bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on energy sharing ability and adaptability of building Complex: A case study with smart community in Japan
Authors: Yu Dan , Zhou Xiaohan , Qian Fanyue , Dewancker Bart , Gao Weijun , Zhang Liting
Published: July 2022

Energy sharing within building complexes depends greatly on the complex load adaptability and policy support. However, most building complex microgrid research concentrates on configuration and operation optimization, rather than energy contributions from different users. The objective of this study is to analyze energy sharing ability and load adaptability for a building complex comprising multiple building types, under transaction liberalization restrictions in different energy markets. The specific research for this study is a smart community in Kitakyushu, Japan, with 49 buildings of different types. The complex's microgrid system in this study comprises photovoltaic, battery, and vehicle to grid services. We obtained six representative typical clusters by reducing the 49 buildings’ dimensionality using principal components and clustering, then Monte Carlo simulation to predict permissible discharge capacities for vehicle to grid (V2G) services. We propose three demand-side liberalization scenarios: self-use, photovoltaic feed-in tariffs (FITs), and free trade; optimizing system configuration under different scenarios using a genetic algorithm. Results confirm that shopping malls achieve best economic benefits with self-use scenario; whereas office building adaptability is more significant for the other scenarios. These results will contribute to user selection and system design for building complex microgrid systems.
An inquiry into populism’s relation to science
Authors: Bellolio Cristóbal
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a question seldom addressed in a straightforward manner by political theorists: whether populism is intrinsically anti-science. This article identifies three different ways in which populist actors worldwide have grounded their scepticism, distrust, or hostility to scientific inputs, to the extent that they are relevant for political action: (1) they raise a moral objection against scientists who have been allegedly corrupted by foreign interests, turning them into enemies of the people; (2) they present a democratic objection against the technocratic claim that scientific experts should rule regardless of the popular will; and (3) they employ an epistemic argument against scientific reasoning, which is said to be inferior to common-sense and folk wisdom, and antithetical to the immediateness of political action. While these objections have been wielded in a selective and unsystematic way, they all speak to the core feature of populism, which is the people versus elites divide: the moral objection targets scientists as members of an elite in cahoots with alien powers; the democratic objection targets an unelected elite that seeks to undermine the people’s rule; the epistemic objection questions that the standard to validate knowledge-claims is a complex and detached-from-ordinary-experience rationality.
Stock Price Forecasting of Maruti Suzuki using Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) Model
Authors: Khan Kahkashan , Singh Dileep
Published: July 2022

Forecasting of stock prices is a very important subject in the financial world and economics. For many years, investors have been interested in making better forecasting models. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used previously for time series forecasting. This article shows the process of stock price forecasting using an ARIMA model. Historical stock data for analysis is obtained from the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and is used along with the stock price for forecasting using an ARIMA model. The result obtained from an ARIMA model is better for short-term forecasting and can be proven with existing methods for stock price prediction.
The temporal variation of housing financialisation: a case study of China
Authors: Miao Julie T.
Published: July 2022

Responding to the call for a greater attention to the inherited variations in housing financialisation, this paper contributes by bringing in a constructivist perspective in exploring how financialisation gradually unfolds in a particular context. Drawing on the case of China, two interrelated arguments are made. First, a structural and temporal distinction is made between three phases of housing commodification, speculation and financialisation 1.0, where significant differences are noticed between the ownership structures, housing rights, markets, returns and motivations from a constructivist perspective. Second, these phases are systemically interrelated as a result of the state-market nexus in China where active state intervention connects these different processes in a continuous cycle of the urbanisation of capital. The case of China adds to the emerging literature on housing financialisation from the global south, and speaks to the largely downplayed temporal variations of housing financialisation in the vigorous literature on financial geography and urbanism.
Suggested earthquake insurance claim evaluation criteria for building damage caused by soil liquefaction in Taiwan
Authors: Yang Hsuan-Chih , Chang Che-Yu
Published: July 2022

Taiwan is located in a seismically active zone between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate. Taiwan has a great geological diversity, but widespread alluvium deposits create the potential for soil liquefaction, which has considerable impact on society and the economy. Taiwan residential earthquake insurance was established after the Chi-Chi earthquake occurred in 1999, which had a death toll of more than 2400 and a ranking as the 12th costliest earthquake worldwide, with US$10 billion in property losses. The damage and impact of soil liquefaction were observed at the first time after the Chi-Chi earthquake. Nevertheless, the earthquake insurance claim criteria were based on the evaluation of structural components. Such criteria created difficulties for earthquake insurance inspectors in assessing the building damage caused by soil liquefaction during the 0206 Meinong earthquake in 2016 because such damage is often appeared as building rigid body tilt and settlement. As a result, geotechnical-related structural damage assessments were all performed by registered professional engineers. This study aims to develop and suggest earthquake insurance claim criteria for soil liquefaction-induced building damage, with the dual indices of settlement and tilt. The suggested criteria meet the requirements of current evaluation standards, reduce the necessity for further assessments performed by registered professional engineers, and would expedite the process of earthquake insurance claims for the ultimate goal of emergency relief.
Genome-wide identification and characterization of GATA family genes in wheat
Authors: Feng Xue , Yu Qian , Zeng Jianbin , He Xiaoyan , Liu Wenxing
Published: July 2022

Background

Transcription factors GATAs were a member of zinc finger protein, which could bind DNA regulatory regions to control expression of target genes, thus influencing plant growth and development either in normal condition or environmental stresses. Recently, GATA genes have been found and functionally characterized in a number of plant species. However, little information of GATA genes were annotated in wheat.

