bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Commons, Game Theory and Aspects of Human Nature that May Allow Conservation of Global Resources
Authors: Dodds Walter K.
Published: June 2023

Fundamental aspects of human use of the environment can be explained by game theory. Game theory explains aggregate behaviour of the human species driven by perceived costs and benefits. In the ‘game’ of global environmental protection and conservation, the stakes are the living conditions of all species including the human race, and the playing field is our planet. The question is can we control humanity's hitherto endless appetite for resources before we irreparably harm the global ecosystem and cause extinction of even more species? The central problem is that some proportion of the individuals or groups will behave selfishly. The inducement for using more than a fair share, or ‘cheating’, increases as that resource becomes rarer, thus the benefits of cheating increase. In addition, the total number of people is increasing, so the proportion of cheaters must decrease to even keep total resource use constant. Cost benefit analysis of the effect of regulation and incentives on potential cheaters may provide a rational approach to controlling environmental problems. While it is debatable that environmental values are constant across cultures, communal use of resources seems to follow global rules. Cooperative use and punishment of those who use more than their share appear to be ubiquitous in human societies. Schemes for controlling human impact on the global environment must take into consideration basic behaviours including development of social norms and the positive feedback created because resources become more valuable with increasing rarity leading to more incentive for consumption.
Different Perspectives on Cross-Compliance
Authors: Mann Stefan
Published: June 2023

Cross-compliance has proven its effectiveness, as can be shown by looking at the Swiss experience with cross-compliance since 1999. Besides describing the existing cross-compliance practices in Switzerland, the paper shows different perspectives on the efficiency and fairness of cross-compliance. It concludes that transaction cost advantages justify cross-compliance only in few cases. Usually, it will be more efficient to decouple social and environmental policy. The strong support for cross-compliance by the Swiss population is explained by a perceived unfairness in the distribution of property rights between farmers and society. If property rights would be redistributed, there probably would be no more need for cross-compliance.
Natura economica in Environmental Valuation
Authors: Soma Katrine
Published: June 2023

Cost-benefit analysis is widely acknowledged to be an appropriate tool for providing advice to policy makers on the optimal use and management of natural resources. However, a great deal of research has indicated that the assumptions made in cost-benefit analysis concerning the natural environment diverge from real world observations. In this paper I discuss these observed divergences. To do so, I introduce the concept of Natura economica. Natura economica is the environment as it is understood in economic analysis in general, and cost-benefit analysis in particular, namely as a bundle of commodities with potential market value. I argue that if this understanding of nature and its value is very different from what is generally observed, it reduces the value of the resulting policy recommendations. I then suggest four questions that policy makers should ask when they evaluate their choice of appraisal methods. If the answer is ‘yes’ to all of them, then cost-benefit analysis can provide valid information. However, if the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, other methods, such as multicriteria analysis and participatory processes, should be considered in order to arrive at better-founded policy recommendations.
Finding Value in Nature
Authors: Hill Thomas
Published: June 2023

This paper explores the idea that a proper valuing of natural environments is essential to (and not just a natural basis for) a broader human virtue that might be called ‘appreciation of the good’. This kind of valuing can explain, without any commitment to a metaphysics of intrinsic values, how and why it is good to value certain natural phenomena for their own sakes. The objection that such an approach is excessively human-centred is considered and rebutted.
Values in the Economics of Climate Change
Authors: Toman Michael
Published: June 2023

Economics has played an important role in assessing climate change impacts, and the effects of various individual and policy response strategies. Proponents of a key role for economics in analysis of climate change policies and goals argue that its capacity to incorporate and compare a variety of costs and benefits makes it uniquely useful for normative assessment. Critics of economic analysis of climate change have questioned not only its empirical capacities, but also its fundamental usefulness given some of the important but often implicit assumptions on which it is based. After reviewing this debate and its implications for public policy on climate change, the paper sketches a way in which more technical economic analysis and public dialogue might be combined.
A Perfect Moral Storm: Climate Change, Intergenerational Ethics and the Problem of Moral Corruption1
Authors: Gardiner Stephen M.
Published: June 2023

The peculiar features of the climate change problem pose substantial obstacles to our ability to make the hard choices necessary to address it. Climate change involves the convergence of a set of global, intergenerational and theoretical problems. This convergence justifies calling it a ‘perfect moral storm’. One consequence of this storm is that, even if the other difficult ethical questions surrounding climate change could be answered, we might still find it difficult to act. For the storm makes us extremely vulnerable to moral corruption.
Political Perception and Ensemble of Macro Objectives and Measures: The Paradox of the Index for Sustainable Economic Welfare
Authors: Ziegler Rafael
Published: June 2023

