bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-resolution record of geochemical, vegetational and molluscan shifts in a Central European spring-fed fen: implications for regional paleoclimate during the early and mid-Holocene
Authors: Apolinarska Karina , Kiełczewski Rafał , Pleskot Krzysztof , Marzec Magdalena , Aunina Liene , Gałka Mariusz
Published: May 2022

Despite the increasing interest in spring-fed fens’ sediments as a palaeoenvironmental archive, their potential as high-precision climatic records is rarely used to its full extent. Here, we present a detailed early to mid-Holocene record of environmental changes in the Turtul hanging spring-fed fen, northeastern Poland, to test whether the well preserved and accurately subsampled alternating peat and tufa sediments allow us to recognise short-duration local and regional climatic changes. Our reconstructions are based on a loss-on-ignition analysis of the sediment, carbon and oxygen stable isotope values of tufa, and biotic proxies: plant macrofossil and malacological analyses. A detailed environmental reconstruction was possible due to the combination of detailed sampling (1 cm intervals) and high sediment accumulation rates. The two sediment sequences collected from the fen revealed the congruent palaeoenvironmental history; however, the temporal shift associated with the distance of the coring site from the water outflow was also apparent, stressing the need for careful selection of the coring site in palaeoenvironmental research. Peat deposition at Turtul started at 10,300 cal yr BP; however, tufa precipitation did not begin before 9250 cal yr BP. During the most active tufa deposition, from 7850 to 6100 cal yr BP, a high sedimentation rate was observed (0.11–0.25 cm yr−1). We found several abrupt and short-duration declines in carbonate deposition corresponding to climatic fluctuations recorded in geological archives from the southeastern Baltic region. The carbonate drops at 8200–8130, 7900–7850, 7400–7300, 6600–6500, 5980–5870 and 5400 cal yr BP were associated with climate cooling or drying, whereas those at 10,200–9250, 8450–8340 and 6160–6100 cal yr BP can be attributed to drying with no cooling. We conclude that the evident sensitivity of the Turtul fen to climatic shifts that emerge from our high-resolution (one sample every 17 years on average) reconstruction complements the still rare high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records in the area.
Producing and using artificial intelligence: What can Europe learn from Siemens’s experience?
Authors: Franco Sebastián Fernández , Graña Juan M , Flacher David , Rikap Cecilia
Published: May 2022

This paper examines the innovation strategy of Siemens, a key player in Europe’s digital economy, by performing network and lexical analyses using data derived from Siemens’s patents and scientific publications since 1998. We observe that the company’s innovation efforts evolved from a broader attempt to develop internal information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities – alongside its historical industrial priorities – to a strategy focused on developing artificial intelligence (AI) for sector-specific and niche applications (such as life and medical sciences). As a result, it became dependent on tech giants’ clouds for accessing more general AI services and digital infrastructure. We build on the intellectual monopoly literature focusing on the effects of tech giants on other leading corporations, to analyse Siemens’s experience. By abandoning the development of general ICT and given the emergence of tech giants as digital economy intellectual monopolies, we show that Siemens is risking its technological autonomy towards these big tech companies. Our results provide clues to understand the challenges faced by Europe and its firms in relation to US and Chinese tech giants.
Music students’ experienced workload in higher education: A systematic review and recommendations for good practice
Authors: Jääskeläinen Tuula , López-Íñiguez Guadalupe , Phillips Michelle
Published: May 2022

While there is extensive research on student workload in higher education, research-based findings relating to music students’ workloads are, to a great extent, lacking. In this study, we aim to review the literature systematically (a) to identify the factors that have an impact on students’ experiences of workload ( experienced workload) and (b) to better understand music students’ experiences of their workloads in relation to their studies. The overall aim is to offer recommendations for students, teachers, administrators, and student health and well-being services as to how to deal with music students’ workload. We conducted a systematic search of literature in 23 electronic databases and 19 music research journals following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guidelines. Eligibility criteria consisted of design, sample, phenomenon of interest, evaluation, and type of research. Twenty-nine qualitative, quantitative, and multistrategy studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and the quality of the studies was appraised. Extended meta-ethnography was used to create a synthesis revealing specific themes offering recommendations for good practice to (a) increase music students’ ability to cope with their workload, (b) provide tools for teachers to support music students to manage and cope with workload, and (c) develop learner-centered environments in higher music education. In addition to presenting recommendations for good practice, we conclude that more research using high-quality designs is needed to investigate music students’ discipline-specific experienced workload.
Grasping the nettle of danger: a commentary on how people perceive their health risks, impacting on their health behaviours
Authors: Maguire Paul A , Looi Jeffrey CL
Published: May 2022

Objective

To provide a commentary review, for psychiatrists and trainees, on the clinical relevance of risk perception for health behaviours and outcomes.

