bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A lightweight deep learning with feature weighting for activity recognition
Authors: Ige Ayokunle Olalekan , Mohd Noor Mohd Halim
Published: December 2022

With the development of deep learning, numerous models have been proposed for human activity recognition to achieve state‐of‐the‐art recognition on wearable sensor data. Despite the improved accuracy achieved by previous deep learning models, activity recognition remains a challenge. This challenge is often attributed to the complexity of some specific activity patterns. Existing deep learning models proposed to address this have often recorded high overall recognition accuracy, while low recall and precision are often recorded on some individual activities due to the complexity of their patterns. Some existing models that have focused on tackling these issues are always bulky and complex. Since most embedded systems have resource constraints in terms of their processor, memory and battery capacity, it is paramount to propose efficient lightweight activity recognition models that require limited resources consumption, and still capable of achieving state‐of‐the‐art recognition of activities, with high individual recall and precision. This research proposes a high performance, low footprint deep learning model with a squeeze and excitation block to address this challenge. The squeeze and excitation block consist of a global average‐pooling layer and two fully connected layers, which were placed to extract the flattened features in the model, with best‐fit reduction ratios in the squeeze and excitation block. The squeeze and excitation block served as channel‐wise attention, which adjusted the weight of each channel to build more robust representations, which enabled our network to become more responsive to essential features while suppressing less important ones. By using the best‐fit reduction ratio in the squeeze and excitation block, the parameters of the fully connected layer were reduced, which helped the model increase responsiveness to essential features. Experiments on three publicly available datasets (PAMAP2, WISDM, and UCI‐HAR) showed that the proposed model outperformed existing state‐of‐the‐art with fewer parameters and increased the recall and precision of some individual activities compared to the baseline, and the existing models.
Data‐driven counterfactual evaluation of management outcomes to improve emergency conservation decisions
Authors: McMurdo Hamilton Thalassa , Ewen John G. , Beauchamp Antony J. , Makan Troy , Rowcliffe Marcus , Canessa Stefano
Published: December 2022

Monitoring is needed to assess conservation success and improve management, but naïve or simplistic interpretation of monitoring data can lead to poor decisions. We illustrate how to counter this risk by combining decision‐support tools and quantitative counterfactual analysis. We analyzed 20 years of egg rescue for tara iti (Sternula nereis davisae) in Aotearoa New Zealand. Survival is lower for rescued eggs; however, only eggs perceived as imminently threatened by predators or weather are rescued, so concluding that rescue is ineffective would be biased. Equally, simply assuming all rescued eggs would have died if left in situ is likely to be simplistic. Instead, we used the monitoring data itself to estimate statistical support for a wide space of uncertain counterfactuals about decisions and fate of rescued eggs. Results suggest under past management, rescuing and leaving eggs would have led to approximately the same overall fledging rate, because of likely imperfect threat assessment and low survival of rescued eggs to fledging. Managers are currently working to improve both parameters. Our approach avoids both naïve interpretation of observed outcomes and simplistic assumptions that management is always justified, using the same data to obtain unbiased quantitative estimates of counterfactual support.
Conservation fundraising: Evidence from social media and traditional mail field experiments
Authors: Kubo Takahiro , Yokoo Hide‐Fumi , Veríssimo Diogo
Published: December 2022

Funding shortages limit conservation impact, making it vital to find effective fundraising methods. To explore how traditional and digital conservation fundraising methods perform, we conducted real‐world field experiments by using direct‐mail and Facebook advertisements. We compared three types of message frames (simple, seed money, and ecological). We found that the seed money frame, which emphasizes the amount already donated, increased the number of donors, whereas the ecological frame, which focuses on the fact that the fundraiser benefits threatened species, led to a relative reduction in the number of donors. We also found that while Facebook advertising costs exceeded donations, while the opposite was true for the traditional mail experiment. This highlights the importance of identifying appropriate donor pools for online and offline fundraising before implementing campaigns. Our findings illustrate some challenges associated with online fundraising and the importance of behavioral evidence to enhance effective fundraising in conservation.
Outcomes following heart or bilateral‐lung transplantation from donors who died of drug toxicity in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Xie Max Wenheng , Keenan Sean Patrick , Toma Mustafa , Levy Robert Daniel , Slaunwhite Amanda , Rose Caren
Published: December 2022

Introduction

The illicit drug toxicity (overdose) crisis has worsened across Canada; between 2016 and 2021, more than 28,000 individuals have died of drug toxicity. Organ donation from persons who experience drug toxicity death (DTD) has increased in recent years. This study examines whether survival after heart or bilateral‐lung transplantation differed by donor cause of death.

Methods

We studied transplant recipients in British Columbia who received heart (N = 110) or bilateral‐lung (N = 223) transplantation from deceased donors aged 12–70 years between 2013 and 2019. Transplant recipient survival was compared by donor cause of death from drug toxicity or other. Five‐year Kaplan‐Meier estimates of survival and 3‐year inverse probability treatment weighted Cox proportional hazards models were conducted.

