bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microstructural and Strength Changes in Trabecular Bone in Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Giner Mercè , Miranda Cristina , Vázquez-Gámez María Angeles , Altea-Manzano Patricia , Miranda María-José , Casado-Díaz Antonio , Pérez-Cano Ramón , Montoya-García María-José
Published: March 2021

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide and it is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Our aim is to analyze the effect of T2DM on bone quality. This is a case-control study. The studied population consisted of 140 patients: 54 subjects with hip fracture (OP) without T2DM, 36 patients with hip fracture and T2DM (OP-T2DM), 28 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) without T2DM, and 22 patients with OA and T2DM (OA-T2DM). Bone markers, bone mineral density, FRAX score, microstructural, and bone material strength from femoral heads were assessed. The group with hip fracture presented lower BMD values than OA (p < 0.05). The OP, OP-T2DM, and OA-T2DM groups showed a decrease in bone volume fraction (BV/TV), in trabecular number (Tb.N), and in trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), while an increase was presented in the structural model index (SMI) and trabecular bone pattern factor (Tb.Pf), The groups OP, OP-T2DM, and OA-T2DM also presented lower values than those in group OA regarding the biomechanical parameters in the form of Young’s modulus or elastic modulus, toughness, ultimate stress, ultimate load, extrinsic stiffness, and work to failure (p < 0.05). Our results show the negative effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus on trabecular bone structure and mechanical properties.
Contribution of Gray Matter Atrophy and White Matter Damage to Cognitive Impairment in Mildly Disabled Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Bernabéu-Sanz Ángela , Morales Sandra , Naranjo Valery , Sempere Ángel P.
Published: March 2021

Cognitive impairment (CI) is frequently present in multiple sclerosis patients. Despite ongoing research, the neurological substrates have not been fully elucidated. In this study we investigated the contribution of gray and white matter in the CI observed in mildly disabled relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. For that purpose, 30 patients with RRMS (median EDSS = 2), and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were studied. CI was assessed using the symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) and the memory alteration test. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), voxel-based morphometry (VBM), brain segmentation, thalamic vertex analysis, and connectivity-based thalamic parcellation analyses were performed. RRMS patients scored significantly lower in both cognitive tests. In the patient group, significant atrophy in the thalami was observed. Multiple regression analyses revealed associations between SDMT scores and GM volume in both hemispheres in the temporal, parietal, frontal, and occipital lobes. The DTI results pointed to white matter damage in all thalamocortical connections, the corpus callosum, and several fasciculi. Multiple regression and correlation analyses suggested that in RRMS patients with mild disease, thalamic atrophy and thalamocortical connection damage may lead to slower cognitive processing. Furthermore, white matter damage at specific fasciculi may be related to episodic memory impairment.
Is There an Association between the Gingival Phenotype and the Width of Keratinized Gingiva? A Systematic Review
Authors: Vlachodimou Elpiniki , Fragkioudakis Ioannis , Vouros Ioannis
Published: March 2021

The concept of gingival phenotype and width of keratinized gingiva influencing the diagnosis and treatment in the periodontal scenario is relatively new. Soft and hard tissue dimensions of oral tissues are considered essential parameters in daily clinical practice. Factors such as the biotype category and the width of the keratinized gingiva help dentists seek the perfect therapy plan for each patient to achieve long-term stability of periodontal health. Several methods have been proposed to categorize phenotypes and each phenotype is characterized by various clinical characteristics. This review aims to discuss the possible association between the gingival phenotype and the width of keratinized gingiva along with the results appeared. After a rigorous search in major electronic databases, the results of the included studies indicated that the width of keratinized gingiva seems to be associated with the periodontal phenotype, with thick biotypes being characterized by a more pronounced keratinized gingival width. However, the heterogeneity of the included studies did not allow to make a conclusion about a direct relationship.
Non Stationary Multi-Armed Bandit: Empirical Evaluation of a New Concept Drift-Aware Algorithm
Authors: Cavenaghi Emanuele , Sottocornola Gabriele , Stella Fabio , Zanker Markus
Published: March 2021

The Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB) problem has been extensively studied in order to address real-world challenges related to sequential decision making. In this setting, an agent selects the best action to be performed at time-step t, based on the past rewards received by the environment. This formulation implicitly assumes that the expected payoff for each action is kept stationary by the environment through time. Nevertheless, in many real-world applications this assumption does not hold and the agent has to face a non-stationary environment, that is, with a changing reward distribution. Thus, we present a new MAB algorithm, named f-Discounted-Sliding-Window Thompson Sampling (f-dsw TS), for non-stationary environments, that is, when the data streaming is affected by concept drift. The f-dsw TS algorithm is based on Thompson Sampling (TS) and exploits a discount factor on the reward history and an arm-related sliding window to contrast concept drift in non-stationary environments. We investigate how to combine these two sources of information, namely the discount factor and the sliding window, by means of an aggregation function f(.). In particular, we proposed a pessimistic (f=min), an optimistic (f=max), as well as an averaged (f=mean) version of the f-dsw TS algorithm. A rich set of numerical experiments is performed to evaluate the f-dsw TS algorithm compared to both stationary and non-stationary state-of-the-art TS baselines. We exploited synthetic environments (both randomly-generated and controlled) to test the MAB algorithms under different types of drift, that is, sudden/abrupt, incremental, gradual and increasing/decreasing drift. Furthermore, we adapt four real-world active learning tasks to our framework—a prediction task on crimes in the city of Baltimore, a classification task on insects species, a recommendation task on local web-news, and a time-series analysis on microbial organisms in the tropical air ecosystem. The f-dsw TS approach emerges as the best performing MAB algorithm. At least one of the versions of f-dsw TS performs better than the baselines in synthetic environments, proving the robustness of f-dsw TS under different concept drift types. Moreover, the pessimistic version (f=min) results as the most effective in all real-world tasks.
Understanding and Addressing the Deficiencies in UK Mathematics Education: Taking an International Perspective
Authors: Skipp Charlotte S. , Dommett Eleanor J.
Published: March 2021

This paper reflects on UK mathematics education following the poor performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) metric, which compares reading, science, and mathematics across 27 countries. We compared a range of features within secondary school mathematics in the UK with the countries outperforming the UK. We note disparities in the depth of the curriculum and the use of high-stakes testing which could be disadvantaging UK students. We also reflect on key factors that may underpin teacher effectiveness in the UK, including teacher expectations, in part driven by early use of ability sets, a lack of teacher autonomy, and poor continuous professional development. On this basis, we make several recommendations to strengthen UK mathematics education.
Application of Virtual Reality in Computer Science Education: A Systemic Review Based on Bibliometric and Content Analysis Methods
Authors: Agbo Friday Joseph , Sanusi Ismaila Temitayo , Oyelere Solomon Sunday , Suhonen Jarkko
Published: March 2021

This study investigated the role of virtual reality (VR) in computer science (CS) education over the last 10 years by conducting a bibliometric and content analysis of articles related to the use of VR in CS education. A total of 971 articles published in peer-reviewed journals and conferences were collected from Web of Science and Scopus databases to conduct the bibliometric analysis. Furthermore, content analysis was conducted on 39 articles that met the inclusion criteria. This study demonstrates that VR research for CS education was faring well around 2011 but witnessed low production output between the years 2013 and 2016. However, scholars have increased their contribution in this field recently, starting from the year 2017. This study also revealed prolific scholars contributing to the field. It provides insightful information regarding research hotspots in VR that have emerged recently, which can be further explored to enhance CS education. In addition, the quantitative method remains the most preferred research method, while the questionnaire was the most used data collection technique. Moreover, descriptive analysis was primarily used in studies on VR in CS education. The study concludes that even though scholars are leveraging VR to advance CS education, more effort needs to be made by stakeholders across countries and institutions. In addition, a more rigorous methodological approach needs to be employed in future studies to provide more evidence-based research output. Our future study would investigate the pedagogy, content, and context of studies on VR in CS education.
Energy Efficiency Analysis of Copper Ore Ball Mill Drive Systems
Authors: Bortnowski Piotr , Gładysiewicz Lech , Król Robert , Ozdoba Maksymilian
Published: March 2021

Milling is among the most energy-consuming technological stages of copper ore processing. It is performed in mills, which are machines of high rotational masses. The start of a mill filled to capacity requires appropriate solutions that mitigate the overloading. One method for increasing the energy efficiency of ball mills is to optimize their drive systems. This article looks at two variants of drive systems with efficiencies higher than the already existing solutions. The first variant is a low-speed synchronous motor with permanent magnets without a gearbox, and the second variant is an asynchronous high-efficiency motor with a gearbox and a fluid coupling. The energy performance analysis of the three solutions was based on the average energy consumption indicator per mass unit of the milled material and on the energy consumption per hour. The investigations required models of the drive systems and analyses with the use of the Monte Carlo methods. The highest energy efficiency is observed in the case of the solution based on the permanent magnet motor. However, the drive system with the high-speed motor offers a gentle start-up possibility owing to the fluid coupling.
Enhancement of Food Waste Management and Its Environmental Consequences
Authors: Boer Jan den , Obersteiner Gudrun , Gollnow Sebastian , Boer Emilia den , Bodnárné Sándor Renata
Published: March 2021

