bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health Outcomes of Healthy Children, Children With Special Health Care Needs and Their Caregivers–Results of a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Geweniger Anne , Barth Michael , Haddad Anneke D. , Högl Henriette , Insan Shrabon , Mund Annette , Langer Thorsten
Published: February 2022

Background

Several studies have described widening inequalities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly for adult populations. Children and adolescents are particularly impacted by the indirect effects of the pandemic and lockdown measures, such as reduced access to or delays in health care and school closures. National surveys in several countries also show a rising mental health burden in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children with special health care needs are a particularly vulnerable group in this context as they rely on a wide range of services, which were mostly suspended during the first wave of the pandemic. This study aims: (1) to describe the mental health outcomes of children with and without special healthcare needs and of their caregivers following the first national lockdown in Germany; (2) to investigate variations in mental health outcomes and measures of pandemic burden according to socioeconomic status; (3) to assess the impact of socioeconomic status, disease complexity and psychosocial burden on parent-reported child mental health problems.

Methods

We conducted an online survey among 1,619 caregivers of children aged 1–18 years from August 11th until October 5th 2020. Participants were recruited both from families of children with special healthcare needs and of healthy children. Inequalities were analysed by descriptive statistics, simple and hierarchical logistic regression modelling to explore the association between socioeconomic status and psychological outcome measures, disease complexity and general burden related to COVID-19.

Results

There was a high prevalence of 57.4% of parent-reported mental health problems in children and of a positive screening score for depression in 30.9% of parents. Parent-reported mental health problems were more likely to affect children with low socioeconomic status, with complex chronic disease and those whose parents screened positive for depression.

Conclusions

This study highlights inequalities in parent-reported child mental health outcomes by socioeconomic status and disease complexity in a large sample of German families with and without children with special health care needs. Political measures should put children at the centre and aim to mitigate the unequal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on the mental health of vulnerable children.
Transfusion-Free Survival Predicts Severe Retinopathy in Preterm Neonates
Authors: Teofili Luciana , Papacci Patrizia , Bartolo Martina , Molisso Anna , Orlando Nicoletta , Pane Lucia , Giannantonio Carmen , Serrao Francesca , Bianchi Maria , Valentini Caterina Giovanna , Pellegrino Claudio , Baldascino Antonio , Carducci Brigida , Lepore Domenico , Vento Giovanni
Published: February 2022

Repeated red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are thought to increase the risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), likely due to a critical fetal hemoglobin (HbF) reduction. In this study, we investigated if the postmenstrual age (PMA) of neonates at transfusion influences the risk for ROP. We estimated the cumulative transfusion-free survival (TFS) in a series of 100 preterm neonates receiving one or more RBC units. TFS was calculated by censoring patients at first transfusion and expressing the time between birth and transfusion as either PMA or postnatal day. Then, we investigated if TFS predicted the occurrence of severe ROP, defined as ROP stage 3 or higher. We found that neonates with severe ROP displayed a significantly shorter TFS expressed according to their PMA (p = 0.001), with similar TFS according to postnatal days. At receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, receiving an RBC unit before week 28 of PMA predicted severe ROP with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 78%. In addition, receiving a second RBC unit before the PMA of 29 weeks predicted severe ROP with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 69%. At multivariate analysis, PMA at the second transfusion was even more informative than at first transfusion and outperformed all other variables in predicting severe ROP, with an odds ratio of 4.554 (95% CI 1.332–15.573, p = 0.016). Since HbF decrease is greater after multiple RBC transfusions, it is conceivable that neonates receiving more than one unit before the PMA of 29 weeks may be exposed to a greater disturbance of retinal vascularization. Any strategy aimed at preventing the critical HbF decrease at this low age might potentially reduce the risk for severe ROP.
Cordyceps cicadae Ameliorates Renal Hypertensive Injury and Fibrosis Through the Regulation of SIRT1-Mediated Autophagy
Authors: Cai Yuzi , Feng Zhendong , Jia Qi , Guo Jing , Zhang Pingna , Zhao Qihan , Wang Yao Xian , Liu Yu Ning , Liu Wei Jing
Published: February 2022

