bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphology, photosynthetic physiology and biochemistry of nine herbaceous plants under water stress
Authors: Luo Qiaoyu , Xie Huichun , Chen Zhi , Ma Yonggui , Yang Haohong , Yang Bing , Ma Yushou
Published: March 2023

Global climate warming and shifts in rainfall patterns are expected to trigger increases in the frequency and magnitude of drought and/or waterlogging stress in plants. To cope with water stress, plants develop diverse tactics. However, the adoption capability and mechanism vary depending upon the plant species identity as well as stress duration and intensity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the species-dependent responses of alpine herbaceous species to water stress. Nine herbaceous species were subjected to different water stresses (including moderate drought and moderate waterlogging) in pot culture using a randomized complete block design with three replications for each treatment. We hypothesized that water stress would negatively impact plant growth and metabolism. We found considerable interspecies differences in morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses when plants were exposed to the same water regime. In addition, we observed pronounced interactive effects of water regime and plant species identity on plant height, root length, root/shoot ratio, biomass, and contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll (a+b), carotenoids, malondialdehyde, soluble sugar, betaine, soluble protein and proline, implying that plants respond to water regime differently. Our findings may cast new light on the ecological restoration of grasslands and wetlands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau by helping to select stress-tolerant plant species.
Backbone phylogeny and adaptive evolution of Pleurospermum s. l.: New insights from phylogenomic analyses of complete plastome data
Authors: Peng Chang , Guo Xian-Lin , Zhou Song-Dong , He Xing-Jin
Published: March 2023

Pleurospermum is a taxonomically challenging taxon of Apiaceae, as its circumscription and composition remain controversial for morphological similarities with several related genera, leading to a dispute between Pleurospermum in the broad sense and strict sense. While evidence from previous molecular studies recognized plural branching lineages within the Pleurospermum s. l., it did not support the latest delimitation of Pleurospermum s. str. by only two closely related northern species. So far, no proper delimitation for Pleurospermum has come up, and many of the plural taxa in Pleurospermum s. l. remain unresolved, which may be due to poor phylogenetic resolution yielded barely from ITS sequences. Herein, we newly assembled 40 complete plastomes from 36 species of Pleurospermum s. l. and related genera, 34 of which were first reported and generated a well-resolved backbone phylogeny in a framework of the subfamily Apioideae. From the phylogeny with greatly improved resolution, a total of six well-supported monophyletic lineages within Pleurospermum s. l. were recognized falling in different major clades of Apioideae. Combining morphological characteristics with phylogenetic inference, we suggested to re-delimit the Pleurospermum s. str. by introducing nine species mainly from the Himalayan regions and proposed its boundary features; the remaining species were suggested to be excluded from Pleurospermum to incorporate into their more related taxa being revealed. On this basis, the plastome comparison revealed not only the high conservatism but also the mild differences among lineages in plastome structure and gene evolution. Overall, our study provided a backbone phylogeny essential for further studies of the taxonomically difficult taxa within Pleurospermum s. l.
Divergent effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles alone and in combination with cadmium on nutrient acquisition and the growth of maize (Zea mays)
Authors: Ayub Muhammad Ashar , Rehman Muhammad Zia ur , Ahmad Hamaad Raza , Rico Cyren M. , Abbasi Ghulam Hassan , Umar Wajid , Wright Alan L. , Nadeem Muhammad , Fox John-Paul , Rossi Lorenzo
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The increasing use of cerium nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) has made their influx in agroecosystems imminent through air and soil deposition or untreated wastewater irrigation. Another major pollutant associated with anthropogenic activities is Cd, which has adverse effects on plants, animals, and humans. The major source of the influx of Cd and Ce metals in the human food chain is contaminated food, making it an alarming issue; thus, there is a need to understand the factors that can reduce the potential damage of these heavy metals.

Methods

The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of CeO2-10-nm-NPs and Cd (alone and in combination) on Zea mays growth. A pot experiment (in sand) was conducted to check the effect of 0, 200, 400, 600, 1,000, and 2,000 mg of CeO2-10 nm-NPs/kg-1 dry sand alone and in combination with 0 and 0.5 mg Cd/kg-1 dry sand on maize seedlings grown in a partially controlled greenhouse environment, making a total of 12 treatments applied in four replicates under a factorial design. Maize seedling biomass, shoot and root growth, nutrient content, and root anatomy were measured.