This paper assesses the potential environmental effects of the optimization of the kitchen waste management in Opole. The separate collection of kitchen waste is improved by distribution of separate collection kits consisting of an in-home bin and 10 L biodegradable bags. The surplus of collected kitchen waste is diverted from treatment in a mechanical-biological pretreatment (MBP) along with the residual waste to anaerobic digestion (AD) with the biowaste. This has positive effects on European and Polish goals, ambitions, and targets, such as (i) increasing the level of renewables in the primary energy supply, (ii) decreasing the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, (iii) increasing the level of preparation for reuse and recycling of municipal waste. The environmental effects of 1 ton additionally separately collected and treated kitchen waste are determined by using life cycle assessment. It was shown that in all selected impact categories (global warming potential, marine eutrophication potential, acidification potential, and ozone depletion potential) a clear environmental benefit can be achieved. These benefits are mainly caused by the avoided emissions of electricity and heat from the Polish production mix, which are substituted by energy generation from biogas combustion. Optimization of the waste management system by diversion of kitchen waste from mechanical-biological pretreatment to anaerobic digestion can lead to considerable saving of 448 kg CO2-eq/t of waste diverted. With an estimated optimization potential for the demonstration site of 40 kg/inh·year for the city of Opole, this would lead to 680,000 t CO2-eq savings per year for the whole of Poland. The sensitivity analysis showed that with a choice for cleaner energy sources the results would, albeit lower, show a significant savings potential.
Three-Dimensional Electro-Thermal Analysis of a New Type Current Transformer Design for Power Distribution Networks
Authors: Dong Bingbing , Gu Yu , Gao Changsheng , Zhang Zhu , Wen Tao , Li Kejie
Published: March 2021

In recent years, the new type design of current transformer with bushing structure has been widely used in the distribution network system due to its advantages of miniaturization, high mechanical strength, maintenance-free, safety and environmental protection. The internal temperature field distribution is an important characteristic parameter to characterize the thermal insulation and aging performance of the transformer, and the internal temperature field distribution is mainly derived from the joule heat generated by the primary side guide rod after flowing through the current. Since the electric environment is a transient field and the thermal environment changes slowly with time as a steady field under the actual conditions, it is more complex and necessary to study the electrothermal coupling field of current transformer (CT). In this paper, a 3D simulation model of a new type design of current transformer for distribution network based on electric-thermal coupling is established by using finite element method (FEM) software. Considering that the actual thermal conduction process of CT is mainly by conduction, convection and radiation, three different kinds of boundary conditions such as solid heat transfer boundary condition, heat convection boundary condition and surface radiation boundary condition are applied to the CT. Through the model created above, the temperature rise process and the distribution characteristics of temperature gradient of the inner conductor under different current, different ambient temperatures and different core diameters conditions are studied. Meanwhile, the hottest temperature and the maximum temperature gradient difference are calculated. According to this, the position of weak insulation of the transformer is determined. The research results can provide a reference for the factory production of new type design of current transformer.
Probiotic Sheep Milk Ice Cream with Inulin and Apple Fiber
Authors: Kowalczyk Magdalena , Znamirowska Agata , Buniowska Magdalena
Published: March 2021

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of the addition of inulin and the replacement of part of the inulin with apple fiber on the physicochemical and organoleptic properties of ice cream. Moreover, the survival of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus was studied in sheep milk ice cream. There was no effect of the apple fiber and the type of bacteria on the number of bacteria in the probiotics after fermentation. As a result of freezing, in the mixture containing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis Bb-12, there was a significant reduction in the bacteria from 0.39 log cfu g−1 to 0.46 log cfu g−1. In all of the ice cream on the 21st day of storage, it exceeded 10 log cfu g−1, which means that the ice cream retained the status of a probiotic product. The Lactobacillus rhamnosus ice cream showed a lower yellow color compared to the Bifidobacterium Bb-12 ice cream. The overrun of the sheep’s milk ice cream was within the range of 78.50% to 80.41%. The appearance of the sheep’s milk ice cream is influenced significantly by the addition of fiber and the type of bacteria and the interaction between the type of bacteria and the addition of fiber, and storage time and fiber.
Pepsin Hydrolysis of Orange By-Products for the Production of Bioactive Peptides with Gastrointestinal Resistant Properties
Authors: Mazloomi Seyadeh Narges , Mahoonak Alireza Sadeghi , Mora Leticia , Ghorbani Mohammad , Houshmand Gholamreza , Toldrá Fidel
Published: March 2021

Recently, the use of bioactive compounds in improving human health has received more attention. The aim of the present study was to hydrolyze orange seed proteins using pepsin enzyme to obtain bioactive peptides as well as to study the stability of such activity after simulated gastrointestinal digestion conditions. The method was optimized using different enzyme concentrations from 1% to 3%, hydrolysis times between 2 and 5 h, and an optimal temperature of 33 °C. Biological activities including α-glucosidase inhibition, α-amylase inhibition, Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme (ACEI) inhibition, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were evaluated. According to the results, a significant higher value of the biological activity (p < 0.05) was observed using an enzyme ratio of 0.03 E/S and hydrolysis time of 3.5 h. After size-exclusion chromatography separation, fractions 45–49 and 50–54 showed the highest biological roles such as antioxidant, ACEI inhibitory, and hypoglycemic. Fractions with the highest biological activity were purified using RP-HPLC and analyzed using nano-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The results obtained after simulated gastrointestinal digestion indicated that peptide fractions obtained after chromatographic separation significantly maintain their activity.
Coffee By-Products and Their Suitability for Developing Active Food Packaging Materials
Authors: Oliveira Gonçalo , Passos Cláudia P. , Ferreira Paula , Coimbra Manuel A. , Gonçalves Idalina
Published: March 2021

