bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Falls and falls‐related injuries in individuals with chronic ankle symptoms: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Al Mahrouqi Munira M. , Vicenzino Bill , MacDonald David A. , Smith Michelle D.
Published: August 2023

Background

Falls are a major public health concern globally. While falls are associated with osteoarthritis and persistent pain at the hip and knee, falls have not been investigated in people with chronic ankle symptoms. This study aimed to compare self‐reported history of falls between adults with and without chronic ankle symptoms. Secondary aims were to compare concern about falling and balance confidence between groups, and to identify factors associated with falling.

Methods

A total of 226 participants (134 with chronic ankle pain and/or stiffness and 92 controls) participated in this cross‐sectional case–control study. Participants completed an online questionnaire about falls in the past 12 months, injuries associated with falling, concern about falling, balance confidence, function, pain and multimorbidity.

Results

Eighty‐six (64%) participants with chronic ankle symptoms and 24 (26%) controls reported at least one fall in the last 12 months (p < 0.001). Participants with chronic ankle symptoms reported more falls, more injurious falls, and more hospitalisations because of a fall than controls (p > 0.002). There was a small effect for lower balance confidence and higher concern about falling in symptomatic participants (standardised mean difference: 0.39–0.49; p > 0.017). Logistic regression analysis identified that falling was associated with the presence of ankle symptoms (3.08 (1.20, 7.92); p = 0.02) and concern about falling (odds ratio (95% confidence intervals): 1.13 (1.05, 1.23); p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Falls and falls‐related injuries are a problem in individuals with chronic ankle symptoms. The high falls occurrence and concern about falling in individuals with chronic ankle symptoms suggest the need for clinicians to assess these factors in this population.
Some spectral domain in approximate point-spectrum-preserving maps on $\mathcal {B}(\mathcal {X})$
Authors: Wang Ying
Published: August 2023

Let $\mathcal {X}$
X
be an infinite-dimensional complex Banach space, $\mathcal {B}(\mathcal {X})$
B
(
X
)
the algebra of all bounded linear operators on $\mathcal {X}$
X
. Denote the spectral domain by $\sigma _{\gamma}(T)=\{\lambda \in \sigma _{a}(T): T { \text{ that is semi-Fredholm and }} asc(T-\lambda I)<\infty \}$

σ
γ

(
T
)
=
{
λ
∈

σ
a

(
T
)
:
T
 that is semi-Fredholm and 
a
s
c
(
T
−
λ
I
)
<
∞
}
. In this paper, we characterize the structure of additive surjective maps $\varphi : \mathcal {B}(\mathcal {X})\rightarrow \mathcal {B}(\mathcal {X})$
φ
:
B
(
X
)
→
B
(
X
)
with $\sigma _{\gamma}(\varphi (T))=\sigma _{\gamma}(T)$

σ
γ

(
φ
(
T
)
)
=

σ
γ

(
T
)
for all $T\in \mathcal{B(X)}$
T
∈

B
(
X
)

.
New product-type oscillation criteria for first-order linear differential equations with several nonmonotone arguments
Authors: Attia Emad R. , El-Morshedy Hassan A.
Published: August 2023

We use an improved technique to establish new sufficient criteria of product type for the oscillation of the delay differential equation $$\begin{aligned} x'(t)+\sum_{l=1}^{m} b_{l}(t)x\bigl(\sigma _{l}(t)\bigr)= 0,\quad t\geq t_{0}, \end{aligned}$$

x
′

(
t
)
+

∑

l
=
1

m

b
l

(
t
)
x

(

σ
l

(
t
)
)

=
0
,

t
≥

t
0

,
with $b_{l},\sigma _{l}\in C([t_{0},\infty ),[0,\infty ))$

b
l

,

σ
l

∈
C
(
[

t
0

,
∞
)
,
[
0
,
∞
)
)
such that $\sigma _{l}(t)\leq t$

σ
l

(
t
)
≤
t
and $\lim_{t \rightarrow \infty} \sigma _{l}(t)=\infty $

lim

t
→
∞

σ
l

(
t
)
=
∞
, $l=1,2,\ldots,m$
l
=
1
,
2
,
…
,
m
. The obtained results are applicable for the nonmonotone delay case. Their strength is supported by a detailed practical example.
A coupled complex mKdV equation and its N-soliton solutions via the Riemann–Hilbert approach
Authors: Xu Siqi
Published: August 2023

