bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defining destigmatizing design guidelines for use in sexual health-related digital technologies: A Delphi study
Authors: Abdulai Abdul-Fatawu , Howard A. Fuchsia , Yong Paul J. , Currie Leanne M.
Published: July 2023

Objective

Stigma has been recognized as a significant issue in sexual health, yet no specific guidelines exist to support digital health development teams in creating stigma-alleviating sexual health digital platforms. The purpose of this study was to develop a set of design guidelines that would serve as a reference point for addressing stigma during the design of sexual health-related digital platforms.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a 3-round Delphi study among 14 researchers in stigma and sexual health. A preliminary list of 28 design guidelines was generated from a literature review. Participants appraised and critiqued the clarity and usefulness of the preliminary list and provided comments for each item and for the overall group of items at each round. At each round, a content validity index and an interquartile range were calculated to determine the level of consensus regarding the clarity and usefulness of each guideline. Items were retained if there was high consensus or were dropped if there was no consensus after the three rounds.

Results

Nineteen design guidelines achieved consensus. Most of them were content-related guidelines and sought to address the emotional concerns of patients that could potentially aggravate stigma. The findings also reflected modern stigma management strategies of making stigma a societal attribute by challenging, exposing, and normalizing stigma attributes via web platforms.

Conclusion

To address stigma via digital platforms, developers should not just concentrate on technical solutions but seriously consider content-related and emotional design components that are likely to result in stigma.
Ivermectin and doxycycline treatments against Onchocerciasis: Adaptations and impact among semi-nomadic population in Massangam Health District, Cameroon
Authors: Nditanchou Rogers , Dixon Ruth , Atekem Kareen , Biholong Benjamin , Wilhelm Aude , Selby Richard , Oye Joseph , Kamgno Joseph , Boakye Daniel , Schmidt Elena , Senyonjo Laura
Published: July 2023

We trialed strategies to reach semi-nomadic population with interventions targeting onchocerciasis including a combination of community knowledge and Geographical Information System (GIS) technology; nomad-specific sensitization; and mobile outreach. The interventions included ivermectin (ivm) mass drug administration (MDA) and treating infected individuals (found upon skin snip microscopy test) with doxycycline for 35 days. Microscopy-negative snips were further tested by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). After 8 months, individuals immigrating or emigrating constituted 47% of the initial population; 59% of individuals not born in the area have immigrated during the last five years; 28% (age>9) reportedly never taken ivm; 72% (compared to 51% previously) of eligible population (age ≥ 5 years) took ivm; and 47% (age > 8, not pregnant, not breastfeeding, not severely ill,) participated in the test. A high prevalence of onchocerciasis,15.1%, was found upon microscopy & PCR test; 9/10 tested by skin snip microscopy and PCR at follow-up were all negative. Microfilaria prevalence and intensity upon skin snip microscopy reduced significantly from baseline following the intervention (8.9% to 4.1%, p = 0.032; 0.18 to 0.16, p = 0.013, respectively). The strategies considerably increased reach to nomadic camps. Treating with doxycycline in combination with ivm is feasible and has led to a significant reduction in infection level within one year among the semi-nomads. Being potentially curative in one intervention round, this combination should be considered for population group faced with challenges of achieving adequate coverage and adhesion to ivm MDA over prolonged period (>10 years).
The rate of species extinction in declining or fragmented ecological communities
Authors: Halley John M. , Pimm Stuart L.
Published: July 2023

Loss of habitat can take many forms, ranging from the fragmentation of once-continuous habitat to the slow erosion of populations across continents. Usually, the harm leading to biodiversity loss is not immediately obvious: there is an extinction debt. Most modelling research of extinction debt has focussed on relatively rapid losses of habitat with species loss happening in response afterwards. In this paper, using a niche-orientated community model we compare and contrast two different mechanisms and find contrasting patterns of extinction debt. From small fragments, we typically see the rapid initial loss of many species, followed by a slower loss of species on larger timescales. When we consider slow incremental declines of population sizes, we find initially a slow rate of extinction which subsequently increases exponentially. In such cases, the delayed extinctions may go undetected initially both because the extinctions may be small relative to background randomness and because rate itself is not constant and takes time to reach its maximum.
Evidence and clinical relevance of maternal-fetal cardiac coupling: A scoping review
Authors: Nichting Thomas J. , Bester Maretha , Joshi Rohan , Mischi Massimo , van der Ven Myrthe , van der Woude Daisy A. A. , Oei S. Guid , van Laar Judith O. E. H. , Vullings Rik
Published: July 2023

Background

Researchers have long suspected a mutual interaction between maternal and fetal heart rhythms, referred to as maternal-fetal cardiac coupling (MFCC). While several studies have been published on this phenomenon, they vary in terms of methodologies, populations assessed, and definitions of coupling. Moreover, a clear discussion of the potential clinical implications is often lacking. Subsequently, we perform a scoping review to map the current state of the research in this field and, by doing so, form a foundation for future clinically oriented research on this topic.

