bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical activity and cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Itodo Oche Adam , Flueck Joelle Leonie , Raguindin Peter Francis , Stojic Stevan , Brach Mirjam , Perret Claudio , Minder Beatrice , Franco Oscar H. , Muka Taulant , Stucki Gerold , Stoyanov Jivko , Glisic Marija
Published: April 2022

Physical inactivity in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) has been suggested to be an important determinant of increased cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk. However, it remains unclear whether physically active SCI individuals as compared to inactive or less active individuals have truly better cardiometabolic risk profile. We aimed to systematically review and quantify the association between engagement in regular physical activity and/or exercise interventions and CMD risk factors in individuals with SCI. Four medical databases were searched and studies were included if they were clinical trials or observational studies conducted in adult individuals with SCI and provided information of interest. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was applied to rate the certainty of evidence. Of 5816 unique citations, 11 randomized clinical trials, 3 non-randomized trial and 32 cross-sectional studies comprising more than 5500 SCI individuals were included in the systematic review. In meta-analysis of RCTs and based on evidence of moderate certainty, physical activity in comparison to control intervention was associated with: (i) better glucose homeostasis profile [WMD of glucose, insulin and Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were − 3.26 mg/dl (95% CI − 5.12 to − 1.39), − 3.19 μU/ml (95% CI − 3.96 to − 2.43)] and − 0.47 (95% CI − 0.60 to − 0.35), respectively], and (ii) improved cardiorespiratory fitness [WMD of relative and absolute oxygen uptake relative (VO2) were 4.53 ml/kg/min (95% CI 3.11, 5.96) and 0.26 L/min (95% CI 0.21, 0.32) respectively]. No differences were observed in blood pressure, heart rate and lipids (based on evidence of low/moderate certainty). In meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies and based on the evidence of very low to low certainty, glucose [WMD − 3.25 mg/dl (95% CI − 5.36, − 1.14)], insulin [− 2.12 μU/ml (95% CI − 4.21 to − 0.03)] and total cholesterol [WMD − 6.72 mg/dl (95% CI − 13.09, − 0.34)] were lower and HDL [WMD 3.86 mg/dl (95% CI 0.66, 7.05)] and catalase [0.07 UgHb-1 (95% CI 0.03, 0.11)] were higher in physically active SCI individuals in comparison to reference groups. Based on limited number of cross-sectional studies, better parameters of systolic and diastolic cardiac function and lower carotid intima media thickness were found in physically active groups. Methodologically sound clinical trials and prospective observational studies are required to further elaborate the impact of different physical activity prescriptions alone or in combination with other life-style interventions on CMD risk factors in SCI individuals.
Algorithmic decision-making employing profiling: will trade secrecy protection render the right to explanation toothless?
Authors: de Laat Paul B.
Published: April 2022

Algorithmic decision-making based on profiling may significantly affect people’s destinies. As a rule, however, explanations for such decisions are lacking. What are the chances for a “right to explanation” to be realized soon? After an exploration of the regulatory efforts that are currently pushing for such a right it is concluded that, at the moment, the GDPR stands out as the main force to be reckoned with. In cases of profiling, data subjects are granted the right to receive meaningful information about the functionality of the system in use; for fully automated profiling decisions even an explanation has to be given. However, the trade secrets and intellectual property rights (IPRs) involved must be respected as well. These conflicting rights must be balanced against each other; what will be the outcome? Looking back to 1995, when a similar kind of balancing had been decreed in Europe concerning the right of access (DPD), Wachter et al. (2017) find that according to judicial opinion only generalities of the algorithm had to be disclosed, not specific details. This hardly augurs well for a future right of access let alone to explanation. Thereupon the landscape of IPRs for machine learning (ML) is analysed. Spurred by new USPTO guidelines that clarify when inventions are eligible to be patented, the number of patent applications in the US related to ML in general, and to “predictive analytics” in particular, has soared since 2010—and Europe has followed. I conjecture that in such a climate of intensified protection of intellectual property, companies may legitimately claim that the more their application combines several ML assets that, in addition, are useful in multiple sectors, the more value is at stake when confronted with a call for explanation by data subjects. Consequently, the right to explanation may be severely crippled.
Relative explainability and double standards in medical decision-making
Authors: Kempt Hendrik , Heilinger Jan-Christoph , Nagel Saskia K.
Published: April 2022

