bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the teacher’s perceptions of classroom management and teaching self-efficacy during Covid-19 pandemic in the online EFL courses
Authors: Farkhani Zahra Akbarzade , Badiei Ghazal , Rostami Farzad
Published: October 2022

During the coronavirus pandemic, online education continued to expand across varied educational factors. Therefore, the teachers had to develop and change some of the strategies used in their classes previously. Online classroom management is a synchronous-based online learning environment in education that is worthwhile to modify. For this purpose, the current study sought to understand the perceptions of classroom management and teaching self-efficacy by Iranian EFL teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Concerning sampling, 100 male and female English teachers constituted the study sample. Data were collected via Online Teaching Self–Efficacy Inventory questionnaire through different online platforms. The findings reflected that EFL teachers could select appropriate classroom management during online and face-to-face classes. In addition, the teachers had a positive attitude toward managing the classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic. The implications of this study may open up new perspectives into successful pedagogy for, teachers and students in outbreak days.
Anterior knee pain post-multiple surgeries for tibia fracture effectively managed with infrapatellar fat pad injection: a case report
Authors: Obara Shinju , Oishi Rieko , Nakano Yuko , Kurosawa Shin , Inoue Satoki
Published: October 2022

Background

The anterior knee compartment is filled by the infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) and has been emphasized as a source of anterior knee pain (AKP).

Case presentation

A 51-year-old woman sustained a right tibial plateau and open diaphyseal fracture 2 years earlier. She remained with chronic AKP after undergoing bone fixations. Increased anterior portion of the IFP brightness and decreased adipose tissue gliding with flexion and extension compared to the unaffected side was shown on ultrasonography. An injection of 0.2% lidocaine between the patellar tendon and IFP, and into the IFP under ultrasound guidance, immediately relieved the pain. The pain kept recurring although injections were effective for a while; thus, surgery was scheduled. Scar tissue on the IFP surface was endoscopically excised and her pain dramatically reduced.

Conclusion

This is the first report in which the detection of increased brightness on ultrasound of IFP and the injections into the IFP triggered an additional surgical intervention. Ultrasound evaluation and injection may be beneficial in pain clinic patients presenting with AKP and may provide an opportunity for diagnosis.
Sex of household head and other household determinants of childhood anaemia among households in Ghana: regression analysis of the 2019 Malaria Indicator Survey
Authors: Klu Desmond , Agordoh Percival Delali
Published: October 2022

Background

Childhood anaemia is still a major public health concern. Although the prevalence of anaemia among children under age five is reducing in Ghana, the severity level is still worsening. This study sought to examine and compare household factors affecting the anaemia status of children under age five living in male- and female-headed households in Ghana.

Methods

The study used a weighted sample of 5,799 household heads from the 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey (GMIS). A binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of sex of household heads and other household factors on the anaemia status of children under the age of five in male- and female-headed households in Ghana. All analyses were conducted at the 95% confidence level.

Results

The results showed that a higher proportion (83.0%) of children under age five are not anaemic in households in Ghana. However, the probability of a child being anaemic is higher in male-headed households (aOR = 1.28; C.I:1.08–1.51), in the poorest (aOR = 2.41; CI: 1.59–3.65), poorer (aOR = 2.04; C.I:1.41–2.94) and middle (aOR = 1.78; C.I:1.29–2.46) household wealth category. Higher likelihood of anaemia was found among children in households that used charcoal (aOR = 1.51; C.I:1.15–1.99) and fuelwood (aOR = 1.44; C.I:1.02–2.02) for cooking. Similarly, there is a high probability of childhood anaemia in households with 5–10 members (aOR = 4.49; C.I: 3.78–5.34), 11 or more members (aOR = 7.21; C.I: 4.60–11.31) and household residing in northern part of Ghana (aOR = 1.40; C.I:1.07–1.83). The lower odds of being anaemic were recorded among children whose household heads were aged 40 years and older, household using other cooking fuels (aOR = 0.49; C.I: 0.21–0.78) and household with no bednets (aOR = 0.57; C.I: 0.44–0.74).

Conclusions

The GMIS data suggest that anaemia and its severity are higher among children living in MHH than among those living in FHH. The results indicate that poverty, a higher number of household members, relatively younger male household heads and the type of cooking fuel used were factors accounting for the differences in childhood anaemia in MHH and FHH. Equal attention should be given to MHH and FHH in terms of programmes and interventions aimed towards preventing and reducing childhood anaemia in Ghana.
Medical students’ experiences of working with simulated patients in challenging communication training
Authors: Isaksson Johan , Krabbe Julia , Ramklint Mia
Published: October 2022

Background

Physicians’ communication skills are important for patient-centered care. Although working with simulated patients (SPs) in case simulations is common for training communication skills, studies seldom include a wide range of challenging behaviors or explore students’ own experiences of learning communication skills with SPs. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating how medical students perceive communication training involving challenging consultations with SPs and the impact on their learning experiences.

