bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges to nutrition management among patients using antiretroviral therapy in primary health ‘centres’ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A phenomenological study
Authors: Ali Ewune Helen , Daka Kassa , Bekele Befekadu , Meskele Mengistu
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Nutritional management is a fundamental practice of concern to all patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The nature of HIV/AIDS and malnutrition impacts are interlocked and intensify one another.

Objective

This study aimed to explore nutrition management challenges among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in primary health centres in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods and materials

We used a hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenological study design. The study used in-depth interviews to describe lived experiences among adult patients aged 18 and above. We selected the participants purposively until the saturation of the idea reached. We maintained the scientific rigor and trustworthiness by applying credibility, transferability, dependability, and conformability, followed by translation and re-reading of the data has been achieved. The data have been analyzed through inductive thematic analysis assisted by NVIVO version 12 pro software.

Result

Nutrition management challenges for HIV patients have been described using six significant themes. The major themes were: acceptance of the disease and the health status; facilitators and barriers to treatment adherence; behavioural changes in eating patterns; experience of food insecurity issues; nutrition knowledge; and support. The themes have explained how patients using ART have been challenged to manage their nutrition ever since their diagnosis. Of all challenges, food insecurity is found to be the core reason for poor nutrition management.

Conclusion and recommendation

We found that many factors in managing their nutrition challenged patients with HIV. There should be an increasing interest in managing food insecurity issues as food insecurity has been strongly related to other factors.
Human cultured IMR-32 neuronal-like and U87 glial-like cells have different patterns of toxicity under fluoride exposure
Authors: Puty Bruna , Bittencourt Leonardo Oliveira , Nogueira Iago Cesar , Buzalaf Marília Afonso Rabelo , Oliveira Edivaldo Herculano , Lima Rafael Rodrigues
Published: June 2021

Background

Fluoride (F) is a naturally exists in nature but several studies have indicated it as an environmental toxicant to all leaving beings. Human F exposure has increased over the years since this ion has been used by industry on foods, beverages, toothpastes and on water supply. Although F is safe at optimal concentrations in water supply, human exposure to high levels could trigger neurofunctional deficits.

Materials and methods

In this study, human glial-like (U87) and neuronal-like (IMR-32) cells lineages were used to access F toxicity and CNS cell sensibility on both cell facing the same protocol. Cells were exposed to F over 3, 5 and 10 days on two different F concentrations. Fluoride exposed cells were evaluated by standard toxicity assays to cell viability, apoptosis, necrosis and general cell metabolism. Oxidative stress parameters were evaluated by ATP and ROS levels, lipid peroxidation, GSH/GSSG ratio and comet assay.

Results

No changes were observed in IMR-32 at any given time while after 10 days of exposure to 0.22μg/mL, U87 glial-like cells showed signs of toxicity such as decreased cell viability by necrosis while general cell metabolism was increased. Oxidative stress parameters were next evaluated only on U87 glial-like cells after 10 days of exposure. F induced a decrease on ATP levels while no changes were observed on reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. GSH/GSSG ratio was decreased followed by DNA damage both on 0.22μg/mL F.

Conclusions

Our results suggest an important differential behavior of the distinct types of cells exposed to the different fluoride concentrations, pointing that the U87 glial-like cells as more susceptible to damage triggered by this ion.
High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation at dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for migraine prevention: A protocol for a systematic review of controlled trials
Authors: Mohamad Safiai Nabil Izzaatie , Mohamad Nur Afiqah , Basri Hamidon , Inche Mat Liyana Najwa , Hoo Fan Kee , Abdul Rashid Anna Misyail , Yusof Khan Abdul Hanif Khan , Loh Wei Chao , Baharin Janudin , Fernandez Aaron , Samsudin Intan Nureslyna , Mohamed Mohd Hazmi , Siew Mooi Ching , Lee Kai Wei , Ramachandran Vasudevan , Pozo-Rosich Patricia , Wan Sulaiman Wan Aliaa
Published: June 2021

Background

Migraine may lead to a negative impact on the patients’ quality of life with a subsequent substantial burden to society. Therapy options for treatment and prevention of migraine have progressed over the years and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is one of the promising non-pharmacological options. It induces and alters electric current in the brain via repetitive non-invasive brain stimulation in high frequency. In migraine patients, two common stimulation sites are the M1 cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The mechanism on how rTMS exerts therapeutic effects on migraine is not fully established, but the main postulation is that the neuromodulation via high-frequency rTMS (hf-rTMS) might inhibit pain perception. However, evidence from studies has been conflicting, thus the usefulness of hf-rTMS as migraine preventive treatment is still uncertain at this moment.

Methods

This is a systematic review protocol describing essential reporting items based on the PRISMA for systematic review protocols (PRISMA-P) (Registration number: CRD42020220636). We aim to review the effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of hf-rTMS at DLPFC in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) as migraine prophylactic treatment. We will search Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Plus, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Biomed Central for relevant articles from randomised controlled clinical trials that used hf-rTMS applied at DLPFC for the treatment of migraine. The risk of bias will be assessed using the version 2 “Risk of bias” tool from Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 6.1. We will investigate the evidence on efficacy, tolerability and safety and we will compare the outcomes between the hf-rTMS intervention and sham groups.