The increased presence of medical AI in clinical use raises the ethical question which standard of explainability is required for an acceptable and responsible implementation of AI-based applications in medical contexts. In this paper, we elaborate on the emerging debate surrounding the standards of explainability for medical AI. For this, we first distinguish several goods explainability is usually considered to contribute to the use of AI in general, and medical AI in specific. Second, we propose to understand the value of explainability relative to other available norms of explainable decision-making. Third, in pointing out that we usually accept heuristics and uses of bounded rationality for medical decision-making by physicians, we argue that the explainability of medical decisions should not be measured against an idealized diagnostic process, but according to practical considerations. We conclude, fourth, to resolve the issue of explainability-standards by relocating the issue to the AI’s certifiability and interpretability.
A computational method for rapid orthographic photography of lake sediment cores
Authors: Ankor Martin James , Tyler Jonathan James
Published: April 2022

Photographs of sediment cores are an important dataset, often containing visual evidence for environmental change via sediment composition and structure. These photographs may be used to stratigraphically correlate adjacent cores or for automated image analysis, and can facilitate collaboration amongst researchers through sharing and annotation of the image files. Here we describe the use of computational photogrammetry (also known as Structure from Motion–Multi-View Stereo) to generate orthographic imagery of sediment cores. Computational photogrammetry is a rapid and economical technique, typically requiring only a few minutes for each metre of core, using consumer-grade digital camera equipment. The photogrammetric methodology corrects for topographic distortion caused by sediment surfaces that are not perfectly flat, and can also record features of the scene surrounding the core, such as notes, colour reference cards and measurement tapes or rulers. As the photogrammetric process also generates a three-dimensional reconstruction of the sediment core, spatial-based analysis can be used to identify damaged or non-representative sections of the core that are to be avoided during image analysis. Using an intermittently laminated sediment core from Lake Surprise, Australia, we tested 22 scenarios using control points in a variety of configurations, as well as calibrated and uncalibrated cameras, to identify techniques that can reconstruct the core accurately and generate orthophotos. Multiple techniques were able to achieve suitable accuracy. In particular, targets placed on the table alongside the core, combined with a calibrated camera, achieved high accuracy and enabled a simple, rapid, and repeatable method for generating high-quality sediment core images.
Efficient SVDD sampling with approximation guarantees for the decision boundary
Authors: Englhardt Adrian , Trittenbach Holger , Kottke Daniel , Sick Bernhard , Böhm Klemens
Published: April 2022

Support Vector Data Description (SVDD) is a popular one-class classifier for anomaly and novelty detection. But despite its effectiveness, SVDD does not scale well with data size. To avoid prohibitive training times, sampling methods select small subsets of the training data on which SVDD trains a decision boundary hopefully equivalent to the one obtained on the full data set. According to the literature, a good sample should therefore contain so-called boundary observations that SVDD would select as support vectors on the full data set. However, non-boundary observations also are essential to not fragment contiguous inlier regions and avoid poor classification accuracy. Other aspects, such as selecting a sufficiently representative sample, are important as well. But existing sampling methods largely overlook them, resulting in poor classification accuracy. In this article, we study how to select a sample considering these points. Our approach is to frame SVDD sampling as an optimization problem, where constraints guarantee that sampling indeed approximates the original decision boundary. We then propose RAPID, an efficient algorithm to solve this optimization problem. RAPID does not require any tuning of parameters, is easy to implement and scales well to large data sets. We evaluate our approach on real-world and synthetic data. Our evaluation is the most comprehensive one for SVDD sampling so far. Our results show that RAPID outperforms its competitors in classification accuracy, in sample size, and in runtime.
Impairment of mitochondrial respiration in platelets and placentas: a pilot study in preeclamptic pregnancies
Authors: Bînă Anca M. , Aburel Oana M. , Avram Vlad F. , Lelcu Theia , Lința Adina V. , Chiriac Daniela V. , Mocanu Adelina G. , Bernad Elena , Borza Claudia , Craina Marius L. , Popa Zoran L. , Muntean Danina M. , Crețu Octavian M.
Published: April 2022

Preeclampsia (PE) is a major complication of pregnancy with partially elucidated pathophysiology. Placental mitochondrial dysfunction has been increasingly studied as major pathomechanism in both early- and late-onset PE. Impairment of mitochondrial respiration in platelets has recently emerged as a peripheral biomarker that may mirror organ mitochondrial dysfunction in several acute and chronic pathologies. The present study was purported to assess mitochondrial respiratory dys/function in both platelets and placental mitochondria in PE pregnancies. To this aim, a high-resolution respirometry SUIT (Substrate-Uncoupler-Inhibitor-Titration) protocol was adapted to assess complex I (glutamate + malate)- and complex II (succinate)-supported respiration. A decrease in all respiratory parameters (basal, coupled, and maximal uncoupled respiration) in peripheral platelets was found in preeclamptic as compared to healthy pregnancies. At variance, placental mitochondria showed a dichotomous behavior in preeclampsia in relation to the fetal birth weight. PE pregnancies with fetal growth restriction were associated with decreased in coupled respiration (oxidative phosphorylation/OXPHOS capacity) and maximal uncoupled respiration (electron transfer/ET capacity). At variance, these respiratory parameters were increased for both complex I- and II-supported respiration in PE pregnancies with normal weight fetuses. Large randomized controlled clinical studies are needed in order to advance our understanding of mitochondrial adaptive vs. pathological changes in preeclampsia.
Predicting the future impact of Computer Science researchers: Is there a gender bias?
Authors: Kuppler Matthias
Published: April 2022