The coffee industry generates a wide variety of by-products derived from green coffee processing (pulp, mucilage, parchment, and husk) and roasting (silverskin and spent coffee grounds). All these fractions are simply discarded, despite their high potential value. Given their polysaccharide-rich composition, along with a significant number of other active biomolecules, coffee by-products are being considered for use in the production of plastics, in line with the notion of the circular economy. This review highlights the chemical composition of coffee by-products and their fractionation, evaluating their potential for use either as polymeric matrices or additives for developing plastic materials. Coffee by-product-derived molecules can confer antioxidant and antimicrobial activities upon plastic materials, as well as surface hydrophobicity, gas impermeability, and increased mechanical resistance, suitable for the development of active food packaging. Overall, this review aims to identify sustainable and eco-friendly strategies for valorizing coffee by-products while offering suitable raw materials for biodegradable plastic formulations, emphasizing their application in the food packaging sector.
Shelf-Life Evolution of the Fatty Acid Fingerprint in High-Quality Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.) Harvested in Different Geographical Regions
Authors: Cialiè Rosso Marta , Stilo Federico , Mascrez Steven , Bicchi Carlo , Purcaro Giorgia , Cordero Chiara
Published: March 2021

Hazelnuts are characterized by a relatively high abundance of oleic acid and poly-unsaturated fatty acids, which give this fruit a high nutritional value. As a counterbalance, such a lipid profile is more susceptible to autoxidation and/or degradation reactions under enzymatic catalysis. Lipid oxidation occurs on fatty acids (FAs), both esterified on triacylglycerols and in free form (after lipolysis), but with favorable kinetics on the latter. In this study, the quali-quantitative changes in FA profiles (both free and esterified) were monitored during the shelf life (time 0, 6, and 12 months) as a function of different drying and storage conditions and different cultivars and geographical areas. A derivatization/extraction procedure was performed to quantify the profile of free and esterified fatty acids accurately. The overall profile of the free and esterified fatty acids concurred to create a biological signature characteristic of the cultivar and of the harvest region. The free and esterified forms’ characterization enabled the efficient monitoring of the effects of both the hydrolytic activity (increment in overall free fatty acids) and the oxidative process (decrease in unsaturated free fatty acids versus esterified fatty acids) over the 12 months of storage.
Postharvest Dehydration Temperature Modulates the Transcriptomic Programme and Flavonoid Profile of Grape Berries
Authors: Chen Keqin , Sun Jiahua , Li Zhihao , Zhang Junxia , Li Ziyu , Chen Li , Li Wanping , Fang Yulin , Zhang Kekun
Published: March 2021

Raisins are a popular and nutritious snack that is produced through the dehydration of postharvest grape berries under high temperature (HT). However, the response of the endogenous metabolism of white grape varieties to postharvest dehydration under different temperature have not been fully elucidated to date. In this study, the white grape cultivar ‘Xiangfei’ was chosen to investigate the effect of dehydration at 50 °C, 40 °C, and 30 °C on the transcriptomic programme and metabolite profiles of grape berries. Postharvest dehydration promoted the accumulation of soluble sugar components and organic acids in berries. The content of gallic acid and its derivatives increased during the dehydration process and the temperature of 40 °C was the optimal for flavonoids and proanthocyanidins accumulation. High-temperature dehydration stress might promote the accumulation of gallic acid by increasing the expression levels of their biosynthesis related genes and regulating the production of NADP+ and NADPH. Compared with that at 30 °C, dehydration at 40 °C accelerated the transcription programme of 7654 genes and induced the continuous upregulation of genes related to the heat stress response and redox homeostasis in each stage. The results of this study indicate that an appropriate dehydration temperature should be selected and applied when producing polyphenols-rich raisins.
Long Non-Coding RNAs in Multidrug Resistance of Glioblastoma
Authors: Mahinfar Parvaneh , Baradaran Behzad , Davoudian Sadaf , Vahidian Fatemeh , Cho William Chi-Shing , Mansoori Behzad
Published: March 2021

