bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Occupational Therapy Assessment of Spirituality questionnaire: translation into Persian and psychometric testing
Authors: Babaei Masoud , Karbalaee-Nouri Ashraf , Rafiey Hassan , Rassafiani Mehdi , Haghgoo Hojjatollah , Biglarian Akbar , Morris Douglas N
Published: May 2021

Background/aims

Occupational therapy is a profession that uses holistic and person-centered approaches that deal with all aspects of daily life. Clients' needs fall into four areas, and one of them is spirituality. Therefore, occupational therapists should pay attention to this area, but there is little information on the status of occupational therapists' knowledge and use in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to translate the occupational therapy assessment of spirituality questionnaire into Persian and determine its validity, factor analysis and reliability.

Methods

This is a psychometric study that was conducted between June and September 2018. The Occupational Therapy Assessment of Spirituality is a self-report, 25-item questionnaire, with self-exploratory scoring that investigates occupational therapists' views on four factors: spirituality in the scope of practice following its addition in the theoretical framework; formal education and training on spirituality; need for future educational opportunities and training to address spirituality; and awareness of assessments and evaluations in occupational therapy that incorporate clients' spirituality. The International Quality of Life Assessment approach was used for translation. Content validity was performed with 10 occupational therapists regarding qualitative content validity, content validity index and content validity ratio. Exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency with a sample size of 125 people and test–retest coefficient with a sample size of 25 people were computed for reliability.

Results

Qualitative content validity was confirmed, with content validity index greater than 0.79 and content validity ratio greater than 0.62. During the exploratory factor analysis process, the number of factors was reduced to three factors and the number of questions were reduced from 21 to 15 questions. Internal consistency was good (0.88). Test–retest coefficient was 0.96, with a high level of significance (P<0.001).

Conclusions

The Persian version of the Occupational Therapy Assessment of Spirituality is a reliable and valid questionnaire and can be used among Iranian occupational therapists in different clinical settings.
Follow-up definitions in clinical orthopaedic research
Authors: Ahmad Sufian S. , Hoos Lorenz , Perka Carsten , Stöckle Ulrich , Braun Karl F. , Konrads Christian
Published: May 2021

Aims

The follow-up interval of a study represents an important aspect that is frequently mentioned in the title of the manuscript. Authors arbitrarily define whether the follow-up of their study is short-, mid-, or long-term. There is no clear consensus in that regard and definitions show a large range of variation. It was therefore the aim of this study to systematically identify clinical research published in high-impact orthopaedic journals in the last five years and extract follow-up information to deduce corresponding evidence-based definitions of short-, mid-, and long-term follow-up.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed to identify papers published in the six highest ranked orthopaedic journals during the years 2015 to 2019. Follow-up intervals were analyzed. Each article was assigned to a corresponding subspecialty field: sports traumatology, knee arthroplasty and reconstruction, hip-preserving surgery, hip arthroplasty, shoulder and elbow arthroplasty, hand and wrist, foot and ankle, paediatric orthopaedics, orthopaedic trauma, spine, and tumour. Mean follow-up data were tabulated for the corresponding subspecialty fields. Comparison between means was conducted using analysis of variance.

Results

Of 16,161 published articles, 590 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 321 were of level IV evidence, 176 level III, 53 level II, and 40 level I. Considering all included articles, a long-term study published in the included high impact journals had a mean follow-up of 151.6 months, a mid-term study of 63.5 months, and a short-term study of 30.0 months.

Conclusion

The results of this study provide evidence-based definitions for orthopaedic follow-up intervals that should provide a citable standard for the planning of clinical studies. A minimum mean follow-up of a short-term study should be 30 months (2.5 years), while a mid-term study should aim for a mean follow-up of 60 months (five years), and a long-term study should aim for a mean of 150 months (12.5 years). Level of Evidence: Level I. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(5):344–350.
Imaging from the visible to the longwave infrared wavelengths via an inverse-designed flat lens
Authors: Meem Monjurul , Majumder Apratim , Banerji Sourangsu , Garcia Juan C. , Kigner Orrin B. , Hon Philip W. C. , Sensale-Rodriguez Berardi , Menon Rajesh
Published: May 2021

It is generally assumed that correcting chromatic aberrations in imaging requires multiple optical elements. Here, we show that by allowing the phase in the image plane to be a free parameter, it is possible to correct chromatic variation of focal length over an extremely large bandwidth, from the visible (Vis) to the longwave infrared (LWIR) wavelengths using a single diffractive surface, i.e., a flat lens. Specifically, we designed, fabricated and characterized a flat, multi-level diffractive lens (MDL) with a thickness of ≤ 10µm, diameter of ∼1mm, and focal length of 18mm, which was constant over the operating bandwidth of λ=0.45µm (blue) to 15µm (LWIR). We experimentally characterized the point-spread functions, aberrations and imaging performance of cameras comprised of this MDL and appropriate image sensors for λ=0.45μm to 11μm. We further show using simulations that such extreme achromatic MDLs can be achieved even at high numerical apertures (NA=0.81). By drastically increasing the operating bandwidth and eliminating several refractive lenses, our approach enables thinner, lighter and simpler imaging systems.
Effects of structured small-group student talk as collaborative prewriting discussions on Chinese university EFL students’ individual writing: A quasi-experimental study
Authors: Li Hui Helen , Zhang Lawrence Jun
Published: May 2021

