bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is individual perfusion dose-response different than ventilation dose-response for lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy?
Authors: Forghani Farnoush , Castillo Richard , Castillo Edward , PhD Bernard Jones , Rusthoven Chad , Kwak Jennifer , Moiseenko Vitali , Grills Inga , Miften Moyed , Vinogradskiy Yevgeniy , Guerrero Thomas
Published: January 2023

Objective:

Current ventilation and perfusion dose–response studies focus on single-modalities (ventilation or perfusion) and perform pulmonary-toxicity assessment related to radiotherapy on a population-based basis. This study aims at quantitative and clinical evaluation of intrapatient differences between ventilation and perfusion dose–responses among lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy.

Methods:

20 patients enrolled on a prospective functional avoidance protocol underwent single photon emission computed tomography-CT ventilation and perfusion scans pre- and post-radiotherapy. Relative changes in pre- to post-treatment ventilation and perfusion in lung regions receiving ≥20 Gy were calculated. In addition, the slopes of the linear fit to the relative ventilation and perfusion changes in regions receiving 0–60 Gy were calculated. A radiologist read and assigned a functional defect score to pre- and post-treatment ventilation/perfusion scans.

Results:

25% of patients had a difference >35% between ventilation and perfusion pre- to post-treatment changes and 20–30% of patients had opposite directions for ventilation and perfusion pre- to post-treatment changes. Using a semi-quantitative scale, radiologist assessment showed that 20% of patients had different pre- to post-treatment ventilation changes when compared to pre- to post-treatment perfusion changes.

Conclusion:

Our data showed that ventilation dose–response can differ from perfusion dose–response for 20–30% of patients. Therefore, when performing thoracic dose–response in cancer patients, it is insufficient to look at ventilation or perfusion alone; but rather both modes of functional imaging may be needed when predicting for clinical outcomes.

Advances in knowledge:

The significance of this study can be highlighted by the differences between the intrapatient dose–response assessments of this analysis compared to existing population-based dose–response analyses. Elucidating intrapatient ventilation and perfusion dose–response differences may be valuable in predicting pulmonary toxicity in lung cancer patients post-radiotherapy.
T2-fluid attenuated inversion recovery mismatch in tumefactive multiple sclerosis
Authors: Le Duc , Trinh Kelly , Das Nirav , Kuo Anderson H.
Published: January 2023

The T2-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) mismatch sign has been suggested as an imaging marker of isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant 1p/19q non-codeleted gliomas with 100% specificity. Tumefactive demyelination is a common mimic of neoplasm that has led to unnecessary biopsies and even resections. We report a case of tumefactive multiple sclerosis in a 46-year-old male without prior symptomatic demyelinating episodes that demonstrates the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign. Our findings suggest the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign should not be used as a differential feature between glioma and tumefactive demyelination. Because typical isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant 1p/19q non-codeleted gliomas typically do not demonstrate significant enhancement, such diagnosis should be reserved when post-contrast images are unavailable.
The conditional effect of family resilience on family quality of life during the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Setiawan Tery , Wardani Ria , Theresia Ellen
Published: January 2023

Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges, both economically and psychologically, to most families across the world. Yet, little study has been done on this topic in Indonesia, even after the second year of the pandemic. This study examines how the Covid-19 economic impact and parental stress are related to the family quality of life (FQOL) and how the relation is moderated by family resilience.

Methods: To this end, we employed previously tested measures to assess the level of parental stress, family resilience and FQOL. Especially for the latter, we modified the measure, developed by Beach Center on Disability, by including only four domains (i.e., family interaction, parenting, emotional well-being, and material well-being) to adjust to our research context.

Results: Based on 169 participants, our confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) displays that all employed measures in the study are valid and reliable. Our regression analysis shows that there are significant direct relations of parental stress & family resilience with FQOL. However, we find that family resilience only positively moderates the relation between the Covid-19 economic impact and FQOL but not the relation between parental stress and FOQL; indicating that high family resilience can only buffer the effect of economic impact on FQOL.

Discussion: This study presents a view on how the Covid-19 pandemic affects the way families live and hence, their quality of life. In addition, the findings suggest the importance of family relationship and support in times of crisis, not limited to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Application of transgenic zebrafish for investigating inflammatory responses to nanomaterials: Recommendations for new users
Authors: Johnston Helinor J , Gillies Suzanne L J , Verdon Rachel , Stone Vicki , Henry Theodore , Tran Lang , Tucker Carl , Rossi Adriano G , Tyler Charles R
Published: January 2023