Methods

Twenty-three medical students from the same class were interviewed in focus groups about their experiences of simulation training with actors as SPs. In the simulation training, the students were instructed to deliver bad news, manage negative patient reactions, and encourage behavioral changes in reluctant patients. This was followed by feedback and a debriefing exercise. The interviews were analyzed with content analysis.

Results

Students reported that actors as SPs made the simulations more realistic and enabled them to practice various communication skills for challenging consultations in a safe way and manage their own feelings, thereby promoting new learning experiences. Elements such as actors’ flexibility in changing behaviors during role-play and exposure to different challenging behaviors, like negative emotions, were regarded as valuable. The importance of an accepting and permissive climate for the debriefing exercise was highlighted, though without taking too much time from the simulation training. Feedback directly from the SP was appreciated.

Conclusions

Actors as SPs were perceived as a valuable part of challenging communication training and added elements to the learning process. Future studies should include a wider range of challenging behaviors in training with SPs and evaluate the effects of such training on students’ use of communication skills.
Risk factor profiles for depression following childbirth or a chronic disease diagnosis: case–control study
Authors: Jermy Bradley S. , Hagenaars Saskia , Coleman Jonathan R. I. , Vassos Evangelos , Lewis Cathryn M.
Published: October 2022

Background

Progress towards understanding the aetiology of major depression is compromised by its clinical heterogeneity. The variety of contexts underlying the development of a major depressive episode may contribute to such heterogeneity.

Aims

To compare risk factor profiles for three subgroups of major depression according to episode context.

Method

Using self-report questionnaires and administrative records from the UK Biobank, we characterised three contextual subgroups of major depression: postpartum depression (3581 cases), depression following diagnosis of a chronic disease (409 cases) and a more typical (named heterogeneous) major depression phenotype excluding the two other contexts (34 699 cases). Controls with the same exposure were also defined. We tested each subgroup for association with the polygenic risk scores (PRS) for major depression and with other risk factors previously associated with major depression (bipolar disorder PRS, neuroticism, reported trauma in childhood and adulthood, socioeconomic status, family history of depression, education).

Results

Major depression PRS was associated with all subgroups, but postpartum depression cases had higher PRS than heterogeneous major depression cases (OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.10). Relative to heterogeneous depression, postpartum depression was more weakly associated with adulthood trauma and neuroticism. Depression following diagnosis of a chronic disease had weaker association with neuroticism and reported trauma in adulthood and childhood relative to heterogeneous depression.

Conclusions

The observed differences in risk factor profiles according to the context of a major depressive episode help provide insight into the heterogeneity of depression. Future studies dissecting such heterogeneity could help reveal more refined aetiological insights.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and previous pandemics, epidemics and economic crises on mental health: systematic review
Authors: Asper Michaela , Osika Walter , Dalman Christina , Pöllänen Elin , Simonsson Otto , Flodin Pär , Sidorchuk Anna , Marchetti Laura , Awil Fatima , Castro Rosa , Niemi Maria E.
Published: October 2022

Background

A rise in mental illness is expected to follow the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also been projected to lead to a deep global economic recession, further adding to risk factors.

Aims

The aim of this review was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and previous pandemics, epidemics and economic crises on mental health.

Method

Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Sociological Abstracts. We included studies of all populations exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic, and other similar pandemics/epidemics and economic crises, compared with non-exposed time periods or regions. The outcome was mental health.

Results

The 174 included studies assessed mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (87 studies), 2008 economic crisis (84 studies) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic (three studies). Outcomes were divided into affective disorders, suicides, mental healthcare utilisation and other mental health. COVID-19 pandemic studies were of lesser quality than those for the economic crisis or SARS epidemic. Most studies for all exposures showed increases in affective disorders and other mental health problems. For economic crisis exposure, increases in mental healthcare utilisation and suicides were also found, but these findings were mixed for COVID-19 pandemic exposure. This is probably because of quarantine measures affecting help-seeking and shorter follow-ups of studies of COVID-19 pandemic exposure.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the importance of available, accessible and sustainable mental health services. Also, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations should be particular targets of policy interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A tumor-suppressive function for Notch3 in the parous mammary gland
Authors: Chung Wen-Cheng , Egan Sean E. , Xu Keli
Published: October 2022