Conclusions

The core dimensions of risk perception are how a person perceives the likelihood and severity of an adverse outcome in the face of a threat. The two fundamental modes of how a threat is perceived are a rapid, intuitive, affective response followed by a slower, deliberate, cognitive appraisal. Risk perception regarding health threats is influenced by: level of trust in the information source; immediacy; voluntariness; perceived consequences of the threat; an affective response of fear, especially a feeling of dread; familiarity with the threat, including past exposure; and factual knowledge of the threat. Perception of risk may by distorted by cognitive biases (heuristics), including optimistic bias. There is a strong and consistent link between risk perception and health behaviours, and, therefore, health outcomes.
Erythrophagocytic multiple myeloma in a dog
Authors: Romanelli Pierpaolo , Recordati Camilla , Rigamonti Paola , Bertazzolo Walter
Published: May 2022

A 5-y-old spayed female Golden Retriever dog was referred because of severe normocytic normochromic nonregenerative anemia and thrombocytopenia. Serum analysis revealed hyperproteinemia and monoclonal or oligoclonal gammopathy. Fine-needle aspiration of the spleen revealed a highly erythrophagocytic population of neoplastic round cells, morphologically suggestive of plasma cells. After euthanasia, histologic assessment of the spleen and liver revealed an erythrophagocytic round cell tumor. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor population was positive for MUM1p and negative for CD3, CD20, and Iba-1, confirming the plasma cell origin of the tumor. Erythrophagocytic multiple myeloma is a very rare neoplastic condition in dogs.
Use of machine-learning algorithms to aid in the early detection of leptospirosis in dogs
Authors: Reagan Krystle L. , Deng Shaofeng , Sheng Junda , Sebastian Jamie , Wang Zhe , Huebner Sara N. , Wenke Louise A. , Michalak Sarah R. , Strohmer Thomas , Sykes Jane E.
Published: May 2022

Leptospirosis is a life-threatening, zoonotic disease with various clinical presentations, including renal injury, hepatic injury, pancreatitis, and pulmonary hemorrhage. With prompt recognition of the disease and treatment, 90% of infected dogs have a positive outcome. Therefore, rapid, early diagnosis of leptospirosis is crucial. Testing for Leptospira-specific serum antibodies using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) lacks sensitivity early in the disease process, and diagnosis can take >2 wk because of the need to demonstrate a rise in titer. We applied machine-learning algorithms to clinical variables from the first day of hospitalization to create machine-learning prediction models (MLMs). The models incorporated patient signalment, clinicopathologic data (CBC, serum chemistry profile, and urinalysis = blood work [BW] model), with or without a MAT titer obtained at patient intake (=BW + MAT model). The models were trained with data from 91 dogs with confirmed leptospirosis and 322 dogs without leptospirosis. Once trained, the models were tested with a cohort of dogs not included in the model training (9 leptospirosis-positive and 44 leptospirosis-negative dogs), and performance was assessed. Both models predicted leptospirosis in the test set with 100% sensitivity (95% CI: 70.1–100%). Specificity was 90.9% (95% CI: 78.8–96.4%) and 93.2% (95% CI: 81.8–97.7%) for the BW and BW + MAT models, respectively. Our MLMs outperformed traditional acute serologic screening and can provide accurate early screening for the probable diagnosis of leptospirosis in dogs.
Clinical, imaging, and pathologic features in cases of neurologic disease in 3 psittacine birds
Authors: Pintado Ester , Martorell Jaume , Solanes Ferran , Ramis Antonio J.
Published: May 2022

We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the CNS, and confirmed CNS lesions histologically, in 3 psittacine birds with neurologic signs. One bird was recumbent as a result of non-ambulatory paraparesis, and 2 birds were ataxic with impaired proprioception. In all 3 cases, imaging was performed, and infectious diseases were excluded in cases 1 and 2. In case 1, a large mass arose from the left lung; in case 2, a multinodular coelomic mass encompassed the left caudal pulmonary area to the left cranial renal pole; and in case 3, a diffuse hyperintensity affected the lumbar spinal cord. In the first 2 cases, masses invaded the vertebral canal, causing spinal cord compression. All 3 birds were euthanized given the poor prognosis, and postmortem examinations were performed. The final diagnoses were pulmonary adenocarcinoma in cases 1 and 2, and granulomatous and lymphocytic leptomeningitis caused by Mycobacterium genavense in case 3. MRI enabled visualization of the lesions in the affected area of the CNS, and MRI findings were confirmed by histopathology.
A Qualitative Serial Analysis of Drawings by Thirteen-to Fifteen-Year-Old Adolescents in Sweden About the First Wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Tishelman Carol , Degen Johanna L. , Weiss Goitiandía Sofía , Kleijberg Max , Kleeberg-Niepage Andrea
Published: May 2022