Discussion

This systematic review will further determine the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of hf-rTMS applied at DLPFC for migraine prophylaxis. It will provide additional data for health practitioners and policymakers about the usefulness of hf-rTMS for migraine preventive treatment.
Psychometric properties of the brief self-report questionnaire for screening putative pre-psychotic states and validation of clinical utility in young adult
Authors: Chiang Shih-Kuang , Chen Pei-Ti , Liu Chen-Chung
Published: June 2021

Introduction

The Brief Self-Report Questionnaire for Screening Putative Pre-Psychotic States (BQSPS), a brief, self-reported screening tool for risk of psychosis, can detect auditory perceptual disturbances significantly associated with perceived need for psychological services among young adults. However, the relationship is largely explained by the existence of neurotic traits, anxiety and depression symptoms.

Objective

This study explores possible explanations of previous results from factor structures of the BQSPS and the clinical implications underlying each factor.

Methods

Construct validity, criterion-related validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the BQSPS are determined among young adults (N = 289).

Results

We find that Social Anxiety, Positive Symptoms, and Negative Symptoms are three components in the BQSPS for young adults. Moreover, we find that each component of the BQSPS can be explained by related forms of psychopathology, self-esteem, or personality traits. Finally, the BQSPS can satisfactorily distinguish cases from non-cases using the Symptoms Check List-90-Revised.

Conclusions

We clarify the clinical implications of each component of the BQSPS and thus expand its clinical utility. The BQSPS has good psychometric properties in young adults from an ethnically Chinese population. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.
Religion as an influencing factor of right-wing, left-wing and Islamist extremism. Findings of a Swiss youth study
Authors: Kamenowski Maria , Manzoni Patrik , Haymoz Sandrine , Isenhardt Anna , Jacot Cédric , Baier Dirk
Published: June 2021

In criminological research the relationship between religion and delinquency has received great attention. Religiosity has been shown to be a protective factor for violent behaviour, drug use and other types of crime. In contrast, the relationship between religion and extremism was rarely investigated and then almost exclusively in relation to Islamist extremism. This paper presents results of a youth survey on extremism in Switzerland. A total of 8317 young people in ten cantons were interviewed about right-wing, left-wing and Islamist extremism. The study allows in a unique way to analyse religion, religiosity and religious attitudes in relation to three forms of extremist attitudes. The results show that religion is an important influencing factor of extremism, but religious affiliation and religiosity are less important than specific religious attitudes such as religious tolerance and religious exclusivity.
Clinical outcome, risk assessment, and seasonal variation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients—Results from the CORONA Germany study
Authors: Gessler Nele , Gunawardene Melanie A. , Wohlmuth Peter , Arnold Dirk , Behr Juergen , Gloeckner Christian , Herrlinger Klaus , Hoelting Thomas , Pape Ulrich-Frank , Schreiber Ruediger , Stang Axel , Wesseler Claas , Willems Stephan , Arms Charlotte , Herborn Christoph U.
Published: June 2021

Background

After one year of the pandemic and hints of seasonal patterns, temporal variations of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 are widely unknown. Additionally, heterogeneous data regarding clinical indicators predicting disease severity has been published. However, there is a need for a risk stratification model integrating the effects on disease severity and mortality to support clinical decision-making.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, observational, prospective, epidemiological cohort study at 45 hospitals in Germany. Until 1 January 2021, all hospitalized SARS CoV-2 positive patients were included. A comprehensive data set was collected in a cohort of seven hospitals. The primary objective was disease severity and prediction of mild, severe, and fatal cases. Ancillary analyses included a temporal analysis of all hospitalized COVID-19 patients for the entire year 2020.

Findings

A total of 4704 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized with a mortality rate of 19% (890/4704). Rates of mortality, need for ventilation, pneumonia, and respiratory insufficiency showed temporal variations, whereas age had a strong influence on the course of mortality. In cohort conducting analyses, prognostic factors for fatal/severe disease were: age (odds ratio (OR) 1.704, CI:[1.221–2.377]), respiratory rate (OR 1.688, CI:[1.222–2.333]), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (OR 1.312, CI:[1.015–1.695]), C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR 2.132, CI:[1.533–2.965]), and creatinine values (OR 2.573, CI:[1.593–4.154].

Conclusions

Age, respiratory rate, LDH, CRP, and creatinine at baseline are associated with all cause death, and need for ventilation/ICU treatment in a nationwide series of COVID 19 hospitalized patients. Especially age plays an important prognostic role. In-hospital mortality showed temporal variation during the year 2020, influenced by age.