Methods

A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. Filters were only set for language (English, Dutch, and German literature were included) and not for year of publication. After screening for the title and the abstract, a full-text evaluation of eligibility followed. All studies on MFCC were included which described coupling between heart rate measurements in both the mother and fetus, regardless of the coupling method used, gestational age, or the maternal or fetal health condition.

Results

23 studies remained after a systematic evaluation of 6,672 studies. Of these, 21 studies found at least occasional instances of MFCC. Methods used to capture MFCC are synchrograms and corresponding phase coherence indices, cross-correlation, joint symbolic dynamics, transfer entropy, bivariate phase rectified signal averaging, and deep coherence. Physiological pathways regulating MFCC are suggested to exist either via the autonomic nervous system or due to the vibroacoustic effect, though neither of these suggested pathways has been verified. The strength and direction of MFCC are found to change with gestational age and with the rate of maternal breathing, while also being further altered in fetuses with cardiac abnormalities and during labor.

Conclusion

From the synthesis of the available literature on MFCC presented in this scoping review, it seems evident that MFCC does indeed exist and may have clinical relevance in tracking fetal well-being and development during pregnancy.
Prioritization of livestock diseases by pastoralists in Oloitoktok Sub County, Kajiado County, Kenya
Authors: Mburu Caroline M. , Bukachi Salome , Majiwa Hamilton , Ongore Dismas , Baylis Matthew , Mochabo Kennedy , Fevre Eric , Howland Olivia
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Livestock diseases are a big challenge for the livelihood of pastoralists in sub-Saharan Africa because they reduce livestock productivity and increase mortality. Based on the literature available there is limited understanding on how pastoralists prioritize these diseases in the context of their culture, ecosystems and livelihoods. A study was conducted to provide insights on lay prioritization of animal diseases by pastoralists in Kenya.

Methodology

A qualitative study was undertaken between March and July 2021. Thirty in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with community members to explore community attitudes on livestock diseases prioritization. Male and female livestock keepers were purposively selected and interviewed and they were all long-term residents of the area. Fourteen key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with professionals from different key sectors to provide detailed stakeholder perspectives on livestock diseases. The interviews were analyzed thematically using the QSR Nvivo software to identify the emerging themes related to the study objectives.

Results

The pastoralists prioritized livestock diseases based on effect on their economic wellbeing, cultural values and utilization of ecosystem services. There were gender variabilities in how diseases were prioritized among the pastoralists. Men cited high priority diseases as foot and mouth disease and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia due to their regular occurrence and effect on livelihood. Notably, women regarded coenuruses as very important because it affected sheep and goats with a high mortality rate and lumpy skin disease because it rendered the meat from the carcasses inedible. Malignant catarrhal fever and trypanosomiasis were noted as some of the common diseases in the livestock-wildlife interface but not cited as priority diseases. Challenges related to disease control in pastoralist contexts exist including limited access to livestock treatment services, inadequate information on disease impact and complex environmental factors.

Conclusion

This study sheds light on the body of knowledge in Kenya regarding livestock diseases and their prioritization by livestock keepers. This could aid in the development of a common disease control framework and prioritization at the local level which would take into consideration the dynamic socio-cultural, ecological, livelihood and economic contexts of the communities.
Subchondral defects resembling osteochondrosis dissecans in joint surfaces of the extinct saber-toothed cat Smilodon fatalis and dire wolf Aenocyon dirus
Authors: Schmökel Hugo , Farrell Aisling , Balisi Mairin F.
Published: July 2023

Skeletal disease may hamper the behavior of large predators both living and extinct. We investigated the prevalence of osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), a developmental bone disease affecting the joints, in two Ice Age predators: the saber-toothed cat Smilodon fatalis and dire wolf Aenocyon dirus. As published cases in modern Felidae and wild Canidae are rare, we predicted that subchondral defects resembling OCD would be rare in the extinct predators. We examined limb joints in juvenile and adult S. fatalis: 88 proximal humeri (shoulder), 834 distal femora (stifle), and 214 proximal tibiae. We also examined limb joints in juvenile and adult A. dirus: 242 proximal humeri, 266 distal femora, and 170 proximal tibiae. All specimens are from the Late Pleistocene Rancho La Brea fossil locality in Los Angeles, California, USA. While the Smilodon shoulder and tibia showed no subchondral defects, subchondral defects in the Smilodon femur had a prevalence of 6%; most defects were small (<7mm); and nine adult stifles with defects also showed osteoarthritis. Subchondral defects in the A. dirus femur had a prevalence of 2.6%; most defects were large (>12mm); and five stifles further developed mild osteoarthritis. Subchondral defects in the A. dirus shoulder had a prevalence of 4.5%; most defects were small, and three shoulders developed moderate osteoarthritis. No defects were found in the A. dirus tibia. Contrary to our prediction, we found a high prevalence of subchondral defects in the stifle and shoulder of S. fatalis and A. dirus resembling OCD found in humans and other mammals. As modern dogs affected by OCD are highly inbred, this high prevalence in the fossil taxa may suggest that they experienced inbreeding as they approached extinction. The deep-time history of this disease supports the need for monitoring of animal domestication, as well as conservation, to avoid unexpected surges in OCD under conditions like inbreeding.
Knowledge and motivations of training in peer review: An international cross-sectional survey
Authors: Willis Jessie V. , Ramos Janina , Cobey Kelly D. , Ng Jeremy Y. , Khan Hassan , Albert Marc A. , Alayche Mohsen , Moher David
Published: July 2023