Hypertensive renal injury is a complication of hypertension. Cordyceps cicadae (C. cicadae) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat chronic kidney diseases especially renal fibrosis. Autophagy is described as a cell self-renewal process that requires lysosomal degradation and is utilized for the maintenance of cellular energy homeostasis. The present study explores the mechanism underlying C. cicadae’s renoprotection on hypertensive nephropathy (HN). First, HN rat models were established on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The expression of fibrosis-related protein and autophagy-associated protein was detected in vivo. NRK-52E cells exposed to AngII were chosen to observe the potential health benefits of C. cicadae on renal damage. The level of extracellular matrix accumulation was detected using capillary electrophoresis immunoquantification and immunohistochemistry. After treatment with lysosomal inhibitors (chloroquine) or an autophagy activator (rapamycin), the expression of Beclin-1, LC3II, and SQSTM1/p62 was further investigated. The study also investigated the change in sirtuin1 (SIRT1), fork head box O3a (FOXO3a), and peroxidation (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)) expression when intervened by resveratrol. The changes in SIRT1 and FOXO3a were measured in patients and the SHRs. Here, we observed that C. cicadae significantly decreased damage to renal tubular epithelial cells and TGFβ1, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I (Col-1), and fibronectin expression. Meanwhile, autophagy defects were observed both in vivo and in vitro. C. cicadae intervention significantly downregulated Beclin-1 and LC3II and decreased SQSTM1/p62, showing an inhibition of autophagic vesicles and the alleviation of autophagy stress. These functions were suppressed by rapamycin, and the results were just as effective as the resveratrol treatment. HN patients and the SHRs exhibited decreased levels of SIRT1 and FOXO3a. We also observed a positive correlation between SIRT1/FOXO3a and antifibrotic effects. Similar to the resveratrol group, the expression of SIRT1/FOXO3a and oxidative stress were elevated by C. cicadae in vivo. Taken together, our findings show that C. cicadae ameliorates tubulointerstitial fibrosis and delays HN progression. Renoprotection was likely attributable to the regulation of autophagic stress mediated by the SIRT1 pathway and achieved by regulating FOXO3a and oxidative stress.
Mitochondria-Targeting Chemodynamic Therapy Nanodrugs for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Chen Qiaohui , Li Niansheng , Wang Xiaoyuan , Yang Yuqi , Xiang Yuting , Long Xingyu , Zhang Jinping , Huang Jia , Chen Li , Huang Qiong
Published: February 2022

Mitochondria, as one of the most critical subcellular organelles of cancer cells, are very vulnerable and often on the verge of oxidative stress. The classic chemodynamic therapy (CDT) directly employs endogenous chemical energy to trigger reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and destroy tumor cells. However, the effectiveness of CDT is restricted by the limited diffusion distance and short half-life of ROS. From this perspective, the treatment method (mitochondria-targeting chemodynamic therapy nanodrugs, M-CDT nanodrugs) that can generate high levels of ROS at the mitochondrial site is extremely efficient and promising for cancer treatment. Currently, many emerging M-CDT nanodrugs have been demonstrated excellent spatial specificity and anti-cancer efficacy. In this minireview, we review various proof-of-concept researches based on different M-CDT nanodrugs designs to overcome the limits of the efficacy of CDT, mainly divided into four strategies: supplying H2O2, non-H2O2 dependent CDT, eliminating GSH and enhancing by hyperthermia therapy (HT). These well-designed M-CDT nanodrugs greatly increase the efficacy of CDT. Finally, the progress and potential of M-CDT nanodrugs are discussed, as well as their limitations and opportunities.
∗-η-Ricci Soliton and Gradient Almost ∗-η-Ricci Soliton Within the Framework of Para-Kenmotsu Manifolds
Authors: Dey Santu , Turki Nasser Bin
Published: February 2022

The goal of the present study is to study the ∗-η-Ricci soliton and gradient almost ∗-η-Ricci soliton within the framework of para-Kenmotsu manifolds as a characterization of Einstein metrics. We demonstrate that a para-Kenmotsu metric as a ∗-η-Ricci soliton is an Einstein metric if the soliton vector field is contact. Next, we discuss the nature of the soliton and discover the scalar curvature when the manifold admits a ∗-η-Ricci soliton on a para-Kenmotsu manifold. After that, we expand the characterization of the vector field when the manifold satisfies the ∗-η-Ricci soliton. Furthermore, we characterize the para-Kenmotsu manifold or the nature of the potential vector field when the manifold satisfies the gradient almost ∗-η-Ricci soliton.
Molecular Changes in the Cardiac RyR2 With Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT)
Authors: Dulhunty Angela F.
Published: February 2022