This paper concerns the initial value problem of a coupled complex mKdV (CCMKDV) equations $$ \begin{aligned} &u_{t}+u_{xxx}+6 \bigl( \vert u \vert ^{2}+ \vert v \vert ^{2} \bigr)u_{x}+6u\bigl( \vert v \vert ^{2} \bigr)_{x}=0, \\ &v_{t}+v_{xxx}+6\bigl( \vert u \vert ^{2}+ \vert v \vert ^{2}\bigr)v_{x}+6v \bigl( \vert u \vert ^{2}\bigr)_{x}=0, \end{aligned} $$

u
t

+

u

x
x
x

+
6

(
|
u

|
2

+
|
v

|
2

)

u
x

+
6
u

(
|
v

|
2

)

x

=
0
,

v
t

+

v

x
x
x

+
6

(
|
u

|
2

+
|
v

|
2

)

v
x

+
6
v

(
|
u

|
2

)

x

=
0
,

proposed by Yang (Nonlinear Waves in Integrable and Nonintegrable Systems, 2010), which is associated with a $4 \times 4$
4
×
4
scattering problem. Based on matrix spectral analysis, a fourth-order matrix Riemann–Hilbert problem is formulated. By solving a specific nonregular Riemann–Hilbert problem with zeros, we present the N-soliton solutions for the CCMKDV system. Moreover, the single-soliton solutions are displayed graphically.
Consumption of milk and dairy products and risk of asthma in children: a systematic review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Song Feng , Xie Yang , Guo Nannan , Zhao Hulei
Published: August 2023

Background

Some reports demonstrate that asthma benefits from milk and dairy products, however, the findings are controversial. We used meta-analysis as a tool to summarize published data on the association between dairy products consumption and asthma.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies of dairy products and asthma in children in PubMed, ISI (Web of Science), and EMBASE until 21 July 2022. Random-effect meta-analyses with summarized data were performed for total (high/low) milk and dairy intake. Subgroup analysis was used to identify sources of variation in responses. Publication bias and sensitivity analysis were done to examine the stability of results.

Results

There was no correlation between consumption of dairy products and reduced risk of asthma (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.60–1.05). Our results revealed that elevated consumption of milk and dairy has significant correlation with reduced risk of asthma in Non-Asian population (OR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.51–0.96) and high quality studies (OR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.50–0.95). No individual study influence and publication bias was seen in the sensitivity analysis and publication bias assessment.

Conclusion

There was no correlation between consumption of dairy products and reduced risk of asthma. However, we observed that elevated consumption of milk and dairy has significant correlation with reduced risk of asthma in Non-Asian population and high quality studies. More high-quality and population-specific studies should be conducted to determine the risk link between milk consumption and asthma in children.
The development of habitable urban skyways: claiming interstitial territories through evolutionary processes
Authors: Blewett Liam , Nguyen Ngoc Xuan Huy , Makki Mohammed , Showkatbakhsh Milad
Published: August 2023

Urban skyways, in which an elevated pedestrian-friendly layer of the city is applied to the existing urban fabric, have evolved from radical conceptual proposals in the mid-twentieth century, such as the continuous monument by SuperStudio, to increasingly realised proposals over the last 30 years, such as the highline project in Manhattan. Developed as either networks that respond to harsh climatic conditions, or solutions that aim to reclaim part of the city for pedestrian use, their use has been additive rather than integrative, in most cases culminating in elevated walkways. This article proposes an alternative approach to the utilisation of urban skyways within existing cities, in which the question of habitation is a primary driver. The research involved the application of sequential evolutionary simulations, to locations in the city of Paris, as an algorithmic approach to achieve multiple conflicting objectives. The results demonstrate the value of urban skyways as habitable spaces that respond to the city as well as being informed by it, in which issues of overpopulation, lack of public space, climatic response and urban farmlands—all of which impact most megacities today—shape the urban decision-making process.
Development of an individual helmet orthosis for infants based on a 3D scan
Authors: Kropla Fabian , Hoffmann Martin , Winkler Dirk , Krause Matthias , Scholz Sebastian , Grunert Ronny
Published: August 2023

An early childhood skull deformity can have long-term health and aesthetic consequences for the growing toddler. Individual helmet therapy aims at a healthy growth of the skull shape, although not every helmet shape guarantees an optimal result. To ensure an optimal fit, a scanning procedure based on a hand-held surface scanner was evaluated.

The new helmet orthosis has an inner layer adapted to the shape of the head, which can be exchanged depending on the growth stage without changing the outer layer.

In collaboration with surgeons and engineers, a new helmet orthosis concept was developed that is intended to offer improvements in wearing comfort, overall weight, fit and user-friendliness compared to conventional systems. In the course of the development process and in constant exchange with parents, a multi-layer helmet system with generous perforations was created using additive manufacturing processes. The new helmet shape promises easier handling, especially through the closure system.

The helmet shape developed in this study is of high quality, especially in terms of fitting accuracy. Unpleasant perspiration is significantly reduced. The integration of the closure as a direct component of the helmet represents a secure closure option.
Unraveling the mystery of the cosmological constant: Does spacetime uncertainty hold the key?(a)
Authors: Ali Ahmed Farag , Inan Nader
Published: August 2023

In addressing the cosmological constant problem, we propose that the discrepancy between the theoretical and observed values can be ascribed to the inherent uncertainty in the spacetime metric. Mach's principle, which posits that mass shapes spacetime, intersects with quantum mechanics’ description of a particle as a quantum cloud, rendering the precise location of a particle's mass unknowable. Consequently, understanding spacetime structure at the quantum level becomes elusive. This connection between quantum and spacetime uncertainty could hold the key to resolving the cosmological constant problem. Intriguingly, the length scale of spacetime uncertainty, aligns with the macroscopic quantum weirdness observed in recent experiments. The spacetime uncertainty can be quantified by the scale factor in the Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) universe.
Speaking on Behalf of the Korean King
Authors: Yin Shoufu
Published: August 2023

