bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the issue: Theological responses to energy and extraction
Authors: Rowe Terra Schwerin
Published: May 2023

A brief introduction to the theme of the issue and overview of contributors.
Development of anxiety in early Parkinson's disease: A clinical and biomarker study
Authors: Wang Hanyuying , Zhao Yibo , Schrag Anette
Published: May 2023

Background

Anxiety affects approximately 40% of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, little is known about its predictors and development over time.

Objective

To identify the clinical factors and biomarkers associated with development of anxiety in patients with newly diagnosed PD, and to test which risk factors predict increases in anxiety over time.

Methods

Data from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) were utilized. The primary outcome was the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Covariates were demographics, motor and non‐motor symptoms, cognitive functions, dopamine transporter imaging data, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. We examined the association of risk factors at baseline and over 4 years with changes in anxiety scores over time.

Results

A total of 252 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age: 61.36 years, SD 9.53). At year 4, 42 patients had developed anxiety. Baseline predictors of increase in anxiety scores were greater autonomic dysfunction, dysexecutive function, CSF t‐tau levels, excessive daytime sleepiness, and lower olfactory function scores but not motor scores. Over 4 years, change in anxiety scores correlated with deterioration in overall cognitive function, excessive daytime sleepiness, as well as depression and disability, and to a lesser degree worsening of Movement Disorder Society‐Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) motor scores and caudate dopaminergic uptake changes.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that development of anxiety in PD is not primarily based on a dopaminergic deficit in the basal ganglia but related to non‐dopaminergic or extrastriatal pathology. Early dysexecutive function predicts development of anxiety but increase in anxiety levels correlates most strongly with more global cognitive decline.
Shared placement in nonmarital families: An initial look
Authors: Costanzo Molly A. , Reilly Aaron
Published: May 2023

Objective

We aim to examine the prevalence of shared placement in nonmarital cases, and we then consider whether and how nonmarital shared placement cases differ from sole mother cases across a variety of case characteristics and child support outcomes.

Background

In recent decades, shared placement has become increasingly common after divorce, but less is known about the prevalence of shared placement in nonmarital cases. Shared placement may have important implications for families, and little is known about its prevalence in cases of unmarried parents or about characteristics of nonmarital families that have shared placement arrangements.

Method

Leveraging unique administrative data on more than 6,000 nonmarital court cases, we examine the prevalence of shared placement, case characteristics of shared placement compared with sole placement cases, and child support measures by placement type. We use multivariate regression and bivariate analyses.

Results

Although sole mother placement remains the norm, data indicate an increase in shared placement arrangements in recent cohorts of nonmarital cases. We find parents with shared placement arrangements tend to be slightly more advantaged across several measures. On average, shared placement cases have lower child support orders and payments and substantively higher compliance rates in the year after petition.

Conclusion

Shared placement is increasing in nonmarital cases in recent years. Nonmarital families who have shared placement arrangements differ in important ways from families with sole mother custody.

Implications

Findings suggest the importance of expanding the relevant shared placement literature and policy discussion to consider nonmarital cases in addition to divorce cases.
Effects of a biopsychosocial‐spiritual group therapy on quality of life among institutionalized older adults with disabilities: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chen Yi‐Heng , Lin Li‐Chan , Hsiung Yvonne , Wu Shiao‐Chi
Published: May 2023

The traditional biomedical care approach has been unsatisfactory to meet the complex needs of seniors with long‐term multimorbidity and irreversible disability, particularly for those living in residential LTC facilities. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of an 8‐week biopsychosocial‐spiritual (BPS‐S) group intervention with the attempt to enhance quality of life (QoL) and meaning in life among senior residents with disability. This single‐blind randomized controlled trail was conducted in eight residential LTC facilities. The primary outcome, ‘participants' overall and subdomain QoL’, and the secondary outcome, ‘meaning in life’, were repeatedly assessed, including four time points: before, mid‐ and post‐intervention, and at a 1‐month follow‐up. A generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to assess between‐group differences over time. The post‐intervention differences indicated significant higher improvement on senior residents' overall and all 4 domains of QoL, as well as their meaning in life, between the baseline and both times of post‐intervention and 1‐month follow‐up. On the other hand, participants' family QoL have improved immediately in the midst of intervention. This study provides preliminary evidence to support the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8‐week BPS‐S group therapy. We recommend the BPS‐S be integrated into routine institutional care activities to help maximize senior residents' own capacity for self‐healing, achieve a state of harmonious balance between body, mind, social and spiritual relationships; and in turn, enhance holistic health of this group.
What makes a space safe? Consumers' perspectives on a mental health safe space
Authors: Andrew Lesley , Karthigesu Shantha , Coall David , Sim Moira , Dare Julie , Boxall Kathy
Published: May 2023

