bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness, implementation, and monitoring variables of intermittent hypoxic bicycle training in patients recovered from COVID-19: The AEROBICOVID study
Authors: Costa Gabriel Peinado , Camacho-Cardenosa Alba , Brazo-Sayavera Javier , Viliod Marcela Coffacci De Lima , Camacho-Cardenosa Marta , Foresti Yan Figueiredo , Carvalho Carlos Dellavechia de , Merellano-Navarro Eugenio , Papoti Marcelo , Trapé Átila Alexandre
Published: November 2022

Hypoxic exposure is safely associated with exercise for many pathological conditions, providing additional effects on health outcomes. COVID-19 is a new disease, so the physiological repercussions caused by exercise in affected patients and the safety of exposure to hypoxia in these conditions are still unknown. Due to the effects of the disease on the respiratory system and following the sequence of AEROBICOVID research work, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, tolerance and acute safety of 24 bicycle training sessions performed under intermittent hypoxic conditions through analysis of peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), blood lactate concentration ([La−]) and symptoms of acute mountain sickness in patients recovered from COVID-19. Participants were allocated to three training groups: the normoxia group (GN) remained in normoxia (inspired fraction of O2(FiO2) of ∼20.9%, a city with 526 m altitude) for the entire session; the recovery hypoxia group (GHR) was exposed to hypoxia (FiO2∼13.5%, corresponding to 3,000 m altitude) all the time except during the effort; the hypoxia group (GH) trained in hypoxia (FiO2∼13.5%) throughout the session. The altitude simulation effectively reduced SpO2mean with significant differences between groups GN, GHR, and GH, being 96.9(1.6), 95.1(3.1), and 87.7(6.5), respectively. Additionally, the proposed exercise and hypoxic stimulus was well-tolerated, since 93% of participants showed no or moderate acute mountain sickness symptoms; maintained nearly 80% of sets at target heart rate; and most frequently reporting session intensity as an RPE of “3” (moderate). The internal load calculation, analyzed through training impulse (TRIMP), calculated using HR [TRIMPHR= HR * training volume (min)] and RPE [TRIMPRPE= RPE * training volume (min)], showed no significant difference between groups. The current strategy effectively promoted the altitude simulation and monitoring variables, being well-tolerated and safely acute exposure, as the low Lake Louise scores and the stable HR, SpO2, and RPE values showed during the sessions.
Is allelochemical synthesis in Casuarina equisetifolia plantation related to litter microorganisms?
Authors: Xu Zhixia , Zuo Linzhi , Zhang Yaqian , Huang Rui , Li Lei
Published: November 2022

Productivity decline of Casuarina equisetifolia plantation and difficulty in natural regeneration remains a serious problem because of allelopathy. Previous studies have confirmed that 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP) are the major allelochemicals of the C. equisetifolia litter exudates. The production of these allelochemicals may derive from decomposition of litter or from the litter endophyte and microorganisms adhering to litter surfaces. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between allelochemicals in litter and endophytic and epiphytic fungi and bacteria from litter. A total of 100 fungi and 116 bacteria were isolated from the interior and surface of litter of different forest ages (young, half-mature, and mature plantation). Results showed that the fermentation broth of fungal genera Mycosphaerella sp. and Pestalotiopsis sp., and bacterial genera Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Burkholderia-Paraburkholderia, and Pantoea ananatis had the strongest allelopathic effect on C. equisetifolia seeds. Allelochemicals, such as 2,4-DTBP and its analogs were identified in the fermentation broths of these microorganisms using GC/MS analysis. These results indicate that endophytic and epiphytic fungi and bacteria in litters are involved in the synthesis of allelochemicals of C. equisetifolia. To further determine the abundance of the allelopathic fungi and bacteria, Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing was performed. The results showed that bacterial genera with strong allelopathic potential were mainly distributed in the young and half-mature plantation with low abundance, while the abundance of fungal genera Mycosphaerella sp. and Pestalotiopsis sp. were higher in the young and mature plantations. In particular, the abundance of Mycosphaerella sp. in the young and mature plantations were 501.20% and 192.63% higher than in the half-mature plantation, respectively. Overall, our study demonstrates that the litter fungi with higher abundance in the young and mature plantation were involved in the synthesis of the allelochemical 2,4-DTBP of C. equisetifolia. This finding may be important for understanding the relationship between autotoxicity and microorganism and clarifying the natural regeneration problem of C. equisetifolia.
Preference for ugly faces? —A cognitive study of attentional and memorial biases toward facial information among young females with facial dissatisfaction
Authors: Zhu Lan , Zhou Huan , Wang Xiaogang , Ma Xiao , Liu Qiaolan
Published: November 2022

