bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Rural Governance and Resource Endowment Modeling Based on Association Rule Algorithm
Authors: Gan Wenxiu , Wang Kaibing
Published: May 2022

At present, in the modeling and analysis of rural resource endowment, the internal relationship of elements is ignored, resulting in inaccurate judgment of governance level. Therefore, the modeling and analysis of rural governance and construction resource endowment is based on association rule algorithm. Identify the characteristics of rural governance resource elements as the information basis, design the clustering algorithm to determine the association rules and element attributes, and use the association rules algorithm to mine the internal relationship of resource endowment. Taking the information of rural governance resource endowment as the direction, the evaluation index is selected, and the rural resource endowment measurement model is constructed. The experimental results show that the modeling analysis results based on association rule algorithm are consistent with the actual governance development orientation, while the modeling analysis results based on evolution analysis algorithm and special group analysis algorithm are quite different from the actual governance development orientation. Therefore, the modeling analysis in this paper is more accurate, which is conducive to the accurate implementation of governance policies and rural planning.
Performance Evaluation of New Energy Vehicles with Human-Machine Interaction in Intelligent Transportation Systems
Authors: Zhang Peng , Guan Zhiwei , Sun Jingjing
Published: May 2022

An intelligent transport system is a sophisticated platform developed to provide new solutions related to transport administration, enabling people to be increasingly aware and make infrastructures secure, more synchronized, and more sophisticated utilization. Energy vehicles in intelligent transportation have additional positive benefits to society. However, handling mobility, connectivity, and communication infrastructure are significant challenges in integrating the energy vehicle in intelligent transport systems. This paper proposed an energy vehicle with a human interaction framework (EVHIF) to enhance the intelligent transportation system. The EVHIF provides human-machine interaction through a voice-over interface, and the natural language processing made the interface more flexible. The voice-over interaction framework adopts the advanced user interface, mobility problems and becomes more accessible. Static language program modifies the user voice interaction to the energy vehicles.

If correctly designed and executed, ITS can save a great deal of time, money, and even lives. ITS encompasses the information analysis and data transmission programs that enable the operation and maintenance of surface transportation modes to increase the safety and efficiency of conveying people and commodities. People, safety officers, and government also use its benefits.

Experimentation is done by focusing on the performance of EVHIF in an intelligent transportation system. Evaluation results prove that EVHIF is efficient at 98.56% and advisable for transportation systems with advanced interaction frameworks.
Analysis and Comparison of China’s Biofuel Ethanol Subsidy Modes
Authors: Wang Xiaotian , Zhao Hui
Published: May 2022

Choosing an effective subsidy mode is crucial for promoting the healthy development of the biofuel ethanol industry. After considering the differences in the social welfare effects of different subsidy models, we construct a Stackelberg game model to examine the chain of the fuel ethanol industry consisting of a downstream channel intermediary as the leader and an upstream production enterprise as the follower. We then discuss how the R&D subsidy mode and production subsidy mode affect social welfare, and what kind of subsidy mode should be adopted under different conditions. The study found that different subsidy modes affect corporate profits and consumer surplus by affecting the price and demand of fuel ethanol, which in turn affect the level of social welfare. In addition, the study found that both R&D subsidy mode and production subsidy model are not always efficient. The optimal subsidy mode depends mainly on the R&D difficulty coefficient and the slope of the inverse demand function.
A Hybrid Evaluation Method of Ecological Environment Quality Based on Entropy and Matter-Element Extension Model
Authors: Wang Ran , Wang Jianjun , Teng Yun
Published: May 2022

The ecological environment of China is facing much more pressure with the continuous growth of population and energy usage. China pays more attention to improving the ecological environment quality with the ecological civilization development in the situation. The key problem is to construct a scientific and reasonable comprehensive evaluation index system guiding the ecological environment quality improvement. This paper creates a comprehensive evaluation index system of ecological environment quality based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework and uses a hybrid model with the entropy weight method and matter-element extension to evaluate China’s ecological environment quality from 2016 to 2020. The results show the overall ecological environment quality evaluation level in China is continuously improved. The results also show that China should pay much attention to the four main factors, which are population density, carbon emissions, per capita energy consumption, and per capita arable land, it should take some policies to improve the four factors. The case study has proven the effectiveness and practicality of the hybrid method and the comprehensive evaluation index system.
Optimized Mathematical Model for Energy Efficient Construction Management in Smart Cities Using Building Information Modeling
Authors: Wang Jing
Published: May 2022

