bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, attitudes and practice towards yellow fever among nomadic populations: A cross-sectional study in yellow fever outbreak communities in Ghana
Authors: Inusah Abdul-Wahab , Collins Gbeti , Dzomeku Peter , Head Michael , Ziblim Shamsu-Deen
Published: March 2023

Despite the government and global health initiatives toward yellow fever epidemic control in Ghana, the country continues to witness sporadic outbreaks of yellow fever mostly among the unvaccinated population and suspected migrates(nomadic) who enter the country. Little is known about nomadic knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding this communicable disease in Ghana. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey in 22 yellow fever outbreak communities to assess nomadic household heads’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding yellow fever after an outbreak in November 2021 outbreak. Our study results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistics regression with dichotomous outcomes. Significant statistics were obtained from multivariate analysis. About 90% of the nomadic had poor knowledge of the signs and symptoms of yellow with only 16% knowing the vector that transmits yellow fever. The most common source of information on yellow fever was the health campaign. Over 80% of household heads surveyed had positive attitudes regarding yellow fever with about 84% worried about the disease outbreak in their community. In a multivariate logistic regression model, age group(AOR = 2.79; 95% CI: 1.31, 5.98, p = 0.008)., gender ideology(AOR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.14–4.51, p = 0.019), occupation(AOR = 15.65; 95% CI: 7.02, 34.87, p<0.001), source of health information(AOR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.96, p = 0.043), duration of stay in the community(AOR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.31, 5.98, p = 0.008) and nationality (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI:0.47, 0.47, p<0.001) were associated with positive attitudes towards yellow fever. Close to 74% have a positive practice, with 97.3% controlling mosquitoes in their household. Nationality (AOR = 3.85; 95% CI: 2.26, 6.56, p<0.001), duration of stay in the community (AOR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.10, p = 0.001), and age group(AOR = 040; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.73, p = 0.003) were associated with positive practices. Our findings show that yellow fever KAP was variable with clear knowledge gaps. Regular locally-tailored education and health promotion campaigns should be considered to improve knowledge and preventive practices against this infectious disease.
COVID-19 and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: A common susceptibility pattern?
Authors: Sara De Matteis , Minelli Cosetta , Broccia Giorgio , Vineis Paolo , Cocco Pierluigi
Published: March 2023

Objective

To explore the link between COVID-19 incidence, socio-economic covariates, and NHL incidence.

Design

Ecological study design.

Setting

Sardinia, Italy.

Participants

We used official reports on the total cases of COVID-19 in 2020, published data on NHL incidence, and socio-economic indicators by administrative unit, covering the whole regional population.

Main outcomes and measures

We used multivariable regression analysis to explore the association between the natural logarithm (ln) of the 2020 cumulative incidence of COVID-19 and the ln-transformed NHL incidence in 1974–2003, weighing by population size and adjusting by socioeconomic deprivation and other covariates.

Results

The cumulative incidence of COVID-19 increased in relation to past incidence of NHL (p < 0.001), socioeconomic deprivation (p = 0.006), and proportion of elderly residents (p < 0.001) and decreased with urban residency (p = 0.001). Several sensitivity analyses confirmed the finding of an association between COVID-19 and NHL.

Conclusion

This ecological study found an ecological association between NHL and COVID-19. If further investigation would confirm our findings, shared susceptibility factors should be investigated among the plausible underlying mechanisms.
Screening for loneliness in representative population samples: Validation of a single-item measure
Authors: Reinwarth Anna Celine , Ernst Mareike , Krakau Lina , Brähler Elmar , Beutel Manfred E.
Published: March 2023

Background

Loneliness is a highly relevant public mental health issue. This work presents the validation of a single-item measure of loneliness and its subjective experience: “I am frequently alone/have few contacts”. It can be used in large-scale population surveys where an economical assessment is of key importance.

Methods

Data was drawn from two representative German population surveys conducted in early and late 2020 (combined N = 4,984; 52.9% women; age: M = 48.39 years (SD = 17.88)). We determined the prevalence of loneliness in men and women across different age groups. In order to test concurrent validity, bivariate correlation analyses and Chi-square tests were performed. Convergent and discriminant validity were tested by investigating intercorrelations of the single-item measure of loneliness with another loneliness measure, other mental health outcomes, and associations with sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Based on the single-item measure, 23.4% of participants reported some degree of loneliness, 3.4% among them severe loneliness. Comparisons with the LS-S showed similar prevalence rates of loneliness. A moderately positive relationship between the two loneliness measures was found by bivariate correlation analysis (ρ = .57, p < .001), but results indicated only weak convergent validity. Construct validity was supported by associations with depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, satisfaction with life, household size, and partnership.

Conclusions

Loneliness is frequently reported in the general population. The single-item measure of loneliness is suitable as a brief screening measure in population-based assessments.
Food consumption diversity and nutritional status among children aged 6–23 months in Indonesia: The analysis of the results of the 2018 Basic Health Research
Authors: Samosir Omas Bulan , Radjiman Dinda Srikandi , Aninditya Flora
Published: March 2023

Background

Stunting among children under five years of age is among the highest in Indonesia. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between food consumption diversity and nutritional status among children aged 6–23 months in Indonesia.

