bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lytic effects of water on cancer cells: Implications for post‐operative irrigation
Authors: Nandurkar Ruchira , Sluka Pavel , Wardan Hady , Davis Ian D. , Sengupta Shomik
Published: August 2021

Background

Intraoperative tumour spillage can be concerning during cancer excisions, given it can lead to tumour‐cell re‐implantation and local recurrence. Examples include bladder tumour recurrences post‐transurethral resection, or peritoneal spillage during laparotomy/laparoscopy for bowel and ovarian cancers. One approach to reducing implantation is mechanical wash out of free‐floating tumour cells. Irrigation with water may have additional effectiveness compared to iso‐osmotic irrigants (e.g. saline) by causing osmotic cytolysis, but this is not well‐characterised. This in vitro study aimed to ascertain the time‐course of osmotic effects of water on various cancer cell lines to provide guidance for clinical usage.

Methods

Assays were conducted on six cancer cell lines (bladder [HT1197, HT1376], colon [KM12, LIM2405], kidney [SKRC52], and ovarian [COV434]). Cells were exposed to water or 0.9% saline and cell counts were performed using a haemocytometer at 10, 20, 40, 60, 120 and 180 min. Cell viability was determined using Trypan Blue exclusion.

Results

In all cell lines, exposure to water led to 100% cell lysis within a median time of 40 min (range 10–180 min), while exposure to saline led to a gradual decline in cell viability (median 50.2%, range 6.7%–100.0%) over 3 h, and did not result in complete cell lysis. An increase in osmotic gradient equivalent to a concentration of 5% NaCl was sufficient to impede the effects of water‐mediated cell lysis.

Conclusion

Our studies suggest that water has a rapid osmolytic effect on cancer cells. The required exposure time to reach 0% cell viability varied between individual cell lines.
Media visibility and board gender diversity
Authors: Peña‐Martel Devora , Pérez‐Alemán Jerónimo , Santana‐Martín Domingo J.
Published: August 2021

Despite the efforts of governments and market regulators, the under‐representation of women on corporate boards continues to be a global concern. In this context, this study extends prior literature by investigating the relationship between media visibility and gender diversity on boards of directors. We examine a sample of 101 Spanish nonfinancial listed firms over the period 2003–2016. We find that media visibility positively affects board gender diversity. This finding is robust to alternative measures of media visibility and different econometric specifications. This research contributes to the existing literature on the relationship between media and board composition by suggesting the role of the media as a driver of board gender diversity. Results support the notion that the media are able to discipline managers and dominant owners by inflicting reputational costs.
Procedural fairness for radiotherapy priority setting in a low resource context
Authors: DeBoer Rebecca J. , Nguyen Cam , Mutoniwase Espérance , Ho Anita , Umutesi Grace , Bigirimana Jean Bosco , Triedman Scott A. , Shyirambere Cyprien
Published: August 2021

Radiotherapy is an essential component of cancer treatment, yet many countries do not have adequate capacity to serve their populations. This mismatch between demand and supply creates the need for priority setting. There is no widely accepted system to guide patient prioritization for radiotherapy in a low resource context. In the absence of consensus on allocation principles, fair procedures for priority setting should be established. Research is needed to understand what elements of procedural fairness are important to decision makers in diverse settings, assess the feasibility of implementing fair procedures for priority setting in low resource contexts, and improve these processes. This study presents the views of decision makers engaged in everyday radiotherapy priority setting at a cancer center in Rwanda. Semi‐structured interviews with 22 oncology physicians, nurses, program leaders, and advisors were conducted. Participants evaluated actual radiotherapy priority setting procedures at the program (meso) and patient (micro) levels, reporting facilitators, barriers, and recommendations. We discuss our findings in relation to the leading Accountability for Reasonableness (AFR) framework. Participants emphasized procedural elements that facilitate adherence to normative principles, such as objective criteria that maximize lives saved. They ascribed fairness to AFR's substantive requirement of relevance more than transparency, appeals, and enforcement. They identified several challenges unresolved by AFR, such as conflicting relevant rationales and unintended consequences of publicity and appeals. Implementing fair procedure itself is resource intensive, a paradox that calls for innovative, context‐appropriate solutions. Finally, socioeconomic and structural barriers to care that undermine procedural fairness must be addressed.
The effect of familiarity on within‐person age judgements from voices
Authors: Lavan Nadine
Published: August 2021