In this article, we explore the perspectives of 13–15-year-olds living in Sweden about the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, through inductive analysis of 187 of their drawings. Through reconstructive serial picture analysis, three types of meaning were derived: (1) A new normal in dystopian scenery points to the disruption of daily life and development of new praxis and meaning in a context of threat and restriction; (2) Disrupted relationships refers to these adolescents’ self-portrayal as solitary, without adult guidance or friends prominent; and (3) Negative emotions and compliant behaviors addresses a range of negative emotions and expressions of loss with few proactive strategies illustrated. General existential distress appears in these drawings, seemingly compounded by both developmental stage and other factors in addition to the pandemic context. Drawings suggest a restricted repertoire of ways of dealing with challenges confronting these adolescents, who seemed to feel left to their own resources.
The Forgotten Working Class: A Call to Action Based upon a Repeated Cross-Sectional Examination of the Relationships Among Social Class, Financial Satisfaction, and Exhaustion
Authors: Kessler Stacey R. , Gutworth Melissa B.
Published: May 2022

For several decades, working-class employees have been forgotten by policy makers and society more generally. This notion is further exacerbated in the organizational studies literature, where research mostly focuses on professional employees. In the current study, we seek to rectify this omission by examining how the experience of working-class employees has changed over time. We use a nationally representative sample of 35,771 U.S. employees collected between 1972 and 2018 as part of the repeated cross-sections of the General Social Survey Results suggest a growing disparity between working-class and middle/upper-class employees, with working-class employees reporting lower levels of financial satisfaction and higher levels of work exhaustion compared to middle/upper-class employees. Moreover, these discrepancies have increased over time, suggesting that this population of employees has indeed been forgotten.
Construction and Initial Validation of the Higher Education Orientations Questionnaire
Authors: Willner Tirza , Lipshits-Braziler Yuliya , Gati Itamar
Published: May 2022

Attaining higher education continues to be important for successful integration into the 21st-century world of work. The goal of the present study was to develop and test a 5-dimensional model and a corresponding measure of individuals’ orientations toward higher education––the Higher Education Orientations (HEO) questionnaire. The proposed model comprises five orientations: Profession (attaining an occupation), Knowledge (expanding knowledge and intellectual horizons), Social (expanding social affiliation and integration), Prestige (attaining social status), and External (pleasing significant others). Study 1a ( N = 798) supported the HEO questionnaire’s psychometric properties, and an EFA supported its five-factor structure. The results of a CFA in Study 1b ( N = 748) confirmed the HEO’s five-dimensional structure. Study 2 ( N = 395) supported the psychometric qualities of the HEO’s English version. In Study 3 ( N = 713), using SEM, we found the HEO associated with (a) career decision status, (b) career decision-making difficulties, and (c) coping strategies, supporting its validity. Implications for research and counseling are discussed.
Establishing Trust in Experts During a Crisis: Expert Trustworthiness and Media Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mihelj Sabina , Kondor Katherine , Štětka Václav
Published: May 2022

Existing research on factors informing public perceptions of expert trustworthiness was largely conducted during stable periods and in long-established Western liberal democracies. This article asks whether the same factors apply during a major health crisis and in relatively new democracies. Drawing on 120 interviews and diaries conducted during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Serbia, we identify two additional factors not acknowledged in existing research, namely personal contact with experts and experts’ independence from political elites. We also examine how different factors interact and show how distrust of experts can lead to exposure to online misinformation.
Direct search-based optimal robust observer for polytopic systems using the concept of inverse system
Authors: Abbasi Nahid , Dehghani Maryam , Asemani Mohammad Hasan , Abolpour Roozbeh , Mohammadi Mohsen
Published: May 2022

In this paper, a novel approach is presented to design an optimal robust observer for polytopic systems using the direct searching method and the concept of inverse systems. First, a Luenberger observer is considered for a sample polytopic system. By applying the direct searching algorithm, the sub-regions of the observer design space that can make the estimation error dynamics asymptotically stable is determined. Then, by applying the Bounded Real Lemma for the inverse system of estimation error dynamics, the optimal [Formula: see text] gain of the observer is found. The simulation results are presented to prove the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The proposed approach is applied to a simulated model of a tramway system and the results are satisfactory.
Comprehensive Nonclinical Safety Assessment of Nirmatrelvir Supporting Timely Development of the SARS-COV-2 Antiviral Therapeutic, Paxlovid™
Authors: Sathish Jean G. , Bhatt Siddhartha , DaSilva Jamie K. , Flynn Declan , Jenkinson Stephen , Kalgutkar Amit S. , Liu Maggie , Manickam Balasubramanian , Pinkstaff Jason , Reagan William J. , Shirai Norimitsu , Shoieb Ahmed M. , Sirivelu Madhu , Vispute Saurabh , Vitsky Allison , Walters Karen , Wisialowski Todd A. , Updyke Lawrence W.
Published: May 2022