Results

DTD donors made up 36% (40/110) of heart and 24% (54/223) of bilateral‐lung transplantations. DTD donors were more likely to be young, white, and male. Unadjusted 5‐year recipient survival was similar by donor cause of death (heart: 87% for DTD and 86% for non‐DTD, p = .75; bilateral‐ lung: 80% for DTD and 76% for non‐DTD, p = .65). Adjusted risk of mortality at 3‐years post‐transplant was similar between recipients of DTD and non‐DTD donor heart (hazard ratio [HR]: .94, 95% confidence interval (CI): .22–4.07, p = .938) and bilateral‐lung (HR: 1.06, 95% CI: .41–2.70, p = .908).

Conclusion

Recipient survival after heart or bilateral‐lung transplantation from DTD donors and non‐DTD donors was similar. Donation from DTD donors is safe and should be considered more broadly to increase organ donation.
A rare coronary anomaly: The single left coronary artery with coronary artery fistula draining into the right ventricular outflow tract
Authors: Wang Jie , Hu Ping , Ku Lei‐zhi , Xia Juan , Ma Xiao‐Jing
Published: December 2022

A previously healthy 9‐year‐old girl was referred to us for the evaluation of a murmur on a routine clinical examination. Routine electrocardiogram and chest x‐ray were normal. The cardiac enzymes were normal. Combining ultrasound and CCTA, it was confirmed that the hemodynamics of the heart was a left‐to‐right shunt and that RVOT stole blood from the left ventricle through the single coronary artery (SCA).
“Book Review: The Worth of Water by Matt Damon and Gary White”
Authors: Vinciguerra Tebaldo
Published: December 2022

Gary White and Matt Damon's recent book, The Worth of Water, details the challenges faced and insights gleaned while building a major microcredit initiative to improve access to safe water and/or sanitation. It was presented during the World Water Forum in Dakar (March 2022). I will describe the birth and evolution of this initiative, contextualizing it in the current concern for access to clean water, and attempting to highlight its main technical details (financing, organization, and reach). I will also try to offer some critical consideration (regarding access to drinking water as a human right) and perspective (on the possible development of the approach promoted by the book).
Updated estimates of UK GDP from the income side, 1841–1920
Authors: Solomou Solomos , Thomas Ryland
Published: December 2022

This article brings together some of the improvements to GDP estimates from the income side since the publication of Charles Feinstein's 1972 volume National income, expenditure and output of the United Kingdom, 1855–1965. Many of the improvements and refinements were made by Feinstein himself and this paper makes a start in bringing the different elements together, focusing chiefly on reconstructing the income‐based estimates for the period 1841–1920. The new data are then used to comment on several features of the late nineteenth‐century UK economy, considering both the trend and cyclical path of the economy. The new data, coupled with modern de‐trending methods, suggest that there was a long‐term slowing of the UK economy from the late nineteenth century, starting from the 1870s. To undertake the trend–cycle decomposition, we employ a wavelets methodology to describe the time–varying features of trends and cycles over this period.
Connectome‐based predictive modelling of cognitive reserve using task‐based functional connectivity
Authors: Boyle Rory , Connaughton Michael , McGlinchey Eimear , Knight Silvin P. , De Looze Céline , Carey Daniel , Stern Yaakov , Robertson Ian H. , Kenny Rose Anne , Whelan Robert
Published: December 2022

Cognitive reserve supports cognitive function in the presence of pathology or atrophy. Functional neuroimaging may enable direct and accurate measurement of cognitive reserve which could have considerable clinical potential. The present study aimed to develop and validate a measure of cognitive reserve using task‐based fMRI data that could then be applied to independent resting‐state data. Connectome‐based predictive modelling with leave‐one‐out cross‐validation was applied to predict a residual measure of cognitive reserve using task‐based functional connectivity from the Cognitive Reserve/Reference Ability Neural Network studies (n = 220, mean age = 51.91 years, SD = 17.04 years). This model generated summary measures of connectivity strength that accurately predicted a residual measure of cognitive reserve in unseen participants. The theoretical validity of these measures was established via a positive correlation with a socio‐behavioural proxy of cognitive reserve (verbal intelligence) and a positive correlation with global cognition, independent of brain structure. This fitted model was then applied to external test data: resting‐state functional connectivity data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA, n = 294, mean age = 68.3 years, SD = 7.18 years). The network‐strength predicted measures were not positively associated with a residual measure of cognitive reserve nor with measures of verbal intelligence and global cognition. The present study demonstrated that task‐based functional connectivity data can be used to generate theoretically valid measures of cognitive reserve. Further work is needed to establish if, and how, measures of cognitive reserve derived from task‐based functional connectivity can be applied to independent resting‐state data.
Interictal HFO and FDG‐PET correlation predicts surgical outcome following SEEG
Authors: Zhao Baotian , McGonigal Aileen , Hu Wenhan , Zhang Chao , Wang Xiu , Mo Jiajie , Zhao Xiaobin , Ai Lin , Shao Xiaoqiu , Zhang Kai , Zhang Jianguo
Published: December 2022

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the quantitative relationship between interictal18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) and interictal high‐frequency oscillations (HFOs) from stereo‐electroencephalography (SEEG) recordings in patients with refractory epilepsy.