Despite the increasing exploitation of nanomaterials (NMs) in an array of consumer products, there are uncertainties regarding their potential adverse impact on human health. Investigation of whether NMs activate a pro-inflammatory response is routinely used to assess their toxicity in in vitro and in vivo (rodent) studies. The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to investigate inflammatory responses to chemicals, pathogens and injury has increased considerably over recent years. Zebrafish have also been used to investigate the role of inflammation in disease pathogenesis and for drug discovery. Availability of transgenic strains which express fluorescent proteins in immune cells (e.g. macrophages and neutrophils) enables the visualization and quantification of immune cell accumulation in the target site(s) of interest. We therefore propose that transgenic zebrafish have great utility for screening the toxicity of NMs via investigation of inflammatory responses. Indeed, we have successfully used non-protected life stages of transgenic zebrafish with fluorescent neutrophils (Tg(mpx:EGFP114) to investigate inflammatory responses to NMs. The more widespread use of transgenic zebrafish in nanotoxicology could reduce the reliance placed on rodents and thereby enhance the implementation of the 3Rs principles. As zebrafish continue to grow in popularity it is timely to offer guidance to new users on their use. Here we will reflect on: exposure routes that can adopted  to mimic human/rodent exposure, what transgenic strains and life stages are best suited to investigate inflammatory responses, selection criteria for zebrafish embryos/larvae, the inclusion of appropriate controls, the importance of dose selection and sample size, and how the (inflammatory) response can be quantified. It is hoped that our recommendations will support the development of standard protocols that can be used to assess whether NMs activate inflammatory responses. Importantly, the themes discussed are not restricted to NMs but relevant also to zebrafish application in ecotoxicology or human health focused studies.
The genome sequence of a ground beetle, Nebria brevicollis (Fabricius, 1792)
Authors: Crowley Liam ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective, Garner Beulah ,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: January 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual femaleNebria brevicollis(a ground beetle; Arthropoda; Insecta; Coleoptera; Carabidae). The genome sequence is 242 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 15 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X sex chromosome assembled. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 25.2 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 11,021 protein-coding genes.
The Application of Self-directed Learning in the Local Level Workplace
Authors:   University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, Wu Huimin , Atar Emrah ,   Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Turkey
Published: January 2023

The knowledge economy has made the half-life of information shorter and shorter. People need to commit to lifelong learning in the workplace in order to cope with changing professional requirements. However, corporate training in China currently suffers from a low return on investment, unsatisfactory training outcomes, limited duration and poor coverage. To improve this, the purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of self-directed learning (SDL) in the Chinese workplace, following an interpretivist research paradigm with qualitative methods, including interviews of company managers and staff. A Chinese company was used as the research subject and the article’s three main points can assist similar companies make decisions on SDL. The three central contributions of the article are showing how to develop an SDL system in the workplace from the perspective of an organization; showing an elemental model of SDL in the workplace from the perspective of learning theory; and discussing an operational model of SDL program development in the workplace from the perspective of training managers. SDL should consider educational, psychological and sociological perspectives, but this article lacks a sociological perspective, leaving space for future research. Keywords: Self-directed learning (SDL), Workplace learning, Training and development, Local governance and management.
Utilization of mangrove plants as a source of Malaria medicine in North Maluku Province, Indonesia
Authors: TAMALENE M. NASIR , Uday Uday Kumar , BHAKAT RAM KUMAR , VIANTI EVA , BAHTIAR BAHTIAR , SUPARMAN SUPARMAN
Published: January 2023

Abstract. Tamalene MN, Sen UK, Bhakat RK, Vianti E, Bahtiar, Suparman. 2021. Utilization of mangrove plant species as medicine against malaria in North Maluku Province, Indonesia. Asian J Ethnobiol 4: 86-92. Local communities have still used plants as a source of medicine since immemorial time. Most local communities mix the plants to treat various diseases, including malaria. Almost half of 250 million of Indonesia’s population lives in malaria-endemic areas, and about 15 million people look for clinical malaria treatment every year. This research aims to survey mangrove plants as a source of Malaria medicine utilized by six ethnic groups of North Maluku Province, Indonesia. Data were collected from 98 informants on the local names of the used species, the parts, and the "modes of preparation.” The Fidelity Level serves to find out various outcomes. Six mangrove plant species, Lumnitzera littorea, Rhizophora mucronata, Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea, Sonneratia alba, Xylocarpus granatum, and Xylocarpus moluccensis, are used as malaria medicine. The traditional treatment that used mangrove rinds, barks, fruits, and flowers was a popular method practiced in the community social life. The mangrove plants have cultural, ecological, and economic values; Authors suggest that further investigations be undertaken on the pharmacological properties and level of toxicity of potion made using mangrove plant species. This will lead to stating scientific information related to the safety of consuming traditional medicines.
Identification and potential of vascular plants in the karst ecosystem of Somopuro Cave, Pacitan, East Java, Indonesia
Authors: SEPTIASARI ANISA , BALGIS MALIKA , LATHIFAH MARDHIAH NURUL , HANUGROHO PRADITYO DWI , SETYAWAN AHMAD DWI
Published: January 2023

Abstract. Septiasari A, Balgis M, Lathifah MN, Hanugroho PD, Setyawan AD. 2021. Identification and potential of vascular plants in the karst ecosystem of Somopuro Cave, Pacitan, East Java, Indonesia. Intl J Trop Drylands 5: 75-83. Karst areas are composed of limestone hills or mountains formed over hundreds or even millions of years. Karst landforms vary according to the formation process. With a unique formation, karst land is a place to live for unique organisms. The karst area is like a natural laboratory that contains various phenomena of living organisms and plays an important role in the progress of science. One of the plants that live in the karst environment is a vascular plant and is rarely discussed among researchers. No one has ever investigated the vascular plants around Somopuro Cave, so this research became interesting to discuss. This paper aims to know the diversity of vascular plants in the Somopuro Karst Cave, Pacitan, East Java, Indonesia area, and the potential species. The research was conducted in November 2021, using a survey method. Based on observations around Somopuro Cave, vascular plants are grouped based on their habitus; there are 5 groups, namely trees, shrubs, herbs, vines, and epiphytes. The collection of plants in the karst area of the Somopuro Cave contains 103 species from 51 families. Results revealed that the most common vascular plants are Asteraceae, Araceae, Fabaceae, and Euphorbiaceae family. Six potentials can be utilized from vascular plants in the Somopuro Cave Area: medicinal plants, ornamental plants, foodstuffs, wood-producing plants, animal feed, and energy sources.
Ecology and microhabitat model of long-tongued fruit bat Macroglossus minimus (Chiroptera: Pteropididae) in karst ecosystem of Klapanunggal, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
Authors: Wibowo Andrio , BASUKRIADI ADI , NURDIN ERWIN , BENHARD GREGORIOUS
Published: January 2023