Results and discussion

The NPs were toxic to plant biomass (shoot and root dry weight), and growth at 2,000 ppm was the most toxic in Cd-0 sets. For Cd-0.5 sets, NPs applied at 1,000 ppm somewhat reverted Cd toxicity compared with the contaminated control (CC). Additionally, CeO2-NPs affected Cd translocation, and variable Ce uptake was observed in the presence of Cd compared with non-Cd applied sets. Furthermore, CeO2-NPs partially controlled the elemental content of roots and shoots (micronutrients such as B, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, and Fe and the elements Co and Si) and affected root anatomy.
Ethical content in artificial intelligence systems: A demand explained in three critical points
Authors: Bertoncini Ana Luize Corrêa , Serafim Mauricio C.
Published: March 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) advancements are changing people’s lives in ways never imagined before. We argue that ethics used to be put in perspective by seeing technology as an instrument during the first machine age. However, the second machine age is already a reality, and the changes brought by AI are reshaping how people interact and flourish. That said, ethics must also be analyzed as a requirement in the content. To expose this argument, we bring three critical points - autonomy, right of explanation, and value alignment - to guide the debate of why ethics must be part of the systems, not just in the principles to guide the users. In the end, our discussion leads to a reflection on the redefinition of AI’s moral agency. Our distinguishing argument is that ethical questioning must be solved only after giving AI moral agency, even if not at the same human level. For future research, we suggest appreciating new ways of seeing ethics and finding a place for machines, using the inputs of the models we have been using for centuries but adapting to the new reality of the coexistence of artificial intelligence and humans.
Exploring self-regulation theory as a mechanism of the effects of psychological contract fulfillment: The role of emotional intelligence
Authors: Laulié Lyonel , Briceño-Jiménez Gabriel , Henríquez-Gómez Gisselle
Published: March 2023

As self-regulation theory has increasingly been used as a theoretical lens to explain the effects of psychological contract evaluations and employee outcomes, we test whether emotional intelligence (an ability for self-regulation) is a potential moderator of these relationships. More concretely, using a multiple times survey design in an education-based organization with 247 participants, we examined whether emotional intelligence moderates the mediation effect of emotional exhaustion on the relationship between psychological contract fulfillment and turnover intentions. Using a structural equations model (SEM) framework, our results support our hypotheses that individuals with low emotional intelligence do not experience the benefits of having fulfilled psychological contracts. Psychological contract fulfillment significantly reduces the likelihood of emotional exhaustion but only for individuals with high emotional intelligence. Consequently, turnover intentions are lower for emotionally intelligent individuals who experience the fulfillment of psychological contracts. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. We conclude our study by suggesting that emotional intelligence should be considered as a relevant individual difference in future psychological contract research.
The role of self-compassion in diabetes management: A rapid review
Authors: Sandham Courtney , Deacon Elmari
Published: March 2023

Aim

This study aimed to assemble and critically reflect on previously acquired insights from investigations that have already been conducted into the role of self-compassion in diabetes and its management.

Methods

This study implemented a rapid review approach to assess the pre-existing knowledge in a time-sensitive manner. A rapid review involves the synthesis of existing knowledge using a simplified systematic review process.

Results

A total of 16 articles were identified for this rapid review. The main findings from these articles included that self-compassion is associated with improved outcomes (psychologically and medically), self-compassion can be improved through interventions, and that many extraneous factors influence levels of self-compassion.

Conclusion

It is apparent that self-compassion plays a rather significant role in the management of diabetes, and that interventions aimed at developing self-compassion showed success in improving health-related outcomes. It is suggested that future research should build on the possibility of using positive psychology interventions to improve the quality of life of those living with diabetes, and work to better understand the influence of aspects such as gender and diabetes duration on self-compassion.
Investigating a shared-dialect effect between raters and candidates in English speaking tests
Authors: Xu Ying , Huang Mengjia , Chen Jin , Zhang Yaqing
Published: March 2023

This study set out to examine existence of a shared-dialect effect, a phenomenon that when a rater shares the same dialect with a candidate, the rater is more likely to give the candidate a higher score in English speaking tests. Ten Cantonese-speaking raters and ten Mandarin-speaking raters were selected to assess forty Cantonese-accented and forty Mandarin-accented candidates’ oral performance in the retelling task of the Computer-based English Listening and Speaking Test (CELST). Besides, seven raters from each group participated in the stimulated recall stage aiming to reveal their thought process. Quantitative results suggested that the two rater groups were comparable in terms of internal consistency. There were no significant differences in the scores of both candidate groups awarded by both rater groups. The effect of interaction between candidates’ dialect and raters’ dialect was not statistically significant, indicating non-existence of such effect. Qualitative results showed that some raters attended to candidates’ accents, and indicated that awareness of accents and their familiarity with the accents affected their comprehension of the speech samples and potentially influenced their scoring process. The findings are discussed with reference to rater training, rating scale, raters’ familiarity with candidates’ accents, raters’ attitudes toward candidates’ accents and the task type. The main implication of this study is that recruiting both group raters in domestic English speaking tests is warranted if the shared-dialect effect could be duly managed.
Does the coexistence of literal and figurative meanings in metaphor comprehension yield novel meaning?: Empirical testing based on quantum cognition
Authors: Fuyama Miho
Published: March 2023