The provision of community‐based space for people experiencing a mental health crisis is regarded as a favourable alternative to the emergency department. However, the only non‐emergency department safe spaces in Western Australia are located within hospitals or hospital grounds. This qualitative study asked mental health consumers in Western Australia with experience of presentation at the emergency department during a mental health crisis to describe what a safe space would look and feel like. Data were collected through focus groups and thematically analysed. The findings present the voices of mental health consumers through the framework of health geography and the therapeutic landscape. These participants articulated important physical and social features of a therapeutic safe space and their symbolism as inclusive, accessible places where they would experience a sense of agency and belonging. Participants also expressed a need for trained peer support within the space to complement the skilled professional mental health team. Participants' experiences of the emergency department during mental health crises were described as contrary to their recovery needs. The research reinforces the need for an alternative to the emergency department for adults who experience mental health crises and provides consumer‐led evidence to inform the design and development of a recovery‐focused safe space.
Focus programming: a bi‐level programming approach to static stochastic optimization problems
Authors: Guo Peijun , Zhu Xide
Published: May 2023

Static stochastic optimization problems are formulated with the focus theory of choice where the optimal solution is determined as per which solution's focus (the most salient realization of a random vector) is the most preferred. The new formulation that we call the focus programming is a bi‐level programming approach in which the lower‐level program is used to choose the focus of each feasible solution and the upper‐level program is to determine the optimal solution. Since in focus programming models upper‐level and lower‐level programs are maximin or minimax problems, they are nonsmooth and sometimes even nonconvex so that the existing optimization methods cannot solve such bi‐level programming problems. We propose several single‐level reformulation methods for such problems.
Strengthening the role of the executive nurse director: A qualitative interview study
Authors: Kelly Daniel , Horseman Zoe , Strachan Fiona E. , Hamilton Sharon , Jones Aled , Holloway Aisha , Rafferty Anne Marie , Noble Helen , Reid Joanne , Harris Ruth , Smith Pam
Published: May 2023

Aim

To explore the challenges and opportunities facing executive nurse directors in the UK and identify factors to strengthen their role and support more effective nurse leadership.

Design

A qualitative descriptive study using reflexive thematic analysis.

Methods

Semi‐structured, telephone interviews were carried out with 15 nurse directors and 9 nominated colleagues.

Results

Participants described a uniquely complex role with a broader scope than any other executive board member. Seven themes were identified: preparation for the role, length of time in role, role expectations, managing complexity, status, being political and influencing. Strengthening factors included successful working relationships with other board colleagues, development of political skills and personal status, coaching and mentoring, working within a supportive team culture and having strong professional networks.

Conclusion

Executive nurse leaders are key to the transmission of nursing values and the delivery of safety and quality in healthcare settings. To strengthen this role, the limiting factors and the recommended shared learning identified here should be recognized and addressed at an individual, organizational and professional level.

Implications for the profession and patient care

Given the pressure on all health systems to retain nurses, the role of executive nurse leaders needs to be seen as an important source of professional leadership and their value in actioning health policy into practice recognized.

Impact

New insights have been provided into the executive nurse director role across the UK. Findings have demonstrated challenges and opportunities to strengthen the executive nurse director role. These include recognition of the need for support, preparation, networking and more realistic expectations of this unique nursing role.

Reporting method

The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.

Patient or public contribution

There was no patient or public contribution.
The relationship between ethical leadership and nurse well‐being: The mediating role of workplace mindfulness
Authors: Si Xiaona , Xue Huiyuan , Song Xiaoren , Liu Xiaoli , Zhang Fen
Published: May 2023

Aim

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between nurses' well‐being and their ethical leadership, and the mediating role of workplace mindfulness in this relationship.

Design

This was a quantitative cross‐sectional study.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted in three tertiary hospitals in central China from May 2022 to July 2022, and the Nurses' Workplace Mindfulness, Ethical Leadership and Well‐Being Scale were distributed and collected via the Internet. A total of 1579 nurses volunteered to participate in this study. SPSS 26.0 statistical software was used to analyse the data by Z‐test and Spearman's rank correlation; the internal mechanism of workplace mindfulness and ethical leadership on nurses' well‐being was completed by AMOS 23.0 statistical software.

Results

The scores of nurses' well‐being, workplace mindfulness and ethical leadership were 93.00 (81.00, 108.00), 96.00 (80.00, 112.00) and 73.00 (67.00, 81.00) respectively. The professional title, age and department atmosphere affect their well‐being. Spearman's analysis showed that nurses' well‐being was positively correlated with ethical leadership (r = .507, p < .01) and workplace mindfulness (r = .600, p < .01); workplace mindfulness partially mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and nurses' well‐being accounting for 38.5% of the total effect ratio [p < .001, 95% CI = (0.215, 0.316)].

Conclusion

Nurses' well‐being was at a medium level, and had a higher score in ethical leadership and workplace mindfulness, and workplace mindfulness played a partial mediating role between ethical leadership and nurses' well‐being.