Notch3 promotes mammary luminal cell specification and forced Notch3 activation can induce mammary tumor formation. However, recent studies suggest a tumor-suppressive role for Notch3. Here, we report on Notch3 expression and functional analysis in the mouse mammary gland. Notch3 is expressed in the luminal compartment throughout mammary gland development, but switches to basal cells with initiation of post-lactational involution. Deletion of Notch3 caused a decrease of Notch activation in luminal cells and diminished luminal progenitors at puberty, as well as reduced alveolar progenitors during pregnancy. Parous Notch3−/− mammary glands developed hyperplasia with accumulation of CD24hiCD49flo cells, some of which progressed to invasive tumors with luminal features. Notch3 deletion abolished Notch activation in basal cells during involution, accompanied by altered apoptosis and reduced brown adipocytes, leading to expansion of parity-identified mammary epithelial cells (PI-MECs). Interestingly, the postpartum microenvironment is required for the stem cell activity of Notch3−/− PI-MECs. Finally, high expression of NOTCH3 is associated with prolonged survival in patients with luminal breast cancer. These results highlight an unexpected tumor-suppressive function for Notch3 in the parous mammary gland through restriction of PI-MEC expansion.
Pattern of hospital antibiotic use in term neonates using WHO Access, Watch and Reserve Classification (AWaRe)
Authors: Khalid Muhammad , Rasheed Javaria , Nawaz Iram
Published: October 2022

Background and Objective: Pakistan has high neonatal mortality rate and antibiotic utilization data in hospitalized term neonates from Pakistan is lacking. The study aimed to determine the pattern of hospital antibiotic use in term neonates using World Health Organization (WHO) Access, Watch, and Reserve classification (AWaRe).

Methods: This cross-sectional chart review study was conducted at the neonatal unit of Pediatric Medicine Department of University Hospital over a period of one year from 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020. Hospitalized full term newborns up to 28-days of life, of either gender were consecutively included in the study. Data on demographic characteristics, admission diagnoses and antibiotic prescribed (class, agent and duration) were extracted from clinical charts. Descriptive statistics in the form of mean ± SD and frequency and percentages were calculated.

Results: A total of 2276 term neonates consisting of 69% (n=1570) males were included in the study. Antibiotic prescription rate was 92.8%. Most common reason for admission was birth asphyxia (36.1%) followed by sepsis (33%). Most commonly prescribed antibiotic Ampicillin (84%) belonged to Access group of WHO – AWaRe classification. More than 97% of prescriptions were two or more antimicrobial combinations belonging to Watch group. Ampicillin and Cefoperazone was the most commonly prescribed (42.8%) two drug combination. Meropenem and vancomycin was prescribed to 20% of the neonates – mostly for sepsis and pneumonia. Mortality rate was 7.7% in current study.

Conclusion: High antibiotic prescription rate particularly from Watch-group is demonstrated in this study. There is high need of antimicrobial stewardship program in neonatal units.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.8.6098

How to cite this:Khalid M, Rasheed J, Nawaz I. Pattern of hospital antibiotic use in term neonates using WHO Access, Watch and Reserve Classification (AWaRe). Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(8):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.8.6098

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Predicting common bile duct stones: Comparison of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria for accuracy
Authors: Yousaf Muhammad Nadeem , Mahmud Yasir , Sarwar Shahid , Ahmad Muhammad Nauman , Ahmad Mahmood , Abbas Ghulam
Published: October 2022

Objective: To determine accuracy of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria for predicting presence of common bile duct (CBD) stones.

Methods: In a prospective study at Jinnah Hospital Lahore from March 2021 to February 2022, patients with suspected CBD stone were stratified in High risk (HR), intermediate risk (IR) and low risk (LR) for SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria. All patients underwent ERCP and risk strata were analyzed using SPSS 22® for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy.

Results: In 90 patients with mean age 45.18(±14.87) and male/female ratio 0.64(35/55), area Under Curve (AUC) for predicting CBD stones was 0.75, 0.81and 0.83 for HR and 0.28, 0.52 and 0.52 for IR group while it was 0.53, 0.81 and 0.53 for absence of stone in LR group of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria respectively. HR groups had accuracy of 81.1%, 86.7% and 87.8% in predicting CBD stone while LR criteria had 68.8%, 86.7% and 68.1% accuracy in predicting absence of CBD stone for SAGES, ASGE and ESGE respectively.

Conclusion: HR strata of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE scores have excellent accuracy in predicting CBD stones whereas IR and LR criteria are suboptimal for excluding CBD stones.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.8.6666

How to cite this:Yousaf MN, Mahmud Y, Sarwar S, Ahmad MN, Ahmad M, Abbas G. Predicting common bile duct stones: Comparison of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria for accuracy. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(8):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.8.6666

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Commerce (by industry)
Authors: Zhulidov Sergey , Matyrskaya Natal'ya , Katyuhina Galina , Plohova Olesya , Shatilova Irina , In'kova N. , Polnikov V.P.
Published: October 2022

The textbook is designed to assist students in preparing and defending their final qualifying work.
The given methodological materials contain the topics of the final qualifying work, approximate plans of the most complex topics, methodological issues of analysis at the trade enterprise, instructions for writing and formatting the work, a list of recommended literature.
Developed on the basis of federal state educational standards of secondary vocational education of the last generation.
It is intended for students studying in trade specialties, teachers, as well as for practitioners of trade enterprises.
Fire training
Authors: Pospeev Konstantin , Chernyh Vitaliy , Mayorov Andrey , Ruslan Il'mirovich
Published: October 2022