Results

In the current study, 79 GATA genes were identified in wheat, which were unevenly located on 21 chromosomes. According to the analysis of phylogenetic tree and functional domain structures, TaGATAs were classified into four subfamilies (I, II, III, and IV), consist of 35, 21, 12, and 11 genes, respectively. Meanwhile, the amino acids of 79 TaGATAs exhibited apparent difference in four subfamilies according to GATA domains comparison, gene structures and conserved motif analysis. We then analyze the gene duplication and synteny between the genomes of wheat and Arabidopsis, rice and barley, which provided insights into evolutionary characteristics. In addition, expression patterns of TaGATAs were analyzed, and they showed obvious difference in diverse tissues and abiotic stresses.

Conclusion

In general, these results provide useful information for future TaGATA gene function analysis, and it helps to better understand molecular breeding and stress response in wheat.
Whole-genome resequencing of wild and cultivated cannabis reveals the genetic structure and adaptive selection of important traits
Authors: Chen Xuan , Guo Hong-Yan , Zhang Qing-Ying , Wang Lu , Guo Rong , Zhan Yi-Xun , Lv Pin , Xu Yan-Ping , Guo Meng-Bi , Zhang Yuan , Zhang Kun , Liu Yan-Hu , Yang Ming
Published: July 2022

Background

Cannabis is an important industrial crop species whose fibre, seeds, flowers and leaves are widely used by humans. The study of cannabinoids extracted from plants has been popular research topic in recent years. China is one of the origins of cannabis and one of the few countries with wild cannabis plants. However, the genetic structure of Chinese cannabis and the degree of adaptive selection remain unclear.

Results

The main morphological characteristics of wild cannabis in China were assessed. Based on whole-genome resequencing SNPs, Chinese cannabis could be divided into five groups in terms of geographical source and ecotype: wild accessions growing in the northwestern region; wild accessions growing in the northeastern region; cultivated accessions grown for fibre in the northeastern region; cultivated accessions grown for seed in northwestern region, and cultivated accessions in southwestern region. We further identified genes related to flowering time, seed germination, seed size, embryogenesis, growth, and stress responses selected during the process of cannabis domestication. The expression of flowering-related genes under long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) conditions showed that Chinese cultivated cannabis is adapted to different photoperiods through the regulation of Flowering locus T-like (FT-like) expression.

Conclusion

This study clarifies the genetic structure of Chinese cannabis and offers valuable genomic resources for cannabis breeding.
Burden of stroke in North Africa and Middle East, 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2019
Authors: Shahbandi Ataollah , Shobeiri Parnian , Azadnajafabad Sina , Saeedi Moghaddam Sahar , Sharifnejad Tehrani Yeganeh , Ebrahimi Narges , Rezaei Nazila , Rashidi Mohammad-Mahdi , Ghamari Seyyed-Hadi , Abbasi-Kangevari Mohsen , Koolaji Sogol , Haghshenas Rosa , Rezaei Negar , Larijani Bagher , Farzadfar Farshad
Published: July 2022

Background

While several studies investigated the epidemiology and burden of stroke in the North Africa and Middle East region, no study has comprehensively evaluated the age-standardized attributable burden to all stroke subtypes and their risk factors yet.

Objective

The aim of the present study is to explore the regional distribution of the burden of stroke, including ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hemorrhage, and the attributable burden to its risk factors in 2019 among the 21 countries of North Africa and Middle East super-region.

Methods

The data of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019 on stroke incidence, prevalence, death, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs) rates, and attributed deaths, DALYs, YLLs, and YLDs to stroke risk factors were used for the present study.

Results

The age-standardized deaths, DALYs, and YLLs rates were diminished statistically significant by 27.8, 32.0, and 35.1% from 1990 to 2019, respectively. Attributed deaths, DALYs, and YLLs to stroke risk factors, including high systolic blood pressure, high body-mass index, and high fasting plasma glucose shrank statistically significant by 24.9, 25.8, and 28.8%, respectively.

