bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
eCooking: Challenges and Opportunities from a Consumer Behaviour Perspective
Authors: Leary Jon , Menyeh Bridget , Chapungu Vimbai , Troncoso Karin
Published: July 2021

New opportunities are opening for electric cooking (eCooking) as a cost-effective, practical and desirable solution to the twin global challenges of clean cooking and electrification. Globally, momentum is building behind the transformative potential of eCooking to achieve a range of environmental and social impacts. However, cooking is a complex, culturally embedded practice, that results in an array of behavioural change challenges that must be understood and overcome for these new opportunities to translate into impact at scale. The Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme was designed to explore this space and pilot innovative new eCooking services with the potential to rapidly scale. This paper reflects upon the programme’s key learnings to date on the behavioural change dimension of eCooking. It consolidates what we now know on the subject and highlights the gaps that remain, where further investigation is needed. The evidence shows that the uptake of eCooking can be hindered by (often false) perceptions around cost, taste and safety, the high cost and steep learning curve for new appliances, the lack of awareness/availability/after-sales service for energy-efficient appliances and the reluctance of male decision-makers to authorise appliance purchases. However, it also shows that the convenience and potential cost savings offered by energy-efficient appliances can offer an aspirational cooking experience and that uptake could be driven forward rapidly by urbanisation and changing lifestyles.
Assessing the Impact of Water Efficiency Policies on Qatar’s Electricity and Water Sectors
Authors: Kamal Athar , Al-Ghamdi Sami G. , Koç Muammer
Published: July 2021

Water and electricity have a unique relationship in the modern world as one requires the other in a complex system of networks to supply the utility to the customers. This energy–water interaction is especially peculiar in the Gulf Cooperation Council, where there are limited water resources, but extremely high use rates. Qatar provides a unique case in terms of extreme water scarcity and excessive water use. To understand the intricate network, this paper establishes an updated and comprehensive qualitative model of the water system in the country with the help of a water balance and system dynamics (causal loop diagram) methodology. Regression estimates are then used to estimate future water and energy consumption in addition to carbon dioxide emissions until the year 2050. Finally, system dynamics (stock and flow diagram) is used to determine the supply impacts of efficiency policies including limiting of groundwater abstraction to only 50 million m3, reduction of water consumption in the household, commercial and industrial sector by 10%, and gradual increase in the share of reverse osmosis (RO)-produced desalinated water to 50% in order to assess the supply volume, electricity consumption and CO2 emissions. The efficient use of water in different sectors of the economy results in a combined saving of 1222 GWh (8.1%) or 594,000 tons CO2. Furthermore, by moving to membrane-based desalination technology energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by 3672 GWh (24.3%) and 1.8 million tons CO2, respectively. Further results suggest that while replacing groundwater with desalinated water can increase the energy consumption significantly, reuse of treated wastewater has almost the same footprint as groundwater, but can increase the resilience of the system considerably as groundwater abstraction levels are lowered to their renewal rates.
The Dynamics of Tungsten in Soil: An Overview
Authors: Petruzzelli Gianniantonio , Pedron Francesca
Published: July 2021

The increasing use of tungsten in the production of green energy in the aerospace and military industries, and in many other hi-tech applications, may increase the content of this element in soil. This overview examines some aspects of the behavior of tungsten in soil, such as the importance of characteristics of soils in relation to bioavailability processes, the chemical approaches to evaluate tungsten mobility in the soil environment and the importance of adsorption and desorption processes. Tungsten behavior depends on soil properties of which the most important is soil pH, which determines the solubility and polymerization of tungstate ions and the characteristics of the adsorbing soil surfaces. During the adsorption and desorption of tungsten, iron, and aluminum oxides, and hydroxides play a key role as they are the most important adsorbing surfaces for tungsten. The behavior of tungsten compounds in the soil determines the transfer of this element in plants and therefore in the food chain. Despite the growing importance of tungsten in everyday life, environmental regulations concerning soil do not take this element into consideration. The purpose of this review is also to provide some basic information that could be useful when considering tungsten in environmental legislation.
The Erythrina Gall Wasp Quadrastichus erythrinae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): Invasion History, Ecology, Infestation and Management
Authors: Lin Sheng-Feng , Tung Gene-Sheng , Yang Man-Miao
Published: July 2021

The Erythrina gall wasp Quadrastichus erythrinae Kim (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an invasive insect that induces galls on coral trees (species of Erythrina, Fabaceae) in urban and suburban landscapes. Weakening and death of the tree were both observed after the infestation by this insect, wherein feeding and consequent draining of nutrients by a large population of Q. erythrinae could be playing a key role. In this article, we consolidate and summarize the information on the distribution, invasion route, ecology, infestation level, and management of Q. erythrinae populations in the last two decades and analyze the challenges in their management.
Seasonal Changes and the Interaction between the Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner Cameraria ohridella and Horse Chestnut Leaf Blotch Disease Caused by Guignardia aesculi
Authors: Kopačka Michal , Nachman Gösta , Zemek Rostislav
Published: July 2021

The horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is an invasive pest of horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) and has spread through Europe since 1985. Horse chestnut leaf blotch is a fungal disease caused by Guignardia aesculi (Botryosphaeriales: Botryosphaeriaceae) that also seriously damages horse chestnut trees in Europe. The interaction between the leaf miner and the fungus has not yet been sufficiently described. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess leaf damage inflicted to horse chestnut by both C. ohridella and G. aesculi during the vegetation season and to model their interaction. The damage to leaf area was measured monthly from May to September 2013 in České Budějovice, the Czech Republic using digital image analysis of sampled leaves. A simple phenomenological model describing the expected dynamics of the two species was developed. The study revealed that the damage caused by both the pests and the fungus varied significantly among sampling sites within the city. The overall leaf damage exceeded 50% in no-raking sites in August. The mathematical model indicates that infestation by C. ohridella is more affected by G. aesculi than vice versa. Guignardia aesculi is thus the superior competitor of the two species. Our findings highlight the delicate interplay between insect pests and fungal pathogens and the spatiotemporal dynamics influencing them, calling for more research in this understudied area.
Facilitating Prescribed Fire in Northern California through Indigenous Governance and Interagency Partnerships
Authors: Marks-Block Tony , Tripp William
Published: July 2021

Prescribed burning by Indigenous people was once ubiquitous throughout California. Settler colonialism brought immense investments in fire suppression by the United States Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CAL FIRE) to protect timber and structures, effectively limiting prescribed burning in California. Despite this, fire-dependent American Indian communities such as the Karuk and Yurok peoples, stalwartly advocate for expanding prescribed burning as a part of their efforts to revitalize their culture and sovereignty. To examine the political ecology of prescribed burning in Northern California, we coupled participant observation of prescribed burning in Karuk and Yurok territories (2015–2019) with 75 surveys and 18 interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous fire managers to identify political structures and material conditions that facilitate and constrain prescribed fire expansion. Managers report that interagency partnerships have provided supplemental funding and personnel to enable burning, and that decentralized prescribed burn associations facilitate prescribed fire. However, land dispossession and centralized state regulations undermine Indigenous and local fire governance. Excessive investment in suppression and the underfunding of prescribed fire produces a scarcity of personnel to implement and plan burns. Where Tribes and local communities have established burning infrastructure, authorities should consider the devolution of decision-making and land repatriation to accelerate prescribed fire expansion.
Dynamic Spatiotemporal Expression Changes in Connexins of the Developing Primate’s Cochlea
Authors: Hosoya Makoto , Fujioka Masato , Murayama Ayako Y. , Ogawa Kaoru , Okano Hideyuki , Ozawa Hiroyuki
Published: July 2021

Connexins are gap junction components that are essential for acquiring normal hearing ability. Up to 50% of congenital, autosomal-recessive, non-syndromic deafness can be attributed to variants in GJB2, the gene that encodes connexin 26. Gene therapies modifying the expression of connexins are a feasible treatment option for some patients with genetic hearing losses. However, the expression patterns of these proteins in the human fetus are not fully understood due to ethical concerns. Recently, the common marmoset was used as a primate animal model for the human fetus. In this study, we examined the expression patterns of connexin 26 and connexin 30 in the developing cochlea of this primate. Primate-specific spatiotemporal expression changes were revealed, which suggest the existence of primate-specific control of connexin expression patterns and specific functions of these gap junction proteins. Moreover, our results indicate that treatments for connexin-related hearing loss established in rodent models may not be appropriate for human patients, underscoring the importance of testing these treatments in primate models before applying them in human clinical trials.
How Important Are Structural Variants for Speciation?
Authors: Zhang Linyi , Reifová Radka , Halenková Zuzana , Gompert Zachariah
Published: July 2021

Understanding the genetic basis of reproductive isolation is a central issue in the study of speciation. Structural variants (SVs); that is, structural changes in DNA, including inversions, translocations, insertions, deletions, and duplications, are common in a broad range of organisms and have been hypothesized to play a central role in speciation. Recent advances in molecular and statistical methods have identified structural variants, especially inversions, underlying ecologically important traits; thus, suggesting these mutations contribute to adaptation. However, the contribution of structural variants to reproductive isolation between species—and the underlying mechanism by which structural variants most often contribute to speciation—remain unclear. Here, we review (i) different mechanisms by which structural variants can generate or maintain reproductive isolation; (ii) patterns expected with these different mechanisms; and (iii) relevant empirical examples of each. We also summarize the available sequencing and bioinformatic methods to detect structural variants. Lastly, we suggest empirical approaches and new research directions to help obtain a more complete assessment of the role of structural variants in speciation.
Alternative RNA Splicing—The Trojan Horse of Cancer Cells in Chemotherapy
Authors: Mehterov Nikolay , Kazakova Maria , Sbirkov Yordan , Vladimirov Boyan , Belev Nikolay , Yaneva Galina , Todorova Krassimira , Hayrabedyan Soren , Sarafian Victoria
Published: July 2021

