bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low-field NMR investigation on interaction of ZnO nanoparticles with reservoir fluids and sandstone rocks for enhanced oil recovery
Authors: Alomair Osamah , Elsharkawy Adel , Al-Bazzaz Waleed , Ok Salim
Published: July 2022

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) can considerably benefit enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by changing the wettability of the rock, improving the mobility of the oil drop, and decreasing the interfacial tension (IFT) between oil and water. Prior to the application of nanoparticles in oil fields, it is essential to conduct measurements at the laboratory scale. However, the estimation of reservoir wettability is difficult in most laboratory experiments. Practicably, ZnO NPs were used to modify the rock surface wettability, lower the IFT at the oil/water interface, and reduce the interaction of chemical adsorption, such as (surfactant) onto reservoir rock surface to solve various challenges in oil production and EOR operations. Upon confining both ZnO-based nanofluid and the crude oil into sandstone, deviations from the corresponding pure bulk dynamical behaviors were observed with low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry. The expected deviations from the pure bulk behaviors were attributed to the well-known confinement effect. The wettability test results before and after surface variations of formation water (FW) with the addition of three different NP concentrations (0.05, 0.075, and 0.1) wt% ZnO reflected significant changes to its wettability. Among the treatments of Berea sandstone cores with ZnO NPs, the percentage of clay-bound H2O/free fluid index was maximum in 1.0 pore volume (PV) NP treatment. The ratio of NMR relaxations, which determines the affinity of fluids toward solids, by the 1.0 PV NP treatment is reported to have the most potential with higher affinity for FW and less affinity for crude oil toward the pore walls. Hence, LF-NMR allows monitoring of nanofluid and crude oil characteristics in the pores of rock samples and may potentially be applied in further EOR studies.
Doxorubicin resistant choriocarcinoma cell line derived spheroidal cells exhibit stem cell markers but reduced invasion
Authors: Balahmar Reham M. , Deepak Venkataraman , Sivasubramaniam Shiva
Published: July 2022

Cell cycle-specific cancer chemotherapy is based on the ability of a drug to halt, minimise or destroy rapidly dividing cells. However, their efficacy is limited by the emergence of a self-renewing cell pool called “cancer stem cells” (CSC). Choriocarcinoma is a tumour of trophoblastic tissue. We, in this study, analysed whether spheroids generated from doxorubicin-treated and non-treated choriocarcinoma cell lines exhibit markers of stem cells. Two choriocarcinoma cell lines, namely JEG-3 and BeWo, were used in this study. Spheroids were generated from doxorubicin-treated cells and the non-treated cells under non-adherent condition, followed by analysis of stem-cell markers’ expression, namely NANOG, OCT4 and SOX2. Immunofluorescence analysis suggested a general increase in the markers’ concentration in spheroids relative to the parental cells. RT-qPCR and immunoblots showed an increase in the stem-cell marker expression in spheroids generated from doxorubicin-treated when compared to non-treated cells. In spheroids, Sox2 was significantly upregulated in doxorubicin-treated spheroids, whereas Nanog and Oct4 were generally downregulated when compared to non-treated spheroids. Both 2D and 3D invasion assays showed that the spheroids treated with doxorubicin exhibited reduced invasion. Our data suggest that choriocarcinoma cell lines may have the potential to produce spheroidal cells, yet the drug-treatment affected the invasion potential of spheroids.
Postoperative complications predict poor outcomes only in patients with a low modified clinical score after resection of colorectal liver metastases: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Wang Hong-Wei , Jin Ke-Min , Li Juan , Wang Kun , Xing Bao-Cai
Published: July 2022

The aim was to identify the optimal criteria of postoperative complications (POCs) for predicting oncological outcomes after hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) and to investigate the variable prognostic implications of POCs according to the modified clinical score (M-CS). We identified 751 patients who underwent curative hepatic resection for CRLM between 2007 and 2018. Patients were categorized based on the M-CS. The impact of the severity [≥ Clavien–Dindo grade (C–D) III or comprehensive complication index (CCI) ≥ 26.2] or type [any infectious complications of POC (Inf-poc)] of POC on overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was assessed by univariate and multivariable analyses in different groups. Patients with a major or infectious complication were not associated with either RFS or OS in multivariable analysis of the whole cohort. However, patients with a high CCI had a worse OS (HR 1.51,P = 0.004). Among patients with low M-CS, patients with high CCI had worse OS (HR 1.49,P = 0.035) and RFS (HR 1.32,P = 0.048) than those without high CCI. In contrast, the survival disadvantage of a high CCI was not present in patients with a high M-CS. Compared to Inf-poc or major complications, a high CCI decreased long-term OS in patients treated with hepatectomy for CRLM. High CCI has a variable prognostic impact after hepatic resection for CRLM depending on the M-CS. POC is not a decisive factor to justify the use of hepatectomy for CRLM in patients with high M-CS.
Characterization, Properties and Antimicrobial Activity of Radiation Induced Phosphorus-Containing PVA Hydrogels
Authors: Abd El-Mohdy H. L. , Aly Hala M.
Published: July 2022