Macroeconomic measures and objectives inform and structure political perception in large systems of governance. Herman Daly and John Cobb attack the objective and measure of economic growth in For the Common Good. However, their attack is paradoxical: 1) they are in favour of strong sustainability, but construct with the ISEW an index of weak sustainability, and 2) they describe humans as persons-in-community, but propose an index based on personal consumption. While the ISEW has attracted much attention, the same cannot be said about the person-in-community ontology developed at length and prominently in their work. This essay therefore aims to reconstruct Daly and Cobb's criticism of growth from the person-in-community approach. It defends the ISEW as a debunking index that is motivated by the person-in-community approach and the economy-ecology scale problem, and that also engages in the politics of scale. But this does not mean that the ISEW is also a measure of sustainable economic welfare. Critics expecting this kind of sustainability index are likely to see contradictions, but not the critical role the ISEW can play for democratic accountability. Understanding the latter makes it possible to see the ISEW as a step in the evolution of political perception and action. Accordingly the essay is also intended as a contribution to the understanding of this role in a situation where sustainability indices continue to be calculated, and renewed efforts at the measurement of welfare and happiness are made.
Exchange Relationships and the Environment: The Acceptability of Compensation in the Siting of Waste Disposal Facilities
Authors: Claro Edmundo
Published: June 2023

Within siting literature there is strong agreement that compensation for environmental risks is a necessary condition for local acceptance of waste treatment facilities. In-kind compensation is commonly pushed forward as being more effective than financial benefits in reducing local opposition. By focusing on the siting of a sanitary landfill in Santiago, Chile, this paper explores the performance of both types of compensation and relates the analysis to the notion of social norms of exchange. These are understood as being based on three main types of social relations: care, justice and freedom. Whereas monetary compensation is associated with market relations based on freedom and the offer of in-kind compensation to egalitarian relations based on justice, the absence of compensation is linked to fraternal relations based on care. It is argued that in-kind compensation is more acceptable than monetary payments or no compensation because people tend to understand siting conflicts more as matters of justice rather than as matters of freedom or care.
The exploration of the inverse vulcanization mechanism of tung oil by controlling the oxygen and moisture presence during reactions
Authors: Lyu Ya , Su Qin
Published: June 2023

Inverse vulcanization is a cost-effective method for producing high sulfur-content copolymers by combining elemental sulfur with organic monomers, which has rapidly gained popularity due to its simplicity of synthesis and wide range of applications. Although numerous examples of sulfur-rich copolymers have been synthesized at different reaction rates and temperatures using various monomers, the precise reaction mechanism remains unclear. In this paper, we used tung oil containing conjugated triene as a monomer to synthesize sulfur-rich copolymers under six different reaction conditions and investigate the effects of oxygen and moisture. Our study, which employed DSC, XRD, 1H NMR, and XPS characterization methods, revealed that oxygen accelerated the reaction rate and decreased the free sulfur content of the products, while moisture shortened the gel times but increased the free sulfur content. These findings confirm that reverse vulcanization involves two simultaneous mechanisms: the free radical mechanism and the anion mechanism. With regard to the radical mechanism, we discuss the source, ease, and reactivity of radicals and show that the creation of radicals depends on the second monomer rather than sulfur. Tung oil not only acts as a comonomer in the reaction but also plays an initiating role in promoting the dissociation of sulfur chains to generate free radicals for addition of non-conjugated double bonds. The effect of the anion mechanism exceeds that of the radical mechanism once certain factors are stimulated, such as the presence of metal ions and sulfide ions. Understanding the detailed mechanisms involved in inverse vulcanization is essential for selecting optimal monomers, which can enhance not only the synthesis process but also the properties of sulfur-rich materials.
A Comprehensive Review of Causes and Determinants of Maternal and Infant Mortality in Uttarakhand
Authors: Jelly Prasuna , Sharma Suresh K. , Saxena Vartika , Sharma Rakesh
Published: June 2023

India is trying to achieve the target of sustainable development goals of reducing maternal mortality ratio to 70/1,00,000 live births by the year 2030. The maternal mortality in Uttarakhand is 89/100,000 live birth (2015–2017), against the national average of 122. Daley in the care during the labour process, poor transport system, and inadequate health care facilities for maternal care leading to maternal and infant mortality are not well understood, including other contributing factors. In Uttarakhand, maternal haemorrhage (22.9%), eclampsia (14.6%), sepsis (10.6%), rupture of the uterus (6.2%), ectopic pregnancy (2.1%), and pulmonary embolism (2.1%) were the direct causes for maternal mortality; the indirect causes were anaemia (16.6%), jaundice (12.5%), heart diseases during pregnancy (6.2%), and other communicable diseases (6.3%). Age at pregnancy, not having health schemes, health care accessibility, presence of complications, and residing in a rural area were additional risk factors. Being multigravida adds to a higher risk for women to die (66.7%). Common causes of neonatal mortality were birth asphyxia (20.4%) and preterm birth (15.4%), whereas pneumonia (26.1%), septicaemia (12.5%), diarrhoeal and acute gastroenteritis (19%) were common causes for post-neonatal deaths. It was also reported that prematurity with respiratory distress syndrome (37.7%), septicaemia (16.8%), and perinatal asphyxia (13.9%) were the leading causes in Uttarakhand, while neonatal seizures (3.54%), congenital anomalies (3.23%), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (2.6%), and neonatal jaundice (2.3%) were fewer common causes reported. Multidirectional contributing factors had been reported for maternal and infant mortality, so it needs a multidimensional approach to address the issue.
An Empirical Study of Infrastructure and Economic Development in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Authors: Shameem Shubarat , Rajeswari M.
Published: June 2023

