bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
lcsm: An R package and tutorial on latent change score modelling
Authors: Wiedemann Milan , Thew Graham , Košir Urška , Ehlers Anke
Published: May 2022

Latent change score models (LCSMs) are used across disciplines in behavioural sciences to study how constructs change over time. LCSMs can be used to estimate the trajectory of one construct (univariate) and allow the investigation of how changes between two constructs (bivariate) are associated with each other over time. This paper introduces the R package lcsm, a tool that aims to help users understand, analyse, and visualise different latent change score models. The lcsm package provides functions to generate model syntax for basic univariate and bivariate latent change score models with different model specifications. It is also possible to visualise different model specifications in simplified path diagrams. An interactive application illustrates the main functions of the package and demonstrates how the model syntax and path diagrams change based on different model specifications. This R package aims to increase the transparency of reporting analyses and to provide an additional resource to learn latent change score modelling.
FEATURES OF THE APPLICATION OF INCOME TAX IN AGRICULTURE IN RUSSIA
Authors: SHEVTSOVA T.P.
Published: May 2022

The dynamics of the elements of income tax from agricultural producers throughout the country as a whole, by federal districts, and some regions. It has been established that the number of payers of income tax is not decreasing, but the amount of revenues to the budget has been reduced. It is proposed to regulate the tax rate on profits from the sale of agricultural products at the regional level in conjunction with the established rate of the Unified Agricultural Tax.
ON THE IMPACT OF VAT ON THE CHOICE OF TAXATION REGIME IN AGRICULTURE
Authors: SHEVTSOVA T.P.
Published: May 2022

The analysis of the reporting of the Federal Tax Service on tax revenues from agricultural producers to the budget has been carried out, trends in the behavior of taxpayers in connection with the provision of new benefits after their introduction have been identified, directions for further improvement of taxation in agriculture, taking into account the interests of the state and taxpayers, have been identified, directions for studying the dependence of tax policy in the regional aspect.
Political Ideology and Cinema in Brazil: The Media and the Choice to not Nominate Aquarius to Represent the Country at the Academy Awards
Authors: Bona Rafael José , Machado Luiz Eduardo
Published: May 2022

This article presents the analyses of how online news portals dealt with the non-nomination of the film Aquarius (2016, Kleber Mendonça Filho) for the category of best foreign language film at the Oscars (Academy Awards) of 2017. Aquarius became a controversial film after its cast protested on the red carpet at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival against the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff. After selecting some stories published on the day of the announcement by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture (MinC), on September 12, 2016, the texts and languages used to portray the narrative of events were analyzed. Even though the film Little Secret (2016, David Schurmann) was the official nominee for Brazil, Aquarius was the film that stood out in the main national headlines. With that, it was possible to see, from the controversy in the media involving the non-nomination of Aquarius for the Academy Award, how Brazilian cinema is intrinsically related to national politics.
Vessel Service Planning in Seaports
Authors: Wu Lingxiao , Adulyasak Yossiri , Cordeau Jean-François , Wang Shuaian
Published: May 2022

An Integrated Approach to Managing Vessel Service in Seaports

Efficient vessel service is of utmost importance in the maritime supply chain. When serving a group of incoming vessels, berth allocation and pilotage planning are the two most important decisions made by a seaport. Although they are closely correlated, the berth allocation problem and pilotage planning problem are often solved sequentially, leading to suboptimal or even infeasible solutions for vessel services. In “Vessel Service Planning in Seaports,” Wu, Adulyasak, Cordeau, and Wang focus on a vessel service planning problem that optimizes berth allocation and pilotage planning in combination. To solve the joint problem, the authors develop an exact solution method that combines Benders decomposition and column generation within an efficient branch-and-bound framework. They also propose acceleration strategies that significantly improve the performance of the algorithm. Test instances from one of the world's largest seaports are used to validate the effectiveness of the approach and demonstrate the value of integrated planning.
Losing the beauty of early years
Authors: Webster Chloe
Published: May 2022

Chloe Webster, childminder, reflects on the beauty of early years and why she thinks we are at risk of losing this.
Finding the light in dark situations
Authors: Costello Barry
Published: May 2022

After a violent assault, Barry Costello reflects on the experience and how to move forward
Bushings last 34 years in a refinery pump application
Authors: FORD ERIC
Published: May 2022

When the next scheduled overhaul is many years away, reliability is critical.
Del turismo de masas al turismo rural. La coyuntura española desde las políticas de desarrollo rural y la pandemia COVID-19
Authors: Zaar Miriam Hermi
Published: May 2022