The cardiac ryanodine receptor Ca2+ release channel (RyR2) is inserted into the membrane of intracellular sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) myocyte Ca2+ stores, where it releases the Ca2+ essential for contraction. Mutations in proteins involved in Ca2+ signaling can lead to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). The most common cellular phenotype in CPVT is higher than normal cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations during diastole due to Ca2+ leak from the SR through mutant RyR2. Arrhythmias are triggered when the surface membrane sodium calcium exchanger (NCX) lowers cytoplasmic Ca2+ by importing 3 Na+ ions to extrude one Ca2+ ion. The Na+ influx leads to delayed after depolarizations (DADs) which trigger arrhythmia when reaching action potential threshold. Present therapies use drugs developed for different purposes that serendipitously reduce RyR2 Ca2+ leak, but can adversely effect systolic Ca2+ release and other target processes. Ideal drugs would specifically reverse the effect of individual mutations, without altering normal channel function. Such drugs will depend on the location of the mutation in the 4967-residue monomer and the effect of the mutation on local structure, and downstream effects on structures along the conformational pathway to the pore. Such atomic resolution information is only now becoming available. This perspective provides a summary of known or predicted structural changes associated with a handful of CPVT mutations. Known molecular changes associated with RyR opening are discussed, as well one study where minute molecular changes with a particular mutation have been tracked from the N-terminal mutation site to gating residues in the channel pore.
Neuronal Population Transitions Across a Quiescent-to-Active Frontier and Bifurcation
Authors: Juanico Drandreb Earl O.
Published: February 2022

The mechanistic understanding of why neuronal population activity hovers on criticality remains unresolved despite the availability of experimental results. Without a coherent mathematical framework, the presence of power-law scaling is not straightforward to reconcile with findings implying epileptiform activity. Although multiple pictures have been proposed to relate the power-law scaling of avalanche statistics to phase transitions, the existence of a phase boundary in parameter space is until now an assumption. Herein, a framework based on differential inclusions, which departs from approaches constructed from differential equations, is shown to offer an adequate consolidation of evidences apparently connected to criticality and those linked to hyperexcitability. Through this framework, the phase boundary is elucidated in a parameter space spanned by variables representing levels of excitation and inhibition in a neuronal network. The interpretation of neuronal populations based on this approach offers insights on the role of pharmacological and endocrinal signaling in the homeostatic regulation of neuronal population activity.
Widening the Perspectives for Legume Consumption: The Case of Bioactive Non-nutrients
Authors: Geraldo Rafaela , Santos Carla S. , Pinto Elisabete , Vasconcelos Marta W.
Published: February 2022

Legume grains have provided essential nutrients in human diets for centuries, being excellent sources of proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and fibers. They also contain several non-nutrients that historically have been connotated as toxic but that in recent years have been shown to have interesting bioactive properties. The discussion on the role of bioactive non-nutrients is becoming more important due to increasing science-based evidence on their potential antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and anticarcinogenic properties. At a time when legume-based products consumption is being strongly promoted by national governments and health authorities, there is a need to clearly define the recommended levels of such non-nutrients in human diets. However, there is insufficient data determining the ideal amount of non-nutrients in legume grains, which will exert the most positive health benefits. This is aligned with insufficient studies that clearly demonstrate if the positive health effects are due to the presence of specific non-nutrients or a result of a dietary balance. In fact, rather than looking directly at the individual food components, most nutritional epidemiology studies relate disease risk with the food and dietary patterns. The purpose of this perspective paper is to explore different types of non-nutrients present in legume grains, discuss the current evidence on their health benefits, and provide awareness for the need for more studies to define a recommended amount of each compound to identify the best approaches, either to enhance or reduce their levels.
S-Nitrosation of Arabidopsis thaliana Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1 Prevents Its Irreversible Oxidation by Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Nicolas-Francès Valérie , Rossi Jordan , Rosnoblet Claire , Pichereaux Carole , Hichami Siham , Astier Jeremy , Klinguer Agnès , Wendehenne David , Besson-Bard Angélique
Published: February 2022