COVID-19 is a potentially fatal infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease (Mpro) is a viral enzyme essential for replication and is the target for nirmatrelvir. Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir co-administered with the pharmacokinetic enhancer ritonavir) showed efficacy in COVID-19 patients at high risk of progressing to hospitalization and/or death. Nonclinical safety studies with nirmatrelvir are essential in informing benefit-risk of Paxlovid and were conducted to support clinical development. In vivo safety pharmacology assessments included a nervous system/pulmonary study in rats and a cardiovascular study in telemetered monkeys. Potential toxicities were assessed in repeat dose studies of up to 1 month in rats and monkeys. Nirmatrelvir administration (1,000 mg/kg, p.o.) to male rats produced transient increases in locomotor activity and respiratory rate but did not affect behavioral endpoints in the functional observational battery. Cardiovascular effects in monkeys were limited to transient increases in blood pressure and decreases in heart rate, observed only at the highest dose tested (75 mg/kg per dose b.i.d; p.o.). Nirmatrelvir did not prolong QTc-interval or induce arrhythmias. There were no adverse findings in repeat dose toxicity studies up to 1 month in rats (up to 1,000 mg/kg daily, p.o.) or monkeys (up to 600 mg/kg daily, p.o.). Nonadverse, reversible clinical pathology findings without clinical or microscopic correlates included prolonged coagulation times at ≥60 mg/kg in rats and increases in transaminases at 600 mg/kg in monkeys. The safety pharmacology and nonclinical toxicity profiles of nirmatrelvir support clinical development and use of Paxlovid for treatment of COVID-19.
In Silico Study of Cucurbita maxima Compounds as Potential Therapeutics Against Schistosomiasis
Authors: Mtemeli Floryn Lynorah , Shoko Ryman , Ndlovu Joice , Mugumbate Grace
Published: May 2022

Schistosomiasis, a disease usually related to poverty and poor sanitation, affects more than 200 million people worldwide. Since the 1970s, the medical sector has depended on a single drug, praziquantel, for the treatment of the disease. The emerging evidence of resistance of the Schistosoma parasite to praziquantel and the drug’s inefficacy against juvenile stages of the parasite makes the need to find alternative drugs an urgent matter. In this study, we explored the inhibition potential of compounds from Cucurbita maxima using molecular docking studies on Schistosoma mansoni purine nucleoside phosphorylase ( SmPNP) and Schistosoma haematobium 28-kDa glutathione S-transferase ( Sh28kDaGST). Following molecular docking studies and analysis of the active sites, the primary amino acids that were observed and shown to be involved in the SmPNP-ligand interaction are CYS 33, ARG 86, HIS 88, TYR 90, ALA 118, ALA 119, PRO 200, TYR 202, GLU 203, VAL 219, MET 221, THR 244, ASN 245, PRO 257 and HIS 259. For the Sh28dKa-ligand interaction, the primary amino acids were PHE 11, ARG 16, TRP 41, LEU 53, GLU 70 and SER 71. Momordicoside I aglycone binds to SmPNP with the lowest binding affinity of -7.9 kcal/mol by pi sigma bond interactions with HIS 88. Balsaminoside B binds to Sh28kDaGST with a binding affinity of −7.6 kcal/mol by hydrogen bond interaction with TRP 41, LEU 53 and SER 71. Pharmacokinetic studies showed favourable drug-like properties for the 10 compounds that exhibited the lowest binding energies. Therefore, we propose that bioactive compounds from C. maxima be considered as potential novel drug hits in the treatment of schistosomiasis.
Equity in Scientific Publication
Authors: Nabyonga-Orem Juliet
Published: May 2022

This editorial seeks to draw our attention to the central role of health research in identifying solutions to persistent challenges to meeting health goals, and as a core component of economic development, irrespective of the level of economic development of the country. As such, the ‘leave no one behind’ principle which underpins the sustainable development agenda applies to health research as well. Health Services Insights (HIS) contributes to meeting the need for equity in health research embracing a multidisciplinary approach to share comprehensive evidence.
Barriers and Strategies for Type 1 Diabetes Management Among Emerging Adults: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Sawyer Bailee , Hilliard Elizabeth , Hackney Kyle J , Stastny Sherri
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

Individuals in the emerging adult age group (18-30 years) with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) have unique medical and social needs. The purpose of this study was to observe barriers and strategies for diabetes management among emerging adults with T1DM.

Methods:

A qualitative grounded theory model was utilized. An open-ended approach with a telephone interview was designed to allow a deeper understanding of the T1DM experience. The participants were from a larger survey-volunteer participant group and were asked to complete 1 interview in spring 2020 (n = 21, diagnosed age: mean 15.00 ± 8.00, females, n = 19). The data were analyzed for cohesive themes using grounded theory.

Results:

Participants indicated three main barrier themes (physiology, environment, and insurance) and 3 barrier subthemes (mental health, lack of social support, and weather). Three main strategy themes to diabetes management were recognized (medical technology, access to social support, and physical activity). There were 2 strategy subthemes (social media and social accountability).