The advent of large-scale bibliographic databases and powerful prediction algorithms led to calls for data-driven approaches for targeting scarce funds at researchers with high predicted future scientific impact. The potential side-effects and fairness implications of such approaches are unknown, however. Using a large-scale bibliographic data set of N = 111,156 Computer Science researchers active from 1993 to 2016, I build and evaluate a realistic scientific impact prediction model. Given the persistent under-representation of women in Computer Science, the model is audited for disparate impact based on gender. Random forests and Gradient Boosting Machines are used to predict researchers’ h-index in 2010 from their bibliographic profiles in 2005. Based on model predictions, it is determined whether the researcher will become a high-performer with an h-index in the top-25% of the discipline-specific h-index distribution. The models predict the future h-index with an accuracy of $$R^2 = 0.875$$

R
2

=
0.875

and correctly classify 91.0% of researchers as high-performers and low-performers. Overall accuracy does not vary strongly across researcher gender. Nevertheless, there is indication of disparate impact against women. The models under-estimate the true h-index of female researchers more strongly than the h-index of male researchers. Further, women are 8.6% less likely to be predicted to become high-performers than men. In practice, hiring, tenure, and funding decisions that are based on model predictions risk to perpetuate the under-representation of women in Computer Science.
Diagnostic Classification Analysis of Problem-Solving Competence using Process Data: An Item Expansion Method
Authors: Zhan Peida , Qiao Xin
Published: April 2022

Process data refer to data recorded in computer-based assessments (CBAs) that reflect respondents’ problem-solving processes and provide greater insight into how respondents solve problems, in addition to how well they solve them. Using the rich information contained in process data, this study proposed an item expansion method to analyze action-level process data from the perspective of diagnostic classification in order to comprehensively understand respondents’ problem-solving competence. The proposed method cannot only estimate respondents’ problem-solving ability along a continuum, but also classify respondents according to their problem-solving skills. To illustrate the application and advantages of the proposed method, a Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) problem-solving item was used. The results indicated that (a) the estimated latent classes provided more detailed diagnoses of respondents’ problem-solving skills than the observed score categories; (b) although only one item was used, the estimated higher-order latent ability reflected the respondents’ problem-solving ability more accurately than the unidimensional latent ability estimated from the outcome data; and (c) interactions among problem-solving skills followed the conjunctive condensation rule, which indicated that the specific action sequence appeared only when a respondent mastered all required problem solving skills. In conclusion, the proposed diagnostic classification approach is feasible and promising analyzing process data.
Factors Associated with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) After Diagnosis of Symptomatic COVID-19 in the Inpatient and Outpatient Setting in a Diverse Cohort
Authors: Yoo Sun M. , Liu Teresa C. , Motwani Yash , Sim Myung S. , Viswanathan Nisha , Samras Nathan , Hsu Felicia , Wenger Neil S.
Published: April 2022

Background

The incidence of persistent clinical symptoms and risk factors in Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) in diverse US cohorts is unclear. While there are a disproportionate share of COVID-19 deaths in older patients, ethnic minorities, and socially disadvantaged populations in the USA, little information is available on the association of these factors and PASC.

Objective

To evaluate the association of demographic and clinical characteristics with development of PASC.

Design

Prospective observational cohort of hospitalized and high-risk outpatients, April 2020 to February 2021.

Participants

One thousand thirty-eight adults with laboratory-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 infection.

Main Measures

Development of PASC determined by patient report of persistent symptoms on questionnaires conducted 60 or 90 days after COVID-19 infection or hospital discharge. Demographic and clinical factors associated with PASC.

Key Results

Of 1,038 patients with longitudinal follow-up, 309 patients (29.8%) developed PASC. The most common persistent symptom was fatigue (31.4%) followed by shortness of breath (15.4%) in hospitalized patients and anosmia (15.9%) in outpatients. Hospitalization for COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] 1.49, 95% [CI] 1.04–2.14), having diabetes (OR, 1.39; 95% CI 1.02–1.88), and higher BMI (OR, 1.02; 95% CI 1–1.04) were independently associated with PASC. Medicaid compared to commercial insurance (OR, 0.49; 95% CI 0.31–0.77) and having had an organ transplant (OR 0.44, 95% CI, 0.26–0.76) were inversely associated with PASC. Age, race/ethnicity, Social Vulnerability Index, and baseline functional status were not associated with developing PASC.