Methods

We retrospectively included 32 patients. FDG‐PET data were quantified through statistical parametric mapping (SPM)ttest modeling with normal controls. Interictal SEEG segments with four, 10‐min segments were selected randomly. HFO detection and classification procedures were automatically performed. Channel‐based HFOs separating ripple (80–250 Hz) and fast ripple (FR; 250–500 Hz) counts were correlated with the surrounding metabolism T score at the individual and group level, respectively. The association was further validated across anatomic seizure origins and sleep vs wake states. We built a joint feature FR × T reflecting the FR and hypometabolism concordance to predict surgical outcomes in 28 patients who underwent surgery.

Results

We found a negative correlation between interictal FDG‐PET and HFOs through the linear mixed‐effects model (R2 = .346 and .457 for ripples and FRs, respectively,p < .001); these correlations were generalizable to different epileptogenic‐zone lobar localizations and vigilance states. The FR × T inside the resection volume could be used as a predictor for surgical outcomes with an area under the curve of 0.81.

Significance

The degree of hypometabolism is associated with HFO generation rate, especially for FRs. This relationship would be meaningful for selection of SEEG candidates and for optimizing SEEG scheme planning. The concordance between FRs and hypometabolism inside the resection volume could provide prognostic information regarding surgical outcome.
Group decision‐making analysis based on distance measures under rough environment
Authors: Fatima Saba , Sarwar Musavarah , Zafar Fariha , Akram Muhammad
Published: December 2022

A rough set as a superset of a crisp set is a mathematical tool to cope with uncertainty using initial data without additional assumptions and pre‐defined parameters. Using the technique of upper and lower approximations, rough models provide a complete description of the problem. This paper aims to introduce the notion of distance function, which is a metric, in rough graphs. We establish formulae of distance function, degree and radius of certain products of rough graphs in terms of initial given rough graphs. We discuss the concepts of weak isomorphism and isomorphism in rough graphs, and describe the properties of isomorphic rough graphs. We demonstrate the significance and importance of the distance function with an application to a decision making problem concerning organ trafficking networks. An application of rough matrices in steam valve systems is discussed, and we show how they can help to identify the potential failures and risk components during the power generation process. The results obtained under the rough model are compared with existing extensions of graphs and fuzzy based approaches.
Curiously exploring affordance spaces of a pouring task
Authors: Pomarlan Mihai , Hedblom Maria M. , Porzel Robert
Published: December 2022

Human beings and other biological agents appear driven by curiosity to explore the affordances of their environments. Such exploration is its own reward – children have fun when playing – but it probably also serves the practical purpose of learning theories with which to predict outcomes of actions. Cognitive robots however have yet to match the performance of human beings at learning and reusing manipulation skills. In this paper, we implement a method that emulates the curiosity drive and uses it as a heuristic to guide (simulated) exploration of a particular task – pouring liquids. The result of this exploration is a collection of symbolic rules linking qualitative descriptions of object arrangements and the pouring action with qualitative descriptions of likely outcomes. The manner in which qualitative descriptions of object arrangements and actions are converted to numerical descriptions for the purpose of simulation parametrization is via probability distributions, which themselves are adjusted in the process of simulated exploration. This allows the grounding of the symbolic descriptions to attempt to adapt itself to the task. The resulting symbolic rules form a theory that, together with the probability distributions that ground it in numerical parametrizations, is intended to be used to predict qualitative outcomes or select manners of pouring towards achieving a goal.
Home visits, holy visits: Diasporic pilgrimage to the ‘Holy Land’ amongst Palestinian–Jordanian Christians from Amman
Authors: Evans Annabel C.
Published: December 2022

This paper contributes to ‘visiting friends and relatives’ (VFR) discussions within migration and diaspora literatures by proposing a closer theorization of religious mobilities through the conceptual framework of ‘diasporic pilgrimage’. It advances VFR thinking by considering religion as a productive analytical category to interrogate relationships between people and place which sustain and constitute diasporic connection and attachment. This will be explored through the experiences and encounters of Palestinian–Jordanian Christians undertaking visits to places of religious and relational significance across Israel and/or Palestine from Jordan. Through an exploration of ethnographic data collected amongst diasporic Palestinian Christians living in Jordan, diasporic pilgrimage will be theorized as a localized process critically engaging with everyday facets of familiarity and regularity. This will revolve around three main elements of diasporic pilgrimage: translocal connections, temporalities and power geometries which constitute visits from Jordan and the so‐called ‘Holy Land’ a diasporic form of religious mobility.
Characterizing Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus movement behaviour during breeding‐season foraging trips using hidden Markov models
Authors: Pattison Vivian , Bone Christopher , Cowen Laura L.E. , O'Hara Patrick D. , Wilson Laurie
Published: December 2022

