bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of ‘SPRAT’ programme for dietary and lifestyle education to improve psychosomatic symptoms and dietary habits among adolescents: a cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Watanabe Junko , Watanabe Mariko , Yamaoka Kazue , Adachi Misa , Suzuki Asuka , Tango Toshiro , Professor Visiting
Published: March 2022

Background

Dietary and lifestyle modifications to reduce subjective psychosomatic symptoms (SPS) have become an important topic worldwide. We developed a school-based dietary and lifestyle education programme that involved parents/guardians in reducing SPS in adolescents (SPRAT). The programme encouraged parents/guardians to participate in adolescents’ healthy dietary and lifestyle modifications to reduce SPS, increase enjoyment of school life, and foster appropriate dietary intake. This study evaluated the effectiveness of SPRAT in reducing SPS and in altering dietary behaviour among adolescents.

Methods

A 6-month cluster randomised controlled trial using SPRAT and the usual school programme (control) was performed. Participants were middle school students in Japan who provided informed consent. Outcomes were SPS scores assessed at baseline and 2, 4, and 6 months after baseline and the proportions of dietary and lifestyle factors achieved such as enjoyment of school life and dietary intakes assessed by FFQW82. Change from baseline (CFB) at 6 months was the primary endpoint. A linear mixed-effects model was applied. As for dietary intake, the treatment effect was estimated as an interaction term between baseline and treatment “baseline*treatment”.

Results

The intention-to treat analysis included 951 (94.7%) and 1035 (89.8%) individuals in the SPRAT and control groups, respectively. The CFB in the 6-month SPS score adjusted for baseline was lower in the SPRAT group (-0.29) than in the control group (0.62), but the difference was not statistically significant -0.91 (p = 0.093).

Conclusions

Although the primary endpoint tended to denote improvement in the SPRAT group compared to the control group, the improvement was not significant. Favourable effects were observed in some secondary outcomes and statistically significant treatment*baseline interactions were observed for several dietary intakes. These results imply that CFBs of dietary intake were increased or decreased in a favourable direction depending on the baseline intake, especially in the SPRAT group.

Trial registration

UMIN000026715. (27/03/2017)
Preoperative CT simulation of iliosacral screws for treating unstable posterior pelvic ring injury
Authors: Zhao Peishuai , Wang Xiaopan , Chen Xiaotian , Guan Jianzhong , Wu Min
Published: March 2022

Background

The percutaneous iliosacral screw is a common procedure for treating pelvic posterior ring instability. Traditional X-ray fluoroscopy screw placement has the advantages of decreased bleeding and trauma, but it also has some drawbacks, such as increased radiation exposure and screw dislocation. The purpose of this study was to establish a safe, effective, and quick approach for putting iliosacral screws for the treatment of unstable posterior pelvic ring damage utilizing simulated screws based on preoperative computed tomography (CT) planning.

Methods

From February 2019 to June 2020, we retrospectively assessed 41 patients with posterior pelvic ring instability who were treated with percutaneous iliosacral screws in our institution, and randomly separated them into two groups: conventional surgery (n = 20) and preoperative planning (n = 21). Pelvic radiographs (anteroposterior, inlet, outlet), as well as normal CT scans of the pelvis, were all taken postoperatively to confirm the screw position. After that, the screw insertion time, the radiation exposure time, and the screw misplacement rate (as assessed by postoperative CT) were all examined. Screw position grading was evaluated by Smith grading.

Results

In the conventional surgery group, 26 screws were inserted in 20 patients, with each screw insertion taking 23.15 ± 4.19 min and 1.02 ± 0.17 min to expose to radiation. Eight of the 26 screws were misplaced (30.8%). In the preoperative planning group, 24 screws were inserted in 21 patients, with each screw taking 19.57 ± 4.05 min to implant and 0.67 ± 0.09 min to expose to radiation. One of 24 screws was misplaced (4.2%). Screw insertion time, radiation exposure time, and screw dislocation rate were all significantly reduced when preoperative planning aided iliosacral screw placement (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Preoperative CT simulation of iliosacral screws for placement planning, screw trajectory, and intraoperative screw placement is a safe way for reducing surgical time, radiation exposure, and ensuring accurate screw placement.
Spot urinary microalbumin concentration, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: Tehran lipid and glucose study
Authors: Gaeini Zahra , Bahadoran Zahra , Mirmiran Parvin , Norouzirad Reza , Ghasemi Asghar , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: March 2022

Aim

This study aimed to determine the association of urinary microalbumin concentrations with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and its phenotypes. The optimum cut-off values of urinary microalbumin and microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio (MCR) for predicting the chance of having T2DM and MetS were also defined.