Conclusion

While the age-standardized stroke burden has reduced during these 30 years, it is still a concerning issue due to its increased burden in all-age numbers. Well-developed primary prevention, timely diagnosis and management of the stroke and its risk factors might be appreciated for further decreasing the burden of stroke and its risk factors and reaching Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 target for reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases.
Retrospective evaluation of referral by community health workers on the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment of Malaria in pregnancy in Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Authors: Orji Bright Chukwudi , Bryce Emily , Odio Bartholomew , Onuoha Herbert Enyeribe , Njoku Elizabeth , Anoke Charity , Ugwa Emmanuel , Enne Joseph , Oniyire Adetiloye , Otolorin Emmanuel , Afolabi Kayode , Ogbulafor Nnenna C. , Oliveras Elizabeth
Published: July 2022

Background

The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of three doses of quality-assured sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp), in moderate to high malaria transmission areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, coverage of IPTp lags behind coverage of antenatal care (ANC) visits; in Nigeria, 57% of women attended four or more ANC visits, whereas only 17% received the recommended three or more doses of IPTp. The innovative program aimed to close this gap by providing counseling on the benefits of comprehensive ANC, referral to ANC and community distribution of IPTp (C-IPTp), complementing IPTp at ANC. The study aimed to examine whether CHW referral to ANC improved the likelihood of receiving three or more doses of IPTp.

Methods

The data for this study were extracted from the maternity record books of 1437 pregnant women seen at 25 public health facilities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The outcome of interest was defined as the receipt of three or more doses of IPTp (IPTp3) and the independent variable was referral to ANC by a community health worker for any visit. Descriptive statistics were reported and the results from the multi-level regressions are reported as adjusted odds and prevalence ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Of the 936 women included in the analysis, 24.47% received the recommended three or more IPTp doses and 61.32% were referred by a community health worker (CHW) for at least one ANC visit. There was no difference in the mean number of ANC visits between women who received C-IPTp and those who received IPTp exclusively at a facility (2.40 vs 2.52; p = 0.374). There were no maternal characteristics associated with CHW referral. Women who were referred by a CHW had 60% greater odds (95% CI, 1.08–2.38) of receiving IPTp3 than those who were never referred.

Conclusion

The results indicate that CHW referrals conducted within a C-IPTp program are associated with higher IPTp uptake but not fewer ANC visits and that CHWs applied the referral process equally. This strengthens the evidence base for C-IPTp scale-up, which could have a large impact in sub-Saharan Africa in mitigating existing health systems issues.
Information needs and sources of information among people with depression and anxiety: a scoping review
Authors: Chan Frederick H. F. , Lin Xiaowen , Griva Konstadina , Subramaniam Mythily , Ćelić Ivan , Tudor Car Lorainne
Published: July 2022

Background

Previous studies have identified substantial unmet information needs in people with depression and anxiety. Sufficient information about the disorder, treatment, available services, and strategies for self-management is essential as it may influence quality of care and patients’ quality of life. This scoping review aimed to provide a broad overview of information needs of people with depression and anxiety as well as the sources that they use to seek this information.

Methods

We included all primary research published in English that investigated information needs or information sources in people with depression or anxiety, with no restrictions imposed on the study design, location, setting, or participant characteristics. Six electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LISTA, Web of Science) and the grey literature (Google and Google Scholar) were searched for relevant studies published up to November 2021. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data. Narrative synthesis was performed to identify key themes of information needs and information sources. Factors associated with information needs/sources such as demographic variables and symptom severity were also identified.

Results

Fifty-six studies (comprising 8320 participants) were included. Information needs were categorised into seven themes, including general facts, treatment, lived experience, healthcare services, coping, financial/legal, and other information. The most frequently reported needs in both people with depression and anxiety were general facts and treatment information. Subclinical samples who self-reported depressive/anxious symptoms appeared less interested in treatment information than patients with clinical diagnoses. Information sources were summarised into five categories: health professionals, written materials, media, interpersonal interactions, and organisational resources. Health professionals and media (including the internet) were the most frequently adopted and preferred sources. Although few studies have examined factors associated with information needs and information sources, there is preliminary evidence that symptom severity and disease subtypes are related to information needs/sources, whereas findings on demographic factors were mixed.

Conclusions

Information needs appear to be high in people with depression and anxiety. Future research should examine differences between subgroups and associated factors such as the treatment course. Personalised information provision strategies are also needed to customise information according to individual needs and patient profiles.

Trial Registration

The protocol of this scoping review was registered on Open Science Framework (OSF; link: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/DF2M6).
Association of marital status with cognitive function in Chinese hypertensive patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Shen Si , Cheng Jianduan , Li Junpei , Xie Yanyou , Wang Li , Zhou Xinlei , Zhou Wei , Zhu Lingjuan , Wang Tao , Tu Jianglong , Bao Huihui , Cheng Xiaoshu
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of marital status with cognitive function and to examine the potential effect modifiers in Chinese hypertensive populations.