Trial registration number

NCT04659187.
An evaluation of contralateral hand involvement in the operation of the Delft Self-Grasping Hand, an adjustable passive prosthesis
Authors: Chadwell Alix , Chinn Natalie , Kenney Laurence , Karthaus Zoë J. , Mos Daniek , Smit Gerwin
Published: June 2021

The Delft Self-Grasping Hand is an adjustable passive prosthesis operated using the concept of tenodesis (where opening and closing of the hand is mechanically linked to the flexion and extension of the wrist). As a purely mechanical device that does not require harnessing, the Self-Grasping Hand offers a promising alternative to current prostheses. However, the contralateral hand is almost always required to operate the mechanism to release a grasp and is sometimes also used to help form the grasp; hence limiting the time it is available for other purposes. In this study we quantified the amount of time the contralateral hand was occupied with operating the Self-Grasping Hand, classified as either direct or indirect interaction, and investigated how these periods changed with practice. We studied 10 anatomically intact participants learning to use the Self-Grasping Hand fitted to a prosthesis simulator. The learning process involved 10 repeats of a feasible subset of the tasks in the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP). Video footage was analysed, and the time that the contralateral hand was engaged in grasping or releasing was calculated. Functionality scores increased for all participants, plateauing at an Index of Functionality of 33.5 after 5 SHAP attempts. Contralateral hand involvement reduced significantly from 6.47 (first 3 attempts) to 4.68 seconds (last three attempts), but as a proportion of total task time remained relatively steady (increasing from 29% to 32%). For 9/10 participants most of this time was supporting the initiation of grasps rather than releases. The reliance on direct or indirect interactions between the contralateral hand and the prosthesis varied between participants but appeared to remain relatively unchanged with practice. Future studies should consider evaluating the impact of reliance on the contralateral limb in day-to-day life and development of suitable training methods.
Excess demand prediction for bike sharing systems
Authors: Liu Xin , Pelechrinis Konstantinos
Published: June 2021

One of the most crucial elements for the long-term success of shared transportation systems (bikes, cars etc.) is their ubiquitous availability. To achieve this, and avoid having stations with no available vehicle, service operators rely onrebalancing. While different operators have different approaches to this functionality, overall it requires a demand-supply analysis of the various stations. While trip data can be used for this task, the existing methods in the literature only capture theobserveddemand and supply rates. However, theexcessdemand rates (e.g., how many customers attempted to rent a bike from an empty station) are not recorded in these data, but they are important for the in-depth understanding of the systems’ demand patterns that ultimately can inform operations like rebalancing. In this work we propose a method to estimate the excess demand and supply rates from trip and station availability data. Key to our approach is identifying what we term as excess demand pulse (EDP) in availability data as a signal for the existence of excess demand. We then proceed to build a Skellam regression model that is able to predict the difference between the total demand and supply at a given station during a specific time period. Our experiments with real data further validate the accuracy of our proposed method.
Varied and unexpected changes in the well-being of seniors in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Barcellos Silvia , Jacobson Mireille , Stone Arthur A.
Published: June 2021

Recent evidence suggests that psychological health deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic but far less is known about changes in other measures of well-being. We examined changes in a broad set of measures of well-being among seniors just before and after the recognition of community spread of COVID-19 in the United States. We fielded two waves of a survey to a large, national online panel of adults ages 60 to 68 at wave 1. We measured depressive symptoms, negative affect, positive affect, pain, life satisfaction and self-rated health in each survey wave. 16,644 adults answered well-being questions in waves 1 and 2 of our survey (mean[SD]: age 64 [2.6]; 10,165 women [61%]; 15,161 [91%] white). We found large (20%; p<0.001) increases in the rate of depressive symptoms (1.4 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.86) and negative mood (0.225 scale points; 95% CI, 0.205 to 0.245) but no change in self-reported health and a decrease (12.5%; p<0.001) in the rate of self-reported pain (5 percentage points; 95% CI, -5.8 to -4.3). Depressive symptoms and negative affect increased more for women. Higher perceived risk of getting COVID-19 and of dying from the disease were associated with larger increases in the rate of depressive symptoms and negative affect and larger decreases in positive affect and life satsifaction. COVID-19 related job/income loss was the only pandemic-related factor predictive of the decline in pain. Although depressive symptoms and mood worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, other measures of well-being were either not materially affected or even improved.
EA3: A softmax algorithm for evidence appraisal aggregation
Authors: De Pretis Francesco , Landes Jürgen
Published: June 2021

Real World Evidence (RWE) and its uses are playing a growing role in medical research and inference. Prominently, the 21st Century Cures Act—approved in 2016 by the US Congress—permits the introduction of RWE for the purpose of risk-benefit assessments of medical interventions. However, appraising the quality of RWE and determining its inferential strength are, more often than not, thorny problems, because evidence production methodologies may suffer from multiple imperfections. The problem arises to aggregate multiple appraised imperfections and perform inference with RWE. In this article, we thus develop an evidence appraisal aggregation algorithm called EA3. Our algorithm employs the softmax function—a generalisation of the logistic function to multiple dimensions—which is popular in several fields: statistics, mathematical physics and artificial intelligence. We prove that EA3 has a number of desirable properties for appraising RWE and we show how the aggregated evidence appraisals computed by EA3 can support causal inferences based on RWE within a Bayesian decision making framework. We also discuss features and limitations of our approach and how to overcome some shortcomings. We conclude with a look ahead at the use of RWE.
Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on psychosocial factors, health, and lifestyle in Scottish octogenarians: The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 study
Authors: Taylor Adele M. , Page Danielle , Okely Judith A. , Corley Janie , Welstead Miles , Skarabela Barbora , Redmond Paul , Russ Tom C. , Cox Simon R.
Published: June 2021

Background

Little is known about effects of COVID-19 lockdown on psychosocial factors, health and lifestyle in older adults, particularly those aged over 80 years, despite the risks posed by COVID-19 to this age group.