The textbook contains material on the legal foundations of the use of firearms, the basics of shooting, safety measures when handling weapons and ammunition, the material part of firearms and hand fragmentation grenades, the organization and conduct of shooting in the units of internal affairs bodies.
The content of the textbook reflects the peculiarities of the formation of students' professional competencies in the academic discipline "Fire training" that meet the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard of secondary vocational education in the specialty 40.02.02 "Law Enforcement".
For teachers of secondary vocational and higher education, students (cadets) studying in the specialty 40.02.02 "Law enforcement", as well as for employees of internal affairs bodies.
Interaction of law enforcement agencies to ensure national security
Authors: Mironov A. , Zubarev S.
Published: October 2022

The monograph examines the main directions of the organization and legal regulation of the interaction of law enforcement agencies in the activities to ensure the national security of the Russian state. Special attention is paid to the important characteristics of the constituent elements of national security, theoretical and methodological aspects of the formation of the mechanism of interaction of law enforcement agencies to ensure state and public security and law and order, as well as the analysis of improving the effectiveness of the practical activities of law enforcement agencies in the system of measures to protect the rights and freedoms of the individual, the priority interests of society and the state using modern models of network (digital) interaction.
The system of ensuring national security, its forces and means is characterized. Extreme threats and risks to national security within the framework of geopolitical changes in the modern world are shown.
It is of interest to specialists of various branches of knowledge interested in security issues.
New approaches to modeling economic development
Authors: Balackiy Evgeniy , Ekimova Natal'ya , Rudnev Aleksandr , Gusev Aleksandr
Published: October 2022

The monograph presents new results of the authors' long-term research on various topical issues of economic development. All the proposed new approaches are given in the broad context of already existing theories and models, as well as illustrated by numerous vivid examples from the history of different countries. Most of the topics covered belong to the category of the most burning social issues of our time, which gives the work an element of scientific "freshness" and discussion. All the fundamental theses are accompanied by the necessary models, equations, formulas, graphs and figures, but in general the material is not overloaded with technical details, which makes it quite accessible to any interested reader.
The peculiarity of the monograph is that all its sections are based on the "paradox principle", the essence of which is to formulate the original problem in the most acute form, taking the form of a logical paradox. The range of topics under consideration covers the history of mankind from antiquity to the modern state. For example, why did humanity, which had been vegetating in the Malthusian trap for 10 thousand years, break out of it at the turn of the XVII and XVIII centuries? What is needed so that the economic growth that has begun does not "choke" in a short time and does not degenerate again into prolonged stagnation? How are economic growth and return on capital related? How are income inequality and the country's investment activity related? How to measure and in practice link the dialectical properties of institutions that presuppose order and freedom? Is it possible to diagnose "failures" in the regulatory activities of central banks? How to explain the transcendent technological creativity of Russian researchers and engineers with Russia's systematic technological lag behind Western countries? Does Russia have a chance to join the club of the most developed and prosperous countries in the world and what is needed for this? And much, much more.
It is addressed to both professional specialists and everyone interested in modern problems of human development.
Priorities of socio-economic development of rural areas in the context of global challenges
Authors: Bragina Zinaida , Vasil'kova Tat'yana , Gorbina Natal'ya , Zhupley Irina , Zorin Aleksey , Ivanova Oksana , Isina Natal'ya , Karasev Mihail , Kotlyarova Lyubov' , Sereda Nadezhda , Shmidt Yuliya , Zhilyakov Dmitriy
Published: October 2022

The monograph examines the priority areas of rural development caused by the global challenges of the economy and society as a whole. The main factors of rural development, multidirectional links between the economy of municipalities and the level of economic development and economic security of the region are noted. The most important organizational and economic mechanisms for the development of the agricultural sector are shown: state support, tax regulation, introduction of information and communication technologies and digitalization. Applied solutions for managing costs and financial results, directions for diversifying the rural economy, and the feasibility of developing cooperation are outlined. The
target positive directions of structural shifts in agriculture, ensuring the achievement of food security, are outlined.
It is intended for managers and specialists of agricultural organizations, local governments, researchers, teachers and students of higher educational institutions.
The problem of responsibility formation in the development of human capital
Authors: Pichugin Vitaliy , Kamneva Elena , Korobanova Zhanna
Published: October 2022

The monograph examines the current problems related to the development of human capital, presents the results of research on the conditions, means and methods of effective formation of responsibility in the process of human capital development. Prepared on the basis of the results of research carried out within the framework of the university-wide complex topic of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation "Socio-political, economic and legal conditions for the development of human potential, society and the state. Socio-political, psychological and linguistic factors of civilizational development in conditions of instability".
It is intended for managers of personnel departments, researchers, teachers, postgraduates, doctoral students and students of higher educational institutions. The materials can be used in the educational process when reading courses "Management Psychology", "Labor Psychology", "Organizational Psychology", "Personnel Management", etc.
GEOMETRIC MODEL OF GROUP PURSUIT OF A SINGLE TARGET BY THE CHASE METHOD
Authors: Dubanov Aleksandr
Published: October 2022