Listeners can perceive a person’s age from their voice with above chance accuracy. Studies have usually established this by asking listeners to directly estimate the age of unfamiliar voices. The recordings used mostly include cross‐sectional samples of voices, including people of different ages to cover the age range of interest. Such cross‐sectional samples likely include not only cues to age in the sound of the voice but also socio‐phonetic cues, encoded in how a person speaks. How age perpcetion accuracy is affected when minimizing socio‐phonetic cues by sampling the same voice at different time points remains largely unknown. Similarly, with the voices in age perception studies being usually unfamiliar to listeners, it is unclear how familiarity with a voice affects age perception. We asked listeners who were either familiar or unfamiliar with a set of four voices to complete an age discrimination task: listeners heard two recordings of the same person’s voice, recorded 15 years apart, and were asked to indicate in which recording the person was younger. Accuracy for both familiar and unfamiliar listeners was above chance. While familiarity advantages were apparent, accuracy was not particularly high: familiar and unfamiliar listeners were correct for 68.2% and 62.7% of trials, respectively (chance = 50%). Familiarity furthermore interacted with the voices included. Overall, our findings indicate that age perception from voices is not a trivial task at all times – even when listeners are familiar with a voice. We discuss our findings in the light of how reliable voice may be as a signal for age.
The epigenetic mechanisms involved in mitochondrial dysfunction: Implication for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Chen Zixuan , Rasheed Madiha , Deng Yulin
Published: August 2021

Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the crucial factors involved in PD’s pathogenicity, which emerges from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. These factors cause differential molecular expression in neurons, such as varied transcriptional regulation of genes, elevated oxidative stress, α‐synuclein aggregation and endogenous neurotoxins release, which induces epigenetic modifications and triggers energy crisis by damaging mitochondria of the dopaminergic neurons (DN). So far, these events establish a complicated relationship with underlying mechanisms of mitochondrial anomalies in PD, which has remained unclear for years and made PD diagnosis and treatment extremely difficult. Therefore, in this review, we endeavored to discuss the complex association of epigenetic modifications and other associated vital factors in mitochondrial dysfunction. We propose a hypothesis that describes a vicious cycle in which mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress act as a hub for regulating DA neuron's fate in PD. Oxidative stress triggers the release of endogenous neurotoxins (CTIQs) that lead to mitochondrial dysfunction along with abnormal α‐synuclein aggregation and epigenetic modifications. These disturbances further intensify oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage, amplifying the synthesis of CTIQs and works vice versa. This vicious cycle may result in the degeneration of DN to hallmark Parkinsonism. Furthermore, we have also highlighted various endogenous compounds and epigenetic marks (neurotoxic and neuroprotective), which may help for devising future diagnostic biomarkers and target specific drugs using novel PD management strategies.
Sediment provenance, routing and tectonic linkages in the Nankai forearc region, Japan
Authors: Ramirez S. G. , Hayman N. W. , Gulick S. P. S. , Milliken K. L. , Stockli D. F. , Masago H.
Published: August 2021

Understanding sedimentary routing systems at continental margins can be challenging in tectonically active regions such as forearc basins. Here, we combine sand modal composition and detrital zircon U‐Pb data from the Kumano Basin and surrounding Nankai Trough region of Japan to explore sedimentation in an active forearc and its linkages to the regional tectonic history. Our analyses are on Miocene‐to‐Pleistocene samples collected by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) at inner and outer forearc basin sites C0009 and C0002, river samples from onshore Honshu, and published results from other Nankai IODP sites. Results show the sediments of many IODP samples are similar to that of the modern rivers. Data from C0009 demonstrate that the early accretionary prism already contained slope basins fed by sediments similar to those in the modern Kumano River by 7.1 Ma. The more distal C0002 section was predominantly fed by a system similar to the modern Yodo River, located to the west‐southwest. We conclude that the section was therefore tectonically transported, in agreement with the ‘mobile model’ of oblique tectonic convergence across SW Japan during late Miocene time. Deposition resumed after a ca. 5.6–3.8 Ma hiatus, with sediments primarily fed from the paleo‐Kumano River, with some input from the paleo‐Tenryu and Kiso/Nagara rivers located to the northeast. Input from the paleo‐Tenryu and Kiso/Nagara rivers was likely re‐routed towards the trench by ca. 1.3 Ma. Sediments similar to those of the distal Yodo River also make up part of the Kumano basin fill and are best explained by erosion of uplifted older accretionary prism sediments along the Megasplay Fault that bounds the forearc basin. Despite the temporal variability in sedimentation routed to the basin, basin‐fill dynamics appear to have been governed primarily by the critical‐wedge style dynamics driven by variations in frontal accretion and in‐ or out‐of‐sequence thrusting response.
Commentary: Defining self‐harm: how inconsistencies in language persist – a commentary/reflection on Ward and Curran (2021)
Authors: Wilson Emma , Ougrin Dennis
Published: August 2021

Self‐harm definition is an important focus of academic research and clinical practice. The precise definition of self‐harm has been contested for decades, and current terminology varies across, and sometimes within, countries. This commentary has been written to highlight the problematic use of the term ‘deliberate’ self‐harm (i.e. DSH) and to clarify the terminology currently recommended by clinical agencies in the United Kingdom. Comparisons will be made to other definitions in the field, such as non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI), with the aim of contributing to the worldwide discussion about how we conceptualise, discuss and treat suicidal and non‐suicidal behaviours. The commentary concludes by highlighting the findings of Ward and Curran (2021). It is suggested that undiagnosed ADHD may be a potential driver for self‐harm, particularly among girls, further highlighting the ongoing challenges in identifying and predicting which youth are at risk for self‐harm and suicidal behaviours. Central to this challenge has been the long‐standing confusion around the best way to define self‐harm.
Gender and public sector careers: The motivations of Master of Public Administration students
Authors: DeRiviere Linda , Wranik Wiesława Dominika , Grace Joan
Published: August 2021

