bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogels as Functional Tools to Tackle Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Authors: Ligorio Cosimo , Hoyland Judith A. , Saiani Alberto
Published: April 2022

Low back pain (LBP), caused by intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, is a major contributor to global disability. In its healthy state, the IVD is a tough and well-hydrated tissue, able to act as a shock absorber along the spine. During degeneration, the IVD is hit by a cell-driven cascade of events, which progressively lead to extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, chronic inflammation, and pain. Current treatments are divided into palliative care (early stage degeneration) and surgical interventions (late-stage degeneration), which are invasive and poorly efficient in the long term. To overcome these limitations, alternative tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies, in which soft biomaterials are used as injectable carriers of cells and/or biomolecules to be delivered to the injury site and restore tissue function, are currently being explored. Self-assembling peptide hydrogels (SAPHs) represent a promising class of de novo synthetic biomaterials able to merge the strengths of both natural and synthetic hydrogels for biomedical applications. Inherent features, such as shear-thinning behaviour, high biocompatibility, ECM biomimicry, and tuneable physiochemical properties make these hydrogels appropriate and functional tools to tackle IVD degeneration. This review will describe the pathogenesis of IVD degeneration, list biomaterials requirements to attempt IVD repair, and focus on current peptide hydrogel materials exploited for this purpose.
Poly(ethylene oxide) Is Positively Charged in Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Zhou Chao , Ji Chunda , Nie Yuchen , Yang Jingfa , Zhao Jiang
Published: April 2022

There have been controversies about the binding of cations to poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) chains in aqueous solutions. In the current study, single molecular evidence of charging PEO chains by cation binding in aqueous solutions is provided. From the adoption of the photon-counting histogram method, it is discovered that the local pH value at the vicinity of the PEO chain is higher than the bulk solution, showing that the PEO chain is positively charged. Such a situation exists with and without the presence of salt (NaCl) in the solution, presumably due to the binding of cations, such as hydronium and sodium ions. Single molecular electrophoresis experiments using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy demonstrate that the PEO chains are weakly charged with a charging extent of ~5%. In comparison to the salt-free condition, the addition of external salt (NaCl) at moderate concentrations further charges the chain. The charging causes the PEO chains to expand and a further increase in the salt concentration causes the chain to shrink, exhibiting a polyelectrolyte-like behavior, demonstrated by the hydrodynamic radii of a single PEO chain. The effect of ion identity is discovered with alkali cations, with the order of the charging capacity of Li+ < Na+ < Cs+ < K+.
Home Monitoring of Oxygen Saturation Using a Low-Cost Wearable Device with Haptic Feedback to Improve Sleep Quality in a Lung Cancer Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Lachenmeier Walter , Lachenmeier Dirk W.
Published: April 2022

This study reports the case of a lung cancer patient with increasing difficulties in falling asleep and frequent periods of wakefulness. Severe dyspnea related to pneumonitis caused as a side effect of immunotherapy worsened the situation. Eventually, a fear of falling asleep developed, including panic attacks and anxiety around choking, which was shown to lead to nights of complete wakefulness. The patient did not only sleep poorly; he did not sleep at all at night for several days, as evidenced by the notes he made during the night. Polygraphy showed no evidence of sleep-disordered breathing, but frequent periods of wakefulness and a reduced basal saturation of around 90% during sleep due to lung changes such as an extensive functional failure of the left upper lobe with position-dependent shunts. The authors hypothesized that the symptoms described were causally related to a drop in oxygen saturation in the patient’s blood. Therefore, they pursued the goal of finding a measurement technique that is as inexpensive as possible and that the patient can operate without outside assistance and great effort. Thus, the patient started using a low-cost wearable device that allows simultaneous measurements of blood oxygen content, pulse rate, and movement intensity. It consists of a finger ring with a pulse oximetry sensor and a wristband with a control unit containing a vibration motor. The described device reliably warned of disturbances in the oxygen concentration in the blood during the night with its vibration alarm. By use of that device during the whole night at home, the events of reduced oxygen saturation and anxiety symptoms were reduced. Sleep disturbances with sudden awakenings did not occur when using the device. The patient benefited from the security gained in this way and slept much more peacefully, and he could spend nights without waking up again. In conclusion, wearable oximeters with vibration alarms can be recommended for patients’ home care in lung cancer patients.
The Effect of Integrating Service-Learning and Learning Portfolio Construction into the Curriculum of Gerontological Nursing
Authors: Hsu Pei-Ti , Ho Ya-Fang , Chen Jeu-Jung
Published: April 2022