Background

Despite having a crucial role in scholarly publishing, peer reviewers do not typically require any training. The purpose of this study was to conduct an international survey on the current perceptions and motivations of researchers regarding peer review training.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted of biomedical researchers. A total of 2000 corresponding authors from 100 randomly selected medical journals were invited via email. Quantitative items were reported using frequencies and percentages or means and SE, as appropriate. A thematic content analysis was conducted for qualitative items in which two researchers independently assigned codes to the responses for each written-text question, and subsequently grouped the codes into themes. A descriptive definition of each category was then created and unique themes–as well as the number and frequency of codes within each theme–were reported.

Results

A total of 186 participants completed the survey of which 14 were excluded. The majority of participants indicated they were men (n = 97 of 170, 57.1%), independent researchers (n = 108 of 172, 62.8%), and primarily affiliated with an academic organization (n = 103 of 170, 62.8%). A total of 144 of 171 participants (84.2%) indicated they had never received formal training in peer review. Most participants (n = 128, 75.7%) agreed–of which 41 (32.0%) agreed strongly–that peer reviewers should receive formal training in peer review prior to acting as a peer reviewer. The most preferred training formats were online courses, online lectures, and online modules. Most respondents (n = 111 of 147, 75.5%) stated that difficulty finding and/or accessing training was a barrier to completing training in peer review.

Conclusion

Despite being desired, most biomedical researchers have not received formal training in peer review and indicated that training was difficult to access or not available.
Overweight/Obesity-related microstructural alterations of the fimbria-fornix in the ABCD study: The role of aerobic physical activity
Authors: Ma Jiyoung , McGlade Erin C. , Huber Rebekah S. , Lyoo In Kyoon , Renshaw Perry F. , Yurgelun-Todd Deborah A.
Published: July 2023

Childhood overweight/obesity has been associated with negative consequences related to brain function and may involve alterations in white matter pathways important for cognitive and emotional processing. Aerobic physical activity is a promising lifestyle factor that could restore white matter alterations. However, little is known about either regional white matter alterations in children with overweight/obesity or the effects of aerobic physical activity targeting the obesity-related brain alterations in children. Using a large-scale cross-sectional population-based dataset of US children aged 9 to 10 years (n = 8019), this study explored the associations between overweight/obesity and microstructure of limbic white matter tracts, and examined whether aerobic physical activity may reduce the overweight/obesity-related white matter alterations in children. The primary outcome measure was restriction spectrum imaging (RSI)-derived white matter microstructural integrity measures. The number of days in a week that children engaged in aerobic physical activity for at least 60 minutes per day was assessed. We found that females with overweight/obesity had lower measures of integrity of the fimbria-fornix, a major limbic-hippocampal white matter tract, than their lean peers, while this difference was not significant in males. We also found a positive relationship between the number of days of aerobic physical activity completed in a week and integrity measures of the fimbria-fornix in females with overweight/obesity. Our results provide cross-sectional evidence of sex-specific microstructural alteration in the fimbria-fornix in children with overweight/obesity and suggest that aerobic physical activity may play a role in reducing this alteration. Future work should examine the causal direction of the relationship between childhood overweight/obesity and brain alterations and evaluate potential interventions to validate the effects of aerobic physical activity on this relationship.
Four modifiable factors that mediate the effect of educational time on major depressive disorder risk: A network Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wan Bangbei , Wu Yamei , Ma Ning , Zhou Zhi , Lu Weiying
Published: July 2023

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mental illness, which is a notable public health problem that aggravates the global economic burden. This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between education and MDD risk and the contributions of effects mediated by four modifiable factors.

Materials and methods

Instrumental variables were screened from several large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) data (years of schooling with 766,345 participants, MDD with 59,851 cases and 113,154 controls, neuroticism with 329,821 individuals, smoking behavior with 195,068 cases and 164,638 controls, body mass index [BMI] with 336,107 individuals, and household income with 397,751 individuals). The data were used to evaluate the association of the four modifiable factors (neuroticism, smoking behavior, BMI, and household income) that mediate the effect of education on MDD risk via Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Results

Each standard deviation increase in years of schooling could reduce the risk for MDD by 30.70%. Higher neuroticism and BMI were associated with a higher risk of MDD. Non-smoking status and increased household income were protective factors for MDD. Notably, the mediator neuroticism, BMI, smoking behavior, and household income explained 52.92%, 15.54%, 31.86%, and 81.30% of the effect of years of schooling on MDD risk, respectively.