Seabird species are increasingly threatened globally due to a range of anthropogenic impacts affecting at‐sea habitat. Characterizing at‐sea movement patterns and identifying foraging behaviour allows researchers to identify critical habitat but can be challenging for small diving species. The Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus is an alcid species of conservation concern in Canada. At‐sea distribution and movements of this species during the breeding season are currently poorly understood. We mounted GPS tracking devices on breeding Ancient Murrelets from two colonies along the southeastern coast of Haida Gwaii, one colony in 2018 and one in 2019, to collect movement data during foraging trips. We used hidden Markov models (HMMs) to identify three movement behaviour states from track characteristics, which we interpreted as transit, resting and foraging. Immersion data collected from the GPS tags allowed us to interpret the two slow‐moving states and to confidently identify foraging movement behaviour. From the 42 individuals tracked we found that foraging trips encompassed large areas of Hecate Strait, to the east of the colonies. Birds nesting on Ramsay Island in 2018 travelled on average 453 km in 4.3 days, up to a mean of 108 km from the colony. Birds breeding on George Island in 2019 took shorter trips, travelling on average 263 km in 3.0 days, and up to 81 km from the colony. In both years, birds spent approximately one‐third of their time in each behaviour state. Resting often took place throughout a whole night at sea; foraging occurred predominately during the day. Transit took place during the night, when birds were leaving or returning to the colony, or during the day, possibly indicating movement between prey patches. Our results can inform marine conservation of this vulnerable species by differentiating foraging from other at‐sea movement behaviours and is a first step to identifying critical foraging habitat.
Moderators of sex‐ and race‐based subgroup differences in assessment center ratings: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Vanhove Adam J. , Graham Brooke Z. , Thornton George C.
Published: December 2022

This meta‐analysis tested a series of moderators of sex‐ and race‐based subgroup differences using assessment center (AC) field data. We found that sex‐based subgroup differences favoring female assessees were smaller among studies that reported: combining AC scores with other tests to compute overall assessment ratings, lower mean correlations between rating dimensions, using more than one assessor to rate assessees in exercises, and providing assessor training. In contrast, we found larger sex‐based subgroup differences favoring female assessees among studies that reported: lower proportions of females in assessee pools, conducting a job analysis to design the AC, and using multiple observations of AC dimensions across exercises. We also observed a polynomial effect showing that subgroup differences most strongly favored female assessees in jobs with the highest and lowest rates of female incumbents. We found race‐based subgroup differences favoring White assessees were smaller on less cognitively loaded rating dimensions and for jobs with lower rates of Black incumbents. Studies reporting greater overall methodological rigor also showed smaller subgroup differences favoring White assessees. Regarding specific rigor features, studies reporting use of highly qualified assessors and integrating dimension ratings from separate exercises into overall dimension scores showed significantly lower differences favoring White assessees.
A six‐year longitudinal study of parenting and depressive symptoms among Taiwanese adolescents
Authors: Chiang Shou‐Chun , Sung Yu‐Hsien , Chen Wan‐Chen
Published: December 2022

This study investigated the associations between early parental warmth, harsh discipline, and adolescent depressive symptoms from early to late adolescence, with attention to gender differences in these associations. The sample was drawn from a longitudinal study, the Taiwan Youth Project, including 2690 Taiwanese adolescents from Wave 1 in 2000 (first year in junior high school) to Wave 6 (third year in high school) in 2005. The results showed a nonlinear developmental trajectory of adolescent depressive symptoms during the middle‐ to high‐school period. Harsh discipline was associated with the significantly higher initial presence and faster growth rate of depressive symptoms, while parental warmth and monitoring were associated with the significantly lower initial presence of depressive symptoms. In addition, female adolescents displayed a higher initial level of depressive symptoms than males when parents exercised higher levels of monitoring and harsh discipline. Finally, we provided suggestions for practice and research.
The attractiveness of Indian Polytechnics graduates—An analysis from the (demand‐side) perspective of companies and colleges
Authors: Schneider Sebastian
Published: December 2022

The paper examines the attractiveness of graduates from Indian Polytechnics (PTs). The attractiveness is examined from the perspective of actors who have a demand for the graduates, namely companies and engineering colleges. To understand the reasons for their assessment of attractiveness, this study uses the concept of institutional logics (ILs) to unveil the inherent reasons behind the stakeholders' perception of attractiveness. To understand the stakeholders' ILs, interviews were undertaken in nine companies and 10 colleges in Mumbai and Delhi. The findings make clear that the companies' and colleges' assessments of the attractiveness of PT graduates are very different, reflecting their own ILs. Companies assess the attractiveness as limited due to the lack of employability of PT graduates. In contrast, colleges view graduates far more positively, as the weaknesses described by companies have less of an impact on them.
Changes in inpatient medicine prescribing during COVID‐19 lockdown
Authors: Wang Millie Y. , Barclay Murray L. , Chin Paul K. L. , Doogue Matthew P.
Published: December 2022

Background

New Zealand went into lockdown March 2020 successfully eliminating the circulation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) virus. During lockdown there were reduced rates of respiratory infections and hospital admission numbers were low. At the time, rumours of benefit and harm of medicines for COVID‐19 were widespread in the lay and medical media.