Metaphor comprehension is a creative process that may lead to the emergence of novel meaning. Several studies have examined the emergence according to the interaction between the topic and vehicle. We focused on the other type of emergence in metaphor comprehension: the interaction between the literal and figurative meanings. This article hypothesized that the whole meaning of some metaphorical sentences can be regarded as a superposition state of their literal and figurative meanings, which cannot be reduced to the simple composition of each meaning. To test this hypothesis, we applied QQ equality to metaphor comprehension and conducted an experiment using 21 metaphorical sentences and 1,000 participants. The model comparisons suggested that about 15% of comprehension of metaphorical sentences can be regarded as resulting from a superposition state of literal and metaphorical understanding. This result sheds new light on the emergent function and cognitive state surrounding metaphor comprehension.
Deep knowledge tracing with learning curves
Authors: Su Hang , Liu Xin , Yang Shanghui , Lu Xuesong
Published: March 2023

Knowledge tracing (KT) models students' mastery level of knowledge concepts based on their responses to the questions in the past and predicts the probability that they correctly answer subsequent questions in the future. Recent KT models are mostly developed with deep neural networks and have demonstrated superior performance over traditional approaches. However, they ignore the explicit modeling of the learning curve theory, which generally says that more practices on the same knowledge concept enhance one's mastery level of the concept. Based on this theory, we propose a Convolution-Augmented Knowledge Tracing (CAKT) model and a Capsule-Enhanced CAKT (CECAKT) model to enable learning curve modeling. In particular, when predicting a student's response to the next question associated with a specific knowledge concept, CAKT uses a module built with three-dimensional convolutional neural networks to learn the student's recent experience on that concept, and CECAKT improves CAKT by replacing the global average pooling layer with capsule networks to prevent information loss. Moreover, the two models employ LSTM networks to learn the overall knowledge state, which is fused with the feature learned by the convolutional/capsule module. As such, the two models can learn the student's overall knowledge state as well as the knowledge state of the concept in the next question. Experimental results on four real-life datasets show that CAKT and CECAKT both achieve better performance compared to existing deep KT models.
Impact of cannabidiol on reward- and stress-related neurocognitive processes among individuals with opioid use disorder: A pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over trial
Authors: Suzuki Joji , Prostko Sara , Szpak Veronica , Chai Peter R. , Spagnolo Primavera A. , Tenenbaum Ruth E. , Ahmed Saeed , Weiss Roger D.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Opioid use disorder (OUD) continues to be a significant public health concern. Medications for OUD (MOUD) such as buprenorphine reduce overdose mortality, but relapses occur often, leading to adverse outcomes. Preliminary data suggest that cannabidiol (CBD) may be a potential adjunctive treatment to MOUD by attenuating cue-reactivity. This pilot study sought to evaluate the impact of a single dose of CBD on reward- and stress-related neurocognitive processes implicated in relapse among those with OUD.

Methods

The study was a pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over trial aimed at assessing the effects of a single dose of CBD (Epidiolex®) 600 mg or matching placebo administered to participants with OUD receiving either buprenorphine or methadone. Vital signs, mood states, pain, opioid withdrawal, cue-induced craving, attentional bias, decision-making, delayed discount, distress tolerance, and stress-reactivity were examined at each testing session on two separate testing days at least 1 week apart.

Results

Ten participants completed all study procedures. Receipt of CBD was associated with a significant decrease in cue-induced craving (0.2 vs. 1.3, p = 0.040), as well as reduced attentional bias toward drug-related cues as measured by the visual probe task (−80.4 vs. 100.3, p = 0.041). No differences were found among all the other outcomes examined.

Discussion

CBD may have promise as an adjunct to MOUD treatment by attenuating the brain response to drug-related cues, which, in turn, may reduce the risk of relapse and overdoses. Further research is warranted to evaluate the potential for CBD as an adjunctive therapy for individuals in treatment for OUD.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04982029.
Using an academic-community partnership model to deliver evidence-based falls prevention programs in a metropolitan setting: A community case study
Authors: Elrod Cathy S. , Pappa Sara T. , Heyn Patricia C. , Wong Rita A.
Published: March 2023

Background

Prevention is an effective approach for mitigating the negative health outcomes associated with falls in older adults. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has sponsored the implementation of evidence-based falls prevention programs (EBFPPs) across the United States through cooperative agreement grants to decrease the health and economic burden of falls. Marymount University received two of these grants to deliver three EBFPPs into the northern Virginia region. This community case study describes the development of a collaboration between a university and community-based organizations to adopt and implement multiple evidence-based programming in an area where none previously existed.

