bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mothers and fathers with intellectual and developmental disabilities who use US disability services: prevalence and living arrangements
Authors: Stancliffe R. J. , Pettingell S. L. , Tichá R. , Houseworth J.
Published: December 2021

Background

Little information is available on the prevalence of mothers and fathers with intellectual and developmental disabilities among US disability‐service users. Child removal is a key issue for these parents.

Methods

We analysed 2018–19 National Core Indicators data from 35 states on US adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities being a parent. For parents of a child under 18, we examined whether the child lived with them.

Results

Prevalence of parenthood was 3.7% (6.0% women, 2.1% men). Among parents of a child under 18, 44.0% had their child living with them. Being a mother, being married and living with family were positively associated with child co‐residence. Parents with co‐resident children mainly lived in their own home (59.7%) or their family's home (32.3%).

Conclusions

Our prevalence estimate suggests a national total of 33 794 US parents who use intellectual and developmental disabilities services. For parents living with their child, a critical task for disability services is to enable parents and children to live in a family setting.
A randomized controlled study: The effect of preprocedurals ınformative animation watch about echocardiography and ıntraprocedural kaleidoscope watch on anxiety in children
Authors: Molu Birsel , Açıkgöz Ayfer
Published: December 2021

Aim

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled study to investigate the effect of procedural cartoons displayed before echocardiography and kaleidoscope display during the procedure on anxiety in children aged 5–12 years.

Methods

The study was completed with 164 children aged 5–12 years who were admitted for echocardiography. The study was conducted with four groups: cartoons group, kaleidoscope group, cartoons + kaleidoscope group, and control group. Data were collected using a follow‐up form and the Children's Fear Scale.

Results

The results showed that the cartoons, kaleidoscope, and cartoons + kaleidoscope groups had lower anxiety scores during the procedure than during the preprocedural period (p < .001). In the control group, there was no significant difference between anxiety scores before the procedure and during the procedure (p > .05).

Conclusion

The present study concluded that cartoon display for preparing children aged 5–12 years or distracting them during the procedure using a kaleidoscope was effective in reducing their anxiety.
Impact of COVID‐19 on cervical cancer screening in Japan: A survey of population‐based screening in urban Japan by the Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology
Authors: Nogami Yuya , Makabe Takeshi , Komatsu Hiroaki , Kawana Kei , Okamoto Aikou , Mikami Mikio , Katabuchi Hidetaka ,   The COVID‐19 Task Force of the Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology
Published: December 2021

Aim

To assess the impact of COVID‐19 on cervical cancer screening.

Method

The Japanese Society of Gynecologic Oncology launched COVID‐19 Task Force surveyed the municipalities in urban areas of Japan. Questionnaires were sent to 20 ordinance‐designated cities and 23 wards of Tokyo metropolitan area in Japan via telephone and mail in January 2021. An additional survey was conducted in March and April 2021, counted the monthly checkups in 2020 and, as a control data, the number of monthly checkups in 2019. “The State of Emergency” between April 7 and May 25, 2020, included 13 prefectures. The data collected in this research involved the number of screenings only. The chi‐square test was performed for statistical analysis.

Results

The number of cancer screenings from March to August, with May being the month with the lowest number of screenings, was less than 50% of that in the previous year. In particular, the drop in the number of cancer screenings in the “Prefectures operating under special safety precautions” was remarkable and significantly lower than that in other Prefectures. However, after August, the number recovered to the usual level, despite the second wave of the pandemic occurring nationwide. The initial “the State of Emergency” caused a significant decrease in the number of people receiving population‐based screenings, but the recovery has been remarkable, and the total number is expected to be the same as in previous years.

Conclusion

The initial “the State of Emergency” caused a significant decrease in the number of people receiving population‐based screenings.
Embracing Race, Resisting Oppression: African American Parents as Experienced Guides for Navigating Racial Oppression
Authors: Smith Naila A. , McDonald Ashley , Wei Wei , Johnson Shadane A. , Adeji Dzifa , Witherspoon Dawn P.
Published: December 2021

This study examined how discrimination experiences, beliefs, and coping in middle adolescence contributed to heterogeneity in African American parent–adolescent relationship (PAR) profiles three years later. Data were from the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study in which 589 African American caregivers (92% female; Mage = 39.15, SD = 6.72; range = 27–74 years old) were interviewed when youth were in 8th and 11th grades. We used previously identified profiles of ethnic‐racial socialization, general parenting practices, and relationship quality: No‐nonsense High Socializers, Indulgent Average Socializers, Unengaged Silent Socializers, and Authoritative Cultural Socializers. Results indicated that parents’ discrimination experiences, racial coping self‐efficacy, and racial coping socialization when youth were in the 8th grade predicted membership in PAR profiles three years later controlling for youth gender, parent marital status, and family socioeconomic status.
Influence of fresh pineapple intake on human taste detection and recognition thresholds of basic taste stimulants
Authors: Romli Siti Rashima , Murad Maizura
Published: December 2021

This study aims to determine the effects of different pineapple maturity indices on the human taste and recognition threshold. Sensitivity levels of the subject's taste buds on four basic tastes, sweet, salty, sour, and bitter, were observed before, after they had ingested 50 g and up to 100 g of pineapple at maturity indices 3–7. Consumption of pineapple as low as 50 g had a significant (p < .02) influence on the sweet and bitter taste thresholds. The sensitivity of sweetness decreased (p < .02) after 50 g of pineapple intake at all maturation indices. However, the sensitivity of bitter taste was enhanced significantly after pineapple intake of 50 g at maturation indices 3 and 4. Pineapple intake at lower maturity indices had significantly influenced sweet and bitter taste thresholds that could impact food perception.