Abstract. Wibowo AA, Basukriadi A, Nurdin E, Benhard G. 2022. Ecology and microhabitat model of long-tongued fruit bat Macroglossus minimus (Chiroptera: Pteropididae) in karst ecosystem of Klapanunggal, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Intl J Trop Drylands 6: 11-15. Karst ecosystem is an important habitat for Chiroptera, including the long-tongued fruit bat Macroglossus minimus (E.Geoffroy, 1810) that feeds on nectar. While Klapanunggal is a karst ecosystem located in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, Klapanunggal has potential Chiroptera habitat. Here, this study aims to assess and model microhabitat covariates that contribute to the density of M. minimus in Klapanunggal. The sampling sites in Klapanunggal karst covered forest, plantation, and settlement sites. Measured microhabitat covariates including tree covariates (canopy covers, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index/NDVI, diversity, height), air humidity, distance to a river, and distance to a cave. The microhabitat model was developed and measured using Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). The result shows a high density of M. minimus was observed in plantation site (13.96 inds./100 m2, 95%CI: 4-23 inds./100 m2), followed by the forest (7.13 inds./100 m2, 95%CI: 1-14 inds./100 m2), and settlement sites (4.7 inds./100 m2, 95%CI: 1-10 inds./100 m2). Based on AIC values, the best model explaining the microhabitat covariates that have positive effects on the density of M. minimus were tree diversity and NDVI. While humidity and distance to river covariates have negative effects. Density of M. minimus was positively correlated with increase in tree diversity (AIC= 14.73, r= 0.93) and NDVI (AIC= 22.09, r= 0.18) values. The limiting factors of M. minimus populations were high air humidity (AIC= 2.85, r= 0.99) and increase in distance to river (AIC= 20.85, r= 0.46). To conclude, the conservation of M. minimus particularly the karst ecosystem should emphasize increasing tree diversity.
Modeling of the effects of intrapulse Raman scattering on dissipative solitons in a mode-locked fiber laser
Authors: Mirzaei Moghadam M. , Shahshahani F. , Yavari M. H.
Published: January 2023

The effects of intrapulse Raman scattering (IRS) on dissipative solitons in a mode-locked fiber laser are studied numerically. This research contributes to understanding the impact of IRS on the stability of pulsating soliton solutions of the complex cubic–quintic Ginzburg–Landau equation (in the anomalous dispersion region). It is found that IRS causes an additional loss on the pulse and leads to balance between dissipative effects to generate stable dissipative solitons. The regions of parameters where stationary, pulsating, and chaotic solitons are generated are depicted considering IRS and without it. Regarding the results, the region of the existence of stable solitons becomes larger in the presence of IRS. There is an important trade-off between output pulse energy and laser stability by increasing the IRS parameter. IRS can transform pulsating solitons into stable solitons for a wide range of parameter values. However, the pulse energy is reduced. The bifurcation diagram shows that period doubling and period quadrupling do not occur in the presence of IRS.
Enhanced surface effects and optical property modulation of Ge2Sb2Te5 by pulsed laser irradiation
Authors: Liang Jinxuan , Chen Guoqiang , Niu Xiaoke , Zhu Zhuoxuan , Dong Yida , Wang Yunzheng , Wei Qi-Huo , Pan Jieming , Li Yida , Gu Chuanchuan , Shen Mei , Xiang X.-D.
Published: January 2023

In this work, Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) thin films are irradiated by a 1064 nm pulsed laser heat treatment system with different beam profiles. The surface effects induced by different laser conditions are studied systematically by atomic force microscope, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and Raman spectroscopy. It is found that a top-hat beam profile with uniform intensity distribution demonstrates the advantages of a non-destructive and homogeneous surface, which is critical for large-scale processing uniformity. The threshold laser fluence for the amorphization process is predicted by simulation and further proved by the laser irradiation experiment to be 27.9 mJ/cm2 at 1 ns pulse width. We further show that modulation of complex refractive indices of GST thin films can be achieved with different duty ratios (spatial ratio of amorphization part) from 0% to 100%. Our approach paves the way for the precise control of the optical properties of PCMs in emerging optical applications such as photonic switches, optical memories, and all-optical neural networks.
Depressive symptoms and associated factors among persons with physical disabilities in disability care homes of Kathmandu district, Nepal: A mixed method study
Authors: Karki Prabin , Shahi Prasant Vikram , Sapkota Krishna Prasad , Bhandari Rabindra , Adhikari Nabin , Shrestha Binjwala
Published: January 2023