Why are graduate school applicants interested in public service? Who are these individuals and how do they convey their preference for a career in the public sector? We present an exploratory qualitative study on gender differences in deciding to undertake a master’s degree in public administration with the intent of seeking public sector employment. Our findings reveal that female applicants are particularly interested in influencing policy changes around social justice causes, while male applicants exhibit a strong desire to understand how the public policy process and government bureaucracies work. This research has important practical implications because understanding graduate students’ motivations for pursuing a career in public administration is critical for human resources recruitment, retention, and employee management.
Roominoes: Generating Novel 3D Floor Plans From Existing 3D Rooms
Authors: Wang Kai , Xu Xianghao , Lei Leon , Ling Selena , Lindsay Natalie , Chang Angel X. , Savva Manolis , Ritchie Daniel
Published: August 2021

Realistic 3D indoor scene datasets have enabled significant recent progress in computer vision, scene understanding, autonomous navigation, and 3D reconstruction. But the scale, diversity, and customizability of existing datasets is limited, and it is time‐consuming and expensive to scan and annotate more. Fortunately, combinatorics is on our side: there are enough individual rooms in existing 3D scene datasets, if there was but a way to recombine them into new layouts. In this paper, we propose the task of generating novel 3D floor plans from existing 3D rooms. We identify three sub‐tasks of this problem: generation of 2D layout, retrieval of compatible 3D rooms, and deformation of 3D rooms to fit the layout. We then discuss different strategies for solving the problem, and design two representative pipelines: one uses available 2D floor plans to guide selection and deformation of 3D rooms; the other learns to retrieve a set of compatible 3D rooms and combine them into novel layouts. We design a set of metrics that evaluate the generated results with respect to each of the three subtasks and show that different methods trade off performance on these subtasks. Finally, we survey downstream tasks that benefit from generated 3D scenes and discuss strategies in selecting the methods most appropriate for the demands of these tasks.
Discrete Optimization for Shape Matching
Authors: Ren Jing , Melzi Simone , Wonka Peter , Ovsjanikov Maks
Published: August 2021

We propose a novel discrete solver for optimizing functional map‐based energies, including descriptor preservation and promoting structural properties such as area‐preservation, bijectivity and Laplacian commutativity among others. Unlike the commonly‐used continuous optimization methods, our approach enforces the functional map to be associated with a pointwise correspondence as a hard constraint, which provides a stronger link between optimized properties of functional and point‐to‐point maps. Under this hard constraint, our solver obtains functional maps with lower energy values compared to the standard continuous strategies. Perhaps more importantly, the recovered pointwise maps from our discrete solver preserve the optimized for functional properties and are thus of higher overall quality. We demonstrate the advantages of our discrete solver on a range of energies and shape categories, compared to existing techniques for promoting pointwise maps within the functional map framework. Finally, with this solver in hand, we introduce a novel Effective Functional Map Refinement (EFMR) method which achieves the state‐of‐the‐art accuracy on the SHREC'19 benchmark.
Delaunay Meshing and Repairing of NURBS Models
Authors: Xiao X. , Alliez P. , Busé L. , Rineau L.
Published: August 2021

CAD models represented by NURBS surface patches are often hampered with defects due to inaccurate representations of trimming curves. Such defects make these models unsuitable to the direct generation of valid volume meshes, and often require trial‐and‐error processes to fix them. We propose a fully automated Delaunay‐based meshing approach which can mesh and repair simultaneously, while being independent of the input NURBS patch layout. Our approach proceeds by Delaunay filtering and refinement, in which trimmed areas are repaired through implicit surfaces. Beyond repair, we demonstrate its capability to smooth out sharp features, defeature small details, and mesh multiple domains in contact.
On Landmark Distances in Polygons
Authors: Gotsman C. , Hormann K.
Published: August 2021

We study the landmark distance function between two points in a simply connected planar polygon. We show that if the polygon vertices are used as landmarks, then the resulting landmark distance function to any given point in the polygon has a maximum principle and also does not contain local minima. The latter implies that a path between any two points in the polygon may be generated by steepest descent on this distance without getting “stuck” at a local minimum. Furthermore, if landmarks are increasingly added along polygon edges, the steepest descent path converges to the minimal geodesic path. Therefore, the landmark distance can be used, on the one hand in robotic navigation for routing autonomous agents along close‐to‐shortest paths and on the other for efficiently computing approximate geodesic distances between any two domain points, a property which may be useful in an extension of our work to surfaces in 3D. In the discrete setting, the steepest descent strategy becomes a greedy routing algorithm along the edges of a triangulation of the interior of the polygon, and our experiments indicate that this discrete landmark routing always delivers (i.e., does not get stuck) on “nice” triangulations.
Early motor outcomes in infants with critical congenital heart disease are related to neonatal brain development and brain injury
Authors: Stegeman Raymond , Sprong Maaike C A , Breur Johannes M P J , Groenendaal Floris , de Vries Linda S , Haas Felix , van der Net Janjaap , Jansen Nicolaas J G , Benders Manon J N L , Claessens Nathalie H P ,   CHD LifeSpan Study Group Utrecht
Published: August 2021

Aim

To assess the relationship between neonatal brain development and injury with early motor outcomes in infants with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD).