Conclusions

Longer years of schooling have a protective effect on MDD risk. Reasonable interventions to reduce neuroticism, BMI, smoking, and increasing household income are beneficial for MDD prevention. Our work provides new ideas for the development of prevention strategies for MDD.
Prognostic value of RGS1 and mTOR Immunohistochemical expression in Egyptian multiple myeloma patients; A single center study
Authors: Hafez Nora , Refaat Lobna , ElGebaly Omnia K. , Elhariry Hossam M. , Ghareeb Mohammed , Fathalla Lamiaa A.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Prognostic factors in plasma cell myeloma were proved to be related to signaling pathways and associated transcription factors. RGS1 and mTOR were known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression and the prognostic value of RGS1 and mTOR and their relation to clinical as well as other diagnostic criteria in multiple myeloma.

Patients and methods

The present study included 44 denovo Myeloma patients, recruited from the Medical Oncology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. Detection of RGS1 and mTOR expression was performed using Immunohistochemical staining on bone marrow biopsy sections.

Results

The median age was 51 years with male to female ratio 1.58:1. There was a positive highly statistically significant correlation between RGS1 and mTOR among all studied cases (p value <0.001). Regarding their prognostic value, there was a highly statistically significant association of the expression levels of RGS1 and mTOR with treatment response (p <0.001). Finally, there was a significant influence of RGS1 and mTOR on overall survival probability (p value <0.001 and <0.002 respectively) with better survival for those having low expression.

Conclusion

RGS1 and mTOR were suggested as poor prognostic markers in MM patients, being associated with lower response rate and inferior OS. We recommend considering RGS1 and mTOR as one of the prognostic criteria in different risk stratification and staging classifications. Further trials for RGS1 and mTOR targeting in multiple myeloma are recommended.
Beyond athletic development: The effects of parkour-based versus conventional neuromuscular exercises in pre-adolescent basketball players
Authors: Williams Mark David , Hammond Andrew , Moran Jason
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a parkour-based warm-up to a conventional neuromuscular training (NMT) warm-up on the athletic capabilities of youth basketball players. This was examined through two arms: In Investigation 1, the aims were to measure the effects of the two warm-ups on physical measures of athletic performance in prepubescent basketball players. Using post-intervention semi-structured interviews, Investigation 2 aimed to gain insights from the players in relation to the perceived benefits of the two warm-ups. Pre-adolescent children were recruited from two youth level basketball teams. Participants from one club were randomly assigned to either a conventional NMT warm-up group or a parkour warm-up group, while a control group was formed of participants from the second club. Participants of both experimental groups were required to complete a 15-minute warm-up once per week before their regular basketball practice across 8-weeks. For both groups, the coach adopted the same pedagogical approach, utilising a guided discovery strategy. Pre-post test measures of overhead squat performance, countermovement jump, and 10-metre sprint speed were recorded in all three groups. Additionally, pre-post measures were recorded for a timed parkour-based obstacle course for the two experimental groups. No significant between-group differences were found between pre- and post-test measures. However, analysis using Cohen’sdeffect sizes revealed improvements in both intervention groups versus the control. Moreover, between group effect size differences were observed between the two experimental groups. Following the intervention, participants from both experimental groups were also invited to take part in a post-intervention semi-structured interview to discuss their experiences. The thematic analysis of these semi-structured interviews revealed three higher order themes:Enjoyment; Physical literacy;andDocility; of which the two former themes appear to align to constructs relating to the wider concept of physical literacy. In summary, warm-ups designed to improve athleticism can include less structured and more diverse movement skills than are typical of conventional NMT warm-ups. Specifically, we provide evidence that advocates for warm ups that include parkour-related activities alongside conventional NMT exercises to preserve physical fitness qualities and to simultaneously evoke a sense of enjoyment, fun, and purpose. The benefit of such activities may extend beyond athletic development and, more broadly, contribute to the development of physical literacy.
Trichomonas vaginalis infection and risk of cervical neoplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Fazlollahpour-Naghibi Andarz , Bagheri Kimia , Almukhtar Mustafa , Taha Seyed Reza , Zadeh Mahdieh Shariat , Moghadam Kimia Behzad , Tadi Mehrdad Jafari , Rouholamin Safoura , Razavi Maryam , Sepidarkish Mahdi , Rostami Ali
Published: July 2023

Objectives

The evidence in the literature regarding the relationship between Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) infection and cervical neoplasia is conflicting. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of the risk of cervical neoplasia associated with TV infection.

Methods

A meta-analysis of observational studies, which provided raw data on the association of TV infection with cervical neoplasia, was performed. For this aim, we searched scientific databases (PubMed/Medline, Scopus, the Web of Sciences, and Embase) from inception to March 15, 2023. A random-effects model was applied by Stata 17.0 to calculate the pooled and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), including subgroup, sensitivity, and cumulative analyses to explore sources of heterogeneity.