Aim

To describe changes in inpatient prescribing in an acute general medicine service during the New Zealand COVID‐19 lockdown in 2020.

Methods

Rates of prescribing of medicines during the 33 days of lockdown were compared with a 33‐day control period before lockdown. Prescriptions, patients and bed days were calculated from the hospital patient administration and electronic prescribing and administration systems.

Results

In the general medicine service, acute admissions were 20% lower during lockdown (from 1216 pre‐lockdown to 974). There was a small decrease in the rate of prescriptions per patient (10.1 vs 10.4, P = 0.01) during lockdown, and the average length of stay was shorter (3.2 vs 3.6 days). Nebulised administration decreased by 75% (1.3% vs 5.3% of admissions) but unexpectedly there was no change in the prescribing rates of antibacterial medicines, e.g. amoxicillin (26% vs 26%). There were no changes in rates of prescribing of medicines being rumoured to potentially improve (e.g. hydroxychloroquine) or worsen (e.g. angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors) COVID‐19 outcomes.

Conclusions

Acute medical admissions decreased 20% during lockdown for COVID‐19, with a proportional decrease in prescriptions. Reduced rates of respiratory tract infections did not lead to decreased prescribing of antibacterial medicines. Rumour‐based prescribing did not eventuate.
Determination of dental caries, molar–incisor hypomineralization, and oral health‐related quality of life in schoolchildren: A structural equation modeling approach
Authors: de Barros Laíssa Viegas Cardoso , Vale Miriam Pimenta , Tourino Luciana Fonseca Pádua Gonçalves , Bittencourt Jéssica Madeira , Bendo Cristiane Baccin
Published: December 2022

Background

Some oral conditions can have psychosocial consequences that affect children's daily life and well‐being.

Aim

To create a structural model for the determination of dental caries, molar–incisor hypomineralization (MIH), and the impact of these conditions and socioeconomic status on schoolchildren's oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL).

Design

A representative cross‐sectional study was conducted in Lavras, Brazil, with 1181 female and male schoolchildren 8–9 years of age. OHRQoL was measured using the Brazilian version of the CPQ8‐10. Clinical examinations were performed by a calibrated dentist for the diagnosis of dental caries (WHO) and MIH (EAPD). Parents/caregivers answered questionnaires addressing the child's medical history and socioeconomic status. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Results

The model revealed that greater MIH severity (β = .874; p < .001) and worse socioeconomic status (β = −.060; p = .001) were associated with a greater number of teeth with caries experience. The higher the number of teeth with caries experience (β = .160; p = .007) and worse socioeconomic status (β = −.164; p < .001), the greater the negative impact on OHRQoL.

Conclusion

The model created showed that dental caries and socioeconomic status had a direct negative impact on the OHRQoL of schoolchildren and MIH had an indirect impact mediated by the occurrence of caries experience.
The prevalence and characteristics of and the association between MIH and HSPM in South‐Western France
Authors: Estivals Julia , Fahd Caroline , Baillet Jeanne , Rouas Patrick , Manton David John , Garot Elsa
Published: December 2022

Background

Molar–incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) and hypomineralised second primary molars (HSPM) involve qualitative structural developmental anomalies of tooth enamel, affecting the first permanent molars (FPM) and the second primary molars, respectively. This developmental anomaly of systemic origin has important consequences for oral health.

Aim

To determine the prevalence of MIH and HSPM in south‐western France and explore the distribution of hypomineralised lesions on permanent and primary molars.

Design

Amongst 856 children (aged 7–9 years) in schools randomly selected by the Academy of Bordeaux (Ministry of Education), the FPM, permanent incisors and the second primary molars were examined by two examiners trained and calibrated for the diagnostic criteria for MIH and HSPM of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry.

Results

Molar–incisor hypomineralisation was present in 160 children (18.7%) and HSPM in 81 children (9.5%); 4.9% had both HSPM and MIH (42 of 856). Hypomineralised lesions were present in 1–4 FPM in affected individuals (mean = 2.4) and were distributed in an asymmetrical manner with widely varying severity at the tooth and individual level. A child with HSPM was more likely to have MIH than a child without HSPM (95% CI OR = 6.0 [3.7–9.7]; p < .0001).

Conclusion

Molar–incisor hypomineralisation and HSPM have three main asymmetrical characteristics: tooth location, severity of hypomineralisation and number of teeth affected.
Food insecurity and dental caries prevalence in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sabbagh Sedigheh , Mohammadi‐Nasrabadi Fatemeh , Ravaghi Vahid , Azadi Mood Kimia , Sarraf Shirazi Alireza , Abedi Abdol‐Samad , Noorollahian Homa
Published: December 2022

Background

Food insecurity (FI) is associated with dietary practices, which can act as a risk factor for dental caries.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between FI and dental caries prevalence in children and adolescents.