Background: With the rapid increase in the aging population, a greater number of older individuals will require nursing care in the future. Therefore, it is important for nurses to be willing to engage in gerontological nursing. Nursing students must increase their experience in providing care to older people during their education and must receive education that improves their attitudes toward aging; this will help provide care to the older people, develop positive attitudes toward aging, and increase their empathy and willingness to provide care to older people after graduation. Hence, studies focused on improving the attitude of nursing students toward aging are urgently required. Methods: In this mixed-method experimental study, participants were interviewed individually and observed to better understand the connection between quantitative and qualitative data. Service learning and learning portfolio constructions were integrated in the gerontological nursing curriculum of an experimental group, whereas traditional gerontological nursing curriculum was provided to a control group. Quantitative data on the nursing students were collected using the attitudes toward aging scale (ATAS) and older people behavioral intention scale (OBIS) and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: From the pre- to the post-test, the average ATAS and OBIS scores of the experimental group increased significantly, reaching a statistically significant level. However, the results of the control group indicated that the educational intervention does affect the attitudes toward aging and older people behaviors. A qualitative analysis revealed that educational intervention can improve the students’ attitudes toward aging and older people behavioral intention. Conclusion: Our study results showed that integrating community older people service and learning portfolio construction into the curriculum can effectively improve the attitudes of nursing students toward aging and older people’s behaviors, thus providing substantial assistance to students intending to care for the older people in the future.
STORK: Collaborative Online Monitoring of Pregnancies Complicated with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Chatzakis Christos , Floros Dimitris , Liberis Anastasios , Gerede Aggeliki , Dinas Konstantinos , Pitsianis Nikos , Sotiriadis Alexandros
Published: April 2022

Background: A novel digital platform, named STORK, was developed in the COVID-19 pandemic when clinic visits were restricted. A study of its clinical use during the pandemic was conducted. The study aims to advance the state of the art in monitoring and care of pregnancies complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) via online collaboration between patients and care providers. Methods: This study involved 31 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM and 5 physicians. Statistical comparisons were made in clinic-visit frequency and adverse outcomes between the STORK group and a historical control group of 32 women, compatible in size, demographics, anthropometrics and medical history. Results: The average number of submitted patient measurements per day was 3.6±0.4. The average number of clinic visits was 2.9±0.7 for the STORK group vs. 4.1±1.1 for the control group (p<0.05). The number of neonatal macrosomia cases was 2 for the STORK group vs. 3 for the control group (p>0.05); no other adverse incidents. Conclusions: The patient compliance with the pilot use of STORK was high and the average number of prenatal visits was reduced. The results suggest the general feasibility to reduce the average number of clinic visits and cost, with enhanced monitoring, case-specific adaptation, assessment and care management via timely online collaboration.
Cranioplasty after Two Giant Intraosseous Angiolipomas of the Cranium: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Mohan Aurel George , Ciurea Alexandru Vlad , Antoniac Iulian , Manescu (Paltanea) Veronica , Bodog Alin , Maghiar Octavian , Marcut Lavinia , Ghiurau Adrian , Bodog Florian
Published: April 2022

Angiolipomas are rare, benign tumors resulting from the proliferation of adipose tissue and blood vessels, most frequently encountered subcutaneously at the upper limbs and trunk level. Due to their rarity, few cases of intraosseous angiolipomas are presented in the literature. The paper reports a 50-year-old female case with intracranial hypertension syndrome, frontal and parietal headache, nausea, and vomiting symptoms increasing in intensity. A CT exam revealed two hypodense expansive intraosseous formations/lesions. The first one was located in the projection of the frontal bone and the second one was placed on the left parietal bone. After further investigations, a two-stage procedure was considered. A frontal craniotomy with excision of the intraosseous tumor was performed in the first stage. In the second stage, a left parietal craniotomy was done with excision of the intraosseous tumor combined with a cranioplasty procedure. The patient had a favorable postoperative evolution with no symptoms or neurological deficits. This is among the few reported cases of intraosseous angiolipoma located at the cranium level and the first case report of two intraosseous angiolipomas situated on the same site. The medical recommendation was a complete surgical excision of the lesion followed by cranioplasty.
Knowledge and Attitudes towards Palliative Care: Validation of the Spanish Version of Questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia
Authors: Chover-Sierra Elena , Pérez-Ros Pilar , Julián-Rochina Iván , Long Carol O. , Cauli Omar
Published: April 2022