Dissatisfaction with facial appearance is one of the strongest contributors to body image disturbance among young Chinese females and leads to a series of psychological and behavioral disorders. By conducting behavioral and ERP experiments, this study illustrates how young females in China with facial dissatisfaction process different levels of facial attractiveness. Experiments 1 and 2 are behavioral experiments in which the dot-probe paradigm was used to explore the participant’s attentional bias to facial attractiveness. The results showed that regardless of whether the face image was presented above or below the threshold, young females with facial dissatisfaction exhibited attentional orientation toward lowly attractive faces and attentional avoidance to both lowly and highly attractive faces, while the control group showed difficulty in attentional disengagement from highly attractive faces. In experiment 3, the learning-recognition task was used to examine mnemonic bias toward facial attractiveness among females with facial dissatisfaction, and EEG data were also recorded during the encoding and retrieval phases. The study found that young females with facial dissatisfaction exhibited a mnemonic preference for lowly attractive images at both the encoding and retrieving stages, with higher P1, N170, P2, and N300 induced by lowly attractive faces, while the control group preferred highly attractive faces. In conclusion, young females with facial dissatisfaction tend to exhibit attentional orientation and mnemonic bias toward lowly attractive faces.
Organisational caring ethical climate and its relationship with workplace bullying and post traumatic stress disorder: The role of type A/B behavioural patterns
Authors: Jin Fang , Ashraf Ahsan Ali , Ul Din Sajid Mohy , Farooq Umar , Zheng Kengcheng , Shaukat Ghazala
Published: November 2022

A multifaceted, holistic approach to identifying potential predictors is needed to eradicate workplace bullying. The current study investigated the impact of an unfavourable organisational climate that plays a role in breeding workplace bullying (social stressors). The present study also postulated that individual personality differences (Type A and Type B personality) mediate between a caring climate and workplace bullying. Similarly, the interaction between workplace bullying and personality impacts PTSD. We also checked the role of workplace bullying as a mediator between a caring climate and PTSD. This research tested all the proposed hypotheses (N = 298), and the study was conducted in Pakistan. The data is analysed using the two-step partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) procedure. The first part assesses the measurement model, while in the second step, the structural model is evaluated. The results supported all the proposed hypotheses of this study. Type A behaviour moderated the caring climate—person-related bullying relationship, whereas it did not moderate the caring climate—work-related bullying in the suggested direction. Type A behaviour is moderated for both types of bullying and PTSD. Results also show significant indirect effects of a caring climate on PTSD through workplace bullying. This study will contribute theoretically to filling the literature gap on studies of climate-bullying and bullying-stress using contingency factors.
Evolutionary emergence of collective intelligence in large groups of students
Authors: Orejudo Santos , Cano-Escoriaza Jacobo , Cebollero-Salinas Ana Belén , Bautista Pablo , Clemente-Gallardo Jesús , Rivero Alejandro , Rivero Pilar , Tarancón Alfonso
Published: November 2022

The emergence of collective intelligence has been studied in much greater detail in small groups than in larger ones. Nevertheless, in groups of several hundreds or thousands of members, it is well-known that the social environment exerts a considerable influence on individual behavior. A few recent papers have dealt with some aspects of large group situations, but have not provided an in-depth analysis of the role of interactions among the members of a group in the creation of ideas, as well as the group’s overall performance. In this study, we report an experiment where a large set of individuals, i.e., 789 high-school students, cooperated online in real time to solve two different examinations on a specifically designed platform (Thinkhub). Our goal of this paper 6 to describe the specific mechanisms of idea creation we were able to observe and to measure the group’s performance as a whole. When we deal with communication networks featuring a large number of interacting entities, it seems natural to model the set as a complex system by resorting to the tools of statistical mechanics. Our experiment shows how an interaction in small groups that increase in size over several phases, leading to a final phase where the students are confronted with the most popular answers of the previous phases, is capable of producing high-quality answers to all examination questions, whereby the last phase plays a crucial role. Our experiment likewise shows that a group’s performance in such a task progresses in a linear manner in parallel with the size of the group. Finally, we show that the controlled interaction and dynamics foreseen in the system can reduce the spread of “fake news” within the group.
The effect of service robot occupational gender stereotypes on customers' willingness to use them
Authors: Hu Qian , Pan Xingguang , Luo Jia , Yu Yiduo
Published: November 2022

Customers have obvious occupational gender stereotypes for service employees. In recent years, intelligent service robots have been widely used in the hospitality industry and have also been given gender characteristics to attract customers to use them. However, whether and when the usage of gendered service robots is effective remains to be explored. This research focuses on customers' occupational gender stereotypes and the gender of service robots, examining the influences of their consistency on customers' willingness to use service robots through three scenario studies. The findings suggest that: (1) The consistency between occupational gender stereotypes and service robot gender positively affects customers' willingness to use service robots. (2) Performance expectancy and trust are two psychological mechanisms underlying the above effect. (3) In the context of service failures, the consistency backfires and brings negative effects on willingness to use. This research extends the literature on customers' acceptance of anthropomorphized robots from the perspective of gender stereotypes and identifies the mechanisms behind the stereotype consistency effect. For practical implications, hotels should design and deploy gendered robots consistent with corresponding occupational gender stereotypes.
The more engaging, the more enjoyable? Age matters in predicting perceived enjoyment with different Facebook activities
Authors: Zhang Lianshan , Jung Eun Hwa
Published: November 2022