Almost all transcribed human genes undergo alternative RNA splicing, which increases the diversity of the coding and non-coding cellular landscape. The resultant gene products might have distinctly different and, in some cases, even opposite functions. Therefore, the abnormal regulation of alternative splicing plays a crucial role in malignant transformation, development, and progression, a fact supported by the distinct splicing profiles identified in both healthy and tumor cells. Drug resistance, resulting in treatment failure, still remains a major challenge for current cancer therapy. Furthermore, tumor cells often take advantage of aberrant RNA splicing to overcome the toxicity of the administered chemotherapeutic agents. Thus, deciphering the alternative RNA splicing variants in tumor cells would provide opportunities for designing novel therapeutics combating cancer more efficiently. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive outline of the recent findings in alternative splicing in the most common neoplasms, including lung, breast, prostate, head and neck, glioma, colon, and blood malignancies. Molecular mechanisms developed by cancer cells to promote oncogenesis as well as to evade anticancer drug treatment and the subsequent chemotherapy failure are also discussed. Taken together, these findings offer novel opportunities for future studies and the development of targeted therapy for cancer-specific splicing variants.
Autophosphorylation and Self-Activation of DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase
Authors: Kurosawa Aya
Published: July 2021

The DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinase family, phosphorylates serine and threonine residues of substrate proteins in the presence of the Ku complex and double-stranded DNA. Although it has been established that DNA-PKcs is involved in non-homologous end-joining, a DNA double-strand break repair pathway, the mechanisms underlying DNA-PKcs activation are not fully understood. Nevertheless, the findings of numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that DNA-PKcs contains two autophosphorylation clusters, PQR and ABCDE, as well as several autophosphorylation sites and conformational changes associated with autophosphorylation of DNA-PKcs are important for self-activation. Consistent with these features, an analysis of transgenic mice has shown that the phenotypes of DNA-PKcs autophosphorylation mutations are significantly different from those of DNA-PKcs kinase-dead mutations, thereby indicating the importance of DNA-PKcs autophosphorylation in differentiation and development. Furthermore, there has been notable progress in the high-resolution analysis of the conformation of DNA-PKcs, which has enabled us to gain a visual insight into the steps leading to DNA-PKcs activation. This review summarizes the current progress in the activation of DNA-PKcs, focusing in particular on autophosphorylation of this kinase.
Origin and Application of the Twinned Calcite Strain Gauge
Authors: Groshong Richard H.
Published: July 2021

This paper is a personal account of the origin and development of the twinned-calcite strain gauge, its experimental verification, and its relationship to stress analysis. The method allows the calculation of the three-dimensional deviatoric strain tensor based on five or more twin sets. A minimum of about 25 twin sets should provide a reasonably accurate result for the magnitude and orientation of the strain tensor. The opposite-signed strain axis orientation is the most accurately located. Where one strain axis is appreciably different from the other two, that axis is generally within about 10° of the correct value. Experiments confirm a magnitude accuracy of 1% strain over the range of 1–12% axial shortening and that samples with more than 40% negative expected values imply multiple or rotational deformations. If two deformations are at a high angle to one another, the strain calculated from the positive and negative expected values separately provides a good estimate of both deformations. Most stress analysis techniques do not provide useful magnitudes, although most provide a good estimate of the principal strain axis directions. Stress analysis based on the number of twin sets per grain provides a better than order-of-magnitude approximation to the differential stress magnitude in a constant strain rate experiment.
The Impact of China’s Zero Markup Drug Policy on Hospitalization Expenses for Inpatients in Tertiary Public Hospitals: Evidence Based on Quantile Difference-in-Difference Models
Authors: Ni Ziling , Jia Jie , Cui Lu , Zhou Siyu , Wang Xiaohe
Published: July 2021