The article describes the model of group pursuit of a single target by the chase method. All objects participating in the pursuit model move with a constant modulo speed. One of the participants in the process moves along a certain trajectory and releases objects at specified intervals, the task of which is to achieve the goal by the chase method. All objects have restrictions on the curvature of the motion path. A single target, in turn, is tasked with achieving the target that releases objects using the parallel approach method. For each pursuing object, a detection area is formed in the form of two beams. The object's velocity vector is directed along the bisector of the angle formed by such rays. If the target enters the detection area, then the object starts pursuit and the velocity vector is directed to the target. If the target leaves the detection area, then the object makes a uniform and rectilinear movement. The task is to implement a dynamic model of multiple group pursuit, where each object has its own tasks, implemented by the chase method. As an example, where the model developed in the article could be in demand, the following example can be given. Consider the movement of a low-maneuverable object that is overtaking a faster target. As a means of protection, instead of releasing passive heat traps, it is proposed to drop a variety of autonomously controlled weapons. An analysis of existing studies has shown that such means of protecting aircraft do not exist. The results of the research can be in demand in the design of unmanned aerial vehicles with elements of autonomous control and artificial intelligence.
Therawada w Azji Południowej i Południowo-Wschodniej
Authors: Polak Grzegorz
Published: October 2022

The article presents various aspects of Theravāda tradition of Buddhism, both ancient and modern, including: a brief history of Theravāda tradition in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia; status of monks, nuns and laypeople in Theravāda; worship of stupas, statues and devas in Theravāda; Pāli as the language of Theravāda and the Pāli canon; Theravadin classical thought and practice as presented in Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhi-magga (including the basics of Abhidhamma); main movements and seminal figures of contemporary Theravāda (including Burmese vipassanā, the Thai forest tradition, Dhammakaya and Buddhadasa); the problem of early Buddhism from the Theravāda perspective; future prospects of Theravāda.
Korean Buddhism
Authors: Hyekyung Jee Lucy
Published: October 2022

Buddhism has a long history in Korea and is deeply rooted in the thought of the Korean people. It introduced rebirth and karma theory and changed Korean people’s worldviews. From its transmission period to the Goryeo dynasty, it served the royal family and supported the kingship. In the Unified Silla period, it became prevalent among the common people through the teaching of equal salvation. In the Goryeo dynasty, it became a vital part of Korean culture. In the Joseon dynasty, however, the country became neo-Confucian, and Buddhism lost its political influence. Officially, it was suppressed, but it still played a role as a crucial religion among the people. In modern times, Buddhism has revived and survives in competition with Christianity. Among the various denominations, the Hwaeom and Seon schools remained major Buddhist schools in Korea. Hwaeom Buddhism proposed the interconnected worldview, Buddha mind in human mind, and the power of mind. Seon Buddhism taught the way to recover Buddha mind. Korean Buddhist scholars developed their mind-cultivation tradition on the basis of those two teachings. Currently Seon school is the biggest order in Korea and the mind cultivation tradition keeps transforming in the context of contemporary Korea.
The Effect of Infrastructure Management and Tutor Recruitment on The Quality of Community Learning Activities Center (CLAC) Graduates
Authors: Dekawati Ipong , Setiarini Ike Medyawati , Nugraha Rizki Satria
Published: October 2022

This study aims to determine how much influence infrastructure management and tutor recruitment partially or jointly have on the quality of graduates in CLAC. The research was conducted using a descriptive correlational method with a quantitative approach. The analysis was carried out by distributing questionnaires to 50 respondents who were the samples in this study. The results of this study reveal that it can be concluded that: 1) There is a significant influence of infrastructure management on the quality of graduates in CLAC. 2) There is a significant effect of tutor recruitment on the quality of graduates in CLAC. 3) There is a significant influence of infrastructure management and tutor recruitment on the quality of graduates in CLAC. The magnitude of infrastructure management and tutor recruitment influences the quality of graduates in CLAC; this study strengthens and proves or is in line with several experts and researchers. Previous writers stated that the quality of graduates was heavily influenced by infrastructure management.
Positive psychology pioneers: Ryan Niemiec's power and potential to influence mental health nursing
Authors: Macfarlane Jan
Published: October 2022

This article is the fourth in a series that celebrates the work of positive psychologists and how their work has the power and potential to influence mental health nursing practice. This article discusses Professor Ryan Niemiec and his work on character strengths. The practical activities provided will help the reader increase their own awareness of character strengths to develop their use and transferability within their own life.
A YOLOv3-Based Rice Vortex Detecting System Using Dual Collaborative UAVs
Authors: Hu Xiaodan , Li Yifan , Wu Han , Liu Zhijie , Li Jiyu
Published: October 2022

Highlights

Used dual collaborative UAVs to track the rice vortex formed on rice canopy.