Tyrosine-specific protein tyrosine phosphatases (Tyr-specific PTPases) are key signaling enzymes catalyzing the removal of the phosphate group from phosphorylated tyrosine residues on target proteins. This post-translational modification notably allows the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades during defense reactions. Arabidopsis thaliana protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 (AtPTP1), the only Tyr-specific PTPase present in this plant, acts as a repressor of H2O2 production and regulates the activity of MPK3/MPK6 MAPKs by direct dephosphorylation. Here, we report that recombinant histidine (His)-AtPTP1 protein activity is directly inhibited by H2O2 and nitric oxide (NO) exogenous treatments. The effects of NO are exerted by S-nitrosation, i.e., the formation of a covalent bond between NO and a reduced cysteine residue. This post-translational modification targets the catalytic cysteine C265 and could protect the AtPTP1 protein from its irreversible oxidation by H2O2. This mechanism of protection could be a conserved mechanism in plant PTPases.
Physio-Morphological, Biochemical and Transcriptomic Analyses Provide Insights Into Drought Stress Responses in Mesona chinensis Benth
Authors: Tang Danfeng , Quan Changqian , Lin Yang , Wei Kunhua , Qin Shuangshuang , Liang Ying , Wei Fan , Miao Jianhua
Published: February 2022

Drought stress affects the normal growth and development of Mesona chinensis Benth (MCB), which is an important medicinal and edible plant in China. To investigate the physiological and molecular mechanisms of drought resistance in MCB, different concentrations of polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000) (0, 5, 10, and 15%) were used to simulate drought conditions in this study. Results showed that the growth of MCB was significantly limited under drought stress conditions. Drought stress induced the increases in the contents of Chla, Chlb, Chla + b, soluble protein, soluble sugar, and soluble pectin and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA). Transcriptome analysis revealed 3,494 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (1,961 up-regulated and 1,533 down-regulated) between the control and 15% PEG6000 treatments. These DEGs were identified to be involved in the 10 metabolic pathways, including “plant hormone signal transduction,” “brassinosteroid biosynthesis,” “plant–pathogen interaction,” “MAPK signaling pathway-plant,” “starch and sucrose metabolism,” “pentose and glucuronate interconversions,” “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis,” “galactose metabolism,” “monoterpenoid biosynthesis,” and “ribosome.” In addition, transcription factors (TFs) analysis showed 8 out of 204 TFs, TRINITY_DN3232_c0_g1 [ABA-responsive element (ABRE)-binding transcription factor1, AREB1], TRINITY_DN4161_c0_g1 (auxin response factor, ARF), TRINITY_DN3183_c0_g2 (abscisic acid-insensitive 5-like protein, ABI5), TRINITY_DN28414_c0_g2 (ethylene-responsive transcription factor ERF1b, ERF1b), TRINITY_DN9557_c0_g1 (phytochrome-interacting factor, PIF3), TRINITY_DN11435_c1_g1, TRINITY_DN2608_c0_g1, and TRINITY_DN6742_c0_g1, were closely related to the “plant hormone signal transduction” pathway. Taken together, it was inferred that these pathways and TFs might play important roles in response to drought stress in MCB. The current study provided important information for MCB drought resistance breeding in the future.
Dissecting Breeders’ Sense via Explainable Machine Learning Approach: Application to Fruit Peelability and Hardness in Citrus
Authors: Minamikawa Mai F. , Nonaka Keisuke , Hamada Hiroko , Shimizu Tokurou , Iwata Hiroyoshi
Published: February 2022