Methods

The data used came from the results of the 2018 Basic Health Research. The main independent variable was the diversity of food consumption. Control variables included breastfeeding practices and demographic and socioeconomic factors. Using ordinal logistic regression, the role of food consumption diversity in influencing nutritional status was examined after controlling for breastfeeding practices and demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Results

The results of the study showed that the diversity of food consumption (AOR = 1.15; 95%CI: 1.07–1.24) significantly and statistically influenced nutritional status of children age 6–23 months in Indonesia even after controlling for the effects of breastfeeding practices and demographic and socioeconomic factors. Higher odds of having normal nutritional status compared to being stunted or severely stunted was associated with consuming food according to the dietary diversity. Higher odds of having normal nutritional status compared to being stunted or severely stunted was also significantly and statistically associated with being ever breastfed (AOR = 1.33; 95%CI: 1.22–1.46), aged 6–11 months (AOR = 3.07; 95%CI: 2.79–3.38), female (AOR = 1.35; 95%CI: 1.25–1.46), children of non-working mothers (AOR = 1.12; 95%CI: 1.04–1.21), children of higher educated mothers (AOR = 1.50; 95%CI: 1.30–1.72), children from higher wealth quintile households (AOR = 1.65; 95%CI: 1.44–1.85), children from smaller size family (AOR = 1.07; 95%CI: 1.05–1.10), and urban children (AOR = 1.16; 95%CI:1.08–1.25).

Conclusion

A profound percentage of children aged 6–23 months in Indonesia experienced stunting and severely stunting. Children who did not receive minimum dietary diversity were more likely to suffer from stunting. The findings from this study suggest that to ensure the achievement of national goal of preventing stunting and sustainable development goal of ending all forms of malnutrition in Indonesia, the strategy should promote the fulfillment of minimum food consumption diversity.
A pharmaceutical monitoring system to assess the quality of antituberculosis drug products used in Mauritania
Authors: Cáceres-Pérez Amor R. , El Kory Mohamed B. , Suárez-González Javier , Soriano Mabel , Echezarreta M. Magdalena , Santoveña-Estévez Ana , Fariña José B.
Published: March 2023

The quality of drug products may be affected from manufacture to dispensing, particularly at high temperature and humidity as in Mauritania. This country is not included in the World Health Organization reports on poor quality products due to the lack of a qualified laboratory and monitoring system. Ensuring the quality of medicine is even more relevant in the case of diseases such as Tuberculosis, due to its high prevalence, complex treatment and continuous bacterial resistance. The aim was to develop a monitoring system to assess the quality of antituberculosis drugs products, by the substandard detection based on European and United States Pharmacopeial recommendations regarding quality control. In addition to studying the influence of accelerated storage conditions (40 ± 2°C/75 ± 5% relative humidity) on their qualities and comparing the dissolution profiles to contrast the quality. 18 antituberculosis drug products were taken from Europe and Mauritania, and quality was studied through visual inspection and according to the compliance of the mass uniformity, uniformity of dosage units, dissolution, disintegration and friability pharmacopeial tests. Furthermore, a dissolution profile comparison was carried out to examine quality. A stability study was conducted to assess the influence of climatic conditions on the content and the dissolved amount of the active pharmaceutical ingredients, which were determined by an ultra-performance liquid chromatography system. As result, 69.3% of 13 Mauritanian formulations had a substandard quality mainly due to non-compliance with the test for friability or content uniformity of these medicines. All European drug products complied with pharmacopeia specifications. In addition, storage conditions affected the dissolution rate of ethambutol and the uniformity of the 4 antituberculosis combination drug products.
Application of MobileNetV2 to waste classification
Authors: Yong Liying , Ma Le , Sun Dandan , Du Liping
Published: March 2023

Today, the topic of waste separation has been raised for a long time, and some waste separation devices have been installed in large communities. However, the vast majority of domestic waste is still not properly sorted and put out, and the disposal of domestic waste still relies mostly on manual classification. The research in this paper applies deep learning to this persistent problem, which has important significance and impact. The domestic waste is classified into four categories: recyclable waste, kitchen waste, hazardous waste and other waste. The garbage classification model trained based on MobileNetV2 deep neural network can classify domestic garbage quickly and accurately, which can save a lot of labor, material and time costs. The absolute accuracy of the trained network model is 82.92%. In comparison with CNN network model, the classification accuracy of MobileNetV2 model is 15.42% higher than that of CNN model. In addition, the trained model is light enough to be better applied to mobile.
Variation of soil physicochemical properties of different vegetation restoration types on subtropical karst area in southern China
Authors: Xiao Can , You Ren , Zhu Ninghua , Mi Xiaoqin , Gao Lin , Zhou Xiangshen , Zhou Guangyi
Published: March 2023