Prior studies have reported inconsistent findings with regard to the effects of small-group student talk on developing individual students’ English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) writing ability. To further explore the question under discussion, we designed a quasi-experimental study that included a pretest, a posttest, and a delayed posttest, and implemented it in two English-major groups at a university in China. We randomly assigned the students to an intervention group and a comparison group to investigate whether employing structured small-group student talk as collaborative prewriting discussions would effectively facilitate individual students’ EFL writing development and whether such effects could be retained. The immediate and sustained effects after the quasi-experimental study was completed were measured by the analytic scores on five components of the writing task (content, organization, vocabulary, language, and mechanics) and the holistic writing scores cumulated of all these components. Statistical analyses revealed that the two groups were significantly distinguished by their analytic and holistic scores, indicating that students in the intervention group outperformed their comparison group peers in writing performance. The effects of collaborative prewriting discussions in the form of structured small-group student talk were found statistically significant in facilitating students’ writing improvement in the content, organization, vocabulary, and language use, but not mechanics. The effects on content, organization, and vocabulary were retained as seen from the delayed posttest, while those on language use were not. The comparison group showed little improvement in their writing performance across the three tests. We concluded this study with a discussion on the implications for English-as-a-second/foreign-language (L2) writing instruction.
Parental practices, preferences, skills and attitudes on food consumption of pre-school children: Results from Nutriscience Project
Authors: Almeida Carla , Azevedo José , Gregório Maria João , Barros Renata , Severo Milton , Padrão Patrícia
Published: May 2021

The association between family environment and child’s eating behaviors is well established but a multidimensional approach to study this relation is lacking. This study aimed to assess the proprieties of a questionnaire created to evaluate parental practices, preferences, skills and attitudes regarding fruit and vegetables (F&V), sugar and salt. Participants (n = 714) were families of pre-school children (aged 2–6 years old) of the Nutriscience Project–a web-based gamification program–who answered a questionnaire assessing socio-demographic characteristics, nutrition knowledge, and a scale evaluating parental practices, preferences, skills and attitudes, at the baseline of the project. Exploratory factorial analysis was applied to the scale: 21 items and 5 factors were extracted (52.4% of explained variance) with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value of 0.770: 1. Modelling/active promotion of F&V consumption (α = 0.73), 2. Skills for choosing/preparing healthy food (α = 0.75), 3. Food preferences and satiety perception (α = 0.70), 4. Awareness regarding sugar/salt intake (α = 0.61), 5. Allowance regarding F&V consumption (α = 0.55). Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were conducted to compare factors according to socio-demographic characteristics. Higher scores for parental modelling and active promotion of F&V consumption were observed in older parents, those with higher nutrition knowledge and who reported to live without income difficulties. Regarding food preferences, higher scores were observed in mothers, with higher nutrition knowledge and from higher educated groups. Higher awareness regarding salt and sugar consumption were observed in older parents, with higher education, higher nutrition knowledge and with female children. Older parents and with female children also registered higher scores of skills for choosing/preparing healthy food. The scale showed satisfactory proprieties and may contribute to assess family food environment using a multidimensional approach. It also highlighted the importance of considering socio-demographic characteristics in interventions to promote healthy eating.
Productivity growth, economies of scale and scope in the water and sewerage industry: The Chilean case
Authors: Molinos-Senante Maria , Maziotis Alexandros
Published: May 2021

Evaluating the performance and analyzing the cost drivers of water utilities is of great interest for water regulators and water sector managers. This study uses a quadratic cost function to investigate the existence of economies of scale and scope in the Chilean water and sewerage industry over the period 2010–2017. We also estimate and decompose productivity growth into technical change and scale efficiency change. Technical change is further broken into pure, non-neutral and scale-augmenting technical change. The results indicate that cost savings can be achieved by increases in the scale of production and the separation of water and sewerage services. Productivity progressed favorably throughout the whole period at an annual rate of 8.4%, which was attributed to the scale effect, the adoption of new technologies and a good allocation of resources. Some policy implications are finally discussed based on our findings.
Migratory movements of Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica naumanni from high Arctic Greenland
Authors: Burnham Kurt K. , Burnham Jennifer L. , Johnson Jeff A. , Huffman Abby
Published: May 2021

Although the Atlantic puffinFratercula arcticais well studied throughout its temperate and low Arctic breeding range, few have studied the species in its far northern distribution. This study is the first to present data on the migratory movements of the “large-billed” subspecies,F.a.naumanni, that breeds in the high Arctic and which has significantly larger body size than those farther south. During 2013–2015, migration tracks were collected from nine adult puffins (6 males and 3 females) tagged with geolocators in northwest Greenland. Overall, female puffins traveled farther than males on their annual migration, with one female puffin traveling over 13,600 km, which was nearly a third farther than any tagged male in our study. Differential migration was observed in migratory phenology and route, with males using a form of chain migration with acute synchrony between individuals while females appeared to largely use leap-frog migration and showed little synchrony between individuals. Extreme sexual segregation in wintering areas was evidenced by two females that migrated to the southern limit of the species’ range while the six males remained at the northern limit, and wintered along the sea ice edge during portions of the non-breeding season. Male puffins thus wintered in regions with sea surface temperatures up to 10° C cooler than female puffins, and in areas with generally colder sea surface temperatures when compared to previously known wintering areas of temperate and low Arctic puffin breeding populations. The degree to which body size enables maleF.a.naumannito remain in colder waters likely reflects differing life history constraints between sexes and populations (i.e., subspecies). Further study is warranted to investigate how recent changes in climate have further exacerbated the observed differences between sexes in high Arctic puffins and possibly other marine avian species.
Bayesian structural equation modeling for post treatment health related quality of life among tuberculosis patients
Authors: Vasantha Mahalingam , Muniyandi Malaisamy , Ponnuraja Chinnaiyan , Srinivasan Ramalingam , Venkatesan Perumal
Published: May 2021