Practical Applications

The manuscript brings a contribution to the field of food sensory evaluation and consumer studies. It reveals that while enjoying eating fresh pineapple, bromelain may affect taste receptors, influencing taste sensitivity, which could be a factor in determining food quality. The finding could be used as a guideline for exclusion criteria for the panelist selection or screening involved in the sensory evaluation.
Plasminogen gene polymorphisms [c.924C>T and IVS 8+14 G>A] in periodontitis and familial Mediterranean fever: A case‐control study
Authors: Fentoğlu Özlem , Tülüceoğlu Eda Evgen , Orhan Hikmet
Published: December 2021

Background and objective

The plasminogen (PLG) activation system plays an essential role in severe inflammation based diseases such as periodontitis, destructive membranous periodontal disease (ligneous periodontitis), familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), and amyloidosis. We have aimed to evaluate variations in PLG and the associations between PLG and MEFV genotypes in patients with FMF/ FMF‐related secondary amyloidosis and periodontitis.

Material and methods

A total of 247 individuals who were either diagnosed with FMF or systemically healthy were recruited to this human observational study with a cross‐sectional design. All individuals were also diagnosed with periodontitis or periodontally healthy. Blood samples were obtained from patients with FMF and systemically healthy controls. Clinical periodontal indicators were recorded. All polymorphisms located in exons 6 and 8 of PLG and mutations located on exons 2 and 10 of the MEFV gene were analyzed by DNA Sanger Sequencing. Genotypes and allele frequencies of PLG and MEFV were detected and tested by the Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium. Serum levels of amyloid A (SAA), high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), PLG, and salivary PLG levels were determined by using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

Two polymorphisms were identified in PLG: G to A polymorphism on the 14th nucleotide of intron 8 and C to T polymorphism on the 924th nucleotide of the coding region (IVS 8+14 G>A and c.924C>T, respectively). In IVS 8+14 G>A polymorphisms, wild‐type genotype: GG, heterozygote genotype: GA and homozygote genotype: AA. In c.924C>T polymorphism, wild‐type genotype: CC, heterozygote genotype: CT and homozygote genotype: TT. The frequency of the heterozygous polymorphisms of PLG was significantly increased (17.6%) in FMF patients with periodontitis (p = .027). A large proportion of the test group that was heterozygous for MEFV‐R202Q also had heterozygous PLG polymorphisms. Remarkable exacerbation in periodontal parameters was observed in patients with FMF and amyloidosis. SAA and hs‐CRP levels were significantly correlated with salivary PLG levels in patients with periodontitis and heterozygous PLG.

Conclusions

The current study describes IVS 8+14 G>A (rs2295368) and c.924C>T (rs1380916375) polymorphisms for the first time in the periodontal literature, which might play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, FMF, or amyloidosis. The elucidation of PLG polymorphisms is beneficial from a public health perspective by increasing the quality of life in these patients and reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with inflammatory diseases such as periodontal disease, FMF, and FMF‐related amyloidosis.
Genomic and phenotypic analysis of SspH1 identifies a new Salmonella effector, SspH3
Authors: Herod Adrian , Emond‐Rheault Jean‐Guillaume , Tamber Sandeep , Goodridge Lawrence , Lévesque Roger C. , Rohde John
Published: December 2021

Salmonella is a major foodborne pathogen and is responsible for a range of diseases. Not all Salmonella contributes to severe health outcomes as there is a large degree of genetic heterogeneity among the 2,600 serovars within the genus. This variability across Salmonella serovars is linked to numerous genetic elements that dictate virulence. While several genetic elements encode virulence factors with well‐documented contributions to pathogenesis, many genetic elements implicated in Salmonella virulence remain uncharacterized. Many pathogens encode a family of E3 ubiquitin ligases that are delivered into the cells that they infect using a Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS). These effectors, known as NEL‐domain E3s, were first characterized in Salmonella. Most Salmonella encodes the NEL‐effectors sspH2 and slrP, whereas only a subset of Salmonella encodes sspH1. SspH1 has been shown to ubiquitinate the mammalian protein kinase PKN1, which has been reported to negatively regulate the pro‐survival program Akt. We discovered that SspH1 mediates the degradation of PKN1 during infection of a macrophage cell line but that this degradation does not impact Akt signaling. Genomic analysis of a large collection of Salmonella genomes identified a putative new gene, sspH3, with homology to sspH1. SspH3 is a novel NEL‐domain effector.
Acetyl‐coenzyme A carboxylase beta gene polymorphism does not predict cardiovascular risk susceptibility in Chinese type 2 diabetic individuals
Authors: Chan Gary C. W. , Zhi Helen , Hicks Pamela J. , Freedman Barry I. , Tang Sydney C. W.
Published: December 2021

Aim

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with significant cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. A single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the acetyl‐coenzyme A carboxylase beta (ACACB) gene, rs2268388, reproducibly associates with diabetic nephropathy (DN). ACACB regulates fatty‐acid oxidation. As such, we assessed whether ACACB SNP rs2268388 was associated with CV disease in Chinese individuals with T2D.