To carry out differentiated ecological restoration activities and formulate appropriate environmental conservation strategies for karst regions, it is essential to investigate the impact of ecological restoration and forest management strategy differences on soil properties. The karst region in Xiangxi, Hunan province, China was selected as the study site. Here, we determined soil physical and chemical differences in soil profiles of karst areas with ecological restoration activities. The results showed that (1) the soil properties showed a significant difference between the restoration vegetation and uncultivated land, especially in soil physical properties. The soil moisture conversion coefficient (83.0%) and soil bulk density (1.37g/cm3) of Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg reached the highest value among 12 vegetations. 2) The topsoil was more sensitive to ecological restoration. Soil physical properties in the topsoil samples from the forest management areas were significantly higher than uncultivated lands (P < 0.05). (3) Redundancy analysis showed that the soil chemical content differed significantly among the types of forest vegetation restoration and different soil layers. Among the nutrients analysis, Mg, Zn and K were the main factors affecting soil properties in the rocky desertification areas. Therefore, our results recommend planting the broadleaved deciduous forest as the preferred forest among three different forest types to enhance soil fertility and water conservation functions, especially in subtropical karst areas ecosystems, which provided for making scientific forest restoration management in the karst region.
Learning vs. minding: How subjective costs can mask motor learning
Authors: Healy Chadwick M. , Berniker Max , Ahmed Alaa A.
Published: March 2023

When learning new movements some people make larger kinematic errors than others, interpreted as a reduction in motor-learning ability. Consider a learning task where error-cancelling strategies incur higher effort costs, specifically where subjects reach to targets in a force field. Concluding that those with greater error have learned less has a critical assumption: everyone uses the same error-canceling strategy. Alternatively, it could be that those with greater error may be choosing to sacrifice error reduction in favor of a lower effort movement. Here, we test this hypothesis in a dataset that includes both younger and older adults, where older adults exhibited greater kinematic errors. Utilizing the framework of optimal control theory, we infer subjective costs (i.e., strategies) and internal model accuracy (i.e., proportion of the novel dynamics learned) by fitting a model to each population’s trajectory data. Our results demonstrate trajectories are defined by a combination of the amount learned and strategic differences represented by relative cost weights. Based on the model fits, younger adults could have learned between 65–90% of the novel dynamics. Critically, older adults could have learned between 60–85%. Each model fit produces trajectories that match the experimentally observed data, where a lower proportion learned in the model is compensated for by increasing costs on kinematic errors relative to effort. This suggests older and younger adults could be learning to the same extent, but older adults have a higher relative cost on effort compared to younger adults. These results call into question the proposition that older adults learn less than younger adults and provide a potential explanation for the equivocal findings in the literature. Importantly, our findings suggest that the metrics commonly used to probe motor learning paint an incomplete picture, and that to accurately quantify the learning process the subjective costs of movements should be considered.
Effect of general anesthesia and controlled mechanical ventilation on pulmonary ventilation distribution assessed by electrical impedance tomography in healthy children
Authors: Nascimento Milena S. , Rebello Celso M. , Costa Eduardo L. V. , Corrêa Leticia C. , Alcala Glasiele C. , Rossi Felipe S. , Morais Caio C. A. , Laurenti Eliana , Camara Mauro C. , Iasi Marcelo , Apezzato Maria L. P. , do Prado Cristiane , Amato Marcelo B. P.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

General anesthesia is associated with the development of atelectasis, which may affect lung ventilation. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a noninvasive imaging tool that allows monitoring in real time the topographical changes in aeration and ventilation.

Objective

To evaluate the pattern of distribution of pulmonary ventilation through EIT before and after anesthesia induction in pediatric patients without lung disease undergoing nonthoracic surgery.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study including healthy children younger than 5 years who underwent nonthoracic surgery. Monitoring was performed continuously before and throughout the surgical period. Data analysis was divided into 5 periods: induction (spontaneous breathing, SB), ventilation-5min, ventilation-30min, ventilation-late and recovery-SB. In addition to demographic data, mechanical ventilation parameters were also collected. Ventilation impedance (Delta Z) and pulmonary ventilation distribution were analyzed cycle by cycle at the 5 periods.

Results

Twenty patients were included, and redistribution of ventilation from the posterior to the anterior region was observed with the beginning of mechanical ventilation: on average, the percentage ventilation distribution in the dorsal region decreased from 54%(IC95%:49–60%) to 49%(IC95%:44–54%). With the restoration of spontaneous breathing, ventilation in the posterior region was restored.