Design

MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, SCOPUS, ISI web of knowledge, Cochrane, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global database (up to April 19, 2022) as well as reference lists were searched. Eligible studies compared dental caries prevalence in food‐secure and food‐insecure individuals younger than 19 years. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using a modified Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Meta‐analysis was performed, and the pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated at 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results

Among the 1350 retrieved records, 10 cross‐sectional reports were selected for systematic review. Six studies involving 8631 participants were included in the meta‐analysis. More than half of the reports were published within the period 2019–2021. All studies except one were judged as low risk of bias. Overall, the prevalence of dental caries was greater among the food‐insecure children and adolescents (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.52–2.65, p < .001, I2: 73.5%). Similarly, all three categories of FI were significantly associated with caries experience (marginal FI: OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.56–2.27, p < .001, I2: 0.0%; low FI: OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.42–4.14, p = .001, I2: 74.4%; very low FI: OR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.88–3.00, p < .001, I2: 0.0%).

Conclusion

The results showed a significant association between FI status and dental caries in both childhood and adolescence; however, there was a lack of longitudinal studies for a better understanding of this association. Health policies leading to reduction in FI may also aim to reduce dental caries.
‘I cannot be missed yet’: A qualitative study of carers of family members with an intellectual disability about long‐term care planning during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Boeije Hennie , Leemrijse Chantal , Zonneveld Ellen , van Schelven Femke
Published: December 2022

Background

Family carers of people with an intellectual disability sometimes need to transfer their caregiving tasks for example because of illness or ageing. We examined carers' experiences with long‐term care planning and the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on their intentions to engage in long‐term planning in the Netherlands.

Method

Twenty‐five semi‐structured interviews with family carers of people with an intellectual disability were conducted and 169 answers to an open question were thematically analysed. Data collection took place at three timepoints during 2020 and 2021.

Results

Family carers were recurrently concerned with long‐term care planning, especially with finding people to whom they can entrust their tasks. However, they perceived barriers in care planning. The COVID‐19 pandemic reinforced awareness of long‐term care planning and moved some to action.

Conclusions

The perceived urge to plan by family carers has grown due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. The current study provides valuable insights for stakeholders to support them in this.
Outcomes and atrial substrate analysis in patients with HIV undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation
Authors: Cheng Austin , Qiu Jessica , Barbhaiya Chirag , Garber Leonid , Holmes Douglas , Jankelson Lior , Kushnir Alexander , Knotts Robert , Bernstein Scott , Park David , Spinelli Michael , Chinitz Larry , Aizer Anthony
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Patients with HIV infection have increased risk of atrial fibrillation, but the pathophysiologic mechanisms and the utility of catheter ablation in this population are not well‐studied. We aimed to characterize outcomes of atrial fibrillation ablation and left atrial substrate in patients with HIV.

Methods

The study was a retrospective propensity score‐matched analysis of patients with and without HIV undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation. A search was performed in the electronic medical record for all patients with HIV who received initial atrial fibrillation ablation from 2011 to 2020. After calculating propensity scores for HIV, matching was performed with patients without HIV by using nearest‐neighbor matching without replacement in a 1:2 ratio. The primary outcome was freedom from atrial arrhythmia and secondary outcomes were freedom from atrial fibrillation, freedom from atrial tachycardia, and freedom from repeat ablation, compared by log‐rank analysis. The procedures of patients with HIV who underwent repeat ablation at our institution were further analyzed for etiology of recurrence. To further characterize the left atrial substrate, a subsequent case‐control analysis was then performed for a set of randomly chosen 10 patients with HIV matched with 10 without HIV to compare minimum and maximum voltage at nine pre‐specified regions of the left atrium.

Results

Twenty‐seven patients with HIV were identified. All were prescribed antiretroviral therapy at time of ablation. These patients were matched with 54 patients without HIV by propensity score. 86.4% of patients with HIV and 76.9% of controls were free of atrial fibrillation or atrial tachycardia at 1 year (p = .509). Log‐rank analysis showed no difference in freedom from atrial arrhythmia (p value .971), atrial fibrillation (p‐value .346), atrial tachycardia (p value .306), or repeat ablation (p value .401) after initial atrial fibrillation ablation in patients with HIV compared to patients without HIV. In patients with HIV with recurrent atrial fibrillation, the majority had pulmonary vein reconnection (67%). There were no significant differences in minimum or maximum voltage at any of the nine left atrial regions between the matched patients with and without HIV.