Results

Of the 2584 records initially identified, 35 eligible studies contributed data for 67,856 women with cervical neoplasia, and 933,697 healthy controls from 14 countries were included. The pooled (2.15; 1.61–2.87; I2 = 87.7%) and adjusted (2.17; 1.82–2.60; I2 = 31.27%) ORs indicated a significant positive association between TV infection and the development of cervical neoplasia. There was no significant change in pooled and adjusted ORs by applying sensitivity and cumulative analyses, indicating the robustness of our findings. The pooled OR was significant in most sub-group analyses. There was no publication bias in the included studies.

Conclusion

Our findings indicated that women with a TV infection are at significantly greater risk of cervical neoplasia. Future research, particularly longitudinal and experimental studies, should be done to better understand the various aspects of this association.
Epidemiology and nomogram of pediatric and young adulthood osteosarcoma patients with synchronous lung metastasis: A SEER analysis
Authors: Liu Tao , Cui Lin , He Zongyun , Chen Zhe , Tao Haibing , Yang Jin
Published: July 2023

Background

Patients with osteosarcoma and synchronous lung metastasis (SLM) have poor survival. This study aimed to explore the epidemiology data and construct a predictive nomogram to identify cases at risk of SLM occurrence among pediatric and young adulthood osteosarcoma patients.

Methods

All data were extracted from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 17 registries. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and annual percentage change was evaluated, and reported for the overall population and by age, gender, race, and primary site. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with SLM occurrence, then significant factors were used to develop the nomogram. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration curve were used to evaluated the predictive power of the nomogram. Survival analysis was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Multivariate Cox analysis was used to determine the prognostic factors.

Results

A total of 278 out of 1965 patients (14.1%) presented with SLM at diagnosis. The ASIR increased significant from 0.46 to 0.66 per 1,000,000 person-years from year 2010 to 2019, with an annual percentage change of 3.5, mainly in patients with age 10–19 years, male and appendicular location. All patients were randomly assigned into train cohort and validation cohort with a spilt of 7:3. In the train cohort, higher tumor grade, bigger tumor size, positive lymph nodes and other site-specific metastases (SSM) were identified as significant risk factors associated with SLM occurrence. Then a nomogram was developed based on the four factors. The AUC and calibration curve in both train and validation cohorts demonstrated that the nomogram had moderate predictive power. The median cancer-specific survival was 25 months. Patients with age 20–39 years, male, positive lymph nodes, other SSM were adverse prognostic factors, while surgery was protective factor.

Conclusions

This study performed a comprehensive analysis regarding pediatric and young adulthood osteosarcoma patients had SLM. A visual, clinically operable, and easy-to-interpret nomogram model was developed for predicting the risk of SLM, which could be used in clinic and help clinicians make better decisions.
Estimating heterogeneous effects of internet use on environmental knowledge: Taking population heterogeneity into consideration
Authors: Cheng Xiaoxiao
Published: July 2023

The recent decades have witnessed the rise of digital media; as an essential informal way of environmental education, the internet has become an important source where public acquire environmental knowledge. The current study investigates the heterogeneous treatment effects of internet use on environmental knowledge across members of the Chinese population. Based on a nationwide survey in China, the propensity score approach, a series of statistical techniques that are often used in the counterfactual framework to understand the causal relationship between an intervention and an outcome, is employed to adjust for population heterogeneity and to estimate heterogeneous treatment effects. The findings reveal highly significant positive associations between internet access/use and environmental knowledge. More importantly, this study shows that individuals who are least likely to access the internet benefit most from the knowledge returns to internet access and use, indicating a positive outlook for the potential of the digital media to narrow the environmental knowledge gap.
The population genetic structure and phylogeographic dispersal of Nodularia breviconcha in the Korean Peninsula based on COI and 16S rRNA genes
Authors: Kim Gyeongmin , Hwang Ui Wook
Published: July 2023

A freshwater mussel,Nodularia breviconcha(Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionida) is endemic to Korean Peninsula. It has recently been taxonomically reexamined and elevated from a subspecies ofN.douglasiaeto an independent species. But population genetic studies for the species have rarely been conducted. To explore the population genetic structure ofN.breviconcha, the nucleotide sequences of cytochrome oxidase subunit I(COI) and 16S rRNA genes from 135N.breviconchaindividuals, including 52 from this study and 83 from Choi et al. (2020). We found 23 COI and 11 16S rRNA genes haplotypes. Phylogeny, TCS network, Principal coordinates analysis, and spatial analysis of molecular variance performed with COI gene indicated that there are exist three different genetic lineages in theN.breviconchapopulations: West lineage, Southwest lineage, and Southeast lineage. According to the time calibrated phylogeny, they are likely to be diverged during the late Miocene (8–6 Ma). Geographical distribution patterns of the three genetic lineages may be related to the formation of Taebaek and Sobaek-Noryeong mountain ranges in the Korean Peninsula occurred during the Miocene (30–10 Ma). The present results of this study will be helpful not only for the conservation, but also for the exploration of the population genetic structure of endemic freshwater mussels in the Korean Peninsula.
Kinetics of specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM, IgA, and IgG responses during the first 12 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A prospective longitudinal study
Authors: Amellal Houda , Assaid Najlaa , Charoute Hicham , Akarid Khadija , Maaroufi Abderrahmane , Ezzikouri Sayeh , Sarih M’hammed
Published: July 2023