Function modification of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) having phosphorus-containing heterocyclic compounds is believed to have thermal and biological applications in the area of polymers. The synthesis of phosphorus-containing PVA (P-PVA) was performed using γ-radiation. The chemical structure of the composite polymer is confirmed by spectroscopic techniques of FT-IR,1H,13C, and31P-NMR. Photosensitive properties of polymers were investigated by ultraviolet spectroscopy. Thermal studies are assigned using the Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Data display that P-PVA has more thermal stability than PVA. The surface morphology of the prepared hydrogels was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Quantitative elemental analysis of the P-PVA hydrogel was done through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Antimicrobial activity of the prepared hydrogels using different fungi such asAspergillus fumigatus, Geotrichum candidum, Candida albicans,andSyncephal-astrum racemosum,in addition to bacteria such asStaphylococcus aureus, Bacillis subtilis(as gram-positive bacteria),Pseudomonas aeruginosa,andEscherichia coli(as gram-negative bacteria), was studied. The phosphorus-contained PVA hydrogels were found to have antimicrobial activity against various fungi and bacteria compared to pure PVA hydrogels.
Characterization of masculinity expressions and their influence on the participation of women in Mexican small-scale fisheries
Authors: Salguero-Velázquez Alejandra , Solano Neyra , Fernandez-Rivera Melo Francisco J. , López-Ercilla Inés , Torre Jorge
Published: July 2022

The objective of this study was to document and characterize the different expressions of masculinity and their influence on the participation of women in three small-scale fisheries. The fisheries operate in three priority regions for marine conservation: the northern Mexican Pacific, Gulf of California, and Mexican Caribbean. A qualitative investigation and virtual interviews with participants were conducted due to the lockdown measures of the COVID-19 pandemic. Information from 16 interviews (nine women and seven men) were integrated to this study. An analysis of the thematic content of the information was conducted. The results showed a relationship between being a man, being a fisher, and being a member of a fishing cooperative while maintaining a family. Four characterizations of masculinity emerged. In reluctant traditional masculinity, older men believed that their point of view was what mattered, and they did not accept the participation of women in fisheries. Men who fell under the category of flexible traditional masculinity accepted the participation of women in the working areas of the fisheries. Men associated with transitional masculinity were those who incorporated notions of gender equality and who were open to the participation of women in fisheries. Men connected with apprentice masculinity were mostly young people who depended on their supervisors to guide them. Apprentice masculinity may develop into traditional masculinity or move towards gender equality. The discussion incorporates an analysis of the benefits of changing masculinities regarding health, avoiding risks, and accepting the participation of women in fisheries.
Monic Chebyshev pseudospectral differentiation matrices for higher-order IVPs and BVPs: applications to certain types of real-life problems
Authors: Abdelhakem M. , Ahmed A. , Baleanu D. , El-kady M.
Published: July 2022

We introduce new differentiation matrices based on the pseudospectral collocation method. Monic Chebyshev polynomials (MCPs) were used as trial functions in differentiation matrices (D-matrices). Those matrices have been used to approximate the solutions of higher-order ordinary differential equations (H-ODEs). Two techniques will be used in this work. The first technique is a direct approximation of the H-ODE. While the second technique depends on transforming the H-ODE into a system of lower order ODEs. We discuss the error analysis of these D-matrices in-depth. Also, the approximation and truncation error convergence have been presented to improve the error analysis. Some numerical test functions and examples are illustrated to show the constructed D-matrices’ efficiency and accuracy.
A student preconception on physical geodesy: the “best” reference ellipsoid
Authors: Vaquero José Manuel , Pro Carmen , Vaquero-Martínez Javier
Published: July 2022

We show in this note a simple exercise to overcome a common preconception among Geodesy students about the “best” reference ellipsoid. This helps students to overcome their previous ideas based on a purely geometric vision of the reference ellipsoids and advance to a more physical point of view, where the Earth’s gravity plays a fundamental role.
PET imaging for the evaluation of cerebral amyloid angiopathy: a systematic review
Authors: Dondi Francesco , Bertoli Mattia , Lucchini Silvia , Cerudelli Elisabetta , Albano Domenico , Bertagna Francesco
Published: July 2022

Purpose

In the last years, the role of PET imaging in the assessment of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is emerging. In this setting, some tracers have proven their utility for the evaluation of the disease (mainly 11C-Pittsburgh compound B [11C-PIB]), however, the value of other radiotracers has to be clarified. The aim of this systematic review is, therefore, to assess the role of PET imaging in the evaluation of CAA.

Methods

A wide literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane library databases was made to find relevant published articles about the diagnostic performance of PET imaging for the evaluation of CAA. Quality assessment including the risk of bias and applicability concerns was carried out using QUADAS-2 evaluation.