El estímulo y crecimiento del turismo rural en España han tenido un importante incremento en las últimas décadas, tanto en el número de visitantes, como en los establecimientos de hospedaje, restauración y demás servicios. Esto ha sido posible debido, principalmente, a dos procesos que coincidieron en una escala temporal: a) el cambio de paradigma y el aumento de la concienciación sobre los problemas generados por el modelo de turismo de masas; b) las políticas de desarrollo rural establecidas en la Unión Europea y, en particular en España. Éstas se dieron en el ámbito de la Política Agraria Comunitaria (PAC) y de sus programas LEADER y PRODER, con el propósito de impulsar actividades que fomenten la diversidad económica y la sostenibilidad medioambiental. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la evolución del turismo rural en España entre 2001 y 2021, desde las políticas y programas implantados en la Unión Europea y en el Estado Español, así como estudiar la predisposición del viajero rural español en el período post pandémico, con mayor interés por los paisajes rurales y la cultura local.
Reuse of Public Sector Information in Spain : a solid foundation for a promising future
Authors: García García Emilio , Soriano Maldonado Salvador Luis
Published: May 2022

The reuse of public sector information is the cornerstone in the Open data and Open Government strategies. The European authorities are promoting public information reuse policies as a pillar for the digital economy and a lever for democratic transparency in the European Union. The genesis of the reuse of public sector information policies in Spain has been the Aporta Project, established in 2008 and coordinated by the Ministry of Finances and Public Administration and the Ministry for Industry, Energy and Tourism of the Spanish National Government. The project since its inception aims to promote reuse of public sector information culture in Spain and benefits are being reaped now in the form of a vibrant infomediary sector and a growing number of open data initiatives in all the government layers. A major renewal of the reuse of public sector information strategy in Spain was launched in 2011 following the guidelines of The European eGovernment Action Plan 2011-2015 and The Digital Agenda for Europe, the new objective is maximizing the public value of the public sector information through its massive reusage.
Empathy and power
Authors: Baila Bigné Sara
Published: May 2022

Emotions have been perceived as an object of philosophical and ethical inquiry since Greco-Roman times, but the outburst of “affect theory” transformed their theoreticalvision by identifying them as cultural practices subjected to dynamics of power. Even if the critique has pointed at the political dangers that affects like compassion may imply, empathy, which is having a moment of popularity in multiple disciplines, is still being analyzed as a highly democratizing emotion. In addition, its imaginative process isgenerally simplified and the narrow focus that limits its occurrence is overlooked. This article aims to identify the power dictates that determine empathy theoretically as well as in its practice, putting the focus on the moral barriers that dictate who is worthy of being understood, and proposing literature as a way to expand our empathic capacity.

Keywords: politics, affect theory, empathy, morality, extreme empathy.
A new elasmobranch fauna from the early Miocene of Sharbithat (Sultanate of Oman) reveals the teeth of an ancient fantail stingray
Authors: Charpentier Vincent , Adnet Sylvain
Published: May 2022

Here we describe a new elasmobranch assemblage consisting of isolated dental material from the Aquitanian near-shore marine deposits of the Shuwayr and Warak formations at Sharbithat, in eastern Sultanate of Oman. The faunal composition clearly indicates affinities to other early Miocene elasmobranch-bearing localities worldwide. This assemblage is predominantly composed of large and common pelagic sharks as well as teeth attributable to a new species of fantail stingray, Taeniurops tosii, as old as the oldest undisputable fossil records of Taeniurops. The study of this fossil assemblage presented here improves the knowledge of the ancient elasmobranchs that frequented the eastern Arabian coasts during the closure of the Neotethys and the birth of the Arabian Sea.
DOI: 10.1344/GeologicaActa2022.20.2
Analysis on the difference of skin surface lipids during blue light therapy for acne by lipidomics
Authors: Ding Wenyu , Hu Yiqiong , Yu Xiaoqian , He Congfen , Tian Yan
Published: May 2022

Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of the sebaceous glands of the hair follicles, caused by a variety of factors and tends to recur, causing skin damage and psychological stress to patients. Blue light (415nm) is a popular physical therapy for acne, however, studies on the effects of blue light on skin surface lipids (SSL) have not been exhaustively reported. So, we want to investigate the difference in SSL before and after acne treatment with blue light and to reveal the potential mechanism of acne treatment with blue light from the lipid level. SSL samples were collected and physiological indicators (moisture content, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), sebum content and pH) were measured. By using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) with multivariate data analysis methods to obtain specific information on the lipid composition. Analysis of the physiological index data showed a significant increase in moisture content (p = 0.042), pH (p = 0.000) and a significant decrease in sebum content(p = 0.008) in the after treatment area (AT group), while there was no significant change in TEWL values. A total of 2398 lipids were detected by lipidomics analysis and 25 differential lipids were screened. Triradylglycerols (TGs), isoprenoids and hopanoids being the potential differential lipids. Among the lipids associated with the skin barrier, only monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (p = 0.045) were significantly increased. This study revealed significant changes in SSL after blue light treatment for acne, suggesting that blue light exposure may cause changes in the relative lipid content and redistribution of lipid components, and that whether it damages the skin barrier requires further study.
UMA-Net: an unsupervised representation learning network for 3D point cloud classification
Authors: Liu Jie , Tian Yu , Geng Guohua , Wang Haolin , Song Da , Li Kang , Zhou Mingquan , Cao Xin
Published: May 2022