Methods

Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 members, residing mostly in Edinburgh and the surrounding Lothians regions in Scotland, mean age 84 years (SD = 0.3), responded to an online questionnaire in May 2020 (n= 190). We examined responses (experience and knowledge of COVID-19; adherence to guidance; impact on day-to-day living; social contact; self-reported physical and mental health; loneliness; and lifestyle) and relationships between previously-measured characteristics and questionnaire outcomes.

Results

Four respondents experienced COVID-19; most had good COVID-19 knowledge (94.7%) and found guidance easy to understand (86.3%). There were modest declines in self-reported physical and mental health, and 48.2% did less physical activity. In multivariable regression models, adherence to guidance by leaving the house less often associated with less professional occupational class (OR = 0.71, 95%CI 0.51–0.98) and poorer self-rated general health (OR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.42–0.92). Increased internet use associated with female sex (OR = 2.32, 95%CI 1.12–4.86) and higher general cognitive ability (OR = 1.53, 95%CI 1.03–2.33). Loneliness associated with living alone (OR = 0.15, 95%CI 0.07–0.31) and greater anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.76, 95%CI 0.45–1.24). COVID-19 related stress associated with lower emotional stability scores (OR = 0.40, 95%CI 0.24–0.62). Decreased physical activity associated with less professional occupational class (OR = 1.43, 95%CI 1.04–1.96), and lower general cognitive ability (OR = 0.679, 95%CI 0.491–0.931).

Conclusions

Characteristics including cognitive function, occupational class, self-rated health, anxiety, and emotional stability, may be related to risk of poorer lockdown-related psychosocial and physical outcomes.
Transcriptional analysis of sweet corn hybrids in response to crowding stress
Authors: Choe Eunsoo , Ko Younhee , Williams Martin M.
Published: June 2021

Crop tolerance to crowding stress, specifically plant population density, is an important target to improve productivity in processing sweet corn. Due to limited knowledge of biological mechanisms involved in crowding stress in sweet corn, a study was conducted to 1) investigate phenotypic and transcriptional response of sweet corn hybrids under different plant densties, 2) compare the crowding stress response mechanisms between hybrids and 3) identify candidate biological mechanisms involved in crowding stress response. Yield per hectare of a tolerant hybrid (DMC21-84) increased with plant density. Yield per hectare of a sensitive hybrid (GSS2259P) declined with plant density. Transcriptional analysis found 694, 537, 359 and 483 crowding stress differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for GSS2259P at the Fruit Farm and Vegetable Farm and for DMC21-84 at the Fruit Farm and Vegetable Farm, respectively. Strong transcriptional change due to hybrid was observed. Functional analyses of DEGs involved in crowding stress also revealed that protein folding and photosynthetic processes were common response mechanisms for both hybrids. However, DEGs related to starch biosynthetic, carbohydrate metabolism, and ABA related processes were significant only for DMC21-84, suggesting the genes have closer relationship to plant productivity under stress than other processes. These results collectively provide initial insight into potential crowding stress response mechanisms in sweet corn.
Updating the bionomy and geographical distribution of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis F: A vector of malaria parasites in northern South America
Authors: Zúñiga Miguel A. , Rubio-Palis Yasmin , Brochero Helena
Published: June 2021

Anopheles albitarsisF is a putative species belonging to the Albitarsis Complex, recognized by rDNA, mtDNA, partialwhitegene, and microsatellites sequences. It has been reported from the island of Trinidad, Venezuela and Colombia, and incriminated as a vector of malaria parasites in the latter. This study examinedmitochondrially encoded cytochrome c oxidase I(MT-CO1) sequences ofAn.albitarsisF from malaria-endemic areas in Colombia and Venezuela to understand its relations with other members of the Complex, revised and update the geographical distribution and bionomics ofAn.albitarsisF and explore hypotheses to explain its phylogenetic relationships and geographical expansion. Forty-fiveMT-CO1sequences obtained in this study were analyzed to estimate genetic diversity and possible evolutionary relationships. Sequences generated 37 haplotypes clustered in a group where the genetic divergence of Venezuelan populations did not exceed 1.6% with respect to Colombian samples.Anopheles albitarsisF (π = 0.013) represented the most recent cluster located closer toAn.albitarsisI (π = 0.009). Barcode gap was detected according to Albitarsis Complex lineages previously reported (threshold 0.014–0.021).Anopheles albitarsisF has a wide distribution in northern South America and might play an important role in the transmission dynamics of malaria due to its high expansion capacity. Future studies are required to establish the southern distribution ofAn.albitarsisF in Venezuela, and its occurrence in Guyana and Ecuador.
Contamination of street food with multidrug-resistant Salmonella, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Authors: Nikiema Marguerite E. M. , Pardos de la Gandara Maria , Compaore Kiswensida A. M. , Ky Ba Absétou , Soro Karna D. , Nikiema Philippe A. , Barro Nicolas , Sangare Lassana , Weill François-Xavier
Published: June 2021

Background

Gastrointestinal infections are a global public health problem. In Burkina Faso, West Africa, exposure to Salmonella through the consumption of unhygienic street food represents a major risk of infection requiring detailed evaluation.