Results

The comprehensive computer literature search revealed 651 articles. On reviewing the titles and abstracts, 622 articles were excluded because the reported data were not within the field of interest. Twenty-nine studies were included in the review. In general, PET imaging with amyloid tracers revealed its value for the assessment of CAA, for its differential diagnosis and a correlation with some clinico-pathological features. With less evidence, a role for 18F-fluorodeoxiglucose (18F-FDG) and tau tracers is starting to emerge.

Conclusion

PET imaging demonstrated its utility for the assessment of CAA. In particular, amiloid tracers revealed higher retention in CAA patients, correlation with cerebral bleed, the ability to differentiate between CAA and other related conditions (such as Alzheimer's disease) and a correlation with some cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers.
Is Greenness Associated with Dementia? A Systematic Review and Dose–Response Meta-analysis
Authors: Zagnoli Federico , Filippini Tommaso , Jimenez Marcia P. , Wise Lauren A. , Hatch Elizabeth E. , Vinceti Marco
Published: July 2022

Purpose of Review

We assessed the relation between environmental greenness and risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis up to March 30, 2022, characterizing whenever possible the shape of the association using dose–response meta-analysis.

Recent Findings

Twelve studies were included in this review, either using normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) or land use/cover (LU/LC) methodology to assess greenness. Comparing the highest versus lowest exposure categories of greenness assessed using the NDVI (6 studies) or LU/LC (6 studies), we found no association with dementia. Dose–response meta-analysis of the association between greenness measured by LU/LC and dementia, based on only 3 studies, indicated a U-shaped association, but estimates were imprecise.

Our systematic review and meta-analysis provided some evidence of a slight inverse association between greenness and dementia at intermediate exposure levels, but not at high levels. Potential methodological limitations, such as exposure misclassification and unmeasured confounding, may have affected the results.
Hybrid fuzzy AHP–TOPSIS approach to prioritizing solutions for inverse reinforcement learning
Authors: Kukreja Vinay
Published: July 2022

Reinforcement learning (RL) techniques nurture building up solutions for sequential decision-making problems under uncertainty and ambiguity. RL has agents with a reward function that interacts with a dynamic environment to find out an optimal policy. There are problems associated with RL like the reward function should be specified in advance, design difficulties and unable to handle large complex problems, etc. This led to the development of inverse reinforcement learning (IRL). IRL also suffers from many problems in real life like robust reward functions, ill-posed problems, etc., and different solutions have been proposed to solve these problems like maximum entropy, support for multiple rewards and non-linear reward functions, etc. There are majorly eight problems associated with IRL and eight solutions have been proposed to solve IRL problems. This paper has proposed a hybrid fuzzy AHP–TOPSIS approach to prioritize the solutions while implementing IRL. Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchical Process (FAHP) is used to get the weights of identified problems. The relative accuracy and root-mean-squared error using FAHP are 97.74 and 0.0349, respectively. Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) uses these FAHP weights to prioritize the solutions. The most significant problem in IRL implementation is of ‘lack of robust reward functions’ weighting 0.180, whereas the most significant solution in IRL implementation is ‘Supports optimal policy and rewards functions along with stochastic transition models’ having closeness of coefficient (CofC) value of 0.967156846.
‘Where does my £9000 go?’ Student identities in a marketised British Higher Education Sector
Authors: Reynolds Alice
Published: July 2022

Significant evidence highlights processes of marketisation within British higher education since the 1980s, with changes to the funding, management, and expectations of higher education institutions, students, and staff. Through a cross-national and cross-institutional analysis, this paper explores the identities of students within a marketised British higher education landscape, and specifically, explores the identity of the ‘student-consumer’. Using a mixed methods approach with students from 37 higher education institutions across Britain, this research explores the attitudes, expectations, behaviours, and relationships held by students regarding higher education. Student identity orientations are explored, before the extent to which students’ express attitudes of instrumentalism and entitlement is investigated. The paper concludes that whilst there is evidence of consumerist discourses framing students’ relationship to higher education, students challenge the perception that they are passive consumers, and instead recognise the need to remain active co-producers throughout higher education. These findings have implications for policy and have resonance beyond Britain, as the marketisation of higher education is an increasingly international phenomenon.
Sexual Dysfunction as a Harbinger of Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women: How Far Are We?
Authors: Cipriani Sarah , Simon James A.
Published: July 2022

Background

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) affects 40–50% of women in the general population, resulting from the interaction among organic, psychological, sociocultural and relational factors; differently from men, in women definitive clinical evidence suggesting a connection between cardiovascular (CV) diseases (CVDs) and female sexual function is still lacking.

Aim

To focus on the current scientific support for an association between CV diseases and/or risk factors and FSD, focused primarily on postmenopausal women.

Methods

This is a narrative review based on an extensive literature search of peer-reviewed publications on the associations between CV diseases and/or risk factors and FSD and their underlying mechanisms, which was performed using the PubMed database.

Outcomes

We present a summary of the evidence from clinical and preclinical studies and discuss the possible mechanisms providing the pathophysiologic bases of vasculogenic FSD.