The success of deep neural networks usually relies on massive amounts of manually labeled data, which is both expensive and difficult to obtain in many real-world datasets. In this paper, a novel unsupervised representation learning network, UMA-Net, is proposed for the downstream 3D object classification. First, the multi-scale shell-based encoder is proposed, which is able to extract the local features from different scales in a simple yet effective manner. Second, an improved angular loss is presented to get a good metric for measuring the similarity between local features and global representations. Subsequently, the self-reconstruction loss is introduced to ensure the global representations do not deviate from the input data. Additionally, the output point clouds are generated by the proposed cross-dim-based decoder. Finally, a linear classifier is trained using the global representations obtained from the pre-trained model. Furthermore, the performance of this model is evaluated on ModelNet40 and applied to the real-world 3D Terracotta Warriors fragments dataset. Experimental results demonstrate that our model achieves comparable performance and narrows the gap between unsupervised and supervised learning approaches in downstream object classification tasks. Moreover, it is the first attempt to apply the unsupervised representation learning for 3D Terracotta Warriors fragments. We hope this success can provide a new avenue for the virtual protection of cultural relics.
Photon-pair generation from a chip-scale Cs atomic vapor cell
Authors: Kim Heewoo , Park Jiho , Hong Hyun-Gue , Kwon Taeg Yong , Park Jongchenol , Moon Han Seb
Published: May 2022

The realization of a narrowband photonic quantum source based on an atomic device is considered essential in the practical development of photonic quantum information science and technology. In this study, we present the first step toward the development of a photon-pair source based on a microfabricated Cs atomic vapor cell. Time-correlated photon pairs from the millimeter-scale Cs vapor cell are emitted via the spontaneous four-wave mixing process of the cascade-type 6S1/2–6P3/2–8S1/2 transition of 133Cs. The maximum normalized cross-correlation value between the signal and idler photons is measured as 622(8) under a weak pump power of 10 µ;W. Our photon source violates the Cauchy–Schwartz inequality by a factor of >105. We believe that our approach has very important applications in the context of realizing practical scalable quantum networks based on atom–photon interactions.
Transfer and evolution of structured polarization in a double-V atomic system
Authors: Li Zhenzhu , Franke-Arnold Sonja , Clark Thomas W. , Wang Jinwen , Zhang Dawei , Wang Chunfang
Published: May 2022

We numerically investigate the transfer of optical information from a vector-vortex control beam to an unstructured probe beam, as mediated by an atomic vapour. The right and left circular components of these beams drive the atomic transitions of a double-V system, with the atoms acting as a spatially varying circular birefringent medium. Modeling the propagation of the light fields, we find that, for short distances, the vectorial light structure is transferred from the control field to the probe. However, for larger propagation lengths, diffraction causes the circular components of the probe field to spatially separate. We model this system for the D1 line of cold rubidium atoms and demonstrate that four wave mixing can lead to correlations between the optical polarization structure and the diffraction of light, generating coupled dynamics of the internal and external degrees of freedom.
FMCW LiDAR with an FM nonlinear kernel function for dynamic-distance measurement
Authors: Zehao Yu , Cheng Lu , Guodong Liu
Published: May 2022

Frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) LiDAR is an absolute-distance measurement technology with the advantages of high-precision, non-cooperative target measurement capabilities and the ability to measure distance and speed simultaneously. However, the existing range extraction method for FMCW LiDAR is associated with problems, such as requiring a high sample rate and dispersion mismatch. Here, we propose and demonstrate a dynamic range extraction method based on an FM nonlinear kernel function, which improves measurement accuracy without the use of a long auxiliary interferometer (as is required for the traditional method), reduces the influence of dispersion mismatch and the Doppler effect caused by target movement and can simultaneously measure the target motion information dynamically, with a lower measurement error than that of the existing range extraction method under the same conditions.
Optical realization of 360° cylindrical holography
Authors: Han Han , Wang Jun , Wu Yang , Zhang Junhao
Published: May 2022

Cylindrical holography has attracted widespread attention for its 360° look-around property. However, commercial cylindrical spatial light modulators(SLM) are not available. Additionally, on account of the heavy burden of memory space and computing time, the wavelength in the terahertz band rather than the visible light is employed in experiments. These two constraints are a great challenge to optical realization of cylindrical holography. By contrast, although curved holography, as a segment of cylindrical holography, can be realized optically to increase the field of view, the angle of view is still limited due to its intrinsic limitations. In this paper, an optical realization of 360° cylindrical holography is proposed by using isophase surface transformation within visible light with a 45° conical mirror and a commercial planar SLM. The diffraction formula of the proposed method is derived theoretically, and the feasibility of the proposed method is further demonstrated by numerical simulations and optical experiments. This brand-new method is expected to have practical applications in the field of cylindrical holography in the future.
Nonlinear chalcogenide optical fiber couplers
Authors: Rezaei Mohsen , Shamim Md Hosne Mobarak , El Amraoui Mohammed , Messaddeq Younes , Rochette Martin
Published: May 2022