Drawing upon uses and gratifications perspectives and socioemotional selectivity theory, this study examined the differences in the use of Facebook features among younger, middle-aged, and older adults. Furthermore, it explored the association between Facebook activities and users’ perceived enjoyment for different age groups. An online survey was conducted with 647 Facebook users in the United States. An exploratory factor analysis identified four types of Facebook activities: broadcasting, directed communication, content consumption, and information regulation. The results revealed that younger users’ broadcasting, content consumption, and information regulation activities substantially differed from those of older users. In addition, broadcasting and content consumption activities were more popular among younger users and more predictive of their enjoyment. Directed communication was more powerful in predicting middle-aged and older users’ enjoyment. However, younger and middle-aged users’ engagement with information regulation activities was negatively related to their enjoyment of Facebook. The study findings provide more nuanced knowledge regarding user experiences on social media platforms among specified age groups and practical insights into the improvement of social media by addressing their different needs.
Why not try to predict autism spectrum disorder with crucial biomarkers in cuproptosis signaling pathway?
Authors: Zhou Yu , Gao Jing
Published: November 2022

The exact pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is still unclear, yet some potential mechanisms may not have been evaluated before. Cuproptosis is a novel form of regulated cell death reported this year, and no study has reported the relationship between ASD and cuproptosis. This study aimed to identify ASD in suspected patients early using machine learning models based on biomarkers of the cuproptosis pathway. We collected gene expression profiles from brain samples from ASD model mice and blood samples from humans with ASD, selected crucial genes in the cuproptosis signaling pathway, and then analysed these genes with different machine learning models. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the machine learning models were estimated in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts. Differences between models were determined with Bonferroni’s test. The results of screening with the Boruta algorithm showed that FDX1, DLAT, LIAS, and ATP7B were crucial genes in the cuproptosis signaling pathway for ASD. All selected genes and corresponding proteins were also expressed in the human brain. The k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine and random forest models could identify approximately 72% of patients with ASD. The artificial neural network (ANN) model was the most suitable for the present data because the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.90, 1.00, and 0.80, respectively, in the external validation cohort. Thus, we first report the prediction of ASD in suspected patients with machine learning methods based on crucial biomarkers in the cuproptosis signaling pathway, and these findings may contribute to investigations of the potential pathogenesis and early identification of ASD.
Research progress on risk factors of delirium in burn patients: A narrative review
Authors: Ren Yujie , Zhang Yu , Luo Jinhua , Liao Wenqiang , Cheng Xing , Zhan Jianhua
Published: November 2022

Delirium, an acute brain dysfunction, is a common and serious complication in burn patients. The occurrence of delirium increases the difficulty of patient treatment, is associated with various adverse outcomes, and increases the burden on the patient’s family. Many scholars have studied the factors that cause delirium, but the causes, pathogenesis, and treatment of delirium in burn patients have not been fully revealed. There is no effective pharmacological treatment for delirium, but active preventive measures can effectively reduce the incidence of delirium in burn patients. Therefore, it is necessary to study the relevant factors affecting the occurrence of delirium in burn patients. This study was conducted on December 20, 2021 by searching the PubMed database for a narrative review of published studies. The search strategy included keywords related to “burns,” “delirium,” and “risk factors.” We reviewed the characteristics of delirium occurrence in burn patients and various delirium assessment tools, and summarized the risk factors for the development of delirium in burn patients in terms of personal, clinical, and environmental factors, and we found that although many risk factors act on the development of delirium in burn patients, some of them, such as clinical and environmental factors, are modifiable, suggesting that we can estimate the exposure of burn patients to risk factors by assessing their likelihood of delirium occurring and to make targeted interventions that provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of burn delirium.
The association between cigarette smoking and health care service utilization among middle-aged and elderly adults in China
Authors: Song Jiarui , Jin Chenggang , Cheng Xi
Published: November 2022

Objective

To assess the associations between tobacco use and health care service utilization in Chinese individuals aged more or equal to 40 years old.

Method

This research was a cross-sectional study using data from eight provinces in China, and the final sample consisted of 4,733 observations (4,749 participants) aged more or equal to 40 years old. The dependent variable was health care utilization measured by outpatient and inpatient service utilization. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the socio-demographic characteristics of the sample according to smoking status. The association between tobacco use and health care service utilization was examined by an instrumental variable (IV) probit model.