Nowadays, a Smart city design brings smart buildings and structures and environmental using BIM. The performance and evaluation of the model are experimentally sustainability. Building Information Modeling (BIM) performance describes how to measure a construction project or entity’s capability and maturity in terms of development, utilization, and assessment. Energy fluctuation remains a barrier in such development and utilization. In this paper, an Optimized Mathematical Model for Energy Management (OMMEM) has been proposed to assess energy utilization in the construction management of smart cities analyzed by determining building information and distribution systems to the OMMEM performance analysis model. A collection of parameters and variables important for planning and prediction concerning the energy management of construction is acquired to model a smart infrastructure in a smart city. The findings revealed that the mathematical model provides a new method of evaluating the potential of the BIM application towards energy management in smart building construction of smart cities with high accuracy, performance with low delay and error rate.
Techno-Economic Assessment of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Residential Complexes of Tabriz City, Iran
Authors: Aghapouramin Khalil
Published: May 2022

Tabriz, Iran possesses abundant renewable energy sources like wind and solar energy. Residential complexes in Tabriz consume significant amounts of electrical energy. Most of this electricity is generated by non-renewable energy resources, which results in significant air pollution. This research provides a techno-economic evaluation of hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (RES) for three residential complexes located in Tabriz. Each complex contains three optimum cases (overall nine cases). Proposed hybrid systems require the lowest NPC and COE. First, generators are removed from RES for all nine cases (100 percent RES). The structure of these cases were PV, Wind-PV, and wind with converter and battery. Secondly, due to the affordable price of diesel in this region, diesel generation is added to RES of all cases to explore more feasible and affordable optimized hybrid systems. The structure of these cases were Wind-Diesel-PV, Wind-PV, and Wind-Diesel, and Diesel-PV with converter and battery. Technical and economic assessment of optimized systems is performed by means of HOMER software. The main purpose of optimized systems is to meet the load demand. The electricity load of the study area has been obtained by means of electricity bills. Average load demand and peak load of complex one, two, and three were 7972, 3991, and 2960 kWh/d and 1122, 562, and 417 kW respectively. The goal of the current research is to explore the possible usage of the optimized hybrid RES by means of economic and technical parameters. In the optimized configurations with 100% Renewable Energy System, it was interpreted that PV with Wind is fully practicable. In addition, the COE for Battery-Wind-Diesel-PV HES arrangement is minimum for entire complexes. The optimized systems with 100% RESs remarkably reduces harmful emissions.
Changing Climatic Conditions Affect Snow Cover in Annapurna Region of Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Susmita , Poudel Durga D. , Duex Timothy W. , Yantis Rodney B.
Published: May 2022

Changing climatic conditions affecting the physical environment, hydrology, forest and wildlife, agriculture, and other sectors of the economy has become a major concern worldwide. The Annapurna Range in the Central Himalayas in Nepal is experiencing impacts of climate change on various fronts, including temperature increase and change in snow cover area (SCA). The objectives of this study were to assess spatio-temporal variation in temperature, precipitation, and SCA in the Annapurna massif and establish a relationship between these variables. This study analyzed the daily maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation records of six weather stations in the region, and performed a long-term analysis (1990–2020) of snow cover over Annapurna massif analysing Satellite images from the past three decades provided by satellite 5 through 8 of the Landsat program and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. The SCA was determined through Landsat images using the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI). Temperature analysis showed that the northeast (Chame) and northwest (Jomsom) parts of the massif were undergoing a consistent increase in average temperature at the rate of 0.07 and 0.03∘∘C per year, respectively. A north-south gradient was observed in total annual precipitation with total precipitation increasing in Ghandruk and Ranipauwa (Muktinath) at 50 mm and 4.8 mm per year, respectively, and decreasing in Manang Bhot at 4.7 mm per year. The precipitation events increased during spring in the west (Lete), northwest (Jomsom), and south (Ghandruk) of the massif, whereas it decreased in the north (Manang Bhot) and northeast (Chame) for all seasons. The SCA varied from 397 km22 to 1735 km22 with a significantly decreasing trend in December. There was a non-significant SCA increase during March, indicating that more snow coverage could appear in the spring in the future. These results could help local communities, government agencies, tourism industries, and other stakeholders develop resource management plans and climate change adaptation strategies.
Study on the Efficiency Treatment of Polluted Water by Biofilm Process Filled with Bamboo Filler
Authors: Hong Qiankun , Zhang Hangli , Zhang Shixia
Published: May 2022

The biofilm process has the advantages of strong load impact resistance, low power consumption, easy operation and management, and good treatment effect. The key factor of the biofilm method is the biofilm carrier filler. The performance of the filler will directly affect the operation and treatment effect of the reactor. Aiming at the severely polluted rivers, this paper proposes to use bamboo materials with extensive raw materials, cheap processing, green and pollution-free materials to make biofilm reactor fillers, and conduct laboratory-scale research on them. The results show that, compared with the suspended filler, the bamboo filler has a faster filming speed and a rich microbial population structure on the film, which is beneficial to the removal of pollutants in the water. In addition, the bamboo filler has a degradable carbon source, which helps to further improve the reactor. The denitrification efficiency. The research results will provide technical support for the practical application of bamboo fillers in biofilm reactors and the in-situ remediation of polluted river water quality in my country.
Image quality and perception: introduction
Authors: Pedersen Marius , Amirshahi Seyed Ali , Thomas Jean Baptiste , Das Mini , Iacomussi Paola , Provenzi Edoardo
Published: May 2022