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the Zero Markup drug (ZMD) policy on hospitalization expenses for inpatients in tertiary Chinese hospitals. Methods: Using the administrative data from hospital electronic health records (EHRs) between 2015 and 2017, we implemented the quantile difference-in-differences (QDID) estimators to evaluate the impact of the ZMD policy on hospitalization expenses while controlling for patient-level and hospital-level characteristics. Results: According to the QDID models, the introduction of ZMD policy significantly induced lower drug costs for all inpatients especially at the 50th (-USD 507.84 (SE = USD 90.91), 75th (-USD 844.77 (SE = USD 149.70), and 90th (-USD 1400.00 (SE = USD 209.97)) percentiles of the overall distributions. However, the total hospitalization, diagnostic, treatment, material and services expenses for inpatients were significantly higher for the treated group than the control group. This tendency was more pronounced for inpatients in tertiary hospitals with lower expenses (in the 10th, 25th and 50th percentiles). Conclusion: The implementation of ZMD policy alone may not be enough to change the medical service providers’ profit-driven behavior. The targeted supervision of hospital costs by the Chinese health administration department should be strengthened to avoid unreasonable hospital charges.
The Fortress Beneath: Ground Penetrating Radar Imaging of the Citadel at Alcatraz: 1. A Guide for Interpretation
Authors: Everett Mark E. , DeSmet Timothy S. , Warden Robert R. , Ruiz-Guzman Henry A. , Gavette Peter , Hagin Jason
Published: July 2021

Ground-penetrating radar has emerged as a prominent non-destructive evaluation tool for the study of inaccessible subsurface elements of cultural heritage structures. Often of central interest is the desire to image the remains of a pre-existing historic structure that is located directly beneath a more recently built one. The interpretation of GPR images in such cases is usually difficult due to ambiguities caused by the presence of pervasive clutter, environmental noise, and overlapping target signatures. Sites with abundant ground truth allow for more confident interpretations and serve as a useful testbed to assist similar studies at other places, where little or no ground truth is available. This study reports GPR interpretations of structures belonging to the 19th century Citadel beneath the main prison cellhouse at Alcatraz. At this site, lidar scans, direct observations, and historical documents are available to facilitate identification of radar target signatures. A general interpretation of the acquired radargrams is made in this paper, while the companion paper presents more advanced analysis of target signatures based on curvelet image processing. This study points to the development of a radar facies classification scheme that is specific to cultural heritage investigations.
Making Biodegradable Seedling Pots from Textile and Paper Waste—Part B: Development and Evaluation of Seedling Pots
Authors: Juanga-Labayen Jeanger P. , Yuan Qiuyan
Published: July 2021

This study evaluates the efficacy of using textile waste blended with paper waste to form biodegradable seedling pots. A bio-composite blend of cotton (20% cotton, 40% newspaper, and 40% corrugated cardboard) and polycotton (20% polycotton, 40% newspaper, and 40% corrugated cardboard) with an optimum strength was formed into seedling pots. The appreciated seedling pots (untreated blends of cotton and polycotton) were compared with the commercial pots (cardboard seed starter pot and Jiffy pot) in terms of mechanical properties (tensile strength and compressive strength), biodegradability (soil burial test and anaerobic digestion), and seed germination. The untreated blends of cotton and polycotton pots demonstrated a comparable optimum strength, while the Jiffy pot and cardboard seed starter pot obtained the least tensile and compressive strengths, respectively. The anaerobic biodegradability assay suggests that the cotton blend pot, polycotton blend pot, and cardboard seed starter pot can degrade anaerobically because of high biogas and methane generation potential. A 100% seed germination was observed from the four seedling pots tested. Thus, the results demonstrate the efficacy of utilizing textile waste and paper waste to develop seedling pots with desirable strength and biodegradability compared to the commercial pots.
Perceived Susceptibility to and Seriousness of COVID-19: Associations of Risk Perceptions with Changes in Smoking Behavior
Authors: Vogel Erin A. , Henriksen Lisa , Schleicher Nina C. , Prochaska Judith J.
Published: July 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have documented increased and decreased cigarette smoking among adults. Individual differences in the perceived susceptibility and seriousness of the virus, for people who smoke in general and for oneself personally, may relate to changes in smoking. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a theoretical framework, we examined associations with self-reported increasing and decreasing smoking a lot during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period. Adults in 30 large U.S. cities who smoked cigarettes daily completed an online survey between 14 July and 30 November 2020. The analytic sample (N = 2768) was 54.0% male and 68.3% white with 23.7% reporting increasing and 11.3% decreasing smoking (6% reported both). Younger age, a diagnosis of COVID-19, and greater pandemic-related stress were associated with greater odds of both increased and decreased smoking. Increased smoking also was associated with heavier nicotine dependence, greater desire to quit, and greater perceived susceptibility and lower perceived seriousness of COVID-19 for people who smoke, while pandemic-related job-loss, lower nicotine dependence, and greater self-efficacy were associated with decreased smoking. Among respondents who had not contracted COVID-19 (n = 2418), correlates were similar with the addition of greater perceived personal susceptibility to COVID-19 associated with both increased and decreased smoking, while greater perceived personal seriousness of COVID-19 was associated with increased smoking. Findings for risk perceptions were largely in directions that contradict the HBM. Circumstances surrounding behavior change during the pandemic are complex and may be especially complex for nicotine addiction.
Stories of Life during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Tomaino Silvia Caterina Maria , Cipolletta Sabrina , Kostova Zlatina , Todorova Irina
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on people the need to find meaning in many unprecedented ways. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how the general Italian population dealt with government restrictions and to understand personal experiences connected with the first wave of the pandemic in light of the personal construct theory (PCT) framework. One hundred and sixteen people (over 18 years old) completed an online survey between May and June 2020. Two independent researchers ran inductive thematic content analysis on data using a specifically developed international codebook. Five major themes were identified in the participants’ narrations: difficulties, emotions, coping with lockdown measures, going back to normal, and change. The results, interpreted within the PCT transitions, showed that the pandemic represented a threat to participants’ life plans, beliefs, and certainties. Some coped with it mainly by waiting for the pandemic to end and remaining firm in their beliefs and certainties, whereas others coped by trying to find alternative ways of giving sense to this experience and reconstructing personal meanings, claiming a change in their life and in society. Differentiating personal experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic is fundamental for designing personalised strategies to promote well-being.
An Attempt to Predict Changes in Heart Rate Variability in the Training Intensification Process among Cyclists
Authors: Hebisz Paulina , Hebisz Rafał , Jastrzębska Agnieszka
Published: July 2021

