bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A quantitative study exploring the acceptance of the eHealth model for mental wellness among digital workers
Authors: Tan Choon Hong , Koo Ah Choo , Rahmat Hawa , Siew Wei Fern , Cheang Alexius Weng Onn , Amir Sharji Elyna
Published: January 2022

Background: eHealth makes use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve health. In the digital age, the use of eHealth applications and other health-related applications has gained popularity, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, many uncertainties have arisen, causing stress and affecting the mental health of many skilled workers in the digital industry, particularly in the ICT, computing, and creative media industries. eHealth applications have the potential to benefit people's health. As a prerequisite for effective implementation of eHealth for mental wellness (EHMW), this paper examines the acceptance of EHMW among digital workers in Malaysia. 

The objectives of this research are two-fold: 1) To explore the acceptance of EHMW among digital workers in a local Premier Digital Tech Institution (PDTI), and 2) To explore how these talents' demographic profiles, mental health literacy and workplace wellness influence their acceptance of EHMW.  

Methods: This research surveyed 41 digital workers who played vital roles in providing digital skills at a tertiary education level.   

Results: Most respondents agreed that eHealth was appropriate for managing mental wellness. Among the three eHealth domains for managing mental wellness, the acceptance level is the highest for the application domain of "interacting for health", with male respondents more likely to accept the use of EHMW. 

Conclusions: This small-scale survey could not fully examine the acceptance of eHealth and its usage patterns for mental wellness among digital workers in Malaysia. Future research will target more digital workers in Malaysia. This research addresses the research gap on the eHealth perspectives of digital workers on their acceptance, and the potential influence of demographic profiles, mental health literacy, and workplace wellness on EHMW's acceptance of digital health tools/platforms to promote their mental wellness.
Comparison of invasive histological and molecular methods in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsies of Sudanese patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Elnosh Maram , Altayb Hisham , Hamedelnil Yousif , Elshareef Wafa , Abugrain Aliaa , Osman Esraa , Albasha Aalaa , Abdelhamid Abdelhamid , Moglad Ehssan , AbdAlla Ahmed , Ismail Ahmed
Published: January 2022

Background: The continuous rise in the number of patients suffering from Helicobacter pylori is probably due to the changes in modern life. Nowadays, patients suffering from gastrointestinal problems are diagnosed through invasive and non-invasive techniques. The choice of a diagnostic test is influenced by factors such as the tests' sensitivity and specificity, the clinical conditions, and the cost-effectiveness of the testing strategy. This study aimed to compare molecular detection methods of H. pylori by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 16S rRNA, ureA and glmM genes with an invasive histopathological technique.

Methods: 290 gastric biopsies were collected using gastrointestinal endoscopy from patients with gastritis symptoms in different hospitals in Khartoum state. Two gastric biopsies were collected from each patient for PCR and histopathology.

Results: A total of 103 (35.5%) samples were positive by histopathological examination, 88 (30.3%) by 16S rRNA, 39 (13.4%) by glmM gene, and 56 (19.3%) by ureA gene. The highest sensitivity was observed in 16S rRNA (46.6%), followed by glmM (24.3%) and ureA (23.3%). While the best specificity was observed in glmM gene (92.5%), followed by ureA (82.3%) and 16S rRNA (78.6%).

Conclusion: PCR test targeting the 16S rRNA gene exhibited the best results for molecular detection of H. pylori compared to other genes.
Research Software vs. Research Data II: Protocols for Research Data dissemination and evaluation in the Open Science context
Authors: Gomez-Diaz Teresa , Recio Tomas
Published: January 2022

Background: Open Science seeks to render research outputs visible, accessible and reusable. In this context, Research Data and Research Software sharing and dissemination issues provide real challenges to the scientific community, as consequence of recent progress in political, legal and funding requirements.

Methods: We take advantage from the approach we have developed in a precedent publication, in which we have highlighted the similarities between the Research Data and Research Software definitions.

Results: The similarities between Research Data and Research Software definitions can be extended to propose protocols for Research Data dissemination and evaluation derived from those already proposed for Research Software dissemination and evaluation. We also analyze FAIR principles for these outputs.

Conclusions: Our proposals here provide concrete instructions for Research Data and Research Software producers to make them more findable and accessible, as well as arguments to choose suitable dissemination platforms to complete the FAIR framework. Future work could analyze the potential extension of this parallelism to other kinds of research outputs that are disseminated under similar conditions to those of Research Data and Research Software, that is, without widely accepted publication procedures involving editors or other external actors and where the dissemination is usually restricted through the hands of the production team.
Beyond Consumer Switching: Supply Responses to Food Packaging and Advertising Regulations
Authors: Alé-Chilet Jorge , Moshary Sarah
Published: January 2022

We document supply responses to nutrition warning labels introduced in Chile, and we show that these responses reduced the calorie content of breakfast cereal purchases.
Sense of coherence among patients with multiple sclerosis and its relevant factors
Authors: Zadeh Niloofar Hejazi , Pirzadeh Fatemeh , Monjazebi Fatemeh
Published: January 2022

Aim:

Although a strong sense of coherence (SOC) can result in positive outcomes in a patient with multiple sclerosis, studies on this concept and its relevant factors are limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aims of evaluating the SOC and determining its relevant factors among patients with multiple sclerosis.