Methods

Through an academic-community partnership, EBFPPs were introduced to and implemented by senior-focused organizations. Target adopters were senior and community centers, multi-purpose senior services organizations, recreational organizations, and residential facilities serving older adults. The three EBFPPs were (1) Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL), (2) a Matter of Balance (MOB) and (3) Otago Exercise Program (OEP). Key interdependent project elements included: (1) fostering ongoing community organization collaboration, (2) introducing programs in the community, (3) growing and sustaining delivery sites, (4) preparing trained program leaders, and (5) building community demand for the programs.

Results

From August 2016–June 2022, 5,857 older adults participated in one of the three EBFPPs. SAIL classes were offered at 33 sites and MOB workshops at 31 with over 70% of them occurring at community or senior centers. OEP was offered at 4 sites. Factors that influenced the implementation of these programs included having: key advocates at host organizations, programs embedded into site workflows, sufficient capacity and workforce, engaged invested partners, and flexibility in working with a complex set of agencies and systems with different administrative structures.

Conclusion

By connecting academic faculty with various community members from multiple sectors, new initiatives can be successfully implemented. Results from this ACL-funded project indicate that using an academic-community partnership model to build relationships and capacity for ongoing delivery of health promotion programming for older adults is feasible and effective in delivering EBFPPs. In addition, academic-community partnerships can develop a strong network of invested partners to foster continued support of fall prevention activities.
RETRACTED: Clinico-demographic and survival profile of people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment
Authors: Shaik Riyaz Ahamed , Holyachi Sharan K. , Ahmad Mohammad S. , Miraj Mohammed , Alzahrani Mansour , Ahmad Ritu Kumar , Almehmadi Bader A. , Aljulifi Mohammed Zaid , Alzahrani Meshari A. , Alharbi Mashael B. , Ahmed Mohammed Muzammil
Published: March 2023

Objective

To assess the demographic, clinical, and survival profile of people living with HIV.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted among patients enrolled at a single antiretroviral therapy center in North Karnataka. A total of 11,099 were recruited from April 2007 to January 2020, out of which 3,676 were excluded and the final 7,423 entries were subjected to analysis. The outcome of interest was the time to death in months of people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The clinical and demographic characteristics were examined as potential risk factors for survival analysis. To investigate the factors that influence the mortality of patients using ART, univariate and multivariate Cox regression were performed. Hazard ratio (HR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and p-values were presented to show the significance. The log-rank test was used to determine the significance of the Kaplan–Meier survival curve.

Results

Out of 7,423 HIV-positive people, majority were female (51.4%), heterosexual typology (89.2%), and in the age group 31–45 years (45.5%). The risk of death in male patients was 1.24 times higher (95% CI: 1.14–1.35) than female patients. Patients with age >45 were 1.67 times more likely to die than patients ≤30 (95% CI: 1.50–1.91). In the multivariable analysis, the hazards of mortality increased by 3.11 times (95% CI: 2.09–2.79) in patients with baseline CD4 count ≤50 as compared to those who had baseline CD4 count >200. The risk of death in patients who were diagnosed with TB was 1.30 times more (95% CI: 1.19–1.42) than in those who did not have TB. The survival probabilities at 3 and 90 months were more in female patients (93%, 70%) compared with male patients (89, 54%), respectively.

Conclusion

This study proved that age, sex, baseline CD4 count, and tuberculosis (TB) status act as risk factors for mortality among people with HIV. Prevention strategies, control measures, and program planning should be done based on the sociodemographic determinants of mortality.
Perceived family relationships and social participation through sports of urban older adults living alone: An analysis of the mediating effect of self-respect levels
Authors: Zhou Rong , Cui Jinghang , Yin Xingxing
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The perception of good family relationship is an important factor to promote social participation through sports of older adults living alone. This study explores the influence of perceived family relationship on sports sociability and its group differences, and then discusses the mediating effect of self-respect.

Methods

Based on the survey data of 2,801 older adults living alone in Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hohhot, and Dalian, the quantitative index of their “activeness in social participation through sports” was constructed. The OLS model, the Ologit model, the instrumental variable method and the mediating effect were used to explore the influence mechanism of perceived family relationships of urban older adults living alone on their sport participation.

Results

The results demonstrate that: (1) Older adults 's activeness in sport participation in China is generally at a low level; (2) perceived family relationships have an impact on activeness in sport participation, i.e. positive family relationships will increase their activeness in sport participation, and there are evident gender differences in this tendency; (3) there are regional differences in the activeness in SPS among the older adults living alone in urban areas, and perceived family relationships in first-tier and second-tier cities have a more significant impact on their activeness in sport participation; (4) the mediating effect analysis shows that perceived family relationships can indirectly promote urban old adults' activeness in sport participation through the reconstruction of their self-respect, and this is more pronounced in women.