Individual changes in resting heart rate variability (HRV) parameters were assessed in seven Polish cyclists during a training process consisting of: a six-week period (P1) of predominantly low- and moderate-intensity training (L-MIT) and a six-week period (P2) where the proportion of high-intensity interval training (HIT) increased. Daily recorded HRV parameters included high-frequency spectral power (HF), square root of the mean squared difference between successive normal-to-normal RR intervals (RMSSD), and standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR intervals (SDNN). In each training microcycle, the average values of HFav, RMSSDav, and SDNNav were calculated individually for each participant. In three cyclists, HF was higher in P2 compared to P1, whereas in one cyclist, HF was higher in P1 than in P2. Each of these four cyclists presented an individual correlation between the average daily duration HIT effort in training microcycles (HITav) and HFav. Cyclists with low baseline values of HRV parameters showed increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, while in the cyclist with high baseline values of HRV parameters, an opposite change was observed. In conclusion, changes in resting HRV parameters between period P1 and P2 can be individualised. In the investigated group, it was possible to predict how HRV would change as a result of training intensification on the basis of HRV baseline values.
Productivity, Satisfaction, Work Environment and Health after Relocation to an Activity-Based Flex Office—The Active Office Design Study
Authors: Öhrn Maria , Wahlström Viktoria , Harder Mette S. , Nordin Maria , Pettersson-Strömbäck Anita , Bodin Danielsson Christina , Olsson David , Andersson Martin , Slunga Järvholm Lisbeth
Published: July 2021

Implementation of activity-based flex offices (AFOs) are becoming increasingly common. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an AFO on perceived productivity, satisfaction, work environment and health. Questionnaire data from the longitudinal, quasi-experimental Active Office Design Study was used. The study evaluates a public organization relocating staff to either an AFO or to cell offices. Measures from baseline, 6 and 18 months after relocation, were analyzed. Employees in the AFO experienced a decreased productivity and satisfaction with the office design. Lack of privacy as well as increased noise disturbance, less satisfaction with sit comfort and work posture were reported. Employees in the AFO with work tasks requiring a high degree of concentration experienced lower productivity while those with a high proportion of teamwork rated productivity to be continually high. No significant group differences were found between the two office types in general health, cognitive stress, salutogenic health indicators or pain in the neck, shoulder or back. The study highlights the importance of taking work characteristics into account in the planning and implementation process of an AFO. Flexible and interactive tasks seem more appropriate in an AFO, whereas individual tasks demanding concentration seem less fit.
Mental and Physical Health Problems as Conditions of Ex-Prisoner Re-Entry
Authors: Pękala-Wojciechowska Anna , Kacprzak Andrzej , Pękala Krzysztof , Chomczyńska Marta , Chomczyński Piotr , Marczak Michał , Kozłowski Remigiusz , Timler Dariusz , Lipert Anna , Ogonowska Agnieszka , Rasmus Paweł
Published: July 2021