Conclusion

There were significant pulmonary changes observed during anesthesia and controlled mechanical ventilation in children younger than 5 years, mirroring the findings previously described adults. Monitoring these changes may contribute to guiding the individualized settings of the mechanical ventilator with the goal to prevent postoperative complications.
Assessing classroom and laboratory spread of COVID-19 in a university after elimination of physical distancing
Authors: Rebmann Terri , Loux Travis M. , Gomel Ashley , Lugo Kaeli A. , Bafageeh Firas , Elkins Haley , Arnold Lauren D.
Published: March 2023

The objective of this study was to assess COVID-19 classroom transmission in the university setting when physical distancing was eliminated. Data was collected in fall 2021 at a private university. Universal masking, robust contact tracing, vaccination requirement, and enforced testing were in place. Exposures were classified as classroom versus non-classroom. ANOVA and chi-squared tests were used to identify significant relationships between predictors and COVID-19 test result. Logistic regression was conducted to investigate the relationship between exposure type and test result. A total of 162 student cases were identified with 1,658 associated close contacts. One-third of contacts (31.1%, n = 516) only had a non-classroom exposure, 63.8% (n = 1,057) only had a classroom exposure, and 5.1% (n = 85) had both. Close contacts were significantly more likely to test positive if they had a non-classroom exposure (60 of 601; 10.0%) compared to a classroom exposure (1 of 1057; 0.1%) (OR 58.8, CI 18.5–333.3, p < 0.001). Removing physical distancing in classrooms that had universal masking did not result in high rates of COVID-19 transmission. This has policy implications because eliminating physical distancing does not greatly increase transmission risk when universal masking is in place.
Associations between vitamin E status and bone mineral density in children and adolescents aged 8–19 years: Evidence based on NHANES 2005–2006, 2017–2018
Authors: Cui Aiyong , Xiao Peilun , Fan Zhiqiang , Zeng Yuan , Wang Hu , Zhuang Yan
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescence is a crucial determinant in osteoporosis and fragility fractures in older age. Vitamin E is the most abundant lipid-soluble antioxidant present in the blood. However, the association of vitamin E status with BMD in children and adolescents remains unclear.

Methods

We first measured the association of vitamin E status (serum α- and γ tocopherol) with BMD in children and adolescents with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multiple linear regression models were performed to evaluate their relationship after adjusting for a large range of covariates. Stratified analyses and interaction tests were used to explore their effects on different genders, ages, and races/ethnicities.

Results

13,606 children and adolescents from NHANES (2005–2006, 2017–2018) were included in our analysis. Compared with the lowest α-tocopherol quartile, individuals in the highest α-tocopherol quartile are likelier to be Non-Hispanic White and have a higher value of poverty income ratio (PIR). They have a lower value of serum phosphorus and lumbar spine BMD. Every 1umol/L increase in serum α- and γ- tocopherol, the lumbar spine BMD decreased by -0.0016 and -0.0068 g/cm2. Compared with the lowest quartile serum α- and γ- tocopherol concentration, individuals in the highest quartile have a -0.0223 and -0.0329 g/cm2lower mean BMD, respectively. Interaction effects suggest that the negative effect is more prominent among female youth, individuals aged 8–13 years, non-Hispanic whites, Mexican Americans, and non-Hispanic blacks.

Conclusions

Our study indicates serum α- and γ-tocopherol are negatively correlated with lumbar BMD. Age, gender, and race may have a modifying effect on this relationship. Our study has an important clinical implication. A higher vitamin E status for children and adolescents could not improve BMD, even decrease BMD. More prospective research with stronger evidence is needed to verify our findings and their underlying mechanisms.
Differences in the predicted nasoseptal flap length among races: A propensity score matching analysis
Authors: Jeong Chang Yeong , Cho Jin Hee , Park Yong Jin , Kim Sung Won , Park Jae-Sung , Abdullah Basurrah Mohammed , Kim Do Hyun , Kim Soo Whan
Published: March 2023

Objectives

We compared the lengths of a nasoseptal flap (NSF) and skull base according to race, age, and sex.

Methods

We performed paranasal sinus computed tomography in 19,961 adult patients between 2003 and 2022. The race of the patients was East Asian (n = 71), Caucasian (n = 71), or Middle Eastern (n = 71). The expected lengths of the NSF and anterior skull base defect were measured and analyzed according to race, age, and sex.

Results

Compared with Caucasians and Middle Easterners, East Asians had a shorter NSF length (p < 0.001) and lower ratio of the expected NSF length to the expected defect length (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the values among age groups. The expected NSF length was longer, and the ratio of the expected NSF length to the expected defect length was higher, in males than females (p < 0.001 for both).

Conclusions

East Asians and females had a shorter NSF length and lower ratio of expected NSF to surgical defect lengths after anterior skull base reconstruction compared with the other races and with males, respectively. Anatomical differences should be considered when long NSF lengths are required, such as for anterior skull base reconstruction.
Age of first diagnosis and incidence rate of uterine fibroids in Ghana. A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Edzie Emmanuel Kobina Mesi , Dzefi-Tettey Klenam , Brakohiapa Edmund Kwakye , Quarshie Frank , Ken-Amoah Sebastian , Cudjoe Obed , Boadi Evans , Kpobi Joshua Mensah , Edzie Richard Ato , Kusodzi Henry , Dziwornu Prosper , Asemah Abdul Raman
Published: March 2023

Background

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that grow in or on the uterus of women. Globally, they occur in more than 80% of women of African ancestry and 70% in white women. Uterine fibroid requires much attention because of its high incidence rate among women of all races and ages. This study sought to document the age of first diagnosis and incidence rates of uterine fibroids in our urban setting.