During the late sixteenth century, top-tier elites of Ming China wrote mock memorials on behalf of the king of Chosŏn Korea. While the Chinese court developed this prompt to familiarize its officials with the changing geopolitics and test their abilities to elaborate on the greatness of China, up until the sixteenth century, elites turned this exercise into an opportunity to rethink the proper order of the world. Notably, some of them epitomized by Ye Xianggao made the critical step to advocate the Korean perspective with words that were even more “intense” than their Korean counterparts. These mock exercises offer access to an important yet much-underappreciated aspect of political culture in early modern China; accordingly, those who had received or had been receiving rhetorical training were actively exploring alternative possibilities of speaking for political and cultural others in a hierarchical world order.
The use of platelet-rich plasma in osteoarthritis - the current state of knowledge
Authors: Pawlak Anna , Jaremek Anna , Kępa Joanna , Kandefer Norbert , Wyszkowski Michał , Grabarczyk Aleksandra , Grad Sylwia , Gregorek Małgorzata , Gregorek Paweł
Published: August 2023

Introduction and objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition characterized by progressive damage to the joint cartilage and bone. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has gained increasing interest as a potential therapeutic approach for relieving symptoms and improving joint function. The aim of this article is to present the current knowledge regarding the PRP preparation method, mechanisms of action, and treatment outcomes in OA based on scientific literature and recent research.
Materials and methods: A review of scientific literature available on Google Scholar, PubMed, and Via Medica journal database was conducted using relevant keywords.
State of knowledge: Platelet-rich plasma is obtained from the patient's own blood using differential centrifugation method, resulting in a concentration of platelets (PLT) that is 300-700% higher compared to the baseline. PLTs release various biologically active substances, including growth factors, which stimulate tissue repair and regeneration processes. Numerous studies have shown that PRP administration in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip joints leads to pain reduction and improved joint function. The therapeutic effect yields long-lasting results, lasting up to 12 months after the completion of the treatment.
Conclusions: The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of osteoarthritis presents a promising alternative to conventional therapies. However, further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of PRP on a larger sample size and assess the long-term effects of this therapy. Knowledge regarding dosage, treatment protocols, and the duration of therapy remains limited.
An Optimization-Based Order-and-Cut Approach for Fair Clustering of Data Sets
Authors: Li Su , Aprahamian Hrayer , Nouiehed Maher , El-Amine Hadi
Published: August 2023

Machine learning algorithms have been increasingly integrated into applications that significantly affect human lives. This surged an interest in designing algorithms that train machine learning models to minimize training error and imposing a certain level of fairness. In this paper, we consider the problem of fair clustering of data sets. In particular, given a set of items each associated with a vector of nonsensitive attribute values and a categorical sensitive attribute (e.g., gender, race, etc.), our goal is to find a clustering of the items that minimizes the loss (i.e., clustering objective) function and imposes fairness measured by Rényi correlation. We propose an efficient and scalable in-processing algorithm, driven by findings from the field of combinatorial optimization, that heuristically solves the underlying optimization problem and allows for regulating the trade-off between clustering quality and fairness. The approach does not restrict the analysis to a specific loss function, but instead considers a more general form that satisfies certain desirable properties. This broadens the scope of the algorithm’s applicability. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm for the specific case of k-means clustering as it is one of the most extensively studied and widely adopted clustering schemes. Our numerical experiments reveal the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms existing methods by providing a more effective mechanism to regulate the trade-off between loss and fairness.

History: Rema Padman served as the senior editor for this article.

Data Ethics & Reproducibility Note: The code capsule is available on Code Ocean at https://doi.org/10.24433/CO.9556728.v1 and in the e-Companion to this article (available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijds.2022.0005 ).
Registration-Free Localization of Defects in Three-Dimensional Parts from Mesh Metrology Data Using Functional Maps
Authors: Zhao Xueqi , del Castillo Enrique
Published: August 2023

We consider a common problem occurring after using a statistical process control (SPC) method based on three-dimensional measurements: locate where on the surface of the part that triggered an out-of-control alarm there is a significant shape difference with respect to either an in-control part or its nominal (computer-aided design (CAD)) design. In the past, only registration-based solutions existed for this problem, which first orient and locate the part and its nominal design under the same frame of reference. Recently, spectral Laplacian methods have been proposed for the SPC of discrete parts and their measured surface meshes. These techniques provide an intrinsic solution to the SPC problem: that is, a solution exclusively based on data whose coordinates lie on the surfaces without making reference to their ambient space, thus avoiding registration. Registration-free methods avoid the computationally expensive, nonconvex registration step needed to align the parts as required by previous methods, eliminating registration errors, and they are important in industry because of the increasing use of portable noncontact scanners. In this paper, we first present a new registration-free solution to the post-SPC part defect localization problem. The approach uses a spectral decomposition of the Laplace–Beltrami operator in order to construct a functional map between the CAD and measured manifolds to locate defects on the suspected part. A computational complexity analysis demonstrates the approach scales better with the mesh size and is more stable than a registration-based approach. To reduce computational expense, a new mesh partitioning algorithm is presented to find a region of interest on the surface of the part where defects are more likely to exist. The functional map method involves a large number of point-to-point comparisons based on noisy measurements, and a new statistical thresholding method used to filter the false positives in the underlying massive multiple comparisons problem is also provided.