Methods

Chinese individuals with T2D were genotyped for SNP rs2268388. Baseline demographics were recorded and clinical data regarding coronary, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease and congestive heart failure were retrieved from electronic patient records. Statistical analyses were performed to detect associations between the rs2268388 T risk allele with CV outcomes in the cohort.

Results

A total of 596 Chinese individuals with T2D were genotyped. Their mean age was 66.8 ± 10.9 years at the time of data extraction. Genotyping revealed 59.7%, 33.2% and 7.1% of the study population were non‐carriers, heterozygous and homozygous carriers of the rs2268388 T risk allele in ACACB. No statistically significant correlations of the risk allele were observed with CV outcomes.

Conclusion

These results did not demonstrate association between rs2268388 SNP in ACACB with CV outcomes in Chinese T2D patients. The ACACB gene and its role in CV risk susceptibility, via alterations in fatty acid oxidation, remains an interesting postulate and studies with larger cohort sizes and in different ethnic groups remain warranted.
May the dark be with roots: a perspective on how root illumination may bias in vitro research on plant–environment interactions
Authors: Cabrera Javier , Conesa Carlos M. , del Pozo Juan C.
Published: December 2021

Roots anchor plants to the soil, providing them with nutrients and water while creating a defence network and facilitating beneficial interactions with a multitude of living organisms and climatological conditions. To facilitate morphological and molecular studies, root research has been conducted using in vitro systems. However, under natural conditions, roots grow in the dark, mainly in the absence of illumination, except for the relatively low illumination of the upper soil surface, and this has been largely ignored. Here, we discuss the results found over the last decade on how experimental exposure of roots to light may bias root development and responses through the alteration of hormonal signalling, cytoskeleton organization, reactive oxygen species or the accumulation of flavonoids, among other factors. Illumination alters the uptake of nutrients or water, and also affects the response of the roots to abiotic stresses and root interactions with the microbiota. Furthermore, we review in vitro systems created to maintain roots in darkness, and provide a comparative analysis of root transcriptomes obtained with these devices. Finally, we identify other experimental variables that should be considered to better mimic soil conditions, whose improvement would benefit studies using in vitro cultivation or enclosed ecosystems.
Why body size matters: how larger fish ontogeny shapes ecological network topology
Authors: Bodner Korryn , Brimacombe Chris , Fortin Marie‐Josée , Molnár Péter K.
Published: December 2021

Ontogenetic development can strongly shape species interactions. Yet, rarely is stage‐structure considered when analyzing species interaction networks, particularly networks that can account for more than feeding relationships. Here, we assess 1) if body size or trophic level regulate the importance of species' ontogeny on their interactions and 2) how including relevant stage‐structure affects the topology of species interaction networks. We use a count‐based inferential method to create networks from adult and juvenile fish count data and test stage‐structure importance by comparing a model that includes stage‐structure for all species against models that include stage‐structure only for larger fishes and only for piscivorous fishes during network construction. While the inferential method we use cannot differentiate between different types of interactions, it can account for different interaction types within a network as a pairwise interaction is inferred when one species influences the abundance of another. Next, we use graphlet‐based techniques to test if including stage‐structure alters overall network topology and a linear model to measure if adult‐juvenile size differences drive interaction differences at a species‐level. We find that the model that includes stage‐structure only for larger fishes outperforms other stage‐structured models including the model with only piscivore stage‐structure, and that larger differences in body size among juveniles and adults lead to greater interaction dissimilarities. Moreover, we find topological differences between inferred networks that only include adults and those that account for the stage‐structure of larger species. Overall, our study demonstrates how stage‐structured topological changes can be measured using inferred interaction networks and illustrates how larger species' juveniles fundamentally shape the structure of stream fish communities.
The Reinforced Ma–Griffith Method Combined with Minimally Invasive Small‐Incision Suture for Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture
Authors: Yu Hao , Wang Fangyuan , Xie Jia , Yao Yunfeng , Jing Juehua , Li Jun
Published: December 2021

Objective

To evaluate the treatment effects of the reinforced Ma‐Griffith method combined with a minimally invasive small incision(M‐G/MISI) in the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture.

Methods

From January 2012 to January 2020, a retrospective study was carried out on thirty‐one patients with acute Achilles tendon ruptures that were treated using the M‐G/MISI. Patient with acute Achilles tendon rupture was operated on in the prone position. The M‐G/MISI begin with making a small incision to debride the stumps of ruptured tendon. Then M‐G/MISI was used to suture the distal and proximal Achilles tendons with the help of a epidural puncture needle and polydioxanone synthetic absorbable suture (PDS) Ⅱ line. Finally the stumps of ruptured tendon was reattached. After the surgery, the affected limb was fixed with either a plaster slab below the knee brace or a functional brace. Removal of plaster external fixation and partial weight‐bearing with crutches five weeks after the operation; Complete weight‐bearing nine weeks after the operation; jogging permitted 12 weeks after the operation; Patients were allowed to resume normal activities six months after the operation.