Methods

This study reviewed and analyzed the ages and year of diagnosis of all 2,469 patients with the first diagnosis of uterine fibroids from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2021 in South-Central Ghana. The obtained data were analyzed using GNU PSPP, Python on Jupyter Notebook and Libre Office Calc with statistical significance level set at p≤0.05.

Results

The overall average age was 36.29±8.08 years, with age range 17–61 years and the age groups with the highest frequencies were 35–39 years (n = 642, 26.00%), 30–34 years (n = 563, 22.80%) and 40–44 years (n = 381, 15.43%). The mean ages of the patients in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 were 36.70±8.00 years (95%CI = 35.97–37.43), 37.07±7.66 years (95%CI = 36.45–37.70), 35.92±7.87 years (95%CI = 35.30–36.53) and 35.78±8.54 years (95%CI = 35.19–36.38) respectively. The incidence rate (per 100,000) of uterine fibroids in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 were 66.77 (95% CI = 60.63–72.90), 81.86 (95%CI = 75.19–88.58), 85.60 (95%CI = 78.85–92.35) and 92.40 (95%CI = 85.88–98.92) respectively, with 35–39 age group recording the highest in all years.

Conclusion

The incidence rate of uterine fibroids increased as the years progressed and it is mostly high in 35–39 years age category, with a decreasing annual mean age trend indicative of early diagnosis.
High-risk fertility behaviours among women of reproductive ages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Prevalence, correlates, and spatial distribution
Authors: Tsala Dimbuene Zacharie , Tadesse Tessema Zemenu , Wang Sonne Soziac Elise
Published: March 2023

Background

High-risk fertility behaviour remains a major public health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, like other sub-Saharan Africa countries, especially because Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is very high in the country, estimated at 6.6 children. Despite the commendable progress in reducing maternal deaths in the region, sub-Saharan Africa is still lagging very behind compared with other regions. Yet, high-risk fertility behaviours are pivotal to improve maternal and child health. This study aims to assess geographical variations of, and to identify risk factors associated with high-risk fertility behaviours among married women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo using the 2013–14 Demographic and Health Survey.

Methods

Overall, 11,497 married women were selected from a nationally representative using a two-stage sampling design. Standard logistic regressions were performed to identify individual- and household/community-level factors associated with high-risk fertility behaviours. Additionally, interactions between women’s age and education, and urban residence were tested. Bernoulli based spatial scan statistics were used to identify the presence of high-risk fertility behaviours spatial clusters using Kulldorff’s SaTScan version 9.6 software. ArcGIS 10.7 was used to visualize the spatial variations of high-risk fertility behaviours. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis was employed using Multiscale GWR version 2.0 software.

Results

Findings indicated that more than two-third of married women exhibited high-risk fertility behaviours in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Multivariate logistic regression showed that education was negatively and significantly associated with the odds of high-risk fertility behaviours. In contrast, women’s age significantly increased the odds of high-risk fertility behaviours. Interactions between urban residence and women’s education and age confirmed the urban advantage identified from previous studies. Finally, high-risk fertility behaviours were highly clustered in the Northeastern provinces of the country.

Conclusion

The study showed that there were significant geographical variations of high-risk fertility behaviours across provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The paper also identified significant-high hot spots of high-risk fertility behaviours in the Northeastern provinces of the country. To reduce high-risk fertility behaviours, and ultimately improve maternal and child outcomes in the country, policymakers and health planners need to strategically address these inequalities. Finally, this paper highlighted the persistent needs of country-specific studies due to differences across sub-Saharan African countries in terms of social development and cultures.
Pedagogical possibilities in uncertain times
Authors: Salazar Stacey
Published: March 2023

As the pandemic and associated global traumas of recent years continue to reverberate through creative arts education, contributors to this issue consider the pedagogical possibilities embedded in online and in-person learning, collaborative and individual modalities, reflective and dialogic experiences, and material and spatial experimentation – suggesting that this may be a generative moment for art, design and communication in higher education.
Virome diversity of Hyalomma dromedarii ticks collected from camels in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Perveen Nighat , Kundu Biduth , Sudalaimuthuasari Naganeeswaran , Al-Maskari Raja Saeed , Muzaffar Sabir Bin , Al-Deeb Mohammad Ali
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim: Viruses are important components of the microbiome of ticks. Ticks are capable of transmitting several serious viral diseases to humans and animals. Hitherto, the composition of viral communities in Hyalomma dromedarii ticks associated with camels in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains unexplored. This study aimed to characterize the RNA virome diversity in male and female H. dromedarii ticks collected from camels in Al Ain, UAE.

Materials and Methods: We collected ticks, extracted, and sequenced RNA, using Illumina (NovaSeq 6000) and Oxford Nanopore (MinION).