Methods:

The descriptive-analytical study was conducted in Iran in 2019. Some 200 patients with multiple sclerosis, who referred to the Alborz Multiple Sclerosis Association, were selected through a convenience sampling method. The 29-item SOC scale, which was developed in 1987 by Antonovsky, was used in order to evaluate the SOC. In this scale, the minimum and the maximum scores are 29 and 203, respectively, with a higher score demonstrating a stronger SOC.

Results:

The mean and the standard deviation of the SOC score was 100.30±7.9. The mean scores in the elements of comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness were 41.1, 34.2 and 25.1, respectively. Among the demographic variables, age, duration of disease, stage of disease, history of hospitalisation, number of hospitalisations and economic status were significantly associated with the patients' SOC.

Conclusions:

In this study, the SOC among the patients studied was low, and the relevant factors determined can be used by clinical experts and researchers in this field in order to evaluate and to strengthen the SOC in this group of patients.
A multiple sclerosis nurse specialist narrative, focusing on supporting people to manage cognitive changes
Authors: Jarrett Louise
Published: January 2022

Background:

Cognitive changes are common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Interventions from health professionals can focus on assessment, measurement and advice on management strategies. Such interventions are often delivered in a discreet number of planned therapy sessions. MS nurse specialists plan appointments and education sessions, but also provide access for a person with MS to seek unplanned support for example via MS nurse advice lines or digital services.

Aim:

This article explores my role as an MS specialist nurse. Centring on reflective practice as a tool to access my nursing experience. Specialist nurse interventions to support people with MS to manage their cognitive function are highlighted.

Method:

Narrative methodology was used to reflect on my practice over a 10-month period.

Findings:

Insights into my practice are presented as a narrative text. A fundamental thread emerged of cultivating trust and a therapeutic relationship. Strategies included: being with people on their MS journey, informing, educating, confirming and legitimising their experiences; completing ongoing assessments and monitoring; making timely interventions and assessing their impact; acknowledging and working with an individual's decisions and recognising opportunities to suggest change; discussing research opportunities and considering the impact of medicines and comorbidities.

Conclusion:

This narrative is unique to my nursing practice and aims to resonate with the practice of other nurses. It demonstrates that an MS specialist nurse can provide timely advice, reinforcement of management strategies, and space for a person with MS to explore how their cognition may be affecting them. MS nurses have the opportunity to play a vital role in supporting people with MS to manage cognitive changes throughout the disease trajectory.
Introduction: Paradoxes of Welfare
Authors: Boland Tom , Griffin Ray
Published: January 2022

Drawing on contemporary research in sociology and social policy, this chapter describes the landscape of the contemporary welfare state, unemployment and Jobseeking in the labour market. In particular we examine active labour market policies (ALMPs) as an increasingly pervasive form of ‘governmentality’ – a term taken from Foucauldian ‘governmentality studies’. Across the international policy landscape activation scrutinises and assesses the unemployed, monitors their jobsearches, prescribes activities like training or skills development and threatens and imposes penalty sanctions. Critics of these policies as ineffective, ideological, commodifying labour or even a cruel punitive turn are also examined. Recasting this debate, we suggest that deep cultural codes drawn from Judeo-Christian religions which value suffering as a mode of transformation are the animating of contemporary activation: the Biblical ‘Trials of Job’ where contemporary jobseekers are required to demonstrate persistent faith in the labour market despite adversity, and continuously work to transform themselves.
Esophageal optical coherence tomography image synthesis using an adversarially learned variational autoencoder
Authors: Gan Meng , Wang Cong
Published: January 2022

Endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging offers a non-invasive way to detect esophageal lesions on the microscopic scale, which is of clinical potential in the early diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancers. Recent studies focused on applying deep learning-based methods in esophageal OCT image analysis and achieved promising results, which require a large data size. However, traditional data augmentation techniques generate samples that are highly correlated and sometimes far from reality, which may not lead to a satisfied trained model. In this paper, we proposed an adversarial learned variational autoencoder (AL-VAE) to generate high-quality esophageal OCT samples. The AL-VAE combines the generative adversarial network (GAN) and variational autoencoder (VAE) in a simple yet effective way, which preserves the advantages of VAEs, such as stable training and nice latent manifold, and requires no extra discriminators. Experimental results verified the proposed method achieved better image quality in generating esophageal OCT images when compared with the state-of-the-art image synthesis network, and its potential in improving deep learning model performance was also evaluated by esophagus segmentation.
The voluntary medical male circumcision Site Capacity and Productivity Assessment Tool (SCPT): An innovative visual management tool to optimize site service delivery
Authors: Njeuhmeli Emmanuel , Tchuenche Michel , Opuni Marjorie , Stegman Peter , Hamilton Matt , Forsythe Steven , Nhaduco Felix , Zita Francisco , Gaspar Nuno , Come Jotamo
Published: January 2022