Impact

This suggests that nursing managers need to pay attention to clinical nurses' well‐being experience, actively focus on the relationship among ethical leadership, workplace mindfulness and well‐being and integrate core values such as positivity and morality into nurses' daily routines, so as to improve the work enthusiasm and well‐being experience of clinical nurses, enhancing the nursing quality and stabilizing the nursing team.
Colchicine usage for prevention of post atrial fibrillation ablation pericarditis in patients undergoing high‐power short‐duration ablation
Authors: Iqbal Arshad Muhammad , Li Kai Yu , Gautam Sandeep
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with variable incidence (0.88%–10%) of pericarditis manifested as chest pain, possibly more prevalent with the advent of high‐power short‐duration (HPSD) ablation. This has led to the widespread use of colchicine in preventative protocols for postablation pericarditis. However, the efficacy of preventative colchicine has not been validated yet.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of a routine postoperative colchicine regimen (0.6 mg twice a day for 14 days post‐AF ablation) for prevention of postablation pericarditis in patients undergoing HPSD ablation.

Method

We retrospectively evaluated consecutive single‐operator HPSD AF ablation procedures at our institution from June 2019 to July 2022. A colchicine protocol was introduced in June 2021 for the prevention of postablation pericarditis. All ablations were performed with 50 watts. Patients were divided into colchicine and noncolchicine groups. We recorded incidence of postablation chest pain, emergency room (ER) visit for chest pain, pericardial effusion, pericardiocentesis, any ER visit, hospitalization, AF recurrence, and cardioversion for AF within the first 30 days following ablation. We also recorded colchicine‐related side effects and medication compliance.

Results

Two hundred and ninety‐four consecutive HPSD AF ablation patients were screened for the study. After implementing the prespecified exclusion criteria, a total of 205 patients were included in the final analysis, yielding 101 patients in the colchicine group and 104 patients in the noncolchicine group. Both groups were well‐matched for demographic and procedural parameters. There was no significant difference in postablation chest pain (9.9% vs. 8.6%, p = .7), pericardial effusion (2.9% vs. 0.9%, p = .1), ER visits (11.9% vs. 12.5%, p = .2), 30‐day hospitalization for AF recurrence (0.9% vs. 0.96%, p = .3), and 30‐day need for cardioversion for AF (3.9% vs. 5.7%, p = .2). Fifteen (15) patients had severe colchicine‐related diarrhea, out of which 12 discontinued it prematurely. There were no major procedural complications in either group.

Conclusion

In this single‐operator retrospective analysis, prophylactic colchicine was not associated with significant reduction in the incidence of postablation chest pain, pericarditis, 30 day hospitalization, ER visits, or AF recurrence or need of cardioversion within first 30 days after HPSD ablation for AF. However, its usage was associated with significant diarrhea. This study concludes no additional advantage of prophylactic use of colchicine after HPSD AF ablation.
Efficacy of selected botanical oils against the cassava whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and their effects on its feeding behaviour
Authors: Amour Massoud , Wosula Everlyne N. , Mrisho Latifa , Hoskins Clare , Buss David , Bruce Toby , Stephano Flora , Legg James P.
Published: May 2023

The control of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci relies heavily on the use of synthetic insecticides. There is a need to develop alternative control strategies due to concerns about impact of these insecticides on the environmental and human health, and the threat of insecticide resistance. Botanical oil extracts could potentially be used for the management of whiteflies and other pests. The study reported here therefore aimed to evaluate the efficacy of selected botanical oils against the cassava whitefly, B. tabaci and test their effect on its feeding behaviour. Patchouli oil treatment was the most effective at repelling whiteflies in no choice and choice experiments with up to 85% of whiteflies being repelled. Oviposition was also reduced 50–89% in patchouli. Neem was found to be effective at reducing oviposition, nymph and adult emergence by 50%, 70% and 80%, respectively, in a screenhouse no choice experiment. Patchouli significantly reduced the phloem ingestion phase (E2) by 40% and potential drops (pd) by 46% compared to control plants. Neem significantly increased the non‐probing duration by 48% and reduced pd by 50% compared to the control. Patchouli and neem were found to be the most effective among the selected botanical oils. These two oils should be further evaluated for efficacy under field conditions to determine suitability for recommendation as biopesticides against the cassava B. tabaci whitefly.
Impact of first‐line systemic therapy with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Tada Toshifumi , Kumada Takashi , Hiraoka Atsushi , Hirooka Masashi , Kariyama Kazuya , Tani Joji , Atsukawa Masanori , Takaguchi Koichi , Itobayashi Ei , Fukunishi Shinya , Tsuji Kunihiko , Ishikawa Toru , Tajiri Kazuto , Ochi Hironori , Yasuda Satoshi , Toyoda Hidenori , Ogawa Chikara , Nishimura Takashi , Hatanaka Takeshi , Kakizaki Satoru , Shimada Noritomo , Kawata Kazuhito , Tada Fujimasa , Ohama Hideko , Nouso Kazuhiro , Morishita Asahiro , Tsutsui Akemi , Nagano Takuya , Itokawa Norio , Okubo Tomomi , Arai Taeang , Imai Michitaka , Kosaka Hisashi , Naganuma Atsushi , Matono Tomomitsu , Koizumi Yohei , Nakamura Shinichiro , Kaibori Masaki , Iijima Hiroko , Hiasa Yoichi ,   the Real‐life Practice Experts for HCC (RELPEC) Study Group and the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Experts from 48 clinics in Japan (HCC 48) Group
Published: May 2023

Background and Aim

The study goal was to compare the outcomes of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) as either first‐ or later‐line systemic therapy.