Method

Neonatal brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed after open‐heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Cortical grey matter (CGM), unmyelinated white matter, and cerebellar volumes, as well as white matter motor tract fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were assessed. White matter injury (WMI) and arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS) with corticospinal tract (CST) involvement were scored. Associations with motor outcomes at 3, 9, and 18 months were corrected for repeated cardiac surgery.

Results

Fifty‐one infants (31 males, 20 females) were included prospectively. Median age at neonatal surgery and postoperative brain magnetic resonance imaging was 7 days (interquartile range [IQR] 5–11d) and 15 days (IQR 12–21d) respectively. Smaller CGM and cerebellar volumes were associated with lower fine motor scores at 9 months (CGM regression coefficient=0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.15–0.86; cerebellum regression coefficient=3.08, 95% CI=1.07–5.09) and 18 months (cerebellum regression coefficient=2.08, 95% CI=0.47–5.12). The fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity of white matter motor tracts were not related with motor scores. WMI was related to lower gross motor scores at 9 months (mean difference −0.8SD, 95% CI=−1.5 to −0.2). AIS with CST involvement increased the risk of gross motor problems and muscle tone abnormalities. Cerebral palsy (n=3) was preceded by severe ischaemic brain injury.

Interpretation

Neonatal brain development and injury are associated with fewer favourable early motor outcomes in infants with CCHD.
Epilepsy in children with cerebral palsy: a data linkage study
Authors: Szpindel Aliya , Myers Kenneth A , Ng Pamela , Dorais Marc , Koclas Louise , Pigeon Nicole , Shevell Michael , Oskoui Maryam
Published: August 2021

Aim

To compare the prevalence of epilepsy in children with cerebral palsy (CP) to peer controls and their differences in healthcare utilization.

Method

The Quebec CP registry was linked to the provincial administrative health database. Two CP cohorts were identified from the registry (n=302, 168 males, 1y 2mo–14y) and administrative data (n=370, 221 males, 2y 2mo–14y). A control cohort (n=6040, 3340 males, 10–14y) was matched by age, sex, and region to the CP registry cohort. Administrative data algorithms were used to define epilepsy cases. Data on hospitalizations and emergency department presentations were obtained.

Results

Using the most sensitive epilepsy definition, prevalence was 42.05% in the CP registry, 43.24% in the CP administrative data, and 1.39% in controls. Prevalence rose with increasing Gross Motor Function Classification System level. Children with CP and epilepsy had increased number and length of hospitalizations and emergency department presentations compared to children with CP or epilepsy alone. Epilepsy accounted for approximately 5% of emergency department presentations and 10% of hospitalizations in children with epilepsy, with and without CP.

Interpretation

Children with CP have an increased risk of epilepsy compared to their peers. Children with CP and coexisting epilepsy represent a unique subset with complex developmental disability and increased healthcare service utilization.
Intracranial aneurysm wall enhancement as an indicator of instability: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Molenberg Rob , Aalbers Marlien W. , Appelman Auke P.A. , Uyttenboogaart Maarten , van Dijk J. Marc C.
Published: August 2021

Background and purpose

Aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) of intracranial aneurysms on magnetic resonance imaging has been described in previous studies as a surrogate marker of instability. With this study, an updated literature overview and summary risk estimates of the association between AWE and different specific outcomes (i.e., rupture, growth or symptomatic presentation) for both cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies are provided.

Methods

The PRISMA guideline was followed and a search was performed of PubMed and Embase to 1 January 2021 for studies that reported on AWE and aneurysm instability. In cross‐sectional studies, AWE was compared between patients with stable and unstable aneurysms. In longitudinal studies, AWE of stable aneurysms was assessed at baseline after which patients were followed longitudinally. Risk ratios were calculated for longitudinal studies, prevalence ratios for cross‐sectional studies and then the ratios were pooled in a random‐effects meta‐analysis. Also, the performance of AWE to differentiate between stable and unstable aneurysms was evaluated.

Results

Twelve studies were included with a total of 1761 aneurysms. In cross‐sectional studies, AWE was positively associated with rupture (prevalence ratio 11.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.05–32.46) and growth or symptomatic presentation (prevalence ratio 4.62, 95% CI 2.85–7.49). Longitudinal studies demonstrated a positive association between AWE and growth or rupture (risk ratio 8.00, 95% CI 2.14–29.88). Assessment of the performance of AWE showed high sensitivities, mixed specificities, low positive predictive values and high negative predictive values.