Results: From the total generated sequencing reads, 180,559 (~0.35%) and 197,801 (~0.34%) reads were identified as virus-related reads in male and female tick samples, respectively. Taxonomic assignment of the viral sequencing reads was accomplished based on bioinformatic analyses. Further, viral reads were classified into 39 viral families. Poxiviridae, Phycodnaviridae, Phenuiviridae, Mimiviridae, and Polydnaviridae were the most abundant families in the tick viromes. Notably, we assembled the genomes of three RNA viruses, which were placed by phylogenetic analyses in clades that included the Bole tick virus.

Conclusion: Overall, this study attempts to elucidate the RNA virome of ticks associated with camels in the UAE and the results obtained from this study improve the knowledge of the diversity of viruses in H. dromedarii ticks.

Keywords: camels, Hyalomma dromedarii, nanopore technology, UAE, viral diversity, virome analysis, whole genome sequencing.
Post-pandemic governance: focus and concepts we need to develop to move forward
Authors: Lee Martha Isabel Gómez
Published: March 2023

Vivimos en una sociedad donde se ha instalado una dinámica de incertidumbre que debemos entender para avanzar. Los gobiernos ya no pueden seguir entregando lo mismo con menos; las demandas sociales siguen creciendo y acumulándose a las históricas; y la ciudadanía, ahora más empoderada, exige una mejor Administración. Toda esta evidencia ha ido debilitando la legitimidad de lo público, donde básicamente la gran mayoría de la población no desea un gobierno perfecto; sino, sólo uno que hace todo lo que puede con lo que tiene, y lo da a conocer.

El siguiente documento desea exhibir la realidad actual de la gestión pública, con carácter general, interrelacionando los conceptos de: control gubernamental, transparencia, eficiencia y eficácia, big data e inteligencia artificial, y calidad e innovación pública. Así, la implicancia y práctica de todos estos términos podrían ayudarnos significativamente a dar respuestas concretas a gran parte de nuestras demandas tanto históricas como actuales.
populismo de extrema direita terá vida longa entre nós?
Authors: Nascimento Elimar Pinheiro do
Published: March 2023

O livro de Roger Eatwel e Matthew Goodwin (2018) apresenta algumas teses que merecem ser investigadas. São elas: a) o novo populismo de direita no mundo tem suas raízes no final do século passado; b) e possuem um potencial de longo prazo. No caso do Brasil, o novo populismo emergiu nas manifestações de 2013/2014 contra a corrupção e galgou o poder rapidamente em 2018. A questão é saber se também tem potencial de permanência.
A Review of the Cardiovascular Safety of Prucalopride in Patients With Chronic Idiopathic Constipation
Authors: Tack Jan , Derakhchan Katayoun , Gabriel André , Spalding William , Terreri Brian , Youssef Ashraf , Kreidieh Bahij , Kowey Peter R. , Boules Mena
Published: March 2023

Prokinetic agents, specifically 5-hydroxytryptamine type 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonists, have been shown to provide relief in chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). The first-generation 5-HT4 agonists were initially withdrawn from use owing to associations with serious cardiovascular (CV) events. This review summarizes CV safety data for prucalopride, a high-affinity 5-HT4 agonist approved in the United States in 2018 for adults with CIC. No significant effects of prucalopride on CV safety were observed in animal models or early-phase clinical studies, including a thorough QT study at therapeutic (2 mg) or supratherapeutic (10 mg) doses. Among 1,750 patients with CIC who received prucalopride (2–4 mg) in 5 phase 3 studies, no trends in CV adverse events, electrocardiogram parameters, or blood pressure were documented; ≤1.0%–2.0% of patients had prolonged QT interval corrected for heart rate (HR) using Fridericia formula after placebo or prucalopride treatment, and low HR occurred in ≤6.1% and ≤3.3% of these patients, respectively. In two 24-month observational studies among 2,468 patients, changes in electrocardiogram parameters over time were minor, except at occasional time points when significant changes from baseline were reported for HR or QT interval. In a real-world European CV safety study among 35,087 patients (prucalopride, 5,715; polyethylene glycol 3350 [PEG3350], 29,372), results were consistent for no evidence of increased risk of major adverse CV events among patients treated with prucalopride vs PEG3350 (incidence rate ratio = 0.64; 95% confidence interval 0.36–1.14). Studies to date have not raised concerns regarding the impact of prucalopride treatment on CV parameters.
Integration of Three Vehicle Fleet Types for Delivering Relief Supplies During a Natural Disaster
Authors: Kitjacharoenchai Patchara , Sittivijan Peerapol
Published: March 2023