A trained YOLOv3-tiny model was used to recognize and calculate the rice vortex parameters with high accuracy.

Discovered a quantitative relationship between rice vortex parameters and UAV flight parameters.

Aligned the time axis of data process to enhance the accuracy of the vortex parameter calculation.

Abstract. A rice vortex generated by the downwash airflow of the agricultural UAV has a great connection to pesticide droplet deposition. In this study, an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was designed to obtain rice vortex parameters including position coordinates, area, and relative distance to the UAV. The system uses the flight control system mounted Beidou RTK positioning system and Manifold onboard computer to localize the spraying UAV and trains a YOLOv3-tiny model to recognize motion images of dynamic rice vortices in real-time, achieving a mean accuracy of 98.15% with 0.9326 IOU. Moreover, to optimize the system, a data time axis alignment method based on the robot operating system (ROS) was proposed to alleviate the transmission delay and image processing time-consumption, which increased the accuracy of the vortex parameter by 3.48%. The rice vortex area acquired by the UAS was highly relevant to UAV flight parameters and the relative distance was just correlated to the UAV height. The instantaneous status of the rice vortex helps to lay a data foundation for adjusting the flight parameters of the plant protection UAV. Keywords: Precision agriculture, Rice vortex, ROS, Spray operation, UAV, YOLOv3-tiny.
Polarized light compass decoding
Authors: Liang Huaju , Chua Yansong , Wang Junyi , Li Qibin , Yu Fuhao , Zhu Miaomiao , Peng Geng
Published: October 2022

The brains of some insects can encode and decode polarization information and obtain heading angle information. Referring to the encoding ability of insects, exponential function encoding is designed to improve the stability of the polarized light compass artificial neural network. However, in the decoding process, only neurons with the largest activation degree are used for decoding (maximum value decoding), so the heading information contained in other neurons is not used. Therefore, average value decoding (AVD) and weighted AVD are proposed to use the heading information contained in multiple neurons to determine the heading. In addition, concerning the phenomenon of threshold activation of insect neurons, threshold value decoding (TVD) and weighted TVD are proposed, which can effectively eliminate the interference of neurons with low activation. Moreover, this paper proposes to improve the heading determination accuracy of the artificial neural network through pre-training. The simulation and experimental results show that the new, to the best of our knowledge, decoding methods and pre-training can effectively improve the heading determination accuracy of the artificial neural network.
Pure quartic modulational instability in weakly nonlocal birefringent fibers
Authors: Tabi Conrad B. , Tagwo Hippolyte , Latchio Tiofack Camus G. , Kofané Timoléon C.
Published: October 2022

The modulational instability (MI) phenomenon is theoretically investigated in birefringent optical media with pure quartic dispersion and weak Kerr nonlocal nonlinearity. We find from the MI gain that instability regions are more expanded due to nonlocality, which is confirmed via direct numerical simulations showing the emergence of Akhmediev breathers (ABs) in the total energy context. In addition, the balanced competition between nonlocality and other nonlinear and dispersive effects exclusively gives the possibility of generating long-lived structures which deepens our understanding of soliton dynamics in pure-quartic dispersive optical systems and opens new investigation routes in fields related to nonlinear optics and lasers.
Credibility assessment of patient-specific computational modeling using patient-specific cardiac modeling as an exemplar
Authors: Galappaththige Suran , Gray Richard A. , Costa Caroline Mendonca , Niederer Steven , Pathmanathan Pras
Published: October 2022

Reliable and robust simulation of individual patients using patient-specific models (PSMs) is one of the next frontiers for modeling and simulation (M&S) in healthcare. PSMs, which form the basis of digital twins, can be employed as clinical tools to, for example, assess disease state, predict response to therapy, or optimize therapy. They may also be used to construct virtual cohorts of patients, for in silico evaluation of medical product safety and/or performance. Methods and frameworks have recently been proposed for evaluating the credibility of M&S in healthcare applications. However, such efforts have generally been motivated by models of medical devices or generic patient models; how best to evaluate the credibility of PSMs has largely been unexplored. The aim of this paper is to understand and demonstrate the credibility assessment process for PSMs using patient-specific cardiac electrophysiological (EP) modeling as an exemplar. We first review approaches used to generate cardiac PSMs and consider how verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification (VVUQ) apply to cardiac PSMs. Next, we execute two simulation studies using a publicly available virtual cohort of 24 patient-specific ventricular models, the first a multi-patient verification study, the second investigating the impact of uncertainty in personalized and non-personalized inputs in a virtual cohort. We then use the findings from our analyses to identify how important characteristics of PSMs can be considered when assessing credibility with the approach of the ASME V&V40 Standard, accounting for PSM concepts such as inter- and intra-user variability, multi-patient and “every-patient” error estimation, uncertainty quantification in personalized vs non-personalized inputs, clinical validation, and others. The results of this paper will be useful to developers of cardiac and other medical image based PSMs, when assessing PSM credibility.
Multiple bumps can enhance robustness to noise in continuous attractor networks
Authors: Wang Raymond , Kang Louis
Published: October 2022