Results

Growing evidence shows that female sexual function, especially arousal, is significantly affected by genital vascular impairment, which can lead to FSD. For many cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome, an adverse impact on endothelial function as well as an association with FSD have been recognized. In this scenario, similarly to penile Doppler blood flow studies in men, clitoral Doppler ultrasound can represent an innovative and useful tool to early reveal the presence of CV risk factors and sexual dysfunction. Notably, although the prevalence of CVDs as well as of FSD increases as a function of menopause and aging, middle-aged women have shown a higher prevalence of distressing sexual problems than older and younger women.

Clinical Implications

It becomes clinically relevant to assess particularly postmenopausal women for FSD and CVDs, since both disorders still remain underdiagnosed and sub-optimally untreated. Clitoral Doppler ultrasound could represent a useful technique to diagnose the presence of underlying CVD, which along with risk factors could predict sexual dysfunction in women.

Strengths & Limitations

This review focuses on a very important and innovative topic, providing a context for describing, elaborating and evaluating the relevant theory that sexual dysfunction could be a harbinger for CVDs also in women. However, its narrative nature as well as the lack of specifically designed studies to assess a definitive association between FSD and CVDs represent the principle limitations of this paper.

Conclusion

Postmenopausal women, particularly those in the middle-age range, should be assessed for CV risk factors and FSD, so that both CVDs and sexual problems do not persist unnoticed.
A Retrospective Case Series on Patient Satisfaction and Efficacy of Non-Surgical Lysis of Clitoral Adhesions
Authors: Myers Monica C. , Romanello Jennifer P. , Nico Elsa , Marantidis Joanna , Rowen Tami S. , Sussman Rachael D. , Rubin Rachel S.
Published: July 2022

Background

Clitoral adhesions are characterized by adherence of preputial tissue to the glans clitoris and can be managed using a non-surgical approach in order to relieve symptoms of sexual dysfunction.

Aim

To evaluate efficacy and patient satisfaction associated with the non-surgical lysis procedure in order to determine if it is an appropriate treatment for symptomatic clitoral adhesions.

Methods

The non-surgical lysis procedure is performed by using a fine Jacobsen mosquito forceps to separate the plane between the prepuce and the glans of the clitoris, removing smegma and/or keratin pearls from underneath the adhesions and allowing for visualization of the entire glans. A chart review of 61 women that were treated for clitoral adhesions using the non-surgical lysis procedure at 1 sexual medicine practice was performed and an online survey was sent to these patients.

Main Outcome Measures

Encrypted survey responses were used to evaluate patient satisfaction as well as self-reported improvement in sexual functioning and pain before and after the procedure.

Results

41 survey responses were received out of 61 eligible (67% response rate). A large majority reported improvement in pain (76%), sexual arousal (63%), and ability to achieve orgasm (64%) and no participants reported worsening in these symptoms. Of the 16 women that reported the inability to orgasm from external clitoral stimulation prior to the procedure, 6 (38%) were able to do so afterwards. Seventy-one percent of respondents reported improvement in their satisfaction with sex and 83% reported being satisfied with their decision to have the procedure. Ninety-three percent of participants reported that they would recommend this procedure to a friend with clitoral adhesions.

Clinical Implications

The results of this study will help clinicians to recognize the non-surgical lysis procedure as a treatment option for clitoral adhesions.

Strengths & Limitations

This study is the first of its kind assessing a cohort of patients undergoing the non-surgical lysis procedure for clitoral adhesions. Its limitations include a small sample size from 1 clinic and lack of validated instrument to evaluate sexual function and pain before and after the procedure.

Conclusion

Providers should regularly examine the clitoris of patients with symptoms of sexual dysfunction in order to determine if they have clitoral adhesions. The non-surgical lysis procedure may be a viable therapeutic option for these patients that has demonstrated both satisfaction and symptom relief.
Qatar Labour Reforms Ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup
Authors: Qadri Mustafa
Published: July 2022

In response to a forced labour review by the International Labour Organization (ILO) that threatened to turn into a formal international inquiry,1 the government of Qatar commenced an ambitious programme of labour reforms aimed largely at addressing concerns about its treatment of migrant workers. About 2.4 million men and women,2 an estimated 88.4 per cent of the small Gulf nation’s population,3 are migrant workers. It has the second largest known gas reserves in the world, and its airbases are home to the largest United States military installation in the Middle East.4 Yet, the small Gulf emirate garnered little international scrutiny until it was awarded in 2010 the right to host the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) men’s Football World Cup tournament in 2022.
Transition mechanisms in a boundary layer controlled by rotating wall-normal cylindrical roughness elements
Authors: Wu Yongxiang , Römer Tristan , Axtmann Gabriel , Rist Ulrich
Published: July 2022