Methods

A total of 430 patients with HCC treated with Atezo/Bev at 22 institutions in Japan were included. Patients treated with Atezo/Bev as first‐line therapy for HCC were defined as the first‐line group (n = 268) while those treated with Atezo/Bev as second‐ or later‐line therapy were defined as the later‐line group (n = 162).

Results

The median progression‐free survival times in the first‐ and later‐line groups were 7.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.7–9.2) and 6.2 months (95% CI, 5.0–7.7) (P = 0.021). Regarding treatment‐related adverse events, hypertension of any grade was more common in the first‐line group than in the later‐line group (P = 0.025). Analysis adjusted by inverse probability weighting, including patient and HCC characteristics, showed that the later‐line group (hazard ratio, 1.304; 95% CI, 1.006–1.690; P = 0.045) was significantly associated with progression‐free survival. In patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B, the median progression‐free survival times in the first‐ and later‐line groups were 10.5 months (95% CI, 6.8–13.8) and 6.8 months (95% CI, 5.0–9.4) (P = 0.021). Among patients with a history of lenvatinib therapy, the median progression‐free survival times in the first‐ and later‐line groups were 7.7 months (95% CI, 6.3–9.2) and 6.2 months (95% CI, 5.0–7.7) (P = 0.022).

Conclusion

The use of Atezo/Bev as first‐line systemic therapy in patients with HCC is expected to prolong survival.
Transgender and nonbinary young adults' depression and suicidality is associated with sibling and parental acceptance‐rejection
Authors: Bosse Jordon D. , Clark Kristen D. , Dion Kimberly A. , Chiodo Lisa M.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Transgender and nonbinary young adults (TNB YA) report high rates of depression and more suicidality than their cisgender counterparts. Parental rejection is a known predictor of worse mental health among TNB YA; however, less is known about TNB YA experiences of sibling acceptance‐rejection. The purpose of this study was to determine how TNB YA perception of sibling and parental acceptance‐rejection are related to TNB YA depression and suicidality.

Design

Cross‐sectional.

Methods

TNB YA (ages 18–25) who had disclosed their gender identity to an adult sibling were recruited to take part in an online study and completed measures of sibling and parent acceptance‐rejection, depression, as well as lifetime and past year suicidality. Stepwise regressions were conducted to evaluate associations between acceptance‐rejection and TNB YA depression and suicidality.

Results

The sample consisted of 286 TNB YA (Mage = 21.5, SD = 2.2) who were predominantly White (80.6%) and assigned female sex at birth (92.7%). Each family member's acceptance‐rejection was associated with increased TNB YA depression scores when considered independently and combined. Independently, high rejection from each family member was associated with greater odds of reporting most suicidality outcomes. When all family members were considered together, only high rejection from a male parent was associated with four times greater odds of reporting lifetime suicidality. High rejection from both parents was associated with greater odds of reporting past year suicide attempt (OR: 3.26 female parent; 2.75 male parent).

Conclusion

Rejection from family members is associated with worse depression and suicidality, and rejection from male parents may be particularly damaging. Sibling acceptance uniquely contributes to TNB YA's depression symptoms alone and in the context of parental support.
Holistic Evaluation of Language Models
Authors: Bommasani Rishi , Liang Percy , Lee Tony
Published: May 2023

Language models (LMs) like GPT‐3, PaLM, and ChatGPT are the foundation for almost all major language technologies, but their capabilities, limitations, and risks are not well understood. We present Holistic Evaluation of Language Models (HELM) to improve the transparency of LMs. LMs can serve many purposes and their behavior should satisfy many desiderata. To navigate the vast space of potential scenarios and metrics, we taxonomize the space and select representative subsets. We evaluate models on 16 core scenarios and 7 metrics, exposing important trade‐offs. We supplement our core evaluation with seven targeted evaluations to deeply analyze specific aspects (including world knowledge, reasoning, regurgitation of copyrighted content, and generation of disinformation). We benchmark 30 LMs, from OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Cohere, AI21 Labs, and others. Prior to HELM, models were evaluated on just 17.9% of the core HELM scenarios, with some prominent models not sharing a single scenario in common. We improve this to 96.0%: all 30 models are now benchmarked under the same standardized conditions. Our evaluation surfaces 25 top‐level findings. For full transparency, we release all raw model prompts and completions publicly. HELM is a living benchmark for the community, continuously updated with new scenarios, metrics, and models https://crfm.stanford.edu/helm/latest/.
A systematic review of patient barriers and facilitators for implementing lifestyle interventions targeting weight loss in primary care
Authors: de Jong Maxim , Jansen Núria , van Middelkoop Marienke
Published: May 2023