Methods

Between June 2017 and July 2018, we sampled 201 street food stalls, in 11 geographic sectors of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. We checked for Salmonella contamination in 201 sandwiches (one per seller), according to the ISO 6579:2002 standard. All Salmonella isolates were characterized by serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and whole-genome sequencing was performed on a subset of isolates, to investigate their phylogenetic relationships and antimicrobial resistance determinants.

Results

The prevalence of Salmonella enterica was 17.9% (36/201) and the Salmonella isolates belonged to 16 different serotypes, the most frequent being Kentucky, Derby and Tennessee, with five isolates each. Six Salmonella isolates from serotypes Brancaster and Kentucky were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Whole-genome sequencing revealed that four of these MDR isolates belonged to the emergent S. enterica serotype Kentucky clone ST198-X1 and to an invasive lineage of S. enterica serotype Enteritidis (West African clade).

Conclusion

This study reveals a high prevalence of Salmonella spp. in sandwiches sold in Ouagadougou. The presence of MDR Salmonella in food on sale detected in this study is also matter of concern.
Correlation of p16 immunohistochemistry with clinical and epidemiological features in oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma
Authors: de C. Ferreira Chrystiano , Dufloth Rozany , de Carvalho Ana C. , Reis Rui M. , Santana Iara , Carvalho Raiany S. , Gama Ricardo R.
Published: June 2021

Background

Oropharyngeal cancer is an important public health problem. The aim of our study was to correlatep16 immunohistochemistry in oropharynx squamous cell carcinomas(OPSCC) with clinical and epidemiological features.

Material and methods

We conducted across-sectional study on patients with OPSCC treated at a single institution from 2014 to 2019. Epidemiological and clinical-pathological data were collected from medical records and a questionnaire was applied to determine alcohol consumption, smoking, and sexual behavior. The HPV status was determined by p16 immunohistochemistry.

Results

A total of 252 patients participated in the study, of these 221 (87.7%) were male. There were 81 (32.14%) p16 positive cases and 171 (67.85%) p16 negative cases. The p16positive group was significantly associated with younger patients (50–59 years), higher education level, lower clinical stage and patients who never drank or smoked. Through univariate logistic regression, we observed that female sex (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.60–7.51) and higher education level (OR, 9.39; 95% CI, 2, 81–31,38) were significantly more likely to be p16 positive. Early clinical stage (AJCC8ed) was more associated with p16 positivity both in univariate (OR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.07–0.26, p<0.001) and multivariate analysis (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.06–0.49, p = 0.001).

Conclusion

This study showed that drinkers and current smokers were less likely to be p16+. Female sex, higher education level and younger age at diagnosis were associated with a higher probability of being p16+. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of patients with early clinical stage (I or II) in the p16 positive group when compared to the p16 negative group.
Multilevel modeling of county-level excessive alcohol use, rurality, and COVID-19 case fatality rates in the US
Authors: Pro George , Gilbert Paul A. , Baldwin Julie A. , Brown Clare C. , Young Sean , Zaller Nickolas
Published: June 2021

Objective

Reports of disparities in COVID-19 mortality rates are emerging in the public health literature as the pandemic continues to unfold. Alcohol misuse varies across the US and is related to poorer health and comorbidities that likely affect the severity of COVID-19 infection. High levels of pre-pandemic alcohol misuse in some counties may have set the stage for worse COVID-19 outcomes. Furthermore, this relationship may depend on how rural a county is, as access to healthcare in rural communities has lagged behind more urban areas. The objective of this study was to test for associations between county-level COVID-19 mortality, pre-pandemic county-level excessive drinking, and county rurality.

Method

We used national COVID-19 data from the New York Times to calculate county-level case fatality rates (n = 3,039 counties and county equivalents; October 1 –December 31, 2020) and other external county-level data sources for indicators of rurality and health. We used beta regression to model case fatality rates, adjusted for several county-level population characteristics. We included a multilevel component to our model and defined state as a random intercept. Our focal predictor was a single variable representing nine possible combinations of low/mid/high alcohol misuse and low/mid/high rurality.