Conclusions

Three in ten survivors with COVID-19 developed a subset of symptoms associated with PASC in our cohort. While ethnic minorities, older age, and social disadvantage are associated with worse acute COVID-19 infection and greater risk of death, our study found no association between these factors and PASC.
Unravelling hidden factors explaining competition for and overuse of groundwater in Azraq, Jordan: digging deeper into a network of action situations
Authors: Oberhauser Daniel , Hägele Ramona , Dombrowsky Ines
Published: April 2022

In Azraq in Eastern Jordan, farmers, domestic users, and a wetland ecosystem compete for and overexploit limited groundwater resources. Current studies explain parts of the problem, but do not take a comprehensive social–ecological systems perspective and tend to miss underlying hidden factors. To explain decision-making in this complex social–ecological system, we combine the concept of networks of action situations (NAS) with the political economy concept of the social contract. While the NAS allows a systematic exploration of the system, the concept of the social contract allows a deeper understanding of how informal institutions and power influence the system. Besides a comprehensive literature review, we draw on social network mapping and 67 semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders. We find that the main conflict arises between a heterogeneous group of farmers, who use groundwater for irrigation agriculture supported by a strong political lobby, and the water authorities, which rely on the aquifer for domestic water supply at national level. The original wetland with its diverse ecosystem services has largely disappeared and its remainder is maintained artificially. Our analysis reveals that a diversity of action situations, including water, agricultural, environmental, energy, and land governance, but also the monarchy’s underlying social contract and the informal concept of wasta, influence outcomes on the ground. We show that no panacea exists, but that systems thinking may help identify a range of intervention points, some more sensitive than others, that could support a social–ecological transformation towards sustainability.
Private Forestlands in South Carolina: Motivations for Implementing Conservation Practices
Authors: Clay Lucas , Perkins Katharine , Motallebi Marzieh
Published: April 2022

This study aims to understand the conservation practices taking place on private forestlands in South Carolina, United States. Much of the forestlands in the eastern United States are privately owned, and landowners can elect whether to implement conservation practices. A questionnaire was distributed to South Carolina landowners to elicit information on land tenure, the type of conservation practices they use, and the best methods for increasing the use of these practices. We specifically focused on prescribed fire because of its importance to management regimes and the debate that surrounds this practice. Results from our questionnaire that was randomly distributed to South Carolina forest landowners showed that many landowners use at least one conservation practice or are interested in implementing one or more practice. Our Logit regression analysis showed that certain factors including land size and belonging to an environmental group were significant and associated with increased implementation of prescribe fire. From the model and statistical analysis of the landowner responses, we inferred that educational and financial resources are two crucial factors for encouraging landowners to implement conservation practices and retain landowners already involved in the cost share programs. Furthermore, helping landowners with implementation of prescribed fire through their inclusion in prescribed fire organizations and funding opportunities would most likely increase adoption and contribute to conserving ecosystem services in South Carolina and other states with large areas of land in private ownership.
Sex-Related Differences in Patients’ Characteristics, Provided Care, and Outcomes Following Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Wang Sophie Shih-Yüng , Bögli Stefan Yu , Nierobisch Nathalie , Wildbolz Stella , Keller Emanuela , Brandi Giovanna
Published: April 2022

Background

Sex-related differences in patients with spontaneous, non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are poorly investigated so far. This study elucidates whether sex-related differences in ICH care in a neurocritical care setting exist, particularly regarding provided care, while also taking patient characteristics, and outcomes into account.

Methods

This retrospective single center study includes all consecutive patients with spontaneous ICH admitted to the neurocritical care unit in a 10-year period. Patients’ demographics, comorbidities, symptoms at presentation, radiological findings, surgical and medical provided care, intensive care unit mortality and 12 month-mortality, and functional outcome at discharge were compared among men and women.

Results

Overall, 398 patients were included (male = 198 and female = 200). No differences in demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), symptoms at presentation, radiological findings, intensive care unit mortality and 12-month mortality were observed among men and women. Men received an external ventricular drain (EVD) for hydrocephalus-therapy significantly more often than women, despite similar location of the ICH and radiographic parameters. In the multivariate analysis, EVD insertion was independently associated with male sex (odds ratio 2.82, 95% confidence interval 1.61–4.95, P < 0.001) irrespective of demographic or radiological features. Functional outcome after ICH as assessed by the modified Rankin scale, was more favorable for women (P = 0.044).