Numerous barriers are experienced by people with overweight and obesity that play a role in the implementation of lifestyle interventions. This systematic review aims to investigate the barriers and facilitators for children and adults with overweight or obesity when implementing lifestyle interventions targeting weight loss in primary care. A systematic review was conducted by searching four databases to identify eligible studies (1969–2022). The Critical Appraisal Skills Program was used to assess the study quality. A total of 28 studies were included, of which 21 focused on adults and seven on children and their parents. Thematic synthesis of the 28 studies included identified nine key themes, of which support, role of the general practitioner, structure of the lifestyle intervention program, logistics, and psychological factors were the most common. This review shows that a strong support system and a personalized lifestyle intervention are essential components for successful implementation. Additional research is needed to identify whether future lifestyle interventions can take these barriers and facilitators into account and still be feasible for losing weight.
Mid‐Term Outcomes of Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Zhang Jie‐chao , Tang Xiao‐ye , Zhang Qian , Wang Xue‐peng , Guo Zi‐cheng , He Yong
Published: May 2023

Objective

The effectiveness of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients remains a controversial topic. This study investigates the mid‐term outcomes of ARCR in RA patients and identifies the factors influencing clinical efficacy.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled RA patients with small or medium rotator cuff tears (RCTs) between February 2014 and February 2019. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), and Constant–Murley scores were collected at each follow‐up time. Ultimately, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X‐ray were employed to assess rotator cuff integrity and progression of shoulder bone destruction, respectively. Statistical methods used two‐way repeated‐measures ANOVA or generalized estimation equations.

Results

A total of 157 patients were identified and divided into ARCR (n = 75) and conservative treatment (n = 82) groups. ARCR group continued to be divided into small tear (n = 35) and medium tear (n = 40) groups. At the final, all scores were better in ARCR group than in the conservative treatment group (p < 0.05). A radiographic evaluation of the final follow‐up demonstrated that the progression rate in ARCR group (18.67%) was significantly lower than that of the conservative treatment group (39.02%, p < 0.05). In the comparison of the small tear and medium tear groups, all scores increased significantly after surgery (p < 0.05), and the final follow‐up scores were better than preoperative scores (p < 0.05) but worse than those of the 6‐month postoperative follow‐up (p < 0.05). Comparison between the two groups revealed that all scores of the small tear group were significantly better than those of the medium tear group at 6‐month postoperative follow‐up (p < 0.05). Although the scores of small tear group remained better than those of the medium group at the final postoperative follow‐up, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Radiographic assessment of the final follow‐up demonstrated that the progression rate in the small tear group (8.57%) was significantly lower than that in the medium group (27.50%, p < 0.05), and the retear rate of small tear group (14.29%) was significantly lower than that of the medium tear group (35.00%, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

ARCR could effectively improve the quality of life for RA patients with small or medium RCTs, at least in the medium term. Despite the progression of joint destruction in some patients, postoperative retear rates were comparable to those in the general population. ARCR is more likely to benefit RA patients than conservative treatment.
Orofacial characteristics in a child with Hajdu‐Cheney syndrome
Authors: Saji Seba , Devi K Pavithra , Morankar Rahul , Tewari Nitesh , Mathur Vijay Prakash , Bansal Kalpana
Published: May 2023

Hajdu‐Cheney syndrome (HCS) also known as Cranio‐skeletal dysplasia is a rare genetic disorder of bone metabolism. It is mainly characterized by acro‐osteolysis and generalized osteoporosis. The other distinctive features include a dysmorphic face, short stature, aplasia of facial sinuses, and persistent cranial sutures. Although the condition begins to manifest since birth, the characteristic features become more prominent with age. This syndrome is usually recognized by dentists due to these craniofacial abnormalities. This case report aims to highlight a case of 6‐year‐old girl HCS who presented with aberrant facial features, premature exfoliation of teeth, unusual mobility of teeth and atypical root resorption in primary dentition.
A scalable school‐based intervention to increase early adolescents' motor competence and health‐related fitness
Authors: Huhtiniemi Mikko , Sääkslahti Arja , Tolvanen Asko , Lubans David R. , Jaakkola Timo
Published: May 2023

Schools are key settings for the promotion of students' physical activity, fitness, and motor competence. The purpose of our study was to investigate the efficacy of a 5‐month‐long intervention program that aimed to increase students' motor competence and health‐related fitness during school days. We conducted a quasi‐experimental study with 325 Finnish Grade 5 (Mage = 11.26, SD = 0.33) students from five schools. Two schools were allocated to the intervention group and three schools to the control group. The intervention consisted of three components: (a) weekly 20 min session during regular PE lessons, (b) weekly 20 min session during recess, and (c) daily 5‐minute‐long classroom activity breaks. All activities were designed to systematically develop different elements of motor competence and fitness. The following assessments were conducted at baseline and 5‐months: cardiorespiratory fitness levels were measured by 20‐meter shuttle run test, muscular fitness by curl‐up and push‐up tests, and motor competence by 5‐leaps and throwing–catching combination tests. We analyzed the data using a multi‐group latent change score modeling. Results showed that students in the intervention group developed significantly better in 20‐meter shuttle run test (β = 0.269, p = 0.000, 95% CI [0.141, 0.397]; +5.0 laps), push‐up (β = 0.442, p = 0.000, 95% CI [0.267, 0.617]; +6.5 repetitions), curl‐up (β = 0.353, p = 0.001, 95% CI [0.154, 0.552]; +7.8 repetitions), and throwing–catching combination tests (β = 0.195, p = 0.019, 95% CI [0.033, 0.356]; +1.1 repetitions) than students in the control group. The intervention program appeared to be feasible and effective in increasing students' cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, and object control skills. This indicates that guided school‐based physical activity programs can be influential in promoting physical fitness and motor competence among early adolescent students.
Mobile user identification based on road networks and multiple distance measures
Authors: Fan Yue , Wang Huiwen , Wang Lihong , Guo Shu , Liu Jing
Published: May 2023