The combined use of trucks and drones in last-mile delivery offers a more efficient and faster way to make deliveries from an operational standpoint. In this paper, we propose a new routing model that combines different vehicle fleets, including hybrid trucks, traditional trucks, and large drones, to deliver packages from a depot to different destinations cooperatively. This research will give us a better understanding of this drone logistics application, particularly in routing optimization. It can be further implemented to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, mainly earthquakes, flooding, and landslides. This research aims to study the possibility of using drones to deliver relief supplies such as food, water, and medicine for humanitarian purposes during natural disaster periods to find the best possible route to directly reach the destination and minimize the flying time in the air. We develop a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) formulation to solve the I-VRPD optimally on a simulated small-scale problem and conduct a case study in one of the most affected regions by natural disasters. The numerical analysis demonstrates an improvement in the delivery time using three experiments that include testing the model on a set of benchmark problems and a case study based on the real scenario. The results show that the delivery time of the proposed model with the integration of three types of vehicle fleets can outperform the operation performed by a single-vehicle fleet by a significant percentage.
From Waterfall to Collaborative: How the Course Design Process Evolves Along with Relationship Building
Authors: Huang Wan Ju , Douglas Kerrie , Li Tiantian , Fentiman Audeen
Published: March 2023

This paper discusses the instructional design experiences and processes shared by a multi-disciplinary group—including more than a dozen faculty, staff, and students—while developing a series of online courses on Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for professional engineers, a project sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The team size, the complexity and uniqueness of the subject matter, the targeted learners, and the pre-determined research questions created a rare situation in which the team members collaborated and/or negotiated outside the realm of the traditional instructional design process. Over time the team went through two different types of instructional design processes, beginning with a waterfall-type process where the communication between the subject matter experts (SME) and the design team was somewhat limited and finally evolving to a collaborative process where the interaction between the two teams was more direct and immediate. The evolution of the design process and the dynamics between the SMEs and the design team resulted in several major design revisions implemented to improve the quality of the online courses.
Learning Failure and the Importance of Subject Matter Experts
Authors: Cooper Shannon , Renshaw Scott
Published: March 2023

For many instructional designers (ID), subject matter experts (SMEs) are viewed as a necessary evil. Depending upon their day job, SMEs can be challenging to work with due to their schedules and responsibilities outside the ID’s project. They can be unaware of the eLearning process, learning models and theories, and expensive—a SME can easily add thousands of dollars to an already stretched budget. However, if the ID does not have the “expert” knowledge of the content for students to achieve the learning outcomes successfully, it is improbable that the learning event will be meaningful. This paper explores students’ learning outcomes in a case-based simulated learning event before and after the inclusion of a SME on an instructional design team.
Emotional Design in an Introductory Course: An Initial Exploration
Authors: Rajcic K.E.
Published: March 2023

This design case is about Emotional Design Theory in application to the design of pandemic face masks. As we know designers rely strongly on theoretical knowledge in making design moves. To understand how students may learn to apply theory, research was conducted to test the effectiveness of an assessment called Design CUE (Conceptual Understanding Evaluation).
In this case, I describe the research study context and rationale for the development of the Design CUE as an instructional assessment used to teach emotional design to undergraduate students at a large midwestern research university. Emotional design is a threshold concept in design education developed by Norman; it identifies three levels of focus: visceral, behavioral, and reflective. This framework was presented in class and learner performance was evaluated through the completion of the Design CUE, the purpose of which was to transfer learning by bridging concepts learned in class to a design task.
I report how the design succeeded in teaching emotional design theory but failed to initiate greater student creativity in applying theory, most notably in the visceral level of emotional design. I document the undergraduate course in which the design was used. I also provide the context of the research study which sought to understand if students could apply the theory of emotional design and how they incorporated emotional design into the design of pandemic facemasks.
“The Moving Horizon Of Classless Harmonies” In Darko Suvin’s Poetry
Authors: Veselá Pavla
Published: March 2023

The article discusses selected poetry by Darko Suvin against the background of his theoretical writings about science fiction, utopia and poetry. It argues that Suvin’s poetry estranges the ideological view of the present and history as an inevitable reproduction of injustice and alienation. The focus is on several poems included in the collections The Long March: Notes on the Way 1981–1984 (1987) and Defined by a Hollow: Essays on Utopia, Science Fiction, and Political Epistemology (2010), as well as in “Three Long Poems 2000–2016” (2016) and “Poems of Old Age (2002–17)” (2017) available on the author’s website.
An Exploratory Study of Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Language-Literature Integration in Secondary EFL Education
Authors: Sun Lina
Published: March 2023

The benefits of using literature in second/foreign language instruction have been re-gaining recognition in recent years. This study investigates a reading program implemented by an experienced teacher in a Chinese high school, with the aim of exploring students’ and teachers’ perceptions, as well as possible pedagogical strategies. Graphic novels were used in the program, facilitated by such literacy activities as reader’s theatre, keeping a reflection journal, literature circles, and explicit vocabulary teaching. This exploratory case study lasted for four months, collecting data from student and teacher participants, classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, reflection journals, artifacts, and relevant documents. Using the framework of a critical literacy approach to second/foreign language teaching, this study finds that with explicit teacher guidance and critical pedagogies, students developed high-order reading/thinking skills, multiple perspectives, historical empathy, and agency by engaging in multiliteracies practices through language-literature integration. Additionally, by highlighting some of the challenges and confusions teachers encountered, this study draws attention to the need for teacher training in the implementation of this pedagogical approach, alongside implications for future research and practice.
Testing the way of driving a vehicle in real road conditions
Authors: Gruszczyński Michał , Jurecki Rafał
Published: March 2023