Given constrained funding for HIV, achieving global goals on VMMC scale-up requires that providers improve service delivery operations and use labor and capital inputs as efficiently as possible to produce as many quality VMMCs as feasible. The Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Site Capacity and Productivity Assessment Tool (SCPT) is an electronic visual management tool developed to help VMMC service providers to understand and improve their site’s performance. The SCPT allows VMMC providers to: 1) track the most important human resources and capital inputs to VMMC service delivery, 2) strategically plan site capacity and targets, and 3) monitor key site-level VMMC service delivery performance indicators. To illustrate a real-world application of the SCPT, we present selected data from two provinces in Mozambique—Manica and Tete, where the SCPT was piloted We looked at the data prior to the introduction of SCPT (October 2014 to August 2016), and during the period when the tool began to be utilized (September 2016 to September 2017). The tool was implemented as part of a broader VMMC site optimization strategy that VMMC implementers in Mozambique put in place to maximize programmatic impact. Routine program data for Manica and Tete from October 2014 to September 2017 showcase the turnaround of the VMMC program that accompanied the implementation of the SCPT together with the other components of the VMMC site optimizatio strategy. From October 2016, there was a dramatic increase in the number of VMMCs performed. The number of fixed service delivery sites providing VMMC services was expanded, and each fixed site extended service delivery by performing VMMCs in outreach sites. Alignment between site targets and the number of VMMCs performed improved from October 2016. Utilization rates stabilized between October 2016 and September 2017, with VMMCs performed closely tracking VMMC site capacity in most sites. The SCPT is designed to address the need for site level data for programmatic decision-making during site planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Deployment of the SCPT can help VMMC providers monitor the performance of VMMC service delivery sites and improve their performance. We recommend use of the customized version of this tool and model to the need of other programs.
Evaluation of a structured treatment discontinuation in patients with inoperable alveolar echinococcosis on long-term benzimidazole therapy: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Deibel Ansgar , Stocker Daniel , Meyer zu Schwabedissen Cordula , Husmann Lars , Kronenberg Philipp Andreas , Grimm Felix , Deplazes Peter , Reiner Cäcilia S. , Müllhaupt Beat
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is an orphan zoonosis of increasing concern in endemic areas, including Europe. It frequently presents in an advanced, inoperable stage, that requires life-long parasitostatic benzimidazole therapy. In some patients, long-term therapy leads to negative anti-Em18 antibody ELISA and PET. It is disputed, whether these patients are truly cured and treatment can be safely discontinued. Our aim was to retrospectively assess long-term outcome of 34 patients with inoperable AE who participated in a previous study to determine feasibility of benzimidazole treatment cessation.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of medical charts was undertaken in all 34 AE patients who participated in our previous study. Of particular interest were AE recurrence or other reasons for re-treatment in patients who stopped benzimidazole therapy and whether baseline clinical and laboratory parameters help identify of patients that might qualifiy for treatment cessation. Additionally, volumetric measurement of AE lesions on contrast-enhanced cross-sectional imaging was performed at baseline and last follow-up in order to quantify treatment response.

Results

12 of 34 patients stopped benzimidazole therapy for a median of 131 months. 11 of these patients showed stable or regressive AE lesions as determined by volumetric measurement. One patient developed progressive lesions with persistently negative anti-Em18 antibody ELISA but slight FDG-uptake in repeated PET imaging. At baseline, patients who met criteria for treatment cessation demonstrated higher lymphocyte count and lower total IgE.

Conclusion

Treatment cessation is feasible in inoperable AE patients, who demonstrate negative anti-Em18 antibody ELISA and PET on follow-up. Close monitoring including sectional imaging is strongly advised.
Assessing women’s preferences towards tests that may reveal uncertain results from prenatal genomic testing: Development of attributes for a discrete choice experiment, using a mixed-methods design
Authors: Hammond Jennifer , Klapwijk Jasmijn E. , Riedijk Sam , Lou Stina , Ormond Kelly E. , Vogel Ida , Hui Lisa , Sziepe Emma-Jane , Buchanan James , Ingvoldstad-Malmgren Charlotta , Soller Maria Johansson , Harding Eleanor , Hill Melissa , Lewis Celine
Published: January 2022

Prenatal DNA tests, such as chromosomal microarray analysis or exome sequencing, increase the likelihood of receiving a diagnosis when fetal structural anomalies are identified. However, some parents will receive uncertain results such as variants of uncertain significance and secondary findings. We aimed to develop a set of attributes and associated levels for a discrete-choice experiment (DCE) that will examine parents’ preferences for tests that may reveal uncertain test results. A two phase mixed-methods approach was used to develop attributes for the DCE. In Phase 1, a “long list” of candidate attributes were identified via two approaches: 1) a systematic review of the literature around parental experiences of uncertainty following prenatal testing; 2) 16 semi-structured interviews with parents who had experienced uncertainty during pregnancy and 25 health professionals who return uncertain prenatal results. In Phase 2, a quantitative scoring exercise with parents prioritised the candidate attributes. Clinically appropriate levels for each attribute were then developed. A final set of five attributes and levels were identified: likelihood of getting a result, reporting of variants of uncertain significance, reporting of secondary findings, time taken to receive results, and who tells you about your result. These attributes will be used in an international DCE study to investigate preferences and differences across countries. This research will inform best practice for professionals supporting parents to manage uncertainty in the prenatal setting.
Self-reported symptoms as predictors of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population living in the Amsterdam region, the Netherlands
Authors: Bosdriesz Jizzo R. , Ritsema Feiko , Leenstra Tjalling , Petrignani Mariska W. F. , Bruisten Sylvia M. , Coyer Liza , Schreijer Anja J. M. , van Duijnhoven Yvonne T. H. P. , Schim van der Loeff Maarten F. , Matser Amy A.
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Most COVID-19 symptoms are non-specific and also common in other respiratory infections. We aimed to assess which symptoms are most predictive of a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic people of the general population who were tested.