Methods

Adult men and women (n = 1192) participated in the sixth phase (2014-2017) of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), with completed data, were included in the analyses. Odds ratios (ORs) (and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)) of T2DM, MetS, and its components across tertile categories of urinary microalbumin concentrations were estimated using multivariable logistic regressions. The optimal cut-off points of urinary microalbumin and MCR were determined using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

Participants’ mean (±SD) age was 44.9 (±14.0) years, and 44.6% of the participants were men. The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 14.4%. Chance of having T2DM was significantly higher in the highest tertile of urinary microalbumin concentration (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.43-3.67) and MCR (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.15-2.89). Subjects with the highest urinary microalbumin concentration were more likely to have MetS (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.17-2.35), hypertension (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.16-2.30) and hyperglycemia (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.24-2.56). No significant association was observed between urinary microalbumin concentrations and other components of MetS. The optimal cut-off points of urinary microalbumin for predicting the chance of having T2DM and MetS were 14.0 and 13.6 mg/L, respectively.

Conclusions

Elevated spot urinary microalbumin, below the values defined as microalbuminuria, was associated with the chance of having T2DM and MetS.
A quantitative evaluation of empathy using JSE-S Tool, before and after a Medical Humanities Module, amongst first-year medical students in Nepal
Authors: G. C. Krishna Bahadur , Arjyal Amit , Douglas Amanda Helen , Subedi Madhusudan , Gongal Rajesh
Published: March 2022

Background

Doctors’ empathy: the understanding of patients’ experiences, concerns and perspectives, is highly valued by patients yet often lacking in patient care. Medical Humanities has been introduced within undergraduate curriculum to address this lack in empathy. There is a paucity of research on the impact of a course on medical humanities on the empathy of medical students, particularly in South Asia. Here we report on the impact of such an intervention in first-year medical students and aim to help outcome-based medical education and the evaluation and promotion of humanities within medical courses.

Methods

This study is a quantitative evaluation of student empathy before and after a Medical Humanities Module. The study employs the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student version (JSE-S). Participants were first-year medical students at Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Nepal. All cohort students were invited to participate and written consent was obtained. Data were collected both prior-to and on-completion-of, a six-week Medical Humanities Module. Pre- and post-module data were analyzed and the resulting empathy scores compared using the paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Subgroup analysis was undertaken to determine the association of the score with gender and preferred future speciality.

Results

Sixty-two student responses were analyzed, 32 (52%) of whom were male. In the pre-module scores females had a slightly higher mean score than males:108 and 103 respectively. Participants who preferred people-oriented specialities also scored higher than those preferring procedure and technology-oriented specialities: 107 and 103 respectively. There was a significant increase in mean score for the entire class from pre-module to post-module: 105 to 116, p-value of < 0.001. Mean scores rose from 103 to 116 in males, and from 108 to 116 in females. Participants preferring procedure and technology-oriented specialities showed a significant increase in mean scores:103 to 117, and participants preferring people-oriented specialities demonstrated a smaller increase:107 to 111.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence of the impact of a Medical Humanities course for increasing medical student empathy scores at an institution in Nepal. Teaching of Medical Humanities is an important contributor to the development of empathy in medical students and its widespread expansion in the whole of South Asia should be considered.
Factors influencing medical and nursing students’ willingness to care for COVID-19 patients in South Korea: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kim Eun A , Kim Hae Ran , Kim Boyoung
Published: March 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the stability and adequacy of the global healthcare system. In this situation, authorities have considered engaging medical and nursing students to address the shortage of frontline healthcare workers. This study investigated the effect of COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors on medical and nursing students’ willingness to care for COVID-19 patients.

Methods

Medical and nursing students from universities in two regions of South Korea participated in this cross-sectional study. A total of 330 questionnaires were distributed; of them, 99.3% were collected, and 315 questionnaires were analyzed. Data were collected on participants’ general characteristics, COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors, and willingness to care for COVID-19 patients.

Results

In total, 66.3% of the participants were willing to care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in higher grades and those with more clinical practice experience showed higher levels of willingness to care. Specifically, willingness to care was correlated with the senior year (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.24 − 10.37, p = .019), a high level of COVID-19-related knowledge (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.00 − 1.05, p = .041), an optimistic attitude that COVID-19 can be overcome (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.24 − 2.14, p < .001), and increased engagement in infection prevention behaviors (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.16 − 1.71, p < .001).

Conclusions

The findings indicated that a high level of knowledge regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, having an optimistic attitude, and engaging in preventive behaviors affected students’ willingness to care for COVID-19 patients. Integrating disaster preparedness courses in the early years of their curriculum could increase future healthcare providers’ willingness to care for patients.
A cross-sectional study: comparison of public perceptions of adverse drug reaction reporting and monitoring in eastern and western China
Authors: Wang Ningsheng , Chen Yue , Ren Biqi , Xiang Yufang , Zhao Nan , Zhan Xianyan , Feng Bianling
Published: March 2022

Background

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) cause a substantial clinical and economic burden. Spontaneous reporting of ADRs by the public is crucial. In some developed countries like the United States, Canada, consumers have been allowed to directly report ADRs, however, convenient channels for direct ADR reporting by the public are lacking in China.