Conclusions

Although AWE is positively associated with aneurysm instability, current evidence mostly supports the use of its absence as a surrogate marker of aneurysm stability.
A novel method to uniquely determine the parameters in Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman model
Authors: Zhang Tairui , Lu Kai , Mano Akihiro , Yamaguchi Yoshihito , Katsuyama Jinya , Li Yinsheng
Published: August 2021

The Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) model is promising in failure prediction as it takes the micromechanical behavior of ductile metals into consideration. However, its engineering applications have scarcely progressed due to the difficulty in determining its eight strongly coupled parameters. Taking the physical background of GTN model into consideration, a set of methods was established to determine all parameters in the GTN model. The knowledge of continuum damage mechanics was introduced to experimentally determine the development of void volume fraction through an interrupted uniaxial tensile test, by which the three parameters regarding void nucleation were analytically derived. Other parameters in the GTN model were also uniquely determined through a joint use of the chemical composition analysis, the cell model analyses, and the inverse finite element method. Reliability of this novel parameter determination method was verified through failure predictions on both cracked and un‐cracked specimens of STPT410.
Ghana’s economic growth: Directing our focus on the contributing influences of innovation activities and trade
Authors: Bakpa Ernest Kay , Xuhua Hu , Aboagye Abigail Konadu
Published: August 2021

Innovation and international trade are crucial determinants of economic growth. Research on economic growth has mainly focused on the possible link between innovation and economic growth as well as the link between international trade and economic growth. Yet, research on the nexus that exists among innovation, international trade, and economic growth has remained unexplored. Moreover, research on the individual contributing factor of innovation and international trade to economic growth in the same study has equally remained unexplored. Thus, to address these gaps, this study evaluated the connection among all three variables. It further examined the individual contributing factor of innovation and international trade to economic growth. Annual time‐series data of the Ghanaian economy over a period of 2000–2019 was employed in this study. The findings established that all three variables: innovation, international trade, and economic growth cointegrated. This implies that there was a long‐run equilibrium association between all three variables. The study further estimated long‐run cointegration parameters using the fully modified ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares. The results proved that there was evidence of a positive correlation between economic growth and innovation, while there was a negative correlation between economic growth and international trade.
Early career researchers' identity: A qualitative review
Authors: Mula Javier , Rodríguez Carmen Lucena , Domingo Segovia Jesús , Cruz‐González Cristina
Published: August 2021

In recent decades, higher education has witnessed the development of a series of policies aimed at improving its quality. To this end, accountability measures have been promoted, which are having a major impact on academics. In addition, the precariousness of work in this professional sector is contributing to emphasise its consequences. In this context, early career researchers have become a highly vulnerable group, as the pretence of wanting to be part of the academic world is becoming an increasingly challenging purpose. This systematic review of the literature aims to collect and systematise the most relevant contributions on the impact that this situation has on the professional identity of young academics. To this end, a bibliographic search was carried out in four different databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Education Resources Information Center, Google Scholar), which yielded a total of 24 articles published in international journals. The results show how the political‐economic measures that currently surround higher education are contributing to the development of a new neoliberal academic subject characterised by a professional identity unconsciously subjected to the system's requirements. This identity is characterised by a prioritisation of research over teaching, by the development of unethical research practices and by their impact on health and social and family relations. Finally, the need for more studies in this line with other approaches (longitudinal) and with more general and varied samples is emphasised.
Use of telehealth to increase treatment access for prisoners with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Halder Abir , Li Vicky (Guizhi) , Sebastian Marilyn , Nazareth Saroja , Tuma Rhoda , Cheng Wendy , Doyle Adam
Published: August 2021

Prisons remain a priority population in the treatment of hepatitis C (HCV) in Australia. To improve treatment uptake, we created a novel telehealth‐based model of care for prisoners with HCV that is both cost‐effective and requires minimal infrastructure. Over a period of 30 months, a total of 332 patients was initiated on treatment, achieving a per protocol sustained virological response (SVR12) rate of 91%. A large number (29%) of patients was lost to follow up after release from prison – highlighting the vital opportunity for HCV treatment during incarceration. We propose that similar models of care can be used to improve HCV treatment access for other priority populations in Australia.
Improving mobile learning in secondary mathematics and science: Listening to students
Authors: Burke Paul F. , Kearney Matthew , Schuck Sandy , Aubusson Peter
Published: August 2021

Background

Mobile learning studies often focus on teachers' perspectives. This study instead considers students' experiences of learning with mobile devices (i.e., m‐learning) in secondary school mathematics and science.

Objectives

The research aims to describe the m‐learning experiences of secondary mathematics and science students, and to determine the extent to which distinctive pedagogical dimensions impact students' perceived learning.

Methods

A survey instrument using the iPAC mobile pedagogical framework as a theoretical lens is developed and validated. This framework highlights three pedagogical dimensions: personalization, authenticity, and collaboration. Structural equation modelling is used to investigate how each dimension predicts students' perceived improvement in learning, whilst accounting for usage context, among a sample of students in schools where mobile devices are used extensively.