Results

All 31 patients in this study were male. Nineteen of these patients had Achilles tendon rupture on the right lower extremity, while 12 had ruptures on the left lower extremity. The patients had a mean age of 33.35 ± 7.13 years (range, 18‐52 years). The mean operation time was 79.58 ± 22.67 minutes (range, 40‐167 minutes). The mean time from injury to operation was 4.19 ± 2.01 days (range, 1‐8 days), and the mean hospital stay was 9.87 ± 3.88 days (range, 5‐22 days). The new technique had a small incision with a mean length of 3.94 ± 1.82 cm (range, 2‐6 cm). The mean intraoperative blood loss was 16.77 ± 13.76 mL (range, 10‐50 mL) and the mean follow‐up time was 21.35 ± 10.18 months (range, 6‐50 months). No wound infection, fistula, skin necrosis, sural nerve damage, deep venous thrombosis or tendon re‐rupture was found. One year after the surgery, all patients reported 97.00 (range, 93‐100 points) AOFAS ankle‐hindfoot score points and the mean ATRS was 97.39 (range, 91‐100) points.

Conclusion

The reinforced Ma‐Griffith method, combined with a minimally invasive small incision suture, is a simple, effective, minimally invasive technique and low‐cost surgical method for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture.
Reasons, normativity, and value in aesthetics
Authors: King Alex
Published: December 2021

Discussions of aesthetic reasons and normativity are becoming increasingly popular. This piece outlines six basic questions about aesthetic reasons, normativity, and value and discusses the space of possible answers to these questions. I divide the terrain into two groups of three questions each. First are questions about the shape of aesthetic reasons: what they favour, how strong they are, and where they come from. Second are relational questions about how aesthetic reasons fit into the wider normative landscape: whether they are distinctive, what their normative status is, and how they interact with each other and with non‐aesthetic reasons. This piece aims to provide a taxonomy to clarify and organise the burgeoning literature and to make a few concrete suggestions for avenues of future research.
How can a care manager at the primary care centre support foreign‐born female patients suffering from common mental disorders? – An interview study
Authors: Nejati Shabnam , Svenningsson Irene , Björkelund Cecilia , Hange Dominique
Published: December 2021

Background

Difficulty in communicating can lead to stressful situations both for foreign‐born female patients suffering from common mental disorders (CMDs) and for the health care professionals.

Aim

The aim of the study was to explore how foreign‐born female patients with CMDs experienced their health care encounters and how they perceived a care manager could be a support during their illness, as well as to explore the care managers' perceptions and experiences concerning this group.

Methods

A qualitative method with semi‐structured interview was chosen. The data were analysed with systematic text condensation. The study was conducted in primary care in western Sweden. Eight Persian‐speaking female patients were recruited by the snowball method and participated in the study. Furthermore, nine care managers participated.

Results

Foreign‐born female patients felt shame and anxiety because of language difficulties, interpreter presence, mental illness, and feelings of dependency. The care managers and the patients felt that physical meetings, access to translated assessment scales and female telephone interpreters, and early and continuous contact and access to health care personnel with a similar cultural background could facilitate communication.

Conclusion

In order to facilitate mutual understanding and knowledge, accessibility and continuity of health care are needed to enable foreign‐born female patients with CMD to support their own health development. Female interpreters, telephone interpreting, translated scales, and telephone contacts combined with face‐to‐face visits could facilitate communication.
Model Regeneration Scheme Using a Deep Learning Algorithm for Reliable Uncertainty Quantification of Channel Reservoirs
Authors: Lee Youjun , Kang Byeongcheol , Kim Joonyi , Choe Jonggeun
Published: December 2021

Reservoir characterization is one of the essential procedures for decision makings. However, conventional inversion methods of history matching have several inevitable issues of losing geological information and poor performances, when it is applied to channel reservoirs. Therefore, we propose a model regeneration scheme for reliable uncertainty quantification of channel reservoirs without conventional model inversion methods. The proposed method consists of three parts: feature extraction, model selection, and model generation. In the feature extraction part, drainage area localization and discrete cosine transform are adopted for channel feature extraction in near-wellbore area. In the model selection part, K-means clustering and an ensemble ranking method are utilized to select models that have similar characteristics to a true reservoir. In the last part, deep convolutional generative adversarial networks (DCGAN) and transfer learning are applied to generate new models similar to the selected models. After the generation, we repeat the model selection process to select final models from the selected and the generated models. We utilize these final models to quantify uncertainty of a channel reservoir by predicting their future productions. After applying the proposed scheme to three different channel fields, it provides reliable models for production forecasts with reduced uncertainty. The analyses show that the scheme can effectively characterize channel features and increase a probability of existence of models similar to a true model.
Design and Feasibility Study of Biomass-Driven Combined Heat and Power Systems for Rural Communities
Authors: Schicker Philippe C. , Spayde Dustin , Cho Heejin
Published: December 2021