Methods

We used anonymised data of all SARS-CoV-2 test results from the Public Health Service of Amsterdam from June 1,2020 through August 31, 2021. Symptoms were self-reported at time of requesting a test. Multivariable logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to identify predictors of a positive test. Included symptoms were: cough, fever, loss of smell or taste, muscle ache, runny nose, shortness of breath, and throat ache; adjustments were made for age and gender, and stratification by month.

Results

Overall, 12.0% of 773,680 tests in 432,213 unique individuals were positive. All symptoms were significantly associated with a positive test result, the strongest positive associations were: cough (aOR = 1.78, 95%CI = 1.75–1.80), fever (aOR = 2.11, 95%CI = 2.07–2.14), loss of smell or taste (aOR = 2.55, 95%CI = 2.50–2.61), and muscle ache (aOR = 2.38, 95%CI = 2.34–2.43). The adjusted odds ratios for loss of smell or taste slightly declined over time, while that for cough increased.

Conclusion

Cough, fever, loss of smell or taste, and muscle ache appear to be most strongly associated with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in symptomatic people of the general population who were tested.
Mapping and population size estimates of people who inject drugs in Afghanistan in 2019: Synthesis of multiple methods
Authors: Rasheed Abdul , Sharifi Hamid , Wesson Paul , Pashtoon Sayed Jalal , Tavakoli Fatemeh , Ghalekhani Nima , Haghdoost Ali Akbar , Atarud Alim , Banehsi Mohammad Reza , Hamdard Naqibullah , Sadaat Said Iftekhar , McFarland Willi , Mirzazadeh Ali
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Mapping and population size estimates of people who inject drugs (PWID) provide information needed for monitoring coverage of programs and planning interventions. The objectives of this study were to provide the locations and numbers of PWID in eight cities in Afghanistan and extrapolate estimates for the country as a whole.

Methods

Multiple population size estimation methods were used, including key informant interviews for mapping and enumeration with reverse tracking, unique object and service multipliers, capture-recapture, and wisdom of the crowds. The results of the several methods were synthesized using the Anchored Multiplier–a Bayesian approach to produce point estimates and 95% credible intervals (CI). Using the prevalence of PWID in the eight cities and their correlation with proxy indicators, we extrapolated the PWID population size for all of Afghanistan.

Results

Key informants and field mapping identified 374 hotspots across the eight cities from December 29, 2018 to March 20, 2019. Synthesizing results of the multiple methods, the number of male PWID in the eight study cities was estimated to be 11,506 (95% CI 8,449–15,093), corresponding to 0.69% (95% CI 0.50–0.90) of the adult male population age 15–64 years. The total number of women who injected drugs was estimated at 484 (95% CI 356–633), corresponding to 0.03% (95% CI 0.02–0.04) of the adult female population. Extrapolating by proxy indicators, the total number of PWID in Afghanistan was estimated to be 54,782 (95% CI 40,250–71,837), men and 2,457 (95% CI 1,823–3,210) women. The total number of PWID in Afghanistan was estimated to be 57,207 (95% CI 42,049–75,005), which corresponds to 0.37% (95% CI 0.27–0.48) of the adult population age 15 to 64 years.

Discussion

This study provided estimates for the number of PWID in Afghanistan. These estimates can be used for advocating and planning services for this vulnerable at-risk population.
Examining the reliability and validity of two versions of the Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT)
Authors: Ohmann Hanno Andreas , Kuper Niclas , Wacker Jan
Published: January 2022

The Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT) has gained validity evidence from several studies. However, various modifications have been applied to the original version, which have never been compared systematically. In Study 1, we tested 120 healthy participants to directly compare two versions of the EEfRT. In Study 2, we tested a larger sample of 394 healthy participants to further examine the original EEfRT. We replicated the split-half reliability of both task versions. However, self-reported personality traits (e.g., trait BAS) correlated with only some task performance parameters in Study 1, which did not replicate for the original EEfRT in Study 2. Our results indicate complex and sometimes inconsistent relations between different personality traits, task properties, and reward attributes.
Dietary rescue of adult behavioral deficits in the Fmr1 knockout mouse
Authors: Nolan Suzanne O. , Hodges Samantha L. , Binder Matthew S. , Smith Gregory D. , Okoh James T. , Jefferson Taylor S. , Escobar Brianna , Lugo Joaquin N.
Published: January 2022