Results and Conclusions

Students were in agreement that personalization was a characteristic of their m‐learning experiences, but authentic and collaborative learning were not as strongly featured. M‐learning activities fostering personalization were most important for improving perceived learning; authenticity and collaboration were also significant, but no differences in perceived learning improvement due to location were found. Authentic m‐learning and perceived improvement in learning with mobile devices were significantly higher in science than mathematics subjects.

Implications

When teachers design m‐learning tasks that enhance personalization, collaboration, and authenticity, students are predicted to perceive improvements in their learning. The findings suggest that teachers should consider designing technology‐enhanced tasks that improve students' experiences of collaborative and authentic learning, particularly in mathematics for greatest gains in students' perceived improvement in learning.
Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography for the in vivo real‐time diagnosis of different stages of keratinocyte skin cancer: a preliminary study
Authors: Ruini C. , Schuh S. , Gust C. , Kendziora B. , Frommherz L. , French L.E. , Hartmann D. , Welzel J. , Sattler E.C.
Published: August 2021

Background

The treatment of keratinocyte cancers (KC) strictly depends on their differentiation and invasiveness. Non‐invasive diagnostic techniques can support the diagnosis in real time, avoiding unnecessary biopsies. This study aimed to preliminarily define main imaging criteria and histological correlations of actinic keratosis (AK), Bowen’s disease (BD) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using the novel device line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT).

Methods

Dermoscopy and LC‐OCT images of 73 histopathologically confirmed lesions (46 AKs, 11 BD and 16 SCCs) were included in the study. Exemplary lesions (10 AKs, 5 BD and 5 SCCs) were additionally investigated with optical coherence tomography and reflectance confocal microscopy.

Results

Most common LC‐OCT findings of KC in the descriptive statistics were hyperkeratosis/parakeratosis, disruption of stratum corneum, broadened epidermis, basal and suprabasal keratinocyte atypia, dilated vessels/neoangiogenesis and elastosis/collagen alterations. In the univariate multinomial logistic regression, a preserved DEJ was less common in SCC compared with AK and BD, BD displayed marked keratinocyte atypia involving all epidermal layers (bowenoid pattern), while SCC showed ulceration, increased epidermal thickness, keratin plugs, acantholysis, not visible/interrupted DEJ and epidermal bright particles. LC‐OCT increased the diagnostic confidence by 24.7% compared with dermoscopy alone.

Conclusions

Our study describes for the first time specific LC‐OCT features of different stages of KC and their histopathological correlates, focusing on keratinocyte morphology and architecture of the epidermis and DEJ. LC‐OCT may open new scenarios in the bedside diagnosis, treatment planning and follow‐up of KC.
Nursing students’ experiences with simulation‐based education as a pedagogic method in low‐resource settings: A mixed‐method study
Authors: Bø Bodil , Madangi Bartholomayo Paulo , Ralaitafika Hanitra , Ersdal Hege Langli , Tjoflåt Ingrid
Published: August 2021

Aims and Objectives

This study introduced simulation‐based education in nurse education programs in Tanzania and Madagascar and explored nursing students’ experiences with this pedagogic method as a mode of learning.

Background

Simulation‐based education has barely been introduced to education programs in resource‐constrained settings. The study was conducted in two nurse education programs: one in rural Tanzania and the other in the mid‐land of Madagascar. Both institutions offer diploma programs in nursing. Simulation‐based education has not been included in the teaching methods used in these nursing programs.

Design

A descriptive and convergent mixed method design was employed.

Methods

Ninety‐nine nursing students were included in the study. Simulation sessions followed by data collection took place once in 2017 and twice in 2018. Data were collected by means of several questionnaires and six focus groups. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) was used to report the results.

Results

The quantitative data revealed that the students rated all the questions related to the simulation design elements, educational practices, and students’ satisfaction and self‐confidence in learning with scores of above four on a 5‐point Likert scale. The qualitative data from the first theme, building competence and confidence, further emphasized and outlined the quantitative results. Additionally, the qualitative data revealed a second theme, improving through encouragement and corrections. The students clearly expressed that they wanted to be aware of their weaknesses to be able to improve; however, the provision of feedback should be carried out in an encouraging way.

Conclusion

The findings indicated that the nursing students were satisfied with simulation as a pedagogic method, as it improved their competence and prepared them for professional practice. Further research is necessary to explore whether the students are able to transfer their knowledge into clinical practice.

