bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An ecological analysis of walkability and housing affordability in Canada: Moderation by city size and neighbourhood property type composition
Authors: Christie Chelsea D. , Friedenreich Christine M. , Vena Jennifer E. , Doiron Dany , McCormack Gavin R.
Published: May 2023

The neighbourhood built environment can support the physical activity of adults regardless of their individual-level socioeconomic status. However, physical activity supportive (walkable) neighbourhoods may not be accessible to those with lower incomes if homes in walkable neighbourhoods are too expensive. The objectives of this study were: 1) to estimate the associations between neighbourhood walkability and home values in Canadian cities, and 2) to test whether these associations differ by city size and residential property type composition within neighbourhoods. We linked built environment data from the 2016 Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) index with neighbourhood-level structural home characteristics and sociodemographic data from the 2016 Canadian census for 33,026 neighbourhoods across 31 Census Metropolitan Areas. We used multilevel linear regression models to estimate covariate-adjusted associations between neighbourhood walkability and natural-log median home values and tested city size and neighbourhood property type composition as moderators. There were no statistically significant associations between walkability and home values overall. The associations between neighbourhood walkability and home values were jointly moderated by city size and property type composition. For small and medium sized cities, within neighbourhoods containing a high proportion of detached homes, walkability was negatively associated with home values (b = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.10, -0.01; and, b = -0.04, 95% CI: -0.06, -0.02, for small and medium cities, respectively). However, for extra-large cities, within neighbourhoods containing a high proportion of detached homes, walkability was positively associated with home values (b = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.10). Our findings suggest that, based on housing affordability, higher walkable neighbourhoods are likely accessible to lower income households that are situated in small and medium Canadian cities. In larger cities, however, municipal interventions (e.g., inclusionary zoning or targeted development of subsidized or social housing) may be needed to ensure equitable access to walkable neighbourhoods for lower income households.
Drug prescriptions preceding opioid-related deaths–a register study in forensic autopsy patients
Authors: Walde Jonatan , Andersson Lisa , Johnson Björn , Håkansson Anders
Published: May 2023

Background/Aim

Opioid overdose deaths have increased in Sweden and other developed countries in recent decades, despite increased treatment efforts and harm-reduction interventions. Further knowledge in this field is needed if this trend is to be reversed. Previous research suggests that mental health and patterns of prescription of opioids and other prescription drugs are associated with increased opioid-related mortality. The present study therefore aimed to investigate what drugs were prescribed during the last six months of life to individuals with a history of illicit substance use who died with opioids present in their blood, the relationship between drugs prescribed and drugs found in blood at time of death, and if prescription of specific drugs was temporally associated with death.

Methods

This was a retrospective, register-based observational study that utilized data from the National Board of Forensic Medicine, the Prescribed Drug Registry, regional health care services, and municipal social services. We used conditional logistic regression to find temporal associations between the prescription and dispensing of drugs and time of death.

Results

Prescription and dispensing of alprazolam and diazepam were temporally associated with death. The most frequently dispensed drugs were zopiclone, pregabalin, methylphenidate, diazepam and oxycodone. Methadone, alprazolam, and buprenorphine were the drugs most often found in the blood. Opioids and tranquilizers in combination were found in a vast majority of deaths, and prescription data suggested that the use of these drugs was illicit in a majority of cases.

Conclusion

Prescription of certain drugs, especially alprazolam and diazepam, should be made with great caution to patients with a history of illicit substance use or concurrent use of opioids.
Suicides in state prisons in the United States: Highlighting gaps in data
Authors: LeMasters Katherine , Behne Michael F. , Lao Jennifer , Peterson Meghan , Brinkley-Rubinstein Lauren
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Our objectives were to document data availability and reporting on suicide mortality in state prison systems. The United States leads the world in mass incarceration, a structural determinant of health, but lacks real-time reporting of prison health statistics. This absence is particularly notable in suicides, a leading cause of death that carceral policies play a key role in mitigating.

Methods

Suicide data for each state prison system from 2017–2021 were gathered through statistical reports, press releases, and Freedom of Information Act requests. We graded states based on data availability.

Results

Only sixteen states provide updated, frequent, granular, freely provided suicide data. An additional thirteen states provided frequently updated data but that had little granularity, was incomplete, or was not freely provided. Eight states provided sparse, infrequent, or outdated data, and thirteen provided no data at all.