We demonstrate chalcogenide optical fiber couplers with a power-dependent coupling coefficient. The couplers are designed and fabricated using an As2Se3 fiber and characterized at a wavelength of 1938 nm, leading to a critical power of 126 W, the lowest ever reported for any optical fiber coupler. These nonlinear couplers enable all-optical switching and will be useful for passive mode-locking over a wide wavelength range from the telecommunication band to the mid-infrared.
Influence of the thickness of a SiO2 reflective layer on the performance of a structured CsI(Tl) scintillation screen based on an oxidized Si micropore array template in X-ray imaging
Authors: Sun Zhixiang , Gu Mu , Teng Yunxue , Liu Xiaolin , Liu Bo , Zhang Juannan , Huang Shiming , Ni Chen
Published: May 2022

To obtain better light guidance and optical isolation effects under a limited microcolumn wall thickness, the influence of the thickness of a SiO2 reflective layer on the performance of a structured CsI(Tl) scintillation screen based on an oxidized Si micropore array template in X-ray imaging was simulated. The results show that the SiO2 reflective layer should maintain a certain thickness to achieve good light-guide performance. However, if the template is entirely composed of SiO2, the light isolation performance of the microcolumn wall will be slightly worse. The results provide a basis for optimizing the thickness of SiO2 reflective layer.
Terahertz tight-focused Bessel beam generation and point-to-point focusing based on nonlocal diffraction engineering
Authors: Cheng Jierong , Yang Yang , Fan Fei , Wang Xianghui , Chang Shengjiang
Published: May 2022

Metasurfaces transform the wavefront by spatially varying the amplitude or phase of the incoming beam. Instead of encoding such variation by subwavelength unit cells, it is achievable over diffraction engineering of supercell structures, which outperforms the unit-cell method when the spatial gradient is large. In addition to tight focusing, here we apply this method to achieve plane wave-to-Bessel beam transformation and point-to-point focusing at terahertz frequencies. The Bessel beam has a small beam waist (0.57λ) and long depth of focus (9.1λ) for subwavelength-resolution imaging over a long distance. The point-to-point focusing changes the divergence angle from 16° to 70°. Both devices are validated by numerical simulations and experimental results with good agreement.
Photonic crystal resonators for inverse-designed multi-dimensional optical interconnects
Authors: Shirpurkar C. , Zang J. , Yang K. Y. , Carlson D. , Yu S. P , Lucas E. , Pericherla S. V. , Yang J. , Guidry M. , Lukin D. , Ahn G. H. , Lu J. , Trask L. , Aflatouni F. , Vučković J. , Papp S. B. , Delfyett P. J.
Published: May 2022

We experimentally demonstrate a 400 Gbit/s optical communication link utilizing wavelength-division multiplexing and mode-division multiplexing for a total of 40 channels. This link utilizes a novel, to the best of our knowledge, 400 GHz frequency comb source based on a chip-scale photonic crystal resonator. Silicon-on-insulator photonic inverse-designed 4 × 4 mode-division multiplexer structures enable a fourfold increase in data capacity. We show less than −10 dBm of optical receiver power for error-free data transmission in 34 out of a total of 40 channels using a PRBS31 pattern.
Ethnic-specific associations between dietary consumption and gestational diabetes mellitus incidence: A meta-analysis
Authors: Fuller Harriett , Moore J. Bernadette , Iles Mark M. , Zulyniak Michael A.
Published: May 2022

Globally, one in seven pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), conferring short- and long-term health risks to both mother and child. While dietary prevention strategies are common in clinical practice, their effectiveness in different ethnicities is uncertain. To better inform prevention strategies, here the effects of unhealthy and healthy diets on GDM risk within distinct ethnic or cultural populations and geographic regions were evaluated and summarised. Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane and OVID were systematically searched to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that investigated diet and GDM. A grouped analysis of common ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ diets was performed first, before analysing individual dietary patterns (e.g., prudent, Mediterranean). Random effect models and dose response analyses were performed where possible. PROSPERO (CRD42019140873). Thirty-eight publications provided information on 5 population groups: white European (WE), Asian, Iranian, Mediterranean and Australian. No associations were identified between healthy diets and GDM incidence in RCTs in any population. However, when synthesizing observational studies, healthy diets reduced odds of GDM by 23% (95% CI: 0.70–0.89, p<0.001, I2 = 75%), while unhealthy diets increased odds of GDM by 61% (95% CI: 1.41–1.81, p<0.0001, I2 = 0%) in WE women. No evidence of consistent effects in other populations were observed, even when adequately powered. Diet consistently associated with GDM risk in WEs but not in other populations. Heterogenous use and reporting of ethnically and culturally appropriate diets and dietary assessment tools, particularly in RCTs, raises uncertainty regarding the lack of association found in non-WE populations. Future studies require the use of culturally appropriate tools to confidently evaluate dietary and metabolic mediators of GDM and inform culturally-specific dietary prevention strategies.
Retrospective identification of key activities in Uganda’s preparedness measures related to the 2018–2020 EVD outbreak in eastern DRC utilizing a framework evaluation tool
Authors: Potter Christina , Mullen Lucia , Ssendagire Steven , Wanyenze Rhoda K. , Ario Alex Riolexus , Tuhebwe Doreen , Babirye Susan , Nuwematsiko Rebecca , Nuzzo Jennifer B.
Published: May 2022