Glioblastoma, also known as glioblastoma multiforme, is the most aggressive brain tumor in adults. Despite the huge advance in developing novel therapeutic strategies for patients with glioblastoma, the appearance of multidrug resistance (MDR) against the common chemotherapeutic agents, including temozolomide, is considered as one of the important causes for the failure of glioblastoma treatment. On the other hand, recent studies have demonstrated the critical roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), particularly in the development of MDR in glioblastoma. Therefore, this article aimed to review lncRNA’s contribution to the regulation of MDR and elucidate the underlying mechanisms in glioblastoma, which will open up new lines of inquiry in the treatment of glioblastoma.
Dentists’ Working Conditions during the First COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: An Online Survey
Authors: Wiesmüller Vera , Bruckmoser Emanuel , Kapferer-Seebacher Ines , Fink Katharina , Neururer Sabrina , Schnabl Dagmar , Laimer Johannes
Published: March 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the operating conditions of dentists in Central Europe during the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. A survey including 24 questions was emailed to dentists in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and South Tyrol (Italy). Questions regarding dentists’ field of work, working hours, treatments performed, personal protective equipment and protocols, and economic consequences were asked. 1731 participants were included. 30.4% of participants worked mainly in Austria, 60.8% in Germany, 6% in Switzerland and 2.1% in South Tyrol. A country-specific analysis for the situation of South Tyrol was not possible due to the low participation; 53.7% of German, 45.5% of Austrian, and 11.7% of Swiss respondents reduced their working hours; 42.8% of Austrian, 41.5% of Swiss, and 17.3% of German participants closed their offices temporarily; 52.2% of respondents provided emergency service including pain management, restorations/temporaries, and denture repairs. A lack of access to FFP2/FFP3 (filtering facepiece) respirators was indicated by 59.4% Austrian, 38.0% German, and 11.7% Swiss dentists (p < 0.001). FFP2/FFP3 respirators were, when available, most frequently used in Austria (86.9%), followed by Switzerland (61.2%) and Germany (56.7%) (p < 0.001). Financial consequences could not be conclusively quantified by 58.6% of the participants. Most respondents in all partaking countries made use of governmental support. A lack of blueprints/guidelines resulted in heterogeneous working conditions. In consideration of a potentially high risk of infection in the dental setting, non-emergency dental treatments were largely suspended in all participating countries.
Family Physician’s and Primary Care Team’s Perspectives on Supporting Family Caregivers in Primary Care Networks
Authors: Parmar Jasneet , Anderson Sharon , Abbasi Marjan , Ahmadinejad Saeed , Chan Karenn , Charles Lesley , Dobbs Bonnie , Khera Amandeep Sheny , Stickney-Lee Jennifer , Tian Peter George J. , Jain Suvidha
Published: March 2021

Background. Research, practice, and policy have focused on educating family caregivers to sustain care but failed to equip healthcare providers to effectively support family caregivers. Family physicians are well-positioned to care for family caregivers. Methods. We adopted an interpretive description design to explore family physicians and primary care team members’ perceptions of their current and recommended practices for supporting family caregivers. We conducted focus groups with family physicians and their primary care team members. Results. Ten physicians and 42 team members participated. We identified three major themes. “Family physicians and primary care teams can be a valuable source of support for family caregivers” highlighted these primary care team members’ broad recognition of the need to support family caregiver’s health. “What stands in the way” spoke to the barriers in current practices that precluded supporting family caregivers. Primary care teams recommended, “A structured approach may be a way forward.” Conclusion. A plethora of research and policy documents recommend proactive, consistent support for family caregivers, yet comprehensive caregiver support policy remains elusive. The continuity of care makes primary care an ideal setting to support family caregivers. Now policy-makers must develop consistent protocols to assess, and care for family caregivers in primary care.
Indoor Fungal Contamination in Temporary Housing after the East Japan Great Earthquake Disaster
Authors: Watanabe Maiko , Konuma Rumi , Kobayashi Naoki , Yamazaki Akiko , Kamata Yoichi , Hasegawa Kenichi , Kimura Noritaka , Tsurikisawa Naomi , Oshikata Chiyako , Sugita-Konishi Yoshiko , Takatori Kosuke , Yoshino Hiroshi , Hara-Kudo Yukiko
Published: March 2021

To understand fungal contamination in the indoor environment of the disaster region, a field survey was performed to measure the number of fungal counts and identify isolates in the indoor air of prefabricated temporary housing, privately independent-housing, and rented apartments flooded by the East Japan Great Earthquake disaster tsunami. As a result, the period with the highest detected fungal count was from the rainy season to summer in independent-housing and rented apartments. Moreover, in the temporary housing, the fungal number increased further in winter as indicated by the maximum fungal-number throughout the measurement period. The detection frequency of Aspergillus species was relatively higher in the indoor air of temporary housing than in typical housing in the non-disaster area. Since Aspergillus is known as an allergenic genus, it requires careful attention to the health risk for residents. The extremely high level of fungal condensation in indoor air possibly occurred due to high relative humidity and loss of heat insulation in the building attics. It is suggested that this problem commonly happened in the cold region including the entire disaster region of the East Japan Great Earthquake.
Measuring Satisfaction and Comfort with Gender Identity and Gender Expression among Transgender Women: Development and Validation of the Psychological Gender Affirmation Scale
Authors: Sevelius Jae M. , Chakravarty Deepalika , Dilworth Samantha E. , Rebchook Greg , Neilands Torsten B.
Published: March 2021

