bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-reported Resistance Training Is Associated With Better HR-pQCT–derived Bone Microarchitecture in Vegan People
Authors: Wakolbinger-Habel Robert , Reinweber Matthias , König Jürgen , Pokan Rochus , König Daniel , Pietschmann Peter , Muschitz Christian
Published: August 2022

Context

A plant-based lifestyle is a global trend; lower bone mineral density and increased fracture risk in vegan people are reported.

Objective

The primary objective was to assess trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture in vegans and omnivores. Secondary objectives were to evaluate relationships between bone microarchitecture, nutrition parameters, and physical activity.

Methods

This was an observational study at the Medical Department II, St. Vincent Hospital (tertiary referral center for gastrointestinal, metabolic, and bone diseases, and teaching hospital of the Medical University of Vienna), including 43 healthy nonobese female and male subjects on a plant-based diet for at least 5 years, and 45 healthy nonobese female and male subjects on an omnivore diet for at least 5 years. The main outcome measures were the parameters of trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture (high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography), serum markers of bone turnover, nutrient intake (nutrition protocol), and self-reported resistance training (physical activity questionnaires).

Results

In the vegan group, trabecular and cortical structure were altered compared with omnivores. Vegans not reporting resistance training had diminished bone microarchitecture compared with omnivores not reporting resistance training. In vegans and omnivores reporting resistance training, bone structure was similar. In both vegan subgroups (resistance training and not resistance training), a small number of correlations between nutrient intake and bone microarchitecture were observed without a conclusive pattern.

Conclusion

Bone microarchitecture in vegans differed from matched omnivores but could not be explained solely by nutrient uptake. These differences were attenuated between the subgroups reporting resistance training. In addition to a well-planned diet, progressive resistance training on a regular basis should be part of the vegan lifestyle.
Mapping Perceptions Diachronically: A Restudy of Mental Maps in Michigan
Authors: Alfaraz Gabriela G. , Preston Dennis R.
Published: August 2022

This research takes a diachronic approach to perceptual dialectology and uses data collected in 2016–17 to replicate work done in Michigan in 1985–87 by Dennis Preston to examine possible changes in perceptions. The frequency of identification of regions and their spatial distributions were analyzed in 148 newly collected hand-drawn maps. The rates of regional identification in these are generally similar to the earlier ones, with the exception of increases of over 10% for three of the 14 regions and decreases of more than 10% for two others. GIS analysis of the five most frequently identified regions showed that the South and Northeast are larger in the newer work, while the North, Plains and Mountains, and West are similar to the earlier study. These findings allow questions about the factors that influence change in perceptions over time and address a gap in diachronic studies in perceptual dialectology.
“We wait to be true people, Christians”: An Idolatry Confession in Zapotec
Authors: Tavárez David
Published: August 2022

Context

This article presents a translation and analysis of the only extant formal confession of human sacrifice written in an Indigenous language in the colonial Americas. An analysis of this document, written in Northern Zapotec by the town officials of Yalalag in 1704, provides numerous insights about how a community deployed traditional rhetoric to seek mercy from their civil magistrate, and to provide a justification for committing acts of idolatry and child sacrifice. Rather than aligning with the canonical middle ground (nepantla), often used as a yardstick, this confession eloquently and incisively places Northern Zapotec society in tentative terrain point in terms of their knowledge of Christianity, and depicts Christianization as a long-term process, which confessants boldly tied to latent forms of negotiation.
Collective Disorientation and Catastrophic Precarity in the Hypermodern Era
Authors: Means Alexander J. , Slater Graham B.
Published: August 2022

Who can imagine a future today? Any sense of progress, or belief in the future, appears as merely another exclusive privilege of the ultrarich. Time seems to be accelerating faster than catastrophic trajectories can be metabolized. Meanwhile, hypermodern capitalism is eroding its own conditions of possibility, intensifying historical injuries and societal fractures, and destabilizing modern assumptions regarding space, time, and security. The supposed end of history that characterized the neoliberal era has morphed into a reckoning with the end of a world—perhaps not the world as such, but the world as it is being made and unmade by the spatial, temporal, racial, linguistic, technological, and imperial drives of hypermodern capitalism, particularly its global, financialized, and algorithmic forms. Scholars of political economy have drawn attention to the fracturing of the neoliberal phase of late capitalism and its hegemonic constellation, and how this fracture has led to a moment of historical uncertainty and transition in the dynamics of power and contestation across societies. Similarly, scholars across the humanities and social sciences have highlighted the existential and political challenges presented by the Anthropocene's apocalyptic implications. This article argues that the dialectical crises of capitalism and ecology are converging in a cultural condition of collective disorientation: a return of history bereft of futurity. Through an analysis of catastrophic precarity in the hypermodern era, the article tracks collective disorientation and catastrophic precarity across four registers—accumulation, time, space, and agency—before ending with a discussion of implications of the analysis for alternative orientations.
Remodeling of organelles and microtubules during spermiogenesis in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Minamino Naoki , Norizuki Takuya , Mano Shoji , Ebine Kazuo , Ueda Takashi
Published: August 2022