Objective

We aimed to compare the knowledge, attitudes, and practice(KAP) regarding monitoring and reporting of adverse drug reaction (ADR) among the general public in eastern and western China.

Methods

A questionnaire-guided cross-sectional study was administered to participants in Nanjing and Xi’an during April–July 2019. A descriptive statistical analysis was used to describe respondents’ demographic information and other results. The t-test and analysis of variance were used to test the differences in knowledge and attitudes among respondents with different demographic characteristics. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with knowledge and attitudes.

Results

A total of 1085 questionnaires were distributed in this survey, 869 valid questionnaires were returned, the recovery rate was 80.09%. Respondents showed poor knowledge of the definition of ADRs and reporting criteria, with a significant difference in average knowledge scores according to education level, gender, and age group. Most respondents had positive attitudes toward ADR monitoring and reporting, with no significant differences in knowledge and attitude scores between the two cities. In total, 68.93% of respondents said they would feedback information to health care professionals, most (84.35%) would take the initiative to report ADRs if there were a convenient method. More than half (58.57%) of respondents were more likely to report ADRs by telephone.

Conclusion

The findings of our study indicated that health care professionals should encourage patients to actively report ADR. China should also explore ways to facilitate direct public reporting of ADRs by improving relevant laws and regulations.
Effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the proliferation and differentiation of placental cells
Authors: Jo Yun Sung , Ko Hyun Sun , Kim Ah Young , Jo Ha Gyeong , Kim Woo Jung , Choi Sae Kyung
Published: March 2022

Background

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) other than bisphenol A (BPA) and BPA substitutes on placental cells.

Methods

HTR-8/SVneo cells were treated with anthracene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, and 4,4-(9-fluorenylidene)diphenol, which is used as a substitute for BPA-free products. After confirming the dose response for each reagent using the prepared cells, the cells were incubated for 24, 48, and 72 h. Cell viability was confirmed using the XTT assay. Each experiment was performed with the minimum number of samples (n = 3) required for statistical analysis. The results were analyzed using t-tests; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

After treatment with anthracene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, and 4,4-(9-fluorenylidene)diphenol, the absorbance measured using the XTT assay decreased significantly with increasing concentration. The absorbance decreased significantly over time following treatment with each endocrine disruptor at the concentration confirmed by the dose–response analysis.

Conclusions

This study showed that anthracene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, and 4,4-(9-fluorenylidene)diphenol—a BPA substitute—affect cell viability and necrosis in the placental cell line. The study indicates the serious effects of PAHs that negatively affect pregnancy but were previously unknown. Further, this study would serve as a reference for the identification of harmful PAHs during pregnancy prognosis in women who are more susceptible to PAH exposure.
Book review of Tribal Pastoralists in Transition. The Baharvand of Luristan, Iran by Frank Hole and Sekandar Amanolahi-Baharvand
Authors: Tapper Richard
Published: March 2022

Book details

Frank Hole and Sekandar Amanolahi-Baharvand

Tribal Pastoralists in Transition. The Baharvand of Luristan, Iran

Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology, Anthropological Papers, Number 100; 2021.

xx, 381 pages, ISBN: 978-0-915703-99-9 (print), 978-1-951538-74-3 (ebook)
Book review of Pastoralism – Making Variability Work by Saverio Krätli and Ilse Koehler-Rollefson and a discussion of the inherent challenges of writing about pastoralists at the global scale
Authors: Gillin Kramer , Turner Matthew D.
Published: March 2022

Book details

Krätli, S and Koehler-Rollefson, I

Pastoralism – Making Variability Work

Rome: FAO; 2021.

58 pages, ISBN 9789251347539
Factors impacting university–industry collaboration in European countries
Authors: Ćudić Bojan , Alešnik Peter , Hazemali David
Published: March 2022

This paper aims to examine the links between university-industry collaboration (UIC) predictors (inputs) and the results of UIC cooperation (outputs). The focus of the research is UIC within the European Union member states and the Western Balkan countries. The analysis was conducted using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). This method enabled examining the links between variables that are not directly observable. The authors used data for the period of three years, 2015–2018. The results prove that countries investing in UIC predictors (inputs) have better UIC performance (outputs). Based on the statistical analysis, the authors identified the investments in knowledge, networking, and research and development (R&D), in general, as the most significant that impact UIC performance.
Relationship between dietary variety, adequacy, moderation, and balanced diet and cardiovascular risk factors
Authors: Sharifi Mohammad Hossein , Izadpanah Payman , Hosseini Maryam Mohammad , Vojoudi Mina
Published: March 2022

Background

The relationship between dietary variety, adequacy, moderation, and balanced diet as diet quality indices and cardiovascular risk factors has not been yet evaluated amongst patients with Mmyocardial Iinfarction (MI).

Method

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 225 males and 93 females with MI who were admitted in two heart hospitals, Shiraz, Iran from November 2019 to April 2020. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I). DQI-I included four subscales, namely variety (20 scores), adequacy (40 scores), moderation (30 scores), and balanced diet (10 scores).