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, affecting 300 million people worldwide and 75% of these occur in low- and middle-income countries. Persons with physical disabilities are vulnerable groups and are more prone to experience depressive symptoms than the general population. This study investigated the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the associated factors among persons with a physical disability. We conducted a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design using Beck’s Depression Inventory scale among 162 persons with physical disabilities in the Kathmandu district. In parallel, eight in-depth interviews were conducted with an interview guideline to collect the participants’ perceptions and experiences of disability. Both quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated into the results. We found that about 77% of the participants with a physical disability had experienced depressive symptoms. Unemployment status (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0–7.3) and comorbidity (AOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.0–6.0) had a statistically significant association with depressive symptoms. The majority of people with physical disabilities had negative experiences with societal prejudice and coping with their limitations. They were depressed as well as angry over having to stop their careers, education, and possibilities. Nevertheless, they were significantly happier and less sad than in their earlier years of life because of the possibilities, family environment, improved means of subsistence, therapeutic facilities, and supportive atmosphere at disability care homes. The policymakers should focus on preventing comorbidity and providing technical skills to persons with physical disabilities to improve their employment status and promote a healthy lifestyle.
Emotional Variance Analysis: A new sentiment analysis feature set for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications
Authors: Tan Leonard , Tan Ooi Kiang , Sze Chun Chau , Goh Wilson Wen Bin
Published: January 2023

Sentiment Analysis (SA) is a category of data mining techniques that extract latent representations of affective states within textual corpuses. This has wide ranging applications from online reviews to capturing mental states. In this paper, we present a novel SA feature set; Emotional Variance Analysis (EVA), which captures patterns of emotional instability. Applying EVA on student journals garnered from an Experiential Learning (EL) course, we find that EVA is useful for profiling variations in sentiment polarity and intensity, which in turn can predict academic performance. As a feature set, EVA is compatible with a wide variety of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications. Although evaluated on education data, we foresee EVA to be useful in mental health profiling and consumer behaviour applications. EVA is available at https://qr.page/g/5jQ8DQmWQT4. Our results show that EVA was able to achieve an overall accuracy of 88.7% and outperform NLP (76.0%) and SentimentR (58.0%) features by 15.8% and 51.7% respectively when predicting student experiential learning grade scores through a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) ML model.
Preventable risk factors for type 2 diabetes can be detected using noninvasive spontaneous electroretinogram signals
Authors: Noguez Imm Ramsés , Muñoz-Benitez Julio , Medina Diego , Barcenas Everardo , Molero-Castillo Guillermo , Reyes-Ortega Pamela , Hughes-Cano Jorge Armando , Medrano-Gracia Leticia , Miranda-Anaya Manuel , Rojas-Piloni Gerardo , Quiroz-Mercado Hugo , Hernández-Zimbrón Luis Fernando , Fajardo-Cruz Elisa Denisse , Ferreyra-Severo Ezequiel , García-Franco Renata , Rubio Mijangos Juan Fernando , López-Star Ellery , García-Roa Marlon , Lansingh Van Charles , Thébault Stéphanie C.
Published: January 2023

Given the ever-increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity, the pressure on global healthcare is expected to be colossal, especially in terms of blindness. Electroretinogram (ERG) has long been perceived as a first-use technique for diagnosing eye diseases, and some studies suggested its use for preventable risk factors of type 2 diabetes and thereby diabetic retinopathy (DR). Here, we show that in a non-evoked mode, ERG signals contain spontaneous oscillations that predict disease cases in rodent models of obesity and in people with overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome but not yet diabetes, using one single random forest-based model. Classification performance was both internally and externally validated, and correlation analysis showed that the spontaneous oscillations of the non-evoked ERG are altered before oscillatory potentials, which are the current gold-standard for early DR. Principal component and discriminant analysis suggested that the slow frequency (0.4–0.7 Hz) components are the main discriminators for our predictive model. In addition, we established that the optimal conditions to record these informative signals, are 5-minute duration recordings under daylight conditions, using any ERG sensors, including ones working with portative, non-mydriatic devices. Our study provides an early warning system with promising applications for prevention, monitoring and even the development of new therapies against type 2 diabetes.
Evidence of the association between the Q2 mitochondrial group of Bemisia tabaci MED species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and low competitive displacement capability
Authors: Rossitto De Marchi Bruno , Gama Andre Bueno , Smith Hugh A.
Published: January 2023

The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), is one of the most serious agricultural pests worldwide. Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic species complex of more than 40 species among which the invasive MEAM1 and MED species are the most widespread and economically important. Both MEAM1 and MED present intraspecific genetic variability and some haplotypes are reported to be more invasive than others. MED can be further deconstructed into different genetic groups, including MED—Q1 and MED—Q2. However, distinct biological phenotypes discerning the different MED mitochondrial haplotypes are yet to be characterized. Competitive displacement and life-history trials were carried out between MED-Q2 and MEAM1 populations collected in Florida, USA. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out including populations from previous whitefly competitive displacement studies for identification and comparison of the MED mitochondrial groups. In contrast to other studies with MED—Q1, the MED–Q2 population from Florida is less likely to displace MEAM1 on pepper. In addition, both pepper and watermelon were a more favorable host to MEAM1 compared to MED–Q2 according to the life history trials.
Burden and risk factors for Schistosoma mansoni infection among primary school children: A quantitative school-based cross-sectional survey in Busega district, Northern Tanzania
Authors: Ogweno George , Mushi Vivian , Silvestri Valeria , Bonaventura Witness , Justine Nyanda C. , Noah Mololo , Yoram Furahini , Mohamed Hussein , Tarimo Donath
Published: January 2023