Gametogenesis is an essential event for sexual reproduction in various organisms. Bryophytes employ motile sperm (spermatozoids) as male gametes, which locomote to the egg cells to accomplish fertilization. The spermatozoids of bryophytes harbor distinctive morphological characteristics, including a cell body with a helical shape and two flagella. During spermiogenesis, the shape and cellular contents of the spermatids are dynamically reorganized. However, the reorganization patterns of each organelle remain obscure. In this study, we classified the developmental processes during spermiogenesis in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha according to changes in cellular and nuclear shapes and flagellar development. We then examined the remodeling of microtubules and the reorganization of endomembrane organelles. The results indicated that the state of glutamylation of tubulin changes during formation of the flagella and spline. We also found that the plasma membrane and endomembrane organelles are drastically reorganized in a precisely regulated manner, which involves the functions of endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) machineries in endocytic and vacuolar transport. These findings are expected to provide useful indices to classify developmental and subcellular processes of spermiogenesis in bryophytes.
Patient perspectives on home-based rehabilitation exercise and general physical activity after total hip arthroplasty: A qualitative study (PHETHAS-2)
Authors: Poulsen Anne Grøndahl , Gravesen Janni Dahlgaard , Madsen Merete Nørgaard , Mikkelsen Lone Ramer , Bandholm Thomas , Rossen Camilla Blach
Published: August 2022

Background: Home-based rehabilitation exercise following Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) shows similar outcomes compared to supervised outpatient rehabilitation exercise. Little is known about patients' experiences with home-based rehabilitation, and this study aimed to investigate how patients perceived home-based rehabilitation exercise and general physical activity after THA, focusing on facilitators and barriers.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews of qualitative design were conducted with 22 patients who had undergone THA and who had performed home-based rehabilitation exercise. The study took place in a regional hospital in Denmark between January 2018 and May 2019. Data were analyzed using an interpretive thematic analysis approach, with theoretical underpinning from the concept ‘conduct of everyday life’. The study is embedded within the Pragmatic Home-Based Exercise Therapy after Total Hip Arthroplasty-Silkeborg trial (PHETHAS-1).

Results: The main theme, ‘wishing to return to the well-known everyday life’, and four subthemes were identified. Generally, participants found the home-based rehabilitation exercise boring but were motivated by the goal of returning to their well-known everyday life and performing their usual general physical activities, though some lacked contact to physiotherapist. Participants enrolled in the PHETHAS-1 study used the enrollment as part of their motivation for doing the exercises. 

Both pain and the absence of pain were identified as barriers for doing home-based rehabilitation exercise. Pain could cause insecurity about possible medical complications, while the absence of pain could lead to the rehabilitation exercise being perceived as pointless.

Conclusions: The overall goal of returning to the well-known everyday life served as a facilitator for undertaking home-based rehabilitation exercise after THA along with the flexibility regarding time and place for performing exercises. Boring exercises as well as both pain and no pain were identified as barriers to the performance of home-based rehabilitation exercise. Participants were motivated towards performing general physical activities which were part of their everyday life.
Using the ‘Twelve tips for applying change models’ for undergraduate medical curriculum reform in Pakistan: Incorporating a new Trauma Evaluation and Management TEAM® course
Authors: Soomro Rufina , Ur Rehman Sheeraz , Ali Sobia , McKimm Judy
Published: August 2022

Background: Trauma evaluation and management skills are not taught enough in medical school undergraduate curriculums worldwide. It has been recommended by trauma educators to incorporate trauma training in medical schools’ curriculum as first-line management of trauma cases is usually required by junior doctors in ERs. The introduction of formal trauma training in the form of the Trauma Evaluation and Management TEAM® course is a change introduced into the curriculum. Even when introducing such a simple change, certain factors need to be considered including the stakeholders’ apprehensions and involvement, the complexity of the internal and external environment, cultural context and political influences, and finally the psychological impact of change.

Methods: Based primarily on the “Twelve tips for applying change models to curriculum design, development and delivery” by McKimm and Jones (2018), these 12 tips provide educators, involved in curriculum or program development, a practical example of the systematic and organized outlines to improve medical curricula.

Results & Conclusions: While addressing these factors, this framework can guide educators for the successful development and implementation of a suggested change in the existing curriculum.
Mindfulness sessions delivered via smartphone applications and their potential benefits
Authors: Nowakowska Katarzyna , Lewkowicz Martyna , Raksa Karolina , Szarpak Julita , Pawlina Mateusz , Niedziałek Karolina , Ziętara Karolina
Published: August 2022

Mindfulness, as a practice of focusing one’s attention on the present moment without evaluating, is used in mindfulness based interventions (MBI) therapy. Traditionally, these sessions are conducted in person. At this moment, we are witnessing a global trend in which patients are turning to technology and are looking for alternative, more convenient solutions. There are studies assessing the effectiveness of mindfulness training conducted in a new unconventional way, which is using an application installed on patient's smartphone. This paper discusses possible benefits of online conducted mindfulness sessions.
Opinions and experiences of physicians regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). A research report from Poland
Authors: Leśniewska Magdalena , Kozioł Ilona , Budzyńska Julia , Kopystecka Agnieszka , Patryn Rafał
Published: August 2022

Background: The term CAM denotes complementary and alternative medicine. However, CAM is practiced by individuals without academic medical education and formal eligibility for treating people. The extent of interest in CAM is considerable. The WHO global report on traditional and complementary medicine has demonstrated that 87% of all WHO Member States legally recognise individual forms of CAM, and 100 Member States have national policies regarding such practices. In Poland, performing medical activities without appropriate qualifications is prohibited.