The article focuses on a less-discussed issue of social marginalization of people leaving penitentiaries, which is the prevalence of multifaceted health problems experienced by people in this category. It includes poor health status, resulting from, among others, poor housing conditions, harmful or risky lifestyle, and lack of access to medical services. Data from the District Inspectorate of the Prison Service in Lodz, Poland on the health conditions of inmates was accessed. These data were supplemented by qualitative research conducted in 21 juvenile detention centers and 8 prisons across the country, conducting direct observations and In-Depth Interviews (IDI). A total of 198 IDIs were conducted with incarcerated (72) and released (30) juvenile offenders, and incarcerated (68) and released (28) adult offenders. These were complemented by IDIs with experts (50) and Focus Group Interviews (FGIs; 8) with male and female inmates in 4 Polish prisons. The study revealed that mental and physical health is a serious obstacle to social reintegration of ex-prisoners. It is rarely addressed by state institutions. There are strong associations between neglect of health issues in the prison population and increasing social exclusion after leaving prison. As Poland has a restrictive penal policy, former prisoners remain a group with social stigma and little support.
Perceived Access to Health Care Services and Relevance of Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany
Authors: Reitzle Lukas , Schmidt Christian , Färber Francesca , Huebl Lena , Wieler Lothar Heinz , Ziese Thomas , Heidemann Christin
Published: July 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, non-pharmaceutical interventions were imposed to contain the spread of the virus. Based on cross-sectional waves in March, July and December 2020 of the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring (COSMO), the present study investigated the impact of the introduced measures on the perceived access to health care. Additionally, for the wave in December, treatment occasion as well as utilization and satisfaction regarding telemedicine were analysed. For 18–74-year-old participants requiring medical care, descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed. During the less strict second lockdown in December, participants reported more frequently ensured access to health care (91.2%) compared to the first lockdown in March (86.8%), but less frequently compared to July (94.2%) during a period with only mild restrictions. In December, main treatment occasions of required medical appointments were check-up visits at the general practitioner (55.2%) and dentist (36.2%), followed by acute treatments at the general practitioner (25.6%) and dentist (19.0%), treatments at the physio-, ergo- or speech therapist (13.1%), psychotherapist (11.9%), and scheduled hospital admissions or surgeries (10.0%). Of the participants, 20.0% indicated utilization of telemedical (15.4% telephone, 7.6% video) consultations. Of them, 43.7% were satisfied with the service. In conclusion, for the majority of participants, access to medical care was ensured during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, access slightly decreased during phases of lockdown. Telemedicine complemented the access to medical appointments.
The Development of Musculoskeletal Disorders during Undergraduate Dentistry Studies—A Long-Term Prospective Study
Authors: Kapitán Martin , Hodačová Lenka , Čermáková Eva , Machač Stanislav , Schmidt Jan , Pilbauerová Nela
Published: July 2021

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) frequently occur among dental practitioners and present a significant occupational burden with an early onset in the dentists’ career. This study aimed to analyze the five-year development of self-reported overall MSDs among the dentistry students during the course of their studies and to assess the possible influence of the risk as well as protective factors. The questionnaire inquiry was performed among the first-year dentistry students, regarding the occurrence of MSDs and the presence of potential risk and protective factors. The same students were followed, and they filled in the same questionnaire in the middle and at the end of their studies. A total of 73 dentistry students and 28 general medicine students participated. The occurrence of the overall MSDs statistically significantly increased from 30.1% at the beginning of the first year to 45.2% at the end of the fifth year among the dentistry students. The top-level sport was statistically significantly associated with the higher occurrence of MSDs in the fifth year and with the development of new MSDs between the first and the fifth year. This longitudinal prospective evaluation showed a significant increase in the MSDs occurrence among the dentistry students during their studies.
Relevant Factors in Adolescent Well-Being: Family and Parental Relationships
Authors: Guevara Raquel M. , Moral-García José E. , Urchaga José D. , López-García Sergio
Published: July 2021

Health-related quality of life, teachers’ opinion of academic performance and self-perceived health are indicators of well-being in the adolescent stage. Some variables, such as those related to the quality of family and parental relationships, may influence these indicators and thus condition well-being during this stage of life and beyond. In this research, the aforementioned variables are analyzed jointly. It is a cross-sectional study in which 1375 adolescent schoolchildren between 11 and 18 years of age participated. Different instruments such as KIDSCREEN-10 and the questionnaire used in the international study Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children were used. The results obtained allow us to conclude that HRQoL, the teacher’s opinion of performance and the perception of health status improve as adolescents perceive a more favorable family climate, also helped by good relations between parents. Finally, it is proposed to continue with the efforts made in the school, family environment and other areas because of the enormous potential for generating quality of life in the adolescent stage and the consequent positive repercussions this has on adulthood.
Improved Water, Sanitation and Utilization of Maternal and Child Health Services in South Asia—An Analysis of Demographic Health Surveys
Authors: Omidakhsh Negar , von Ehrenstein Ondine S.
Published: July 2021