Background: Palliative care is essential in the care of people with advanced dementia, due to the increasing number of patients requiring care in the final stages of life. Nurses need to acquire specific knowledge and skills to provide quality palliative care. The Questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia (qPAD) is useful for assessing knowledge and attitudes toward palliative care, but its adaptation to the Spanish language and analysis of its effectiveness and usefulness for the Spanish culture is lacking. Objective: To report on the Spanish language adaptation and psychometric analysis of the qPAD. Methods: The Questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia Spanish version (qPAD-SV) was obtained from a process that included translation, back-translation, comparison with other language versions, expert review, and pilot study. Content validity, criterion validity, and reliability of the questionnaire were analyzed. The difficulty and discrimination indices of items composing the knowledge subscale were also calculated. Results: Adequate content validity index obtained after the analysis of qPAD-SV by a heterogeneous group of experts was found (overall CVI = 0.96; 0.95 for the Knowledge subscale and 0.99 for the Attitudes subscale). Significant correlations with the Palliative Care Knowledge test (rho = 0.368, p < 0.001) and Self-Efficacy in Palliative Care Scale (rho = 0.621, p < 0.001) show an adequate criterion validity. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the Knowledge subscale (0.60) and the Attitudes subscale (0.91) supported the reliability of the qPAD-SV. The questionnaire had an overall difficulty index of 0.71, with three items that could be considered difficult or very difficult, and eleven items that could be considered very easy. Discussion: Although it shows internal consistency, validity, and difficulty indices similar to those obtained by qPAD versions in other languages, a reformulation of the items with lower content validity or discrimination indices and those that show difficulties in their comprehension is an aspect to be taken into account to improve this tool. Conclusions: The qPAD-SV is a useful instrument in Spanish to measure the knowledge of Spanish nurses in palliative care and is suitable for international comparisons.
Foliar Applications of Bacillus subtilis HA1 Culture Filtrate Enhance Tomato Growth and Induce Systemic Resistance against Tobacco mosaic virus Infection
Authors: El-Gendi Hamada , Al-Askar Abdulaziz A. , Király Lóránt , Samy Marwa A. , Moawad Hassan , Abdelkhalek Ahmed
Published: April 2022

The application of microbial products as natural biocontrol agents for inducing systemic resistance against plant viral infections represents a promising strategy for sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural applications. Under greenhouse conditions, the efficacy of the culture filtrate of Bacillus subtilis strain HA1 (Acc# OM286889) for protecting tomato plants from Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection was assessed. The results showed that the dual foliar application of this culture filtrate (HA1-CF) 24 h before and 24 h after TMV inoculation was the most effective treatment for enhancing tomato plant development, with substantial improvements in shoot and root parameters. Furthermore, compared to non-treated plants, HA1-CF-treated tomato had a significant increase in total phenolic and flavonoid contents of up to 27% and 50%, respectively. In addition, a considerable increase in the activities of reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes (PPO, SOD, and POX) and a significant decrease in non-enzymatic oxidative stress markers (H2O2 and MDA) were reported. In comparison to untreated control plants, all HA1-CF-treated plants showed a significant reduction in TMV accumulation in systemically infected tomato leaves, up to a 91% reduction at 15 dpi. The qRT-PCR results confirmed that HA1-CF stimulated the transcription of several defense-related tomato genes (PR-1, PAL, CHS, and HQT), pointing to their potential role in induced resistance against TMV. GC–MS analysis showed that phenol, 2,4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl)-, Pyrrolo [1,2-a] pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(2-methylpropyl)- and eicosane are the primary ingredient compounds in the HA1-CF ethyl acetate extract, suggesting that these molecules take part in stimulating induced systemic resistance in tomato plants. Our results imply that HA1-CF is a potential resistance inducer to control plant viral infections, a plant growth promoter, and a source of bioactive compounds for sustainable disease management.
Sulfate (SO42−) Decline Supported Lake Kinneret (Israel) Invasion of N2-Fixing Cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum
Authors: Gophen Moshe , Levin-Orlov Valerie
Published: April 2022

Since 1990, the Lake Kinneret trophic status has shifted from phosphorus to nitrogen limitation. In the summer of 1994, an outbreak of N2 fixing cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon ovalisporum invaded the epilimnion of Lake Kinneret. Since then, sporadic densities of harmful cyanobacteria (HFCB) reappeared in the lake together with other toxic non-N2 fixing cyanobacteria. This predicted ecological modification developed because of a worldwide well-known background condition of descent N/P mass ratio. Reevaluation of the lake and its watershed ecosystems data exposed additional potential support of the process reduction of the epilimnetic sulfate (SO42−) concentration. Climate condition changes resulted in sulfate input reduction and its potential competitive interaction with molybdenum (MoO42−) enhanced the HFCB growth rate. The working hypothesis was the reevaluated incorporation of long-term records including rainfall, river discharge, depth of ground water table in the Hula valley peat soil, total moisture capabilities, and Kinneret epilimnion sulfate concentration. Results justify conclusive inference in Lake Kinneret of the following: sufficient phosphorus, insufficient nitrogen, and sulfate decline availabilities induced the HFCB outbreak in the summer of 1994.
Resiliency and Recovery of Aquatic Vegetation Following Scouring Floods in Two First-Magnitude Springs, Missouri, USA
Authors: Bowles David E.
Published: April 2022