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health threat. The kinetics of antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) need to be assessed, as the long-term duration of these immunoglobulins remains largely controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the longitudinal dynamics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies against the nucleocapsid (N) protein and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein up to one year in a cohort of 190 COVID-19 patients. Between March and September 2021, we enrolled patients from two regional hospitals in Casablanca, Morocco. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for antibody levels. We used the commercial Euroimmun ELISA for the determination of anti-N IgM, the Abbott Architect™ SARS-CoV-2 IgG test for the detection of anti-RBD IgG, and an in-house kit for the assay of anti-N IgG and anti-N IgA. IgM and IgA antibodies were assessed 2–5, 9–12, 17–20 and 32–37 days after symptom onset. IgG antibodies were also assessed 60, 90, 120 and 360 days after symptom onset. One-third of patients developed IgM (32%), while two-thirds developed IgA (61%). One month of symptom onset, most patients developed IgG, with 97% and 93% positivity for anti-RBD IgG and anti-N IgG, respectively. The anti-RBD IgG positivity rate remained high up to one year of follow-up. However, the anti-N IgG positivity rate decreased over time, with only 41% of patients testing positive after one year’s follow-up. IgG levels were significantly higher in older people (over 50 years) than in other study participants. We also found that patients who had received two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine prior to infection had a lower IgM response than unvaccinated patients. This difference was statistically significant two weeks after the onset of symptoms. We present the first study in Africa to measure the kinetics of antibody response (IgA, IgM and IgG) to SARS-CoV-2 over one year. Most participants remained seropositive for anti-RBD IgG after one year but showed a significant decline in antibody titers.
Mediating hegemony through political humour: A discourse analysis of Spring Festival Gala sketches in China
Authors: Wang-Kaeding Heidi
Published: July 2023

What does humour do to us and our relationship with the society? This article examines political humour in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and asks how hegemony is mediated through political humour in China. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) of two Spring Festival Gala sketches, 春晚小品 (‘chunwan xiaopin’), is applied not only for its ontological fit with the literature of hegemony but also because of its potential to unravel the hidden power relations. I argue for the social and psychological significance of xiaopin to the general public because they reveal the fragility of the intellectual hierarchy that places the rural population at the bottom, play with the heavy historical episode of the Great Leap Forward, and create the illusion of empowerment. Furthermore, it reveals that humour can be subversive on the textual level and simultaneously hegemonic on the discursive level.
Editorial
Authors: Cassidy Margaret
Published: July 2023

This editorial previews the contents of this issue of Explorations in Media Ecology.
Car as extension of whiteness: Not everyone’s skin is extended equal
Authors: Bowen Bernadette ‘bird’
Published: July 2023

The US White flight left historically and intentionally targeted marginalized groups in cityscapes in the impoverished dust of public transport. These racialized phenomena restructured urban environments and deadened surrounding landscapes, engendering deliberately barren space too far to traverse by no- and low-income feet. Now, in the present-COVID-19 envirusment, Midwest landscapes are an eyesore, which perpetually disable and dehumanize, further denying working folks from safe social distancing and PPE in areas already plagued with socio-historical and economic disenfranchisements. Meanwhile, redlined and/or gentrified affluent spaces remain composed of mostly Whites of a certain status. This project explored present-COVID-19 human implications of cars in a nation founded upon ecological devastations.
The Media Environment of Political Thought: Rousseau, Marx, and the Politics of Selfies, Asaf Y. Shamis (2017)
Authors: Fallon Peter K.
Published: July 2023

Review of: The Media Environment of Political Thought: Rousseau, Marx, and the Politics of Selfies, Asaf Y. Shamis (2017)

London: Lexington Books, 99 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-49853-293-8, h/bk, $72.11

ISBN 978-1-49853-295-2, p/bk, $40.78

ISBN 978-1-49853-293-8, e-book, $38.94
New Media and the Artaud Effect, Jay Murphy (2021)
Authors: Kerasovitis Konstantinos
Published: July 2023

Review of: New Media and the Artaud Effect, Jay Murphy (2021)

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 220 pp.,

ISBN 978-3-030-83487-6, h/bk, $109.99

ISBN 978-3-030-83490-6, p/bk, $79.99

ISBN 978-3-030-83488-3, e-book, $59.99
How to include the sociocultural context in food design: Insights, tools and strategies
Authors: van Boeijen Annemiek G. C. , Schifferstein Hendrik N. J.
Published: July 2023