Material and Methods: Diagnostic survey distributed as Google Forms was used as the basic research method with the research technique of a questionnaire. The questionnaire starting with a metrics part consisted of several questions regarding popularity and tendency of CAM, causes of CAM popularity, approach to those types of practices and patients as well as role of CAM during the pandemic. Sixty-one responses were obtained from physicians of different age, experience and speciality.

Results: Ninety-five percent (95%) of doctors believe that alternative medicine can be dangerous; 67.2% think that the phenomenon of alternative medicine should be combated; almost half of the physicians surveyed believe that there is a fundamental contradiction between evidence-based medicine (EBM) and alternative medicine. Furthermore, according to 48% of respondents, physicians in Poland should be able to recommend and combine methods of traditional and alternative medicine.

Conclusion: Doctors point to the increasing popularity of CAM among patients in Poland, the consequences of which cannot be determined because there is still a lack of research on the safety of alternative methods. The most frequently cited reasons for interest in CAM suggest that there is a need for a better tailored biomedical approach to individual patient needs.
Sequential Competitive Facility Location: Exact and Approximate Algorithms
Authors: Qi Mingyao , Jiang Ruiwei , Shen Siqian
Published: August 2022

In “Sequential Competitive Facility Location: Exact and Approximate Algorithms,” Qi et al. consider a competitive facility location problem (CFLP), where two firms sequentially open new facilities within their budgets and maximize their market shares of demand following a probabilistic choice model. They derive an equivalent, single-level mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP) reformulation of the bilevel MINLP and exploit the problem structures to derive valid inequalities based on submodularity and concave overestimation. They also develop an approximation algorithm with a constant approximation guarantee. They further study several extensions of CFLP that have general facility-opening costs, outside competitors, and diverse facility-planning decisions. Their approaches significantly accelerate the computation of CFLP on large-sized instances that have not been solved optimally or even heuristically by existing methods.
Apresentação
Authors: Lima Norma Sueli Rosa , Maquêa Vera Lúcia Da Rocha
Published: August 2022

O Dossiê 24 da Pensares em Revista - 20 anos da Lei 10.639/2003 e o ensino das Literaturas de Língua Portuguesa -
Disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis: benefit and acceptability
Authors: Harrison Joanna , Hill James , Palmer Karen
Published: August 2022

Disease modifying therapies are available for the treatment of relapse remitting multiple sclerosis, making relapses less common and severe. A Cochrane systematic review was undertaken to compare their benefit and acceptability. This article summarises and appraises the review evidence.
Improving physiological stability of very preterm babies: a preliminary randomised controlled trial
Authors: Jeffries Suzan , Moss Becky , Modi Neena , Hyde Matthew J , Lammons William
Published: August 2022

Background

Preterm babies born below 32 weeks gestational age are placed in incubators, and therefore deprived of exposure to maternal heartbeat sounds and breathing rhythms. This article explored the use of a unique soft-robotics device that replicates these via a mattress in the incubator.

Aims

This study aimed to obtain data on mothers' experiences in the NHS COSYBABY study in relation to using the device and learn what, if any, value this device has to parents in the neonatal unit.

Methods

The study used qualitative focus groups conducted by patient and public involvement leads and interviews with parents. Framework analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results

Resulting themes were willingness to try anything, supporting mothers, scepticism and searching for causality, limitations of the device and beyond the intervention.

Conclusions

The device provides socioemotional benefits to mothers of neonatal babies, although the health benefits to their baby are uncertain.
Self-assessed hand and wrist pain and quality of life for postpartum mothers in Japan
Authors: Satoh Tamami , Cadillo Lourdes R Herrera , Ohashi Kazutomo , Onishi Tetsuro
Published: August 2022

Background

Hand and wrist pain can develop during the postpartum period, may be exacerbated by activities during childcare and may continue for several months, leading to chronic upper extremity disability. Little is known about the impact of hand and wrist pain on quality of life in postpartum mothers.

Aims

This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-assessed hand and wrist pain, upper extremity disability and quality of life among postpartum mothers in Japan.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was designed for women who had given birth at a general hospital and a clinic in the south of Japan. Participants self-assessed hand and wrist pain using Eichhoff's test and upper extremity disability using the Hand20 questionnaire. General quality of life was assessed with the EQ-5D-5L.