Methods

A total of 9,525 adult Chinese hypertensive patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Cognitive function, as the dependent variable in our study, was assessed by the Chinese version of the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE). We adjusted for potential confounding factors in multiple linear regression models to examine the relationship of marital status with cognitive function. In addition, we divided the population according to sex to explore whether there were sex-specific differences.

Results

Among the 9,525 study participants, the mean (SD) age for men was 63.5 (10.3) years, and the mean MMSE score was 24.9 ± 5.0, whereas for women, the mean (SD) age was 63.8 (9.3) years, and the mean MMSE score was 19.4 ± 6.4. Unmarried persons had lower scores on the MMSE and lower subscores in each of the cognitive domains. A stronger correlation between marital status and a lower MMSE score was statistically significant in men (unmarried men: β = -1.55; 95% CI: -1.89, -1.21) but not women (unmarried women: β = -0.22; 95% CI: -0.56, 0.12; p interaction = 0.006). Compared to men who were widowed or divorced, never married men were more likely to have lower MMSE scores (β = -2.30, 95% CI -3.10,—1.50; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that being unmarried is an extremely important but neglected social risk factor for cognitive function. Sex was a strong effect modifier: being unmarried was correlated with a higher risk of cognitive decline than being married in Chinese hypertensive men, especially among older men, but this correlation was not observed among women. Moreover, never married men showed poorer cognitive function than those who were divorced or widowed.
Geographical disparities in obesity prevalence: small-area analysis of the Chilean National Health Surveys
Authors: Sepúlveda-Peñaloza Alejandro , Cumsille Francisco , Garrido Marcela , Matus Patricia , Vera-Concha Germán , Urquidi Cinthya
Published: July 2022

Background

Previous representative health surveys conducted in Chile evidenced a high obesity prevalence rate among adults, especially in female and urban areas. Nevertheless, these have limited utility for targeted interventions and local source allocation for prevention. This study analyzes the increments in obesity prevalence rates in populations ≥15 years of age and the geographic variation at the regional level. We also assessed whether the obesity rates have different patterns on a smaller geographic level than national and regional ones.

Methods

This ecological study analyzed data from two representative national samples of adolescents and adults ≥15 years old, who participated in the last Chilean health surveys, 2009 (n = 5412) and 2016 (n = 6233). Obesity (body mass index≥30 kg/m2) rates were calculated on the national, regional, and Health service (HS) levels, being HS the smallest unit of analysis available. Obesity rates and relative increase to early identify target populations and geographic areas, with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), were calculated using the sampling design of the national surveys, at the national and regional level, and by gender, age groups, and socioeconomic status. The Fay-Herriot (FH) models, using auxiliary data, were fitted for obesity rate estimates at the HS level.

Results

The relative increase in obesity rate was 37.1% (95%CI 23.3–52.9) at the national level, with a heterogeneous geographic distribution at the regional one. Southern regions had the highest obesity rates in both surveys (Aysén: 35.2, 95%CI 26.9–43.5 in 2009, 44.3 95%CI 37–51.7 in 2016), but higher increases were predominantly in the northern and central areas of the country (relative increase 91.1 95%CI 39.6–110.1 in Valparaiso and 81.6 95%CI 14.4–196.2 in Tarapacá). Obesity rates were higher in females, older age, and lower socioeconomic groups; nevertheless, relative increases were higher in the opposite ones. The FH estimates showed an obesity rates variation at the HS level, where higher rates tend to converge to specific HS areas of each region.

Conclusion

Obesity rates and relative increase are diverse across subnational levels and substantially differ from the national estimates, highlighting a pattern that converges to areas with low-middle income households. Our results emphasize geographical disparities in obesity prevalence among adults and adolescents.
Barriers for multiparous women to using long-term contraceptive methods in Southeast Asia: case study in Philippines and Indonesia
Authors: Laksono Agung Dwi , Rohmah Nikmatur , Megatsari Hario
Published: July 2022

Background

Multiparous women are supposed to be able to end their reproductive cycle to decrease population growth. This study aimed to analyze barriers for multiparous women to use long-term contraceptive methods (LTCM) in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Methods

The study population was women aged 15–49 years old who have given birth to a live baby > 1 in the Philippines and Indonesia. The weighted sample size was 12,085 Philippines women and 25,543 Indonesian women. To identify variables associated with the use of LTCM, we analyzed place of residence, age group, education level, marital status, employment status, and wealth status. The final step employed multinomial logistic regression.

Results

In both countries, the results showed that variables associated with non-user LTCM were younger women, living in rural areas with poor education. Women without partner and unemployed had higher probability to not use LTCM. Finally, low wealth status had a higher probability than the richest multiparous to not use LTCM.