This study compares the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of infrastructure and economic development and finds the districts are trailing behind in terms of infrastructure and economic development. The study also attempts to find a descriptive association between infrastructure and economic development across the districts of Jammu and Kashmir vis-a-vis indices. The study uses the secondary source of information collected from the district-level statistical handbook and Digest of Statistics, Directorate of Economics & Statistics, J&K, 2020–2021. For estimating the infrastructure and economic development across the districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the composite infrastructure development index and composite economic development index have been made by employing the Principal Component Analysis method. The study employs the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin and Bartlett’s Tests of Statistics in order to test the appropriateness of factor analysis for the data. The findings of the study reveal that there exist wide disparities in terms of both the infrastructure and economic development across the districts of Jammu and Kashmir and the large gap in the availability of basic infrastructure facilities across the districts describes the inter-district disparity in the economic development.
Contemporary narrative patterns of career construction: Interlinking the existing literature with Brazilian workers’ narratives
Authors: Ribeiro Marcelo Afonso
Published: June 2023

Career pattern is a useful methodological resource to generate portraits of career constructions. This article has two interconnected objectives. Through a literature review, it first aimed to synthesise the main contemporary career patterns. And second, using a qualitative approach, it sought to build contemporary narrative patterns of career construction of 40 Brazilian workers intentionally selected. Differences and similarities between the two proposed taxonomies were examined. The literature describes five career patterns (traditional/professional, flexible, hybrid, transitional, and social role balancing). The present study built nine narrative patterns of career construction described by their central discourse: Enclosure (professional career and occupational career), Nostalgia (organisational career), Possibility (flexible career, entrepreneurial career, and informal career), Hybrid (hybrid careers), and Instrumentality (transitional career and liminal career). We emphasise the need for diversifying samples and research contexts to contextualise theories and concepts and produce situated practices.
Plasma Soluble Podoplanin as a Biomarker of Hypercoagulability and Cellular Immunity Status in Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhang Qian , Peng Kun , Wang Lin , Zhang Ru-Yu , Xin Li-Hong , Huang Jing-Ying , Zhang Yan-Min , Zhao Jie
Published: June 2023

Podoplanin (PDPN) is known to play a role in thrombosis, metastasis of tumor cells, the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and immune response. The present study aim to evaluate the clinical significance of soluble PDPN (sPDPN) in hypercoagulability and cellular immune status in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine plasma sPDPN levels, and T-lymphocyte distribution was determined using flow cytometry. The levels of sPDPN were markedly higher in the NSCLC group than control group, and sPDPN was higher in patients with advanced-stage and with distant metastases. The high-sPDPN group had lower absolute numbers of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio than low-sPDPN group. Correlation analysis indicated that sPDPN was positively linked to platelet (r = 0.50, P < .001), D-dimer (r = 0.52, P < .001), and fibrinogen (r = 0.37, P < .001); and inversely correlated with CD3+ (r = −0.37, P < .001), CD4+ (r = −0.44, P < .001), and CD4+/CD8+ (r = −0.37, P < .001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that sPDPN (odds ratio [OR] = 2.293; 95% CI, 1.559−3.373) and tumor stage (OR = 15.857; 95% CI, 1.484−169.401) were separate risk indicators for hypercoagulability. The receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) indicated that sPDPN had high diagnostic values for hypercoagulability in NSCLC patients. In conclusion, plasma sPDPN was not only linked to hypercoagulability, but it may also be an indicator of the body's cellular immune status in NSCLC patients.
Weight Bias: A Narrative Review of the Evidence, Assumptions, Assessment, and Recommendations for Weight Bias in Health Care
Authors: Peterson Kylie , Savoie Roskos Mateja
Published: June 2023

Background

Weight bias is common in health care and needs to be addressed to provide equal and equitable care for people of all body sizes.

Aims

This review aims to (a) describe the impact of weight bias on providers and patients, (b) identify the limitations of body mass index and suggest alternative screenings to determine health risk, (c) provide a review of self-assessment of weight bias, and (d) present evidence of an alternative weight-inclusive approach to health care.

Method

EBSCO Host, Google Scholar, and Pubmed were used to find peer reviewed articles. Keywords included the following: weight bias, weight stigma, weight inclusive, and weight discrimination.