Results

Self-assessed hand and wrist pain was significantly associated with upper extremity disability. Self-reported subjective and induced pain was associated with lower quality of life.

Conclusions

Self-assessed hand and wrist pain in postpartum women can significantly lower quality of life. Reporting subjective and self-induced pain helps diagnosis of and may prevent disability, improving a mother's quality of life.
A Study on the Responsibility of Environmental Ethics Among Secondary School Students in the 21st Century
Authors: Mahat Hanifah , Norkhaidi Saiyidatina Balkhis , Saleh Yazid , Hashim Mohmadisa , Nayan Nasir , Said Zahid Mat , Matnoor Marlianah , Hamid Nur
Published: August 2022

In this study, we aimed to determine the extent to which secondary school students practise environmental ethics. To this end, we used a questionnaire-based survey to accomplish the purpose of the study. The study’s variables included knowledge, value, care, and responsibility in environmental ethics. We selected a sample of 180 students using systematic random sampling from a population of 347 Form Four secondary school students studying geography in Papar, Sabah, Malaysia. The findings showed that all study variables, knowledge, value, care and responsibility were at high levels. Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis revealed that the value and care variable in environmental ethics influenced the responsibility variable which contributed 14.5% and 2.7%, respectively to student’s environmental ethics. Based on the findings, we concluded that students who incorporate environmental ethics into their daily lives will successfully fulfil their environmental ethics responsibilities. The study’s implications suggest that environmental education in schools exposes students to environmental ethics and helps them develop more ethical and disciplined attitudes towards the environment.
Chrysis tripotini Soon, 2010, new to Japan, with description of the male (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae)
Authors: MITA TOSHIHARU , SOON VILLU
Published: August 2022

Chrysis tripotini Soon, 2010 is reported from Honshu Island, Japan and the male is described for the first time. Among the chrysidid fauna of Japan, the male is most closely related to C. solida Haupt, 1956, but it can be distinguished by the combination of following characters: bidentate mandible; punctation on the metasomal tergite II.
Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) human-oriented behavior at the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, Indonesia
Authors: Amalia Novita , Farajallah Dyah Perwitasari , Atmoko Sri Suci Utami
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Amalia N, Fajarallah DP, Atmoko SSU. 2021. Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) human-oriented behavior at the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 396-402. Unlike other conservation efforts, rehabilitation and reintroduction face different challenges due to humans' role in developing orphaned orangutans. Long-term interactions between orangutans and humans in captivity will gradually encourage orangutans to shape and increase human-oriented behavior (interest in humans). The Lamandau Wildlife Reserve (Lamandau WR) applies the soft-release method for the orangutan release process. Additional feed is provided every day. The correlation between animal-human interactions as part of the conservation efforts evaluation is essential to study. This study aimed to analyze the human-oriented behavior of the orangutan population in the Lamandau WR based on the observation sites (camp, feeding site, and forest) and the age-sex class of orangutans. This study also identified the factors that affected them. The study was conducted for five months (July-November 2019). During the observation, the factor of current age was suspected to affect human-oriented behavior. Human-oriented behavior is divided into three categories based on the orangutans' response: approaching, avoidance, and no response. The highest rates of human-oriented behavior in orangutans were approaching category. The highest promoting behavior was noticed at the camp and feeding site, especially young orangutans and mothers. Interest in humans can be explained by the 'captive effect' phenomenon where captive orangutans are more likely to independently explore the novelty (unfamiliar objects/foods) than their wild counterparts.
Short communication: Algal genotypes in White Syndrome infected coral Acropora muricata from the Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia
Authors: Wijayanti Diah Permata , Nadia Maula , Indrayanti Elis , Haryanti Dwi , Bachtiar Muggi
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Wijayanti DP, Nadia M, Indrayanti E, Haryanti D, Bachtiar M. 2021. Short communication: Algal genotypes in White Syndrome infected coral Acropora muricata from the Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 415-423. The physiological equilibrium of the coral holobiont may help the corals to survive under various environmental threats. The symbiont genotype is thought to play an important role in the host's susceptibility to thermal stress and coral disease incidence. We identified the Symbiodiniaceae diversity of coral Acropora muricata infected by White Syndrome (WS). Samples were collected from Cemara Kecil Island and Barakuda Beach, Kemujan Island, Karimunjawa Islands. We applied DNA barcoding of 28S nuclear ribosomal RNA gene of the healthy colonies, healthy tissue, and lesions of diseased colonies to perform their symbiont type identification. There were two different symbiont types observed from the phylogenetic analysis, which formed two clades. A clade consisting all Cemara Kecil Island samples while the other with all Barakuda Beach samples except for one. All samples harbored symbiont types from the genus Cladocopium. The members of the genus were reported to have various physiological properties which may support the host resilience when facing the disease. A robust study is needed to reveal the influence of symbiont genotypes on the occurrence of coral disease and the susceptibility of the coral host.
Biodiversity of ethnomedicinal plants from the B’laan Tribe in Mount Matutum Protected Landscape, Southern Mindanao, Philippines
Authors: ALINSUG MALONA V. , ESTANDARTE MARK HAROLD G. , SOMODIO EDEN MAY N. , SABARITA MARIEL JADE J. , DEOCARIS CUSTER C.
Published: August 2022