Mobile user identification aims at matching different mobile devices of the same user using trajectory data, which has attracted extensive research in recent years. Most of the previous work extracted trajectory features based on regular grids, which will lead to incorrect feature representation due to lack of geographic information. Besides, most trajectory similarity models only considered one single distance measure to calculate the similarity between users, which ignore the connection between different distance measures and may lead to some false matches. In light of this, we present a novel user identification method based on road networks and multiple distance measures in this article. The proposed method segments a city map into several grids and road segments based on road networks. Then it extracts location and road information of trajectories to jointly construct user features. Multiple distance measures are fused by a discriminant model to improve the effect of user identification. Experiments on real GPS trajectory datasets show that our proposed method outperforms related similarity measure methods and is stable for mobile user identification. Meanwhile, our method can also achieve good identification results even on sparse trajectory datasets.
International investment agreements and foreign direct investment: A survey
Authors: Egger Peter , Pirotte Alain , Titi Catharine
Published: May 2023

This paper reviews the relationship between international investment agreements (IIAs) and foreign direct investment (FDI). It is organised in two parts. The first part explores the generic structure of IIAs and highlights the components that are particularly relevant to FDI. It then gives an overview of the specific content of investment treaties using a representative treaty sample over the period 1980–2020. The second part is devoted to surveying theoretical and empirical work on the impact of IIAs on FDI, while highlighting issues with the measurement of FDI, missing FDI data and effect identification due to endogeneity problems. A key difference from earlier surveys is that this article differentiates between IIAs depending on their content and takes this differentiation into account in the measurement of IIAs and their effects on FDI.
Classification of COVID-19 from X-ray Images using GLCM Features and Machine Learning
Authors: Najjar Fallah H , Kadhim Karrar A , Kareem Munaf Hamza , Salman Hanan Abbas , Mahdi Duha Amer , Al-Hindawi Horya M
Published: May 2023

As the world continues to battle the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly crucial to screen patients for contamination accurately and effectively. One of the primary screening methods is chest radiography, utilizing radiological imaging to detect the presence of the virus in the lungs. This study presents a cutting-edge solution to classify COVID-19 infections in chest X-ray images by utilizing the Gray-Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) and machine learning algorithms. The proposed method analyzes each X-ray image using the GLCM to extract 22 statistical texture features and then trains two machine learning classifiers - K-Nearest Neighbor and Support Vector Machine - on these features. The method was tested on the COVID-19 Radiography Database and was compared to a state-of-the-art method, delivering highly efficient results with impressive sensitivity, accuracy, precision, F1-score, specificity, and Matthew's correlation coefficient. The proposed approach offers a promising new way to classify COVID-19 infections in chest X-ray images and has the potential to play a crucial role in the ongoing fight against the pandemic.
Keratinase Production by Bacillus sp. MD24 in Sub-merge and Solid State Fermentation
Authors: Suharti Suharti , Rozaq Hanif Nur , Qisti Aulia , Alvionita Mieke , Wonorahardjo Surjani
Published: May 2023

Chicken feathers are valuable solid waste that mainly contains insoluble proteins called keratin. Naturally, keratin is degraded by microbes that produce a specific protease called keratinase.  Many reports have been addressed to study Bacillus species as keratin-degrading microbes. However, most reported works were using pathogenic soil Bacillus. Our work has been concentrated on keratinase produced by a soil bacterium, Bacillus sp. MD24 and we confirmed it as a non-pathogenic bacterium. This report describes the different profiles of keratinase fermentation between sub-merged fermentation (SmF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) using chicken feathers as a sole carbon and nitrogen source.  Keratinase production and weight loss were followed for 10 consecutive days, the keratinase molecular weight was investigated, the type and concentration of 18 amino acids were determined using LC-MS/MS after 10 days to seek its potential as the amino acid source, and protein by-product concentration was measured. The results showed that keratinase production as well as weight loss in SmF was better compared to SSF with different optimum production times. Surprisingly, L-arginine was a dominant amino acid in SmF hydrolysate which contained 42.06% of total amino acids and made Bacillus sp. MD24 is a potential organism for L-arginine production. As protein by-product concentration was relatively low in both conditions showing effective utilization of chicken feathers as matter and energy source, consequently, cell-free keratinase should be applied to degrade chicken feathers into valuable materials.
Heat transfer mechanism of electrostatic chuck surface and wafer backside to improve wafer temperature uniformity
Authors: Yoon Tae Woong , Cho Sung Il , Choi Minsuk , Hong Sang Jeen
Published: May 2023