Results

Of the respondents interviewed in 2020, 3,116 (65.84%) were never smokers, 654 (13.82%) were smokers with the smoking index (SI) <400, and 963(20.34%) were smokers with SI≥400. Smokers with SI <400 reported a 6.80% higher probability of using outpatient services. Smokers with SI <400 and SI≥400 reported a 3.10 and 4.20% higher average probability of using ≥3 outpatient visits than never smokers, respectively. Additionally, smokers with SI <400 and SI≥400 reported a 6.30 and 6.20% higher average probability of using inpatient services than those who had not smoked. Moreover, smokers with SI≥400 were more likely to have had ≥2 hospital visits than nonsmokers.

Conclusions

Smokers make greater use of health care services. Control of smoking may ease the burden of related health care utilization.
A study on the impact and buffer path of the internet use gap on population health: Latent category analysis and mediating effect analysis
Authors: He Yuanyuan , Zhou Lulin , Xu Xinglong , Li JunShan , Li Jiaxing
Published: November 2022

Background

The development of Internet information technology will generate an Internet use gap, which will have certain adverse effects on health, but internet information dependence can alleviate these negative effects.

Objective

This article is to demonstrate the negative impact of the internet use gap on population health in developing countries and to propose improvement paths.

Methods

This article used the 2018 China Family Tracking Survey database (N = 11086). The research first used Latent class analysis (LCA) to identify potential categories of users with different Internet usage situations, then used the Bolck, Croon, and Hagenaars (BCH) method to perform latent class modeling with a continuous distal outcome, and finally built an intermediary model about Internet information dependence based on the model constraint function in Mplus software.

Results

(1) The Internet users can be divided into light-life users (C1: N = 1,061, 9.57%), all-around users (N = 1,980, 17.86%(C2: N = 1,980, 17.86%), functional users (C3: N = 1,239, 11.18%), and pure-life users (C4: N = 6,806, 61.39%). (2) We examined individual characteristics, social characteristics and different living habits, and health differences between the latent classes. For example, there are certain structural differences on the effect of different categories of Internet use on health (C1: M = 3.089, SE = 0.040; C2: M = 3.151, SE = 0.037; C3: M = 3.070, SE = 0.035; C4: M = 2.948, SE = 0.016; P < 0.001). (3) The Internet use gap can affect health through the indirect path of Internet information dependence, and some of the mediation effects are significant. When the functional user group (C3) was taken as the reference group, the mediating effect values of light-life users (C1) and all-around users (C4) on health were −0.050 (SE = 0.18, Est./SE = −3.264, P = 0.001) and −0.080 (SE = 0.010, Est./SE = −8.412, P = 0.000) through Internet information dependence, respectively. However, the effect of categories on health was not significant after adding indirect paths.

Conclusion

The Internet use gap has a significant effect on health, and Internet information dependence plays an intermediary role in this effect path. The study proposes that attention should be paid to the diversified development of Internet use, the positive guiding function of Internet information channels should be made good use of, and the countermeasures and suggestions of marginalized groups in the digital age should also be paid attention to and protected.
Birth weight was associated with maternal exposure to intimate partner violence during pregnancy in southern Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Belay Sewhareg , Astatkie Ayalew , Hinderaker Sven Gudmund
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Birth weight is defined as the first weight of the newborn, ideally measured soon after birth. A recent Ethiopian survey estimated that 48% of births took place in health facilities. Data for women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) may be lacking in official statistics because these women may prefer to deliver at home, where data from non-institutional births, including reporting of birth weights, are not routinely recorded.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal exposure to IPV during pregnancy and birth weight in a community in the Wondo Genet district of southern Ethiopia.

Methods

We carried out a community-based prospective cohort study from February to December 2017. We followed up with 505 pregnant women and their newborns until after delivery. An interview about partner violence was done during pregnancy at home when enrolled. Field assistants who visited the homes measured the birth weight of each baby in grams. Twins and late birth weight measurements were excluded. Factors associated with birth weight were assessed by multiple linear regression.

Results

Birth weight was assessed within 48 h for 477 (94.5%) newborns and between 48 and 72 h for an additional 28 (5.5%). There were 365 (72.3%) institutional deliveries. In an adjusted regression analysis (IPV adjusted for socio-economic status), birth weight was 203 g lower (B −203 95% CI −320 to −87) among newborns of women exposed to IPV than among the unexposed. Birth weight was also lower in girls than in boys, in newborns delivered at home rather than in a health facility, and in babies with a younger gestational age.