A central function of continuous attractor networks is encoding coordinates and accurately updating their values through path integration. To do so, these networks produce localized bumps of activity that move coherently in response to velocity inputs. In the brain, continuous attractors are believed to underlie grid cells and head direction cells, which maintain periodic representations of position and orientation, respectively. These representations can be achieved with any number of activity bumps, and the consequences of having more or fewer bumps are unclear. We address this knowledge gap by constructing 1D ring attractor networks with different bump numbers and characterizing their responses to three types of noise: fluctuating inputs, spiking noise, and deviations in connectivity away from ideal attractor configurations. Across all three types, networks with more bumps experience less noise-driven deviations in bump motion. This translates to more robust encodings of linear coordinates, like position, assuming that each neuron represents a fixed length no matter the bump number. Alternatively, we consider encoding a circular coordinate, like orientation, such that the network distance between adjacent bumps always maps onto 360 degrees. Under this mapping, bump number does not significantly affect the amount of error in the coordinate readout. Our simulation results are intuitively explained and quantitatively matched by a unified theory for path integration and noise in multi-bump networks. Thus, to suppress the effects of biologically relevant noise, continuous attractor networks can employ more bumps when encoding linear coordinates; this advantage disappears when encoding circular coordinates. Our findings provide motivation for multiple bumps in the mammalian grid network.
Rapid detection and recognition of whole brain activity in a freely behaving Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Wu Yuxiang , Wu Shang , Wang Xin , Lang Chengtian , Zhang Quanshi , Wen Quan , Xu Tianqi
Published: October 2022

Advanced volumetric imaging methods and genetically encoded activity indicators have permitted a comprehensive characterization of whole brain activity at single neuron resolution in Caenorhabditis elegans. The constant motion and deformation of the nematode nervous system, however, impose a great challenge for consistent identification of densely packed neurons in a behaving animal. Here, we propose a cascade solution for long-term and rapid recognition of head ganglion neurons in a freely moving C. elegans. First, potential neuronal regions from a stack of fluorescence images are detected by a deep learning algorithm. Second, 2-dimensional neuronal regions are fused into 3-dimensional neuron entities. Third, by exploiting the neuronal density distribution surrounding a neuron and relative positional information between neurons, a multi-class artificial neural network transforms engineered neuronal feature vectors into digital neuronal identities. With a small number of training samples, our bottom-up approach is able to process each volume—1024 × 1024 × 18 in voxels—in less than 1 second and achieves an accuracy of 91% in neuronal detection and above 80% in neuronal tracking over a long video recording. Our work represents a step towards rapid and fully automated algorithms for decoding whole brain activity underlying naturalistic behaviors.
Potential drivers for schistosomiasis persistence: Population genetic analyses from a cluster-randomized urogenital schistosomiasis elimination trial across the Zanzibar islands
Authors: Pennance Tom , Neves M. Inês , Webster Bonnie L. , Gower Charlotte M. , Knopp Stefanie , Khamis Iddi Simba , Ame Shaali M. , Ali Said M. , Rabone Muriel , Emery Aidan , Allan Fiona , Muhsin Mtumweni Ali , Suleiman Khamis Rashid , Kabole Fatama , Walker Martin , Rollinson David , Webster Joanne P.
Published: October 2022