This feature issue focuses on image quality and perception, including image and video quality, subjective and objective quality, and enhancement. The feature issue contains papers on several important topics, such as contrast discrimination, analysis of color imaging in cameras, image quality assessment, and more. The papers represent different important aspects in image quality and perception, contributing to the advancement of the field.
Distributed temperature profile in hydrogen flame measured by telecom fiber and its durability under flame by OFDR
Authors: Chen Chen , Chen Liang , Bao Xiaoyi
Published: May 2022

The distributed temperature profile of hydrogen flame based on optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR) was experimentally demonstrated for the first time. Spatial temperature field at different flow rate of H2 flame was monitored by OFDR via a telecom fiber (Corning SMF-28, CPC6) inside the flame over seconds, and the highest temperature is on the sides of center flame separated by ∼1.4mm with difference of 140∼190°C over the flame dimension of 2.5 mm above 900°C. Uniformity level of temperature is studied by varying the distance between fiber and tube entrance, and the largest uniform region over 1-millimeter length of fiber is obtained. Rayleigh scatters correlation coefficient decreases with temperature to 90% around 400°C, further reduces to 70% about 800°C, and 50% roughly at 1000°C. It indicates that a nonlinear thermal sensitivity of SMF is expected for temperature higher than 400°C with OFDR measurement. The durability of single-mode fiber under H2 flame is studied via decorrelation time at various temperature. It maintains 20s at 880°C with correlation coefficient around 68% and drops to 50% decorrelation at 1000°C over 20s. This information is important for high temperature measurement using telecom fiber over 800°C based on OFDR. A maximum temperature of 1100°C was measured by OFDR, and it is possible for higher temperature measurement beyond of 1100°C with quicker system response time (<1s).
Adapting to an enhanced color gamut – implications for color vision and color deficiencies
Authors: Ilic Ivana , Lee Kassandra R. , Mizokami Yoko , Whitehead Lorne , Webster Michael A.
Published: May 2022

One strategy for aiding color deficiencies is to use three narrow passbands to filter the light spectrum to increase the saturation of colors. This filtering is analogous to the narrow emission bands used in wide gamut lighting or displays. We examined how perception adapts to the greater color gamut area produced by such devices, testing color-normal observers and simulated environments. Narrowband spectra increased chromatic contrasts but also increased contrast adaptation, partially offsetting the perceived contrast enhancements. Such adaptation adjustments are important for understanding the perceptual consequences of exposure to naturally or artificially enhanced color gamut areas for both color-deficient and color-normal observers.
Polarized light compass-aided inertial navigation under discontinuous observations environment
Authors: Yang Jiangtao , Xu Xinyun , Chen Xin , Wang Yin , Liu Ruizhen
Published: May 2022

In recent years, integrated polarized light/inertial heading measurement systems have been widely used to obtain autonomous heading measurements of small unmanned combat platforms in the case of satellite navigation rejection. However, existing polarized light/inertial heading measurement systems have certain limitations. For example, they can only measure the heading angle in environments where continuous observations can be obtained. When encountering a complex environment with trees and/or tall buildings, the measured heading angle will contain sharp noise which greatly affects its accuracy. In particular, when encountering an underpass, it will lead to the complete loss of lock of the polarized light compass signal. Therefore, for the problem of sharp noise arising from a complex environment, a robust Cubature Kalman filter (CKF) data-fusion algorithm is proposed and verified by experiments. It is proved that the robust CKF algorithm has a certain ability to filter out the effects of poor measurements. After application of the robust CKF algorithm, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of the heading angle reaches 0.3612°. This method solves the problem of low precision and poor stability of the polarized light/inertial system when high buildings and/or trees are contained in a complex environment. Next, in view of the problem that the polarized light compass signal is completely lost due to passing through an underground passage, a random forest regression (RFR) neural network model is established and introduced into the combined system. Simulated and outdoor experiments are carried out to verify the designed model using data obtained with a vehicle. The RMSE of the heading angle obtained in the experiment is 1.1894°, which solves the problem that the polarized light/inertial system cannot utilize discontinuous observations when attempting to detect the carrier heading angle.
Evaluation of a multi-species Protein A-ELISA assay for plague serologic diagnosis in humans and other mammal hosts
Authors: Bezerra Matheus Filgueira , Xavier Camila Cavalcanti , Almeida Alzira Maria Paiva de , Reis Christian Robson de Souza
Published: May 2022

Background

The Hemagglutination assay (HA) is widely used in plague diagnosis, however, it has a subjective interpretation and demands high amounts of antigen and other immunobiological supplies. On the other hand, the conventional Anti-IgG ELISA is limited by the need of specific conjugates for multiple plague hosts, which leaves a gap for new diagnostic methods able to cover both the diagnosis of human cases and the epidemiological surveillance of multiple sentinel species.