Background

The use of Bayesian Structural Equation Model (BSEM) to evaluate the impact of TB on self-reported health related quality of life (HRQoL) of TB patients has been not studied.

Objective

To identify the factors that contribute to the HRQoL of TB patients using BSEM.

Methods

This is a latent variable modeling with Bayesian approach using secondary data. HRQoL data collected after one year from newly diagnosed 436 TB patients who were registered and successfully completed treatment at Government health facilities in Tiruvallur district, south India under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) were used for this analysis. In this study, the four independent latent variables such as physical well–being (PW = PW1-7), mental well-being (MW = MW1-7), social well-being (SW = SW1-4) and habits were considered. The BSEM was constructed using Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm for identifying the factors that contribute to the HRQoL of TB patients who completed treatment.

Results

Bayesian estimates were obtained using 46,300 observations after convergence and the standardized structural regression estimate of PW, MW, SW on HRQoL were 0.377 (p<0.001), 0.543 (p<0.001) and 0.208 (p<0.001) respectively. The latent variables PW, MW and SW were significantly associated with HRQoL of TB patients. The age was found to be significantly negatively associated with HRQoL of TB patients.

Conclusions

The current study demonstrated the application of BSEM in evaluating HRQoL. This methodology may be used to study precise estimates of HRQoL of TB patients in different time points.
Interleukin-13 rs1800925/-1112C/T promoter single nucleotide polymorphism variant linked to anti-schistosomiasis in adult males in Murehwa District, Zimbabwe
Authors: Choto Emilia T. , Mduluza Takafira , Chimbari Moses J.
Published: May 2021

Background

Chronic schistosomiasis is predominantly induced through up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-13. IL-13 may contribute to the disease outcomes by increasing eosinophil infiltration thereby promoting fibrosis. IL-13 may act as an immunosuppressive inflammatory cytokine that may promote carcinogenesis and also may offer protection against schistosomiasis thereby reducing risk of schistosome infections. Our study evaluated the frequency of the IL-13 rs1800925/-1112 C/ T promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among schistosomiasis infected individuals and assessed the association of the variants on IL-13 cytokine levels. We also investigated IL-13 rs1800925 polymorphisms on prostate-specific antigen levels as an indicator for risk of prostate cancer development.

Methodology

The study was cross-sectional and included 50 schistosomiasis infected and 316 uninfected male participants residing in Murehwa District, Zimbabwe. IL-13 rs1800925 SNPs were genotyped by allele amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction. Concentrations of serum prostate-specific antigens and plasma IL-13 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Frequencies of the genotypes CC, CT and TT, were 20%, 58% and 22% in schistosomiasis infected, and 18.3%, 62.1% and 19.6% in uninfected participants with no statistical differences. There were significantly (p<0.05) higher IL-13 cytokine levels among both infected and uninfected participants with the genotypes CC and CT; median 92.25 pg/mL and 106.5 pg/mL, respectively, compared to TT variant individuals; 44.78 pg/mL. Within the schistosomiasis uninfected group, CC and CT variants had significantly (p<0.05) higher IL-13 levels; median 135.0 pg/mL and 113.6 pg/mL, respectively compared to TT variant individuals; 47.15 pg/mL. Within the schistosomiasis infected group, CC, CT and TT variant individuals had insignificant differences of IL-13 level. Using logistic regression, no association was observed between prostate-specific antigen levels, IL-13 cytokine levels and IL-13 rs1800925 variants (p>0.05).

Conclusion

IL-13 rs1800925 C variant individuals had the highest IL-13 cytokine levels among the schistosomiasis uninfected suggesting that they may be protective against Schistosoma infections. There was no association between IL-13 concentrations or IL-13 rs1800925 variants and risk of prostate cancer indicating that IL-13 levels and IL-13 rs10800925 may not be utilised as biomarker for risk of prostate cancer in schistosome infections.
Multivariate visualization of the global COVID-19 pandemic: A comparison of 161 countries
Authors: Teh Jane K. L. , Bradley David A. , Chook Jack Bee , Lai Kee Huong , Ang Woo Teck , Teo Kok Lay , Peh Suat-Cheng
Published: May 2021

Background

The aim of the study was to visualize the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic over the first 90 days, through the principal component analysis approach of dimensionality reduction.

Methods

This study used data from the Global COVID-19 Index provided by PEMANDU Associates. The sample, representing 161 countries, comprised the number of confirmed cases, deaths, stringency indices, population density and GNI per capita (USD). Correlation matrices were computed to reveal the association between the variables at three time points: day-30, day-60 and day-90. Three separate principal component analyses were computed for similar time points, and several standardized plots were produced.