The World Health Organization’s revised NTD Roadmap and the newly launched Guidelines target elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem in all endemic areas by 2030. Key to meeting this goal is elucidating how selective pressures imposed by interventions shape parasite populations. Our aim was to identify any differential impact of a unique cluster-randomized tri-armed elimination intervention (biannual mass drug administration (MDA) applied alone or in association with either mollusciciding (snail control) or behavioural change interventions) across two Zanzibarian islands (Pemba and Unguja) on the population genetic composition of Schistosoma haematobium over space and time. Fifteen microsatellite loci were used to analyse individual miracidia collected from infected individuals across islands and intervention arms at the start (2012 baseline: 1,522 miracidia from 176 children; 303 from 43 adults; age-range 6–75, mean 12.7 years) and at year 5 (2016: 1,486 miracidia from 146 children; 214 from 25 adults; age-range 9–46, mean 12.4 years). Measures of genetic diversity included allelic richness (Ar), Expected (He) and Observed heterozygosity (Ho), inbreeding coefficient (FST), parentage analysis, estimated worm burden, worm fecundity, and genetic sub-structuring. There was little evidence of differential selective pressures on population genetic diversity, inbreeding or estimated worm burdens by treatment arm, with only the MDA+snail control arm within Unguja showing trends towards reduced diversity and altered inbreeding over time. The greatest differences overall, both in terms of parasite fecundity and genetic sub-structuring, were observed between the islands, consistent with Pemba’s persistently higher mean infection intensities compared to neighbouring Unguja, and within islands in terms of infection hotspots (across three definitions). These findings highlight the important contribution of population genetic analyses to elucidate extensive genetic diversity and biological drivers, including potential gene-environmental factors, that may override short term selective pressures imposed by differential disease control strategies.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ISRCTN48837681.
Genome-wide association study for Chagas Cardiomyopathy identify a new risk locus on chromosome 18 associated with an immune-related protein and transcriptional signature
Authors: Sabino Ester Cerdeira , Franco Lucas Augusto Moysés , Venturini Gabriela , Velho Rodrigues Mariliza , Marques Emanuelle , Oliveira-da Silva Lea Campos de , Martins Larissa Natany Almeida , Ferreira Ariela Mota , Almeida Paulo Emílio Clementino , Silva Felipe Dias Da , Leite Sâmara Fernandes , Nunes Maria do Carmo Pereira , Haikal Desiree Sant’Ana , Oliveira Claudia Di Lorenzo , Cardoso Clareci Silva , Seidman Jonathan G. , Seidman Christine E. , Casas Juan P. , Ribeiro Antonio Luiz Pinho , Krieger Jose E. , Pereira Alexandre C.
Published: October 2022

Background

Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy (CCC) usually develops between 10 and 20 years after the first parasitic infection and is one of the leading causes of end-stage heart failure in Latin America. Despite the great inter-individual variability in CCC susceptibility (only 30% of infected individuals ever present CCC), there are no known predictors for disease development in those chronically infected.

Methodology/Principal findings

We describe a new susceptibility locus for CCC through a GWAS analysis in the SaMi-Trop cohort, a population-based study conducted in a Chagas endemic region from Brazil. This locus was also associated with CCC in the REDS II Study. The newly identified locus (rs34238187, OR 0.73, p-value 2.03 x 10−9) spans a haplotype of approximately 30Kb on chromosome 18 (chr18: 5028302–5057621) and is also associated with 80 different traits, most of them blood protein traits significantly enriched for immune-related biological pathways. Hi-C data show that the newly associated locus is able to interact with chromatin sites as far as 10Mb on chromosome 18 in a number of different cell types and tissues. Finally, we were able to confirm, at the tissue transcriptional level, the immune-associated blood protein signature using a multi-tissue differential gene expression and enrichment analysis.

Conclusions/Significance

We suggest that the newly identified locus impacts CCC risk among T cruzi infected individuals through the modulation of a downstream transcriptional and protein signature associated with host-parasite immune response. Functional characterization of the novel risk locus is warranted.
Leishmaniasis epidemiology in endemic areas of metropolitan France and its overseas territories from 1998 to 2020
Authors: Pasquier Grégoire , Demar Magalie , Lami Patrick , Zribi Asma , Marty Pierre , Buffet Pierre , Desbois-Nogard Nicole , Gangneux Jean Pierre , Simon Stéphane , Blaizot Romain , Couppié Pierre , Thiebaut Louis , Pratlong Francine , Dedet Jean-Pierre , Bastien Patrick , Sterkers Yvon , Ravel Christophe , Lachaud Laurence ,   Working Group for the Notification of Human Leishmanioses in France
Published: October 2022

Background

In France, leishmaniasis is endemic in the Mediterranean region, in French Guiana and to a lesser extent, in the French West Indies. This study wanted to provide an updated picture of leishmaniasis epidemiology in metropolitan France and in its overseas territories.

Methodology/Principal findings

Leishmaniasis cases were collected by passive notification to the French National Reference Centre for Leishmaniases (NRCL) in Montpellier from 1998 to 2020 and at the associated Centre in Cayenne (French Guiana) from 2003 to 2020. In metropolitan France, 517 autochthonous leishmaniasis cases, mostly visceral forms due to Leishmania infantum (79%), and 1725 imported cases (French Guiana excluded), mainly cutaneous leishmaniasis from Maghreb, were recorded. A slight decrease of autochthonous cases was observed during the survey period, from 0.48 cases/100,000 inhabitants per year in 1999 (highest value) to 0.1 cases/100,000 inhabitants per year in 2017 (lowest value). Conversely, imported cases increased over time (from 59.7 in the 2000s to 94.5 in the 2010s). In French Guiana, 4126 cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis cases were reported from 2003 to 2020. The mean incidence was 103.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year but varied in function of the year (from 198 in 2004 to 54 in 2006). In Guadeloupe and Martinique (French West Indies), only sporadic cases were reported.

Conclusions/Significance

Because of concerns about disease expansion and outbreaks in other Southern Europe countries, and leishmaniasis monitoring by the NRCL should be continued and associated with a more active surveillance.