Abstract. Alinsug MV, Estandarte MHG, Somodio EMN, Sabarita MJJ, Deocaris CC. 2021. Biodiversity of ethnomedicinal plants from the B’laan Tribe in Mount Matutum Protected Landscape, Southern Mindanao, Philippines. Biodiversitas 23: 554-563. Mount Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL) is one of the key biodiversity areas in Mindanao Island, Philippines, and is part of the ancestral domains of 18 indigenous peoples. The present study aims to establish a comprehensive inventory of the medicinal flora at MMPL according to the traditional healing practices of the B'laan, a tribal community whose cultural heritage is anchored to their interactions with nature and with a rich and understudied ethnomedicinal system. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews of the tribal healers from five tribal communities revealed 101 medicinal plants belonging to 33 families were identified. The plant species have therapeutic uses for 19 disease categories. Roots and leaves are the most utilized parts which are made into a decoction, the most common preparation for oral intake. Tawal-ulad (Lunasia amara Blanco), which is used as a treatment for snake bites, dengue, dysmenorrhea, constipation, rabies, and hypertension has the highest use value (UV). Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) analysis revealed that cholera, scabies, viral infections, warts, beriberi, diabetes, gastric ulcer are the most common diseases treated with medicinal plants by the B'laan tribal healers. The biodiversity of medicinal plants, although some remain unidentified at the species level, reflects the centuries-old ethnomedicinal knowledge of the B'laan Tribe. Our study is the first comprehensive documentation of the ethnomedicinal knowledge of the B'laan Tribe residing at MMPL.
Preaching to the choir: effects of the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme on ‘the bad apples’
Authors: Lindberg Daniel , Billevik Joakim
Published: August 2022

Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) is a systematic education programme aimed at addressing gender inequality and preventing violence among boys and men. The programme originates from Canada and the USA, and since 2015 has been introduced in a number of Swedish schools. Whereas most evaluations of MVP and other programmes addressing gender-based violence focus on broad changes, we argue that these evaluations fail to provide insight into where and for whom the programmes are or are not effective. By identifying the participants with knowledge and attitudes furthest away from the target assumptions of the programme and following them throughout the programme, we can see what effects the programme has on those with the most problematic knowledge and attitudes. The study shows that MVP does not seem to contribute to a more positive development for the group of students whose knowledge and attitudes are furthest from the programme’s target assumptions. Moreover, the study shows that the comparison group shows a more positive development over time than the MVP group. This leads to the conclusion that MVP seems to have limited potential to change the specific group with low levels of knowledge about violence and most problematic attitudes towards violent behaviour.
Design of a compact and highly sensitive modal interferometer using hybrid modes of a dielectric loaded plasmonic waveguide
Authors: Dwivedi Ranjeet , Kumar Arun
Published: August 2022

We show the presence of hybridization between fundamental TE and first higher-order TM modes in a dielectric loaded plasmonic waveguide of appropriately chosen core dimensions. Furthermore, a critical hybridization point is achieved at which both modes have nearly equal fraction of the TE and TM polarizations. Exploiting the interference among such modes, we propose the design of a compact and highly sensitive modal interferometer. The bulk and surface sensitivities of the proposed sensor are found to be

∼

3

−

10

µ

m

/

R
I
U

for refractive index (RI)

∼

1.33

−

1.36

and

∼

0.7

n
m

/

n
m

for an adsorbed layer of RI 1.45, respectively. The proposed sensor gives robust performance against fabrication imperfections and is stable against temperature fluctuations due to extremely low temperature cross-sensitivity (

∼

10

−

15

p
m

/

∘

C

for a temperature change up to

∼

100

∘

C

).
Error model for linear DoFP imaging systems perturbed by spatially varying polarization states
Authors: Le Teurnier Benjamin , Boffety Matthieu , Goudail François
Published: August 2022