Conclusions

Ablation to treat atrial fibrillation in patients with HIV, but without overt AIDS is frequently successful therapy. The majority of patients with recurrence of atrial fibrillation had pulmonary vein reconnection, suggesting infrequent nonpulmonary vein substrate. In this population, the left atrial voltage in patients with HIV is similar to that of patients without HIV. These findings suggest that the pulmonary veins remain a critical component to the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation in patients with HIV.
The reuse of cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators: A convoluted history in an era of global health
Authors: Lemery Robert
Published: December 2022

Following the development of permanent transvenous cardiac pacing in the 1960s, the costs of pacemakers quickly led to their reuse in both developed countries and in low‐and middle‐income countries (LMIC). Legal, ethical, and industrial factors gradually resulted in the termination of reuse in developed countries. Without health care budgets to pay for costly pacemaker technologies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and other groups have provided support to physicians and hospitals treating patients with heart block in LMICs. Multiple other academic and private groups have also assisted such patients in LMICs. Pacemaker companies have provided physicians and hospitals with new devices (that have an expired package date or through charitable donations). Greater care of preparing and cleaning refurbished devices have demonstrated overwhelmingly the safety and effectiveness of reused devices. More recently, cardiac resynchronization therapy and implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators have also been reused in patients in LMICs. While the globalization of noncommunicable diseases continues, patients with rhythm disorders in LMICs can no longer be left behind. While patients in developed countries only receive new devices to treat rhythm disorders, the practice of reused cardiac implantable electronic devices will expand in LMICs, until equal access to device technologies be made available to all.
Influence of hepatitis B virus on the prevalence of diabetes complications in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Liu Xi‐yu , Zhou Yan
Published: December 2022

Aims/Introduction

Diabetes and hepatitis B are both global problems. The influence of diabetes on complications and prognosis of hepatitis B has been widely studied. However, the association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the prevalence of diabetes‐related complications is less documented and is uncertain.

Materials and Methods

This was a retrospective study. We collected information from a large clinical database. A total of 1,090 Chinese inpatients with type 2 diabetes were included.

Results

The participants were divided into two groups, including 135 patients with HBV infection and 955 patients without HBV infection. Patients with HBV infection were younger and had worse control of blood glucose than those without HBV infection. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, diabetic ketosis or diabetic ketoacidosis between the patients with HBV infection and the patients without HBV infection. The prevalence of macrovascular complications was 54.1% and 64.4% in diabetes patients complicated with HBV infection and without HBV infection, respectively. The P‐value was <0.05. However, through the logistic regression analysis, we found HBV infection was not an independent risk factor for macrovascular complications of diabetes.

Conclusion

There was no significant correlation between the prevalence of macrovascular complications, microvascular complications of diabetes, diabetic ketosis or diabetic ketoacidosis and HBV infection status.
Facial implant gingival level and thickness changes following maxillary anterior immediate tooth replacement with scarf‐connective tissue graft: A 4–13‐year retrospective study
Authors: Kan Joseph Y. K. , Yin Shi , Rungcharassaeng Kitichai , Zucchelli Giovanni , Urban Istvan , Lozada Jaime
Published: December 2022

Objective

A scarf‐shaped connective tissue graft can be placed at the facial and proximal aspect of the peri‐implant soft tissue zone during immediate implant placement and provisionalization (IIPP) procedures in the esthetic zone to optimize implant esthetics without the need of flap reflection. This retrospective study evaluated soft tissue stability after scarf‐connective tissue graft (S‐CTG) in conjunction with IIPP procedures in the esthetic zone.

Materials and Methods

Patients who received IIPP with S‐CTG with a minimum 1‐year follow‐up were evaluated. Mid‐facial gingival level (MFGL) change and mid‐facial gingival thickness (MFGT) change were measured and compared at the pre‐op (T0), IIPP + S‐CTG surgery (T1), follow up appointment with MFGT measurement (T2), and latest follow‐up appointment (T3). Implant success rate and graft necrosis were also recorded.

Results

A total of 22 IIPP and S‐CTG procedures in 20 patients were evaluated in the study. After a mean follow‐up of 8.2 years (3.9–13.4) (T3), all implants remained osseointegrated (22/22 [100%]), with statistically insignificant mean midfacial gingival level change of −0.19 mm (−1.5 to 0.8). Statistically significant difference in midfacial gingival thickness (MFGT) was noted (2.5 mm [1.8–3.5 mm]) after a mean follow‐up time (T2) of 2.3 years (1–8.6) when compared with MFGT at baseline (1.1 mm [0.6–1.3 mm]) (T1). Necrosis of S‐CTG during initial healing phase was noted in 9% (2/22) of the sites.

Conclusions

Within the confines of this study, scarf‐connective tissue graft at time of immediate implant placement and provisionalization can thicken the gingiva and maintain the gingival level at the critical soft tissue zone.

Clinical Significance

Managing the soft tissue zone is as important as that of the hard tissue zone for peri‐implant esthetics. Connective tissue graft is one of the methods that can enhance the final esthetic outcomes. This retrospective study has demonstrated that Scarf‐CTG technique is an effective treatment modality to maintain soft tissue stability.
The association between socioeconomic status and use of potentially inappropriate medications in older adults
Authors: Hwang Jimin , Lyu Beini , Ballew Shoshana , Coresh Josef , Grams Morgan E. , Couper David , Lutsey Pamela , Shin Jung‐Im
Published: December 2022

Background

Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is an important public health problem, particularly among older adults who may need multiple pharmacologic therapies for various chronic conditions. As socioeconomic status (SES) affects the quality of healthcare that individuals receive, SES may be associated with the use of PIM in older adults. This study aimed to determine whether low SES is associated with increased use of PIM.