Conclusions

Sex-related differences in patients with ICH regarding to provided neurosurgical care exist. We provide evidence that insertion of EVD is associated with male sex, disregarding clear reasoning. A sex-bias as well as social factors may play a significant role in decision-making for the insertion of an EVD.
Understanding Coping Mechanisms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Stakeholders of the African Sisters Education Collaborative
Authors: Draru Mary Cecilia , Lopatofsky Tara , Karimi Kevin , Gautier Mary L.
Published: April 2022

Background

The African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) operates education programs for women religious in ten countries of Africa south of the Sahara. As ASEC prioritizes strong relationships with partner institutions, understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these stakeholders is central to providing effective interventions that will ensure continuation of its programs.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to obtain an organizational understanding of stakeholders' ministry/work stress and coping mechanisms during the initial phase of the pandemic. ASEC surveyed its more than 3,500 stakeholders to assess their ministry/work stress, sources of emotional well-being, and coping skills during the early months of the pandemic. The study was designed to provide information to help ASEC initiate a proactive response to the pandemic at an organizational level.

Methods

ASEC prepared a brief online survey that was distributed from late April through mid-May 2020. Scales to measure emotional well-being, coping skills, ministry/work stress, and sources of pandemic support were researcher-designed. Lockdown status of the country at the time of the survey was used as a proxy measure of severity of the pandemic.

Results

Religious sisters who have participated in ASEC's education programs experienced increased stress in their ministry/work settings, particularly in countries that were under lockdown at the time of the survey. Ministry/work stress was lessened by individual coping skills and sense of emotional well-being, as predicted by the balanced affect literature on ministry stress among religious workers. Working under lockdown, lower levels of ministry/work stress, and confidence in one's coping skills all positively impacted emotional well-being. In turn, emotional well-being was significantly related to greater coping skills, which was also impacted by lower levels of ministry/work stress and greater sources of pandemic support.

Conclusions and Implications

The pandemic has negatively impacted the ministries and work settings of these stakeholders, which has influenced their personal emotional well-being as well as their assessment of their coping skills. Positive attitudes about their ability to cope and their emotional well-being reduced their levels of ministry/work stress.
Novel Marker for Premature Ejaculation: Serum Leptin Level
Authors: Liu Guodong , Zhang Yuyang , Zhang Wei , Wu Xu , Gao Hui , Jiang Hui , Dai Yutian , Zhang Xiansheng
Published: April 2022

Background

Leptin, which was only discovered in humans in 1994, has recently been shown to have a possible link with premature ejaculation.

Aim

To evaluate whether serum leptin levels differed between patients with premature ejaculation and healthy men, and to analyze the changes in leptin levels before and after treatment.

Methods

Six studies assessing the relationship between leptin and premature ejaculation published up to October 2021 were identified from multiple databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane) and the data were analyzed by Stata software.

Outcomes

Differences in leptin levels in premature ejaculation patients and healthy people, and changes of leptin levels in premature ejaculation population before and after treatment.

Results

Analysis of studies assessing differences in leptin concentrations between patients with PE and healthy men showed that there was a statistically significant difference in leptin levels between PE patients and controls (WMD (95% CI) = 17.89 (8.64, 27.14), P < .001). On the other hand, the analysis of data from 3 studies describing serum leptin levels in PE patients before and after treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) showed that there was a significant decrease with leptin levels in PE patients after treatment (WMD (95%CI) = 22.06 (17.21, 26.92), P < .001).

Clinical Implications

It is possible that leptin can be used as a new marker for premature ejaculation.

Strength & Limitations

The strength of this study is that it is the first meta- analysis to assess the differences of serum leptin levels between patients with premature ejaculation and healthy subjects and the changes of leptin levels before and after treatment in patients with premature ejaculation. A major limitation is that a greater heterogeneity was identified through our analysis, however we did not find a definitive source of heterogeneity.

Conclusion

There was a statistically significant relationship between serum leptin levels and patients with PE. In addition, serum leptin levels in patients with PE decreased significantly after 8 weeks of treatment with SSRIs.
To what ends? Analyzing teacher candidates’ goals and perceptions of student talk in social studies discussions
Authors: Conrad Jenni , Reisman Abby , Jay Lightning , Patterson Timothy , Eisman Joseph I. , Kaplan Avi , Chan Wendy
Published: April 2022

Focusing on episodes of student-generated and -sustained talk during document-based disciplinary history discussions, this study explored what teacher candidates prioritize and value about social studies discussions, and how these priorities align with their actions and goals as facilitators. Using a complex systems-based model, we investigated candidates’ goals as they planned for, facilitated, and reflected upon student sensemaking relative to three common orientations for social studies discussions: disciplinary history, participatory civics, and critical literacy. Findings revealed that candidates employed elements from all three orientations, yet without clear alignment to any particular approach. This misalignment reflected tensions between candidates’ stated goals, beliefs about student engagement, and instructional decisions. We draw implications for teacher education to support candidates in developing coherent practices for discussion facilitation that align with their instructional visions and sociocultural contexts.
Music, Subjectivity, and Schumann
Authors: Taylor Benedict
Published: April 2022