Conclusion

The study concluded that there were six barriers for multiparous women to use LTCM in the Philippines and Indonesia. The six obstacles were living in rural areas, being younger, poor education, single, unemployed, and low wealth.
Dual-energy CT in sacral fragility fractures: defining a cut-off Hounsfield unit value for the presence of traumatic bone marrow edema in patients with osteoporosis
Authors: Grunz Jan-Peter , Sailer Lukas , Lang Patricia , Schüle Simone , Kunz Andreas Steven , Beer Meinrad , Hackenbroch Carsten
Published: July 2022

Background

Demographic change entails an increasing incidence of fragility fractures. Dual-energy CT (DECT) with virtual non-calcium (VNCa) reconstructions has been introduced as a promising diagnostic method for evaluating bone microarchitecture and marrow simultaneously. This study aims to define the most accurate cut-off value in Hounsfield units (HU) for discriminating the presence and absence of bone marrow edema (BME) in sacral fragility fractures.

Methods

Forty-six patients (40 women, 6 men; 79.7 ± 9.2 years) with suspected fragility fractures of the sacrum underwent both DECT (90 kVp / 150 kVp with tin prefiltration) and MRI. Nine regions-of-interest were placed in each sacrum on DECT-VNCa images. The resulting 414 HU measurements were stratified into “edema” (n = 80) and “no edema” groups (n = 334) based on reference BME detection in T2-weighted MRI sequences. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated to determine the desired cut-off value and an associated conspicuity range for edema detection.

Results

The mean density within the “edema” group of measurements (+ 3.1 ± 8.3 HU) was substantially higher compared to the “no edema” group (-51.7 ± 21.8 HU; p < 0.010). Analysis in DECT-VNCa images suggested a cut-off value of -12.9 HU that enabled sensitivity and specificity of 100% for BME detection compared to MRI. A range of HU values between -14.0 and + 20.0 is considered indicative of BME in the sacrum.

Conclusions

Quantitative analysis of DECT-VNCa with a cut-off of -12.9 HU allows for excellent diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of sacral fragility fractures with associated BME. A diagnostic “one-stop-shop” approach without additional MRI is feasible.
Surgical treatment of benign splenic lesions in pediatric patients: a case series of 30 cases from a single center
Authors: Wang Zengmeng , Peng Chunhui , Wu Dongyang , Wang Kai , Xu Jiatong , Sun Jihang , Pang Wenbo , Ding Cailin , Chen Yajun
Published: July 2022

Background

Benign splenic lesions are rarely encountered. This study aimed to review the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes in a case series of 30 pediatric patients.

Methods

From January 1st, 2001 to December 31st, 2021, 30 pediatric patients from a single center were consecutively included. Electronic medical records were reviewed and patients were followed up. Clinical presentations, imaging features, surgical procedures, pathological diagnoses, and prognoses were summarized. The lesion locations and 7-day postoperative platelet levels were compared between total and partial splenectomy patients.

Results

Eighteen males and twelve females were included, with mean age at surgery 116.4 ± 43.6 months. The clinical presentations included abdominal pain (16/30), splenomegaly (6/30), skin petechia (2/30), hemolytic jaundice (1/30), and no symptoms (5/30). Pathological diagnoses included congenital epithelial cyst (CEC, 17/30), vascular malformation (8/30), sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT, 3/30), hamartoma (1/30), and leiomyoma (1/30). Patients undergone total splenectomy were more likely to have a lesion involving the hilum than those undergone partial splenectomy (68.4% vs 31.6%,P = 0.021). The 7-day postoperative platelet level was higher in total splenectomy patients than partial splenectomy patients (adjusted means 694.4 × 109/L vs 402.4 × 109/L,P = 0.002).

Conclusions

Various clinical characteristics of pediatric benign splenic lesions are summarized. The most common pathological diagnoses are congenital epithelial cyst and vascular malformation. Partial and total splenectomy result in good prognosis with a low recurrence rate, and the former is preferred to preserve splenic function if possible.
Breast self-examination practice and predictors among female secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: using the health belief model
Authors: Tewelde Bisrat , Tamire Mulugeta , Kaba Mirgissa
Published: July 2022

Background

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed reproductive organ cancer among women in Ethiopia. Even though breast self-examination (BSE) is shown to be the least expensive, less time-consuming, and non-invasive screening method, the practice of breast self-examination in Ethiopia is poor. Therefore this study aimed to assess breast self-examination practice and predictors among female secondary school teachers using the Health Belief Model.

Materials and methods

An institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 589 female secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A self-administered questionnaire containing socio-demographic characteristics, sources of information, knowledge, perception on breast self-examination, and BSE practice was prepared based on the Champion's revised Health Belief Model and used as a data collection instrument. Multi-variable binary logistic regression was employed to identify the predictors of breast self-examination practice with significance set at p < 0.05 by controlling possible confounders.

Result

Breast self-examination was practiced by 43.6% of female secondary school teachers. Television and radio were the commonest sources of information about breast cancer and breast self-examination. Personal history of breast problem (AOR 3.27, 95% CI 1.13–9.45), teaching experience (AOR 2.46, 95% CI 1.33–4.56), knowledge (AOR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.12) and perceived self-efficacy (AOR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.12) were significantly associated with BSE practice.