The transition to turbulence induced by counter-rotating wall-normal rotating cylindrical roughness pairs immersed within a laminar boundary layer on a flat plate is investigated with direct numerical simulations, dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) and perturbation kinetic energy (PKE) analysis. As long as the cylinder stub is rotating, the wake contains a steady dominating inner vortex (DIV) surrounded by a secondary inner vortex. Its circumferential velocity accelerates the fluid on one side of the cylinder and decelerates it on the other side. With low rotation speed, the perturbation is initiated by a combination of elliptical and centrifugal instabilities in the near wake. At medium rotation speeds, Taylor–Couette-like streamwise vortices are generated on the decelerated side, resulting in a protruding reverse-flow zone. Results from DMD analysis and corresponding PKE analysis reveal the unstable nature of the deceleration region and the wake. At the largest rotation speed investigated, the onset of perturbations is directly located on the decelerated side of the cylinder stubs, where a deceleration mechanism feeds the instability. In the near wake, the mechanism gradually changes to a pure centrifugal instability when the rotation speed increases. In the far wake, both elliptical and centrifugal instabilities fade away, and the streaky flow featuring a vigorous DIV is then only subject to inviscid inflectional instability.
Warm-waterTcherskidiumfauna (Brachiopoda) in the Late Ordovician Northern Hemisphere of Laurentia and peri-Laurentia
Authors: Jin Jisuo , Blodgett Robert B. , Harper David A.T. , Rasmussen Christian M.Ø.
Published: July 2022

The Late Ordovician (late Katian)Tcherskidiumfauna consisted of large- and thick-shelled virgianid pentamerid brachiopods characterized by large and ribbed shells ofTcherskidiumandProconchidiumand usually associated withHolorhynchus,Deloprosopus, andEoconchidium. This unique fauna was widely distributed across several tectonic plates, largely confined to the paleoequatorial and especially the northern paleotropical zones, such as northern Laurentia, accretionary terranes of Alaska, Kolyma, Baltica, Siberia, Kazakh and adjacent terranes, and South China. In Laurentia, the eponymous genusTcherskidiumwas predominant in regions north of the paleoequator and, in sharp contrast, was absent south of the paleoequator. In this study,Tcherskidium lonein. sp. andProconchidium schleyin. sp. are described from Alaska and North Greenland, respectively, adding new data on theTcherskidiumfauna of the Late Ordovician Northern Hemisphere. Shell gigantism, together with the sharp paleobiogeographic division, suggests that the Late Ordovician (late Katian) Northern Hemisphere had a prevailing warm-water mass, probably due to the lack of large landmass beyond the northern tropics. This was in sharp contrast to the Southern Hemisphere, which was frequently influenced by cold-water invasions from the ice-bearing Gondwana supercontinent centered on the South Pole.

UUID:http://www.zoobank.org/25d9b772-bd7d-4ad6-bfc6-ba02b1567cf3
Associations between children’s reports of food insecurity and dietary patterns: findings from the Generation XXI birth cohort
Authors: Maia Isabel , Oliveira Andreia , Severo Milton , Santos Ana Cristina
Published: July 2022

Evidence on the association between children’s food insecurity (FI) and dietary patterns (DPs) is scarce. This study assessed the association between children’s FI anda priorianda posteriori-defined DPs in a Portuguese population-based sample of children. A cross-sectional study including 2800 children from the 10-year-old follow-up of the Generation XXI birth cohort was performed. Data on food security status, assessed by the Self-administered Food Security Survey Module for children (SAFSSMC), dietary intake and socio-demographics were collected. A previously developed Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was adapted for this study. Using the HEI score and its food groups, linear and logistic regression models were performed. Using latent class analysis, fivea posteriori-defined DPs were identified. The DPs names considered an overall picture of the DP. Food security status as a categorical (food security/FI) and continuous variable (SAFSSMC raw score: higher scores representing higher FI) was used. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to assess the association between food security status and DPs. Children’s FI (9·4 %) was inversely associated with the HEI score (β=–0·695;95%CI:–1·154,–0·235), representing worse diet quality. A higher SAFSSMC raw score was associated with low fruit and vegetables (OR=1·089;95%CI:1·023,1·159) and seafood and eggs consumption (OR=1·073;95%CI:1·009,1·142) and high consumption of meat and meat products (OR=1·091;95%CI:1·026,1·160), salty snacks (OR=1·067;95%CI:1·003,1·136) and soft drinks (OR=1·097;95%CI:1·031,1·168). The SAFSSMC raw score was positively associated with ‘Low consumption’ (OR=1·119;95%CI:1·016,1·232), ‘Energy-dense foods’ (OR=1·155;95%CI:1·028,1·298) and ‘Snacking’ (OR=1·119;95%CI:1·006,1·245) DPs. FI was associated with worse dietary choices. Intervention strategies targeting food insecure children should be developed to promote healthy dietary habits.
Assessment of seasonal pattern of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Tal O , Ibrahim N , Ronen O
Published: July 2022

Background

A seasonal trend of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss may direct research into possible aetiology.

Methods

This study reviewed data from the medical records of patients who presented from 2004 to 2019 and who were diagnosed with new-onset idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Seasonal pattern was assessed using chi-square and Rayleigh tests, and further confirmed by Monte Carlo simulation.

