margins of Bronze Age China
Authors: Taché Karine , Jaffe Yitzchak , Craig Oliver E. , Lucquin Alexandre , Zhou Jing , Wang Hui , Jiang Shengpeng , Standall Edward , Flad Rowan K.
Published: April 2021

The Siwa archaeological culture (ca. 3350 and 2650 cal yr BP) has often been associated with the tribes referenced in textual sources as Qiang and Rong: prized captives commonly sacrificed by the Shang and marauding hordes who toppled the Western Zhou dynasty. In early Chinese writings, food plays a key role in accentuating the ‘sino-barbarian’ dichotomy believed to have taken root over 3000 years ago, with the Qiang and Rong described as nomadic pastoralists who consumed more meat than grain and knew little of proper dining etiquette. To date, however, little direct archaeological evidence has allowed us to reconstruct the diet and foodways of the groups who occupied the Loess Plateau during this pivotal period. Here we present the results of the first ceramic use-wear study performed on the Siwama’anjars from the site of Zhanqi, combined with the molecular and isotopic characterization of lipid residues from foodcrusts, and evidence from experimental cooking. We report molecular data indicating the preparation of meals composed of millet and ruminant dairy among the Siwa community of Zhanqi. Use-wear analysis shows that Zhanqi community members were sophisticated creators of ceramic equipment, thema’ancooking pot, which allowed them to prepare a wide number of dishes with limited fuel. These findings support recent isotope studies at Zhanqi as well as nuance the centrality of meat in the Siwa period diet.
A mixture of quebracho and chestnut tannins drives butyrate-producing bacteria populations shift in the gut microbiota of weaned piglets
Authors: Miragoli Francesco , Patrone Vania , Prandini Aldo , Sigolo Samantha , Dell’Anno Matteo , Rossi Luciana , Barbato Mario , Senizza Alice , Morelli Lorenzo , Callegari Maria Luisa
Published: April 2021

Weaning is a critical period for piglets, in which unbalanced gut microbiota and/or pathogen colonisation can contribute to diseases that interfere with animal performance. Tannins are natural compounds that could be used as functional ingredients to improve gut health in pig farming thanks to their antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiarrhoeal properties. In this study, a mixture of quebracho and chestnut tannins (1.25%) was evaluated for its efficacy in reducing the negative weaning effects on piglet growth. Microbiota composition was assessed by Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted from stools at the end of the trial. Sequence analysis revealed an increase in the generaShuttleworthia,Pseudobutyrivibrio,Peptococcus,Anaerostipes, andSolobacteriumin the tannin-supplemented group. Conversely, this dietary intervention reduced the abundance of the generaSyntrophococcus,Atopobium,Mitsuokella,Sharpea, andPrevotella. The populations of butyrate-producing bacteria were modulated by tannin, and higher butyrate concentrations in stools were detected in the tannin-fed pigs. Co-occurrence analysis revealed that the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the familiesVeillonellaceae,Lachnospiraceae, andCoriobacteriaceaeoccupied the central part of the network in both the control and the tannin-fed animals. Instead, in the tannin group, the OTUs belonging to the familiesAcidaminococcaceae,Alcaligenaceae, andSpirochaetaceaecharacterised its network, whereas Family XIII Incertae Sedis occupied a more central position than in the control group. Conversely, the presence ofDesulfovibrionaceaecharacterised the network of the control group, and this family was not present in the network of the tannin group. Moreover, the prediction of metabolic pathways revealed that the gut microbiome of the tannin group possessed an enhanced potential for carbohydrate transport and metabolism, as well as a lower abundance of pathways related to cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis and inorganic ion transport. In conclusion, the tested tannins seem to modulate the gut microbiota, favouring groups of butyrate-producing bacteria.
Behaviour and vocalizations of two sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) entangled in illegal driftnets in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Blasi Monica Francesca , Caserta Valentina , Bruno Chiara , Salzeri Perla , Di Paola Agata Irene , Lucchetti Alessandro
Published: April 2021