Conclusions

The 2000 Death in Custody Reporting Act requires that states provide these data freely, yet the majority of states do not. There is a need for reliable, real-time data on suicides, suicide attempts, and conditions of confinement to better understand the harms of the carceral system and to advocate for change.
Laparoscopy-assisted percutaneous correction of abdominal wall defects in the umbilical region in a cadaveric model of bovine fetus
Authors: Silva Carla Rozilene Guimarães , Cardoso Thiago da Silva , da Silva Késia Bandeira , Gurgel Heytor Jales , Barroso João Pedro Monteiro , Araújo Luiz Henrique Vilela , Altamirano Luis Enrique Soza , de Sousa Loise Araújo , Alcântara Luiza Paula Araújo , Ferreira Marcos Emanoel Martins , Carvalho Lucas Santos , Gonçalves José Leandro da Silva , Rodrigues Jhoisse Hamar Guimarães , Monteiro Francisco Décio de Oliveira , Viana Rinaldo Batista , Teixeira Pedro Paulo Maia
Published: May 2023

Abdominal wall defects in calves are commonly diagnosed and treated via laparotomy. This technique has witnessed several advancements in the management of these disorders. This study aimed to create a study model and evaluate the feasibility of video-assisted percutaneous correction of abdominal wall defects in bovine fetuses (corpses) compared with the conventional technique. Sixteen bovine fetuses from pregnant cows slaughtered in slaughterhouses were included in this study. The fetuses were categorized into the control group (CG, n = 8), which was subjected to umbilical abdominorrhaphy via laparotomy, and the video-surgical group (VG, n = 8), which received video-assisted percutaneous sutures with two lateral accesses on the right flank. An abdominal wall defect was created in the VG group to generate a study model, which was corrected using the laparoscopic technique. The procedures were performed in two steps. The first step consisted of creating an abdominal wall defect in the umbilical region by laparoscopic approach in an iatrogenic manner (Step 1: E1). The second stage consisted of conventional abdominorrhaphy of the umbilical region wall defect in the CG group and video-assisted percutaneous suturing of the edges of the iatrogenic abdominal wall defect in the VG group, until reversal of the laparoscopic accesses (Step 2: E2). Step 1 showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, a significant statistical difference (p< 0.0001) was observed between the two groups in step 2. The surgical time of step 2 was longer in the CG group (33.10 ± 0.43 minutes) than that in the VG group (10.13 ± 0.68 minutes,p< 0.0001), and the total surgical time was also longer in the CG group (38.48 ± 0.35 minutes) than that in the VG group (15.86 ± 0.67 minutes). The proposed laparoscopic technique allowed the creation of a study model for video-assisted percutaneous suturing with two portals and reduced the surgical time compared with the conventional technique. However, this method needs to be studied further in live animals.
Genetic diversity and population structure analysis in cultivated soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) using SSR and EST-SSR markers
Authors: Rani Reena , Raza Ghulam , Tung Muhammad Haseeb , Rizwan Muhammad , Ashfaq Hamza , Shimelis Hussein , Razzaq Muhammad Khuram , Arif Muhammad
Published: May 2023

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important legume that is used to fulfill the need of protein and oil of large number of population across the world. There are large numbers of soybean germplasm present in the USDA germplasm resources. Finding and understanding genetically diverse germplasm is a top priority for crop improvement programs. The current study used 20 functional EST-SSR and 80 SSR markers to characterize 96 soybean accessions from diverse geographic backgrounds. Ninety-six of the 100 markers were polymorphic, with 262 alleles (average 2.79 per locus). The molecular markers had an average polymorphic information content (PIC) value of 0.44, with 28 markers ≥ 0.50. The average major allele frequency was 0.57. The observed heterozygosity of the population ranged from 0–0.184 (average 0.02), while the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.20–0.73 (average 0.51). The lower value for observed heterozygosity than expected heterozygosity suggests the likelihood of a population structure among the germplasm. The phylogenetic analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) divided the total population into two major groups (G1 and G2), with G1 comprising most of the USA lines and the Australian and Brazilian lines. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis and PCoA divided the USA lines into three major clusters without any specific differentiation, supported by the model-based STRUCTURE analysis. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed 94% variation among individuals in the total population, with 2% among the populations. For the USA lines, 93% of the variation occurred among individuals, with only 2% among lines from different US states. Pairwise population distance indicated more similarity between the lines from continental America and Australia (189.371) than Asia (199.518). Overall, the 96 soybean lines had a high degree of genetic diversity.
Narratives of most significant change to explore experiences of caregivers in a caregiver-young adolescent sexual and reproductive health communication intervention in rural south-western Uganda
Authors: Akatukwasa Cecilia , Kemigisha Elizabeth , Achen Dorcus , Fernandes Danielle , Namatovu Shakira , Mlahagwa Wendo , Ruzaaza Gad Ndaruhutse , Coene Gily , Rukundo Godfrey Zari , Michielsen Kristien , Nyakato Viola N.
Published: May 2023

Background

This paper presents findings from a qualitative effectiveness evaluation of an intervention aimed at improving caregiver-young adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) communication including training modules for caregivers on parent-child SRH communication.

Methods

Data was collected (October 2021-November 2021) using a narrative interviewing technique with thirty caregivers (8 males and 22 females), who received the parent-child communication intervention in Mbarara district, south-western Uganda. We explored caregivers’ experiences with the intervention based on four domains of change: caregiver-young adolescent communication on SRH issues, knowledge and attitudes towards adolescent SRH, parenting skills, and personal life and family. Thematic analysis was used to code and analyse the data, with attention to gender differences.