The concept of subjectivity is one of the most popular in recent scholarly accounts of music; it is also one of the obscurest and most ill-defined. Multifaceted and hard to pin down, subjectivity nevertheless serves an important, if not indispensable purpose, underpinning various assertions made about music and its effect on us. We may not be exactly sure what subjectivity is, but much of the reception of Western music over the last two centuries is premised upon it. Music, Subjectivity, and Schumann offers a critical examination of the notion of musical subjectivity and the first extended account of its applicability to one of the composers with whom it is most closely associated. Adopting a fluid and multivalent approach to a topic situated at the intersection of musicology, philosophy, literature, and cultural history, it seeks to provide a critical refinement of this idea and to elucidate both its importance and limits.
Geomathematics
Authors: Michel Volker
Published: April 2022

Geomathematics provides a comprehensive summary of the mathematical principles behind key topics in geophysics and geodesy, covering the foundations of gravimetry, geomagnetics and seismology. Theorems and their proofs explain why physical realities in geoscience are the logical mathematical consequences of basic laws. The book also derives and analyzes the theory and numerical aspects of established systems of basis functions; and presents an algorithm for combining different types of trial functions. Topics cover inverse problems and their regularization, the Laplace/Poisson equation, boundary-value problems, foundations of potential theory, the Poisson integral formula, spherical harmonics, Legendre polynomials and functions, radial basis functions, the Biot-Savart law, decomposition theorems (orthogonal, Helmholtz, and Mie), basics of continuum mechanics, conservation laws, modelling of seismic waves, the Cauchy-Navier equation, seismic rays, and travel-time tomography. Each chapter ends with review questions, with solutions for instructors available online, providing a valuable reference for graduate students and researchers.
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist workforce: A multicenter survey
Authors: Wimmer Megan R. , Schulz Lucas T. , Hamel Ashlee G. , Schwei Rebecca J. , Fong Karen , Burgess Donna R. , Brett Meghan , Hale Cory M. , Holubar Marisa , Jain Rupali , Larry Rachel , Spivak Emily S. , Newland Helen , Njoku Jessica , Postelnick Michael , Walraven Carla , Pulia Michael S.
Published: April 2022

Objective:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has required healthcare systems and hospitals to rapidly modify standard practice, including antimicrobial stewardship services. Our study examines the impact of COVID-19 on the antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist.

Design:

A survey was distributed nationally to all healthcare improvement company members.

Participants:

Pharmacist participants were mostly leaders of antimicrobial stewardship programs distributed evenly across the United States and representing urban, suburban, and rural health-system practice sites.

Results:

Participants reported relative increases in time spent completing tasks related to medication access and preauthorization (300%; P = .018) and administrative meeting time (34%; P = .067) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Time spent rounding, making interventions, performing pharmacokinetic services, and medication reconciliation decreased.

Conclusion:

A shift away from clinical activities may negatively affect the utilization of antimicrobials.
Mental health and wellbeing at work in the UK: current legal approaches
Authors: Almond Paul , Horton Rachel , James Grace
Published: April 2022

In this paper we outline and critique legal approaches to poor mental health at work in the UK. We argue that the current legal framework is not ‘fit for purpose’. Overall, the existing framework promotes a problematic model that is ineffective because each element, individually and as part of the whole, fails to adequately engage with the nuanced realities of the relationship between undertaking paid work and suffering poor mental health. It is, we suggest, disjointed because it has evolved from a patchwork of provisions, each with different foundations, motivations, ambitions and flaws. The need for a re-focus, and what this might entail, is considered, and the capacity of a model centred on addressing workplace mental health as a manifestation of broader notions of vulnerability is explored.
Rocks and Hard Places: Gender, Satire, and Social Reproduction in Pre-Revolutionary Iran
Authors: Razavi Sahar
Published: April 2022

This article examines the ways that Iranian women have been situated in the nation-building exercise from the White Revolution of 1963 to the 1979 revolution and period of consolidation of clerical power. Social Reproduction Theory elucidates critical facets of both state control and spaces of counterhegemonic resistance. These spaces include publications like Tawfiq, a political satire magazine published in the Pahlavi era, which is featured in the analysis as a site of political contestation that could be utilized and expanded by other opposition groups. This paper argues that in contrast to the popularly accepted dichotomy between liberalized and regressive gender roles, this arena represented a critical failure on the part of the secular opposition, which enabled the clerical faction to co-opt and take control of narratives in which they cast themselves as protectors of women and other vulnerable groups.
Use of batch anion exchange technique for separation of κ-casein glycomacropeptide from bovine whey fraction
Authors: Nakano Takuo , Betti Mirko
Published: April 2022