The current study aimed to further address important questions regarding the therapeutic efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids for various behavioral and neuroimmune aspects of theFmr1phenotype. To address these questions, our experimental design utilized two different omega-3 fatty acid administration timepoints, compared to both standard laboratory chow controls (“Standard”) and a diet controlling for the increase in fat content (“Control Fat”). In the first paradigm, post-weaning supplementation (after postnatal day 21) with the omega-3 fatty acid diet (“Omega-3”) reversed deficits in startle threshold, but not deficits in prepulse inhibition, and the effect on startle threshold was not specific to the Omega-3 diet. However, post-weaning supplementation with both experimental diets also impaired acquisition of a fear response, recall of the fear memory and contextual fear conditioning compared to the Standard diet. The post-weaning Omega-3 diet reduced hippocampal expression of IL-6 and this reduction of IL-6 was significantly associated with diminished performance in the fear conditioning task. In the perinatal experimental paradigm, the Omega-3 diet attenuated hyperactivity and acquisition of a fear response. Additionally, perinatal exposure to the Control Fat diet (similar to a “Western” diet) further diminished nonsocial anxiety in theFmr1knockout. This study provides significant evidence that dietary fatty acids throughout the lifespan can significantly impact the behavioral and neuroimmune phenotype of theFmr1knockout model.
Biting the bullet: When self-efficacy mediates the stressful effects of COVID-19 beliefs
Authors: Meyer Natanya , Niemand Thomas , Davila Andrés , Kraus Sascha
Published: January 2022

The impact that COVID-19 had on individuals globally has been immense. Our study aims to determine if the various COVID-19 related beliefs (information seeking; invulnerability; disruption; health importance and response effectiveness) are predictors of perceived stress and if self-efficacy acts as a mediator in reducing perceived COVID-19 related stress. From a large sample of 23,629, data were assessed using validated multi-item measures for seven COVID-19 related beliefs, self-efficacy and perceived stress. After conducting a series of tests and checks via Confirmatory Factor Analyses, linear modelling and mediation analyses with bootstrapping were applied to test direct and mediation hypotheses. It is found that stress perception is most strongly affected by self-efficacy and perceived disruption. Except for information seeking, which positively affected perceived stress, self-efficacy partially mediates all other COVID-19 related beliefs (perceptions of disruption, health importance and response effectiveness) in conjunction with their direct effects. Only perceived invulnerability elicited opposite effects on stress, increasing stress directly but decreasing stress indirectly by increasing self-efficacy. This finding gives reason to believe that individuals may disclose that they are less vulnerable to COVID-19, fostering their self-efficacy, but still accept that stressing factors such as economic and social consequences apply. Overall, reinforcing self-efficacy was carved out as the most important resilience factor against perceiving high levels of stress. On this basis, implications for research and practice are provided.
Mood disorders in children following neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
Authors: Álvarez-García María , Cuellar-Flores Isabel , Sierra-García Purificación , Martínez-Orgado José
Published: January 2022

Background

Few studies on the consequences following newborn hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (NHIE) assess the risk of mood disorders (MD), although these are prevalent after ischemic brain injury in adults.

Objective

To study the presence of MD in children survivors of NHIE.

Methods

14 children survivors of NHIE treated with hypothermia and without cerebral palsy and 15 healthy children without perinatal complications were studied aged three to six years for developmental status (Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3 [ASQ-3]) and for socio-emotional status (Preschool Symptom Self-Report [PRESS] and Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL] 1.5–5 tests). Maternal depression was assessed using Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Socio-economic factors such as parental educational level or monthly income were also studied.

Results

NHIE children did not present delay but scored worse than healthy children for all ASQ3 items. NHIE children showed higher scores than healthy children for PRESS as well as for anxious/depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior items of CBCL. In addition, in three NHIE children the CBCL anxious/depressive symptoms item score exceeded the cutoff value for frank pathology (P = 0.04 vs healthy children). There were no differences in the other CBCL items as well as in maternal MADRS or parental educational level or monthly income. Neither ASQ3 scores nor MADRS score or socio-economic factors correlated with PRESS or CBCL scores.

Conclusions

In this exploratory study children survivors of NHIE showed increased risk of developing mood disturbances, in accordance with that reported for adults after brain ischemic insults. Considering the potential consequences, such a possibility warrants further research.
Recursive splicing is a rare event in the mouse brain
Authors: Moon Sohyun , Zhao Ying-Tao
Published: January 2022

Recursive splicing (RS) is a splicing mechanism to remove long introns from messenger RNA precursors of long genes. Compared to the hundreds of RS events identified in humans and drosophila, only ten RS events have been reported in mice. To further investigate RS in mice, we analyzed RS in the mouse brain, a tissue that is enriched in the expression of long genes. We found that nuclear total RNA sequencing is an efficient approach to investigate RS events. We analyzed 1.15 billion uniquely mapped reads from the nuclear total RNA sequencing data in the mouse cerebral cortex. Unexpectedly, we only identified 20 RS sites, suggesting that RS is a rare event in the mouse brain. We also identified that RS is constitutive between excitatory and inhibitory neurons and between sexes in the mouse cerebral cortex. In addition, we found that the primary sequence context is associated with RS splicing intermediates and distinguishes RS AGGT site from non-RS AGGT sites, indicating the importance of the primary sequence context in RS sites. Moreover, we discovered that cryptic exons may use an RS-like mechanism for splicing. Overall, we provide novel findings about RS in long genes in the mouse brain.
N-Acetylcysteine as a novel rapidly acting anti-suicidal agent: A pilot naturalistic study in the emergency setting
Authors: Hans Davinder , Rengel Anthony , Hans Jaspreet , Bassett Darryl , Hood Sean
Published: January 2022