Semiconductor manufacturing technology keeps toward scaling down to a few nanometers. To protect the process yield and achieve the success of chip manufacturing, the center-to-edge uniformity of the wafer's temperature has become a crucial parameter. The thermal characteristics of the wafer are dominantly affected by the electrostatic chuck, which is generally used to support the wafer in the manufacturing process. In particular, the backside gas, which passes through the interface between the wafer and electrostatic chuck, is important for cooling the wafer below a critical temperature. The heat transfer via a backside gas can be explained by the layer-bulk model, and its pressure is a key factor to determine the cooling effectiveness. In this paper, a one-dimensional thermal circuit model is established for a system including the wafer, electrostatic chuck, and backside gas to calculate the convective heat transfer coefficient caused by the backside gas. The numerical results showed that the uniformity of the wafer's temperature became worse as the backside gas pressure increased in a low-pressure range but significantly improved above a critical value of the gas pressure. Based on our findings, we concluded that the backside gas pressure should be optimized to improve the uniformity of the wafer temperature.
Controlled motility in the cyanobacterium
Trichodesmium
regulates aggregate architecture
Authors: Pfreundt Ulrike , Słomka Jonasz , Schneider Giulia , Sengupta Anupam , Carrara Francesco , Fernandez Vicente , Ackermann Martin , Stocker Roman
Published: May 2023

The ocean’s nitrogen is largely fixed by cyanobacteria, including
Trichodesmium
, which forms aggregates comprising hundreds of filaments arranged in organized architectures. Aggregates often form upon exposure to stress and have ecological and biophysical characteristics that differ from those of single filaments. Here, we report that
Trichodesmium
aggregates can rapidly modulate their shape, responding within minutes to changes in environmental conditions. Combining video microscopy and mathematical modeling, we discovered that this reorganization is mediated by “smart reversals” wherein gliding filaments reverse when their overlap with other filaments diminishes. By regulating smart reversals, filaments control aggregate architecture without central coordination. We propose that the modulation of gliding motility at the single-filament level is a determinant of
Trichodesmium
’s aggregation behavior and ultimately of its biogeochemical role in the ocean.
Climate change is altering the physiology and phenology of an arctic hibernator
Authors: Chmura Helen E. , Duncan Cassandra , Burrell Grace , Barnes Brian M. , Buck C. Loren , Williams Cory T.
Published: May 2023

Climate warming is rapid in the Arctic, yet impacts to biological systems are unclear because few long-term studies linking biophysiological processes with environmental conditions exist for this data-poor region. In our study spanning 25 years in the Alaskan Arctic, we demonstrate that climate change is affecting the timing of freeze-thaw cycles in the active layer of permafrost soils and altering the physiology of arctic ground squirrels (
Urocitellus parryii
). Soil freeze has been delayed and, in response, arctic ground squirrels have delayed when they up-regulate heat production during torpor to prevent freezing. Further, the termination of hibernation in spring has advanced 4 days per decade in females but not males. Continued warming and phenological shifts will alter hibernation energetics, change the seasonal availability of this important prey species, and potentially disrupt intraspecific interactions.
Adding fuel to the fires
Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World
John Vaillant
Knopf, 2023. 432 pp.
Authors: Boon Sarah
Published: May 2023

A wildfire in a Canadian oil town offers a case study in fossil fuels and climate change
Identification of Putative Bacterial Pathogens for Orofacial Granulomatosis Based on 16S rRNA Metagenomic Analysis
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Xu Hao , Wei Minghui , Wang Yuhong , Wang Wenzhe , Ju Jia , Liu Yuan , Wang Xinwen
Published: May 2023

Infectious agents have long been considered to play a role in the initiation of OFG; however, a direct causal relationship between microbes and OFG has not yet been established. In this study, a unique AP microbiota signature was identified in OFG patients.
Targeting the 16S rRNA Gene by Reverse Complement PCR Next-Generation Sequencing: Specific and Sensitive Detection and Identification of Microbes Directly in Clinical Samples
Authors: Moorlag Simone J. C. F. M. , Coolen Jordy P. M. , van den Bosch Bart , Jin Elisabeth Hui-Mei , Buil Jochem B. , Wertheim Heiman F. L. , Melchers Willem J. G.
Published: May 2023

The identification of the causative infectious pathogen in patients suspected of having a bacterial infection is essential for diagnosis and the start of appropriate treatment. Over the past 2 decades, molecular diagnostics have improved the ability to detect and identify bacteria.
Molybdenum isotope signature of microbial nitrogen utilization in siboglinid tubeworms
Authors: Wang Xudong , Xu Ting , Peckmann Jörn , Bayon Germain , Jia Zice , Gong Shanggui , Li Jie , Cordes Erik , Sun Yanan , Tao Jun , Chen Duofu , Feng Dong
Published: May 2023