Uganda has engaged in numerous capacity building activities related to outbreak preparedness over the last two decades and initiated additional just-in-time preparedness activities after the declaration of the 2018–2020 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). When Uganda faced importation events related to the DRC outbreak in June—August 2019, the country’s ability to prevent sustained in-country transmission was attributed to these long-term investments in preparedness. In order to help prepare countries for similar future scenarios, this analysis reviewed evidence from Uganda’s response to the June—August 2019 importation events to identify preparedness activities and capacities that may have enabled Uganda to identify and isolate infected individuals or otherwise prevent further transmission. Content from 143 grey literature documents gathered via targeted and systematic searches from June 6, 2019 to October 29, 2019 and six interviews of key informants were utilized to inform a framework evaluation tool developed for this study. A conceptual framework of Uganda’s preparedness activities was developed and evaluated against timelines of Uganda’s response activities to the June—August 2019 EVD importation events based on the applicability of a preparedness activity to a response activity and the contribution of the said response activity to the prevention or interruption of transmission. Preparedness activities related to coordination, health facility preparation, case referral and management, laboratory testing and specimen transport, logistics and resource mobilization, and safe and dignified burials yielded consistent success across both importation events while point of entry screening was successful in one importation event but not another according to the framework evaluation tool. Countries facing similar threats should consider investing in these preparedness areas. Future analyses should validate and expand on the use of the framework evaluation tool.
Endosomal structure and APP biology are not altered in a preclinical mouse cellular model of Down syndrome
Authors: Cannavo Claudia , Cleverley Karen , Maduro Cheryl , Mumford Paige , Moulding Dale , Fisher Elizabeth M. C. , Wiseman Frances K.
Published: May 2022

Individuals who have Down syndrome (trisomy 21) are at greatly increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, characterised by the accumulation in the brain of amyloid-β plaques. Amyloid-β is a product of the processing of the amyloid precursor protein, encoded by the APP gene on chromosome 21. In Down syndrome the first site of amyloid-β accumulation is within endosomes, and changes to endosome biology occur early in Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we determine if primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts isolated from a mouse model of Down syndrome can be used to study endosome and APP cell biology. We report that in this cellular model, endosome number, size and APP processing are not altered, likely because APP is not dosage sensitive in the model, despite three copies of App.
Emergency care of sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa: Mortality and non-physician clinician management of sepsis in rural Uganda from 2010 to 2019
Authors: Rice Brian , Calo Sal , Kamugisha John Bosco , Kamara Nicholas , Chamberlain Stacey ,   on behalf of Global Emergency Care Investigator Study Group
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Little data exists from sub-Saharan Africa describing incidence and outcomes of sepsis in emergency units and uncertainty exists surrounding optimal management of sepsis in low-income settings. There exists limited data regarding quality care metrics for non-physician clinicians trained in emergency care. The objective of this study was to describe changes in septic patients over time and evaluate associations between sepsis care and mortality.

Methods

Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of all consecutive patients seen from 2010–2019 in a rural Ugandan emergency unit staffed by non-physician clinicians was performed using an electronic database based on paper charts. Sepsis was defined as suspected infection with a quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (qSOFA)≥1. Multi-variable logistic regression was used to analyze three-day mortality.

Results

Overall, 48,653 patient visits from 2010–2019 yielded 17,490 encounters for patients age≥18 who had suspected infection, including 10,437 with sepsis. The annual proportion of patients with sepsis decreased from 45.0%% to 21.3% and the proportion with malarial sepsis decreased from 17.7% to 2.1% during the study period. Rates of septic patients receiving quality care (“both fluids and anti-infectives”) increased over time (21.2% in 2012 to 32.0% in 2019, p<0.001), but mortality did not significantly improve (4.5% in 2012 to 6.4% in 2019, p = 0.50). The increasing quality of non-physician clinician care was not associated with reduced mortality, and treatment with “both fluids and antibiotics” was associated with increased mortality (RR = 1.55, 95%CI 1.10–2.00).