Results

The mean age of the participants was 54 ± 8 years. The mean scores of total DQI-I and variety, adequacy, moderation, and balanced diet subscales were 58 ± 12.2, 12.7 ± 3.8, 28.5 ± 7.0, 9.88 ± 5.6, and 7.8 ± 1.1, respectively. The results showed that waist circumference (WC) was influenced by adequacy (-0.26 ± 0.04) and moderation (-0.28 ± 0.03) subscales, while body mass index (BMI)was only related to the moderation subscale (0.15 ± 0.07).

Additionally, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was influenced by variety (-0.18 ± 0.01), adequacy (-0.14 ± 0.02), moderation (-0.2 ± 0.02), and balanced diet (-0.2 ± 0.003) subscales, while total cholesterol was associated with the adequacy subscale (-0.18 ± 0.01). In addition, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was related to variety (0.16 ± 0.03), moderation (0.14 ± 0.04), and balanced diet (0.13 ± 0.01) subscales,while triglyceride was only influenced by the variety subscale (-0.15 ± 0.004).

Conclusion

Dietary advice based on variety, adequacy, moderation, and balanced diet could be useful in practice to provide personalized messages to improve the risk factors amongst patients with MI.
Global Oncology Authorship and Readership Patterns
Authors: Bourlon Maria T. , Jiménez Franco Brenda , Castro-Alonso Francisco J. , Bourlon Christianne , Matar Charbel F. , Gunn Emilie , Ginsburg Ophira , Lopes Gilberto , Segelov Eva
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE

Global Oncology is the movement to improve equitable access to cancer control and care, recognizing challenges because of economic and social factors between high-, middle-, and low-income countries (HIC, MIC, and LIC, respectively). The JCO Global Oncology ( JCO GO) is a major platform dedicated to publishing peer-reviewed research relevant to populations with limited resources. To assess the success of its goals of encouraging global interaction and increasing MIC and LIC engagement, we analyzed authorship and readership patterns.

METHODS

Metadata of logged views between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019, of articles published in 2018 by JCO GO were identified using Google Analytics. The country of origin of each author and those who accessed the journal were categorized according to the 2019 income group World Bank Classification (WBC).

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-two articles were published in JCO GO in 2018. Corresponding authors came from 34 nations: 35% HIC, 47% MIC, and 18% LIC. The top publishing countries were the United States, India, Brazil, Mexico, and Nigeria. Article authors were solely from within one WBC group in 41% (23% HIC, 16% MIC, and 2% LIC). In those with mixed-WBC authorship origins, collaborations were 42% HIC + MIC, 11% HIC + LIC, and 6% HIC + MIC + LIC, but none with MIC + LIC. Regarding viewing, 87,860 views originated from 180 countries (82% of the WBC list): 35% HIC, 51% MIC, and 14% LIC. The most common accessing nations were the United States, India, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Ethiopia.

CONCLUSION

More than half of JCO GO's authorship comes from mixed WBC groups, with viewership extending to most of the world's nations. Areas to address are low level of LIC corresponding authors, few papers from authors across all WBC groups, no publications from MIC + LIC collaborations, and a low percentage of readership by LIC. These data provide focus to target interventions aimed at reducing the academic segregation of LIC and improving interactions across all WBC countries.
Relaxation time as an indicator of critical transition to a eutrophic lake state: The role of stochastic resonance
Authors: Ma Zhiqin , Zeng Chunhua , Zheng Bo
Published: March 2022

Lake ecosystems exhibit nonlinear responses and may undergo catastrophic shifts to opposite states from which recovery is difficult. Recent theoretical and experimental developments have revealed that characterizing the resilience of ecosystems can provide a way to anticipate critical transitions. In this letter, we present a novel and practical approach that measures the resilience, i.e., the relaxation time as an indicator of a critical transition to a eutrophic lake state. Furthermore, the possible mechanisms underlying these findings are explored via stochastic resonance, namely, the signal-to-noise ratio as a function of the system parameter shows a maximum value when the noise intensity is fixed. The results show that relaxation time is an excellent indicator, and stochastic resonance occurs near a critical threshold. Our results offer a new perspective to anticipate critical transitions in ecosystems.
Georges Henein
Authors: Khazindar Mona
Published: March 2022

Georges Henein (1914–73) was a Francophone Egyptian writer who introduced surrealism to the artistic and intellectual milieu of Cairo as early as 1937. The author traces Henein’s engagement with the tenets of surrealism articulated by André Breton in France and his impact introducing, interpreting, and dispersing these ideas among writers, artists, and the public in Egypt for more than two decades. He was most active in Cairo during the years surrounding the Second World War, founding in 1938 the Art and Liberty group of writers and artists, who spread their ideas through the Arabic-language magazine Al Tatawwur (Evolution) and the French-language newpaper Don Quichotte in the early 1940s. Henein also created the publishing company Éditions Masses to help build the reputation of emerging poets, organized and financed five exhibitions in Cairo of surrealist painters and sculptors, and published diverse stories, articles, and poems of his own. A communist at heart, he denounced Farouk’s regime, Hitler’s Nazism, and Stalin’s dictatorship. After openly criticizing Nasser’s authoritarianism, he was forced to leave Egypt in 1962, finally settling in Paris, where he died of cancer. This extraordinary writer, who had made of the French language an intuitive force, came to accept that he would eventually be forgotten in France, the same way he had been forgotten in Egypt.
Those Who Shaped the Future
Authors: Geshta Hisham
Published: March 2022