Designers hope that their innovations will be adopted by the people they are designed for. How well their designs align with consumers’ cultural contexts is a key determinant of whether they are accepted or rejected. This is especially important for food solutions, as eating habits are deeply rooted in local cultures. However, academic disciplines from the humanities and social sciences that study food culture not always provide the knowledge, methods and tools that food designers need. Whereas these disciplines mainly investigate the past and present, designers look to the future to create new possibilities. In addition, designers often look for concrete, physical touchpoints they can use, whereas the other disciplines may look for sources of underlying meaning and, thereby, may generate conclusions that remain rather generic or abstract. In this article we discuss how culture and cultural context can be understood and utilized by designers. We describe models and tools designers can use to gain sociocultural insights, and we describe different strategies designers can employ to build on such knowledge in their design process. We conclude with suggestions to close the gaps between designers, design researchers and the other disciplines that study food culture.
Editorial
Authors: Joseph Jenson
Published: July 2023

We can think of two broad ways of theorizing the media-saturated texture of our times. One would be to approach the contemporary as an era of increased mediatization of all domains of life, including the biological. The second approach, which the readers will discern in the essays in this Special Issue on ‘Media Studies and the Contemporary’, is to privilege the category of the contemporary by paying attention to the domain of media cultures as the site that bears the most visible signs of the transitions unfolding in conditions of life today. The essays in this volume propose a set of approaches which take seriously many of the media cultural forms that define the contemporary, without fetishizing media devices and their phenomenology.
Film music and the mediation of everyday aurality in private buses: Field notes from Kannur, Kerala
Authors: Shahal B.
Published: July 2023

This is a field note from my research project that aims to study the practice of playing film music on the commuter buses operated by private owners in Kannur district of Kerala. The practice became prevalent during the early 2000s with the advent of compact discs and portable music libraries of film songs in MP3 format, despite the prohibiting passenger buses from playing music or videos during daily commutes. This field note proposes that the practice of playing the songs becomes part of an aural network that places itself through its (mere) presence as something not to be consciously attentive to and be affected by.
Manuscrito Musical 51 da Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra: Música para o Natal (1649) Vol. III.1
Authors: Freire Tiago Simas
Published: July 2023

Na esteira de um projecto de investigação doutoral (Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade de Lyon e CNSMD de Lyon), o autor oferece-nos a edição crítica do manuscrito musical 51 da Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra, pedra angular das suas investigações em torno da produção musical seiscentista do Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra. Este é o primeiro de três volumes, cada um subordinado a uma das festas litúrgicas às quais o conteúdo do manuscrito é dedicado: Natal, Ascensão e Corpus Christi.

A presente publicação, construída segundo uma abordagem filológica e positivista crítica, é fruto de um período intenso de revisão e amadurecimento da edição crítica deste repertório através da realização de múltiplos concertos e da gravação em CD (Zuguambé, Harmonia Mundi, 2017).
Integrado no projecto Mundos e Fundos, este é um trabalho rigoroso e graficamente cuidado que nos oferece uma porta de entrada privilegiada à colecção decartapácios musicais do século XVII hoje conservados na Biblioteca Geral da Universidade de Coimbra.
Flipped classroom model in physical education and sport teaching
Authors: Karaman Burcu
Published: July 2023

This research aimed to reveal the experiences of the 9th grade students and the lesson teacher who use the lipped classroom model in physical education and sports lessons. Therefore, phenomenology, one of the qualitative research designs, was preferred in the research. The research was carried out with 1 physical teacher and 15 9th grade students in a secondary education institution located in the Ereğli district of Zonguldak in the second term of the 2022-2023 academic year. Criterion and convenient sampling, which are among the purposive sampling techniques, were used to determine the study group. In the research, a semi-structured interview form prepared for teachers and students was used as a data collection tool. The interviews were conducted face-to-face in the assistant principal's room at the school. A voice recorder was used to avoid data loss. The interviews lasted 32 minutes with the physical education and sports teacher and between 10-18 minutes with the students. The data were analyzed with content analysis using the Maxqda 2020 program. As a result of the research, it was determined that the physical education and sports teacher and the students had positive opinions about the flipped classroom model. According to the research results, this model; It can be said that it is effective in terms of features such as saving time in the lesson, being fun, attracting attention, being applicable, having an efficient process and being applied in different lessons.
Kebijakan Indonesia Tidak Meratifikasi Konvensi ILO No. 188/2007 tentang Pekerjaan Penangkapan Ikan
Authors: Ibrahim Ahda Mujahidah
Published: July 2023