Results

Findings highlight positive parenting as a key attribute of SRH communication, along with a transformation of knowledge and attitudes towards the SRH of young adolescents leading to an overall improvement in SRH communication. However, communication is still limited to comfortable topics.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate improved caregiver–adolescent SRH communication practices following a community intervention. Programming for adolescent health on broader sexuality topics, comfortability and attitude change among caregivers could promote behaviour change on a long term. Future studies may focus on the long term impacts of interventions of this nature and test interventions aimed at addressing comfortability with discussingSRH issues.
Evolution of fungal and non-fungal eukaryotic communities in response to thermophilic co-composting of various nitrogen-rich green feedstocks
Authors: Matheri Felix , Kambura Anne Kelly , Mwangi Maina , Karanja Edward , Adamtey Noah , Wanjau Kennedy , Mwangi Edwin , Tanga Chrysantus Mbi , Bautze David , Runo Steven
Published: May 2023

Thermophilic composting is a promising soil and waste management approach involving diverse micro and macro-organisms, including eukaryotes. Due to sub-optimal amounts of nutrients in manure, supplemental feedstock materials such as Lantana camara, and Tithonia diversifolia twigs are used in composting. These materials have, however, been reported to have antimicrobial activity in in-vitro experiments. Furthermore, the phytochemical analysis has shown differences in their complexities, thus possibly requiring various periods to break down. Therefore, it is necessary to understand these materials’ influence on the biological and physical-chemical stability of compost. Most compost microbiome studies have been bacterial-centric, leaving out eukaryotes despite their critical role in the environment. Here, the influence of different green feedstock on the fungal and non-fungal eukaryotic community structure in a thermophilic compost environment was examined. Total community fungal and non-fungal eukaryotic DNA was recovered from triplicate compost samples of four experimental regimes. Sequencing for fungal ITS and non-fungal eukaryotes; 18S rDNA was done under the Illumina Miseq platform, and bioinformatics analysis was done using Divisive Amplicon Denoising Algorithm version 2 workflow in R version 4.1. Samples of mixed compost and composting day 84 recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher overall fungal populations, while Lantana-based compost and composting day 84 revealed the highest fungal community diversity. Non-fungal eukaryotic richness was significantly (P< 0.05) more abundant in Tithonia-based compost and composting day 21. The most diverse non-fungal eukaryotic biome was in the Tithonia-based compost and composting day 84. Sordariomycetes and Holozoa were the most contributors to the fungal and non-fungal community interactions in the compost environment, respectively. The findings of this study unravel the inherent influence of diverse composting materials and days on the eukaryotic community structure and compost’s biological and chemical stability.
Streptomyces antimicrobicus sp. nov., a novel clay soil-derived actinobacterium producing antimicrobials against drug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Chanama Manee , Suriyachadkun Chanwit , Chanama Suchart
Published: May 2023

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain SMC 277T, was isolated from the clay soil in paddy field of Chonburi Province, Thailand, and characterized using polyphasic taxonomy. Strain SMC 277T formed straight chains of nonmotile cylindrical spores with smooth surface developed on aerial mycelia. The typical chemotaxonomic properties of members of the genus Streptomyces were observed in strain SMC 277T, e.g., cell wall peptidoglycan, whole cell sugars, major menaquinones, cellular fatty acids, and polar lipids. Chemotaxonomic data combined with mycelium and spore morphologies supported the assignment of strain SMC 277T to the genus Streptomyces. The results of comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that strain SMC 277T represented a member of the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SMC 277T shared the highest sequence similarity with Streptomyces bambusae NBRC 110903T (98.8%). Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 6.55 Mbp and a digital G+C content of 73.4 mol%. In addition to the differences in phenotypic characteristics (morphology and physiology), values of ANI (ANIb and ANIm), AAI and dDDH between strain SMC 277T and its closest relative S. bambusae NBRC 110903T were 81.84, 86.77, 76.91 and 26.1%, respectively. Genome annotation and secondary metabolite gene cluster analysis predicted that SMC 277T contained 35 biosynthetic gene clusters encoding diverse bioactive secondary metabolites. It is in agreement with observed antimicrobial activity against drug-resistant bacteria associated with nosocomial infections (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii). On the basis of these genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, strain SMC 277T can be characterized to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces antimicrobicus is proposed. The type strain is SMC 277T (= TBRC 15568T = NBRC 115422T).
Who are the key players? Listeners vs spreaders vs others
Authors: Kim Sumin , Lee Kyu-Min , Shin Euncheol
Published: May 2023

The literature on social learning examines how people learn from their neighbors and reach a consensus. The DeGroot social learning model describes the social learning process as one in which people form their opinions by taking a weighted average of their neighbors’ opinions. In the model, the influence structure is represented by a single matrix. In this paper, we empirically identify the role of the hub and authority centralities based on this matrix using data on microfinance adoption in rural Indian villages. Controlling for other well-known centrality measures, authority centrality is positively associated with final adoption rates in the villages, but hub centrality is not. Furthermore, we find that authority centrality is the most informative variable predicting microfinance diffusion success from LASSO regressions.
Examining the effect of logistics service quality on customer satisfaction and re-use intention
Authors: Lin Xiaofang , Mamun Abdullah Al , Yang Qing , Masukujjaman Mohammad
Published: May 2023