Among transgender and gender diverse people, psychological gender affirmation is an internal sense of valuing oneself as a transgender or gender diverse person, being comfortable with one’s gender identity, and feeling satisfied with one’s body and gender expression. Gender affirmation can reduce gender dysphoria and mitigate deleterious health effects of marginalization. We sought to create an instrument to measure psychological gender affirmation among transgender women. Following initial item development using qualitative interviews, we used self-administered survey data from two distinct samples (N1 = 278; N2 = 368) of transgender women living with HIV in the USA. We used data from Study 1 to perform exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and data from Study 2 to perform confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), yielding the five-item single-factor Psychological Gender Affirmation (PGA) scale with high reliability (α = 0.88). This scale is psychometrically sound as demonstrated by its convergent and discriminant validity via correlations with select measures and by its predictive validity through associations in hypothesized directions with measures of mental health and substance use. The PGA scale will aid research on psychological gender affirmation that can in turn inform interventions as well as gender-affirming clinical and social practices to promote the health and well-being of transgender and gender diverse people.
Disasters without Borders: The Coronavirus Pandemic, Global Climate Change and the Ascendancy of Gradual Onset Disasters
Authors: Yamori Katsuya , Goltz James D.
Published: March 2021

Throughout much of its history, the sociological study of human communities in disaster has been based on events that occur rapidly, are limited in geographic scope, and their management understood as phased stages of response, recovery, mitigation and preparedness. More recent literature has questioned these concepts, arguing that gradual-onset phenomena like droughts, famines and epidemics merit consideration as disasters and that their exclusion has negative consequences for the communities impacted, public policy in terms of urgency and visibility and for the discipline itself as the analytical tools of sociological research are not brought to bear on these events. We agree that gradual-onset disasters merit greater attention from social scientists and in this paper have addressed the two most significant ongoing disasters that are gradual in onset, global in scope and have caused profound impacts on lives, livelihoods, communities and the governments that must cope with their effects. These disasters are the coronavirus pandemic and global climate change both of which include dimensions that challenge the prevailing definition of disaster. We begin with an examination of the foundational work in the sociological study of a disaster that established a conceptual framework based solely on rapidly occurring disasters. Our focus is on several components of the existing framework for defining and studying disasters, which we term “borders.” These borders are temporal, spatial, phasing and positioning, which, in our view, must be reexamined, and to some degree expanded or redefined to accommodate the full range of disasters to which our globalized world is vulnerable. To do so will expand or redefine these borders to incorporate and promote an understanding of significant risks associated with disaster agents that are gradual and potentially catastrophic, global in scope and require international cooperation to manage.
Response Activity in Mixed-Method Survey Data Collection—The Methods Used in a Survey among the Foreign-Born Population in Finland (FinMonik)
Authors: Kuusio Hannamaria , Seppänen Anna , Somersalo Laura , Jokela Satu , Castaneda Anu E , Abdulhamed Rekar , Lilja Eero
Published: March 2021

In terms of the number of respondents, Survey on Well-Being among Foreign Born Population (FinMonik) is so far the most extensive survey carried out among the population with foreign background in Finland. It comprises a wide range of self-reported data, including information on the respondent’s health, well-being and access to care, which can be widely utilized in planning and assessing integration, health and welfare policies. A mixed-method approach (an electronic questionnaire, a paper questionnaire and phone interviews) was used in collecting the data which consists of responses by 6836 respondents aged 18–64 years. All response types included, the response rate was 53.1% (n = 6836). This study describes in detail the methods used in the FinMonik survey. In addition, we describe the demographics of the respondents partaking in each response format. The aim of the study is to promote the development of mixed-method survey as a way of collecting reliable data that can be used to enhance foreign-born people’s health, well-being and access to health care. The survey responses will be used as a baseline in observing the respondents’ well-being through the register-based data available in several national registers on health, medicine use and access to care as well as the data collected in the study Impact of Coronavirus Epidemic on Well-Being among Foreign Born Population Study (MigCOVID). Furthermore, the FinMonik study protocol will be repeated every four years.
Secular Trends of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Children and Adolescents from Ukraine
Authors: Dereń Katarzyna , Wyszyńska Justyna , Nyankovskyy Serhiy , Nyankovska Olena , Yatsula Marta , Łuszczki Edyta , Sobolewski Marek , Mazur Artur
Published: March 2021