Results

Confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 showed positive but weak correlation with stringency and GNI per capita. Through principal component analysis, the first two principal components captured close to 70% of the variance of the data. The first component can be viewed as the severity of the COVID-19 surge in countries, whereas the second component largely corresponded to population density, followed by GNI per capita of countries. Multivariate visualization of the two dominating principal components provided a standardized comparison of the situation in the161 countries, performed on day-30, day-60 and day-90 since the first confirmed cases in countries worldwide.

Conclusion

Visualization of the global spread of COVID-19 showed the unequal severity of the pandemic across continents and over time. Distinct patterns in clusters of countries, which separated many European countries from those in Africa, suggested a contrast in terms of stringency measures and wealth of a country. The African continent appeared to fare better in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic and the burden of mortality in the first 90 days. A noticeable worsening trend was observed in several countries in the same relative time frame of the disease’s first 90 days, especially in the United States of America.
Socio-economic, demographic, and behavioural determinants of women’s empowerment in Mozambique
Authors: Castro Lopes Sofia , Constant Deborah , Fraga Sílvia , Bique Osman Nafissa , Correia Daniela , Harries Jane
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Empowerment is considered pivotal for how women access and use health care services and experience their sexual and reproductive rights. In Mozambique, women’s empowerment requires a better understanding and contextualization, including looking at factors that could drive empowerment in that context. This study aims to identify socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioural determinants of different domains of women’s empowerment in Mozambique.

Methods

Using the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2015 for Mozambique, a sample of 2072 women aged between 15 and 49 years old were included in this study. The DHS’s indicators of women’s empowerment were used in a principal component analysis and the obtained components were identified as the domains of empowerment. Logistic regressions were run to estimate the association of socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioural characteristics with each domain of empowerment. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated.

Results

Three domains of women’s empowerment were identified, namely (1) Beliefs about violence against women, (2) Decision-making, and (3) Control over sexuality and safe sex. Region, rurality, the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) and partner’s controlling behaviours were associated with Beliefs about violence against women, while Decision-making and Control over sexuality and safe sex were also associated with education, age and wealth. Employment, polygamous marriage and religion was positively associated with Decision-making, and access to media increased the odds of Control over sexuality and safe sex.

Conclusion

Women’s empowerment seems to be determined by different socio-economic, demographic, and behavioural factors and this seems to be closely related to different domains of empowerment identified. This finding affirms the multi-dimensionality of empowerment as well as the importance of considering the context- and community-specific characteristics.
Short-term effects of national-level natural resource rents on life expectancy: A cross-country panel data analysis
Authors: Lyatuu Isaac , Loss Georg , Farnham Andrea , Winkler Mirko S. , Fink Günther
Published: May 2021

While a substantial amount of literature addresses the relationship between natural resources and economic growth, relatively little is known regarding the relationship between natural resource endowment and health at the population level. We construct a 5-year cross-country panel to assess the impact of natural resource rents on changes in life expectancy at birth as a proxy indicator for population health during the period 1970–2015. To estimate the causal effects of interest, we use global commodity prices as instrumental variables for natural resource rent incomes in two-stage-least squares regressions. Controlling for country and year fixed effects, we show that each standard deviation increase in resource rents results in life expectancy increase of 6.72% (CI: 2.01%, 11.44%). This corresponds to approximately one additional year of life expectancy gained over five years. We find a larger positive effect of rents on life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other world regions. We do not find short-term effects of rents on economic growth, but show that increases in resource rents result in sizeable increases in government revenues in the short run, which likely translate into increased spending across government sectors. This suggests that natural resources can help governments finance health and other development-oriented programs needed to improve population health.
Nitrogen and boron nutrition in grafted watermelon I: Impact on pomological attributes, yield and fruit quality
Authors: Gülüt Kemal Yalçın
Published: May 2021

Watermelon is extensively consumed fruit across the globe. However, limited is known about interactive effect of nitrogen (N) and boron (B) nutrition on pomological, yield and fruit quality attributes of grafted watermelon. This two-year study tested the influence of different N and B doses on pomological, yield and fruit quality attributes of grafted watermelon under field conditions in Çukurova plains of Turkey. Four different N (0, 90, 180 and 270 kg ha-1) and two B doses (0 and 2 kg ha-1 B) were tested. The individual and interactive effects of N and B significantly altered pomological, yield and fruit quality attributes during both years. Overall, application of 270 kg ha-1 N and 2 kg ha-1 B improved yield, pomological and fruit quality attributes during both years. The highest values for yield, main stem length, stem diameter, fruit weight, fruit width, number nodes and branches per stem were recorded for 270 kg ha-1 N during both years. However, rind thickness was not altered by N application. Similarly, the highest values for quality attributes such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, citric acid, tartaric acid and ascorbic acid were noted for 270 kg ha-1 N during both years. Interestingly, no N application and 90 kg ha-1 N recorded the highest values of maleic acid during both years. The highest values of rind thickness, fruit length, fruit width and fruit weight were noted for 2 kg ha-1 B during both years, while B application had no effect on main stem length, main stem diameter, number of nodes and number of branches. Regarding N by B interactions, 180 and 270 kg ha-1 N with both B doses observed the highest values for yield, pomological and quality attributes during each year. These results indicate that N has significant contribution towards yield, pomological attributes and fruit quality of grafted watermelon. Therefore, N should be applied at the rate of 270 kg ha-1 for better yield, pomological attributes and fruit quality. Nonetheless, where necessary grafted watermelon should be fertilized with 2 kg ha-1 B for better fruit quality and pomological attributes.
Research effort devoted to regulating and supporting ecosystem services by environmental scientists and economists
Authors: Kadykalo Andrew N. , Kelly Lisa A. , Berberi Albana , Reid Jessica L. , Findlay C. Scott
Published: May 2021