Conclusion

Maternal exposure to IPV during pregnancy was associated with lower baby birth weights. Antenatal clinics should consider routinely identifying IPV-exposed women, and identifying babies with lower birth weights at home is an important indicator.
A network analysis of anxiety and depression symptoms among Chinese nurses in the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Peng Pu , Chen Qiongni , Liang Mining , Liu Yueheng , Chen Shubao , Wang Yunfei , Yang Qian , Wang Xin , Li Manyun , Wang Yingying , Hao Yuzhu , He Li , Wang Qianjin , Zhang Junhong , Ma Yuejiao , He Haoyu , Zhou Yanan , Li Zejun , Xu Huixue , Long Jiang , Qi Chang , Tang Yi-Yuan , Liao Yanhui , Tang Jinsong , Wu Qiuxia , Liu Tieqiao
Published: November 2022

Background

Nurses are at high risk for depression and anxiety symptoms after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to assess the network structure of anxiety and depression symptoms among Chinese nurses in the late stage of this pandemic.

Method

A total of 6,183 nurses were recruited across China from Oct 2020 to Apr 2021 through snowball sampling. We used Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7 (GAD-7) to assess depression and anxiety, respectively. We used the Ising model to estimate the network. The index “expected influence” and “bridge expected influence” were applied to determine the central symptoms and bridge symptoms of the anxiety-depression network. We tested the stability and accuracy of the network via the case-dropping procedure and non-parametric bootstrapping procedure.

Result

The network had excellent stability and accuracy. Central symptoms included “restlessness”, “trouble relaxing”, “sad mood”, and “uncontrollable worry”. “Restlessness”, “nervous”, and “suicidal thoughts” served as bridge symptoms.

Conclusion

Restlessness emerged as the strongest central and bridge symptom in the anxiety-depression network of nurses. Intervention on depression and anxiety symptoms in nurses should prioritize this symptom.
Safely catching aerial micro-robots in mid-air using an open-source aerial robot with soft gripper
Authors: Liu Zhichao , Mucchiani Caio , Ye Keran , Karydis Konstantinos
Published: November 2022

This work focuses on catching safely an aerial micro-robot in mid-air using another aerial robot that is equipped with a universal soft gripper. To avoid aerodynamic disturbances such as downwash, that would push the target robot away, we follow a horizontal grasping approach. To this end, the article introduces a gripper design based on soft actuators that can stay horizontally straight with a single fixture and maintain sufficiently compliance in order to bend when air pressure is applied. Further, we develop the Soft Aerial Gripper (SoAG), an open-source aerial robot equipped with the developed soft end-effector and that features an onboard pneumatic regulation system. Experimental results show that the developed low-cost soft gripper has fast opening and closing responses despite being powered by lightweight air pumps, responses that are comparable to those of a commercially available end-effector tested we test against. Static grasping tests study the soft gripper’s robustness in capturing aerial micro-robots under aerodynamic disturbances. We experimentally demonstrated the feasibility of using the SoAG robot to catch a hovering micro-robot with or without propeller guards. The feasibility of dynamic catching is also shown by capturing a moving aerial micro-robot with a velocity of 0.2 m/s. The free flight performance of the SoAG robot is studied against a conventional quadrotor and in different gripper and payload status.
Dental caries and associated factors among diabetic and nondiabetic adult patients attending Bichena Primary Hospital’s Outpatient Department
Authors: Shiferaw Anley , Alem Girma , Tsehay Mekonnen , Kibret Getiye Dejenu
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Dental caries is a significant public health issue affecting both the diabetic and nondiabetic populations. However, the problem and associated factors of dental caries among diabetics and nondiabetics patients are not well-known in Ethiopia. This study aims to compare the prevalence of dental caries and associated factors among diabetic and nondiabetic patients at the Outpatient Department of Bichena Primary Hospital in Northwest, Ethiopia.

Methods

Institutional based, comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from October 7 to December 6, 2019, among 200 diabetes and 400 nondiabetic adult patients. A consecutive sampling technique was implemented to recruit study participants. Data were collected by a pretested structured questionnaire and analysis was performed in Statistical Package for Social Science version 20. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were employed and variables with a p-value < 0.05 were declared statistically significant.

Results

A total of 582 patients were involved in the study with a response rate of 97.0%. The prevalence of dental caries was 67.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 63.2%–72.8%] and 79.6% (95% CI: 74.0%–85.70%) in nondiabetic and diabetic group, respectively. Females gender [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.15–2.77], poor oral hygiene (AOR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.71–5.11), lack of regular teeth cleaning habits (AOR = 3.26, 95% CI: 2.13–4.97), feeling dry mouth (AOR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.11–4.81), sugared tea drinking (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.18–3.38), inadequate oral health knowledge (AOR = 3.51, 95% CI: 2.19–5.62), and khat chewing (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.24–3.71) were significantly associated factors with high prevalence of dental caries.