Results

The study included 740 patients with a mean age of 48.3 years and a median age of 49 years. There was no statistical evidence for a difference in the distribution of sensorineural hearing loss cases for the four seasons of each year or with the cumulative data. New-onset idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss cases averaged around 11 per month; there was no statistical evidence for a seasonal difference, as determined either by the Rayleigh test or with Monte Carlo simulation.

Conclusion

There was no evidence to support the claim that idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss incidence displays a seasonal pattern. More research is necessary to explore potential external factors such as climate or infection.
Anthropogenic food: an emerging threat to polar bears
Authors: Smith Tom S. , Derocher Andrew E. , Mazur Rachel L. , York Geoff , Owen Megan A. , Obbard Martyn , Richardson Evan S. , Amstrup Steven C.
Published: July 2022

Supplemental food from anthropogenic sources is a source of conflict with humans for many wildlife species. Food-seeking behaviours by black bears Ursus americanus and brown bears Ursus arctos can lead to property damage, human injury and mortality of the offending bears. Such conflicts are a well-known conservation management issue wherever people live in bear habitats. In contrast, the use of anthropogenic foods by the polar bear Ursus maritimus is less common historically but is a growing conservation and management issue across the Arctic. Here we present six case studies that illustrate how negative food-related interactions between humans and polar bears can become either chronic or ephemeral and unpredictable. Our examination suggests that attractants are an increasing problem, exacerbated by climate change-driven sea-ice losses that cause increased use of terrestrial habitats by bears. Growing human populations and increased human visitation increase the likelihood of human–polar bear conflict. Efforts to reduce food conditioning in polar bears include attractant management, proactive planning and adequate resources for northern communities to reduce conflicts and improve human safety. Permanent removal of unsecured sources of nutrition, to reduce food conditioning, should begin immediately at the local level as this will help to reduce polar bear mortality.
Clarifying links to literacy: How does morphological awareness support children’s word reading development?
Authors: Levesque Kyle C. , Deacon S. Hélène
Published: July 2022

We know a great deal about children’s first steps into reading. Here, we explore how they become more sophisticated readers, learning to read complex words. Theoretical accounts predict that one key factor is morphological awareness, or awareness of the minimal units of meaning in language. And yet empirical studies have yet to clarify whether morphological awareness has a stronger relation to the development of reading skill for words with multiple morphemes in particular (i.e., morphological decoding) or to the reading of a whole range of words. We examined this question in this study by contrasting the role of morphological awareness in the development of morphological decoding and of broader word reading skill. Participants were 197 English-speaking children who were followed from Grade 3 to 4. We conducted longitudinal analyses that included stringent autoregressive controls to capture the determinants of gains over time, as well as controls for vocabulary and phonological awareness. Structural equation modeling (SEM) path analysis with this set of controls revealed that morphological awareness predicted significant unique gains in morphological decoding from Grade 3 to 4 with no such unique contributions to broader word reading skill. These findings clarify the role of morphological awareness in supporting children in developing the ability to read morphologically complex words, supporting a more targeted role for morphology in theories of word reading development.
Economic inequality in later life and imagination of the future
Authors: Ekerdt David J. , Adamson Erin
Published: July 2022

The personal futures of older adults are continually in mind, motivating goals, desires and plans. People approach the near and long term with differing agentic traits and dispositions, and they face forward, as well, from differing standpoints according to socio-economic position. This is a study of how persons who are economically privileged diverge in their future thought from persons of modest means, asking how income level qualifies the capacity to imagine, and foresee affecting, the future. We draw upon interviews conducted with 42 older, community-dwelling individuals in the Midwestern United States of America, a sample that was partitioned into two groups, one with below-median incomes versus one with incomes above 200 per cent of median. Interviews disclosed various foci of future thought with common contents among the two groups. Three foci, however, confirmed between-group differences in confidence about handling possible material and support needs, and also in enacting idealised norms of retirement. The underlying theme of these foci – financial security, long-term supports and services, and trips and travel – was the perceived affordability of the future. We conclude that there is indeed a material basis for imagination of and proactivity toward the future. When paradigms about later life set expectations that idealise lifestyle choice, consumption and prudential preparation for the future, these are prospects towards which some can reach more readily than others.
Disinvestment in healthcare: a scoping review of systematic reviews
Authors: Kamaruzaman Hanin Farhana , Grieve Eleanor , Wu Olivia
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Disinvestment from low value health technologies is growing globally. Diverse evidence gathering and assessment methods were used to implement disinvestment initiatives, however, less than half of the empirical studies report reduced use of the low-value services. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the information from available reviews on the concepts and purposes of disinvestment in healthcare, the approaches and methods used, the role of stakeholders and facilitators and barriers in its implementation.

Methods

This scoping review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and PRISMA statement for scoping review. Published reviews on disinvestment were identified from scientific databases including health technology assessment (HTA) Web sites using the terms “disinvestment,” “health technology reassessment,” and “healthcare.” The data obtained was synthesized narratively to identify similarities and differences across the approaches based on the prespecified categories.