Overweight and obesity, as well as underweight in children and adolescents, pose a significant public health issue. This study aimed to investigate the secular trend of the incidence of underweight, overweight, and obesity in children from Ukraine in 2013/2014 and 2018/2019. The studies were conducted in randomly selected primary and secondary schools in Ukraine. In total, 13,447 children (6468 boys and 6979 girls) participated in the study in 2013/2014 and 18,144 children (8717 boys and 9427 girls) participated in 2018/2019. Measurements of body weight and height were performed in triplicate. Underweight, overweight, and obesity were diagnosed according to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). In the group of girls, a significant difference between 2013/2014 and 2018/2019 measurements was found only among 7-year-olds. The percentage of girls at this age exceeding the body mass index (BMI) norm was lower in the 2018/2019 study. In boys, a significant difference was also found in 7-year-olds, and, as in girls, a lower share of overweight and obesity was found in 2018/2019. But for the ages of 12, 13, and 15, the significant differences had a different character—more overweight or obese boys were found in the 2018/2019 study. The proportion of underweight children was similar for the majority of age groups in both genders and did not differ in a statistically significant way.
Health Literacy as a Major Contributor to Health-Promoting Behaviors among Korean Teachers
Authors: Bae Eun Jung , Yoon Ju Young
Published: March 2021

Teachers are not only subjects of school health efforts but also role models for students’ health behaviors; teachers’ health-promoting behaviors can induce students’ healthy behaviors with their positive health outcomes. This study was an examination of personal factors, situational factors, and health literacy as influences on teachers’ health-promoting behaviors. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was implemented based on an integrated model of health literacy. The study results showed that health literacy was the strongest predictor of teachers’ health-promoting behaviors. In addition, school type and school culture were situational factors related to the interpersonal relations and stress management domains of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II scale. These findings could serve as foundational evidence for developing programs at the individual and organizational levels that enhance teachers’ health-promoting behaviors.
Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Determinants and Obstacles among Italian University Students
Authors: Carducci Annalaura , Fiore Maria , Azara Antonio , Bonaccorsi Guglielmo , Bortoletto Martina , Caggiano Giuseppina , Calamusa Andrea , De Donno Antonella , De Giglio Osvalda , Dettori Marco , Di Giovanni Pamela , Di Pietro Angela , Facciolà Alessio , Federigi Ileana , Grappasonni Iolanda , Izzotti Alberto , Libralato Giovanni , Lorini Chiara , Montagna Maria Teresa , Nicolosi Liberata Keti , Paladino Grazia , Palomba Giacomo , Petrelli Fabio , Schilirò Tiziana , Scuri Stefania , Serio Francesca , Tesauro Marina , Verani Marco , Vinceti Marco , Violi Federica , Ferrante Margherita
Published: March 2021

The awareness of citizens concerning the health risks caused by environmental pollution is growing, but studies on determinants of pro-environmental behaviors have rarely examined health-related aspects. In this study, we investigated these determinants using data from a large survey among Italian university students (15 Universities: 4778 filled questionnaires). Besides the health-related aspects, represented by environmental health risk perception and functional health literacy, we considered social and demographic characteristics (gender, area of residence, sources of information, trust in institutional and non-institutional subjects, and students’ capacity of positive actions, indicated as internal locus of control). The attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviors were positive for more than 70% of students and positively related with health risk perception, internal locus of control, and health literacy. The correspondence between the positive attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviors and the real adoption of such behaviors was approximately 20% for most behaviors, except for the separate collection of waste (60%). Such a discrepancy can be attributable to external obstacles (i.e., lack of time, costs, lack of support). The health-related aspects were linked to the pro-environmental attitudes, but to a lesser extent to pro-environmental behaviors, owing to the complexity of their determinants. However, they should be taken in account in planning education interventions.
Drinking Behavior, Taste Preferences and Special Beer Perception among Romanian University Students: A Qualitative Assessment Research
Authors: Jimborean Mirela Anamaria , Salanță Liana Claudia , Trusek Anna , Pop Carmen Rodica , Tofană Maria , Mudura Elena , Coldea Teodora Emilia , Farcaș Anca , Ilieș Maria , Pașca Sergiu , Uifălean Alina
Published: March 2021

The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be a challenging period for many students. This period is associated with an increase in alcohol consumption (AC) which can develop a drinking behavior or shape the preferences for certain alcoholic beverages. The purpose of this study was to analyze the AC pattern among Romanian university students, by investigating the association between taste and consumption, including preferences for special beer. A 30-item omnibus-type questionnaire was distributed to undergraduate students and used to gather sociodemographic data, alcohol expectancies, drinking motives and consequences, and special beer consumption. Results showed a statistically significant relationship between the age of first alcohol use and the existence of an alcoholic family member. The main reasons for AC are taste, sensation, relaxation, and socialization. Both female and male students tend to drink occasionally, with a preference for public places. Female students prefer a sweet taste, choosing special beers over the regular ones. The students’ residence may also influence the choice of special beers. Understanding the students’ drinking behavior and taste preferences is essential to create useful strategies to discourage excessive AC. Special beer, a growing segment in the beverage industry, could represent a healthier and safety alternative to AC.
24-h Movement Guidelines and Substance Use among Adolescents: A School-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Sampasa-Kanyinga Hugues , Colman Ian , Goldfield Gary S. , Janssen Ian , Wang JianLi , Hamilton Hayley A. , Chaput Jean-Philippe
Published: March 2021