Discussion

Therefore, the important role of families cannot be ignored in promoting sport participation of the older adults.
Achieving mental health equity in Black male suicide prevention
Authors: Adams Leslie B. , Thorpe Roland J.
Published: March 2023

Despite a steady decrease in suicide rates in the United States, the rate among Black males has increased in recent decades. Moreover, suicide is now positioned as the third leading cause of death in this population, signaling a public health crisis. Enhancing the ability for future suicide prevention scholars to fully characterize and intervene on suicide risk factors is an emerging health equity priority, yet there is little empirical evidence to robustly investigate the alarming trends in Black male suicide. We present fundamental areas of expansion in suicide prevention research focused on establishing culturally responsive strategies to achieve mental health equity. Notably, we identify gaps in existing research and offer future recommendation to reduce suicide death among Black males. Our perspective aims to present important and innovative solutions for ensuring the inclusion of Black males in need of suicide prevention and intervention efforts.
The relationship between physician burnout and depression, anxiety, suicidality and substance abuse: A mixed methods systematic review
Authors: Ryan Emer , Hore Kevin , Power Jessica , Jackson Tracy
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The World Health Organization defines burnout as a problem associated with employment, a category distinct from psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, suicidality and disorders of substance abuse. Evaluating the association between burnout as an occupational exposure and psychological morbidity may indicate that burnout can act as an occupational risk factor for mental ill-health. The systematic review explores this relationship in physicians due to the increased risk in this population and the implications for healthcare delivery.

Methods

A mixed methods systematic review of the literature was conducted across Medline, Cinahl Plus, PsycInfo, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library. Databases were systematically searched using keywords relating to physician burnout and depression, anxiety, suicidality and substance abuse. Identified articles were screened for eligibility by two independent researchers. Data extraction was performed and studies assessed for risk of bias. Quantitative and qualitative results were integrated using a convergent segregated approach and results portrayed as a narrative synthesis.

Results

Sixty-one articles were included in the review. There was notable heterogeneity in the measurement and criteria used to define burnout limiting the assimilation of results. Despite this, all studies that measured the association between depression and burnout reported a significant association. Studies that reported association between burnout and anxiety were similarly uniformly consistent. Most studies that reported the association between burnout and suicidality indicated that a significant association exists however difficulty in measurement of suicidality may have influenced variability of results. The reported association between substance abuse and burnout was more variable, suggesting that any association is likely to be weak or influenced by other variables. Qualitative studies described the manifestations of chronic workplace stress as well as perceived links with psychological morbidity. These included lack of time for work-life balance, the contribution of professional relationships and a culture of invulnerability that exists among physicians.

Conclusion

The systematic review cannot conclude causality but suggests that physician burnout is associated with depression, anxiety and suicidality. Qualitative data provides insight into the nature of this association. The review indicates the need for longitudinal research and provides considerations for intervention strategies to prevent the development and progression of burnout.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020172938, identifier: CRD42020172938.
Educational degree differences in the association between work stress and depression among Chinese healthcare workers: Job satisfaction and sleep quality as the mediators
Authors: Qin Afei , Hu Fangfang , Qin Wenzhe , Dong Yaru , Li Menghua , Xu Lingzhong
Published: March 2023

Background

Depressive status of medical personnel worldwide and especially in China is an important public health and social problem. There is a strong relationship between education and depression, but no studies have studied grouping healthcare workers (HCWs) with different educational degree to discuss whether there are differences in the factors that affect depression. This study aims to examine the role of job satisfaction and sleep quality in the relationship between work stress and depression among Chinese HCWs, and teste whether the mediation models are differed by the differences of educational degree.

Methods

Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale was used to test depression. Work stress was assessed using the Challenge-blocking stress scale (CBSS). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). HCWs’ satisfaction with their current work was assessed using the Job Satisfaction Index (JSI). The representative sample of HCWs was chosen using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling procedure and 844 HCWs were utilized to the statistical analysis of the study.

Results

In the overall sample, sleep quality could mediate the relationship between work stress and depression in healthcare workers (p < 0.001, CMIN/DF = 3.816, GFI = 0.911, AGFI = 0.886, IFI = 0.943, TLI = 0.933, CFI = 0.942, RMSEA = 0.058, SRMR = 0.055, AIC = 1039.144), and the mediating effect accounted for 36.5%. After grouping educational qualifications, the model with sleep quality and job satisfaction as mediating variables reported a better fit in the group with low educational qualifications. The intermediary effect accounted for 50.6 and 4.43%, respectively. The highly educated group only has sleep quality as an intermediary variable in the structural model, and the mediating effect accounted for 75.4% (p < 0.001, CMIN/DF = 2.596, GFI = 0.887, AGFI = 0.857, IFI = 0.937, TLI = 0.926, CFI = 0.937, RMSEA = 0.044, SRMR = 0.056, AIC = 1481.322).