Results

Seventeen reviews were included with thirty-four initiatives identified across sixteen countries at various levels of implementation and responsible agencies for the activities. Two most used methods to facilitate disinvestment decisions are Programme Budgeting and Marginal Analysis (PBMA) and HTA. Stakeholder involvement is the most important aspect to be addressed, as it acts as both facilitator and barrier in disinvestment initiatives implementation.

Conclusions

Disinvestment programs have been implemented at multilevel, involving multistakeholders and using multiple methods such as PBMA and HTA. However, there is a lack of clarity on the additional dimensions of technical analysis related to these tools. Further research could focus on technology optimization in healthcare as part of overall health technology management.
Prevalence and surveillance of tuberculosis in Yemen from 2006 to 2018
Authors: Al-Shehari Wadee Abdullah , Yin Yi-An , Wang Xinyang , Wang Ying , Sun Haobo , Fu Yingmei , Zhang Fengmin
Published: July 2022

Tuberculosis is a major public health issue in Yemen, a country located at the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, while the situation of tuberculosis had been further exacerbated since the war started in 2015. The objective of this study is to investigate the incidence of tuberculosis in Yemen before the outbreak of COVID-19, from 2006 to 2018. During the 13-year period, 92 482 patients were enrolled in the TB programme records from the 22 governorates. Almost equal number of cases were diagnosed between males and females (a male to female ratio, 1.03:1). A notable rising incidence was observed in all age groups starting from 2011. The sharpest increase occurred in children under age 15, rising by 8.0-fold from 0.5 in the period 2006–2010 to 4.1 in the period 2011–2018. Paediatric TB accounted for 9.6% of all reported cases. In terms of the patient residence, incidence has more than doubled in Sana'a city, Sana'a Gov., Hajjah and Saadah. Concomitant diseases with tuberculosis included diabetes mellitus (14.0%), brucellosis (6.1%), hepatitis (6.0%), rheumatoid arthritis (4.3%), renal disorders (2.5%) and HIV infection (2.5%). Development of interventions to reduce tuberculosis incidence in children and concomitant communicable diseases is urgently needed.
Tsarist Russia and the Musical World
Authors: Alexander Tamsin , Helmers Rutger
Published: July 2022

Extract

The articles in this issue address and illustrate elements that are essential for furthering the current understanding of Russia's embeddedness in the international musical culture of the long nineteenth century: the exchange of musicians and repertoires; the social and political conditions in which these exchanges took place; the range of mediators, from aristocratic patrons to musical professionals; the methods of movement; and the ways in which Russia was imagined and experienced by foreigners.
Considerations for supporting meaningful stakeholder engagement in global mental health research
Authors: Murphy Jill K.
Published: July 2022

The need to ensure that research evidence is adopted by health systems and is informed by lived experience expertise has been increasingly recognised in mental health research. In the field of global mental health (GMH), though some progress has been made, the meaningful engagement of key stakeholders in research remains low. This editorial outlines recommendations to support the meaningful engagement of policy makers and people with lived or living experience of mental illness in GMH research. Recommendations include: increasing funding structures that are designed to support meaningful engagement; urging institutions to consider administrative structures that support engagement with lower resourced partners; promoting capacity development opportunities and resources to support researchers to promote meaningful engagement; developing research governance structures that include key stakeholders; and, taking steps to ensure the needs of diverse stakeholders are met through their engagement in research. Examples of good practice from these areas are provided. Though not an exhaustive list of recommendations, this editorial represents a call to the GMH research community to take a deliberate and proactive approach to prioritising meaningful stakeholder engagement in GMH research with the ultimate goal of improving accessible and appropriate mental health care.
Conflict and Elite Formation in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia
Authors: Bultmann Daniel
Published: July 2022

The article focuses on a comparative analysis of conflict and elite formation in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia; it argues that societal conflicts in Southeast Asia are grounded in the historical formation of elite social structures within differing sociocultures and that major and long-lasting societal conflicts—both violent and non-violent—occur in social spaces between ‘power elite’ groups. Additionally, it shows how up-and-coming elite groups are recruited from the fringes of the old hierarchy, which is why they are—in many respects—social hybrids of old and new sociocultures. Moreover, after those new arrivals were elevated into the ‘power elite’, the window for upward mobility rapidly re-closed.
Misophonie im Kindes- und Jugendalter: Eine narrative Übersichtsarbeit
Authors: Pfeiffer Elisa , Allroggen Marc , Sachser Cedric
Published: July 2022