This study quantifies the loss of vegetative cover in Alley and Big springs, Missouri, following a catastrophic, ‘100 year’ flood, and documents their subsequent recovery. Foliar cover of aquatic vegetation was measured in each spring along six transects, each having three sample cells (1 m2, N = 18). Species diversity analyses included taxa richness, Shannon’s diversity index, and Simpson’s diversity index, which were expressed as the effective number of species (S, He, and De). Species metrics were calculated as individual species frequency (ISF), percent foliar cover (PFC), and species importance value (SIV). Post-flood community diversity metrics (S, He, and De) for the springs were largely not significant for most measures (Epps–Singleton test p > 0.05). This suggests that they may not be sufficiently sensitive for detecting change in springs when the sample size is small. Bare substrate increased significantly at Big Spring post-flood (mean = 87.50%; Epps–Singleton test, p = 0.02), but not at Alley Spring (Epps–Singleton test, p = 0.42). Various alga taxa generally exhibited increased frequency and abundance following the flood, which is reflected in their overall higher SIVs. Most hydrophyte species at Alley Spring showed a marked decline compared to the pre-flood average, only to substantially increase in the last year of sampling, thus maintaining their approximate species important values relative to their pre-flood averages. Several hydrophyte species at Big Spring showed significant decreases (Epps–Singleton test p < 0.05) in their respective community metrics, and recovery had not returned to pre-flood levels on the last sampling date. This study showed that loss and recovery of aquatic vegetation in high-magnitude Ozark springs following flooding are a function of flood intensity as well as substrate size and retention, and proximity to the receiving stream.
Flood Early Warning and Risk Modelling
Authors: Iosub Marina , Enea Andrei
Published: April 2022

The evolution of mankind during the last 2 centuries has generated an ever growing thrive for increased production, for the need to create novel means to generate energy and for society to change into a more consumerism-oriented version [...]
Synoptic Time Scale Variability in Precipitation and Streamflows for River Basins over Northern South America
Authors: Salas Hernán D. , Valencia Juliana , Builes-Jaramillo Alejandro , Jaramillo Alejandro
Published: April 2022

The synoptic mode of variability (SMV) refers to changes in atmospheric conditions over periods ranging from 2 to 10 days. In tropical regions, this variability is driven by tropical waves that have a clear signal on the wavenumber–frequency power spectra of precipitation. This study uses the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method to identify the SMV in daily precipitation and streamflows in 47 river basins over northern South America. We found the presence of the frequency bands with periods of 3–12 days and 6–18 days, which agrees with the SMV associated with tropical waves that modulate precipitation over the region. Furthermore, our results reveal that variance explained by the SMV in rainfall over each catchment is greater than the variance explained by those SMV in streamflows, which suggests that catchments efficiently filter out this variability. We found that SMV explains from 5% to 20% of streamflow variability for catchments ranging from 1000 km2 to 5000 km2. Additionally, the variance explained by SMV decreases as a power fit with the catchment area. Thus, this study characterizes the SMV for potential applications on regional hydrology, diagnosis, modeling, short-time forecasting, prediction, and management of water resources.
Chinese-Uyghur Bilingual Lexicon Extraction Based on Weak Supervision
Authors: Aysa Anwar , Ablimit Mijit , Yilahun Hankiz , Hamdulla Askar
Published: April 2022

Bilingual lexicon extraction is useful, especially for low-resource languages that can leverage from high-resource languages. The Uyghur language is a derivative language, and its language resources are scarce and noisy. Moreover, it is difficult to find a bilingual resource to utilize the linguistic knowledge of other large resource languages, such as Chinese or English. There is little related research on unsupervised extraction for the Chinese-Uyghur languages, and the existing methods mainly focus on term extraction methods based on translated parallel corpora. Accordingly, unsupervised knowledge extraction methods are effective, especially for the low-resource languages. This paper proposes a method to extract a Chinese-Uyghur bilingual dictionary by combining the inter-word relationship matrix mapped by the neural network cross-language word embedding vector. A seed dictionary is used as a weak supervision signal. A small Chinese-Uyghur parallel data resource is used to map the multilingual word vectors into a unified vector space. As the word-particles of these two languages are not well-coordinated, stems are used as the main linguistic particles. The strong inter-word semantic relationship of word vectors is used to associate Chinese-Uyghur semantic information. Two retrieval indicators, such as nearest neighbor retrieval and cross-domain similarity local scaling, are used to calculate similarity to extract bilingual dictionaries. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the Chinese-Uyghur bilingual dictionary extraction method proposed in this paper is improved to 65.06%. This method helps to improve Chinese-Uyghur machine translation, automatic knowledge extraction, and multilingual translations.
Comparison of Ground Release and Drone-Mediated Aerial Release of Aedes aegypti Sterile Males in Southern Mexico: Efficacy and Challenges
Authors: Marina Carlos F. , Liedo Pablo , Bond J. Guillermo , R. Osorio Adriana , Valle Javier , Angulo-Kladt Roberto , Gómez-Simuta Yeudiel , Fernández-Salas Ildefonso , Dor Ariane , Williams Trevor
Published: April 2022