Meeting energy demands at crucial times can often be jeopardized by an unreliable power supply from the grid. Local, onsite power generation, such as combined heat and power (CHP) systems, may safeguard against grid fluctuations and outages. CHP systems can provide a more reliable and resilient energy supply to buildings and communities while it can also provide energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable solutions compared to centralized power systems. With a recent increased focus on biomass as an alternative fuel source, biomass-driven CHP systems have been recognized as a potential technology to bring increased efficiency of fuel utilization and environmentally sustainable solutions. Biomass as an energy source is already created through agricultural and forestry by-products and may thus be efficient and convenient to be transported to remote rural communities. This paper presents a design and feasibility analysis of biomass-driven CHP systems for rural communities. The viability of wood pellets as a suitable fuel source is explored by comparing it to a conventional grid-connected system. To measure viability, three performance parameters—operational cost (OC), primary energy consumption (PEC), and carbon dioxide emission (CDE)—are considered in the analysis. The results demonstrate that under the right conditions wood pellet-fueled CHP systems create economic and environmental advantages over traditional systems. The main factors in increasing the viability of biomass-driven CHP (bCHP) systems are the appropriate sizing and operational strategies of the system and the purchase price of biomass with respect to the price of traditional fuels.
Analytical Investigation of Roller Skew and Tilt in a Spherical Roller Bearing
Authors: Shafiee Abbas , Russell Thomas , Sadeghi Farshid , Wilmer Matthew G.
Published: December 2021

The objective of this investigation was to analytically investigate the performance of a spherical roller bearing (SRB) operating under various loading and speed combinations. In order to achieve the objective, a full six degrees-of-freedom SRB dynamic model was developed. The model was corroborated with results in the open literature. An adaptive slicing method was developed to optimize the accuracy and computational effort of the roller force, skew, and tilt calculations. A comprehensive roller–race contact analysis in terms of slip velocity and contact area was then carried out to identify how bearing load and inner race (IR) speed variations change slip velocity and skew at the roller–race contact. The results from this investigation demonstrate that roller skew increases with IR speed, while the roller tilt remains relatively constant. The IR speed and roller slip velocity correlate well, which causes the traction force to increase and therefore produce greater skew. Skew and tilt angles also increase with applied axial load. However, at a certain load, the skew angle begins to decrease.
Physics in James Joyce’s Ulysses
Authors: Manos Harry
Published: December 2021

Ulysses by James Joyce (1882–1941) has a surprising amount of 19th-century, classical physics. The physics community is familiar with the name James Joyce mainly through the word “quark” (onomatopoeic for the sound of a duck or seagull), which Murray Gell-Mann (1929-2019 – Physics Nobel Prize 1969) sourced from Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. Ulysses, however, was ranked number one in 1998 on the Modern Library “100 Best Novels” list and is, in whole or in part, in the literature curriculum in university English departments worldwide. The fact that Ulysses contains so much classical physics should not be surprising. Joyce’s friend Eugene Jolas observed: “the range of subjects he [Joyce] enjoyed discussing was a wide one … [including] certain sciences, particularly physics, geometry, and mathematics.” Knowing physics can enhance everyone’s understanding of this novel and enrich its entertainment value. Ulysses exemplifies what physics students (science and non-science majors) and physics teachers should realize, namely, physics and literature are not mutually exclusive.
Comparison of Health Care Expenditures Among U.S. Older Adults With Pain Who Reported Frequent Exercise Versus Nonfrequent Exercise
Authors: Axon David R. , Chien Jonathan , Dinh Hanh
Published: December 2021

This cross-sectional study included a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged ≥50 years with self-reported pain in the past 4 weeks from the 2018 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Adjusted linear regression analyses accounted for the complex survey design and assessed differences in several types of annual health care expenditures between individuals who reported frequent exercise (≥30 min of moderate–vigorous intensity physical activity ≥5 times per week) and those who did not. Approximately 23,940,144 of 56,979,267 older U.S. adults with pain reported frequent exercise. In adjusted analyses, individuals who reported frequent exercise had 15% lower annual prescription medication expenditures compared with those who did not report frequent exercise (p = .007). There were no statistical differences between frequent exercise status for other health care expenditure types (p > .05). In conclusion, adjusted annual prescription medication expenditures were 15% lower among older U.S. adults with pain who reported frequent exercise versus those who did not.
A Review of the Relationships Between Knee Pain and Movement Neuromechanics
Authors: Seeley Matthew K. , Lee Hyunwook , Son S. Jun , Timmerman Mattie , Lindsay Mariah , Hopkins J. Ty
Published: December 2021