Conclusion

In the overall sample, sleep quality could mediate the relationship between work stress and depression in HCWs. Among HCWs with technical secondary school education and below, job satisfaction can mediate the positive relationship between work stress and depression, while this mediating effect is not significant among HCWs with college degree and above.
The volume and monetary value of human milk produced by the world's breastfeeding mothers: Results from a new tool
Authors: Smith Julie P. , Iellamo Alessandro , Nguyen Tuan T. , Mathisen Roger
Published: March 2023

The Mothers' Milk Tool was developed to make more visible the economic value contributed to society by women's unpaid care work through breastfeeding infants and young children. This manuscript describes the development and display key features of the tool, and reports results for selected countries. For the development, we used five steps: (1) defining the tool by reviewing existing tools and scholarly literature to identify uses, approaches, design features, and required data characteristics for a suitable product; (2) specifying the best open-access data available for measurement and easy updating; (3) analyzing development options; (4) testing predictive models to fill identified breastfeeding data gaps; and (5) validating the tool with prospective users and against previous research. We developed an Excel-based tool that allows working offline, displaying preloaded data, imputing data, and inputting users' data. It calculates annual quantities of milk produced by breastfeeding women for children aged 0–35.9 months, and the quantities lost compared to a defined biologically feasible level. It supports calculations for an individual mother, for countries, and global level. Breastfeeding women globally produce around 35.6 billion liters of milk annually, but 38.2% is currently “lost” due to cultural barriers and structural impediments to breastfeeding. The tool can also attribute a monetary value to the production. In conclusion, the Mothers' Milk Tool shows what is at risk economically if women's important capacity for breastfeeding is not protected, promoted, and supported by effective national policies, programs, and investments. The tool is of value to food and health policymakers, public officials, advocates, researchers, national accountants and statisticians, and individual mother/baby dyads, and will assist consideration of breastfeeding in food balance sheets and economic production statistics. The tool supports the 2015 Call to Action by the Global Breastfeeding Collective by facilitating the tracking of progress on breastfeeding targets.
Characteristics of the sources, evaluation, and grading of the certainty of evidence in systematic reviews in public health: A methodological study
Authors: Xun Yangqin , Guo Qiangqiang , Ren Mengjuan , Liu Yunlan , Sun Yajia , Wu Shouyuan , Lan Hui , Zhang Juanjuan , Liu Hui , Wang Jianjian , Shi Qianling , Wang Qi , Wang Ping , Chen Yaolong , Shao Ruitai , Xu Dong Roman
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To systematically explore how the sources of evidence, types of primary studies, and tools used to assess the quality of the primary studies vary across systematic reviews (SRs) in public health.

Methods

We conducted a methodological survey of SRs in public health by searching the of literature in selected journals from electronic bibliographic databases. We selected a 10% random sample of the SRs that met the explicit inclusion criteria. Two researchers independently extracted data for analysis.

Results

We selected 301 SRs for analysis: 94 (31.2%) of these were pre-registered, and 211 (70.1%) declared to have followed published reporting standard. All SRs searched for evidence in electronic bibliographic databases, and more than half (n = 180, 60.0%) searched also the references of the included studies. The common types of primary studies included in the SRs were primarily cross-sectional studies (n = 132, 43.8%), cohort studies (n = 126, 41.9%), randomized controlled trials (RCTs, n = 89, 29.6%), quasi-experimental studies (n = 83, 27.6%), case-control studies (n = 58, 19.3%) qualitative studies (n = 38, 12.6%) and mixed-methods studies (n = 32, 10.6%). The most frequently used quality assessment tools were the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (used for 50.0% of cohort studies and 55.6% of case-control studies), Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool (50.7% of RCTs) and Critical Appraisal Skills Program (38.5% of qualitative studies). Only 20 (6.6%) of the SRs assessed the certainty of the body of evidence, of which 19 (95.0%) used the GRADE approach. More than 65% of the evidence in the SRs using GRADE was of low or very low certainty.

Conclusions

SRs should always assess the quality both at the individual study level and the body of evidence for outcomes, which will benefit patients, health care practitioners, and policymakers.
Addressing racism in the workplace through simulation: So much to unlearn
Authors: Fricke Moni , Beach Ducharme Debra , Beavis Allana , Flett Priscilla , Oosman Sarah
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Racism exists in the healthcare system and is a root cause of health inequities among Indigenous Peoples. When microaggressions of racism are carried out by healthcare providers, therapeutic trust may be broken and quality of care may be impacted. Anti-racism response training is considered best practice in recognizing and addressing racism. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a virtual (synchronous) anti-racism response training workshop among a group of rehabilitation therapists from across Canada.