Safety is one of the most important issues in all areas of human life. It is taken into account during the design of motor vehicles, road infrastructure, the implementation of training for drivers, and their education. The main goal is to raise it, which is why it is discussed in many research studies. The research concerns the construction of motor vehicles, systems equipped with them, infrastructure, as well as drivers, their behavior, and the way they are driven. This article presents tests of the method of driving a vehicle in real road conditions. To evaluate the driver, selected vehicle motion parameters were used, which were recorded while driving on a real test section characterised by changing traffic conditions.
A Reflection on the Methods of Interpretation of EU Law
Authors: Petrić Davor
Published: March 2023

In many legal systems, methods of interpretation are unwritten customary norms. As such, they depend on consistent practice of legal officials and their acceptance of those methods as binding. Among them, the most important are judges. The EU legal system is characterised by a two-tier judiciary, composed of the Court of Justice and national courts. The Court of Justice has the final word regarding the development of the methods of interpretation of EU law. National courts are required to accept and apply those methods when they interpret EU law on their own. This is essential for ensuring uniformity and effectiveness of EU law. The Court of Justice therefore needs to develop the methods of interpretation of EU law through a dialogue with national courts. How any method of interpretation will be employed in a particular case depends on moral and political values that inform their use. The inherent characteristic of the EU legal order is value pluralism. This means that although the same constitutional values are likely to be formally recognised in the EU and its Member States, their conceptions may nonetheless vary. To have uniform EU law that produces same effects in all Member States, national courts have to interpret EU law by using particular methods of interpretation informed by EU conceptions of values that are associated with those methods. So, these EU values likewise have to be shared by national courts whenever they interpret EU law. What these EU values are is determined not only by the Court of Justice in a dialogue with national courts, but with other institutional actors, supranational and national, in the EU legal order.
Perceiving in networking interactions: emblems, indexicality, and their mapping through reflexivity
Authors: Militello Jacqueline
Published: March 2023

For newly met acquaintances, deployment of a single lexical term, an emblem such as tech or finance, signals where one stands in the professional universe and points to any manner of traits and characteristics or a certain type of person. This positioning and evaluation has pivotal real-world implications for occupational attainment as people decide whether a conversation is worth continuing and a contact worth advancing. This study examines self-presentation sequences at a professional networking event in Hong Kong. In the interactions at these events, professional emblems serve to locate people amongst different taxonomies, such as hierarchies of eliteness, and invoke various traits. But in highly diverse, globalized contexts like this one in Hong Kong, what happens when shared knowledge of emblems is not readily available, and how do participants negotiate this? This study seeks to answer these underexamined questions, acutely relevant in particular social circles nowadays, focusing on misrecognized, vaguely recognized, semiotically transposed, and spuriously recognized cases. It also introduces advanced visual depictions of the indexical maps that participants hold, in all their complexity, drawing both from interaction, where there are some hints of emblem uptake, and subsequent interviews, where emblems’ indexicalities and their social value to social actors are made explicit. This study fills a gap in how people with diverse biographies ‘cobble together’ indexical meanings in the moment to position their interactants within their conceptions of the world and ascribe social value.
The crystal structure of catena-[nitrato-κ
2
O,O′-(μ
3-3-iodobenzene-1,2-dicarboxylato-κ
4
O:O′:O″,O‴)-(2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine-κ
3
N,N′,N″)lanthanum(III)], C23H14IN4O7La
Authors: Cai Bin , Meng Yuning
Published: March 2023

C23H14IN4O7La, triclinic,

P

1
‾

$P\overline{1}$

(no. 2), a = 8.2438(3) Å, b = 12.3786(5) Å, c = 12.6230(5) Å, α = 111.802(1)°, β = 91.144(1)°, γ = 100.6470(10)°, V = 1169.86(8) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0313, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1051, T = 296 K.
Towards lignin valorization: lignin as a UV-protective bio-additive for polymer coatings
Authors: Goliszek Marta , Podkościelna Beata , Smyk Nataliia , Sevastyanova Olena
Published: March 2023

Interest in fossil-free, bio-based materials capable of protecting against the harmful effects of UV radiation is constantly growing. The functional groups within lignin are able to effectively absorb light in the visible and UV range, making lignin a good candidate as a bio-additive in UV-protective polymer coatings. In this work, unmodified and modified (by methacrylation) lignin of different origins (softwood [spruce] and hardwood [eucalyptus]) was used as a bio-additive within epoxy resin to develop UV-blocking coatings. Methacrylation of the lignin, as well as the presence of appropriate functional groups in the coatings was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The colour properties of the coatings were additionally investigated whereby the chemical modification of lignin was found to significantly influence the colour of the biocomposite coating. The thermal properties and morphology were investigated by DSC and confocal microscopy, respectively. The results demonstrate that methacrylated lignin is a promising environmentally friendly UV-protective bio-additive for polymer coatings.