Objective

N-acetylcysteine has a demonstrated role as an adjunctive therapy in psychotic and affective disorders as a treatment to reduce symptoms of Bipolar Affective Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder and Schizophrenia. However, its potential as a rapidly acting anti-suicidal agent has not yet been assessed. This naturalistic study evaluates its effect in thirty patients presenting following intentional medication overdose.

Methods

Eighteen patients who ingested toxic doses of paracetamol received NAC whilst twelve other patients with other overdoses received standard supportive treatment in the emergency department setting. Symptoms were measured using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression scale at time of presentation, 24 hours, and seven days.

Results

Baseline characteristics between groups were similar. Both groups showed a significant reduction in suicidality, as measured by the suicide item of the MADRS, over time (p < 0.001). However, there was a greater reduction in suicidality in the ‘NAC group’ compared to the ‘no-NAC group’ one-week post presentation (p = 0.014). A greater proportion of the ‘no-NAC group’ still exhibited severe depressive symptoms (MADRS >32) compared to the ‘NAC group’ (p = 0.044).

Conclusion

This naturalistic study suggests NAC may have potential use as a rapidly acting treatment adjunct in major depressive disorder, warranting further investigation of its effects.
Oral health in Brazil: What were the dental procedures performed in Primary Health Care?
Authors: Scalzo Maria Tereza Abreu , Abreu Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães , Matta-Machado Antônio Thomaz Gonzaga , Martins Renata Castro
Published: January 2022

This cross-sectional study aims to describe the primary dental care procedures performed by Oral Health Teams (OHTs), adhering to the third cycle of the "National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care" (PMAQ-AB) in Brazil. A descriptive analysis was performed through 26 dental procedures, including spontaneous, preventive, restorative/prosthetic and surgical procedures, and actions of cancer monitoring. Each conducted procedure assigned a score to the OHT, the final score being the sum of the number of procedures performed by the OHTs. These scores were then compared among the geographic regions of the country. Most OHTs perform basic dental procedures, such as supragingival scaling, root planning and coronal polishing (98.1%), composite filling (99.0%), and permanent tooth extraction (98.6%). The frequency related to dental prosthesis and monitoring of oral cancer decreased. Only 12.9% of the OHTs carries out biopsies, 30.9% monitor patients undergoing biopsy, 15.1% carry out impression for prostheses, and 13.6% carry out prostheses’ installation. The scores reveal that OHT’s performed, on average, 19.45 (±3.16) dental procedures. The OHTs in the South, Southeast, and Northeast had a higher number of primary dental procedures, while the teams in the North and Midwest performed, on average, fewer procedures. The Brazilian regions with the highest dental need have the lowest number of dental procedures. It is necessary to increase the range of procedures offered by OHT and reduce regional inequalities, adapting to the needs of the population in order to achieve comprehensive oral health.
Tailor-made biochar systems: Interdisciplinary evaluations of ecosystem services and farmer livelihoods in tropical agro-ecosystems
Authors: Bellè Severin-Luca , Riotte Jean , Backhaus Norman , Sekhar Muddu , Jouquet Pascal , Abiven Samuel
Published: January 2022

Organic matter management is key to sustain ecosystem services provided by soils. However, it is rarely considered in a holistic view, considering local resources, agro-environmental effects and harmonization with farmers’ needs. Organic inputs, like compost and biochar, could represent a sustainable solution to massive current challenges associated to the intensification of agriculture, in particular for tropical regions. Here we assess the potential of agricultural residues as a resource for farmer communities in southwestern India to reduce their dependency on external inputs and sustain ecosystem services. We propose a novel joint evaluation of farmers’ aspirations together with agro-environmental effects of organic inputs on soils. Our soil quality evaluation showed that biochar alone or with compost did not improve unilaterally soils in the tropics (Anthroposol, Ferralsol and Vertisol). Many organic inputs led to an initial decrease in water-holding capacities of control soils (-27.3%: coconut shell biochar with compost on Anthroposol). Responses to organic matter inputs for carbon were strongest for Ferralsols (+33.4% with rice husk biochar), and mostly positive for Anthroposols and Vertisols (+12.5% to +13.8% respectively). Soil pH responses were surprisingly negative for Ferralsols and only positive if biochar was applied alone (between -5.6% to +1.9%). For Anthroposols and Vertisols, highest increases were achieved with rice husk biochar + vermicomposts (+7.2% and +5.2% respectively). Our socio-economic evaluation showed that farmers with a stronger economical position showed greater interest towards technology like biochar (factor 1.3 to 1.6 higher for farmers cultivating Anthroposols and/or Vertisols compared to Ferralsols), while poorer farmers more skepticism, which may lead to an increased economical gap within rural communities if technologies are not implemented with long-term guidance. These results advocate for an interdisciplinary evaluation of agricultural technology prior to its implementation as a development tool in the field.
From Hanok to Hanbok: Traditional iconography in Korean hip hop music videos
Authors: Saeji CedarBough T.
Published: January 2022