Division of focal plane (DoFP) polarization sensors can perform linear polarimetric imaging in one shot. However, since they use several neighboring pixels to estimate the polarization state, fast spatial variations of the scene may lead to estimation errors. We investigate the influence of the spatial variations of the three polarimetric parameters of interest (intensity, degree of linear polarization, and angle of polarization) on these errors. Using theoretical derivations and imaging experiments, we demonstrate that the spatial variations of intensity are the main source of estimation errors, much more than variations in the polarization state. Building on this analysis, we show that compensating the intensity variations within a superpixel is sufficient to reach the estimation performance of state-of-the-art demosaicing methods.
Maternal and newborn healthcare providers’ work-related experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their physical, psychological, and economic impacts: Findings from a global online survey
Authors: Kolié Delphin , Semaan Aline , Day Louise-Tina , Delvaux Thérèse , Delamou Alexandre , Benova Lenka
Published: August 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have substantial impacts on health systems globally. This study describes experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and physical, psychological and economic impacts among maternal and newborn healthcare providers. We conducted a global online cross-sectional survey of maternal and newborn healthcare providers. Data collected between July and December 2020 included demographic characteristics, work-related experiences, and physical, psychological, and economic impacts of COVID-19. Descriptive statistics of quantitative data and content analysis of qualitative data were conducted. Findings were disaggregated by country income-level. We analysed responses from 1,191 maternal and newborn healthcare providers from 77 countries: middle-income 66%, high-income 27%, and low-income 7%. Most common cadres were nurses (31%), midwives/nurse-midwives (25%), and obstetricians/gynaecologists (21%). Quantitative and qualitative findings showed that 28% of respondents reported decreased workplace staffing levels following changes in staff-rotation (53%) and staff self-isolating after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (35%); this led to spending less time with patients, possibly compromising care quality. Reported insufficient access to personal protective equipment (PPE) ranged from 12% for gloves to 32% for N-95 masks. Nonetheless, wearing PPE was tiresome, time-consuming, and presented potential communication barriers with patients. 58% of respondents reported higher stress levels, mainly related to lack of access to information or to rapidly changing guidelines. Respondents noted a negative financial impact—a decrease in income (70% among respondents from low-income countries) concurrently with increased personal expenditures (medical supplies, transportation, and PPE). Negative physical, psychological and economic impacts of COVID-19 on maternal and newborn healthcare providers were ongoing throughout 2020, especially in low-income countries. This can have severe consequences for provision and quality of essential care. There is need to increase focus on the implementation of interventions aiming to support healthcare providers, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries to protect essential health services from disruption.
Birth preparedness and complication readiness practice among women attending antenatal care follow up in Yirgalem general hospital, southern Ethiopia
Authors: Mesele Molalegn , Anmut Walellign
Published: August 2022

In developing countries, maternal and newborn mortality is a major public health issue. Birth preparedness and complication readiness is a method to encourage pregnant women to seek professional birth attendants as soon as possible. The aim of this study was to evaluate practice and factors associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness among women attending antenatal care, southern Ethiopia, in 2019. From September 1st to September 30th, 2019, a facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted. 422 pregnant women were randomly selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Epi-data version 3.1 was used to enter data, while SPSS version 21 was used to analyze it. To find factors associated with birth preparedness and complications readiness, researchers used multivariable logistic regression.From 422 study participants, 205(48.6%) (95% CI: 46.9%, 49.8%) have birth preparedness and complication readiness practice. Age of respondent ≥ 37 years (AOR = 4.2, 95% C.I = 1.23, 14.24) and between 25 to 30 (AOR = 2.35, 95% C.I = 1.1, 5.1); level of education College and above(AOR = 5.59, 95% C.I 2.8, 11.2) and secondary school (AOR = 9.5, 95% C.I 3.99–22); previous history of ANC follow up (AOR = 4.33, 95% C.I = 2.46, 7.61), birth outcome with live birth(AOR = 3.53, 95% C.I = 1.51, 8.25), and history of birth at health facility (AOR = 3.09, 95% C.I = 1.72, 5.56) where factors significantly associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness practice. Overall, there was low birth preparedness and complication readiness practices were observed in current study. Age of respondents, level of education, history of ANC follow up, and history of birth at a health facility were factors associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness practice. Governments with other stakeholders should work by focusing on antenatal care and institutional delivery by focusing on older age group mothers with who has no formal education.
Fetal loss in pregnant rhesus macaques infected with high-dose African-lineage Zika virus
Authors: Raasch Lauren E. , Yamamoto Keisuke , Newman Christina M. , Rosinski Jenna R. , Shepherd Phoenix M. , Razo Elaina , Crooks Chelsea M. , Bliss Mason I. , Breitbach Meghan E. , Sneed Emily L. , Weiler Andrea M. , Zeng Xiankun , Noguchi Kevin K. , Morgan Terry K. , Fuhler Nicole A. , Bohm Ellie K. , Alberts Alexandra J. , Havlicek Samantha J. , Kabakov Sabrina , Mitzey Ann M. , Antony Kathleen M. , Ausderau Karla K. , Mejia Andres , Basu Puja , Simmons Heather A. , Eickhoff Jens C. , Aliota Matthew T. , Mohr Emma L. , Friedrich Thomas C. , Golos Thaddeus G. , O’Connor David H. , Dudley Dawn M.
Published: August 2022