Background

Intestinal schistosomiasis is one of the most common neglected tropical diseases in Tanzania. Despite massive praziquantel administration, data from Northern Tanzania have reported a prevalence of up to 93.2%. Because the disease is focal, depending on host, environmental and intermediate host factors, there is a need to acquire data in specific settings to better tailor interventions. Therefore, the study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with persistent transmission of intestinal schistosomiasis among school-age children in Busega district, Northern Tanzania.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 363 primary school children, randomly selected from school clusters in the Busega district. A single stool sample was collected from each child forS.mansoniova and infection intensity examination using Kato-Katz. Factors related to intestinal schistosomiasis transmission were acquired through a questionnaire. A malacological survey was carried out to determine theBiomphalariainfectivity rate. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were conducted to analyse the association betweenschistosomainfection and factors related to transmission in this setting.

Results

The prevalence ofS.mansoniinfection was 41.3% (95% CI: 36.3–46.5), statistically significantly higher among the younger group aged less than 11 years (46.4% vs 35.3%, p = 0.032). The intensity of infection was heavy in 1.6% of participants, moderate in 9.6%, and light in 30.9%. Studying at Mwamayombo Primary School (AOR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.12–5.60) was the only factor significantly associated withS.mansoniinfestations. The snail intermediate host belonged toBiomphalaria sudanicaspecies, whose infectivity rate was quantified as 0.97%, thus confirming ongoing transmission in the area.

Conclusions

There was a high prevalence ofS.mansoniinfection among school-age children in the Busega district. The presence of the infectedBiomphalaria sudanicain the area documents the persistent transmission of the disease, favored by low knowledge and negative attitudes among school-aged children. Hence, the need for multi-approach intervention for schistosomiasis prevention and elimination.
Social anxiety and academic performance during COVID-19 in schoolchildren
Authors: Manuel Prieto Joel , Salas Sánchez Jesús , Tierno Cordón Javier , Álvarez-Kurogi Leandro , González-García Higinio , Castro López Rosario
Published: January 2023

The purpose of the present study was to determine the perception of schoolchildren whether their academic performance improved or worsened during the pandemic, analyzing their social anxiety, gender, use of masks in the classroom, and school year. The total sample was 107 primary school students (25 in the fourth, 40 in the fifth and 42 in the sixth grade), with a mean age of 10.51 years old (SD = 1). The gender were 58 girls and 49 boys, from a school in the province of La Coruña (Spain). The study was based on a quantitative methodology, and the design was cross-sectional, descriptive, observational and correlational. The social anxiety questionnaire (CASO-N24) was used to assess social anxiety, and an ad hoc self-report register was elaborated to evaluate sociodemographic variables. The results indicated that 44.8% of the schoolchildren considered that the pandemic had neither improved nor worsened their academic performance. Although 38.3% considered that high and very high social anxiety increased progressively as the school year progressed, both in boys and girls. Besides, the schoolchildren who presented very low and low social anxiety improved their grades in Physical Education, while those who presented high social anxiety worsened them. In conclusion, having a low social anxiety, lower grades before the pandemic and higher grades after, makes children perceive an improvement in their academic performance during the pandemic.
Identifying the key characteristics of a culturally safe mental health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: A qualitative systematic review protocol
Authors: Milroy Helen , Kashyap Shraddha , Collova Jemma R. , Platell Monique , Gee Graham , Ohan Jeneva L.
Published: January 2023

Background

Mental health inequities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations are well documented. There is growing recognition of the role that culturally safety plays in achieving equitable outcomes. However, a clear understanding of the key characteristics of culturally safe mental health care is currently lacking. This protocol outlines a qualitative systematic review that aims to identify the key characteristics of culturally safe mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, at the individual, service, and systems level. This knowledge will improve the cultural safety of mental health care provided to Indigenous peoples, with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.

Methods and expected outputs

Through a review of academic, grey, and cultural literature, we will identify the key characteristics of culturally safe mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. We will consider the characteristics of culturally safe care at the individual practitioner, service, and systems levels.

Prospero registration number

CRD42021258724.
Estimating acid soil effects on selected cereal crop productivities in Ethiopia: Comparing economic cost-effectiveness of lime and fertilizer applications
Authors: Warner James M. , Mann Michael L. , Chamberlin Jordan , Tizale Chilot Y.
Published: January 2023

Acid soils are a major constraint to agricultural productivity in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Restoring soil pH to optimal ranges for agriculture can have a significant impact on yields, particularly for acid intolerant crops like wheat and barley. The application of agricultural lime is the standard corrective, although the large application requirements, lack of farmer awareness, and weak or non-existent lime supply chains make this a complex problem to address at scale. To date, no large-scale farmer trials of lime application have been undertaken in Ethiopia. This leaves open the question to local policy makers as to the economic benefits given the enormous capital and logistics investments required. To help address this we leverage existing spatial edaphic data and longitudinal crop surveys to simulate the productivity impact of varying lime and fertilizer applications. Our estimates find the impact of moving pH from 5.5 to 6.5, modeled as a lime soil remediation strategy, increases yields by 22% and 19% for wheat and barley, respectively. In addition, at lower pH levels our models indicate that commonly used nitrogen-based fertilizers are less cost-effective. For wheat in highly acidic soils, we find that fertilizers cost over two times as much as a single application of lime over a five-year period. The cost savings of the use of lime reaches as high as 121% of average one-year agricultural household income for wheat; with barley these savings are lower but still substantial at 24%. In general, we advocate for an integrated soil fertility management strategy that applies appropriate levels of fertilizer on pH balanced soil. If successful, Ethiopia’s acid soil reclamation could become a modest version of Brazil’s successful “cerrado miracle” and serve as an example for Africa.
Factors influencing the use of therapeutic footwear in persons with diabetes mellitus and loss of protective sensation: A focus group study
Authors: Malki Athra , Verkerke Gijsbertus J. , Dekker Rienk , Hijmans Juha M.
Published: January 2023