Methods

We developed an ELISA Protein A-peroxidase method to detect anti-F1 antibodies across several species, including humans. To determine the cut-off and performance rates, HA results from 288 samples (81 rabbits, 64 humans, 66 rodents and 77 dogs) were used as reference. Next, we evaluated the agreement between Protein A-ELISA and Anti-IgG ELISA in an expanded sample set (n = 487).

Results

Optimal conditions were found with 250ng/well of F1 and 1:500 serum dilution. Protein A-ELISA showed high repeatability and reproducibility. We observed good correlation rates between the Protein A and IgG ELISAs optical densities and a higher positive/negative OD ratio for the Protein A-ELISA method. The overall sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve for Protein A-ELISA were 94%, 99% and 0.99, respectively. Similar results were observed for each species separately. In the analysis of the expanded sample set, there was a strong agreement between Protein A and IgG assays (kappa = 0.97). Furthermore, there was no cross-reaction with other common infectious diseases, such as dengue, Zika, Chagas disease, tuberculosis (humans) and ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis and leishmaniasis (dogs).

Conclusions

Altogether, the Protein A-ELISA showed high performance when compared both to HA and Anti-IgG ELISA, with a polyvalent single protocol that requires reduced amounts of antigen and can be employed to any plague hosts.
Can floral nectars reduce transmission of Leishmania?
Authors: Palmer-Young Evan C. , Schwarz Ryan S. , Chen Yanping , Evans Jay D.
Published: May 2022

Background

Insect-vectoredLeishmaniaare responsible for loss of more disability-adjusted life years than any parasite besides malaria. Elucidation of the environmental factors that affect parasite transmission by vectors is essential to develop sustainable methods of parasite control that do not have off-target effects on beneficial insects or environmental health. Many phytochemicals that inhibit growth of sand fly-vectoredLeishmania—which have been exhaustively studied in the search for phytochemical-based drugs—are abundant in nectars, which provide sugar-based meals to infected sand flies.

Principle findings

In a quantitative meta-analysis, we compare inhibitory phytochemical concentrations forLeishmaniato concentrations present in floral nectar and pollen. We show that nectar concentrations of several flowering plant species exceed those that inhibit growth ofLeishmaniacell cultures, suggesting an unexplored, landscape ecology-based approach to reduceLeishmaniatransmission.

Significance

If nectar compounds are as effective against parasites in the sand fly gut as predicted from experimentsin vitro, strategic planting of antiparasitic phytochemical-rich floral resources or phytochemically enriched baits could reduceLeishmanialoads in vectors. Such interventions could provide an environmentally friendly complement to existing means of disease control.
Identification of differential hypothalamic DNA methylation and gene expression associated with sexual partner preferences in rams
Authors: Bhattacharya Surajit , Amodei Rebecka , Vilain Eric , Roselli Charles E.
Published: May 2022

The sheep is a valuable model to test whether hormone mechanisms that sexually differentiate the brain underlie the expression of sexual partner preferences because as many as 8% of rams prefer same-sex partners. Epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation act as mediators in the interaction between steroid hormones and the genome. Variations in the epigenome could be important in determining morphological or behavior differences among individuals of the same species. In this study, we explored DNA methylation differences in the hypothalamus of male oriented rams (MORs) and female oriented rams (FORs). We employed reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) to generate a genome-wide map of DNA methylation and RNA-Seq to profile the transcriptome. We found substantial DNA methylation and gene expression differences between FORs and MORs. Although none of the differentially methylated genes yielded significant functional terms directly associated with sex development, three differentially expressed genes were identified that have been associated previously with sexual behaviors. We hypothesize that these differences are involved in the phenotypic variation in ram sexual partner preferences, whereas future studies will have to find the specific mechanisms. Our results add an intriguing new dimension to sheep behavior that should be useful for further understanding epigenetic and transcriptomic involvement.
Cohort profile: Bandar Kong prospective study of chronic non-communicable diseases
Authors: Nejatizadeh Azim , Eftekhar Ebrahim , Shekari Mohammad , Farshidi Hossein , Davoodi Seyed Hossein , Shahmoradi Mehdi , Poustchi Hossein , Ghanbarnejad Amin , Aghamolaei Teymour , Yousefi Hadi , Rafati Shideh
Published: May 2022