Popular culture texts not only entertain us, they shape our understanding of the world and our place in it. This article explores the contradictions and effects of the use of imagined and real Korean settings and traditional iconography in recent videos from Korean hip hop artists with a particularly close reading of the rapper Beenzino’s mid-2016 offering ‘January’, additionally informed by Drunken Tiger’s ‘Mantra’, MC Mong’s ‘Fame’ and Agust D’s ‘Daechwita’. The videos each utilize settings that signify Koreanness and feature significant symbols of Korea. I investigate what symbols and icons are used to take a foreign genre and imbue it with Koreanness within the music video frame. I find that these videos circulate and re-circulate a limited number of icons of Korea, because the images are meant not to portray pre-modern Korea in its complexity, but traditional Korea both as a symbol of national pride and as a (domestic and international) tourist destination wherein the palace is a backdrop and you wear a hanbok to create a visually striking Instagram post. Operating as the king of the music video’s world, the hip hop artist maintains his artistic independence through challenging tradition with juxtaposed elements of the present day.
‘If I see a black dot, I shoot it on sight!’: Italian rap between anti- and neo-fascisms
Authors: Zammarchi Enrico
Published: January 2022

This article explores the connections between anti-fascism and hip hop in Italy between the 1990s and today. In the first part, I look at how several bands affiliated with the posse movement of the early 1990s relied on the network of students and of young people hanging out in the centri sociali (squatted centres) to spread their political messages. Picking up the baton from the militant singer-songwriters of the 1970s, Italian posses often mixed rap with other foreign musical influences such as reggae and punk, frequently rapping about the lack of anti-fascist activism among the youth and denouncing the gradual abandonment of anti-fascist ideals by members of the parliamentary Left. In the second part of the article, I discuss how, in the late 2000s, a new generation of anti-fascist hip hop artists emerged, with rappers such as Kento and Murubutu being among the most influential representatives of a subgenre known as ‘letteraturap’ (literature-rap). Kento and Murubutu’s narrative skills show their opposition to Fascism through the use of fictional characters, using short stories that are rich of metaphors to illustrate the importance of resisting to contemporary forms of fascism. Lastly, this article explores the gradual appropriation of hip hop culture by neo-fascist groups such as CasaPound. Understanding hip hop’s potentialities to recruit large numbers of young people, CasaPound organized street art conventions on graffiti, and promoted the emergence of hip hop crews like Rome’s Drittarcore. I conclude the article by analysing the efficacy of anti-fascist rap in earlier decades and considering CasaPound’s attempt to appropriate some of hip hop culture’s disciplines, ultimately showing not only a general crisis in political ideologies and cultural values, but also the power of neo-fascist movements to manipulate and reinvent subcultural formations to influence the youth.
Hip-Hop in Africa: Prophets of the City and Dustyfoot Philosophers, Msia Kibona Clark (2018)
Authors: Appert Catherine M.
Published: January 2022

Review of: Hip-Hop in Africa: Prophets of the City and Dustyfoot Philosophers, Msia Kibona Clark (2018)

New York: New York University Press, xxi, 266 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-89680-319-0, p/bk, $32.95
Islamic identity and development after the Ottomans: The Arab Middle East
Authors: Mehmet Özay
Published: January 2022

The oil-rich Muslim Core, the Arab World, is far removed from a just and humane world, totally at variance with the grand promise of Islam, a perfect social contract initiated by the Prophet himself. The present article is a synopsis of a forthcoming book to be published in 2022 by Routledge. It uses a neo-Ottomanist framework for critical analysis to explain today’s complex challenges facing the Islamic world. Not everyone may be happy with the neo-Ottomanist approach chosen. The author only wishes to state that his study is not anti-Arab or anti-Islam, only the work of a social realist, relying on the latest statistical and historical data as much as possible.
The history of the watch business in Iraq
Authors: Jawad Saad N.
Published: January 2022

This a socio-historical article about the watch business in Iraq, the families that were involved in it and their contribution to the society. It discusses the introduction of clocks and watches to Iraq, as well as life and behaviour of an important segment of the Iraqi society. It also explains some of the habits, customs and traditions that characterized the Iraqi society during the end of the nineteenth century and the twentieth century, as well as some indicative political events that took place in that country.
Public Intellectual: The Life of a Citizen Pilgrim, Richard Falk (2021)
Authors: Terry Janice J.
Published: January 2022

Review of: Public Intellectual: The Life of a Citizen Pilgrim, Richard Falk (2021)

Atlanta: Clarity Press, 464 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-94976-232-7, p/bk, $29.95
A trajetória do monsenhor Luigi Pescarmona e as lutas pela reforma agrária na Diocese de Guarabira/PB
Authors: De Paiva Neto Francisco Fagundes
Published: January 2022