Bovine κ-casein glycomacropeptide (GMP) is a sialic acid containing glycopeptide, which is considered as a health promoting compound found in cheese whey. The study described in this research communication was undertaken to determine whether GMP with undetectable level of contaminating protein or phenylalanine can be isolated from bovine whey fraction using batch anion exchange technique with chitin as an adsorbent. A soluble whey fraction (SWF) prepared from 1 g whey protein isolate (WPI) was mixed with a slurry of 1 g chitin, and the mixture was incubated at pH 3.0. After incubation, the mixture was filtered, and the residue obtained (containing chitin-GMP complex) was washed with water and eluted stepwise with 0.5 M NaCl and 2.0 M NaCl. Most of GMP (corresponding to 75.8% of total sialic acid recovered) was eluted with 0.5 M NaCl. The recovered GMP accounted for 5.4% dry weight of WPI (or 18.9% dry weight of SWF). Amino acid analysis showed that there was no detectable level of contaminating amino acids including phenylalanine, histidine, arginine and tyrosine in the GMP fraction. It was concluded that the batch anion exchange method with chitin developed in this study can be used for the isolation of high purity GMP from bovine SWF.
Authenticity under threat: grated Parmesan cheese sold in Brazil
Authors: Fagnani Rafael , Damião Bruno Cesar Michelette , Trentin Régia Patrícia Saviani , Zanoni Ana Paula Kuller
Published: April 2022

This research communication depicts the quality and authenticity of grated Parmesan cheese sold in Brazil, with novel emphasis on ripening time. The sampling included all brands manufactured and packed at Brazilian dairy plants under federal inspection and sold in Londrina between June and September 2017. A total of 24 samples were analyzed (3 batches of 8 brands) for microbiological and compositional characteristics, including urea-PAGE electrophoresis for the quantitative determination of the milk proteins. About 80% of the samples were insufficiently ripened and 32% with low-fat content. Faced with these economically motivated food frauds, the authenticity of grated Parmesan in Brazil may be under threat. It is high recommended that future surveys and regulatory agencies go further than microbiological assessment, including and emphasizing the ripening time as the main parameter of grated Parmesan cheese.
Understanding the relationship between asthma and autism spectrum disorder: a population-based family and twin study
Authors: Gong Tong , Lundholm Cecilia , Lundström Sebastian , Kuja-Halkola Ralf , Taylor Mark J. , Almqvist Catarina
Published: April 2022

Background

There is some evidence that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently co-occurs with immune-mediated conditions including asthma. We aimed to explore the familial co-aggregation of ASD and asthma using different genetically informed designs.

Methods

We first examined familial co-aggregation of asthma and ASD in individuals born in Sweden from 1992 to 2007 (n = 1 569 944), including their full- and half-siblings (n = 1 704 388 and 356 544 pairs) and full cousins (n = 3 921 890 pairs), identified using Swedish register data. We then applied quantitative genetic modeling to siblings (n = 620 994 pairs) and twins who participated in the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden (n = 15 963 pairs) to estimate the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the co-aggregation. Finally, we estimated genetic correlations between traits using linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC).

Results

We observed a within-individual association [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28–1.37] and familial co-aggregation between asthma and ASD, and the magnitude of the associations decreased as the degree of relatedness decreased (full-siblings: OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.38–1.50, maternal half-siblings: OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.18–1.39, paternal half-siblings: OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.96–1.15, full cousins: OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.09), suggesting shared familial liability. Quantitative genetic models estimated statistically significant genetic correlations between ASD traits and asthma. Using the LDSC approach, we did not find statistically significant genetic correlations between asthma and ASD (coefficients between −0.09 and 0.12).

Conclusions

Using different genetically informed designs, we found some evidence of familial co-aggregation between asthma and ASD, suggesting the weak association between these disorders was influenced by shared genetics.
Efficacy of an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for subthreshold depression among Chinese adults: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ying Yuchen , Ji Yunxin , Kong Fanqian , Wang Minyao , Chen Qiqi , Wang Li , Hou Yanbin , Yu Libo , Zhu Lijie , Miao Pingping , Zhou Jing , Zhang Li , Yang Yiling , Wang Guanjun , Chen Ruijia , Liu Denong , Huang Wenjun , Lv Yueer , Lou Zhongze , Ruan Liemin
Published: April 2022

Background

Subthreshold depression (sD) negatively impacts well-being and psychosocial function and is more prevalent compared with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, as adults with sD are less likely to seek face-to-face intervention, internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) may overcome barriers of accessibility to psychotherapy. Although several trials explored the efficacy of ICBT for sD, the results remain inconsistent. This study evaluated whether ICBT is effective in reducing depressive symptoms among Chinese adults with sD.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was performed. The participants were randomly assigned to 5 weeks of ICBT, group-based face-to-face cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), or a waiting list (WL). Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention and at a 6-month follow-up. The primary outcome measured depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Outcomes were analyzed using a mixed-effects model to assess the effects of ICBT.