Background

Persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) and loss of protective sensation (LOPS) due to peripheral neuropathy do not use their therapeutic footwear (TF) consistently. TF is essential to prevent foot ulceration. In order to improve compliance in using TF, influencing factors need to be identified and analyzed. Persons with a history of foot ulceration may find different factors important compared with persons without ulceration or persons who have never used TF. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine factors perceived as important for the use of TF by different groups of persons with DM and LOPS.

Method

A qualitative study was performed using focus group discussions. Subjects (n = 24) were divided into 3 focus groups based on disease severity: ulcer history (HoU) versus no ulcer history (no-HoU) and experience with TF (TF) versus no experience (no-TF). For each group of 8 subjects (TF&HoU; TF&no-HoU; no-TF&no-HoU), an online focus group discussion was organized to identify the most important influencing factors. Transcribed data were coded with Atlas.ti. The analysis was performed following the framework approach.

Results

The factors comfort and fit and stability/balance were ranked in the top 3 of all groups. Usability was ranked in the top 3 of group-TF&noHoU and group-noTF&noHoU. Two other factors, reducing pain and preventing ulceration were ranked in the top 3 of group-TF&noHoU and group-TF&HoU, respectively.

Conclusion

Experience with TF and a HoU influence which factors are perceived as important for TF use. Knowledge of these factors during the development and prescription process of TF may lead to increased compliance. Although the main medical reason for TF prescription is ulcer prevention, only 1 group gave this factor a high ranking. Therefore, next to focusing on influencing factors, person-centered education on the importance of using TF to prevent ulcers is also required.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinical outcomes of ACEI/ARB in East-Asian patients with COVID-19
Authors: Huang Nancy Xurui , Yuan Qi , Fang Fang , Yan Bryan P. , Sanderson John E.
Published: January 2023

Background

SARS-CoV-2 invades human cells and leads to COVID-19 by direct associating with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors, the level of which may be increased by treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and/or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). This meta-analysis aimed to explore the impact of ACEI/ARB treatment on the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infections among population in the East-Asia region.

Methods

We collected clinical data published from January 2000 to May 2022 in the English databases including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Two reviewers independently screened and identified studies that met the prespecified criteria. Review Manager 5.3 software was used to perform the meta-analysis.

Results

A total of 28 articles were included in this analysis. The results showed that patients who were prescribed with ACEI/ARB had a shorter duration of hospital stay [MD = -2.37, 95%CI (-3.59, -1.14), P = 0.000 2] and a lower mortality rate [OR = 0.61, 95% CI (0.52, 0.70), P<0.000 01] than patients who were not on ACEI/ARB. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in disease severity [OR = 0.99, 95% CI (0.83, 1.17), P = 0.90] between individuals receiving ACEI/ARB or not.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggested that the use of ACEI/ARB was not associated with adverse clinical outcomes in East-Asian Covid-19 patients and a reduced mortality and shorter duration of hospital stay among East-Asian population (especially for female subjects) was found. Thus, ACEI/ARB should be continued in patients infected by Covid-19.
No limits: The control of urban space in Surcos/Furrows (Nieves Conde 1951) and Los golfos/The Delinquents (Saura 1959)
Authors: Winkel Adam L.
Published: January 2023

This article examines cinematic representations of the vast rural-to-urban migration that affected Spain in the 1950s. Madrid, which began its time as capital of Franco’s Spain as a city that had to be purged of its sins, became crucial to the hierarchical, centralized control of the nation, and thus was prioritized over the countryside and provincial capitals. As a result, the segmented, ordered space of Madrid’s urban planning was quickly overwhelmed by the number of arriving migrants who moved from the periphery of the nation to the periphery of the capital. Two films from opposite ends of the decade and of the political spectrum, José Antonio Nieves Conde’sSurcos/Furrows(Nieves Conde 1951) and Carlos Saura’sLos golfos/The Delinquents(), highlight the plight of both recent and more-established migrants to Madrid. The methods that the characters in these films use to gain access to the centre of Spanish social imaginary (i.e., crime and spectacle) are doomed to failure because they are inherently marginal activities. The films frame their protagonists’ movement through urban space to show that the economic modernization of the Franco regime in the 1950s failed to live up to expectations for improving the social well-being of the city’s inhabitants.
Aditza eta aditz sintagma
Authors: Goenaga Patxi
Published: January 2023

Aditz sintagma aditza buru duen egitura da. Buru honen inguruan ibiliko dira, osagarri nahiz adjuntu gisa, DS-ak, AdpS-ak, perpaus jokatuak nahiz jokatugabeak. AS bera, berriz, inflexioaren osagarritzat hartuko dugu, biek batera InflS osatzen dutelarik.