Results

Projected weight bias is prevalent among health care providers and affects patient visit times, care provided, and communication given. Patients who experience weight bias are more likely to experience stress and depression, which impact chronic disease risk. Body mass index was also found to have numerous limitations as a metric for identifying accurately an individual’s cardiometabolic risks, whereas, waist-to-height ratio is a more accurate indicator. There are also numerous screening tools that are available to self-assess for weight bias although more studies are needed to standardize results. An alternative approach to combat weight bias is a behavior-focused approach on health as opposed to weight-focused.

Conclusion

Weight bias is a critical topic that health professionals need to consider to be aware of and begin to change as it has a strong impact on the public’s health.
Community Health Worker Interventions for Men: A Scoping Review Using the RE-AIM Framework
Authors: Wippold Guillermo M. , Garcia Kaylyn A. , Frary Sarah Grace , Griffith Derek M.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Community health workers (CHWs) are health promotion specialists who are trusted members of the community served and have a close understanding of the community’s needs and values. CHWs are a cost-effective and scalable workforce to promote health among men through tailored approaches. The purpose of the present review was to use the RE-AIM Framework to assess design, implementation, and outcomes of CHW-implemented health promotion efforts tailored for men to provide recommendations for future efforts.

Methods

The protocol was pre-registered with PROSPERO. The primary inclusion criteria were that the interventions were (a) implemented at least partially by CHWs, (b) conducted only among men, and (c) designed to improve a health-related outcome. PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Global Index Medicus were searched using a librarian-generated search strategy. In all, 1,437 articles were uploaded to Rayyan and two reviewers blindly reviewed each article for inclusion. A total of 24 articles met the inclusion criteria.

Results

Most interventions (a) targeted men under 50 years, (b) were conducted among a subset of underserved men, (c) improved health outcomes, (d) community-based and informed, (e) atheoretical, and (f) had satisfactory retention rates. The roles and responsibilities of CHWs were varied. Attention was given to training of CHWs, but limited attention was given to how/if the CHWs were supervised.

Discussion

CHW-implemented interventions can improve health outcomes among men. Opportunities exist to build on past interventions, such as addressing mental health and incorporating prosocial aspects of masculinity. The results have implications for designing similar interventions.
Cross-sectional characterization of renal function in cats with caudal stomatitis
Authors: Vetter C Autumn M , Lourenço Bianca N , Meindl Alison G , Mees Angela , Stone Amy , Farnsworth Raelynn , Everett S Ellen , Gonzalez Sara E , Roth Ira G , Schmiedt Chad
Published: June 2023

Objectives

The objective of the study was to compare renal functional biomarkers in cats and in caudal stomatitis (CS) and in age-matched control cats.

Methods

A cross-sectional, case-control study was conducted on 44 client-owned cats with CS that were prospectively enrolled and evaluated for a Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment at one of four institutions. Renal function was assessed with measurement of serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, serum symmetric dimethylarginine, urinalysis, urine protein:creatinine ratio and urine protein electrophoresis. Affected gingiva was biopsied to confirm the diagnosis of stomatitis. Renal biochemical analyses from the experimental group were compared with those of 44 age-matched controls without CS enrolled prospectively or retrospectively after presenting to the primary institution for routine healthcare. Control cats were included if they were clinically stable, their chronic illnesses were well managed and minimal dental disease was present on examination. Renal biomarkers were compared between groups using a t-test or the Mann–Whitney U-test. Frequency of azotemia, proteinuria and the clinical diagnosis of renal disease were compared using Fisher’s exact test.

Results

Relative to the control group, cats in the CS group had significantly lower serum creatinine ( P <0.001) and albumin concentrations ( P <0.001), urine specific gravity ( P = 0.024) and hematocrit ( P = 0.003), and higher serum phosphorus ( P <0.001), potassium ( P <0.001) and globulin concentrations ( P <0.001), white blood cell count ( P <0.001) and urine protein:creatinine ratio ( P = 0.009). There were no significant differences in serum symmetric dimethylarginine or urea nitrogen concentrations. No clinically significant findings were noted on urine protein electrophoresis. There were no significant differences in the frequency of azotemia, proteinuria or renal disease categories between the two groups.

Conclusions and relevance

The present study does not demonstrate a significant difference in the frequency of kidney disease between cats with and without CS. Longitudinal evaluation is warranted to investigate the relationship between renal disease and CS.
Association Between Serum Levels of Nicotinamide-Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase 2 and the Development of Atrial Fibrillation After Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Prospective Pilot Study
Authors: Yan Hui , Zhang JiaYing , Wu Fang Qin , Du Gui Fang
Published: June 2023

Introduction

To investigate the levels of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2 (NOX2) in serum and pericardial drainage samples in the early stage after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and determine whether NOX2 is predictive of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF).

Materials and Methods

This prospective pilot study involved 152 adults without history of atrial fibrillation who underwent first-time elective isolated CABG. Serum and pericardial fluid samples were simultaneously obtained from patients at baseline and 4, 12, and 24 h post operation. NOX2 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The heart rhythm of patients was continuously monitored through a Holter monitor until discharge. Logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed, as appropriate.