“Genomics-assisted breeding”, which utilizes genomics-based methods, e.g., genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS), has been attracting attention, especially in the field of fruit breeding. Low-cost genotyping technologies that support genome-assisted breeding have already been established. However, efficient collection of large amounts of high-quality phenotypic data is essential for the success of such breeding. Most of the fruit quality traits have been sensorily and visually evaluated by professional breeders. However, the fruit morphological features that serve as the basis for such sensory and visual judgments are unclear. This makes it difficult to collect efficient phenotypic data on fruit quality traits using image analysis. In this study, we developed a method to automatically measure the morphological features of citrus fruits by the image analysis of cross-sectional images of citrus fruits. We applied explainable machine learning methods and Bayesian networks to determine the relationship between fruit morphological features and two sensorily evaluated fruit quality traits: easiness of peeling (Peeling) and fruit hardness (FruH). In each of all the methods applied in this study, the degradation area of the central core of the fruit was significantly and directly associated with both Peeling and FruH, while the seed area was significantly and directly related to FruH alone. The degradation area of albedo and the area of flavedo were also significantly and directly related to Peeling and FruH, respectively, except in one or two methods. These results suggest that an approach that combines explainable machine learning methods, Bayesian networks, and image analysis can be effective in dissecting the experienced sense of a breeder. In breeding programs, collecting fruit images and efficiently measuring and documenting fruit morphological features that are related to fruit quality traits may increase the size of data for the analysis and improvement of the accuracy of GWAS and GS on the quality traits of the citrus fruits.
Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue and Hardiness Among Nurses: A Comparison Before and During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Zakeri Mohammad Ali , Rahiminezhad Elham , Salehi Farzaneh , Ganjeh Hamid , Dehghan Mahlagha
Published: February 2022

Background

Nurses provide the majority of health-care services and face numerous health challenges during an epidemic. During the COVID-19 epidemic, nurses are subjected to physical, mental, and social disorders that impair their quality of life and hardiness. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the situation of nurses. The current study aimed to compare the compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and hardiness among nurses before and during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study included 508 clinical nurses from one public hospital in southern Iran. The subjects were recruited using census sampling methods in 2019–2020. Sampling was performed before (n = 266) and during the COVID-19 (n = 242) with a 1-year interval. Although, the study setting was the same before and during the COVID-19, questionnaires were completed by different nurses before and during the COVID-19. Demographic questionnaire, professional quality of life (ProQOL) questionnaire and Occupational Hardiness Questionnaire were used to collect data.

Results

The scores of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and hardiness did not differ significantly during the COVID-19 compared with before the COVID-19 (p > 0.05). Before COVID-19, hardiness and work experience predicted 11% of the variance of compassion satisfaction, whereas during COVID-19, hardiness and gender predicted 26% of the variance of compassion satisfaction. Before COVID-19, hardiness and work experience predicted 3% of the variance of compassion fatigue, whereas during COVID-19, hardiness, type of employment and gender predicted 6% of the variance of compassion fatigue.

Conclusion

The current study found that compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and hardiness did not change during the COVID-19 outbreak compared with before the COVID-19 outbreak. However, during the COVID-19, the hardiness was a significant predictor of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. The study results showed that it was possible to increase the compassion satisfaction and reduce the compassion fatigue by strengthening the hardiness of nurses. However, these results need to be considered in future studies, especially in crises such as COVID-19 disease.
How Language and Human Altruism Evolved Hand in Hand — The Backchannel Hypothesis
Authors: von Heiseler Till Nikolaus
Published: February 2022

This paper contributes to two debates: the debate about language evolution and the debate about the foundations of human collaboration. While both cooperation and language may give the impression of being adaptations that evolved for the “good of the group,” it is well established that the evolution of complex traits cannot be adirectresult of group selection. In this paper I suggest how this tension can be solved: both language and cooperation evolved in a unique two-level evolutionary system which was triggered by a well-documented geological event—the drying out of the climate—in East Africa, which subsequently reduced the intermating between groups and thus made it possible that the mechanism that produced differences between groups (including social forms of selection such as female choice) could be the target of natural selection on the group level. If a social form of selection (e.g., sexual selection) produced differences in fitness between groups, the displacement process between groups would indirectly select those forms of social selection that produce groups that would displace all others. The main hypothesis presented in this paper is that, in this situation, a backchannel between the two levels of selection naturally evolves. A backchannel between the two levels would, for example, emerge when sexual selection (or any other form of social selection) was sensitive to the individual’s contribution to the group. Examples of systems utilizing a backchannel are nerve cells being better nourished when used more frequently, enabling them to be conducive to the survival of the whole organism, or a law firm in which all employees get paid to the extent that they contribute to the survival and success of the firm. In both cases, the selection on the higher level informs the selection on the lower level. The aim of the paper is to illuminate these rather opaque claims, to which the reader probably has many objections in this abridged form.
The Relationship Between EFL Learners' Communication Apprehension, Self-Efficacy, and Emotional Intelligence
Authors: Cong Wenjun , Li Pengcheng
Published: February 2022