For logistics service providers (LSPs), improving customer satisfaction and obtaining customer re-use intention are key to gaining sustainable competitive advantages and success. Logistics service quality (LSQ) is a concern for logistics service providers, retailers, and customers. The proposed model, which is based on the stimuli-organism-response theory and the logistics service quality framework, integrates operational quality, resource quality, information quality, personal contact quality, customization quality, and customer satisfaction to study logistics service re-use intentions. The data were obtained from an online survey using a structured questionnaire given to those with experience in logistics service. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling on 810 respondents who were adult Chinese customers, this study discovered that operational, resource, information, personal contact, and customization qualities positively affect the satisfaction of logistics service customers, while customer satisfaction positively affects re-use intention. Moreover, the results of the mediation analysis revealed that customer satisfaction mediated the connection between the five components of LSQ and the re-use intention of logistics services. The originality of the study lies in its comprehensive examination of the direct and indirect effects of service quality dimensions on customer satisfaction and logistics service re-use intention in the context of logistics services. This study provides valuable insights into the importance of customer satisfaction in the logistics industry and highlights the need for logistics companies to prioritize customer satisfaction and improve their overall performance and competitiveness.
Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective wellbeing in the Middle East and North Africa: A gender analysis
Authors: Sieverding Maia , Krafft Caroline , Selwaness Irene , Nassif Alexandra Abi
Published: May 2023

The pathways through which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted population mental health are potentially gendered. Little research has explored these pathways in low- and middle-income country contexts, such as in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where socioeconomic roles are highly gendered. To address this gap, we examine the relationships between pandemic-related socioeconomic changes and subjective wellbeing in the MENA region. Our core hypothesis is that the COVID-19 pandemic affected men and women’s subjective wellbeing differently in part because these effects were mediated by gendered socioeconomic roles. We exploit multiple waves of longitudinal, nationally-representative phone survey data across Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. The data were collected between November 2020 and August 2021 and include 32,296 observations of 20,256 unique individuals. Mental health is measured through the WHO-5 subjective wellbeing scale. Our key independent variables capture pandemic-related employment loss, income loss, experience of limitations on food access, enrollment of children in alternative schooling modalities, and receipt of formal and informal transfers. We find significantly worse subjective wellbeing for women in Egypt and Morocco during the pandemic, but not the three other countries. There were negative associations between employment and income loss during the pandemic and subjective wellbeing, but not gender-differentiated ones. In contrast, high levels of limitations on food access were associated with worse mental health for men than women. Receipt of transfers generally did not have any association with subjective wellbeing. Further research is needed into how social assistance programs implemented in response to pandemics may be designed so as to address the negative mental health consequences of such events.
Effects of disability on income and income composition
Authors: Pu Christy , Syu Huei-Fen
Published: May 2023

Background

Income composition is highly associated with individual financial sustainability and income inequality at the macro level. Although studies have investigated the effects of disability on wage income, few studies have investigated the effects of disability on income composition or on various types of income other than wage income.

Methods

We sampled 72,000 households using tax data sourced from the Taiwan Ministry of Finance in 2015. Data for each household member were traced back to 1999. We identified 23,346 individuals with disabilities and matched them with 34,145 individuals without disabilities. Eight income types were identified. A two-way fixed-effect analysis was performed to determine the effects of disability on changes in each income type. Fractional probit models were estimated to determine the effects of disability on the proportion of each income type in total income at different ages.

Results

Wage income constitutes the largest proportion of income in Taiwan. The total income is estimated to increase by 10.4% (P < 0.001) after disability onset. Moreover, most income categories did not experience a decline following the onset of disability. We also noted a significant interaction effect between disability status and age on the proportion of each income type in total income.

Conclusion

The effect of disability on income varied across different sources of income. The income composition observed for the individuals with disabilities changed considerably at various ages. Accordingly, policies should be designed to ensure long-term sustainability of income sources for individuals with disabilities.
County-level variations in linkage to care among people newly diagnosed with HIV in South Carolina: A longitudinal analysis from 2010 to 2018
Authors: Shi Fanghui , Zhang Jiajia , Zeng Chengbo , Sun Xiaowen , Li Zhenlong , Yang Xueying , Weissman Sharon , Olatosi Bankole , Li Xiaoming
Published: May 2023

Background

Timely linkage to care (LTC) is key in the HIV care continuum, as it enables people newly diagnosed with HIV (PNWH) to benefit from HIV treatment at the earliest stage. Previous studies have found LTC disparities by individual factors, but data are limited beyond the individual level, especially at the county level. This study examined the temporal and geographic variations of county-level LTC status across 46 counties in South Carolina (SC) from 2010 to 2018 and the association of county-level characteristics with LTC status.