Sterile males of Aedes aegypti were released once a week for 8 weeks to evaluate the dispersal efficiency of ground and aerial drone release methods in a rural village of 26 Ha in southern Mexico. Indoor and outdoor BG-Sentinel traps were placed in 13–16 houses distributed throughout the village. The BG traps were activated 48 h after the release of the sterile males and functioned for a 24 h period following each release. Over the 8-week period of simultaneous ground and aerial releases, an average of 85,117 ± 6457 sterile males/week were released at ground level and 86,724 ± 6474 sterile males/week were released using an aerial drone. The ground release method resulted in higher numbers of captured males (mean = 5.1 ± 1.4, range 1.1–15.7 sterile males/trap) compared with the aerial release method (mean = 2.6 ± 0.8, range 0.5–7.3 sterile males/trap) (p < 0.05). Similarly, the prevalence of traps that captured at least one sterile male was significantly higher for ground release compared to the aerial release method (p < 0.01). The lower numbers of sterile males captured in the aerial release method could be due to mortality or physical injury caused by the chilling process for immobilization, or the compaction of these insects during transport and release. However, aerial releases by a two-person team distributed insects over the entire village in just 20 min, compared to ~90 min of work for a five-person team during the ground release method. Ground release also resulted in higher aggregations of males and some villagers reported feeling discomfort from the presence of large numbers of mosquitoes in and around their houses. We conclude that modifications to the handling and transport of sterile males and the design of containers used to store males are required to avoid injury and to improve the efficiency of aerial releases for area-wide SIT-based population suppression programs targeted at mosquito vectors of human disease.
Age and Serum Adipocyte Fatty-Acid-Binding Protein Level Are Associated with Aortic Stiffness in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Patients
Authors: Huang Nai-Wei , Lin Jian-Hong , Jhan Jin-You , Hsu Bang-Gee , Chang Jui-Chih
Published: April 2022

Old age has been proven to be related to progressed arterial or aortic stiffness. Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortalities in patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Higher serum concentrations of adipocyte fatty-acid-binding protein (A-FABP) could be considered a predictor of aortic stiffness in patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus. This study aims to investigate the relationships between A-FABP and aortic stiffness in patients who have received CABG. A total of 84 CABG patients were enrolled in our study from September 2018 to May 2019. Serum A-FABP levels were determined using a commercial enzyme immunoassay. Carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) > 10 m/s was defined as aortic stiffness. Of the 84 CABG patients, 28 (33.3%) with aortic stiffness had a higher average age; exhibited higher rates of diabetes; and had higher serum creatinine, C-reactive protein, and A-FABP levels compared to controls. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that serum A-FABP levels (odds ratio (OR) = 1.068, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.017–1.121, p = 0.008) and age (OR = 1.204, 95% CI 1.067–1.359, p = 0.003) were independent predictors of aortic stiffness. Multivariable stepwise linear regression revealed significant positive correlations of age and A-FABP levels with cfPWV values. Serum A-FABP level is positively correlated with cfPWV values, and a high serum A-FABP level is associated with aortic stiffness in patients who have undergone CABG.
Update of Pediatric Lipomatous Lesions: A Clinicopathological, Immunohistochemical and Molecular Overview
Authors: Ameloot Eline , Cordier Fleur , Van Dorpe Jo , Creytens David
Published: April 2022

Lipomatous neoplasms are a rare entity in the pediatric population, comprising less than 10% of soft tissue tumors in the first two decades of life. Some characteristics of pediatric adipocytic tumors are analogous to their adult counterparts, some pediatric lipomatous lesions however harbor unique features. In recent years, there have been significant advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis and hence in the classification and treatment of pediatric adipocytic tumors. This literature-based article will provide a review of the presently known clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular features of pediatric lipomatous lesions.
Psychological Profiles of Treatment-Seeking Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Cluster Analysis Approach
Authors: Plasonja Natalija , Brytek-Matera Anna , Décamps Greg
Published: April 2022

Background: Overweight and obesity are associated with depression and well-being. Some psychological characteristics play a role in explaining well-being and depression in obesity and in identifying specific patient profiles. However, subtyping individuals with overweight/obesity based on variables like self-esteem or stress has not often been done. Therefore, our objective was to explore the psychological profiles of treatment-seeking individuals overweight or with obesity and to compare their depression and well-being. Methods: Data regarding eating self-efficacy, well-being, depression, physical hunger, self-esteem, body satisfaction and perceived stress in individuals with overweight/obesity were collected from the ESTEAM cohort. Hierarchical cluster analysis and mean comparisons were performed on female (n = 1427) and male samples (n = 310). Results: Three psychological profiles were identified in both samples. The “High psychological concerns” profile and the “Low psychological concerns” profile were identical in both samples. The third profile, “Bodily concerns”, differed by sex and was characterized by appearance dissatisfaction for women and by appearance and eating concerns for men. The ”Low psychological concerns” profile presented the highest well-being and the lowest depression scores in both samples. Discussion: The findings support the hypothesis of the heterogeneity of individuals with overweight and obesity and suggest sex-related therapeutic approaches.
Imaging PPG for In Vivo Human Tissue Perfusion Assessment during Surgery
Authors: Lai Marco , van der Stel Stefan D. , Groen Harald C. , van Gastel Mark , Kuhlmann Koert F. D. , Ruers Theo J. M. , Hendriks Benno H. W.
Published: April 2022