Author Hisham Geshta, literary and art critic and editor of Al Kitaba Al Ukhra (Other Writing), Cairo, Egypt, reminisces about his meeting and long-term relationship with writer and activist Anwar Kamel and their united efforts to publish established and emerging surrealist writers and poets in Al Tatawwur (Evolution) magazine in 1940 and after. Later, when Kamel is in his late seventies, in 1991, the author establishes and publishes Al Kitaba Al-Ukhra to continue the commitment. The author provides numerous excerpts from these and earlier publications that include the writings of Georges Henein, Ramses Younan, Kamel Telmisany, and era poets, illuminating the ideology and creative output of Egyptian surrealist artists and thought leaders across more than five decades.
Stride frequency or length? A phylogenetic approach to understand how animals regulate locomotor speed
Authors: Granatosky Michael C. , McElroy Eric J.
Published: March 2022

Speed regulation in animals involves stride frequency and stride length. While the relationship between these variables has been well documented, it remains unresolved whether animals primarily modify stride frequency or stride length to increase speed. In this study, we explored the interrelationships between these three variables across a sample of 103 tetrapods and assessed whether speed regulation strategy is influenced by mechanical, allometric, phylogenetic or ecological factors. We observed that crouched terrestrial species tend to regulate speed through stride frequency. Such a strategy is energetically costly, but results in greater locomotor maneuverability and greater stability. In contrast, regulating speed through stride length is closely tied to larger arboreal animals with relatively extended limbs. Such movements reduce substrate oscillations on thin arboreal supports and/or helps to reduce swing phase costs. The slope of speed on frequency is lower in small crouched animals than in large-bodied erect species. As a result, substantially more rapid limb movements are matched with only small speed increases in crouched, small-bodied animals. Furthermore, the slope of speed on stride length was inversely proportional to body mass. As such, small changes in stride length can result in relatively rapid speed increases for small-bodied species. These results are somewhat counterintuitive, in that larger species, which have longer limbs and take longer strides, do not appear to gain as much speed increase out of lengthening their stride. Conversely, smaller species that cycle their limbs rapidly do not gain as much speed out of increasing stride frequency as do larger species.
Best practices for building and curating databases for comparative analyses
Authors: Schwanz Lisa E. , Gunderson Alex , Iglesias-Carrasco Maider , Johnson Michele A. , Kong Jacinta D. , Riley Julia , Wu Nicholas C.
Published: March 2022

Comparative analyses have a long history of macro-ecological and -evolutionary approaches to understand structure, function, mechanism and constraint. As the pace of science accelerates, there is ever-increasing access to diverse types of data and open access databases that are enabling and inspiring new research. Whether conducting a species-level trait-based analysis or a formal meta-analysis of study effect sizes, comparative approaches share a common reliance on reliable, carefully curated databases. Unlike many scientific endeavors, building a database is a process that many researchers undertake infrequently and in which we are not formally trained. This Commentary provides an introduction to building databases for comparative analyses and highlights challenges and solutions that the authors of this Commentary have faced in their own experiences. We focus on four major tips: (1) carefully strategizing the literature search; (2) structuring databases for multiple use; (3) establishing version control within (and beyond) your study; and (4) the importance of making databases accessible. We highlight how one's approach to these tasks often depends on the goal of the study and the nature of the data. Finally, we assert that the curation of single-question databases has several disadvantages: it limits the possibility of using databases for multiple purposes and decreases efficiency due to independent researchers repeatedly sifting through large volumes of raw information. We argue that curating databases that are broader than one research question can provide a large return on investment, and that research fields could increase efficiency if community curation of databases was established.
Impact of fluctuating developmental temperatures on phenotypic traits in reptiles: a meta-analysis
Authors: Raynal Rebecca S. , Noble Daniel W. A. , Riley Julia L. , Senior Alistair M. , Warner Daniel A. , While Geoffrey M. , Schwanz Lisa E.
Published: March 2022