Aditzak, buru den aldetik, bere osagarriak hautatzen ditu. Aditz batzuek mota bateko osagarriak hautatzen dituzte eta beste batzuek, beste batekoak. Horrela, zilegi da aditz iragankorrez (osagarria hautatzen dutenez, eman, ekarri, erosi, ...modukoez, alegia) eta iragangaitzez hitz egitea (osagarririk hautatzen ez dutenez, adibidez, erori, jaio, joan...). Lehenbizikoei, bestalde, euskal hiztegietan, ohikoa da du motako aditz deitzea, aditz iragangaitzei da aditz deitzea eta datiboa eskatzen dutenei zaio eta dio aditz deitzea. Horien funtsa azalduko da atal honetan, bestelako terminologia bat erabilita bada ere.

Aditz bakoitzaren inguruan biltzen diren osagaiek, argumentuek, sare bat osatzen dutela esan ohi da eta argumentu horietako bakoitzak errol tematiko jakinak (egile errola, gai errola, hartzaile errola, instrumentua, helburua, iturburua ...) jasotzen dituztela. Hala ere, aditzaren inguruko osagai horiek ez dira mota berekoak ez maila berekoak. Batzuk aditzarekin hertsiki lotuak daude, beste batzuen lotura lasaiago da eta badira, halaber, predikatu baten argumentu barik, gertaera-argumentu baten predikatutzat hartzen direnak, zenbait hizkuntzalariren arabera. Kontu hauen azalpen labur bat ere eskainiko da.
Aditz jokatua eta aditz jokoa
Authors: Goenaga Patxi
Published: January 2023

Perpausak behar beharrezko du aditza deitzen dugun osagai bat (aditza baino gehiago inflexioa). Baina aditz hau forma jakin batean agertu ohi zaigu perpausean, jokatua alegia. Hizkuntzalariek diote inflexioa dela perpausaren burua. Hemen biltzen dira perpausean ditugun hainbat osagai, direla kasu sintagmak, komunztaduraren bidez, dela denbora, modu eta aspektuari dagokion informazioa.

Gauzak horrela aurkeztuta, inflexioa bada perpausaren burua, buru honek, osagarri gisa, beste atal batzuk hartuko ditu, bereziki aditz sintagma deitzen duguna. Honen ardatza aditza bera izango da. Horrenbestez, perpausaren osaera, joskera, aztertu nahi badugu, bidezko dirudi, burutik hastea gure azterketa. Hala egingo dugu hemen ere. Hortaz, atal honetan perpausaren burua den inflexioaren berri emango dugu, aditz jokoa, funtsean. Adizki trinkoen (jokabiderako aditz laguntzailerik behar ez dutenen) osaera aztertuko dugu lehenbizi eta, ondoren, adizki perifrastikoena (aditz laguntzailea behar dutenena). Formetatik abiatuko gara eta, ondoren, forma hauetako bakoitzaren balioa edo esanahia zein izan daitekeen azaltzeko ahalegina ere egingo dugu.
Zenbatzailea eta zenbatzaile sintagma
Authors: Goenaga Patxi
Published: January 2023

Determinatzaile sintagmaren osagaien artean zenbatzaileak ere ageri dira. Izan ere determinatzaile sintagmaren erreferentzia zehazteko orduan, zer (txakur) eta zein (txakur hori, adibidez) zehazteaz gainera, zenbat d(ir)en zehaztea ere nahitaezko da (bi txakur horiek), zertaz mintzo garen ongi finkatua utzi behar bada.

Zenbatzaileen lana zein den finkatu ostean, zenbat zenbatzaile klase ditugun ere zehazten saiatuko gara atal honetan eta zenbatzaileak sailkatzeko ahalegin bat egingo dugu. Batetik zenbatzaile zehaztuak eta zenbatzaile zehaztugabeak bereiziko ditugu eta hauen barnean ere behar diren sailkatzeak egingo dira. Arreta berezia eskainiko zaie zenbatzaile orokorrei.

Bestalde, zenbatzaileez gainera mugatzaileak ere agertzen direnez, elkarren arteko konbinazioak aztertuko dira, zein diren zilegi eta zein ez.

Neurri sintagmak ere hemen aztertuko dira.

Azkenik, zenbatzaile sintagma dei daitekeen kategoria bat ere badela onartuko dugu eta sintagma horren kokagunea eta lana zein den azaltzen ahaleginduko gara.
Egiturazko kasuak
Authors: Goenaga Patxi
Published: January 2023

Perpausak, eskuarki, aditzaz gainera, beste zenbait sintagma behar ditu aditzaren inguruan, direla Determinatzaile Sintagmak (DS-ak), direla Adposizio sintagmak (AdpS-ak), direla perpausak (P-ak). Osagai hauek predikatuarekin eta elkarren artean dituzten erlazioak marka jakin batzuen bidez egiten dira ageriko. Euskaraz marka hauek atzizki tankerakoak dira eta dagokien sintagmari itsatsiak joan ohi dira, sintagmaren eskuinaldean. Atzizki hauetako batzuk kasuak dira eta beste batzuk adposizioak. Badira, azkenik, konplementatzaileak.

1. Kasuak (hots, kasu gramatikalak; hemen egiturazko kasuak deituko diegu): Ø (absolutiboa), -i (datiboa), -k (ergatiboa) eta -en (genitiboa).