Context: Knee injury and disease are common, debilitating, and expensive. Pain is a chief symptom of knee injury and disease and likely contributes to arthrogenic muscle inhibition. Joint pain alters isolated motor function, muscular strength, and movement biomechanics. Because knee pain influences biomechanics, it likely also influences long-term knee joint health. Objective: The purpose of this article is 2-fold: (1) review effects of knee pain on lower-extremity muscular activation and corresponding biomechanics and (2) consider potential implications of neuromechanical alterations associated with knee pain for long-term knee joint health. Experimental knee pain is emphasized because it has been used to mimic clinical knee pain and clarify independent effects of knee pain. Three common sources of clinical knee pain are also discussed: patellofemoral pain, anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction, and knee osteoarthritis. Data Sources: The PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched for articles relating to the purpose of this article. Conclusion: Researchers have consistently reported that knee pain alters neuromuscular activation, often in the form of inhibition that likely occurs via voluntary and involuntary neural pathways. The effects of knee pain on quadriceps activation have been studied extensively. Knee pain decreases voluntary and involuntary quadriceps activation and strength and alters the biomechanics of various movement tasks. If allowed to persist, these neuromechanical alterations might change the response of articular cartilage to joint loads during movement and detrimentally affect long-term knee joint health. Physical rehabilitation professionals should consider neuromechanical effects of knee pain when treating knee injury and disease. Resolution of joint pain can likely help to restore normal movement neuromechanics and potentially improve long-term knee joint health and should be a top priority.
Dietary fiber and probiotics influence the gut microbiome and melanoma immunotherapy response
Authors: Spencer Christine N. , McQuade Jennifer L. , Gopalakrishnan Vancheswaran , McCulloch John A. , Vetizou Marie , Cogdill Alexandria P. , Khan Md A. Wadud , Zhang Xiaotao , White Michael G. , Peterson Christine B. , Wong Matthew C. , Morad Golnaz , Rodgers Theresa , Badger Jonathan H. , Helmink Beth A. , Andrews Miles C. , Rodrigues Richard R. , Morgun Andrey , Kim Young S. , Roszik Jason , Hoffman Kristi L. , Zheng Jiali , Zhou Yifan , Medik Yusra B. , Kahn Laura M. , Johnson Sarah , Hudgens Courtney W. , Wani Khalida , Gaudreau Pierre-Olivier , Harris Angela L. , Jamal Mohamed A. , Baruch Erez N. , Perez-Guijarro Eva , Day Chi-Ping , Merlino Glenn , Pazdrak Barbara , Lochmann Brooke S. , Szczepaniak-Sloane Robert A. , Arora Reetakshi , Anderson Jaime , Zobniw Chrystia M. , Posada Eliza , Sirmans Elizabeth , Simon Julie , Haydu Lauren E. , Burton Elizabeth M. , Wang Linghua , Dang Minghao , Clise-Dwyer Karen , Schneider Sarah , Chapman Thomas , Anang Nana-Ama A. S. , Duncan Sheila , Toker Joseph , Malke Jared C. , Glitza Isabella C. , Amaria Rodabe N. , Tawbi Hussein A. , Diab Adi , Wong Michael K. , Patel Sapna P. , Woodman Scott E. , Davies Michael A. , Ross Merrick I. , Gershenwald Jeffrey E. , Lee Jeffrey E. , Hwu Patrick , Jensen Vanessa , Samuels Yardena , Straussman Ravid , Ajami Nadim J. , Nelson Kelly C. , Nezi Luigi , Petrosino Joseph F. , Futreal P. Andrew , Lazar Alexander J. , Hu Jianhua , Jenq Robert R. , Tetzlaff Michael T. , Yan Yan , Garrett Wendy S. , Huttenhower Curtis , Sharma Padmanee , Watowich Stephanie S. , Allison James P. , Cohen Lorenzo , Trinchieri Giorgio , Daniel Carrie R. , Wargo Jennifer A.
Published: December 2021

Another benefit of dietary fiber

The gut microbiome can modulate the immune system and influence the therapeutic response of cancer patients, yet the mechanisms underlying the effects of microbiota are presently unclear. Spencer
et al
. add to our understanding of how dietary habits affect microbiota and clinical outcomes to immunotherapy. In an observational study, the researchers found that melanoma patients reporting high fiber (prebiotic) consumption had a better response to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy compared with those patients reporting a low-fiber diet. The most marked benefit was observed for those patients reporting a combination of high fiber consumption and no use of over-the-counter probiotic supplements. These findings provide early insights as to how diet-related factors may influence the immune response. —PNK
A stable aluminosilicate zeolite with intersecting three-dimensional extra-large pores
Authors: Lin Qing-Fang , Gao Zihao Rei , Lin Cong , Zhang Siyao , Chen Junfeng , Li Zhiqiang , Liu Xiaolong , Fan Wei , Li Jian , Chen Xiaobo , Camblor Miguel A. , Chen Fei-Jian
Published: December 2021

Extra-large and intersecting pores

Thermally stable zeolites with large pores, such as zeolite Y with 12-membered rings, are used for converting large molecules from petroleum into smaller, more useful hydrocarbons. Lin
et al
. report the synthesis of ZEO-1, a thermally stable zeolite with extra-large, 16-membered rings. The use of tricyclohexylmethylphosphonium as an organic structure–directing agent created a zeolite with a fully interconnected multidimensional framework and a very high specific surface area. —PDS
Stabilized tilted-octahedra halide perovskites inhibit local formation of performance-limiting phases
Authors: Doherty Tiarnan A. S. , Nagane Satyawan , Kubicki Dominik J. , Jung Young-Kwang , Johnstone Duncan N. , Iqbal Affan N. , Guo Dengyang , Frohna Kyle , Danaie Mohsen , Tennyson Elizabeth M. , Macpherson Stuart , Abfalterer Anna , Anaya Miguel , Chiang Yu-Hsien , Crout Phillip , Ruggeri Francesco Simone , Collins Sean , Grey Clare P. , Walsh Aron , Midgley Paul A. , Stranks Samuel D.
Published: December 2021