Results

ICBT participants reported greater reductions on all the outcomes compared to the WL group at post-intervention. The ICBT group showed larger improvement on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at post-intervention (d = 0.12) and at follow-up (d = 0.10), and with CES-D at post-intervention (d = 0.06), compared to the CBT group.

Conclusions

ICBT is effective in reducing depressive symptoms among Chinese adults with sD, and improvements in outcomes were sustained at a 6-month follow-up. Considering the low rates of face-to-face psychotherapy, our findings highlight the considerable potential and implications for the Chinese government to promote the use of ICBT for sD in China.
Association of childhood bullying victimisation with suicide deaths: findings from a 50-year nationwide cohort study
Authors: Geoffroy Marie-Claude , Arseneault Louise , Girard Alain , Ouellet-Morin Isabelle , Power Chris
Published: April 2022

Background

Bullying victimisation has been associated with increased risk of suicide ideation and attempt throughout the lifespan, but no study has yet examined whether it translates to a greater risk of death by suicide. We aimed to determine the association of bullying victimisation with suicide mortality.

Methods

Participants were drawn from the 1958 British birth cohort, a prospective follow-up of all births in 1 week in Britain in 1958. We conducted logistic regressions on 14 946 participants whose mothers reported bullying victimisation at 7 and 11 years with linked information on suicide deaths through the National Health Service Central Register.

Results

Fifty-five participants (48 males) had died by suicide between the age 18 and 52 years. Bullying victimisation was associated with suicide mortality; a one standard deviation increases in bullying victimisation linked to an increased odds for suicide mortality [odds ratio (OR) 1.29; 1.02–1.64] during adulthood. The OR attenuated by 11% after adjustment for individual (e.g. behavioural and emotional problems) and familial characteristics (e.g. adverse childhood experiences, 1.18; 0.92–1.51). Analysis of bullying victimisation frequency categories yields similar results: compared with individuals who had not been bullied, those who had been frequently bullied had an increased odds for suicide mortality (OR 1.89; 0.99–3.62).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that individuals who have been frequently bullied have a small increased risk of dying by suicide, when no other risk factors is considered. Suicide prevention might start in childhood, with bullying included in a range of inter-correlated vulnerabilities encompassing behavioural and emotional difficulties and adverse experiences within the family.
Are Social Impact Bonds an Innovation in Finance or Do They Help Finance Social Innovation?
Authors: OLSON HILARY , PAINTER GARY , ALBERTSON KEVIN , FOX CHRISTOPHER , O’LEARY CHRISTOPHER
Published: April 2022

Outcomes Based Commissioning (OBC) – for example, Pay for Success (in the US) or Payment by Results (in the UK) – has been suggested as a way to provide ‘more’ social services for ‘less’ public resources. Such commissioning is often linked with an innovative financing tool called a Social Impact Bond (SIB). Using data from the Social Finance UK Database and focusing on SIBs in the US and UK, we evaluate whether the SIB approach aligns with the theoretical predictions of social innovation. The results provide limited evidence that SIBs facilitate capital injections from the private sector into the production of social goods as well as facilitate parts of the process of social innovation – namely, piloting and scaling. We conclude that there is significant variation, both between the US and UK and within the US, in social innovation ecosystems and the role played by SIBs.
Drivers of prohibited natural resource collection in Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Authors: Yabiku Scott T , Sullivan Abigail , York Abigail M , Zhao Qunshan , Glick Jennifer E , Hall Sharon J , Ghimire Dirgha J , An Li
Published: April 2022

Protected areas (PAs) are critical for achieving conservation, economic and development goals, but the factors that lead households to engage in prohibited resource collection in PAs are not well understood. We examine collection behaviours in community forests and the protected Chitwan National Park in Chitwan, Nepal. Our approach incorporates household and ecological data, including structured interviews, spatially explicit data on collection behaviours measured with computer tablets and a systematic field survey of invasive species. We pair our data with a framework that considers factors related to a household’s demand for resources, barriers to prohibited resource collection, barriers to legal resource collection and alternatives to resource collection. The analysis identifies key drivers of prohibited collection, including sociodemographic variables and perceptions of an invasive plant (Mikania micrantha). The social-ecological systems approach reveals that household perceptions of the presence of M. micrantha were more strongly associated with resource collection decisions than the actual ecologically measured presence of the plant. We explore the policy implications of our findings for PAs and propose that employing a social-ecological systems approach leads to conservation policy and scientific insights that are not possible to achieve with social or ecological approaches alone.