Methods

A 90-minute virtual anti-racism simulation workshop for rehabilitation therapists was developed and delivered virtually four times across Canada between 2020 and 2021. Following an introduction and pre-briefing, role-playing among participants was used to address microaggressive Indigenous-specific racism, followed by an in-depth debriefing with trained facilitators. A post-workshop survey was conducted to evaluate this anti-racism simulation workshop and assess the impact on participating occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs). Following each simulation workshop, participants were invited to complete an anonymous post-activity survey (n = 20; 50% OTs, 45% PTs). Open text responses were analyzed thematically from the perspective of critical race theory.

Results

The majority of the participants self-identified as women (95%); white (90%); mid-career (52%); and had never personally experienced racism (70%). All participants agreed that the workshop gave them ideas on how to start dismantling racism in their workplace. Thematic analysis resulted in four themes: so much to unlearn, remain humble, resist the silence, and discomfort is okay.

Discussion

Despite feelings of discomfort, OTs and PTs appreciated anti-racism skills-based training and recognized the importance of taking action on racism in the workplace. Findings from this study support online (synchronous) anti-racism training as a viable and effective means of creating space for rehabilitation professionals to lean into brave conversations that are necessary for developing strategies to address racial microaggressions impacting Indigenous persons in the workplace. We believe that these small steps of preparing and practicing anti-racism strategies among rehabilitation therapists are essential to achieving a collective goal of dismantling racism in the health system.
Dominant bacterial taxa drive microbiome differences of juvenile Pacific oysters of the same age and variable sizes
Authors: English Mary K. , Langdon Chris J. , Schubiger Carla B. , Mueller Ryan S.
Published: March 2023

Oyster aquaculture is a growing industry that depends on production of fast-growing, healthy larvae and juveniles (spat) to be sold to farmers. Despite nearly identical genetics and environmental conditions in the early life stages of oysters, larvae and spat sizes can vary drastically. As the microbiome can influence the health and size of marine invertebrates, we analyzed the microbiomes of differently-sized juvenile Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) spat of the same age to examine the relationship of their microbiomes with size variation. We used 16S sequencing of 128 animals (n = 60 large, n = 68 small) to characterize the microbiomes of each size class, comparing alpha diversity, beta diversity, and differentially abundant taxa between size classes. We observed that small spat had higher alpha diversity using measures that considered only richness, but there was no difference in alpha diversity between the two size classes using measures that incorporate compositional metrics. Additionally, large and small spat had distinct microbiomes, the separation of which was driven by more dominant bacterial taxa. Taxa that were differentially abundant in large oysters were also more abundant overall, and many appear to have roles in nutrient absorption and energy acquisition. The results of this study provide insight into how the microbiome of C. gigas may affect the early development of the animal, which can inform hatchery and nursery practices.
REALMS: Resilient exploration and lunar mapping system
Authors: van der Meer D. , Chovet L. , Bera A. , Richard A. , Sánchez Cuevas Pedro Jesus , Sánchez-Ibáñez J. R. , Olivares-Mendez M.
Published: March 2023

Space resource utilisation is opening a new space era. The scientific proof of the presence of water ice on the south pole of the Moon, the recent advances in oxygen extraction from lunar regolith, and its use as a material to build shelters are positioning the Moon, again, at the centre of important space programs. These worldwide programs, led by ARTEMIS, expect robotics to be the disrupting technology enabling humankind’s next giant leap. However, Moon robots require a high level of autonomy to perform lunar exploration tasks more efficiently without being constantly controlled from Earth. Furthermore, having more than one robotic system will increase the resilience and robustness of the global system, improving its success rate, as well as providing additional redundancy. This paper introduces the Resilient Exploration and Lunar Mapping System, developed with a scalable architecture for semi-autonomous lunar mapping. It leverages Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping techniques on multiple rovers to map large lunar environments. Several resilience mechanisms are implemented, such as two-agent redundancy, delay invariant communications, a multi-master architecture different control modes. This study presents the experimental results of REALMS with two robots and its potential to be scaled to a larger number of robots, increasing the map coverage and system redundancy. The system’s performance is verified and validated in a lunar analogue facility, and a larger lunar environment during the European Space Agency (ESA)-European Space Resources Innovation Centre Space Resources Challenge. The results of the different experiments show the efficiency of REALMS and the benefits of using semi-autonomous systems.
Digitalization of relational space in the service triangle: The case study of retail banking
Authors: Carreri Anna , Gosetti Giorgio , Masiero Nicoletta
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The article aims to shed light on the process of shaping the relational space of work in the service triangle through the progressive digitalization of work in retail banking industry. It addresses the following research question: how do technological shifts affect the relationships and interactions (a) between employees and supervisors, and (b) between employees and customers? Through a close examination of the redesign of the interpersonal relationships from the subjective viewpoint of front-line workers across these two levels, the paper contributes to advancing the understanding of the impact of technologies on surveillance practices, work identity and professional ethics in a key working sector with regard to digitalization and changes in professional requirements.