Stable but not quite cubic

The black, photoactive phase of formamidinium (FA) perovskites, which is usually stabilized by cation alloying to avoid the formation of inactive hexagonal phases, is assumed to be cubic. High-resolution microscopy studies by Doherty
et al
. using nanoscale probes revealed that these FA-rich phases are not cubic but rather undergo slight tilting (by two degrees) of the octahedra. Black phases can have localized regions of hexagonal phases that nucleate degradation. Surface-bound ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid stabilized the tilted phase of pure FA lead triiodide against environmental degradation. —PDS
It’s not as easy as it looks
Authors: Thorp H. Holden
Published: December 2021

Amid the many miscommunications and misunderstandings about how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have been called on to do a better job of explaining their work to the public. In the United States, John Holdren, former science adviser to President Obama, has gone so far as to call for every scientist to become a trained communicator in an army of ambassadors for the whole country. That all sounds good on the surface. But just what do we expect these scientific emissaries to accomplish? Is it education? Is it advocacy? Is it changing behaviors?
Omicron sparks a vaccine strategy debate
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: December 2021

Current boosters, variant-specific shots, and universal coronavirus vaccines all have fans
A phase 2a clinical trial of molnupiravir in patients with COVID-19 shows accelerated SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance and elimination of infectious virus
Authors: Fischer William A. , Eron Joseph J. , Holman Wayne , Cohen Myron S. , Fang Lei , Szewczyk Laura J. , Sheahan Timothy P. , Baric Ralph , Mollan Katie R. , Wolfe Cameron R. , Duke Elizabeth R. , Azizad Masoud M. , Borroto-Esoda Katyna , Wohl David A. , Coombs Robert W. , James Loftis Amy , Alabanza Paul , Lipansky Felicia , Painter Wendy P.
Published: December 2021

There is an urgent need for an effective, oral, direct-acting therapeutic to block transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and prevent progression to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In a phase 2a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicenter clinical trial, we evaluated the safety, tolerability, and antiviral efficacy of the nucleoside analog molnupiravir in 202 unvaccinated participants with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptom duration <7 days. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive molnupiravir (200 mg) or placebo and then 3:1 to receive molnupiravir (400 or 800 mg) or placebo, orally twice daily for 5 days. Antiviral activity was assessed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal swabs. Infectious virus was assessed by inoculation of cultured Vero cells with samples from nasopharyngeal swabs and was detected by RT-PCR. Time to viral RNA clearance (primary endpoint) was decreased in the 800-mg molnupiravir group (median 14 days) compared to the placebo group (median 15 days) (log rank
P
value = 0.013). Of participants receiving 800 mg of molnupiravir, 92.5% achieved viral RNA clearance compared with 80.3% of placebo recipients by study end (4 weeks). Infectious virus (secondary endpoint) was detected in swabs from 1.9% of the 800-mg molnupiravir group compared with 16.7% of the placebo group at day 3 of treatment (
P
= 0.016). At day 5 of treatment, infectious virus was not isolated from any participants receiving 400 or 800 mg of molnupiravir compared with 11.1% of placebo recipients (
P
= 0.034 and 0.027, respectively). Molnupiravir was well tolerated across all doses.
Prevalence of blindness and distance vision impairment in the Gambia across three decades of eye health programming
Authors: Hydara Abba , Mactaggart Islay , Bell Suzannah J , Okoh John A , Olaniyan Segun I , Aleser Mildred , Bobat Hannaa , Cassels-Brown Andy , Kirkpatrick Ben , Kim Min J , McCormick Ian , Faal Hannah , Burton Matthew J
Published: December 2021

Background/aims

The 1986 Gambia National Eye Health Survey provided baseline data for a National Eye Health Programme. A second survey in 1996 evaluated changes in population eye health a decade later. We completed a third survey in 2019, to determine the current state of population eye health, considering service developments and demographic change.

Methods

We estimated prevalence and causes of vision impairment (VI) in a nationally representative population-based sample of adults 35 years and older. We used multistage cluster random sampling to sample 10 800 adults 35 and above in 360 clusters of 30. We measured monocular distance visual acuity (uncorrected and with available correction) using Peek Acuity. Participants with either eye uncorrected or presenting (with available correction) acuity <6/12 were retested with pinhole and refraction, and dilated exams were completed on all eyes by ophthalmologists using a direct ophthalmoscope, slit lamp and 90 D lens.

Results

We examined 9188 participants (response rate 83%). The 2013 census age–sex adjusted prevalence of blindness (presenting acuity<3/60 in better seeing eye) was 1.2% (95% CI 0.9 to 1.4) and of moderate or severe VI (MSVI,<6/18 to ≥3/60) was 8.9% (95% CI 9.1 to 9.7). Prevalence of all distance VI (<6/12) was 13.4% (12.4–14.4). Compared with 1996, the relative risk of blindness decreased (risk ratio 0.7, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.0) and MSVI increased (risk ratio 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 0.17).