Results

The median county-level COVID-19 case fatality rate was 1.57%. Compared to counties with low alcohol misuse and low rurality (referent), counties with high levels of alcohol and mid (β = -0.17, p = 0.008) or high levels of rurality (β = -0.24, p<0.001) demonstrated significantly lower case fatality rates.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the intersecting roles of county-level alcohol consumption, rurality, and COVID-19 mortality.
Structurally distinct external solvent-exposed domains drive replication of major human prions
Authors: Siddiqi Mohammad Khursheed , Kim Chae , Haldiman Tracy , Kacirova Miroslava , Wang Benlian , Bohon Jen , Chance Mark R. , Kiselar Janna , Safar Jiri G.
Published: June 2021

There is a limited understanding of structural attributes that encode the iatrogenic transmissibility and various phenotypes of prions causing the most common human prion disease, sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD). Here we report the detailed structural differences between major sCJD MM1, MM2, and VV2 prions determined with two complementary synchrotron hydroxyl radical footprinting techniques—mass spectrometry (MS) and conformation dependent immunoassay (CDI) with a panel of Europium-labeled antibodies. Both approaches clearly demonstrate that the phenotypically distant prions differ in a major way with regard to their structural organization, and synchrotron-generated hydroxyl radicals progressively inhibit their seeding potency in a strain and structure-specific manner. Moreover, the seeding rate of sCJD prions is primarily determined by strain-specific structural organization of solvent-exposed external domains of human prion particles that control the seeding activity. Structural characteristics of human prion strains suggest that subtle changes in the organization of surface domains play a critical role as a determinant of human prion infectivity, propagation rate, and targeting of specific brain structures.
Fenntartható üzleti gyakorlatok a divatiparban. A hazai mikro-, kis- és közepes vállalkozások példáján keresztül
Authors: Edőcsény Klára Ilona , Harangozó Gábor
Published: June 2021

Az elmúlt időszakban egyre nyilvánvalóbbá váltak a divatipar környezeti, társadalmi és gazdasági kihívásai. A tanulmány célja megvizsgálni, hogyan építhetők be a fenntarthatóság szempontjai a hazai divatipari KKV-k üzleti gyakorlataiba, ennek milyen lehetőségei és korlátai vannak. A mélyinterjúkon alapuló empirikus kutatás magyarországi, fenntartható működést megcélzó divatipari KKV-k üzleti gyakorlatait vizsgálja. Az elemzéshez kialakított saját rendszer kategóriái relevánsak a hazai divatipar számára, a kategóriákat (1. hulladékcsökkentés, 2. prémiummárkázás, 3. a keresletvezérelt termék előállításának támogatása, 4. a slow fashion támogatása, 5. fogyasztói nevelés, 6. üzlet közösségbe integrálása, 7. radikális átláthatóság) az empirikus vizsgálat alapján sikerült tartalommal megtölteni. Az is látszik, hogy a leghatékonyabban akkor sikerül a fenntarthatósági szempontokat beépíteni a vállalkozások üzleti gyakorlataiba, ha ez a törekvés egyidejűleg kiterjed a fenntarthatóság környezeti, társadalmi és gazdasági vonatkozásaira is. Ugyanakkor részben átváltás figyelhető meg a fenntarthatóság dimenziói között: a kiemelkedő környezeti és társadalmi teljesítmény mellett a gazdasági szempont sokszor némileg háttérbe szorul.
A tények nem makacs dolgok. Politikai marketing és választói heurisztikák
Authors: Honti Tamás
Published: June 2021

A COVID-19 következtében a kormány által kihirdetett gazdasági válságkezelő program a legfontosabb témának tekinthető a politikai napirenden 2020-ban, amely a 2022-es országgyűlési választás kiemelt témája lehet. A Gazdaságvédelmi akcióterv mint politikai termék választói megítélését diskurzuselemzés segítségével, netnográfiai módszerrel vizsgálták a szerzők. Közpolitikai diskurzuselemzésre építve a politikai vezetés marketing-szemléletmódú vizsgálatára és választói heurisztikák azonosítására fókuszáltak. Az empirikus kutatás során 1861 különböző személytől származó 3300 hozzászólás segítségével elemezték a választók információfeldolgozási folyamatát és céljuk volt az ítéletalkotás során fellépő kognitív torzítások, heurisztikák azonosítása. Az eredmények a politikai nyelv konzekvens használatára irányítják a figyelmet és két főbb következtetésre épülnek. Az első a heurisztikák ítéletek megerősítésében betöltött szerepét, a második a folyamatos nyelvi keretezés révén kialakuló választói tanulás fontosságát hangsúlyozzák, ami segíthet a politikai diskurzus uralásában. A tanulmányban öt heurisztikát azonosítottak és egy visszatérő kognitív reakciót, a „politikai mantrákat”. A heurisztikák ismerete segíthet a politikusoknak a szavazóbázis lojalitásának erősítésében és a döntések elfogadtatásában.
A turizmusbiztonság megjelenése az EU tagállamainak turisztikai stratégiáiban
Authors: Keller Krisztina , Tóth-Kaszás Nikoletta
Published: June 2021