Conclusion

The prevalence of caries was significantly higher among diabetics than nondiabetics. Oral health education with preventive measures such as improving teeth cleaning practice, reducing sugary foods and drinks intake, and improving oral hygiene practice of patients should be mainstreamed along with diabetic follow-up care.
Changing school start times: Impact on extracurricular activities and employment
Authors: Meltzer Lisa J. , Plog Amy E. , Wahlstrom Kyla L. , McNally Janise
Published: November 2022

Sufficient sleep duration is associated with student health and wellbeing, but early secondary school start times limit students' sleep opportunity. Despite recommendations that all middle and high schools adopt a healthy school start time policy, one barrier to policy implementation is concerns about the impact on student participation in activities and employment. This study examined student extracurricular activity participation and employment before and after the implementation of healthy secondary school start times. Approximately 24,000 students/year (grades 3–11) completed three annual surveys (pre-change, post-change, follow-up) measuring sleep-wake patterns, extracurricular activity participation, and employment. Following the implementation of an earlier school start time, before-school activity participation decreased for elementary school students, but after-school participation was similar across years. Following the implementation of later school start times, there was a small decrease in after-school activity participation for middle and high school students (~3–4%). Equally important, middle and high school students reported significantly increased sleep duration with later start times, regardless of participation in before- or after-school activities and employment. Study findings support the recommendation for healthy school start time policies.
Sufficiency and the state: A prospective project
Authors: Princen Thomas
Published: November 2022

Sufficiency as a social organizing principle can be applied to individuals, organizations, and economies. But if the encompassing social structure, namely, the state, is still organized around expansionist principles like efficiency and growth, the outcome will be the same—excess, the exceeding of regenerative capacities biophysical and social, local to global. A prospective project of effecting fundamental social change argues that sufficiency must be applied to the state. From a natural resources perspective defining features of the state form are concentration and surplus both of which tend to excess and require endless frontiers. Re-organizing to counter this tendency and institutionalizing sufficiency requires imaginative politics. A long multicultural human history of reorganizing to adapt to environmental conditions bodes well. Resistance, though, even as the contradictions play out, is to be expected.
AI-boosted CRISPR-Cas13a and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy system for SARS-CoV-2 detection
Authors: Zhang Likun , Lei Zhengyang , Xiao Chufan , Du Zhicheng , Jiang Chenyao , Yuan Xi , Hu Qiuyue , Zhai Shiyao , Xu Lulu , Liu Changyue , Zhong Xiaoyun , Guan Haifei , Hassan Muhammad , Gul Ijaz , Pandey Vijay , Xing Xinhui , Zhang Can Yang , He Qian , Qin Peiwu
Published: November 2022

Integrating artificial intelligence with SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics can help in the timely execution of pandemic control and monitoring plans. To improve the efficiency of the diagnostic process, this study aims to classify fluorescent images via traditional machine learning and deep learning-based transfer learning. A previous study reported a CRISPR-Cas13a system combined with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) to detect the existence and concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 by fluorescent images. However, the lack of professional software and excessive manual labor hinder the practicability of the system. Here, we construct a fluorescent image dataset and develop an AI-boosted CRISPR-Cas13a and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy system for the rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Our study proposes Fluorescent Images Classification Transfer learning based on DenseNet-121 (FICTransDense), an approach that uses TIRF images (before and after sample introduction, respectively) for preprocessing, including outlier exclusion and setting and division preprocessing (i.e., SDP). Classification results indicate that the FICTransDense and Decision Tree algorithms outperform other approaches on the SDP dataset. Most of the algorithms benefit from the proposed SDP technique in terms of Accuracy, Recall, F1 Score, and Precision. The use of AI-boosted CRISPR-Cas13a and TIRFM systems facilitates rapid monitoring and diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2.
Effectiveness of neem materials and biochar as nitrification inhibitors in reducing nitrate leaching in a compost-amended Ferric Luvisol
Authors: Abeka Hammond , Lawson Innocent Yao Dotse , Nartey Eric , Adjadeh Thomas , Asuming-Brempong Stella , Bindraban Prem , Atakora Williams Kwame
Published: November 2022