Countermeasures against Zika virus (ZIKV), including vaccines, are frequently tested in nonhuman primates (NHP). Macaque models are important for understanding how ZIKV infections impact human pregnancy due to similarities in placental development. The lack of consistent adverse pregnancy outcomes in ZIKV-affected pregnancies poses a challenge in macaque studies where group sizes are often small (4–8 animals). Studies in small animal models suggest that African-lineage Zika viruses can cause more frequent and severe fetal outcomes. No adverse outcomes were observed in macaques exposed to 1x104 PFU (low dose) of African-lineage ZIKV at gestational day (GD) 45. Here, we exposed eight pregnant rhesus macaques to 1x108 PFU (high dose) of African-lineage ZIKV at GD 45 to test the hypothesis that adverse pregnancy outcomes are dose-dependent. Three of eight pregnancies ended prematurely with fetal death. ZIKV was detected in both fetal and placental tissues from all cases of early fetal loss. Further refinements of this exposure system (e.g., varying the dose and timing of infection) could lead to an even more consistent, unambiguous fetal loss phenotype for assessing ZIKV countermeasures in pregnancy. These data demonstrate that high-dose exposure to African-lineage ZIKV causes pregnancy loss in macaques and also suggest that ZIKV-induced first trimester pregnancy loss could be strain-specific.
Single-cell RNA sequencing of Plasmodium vivax sporozoites reveals stage- and species-specific transcriptomic signatures
Authors: Ruberto Anthony A. , Bourke Caitlin , Vantaux Amélie , Maher Steven P. , Jex Aaron , Witkowski Benoit , Snounou Georges , Mueller Ivo
Published: August 2022

Background

Plasmodium vivax sporozoites reside in the salivary glands of a mosquito before infecting a human host and causing malaria. Previous transcriptome-wide studies in populations of these parasite forms were limited in their ability to elucidate cell-to-cell variation, thereby masking cellular states potentially important in understanding malaria transmission outcomes.

Methodology/Principal findings

In this study, we performed transcription profiling on 9,947 P. vivax sporozoites to assess the extent to which they differ at single-cell resolution. We show that sporozoites residing in the mosquito’s salivary glands exist in distinct developmental states, as defined by their transcriptomic signatures. Additionally, relative to P. falciparum, P. vivax displays overlapping and unique gene usage patterns, highlighting conserved and species-specific gene programs. Notably, distinguishing P. vivax from P. falciparum were a subset of P. vivax sporozoites expressing genes associated with translational regulation and repression. Finally, our comparison of single-cell transcriptomic data from P. vivax sporozoite and erythrocytic forms reveals gene usage patterns unique to sporozoites.

Conclusions/Significance

In defining the transcriptomic signatures of individual P. vivax sporozoites, our work provides new insights into the factors driving their developmental trajectory and lays the groundwork for a more comprehensive P. vivax cell atlas.
Can rising labor costs boost private sector R&D investment? : Evidence from a survey of Chinese private firms
Authors: Deng Chuyao , Liu Yang , Gu Doudou
Published: August 2022

This paper constructs a double difference model (DID) based on the China Private Enterprise Survey (CPES) data over the period 1995–2019, combined with the 2005 national census data and considering the policy shock of the implementation of the Chinese government’s Minimum Wage Regulation in March 2004, to investigate whether rising labor costs promote private firms’ innovation investment. Robustness tests are conducted using placebo tests and event study methods. The study finds that (1) rising labor costs significantly increase private firms’ R&D investment and that this effect has significant lag and cumulative effects; (2) private industrial firms (especially above-scale private industrial firms) are more affected by rising labor costs than other private firms and have more incentives to increase innovation investment; and (3) innovation investment of below-scale private industrial firms is not significantly affected by rising labor costs.
A shallow deep learning approach to classify skin cancer using down-scaling method to minimize time and space complexity
Authors: Montaha Sidratul , Azam Sami , Rafid A. K. M. Rakibul Haque , Islam Sayma , Ghosh Pronab , Jonkman Mirjam
Published: August 2022

The complex feature characteristics and low contrast of cancer lesions, a high degree of inter-class resemblance between malignant and benign lesions, and the presence of various artifacts including hairs make automated melanoma recognition in dermoscopy images quite challenging. To date, various computer-aided solutions have been proposed to identify and classify skin cancer. In this paper, a deep learning model with a shallow architecture is proposed to classify the lesions into benign and malignant. To achieve effective training while limiting overfitting problems due to limited training data, image preprocessing and data augmentation processes are introduced. After this, the ‘box blur’ down-scaling method is employed, which adds efficiency to our study by reducing the overall training time and space complexity significantly. Our proposed shallow convolutional neural network (SCNN_12) model is trained and evaluated on the Kaggle skin cancer data ISIC archive which was augmented to 16485 images by implementing different augmentation techniques. The model was able to achieve an accuracy of 98.87% with optimizer Adam and a learning rate of 0.001. In this regard, parameter and hyper-parameters of the model are determined by performing ablation studies. To assert no occurrence of overfitting, experiments are carried out exploring k-fold cross-validation and different dataset split ratios. Furthermore, to affirm the robustness the model is evaluated on noisy data to examine the performance when the image quality gets corrupted.This research corroborates that effective training for medical image analysis, addressing training time and space complexity, is possible even with a lightweighted network using a limited amount of training data.
Targeting lipid biosynthesis pathways for hepatitis B virus cure
Authors: Hyrina Anastasia , Burdette Dara , Song Zhijuan , Ramirez Ricardo , Okesli-Armlovich Ayse , Vijayakumar Archana , Bates Jamie , Trevaskis James L. , Fletcher Simon P. , Lee William A. , Holdorf Meghan M.
Published: August 2022