This research aims to explain why Indonesia did not ratify the ILO Convention No. 188/2007. The technique of data collection was conducted with literature study using primary sources in the form of ILO Convention No. 188/2007, and Recommendation, 2007, Law No. 15 of 2016 regarding the Ratification of Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 and secondary sources from data, documents, or reports related with the topic of this thesis. The results of this study showed that the reason why Indonesia did not ratify the ILO Convention No. 188/2007 is based on Indonesia’s rational choices that related to the consideration of profit and loss calculations in order to maximize the profits and minimize the costs in the decision-making process. Indonesia’s profits are not comparable to the economics costs and the administrative burden in reporting and implementing the ILO Convention No. 188/2007. In addition, the ratification of the convention is still not an urgency for the Ministry of Manpower because the Ministry of Manpower considers that the regulations are sufficient in providing protection for fishermen. This is also supported by the fact that only 19 ILO member countries have ratified ILO Convention No. 188 of 2007 so that it does not have a significant impact on Indonesian fishermen.
Memory of Central and Eastern Europe Past Traumas, Present Challenges, Future Horizons
Authors: Marková Alena , Kuznetcova Mariia , Krzywik Adrianna , Kettner Marek , Buchmüller Peter , Zamanov Ramil , Sarihan Seval Merve , Murphy Charlotte Adéle , Iaschenko Iuliia , Skibinski Ines , Schraml Lena Franziska , Dzhumbeva Veselina
Published: July 2023

The collective monograph Memory of Central and Eastern Europe: Past Traumas, Present Challenges, Future Horizons provides a unique platform for collaboration of different theoretical and conceptual approaches to memory and related studies. The first part of the book focuses on the issues related to the problematic aspects of memory in the context of urban and media space. The second part deals with the interaction between nation, national history and memory. The third part is devoted to the representation of memory and sheds light on the specific role of text as a means of cultural memory.
Supply chain game analysis based on mean-variance and price risk aversion under different power structures
Authors: Wang Y.L. , Yang L. , Chen J.H. , Li P.
Published: July 2023

In view of the random retail price and retailer’s preference for retail price risk aversion, we used mean-variance to describe the uncertainty risk of retail price. To study the impacts of both the retail price uncertainty risk and retail price risk aversion preference on supply chain (SC) decision-making, we constructed a SC game model based on three different power structures, including Manufacturer Stackelberg (MS) game, Retailer Stackelberg (RS) game, and Vertical Nash (VN) game. The results showed that the retail price uncertainty risk and the retailer’s retail price risk aversion preference weakened the manufacturer’s production effort input, decreased the retailer’s enthusiasm for ordering, and damaged the interests of manufacturer and retailer. Under the three different power structures, the production effort input of the manufacturer depended on the production effort affecting wholesale price efficiency and retail price efficiency. The retailer’s expected utility was largest under the MS game model and smallest under the VN game model. The manufacturer’s profits were closely related to each parameter under the three respective power structures. This study provides theoretical guidance for the decision-making of SC enterprises with retail price risk and retailer with retail price risk aversion preference under different power structure situations.
SANAYİ FİRMALARINDA VERGİ ORANI VE DEĞİŞİKLİKLERİNİN SERMAYE YAPISI VE FİNANSAL PERFORMANSA ETKİLERİ: BRICS – TÜRKİYE ANALİZİ
Authors: BYLO Ardita , GÜRBÜZ Ali Osman
Published: July 2023

Bu çalışmanın amacı, BRICS (Brezilya, Rusya, Hindistan, Çin, Güney Afrika) ülkeleri ve Türkiye’de borsada işlem gören finansal olmayan şirketlerin 2009-2019 dönemindeki performanslarını sermaye yapısı ve vergiler bakış açısıyla açıklamaktır. Analizin spesifik hedefi özetle borçla finansmanın etkilerini değerlendirmektir. Bu araştırmada her yıl ayrı ayrı yatay kesit veri regresyon modelleri kullanarak sayısal analizler yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın bulguları, kurumlar vergisi oranı ile sermaye yapısı ve finansal performans göstergeleri arasındaki ilişkinin istatistiksel olarak pozitif olduğunu ancak vergilendirmenin etkisinin her yıl değiştiğini göstermektedir. Bunun yanı sıra efektif vergi oranı, borç dışı vergi kalkanı ve gelir vergisi oranları tüm dönemlerde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olmamasına rağmen katsayıları birbirine yakın değerlere sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Elde edilen bulgulara göre, efektif vergi oranının sermaye yapısına pozitif etkisi olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bununla birlikte, borç dışı vergi kalkanı ve gelir vergisi oranının kısa ve uzun vadede sermaye yapısına karışık yönde etkisi olduğu ortaya koymaktadır. Araştırmada en çok öne çıkan husus ise, literatürdeki karşılığı ile desteklenen sermaye yapısıyla finansal performans arasındaki negatif ilişkidir. BRICS ülkeleri ile Türkiye arasındaki ekonomik göstergelerin karmaşıklığı ve etkileşimi üzerine yapılmış bu çalışmada, gelişmekte olan ekonomilerle ilgilenen akademisyenler ve iş insanları için oldukça değerli bulgu ve değerlendirmeler paylaşılmıştır.