Many chemosynthesis-based communities prospering in deep-sea environments rely on the metabolic activity of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria. This is the case for vestimentiferan siboglinid tubeworms, whose demand for nutrition is satisfied predominantly by their endosymbiotic bacteria harbored in a specialized organ called the trophosome. Such chemosymbiosis leads to a significantly lower nitrogen isotope composition of the trophosome than in other types of soft tissue. However, the specific process of nitrogen utilization by siboglinids remains unclear. As a key element in the relevant enzymes (nitrogenase and nitrate reductase), molybdenum (Mo) is indispensable in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen. The Mo isotope composition (δ98Mo) of siboglinids is thus a potential proxy for decoding the processes involved in nitrogen metabolism. In this study, we found δ98Mo values along the chitinous tube of the vestimentiferan siboglinid Paraescarpia echinospica from the Haima seeps of the South China Sea as negative as −4.59‰ (−1.13‰ ± 1.75‰, 1SD, n = 19)—the lowest δ98Mo value ever reported for any kind of natural material. It is suggested that this extremely negative Mo isotope composition is caused by preferential utilization of isotopically light Mo by the tubeworm’s endosymbionts or epibionts during nitrate reduction. Such Mo isotope signature could provide a means for identifying siboglinid tubeworms, a group of annelids that has previously escaped unambiguous identification due to the lack of mineralized skeleton, in the rock record.
Slow changes in lava chemistry at Kama‘ehuakanaloa linked to sluggish mantle upwelling on the margin of the Hawaiian plume
Authors: Pietruszka Aaron J. , Garcia Michael O. , Carlson Richard W. , Hauri Erik H.
Published: May 2023

Temporal variations in lava chemistry at active submarine volcanoes are difficult to decipher due to the challenges of dating their eruptions. Here, we use high-precision measurements of 226Ra-230Th disequilibria in basalts from Kama‘ehuakanaloa (formerly Lō‘ihi) to estimate model ages for recent eruptions of this submarine Hawaiian pre-shield volcano. The ages range from ca. 0 to 2300 yr (excluding two much older samples) with at least five eruptions in the past ∼150 yr. Two snapshots of the magmatic evolution of Kama‘ehuakanaloa (or “Kama‘ehu”) are revealed. First, a long-term transition from alkalic to tholeiitic volcanism was nearly complete by ca. 2 ka. Second, a systematic short-term fluctuation in ratios of incompatible elements (e.g., Th/Yb) for summit lavas occurred on a time scale of ∼1200 yr. This is much longer than the ∼200-yr-long historical cycle in lava chemistry at the neighboring subaerial volcano, Kīlauea. The slower pace of the variation in lava chemistry at Kama‘ehu is most likely controlled by sluggish mantle upwelling on the margin of the Hawaiian plume.
Supplemental Material: Revealing the link between A-type granites and hottest melts from residual metasedimentary crust
Authors: Carvalho Bruna B. , al. et
Published: May 2023

Supplemental material contains further information on the geological background, petrography, and methods used in this work. Supplementary tables S1–S4 contain major element composition of garnet and sapphirine, and major element and trace element analyses of melt inclusions and Zr contents of rutile, respectively. 
Short-term outcomes of South African children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Lishman Juanita , Abraham Deepthi Raju , Fourie Barend , Yunis Nurea Abdulbari , Redfern Andrew , van der Zalm Marieke M , Rabie Helena
Published: May 2023

Background

Despite the life-threatening presentation of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), the overall prognosis is favourable in centres with access to appropriate supportive care. In this study, we investigate the short-term outcomes in children with MIS-C in Cape Town, South Africa.

Methods

This prospective observational cohort study included children <13 years who fulfilled the WHO case definition of MIS-C and were admitted to Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa between 1 June 2020 and 31 October 2021. Clinical features were recorded at baseline and at follow-up at the 6-week cardiology and 3-month rheumatology-immunology clinics, respectively.

Findings

Fifty-three children with a median age of 7.4 years (IQR 4.2–9.9) were included. There was a slight male predominance (30/53; 56.6%) and the majority was of mixed ancestry (28/53; 52.83%) or black African ancestry (24/53; 45.3%). Fourteen children (14/53; 26.4%) had comorbid disease. The median length of hospital stay was 8 days (IQR 6–10). All children had an echocardiogram performed at baseline of which 39 were abnormal (39/53; 73.6%). All children were discharged alive. The median days from discharge to cardiology follow-up was 39 days (IQR 33.5–41.5) and for rheumatology-immunology clinic was 70.5 days (IQR 59.5–85.0). Eleven children (11/41; 26.8%) had a persistently abnormal echocardiogram at cardiology follow-up. Systemic inflammation and organ dysfunction resolved in most.

Interpretation

Although the short-term outcomes of MIS-C in our cohort were generally good, the cardiac morbidity needs further characterisation and follow-up.