The economic valuation of ecosystem services in part reflects the desire to use conventional economic tools (markets and economic instruments) to conserve ecosystem services. However, for regulating and supporting ecosystem services that depend on ecosystem structure and function, estimation of economic value requires estimates of the current level of underlying ecological functions first. This primary step is in principle, the job of environmental scientists, not economists. Here, we provide a coarse-level quantitative assessment of the relationship between the research effort expended by environmental scientists (on the biophysical values) and economists (on the monetary values) on 15 different regulating and supporting services in 32 ecosystem types using peer-reviewed article hits retrieved from bibliographic databases as a measure of research effort. We find a positive, moderately strong (r = 0.69) correlation between research efforts in the two domains, a result that, while encouraging, is likely to reflect serendipity rather than the deliberate design of integrated environmental science-economics research programs. Our results suggest that compared to environmental science research effort economic valuation is devoted to a smaller, less diverse set of ecosystem services but a broader, more diverse, set of ecosystem types. The two domains differed more with respect to the ecosystem services that are the major focus of research effort than they did with respect to the ecosystem types of principal research interest. For example, carbon sequestration, erosion regulation, and nutrient cycling receive more relative research effort in the environmental sciences; air quality regulation in economic valuations. For both domains, cultivated areas, wetlands, and urban/semi-urban ecosystem types received relatively large research effort, while arctic and mountain tundra, cave and subterranean, cryosphere, intertidal/littoral zone, and kelp forest ecosystem types received negligible research effort. We suggest ways and means by which the field of sustainability science may be improved by the design and implementation of a searchable database of environmental science and economic valuation literature as well as a global ecosystem service research network and repository that explicitly links research on the estimation and prediction of biophysical ecosystem functions with that of the social sciences and other knowledge systems. These suggestions would, at least in principle, facilitate a more efficient research agenda between economists and environmental scientists and aid management, regulatory and judicial decision-makers.
Ahmed implant coated with poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) inhibits foreign body reactions in rabbit eyes
Authors: Kee Hyun Joo , Lee Eun Jung , Han Jong Chul , Kee Changwon
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Wound healing after Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation often entails fibrosis as a foreign body reaction to the silicone plate. Poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) forms an antifouling surface that inhibits fibrosis during wound healing. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of the implantation of AGV coated with PMPC (wPMPC) versus AGV without PMPC (woPMPC) in rabbits.

Methods

Six New Zealand White rabbit does underwent AGV implantation in both eyes. For each rabbit, one eye was randomly selected for implantation of AGV wPMPC and a conventional AGV (woPMPC) was implanted in the contralateral eye. Gross conjunctival vascularity was compared between the two groups at the first, second, and fourth weeks after surgery. The eyes were enucleated in four weeks and subjected to staining with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome stain. The fibrosis and inflammation status among the eye samples were compared by measuring the thickness of the fibrotic walls and counting the number of chronic inflammatory cells around the AGV. Counting of inflammatory cells and measuring fibrotic wall thickness were done in a blinded method to eliminate observer bias. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

Gross and histological examinations revealed no toxic effects of PMPC. There were no apparent differences in overall conjunctival vascularity between the two groups at weeks 1, 2, and 4 after surgery. The average inflammatory cell counts were 14.3 ± 5.8 per slide and 27.3 ± 8.6 per slide in the wPMPC and woPMPC groups, respectively (p = 0.037). The average thicknesses of the fibrotic wall were 57.9 ± 11.3 μm and 81.5 ± 21.3 μm in the wPMPC and woPMPC groups, respectively (p = 0.025).

Conclusion

Compared to the woPMPC group, the number of inflammatory cells and fibrosis were significantly decreased in the wPMPC group.
RegAB Homolog of Burkholderia pseudomallei is the Master Regulator of Redox Control and involved in Virulence
Authors: Phenn Julia , Pané-Farré Jan , Meukow Nikolai , Klein Annelie , Troitzsch Anne , Tan Patrick , Fuchs Stephan , Wagner Gabriel E. , Lichtenegger Sabine , Steinmetz Ivo , Kohler Christian
Published: May 2021