Illegal driftnetting causes each year several entanglements and deaths of sperm whales in different Mediterranean areas, primarily in the Tyrrhenian Sea. In summer 2020, during the June-July fishing season, two sperm whales were found entangled in illegal driftnets in the Aeolian Archipelago waters, Southern Italy. These two rare events were an exceptional chance to collect behavioural and acoustics data about entangled sperm whales. We analysed 1132 one-minute sets of breathing/behavioural data and 1575 minutes of acoustic recording, when the whales were found entangled, during the rescue operation, immediately after release, and in the days thereafter. The first whale was generally quiet showing a general status of debilitation/weakness, numerous skin lesions, and low breathing rate (0.31 (0.60)); it collaborated during rescue operations. On the contrary, the second whale showed a high level of agitation with a high breathing rate (1.48 (1.31)) during both the entanglement period and the net cutting operations, vigorously moving its fluke and pectoral fins, opening its mouth, sideway rolling or side fluking and frequently defecating. Acoustically, the first whale produced mainly single clicks in all phases except for two series of creaks during rescuing operations while the second whale produced a wide range of vocalizations (single clicks, likely either slow clicks or regular clicks, creaks, and codas). Our observations indicate that acoustics, respiratory and behavioural parameters may be useful to monitor the physical/physiological status of sperm whales during disentanglement operations.
Semi-field assessment of the Gravid Aedes Trap (GAT) with the aim of controlling Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti populations
Authors: Eiras Alvaro E. , Costa Laila H. , Batista-Pereira Luciane G. , Paixão Kelly S. , Batista Elis P. A.
Published: April 2021

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the main vector of arboviroses and current approaches to control this vector are not sufficiently effective. Adult traps, such as the BG-Sentinel (BGS), have been successfully used for mosquito surveillance and can also suppress vector populations. A new “passive” trap for gravid Ae. aegypti (Gravid Aedes Trap—GAT) has been shown efficient for Aedes collection and suppress Ae. albopictus populations using mass trapping techniques. Here the GAT was evaluated for the first time as a new tool to control Ae. aegypti in semi-field conditions using simulated outdoor environments (SOE). Two identical large screened chambers inside of a SOE containing different numbers and sizes of artificial breeding sites were used to assess the trapping efficiency of the GAT. One hundred mosquitoes were released into the chambers, and recapture rates evaluated after 48h. The parity status of the captured mosquitoes was also recorded. The number of eggs laid, and breeding productivity were also monitored when using different numbers and sizes of breeding sites. The BGS trap was used here as a control (gold standard) trap to compare capture rates to those of the GAT. The GAT recaptured between 50–65% of the mosquitoes independent of the number and sizes of the breeding sites in the SOEs, whereas the BGS recaptured 60–82% of the females. Both traps showed similar results regarding to the parity status of recaptured mosquitoes. Our results confirmed the effectiveness of GAT for the capture of adult female Ae. aegypti in simulated field environments. The BGS trap recaptured gravid Ae. aegypti before egg-laying in different sizes and number of breading sites, whereas the oviposition activity occurred prior to recapture mosquitoes in the GAT. Based on the results, we believe that GAT is a promising candidate for mass-trapping intervention in urban settings, but a source reduction intervention should be made prior trap deployment. Therefore, we suggest future field studies to confirm the use of GAT as a complementary tool in vector control activities.
Vinpocetine alleviates lung inflammation via macrophage inflammatory protein-1β inhibition in an ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma model
Authors: Choi Won Seok , Kang Hyun Sik , Kim Hong Jo , Lee Wang Tae , Sohn Uy Dong , Lee Ji-Yun
Published: April 2021

Asthma is a well-known bronchial disease that causes bronchial inflammation, narrowing of the bronchial tubes, and bronchial mucus secretion, leading to bronchial blockade. In this study, we investigated the association between phosphodiesterase (PDE), specifically PDE1, and asthma using 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX; a non-specific PDE inhibitor) and vinpocetine (Vinp; a PDE1 inhibitor). Balb/c mice were randomized to five treatment groups: control, ovalbumin (OVA), OVA + IBMX, OVA + Vinp, and OVA + dexamethasone (Dex). All mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA, except for the control group. IBMX, Vinp, or Dex was intraperitoneally administered 1 h before the challenge. Vinp treatment significantly inhibited the increase in airway hyper-responsiveness (P<0.001) and reduced the number of inflammatory cells, particularly eosinophils, in the lungs (P<0.01). It also ameliorated the damage to the bronchi and alveoli and decreased the OVA-specific IgE levels in serum, an indicator of allergic inflammation increased by OVA (P<0.05). Furthermore, the increase in interleukin-13, a known Th2 cytokine, was significantly decreased by Vinp (P<0.05), and Vinp regulated the release and mRNA expression of macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β) increased by OVA (P<0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that PDE1 is associated with allergic lung inflammation induced by OVA. Thus, PDE1 inhibitors can be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of asthma.