Surgical excision is the golden standard for treatment of intestinal tumors. In this surgical procedure, inadequate perfusion of the anastomosis can lead to postoperative complications, such as anastomotic leakages. Imaging photoplethysmography (iPPG) can potentially provide objective and real-time feedback of the perfusion status of tissues. This feasibility study aims to evaluate an iPPG acquisition system during intestinal surgeries to detect the perfusion levels of the microvasculature tissue bed in different perfusion conditions. This feasibility study assesses three patients that underwent resection of a portion of the small intestine. Data was acquired from fully perfused, non-perfused and anastomosis parts of the intestine during different phases of the surgical procedure. Strategies for limiting motion and noise during acquisition were implemented. iPPG perfusion maps were successfully extracted from the intestine microvasculature, demonstrating that iPPG can be successfully used for detecting perturbations and perfusion changes in intestinal tissues during surgery. This study provides proof of concept for iPPG to detect changes in organ perfusion levels.
Student Characteristics, Institutional Factors, and Outcomes in Higher Education and Beyond: An Analysis of Standardized Test Scores and Other Factors at the Institutional Level with School Rankings and Salary
Authors: Wai Jonathan , Tran Bich
Published: April 2022

When seeking to explain the eventual outcomes of a higher education experience, do the personal attributes and background factors students bring to college matter more than what the college is able to contribute to the development of the student through education or other institutional factors? Most education studies tend to simply ignore cognitive aptitudes and other student characteristics—in particular the long history of research on this topic—since the focus is on trying to assess the impact of education. Thus, the role of student characteristics has in many ways been underappreciated in even highly sophisticated quantitative education research. Conversely, educational and institutional factors are not as prominent in studies focused on cognitive aptitudes, as these fields focus first on reasoning capacity, and secondarily on other factors. We examine the variance in student outcomes due to student (e.g., cognitive aptitudes) versus institutional characteristics (e.g., teachers, schools). At the level of universities, two contemporary U.S. datasets are used to examine the proportion of variance accounted for in various university rankings and long-run salary by student cognitive characteristics and institutional factors. We find that depending upon the ways the variables are entered into regression models, the findings are somewhat different. We suggest some fruitful paths forward which might integrate the methods and findings showing that teachers and schools matter, along with the broader developmental bounds within which these effects take place.
Capabilities of an Acoustic Camera to Inform Fish Collision Risk with Current Energy Converter Turbines
Authors: Staines Garrett J. , Mueller Robert P. , Seitz Andrew C. , Evans Mark D. , O’Byrne Patrick W. , Wosnik Martin
Published: April 2022

A diversified energy portfolio may include marine energy in the form of current energy converters (CECs) such as tidal or in-river turbines. New technology development in the research stage typically requires monitoring for environmental effects. A significant environmental effect of concern for CECs is the risk of moving parts (e.g., turbine blades) colliding with animals such as fishes. CECs are installed in energetic locations in which it is difficult to operate sensors to fulfill monitoring requirements for informing collision risk. Collecting data (i.e., about blade strikes or near-misses) that inform interactions of fishes with CECs is usually attempted using active acoustic sensors or video cameras (VCs). Limitations of low-light conditions or water turbidity that preclude effective use of VCs are overcome by using high-resolution multibeam echosounders (or acoustic cameras (ACs)). We used an AC at two sites to test its ability to detect artificial and real fish targets and determine if strike, near-miss, and near-field behavior could be observed. Interactions with fish and artificial targets with turbines have been documented but strike confirmation with an AC is novel. The first site was in a tidal estuary with a 25 kW turbine and water clarity sufficient to allow VC data to be collected concurrently with AC data showing turbine blade strike on tethered artificial fish targets. The second site was a turbid, debris-laden river with a 5 kW turbine where only AC data were collected due to high water turbidity. Data collection at the second site coincided with downstream Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) smolt migration. Physical fish capture downstream of the turbine was performed with an incline plane trap (IPT) to provide context for the AC observations, by comparing fish catches. Discrimination between debris and fishes in the AC data was not possible, because active movement of fishes was not discernable. Nineteen fishes were released upstream of the turbine to provide known times of possible fish/turbine interactions, but detection was difficult to confirm in the AC data. ACs have been used extensively in past studies to count large migratory fish such as Pacific salmon, but their application for small fish targets has been limited. The results from these two field campaigns demonstrate the ability of ACs to detect targets in turbid water and observe blade strikes, as well as their limitations such as the difficulty of distinguishing small fishes from debris in a high-energy turbid river. Recommendations are presented for future applications associated with CEC device testing.
Strouhal Number Measurement for Novel Biomimetic Folding Fins Using an Image Processing Method
Authors: Piskur Paweł
Published: April 2022