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), are the leading causes of death among adults worldwide. It is projected that half of the NCDs could be avoided by preventing measures. Under the prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran (PERSIAN), we established a prospective population-based cohort study in southern Iran. The present study was designed to observe changing pattern of lifestyle transition over time and investigate the incidence and prevalence of regional modifiable risk factors as well as their associations with major NCDs. At baseline, 4063 participants aged 35–70 years were recruited on Oct, 2016and planned to get re-evaluated every 5 years along with annual follow-up. Data using validated electronic questionnaire comprising 55 questions and 482 items including general, medical and nutrition queries was collected. Blood, hair, nails, urine specimens and anthropometric measurements were taken. The response rate was 99%. In the results; male and female participants were 42.5% and 57.5%, respectively. Of note, 30.4% of women and 16.1% of men were obese. The prevalence of hypertension in men and women was 14.6% and 21%; however, diabetic men and women were 17.4% and 12.4%, respectively. Living in rural areas increased the odds of having hypertension by 1.33 (AOR = 1.33, 95% CI:1–09, 1.61). Noteworthy, logistic regression displayed that aging could predispose individuals to be more overweight, hypertensive and diabetic. The prevalence of multimorbidity of 3 or more NCDs were 8% (No. 326) and 6% (No.240), respectively. Intake of fruits, vegetables and dairy was less than two servings per day in 9.2%, 13% and 58.3% of the participants. Lower cardiovascular diseases and serum level of FBS and higher HDL level in sailors/fishermen compared to other job groups were significant (p-value <0.001). The second annual follow-up was completed and now at the end of the third wave. Findings of the present study signified the high prevalence of behavioral risk factors and their associations with respective NCDs. Subsequently, it is essential to keep track lifestyle variations, the modifiable risk factors and NCDs trends by prospective population-based cohort studies.
The influence of Pseudomonas syringae on water freezing and ice melting
Authors: Majorina Maria A. , Veselova Victoria R. , Melnik Bogdan S.
Published: May 2022

Pseudomonas syringae is a widely spread plant pathogen known to have ice-nucleating proteins that serve as crystallization sites promoting ice growth at near-zero temperatures. Three temperatures that characterize water freezing and ice melting are (i) the freezing point of water, (ii) the temperature of coexistence of ice and water, and (iii) the melting point of ice. Here we show the influence of different concentrations of P. syringae on these three parameters. P. syringae appears to affect both the freezing point of water and the temperature of the coexistence of ice and water. Additionally, we propose a research technique for studying the freezing/melting process that is simple and requires no complex equipment.
Survey of potentially inappropriate prescriptions for common cold symptoms in Japan: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Nakano Yasuhisa , Watari Takashi , Adachi Kazuya , Watanabe Kenji , Otsuki Kazuya , Amano Yu , Takaki Yuji , Onigata Kazumichi
Published: May 2022

Background

Common cold is among the main reasons patients visit a medical facility. However, few studies have investigated whether prescriptions for common cold in Japan comply with domestic and international evidence.

Objective

To determine whether prescriptions for common cold complied with domestic and international evidence.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 22, 2020, and January 16, 2021. Patients with cold symptoms who visited the two dispensing pharmacies and met the eligibility criteria were interviewed.

Main outcome measure

The pharmacists at each store and a physician classified the patients into two groups: the potentially inappropriate prescribing group and the appropriate prescribing group.

Results

Of the 150 selected patients, 14 were excluded and 136 were included in the analysis. Males accounted for 44.9% of the total study population, and the median patient age was 34 years (interquartile range [IQR], 27–42). The prevalence rates of potentially inappropriate prescriptions and appropriate prescriptions were 89.0% and 11.0%, respectively and the median drug costs were 602.0 yen (IQR, 479.7–839.2) [$5.2 (IQR, 4.2–7.3)] and 406.7 yen (IQR, 194.5–537.2) [$3.5 (IQR, 1.7–4.7)], respectively. The most common potentially inappropriate prescriptions were the prescription of oral cephem antibacterial agents to patients who did not have symptoms of bacterial infections (50.4%) and β2 stimulants to those who did not have respiratory symptoms due to underlying disease or history (33.9%).

Conclusions

Approximately 90% of prescriptions for common cold symptoms in the area were potentially inappropriate. Our findings could contribute to the monitoring of the use of medicines for the treatment of common cold symptoms.
Incidence of tuberculosis among PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy who initiated isoniazid preventive therapy: A multi-center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kazibwe Andrew , Oryokot Bonniface , Mugenyi Levicatus , Kagimu David , Oluka Abraham Ignatius , Kato Darlius , Ouma Simple , Tayebwakushaba Edmund , Odoi Charles , Kakumba Kizito , Opito Ronald , Mafabi Ceasar Godfrey , Ochwo Michael , Nkabala Robert , Tusiimire Wilber , Kateeba Tusiime Agnes , Alinga Sarah Barbara , Miya Yunus , Etukoit Michael Bernard , Biraro Irene Andia , Kirenga Bruce
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) is effective in treating tuberculosis (TB) infection and hence limiting progression to active disease. However, the durability of protection, associated factors and cost-effectiveness of IPT remain uncertain in low-and-middle income countries, Uganda inclusive. The Uganda Ministry of health recommends a single standard-dose IPT course for eligible people living with HIV (PLHIV). In this study we determined the incidence, associated factors and median time to TB diagnosis among PLHIV on Antiretroviral therapy (ART) who initiated IPT.