Methods

All adults newly diagnosed with HIV from 2010 to 2018 in SC were included in this study. County-level LTC status was defined as 1 = “high LTC (≥ yearly national LTC percentage)” and 0 = “low LTC (< yearly national LTC percentage)”. A generalized estimating equation model with stepwise selection was employed to examine the relationship between 29 county-level characteristics and LTC status.

Results

The number of counties with high LTC in SC decreased from 34 to 21 from 2010 to 2018. In the generalized estimating equation model, six out of 29 factors were significantly associated with LTC status. Counties with a higher percentage of males (OR = 0.07, 95%CI: 0.02~0.29) and persons with at least four years of college (OR = 0.07, 95%CI: 0.02~0.34) were less likely to have high LTC. However, counties with more mental health centers per PNWH (OR = 45.09, 95%CI: 6.81~298.55) were more likely to have high LTC.

Conclusions

Factors associated with demographic characteristics and healthcare resources contributed to the variations of LTC status at the county level. Interventions targeting increasing the accessibility to mental health facilities could help improve LTC.
Blue-light stimulation of the blind-spot constricts the pupil and enhances contrast sensitivity
Authors: Schilling Tim , Soltanlou Mojtaba , Nuerk Hans-Christoph , Bahmani Hamed
Published: May 2023

Short- and long-wavelength light can alter pupillary responses differently, allowing inferences to be made about the contribution of different photoreceptors on pupillary constriction. In addition to classical retinal photoreceptors, the pupillary light response is formed by the activity of melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC). It has been shown in rodents that melanopsin is expressed in the axons of ipRGCs that bundle at the optic nerve head, which forms the perceptual blind-spot. Hence, the first aim of this study was to investigate if blind-spot stimulation induces a pupillary response. The second aim was to investigate the effect of blind-spot stimulation by using the contrast sensitivity tests. Fifteen individuals participated in the pupil response experiment and thirty-two individuals in the contrast sensitivity experiment. The pupillary change was quantified using the post-illumination pupil response (PIPR) amplitudes after blue-light (experimental condition) and red-light (control condition) pulses in the time window between 2 s and 6 s post-illumination. The contrast sensitivity was assessed using two different tests: the Freiburg Visual Acuity Test and Contrast Test and the Tuebingen Contrast Sensitivity Test, respectively. Contrast sensitivity was measured before and 20 minutes after binocular blue-light stimulation of the blind-spot at spatial frequencies higher than or equal to 3 cycles per degree (cpd) and at spatial frequencies lower than 3 cpd (control condition). Blue-light blind-spot stimulation induced a significantly larger PIPR compared to red-light, confirming a melanopsin-mediated pupil-response in the blind-spot. Furthermore, contrast sensitivity was increased after blind-spot stimulation, confirmed by both contrast sensitivity tests. Only spatial frequencies of at least 3 cpd were enhanced. This study demonstrates that stimulating the blind-spot with blue-light constricts the pupil and increases the contrast sensitivity at higher spatial frequencies.
The outcomes of three different techniques of coronary artery bypass grafting: On-pump arrested heart, on-pump beating heart, and off-pump
Authors: Phothikun Amarit , Nawarawong Weerachai , Tantraworasin Apichat , Phinyo Phichayut , Tepsuwan Thitipong
Published: May 2023

Objective

Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or on-pump arrested heart CABG (ONCAB) is a standard and simple technique. However, adverse effects can occur due to the use of aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass. Performing off-pump CABG (OPCAB) aims to avoid these adverse effects but may result in incomplete revascularization. On-pump beating heart CABG (ONBHCAB) combines the benefits of both ONCAB and OPCAB. This study focuses on comparing the short- and long-term outcomes of different CABG techniques.

Method

Retrospective observational cohort included 2,028 patients who underwent ONCAB, OPCAB, and ONBHCAB. The short-term outcomes including postoperative ischemic injury, hemodynamic functions, and adverse events were compared. The long-term outcomes were overall survival and the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Propensity score matching ensured comparability among the three patient groups.

Results

After matching, there were no differences in baseline characteristics. Regarding ischemic injury, OPCAB showed the lowest peak cardiac enzyme levels (all p≤0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the change of hemodynamic function (cardiac index) between the three groups (p = 0.158). Ten-year survival for OPCAB, ONBHCAB, and ONCAB were 80.5%, 75.9%, and 73.7%, respectively. OPCAB was associated with a significant reduction in mortality risk and MACE when compared to others (Mortality HR = 0.33, p = 0.001, MACE HR = 0.52, p = 0.004).