Conclusion

The practice of breast self-examination was found to be low. Perceived self-efficacy, personal history of breast problems, and the knowledge level of female teachers were factors associated with the practice of BSE. This suggests the need for educational programs to enhance knowledge regarding breast cancer and improve the practice of breast self-examination.
Pilot study to evaluate a novel measure of self-perceived competencies among dental students
Authors: Schmalz Gerhard , Kullmann Henrike , Sensky Tom , Kreher Deborah , Haak Rainer , Büchi Stefan , Ziebolz Dirk
Published: July 2022

Background

PRISM is a novel approach to support self-reflection and learning appraisal in dental students, based on a visual metaphor. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether PRISM measurments would be reproducible and sensitive to detect learning progress in undergraduate dental students in their clinical years.

Methods

Voluntarily participating dental students were included. To evaluate reproducibility, a mixed cohort of 10 students each in 3rd, 4th and 5th year (total n = 30) was recruited and received three identically structured PRISM interviews within one week without any other teaching events. To assess perceived learning progress, 29 volunteer 3rd year students participated in three interviews during their clinical simulation course (beginning, middle, end). Distances between Subject and Objects was measured in millimeter; objects were classified into close or branched clusters depending on their distance from each other on the PRISM board.

Results

Values for perceived competencies within PRISM interviews during one week were comparable between the three time points in the mixed cohort (n = 30; p > 0.05). Comparing the three subgroups (3rd, 4th and 5th year, each n = 10), PRISM indicated that 3rd year students perceived their competencies are significantly lower than the 4th and 5th year students (p < 0.01). 3rd year students had less often a branched cluster of objects than the other two groups (p < 0.05).

PRISM showed that over time, 3rd year students perceived a gain in their competencies in conservative dentistry and its sub-disciplines (p ≤ 0.01). The PRISM data indicated that by the end of the simulation course, the students appeared to show higher discrimination of their self-perceptions between sub-topics in conservative dentistry than at the start of the course (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

PRISM yields a reproducible measure of individual students' learning progress. It is a promising novel approach for appraisal in dental education. Further work is needed to confirm the generalisability of the findings.
Drug repurposing: a systematic review on root causes, barriers and facilitators
Authors: Krishnamurthy Nithya , Grimshaw Alyssa A. , Axson Sydney A. , Choe Sung Hee , Miller Jennifer E.
Published: July 2022

Background

Repurposing is a drug development strategy receiving heightened attention after the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization of several repurposed drugs to treat Covid-19. There remain knowledge gaps on the root causes, facilitators and barriers for repurposing.

Method

This systematic review used controlled vocabulary and free text terms to search ABI/Informa, Academic Search Premier, Business Source Complete, Cochrane Library, EconLit, Google Scholar, Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection databases for the characteristics, reasons and example of companies deprioritizing development of promising drugs and barriers, facilitators and examples of successful re-purposing.

Results

We identified 11,814 articles, screened 5,976 for relevance, found 437 eligible for full text review, 115 of which were included in full analysis. Most articles (66%, 76/115) discussed why promising drugs are abandoned, with lack of efficacy or superiority to other therapies (n = 59), strategic business reasons (n = 35), safety problems (n = 28), research design decisions (n = 12), the complex nature of a studied disease or drug (n = 7) and regulatory bodies requiring more information (n = 2) among top reasons. Key barriers to repurposing include inadequate resources (n = 42), trial data access and transparency around abandoned compounds (n = 20) and expertise (n = 11). Additional barriers include uncertainty about the value of repurposing (n = 13), liability risks (n = 5) and intellectual property (IP) challenges (n = 26). Facilitators include the ability to form multi-partner collaborations (n = 38), access to compound databases and database screening tools (n = 32), regulatory modifications (n = 5) and tax incentives (n = 2).

Conclusion

Promising drugs are commonly shelved due to insufficient efficacy or superiority to alternate therapies, poor market prospects, and industry consolidation. Inadequate resources and data access and challenges negotiating IP are key barriers to repurposing reaching its full potential as a core approach in drug development. Multi-partner collaborations and the availability and use of compound databases and tax incentives are key facilitators for repurposing. More research is needed on the current value of repurposing in drug development and how to better facilitate resources to support it, where valuable, especially financial, staffing for out-licensing shelved products, and legal expertise to negotiate IP agreements in multi-partner collaborations.

Trial registration

The protocol was registered on Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/f634k/) as it was not eligible for registration on PROSPERO as the review did not focus on a health-related outcome.
Puricelli biconvex arthroplasty as an alternative for temporomandibular joint reconstruction: description of the technique and long-term case report
Authors: Puricelli Edela
Published: July 2022

Background

There are several indications for partial or total replacement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), including neoplasms and severe bone resorptions. In this regard, several techniques have been suggested to increase the functionality and longevity of these prosthetic devices. This case report describes the treatment of a TMJ ankylosis patient with the Puricelli biconvex arthroplasty (ABiP) technique, with a long-term follow-up.