Results

Fifty-one patients (33.6%) experienced in-hospital POAF. NOX2 concentration in serum and pericardial drainage samples was increased after surgery, reached its peak at 12 h, and gradually declined thereafter toward the baseline levels by 24 h. At 12 h, patients with POAF had higher levels of serum NOX2 than those without (3.96 ± 0.35 vs. 3.70 ± 0.75 μg/mL, respectively, p = 0.004). There were no discernible differences in pericardial NOX2 between the 2 groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that serum NOX2 at 12 h post operation was the strongest independent predictor of POAF (odds ratio: 2.179, 95% confidence interval: 1.084–4.377). The area under the ROC curve of the POAF predictive model was 0.732 (95% confidence interval: 0.654–0.801).

Conclusion

Serum NOX2 may be useful in the identification of POAF. Larger studies are warranted to substantiate these findings.
Age Differences in Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Vagal Modulation in Women With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Chen Li Juen , Burr Robert , Cain Kevin , Kamp Kendra , Heitkemper Margaret
Published: June 2023

Background/Aims

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often report upper gastrointestinal (GI) (e.g., nausea and heartburn), somatic, and emotional symptoms. This study seeks to examine the relationships among younger and older women with IBS and indicators of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function and daily nausea and heartburn symptoms.

Methods

Women were recruited through clinics and the community. Nocturnal heart rate variability (HRV) was obtained using ambulatory electrocardiogram Holter monitors. Individual symptom severity and frequency were collected using 28-day diaries. All variables were stratified by younger (<46 years) and older (≥46 years) age groups.

Results

Eighty-nine women with IBS were included in this descriptive correlation study ( n = 57 younger; n = 32 older). Older women had reduced indices of vagal activity when compared to younger women. In older women, there was an inverse correlation between nausea and vagal measures (Ln RMSSD, r = −.41, p = .026; Ln pNN50, r = −.39, p = .034). Heartburn in older women was associated with sleepiness ( r = .59, p < .001) and anger ( r = .48, p = .006). Nausea was significantly correlated with anger in the younger group ( r = .41, p = .001). There were no significant relationships between HRV indicators and nausea and heartburn in younger women.

Conclusions

Age-related differences in ANS function that are associated with nausea may portend unique opportunities to better understand the vagal dysregulation in women with IBS.
Prevalence of refractive errors in population aged 50 years and over: The Gilan eye study
Authors: Behboudi Hassan , Rajavi Zhale , Sabbaghi Hamideh , Katibeh Marzieh , Kheiri Bahareh , Yaseri Mehdi , Moradian Siamak , Alizadeh Yousef , Ahmadieh Hamid , Pakbin Mojgan , Bouyeh Aria , Moradi Amir
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To describe the prevalence of refractive error (RE) and its association with other environmental and health factors among population aged ≥50 years who lived in Gilan, Iran in 2014.

Methods

In this population-based cross-sectional study, 3281 individuals aged ≥50 years living in Gilan for at least 6 months were enrolled. The prevalence of different types of REs including myopia (spherical equivalent (SE)≤-0.50D), high myopia (SE ≤ -6.00D), hyperopia (SE≥ + 0.50D), high hyperopia (SE≥ + 3.00D), astigmatism (cylinder < -0.50D) and high astigmatism (cylinder < -2.25D) were determined. Anisometropia was defined as the SE difference of ≥1.00D between the two eyes. Associated factors including age, body mass index (BMI) and education were also studied.

Results

2587 eligible individuals (58% female subjects) with the mean age of 62.6 ± 8.8 years participated (87.6% response rate). The prevalence of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism was 19.2%, 48.6% and 57.4%, respectively. 3.6% high hyperopia, 0.5% high myopia and 4.5% high astigmatism were identified. The positive simultaneous effects3 of older age (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.14), nuclear (OR = 1.71) and posterior subcapsular (OR = 1.61) cataracts as well as the negative effects of higher levels of education (OR = 0.28) were obtained on myopia. Higher BMI was found as a risk factor for hyperopia (OR = 1.67), while older patients were less likely to be hyperopic (OR = 0.31).