During the vulnerable stages of early life, most ectothermic animals experience hourly and diel fluctuations in temperature as air temperatures change. While we know a great deal about how different constant temperatures impact the phenotypes of developing ectotherms, we know remarkably little about the impacts of temperature fluctuations on the development of ectotherms. In this study, we used a meta-analytic approach to compare the mean and variance of phenotypic outcomes from constant and fluctuating incubation temperatures across reptile species. We found that fluctuating temperatures provided a small benefit (higher hatching success and shorter incubation durations) at cool mean temperatures compared with constant temperatures, but had a negative effect at warm mean temperatures. In addition, more extreme temperature fluctuations led to greater reductions in embryonic survival compared with moderate temperature fluctuations. Within the limited data available from species with temperature-dependent sex determination, embryos had a higher chance of developing as female when developing in fluctuating temperatures compared with those developing in constant temperatures. With our meta-analytic approach, we identified average mean nest temperatures across all taxa where reptiles switch from receiving benefits to incurring costs when incubation temperatures fluctuate. More broadly, our study indicates that the impact of fluctuating developmental temperature on some phenotypes in ectothermic taxa are likely to be predictable via integration of developmental temperature profiles with thermal performance curves.
Integrating theoretical and empirical approaches for a robust understanding of endocrine flexibility
Authors: Grindstaff Jennifer L. , Beaty Lynne E. , Ambardar Medhavi , Luttbeg Barney
Published: March 2022

There is growing interest in studying hormones beyond single ‘snapshot’ measurements, as recognition that individual variation in the endocrine response to environmental change may underlie many rapid, coordinated phenotypic changes. Repeated measures of hormone levels in individuals provide additional insight into individual variation in endocrine flexibility – that is, how individuals modulate hormone levels in response to the environment. The ability to quickly and appropriately modify phenotype is predicted to be favored by selection, especially in unpredictable environments. The need for repeated samples from individuals can make empirical studies of endocrine flexibility logistically challenging, but methods based in mathematical modeling can provide insights that circumvent these challenges. Our Review introduces and defines endocrine flexibility, reviews existing studies, makes suggestions for future empirical work, and recommends mathematical modeling approaches to complement empirical work and significantly advance our understanding. Mathematical modeling is not yet widely employed in endocrinology, but can be used to identify innovative areas for future research and generate novel predictions for empirical testing.
Linking environmental salinity to respiratory phenotypes and metabolic rate in fishes: a data mining and modelling approach
Authors: Harter Till S. , Damsgaard Christian , Regan Matthew D.
Published: March 2022

The gill is the primary site of ionoregulation and gas exchange in adult teleost fishes. However, those characteristics that benefit diffusive gas exchange (large, thin gills) may also enhance the passive equilibration of ions and water that threaten osmotic homeostasis. Our literature review revealed that gill surface area and thickness were similar in freshwater (FW) and seawater (SW) species; however, the diffusive oxygen (O2) conductance (Gd) of the gill was lower in FW species. While a lower Gd may reduce ion losses, it also limits O2 uptake capacity and possibly aerobic performance in situations of high O2 demand (e.g. exercise) or low O2 availability (e.g. environmental hypoxia). We also found that FW fishes had significantly higher haemoglobin (Hb)–O2 binding affinities than SW species, which will increase the O2 diffusion gradient across the gills. Therefore, we hypothesized that the higher Hb–O2 affinity of FW fishes compensates, in part, for their lower Gd. Using a combined literature review and modelling approach, our results show that a higher Hb–O2 affinity in FW fishes increases the flux of O2 across their low-Gd gills. In addition, FW and SW teleosts can achieve similar maximal rates of O2 consumption (ṀO2,max) and hypoxia tolerance (Pcrit) through different combinations of Hb–O2 affinity and Gd. Our combined data identified novel patterns in gill and Hb characteristics between FW and SW fishes and our modelling approach provides mechanistic insight into the relationship between aerobic performance and species distribution ranges, generating novel hypotheses at the intersection of cardiorespiratory and ionoregulatory fish physiology.
Paths towards greater consensus building in experimental biology
Authors: Roche Dominique G. , Raby Graham D. , Norin Tommy , Ern Rasmus , Scheuffele Hanna , Skeeles Michael , Morgan Rachael , Andreassen Anna H. , Clements Jeff C. , Louissaint Sarahdghyn , Jutfelt Fredrik , Clark Timothy D. , Binning Sandra A.
Published: March 2022

In a recent editorial, the Editors-in-Chief of Journal of Experimental Biology argued that consensus building, data sharing, and better integration across disciplines are needed to address the urgent scientific challenges posed by climate change. We agree and expand on the importance of cross-disciplinary integration and transparency to improve consensus building and advance climate change research in experimental biology. We investigated reproducible research practices in experimental biology through a review of open data and analysis code associated with empirical studies on three debated paradigms and for unrelated studies published in leading journals in comparative physiology and behavioural ecology over the last 10 years. Nineteen per cent of studies on the three paradigms had open data, and 3.2% had open code. Similarly, 12.1% of studies in the journals we examined had open data, and 3.1% had open code. Previous research indicates that only 50% of shared datasets are complete and re-usable, suggesting that fewer than 10% of studies in experimental biology have usable open data. Encouragingly, our results indicate that reproducible research practices are increasing over time, with data sharing rates in some journals reaching 75% in recent years. Rigorous empirical research in experimental biology is key to understanding the mechanisms by which climate change affects organisms, and ultimately promotes evidence-based conservation policy and practice. We argue that a greater adoption of open science practices, with a particular focus on FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-usable) data and code, represents a much-needed paradigm shift towards improved transparency, cross-disciplinary integration, and consensus building to maximize the contributions of experimental biologists in addressing the impacts of environmental change on living organisms.
Predictive factors and outcomes of severe community acquired pneumonia in patients with respiratory failure
Authors: Ullah Arslan Rahat , Masood Aysha , Amin Sumayya , Ali Iftikhar
Published: March 2022