History: Bianca Maria Colosimo served as the senior editor for this article.

Funding: This research was partially funded by the National Science Foundation [Grant CMMI 2121625].

Data Ethics & Reproducibility Note: There are no data ethics considerations. The code capsule is available on Code Ocean at https://codeocean.com/capsule/4615101/tree/v1 and in the e-Companion to this article (available https://doi.org/10.1287/ijds.2023.0030 ).
When the Data Are Out: Measuring Behavioral Changes Following a Data Breach
Authors: Turjeman Dana , Feinberg Fred M.
Published: August 2023

This paper investigates users’ reactions to a massive and highly sensitive data breach via an array of causal inference methodologies.
Optimal Learning for Structured Bandits
Authors: Van Parys Bart , Golrezaei Negin
Published: August 2023

We study structured multiarmed bandits, which is the problem of online decision-making under uncertainty in the presence of structural information. In this problem, the decision-maker needs to discover the best course of action despite observing only uncertain rewards over time. The decision-maker is aware of certain convex structural information regarding the reward distributions; that is, the decision-maker knows that the reward distributions of the arms belong to a convex compact set. In the presence of such structural information, the decision-maker then would like to minimize his or her regret by exploiting this information, where the regret is its performance difference against a benchmark policy that knows the best action ahead of time. In the absence of structural information, the classical upper confidence bound (UCB) and Thomson sampling algorithms are well known to suffer minimal regret. However, as recently pointed out by Russo and Van Roy (2018) and Lattimore and Szepesvari (2017) , neither algorithm is capable of exploiting structural information that is commonly available in practice. We propose a novel learning algorithm that we call “DUSA,” whose regret matches the information-theoretic regret lower bound up to a constant factor and can handle a wide range of structural information. Our algorithm DUSA solves a dual counterpart of the regret lower bound at the empirical reward distribution and follows its suggested play. We show that this idea leads to the first computationally viable learning policy with asymptotic minimal regret for various structural information, including well-known structured bandits such as linear, Lipschitz, and convex bandits and novel structured bandits that have not been studied in the literature because of the lack of a unified and flexible framework.

Funding: N. Golrezaei was supported in part by the Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) [Grant N00014-21-1-2776] and the MIT Research Support Award.

This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, Optimization
Self-Disclosure and Respect: Understanding the Engagement of Value Minorities
Authors: Dumas Tracy L. , Doyle Sarah P. , Lount Robert B.
Published: August 2023

Organizations benefit from including employees with dissimilar values and perspectives, but their ability to realize these benefits is constrained by the degree to which those holding the dissimilar values (i.e., value minorities) feel comfortable engaging with their colleagues and the work of the collective. We extend theory on value dissimilarity by directly examining the experience of individuals whose values are dissimilar from those of their colleagues, and factors driving their engagement in work. Our examination spanned three studies: a laboratory experiment, a vignette study of employed adults, and a three-wave survey of student project groups. We found that the negative relationship between holding dissimilar values from one’s colleagues and engagement was lessened when value minorities disclosed personal information unrelated to their dissimilar values (Studies 1–3). Self-disclosure also moderated the negative relationship between value dissimilarity and feeling respected by one’s colleagues (Studies 2 and 3). Furthermore, felt respect mediated the effect of value dissimilarity on engagement, and this indirect effect was moderated by self-disclosure (Studies 2 and 3). Overall, this research is relevant to organizations seeking to capitalize upon the benefits of minority perspectives in the workforce but suggests that a critical first step is to prioritize the experience of value minorities and the decreased sense of social worth that can accompany this experience. By fostering an environment conducive to self-disclosure, organizations can help to alleviate the discomfort associated with value dissimilarity, thereby ensuring that all people, including the value minority, feel respected and are maximally engaged at work.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.15768 .
A Three-Front Parallel Branch-and-Cut Algorithm for Production and Inventory Routing Problems
Authors: Schenekemberg Cleder Marcos , Guimarães Thiago André , Chaves Antonio Augusto , Coelho Leandro C.
Published: August 2023