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the etiological agent of melioidosis in humans and animals, often occupies environmental niches and infection sites characterized by limited concentrations of oxygen. Versatile genomic features enable this pathogen to maintain its physiology and virulence under hypoxia, but the crucial regulatory networks employed to switch from oxygen dependent respiration to alternative terminal electron acceptors (TEA) like nitrate, remains poorly understood. Here, we combined a Tn5 transposon mutagenesis screen and an anaerobic growth screen to identify a two-component signal transduction system with homology to RegAB. We show that RegAB is not only essential for anaerobic growth, but also for full virulence in cell lines and a mouse infection model. Further investigations of the RegAB regulon, using a global transcriptomic approach, identified 20 additional regulators under transcriptional control of RegAB, indicating a superordinate role of RegAB in the B. pseudomallei anaerobiosis regulatory network. Of the 20 identified regulators, NarX/L and a FNR homolog were selected for further analyses and a role in adaptation to anaerobic conditions was demonstrated. Growth experiments identified nitrate and intermediates of the denitrification process as the likely signal activateing RegAB, NarX/L, and probably of the downstream regulators Dnr or NsrR homologs. While deletions of individual genes involved in the denitrification process demonstrated their important role in anaerobic fitness, they showed no effect on virulence. This further highlights the central role of RegAB as the master regulator of anaerobic metabolism in B. pseudomallei and that the complete RegAB-mediated response is required to achieve full virulence. In summary, our analysis of the RegAB-dependent modulon and its interconnected regulons revealed a key role for RegAB of B. pseudomallei in the coordination of the response to hypoxic conditions and virulence, in the environment and the host.
A parasitoid wasp of Drosophila employs preemptive and reactive strategies to deplete its host’s blood cells
Authors: Ramroop Johnny R. , Heavner Mary Ellen , Razzak Zubaidul H. , Govind Shubha
Published: May 2021

The waspsLeptopilina heterotomaparasitize and ingest theirDrosophilahosts. They produce extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the venom that are packed with proteins, some of which perform immune suppressive functions. EV interactions with blood cells of host larvae are linked to hematopoietic depletion, immune suppression, and parasite success. But how EVs disperse within the host, enter and kill hematopoietic cells is not well understood. Using an antibody marker forL.heterotomaEVs, we show that these parasite-derived structures are readily distributed within the hosts’ hemolymphatic system. EVs converge around the tightly clustered cells of the posterior signaling center (PSC) of the larval lymph gland, a small hematopoietic organ inDrosophila. The PSC serves as a source of developmental signals in naïve animals. In wasp-infected animals, the PSC directs the differentiation of lymph gland progenitors into lamellocytes. These lamellocytes are needed to encapsulate the wasp egg and block parasite development. We found thatL.heterotomainfection disassembles the PSC and PSC cells disperse into the disintegrating lymph gland lobes. Genetically manipulated PSC-less lymph glands remain non-responsive and largely intact in the face ofL.heterotomainfection. We also show that the larval lymph gland progenitors use the endocytic machinery to internalize EVs. Once inside,L.heterotomaEVs damage the Rab7- and LAMP-positive late endocytic and phagolysosomal compartments. Rab5 maintains hematopoietic and immune quiescence asRab5knockdown results in hematopoietic over-proliferation and ectopic lamellocyte differentiation. Thus, both aspects of anti-parasite immunity, i.e., (a) phagocytosis of the wasp’s immune-suppressive EVs, and (b) progenitor differentiation for wasp egg encapsulation reside in the lymph gland. These results help explain why the lymph gland is specifically and precisely targeted for destruction. The parasite’s simultaneous and multipronged approach to block cellular immunity not only eliminates blood cells, but also tactically blocks the genetic programming needed for supplementary hematopoietic differentiation necessary for host success. In addition to its known functions in hematopoiesis, our results highlight a previously unrecognized phagocytic role of the lymph gland in cellular immunity. EV-mediated virulence strategies described forL.heterotomaare likely to be shared by other parasitoid wasps; their understanding can improve the design and development of novel therapeutics and biopesticides as well as help protect biodiversity.
Der Europäische Green Deal: Ein Ausgleich zwischen Ökonomie und Ökologie?
Authors: Richter Philipp
Published: May 2021

Die EU plant den Umbau der europäischen Wirtschaft hin zur Klimaneutralität im Jahr 2050. Bisher wurden nötige Maßnahmen auf europäischer Ebene nur stiefmütterlich angegangen und umgesetzt. Ein Europäisches Klimagesetz soll die Fehler der Vergangenheit nun beheben – aber wie? Welche Aspekte soll dieses Klimagesetz betreffen? Und welche Konsequenzen sind daraus zu erwarten?
Wirksamer Klimaschutz mit Bürgerräten
Authors: Bosse Jana , Knoppik Svenja , Wiedmann Oliver
Published: May 2021

Die Chancen, die solch ein Bürgerrat bietet, werden in öffentlichen und politischen Debatten immer stärker wahrgenommen. Die Empfehlungen eines Klimabürgerrats binden die Politik zwar nicht, können aber für die notwendige Akzeptanz ambitionierten Klimaschutzes innerhalb der Bevölkerung sorgen.
Worauf es bei einer Wesentlichkeitsanalyse ankommt
Authors: Ankele Kathrin , Winterstein Judith
Published: May 2021

Die Bestimmung wesentlicher Nachhaltigkeitsaspekte ist durch Standards wie GRI und DNK zwar zum festen Bestandteil der Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung geworden, gleicht häufig jedoch eher einer Pflichtübung. Um den Nutzen für eine Organisation und ihre Stakeholder zu erhöhen, sollten einige Punkte beachtet werden.
Examining the Relationship Between Energy Consumption, Economic Growth and Environmental Degradation in Indonesia: Do Capital and Trade Openness Matter?
Authors: Anwar Nurul , Elfaki Khalid Eltayeb
Published: May 2021