Objectives: To explore the risk factors, pathogens and outcomes of severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) in patients with respiratory failure.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre, Peshawar, Pakistan from February 2016 to October 2018. All patients with Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recorded consecutively. Diagnosis of SCAP was made following the criteria established by the IDSA/ATS in the consensus guidelines on the management of CAP in adults published in 2007. In-hospital mortality was the main outcome.

Results: The final analysis comprised a total of 100 patients with SCAP. The mean age was 60.0±18.01 years, and 54.0% were female patients. Afghani patients represented 22.0% of the total patients. The most common comorbidity associated with SCAP was hypertension (42.0%). The most commonly isolated etiological agents were Acinetobacter baumannii, followed by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli. In-hospital mortality was 45%. On multivariate analysis, factors associated with in-hospital mortality were age (OR 1.054; 95%Cl 1.01-1.10; p=0.021), presence of two or more complications (OR 4.51; 95%Cl 1.18-17.28; p=0.028), septic shock (OR 6.44; 95%Cl 1.55-26.803; p=0.010), length of mechanical ventilation (OR 1.17; 95%Cl 1.01-1.40; p=0.043), and paO2 (OR 4.51; 95%Cl 1.18-17.28; p=0.004).

Conclusion: A high mortality rate was observed in our study. Age, presence of two or more complications, septic shock, length of mechanical ventilation, and low paO2 were identified to be independent predictors of mortality for patients with SCAP.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.4.5312

How to cite this:Rahat-Ullah A, Masood A, Amin S, Ali I. Predictive factors and outcomes of severe community acquired pneumonia in patients with respiratory failure. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.4.5312

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Atrapadas. Militancia poética
Authors: Casado Mejía Rosa
Published: March 2022

Este catálogo no tiene otra intención que contribuir a vanzar a una sociedad un poco más saludable e igualitaria, un poco menos maltratante, un poco más bientratante.
Ormianie kamienieccy w ostatniej ćwierci XVII wieku. Uzupełnienie spisu imiennego na podstawie kolejnych źródeł
Authors: Agopsowicz Monika
Published: March 2022

Kamieniec Armenians in the last quarter of the 17th century. Supplementation of the name list on the basis of subsequent sources
The author uses subsequent historical sources to supplement the data about Armenians living in Kamieniec Podolski (Kamianets-Podilskyi) before the Turkish invasion in 1672 and soon after regaining the town by Poland in 1700. These sources include: book of the Armenian court of Kamieniec Podolski from 1651-1663; registers of church apparatus taken away from Kamieniec and their gradual sales; Turkish censuses of the people of Kamieniec Podolski, including Armenians, from 1681.
Jan Hasso Agopsowicz (1915-1982). Ormianin, bibliofil, twórca ekslibrisów
Authors: Krzyżowski Tomasz
Published: March 2022

Jan Hasso Agopsowicz (1915-1982) – Armenian, Bibliophile, Creator of Bookplates

The article presents the biography of Jan Hasso Agopsowicz (1915-1982), Polish Armenian, full of merit for the Armenian environment in Poland. He was born in Kociubińce, Eastern Galicia, in the Armenian landowning family. In 1931- 1938 he studied in Rome, at the Papal Armenian College and Gregorian University, preparing himself for the adoption of priestly orders in the Armenian rite. In October 1938 he resigned from finalisation of the theological studies and returned to Poland. After World War II, he lived in Nowy Sącz, where he was a manager of the analytical laboratory in the municipal hospital. Agopsowicz focused a lot on the situation of the Armenian diaspora in Poland and the activity of the Armenian environment. He wanted to guarantee the pastoral care for Catholic Armenians in Poland and to ensure the persistence of the Armenian rite so he intervened with the Holy See and Primate Stefan Wyszyński. Furthermore, he engaged in artistic activity. Creation of bookplates was his passion – he designed 240 bookplates. Interests of Agopsowicz concerning the Armenian history and culture, as well as his numerous contacts with Armenians, led to the creation of several dozen bookplates with Armenian themes. Moreover, he gathered a large book collection relating to Armenian themes in different languages. He died in Nowy Sącz and was buried at the Rakowicki Cemetery in Krakow.
Managing Uncertainty: An Experiment on Delegation and Team Selection
Authors: Hamman John R. , Martínez-Carrasco Miguel A.
Published: March 2022