Relevance to clinical practice

Simulation as a pedagogic method is valuable for the learning of clinical skills and preparation for clinical practice.
Night work as a stressor: The role of sleep reactivity to stress in the relationship between night work and insomnia
Authors: Gustavsson Katarzyna , Wichniak Adam
Published: August 2021

Sleep reactivity to stress is a predisposition to experience sleep disturbances in response to stress. The present study aimed to examine the potential moderating role of sleep reactivity to stress in the relationship between the number of night shifts per month as a stressor and insomnia symptoms. A total of 188 shift‐working physicians completed a short questionnaire about work schedule, the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress and the Insomnia Severity Index. Sleep reactivity to stress was a significant moderator of the effect of number of nights worked in the last month on insomnia symptoms. At low and medium sleep reactivity to stress the relationship between the number of night shifts per month and insomnia symptoms was positive and significant. At high sleep reactivity to stress the relationship was no longer significant. The results show that with low and medium sleep reactivity to stress, the more night shifts a person works per month, the more severe insomnia symptoms they will report. With high sleep reactivity to stress even a low number of night shifts per month will lead to a deterioration of sleep. This is important for identifying those who are more vulnerable to adverse consequences of working in the shift system, and the knowledge of workers’ sleep reactivity to stress may help in providing targeted interventions.
A modelling analysis of financial incentives for hepatitis C testing and treatment uptake delivered through a community‐based testing campaign
Authors: Palmer Anna Y. , Chan Kico , Gold Judy , Layton Chloe , Elsum Imogen , Hellard Margaret , Stoove Mark , Doyle Joseph S. , Pedrana Alisa , Scott Nick ,   on the EC Partnership
Published: August 2021

Financial incentives may reduce opportunity costs associated with people who become lost to follow‐up in hepatitis C treatment programs. We estimated the impact that different financial incentive amounts would need to have on retention in care to maintain the same unit cost per (1) RNA‐positive person completing testing (defined as awareness of RNA status) and (2) RNA diagnosed person initiating treatment. Costing data were obtained from a 2019 community‐based testing campaign focused on engaging people who inject drugs. For different financial incentive amounts, we modelled the corresponding improvements in retention in care that would be needed to maintain the same overall (1) unit cost per testing completion and (2) unit cost per treatment initiation. In the testing campaign, the unit cost per RNA‐positive person completing testing was A$3215 and the unit cost per RNA diagnosed person initiating treatment was A$1055. Modelling found that an incentive of A$500 per RNA‐positive person completing testing would result in more people completing testing for the same unit cost if the percentage of attendees receiving their test results increased from 63% to 74%. An incentive of A$200 per RNA diagnosed person initiating treatment would result in more people initiating treatment for the same unit cost if the percentage initiating treatment increased from 67% to 83%. Monetary incentives for completing testing and initiating treatment may be an effective way to increase retention in care without increasing the overall unit cost of completing testing/initiating treatment.
Functional immunogenetic variation, rather than local adaptation, predicts ectoparasite infection intensity in a model fish species
Authors: Phillips Karl P. , Cable Joanne , Mohammed Ryan S. , Chmielewski Sebastian , Przesmycka Karolina J. , van Oosterhout Cock , Radwan Jacek
Published: August 2021

Natural host populations differ in their susceptibility to infection by parasites, and these intrapopulation differences are still an incompletely understood component of host‐parasite dynamics. In this study, we used controlled infection experiments with wild‐caught guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and their ectoparasite Gyrodactylus turnbulli to investigate the roles of local adaptation and host genetic composition (immunogenetic and neutral) in explaining differences in susceptibility to infection. We found differences between our four study host populations that were consistent between two parasite source populations, with no indication of local adaptation by either host or parasite at two tested spatial scales. Greater values of host population genetic variability metrics broadly aligned with lower population mean infection intensity, with the best alignments associated with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) “supertypes”. Controlling for intrapopulation differences and potential inbreeding variance, we found a significant negative relationship between individual‐level functional MHC variability and infection: fish carrying more MHC supertypes experienced infections of lower severity, with limited evidence for supertype‐specific effects. We conclude that population‐level differences in host infection susceptibility probably reflect variation in parasite selective pressure and/or host evolutionary potential, underpinned by functional immunogenetic variation.
Expanding the conservation genomics toolbox: Incorporating structural variants to enhance genomic studies for species of conservation concern
Authors: Wold Jana , Koepfli Klaus‐Peter , Galla Stephanie J. , Eccles David , Hogg Carolyn J. , Le Lec Marissa F. , Guhlin Joseph , Santure Anna W. , Steeves Tammy E.
Published: August 2021

Structural variants (SVs) are large rearrangements (>50 bp) within the genome that impact gene function and the content and structure of chromosomes. As a result, SVs are a significant source of functional genomic variation, that is, variation at genomic regions underpinning phenotype differences, that can have large effects on individual and population fitness. While there are increasing opportunities to investigate functional genomic variation in threatened species via single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data sets, SVs remain understudied despite their potential influence on fitness traits of conservation interest. In this future‐focused Opinion, we contend that characterizing SVs offers the conservation genomics community an exciting opportunity to complement SNP‐based approaches to enhance species recovery. We also leverage the existing literature–predominantly in human health, agriculture and ecoevolutionary biology–to identify approaches for readily characterizing SVs and consider how integrating these into the conservation genomics toolbox may transform the way we manage some of the world's most threatened species.
Acute kidney injury in critically ill patients after oncological surgery: Risk factors and 1‐year mortality
Authors: Córdova‐Sánchez Bertha M. , Joffre‐Torres Aranza , Joachín‐Sánchez Emerson , Morales Buenrostro Luis E. , Ñamendys‐Silva Silvio A.
Published: August 2021

Aim

We aimed to identify risk factors associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) and to analyse 1‐year mortality after oncological surgery.