Conclusions:

Regular use of social media can be a key tool for social accountability while lack of social support and physiological shifts can be barriers to management of T1DM. Physical activity should be considered as part of an individualized plan for management of diabetes.
Current and Possible Future Therapeutic Options for Huntington’s Disease
Authors: Ferguson Mackenzie W. , Kennedy Connor J. , Palpagama Thulani H. , Waldvogel Henry J. , Faull Richard L. M. , Kwakowsky Andrea
Published: May 2022

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by an excessive number of CAG trinucleotide repeats within the huntingtin gene ( HTT). HD patients can present with a variety of symptoms including chorea, behavioural and psychiatric abnormalities and cognitive decline. Each patient has a unique combination of symptoms, and although these can be managed using a range of medications and non-drug treatments there is currently no cure for the disease. Current therapies prescribed for HD can be categorized by the symptom they treat. These categories include chorea medication, antipsychotic medication, antidepressants, mood stabilizing medication as well as non-drug therapies. Fortunately, there are also many new HD therapeutics currently undergoing clinical trials that target the disease at its origin; lowering the levels of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). Currently, much attention is being directed to antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies, which bind to pre-RNA or mRNA and can alter protein expression via RNA degradation, blocking translation or splice modulation. Other potential therapies in clinical development include RNA interference (RNAi) therapies, RNA targeting small molecule therapies, stem cell therapies, antibody therapies, non-RNA targeting small molecule therapies and neuroinflammation targeted therapies. Potential therapies in pre-clinical development include Zinc-Finger Protein (ZFP) therapies, transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) therapies and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated system (Cas) therapies. This comprehensive review aims to discuss the efficacy of current HD treatments and explore the clinical trial progress of emerging potential HD therapeutics.
Viloxazine for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Singh Alok , Balasundaram Mahesh Kumar , Singh Abhishek
Published: May 2022

Background

Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved viloxazine extended-release (ER) to manage attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in pediatric patients of 6–17 years of age.

Objective

To perform a meta-analysis to determine the safety and efficacy of viloxazine ER in the management of ADHD.

Data Source and Methods

A literature search was performed through the databases Cochrane Library, PubMed, and clinicaltrials.gov , for a period from inception to August 2021, with the keywords: viloxazine, SPN-812, ADHD, and randomized clinical trials. The randomized controlled trials published in English language that analyzed the efficacy and safety were included. The risk of bias (RoB) was assessed by RoB tool. The outcomes included in this study were the proportion of patients with a 50% reduction in ADHD-Rating Scale-5 (ADHD-RS-5 responders) and improvement in CGI-I scale and the proportion of patients with at least one adverse event, the incidence of somnolence and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs).

Results

This meta-analysis includes 1605 patients from five randomized clinical trials; all of the trials were at low risk of bias. Viloxazine group had more ADHD-RS-5 responders as compared to placebo; RR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.36-1.93; P = <.00001. Significantly higher number of patients showed improved CGI-I score; RR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.32-1.78; P = <.00001. A higher proportion of patients was observed with at least one adverse event (RR = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.24-1.85; P = <.0001), and somnolence (RR = 3.93; 95% CI = 2.11-7.31; P = <.0001) in viloxazine group. The incidence of SAEs was more in viloxazine group (RR = 2.98; 95% CI = .67-13.3; P = .15).

Conclusions

Viloxazine was found to be significantly superior to placebo in both efficacy outcomes. Adverse events and somnolence were significantly more than the placebo. The incidence was SAEs was more in the viloxazine group but was not statistically significant.
Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament light chain in relation to disability worsening in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Pauwels Ayla , Van Schependom Jeroen , Devolder Lindsay , Van Remoortel Ann , Nagels Guy , Bjerke Maria , D’hooghe Marie B
Published: May 2022

Background:

Predicting disability worsening in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains an important challenge. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) seem promising biomarkers. Studies investigating blood GFAP in relation to longitudinal outcome measures in MS are scarce.

Objective:

To compare plasma-GFAP (p-GFAP) and plasma-NfL (p-NfL) levels in relation to sustained disability worsening.

Methods:

We measured baseline p-GFAP and p-NfL in a prospective cohort of 115 individuals with MS and 30 matched controls, using Single Molecule Array (Simoa). Disability worsening was defined as an increase in at least one of three measures (Expanded Disability Status Scale, Timed 25-foot walk, 9-Hole Peg test), confirmed after 6 months and persistent upon data closure.

Results:

In a multivariable Cox proportional-hazards model, p-GFAP was not significantly associated with sustained disability worsening after 4.40 ± 0.82 years, while p-NfL (HR = 1.046, p = 0.001), EDSS (HR = 1.24, p = 0.039), and disease duration (HR = 1.048, p = 0.017) were. Area under the curve of ROC curves in relation to worsening was 0.61 for p-GFAP ( p = 0.031) and 0.63 for p-NfL ( p = 0.015). Kaplan–Meier curves showed similar patterns for both proteins.