Conclusion

OPCAB implementation resulted in a lower occurrence of postoperative ischemic injury than ONCAB and ONBHCAB. No differences in postoperative hemodynamic function in all three techniques were observed. OPCAB respectively were preferable techniques beneficial for long-term outcomes.
Trans YouTubers and DIY undergarments: ‘Queer-and-trans-world-making-and-sharing’ within the fashion system’s informal economies
Authors: Streck Kyra G. , Reddy-Best Kelly L.
Published: May 2023

In our research we explore how do-it-yourself (DIY) gender-affirming undergarments worn on the lower torso are made and distributed and the broader context of these objects in relation to influencer identity, trans experiences, activism and personal storytelling on YouTube in the twenty-first century. To engage in action-oriented research as part of our approach, we also developed a corresponding mounted fashion exhibition that we co-curated with three of the YouTubers featured in the research. To achieve our purpose, we drew upon multiple qualitative methods. We analysed YouTube videos using a comparative method, conducted oral histories with the YouTube content creators and engaged in a curatorial process to produce a co-curated fashion exhibition with the oral history interviewees. The trans YouTubers in our research engaged in what we refer to as queer-and-trans-world-making-and-sharing. That is, there was an overarching emphasis on making DIY tutorial videos via YouTube and the actual garments for themselves, but then also creating and sharing this knowledge with others so they, too, could experience and access happiness and joy in how they fashion their identity through dress.
Fat Fashion: The Thin Ideal and the Segregation of Plus-Size Bodies, Paolo Volonté (2022)
Authors: Schiavone Scott William
Published: May 2023

Review of: Fat Fashion: The Thin Ideal and the Segregation of Plus-Size Bodies, Paolo Volonté (2022)

London: Bloomsbury, 226 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35012-692-3, p/bk, £23.99
Modos de representar el envejecimiento y la ancianidad en el cine de Almodóvar
Authors: Gómez Gómez Agustín
Published: May 2023

Partimos de la presencia de los personajes mayores en las veintidós películas de Pedro Almodóvar. Los datos iniciales son reveladores. En catorce películas aparecen mayores, en total veinticinco personajes secundarios mayores, a los que sumamos cuatro escenas con un grupo también de mayores. La edad no es una cuestión que se exhiba como problema en su filmografía, pero sí hay personajes que se corresponden con el etarismo de la tercera y cuarta edad que presentan, como sus personajes de otras edades, unas características muy marcadas. Los más reconocibles son las mujeres mayores de origen rural que viven en la ciudad y que tiene comportamientos estrafalarios. Hay un edadismo en la comparación entre hombres y mujeres en las relaciones sociales, laborales y sexuales. Pero lo más significativo es que también sus mayores pertenecen al universo creado por el director bajo tres soportes: una realidad sociológica de la España de la dictadura, unas experiencias personales que se manifiestan desde lo emocional y una construcción de personajes construidos desde el costumbrismo y el esperpento.
The Skarù·ręʔ (Tuscarora) Food Forest Project—Reconciliation in Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education through Cross-Cultural Agroforestry Demonstration
Authors: Bosco Samantha , Thomas Bradley
Published: May 2023

Temperate nut trees have long been utilized in eastern North America, providing high quality food, durable materials, and contributing to multispecies relationships across geographic and cultural landscapes. While not widely consumed today, renewed interest in temperate nuts such as hybrid chestnuts and hazelnuts, are part of efforts to realize nature-based solutions to climate change, which include multifunctional agroforestry systems. Indigenous peoples’ contributions to agroforestry and climate resilience are substantial, however sustainable agricultural research often overlooks critical social justice implications underlying the history of colonization in settler nations, including dispossessed land and appropriated Indigenous crops. As one of the most nutritionally dense plant-based foods, nuts were important components of Haudenosaunee foodways. Archaeological, ethnographic, and historical-ecological evidence indicate that the Haudenosaunee subsistence and settlement dynamics transformed cultural landscapes favoring such nut trees. The Skarù·ręʔ (Tuscarora) Food Forest was a community-based project demonstrating contemporary contributions of nut trees to Indigenous food systems in ancestral Haudenosaunee territories, today known as New York State. While domesticated crop polycultures (i.e., the Three Sisters) are iconic of Haudenosaunee horticultural ingenuities, temperate nuts are lesser-known woodland foods that can additionally contribute to food and language revitalization efforts within contemporary Haudenosaunee territories. Here we discuss theories and praxes informing community engaged approaches at the Skarù·ręʔ Nation. By addressing social justice concerns within agricultural science, we demonstrate how the Skarù·ręʔ Food Forest Project can provide a methodological testing ground for reconciliation-based and decolonial participatory action research that expands ongoing food sovereignty, community health, and education initiatives.
Effect of BD Vacutainer® UltraTouch™ Push Button Blood Collection Set (25G) on Pain Perception and Hemolysis - The First of Its Kind Evaluation in a Reference Laboratory Setup in India
Authors: Nilesh Shah  , Puneet Nigam  , Medha Jadhav  , Glen Menezes
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Laboratory and clinical data suggest that 70% of laboratory errors take place in the preanalytical phase and it is the most neglected part of the laboratory process. Needle phobia and hemolysis are the major problems in the preanalytical process. Complications during venipuncture due to pain-related needle phobia may lead to puncture of artery instead of the vein and in certain cases nerve damage, pain, numbness and thus resulting in unhappy patient experience and anxiety. Hence, the current evaluation focused on pain perception during venipuncture and the incidence of hemolysis.