Conclusion

The largest study of sepsis management and outcomes ever published in both Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa showed sepsis and malarial sepsis decreasing from 2010 to 2019. The increasing quality of non-physician clinician care did not significantly reduce mortality and treatment with “both fluids and antibiotics” increased mortality. With causal associations between antibiotics and mortality deemed implausible, associations between sepsis mortality and interventions likely represent confounding by indication. Defining optimal sepsis care regionally will likely require randomized controlled trials.
How curriculum delivery translates into entrepreneurial skills: The mediating role of knowledge of information and communication technology
Authors: Iqbal Javed , Yi Xie , Ashraf Muhammad Azeem , Chen Ruihua , Ning Jin , Perveen Shahnaz , Imran Zahid
Published: May 2022

This research examines how curriculum delivery predicts entrepreneurial skills, with knowledge of information and communication technology (ICT) as a mediator. Curriculum delivery with the multiple dimensions of objectives, contents, teaching strategies, and feedback and assessment was used in this study, and a quantitative research design was adopted. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 482 students at six universities in Lahore, Pakistan, and the partial-least-squares structural equation model in SmartPLS 3.2 was used for data analysis. The results show that all dimensions of curriculum delivery (i) do not influence entrepreneurial skills and (ii) positively influence the knowledge of ICT. Also, in the indirect relationships, all dimensions of curriculum delivery (i.e., objectives, contents, teaching strategies, and feedback and assessment) are associated positively with ICT knowledge. Therefore, ICT knowledge plays a mediating role between curriculum delivery and entrepreneurial skills. The results also show that curriculum delivery for educational entrepreneurs is not working effectively and efficiently in Pakistani universities, and it is concluded that curriculum delivery and ICT knowledge boost entrepreneurial skills. Finally, the conclusions, limitations, and practical implications of this study are presented in detail.
Prevalence of specific micronutrient deficiencies in urban school going children and adolescence of India: A multicenter cross-sectional study
Authors: Awasthi Shally , Kumar Divas , Mahdi Abbas Ali , Agarwal Girdhar G. , Pandey Anuj Kumar , Parveen Hina , Singh Shweta , Awasthi Rajiv , Pande Harsh , T. S. Anish , Mahanta B. N. , Singh C. M. , Mathew Joseph L. , Ahmad Mohammad Kaleem , Singh Kuldeep , Bhat Mushtaq A. , A. R. Somashekar , Kar Sonali , Nair Suma
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Childhood and adolescence require adequate amount of micronutrients for normal growth and development. The primary objective of study was to assess the prevalence of deficiencies of Vitamins (Vitamin A, 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Folate) and minerals (Calcium, Zinc, Selenium and Iron), among urban school going children aged 6–11 and 12–16 years in ten cities of India. Secondary objective was to find the association between micronutrient deficiencies with sociodemographic and anthropometric indicators.

Methods

A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted across India. Participants in the age groups of 6 to 11 years (group 1) and 12 to 16 years (group 2) were selected from randomly chosen schools from each center. Data on socio economic status, anthropometric measures was collected. Blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis of micronutrients. Point estimates and 95% confidence intervals was used to assess the prevalence of deficiencies. Associations were observed using chi square, student t test and ANOVA test.

Results

From April 2019 to February 2020, 2428 participants (1235 in group 1 and 1193 group 2) were recruited from 60 schools across ten cites. The prevalence of calcium and iron deficiency was 59.9% and 49.4% respectively. 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D deficiency was seen in 39.7% and vitamin B12 in 33.4% of subjects. Folate, Selenium and Zinc were deficient in 22.2%, 10.4% and 6.8% of subjects respectively. Vitamin A deficiency least (1.6%). Anemia was prevalent in 17.6% subjects and was more common among females.

Conclusion

One or more micronutrient deficiencies are found in almost one half of school going children in urban area. Hence efforts must be made to combat these on priority.

Trial registration number

CTRI/2019/02/017783.
Does national intellectual capital matter for shadow economy in the Southeast Asian countries?
Authors: Tran Toan Pham-Khanh , Nguyen Phuc Van , Nguyen Quyen Le-Hoang-Thuy-To , Tran Ngoc Phu , Vo Duc Hong
Published: May 2022

Understanding the determinants of the shadow economy plays a vital role in formulating policies for economic growth and development, particularly for the Southeast Asian countries–a new economic force for a global economy. The key drivers of a shadow economy, such as institutional quality, taxation, government expenditure, are widely examined. However, the effect of national intellectual capital, which affects macroeconomic indicators, on the shadow economy has largely been ignored in the existing literature. Our paper examines this critical link and its causality relationship for eight Southeast Asian countries from 2000 to 2017. This paper uses the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), which allow cross-sectional dependence and slope homogeneity in panel data analysis. Empirical findings from this paper indicate that national intellectual capital impacts negatively and significantly the shadow economy size. This finding implies that enhancing national intellectual capital reduces the shadow economy size. These two forces lead to enhanced economic growth. Our Granger causality tests confirm a bi-directional relationship between national intellectual capital and the shadow economy. As a result, policies targeted to reduce the shadow economy size can now include the accumulation of national intellectual capital, particularly for Southeast Asian Countries.
Bridging the (Brexit) divide: Effects of a brief befriending meditation on affective polarization
Authors: Simonsson Otto , Goldberg Simon B. , Marks Joseph , Yan Liuxin , Narayanan Jayanth
Published: May 2022