Conclusion:

p-NfL emerged as a significant explanatory variable for worsening in Cox regression analysis, and p-GFAP did not. Both p-GFAP and p-NfL were related to worsening based on ROC curves.
Gait stability reflects motor tracts damage at early stages of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Cofré Lizama L Eduardo , Strik Myrte , Van der Walt Anneke , Kilpatrick Trevor J , Kolbe Scott C , Galea Mary P
Published: May 2022

Background:

Gait in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is affected even when no changes can be observed on clinical examination. A sensitive measure of gait deterioration is stability; however, its correlation with motor tract damage has not yet been established.

Objective:

To compare stability between PwMS and healthy controls (HCs) and determine associations between stability and diffusion magnetic resonance image (MRI) measures of axonal damage in selected sensorimotor tracts.

Methods:

Twenty-five PwMS (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) < 2.5) and 15 HCs walked on a treadmill. Stability from sacrum (LDESAC), shoulder (LDESHO) and cervical (LDECER) was calculated using the local divergence exponent (LDE). Participants underwent a 7T-MRI brain scan to obtain fibre-specific measures of axonal loss within the corticospinal tract (CST), interhemispheric sensorimotor tract (IHST) and cerebellothalamic tract (CTT). Correlation analyses between LDE and fibre density (FD) within tracts, fibre cross-section (FC) and FD modulated by FC (FDC) were conducted. Between-groups LDE differences were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results:

Correlations between all stability measures with CSTFD, between CSTFDC with LDESAC and LDECER, and LDECER with IHSTFD and IHSTFDC were significant yet moderate ( R < −0.4). Stability was significantly different between groups.

Conclusions:

Poorer gait stability is associated with corticospinal tract (CST) axonal loss in PwMS with no-to-low disability and is a sensitive indicator of neurodegeneration.
Serial memory mechanisms in monolingual and bilingual speakers
Authors: Spinu Laura
Published: May 2022

Aims and objectives:

Recent findings suggest enhanced phonetic and phonological learning ability in bilinguals compared with monolinguals. While other cognitive differences between these two groups have been identified in the past, the most frequently investigated mechanism potentially underlying them has been executive function. When considering phonetic and phonological learning, however, we are faced with greater involvement of sensorimotor mechanisms, since audition, perception, and articulation are all important components in the learning of new patterns of pronunciation. The present study investigates memory mechanisms, with a focus on auditory sensory memory, in these two groups of speakers.

Methodology:

An adaptive digit span task with suffix effect was administered to two groups of speakers (bilinguals and monolinguals).

Data and analysis:

The two groups were compared in terms of accuracy rates (overall and by serial position), maximum digit span reached, and the proportion of participants who reached the highest list length.

Findings/conclusions:

The results show that bilinguals have longer digit spans and demonstrate higher accuracy compared with monolinguals for all serial positions inside every list length, suggesting an advantage not only in terms of recently heard items (i.e., recency effect, attributable to auditory sensory mechanisms) but also for the items heard in the beginning of longer list lengths (i.e., primacy effect, attributable to working memory).

Originality:

The role of sensory mechanisms in language learning, in particular auditory sensory (echoic) memory, was posited to have been underestimated to date. The current study addresses this gap by investigating alternative mechanisms that could support differences in behavior resulting from language experience of various types.

Significance/implications:

The connection between auditory sensory memory and linguistic experience suggests that sensory mechanisms are involved in some of the observed cognitive differences between bilinguals and monolinguals. In particular, sensorimotor mechanisms might at least partially account for more effective phonetic and phonological learning in bilinguals. The current study thus sheds more light on the coupling between cognitive and sensory functions.
Machine learning based algorithms for wind pressure prediction of high-rise buildings
Authors: Li Yi , Huang Xuan , Li Yong-Gui , Chen Fu-Bin , Li Qiu-Sheng
Published: May 2022

In recent years, machine learning (ML) techniques have been used in various fields of engineering practice. In order to evaluate the feasibility of machine learning algorithms for prediction of wind-induced effects on high-rise buildings, four ML algorithms including ridge regression, decision tree, random forest and gradient boosting regression tree are adopted in this study to predict wind pressures on Commonwealth Advisory Aeronautical Research Council standard tall building. The gradient boosting regression tree model is proved to be well performed in predicting both mean wind pressures and fluctuating wind pressures. Compared to expensive wind tunnel tests and time-consuming computational fluid dynamic simulations, it is expected that the gradient boosting regression tree model is an efficient and economical alternative for predicting wind pressures on high-rise buildings.
Numerical studies on the seismic responses of precast segmental columns-supported bridge structures subjected to near-fault ground motions
Authors: Li Qian , Bi Kaiming , Dong Huihui , Lin Yuanzheng , Han Qiang , Du Xiuli
Published: May 2022