There is ample evidence that the success or failure of language learning is influenced by psychological processes in learners' minds. This review attempted to review the related studies on the relationship between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' emotional intelligence, communication apprehension, and self-efficacy. Few studies have been done on the correlation between self-efficacy and emotional intelligence. A positive significant correlation between emotional intelligence and self-efficacy has been confirmed in the literature. Studies have shown that interpersonal relationships, self-awareness, problem-solving skills, self-adequacy, self-confidence, self-actualization, and stress tolerance can act as mediator variables in the correlation between self-efficacy and emotional intelligence among EFL learners. Moreover, the related studies have shown that emotional intelligence is significantly correlated with communication apprehension. The investigations have accentuated the mediating role of learners' willingness to communicate and academic achievement in the correlation between emotional intelligence and communication apprehension. The correlation between communication apprehension and self-efficacy has been verified in the related literature. Finally, the pedagogical implications are expanded to foster language learning quality. This review also provides some suggestions for further research to elucidate our viewpoints over emotional variables and their interactions with each other.
Determinants of Quality of Life and Treatment Satisfaction During Long-Term Involuntary In-patient Treatment of Dual-Diagnosis Patients
Authors: Van Kranenburg Grieke D. , Diekman Wout J. , Van den Brink Rob H. S. , Mulder Wijnand G. , Pijnenborg G. H. M. , Mulder C. L.
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Treatment resistance and disengagement from mental health services are major obstacles in the treatment of dual diagnosis patients with Severe Mental Illness. The patients in this study were admitted to a long-term involuntary treatment facility.

Aim of the study

To study which patient experiences and perceptions are related to the outcome measures Subjective Quality of Life (SQOL) and Treatment Satisfaction (TS) during the long-term involuntary treatment.

Methods

Patients were invited for an interview by an independent researcher, which included self-report questionnaires. The structured interviews included self-assessing Helping Alliance, Insight, Attitude toward involuntary admission, Perceived coercion and Perceived benefit were studied as determinants of SQOL and TS. The relationship between the determinants and the outcomes were analyzed by linear regression analysis.

Results

Patient reported outcomes from dual diagnosis patients in a long-term treatment facility, showed that most of the patients, in spite of the involuntary character of the treatment, were satisfied with the treatment. With respect to the determinants of SQOL and TS the perceptions that “My opinion is taken into account” and “Perceived benefits of the treatment” are strong predictors of both the outcomes.

Conclusions

The current study shows that the most important aspects for treatment satisfaction and quality of life of dual-diagnosis patients admitted involuntary to long-term treatment, are being listened to (being taken seriously) and experiencing improvements during treatment. These qualities reflect the goals of Shared Decision Making and Perceived Procedural Justice in treatment. The study also corroborates earlier findings that even when treated involuntarily, patients might not hold particular negative views regarding their treatment.
Aging Well for Indigenous Peoples: A Scoping Review
Authors: Quigley Rachel , Russell Sarah G. , Larkins Sarah , Taylor Sean , Sagigi Betty , Strivens Edward , Redman-MacLaren Michelle
Published: February 2022