Production and inventory routing problems consider a single-product supply chain operating under a vendor-managed inventory system. A plant creates a production plan and vehicle routes over a planning horizon to replenish its customers at minimum cost. In this paper, we present two- and three-index formulations, implement a branch-and-cut algorithm based on each formulation, and introduce a local search matheuristic-based algorithm to solve the problem. In order to combine all benefits of each algorithm, we design a parallel framework to integrate all three fronts, called the three-front parallel branch-and-cut algorithm (3FP-B&C). We assess the performance of our method on well-known benchmark instances of the inventory routing problem (IRP) and the production routing problem (PRP). The results show that our 3FP-B&C outperforms by far other approaches from the literature. For the 956 feasible small-size IRP instances, our method proves optimality for 746, being the first exact algorithm to solve all instances with up to two vehicles. 3FP-B&C finds 949 best known solutions (BKS) with 153 new BKS (NBKS). For the large-size set, our method provides two new optimal solutions (OPT), and finds 82% of BKS, being 70% of NBKS for instances with up to five vehicles. This result is more than twice the number of BKS considering all heuristic methods from the literature combined. Finally, our 3FP-B&C finds the best lower bounds (BLB) for 1,169/1,316 instances, outperforming all previous exact algorithms. On the PRP, our method obtained 278 OPT out of the 336 instances of benchmark set of small- and medium-size instances being 19 new ones in addition to 335 BKS (74 NBKS) and 313 BLB (52 new ones). On another set of PRP with medium- and large-size instances, our algorithm finds 1,105 BKS out of 1,440 instances with 584 NBKS. Besides that, our 3FP-B&C is the first exact algorithm to solve the instances with an unlimited fleet, providing the first lower bounds for this subset with an average optimality gap of 0.61%. We also address a very large-size instance set, the second exact algorithm to address this set, outperforming the previous approach by far. Finally, a comparative analysis of each front shows the gains of the integrated approach.

History: This paper has been accepted for the Transportation Science Special Issue: DIMACS Implementation Challenge: Vehicle Routing.

Funding: C. M. Schenekemberg was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) [Grant 2020/07145-8]. A. A. Chaves was supported by FAPESP [Grants 2018/15417-8 and 2016/01860-1] and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [Grants 312747/2021-7 and 405702/2021-3]. L. C. Coelho was supported by the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council [Grant 2019-00094].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2022.0261 .
Cartas de amor em chamas: código e desejo na paixão de um homem (não-)ficcional
Authors: Couto Bruno Oliveira
Published: August 2023

Este artigo propõe uma leitura do livro Amor mais que maiúsculo: cartas a Luiz Augusto (2022), de Ana Cristina César, em diálogo com o filme Her, de Spike Jonze (2013), estabelecendo paralelos com a crítica de Roland Barthes e Gaston Bachelard. Para tanto, partindo da proposta simbólica de Bachelard - sobre o fogo e suas alusões -, interessa pensar os objetos de desejo de Luiz Augusto e Theodore Twombly, além dos pontos estéticos fundamentais principalmente o que tange a carta e o sujeito enamorado.
Care in the community for patients with liver disease
Authors: Brown Michelle , Mortimore Gerri
Published: August 2023

Liver disease is one of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS today. Michelle Brown and Gerri Mortimore look at how this condition can be assessed and managed by nurses working in primary care.

This article focuses on liver disease, its increasing prevalence and associated mortality. It will discuss how liver cirrhosis leads to the development of portal hypertension and the many complications associated with this, along with the increased risk of developing liver cancer. This makes treatment, management, and care for patients with liver cirrhosis complex. It is important that loved ones and health care professionals have the time and an ability to respond to changes in the patient's condition, and journey through to end-of-life. This is paramount to ensure a dignified death. However, advanced liver disease can mean that these conversations, preparation, and decisions may not be possible due to the rapid progression of disease. This article will reflect on these difficult conversations and the preparation for the reality of dying in a community setting with what often features a complex symptom presentation and treatment.
Terahertz beam characterization by temporal-spatial mapping with a reflecting echelon
Authors: Gegen Tana , Zhong Kai , Qiao Hongzhan , Yi Lina , Liu Yuxin , Yan Fuchen , Li Jining , Xu Degang , Yao Jian-Quan
Published: August 2023

A terahertz beam imaging method was proposed that involves scanning a reflecting echelon with temporal-spatial mapping inversion based on self-developed translation-scan and rotation-scan temporal-spatial mapping (TTSM and RTSM) algorithms. The beam characteristics of a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) system, such as its size, shape, and energy distribution, were obtained. Besides the weak terahertz beam emitted from a TDS system, this scheme is also suitable for imaging large-size terahertz or laser beams in time-domain systems where existing beam imaging is impractical.
Accurate detection of shared genetic architecture from GWAS summary statistics in the small-sample context
Authors: Willis Thomas W. , Wallace Chris
Published: August 2023

Assessment of the genetic similarity between two phenotypes can provide insight into a common genetic aetiology and inform the use of pleiotropy-informed, cross-phenotype analytical methods to identify novel genetic associations. The genetic correlation is a well-known means of quantifying and testing for genetic similarity between traits, but its estimates are subject to comparatively large sampling error. This makes it unsuitable for use in a small-sample context. We discuss the use of a previously published nonparametric test of genetic similarity for application to GWAS summary statistics. We establish that the null distribution of the test statistic is modelled better by an extreme value distribution than a transformation of the standard exponential distribution. We show with simulation studies and real data from GWAS of 18 phenotypes from the UK Biobank that the test is to be preferred for use with small sample sizes, particularly when genetic effects are few and large, outperforming the genetic correlation and another nonparametric statistical test of independence. We find the test suitable for the detection of genetic similarity in the rare disease context.
Nomen est omen? How and when company name fluency affects return expectations
Authors: Fenneman Achiel , Janssen Dirk-Jan , Nolte Sven , Zeisberger Stefan
Published: August 2023