Globally, many millions of people still lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities. Here, we examined associations between household availability of improved drinking water and sanitation, respectively, and use of maternal and child health (MCH) services in South Asian countries. Demographic and Health Survey population-based data from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and Pakistan were used, restricted to women with a child aged 0–36 months (n = 145,262). Types of households’ water source and sanitation facilities were categorized based on the World Health Organization and UNICEF’s definitions of “improved” and “unimproved”. We applied logistic regressions to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for improved water and sanitation, respectively, and reported antenatal care visits, having a skilled attendant at birth, and infant vaccination coverage, stratified by maternal education. Among lower educated women, access to improved water source was associated with greater ORs for presence of a skilled attendant at delivery and their children having up-to-date immunizations (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.42). Among lower and higher educated women, improved sanitation (vs. unimproved) was associated with greater ORs for having had adequate antenatal care visits (OR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.62, 1.88; OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.62, 1.80), and similarly for having had a skilled attendant at birth, and children with up-to-date immunizations. Approaches addressing water/sanitation and MCH services across sectors could be a suggested public health strategy.
Causal Model of Participation, Perceived Enjoyment, and Learning Attitudes in “the 0th Period Physical Education Class” of Middle Schools in South Korea
Authors: Jeon Wonjae , Ahn Chanwoo , Gwon Heonsu
Published: July 2021

This study aims to establish the basis for the institutional implementation of the 0th period physical education class to promote the health and academic performance of Korean teenagers. To achieve this goal, this study determined the impact of middle school students’ participation in physical activities during the 0th period on perceived enjoyment and learning attitude. To examine the model, 282 questionnaires were collected from middle school students in a metropolitan city in South Korea. The samples were obtained using the convenience sampling method, and correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were performed using SPSS 21.0 and Amos 21.0. The findings are as follows: first, the participation of middle school students in physical activities during the 0th period had a statistically significant effect on perceived enjoyment. Second, perceived enjoyment had no statistically significant effect on learning attitude. Third, participation was shown to have a significant effect on learning attitudes. These findings supported the academic basis for the implementation of the 0th period physical education class for middle school students and application of practical measures to encourage their participation.
Is Hip Muscle Strength Associated with Dynamic Knee Valgus in a Healthy Adult Population? A Systematic Review
Authors: Alzahrani Ali Mohammed , Alzhrani Msaad , Alshahrani Saeed Nasser , Alghamdi Wael , Alqahtani Mazen , Alzahrani Hosam
Published: July 2021

This study aimed to systematically review research investigating the association between hip muscle strength and dynamic knee valgus (DKV). Four databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus) were searched for journal articles published from inception to October 2020. Seven studies investigating the association between hip muscle strength and DKV using a two-dimensional motion analysis system in healthy adults were included. The relationship between hip abductor muscle strength and DKV was negatively correlated in two studies, positively correlated in two studies, and not correlated in three studies. The DKV was associated with reduced hip extensor muscle strength in two studies and reduced hip external rotator muscle strength in two studies, while no correlation was found in three and five studies for each muscle group, respectively. The relationship between hip muscle strength, including abductors, extensors, and external rotators and DKV is conflicting. Considering the current literature limitations and variable methodological approaches used among studies, the clinical relevance of such findings should be interpreted cautiously. Therefore, future studies are recommended to measure the eccentric strength of hip muscles, resembling muscular movement during landing. Furthermore, high-demand and sufficiently challenging functional tasks revealing lower limb kinematic differences, such as cutting and jumping tasks, are recommended for measuring the DKV.
An Ecological Model for High-Risk Professional Decision-Making in Mental Health: International Perspectives
Authors: Regehr Cheryl , Enosh Guy , Bosk Emily
Published: July 2021

Mental health professionals are frequently presented with situations in which they must assess the risk that a client will cause harm to themselves or others. Troublingly, however, predictions of risk are remarkably inaccurate even when made by those who are highly skilled and highly trained. Consequently, many jurisdictions have moved to impose standardized decision-making tools aimed at improving outcomes. Using a decision-making ecology framework, this conceptual paper presents research on professional decision-making in situations of risk, using qualitative, survey, and experimental designs conducted in three countries. Results reveal that while risk assessment tools focus on client factors that contribute to the risk of harm to self or others, the nature of professional decision-making is far more complex. That is, the manner in which professionals interpret and describe features of the client and their situation, is influenced by the worker’s own personal and professional experiences, and the organizational and societal context in which they are located. Although part of the rationale of standardized approaches is to reduce complexity, our collective work demonstrates that the power of personal and social processes to shape decision-making often overwhelm the intention to simplify and standardize. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Whole of Community Facilitators: An Exemplar for Supporting Rural Health Workforce Recruitment through Students’ Professional Experience Placements
Authors: Coe Sandra , Marlow Annette , Mather Carey
Published: July 2021