Az utóbbi években a biztonság kulcstényezővé vált az utazást befolyásoló döntések sorában. A tanulmány fő célja a turizmusbiztonság helyének meghatározása az Európai Unió tagállamainak stratégiaalkotási és marketingkommunikációs gyakorlatában. Ezt a turizmusfejlesztési stratégiák tartalomelemzésén keresztül vizsgálták a szerzők, ahol kvantitív kutatásuk során 13 témához köthető kifejezés előfordulásának gyakoriságát elemezték; míg a kvalitatív vizsgálat során a köz-, műszaki, egészség-, eligazodás- és fogyasztóbiztonság dimenziókat tárták fel. A vizsgálat eredménye azt mutatja, hogy a tagállamok stratégiáiban legnagyobb mértékben a közbiztonsággal kapcsolatos kifejezések fordultak elő, elsősorban a dokumentumok helyzetelemzési, valamint a fogyasztói trendeket bemutató fejezetekben. A kockázat, a veszély és a terrorizmus szavakat is nagy gyakorisággal említették a fogyasztók utazási döntéseit befolyásoló tényezőként. A turizmusbiztonság dimenzióit elemezve beigazolódott azon feltételezés, miszerint az országok elsősorban a közbiztonságot értik a turizmus biztonsága alatt, ezen belül főként a bűnözéssel és terrorizmussal kapcsolatosan fogalmaztak meg célokat.
Jeremy Bentham on Organised Religion
Authors: Lythe Peter
Published: June 2021

Bentham’s attack on organised religion was principally an attack on the ‘Church-of-Englandist’ ruling few, and, in particular, the ecclesiastical establishment. This article will examine Bentham’s argument that the ecclesiastical establishment fostered and exploited religious belief, as well as the hopes and fears associated with popular religiosity, in the pursuit of ‘sinister interest’. Bentham recognised a senior clergy that extorted enormous sums of money from the population, instituted a fraudulent education system that subjugated the children committed to its charge, and took advantage of the corrupt alliance of Church and state in order to advance and protect its worldly power and riches. This article will discuss Bentham’s proposals to sweep away the mischiefs done by organised religion, both to morality and to good government, and will argue that Bentham’s hostility towards the ecclesiastical establishment did not prevent him from recommending that priests be stripped of their power, place and exorbitant wealth as gradually and as painlessly as possible. It will also explain why Bentham thought that liberating religious belief from the coercive control of a self-serving class of men would be more conducive to personal happiness than prohibiting religion altogether.
La expulsión de lo distinto: Byung-Chul Han
Authors: Crispín Jairo
Published: June 2021

Byung Chul Hand (Seúl, Corea del Sur, 1959) es Filósofo doctorado de la Universidad de Friburgo y Literato y Teólogo de la Universidad de Múnich. Pertenece a una generación de nuevos pensadores alemanes analíticos de los cambios paradigmáticos que se viven hoy en las sociedades contemporáneas del mundo occidental. Hand es un crítico de lo que conceptualmente ha denominado la sociedad del cansancio. El libro La Expulsión de lo distinto pertenece a la primera edición digital de la colección: Pensamiento Herder, dirigida por Manuel Cruz y traducida del idioma alemán al idioma español por Alberto Ciria. Está compuesto de doce capítulos.
Engaging School and Family in Navajo Gardening for Health: Development of the Yéego Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating among Navajo Children
Authors: Ornelas India , Rudd Kassia , Bishop Sonia , Deschenie Desiree , Brown Emily , Lombard Kevin , Beresford Shirley
Published: June 2021

Objective: Navajo children are at increased risk for obesity, in part due to limited access to healthy foods. School garden interventions increase access to fresh fruit and vegetables and consumption of healthy foods. Our study describes the development and pilot testing of a school garden intervention for Navajo elementary school children. Methods: We reviewed existing school garden interventions and conducted formative research with students, caregivers, and school staff to inform the intervention. The intervention consisted of a garden built at the school and a yearlong curriculum on gardening and healthy eating. We pilot-tested the intervention in an elementary school on the Navajo Nation. Results: Formative research revealed the importance of incorporating Diné culture, including traditional growing practices and the preparation of traditional foods into the curriculum. School staff also stressed the value of tying the curriculum to state and Diné educational standards. Students enjoyed opportunities for hands-on activities and snack preparation. Conclusions: Schools have a meaningful role to play in addressing childhood obesity disparities among Navajo children. School-based interventions that draw on cultural strengths and include healthy traditional practices can be a promising strategy for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
Children’s Physical Activity and Screen Time during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Parent Perceptions
Authors: Eyler Amy , Schmidt Laurel , Beck Alan , Gilbert Amanda , Keeper Maura , Mazzucca Stephanie
Published: June 2021