Precast segmental columns have attracted wide attentions in bridge construction industry recently due to its ability to accelerate construction speed, improve construction quality and reduce environmental impact. It is of great practical importance to study the seismic performances of segmental columns, and many experimental and numerical studies have been performed. However, most previous studies focused on segmental column itself, the research on the seismic performance of a whole bridge structure supported by precast segmental columns is very limited. In particular, no systematic studies have been performed to investigate the seismic performances of segmental columns-supported bridges subjected to near-fault (N-F) ground motions (GMs). To bridge this research gap, the seismic responses of three bridge structures (i.e. a segmental columns-supported bridge, a bridge supported by segmental columns with internal energy dissipation bars, and a conventional bridge supported by monolithic columns) subjected to four types of earthquake ground motions (i.e. a N-F GM with fling-step (F-S) effect, a N-F GM with forward-directivity (F-D) effect, a non-pulse-like N-F GM, and a typical far-field (F-F) GM are investigated and compared in the present study based on the validated numerical models developed in ABAQUS. The influences of permanent ground displacement in the F-S ground motion and pulse period are also systematically investigated. The numerical results demonstrate that the permanent ground displacement in the N-F ground motions has very different effects on the segmental-columns supported bridge and monolithic columns supported bridge.
Developing and promoting qualitative methods in general practice research: Lessons learnt and strategies convened
Authors: Malterud Kirsti
Published: May 2022

Fifty years ago, qualitative research methods were unknown in medicine. Biomedicine and the positivist paradigm were universal academic standards. In the late 1980s, however, humanist perspectives emerged as substantial values in general practice. This progress fostered an effort among Nordic general practitioners to find research methods best suited to exploring clinical communication and the doctor-patient relationship. Simultaneously, qualitative methods were promoted internationally in medicine, mostly by social scientists. This article is a personal narrative of the history and impact of Nordic general practitioners customising qualitative methods for the study of clinical practice. I present lessons learnt and strategies convened in developing qualitative methods in this Nordic context. The patient-centred method paved the way for research standards consistent with our clinical ontology. We struggled to develop dialogues that promoted methodological legitimacy among medical colleagues. Methodological standards like rigour and reflexivity became important and contributed to intersubjectivity by sharing the research process. Gradually, our endeavours gained notice. In the last couple of decades, the number of published qualitative studies has increased, though perhaps at the cost of methodological quality. Indeed, there are also indications of a methodological backlash among influential journal editors. Nordic general practitioners have been prominent in developing qualitative methods suitable for cultivation of medical knowledge. Our position of knowing, close to the experiences of the individual patient and the everyday context, is different from that of a social scientist. It offers a unique point of departure for knowledge development that can make an important difference for both patients and doctors.
On board the quarantine-ship as “floating hotspot”: Creeping externalization practices in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Giacomelli Elena , Walker Sarah
Published: May 2022

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, migration was framed in Italy as ‘the emergency within the emergency’, leading the Italian Government to declare that its ports were not ‘‘safe places’ for people rescued from boats flying a foreign flag to disembark.’ As a result, under this guise of health and safety, in Italy migrants are now held in cruise ships repurposed as quarantine-ships for their sanitary isolation. We take this space as our analytic lens and draw on the experiences of the Elena Giacomelli whilst working as a caseworker for a humanitarian organization on board. In our analysis of the interactions of those working on board and the social relations produced therein, we unravel how these ships function as a form of Goffman’s totalitarian institution, where bio-political techniques are adopted that act on the body and mind of all on board, limiting access to asylum and functioning as a form of externalisation.
Linking livelihood and biodiversity conservation in protected areas: Community based tourism development perspective from developing country
Authors: Gidebo Henok Bekele
Published: May 2022

Balancing biodiversity conservation and community livelihoods is a major challenge for sustainable management of protected areas (PAs) in developing countries. Researchers and practitioners are looking at ways to resolve this challenge by connecting the livelihoods of people living near protected areas with conservation efforts. This study aims to assess community-based tourism development as a tool to link local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in protected areas in developing county context. The study employs a mixed research approach with a descriptive research design. Structured questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informant interviews are used to collect data from local communities residing inside and adjacent areas of Nech Sar National Park in Ethiopia. The results reveal that the local communities around the national park are exposed to various shocks and vulnerability contexts such as poverty, food insecurity, and resource use conflict. Consumptive resource usage, recurring fire catastrophes, agricultural encroachment, and illegal fishing are all threatening the park’s biodiversity conservation efforts. Despite the impact of tourism on their livelihoods is marginal, local grassroots have a positive attitude towards the development of community-based tourism. Community-based tourism development which provides alternative livelihood options to local grassroots around protected areas can play significant role in the conservation of biodiversity and alleviating poverty.
Writing telepathy back into marketing theory
Authors: Tadajewski Mark
Published: May 2022