Methods

We studied 4927 participants (aged 66–90 years) who were on at least one medication at visit five (2011–2013) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We created a cumulative SES score categorized as high (7–9), middle (3–6), and low (0–2) based on education, income, and area deprivation index. We use multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between SES and use of two or more PIM for older adults, defined by the 2019 Beers Criteria.

Results

A total of 31.0% and 6.9% of the participants used one or more PIM and two or more PIM, respectively. After adjusting for demographic characteristics and insurance type, low cumulative SES score was associated with significantly greater use of two or more PIM (odds ratio [OR] = 1.83 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18–2.86]), as was middle cumulative SES score (OR = 1.40 [95% CI 1.06–1.83]), compared to high cumulative SES score. The results remained significant after further adjusting for comorbidities and medication burden for low cumulative SES score (OR = 1.66 [95%CI 1.02–2.71]).

Conclusions

We found that lower SES was associated with greater use of PIM among older adults independent of their medication burden and comorbidities, suggesting socioeconomic disparities in quality of medication management. Focused efforts targeting older adults with low SES to reduce PIM use may be needed to prevent adverse drug events.
An OsPRMT5‐OsAGO2/miR1875‐OsHXK1 module regulates rice immunity to blast disease
Authors: Sheng Cong , Li Xuan , Xia Shengge , Zhang Yimai , Yu Ze , Tang Cheng , Xu Le , Wang Zhaoyun , Zhang Xin , Zhou Tong , Nie Pingping , Baig Ayesha , Niu Dongdong , Zhao Hongwei
Published: December 2022

Rice ARGONAUTE2 (OsAGO2) is a core component of the rice RNA‐induced silencing complex (RISC), which is repressed by Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae) infection. Whether and how OsAGO2‐mediated gene silencing plays a role in rice blast resistance and which sRNAs participate in this process are unknown. Our results indicate that OsAGO2 is a key immune player that manipulates rice defense responses against blast disease. OsAGO2 associates with the 24‐nt miR1875 and binds to the promoter region of HEXOKINASE1 (OsHXK1), which causes DNA methylation and leads to gene silencing. Our multiple genetic evidence showed that, without M. oryzae infection, OsAGO2/miR1875 RISC promoted OsHXK1 promoter DNA methylation and OsHXK1 silencing; after M. oryzae infection, the reduced OsAGO2/miR1875 led to a relatively activated OsHXK1 expression. OsHXK1 acts as a positive regulator of blast disease resistance that OsHXK1‐OE rice exhibited enhanced resistance, whereas Cas9‐Oshxk1 rice showed reduced resistance against M. oryzae infection. OsHXK1 may function through its sugar sensor activity as glucose induced defense‐related gene expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in Nipponbare and OsHXK1‐OE but not in Cas9‐Oshxk1 rice. OsAGO2 itself is delicately regulated by OsPRMT5, which senses M. oryzae infection and attenuates OsAGO2‐mediated gene silencing through OsAGO2 arginine methylation. Our study reveals an OsPRMT5‐OsAGO2/miR1875‐OsHXK1 regulatory module that fine tunes the rice defense response to blast disease.
Reciprocal inhibition of expression between RAV1 and BES1 modulates plant growth and development in Arabidopsis
Authors: Yang Dami , Shin Hyun‐young , Kang Hyun Kyung , Shang Yun , Park So Young , Jeong Dong‐Hoon , Nam Kyoung Hee
Published: December 2022

RAV1 (Related to ABI3/VP1) is a plant‐specific B3 and AP2 domain‐containing transcription factor that acts as a negative regulator of growth in many plant species. The expression of RAV1 is downregulated by brassinosteroids (BRs); large‐scale transcriptome analyses have shown that the expression of RAV1 was previously targeted by BRI1‐EMS‐SUPPRESOR1 (BES1) and BRASSINAZOLE‐RESISTANT1 (BZR1), which are critical transcription factors for the BR‐signaling process. Using RAV1‐overexpressing transgenic plants, we showed that RAV1 overexpression reduced the BR signaling capacity, resulting in the downregulation of BR biosynthetic genes and BES1 expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that BES1, not BZR1, is directly bound to the RAV1 promoter and repressed RAV1 expression, and vice versa; RAV1 is also bound to the BES1 promoter and repressed BES1 expression. This mutual inhibition was specific to RAV1 and BES1 because RAV1 exhibited binding activity to the BZR1 promoter but did not repress BZR1 expression. We observed that constitutively activated BR signaling phenotypes in bes1‐D were attenuated by the repression of endogenous BES1 expression in transgenic bes1‐D plants overexpressing RAV1. RNA‐sequencing analysis of RAV1‐overexpressing transgenic plants and bes1‐D mutant plants revealed differentially expressed genes by RAV1 and BES1 and genes that were oppositely co‐regulated by RAV1 and BES1. RAV1 and BES1 regulated different transcriptomes but co‐regulated a specific set of genes responsible for the balance between growth and defense. These results suggested that the mutual inhibitory transcriptional activities of RAV1 and BES1 provide fine regulatory mechanisms for plant growth and development.