Conclusion

Significant progress has been made to reduce blindness and increase access to eye health across the Gambia, with further work is needed to decrease the risk of MSVI.
Caregivers’ and healthcare professionals’ perspective of barriers and facilitators to health service access for asthmatic children: a qualitative study
Authors: Ardura-Garcia Cristina , Blakey John D , Cooper Philip J , Romero-Sandoval Natalia
Published: December 2021

Background

There is a high burden of asthma morbidity and mortality in Latin America. It has been proposed that this relates to limited access to diagnostic tests, asthma medications and specialised doctors. However, little is known of what caregivers of asthmatic children and healthcare professionals (HCPs) perceive as barriers and facilitators to adequate care. We aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators to asthma care access from caregivers’ and HCP’s perspective in an Ecuadorian low-resource setting.

Methods

In 2017, we conducted 5 focus group discussions (FGD) with 20 caregivers of asthmatic children and 12 in-depth interviews with 3 paediatricians, 6 general doctors and 3 respiratory therapists in Esmeraldas city, Ecuador. FGDs and interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, open-coded in QDA Miner, categorised using an interpretative phenomenological approach and analysed thematically. Barriers and facilitators were classified into availability, accessibility, acceptability and contact of healthcare services, based on Tanahashi model of health service access.

Results

Limited resources, use of alternative medicines, fear of medication side-effects and lack of specific training for doctors and knowledge in families were common barriers for both caregivers and HCPs. Caregivers and HCPs proposed the implementation of public health asthma-focused programmes that would include close community-based follow-up of people with asthma, educational sessions for their families and public engagement activities. HCPs also suggested implementing training programmes on asthma management for general doctors.

Conclusion

Multiple barriers identified by caregivers and HCPs referred to economic and health service organisational issues, fear of side effects of medication or ineffective self-management. Increasing caregivers and HCPs’ asthma knowledge, as well as HCPs’ communication skills to establish a patient-centred approach with a shared decision-making process could improve asthma care in this setting.
Health economic analysis for the ‘CURE Project’ pilot: a hospital-based tobacco dependency treatment service in Greater Manchester
Authors: Evison Matthew , Cox Julian , Howle Freya , Groom Kathryn , Moore Ryan , Clegg Hannah , Pearse Cheryl , Rutherford Michael , Tempowski Alex , Grundy Seamus , Turnpenny Beth , Law Hou , Sundar Ram , Butt Al-Tahoor , Abdelaziz Muntasir , Coyne Jane , Crossfield Andrea , O’Rourke Claire , Shackley David
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Treating tobacco dependency in patients admitted to acute care National Health Service (NHS) trusts is a key priority in the NHS 10-year plan. This paper sets out the results of a health economic analysis for ‘The CURE Project’ pilot; a new hospital-based tobacco dependency service.

Methods

A health economic analysis to understand the costs of the intervention (both for the inpatient service and postdischarge costs), the return on investment (ROI) and the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of the CURE Project pilot in Greater Manchester. ROI and cost per QALY were calculated using the European Study on Quantifying Utility of Investment in Protection from Tobacco and Greater Manchester Cost Benefit Analysis Tools.

Results

The total intervention costs for the inpatient service in the 6-month CURE pilot were £96 224 with a cost per patient who smokes of £40.21. The estimated average cost per patient who was discharged on pharmacotherapy was £97.40. The cost per quit (22% quit rate for smokers at 12 weeks post discharge) was £475. The gross financial ROI ratio was £2.12 return per £1 invested with a payback period of 4 years. The cashable financial ROI ratio was £1.06 return per £1 invested with a payback period of 10 years. The public value ROI ratio was £30.49 per £1 invested. The cost per QALY for this programme was £487.

Discussion

The CURE Project pilot has been shown to be exceptionally cost-effective with highly significant ROI in this health economic analysis. This supports the NHS priority to embed high-quality tobacco addiction treatment services in acute NHS trusts, and the CURE Project provides a blueprint and framework to achieve this.
Prospective longitudinal study investigating predictors of childhood injuries from Growing Up in New Zealand cohort: study protocol
Authors: Ghebreab Luam , Kool Bridget , Lee Arier , Morton Susan
Published: December 2021

Background

Injury is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide and yet preventable and predictable. In New Zealand (NZ), unintentional injury is the leading cause of emergency department visits, hospitalisations and death among children, making it a significant public health concern.

Objective

To identify the factors that place young children in NZ at an increased risk of unintentional injury.

Methods

This study will investigate injuries among children from the prospective Growing Up in NZ birth cohort of 6853 children and their families. The primary outcome of interest is injury events where medical treatment was sought. The data sources include parental reports of child injury and Accident Compensation Corporation—NZ’s no-fault injury compensation system—injury claims. The linked datasets will be utilised to examine the distribution of life course exposures and outcome data using descriptive statistics. A temporal multilevel model will then be developed to examine relationships between neighbourhood, child and family characteristics and injury from birth to 5 years of age for all children for whom parental consent to link data were obtained.

Discussion

The findings of this research will help to identify how the multiplicity of influences between children, family and their broader societal context acting across time affect their risk of experiencing a preschool injury. This information will provide an evidence base to inform context-relevant strategies to reduce and prevent childhood injuries.