Adopting a commitment to the principle of heterogeneity, combined with a concern for subjugated and disqualified knowledge, we unravel the debates around telepathy and telementation in marketing theory and practice. We explicate the conditions of possibility for these deliberations, focusing on the Society for Psychical Research (SPR). A close reading of the scholarly outputs published by members of the SPR helps us unpack the theoretical assumptions underwriting telepathy via the concept of the subliminal self. This material forms the foundations for William Walker Atkinson’s ‘practical occultism’. We review Atkinson’s work, making the case that telepathy was central to exerting personal influence. Our account thus diverges markedly from extant histories of influence. Attention is then turned to the jettisoning of telepathic linkages. Changes in discourse reflect ‘epistemological deflation’ in combination with ‘counter-reversal’. Nonetheless, telepathic and telementative assumptions remain central to our understanding of sales and marketing communications. The same can be said of consumer research. Telepathy may also impact our future in a novel, ‘synthetic’ form.
An object detection and classification method for underwater visual images based on the bag-of-words model
Authors: Zhang Tianchi , Li Qian , Liu Xing
Published: May 2022

In this study, an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) detection technique was used as the background to investigate the target classification method for underwater visual images. The target classification method is based on the bag-of-words model, with reduced classification accuracy when the edges of underwater objects are blurred, and when there are many noise points. To solve this problem, an improved visual dictionary generation method was proposed based on the bag-of-words model. The proposed method includes a step on decomposing the complete contour of the target before extracting the features. The DCE (discrete contour evolution) algorithm was used to decompose the complete contour into segments of different lengths, and the SC (shape context) method was applied to extract the features of the contour segments. The FCM (Fuzzy C-Means) algorithm was then used to generate a visual dictionary. To address the classification accuracy problem that causes the underwater targets to decrease after adding spatial location information to the bag-of-words model instead of increasing, an improved spatial location information description method was proposed. The contour segments with the nearest-neighbor relationship were represented as visual phrases, constituting the spatial information of the bag-of-words model. Additionally, for the problem of the shape information of contour segments with different shapes, and the relative position information between the contour segments having different contributions to the target classification, a method was developed to balance the contributions of the two using the optimal weight selected from the experiments. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method can effectively improve the classification accuracy of underwater target images.
Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada: A Scoping Review of the Scholarly Literature
Authors: Hodgins Evelyn , Mutis Julie , Mason Robin , Du Mont Janice
Published: May 2022

Sex trafficking has been identified as a prominant health and human rights concern in Canada. However, there has been little empirical research on the topic and existing studies are largely found within the grey literature. This review sought to identify and summarize the current scholarly literature about sex trafficking of women and girls in Canada. We identified empirical studies using a keyword search in ProQuest, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible articles were published in English in 2000 or later, included a focus on women victim/survivors, and analyzed human/participant data. Only 14 studies met eligibility criteria. Most studies were qualitative, based on interviews or focus groups primarily with stakeholders, and set in the province of Ontario. Key findings highlighted challenges in conceptualizing sex trafficking centered largely around issues of coercion and consent. Pathways into trafficking (economic displacement, past abuse, and broken ties with family and community) and gaps and barriers in anti-trafficking responses (narrow or conflicting definitions, stigmatization and criminalization of sex work, and a lack of accessible or appropriate services) particularly impacted Indigenous, im/migrant, and other marginalized women and girls. There is a pausity of empirical studies on sex trafficking in Canada and this has implications for the development of data-driven policies and protocols. Further research should seek to highlight the voices of survivors and impacted communities and evaluate strengths and limitations of Canadian anti-trafficking interventions.
Influence of yarn-hybridisation on the mechanical performance and thermal conductivity of composite laminates
Authors: Dalfi Hussein K , Al-Obaidi Anwer , Selver Erdem , Yousaf Zeshan , Potluri Prasad
Published: May 2022

Recently, advanced composite materials have been widely used in numerous applications due to their superior properties. However, their sensitivities to damages during impact loading event limits their usage. In this regards, the influence of yarn hybridisation on the mechanical and thermal performance of composite laminates have been studied using low velocity impact, compression after impact (CAI), flexural and thermal conductivity tests. Two types of composite laminates were manufactured using hybrid yarns (S-glass and polypropylene [PP]) and S-glass yarns through the combination of commingling and core-wrapping methods and converted to non-crimp cross-ply preforms for both laminates. C-scan tests and cross-section microscopy examinations were adopted to identify the damaged areas of impacted laminates and explain the damage failures, which occurred during impact loadings. Results revealed that the hybrid laminates displayed higher damage area reduction compared to glass composites. Although the hybrid composite laminates illustrated considerably lower compressive strength, their residual compressive strength (damage tolerance) was significantly higher than glass composites. Fractography analysis has illustrated that the new damage failure modes such as intra-yarn cracks have been observed in the hybrid yarns laminates. These damage modes have contributed for higher energy absorpsion leading to an enhancement of the damage tolerance of the hybrid laminates. Furthermore, the incorporation of PP fibres resulted in a reduction of thermal conductivity of hybrid laminates compared to pure glass laminates.