Case presentation

In 1978, a 33-year-old male polytraumatised patient developed painful symptoms in the right preauricular region, associated with restricted movement of the ipsilateral TMJ. Due to subcondylar fracture, an elastic maxillomandibular immobilisation (EMMI) was applied. Subsequently, the patient was referred for treatment when limitations of the interincisal opening (10 mm) and the presence of spontaneous pain that increased on palpation were confirmed. Imaging exams confirmed the fracture, with anteromedial displacement and bony ankylosis of the joint. Exeresis of the compromised tissues and their replacement through ABiP was indicated. The method uses conservative access (i.e., preauricular incision), partial resection of the ankylosed mass, and tissue replacement using two poly(methyl methacrylate) components, with minimal and stable contact between the convex surfaces. At the end of the procedure, joint stability and dental occlusion were tested. The patient showed significant improvement at the postoperative 6-month follow-up, with no pain and increased mouth opening range (30 mm). At the 43-year follow-up, no joint noises, pain or movement restrictions were reported (mouth opening of 36 mm). Imaging exams did not indicate tissue degeneration and showed the integrity of prosthetic components.

Conclusions

The present case report indicates that ABiP enables joint movements of the TMJ, allowing the remission of signs and symptoms over more than 40 years of follow-up. These data suggest that this technique is a simple and effective alternative when there is an indication for TMJ reconstruction in adult patients with ankylosis.
Methodological issues on evaluating agreement between two detection methods by Cohen’s kappa analysis
Authors: Li Ming , Yu Tianfei
Published: July 2022

We read with great interest the article by Hendershot et al. (Parasit Vectors 14:473, 2021). The authors compared a PCR method for detecting Plasmodium vivax’s mitochondrial (mt) cytochrome oxidase I (COX-I) gene with the current “gold standard” circumsporozoite (CSP) ELISA for detecting circumsporozoite protein for identification of different life stages of Plasmodium vivax during development within Anopheles arabiensis. We found that Cohen’s kappa value for measuring the agreement between mt COX-I PCR and CSP ELISA was questionable. In addition, we recommend a more appropriate statistical method in this article.

In short, any scientific conclusion requires support by the reasonable application of methodological and statistical methods.
On some dynamic inequalities of Ostrowski, trapezoid, and Grüss type on time scales
Authors: El-Deeb Ahmed A.
Published: July 2022

In the present manuscript, we prove some new extensions of the dynamic Ostrowski inequality and its companion inequalities on an arbitrary time scale by using two parameters for functions whose second delta derivatives are bounded. In addition to these generalizations, some integral and discrete inequalities are obtained as special cases of main results.
Molecular mechanisms and clinical applications of exosomes in prostate cancer
Authors: Cui Xiaolin , Fu Qiang , Wang Xueying , Xia Pengcheng , Cui Xianglun , Bai Xiaohui , Lu Zhiming
Published: July 2022

Prostate cancer (PC) is a common tumor in men, and the incidence rate is high worldwide. Exosomes are nanosized vesicles released by all types of cells into multiple biological fluid types. These vesicles contribute to intercellular communication by delivering both nucleic acids and proteins to recipient cells. In recent years, many studies have explored the mechanisms by which exosomes mediate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, tumor microenvironment establishment, and drug resistance acquisition in PC, and the mechanisms that have been identified and the molecules involved have provided new perspectives for the possible discovery of novel diagnostic markers in PC. Furthermore, the excellent biophysical properties of exosomes, such as their high stability, high biocompatibility and ability to cross biological barriers, have made exosomes promising candidates for use in novel targeted drug delivery system development. In this review, we summarize the roles of exosomes in the growth and signal transmission in PC and show the promising future of exosome contributions to PC diagnostics and treatment.
Duplex-specific nuclease and Exo-III enzyme-assisted signal amplification cooperating DNA-templated silver nanoclusters for label-free and sensitive miRNA detection
Authors: Liu Hongli , Zhu Changqiong , Mou Chunyan
Published: July 2022

Development of novel miRNA detection strategies plays a crucial role in fundamental research and clinical diagnosis of various diseases, such as infantile pneumonia. We herein develop a rapid and sensitive DNA-templated AgNCs-based miRNA detection approach, pinning the hope on an improved detection sensitivity in an easy-to-operate way. In the method, a hairpin probe is designed to specifically bind with target miRNA, and to initiate the DSN enzyme and Exo-III-assisted dual signal recycles. The resultant guanine-rich DNA sequences after signal amplification turn on the fluorescence of the dark AgNCs by hybridizing with the DNA template of the dark AgNCs. The generated signals are correlated with the amounts of target miRNA in the sensing system. Through a series of experiments, the established approach exhibits a great dynamic range of more than seven orders of magnitude with a low limit of detection of 245 aM, holding great promises for miRNA-related researches and disease diagnosis.