The Whole of Community Facilitator model provides support for healthcare students’ professional experience placements (PEP) in rural regions in Tasmania. In Tasmania, rural PEP is challenged as healthcare facilities are often small and have limited capacity for staff to devote considerable time to supervising students during PEP. Recruitment and retention of the rural health workforce in Tasmania is sometimes difficult because the island State is geographically distant from mainland Australia, and predominantly classified as a regional, rural, or remote area. The University of Tasmania, College of Health and Medicine (the College) explored various initiatives to support rural workforce sustainability, and the project discussed addresses this issue by promoting rural healthcare facilities as potential employment destinations for students upon completion of their course. The model supports the delivery of high-quality supervision to students whilst undertaking rural PEP, to foster positive experiences and potentially influence their future career choices. A successful exemplar was trialled in 2012 and implemented statewide in 2017 using a Whole of Community Facilitation (WOCF) model. The initiative supports host facilities, supervisors, host staff, and students and promotes positive placement experiences. The initiative was designed in consideration of Tasmania’s rurality, and uses a flexible and responsive framework.
Curcumin Attenuates Environment-Derived Osteoarthritis by Sox9/NF-kB Signaling Axis
Authors: Buhrmann Constanze , Brockmueller Aranka , Mueller Anna-Lena , Shayan Parviz , Shakibaei Mehdi
Published: July 2021

Inflammation has a fundamental impact on the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis (OA), a common form of degenerative arthritis. It has previously been established that curcumin, a component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), has anti-inflammatory properties. This research evaluates the potentials of curcumin on the pathophysiology of OA in vitro. To explore the anti-inflammatory efficacy of curcumin in an inflamed joint, an osteoarthritic environment (OA-EN) model consisting of fibroblasts, T-lymphocytes, 3D-chondrocytes is constructed and co-incubated with TNF-α, antisense oligonucleotides targeting NF-kB (ASO-NF-kB), or an IkB-kinase (IKK) inhibitor (BMS-345541). Our results show that OA-EN, similar to TNF-α, suppresses chondrocyte viability, which is accompanied by a significant decrease in cartilage-specific proteins (collagen II, CSPG, Sox9) and an increase in NF-kB-driven gene proteins participating in inflammation, apoptosis, and breakdown (NF-kB, MMP-9, Cox-2, Caspase-3). Conversely, similar to knockdown of NF-kB at the mRNA level or at the IKK level, curcumin suppresses NF-kB activation, NF-kB-promotes gene proteins derived from the OA-EN, and stimulates collagen II, CSPG, and Sox9 expression. Furthermore, co-immunoprecipitation assay shows that curcumin reduces OA-EN-mediated inflammation and chondrocyte apoptosis, with concomitant chondroprotective effects, due to modulation of Sox-9/NF-kB signaling axis. Finally, curcumin selectively hinders the interaction of p-NF-kB-p65 directly with DNA—this association is disrupted through DTT. These results suggest that curcumin suppresses inflammation in OA-EN via modulating NF-kB-Sox9 coupling and is essential for maintaining homeostasis in OA by balancing chondrocyte survival and inflammatory responses. This may contribute to the alternative treatment of OA with respect to the efficacy of curcumin.
Magnetic Particle Imaging: Current and Future Applications, Magnetic Nanoparticle Synthesis Methods and Safety Measures
Authors: Billings Caroline , Langley Mitchell , Warrington Gavin , Mashali Farzin , Johnson Jacqueline Anne
Published: July 2021

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have a wide range of applications; an area of particular interest is magnetic particle imaging (MPI). MPI is an imaging modality that utilizes superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIONs) as tracer particles to produce highly sensitive and specific images in a broad range of applications, including cardiovascular, neuroimaging, tumor imaging, magnetic hyperthermia and cellular tracking. While there are hurdles to overcome, including accessibility of products, and an understanding of safety and toxicity profiles, MPI has the potential to revolutionize research and clinical biomedical imaging. This review will explore a brief history of MPI, MNP synthesis methods, current and future applications, and safety concerns associated with this newly emerging imaging modality.
In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of PLLA-316L Stainless Steel Electromechanical Devices for Bone Tissue Engineering—A Preliminary Study
Authors: Branquinho Mariana V. , Ferreira Sheila O. , Alvites Rui D. , Magueta Adriana F. , Ivanov Maxim , Sousa Ana Catarina , Amorim Irina , Faria Fátima , Fernandes M. H. V. , Vilarinho Paula M. , Maurício Ana Colette
Published: July 2021

Bone injuries represent a major social and financial impairment, commonly requiring surgical intervention due to a limited healing capacity of the tissue, particularly regarding critical-sized defects and non-union fractures. Regenerative medicine with the application of bone implants has been developing in the past decades towards the manufacturing of appropriate devices. This work intended to evaluate medical 316L stainless steel (SS)-based devices covered by a polymer poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) coating for bone lesion mechanical and functional support. SS316L devices were subjected to a previously described silanization process, following a three-layer PLLA film coating. Devices were further characterized and evaluated towards their cytocompatibility and osteogenic potential using human dental pulp stem cells, and biocompatibility via subcutaneous implantation in a rat animal model. Results demonstrated PLLA-SS316L devices to present superior in vitro and in vivo outcomes and suggested the PLLA coating to provide osteo-inductive properties to the device. Overall, this work represents a preliminary study on PLLA-SS316L devices’ potential towards bone tissue regenerative techniques, showing promising outcomes for bone lesion support.