The aim of the paper is to present the parameters of new biomimetic folding fins measured using image processing. Tests were carried out for different types of folding biomimetic fins and compared to the most popular fins on the market. A noninvasive image processing method was used to estimate divers’ velocities in the vertical and horizontal directions and the frequency and the amplitude of the fin trailing edge, and as a result, the Strouhal number was calculated. These tests are a continuation of studies conducted in a water tunnel, where fin efficiency was measured as the ratio of generated thrust to electrical energy consumption, taking into account the mechanical efficiency of the leg manipulator as well as the water velocity. The Strouhal number helped us to analyse the parameters of the fin–diver–water system taking into account the properties of the fins, in particular the newly designed biomimetic folding fins.
‘All Fishing Is Wildlife Poaching:’ Nonhuman Animal Imagery and Mutual Avowal in Racing Extinction and Seaspiracy
Authors: Rooney David
Published: April 2022

Images of nonhuman animals may be effective tools in producing climate concern and empathy for animals, particularly if animals are shown in natural habitats. Visual and narrative analysis of the documentary Racing Extinction identifies a practice of selectively recognizing the individuality of certain animals. Despite emphasizing the intrinsic worth of often-marginalized animals, Racing Extinction reproduces the marginalization of domesticated animals raised for consumption and less charismatic marine life. A close reading of the film’s animal imagery also reveals a spatialized bias—visualizing violence against marine life overwhelmingly in China and Indonesia and by comparison associating the U.S. with indirect climate harm rather than the direct killing of animals. Intertwining a decolonial ethic with a critical animal studies perspective, this paper reveals how disjointed imagery of nonhuman animal suffering facilitates racial scapegoating, masks the exploitation of marine life by the U.S. and partitions uneven ethical responsibilities towards nonhuman animals. This is contrasted to the documentary Seaspiracy, which advances a universal, non-speciesist ethic of “mutual avowal”, contextualizing images of violence against marine life in a global frame.
Update on Multiple Sclerosis Molecular Biomarkers to Monitor Treatment Effects
Authors: Nociti Viviana , Romozzi Marina , Mirabella Massimiliano
Published: April 2022

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by broad inter- and intraindividual heterogeneity. The relapse rate, disability progression, and lesion load assessed through MRI are used to detect disease activity and response to treatment. Although it is possible to standardize these characteristics in larger patient groups, so far, this has been difficult to achieve in individual patients. Easily detectable molecular biomarkers can be powerful tools, permitting a tailored therapy approach for MS patients. However, only a few molecular biomarkers have been routinely used in clinical practice as the validation process, and their transfer into clinical practice takes a long time. This review describes the characteristics of an ideal MS biomarker, the challenges of establishing new biomarkers, and promising molecular biomarkers from blood or CSF samples used to monitor MS treatment effects in clinical practice.
Global Globin Network Consensus Paper: Classification and Stratified Roadmaps for Improved Thalassaemia Care and Prevention in 32 Countries
Authors: Halim-Fikri Bin Hashim , Lederer Carsten W. , Baig Atif Amin , Mat-Ghani Siti Nor Assyuhada , Syed-Hassan Sharifah-Nany Rahayu-Karmilla , Yusof Wardah , Abdul Rashid Diana , Azman Nurul Fatihah , Fucharoen Suthat , Panigoro Ramdan , Silao Catherine Lynn T. , Viprakasit Vip , Jalil Norunaluwar , Mohd Yasin Norafiza , Bahar Rosnah , Selvaratnam Veena , Mohamad Norsarwany , Nik Hassan Nik Norliza , Esa Ezalia , Krause Amanda , Robinson Helen , Hasler Julia , Stephanou Coralea , Raja-Sabudin Raja-Zahratul-Azma , Elion Jacques , El-Kamah Ghada , Coviello Domenico , Yusoff Narazah , Abdul Latiff Zarina , Arnold Chris , Burn John , Kountouris Petros , Kleanthous Marina , Ramesar Raj , Zilfalil Bin Alwi ,   on behalf of the Global Globin Network (GGN)
Published: April 2022

The Global Globin Network (GGN) is a project-wide initiative of the Human Variome/Global Variome Project (HVP) focusing on haemoglobinopathies to build the capacity for genomic diagnosis, clinical services, and research in low- and middle-income countries. At present, there is no framework to evaluate the improvement of care, treatment, and prevention of thalassaemia and other haemoglobinopathies globally, despite thalassaemia being one of the most common monogenic diseases worldwide. Here, we propose a universally applicable system for evaluating and grouping countries based on qualitative indicators according to the quality of care, treatment, and prevention of haemoglobinopathies. We also apply this system to GGN countries as proof of principle. To this end, qualitative indicators were extracted from the IthaMaps database of the ITHANET portal, which allowed four groups of countries (A, B, C, and D) to be defined based on major qualitative indicators, supported by minor qualitative indicators for countries with limited resource settings and by the overall haemoglobinopathy carrier frequency for the target countries of immigration. The proposed rubrics and accumulative scores will help analyse the performance and improvement of care, treatment, and prevention of haemoglobinopathies in the GGN and beyond. Our proposed criteria complement future data collection from GGN countries to help monitor the quality of services for haemoglobinopathies, provide ongoing estimates for services and epidemiology in GGN countries, and note the contribution of the GGN to a local and global reduction of disease burden.
Antecedents of Behavioural Intention to Adopt Internet Banking Using Structural Equation Modelling
Authors: Inder Shivani , Sood Kiran , Grima Simon
Published: April 2022