Objective: In this study, we explore parent perception of children’s physical activity and screen time during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Methods: We interviewed 16 parents of children ages 5-12 years in the St. Louis, Missouri region using snowball sampling. We sampled from rural, urban, and suburban areas. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a priori and emergent codes. Results: The transition to virtual school and work transformed daily activities. Physical education requirements varied, generally perceived as not contributing to overall physical activity. Parents perceived the amount of physical activity as the same or increased but reported an increase in screen time. The physical environment of the home, yard, and neighborhood emerged as a theme as did the social environment for physical activity. Conclusions: COVID-19 stay-athome orders created challenges for children’s physical activity. Results can be used to inform more generalizable studies and serve as a basis for creating better parent resources to support their children’s physical activity outside of ordinary school, sport, and community activity opportunities.
Measuring Factors Associated with Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Rural 4th Grade Students
Authors: Brady Patrick , Askelson Natoshia , Ryan Grace , Adam Emily , Daly Eliza , Scheidel Carrie , Delger Patti
Published: June 2021

Objective: Rural youth are more likely to be obese and have poor diets compared to their nonrural peers; therefore, our objective was to understand factors related to healthy eating habits in this population. Methods: We used survey data from 4th graders (N = 995) in a Midwestern state’s rural areas to explore nutrition knowledge, fruit or vegetable (F/V) attitudes, beliefs, preferences, and previous day’s consumption. We produced descriptive statistics, compared attitudes, beliefs, preferences, and consumption for fruits versus vegetables using multilevel linear regression, and used multilevel logistic regression to assess predictors of F/V consumption controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results: Fruit and vegetable consumption was low, with over 10% reporting no fruit consumption and over 20% reporting no vegetable consumption. Students rated fruits higher than vegetables on each variable of interest. Knowledge (OR = 1.2) and liking fruits (OR = 2.2) were associated with fruit consumption. Knowledge (OR = 1.2), liking vegetables (OR = 2.4), and vegetable preferences (OR = 1.4) were associated with vegetable consumption. Conclusions: Schools should implement interventions that increase access and exposure to healthy foods and target knowledge, attitudes around liking F/V, and vegetable preferences for rural youth, such as nutrition education, school gardens, and farm-to-school programs.
Time to Scale-up Research Collaborations to Address the Global Impact of COVID-19 – A Commentary
Authors: Nguyen Annie , Brown Brandon , El Tantawi Maha , Ndembi Nicaise , Okeibunor Joseph , Mohammed Abdulaziz , Folayan Morenike Oluwatoyin
Published: June 2021

VID- 19 pandemic provides a compelling reason for researchers to stretch beyond usual limits and find new ways to engage in global collaborations. Methods: We point to data that have emerged on the mental health and economic consequences of the pandemic to illustrate the extent to which these common issues cross national borders. There is high likelihood that these burdens will continue to persist long after the pandemic is declared “over.” Results: We urge researchers, particularly those from countries with higher income economies, to share resources to increase international collaborative research efforts. We present a case study of an ongoing project and offer some lessons learned for individual investigators. Conclusion: Global problems require global solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis that should prompt researchers to engage in science and research across national borders.
Extracorporeal Oxygenation Techniques in Adult Critical Airway Obstruction: A Review
Authors: Pořízka Michal , Michálek Pavel , Votruba Jiří , Abdelmalak Basem B.
Published: June 2021

Extracorporeal life support has been increasingly utilized in different clinical settings to manage either critical respiratory or heart failure. Complex airway surgery with significant or even total perioperative airway obstruction represents an indication for this technique to prevent/overcome a critical period of severe hypoxaemia, hypoventilation, and/or apnea. This review summarizes the current published scientific evidence on the utility of extracorporeal respiratory support in airway obstruction associated with hypoxaemia, describes the available methods, their clinical indications, and possible limitations. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation using veno-arterial or veno-venous mode is most commonly employed in such scenarios caused by endoluminal, external, or combined obstruction of the trachea and main bronchi.
Sustainable forest management and forest products industry development in Ethiopia
Authors: Rawat Y.S. , Tekleyohannes A.T.
Published: June 2021

The objective of this study was to examine existing knowledge on forest products development and to promote sustainable forest management in Ethiopia. Furthermore, the paper aimed to assess the development and status of Ethiopia's forest products industry in terms of resource base,
manufacturing and marketing. It was found that the current annual fuelwood consumption is about 133M m3, with 90% of cooking energy obtained from woody biomass. Wood consumption for primary and secondary forest products manufacturing is expected to increase from the current 112M
m3 to 158M m3 by 2033. This review reveals that the development and innovation of a sustainable forest products industry in Ethiopia should balance the production and ecological functions of forest resources. To meet Ethiopia's primary and secondary forest products needs,
it is recommended that a clear policy framework be advanced and promoted, including wood technology, forest science and education, silviculture, and post-plantation management practices.
Slavery, captivity and galley rowing in early modern Malta
Authors: Palmer Russell
Published: June 2021

For nearly 300 years, the Knights of St John forced a range of captives to labour on their galleys, with slave, convict and debtor oarsmen propelling the Knights’ navy in their crusade against Islam. This article considers how we can investigate these captives and the consequences of their presence in Malta by reconfiguring captivity as a process that extended into wider society. By seeking material traces of captivity at sea on board galleys and on land, the article opens new investigative avenues into early modern captivity in the Mediterranean. In addition, it brings to current debates a rare archaeological example of modern slavery within a European context.