Materials and methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study at eleven The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) centers in Uganda. We reviewed medical records of 2634 PLHIV on ART who initiated IPT from 1st January 2016 to 30th June 2018, with 30th June 2021 as end of follow up date. We analyzed study data using STATA v.16. Incidence rate was computed as the number of new TB cases divided by the total person months. A Frailty model was used to determine factors associated with TB incidence.

Results

The 2634 individuals were observed for 116,360.7 person months. IPT completion rate was 92.8%. Cumulative proportion of patients who developed TB in this cohort was 0.83% (22/2634), an incidence rate of 18.9 per 100,000 person months. The median time to TB diagnosis was 18.5 months (minimum– 0.47; maximum– 47.3, IQR: 10.1–32.4). World Health Organization (WHO) HIV clinical stage III (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 95%CI: 3.66 (1.08, 12.42) (P = 0.037) and discontinuing IPT (aHR 95%CI: 25.96(4.12, 169.48) (p = 0.001)), were associated with higher odds of TB diagnosis compared with WHO clinical stage II and IPT completion respectively.

Conclusion

Incidence rates of TB were low overtime after one course of IPT, and this was mainly attributed to high completion rates.
A longitudinal study of the pulmonary mycobiome in subjects with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Martinsen Einar M. H. , Eagan Tomas M. L. , Wiker Harald G. , Leiten Elise O. , Husebø Gunnar R. , Knudsen Kristel S. , Tangedal Solveig , Sanseverino Walter , Paytuví-Gallart Andreu , Nielsen Rune
Published: May 2022

Background

Few studies have examined the stability of the pulmonary mycobiome. We report longitudinal changes in the oral and pulmonary mycobiome of participants with and without COPD in a large-scale bronchoscopy study (MicroCOPD).

Methods

Repeated sampling was performed in 30 participants with and 21 without COPD. We collected an oral wash (OW) and a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) sample from each participant at two time points. The internal transcribed spacer 1 region of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster was PCR amplified and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq sequencer. Differences in taxonomy, alpha diversity, and beta diversity between the two time points were compared, and we examined the effect of intercurrent antibiotic use.

Results

Sample pairs were dominated by Candida. We observed less stability in the pulmonary taxonomy compared to the oral taxonomy, additionally emphasised by a higher Yue-Clayton measure in BAL compared to OW (0.69 vs 0.22). No apparent effect was visually seen on taxonomy from intercurrent antibiotic use or participant category. We found no systematic variation in alpha diversity by time either in BAL (p-value 0.16) or in OW (p-value 0.97), and no obvious clusters on bronchoscopy number in PCoA plots. Pairwise distance analyses showed that OW samples from repeated sampling appeared more stable compared to BAL samples using the Bray-Curtis distance metric (p-value 0.0012), but not for Jaccard.

Conclusion

Results from the current study propose that the pulmonary mycobiome is less stable than the oral mycobiome, and neither COPD diagnosis nor intercurrent antibiotic use seemed to influence the stability.
Prevalence, severity, and risk factors of disability among adults living with HIV accessing routine outpatient HIV care in London, United Kingdom (UK): A cross-sectional self-report study
Authors: Brown Darren A. , O’Brien Kelly K. , Harding Richard , Sedgwick Philip M. , Nelson Mark , Boffito Marta , Lewko Agnieszka
Published: May 2022

Background

The study objectives were to measure disability prevalence and severity, and examine disability risk factors, among adults living with HIV in London, United Kingdom (UK).

Methods

Self-reported questionnaires were administered: World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS), HIV Disability Questionnaire (HDQ), Equality Act disability definition (EADD), and demographic questionnaire. We calculated proportion (95% Confidence Interval; CI) of “severe” and “moderate” disability measured using EADD and WHODAS scores ≥2 respectively. We measured disability severity with HDQ domain severity scores. We used demographic questionnaire responses to assess risk factors of “severe” and “moderate” disability using logistic regression analysis, and HDQ severity domain scores using linear regression analysis.

Results

Of 201 participants, 176 (87.6%) identified as men, median age 47 years, and 194 (96.5%) virologically suppressed. Severe disability prevalence was 39.5% (n = 79/201), 95% CI [32.5%, 46.4%]. Moderate disability prevalence was 70.5% (n = 141/200), 95% CI [64.2%, 76.8%]. Uncertainty was the most severe HDQ disability domain. Late HIV diagnosis was a risk factor for severe disability [Odds Ratio (OR) 2.71; CI 1.25, 5.87]. Social determinants of health, economic inactivity [OR 2.79; CI 1.08, 7.21] and receiving benefits [OR 2.87; CI 1.05, 7.83], were risk factors for “severe” disability. Economic inactivity [OR 3.14; CI 1.00, 9.98] was a risk factor for “moderate” disability. Economic inactivity, receiving benefits, and having no fixed abode were risk factors (P≤0.05) for higher HDQ severity scores in physical, mental and emotional, difficulty with day-to-day activities, and challenges to social participation domains. Personal factors, identifying as a woman and being aged <50 years, were risk factors (P≤0.05) for higher HDQ severity scores in mental and emotional, uncertainty, and challenges with social participation domains.