The European Union Brexit referendum has divided the British electorate, with high levels of animosity between those who affiliate with the Remain side (Remainers) and the Leave side (Leavers) of the debate. Previous research has shown that a brief befriending meditation reduces affective polarization among Democrats and Republicans in the United States, but the results have not been replicated in a non-US sample and the psychological mechanisms underlying the effects have yet to be examined. The present study therefore used a post-test only randomized controlled design to investigate the effects of a brief befriending meditation on affective polarization among Remainers and Leavers (n = 922). Results showed that participants in the befriending condition scored modestly lower on affective polarization than participants in the attentional control condition (t(921) = 2.17, p = .030, d = 0.14) and that perceived commonality with the political outgroup mediated the effects. In sum, audio-guided befriending practices may be a highly scalable means to reduce high levels of affective polarization through increasing perceived commonality.
Point of Care Lung Ultrasound Injury Score—A simple and reliable assessment tool in COVID-19 patients (PLIS I): A retrospective study
Authors: Fuchs Lior , Galante Ori , Almog Yaniv , Dayan Roy R. , Smoliakov Alexander , Ullman Yuval , Shamia David , Ohayon Ran Ben David , Golbets Evgeny , El Haj Khaled , Taylor Jonathan , Weissberg Itai , Novack Victor , Barski Leonid , Rosenberg Eli , Gohar Eyal , Abed Muhammad Abo , Sagy Iftach
Published: May 2022

Background

In COVID-19 patients, lung ultrasound is superior to chest radiograph and has good agreement with computerized tomography to diagnose lung pathologies. Most lung ultrasound protocols published to date are complex and time-consuming. We describe a new illustrative Point-of-care ultrasound Lung Injury Score (PLIS) to help guide the care of patients with COVID-19 and assess if the PLIS would be able to predict COVID-19 patients’ clinical course.

Methods

This retrospective study describing the novel PLIS was conducted in a large tertiary-level hospital. COVID-19 patients were included if they required any form of respiratory support and had at least one PLIS study during hospitalization. Data collected included PLIS on admission, demographics, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, and patient outcomes. The primary outcome was the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

Results

A total of 109 patients and 293 PLIS studies were included in our analysis. The mean age was 60.9, and overall mortality was 18.3%. Median PLIS score was 5.0 (3.0–6.0) vs. 2.0 (1.0–3.0) in ICU and non-ICU patients respectively (p<0.001). Total PLIS scores were directly associated with SOFA scores (inter-class correlation 0.63, p<0.001), and multivariate analysis showed that every increase in one PLIS point was associated with a higher risk for ICU admission (O.R 2.09, 95% C.I 1.59–2.75) and in-hospital mortality (O.R 1.54, 95% C.I 1.10–2.16).

Conclusions

The PLIS for COVID-19 patients is simple and associated with SOFA score, ICU admission, and in-hospital mortality. Further studies are needed to demonstrate whether the PLIS can improve outcomes and become an integral part of the management of COVID-19 patients.
Knowledge and attitudes of Implementation Support Practitioners—Findings from a systematic integrative review
Authors: Bührmann Leah , Driessen Pia , Metz Allison , Burke Katie , Bartley Leah , Varsi Cecilie , Albers Bianca
Published: May 2022

Background

It requires thoughtful planning and work to successfully apply and sustain research-supported interventions like healthcare treatments, social support, or preventive programs in practice. Implementation support practitioners (ISPs) such as facilitators, technical assistance providers, knowledge brokers, coaches or consultants may be involved to actively support the implementation process. This article presents knowledge and attitudes ISPs bring to their work.

Methods

Building on a previously developed program logic, a systematic integrative review was conducted. Literature was sourced by searching nine electronic data bases, organizational websites, and by launching a call for publications among selected experts and social media. Article screening was performed independently by two researchers, and data from included studies were extracted by members of the research team and quality-assured by the lead researcher. The quality of included RCTs was assessed based on a framework by Hodder and colleagues. Thematic Analysis was used to capture information on knowledge and attitudes of ISPs across the included studies. Euler diagrams and heatmaps were used to present the results.

Results

Results are based on 79 included studies. ISPs reportedly displayed knowledge about the clinical practice they work with, implementation / improvement practice, the local context, supporting change processes, and facilitating evidence-based practice in general. In particular, knowledge about the intervention to be implemented and its target population, specific improvement / implementation methods and approaches, organizational structures and sensitivities, training, and characteristics of (good) research was described in the literature. Seven themes describing ISPs’ attitudes were identified: 1) professional, 2) motivated / motivating / encouraging / empowering, 3) empathetic / respectful / sensitive, 4) collaborative / inclusive, 5) authentic, 6) creative / flexible / innovative / adaptive, and 7) frank / direct / honest. Pertaining to a professional attitude, being responsive and focused were the most prevalent indicators across included publications.