Children and youth are recommended to achieve at least 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, no more than 2 h/day of recreational screen time, and a sleep duration of 9–11 h/night for 11–13-year-olds or 8–10 h/night for 14–17-year-olds. Meeting the physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration recommendations have previously been associated with substance use among adolescents. However, previous research has mainly examined these factors individually rather than looking at how these indicators could concurrently relate to substance use in this age group. Therefore, this study examined the associations between meeting the 24-h movement guidelines for screen time, sleep duration, and physical activity (independent variables) with substance use outcomes including alcohol consumption, cannabis use, and cigarette smoking (dependent variables) among adolescents. Self-reported data from a cross-sectional and representative sample of 10,236 students (mean age = 15.1 years) in Ontario, Canada were analyzed. Logistic regression models stratified by gender were adjusted for potential confounders. Combinations of 24-h movement guidelines was differentially associated with substance use in boys and girls. Overall, findings showed that meeting 24-h movement guidelines is associated with lower odds of alcohol consumption, cannabis use, and cigarette smoking differentially with type of recommendation met and gender. Given that the associations between 24-h movement guidelines and substance use differ between boys and girls, future efforts should take this into consideration.
What Do Adolescents and Young Adults Think a Cigarillo Is? Implications for Health Communication
Authors: Cornacchione Ross Jennifer , Reboussin David M. , Noar Seth M. , Wiseman Kimberly D. , Sutfin Erin L.
Published: March 2021

Cigarillo use has increased among adolescents and young adults and has remained high. Public education efforts are needed to communicate with these populations about cigarillo use risks, but little is known about the implications of using the term “cigarillo” in such efforts. The study goal was to assess adolescent and young adult perceptions of the term “cigarillo”. We conducted a nationally representative online survey of 3517 adolescents and young adults (ages 13–25). We asked participants “what is a cigarillo?” with several response options. Participants were 49.6% female, 69.8% white, 5.2% reported past 30-day cigarillo use, and 11.6% reported lifetime cigarillo use. The most common response to the question “what is a cigarillo” was “I don’t know” (51% of participants), followed by “a thinner and smaller version of a traditional cigar” (30.1% of participants), which was chosen by 19.4% of adolescents and 36.8% of young adults. Among past 30-day cigarillo users, the most common response was “I don’t know” (54.9%) followed by “a thinner and smaller version of a traditional cigar” (45.1%). Cigarillo users were more likely to select the “a thinner and smaller version of a traditional cigar” response than nonusers. Findings suggest that many adolescents and young adults have varied understandings of the term “cigarillo”. Researchers and practitioners need to ensure that terminology used in health communication campaigns is clearly understood by the target audience to maximize effectiveness.
Gastrointestinal Involvement in Anderson-Fabry Disease: A Narrative Review
Authors: Caputo Fabio , Lungaro Lisa , Galdi Adriana , Zoli Eleonora , Giancola Fiorella , Caio Giacomo , De Giorgio Roberto , Zoli Giorgio
Published: March 2021

Anderson-Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder leading to a wide array of clinical manifestations. Among these, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea affect about half of the FD adults and more than half of FD children. GI symptoms could be the first manifestation of FD; however, being non-specific, they overlap with the clinical picture of other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. This common overlap is the main reason why FD patients are often unrecognized and diagnosis is delayed for many years. The present narrative review is aimed to promote awareness of the GI manifestations of FD amongst general practitioners and specialists and highlight the latest findings of this rare condition including diagnostic tools and therapies. Finally, we will discuss some preliminary data on a patient presenting with GI symptoms who turned to be affected by a variant of uncertain significance of alpha-galactosidase (GLA) gene.
Psychometric Properties of the POAGTS: A Tool for Understanding Parents’ Perceptions Regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder Genetic Testing
Authors: Zhao Shixi , Chen Wei-Ju , Kwok Oi-Man , Dhar Shweta U. , Eble Tanya N. , Tseng Tung-Sung , Chen Lei-Shih
Published: March 2021

Due to the increased prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), more children with ASD may be referred for genetic testing. It is important to develop a tool to help parents consider the benefits and drawbacks of genetic testing for ASD before pursuing genetic testing for children with ASD. We developed the first theory-based survey—Perceptions of ASD Genetic Testing Survey (POAGTS), as a tool to assist healthcare providers to better understand parents’ perceptions and concerns regarding ASD genetic testing. The psychometric properties of POAGTS were first pre-tested and then formally tested with 308 parents of children with ASD who had not decided whether to pursue genetic testing for their children diagnosed with ASD. Findings suggest that the eight scales of the POAGTS were psychometrically sound, and had acceptable data reliability and validity. Additional research with various samples, such as parents of children with ASD who belong to diverse racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups, is warranted in the future to determine whether the POAGTS is applicable to these particular groups. Condensing and refining this tool to a shorter, more user-friendly version is also recommended for future research.