The nitrates produced after mineralization from compost may be prone to leaching, especially in tropical sandy soils, because of the increased rate of nitrification and the porous nature of such soils. This may result in low nitrogen (N) use efficiency and adverse environmental effects. Inorganic nitrification inhibitors are costly and mostly unavailable in Ghana. Research on simple but effective local materials for use as nitrification inhibitors is therefore a priority. Two such materials are neem materials and biochar. Neem materials can suppress nitrifying bacteria due to their antimicrobial properties. Biochar can hold ammonium in the soil, making it temporarily unavailable to nitrifying bacteria. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of neem materials and biochar as nitrification inhibitors and their influence on nitrate leaching. In preliminary studies: 1) pot incubation was conducted for 60 days to estimate the nitrification rate with manure, compost, and NH4Cl as the N source (150 kg N/ha) in one set and neem seeds, bark, and leaves (1.25 µg azadirachtin/g) in another set, using nitrate concentrations; and 2) the ammonium sorption and desorption capacities of sawdust, rice husk, and groundnut husk biochar were determined. In the main study, pot incubation with compost as the N source but treated with milled neem seeds or bark (1.25 µg azadirachtin/g) or sawdust biochar (20 t/ha) was conducted for 60 days, in which the nitrification inhibition was determined using nitrate concentrations. A leaching experiment in columns with similar treatments and maize sown was then conducted to quantify the nitrate in leachates. A high nitrification rate was recorded in compost-amended soil, almost half that of the standard (NH4Cl). The use of sawdust biochar, which showed the highest ammonium sorption and desorption capacity, resulted in 40% nitrification inhibition that lasted the entire incubation period. The use of neem seeds with an azadirachtin concentration of 3.92 mg/g resulted in a similar nitrification inhibition, but this only lasted 40 days. Inhibition caused by both materials resulted in about a 60% reduction in nitrate leached. Thus, neem seeds (498 kg/ha) and sawdust biochar (20 mt/ha) could be used to control nitrate leaching for short-duration and long-duration crops, respectively.
Future opportunities for the Athlete Biological Passport
Authors: Krumm Bastien , Botrè Francesco , Saugy Jonas J. , Faiss Raphael
Published: November 2022

The Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) was introduced to complement the direct anti-doping approach by indirectly outlining the possible use of prohibited substances or methods in sports. The ABP proved its effectiveness, at least through a deterrent effect, even though the matrices used for longitudinal monitoring (urine and blood) are subject to many intrinsic (e.g., genetic) and extrinsic (e.g., environmental conditions) confounding factors. In that context, new and more specific biomarkers are currently under development to enhance both the sensitivity and the specificity of the ABP. Multiple strategies are presently being explored to improve this longitudinal monitoring, with the development of the current modules, the investigation of new strategies, or the screening of new types of doping. Nevertheless, due to the variability induced by indirect biomarkers, the consideration of confounding factors should continuously support this research. Beyond tremendous advances in analytical sensitivity, machine learning-based approaches seem inevitable to facilitate an expert interpretation of numerous biological profiles and promote anti-doping efforts. This perspective article highlights the current innovations of the Athlete Biological Passport that seem the most promising. Through different research axes, this short manuscript provides an opportunity to bring together approaches that are more widely exploited (e.g., omics strategies) and others in the early stages of investigation (e.g., artificial intelligence) seeking to develop the ABP.
Integrated weed management with strategic tillage can maintain soil quality in continuous living cover systems
Authors: McPheeters Devyn , Bruns Mary Ann , Karsten Heather D. , Dell Curtis J.
Published: November 2022

Maximizing living cover and minimizing soil disturbance with no-till are key strategies in regenerative row-crop production. Although living cover and no-till can increase beneficial soil carbon and water stable aggregates (WSA), annual crops in rotation with perennials often rely on herbicides to control weeds and terminate perennials. Integrated weed management (IWM) reduces reliance on herbicides by employing multiple weed control strategies including tillage and/or cultivation. However, many no-till growers are reluctant to implement some soil disturbance due to concerns about negative impacts on soil health. For that reason, we hypothesized that compared to continuous no-till and standard herbicides (NT-SH), a strategic inversion tillage in IWM (ST-IWM) would result in lower soil carbon and WSA in the year following the tillage event. We also hypothesized that soil carbon and WSA would not differ between the two systems when sampled after cover cropping and 2 years of perennials. We tested these hypotheses within a 6-year, diverse, dairy crop rotation initiated in 2010 in central Pennsylvania in a channery silt loam soil. The systems were compared in split-plots in a full crop entry experiment, where the six phases of the crop rotation were planted every year in a randomized complete block design, replicated four times. We compared the soil health indicators in spring 2010 prior to the start of the experiment and in 2013 and 2019 following inversion tillage (ST-IWM) or herbicide termination (NT-SH) of the perennial forage in the first year of the rotation. We also compared these indicators in the sixth year of the rotation after 3 years of annual and cover crops and 2 years of perennial forage. We sampled at two depths: 0–5 and 5–15 cm for total carbon and bulk density, 0–5 cm for labile carbon and 0–15 cm for WSA. Results indicate that despite initial smaller soil health values in the ST-IWM system following inversion tillage, all properties except labile carbon were similar to the NT-SH system in the sixth year of the rotation.
Enhancing crop growth in rooftop farms by repurposing CO2 from human respiration inside buildings
Authors: Buckley Sarabeth , Sparks Rebecca , Cowdery Elizabeth , Stirling Finn , Marsching Jane , Phillips Nathan
Published: November 2022