We study how organizations use team selection and delegation of authority jointly to navigate uncertain environments. To do so, we model a managerial decision environment in which a manager both determines the skill heterogeneity of the workers and determines whether to retain or delegate the ability to allocate tasks. Delegation enables better-informed workers to allocate tasks more efficiently when uncertainty is high relative to the incentive conflict between manager and worker. Our novel approach allows us to illustrate that this conflict is endogenously determined by the team selection decision. Experimental data support—although not globally—the direction of our theoretical hypotheses and offer insight into how and why choices deviate from expected behavior. Notably, we identify behavioral characteristics that aid decisions along each dimension. Deliberative thinking improves all decisions under low uncertainty and improves team selection regardless of the level of uncertainty. Risk tolerance improves all decisions in highly uncertain situations and helps managers optimally delegate decision rights in all settings. The results highlight potentially costly ways in which managers seek to simplify their decisions but show how deliberative thinking and risk tolerance can improve performance in a complementary manner.

History: This paper has been accepted for the Organization Science Special Issue on Experiments in Organizational Theory.

Funding: The authors thank Florida State University and the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics for financial support.

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1545 .
CENÁRIOS DE VENTOS HORÁRIOS PARA O PLANEJAMENTO DA EXPANSÃO DO SISTEMA ELÉTRICO BRASILEIRO
Authors: Damazio Jorge Machado , Lisboa Maria Luiza Viana
Published: March 2022

Apresenta-se uma metodologia para a definição de cenários de ventos horários em regiões de implantação de parques eólicos visando apoiar estudos de planejamento para a evolução do parque gerador do sistema elétrico brasileiro. A metodologia utiliza modelagem estocástica autorregressiva para a construção de uma amostra com elevado número (milhares) de cenários anuais visando posterior aplicação de técnicas de discretização de variáveis contínuas para seleção de um conjunto menor de cenários (dezenas) que serão explicitados nos modelos de planejamento. O artigo apresenta uma aplicação a partir de um histórico de 41 anos de registros de ventos horários em área promissora para instalação de aerogeradores no estado da Bahia.
Modeling the vertical transmission of Syphilis
Authors: De Albuquerque Douglas Souza , Dias Claudia Mazza
Published: March 2022

Mathematical Modeling of Syphilis can be used to better understand its transmission in a population and the resurgence of syphilis in countries like Brazil, where there is currently a considerable increase in cases. So, based on the mathematical models available in the literature, this work proposes a practical application for the Brazilian scenario and still presents an extension that includes the possibility of vertical transmission (from mother to child) of the disease.
Alteridade: o outro na pesquisa em Educação
Authors: Nunes Marcia Jovani De Oliveira , Barros Josemir Almeida
Published: March 2022

O artigo propõe um debate sobre alteridade ao abordar a pesquisa em Educação. Versa sobre a pesquisa-ação como uma alternativa que aproxima e possibilita a escuta do pesquisador frente ao seu objeto, principalmente quando falante, a fim de produzir conhecimentos que gerem impacto nas ações educacionais e contribuam para solucionar problemas detectados nos processos de coleta de dados de campo. Como metodologia foi utilizada a pesquisa bibliográfica. A investigação demonstrou que o pesquisador ao escolher a pesquisa-ação institui uma das possibilidades promissoras capaz de criar alternativas educacionais no âmbito social, principalmente porque estabelece ou cria constantes diálogos, alteridades e escutas sensíveis, itens fundamentais ao tratar da pesquisa com seres humanos.  Instituir a dialogicidade é premente à identificação e solução na condição de alternativa para resolver parte dos problemas educacionais.
Estudos da deficiência na Educação Profissional e Tecnológica
Authors: Boff Ana Paula , Rosa Patricia , Regiani Anelise Maria
Published: March 2022

Este artigo é fragmento de uma pesquisa concluída em 2016 que investigou, a partir do modelo social da deficiência, como ocorre o processo educativo de estudantes com deficiência em uma instituição de Educação Profissional e Tecnológica. A pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa, teve como sujeitos cinco estudantes que foram convidados a participar de uma entrevista individual semiestruturada. A partir das regularidades presentes nos dados, duas categorias de análise foram elencadas com base na análise de conteúdo. Em relação à categoria Autoinstauração na constituição do indivíduo, o objetivo é possibilitar a valorização das singularidades dos estudantes com deficiência, assim como o seu acesso a direitos humanos básicos como formação educacional e profissional, representando assim a inclusão social desse público. Concernente à categoria Acessibilidade Arquitetônica e Metodológica, a estrutura física da instituição, bem como os procedimentos de ensino adotados pelos docentes, apresenta barreiras ao processo de aprendizagem dos estudantes entrevistados e não corresponde aos pressupostos do modelo social de deficiência. Pode-se inferir que o princípio do modelo médico de deficiência ainda está presente na instituição, contudo, existem iniciativas por parte dos docentes, técnico-administrativos e da equipe de gestão para a superação desse modelo. Como possibilidade, propõe-se a formação docente continuada de forma sistemática e fundamentada nos princípios do modelo social de deficiência.