Investors perceive stocks of companies with fluent names as more profitable. This perception may result from two different channels: a direct, non-deliberate affect toward fluent names or a deliberate interpretation of fluent names as a signal for company quality. We use preregistered experiments to disentangle these channels and test their limitations. Our results indicate the existence of a significant non-deliberate fluency effect, while the deliberate fluency effect can be activated and deactivated in boundary cases. Both effects are consistent across different groups of participants. However, whereas the fluency effect is strong in isolation, it has limitations when investors are confronted with additional information about the stock.
Investigating intentional cranial modification: A hybridized two-dimensional/three-dimensional study of the Hirota site, Tanegashima, Japan
Authors: Seguchi Noriko , Loftus James Frances , Yonemoto Shiori , Murphy Mary-Margaret
Published: August 2023

Intentional cranial modification has a long history, being a ubiquitous practice in many cultures around the world for millennia. The crania excavated at the Hirota site on Tanegashima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, has been previously noted to have a marked tendency toward a short head and a flattened occipital bone, which has been suggested to be the result of artificial cranial deformation. However, whether this deformation was intentional or caused by unintentional habits remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of the cranial shape of the Hirota site to clarify whether the crania were intentionally modified. In the examination of Hirota crania, Kyushu Island Jomon and Doigahama Yayoi crania were added as comparative data and contrasted with three-dimensional (3D) surface scan imaging and two-dimensional outline-based geometric morphometric analysis, combined with objective assessments of potential cranial modification. The results showcased Hirota’s short and flattened cranial morphology, indicating clear alignment with our hypothesis that Hirota samples are morphologically different from Doigahama and Jomon samples. No sex-based differences were found. Morphological abnormalities in cranial sutures were visually assessed utilizing novel 3D visualization methods of cranial outer surfaces. Based on a comprehensive review of the results, we concluded that Hirota site crania were intentionally modified. Although the motivation of the practice is unclear, the Hirota people may have deformed their crania to preserve group identity and possibly aid in the long-distance trade of shellfish, as seen archaeologically.
Optimal allocation of clusters in stepped wedge designs with a decaying correlation structure
Authors: Moerbeek Mirjam
Published: August 2023

The cluster randomized stepped wedge design is a multi-period uni-directional switch design in which all clusters start in the control condition and at the beginning of each new period a random sample of clusters crosses over to the intervention condition. Such designs often use uniform allocation, with an equal number of clusters at each treatment switch. However, the uniform allocation is not necessarily the most efficient. This study derives the optimal allocation of clusters to treatment sequences in the cluster randomized stepped wedge design, for both cohort and cross-sectional designs. The correlation structure is exponential decay, meaning the correlation decreases with the time lag between two measurements. The optimal allocation is shown to depend on the intraclass correlation coefficient, the number of subjects per cluster-period and the cluster and (in the case of a cohort design) individual autocorrelation coefficients. For small to medium values of these autocorrelations those sequences that have their treatment switch earlier or later in the study are allocated a larger proportion of clusters than those clusters that have their treatment switch halfway the study. When the autocorrelation coefficients increase, the clusters become more equally distributed across the treatment sequences. For the cohort design, the optimal allocation is almost equal to the uniform allocation when both autocorrelations approach the value 1. For almost all scenarios that were studied, the efficiency of the uniform allocation is 0.8 or higher. R code to derive the optimal allocation is available online.
Associations between dementia staging, neuropsychiatric behavioral symptoms, and divorce or separation in late life: A case control study
Authors: Monin Joan K. , McAvay Gail , Zang Emma , Vander Wyk Brent , Carrión Carmen I. , Allore Heather
Published: August 2023