Objectives

The current study intended to find out that the BD Vacutainer® UltraTouch™ push button blood collection set (25G) a) can improve the experience of blood draw in terms of pain perception, b) had insignificant effect on hemolysis in terms of potassium value, c) had insignificant impact on result variation for lactate dehydrogenase, aspirate aminotransferase, iron, cholesterol, creatinine, RBC (Red Blood Cell), haemoglobin (Hb), and platelet count compared to the current blood collection practice.

METHODS

The study was divided into three phases: Phase 1 – determining pain perception during blood collection with BD Vacutainer® UltraTouch™ push button blood collection set (UTPBBCS), Phase 2 – comparing potassium value between the blood samples taken with UTPBBCS and those using BD Vacutainer® Flashback Needle (FBN), Phase 3 – comparing lactate dehydrogenase, aspirate aminotransferase, iron, cholesterol, creatinine, RBC (Red Blood Cell), haemoglobin (Hb), and platelet count.

RESULTS

This study found that 91.67% of participants responded with nil to negligible pain and there was no evidence of hemolysis and the evaluated parameters (K+ - Potassium, lactate dehydrogenase, aspirate aminotransferase, iron, cholesterol, creatinine, RBC, haemoglobin, platelet count) were found to be consistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Phlebotomists found UTPBBCS to be a reliable device and well-received by the volunteers as it minimized pain. Also, there was no hemolysis due to the 25G needle. Therefore, UTPBBCS (25G) can be considered as less painful blood collection device due to a significantly better blood collection experience without compromising sample quality.
Development of Sustainable tableware from waste
Authors: Rane Saloni , Thakker Dr Shivangi
Published: May 2023

The widespread consumption, accessibility, and extensive shelf life of plastic are converging to an incredibly challenging plastic conundrum in the food industry. There is a lack of clarity regarding the answer since plastic pollution is rapidly increasing, and the food sector is highly reliant on the use of plastic for packaging, manufacturing tableware, and cutlery. Tableware made from agricultural waste is intended to be designed and manufactured as part of this dissertation's effort to provide an alternate, partial answer to the problem of plastic. This study aims to explore the potential of using bagasse and paddy straw as raw materials for sustainable tableware production through compression molding. The study utilizes a compression molding machine to produce disposable plates, cups, and bowls. Pneumatically operated compression molding machines used for making tableware from agriculture are to be explored. Compression molding is a widely used technique for creating a variety of products using composite materials. The process consists of two steps: preheating and pressurizing. Thermo-forming is a process where a sheet of material is heated and then molded into a desired shape. Agricultural-based materials such as sugarcane fiber, bamboo, and wheat straw are often used as alternatives to traditional plastic tableware and can be processed using thermoforming machines to create eco-friendly products. The mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of the produced tableware are evaluated to determine their suitability for food packaging applications. Results indicate that bagasse and paddy straw can be utilized as sustainable raw materials to produce eco-friendly tableware with desirable properties. The use of these agricultural waste products as raw materials can contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution and promote sustainable development. This approach helps to reduce waste and supports a circular economy. The research areas covered in this project are agricultural waste, stubble management (waste to wealth) and an alternative to burning. The pilot scale production is done, and the following samples are sent for testing. A MoU is signed with SIES school of Packaging, Mumbai for testing and research on agricultural waste.
odelagem Numérica do Sistema Aquífero Içá-Solimões para Fins de Disponibilidade e Demanda Hídrica da Província Petrolífera de Urucu, Amazonas, Brasil
Authors: Galvao Paulo , Demétrio José Geilson Alves , Souza Eliene Lopes de , Baessa Marcus Martins , Baessa Marcus Martins
Published: May 2023

As águas subterrâneas desempenham um papel essencial no ciclo hidrológico da região amazônica, constituindo uma reserva significativa de água de alta qualidade, utilizável para diversos fins. No entanto, dados hidrogeológicos na região são ainda escassos, com estudos concentrados particularmente em centros mais urbanizados. Na Província Petrolífera de Urucu, município de Coari/AM, onde está instalada a Base Operacional Geólogo Pedro de Moura (BOGPM), da Petrobras, estudos realizados na área já caracterizaram hidrogeologicamente os aquíferos locais revelando um cenário hidrogeológico complexo, devido ao Sistema Aquífero Içá-Solimões (SAIS). Apesar dessas informações, são necessários estudos mais aprofundados para entender como a água subterrânea pode ser usada de forma sustentável para atender as demandas futuras da BOGPM, garantindo a sustentabilidade hídrica. O objetivo da pesquisa é avaliar o impacto da explotação de água subterrânea para abastecimento das unidades na área na BOGPM, por meio da primeira modelagem numérica em diferenças finitas (MODFLOW) do SAIS, a fim de realizar um balanço entre disponibilidade e demanda hídrica, considerando os usos atuais e futuros. Dois cenários foram simulados: 1) impacto do bombeamento dos poços atuais pelos próximos vinte anos; e 2) dobrando a vazão adotada no cenário anterior. Os resultados indicam que o SAIS ainda está no início de sua explotação, pois as descargas, mesmo em cenários mais severos, representam menos de 1% da infiltração simulada, indicando que o bombeamento está sendo realizado dentro das condições de sustentabilidade.
Introducing the Methodology of ‘Critical Fashion Practice’ into Fashion Design Studies in Croatia
Authors: Simončič Katarina Nina
Published: May 2023