This paper examines the relationship between energy consumption, economic growth, and environmental degradation in Indonesia in 1965-2018 with the inclusion of gross capital formation and trade openness as relevant factors. The autoregressive distributed lag model to cointegration, fully modified ordinary least squares, dynamic ordinary least squares, and canonical cointegrating regression approach applied to estimate this relationship. The result of cointegration confirms the existence of a cointegration relationship between energy consumption, economic growth, gross fixed capital formation, trade openness, and environmental degradation. The empirical result, in the long run, indicates that energy consumption, economic growth, and trade openness have a positive relationship with environmental degradation. However, the gross fixed capital formation was found to be negatively associated with environmental degradation. It implies that gross fixed capital formation plays a pivotal role in reducing environmental degradation in Indonesia.  The error correction model coefficient indicates that the deviation of CO2 emissions from its long run equilibrium will be adjusted by 0.53% through the short run channel per annum. The findings of this paper propose implementing an energy policy that focuses on energy from environmentally friendly sources. It is also recommended to reverse the effect of openness to the international markets to improve and facilitate access to advanced and environmentally friendly technologies to mitigate environmental degradation and improve environmental quality.
PENGARUH FORMULASI TEPUNG IKAN HARUAN, TEPUNG BUAH DAN BIJI LABU KUNING PADA BISKUIT TERHADAP KANDUNGAN GIZI DAN DAYA TERIMA
Authors: Khasanah Tri Ardianti , Mumpuni Christina Erawati
Published: May 2021

Latar Belakang : Salah satu masalah gizi pada balita adalah stunting. Beberapa penelitian sebelumnya telah menemukan kandungan gizi yang memiliki pengaruh pada pertumbuhan linear tubuh dalam kasus stunting seperti protein, seng, zat besi dan vitamin A. Tepung ikan haruan (HFF), tepung biji labu kuning(PSF) dan tepung buah labu kuning (PFF) adalah bahan lokal yang cukup mengandung gizi tersebut sehingga cocok digunakan sebagai bahan tambahan pada produk biskuit untuk balita.Tujuan : Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh formulasi biskuit (HPB) yang terdiri dari tepung terigu, HFF, PSF dan PFF  terhadap kadar protein, seng, zat besi, vitamin A, dan   daya terima biskuit untuk balita.Metode : Penelitian ini bersifat eksperimen menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan 4 perlakuan dan 3 kali replikasi. HPB dibuat dengan proporsi tepung terigu: HFF: PSF: PFF masing-masing adalah P0 (100%:0%:0%:0%), P1 (50%:20%:20%:10%), P2 (50%:15%:15%:20%), P3(50%:10%:10%:30%). Analisis data pengaruh formulasi HPB terhadap kandungan gizi menggunakan one way anova, sedangkan untuk daya terima menggunakan analisis friedman pada warna, aroma, tekstur, dan rasa.Hasil : Uji statistik yang dilakukan menyatakan bahwa formulasi HPB tidak beda nyata (p>0,05) terhadap kadar protein dan vitamin A. Sebaliknya, formulasi HPB beda nyata (p<0,05) terhadap kadar seng, zat besi dan daya terima biskuit.Simpulan : Formulasi HPB memiliki pengaruh positif terhadap kadar seng dan zat besi biskuit. Kadar seng biskuit semakin meningkat pada formulasi dengan persentase HFF, PSF makin besar dan PFF makin kecil. Sebaliknya, kadar zat besi semakin meningkat, pada formulasi dengan persentase PFF makin besar dan HFF, PSF makin kecil.
PERMAINAN EDUKASI ULAR TANGGA MENINGKATKAN PENGETAHUAN DAN KONSUMSI SAYUR BUAH PADA REMAJA DI JAKARTA SELATAN
Authors: Wijayanti Tri Sari , Fayasari Adhila , Khasanah Tri Ardianti
Published: May 2021

Latarbelakang: Anjuran konsumsi sayur buah termasuk dalam 10 pesan yang terdapat pada pedoman gizi seimbang. Rerata konsumsi sayur buah remaja Indonesia usia >10 tahun masih rendah.Edukasi gizi berkaitan dengan perilaku remaja dalam memilih makanan sehat terutama sayur buah.Tujuan: Menganalisis pengaruh media permainan edukasi terhadap pengetahuan dan konsumsi sayur buah pada remaja di SMP Negeri 238 Jakarta Selatan.Metode: Penelitian ini menggunakan quasi eksperimental pretest-posttest one control group design yang dilakukan pada bulan Januari-Februari 2020 pada 50 siswa SMP Negeri 238 Jakarta. Subjek dibagi menjadi 2 kelompok yaitu yang mendapatkan ceramah sebagai kontrol dan ceramah-permainan sebagai kelompok intervensi. Intervensi dilakukan selama 1 bulan dengan pemberian 1 kali per minggu. Data yang dikumpulkan berupa data karakteristik dan pengetahuan yang diukur dengan menggunakan kuesioner, dan konsumsi sayur buah yang diukur menggunakan SQ-FFQ. Data dianalisis secara univariat dan bivariat. Analisis bivariat menggunakan uji paired t-test dan independent t-test.Hasil: Ada perbedaan pengetahuan dan konsumsi sayur buah sebelum dan sesudah diberi intervensi pada kedua kelompok (p<0,05). Peningkatan skor pengetahuan secara signifikan lebih tinggi pada kelompok ceramah-permainan dibandingkan dengan yang mendapatkan ceramah saja (p<0,05; selisih skor 26). Tidak ada perbedaan skor peningkatan konsumsi sayur buah antara kelompok ceramah-permainan dan ceramah (p 0,554; p 0,516), namun ada kecenderungan peningkatan skor konsumsi sayur buah lebih besar pada kelompok ceramah-permainan.Simpulan: Permainan edukasi secara signifikan dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan mengenai sayur buah, namun tidak pada konsumsi sayur dan buah pada remaja.
HUBUNGAN KARAKTERISTIK, POLA KONSUMSI GARAM DAN POLA MAKAN DENGAN KADAR EKSKRESI IODIUM URIN (EIU) PADA IBU HAMIL DI JEPARA, JAWA TENGAH
Authors: Nugroho Teddy Wahyu , Margawati Ani , Utami Aras
Published: May 2021