Graphical abstract
Topside equatorial spread F-related field-aligned Poynting flux: observations and simulations
Authors: Rodríguez-Zuluaga J. , Stolle C. , Hysell D. , Knudsen D. J.
Published: July 2022

Electric and magnetic field data from the Swarm constellation mission are used to report on the Poynting flux associated with postsunset topside equatorial spread F. A three-dimensional numerical simulation of plasma density irregularities in the F region ionosphere leading to spread F is used to interpret and support the satellite observations. Here, we focus on quasi-static magnetic and electric fields nearby equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs). The observations show a correlation of the Poynting flux with the plasma number density when background densities are larger than $$\mathrm {10^5 ~cm^{-3}}$$

10
5

cm

-
3

—typical of pre-midnight hours. In other words, the Poynting flux increases as EPDs get more depleted. As time passes, both plasma density and Poynting flux decay. For the latter, however, this temporal dependence is evident in the pre-midnight sector only. Concerning spatial variations, the Poynting flux is observed to enhance inside EPDs as a function of magnetic latitude mainly due to the strengthening of field-aligned currents as they flow away from the dip equator. The Poynting flux follows the dynamo theory, wherein the winds in the F region act as the generator at night and the E region conductivity on shared magnetic field lines as the load. That said, the Poynting flux is generally expected to flow along the field lines away from a dynamo source at the dip equator. Nevertheless, observations show unidirectional flows from one magnetic hemisphere to another, suggesting a generator below the satellites’ altitude. The numerical simulations confirm these observations and show that such latitudinal shifts of the generator are due almost entirely to the winds.

Graphical Abstract
The network structure of ICD-11 adjustment disorder: A comparison of clinical and nonclinical samples
Authors: Levin Yafit , Karatzias Thanos , Shevlin Mark , Ben-Ezra Menachem , Maercker Andreas , Bachem Rahel
Published: July 2022

Background

International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11) adjustment disorder (AjD) is characterized by two main symptom clusters: preoccupation with the stressor and failure to adapt to the stressor. The network analytic approach provides important information on the structural validity of a disorder and reveals which symptoms are most prominent. To date, no study compared the network structure of AjD symptoms in clinical and nonclinical samples, which could potentially inform our understanding of psychopathological mechanisms that underlie AjD and identify core targets for therapy.

Methods

A network analysis was conducted on AjD symptoms as assessed by the Adjustment Disorder—New Module (ADNM-8) using data from 330 clinical participants from the UK and a nonclinical sample of 699 participants from Switzerland.

Results

Comparisons of network structure invariance revealed differences between the network structure of the clinical and the nonclinical samples. Results highlight that in terms of both edges strength and centrality, failure to adapt symptoms was more prominent in the clinical sample, while the preoccupation symptoms were more prominent in the nonclinical sample. Importantly, global strength was similar across networks.

Conclusions

Results provide evidence of the coherence of AjD in the ICD-11 as assessed by the ADNM questionnaire. They tentatively suggest that subclinical AjD may be characterized by emerging preoccupation symptoms that may result in failure to adapt and functional impairment in clinical manifestation of AjD. However, there is a need for replication and longitudinal research to further validate this hypothesis.
Out of the Woodwork: Enrollment Spillovers in the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment
Authors: Sacarny Adam , Baicker Katherine , Finkelstein Amy
Published: July 2022

We study the impact of expanded adult Medicaid eligibility on the enrollment of already-eligible children. We analyze the 2008 Oregon Medicaid lottery, in which some low-income uninsured adults were randomly selected to be allowed to apply for Medicaid. Children in these households were eligible for Medicaid irrespective of the lottery outcome. We estimate statistically significant but transitory impacts of adult lottery selection on child Medicaid enrollment: at three months after the lottery, for every nine adults who enrolled in Medicaid due to winning the lottery, one additional child also enrolled. Our results shed light on the existence, magnitude, and nature of so-called “woodwork effects.” (JEL G22, H75, I13, I18, I38, J13)
Checking and Sharing Alt-Facts
Authors: Henry Emeric , Zhuravskaya Ekaterina , Guriev Sergei
Published: July 2022

During the 2019 European elections campaign, we exposed a random sample of French voting-age Facebook users to false statements by a far-right populist party. A randomly selected subgroup was also presented with fact-checking of these statements; another subgroup was offered a choice of whether to view the fact-checking. Participants could then share these statements on their Facebook pages. We show that (i) both imposed and voluntary fact-checking reduce sharing of false statements by about 45 percent, (ii) the size of the effect is similar between imposed and voluntary fact-checking, and (iii) each additional click required to share false statements sub stantially reduces sharing. (JEL D72, D81, D91)