Since the advent of mass production, where the quantity of clothing reflects the consumption habits of society, fashion has become a reflection of the capitalist atmosphere. The reciprocity of society and fashion begin to occupy and initiate all the intense theoretical discussions that lead to the emergence of new branches of scientific research in the social-humanist field. The two most important scientific field are the history of fashion and fashion theory, whose analyses focus on the role of clothing as part of material culture conditioned by the political, social, economic and religious context. These two branches of science are increasingly becoming the focus of fashion design students in the education system. As a result, the above disciplines are included as separate compulsory subjects in the fashion design programme, developing strong theoretical skills at the expense of practical production and collection making. This approach represents a significant departure from the curricula of previous fashion design programmes, where the conditioning of the profession by political, economic, technological and social impulses was evident. In 2014, the former Centre for Fashion Studies at the Stockholm College highlighted the problem of a strong dichotomy between theoretical and fashion design courses in fashion design programmes and organised a symposium entitled ‘Fashion Issues: Critical Fashion Studies’. Based on his guidelines, the project ‘Critical Fashion: Reflections in Theory and Practice’ was developed as part of the degree programme at Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm, resulting in a highly discursive internet platform with the symbolic name ‘Critical fashion practice’. The aim of the new approaches was to rethink the importance of theoretical approaches in observing fashion production based on reflection of social relations, media images and personal experiences. This paper analyses the contribution of the platform ‘Critical fashion practice’ in the context of theoretical-practical teaching for fashion design students at the Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb.
Rheological characterisation of bituminous binder blends for the design of asphalt mixes containing high recycled asphalt content
Authors: Toth Csaba , Petho Laszlo , Rosta Szabolcs
Published: May 2023

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is gained from road reconstructions; however, its usage is less optimised in Hungary and neighbouring regions, since on the project level the proportion of RAP in the asphalt mixes is only 10-15%. This is less than the recommended level in other EU countries. The higher usage of RAP provides economic and environmental advantages, decreasing the need for new materials, the transport cost, and the carbon footprint. The composition of the resultant bituminous binder blend is a critical element in the asphalt mix design with high RA content. This paper discusses the design of the resultant bituminous binder blend to provide performance and compliance characterisation. This paper also presents the complex rheological analysis of the base bitumen, the bitumen extracted from the RA and the bituminous binder blend, applying the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) device. It was shown that for paving grade bitumen (B), polymer modified bitumen (PmB) and rubber modified bitumen (GmB), the addition of higher proportions of RA content is possible without compromising on the performance of the binder blend. With a carefully chosen paving grade bitumen it is possible to utilise up to 40% RA content. For the polymer modified bitumen, the limit of the RA content is 20%. For the rubber modified bitumen, the various proportions of RA contents showed no or negligible changes in the characteristics of the bitumen and the RA content can reach 30% in this case.
Intensity of Main Disease in Several Superior Sugarcane Clones at Krebet Baru Sugar Factory, Malang
Authors: Rizqiyah Sakinah Inayatur , Yulianti Titiek , Hidayat Sri Hendrastuti
Published: May 2023

Tebu (Saccharum officinarum) merupakan tanaman perkebunan penting sebagai penghasil utama gula di Indonesia. Penurunan produksi gula tebu dalam beberapa tahun terakhir tidak sejalan dengan permintaan gula tebu yang kian meningkat. Pemuliaan tanaman diarahkan untuk mendapatkan varietas-varietas tebu unggul yang diharapkan memiliki produktivitas tinggi dan tahan terhadap faktor-faktor gangguan yang dapat menurunkan produktivitas tanaman. Pengamatan penyakit mosaik bergaris (Sugarcane streak mosaic virus/SCSMV), pokahbung (Fusarium moniliforme), dan luka api (Sporisorium scitamineum) dilakukan pada 14 klon tebu unggul di PG Krebet Baru, Malang. Pengamatan intensitas penyakit dilakukan setiap 2 minggu selama 3 bulan dan sampel tanaman yang menunjukkan gejala penyakit dideteksi penyebab penyakitnya di laboratorium. Gejala penyakit mosaik bergaris terjadi pada tiga klon tebu dengan intensitas antara 8.33% dan 63.89%; sedangkan gejala penyakit pokahbung dan luka api ditemukan pada 11 dan 14 klon tebu dengan intensitas berturut-turut 2.78% sampai 22.22% dan 11.11% sampai 25%. Konfirmasi keberadaan SCSMV diperiksa dengan metode polymerase chain reaction; sedangkan cendawan F. moniliforme dan S. scitamineum melalui isolasi jaringan dan pengamatan jaringan meristem. Secara umum insidensi penyakit tergolong rendah pada klon 8 dan 12 sehingga klon tersebut dapat direkomendasikan sebagai klon potensial yang digunakan dalam mengendalikan penyakit utama tebu.