Methods

We retrospectively included 434 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after oncological surgery, and classified AKI according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. We performed logistic regression and Cox regression analyses to evaluate AKI and mortality risk factors.

Results

Sixty‐one percent of patients (n = 264) developed AKI. Previous abdominal radiotherapy and abdominal surgical packing were independently associated with stage 2 and 3 AKI, with adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–5.5, p = .010) and OR of 2.6 (95% CI 1.2–5.5, p = .014), respectively. Other independent risk factors were: glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73m2 (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.2–11.4, p = .028), abdominal surgery 2.6 (1.4–4.9, p = .003), intraoperative diuresis <1 ml/k/h (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4–4.0, p = .001), sepsis (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.3–4.6, p = .002) and mechanical ventilation at ICU admission (OR 7.7, 95% CI 3.2–18.6, p < .001). Stage 2 and stage 3 AKI were independently associated with 1‐year mortality, with adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of 2.6 (95% CI 1.3–5.0, p = .005) and HR of 5.0 (95% CI 2.6–9.6, p < .001), respectively. Additionally, patients who had postsurgical AKI, had a lower eGFR at 1‐year follow‐up. These findings may be limited by the retrospective single centre design of our study.

Conclusion

In addition to the conventional risk factors, our results suggest that abdominal radiotherapy and abdominal surgical packing could be independent risk factors for AKI after oncological surgery.
Psychometric properties of a Thai version of the Richards‐Campbell sleep questionnaire
Authors: Kitisin Nuanprae , Somnuke Pawit , Thikom Napat , Raykateeraroj Nattaya , Poontong Nisa , Thanakiattiwibun Chayanan , Wongtangman Karuna
Published: August 2021

Background

In critically ill patients, a poor sleep quality can escalate mortality and the length of hospital stays. Albeit being the gold standard for sleep assessment, polysomnography (PSG) is expensive and complicated. The Richards‐Campbell sleep questionnaire (RCSQ) is another tool with proof of good correlation with PSG. RCSQ was translated into many languages. However, the Thai version (T‐RCSQ) has not been developed.

Aims and objectives

Our study aimed to translate the original RCSQ into Thai, to test the content validity and reliability, and to introduce the questionnaire into clinical practice at the surgical intensive care unit (SICU).

Design

Prospective cross‐sectional study

Methods

This study enrolled 92 patients from the SICU between August 2019 and January 2020. The content validity of T‐RCSQ was determined by the index of item‐objective congruence (IOC). The reliability was tested by test‐retest reliability at 7 amand 9 amafter intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The internal consistency was expressed by Cronbach's alpha. Patients' demography was reported as percentage, mean and standard deviation, and median and interquartile range.

Results

The content validity and test‐retest reliability of the T‐RCSQ were 0.8 and 0.97, respectively. The internal consistency was 0.964. Most patients were female with American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status III. The mean RCSQ scores at 7 amand 9 amwere 5.82 ± 2.15 cm and 5.61 ± 2.18 cm, respectively.

Conclusions

The T‐RCSQ is reliable and could be used as an alternative to PSG for sleep assessment of ICU patients. Further research is required to validate the T‐RCSQ against PSG and to assess its impact on improving sleep quality and patients' clinical outcomes.

Relevance to clinical practice

T‐RCSQ is a useful tool for sleep assessment in ICU. According to cost‐effectiveness, convenience, and good reliability, it could be applied to determine proper sleep to minimize patient morbidity and mortality.
Novel chemicals engender myriad invasion mechanisms
Authors: Inderjit  , Simberloff Daniel , Kaur Harleen , Kalisz Susan , Bezemer T. Martijn
Published: August 2021

Non‐native invasive species (NIS) release chemicals into the environment that are unique to the invaded communities, defined as novel chemicals. Novel chemicals impact competitors, soil microbial communities, mutualists, plant enemies, and soil nutrients differently than in the species’ native range. Ecological functions of novel chemicals and differences in functions between the native and non‐native ranges of NIS are of immense interest to ecologists. Novel chemicals can mediate different ecological, physiological, and evolutionary mechanisms underlying invasion hypotheses. Interactions amongst the NIS and resident species including competitors, soil microbes, and plant enemies, as well as abiotic factors in the invaded community are linked to novel chemicals. However, we poorly understand how these interactions might enhance NIS performance. New empirical data and analyses of how novel chemicals act in the invaded community will fill major gaps in our understanding of the chemistry of biological invasions. A novel chemical‐invasion mechanism framework shows how novel chemicals engender invasion mechanisms beyond plant–plant or plant–microorganism interactions.