Conclusions

People living with well-controlled HIV in London UK experienced multi-dimensional and episodic disability. Results help to better understand the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of disability experienced by adults living with HIV, identify areas to target interventions, and optimise health and functioning.
Development, implementation and evaluation of the online Movement, Interaction and Nutrition for Greater Lifestyles in the Elderly (MINGLE) program: The protocol for a pilot trial
Authors: Tang Diana , Macniven Rona , Bender Nicholas , Jones Charlotte , Gopinath Bamini
Published: May 2022

Introduction

People with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are more likely to experience loneliness, have poorer diets and be less physically active than people without AMD. The online Movement, Interaction and Nutrition for Greater Lifestyles in the Elderly (MINGLE) program is a holistic evidence-based intervention aiming to support people with AMD by incorporating physical activity, social interaction and nutrition education components all delivered via a COVID-19-safe Zoom platform. This study will involve two phases: 1) a formative qualitative study with AMD patients to identify the barriers and facilitators to participating in the proposed MINGLE program; and 2) a 10-week pilot study to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of MINGLE.

Methods and analysis

Phase 1 involves AMD patients who will be recruited from an eye clinic in Western Sydney, Australia to participate in audio-recorded semi-structured interviews. Verbatim interview transcripts will be coded using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour (COM-B) model and themes established. These themes will be used as a guide to specifically tailor the proposed MINGLE program to people with AMD. Phase 2 involves 52 AMD patients who will then be recruited from the same clinic to participate in the MINGLE program. Pre-post questionnaires will be administered to intervention participants to collect information on the following variables: demographics, socioeconomic status, vision function, loneliness, quality of life (including depression), falls risk, physical activity (level), and dietary intake. The acceptability and feasibility of the MINGLE program will also be evaluated using descriptive statistics.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12621000939897p.
Validity and reliability of the Polish version of the Self-Compassion Scale and its correlates
Authors: Kocur Dagna , Flakus Maria , Fopka-Kowalczyk Małgorzata
Published: May 2022

This study adapts the Self-Compassion Scale into Polish and tests the validity, reliability and factor structure of its measures. In the first phase of the research (Study I), 645 respondents were assessed using the NEO-FFI Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale and a back-translated version of the Self-Compassion Scale. The aim of Study I is to analyse the factor structure of the Polish adaptation of the Self-Compassion Scale. The results of analyses using structural equation modelling and exploratory structural equation modelling confirm the six-component structure of the Self-Compassion Scale and the possibility of distinguishing a single primary factor. The results of these analyses indicate that self-compassion is conceptually distinctive from personality traits and self-judgement. In the second phase of the study (Study II), 688 respondents were assessed and the findings show that self-compassion is a predictor of depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and satisfaction with life, and is also linked to emotional intelligence. In conclusion, the findings of this study show that the Polish version of the Self-Compassion Scale is a reliable and valid measure of self-compassion.
First case of successful eradication of the sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius), using the sterile insect technique
Authors: Himuro Chihiro , Kohama Tsuguo , Matsuyama Takashi , Sadoyama Yasutsune , Kawamura Futoshi , Honma Atsushi , Ikegawa Yusuke , Haraguchi Dai
Published: May 2022

This paper presents the first case of the successful eradication of a Coleoptera pest species over a wide area using a combination of male annihilation technique (MAT) and sterile insect technique (SIT) application. The sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius, is one of the most destructive and widely distributed pests of sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas. A project to eradicate it was launched in 1994 on Kume Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The MAT application was first used from November 1994 to January 1999 to reduce the density of wild populations. The distribution and densities of weevils were assessed by trapping them and surveying infestation rates in wild hosts and sweet potatoes in the field. The C. formicarius populations were suppressed by approximately 90% and plant infestations were reduced from 9.5% to less than 0.1% by using the MAT. Then, hundreds of thousands to millions of sterile weevils were released each week (ca. 460 million in total from 1999 to 2012). As a result, based on an analysis of 12748 stems and 48749 tubers, no weevil infections were detected in the stems or tubers of sweet potato since 1997. Since 2009, almost no wild weevils were captured in traps, and in wild host and sweet potato surveys no weevils have been found in any of the 580 locations and 8833 samples since October 2011. As of 28 December, 2012, C. formicarius is considered to have been eradicated from Kume Island. This paper describes the process of eradicating C. formicarius using SIT application integrated with MAT application for the first time and discusses some of the main challenges associated with the weevil eradication campaignl.
Challenges of performing essential public health functions by the physicians at leadership positions in peripheral level government health system in Bangladesh: A qualitative exploratory study
Authors: Bhattacharyya Dipika Shankar , Shafique Sohana , Nowrin Iffat , Anwar Iqbal
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Identifying and ensuring the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHFs) is one of the core agendas of the World Health Organization to strengthen the health system of a country. The definition of EPHFs varies widely, considering country needs. In Bangladesh, the physician cadres are in the leadership position to oversee the EPHFs at the district and sub-district levels. However, there is a dearth of contextual information regarding the purview of essential EPHFs in the country. The purpose of this study was to document the perception of key stakeholders on what constitute the EPHFs at district and sub-district level and identify the challenges they face in providing the services.