Integrating cities with the surrounding environment by incorporating green spaces in creative ways would help counter climate change. We propose a rooftop farm system called BIG GRO where air enriched with carbon dioxide (CO2) produced through respiration from indoor spaces is applied through existing ventilation systems to produce a fertilization effect and increased plant growth. CO2 measurements were taken inside 20 classrooms and at two exhaust vents on a rooftop at Boston University in Boston, MA. Exhausted air was directed toward spinach and corn and plant biomass and leaf number were analyzed. High concentrations of CO2 persisted inside classrooms and at rooftop exhaust vents in correlation with expected human occupancy. CO2 levels averaged 1,070 and 830 parts per million (ppm), reaching a maximum of 4,470 and 1,300 ppm CO2 indoors and at exhaust vents, respectively. The biomass of spinach grown next to exhaust air increased fourfold compared to plants grown next to a control fan applying atmospheric air. High wind speed from fans decreased growth by approximately twofold. The biomass of corn, a C4 plant, experienced a two to threefold increase, indicating that alternative environmental factors, such as temperature, likely contribute to growth enhancement. Enhancing growth in rooftop farms using indoor air would help increase yield and help crops survive harsh conditions, which would make their installation in cities more feasible.
Application of protective weight-bearing in osteonecrosis of the femoral head: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies
Authors: Chen Wen-huan , Guo Wen-xuan , Li Jian-xiong , Wei Qiu-shi , Li Zi-qi , He Wei
Published: November 2022

Background

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the efficacy and prognostic value of protective weight-bearing for ONFH.

Methods

The authors searched the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases, up to February 25, 2022. RCTs and observational studies on conservative treatment, including the use of crutches, for skeletally mature patients with ONFH and written in English were included. Outcomes were the total hip arthroplasty (THA) rate, collapse rate, Hip Harris score (HHS) and visual analog scale (VAS) score. Cochrane Review Manager Software 5.4 and Stata 15.1 were used to perform the statistical analyses.

Results

A total of 14 studies involving 813 patients (1,025 hips) were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that the THA rate, collapse rate, HHS and VAS scores in the protective weight-bearing group were not significantly different from those in the surgical group. In the protective weight-bearing group, the results showed that the THA rate was 40%, 8% in ARCO stage II, 37% in ARCO stage III, and the collapse rate was 46%. The mean HHS and VAS score was 80.86 and 1.00, respectively. The HHS score at the 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up was 79.93, 83.94, 85.94, and 96.09 points, respectively, whereas the VAS score at the 6- and 12-month follow-up was 2.20 and 1.29, respectively.

Conclusion

Protective weight bearing could achieve satisfactory results in terms of THA rate, collapse rate, HHS and VAS scores. Protective weight-bearing allows most precollapse patients to preserve the hip but also allows postcollapse patients to delay THA or hip-preserving surgery. The effects and prognosis of protective weight-bearing in the short or mid-term are noninferior to surgical hip preservation and are a viable alternative option for osteonecrosis of the femoral head.
A novel knotless hand-sewn end-to-end anastomosis using V-loc barbed suture vs. stapled anastomosis in laparoscopic left colonic surgery: A propensity scoring match analysis
Authors: Xu Shining , Zhao Xuan , He Zirui , Yang Xiao , Ma Junjun , Dong Feng , Zang Lu , Fingerhut Abe , Zhang Luyang , Zheng Minhua
Published: November 2022

Background

Laparoscopic colectomy is widely practiced for colon cancer, but many variations exist for anastomosis after laparoscopic colon cancer radical resection.

Method

We retrospectively analyzed 226 patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted radical resection for left colon cancer with knotless hand-sewn end-to-end anastomosis (KHEA) technique with barbed V-loc™ suture material and compared perioperative outcomes, safety, and efficacy to those undergoing stapled anastomosis from 2010 to 2021.

Results

After the 1:2 propensity score matching, 123 participants with similar preoperative characteristics (age, body mass index, TNM stage, and tumor location) were enrolled in the study: 41 in the KHEA and 82 in the stapler group. Statistically significant differences were found in time to accomplish the anastomosis (mean 7.9 vs. 11.9 min, p < 0.001) and hospital costs (mean 46,569.71 vs. 50,915.35 CNY, p < 0.05) that differed between the KHEA and stapler group, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found in the mean delay to bowel function recovery (2.6 vs. 2.7 days, p = 0.466), duration of hospital stay (8.6 vs. 7.9 days, p = 0.407), or rate of postoperative complications (14.6% vs. 11.0%, p = 0.563). Anastomotic leakage occurred in 11 patients: 5 (12.2%) vs. 6 (7.3%) (p > 0.05) in the KHEA and stapler group, respectively.

Conclusion

KHEA is feasible and safe for anastomosis after laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. The KHEA technique could reduce operation time and hospital costs with complication rates comparable to stapling.