Conclusion

Higher incidence of myopia and astigmatism was found in patients aged over 70 years. It was also found that patients at older ages who suffered with cataracts were at a higher risk of myopia, while elderly people with greater BMI were at a higher risk of hyperopia.
In Silico Investigation of a Chimeric IL24-LK6 Fusion Protein as a Potent Candidate Against Breast Cancer
Authors: Muhammad Rehman Hafiz , Rehman Hafiz Muzzammel , Naveed Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Tahir , Shabbir Muhammad Aqib , Aslam Shakira , Bashir Hamid
Published: June 2023

Targeted delivery of therapeutic anticancer chimeric molecules enhances the efficacy of drug by improving cellular uptake and circulation time. Engineering the molecules to facilitate the specific interaction between chimeric protein and its receptor is critical to elucidate biological mechanism as well as accuracy in modeling of complexes. A theoretically designed novel protein-protein interfaces can serve as a bottom-up method for comprehensive understanding of interacting protein residues. This study was aimed for in silico analyses of a chimeric fusion protein against breast cancer. The amino acid sequences of the interleukin 24 (IL-24) and LK-6 peptide were used to design the chimeric fusion protein via a rigid linker. The secondary and tertiary structures along with physicochemical properties by ProtParam and solubility were predicted using online software. The validation and quality of the fusion protein was confirmed by Rampage and ERRAT2. The newly designed fusion construct has a total length of 179 amino acids. The top-ranked structure from alpha fold2 showed 18.1 KD molecular weight by ProtParam, quality factor of 94.152 by ERRAT, and a valid structure by a Ramachandran plot with 88.5% residues in the favored region. Finally, the docking and simulation studies were performed using HADDOCK and Desmond module of Schrodinger. The quality, validity, interaction analysis, and stability of the fusion protein depict a functional molecule. The fusion gene IL24-LK6 after cloning and expression in a suitable prokaryotic cell might be a useful candidate for developing a novel anticancer therapy.
Antibiotic Resistance and Plasmid Replicon Types of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Serovars Isolated From Food Animals and Humans in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Adedokun Folake Latifat , Ajayi Abraham , Essiet Utibeima Udo , Oduyebo Oyin , Adeleye Adeyemi Isaac , Smith Stella Ifeanyi
Published: June 2023

Multidrug resistance and invasiveness of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovars have in recent times brought to the fore the public health risk associated with salmonellosis. This study was aimed at profiling NTS serovars isolated from food animals and humans for their susceptibility to antibiotics and plasmid replicon types. Forty seven NTS serovars were profiled for their susceptibility to antibiotics using the disk diffusion method. Polymerase chain reaction based replicon typing assay was used for profiling plasmid replicon types detected in Salmonella isolates. High rate of resistance were found for amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (40/47; 85.1%), cefuroxime (38/47; 80.9%) and ceftazidime (30/47; 63.8%). Thirty one (65.9%) and 33 (70.2%) showed intermediate resistance to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin respectively. Plasmids of sizes ranging from 14.3 to 16.7 kb were detected in 24 (51.1%) of Salmonella isolates with some serovars harbouring multiple plasmids. FIA, FIB, Frep and W plasmid replicon types were detected in 11, 4, 2 and 1 of the Salmonella isolates respectively. Three of the isolates harboured both FIA and FIB replicon types. The high rate of resistance to β-lactams observed in Salmonella serovars harbouring different plasmid replicon types in this study highlight potential public health threat and the need for prudent use of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine.
Effects of the COVID-19 tourism crisis on the Spanish economy
Authors: Vayá Esther , Garcia José R , Suriñach Jordi , Pons Ernest
Published: June 2023

This study addresses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Spanish tourism sector and economy in general, at the national and regional levels, through a comparative analysis between the evolution observed in the sector and the evolution that could have happened had the pandemic not occurred. This study was conducted in two stages. First, the total tourist expenditures for 2020 and 2021 were predicted under the assumption that the pandemic had not occurred. In the second stage, the losses in terms of turnover, jobs and the contribution of the tourism sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) that would have occurred without the pandemic were estimated. We applied the input–output method and found that for every €1000 less of tourist spending due to the pandemic, €1883 less were contributed to the GDP, and for every €100,000 less in spending, 2.8 jobs were lost.
Flexural property of steel reinforced bamboo scrimber composite beam
Authors: Liu Caimei , Wu Xizhi , Li Xianjun , Liu Man
Published: June 2023

To improve the bending performance of long-span bamboo scrimber beams, a new method of prepressing-cold pressing-hot forming was used to produce steel-reinforced bamboo scrimber composite beams. For steel-RBSC beams, four-point bending experiments were performed to study the failure mode, bending performance, load-displacement relationships, and strain history curves of composite beams. Based on cohesive zone model theory, finite element models of steel-RBSC beams were established and the bonding stress of the adhesive layer in steel-RBSC beams revealed. The results indicated that the failure mode of composite beams was fracture failure of the bamboo scrimber at the bottom between the loading rollers. Steel reinforcement had a significant effect on the strength and stiffness of bamboo scrimber beams. The maximum static stiffness of composite beams was increased by 70.15%, compared with that of bamboo scrimber beams. The load-displacement curves, mechanical properties, and section strains predicted by finite element models were consistent with the test results, verifying that these finite element models were correct. The main influence factors for the peeling of the adhesive layer were normal stress, shear stress, and mixed stress in the areas of pure bending section, bending-shear section, and loading roll area, respectively.
Do those who listen also speak out? Political and citizen participation of radio newscasts audiences in Mexico
Authors: Padilla de la Torre María Rebeca , Cervantes Velázquez Mónica del Rocío
Published: June 2023