Methods

We carried out a qualitative exploratory study consisting of document review and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The desk review included the organograms of the government district and sub-district level health facilities and the job description of Civil Surgeons (CSs) and Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers (UHFPOs). In addition, 15 KIIs with relevant professionals and stakeholders from the Directorate of General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) were conducted. Collected data were analyzed thematically.

Results

Three major categories of EPHFs were identified: i) population-oriented preventive functions, ii) clinical preventive functions, and iii) administrative/management functions. The CSs and UHFPOs need to ensure these wide range of EPHFs at the district level and below. However, at peripheral level, the leadership positions’ clinical and public health roles often get amalgamated. Therefore, ensuring public health functions are hampered. Besides, these positions need training and adequate support staff to perform the EPHFs effectively.

Conclusion

Recognizing the EPHFs in the Bangladesh context is crucial. Revisiting the job descriptions and strengthening appropriate public health services at different tiers in the country health system should be prioritized to achieve health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
Prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 after one year of pandemic in Jakarta and neighbouring areas, Indonesia: A single center study
Authors: Setiadi Wuryantari , Rozi Ismail Ekoprayitno , Safari Dodi , Daningrat Wa Ode Dwi , Johar Edison , Yohan Benediktus , Yudhaputri Frilasita Aisyah , Lestari Karina Dian , Oktavianthi Sukma , Myint Khin Saw Aye , Malik Safarina G. , Soebandrio Amin ,   on behalf of the Wascove team
Published: May 2022

We determined the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Jakarta and neighboring areas, Indonesia from March 2020 to February 2021, based on nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal (NP/OP) swab specimens that were tested at the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta. NP/OP swab specimens were collected from COVID-19 suspects or individuals in contact tracing programs from primary healthcare centers (PHC) and hospitals. The specimens were screened for the SARS-CoV-2 by qRT-PCR. Demography data and clinical symptoms were collected using national standardized laboratory form. Of 64,364 specimens, 10,130 (15.7%) were confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2, with the peak prevalence of infection in March 2020 (26.3%) follow by in January 2021 (23.9%) and February 2021 (21.8%). We found that the positivity rate of the specimens from Jakarta, West Java, and Banten was 16.3%, 13.3%, and 16.8%, respectively. Positivity rate was higher in specimens from hospitals (16.9%) than PHC (9.4%). Of the positive specimens, 29.6% were from individuals aged >60 years old, followed by individuals aged 41–60 years old (24.2%). Among symptomatic cases of SARS-CoV-2, the most common symptoms were cough, fever, and a combination of both cough & fever. In conclusion, this study illustrates the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics from one COVID-19 diagnostic center in Jakarta and neighbouring areas in Indonesia.
Clustering of longitudinal physical activity trajectories among young females with selection of associated factors
Authors: Yang Luoying , Young Deborah R. , Wu Tong Tong
Published: May 2022

We examined multi-level factors related to the longitudinal physical activity trajectories of adolescent girls to determine the important predictors for physical activity. The Trial of Activity in Adolescent Girls (TAAG) Maryland site recruited participants at age 14 (n = 566) and followed up with these girls at age 17 (n = 553) and age 23 (n = 442). Individual, social factors and perceived environmental factors were assessed by questionnaire; body mass index was measured at age 14 and age 17, and self-reported at age 23. Neighborhood factors were assessed by geographic information systems. The outcome, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) minutes in a day, was assessed from accelerometers. A mixture of linear mixed-effects models with double penalization on fixed effects and random effects was used to identify the intrinsic grouping of participants with similar physical activity trajectory patterns and the most relevant predictors within the groups simultaneously. Three clusters of participants were identified. Two hundred and forty participants were clustered as “maintainers” and had consistently low MVPA over time; 289 participants were clustered as “decreasers” who had decreasing MVPA over time; 39 participants were grouped as “increasers” and had increasing MVPA over time. Each of the three clusters has its own cluster-specific factors identified using the clustering method, indicating that each cluster has unique characteristics.