Dementia can be difficult for married couples for many reasons, including the introduction of caregiving burden, loss of intimacy, and financial strain. In this study, we investigated the impact of dementia staging and neuropsychiatric behavioral symptoms on the likelihood of divorce or separation for older adult married couples. For this case-control study, we used data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform dataset (UDS) versions 2 and 3. This dataset was from 2007 to 2021 and contains standardized clinical information submitted by NIA/NIH Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) across the United States (US). This data was from 37 ADRCs. We selected participants who were married or living as married/domestic partners at their initial visit. Cases were defined by a first divorce/separation occurring during the follow-up period, resulting in 291 participants. We selected 5 controls for each married/living as married case and matched on age. Conditional logistic regression estimated the association between overall Neuro Psychiatric Inventory (NPI) score and severity of individual symptoms of the NPI with case/control status, adjusted for education, the CDR® Dementia Staging Instrument score, living situation, symptom informant, sex, and race. Separate analyses were conducted for each symptom. Multiple comparisons were accounted for with the Hochberg method. Later stage of dementia was negatively associated with divorce/separation with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.68 (95%CI = 0.50 to 0.93). A higher overall NPI score was positively associated with divorce/separation AOR = 1.08 (95% CI = 1.03 to 1.12,). More severe ratings of agitation/aggression, depression/dysphoria, disinhibition, and elation/euphoria were associated with greater odds of divorce/separation. Among older adults in the US, a later stage of dementia is associated with a lower likelihood of divorce or separation, while having more severe neuropsychiatric behavioral symptoms of agitation/aggression, depression/dysphoria, disinhibition, and elation/euphoria are associated with a higher likelihood of divorce or separation.
Acceptability of risk-based triage in cervical cancer screening: A focus group study
Authors: Bas Sharell , Sijben Jasmijn , Bischoff Erik W. M. A. , Bekkers Ruud L. M. , de Kok Inge M. C. M. , Melchers Willem J. G. , Siebers Albert G. , van der Waal Daniëlle , Broeders Mireille J. M.
Published: August 2023

Background

Compared to the previous cytology-based program, the introduction of primary high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) based screening in 2017 has led to an increased number of referrals. To counter this, triage of hrHPV-positive women in cervical cancer screening can potentially be optimized by taking sociodemographic and lifestyle risk factors for cervical abnormalities into account. Therefore, it is essential to gain knowledge of the views of women (30–60 years) eligible for cervical cancer screening.

Objective

The main goal of this qualitative study was to gain insight in the aspects that influence acceptability of risk-based triage in cervical cancer screening.

Design

A focus group study in which participants were recruited via four general medical practices, and purposive sampling was used to maximize heterogeneity with regards to age, education level, and cervical cancer screening experiences.

Approach

The focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Participants

A total of 28 women (average age: 45.2 years) eligible for cervical cancer screening in The Netherlands participated in seven online focus group discussions. Half of the participants was higher educated, and the participants differed in previous cervical cancer screening participation and screening result.

Key results

In total, 5 main themes and 17 subthemes were identified that determine the acceptability of risk-stratified triage. The main themes are: 1) adequacy of the screening program: an evidence-based program that is able to minimize cancer incidence and reduce unnecessary referrals; 2) personal information (e.g., sensitive topics and stigma); 3) emotional impact: fear and reassurance; 4) communication (e.g., transparency); and 5) autonomy (e.g., prevention).

Conclusion

The current study highlights several challenges regarding the development and implementation of risk-based triage that need attention in order to be accepted by the target group. These challenges include dealing with sensitive topics and a transparent communication strategy.
Features and spatial effects of urban development and decline in resource-oriented cities: The case of Jilin, China
Authors: Zhu Xincheng
Published: August 2023

Transforming resource-based cities into sustainable economic development is a great challenge for policy-makers in many countries. However, the economic-centered evaluation system tends to breed the undesirable view of "GDP only" or “brown growth” in the previous case studies which is inconsistent with the long-run and sustainable development of resource-based cities. To fill in this research gap, this paper takes Jilin province in northeast China as a case study to explore urban development problems faced by major resource-based cities during resource depletion. This research constructs a stratified indicator system and conducts an in-depth analysis of the features and spatial effects of urban decline. For this analysis, this paper jointly uses the methods of entropy-weighted TOPSIS, analytic hierarchical process (AHP), and spatial effect model based on a database from 2000 to 2019. The findings of this study show that the current transformation of resource-based cities in Jilin province is generally ineffective and difficult to maintain long-run and sustainable development due to its historical reasons and industrial development background. According to the results, the resource-based cities in Jilin province show an unstable development because of factors such as barriers to the physical renewal of resources, rigid industrial structure, insufficient backup resources, and institutional and policy constraints. Also, the transformation of these cities into sustainable economic development is still facing demographic, social, and ecological difficulties.
Reforming the registration policy of female sex workers in Senegal? Evidence from a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Szawlowski Sandie , Treibich Carole , Lagarde Mylene , Mbaye El Hadj , Gueye Khady , Ndour Cheikh Tidiane , Lépine Aurélia
Published: August 2023