Conclusion

The wide range and complexity of knowledge and attitudes found in the literature calls for a comprehensive and systematic approach to collaboratively develop a professional role for ISPs across disciplines. Embedding the ISP role in different health and social welfare settings will enhance implementation capacities considerably.
Validation of the QualiPresc instrument for assessing the quality of drug prescription writing in primary health care
Authors: Mariz Batista Almária , da Silva Gama Zenewton André , Souza Dyego
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Adverse events related to drug prescriptions are the main patient safety issue in primary care; however there is a lack of validated instruments for assessing the quality of prescription writing, which covers the prescriber, the patient and the drug information.

Objective

To develop and validate the QualiPresc instrument to assess and monitor the quality of drug prescriptions in primary care, accompanied by a self-instruction direction, with the goal of filling the gap in validated instruments to assess the quality of prescription writing.

Methodology

A validation study conducted in a municipality in Northeastern Brazil, based on prescriptions prepared in January 2021 by physicians assigned to 18 Basic Health Units and filed in 6 distribution/dispensing units. Four steps were covered: 1) Analysis of content validity of each indicator (relevance and adequacy); 2) Analysis of reliability via intra and inter-rater agreement of each indicator; 3) Analysis of the utility of each indicator; 4) Construction and analysis of the reliability of a weighted composite indicator based on effectiveness and safety scores for each indicator.

Results

Twenty-nine potential indicators were listed, but only 13 were approved for validity, reliability and usefulness. Twelve indicators were excluded because of validity (<90% validity index) and four because they were not useful in the context of the study. Three weighted composite indicators were tested, but only one was approved for reliability and usefulness. The validated instrument therefore contains 13 indicators and 1 weighted composite indicator.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the validity, reliability and usefulness of QualiPresc for the evaluation of prescription writing in the context of primary care. Application to contexts such as secondary care and tertiary care requires cross-cultural adaptation and new content validity. Educators, managers and health care professionals can access QualiPresc online, free of charge, to assess performance and provide feedback involving drug prescribers.
Is maternal autonomy associated with child nutritional status? Evidence from a cross-sectional study in India
Authors: Paul Pintu , Saha Ria
Published: May 2022

Despite India’s steady economic growth over recent the period, the burden of childhood malnutrition persists, contributing to higher neonatal and infant mortality. There is limited evidence available to contextualise mothers’ crucial role in childcare practices and health status in the Indian context. This study attempts to assess the association between maternal autonomy and the nutritional status of children under five. We used samples of 38,685 mother-child pairs from the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), conducted in 2015–16. We considered three widely used indicators of child nutrition as outcome variables: stunting, wasting, and underweight. Maternal autonomy (measured from three dimensions: household decision-making, freedom of physical movement, and access to economic resources/control over assets) was the key predictor variable, and various child demographics, maternal, and household characteristics were considered control variables. Stepwise binary logistic regression models were performed to examine the association. Of study participants, 38%, 21%, and 35% of children were stunted, wasted, and underweight, respectively. Our results (models 1 to 4) indicate that mothers with greater autonomy were significantly associated with lower odds of malnourished children. After controlling for all potential confounding variables (in model 5), maternal autonomy had a statistically insignificant association with children’s stunting (Odds ratio [OR]: 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87, 1.00) and wasting (OR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.85, 1.00). However, a significant relationship (though marginally) was retained with underweight (OR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.88, 0.99). In addition, socio-demographic characteristics such as child age, birth order, maternal education, maternal BMI, place of residence and household wealth quintile were found to be strong predictors of child nutritional status. Future policies should not only inform women’s empowerment programmes but also emphasise effective interventions toward improving female educational attainment and nutritional status of women, as well as addressing socioeconomic inequalities in order to combat the persistent burden of childhood malnutrition in India.
Analysis on synergistic cocontraction of extrinsic finger flexors and extensors during flexion movements: A finite element digital human hand model
Authors: Lv Ying , Zheng Qingli , Chen Xiubin , Hou Chunsheng , An Meiwen
Published: May 2022

Fine hand movements require the synergistic contraction of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles to achieve them. In this paper, a Finite Element Digital Human Hand Model (FE-DHHM) containing solid tendons and ligaments and driven by the Muscle-Tendon Junction (MTJ) displacements of FDS, FDP and ED measured by ultrasound imaging was developed. The synergistic contraction of these muscles during the finger flexion movements was analyzed by simulating five sets of finger flexion movements. The results showed that the FDS and FDP contracted together to provide power during the flexion movements, while the ED acted as an antagonist. The peak stresses of the FDS, FDP and ED were all at the joints. In the flexion without resistance, the FDS provided the main driving force, and the FDS and FDP alternated in a "plateau" of muscle force. In the flexion with resistance, the muscle forces of FDS, FDP, and ED were all positively correlated with fingertip forces. The FDS still provided the main driving force, but the stress maxima occurred in the FDP at the DIP joint.