Audience studies highlight the relevance of studying citizens’ participation in the media convergence environment. This study evaluates audience participation in the three foremost local radio newscasts in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where radio remains present in everyday life and public issues trigger audience’s interest to express themselves through this medium. The methodology was designed based on Carpentier’s Analytical Tool for Critical Analysis of Media Processes and UNESCO’s Media Development Indicators (MDI). It consisted of an analysis of modalities of audience participation and interviews with audience members, production teams, activists, and politicians. Findings show that audiences prefer to listen to other citizens on air, but participation is scarce and mainly limited to messages on the radio newscasts’ social networks sites. Audiences’ rights and the role of radio as a platform for democratic conversation among citizens and government need to be promoted and regulated, because commercial interests prevail. Despite technological innovations, the design of newscasts remains unidirectional.
Practitioners’ ability to remotely develop understanding for personalised care and support planning: a thematic analysis of multiple data sources from the feasibility phase of the Dementia Personalised Care Team (D-PACT) intervention
Authors: Wheat Hannah , Griffiths Sarah , Gude Alex , Weston Lauren , Quinn Cath , Morgan-Trimmer Sarah , Oh Tomasina M , Musicha Crispin , Greene Leanne , Clark Mike , Rybczynska-Bunt Sarah , Byng Richard
Published: June 2023

Practitioner understanding of patients’ preferences, wishes and needs is essential for personalised health care i.e., focusing on ‘what matters’ to people based on their individual life situation. To develop such an understanding, dementia practitioners need to use communication practices that help people share their experiences, preferences, and priorities. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, dementia support is likely to continue to be delivered both remotely and in-person. This study analysed multiple sources of qualitative data to examine the views of practitioners, people living with dementia and carers, and researchers on how an understanding of what matters to people living with dementia can be developed remotely via telephone and video call. Access to environmental stimuli, the remote use of visual tools, peoples’ tendency to downplay or omit details about their troubles and carers’ ability to disclose privately were interpreted, through thematic analysis, to be factors affecting how practitioners sought to develop understanding remotely. Cumulatively, findings show that while remote support created unique challenges to practitioners’ ability to develop understanding for personalised care, practitioners developed adaptive strategies to overcome some of these challenges. Further research should examine how, when and for whom these adapted practices for remote personalised care work, informing the development of evidence-based guidance and training on how practitioners can remotely develop the understanding required for personalised care.
Epicatechin gallate promotes vascularization in co-culture of human osteoblasts and outgrowth endothelial cells
Authors: Zhang Liyan , Wang Miaoran , Qiu Huiqing , Wei Yusen , Zhou Lu , Nian Nannan , Shi Zhongli , Hu Dailun , Ma Bin
Published: June 2023

Prevascularization is crucial for the survival of tissue-engineered bone and further bone repair/regeneration. Since epicatechin gallate (ECG), the most abundant flavanol in green tea, shows potential beneficial effects on endothelial cells and bone cells, we decided to investigate whether it promotes vascularization/angiogenesis and osteogenesis using a co-culture system containing human primary osteoblasts (POBs) and outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs). We found that treatment with ECG (1) significantly enhanced microvessel formation in co-culture of POB and OECs, (2) improved cell viability/proliferation and the angiogenic/osteogenic capacities of OEC/POBs, (3) significantly increased the levels of E-selectin, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, VEGF, and PDGF-BB in co-cultures of POB and OEC, and (4) upregulated HIF-1α, HIF-2α, NF-κB, iNOS, GLUT1, VEGF, and Ang1/2 but downregulated PHD1 in monocultures of OEC or POB. Our findings demonstrate that ECG promotes angiogenesis and osteogenesis (probably via HIF signaling) in co-cultures of OECs and POBs. ECG thus has potential applications in the promotion of angiogenesis/vascularization in many tissue constructs including those of bone.
The Echo of Neighborhood Disadvantage: Multigenerational Contextual Hardship and Adult Income for Whites, Blacks, and Latinos
Authors: Alvarado Steven Elías , Cooperstock Alexandra
Published: June 2023

Drawing on 35 years of restricted geocoded National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) data, we estimate the association between multigenerational exposure to neighborhood disadvantage in childhood and income in adulthood. Invoking cousin fixed effects models that adjust for unobserved legacies of disadvantage that cascade across generations, we find that families where both mothers and their children are exposed to childhood neighborhood disadvantage yield reduced earnings, net of observed and unobserved confounders, for all groups except for Blacks. We theorize that discrimination and racism salient for Blacks in the labor market may dim the ability of neighborhood attainment to act as a main pathway to social and economic mobility. These results push scholars to conceptualize neighborhoods as much more durable features of inequality and refine our understanding of the uneven economic returns to neighborhood attainment across race and ethnicity.
Color palettes for Stata graphics: An update
Authors: Jann Ben
Published: June 2023