Zusammenfassung. Die Misophonie beschreibt ein Phänomen, bei welchem betroffene Kinder und Jugendliche eine starke negative physiologische und emotionale Reaktion bei Konfrontation mit speziellen auditiven (misophonischen) Reizen zeigen (am häufigsten Ess- oder Atemgeräusche). Einzelne Studien mit Erwachsenen liefern bereits Prävalenzen zwischen 6 und 20 % in verschiedenen (klinischen) Stichproben, wobei eine Repräsentativität der Stichproben in den meisten Studien nur sehr eingeschränkt gegeben war. Die Erstmanifestation der Symptomatik liegt jedoch bei über 80 % der Fälle im Kindes- und Jugendalter, weshalb diese Altersgruppe besonders betrachtet werden sollte. Hinsichtlich komorbider Störungen zeigt sich auch eine große Heterogenität mit Schätzungen zwischen 28 bis 76 % an komorbiden psychischen Störungen und etwa 25 % mit komorbiden körperlichen Erkrankungen. Die genaue Ätiologie ist derzeit noch nicht ausreichend untersucht. Erste neurophysiologische Erklärungsansätze und Bildgebungsstudien weisen auf eine spezifische physiologische Reaktion bei Misophoniepatient_innen hin. Obwohl mittlerweile eine Vielzahl von Fallberichten vorliegt, Diagnosekriterien und Messinstrumente entwickelt und erste kognitiv-behaviorale Behandlungsansätze evaluiert wurden, stellt die Misophonie weiterhin keine eigenständige neurologische, audiologische oder psychiatrische Störung im DSM-5 oder der ICD-11 dar.
Intersections of Health, Economic, and Social Concerns During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States
Authors: Mitchell Amanda M. , Seely Hayley D. , Pössel Patrick
Published: July 2022

Abstract. A rise in mental health concerns in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic has been observed. Examining patterns in how people experienced health, economic, and social concerns in the context of the pandemic and documenting relationships between these groups with mental health outcomes will fill a gap in the literature. Describing these associations is also in line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Developmental Goals of promoting health and reducing inequalities. In the current study, we conducted a latent class analysis with items assessing health, economic, and social concerns in a sample of 1,394 people. Associations between groups with depressive and anxiety symptoms were also examined. A six-class model showed good fit, and groups were named: high overall concern (32.98%), health concerns without health care (14.78%), health and economic concerns (17.46%), economic concerns (4.57%), health concerns with health care (19.77%), and low overall concern (10.43%). Group membership was associated with mental health, with four groups reporting anxiety symptoms above a clinical cutoff. The intersection of concerns observed in these groups may serve as a barrier to mental health treatment during or following the pandemic. Consistent with the UN Sustainable Developmental Goals, ensuring equitable access to mental health care in the United States following the pandemic must include addressing the unique intersections of social determinants of health that people face.
A Test of Energetic Particle Precipitation Models Using Simultaneous Incoherent Scatter Radar and Van Allen Probes Observations
Authors: Sanchez Ennio R. , Ma Qianli , Xu Wei , Marshall Robert A. , Bortnik Jacob , Reyes Pablo , Varney Roger , Kaeppler Stephen
Published: July 2022

Quantification of energetic electron precipitation caused by wave‐particle interactions is fundamentally important to understand the cycle of particle energization and loss of the radiation belts. One important way to determine how well the wave‐particle interaction models predict losses through pitch‐angle scattering into the atmospheric loss cone is the direct comparison between the ionization altitude profiles expected in the atmosphere due to the precipitating fluxes and the ionization profiles actually measured with incoherent scatter radars. This paper reports such a comparison using a forward propagation of loss‐cone electron fluxes, calculated with the electron pitch angle diffusion model applied to Van Allen Probes measurements, coupled with the Boulder Electron Radiation to Ionization model, which propagates the fluxes into the atmosphere. The density profiles measured with the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar operating in modes especially designed to optimize measurements in the D‐region, show multiple instances of close quantitative agreement with predicted density profiles from precipitation of electrons caused by wave‐particle interactions in the inner magnetosphere, alternated with intervals with large differences between observations and predictions. Several‐minute long intervals of close prediction‐observation approximation in the 65–93 km altitude range indicate that the whistler wave‐electron interactions models are realistic and produce precipitation fluxes of electrons with energies between 10 keV and >100 keV that are consistent with observations. The alternation of close model‐data agreement and poor agreement intervals indicates that the regions causing energetic electron precipitation are highly spatially localized.
Land Subsidence and Aquifer‐System Storage Loss in Central Mexico: A Quasi‐Continental Investigation With Sentinel‐1 InSAR
Authors: Cigna F. , Tapete D.
Published: July 2022

Aquifers play an important role in addressing water needs worldwide. When overexploited, they may lose storage and compact, causing land subsidence and impacts on urban landscapes. Using Sentinel‐1 satellite imagery, we perform the largest ever‐made Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) survey over Mexico, across a 700,000 km2 area hosting >85.2 million inhabitants. We estimate present‐day subsidence rates for yet unmapped and well‐known hotspots (e.g., −45 cm/year in Mexico City), and compute compaction volumes at >300 aquifer‐systems (up to −60 hm3/year at Mexico City Metropolitan Area). InSAR‐derived aquifer‐system compaction generally correlates well with groundwater deficits, extractions and storage changes from management reports. Semi‐theoretical relationships for the whole Central Mexico and hydrological‐administrative regions VII, VIII, and XIII, enable the assessment of compaction rates and volumes resulting from groundwater exploitation. These could be used to inform groundwater management strategies towards adaptation to climate change and future needs of a growing population.