2. Adposizioak: -n, -tik, -ra, -raino, -rako, -kin, -gatik, -tzat, -z … Hauek morfema itsatsiak dira, ezkerrean ageri den hitzari itsatsirik ageri baitira.

Ohiko adberbioak ere (atzo, beti, bihar, gero, han, ia, inoiz, ongi, orduan…), adposizio izan ez arren, aurrekoen kide direla aldarrikatuko dugu. Eta orobat, arrunki adposiziotzat (edo batzuetan kokapen izentzat) hartzen direnak ere: gainean, gainera, kontra, ondoren, zehar…

3. Konplementatzaileak: -(e)n/-(e)la, bait-, ba- dira perpaus jokatuetan aurkituko ditugunak. Perpaus jokatugabeek, berriz, gainerako DS-ei zor zaizkien kasu marka eta adposizio berak erakutsiko dituzte: [… -t(z)ea-Ø] (absolutiboa), [… -t(z)ea-ri] (datiboa), [… -t(z)ea-k] (ergatiboa), [… -t(z)e-an] (inesiboa), [… -t(z)e-tik] (ablatiboa), […-t(z)e-ra (adlatiboa), edo [… -tua-Ø] (absolutiboa), [… -tua-ri] (datiboa), [… -tua-k] (ergatiboa), [… -tua-z] (instrumentala) etab.

Kapitulu honetan lau kasu gramatikalak aztertuko dira banan-banan: absolutiboa, datiboa, ergatiboa eta genitiboa. Morfologiatik abiatu eta sintagma bakoitzak zer funtzio sintaktiko izan dezakeen eta nolako adiera duen azalduko dugu.
Adposizioa eta adposizio sintagma
Authors: Goenaga Patxi
Published: January 2023

Kapitulu honetan burutzat adposizioa ‘itsatsia’ duten sintagmak aurkeztuko ditugu. Ohiko gramatiketan postposizio sintagmak direla esaten da. Etxe horretan, zuregatik, eta holakoak [DS + adposizioa AdpS] gisa osatuak dira: [[etxe hori ds] -ta-n AdpS]; [[zu-re- ds] -gatik AdpS].

Bi multzo bereiziko dira: leku-denborazkoak eta leku-denborazko ez direnak.

a) Leku-denborazko adposizioen multzoa -n inesiboak, -tik ablatiboak, -ra/ -raino/ -rantz/ -(ra)ko adlatiboak sartuko ditugu. Eskema honetan -ko adposizioari ere egingo diogu leku eta zer estatus duen ere eztabaidatuko dugu. Leku-denborazkoen multzoan kokatu behar dira, halaber, -ga- adposizioaren gainean eraikitakoak: ama-(ren)-ga-n, ama-(ren)-ga-n-dik, ama-(ren)-ga-n-di-ko…

b) Leku-denborazko ez diren AdpSek burutzat honako beste adposizio hauek dituzte: -z instrumentala, -gatik kausazkoa, -kin soziatiboa eta -tzat (destinatiboa/ prolatiboa).

Hemen ere, zenbaitetan, DSren eta adposizioaren artean genitiboaren marka agertuko zaigu: ama-ren-gatik, ama-ren-tzat, ama-re-kin...

Adposizio hauek DSri, itsatsiak ‘adposatuak’ ageri ohi dira sintagmaren azken osagaiari itsatsiak. Euskara hizkuntza eranskaria izaki, adposizioak elkarren gainean pila daitezke, gero eta AdpS konplexuagoak sortuz: [etxe horr-e-ta-ra] > [[etxe horr-eta-ra]-ino] > [etxe horr-eta- ra-ino-ko] bezala, [zure-ga-n] > [zure-ga-n-a] > [zure-ga-n-a-ino] > [zure-ga-n-a-ino-ko] > [zure-ga-n-a-ino-ko-tik]… Genitiboa gorabehera, adposizioak bere lekuan segituko du sintagmaren buru gisa, eskuinaldean: amaren-ga-n, amare-ki-n… Etxea-n sintagman bezalaxe, hain zuzen.

AdpS bakoitzean, sintagmaren osaeraz aparte, funtzio sintaktikoari eta esanahiari erreparatuko diogu.

Adposizio ‘askeen’ bidez (alde, artean, bidez, buruz, gainean, kontra, ondoan, zehar…) gauzatzen diren egitura konplexuagoetara iritsiko gara azkenean: gure etxearen ondo-an, gure aurre-ra…; zuri buru-z, mendian go-ra, itsasoan zehar… Hauek ere adposizioak direla aldarrikatuko dugu. Hemen ere leku-denborazkoak edo bestelakoak izan daitezke.
Ante el caos miradas a la nueva expresión visual [Reseña]
Authors: García-Victoria Miguel
Published: January 2023

En el libro Ante el caos. Miradas a la nueva expresión visual los editores Juan Carlos Afeo y Luis Deltell buscan el establecimiento de una obra amplia que enmarca en su interior textos de muy diversa índole y objetivos. Los autores exploran la imagen desde todas direcciones y con un fondo común que liga la percepción y generación visual en nuestros días con la entropía, el caos que se refiere en el título y estará presente en cada una de las partes. La obra se mueve entre discursos más científicos con otros de carácter ensayístico, esas variaciones, en función del tema a tratar, nos permiten un acercamiento completo dependiendo del objeto de estudio y hace a este libro una herramienta muy útil a la hora de aproximarse a diferentes aristas de la realidad visual.