Methods

The question is addressed through a qualitative case study of retail banking in Italy. In the (retail) banking sector, the redesign of the relations between supply and demand for services is more sensitive to the changes afforded by digitalization and learning algorithms. The study was conducted with the involvement of workers and trade unionists, with whom we embarked on a constant work of re-articulation through data collection, analysis, and conceptualization. We collected a multiplicity of data for triangulation: interviews, focus groups, documents, and ethnographic notes.

Results

Data analysis shows how work processes and interpersonal relationships start to be redesigned across the two levels. At (a) level, two main aspects are found: the measurement of individual performance within the logic of quantification, which reduces employees to a set of measured dimensions, pushing workers into conditions of stress and competition; new surveillance practices and forms of organizational control enabled by technologies and learning algorithms. At (b) level, from being an expert with specific knowledge in the financial sector the bank employee turns into a kind of seller of any product that the algorithm decides to sell, thus ignoring the value of situated experience held by embedded, embodied social actors. Moreover, algorithms enter jurisdictional spaces traditionally controlled by knowledge workers and produce unknown outcomes concerning to whom to sell which products that cannot be clearly understood by workers.

Discussion

Technology contributes to engendering complex identity constructions to maintain, protect, and revise professional identity.
The numerical prediction of the Earth’s polar motion based on an advanced multivariate algorithm
Authors: Shi Kunpeng , Ding Hao , Chen Tao , Zou Chuanyi
Published: March 2023

Since there are complicated changes in the polar motion (PM) from sub-annual to decadal, precisely predicting it is challenging. Here, we provide an advanced multivariate algorithm by combining an iterative oblique singular spectrum analysis (IOSSA) with pseudo data (IOSSApd) and consider more periodic and quasi-periodic signals, especially long-period oscillations (Ding et al., Geophys. Res. Lett., 2019, 46, 13765–13774) and multi-frequency Chandler wobble (Pan, International Journal of Geosciences, 2012, 3, 930–951), than previous studies. The IOSSA in oblique coordinates, due to its weak separability conditions, has a better separation performance than general singular spectrum analysis (SSA), and the IOSSApd approach further solved the shift problem. Upon using the IOSSApd method, the PM data can be separated into deterministic and stochastic components, extrapolated by the multiple-harmonic (MH) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, respectively. Based on the IERS EOPC04 PM series, we produced multiple sets of PM predictions with a 1-year leading time and reported the IERS Bulletin A predictions as a comparison. For 90-day leading time predictions, the mean absolute errors (MAEs) of the x- and y-components were 7.69 and 5.12 mas, respectively, while the corresponding MAEs obtained by IERS Bulletin A were 9.45 and 5.69 mas, respectively. For up to 360 days, our algorithm obtains the MAEs of PM slowly accumulating to 12.98 mas on average, far better than the 19.14 mas for Bulletin A’s predictions (also significantly superior to the corresponding results given by previous studies). The prediction performance in the middle- and long-term prediction is further compared against the general SSA predictor. By virtue of weak periodic error, our results show that combining the IOSSApd + MH + ARIMA models improved the prediction success rate up to 75.39% and 69.58% for the x- and y-component, respectively.
Involving consumers in food product development: Perspectives on the application of circular food design
Authors: Sijtsema Siet J. , Snoek Harriette M.
Published: March 2023

Consumers and the food they choose, along with the actors providing the food, play a crucial role in the transformation toward a more sustainable food system. The circular food design model is a tool that supports consumer orientation in food product development and shows that it is not a static one-way direction but includes feedback loops and co-creative processes. In this study, circular food design was applied in two cases. Specifically, the following was explored: (1) How the application of circular food design can be carried out in different phases of product development? (2) How creativity and interaction can be stimulated? and (3) How different business disciplines can be involved? Learnings from a series of workshops were described from the perspectives of company and consumer research. The results showed that to make consumer research valuable in this development process, there was a need for interaction in different ways, including focused consumer research and understanding by food production actors in an interactive and iterative process supported by a creative approach and visualizations, and with cooperation between different departments within companies. Using this interaction for combining consumer- and market-driven thinking delivers more tailored and technically feasible innovations with engagement among all actors.