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by the presence of high circulating levels of non-infectious lipoprotein-like HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) particles thought to contribute to chronic immune dysfunction in patients. Lipid and metabolomic analysis of humanized livers from immunodeficient chimeric mice (uPA/SCID) revealed that HBV infection dysregulates several lipid metabolic pathways. Small molecule inhibitors of lipid biosynthetic pathway enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase, and subtilisin kexin isozyme-1/site-1 protease in HBV-infected HepG2-NTCP cells demonstrated potent and selective reduction of extracellular HBsAg. However, a liver-targeted ACC inhibitor did not show antiviral activity in HBV-infected liver chimeric mice, despite evidence of on-target engagement. Our study suggests that while HBsAg production may be dependent on hepatic de novo lipogenesis in vitro, this may be overcome by extrahepatic sources (such as lipolysis or diet) in vivo. Thus, a combination of agents targeting more than one lipid metabolic pathway may be necessary to reduce HBsAg levels in patients with chronic HBV infection.
Psychometric properties of the item-reduced version of the comprehensive general parenting questionnaire for caregivers of preschoolers in a Finnish context
Authors: Ray Carola , van der Borgh-Sleddens Ester , Augusta de Oliveira Figueiredo Rejane , Gubbels Jessica , Bjelland Mona , Roos Eva
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Many instruments for assessing general parenting have been reported as burdensome and are thus seldom used in studies exploring children’s energy balance-related behaviors or weight. This study evaluates the factorial structure of the item-reduced version of the Comprehensive General Parenting Questionnaire (CGPQ), which assesses five constructs of general parenting.

Methods

The study uses data from two cross-sectional studies: Study 1 in 2014 (n = 173) and Study 2 in 2015–16 (n = 805). Parents of children aged three to six answered the CGPQ; in Study 1 the 69-item version, and in Study 2 the 29-item version. The reduction was based on the results of the confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in Study 1. In both datasets, internal consistency, as Cronbach’s alphas and intraclass correlations between the items of each construct, was tested. A combined assessment of the CFA and items response theory evaluated the construct validity and the item importance for the 29-item version, and a further the reduced 22-item version.

Results

In Study 1, the highest Cronbach’s alphas were shown for the five constructs in the 69-item version. A higher intraclass correlation was found between the constructs in the 69- and 29-item versions, than between the 69- and the 22-item version. However, a high concordance was found between the constructs in the 29- and 22-item versions in both Study 1 and in Study 2 (0.76–1.00). Testing the goodness-of-fit of the CFA models revealed that the 22-item model fulfilled all the criteria, showing that it had a better factorial structure than the 29-item model. Standard estimations ranged from 0.20 to 0.76 in the 22-item version.

Conclusion

The reduced 22- and 29-item versions of the 69-item CGPQ showed good model fit, the 22-item version the better of the two. These short versions can be used to assess general parenting without overburdening the respondents.
Setup uncertainties and appropriate setup margins in the head-tilted supine position of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT)
Authors: Park Jae Won , Yea Ji Woon , Park Jaehyeon , Oh Se An
Published: August 2022

Various applications of head-tilting techniques in whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) have been introduced. However, a study on the setup uncertainties and margins in head-tilting techniques has not been reported. This study evaluated the setup uncertainties and determined the appropriate planning target volume (PTV) margins for patients treated in the head-tilted supine (ht-SP) and conventional supine position (c-SP) in WBRT. Thirty patients who received WBRT at our institution between October 2020 and May 2021 in the c-SP and ht-SP were investigated. The DUON head mask (60124, Orfit Industries, Wijnegem, Belgium) was used in the c-SP, and a thermoplastic U-Frame Mask (R420U, Klarity Medical & Equipment Co. Ltd., Lan Yu, China) was used in the ht-SP. Daily setup verification using planning computed tomography (CT) and cone-beam CT was corrected for translational (lateral, longitudinal, and vertical) and rotational (yaw) errors. In the c-SP, the means of systematic errors were -0.80, 0.79, and 0.37 mm and random errors were 0.27, 0.54, and 0.39 mm in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical translational dimensions, respectively. Whereas, for the ht-SP, the means of systematic errors were -0.07, 0.73, and -0.63 mm, and random errors were 0.75, 1.39, 1.02 mm in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical translational dimensions, respectively. The PTV margins were calculated using Stroom et al.’s [2Σ+0.7σ] and van Herk et al.’s recipe [2.5Σ+0.7σ]. Appropriate PTV margins with van Herk et al.’s recipe in WBRT were <2 mm and 1.5° in the c-SP and <3 mm and 2° in the ht-SP in the translational and rotational directions, respectively. Although the head tilt in the supine position requires more margin, it can be applied as a sufficiently stable and effective position in radiotherapy.