This article is an update to Jann (2018a, Stata Journal 18: 765–785). It contains a comprehensive discussion of the colorpalette command, including various changes and additions that have been made to the software since its first publication. Command colorpalette provides colors for use in Stata graphics. In addition to Stata’s default colors, colorpalette supports a variety of named colors, a selection of palettes that have been proposed by users, numerous collections of palettes and colormaps from sources such as ColorBrewer, Carto, D3.js, or Matplotlib, as well as color generators in different color spaces. Furthermore, a new command called colorcheck is presented that can be used to evaluate whether colors are distinguishable by people suffering from color vision deficiency.
An artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach to clinical trial recruitment: The impact of Viz RECRUIT on enrollment in the EMBOLISE trial
Authors: Hassan Ameer E , Ravi Saisree , Desai Sohum , Saei Hamzah M , Mckennon Ermias , Tekle Wondwossen G
Published: June 2023

Background

EMBOLISE (NCT 04402632) is an ongoing randomized controlled trial investigating the safety and efficacy of middle meningeal artery embolization for the treatment of subacute or chronic subdural hematoma (SDH). Viz RECRUIT SDH is an artificial intelligence (AI)-based software platform that can automatically detect SDH in noncontrast computed tomography (NCHCT) images and report the volume, maximum thickness, and midline shift. We hypothesized that the mobile recruitment platform would aid enrollment and coordinate communication and image sharing among the entire research team.

Materials and methods

Patient enrollment in EMBOLISE prior to and after implementation of Viz RECRUIT SDH at a large comprehensive stroke center was compared along with the performance of the software platform. The EMBOLISE trial was activated on May 5, 2021, and Viz RECRUIT SDH was activated on October 6, 2021. The pre-AI cohort consisted of all patients from EMBOLISE to AI activation (153 days), and the post-AI cohort consisted of all patients from AI activation until August 18, 2022 (316 days). All alerts for suspected SDH candidates were manually reviewed to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of the algorithm.

Results

Prior to AI-software implementation, there were 5 patients enrolled (0.99 patients/month) and one screen failure. After the implementation of the software, enrollment increased by 36% to 1.35 patients/month (14 total enrolled), and there were no screen failures. Over the entire post-AI period, a total of 6244 NCHCTs were processed by the system with 207 total SDH detections (3% prevalence). 35% of all alerts for suspected SDH were viewed within 10 min, and 50% were viewed within an hour. The PPV of the algorithm was 81.4 (CI [75.3, 86.7]).

Conclusion

The implementation of an AI-based software for the automatic screening of SDH patients increased the enrollment rate in the EMBOLISE trial, and the software performed well in a real-world, clinical trial setting.
A Review of Using Photo-Elicitation Interviews in Qualitative Education Research
Authors: Zhang Yuying , Hennebry-Leung Mairin
Published: June 2023

Educational research has sometimes been criticized for its seeming lack of relevance to classroom reality and its subsequent inability to inform pedagogical practices. Such criticism has prompted researchers to consider research methods that may better approximate reality. Among these methods, photo-elicitation interviews (PEI) offer a visual dimension to elicit lived experiences, feelings, and thoughts in real educational contexts, and to enhance researchers’ understanding of educational practitioners’ and students’ experiences in real classrooms and school communities. This review examines the application of PEI to explore educational practitioners’ and students’ lived experiences and perceptions in educational contexts. Specifically, this paper examines the existing educational studies adopting PEI in order to identify the affordances of the method, the challenges it has presented for researchers in the education field, and critical considerations for researchers who may be planning to use the method. Specifically, this review addresses the following three questions: 1. What has PEI contributed to previous investigations of participants’ lived experiences and perceptions in educational contexts? 2. What methodological challenges have previous researchers encountered when utilizing PEI? and 3. How can methodological concerns be addressed when designing and implementing PEI to understand participants’ lived experiences and perceptions? We provide an up-to-date critical examination and discussion of PEI to better inform researchers seeking to develop the use of the method in future investigations in the education field.
An efficient discretization scheme for a dynamic Bayesian network in structural reliability analysis
Authors: Kim Hongseok , Lee Dooyoul
Published: June 2023

Using a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) to estimate the failure risk of a component or system that deteriorates with time has several advantages. A DBN discretizes the probability distribution of variables and thereby increases the efficiency of computing resources and reduces computation time. However, it is important to devise an optimal discretization scheme because the size of the model grows exponentially as the number of discretized intervals increases. In this paper, we propose an optimal discretization scheme for a DBN used to model the time-varying deterioration of a turbine blade component. The results of estimating the reliability indices with the DBN were verified by comparing them with the results of a Monte Carlo simulation. In addition, compared with a log-transformed discretization method, our DBN discretization method shows a significantly increased computation speed.