No artigo, procuramos responder a questão de como seu deu a trajetória religiosa-política do padre italiano Luigi Pescarmona entre duas grandes transições no campo religioso católico: o Concílio do Vaticano e a crise da Teologia da Libertação, a partir da década de 1980. Entre a década de 1960 e 1990, analisamos como ocorreu uma experiência religiosa-política do padre Pescarmona, por meio de um habitus partisão, ligado à Teologia da Libertação, cuja relação se deu com a reforma agrária no estado da Paraíba. Os aportes de Pierre Bourdieu fomentaram a percepção sobre a dinâmica do campo político, as disputas simbólicas, os conflitos entre classes e de representações. Quanto à contribuição micro histórica, recorremos ao uso das escalas, que nos permitiu perscrutar as fontes disponíveis. Utilizamos fontes orais, bibliográficas, primárias, artigos de jornais e documentos oriundos de arquivos judiciais.
O governo José Sarney, as canções do rock nacional e a revista Chiclete com Banana
Authors: Santos Rodrigo Otávio dos
Published: January 2022

O primeiro presidente da chamada Nova República foi José Sarney. Este artigo tenta contemplar as críticas a este governo feitas pelos jovens artistas que estavam despontando com seus trabalhos no período. Para tanto, destacamos o cartunista Angeli, que naquele momento lançava sua revista Chiclete com Banana e os artistas do chamado rock brasileiro dos anos 1980, principal movimento juvenil do Brasil naqueles anos. O trabalho, então, passa pelos principais momentos do primeiro governo pós-ditadura visto pelos olhos críticos dos principais representantes da juventude, buscando articular o cotidiano vivido pelo povo brasileiro com a verve cômica e ácida do trabalho do quadrinista e dos roqueiros.
Effect of Information Quality, Social Psychological Distance, and Trust on Consumer Purchase Intentions on Social Commerce Shopee
Authors: Hidayat Anas
Published: January 2022

This study aims to determine how the influence of information quality, social psychological distance, trust on consumer purchase intentions on e-commerce shopee. The test in this study used 202 respondents. The sampling technique used in this research is purposive sampling. This study uses the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Analysis tool which was developed to test the research hypotheses processed using the AMOS version 24 program. The data variables used in this study are the quality of information, social psychological distance, trust and consumer purchase intentions, these variables form four hypotheses. And the results of the analysis in this study indicate that the quality of information has a positive effect on social psychological distance, the quality of information has a positive effect on trust, Social psychological distance has a positive effect on trust, Trust has a positive effect on purchase intention.
The moduli space of tropical curves with fixed Newton polygon
Authors: Coles Desmond , Dutta Neelav , Jiang Sifan , Morrison Ralph , Scharf Andrew
Published: January 2022

Given a lattice polygon, we study the moduli space of all tropical plane curves with that Newton polygon. We determine a formula for the dimension of this space in terms of combinatorial properties of that polygon. If this polygon is nonhyperelliptic or maximal and hyperelliptic, then this formula matches the dimension of the moduli space of nondegenerate algebraic curves with the given Newton polygon.
Das Projekt zur Erarbeitung eines Landeskonzepts für den Originalerhalt des schriftlichen Kulturguts in Berlin legt seinen Zwischenbericht vor
Authors: Graf Lisa
Published: January 2022

Das Kompetenzzentrum Bestandserhaltung für Archive und Bibliotheken in Berlin und Brandenburg widmet sich im Auftrag der Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa seit Januar 2020 der Erarbeitung eines Landeskonzepts für den Originalerhalt des in Berlin befindlichen schriftlichen Kulturerbes. Grundlage sind die im Rahmen einer groß angelegten zweiteiligen Erhebung in zahlreichen Kulturgut bewahrenden Einrichtungen generierten Daten. Der am 30. Juli 2021 veröffentlichte Projektzwischenbericht zeichnet die Entwicklungen und Planungen auf dem Weg zum Landeskonzept nach und bietet Einblicke in erste Daten der Erhebung.
Seasonal succession of bacterial communities in cultured Caulerpa lentillifera detected by high-throughput sequencing
Authors: Pang Meixia , Huang Zhili , Lv Le , Li Xiaodong , Jin Gang
Published: January 2022

An increasing number of microorganisms are being identified as pathogens for diseases in macroalgae, but the species composition of bacteria related to Caulerpa lentillifera, fresh edible green macroalgae worldwide, remains largely unclear. The bacterial communities associated with C. lentillifera were investigated by high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing, and the bacterial diversities in washed and control groups were compared in this study. A total of 4,388 operational taxonomic units were obtained from all the samples, and the predominant prokaryotic phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria in C. lentillifera. The bacterial diversity changed with seasons and showed an increasing trend of diversity with the rising temperature in C. lentillifera. There were slight reductions in the abundance and diversity of bacteria after washing with tap water for 2 h, indicating that only parts of the bacterial groups could be washed out, and hidden dangers in C. lentillifera still exist. Although the reduction in the abundance of some bacteria revealed a positive significance of washing C. lentillifera with tap water on food safety, more effective cleaning methods still need to be explored.