Latar Belakang : Gangguan Akibat Kekurangan Yodium (GAKY) merupakan gangguan yang timbul karena kekurangan asupan yodium. Masalah GAKY di Indonesia cukup banyak. Oleh karena itu, pentingnya sosialisasi asupan yodium yang cukup agar dapat mengurangi resiko terjadinya GAKY di masyarakat. Kelompok yang perlu mendapat sosialisasi pentingnya memperhatikan kadar yodium yaitu wanita usia subur dan ibu hamil.Tujuan : Menganalisis hubungan antara kadar Ekskresi Iodium Urin (EIU) dengan LILA, IMT, status anemia, konsumsi garam dan pola makan subjek.Metode : Penelitian ini merupakan studi observasional yang dilakukan dengan desain Cross Sectional. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah ibu hamil trimester 2 dan trimester 3 yang tinggal di wilayah kerja Puskesmas Mlonggo II dan Puskesmas Pakis Aji, Jepara. Total sampel 88 ibu hamil dengan teknik sampling yang diambil adalah consecutive sampling. Instrumen penelitian ini yaitu kuesioner, wawancara terkait asupan makan maupun asupan garam beryodium (SQ-FFQ) dan botol urine untuk tempat urine subyek  sebelum diuji dengan metode Enzym Linked Immunosorben Assay (ELISA). Analisis data dilakukan dengan analisis deskriptif rensponden dengan menyajikan distribusi frekuensi masing-masing variabel. Analisis biavariat yaitu untuk mengetahui besar risiko (odds ratio) paparan terhadap kasus dengan menggunakan table 2x2.Hasil : Ibu hamil pada penelitian ini sebanyak 88 subjek. Subjek yang memiliki kadar EIU rendah sebanyak 68,2%. Selain itu dari total subjek, terdapat 46 subjek yang memiliki status gizi overweight (52,3%) dan sebanyak 19 subjek (21,6%) mengalami anemia. Dari hasil uji statistik menunjukkan bahwa tidak adanya hubungan antara LILA (p=0,843), status gizi (p=0,282), status anemia (p=0,561), asupan energi (p=0,360); asupan karbohidrat (p=0,856); asupan protein (p=0,744); asupan lemak (p=0,781); asupan serat (p=0,492); asupan vitamin C (p= 0,401); asupan magnesium (p=0,177); asupan zat besi (Fe) (p=0,122); asupan zink (p=0,141); asupan mangan (p=0,286) dengan kadar EIU pada ibu hamil.Simpulan : Tidak terdapat hubungan antara karakteristik, pola konsumsi garam dan pola makan dengan kadar EIU pada ibu hamil.
Conceiving Inferential Prototypes of MIMO Channel Models via Buckingham’s Similitude Principle for 30+ GHz through THz Spectrum
Authors: Neelakanta Perambur , De Groff Dolores
Published: May 2021

Facilitating newer bands of ‘unused’ segments (windows) of RF spectrum falling in the mm-wave range (above 30+ GHz) and seeking usable stretches across unallocated THz spectrum, could viably be considered for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communications. This could accommodate the growing needs of multigigabit 3G/4G applications in outdoor-based backhauls in picocellular networks and in indoor-specific multimedia networking. However, in contrast with cellular and Wi-Fi, wireless systems supporting sub-mm wavelength transreceive communications in the outdoor electromagnetic (EM) ambient could face “drastically different propagation geometry”; also, in indoor contexts, envisaging pertinent spatial-multiplexing with directional, MIMO links could pose grossly diverse propagation geometry across a number of multipaths; as such, channel-models based on stochastic features of diverse MIMO-specific links in the desired test spectrum of mm-wave/THz band are sparsely known and almost non-existent. To alleviate this niche, a method is proposed here to infer sub-mm band MIMO channel-models (termed as “prototypes”) by judiciously sharing “similarity” of details available already pertinent to traditional “models” of lower-side EM spectrum, (namely, VLF through micro-/mm-wave). Relevant method proposed here relies on the “principle of similitude” due to Edgar Buckingham. Exemplar set of “model-to-(inferential)-prototype” transformations are derived and prescribed for an exhaustive set of fading channel models as well as, towards estimating path-loss of various channel statistics in the high-end test spectrum.