Technology is emerging as an as an important banking mode for customers, and although almost all the banks in India are offering Internet Banking, India faces problems related to the digital divide, e-frauds, and high rates of interest, amongst other things. This is causing concern in banks, which are trying to persuade people to adopt their online banking services. Therefore, the aim with this study is to determine the antecedents of behavioural intentions to adopt e-banking in an emerging economy such as India. We did this by administering a questionnaire with 34 questions and nine constructs to which participants responded using a Likert scale of 1 to 5, 1 being strongly disagree and 5 strongly agree. All constructs used in this questionnaire were adapted from literature related to the antecedents of behavioural intentions to adopt e-banking. We received 436 valid responses, which we analysed using Cronbach’s alpha, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling. Results show that Performance Expectancy, Hedonic Motivation, Experience, Habit and Attitude, Perceived Website Usability, and Security and Reliability positively influence the intention to adopt Internet Banking, suggesting that policymakers and bankers should focus on improving website usability and hedonic enjoyment while focusing on Internet Banking performance, security, and dependability. In addition, Effort Expectations, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, and Trust resulted as not significant influencing factors of Internet Banking usage; Indians appear to find Internet Banking straightforward to use, perceive it as a breeze, and believe they are backed by solid support systems and organisational infrastructures. Moreover, trust is not a driving factor for Indians to adopt Internet Banking because they already perceive it as a trustworthy exercise.
Green Space Visits and Barriers to Visiting during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Wave Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study of UK Adults
Authors: Burnett Hannah , Olsen Jonathan R. , Mitchell Richard
Published: April 2022

Green spaces have been found to promote physical activity, social contact, and mental wellbeing, however, there are inequalities in the use and experience of green spaces. The United Kingdom’s (UK) response to the COVID-19 pandemic imposed very substantial changes on its citizens’ lives which could plausibly affect their willingness to visit green spaces. These sudden lifestyle changes severely affected the population’s mental health, leading to a greater dependency on the positive influence of nature in reducing stress and improving mood. Whilst early cross-sectional evidence suggested an increased orientation to nature and visits to green spaces as a response to COVID-19 ‘lockdowns’, there is little longitudinal evidence about how sustained and equal these changes may have been. This study explored green space visits, barriers to visiting, and the inequalities of both of those over an entire year of the pandemic in the UK. Three waves of nationally representative cross-sectional surveys were administered by YouGov in April 2020, November 2020, and April 2021 (N = 6713). Data included reported visits to green spaces and, for those with no or infrequent visiting, perceived barriers including those plausibly related to the risk of COVID-19. Green space visits increased over the year as lockdown restrictions were relaxed; 68% of respondents reported green space visits in April 2021, compared with 49% in April 2020. However, the socio-economic inequalities in use were sustained and increased. COVID-19 related barriers fell over time, but there were indications of increased interest in green spaces among younger people. Further action is required to ensure that the positive impacts of green spaces are experienced equally, and that good quality green space is accessible to all.
A Comparison of Stream Water and Shallow Groundwater Suspended Sediment Concentrations in a West Virginia Mixed-Use, Agro-Forested Watershed
Authors: Gootman Kaylyn S. , Hubbart Jason A.
Published: April 2022

Suspended sediment is an important constituent of freshwater ecosystems that supports biogeochemical, geomorphological, and ecological processes. Current knowledge of suspended sediment is largely based on surface water studies; however, improved understanding of surface and in situ groundwater suspended sediment processes will improve pollutant loading estimates and watershed remediation strategies. A study was conducted in a representative mixed-use, agro-forested catchment of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed of the northeast, USA, utilizing an experimental watershed study design, including eight nested sub-catchments. Stream water and shallow groundwater grab samples were collected monthly from January 2020 to December 2020 (n = 192). Water samples were analyzed for suspended sediment using gravimetric (mg/L) and laser particle diffraction (µm) analytical methods. Results showed that shallow groundwater contained significantly higher (p < 0.001) total suspended solid concentrations and smaller particle sizes, relative to stream water. Differences were attributed to variability between sites in terms of soil composition, land use/land cover, and surficial geology, and also the shallow groundwater sampling method used. Results hold important implications for pollutant transport estimates and biogeochemical modeling in agro-forested watersheds. Continued work is needed to improve shallow groundwater suspended sediment characterization (i.e., mass and particle sizes) and the utility of this information for strategies that are designed to meet water quality goals.