Evidence suggests that treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) amongst female sex workers (FSWs) is a cost-effective strategy to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. Senegal is the only African country where sex work is regulated by a public health policy which aims to monitor and routinely treat STIs. The law requires FSWs to be at least 21 years old, register with a health centre and the police, carry an up-to-date registration booklet, attend monthly health check-ups, and test negative for STIs. Despite health and legal benefits of registration, 80% of FSWs in Senegal are not registered. Hence, the potential health benefits of the policy have not materialised. To understand why FSWs do not want to register and to define policy changes that would increase the registration rate of FSWs in Senegal, we designed and implemented a discrete choice experiment (DCE) completed by 241 registered and 273 non-registered FSWs. Participants made choices between a series of hypothetical but realistic registration policy changes. Conditional logit models were used to analyse the DCE data. The results highlighted that confidentiality at the health facility was an important element, registered and non-registered FWs were respectively 26.0 percentage points (pp) and 22.1 pp more likely to prefer a policy that guaranteed confidentiality at the health centre. Similarly, both groups preferred a policy where their health record was only held at the health centre and not with the police. Several interventions to increase FSW registration rate and improve their wellbeing may be implemented without modifying the law. For example, the introduction of psychosocial support in the registration policy package, replacing the registration booklet by a QR code, the use of electronic medical files and the integration of FSWs routine visits with maternal health appointments to increase confidentiality have the potential to encourage registration of FSWs.
Biometric characteristics of winter rape plants (Brassica napus L.) before harvest in the soil and climatic conditions of north-eastern Poland
Authors: Sikorska Anna , Gugała Marek , Zarzecka Krystyna , Mystkowska Iwona , Ginter Agnieszka , Findura Pavol , Pristavka Miroslav
Published: August 2023

The research was based on a field experiment carried out in the Agricultural Experimental Station in the climatic and soil conditions of north-eastern Poland. The factors of the experiment were: I–morphotypes of winter oilseed rape: population, restored hybrid with a traditional type of growth, restored hybrid with a semi-dwarf type of growth. II–methods of using preparations: variant (1)—control–without using preparations; variant (2)–an organic preparation containing microorganisms as well as micro and macro elements (Ugmax); variant (3)–a biostimulant containing 13.0% of P₂0₅ and 5.0% of potassium oxide (K₂O); variant (4)–a biostimulant containing silicon. The objectives of study was to determine the effect of preparations containing microorganisms as this well as micro and macro-elements, phosphorus and potassium and silicon on the morphometric features of plants, such as: the height of the first fruit-bearing lateral branching on the main shoot, the thickness of the stem at the base, number of productive branches and siliques on the plant, the length of the pods, plant height before harvesting. The organic preparation containing microorganisms as well as micro and macro-elements, applied in the autumn before sowing seeds and in the spring after the start of vegetation, had the most beneficial effect on the biometric characteristics of plants before harvesting.
“If he has education, there will not be any problem”: Factors affecting access to education for children with disabilities in Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Aruldas Kumudha , Banks Lena Morgon , Nagarajan Guru , Roshan Reeba , Johnson Jabaselvi , Musendo David , Arpudharangam Isaac , Walson Judd L. , Shakespeare Tom , Ajjampur Sitara S. R.
Published: August 2023

This study explores factors affecting children with disabilities’ enrolment and experience in school in Tamil Nadu, India. In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 caregivers and 20 children with disabilities. Children were purposively selected to maximise heterogeneity by gender, impairment type and enrolment status, using data from a previous survey. Overall, caregivers recognised the importance of school for their children’s future livelihoods or at least as a means of socialisation. However, some questioned the value of school, particularly for children with intellectual or sensory impairments. Other barriers to school enrolment and regular attendance included poor availability and affordability of transport, safety concerns or school staffs’ concerns about children’s behaviour being disruptive. While in school, many children’s learning was limited by the lack of teacher training and resources for inclusive education. Poor physical accessibility of schools, as well as negative or overly protective attitudes from teachers and peers, often limited children’s social inclusion while in school. These findings carry implications for the implementation of inclusive education in India and elsewhere, as they indicate that despite legislative progress, significant gaps in attendance, learning and social inclusion remain for children with disabilities, which may not be captured in traditional metrics on education access.
Removal of Cr (VI) and microbial community analysis in PCB wastewater treatment based on the BESI® process
Authors: Ouyang Jia , Miao Qinghua , Wei Dong , Zhang Xinxin , Luo Erming , Li Chunying , Wei Li
Published: August 2023

The treatment efficiency of Chromium (Cr)-containing Printed Circuit Board (PCB) wastewater is significantly hampered by the limited physiological activity of microorganisms when activated sludge is applied. In this study, the biodegradation and electron transfer based on sulfur metabolism in the integrated (BESI®) process use sulfur as the electron acceptor to achieve sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation, leading to efficient removal of Cr. The concentrations of total Cr and Cr(VI) in the effluent were reduced to 0.5 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively, from an initial range of 25–32 mg/L in the influent. The removal of Cr (ΔC(Cr(VI))) mainly occurred in the Sulfate Reduction (SR) reactor, which was significantly correlated with the generation of sulphide (ΔC(S2−)) (R2 = 0.9987). Meantime, analysis of the microbial community showed that Cr (VI) stress increased the diversity of the bacterial community in sludge. The presence of Clostridium (52.54% and 47.78%) in SR & Sulfide Oxidation (SO) reactor, along with the Synergistaceae (31.90%) and Trichococcus (26.59%) in aerobic reactor, might contribute to the gradient degradation of COD, resulting in a removal efficiency exceeding 80% when treating an influent with a concentration of 1000 mg/L. In addition, the main precipitation components in the SR reactor were identified by scanning electron microscope, indicating that Cr has been removed from wastewater as Cr(OH)3 precipitation. This study sheds light on the potential of using the BESI® process for the real PCB wastewater treatment.