As life expectancy increases for Indigenous populations, so does the number of older adults with complex, chronic health conditions and age-related geriatric syndromes. Many of these conditions are associated with modifiable lifestyle factors that, if addressed, may improve the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples as they age. If models of healthy aging are to be promoted within health services, a clearer understanding of what aging well means for Indigenous peoples is needed. Indigenous peoples hold a holistic worldview of health and aging that likely differs from Western models. The aims of this review were to: investigate the literature that exists and where the gaps are, on aging well for Indigenous peoples; assess the quality of the existing literature on Indigenous aging; identify the domains of aging well for Indigenous peoples; and identify the enablers and barriers to aging well for Indigenous peoples. A systematic search of online databases, book chapters, gray literature, and websites identified 32 eligible publications on Indigenous aging. Reflexive thematic analysis identified four major themes on aging well: (1) achieving holistic health and wellbeing; (2) maintaining connections; (3) revealing resilience, humor, and a positive attitude; and (4) facing the challenges. Findings revealed that aging well is a holistic concept enabled by spiritual, physical, and mental wellbeing and where reliance on connections to person, place, and culture is central. Participants who demonstrated aging well took personal responsibility, adapted to change, took a positive attitude to life, and showed resilience. Conversely, barriers to aging well arose from the social determinants of health such as lack of access to housing, transport, and adequate nutrition. Furthermore, the impacts of colonization such as loss of language and culture and ongoing grief and trauma all challenged the ability to age well. Knowing what aging well means for Indigenous communities can facilitate health services to provide culturally appropriate and effective care.
The Challenges of Working in the Heat Whilst Pregnant: Insights From Gambian Women Farmers in the Face of Climate Change
Authors: Spencer Shantelle , Samateh Tida , Wabnitz Katharina , Mayhew Susannah , Allen Haddijatou , Bonell Ana
Published: February 2022

Background

The expected increase in heat in The Gambia is one of the most significant health threats caused by climate change. However, little is known about the gendered dynamics of exposure and response to heat stress, including women's perceived health risks, their adaptation strategies to heat, and their perceptions of climate change. This research project aims to answer the question of whether and how pregnant farmers in The Gambia perceive and act upon occupational heat stress and its health impacts on both themselves and their unborn children, against the backdrop of current and expected climatic changes.

Method

In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 women who practice subsistence farming and were either pregnant or had delivered within the past month in West Kiang, The Gambia. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Translated interview transcripts were coded and qualitative thematic content analysis with an intersectional lens was used to arrive at the results.

Results

All women who participated in the study experience significant heat stress while working outdoors during pregnancy, with symptoms often including headache, dizziness, nausea, and chills. The most common adaptive techniques included resting in the shade while working, completing their work in multiple shorter time increments, taking medicine to reduce symptoms like headache, using water to cool down, and reducing the amount of area they cultivate. Layered identities, experiences, and household power structures related to age, migration, marital situation, socioeconomic status, and supportive social relationships shaped the extent to which women were able to prevent and reduce the effects of heat exposure during their work whilst pregnant. Women who participated in this study demonstrated high awareness of climate change and offered important insights into potential values, priorities, and mechanisms to enable effective adaptation.

Conclusion

Our findings reveal many intersecting social and economic factors that shape the space within which women can make decisions and take adaptive action to reduce the impact of heat during their pregnancy. To improve the health of pregnant working women exposed to heat, these intersectionalities must be considered when supporting women to adapt their working practices and cope with heat stress.
Pulling Off Stable Economic System Adhering Carbon Emissions, Urban Development and Sustainable Development Values
Authors: Cai Cen , Qiu Ran , Tu Yongqian
Published: February 2022

In today's world, sustainability has become a major concern. The current study attempts to look into the impact of six sustainable development values on economic growth and emissions of carbon footprints: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature, and shared mobility. The moderating importance of urban development in regulating the relationship of economic growth and carbon footprints has also been investigated in this study. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis technique was utilized to confirm pathways and verify path modeling in this work. Overall, 302 responses were selected for data analysis, and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire with a random sampling technique. The study found that two of the six sustainable development values (tolerance and solidarity) have a beneficial impact on a country's economic growth. However, freedom, equality, respect for nature, and shared mobility are not indicators of a country's economic progress. Similarly, economic expansion helps to mediate the relationship between tolerance, solidarity, and carbon emissions. Although urban growth did not play a moderating role, it has a positive impact on carbon emissions. The current study suggests various implications for long-term development to improve an economy's or country's economic performance. Furthermore, complete emphasis must be paid to sustainable development values, which are more closely linked to economic growth but also help cut carbon emissions. Future research should look into the current model in other countries.
Semantic Integration of Multi-Modal Data and Derived Neuroimaging Results Using the Platform for Imaging in Precision Medicine (PRISM) in the Arkansas Imaging Enterprise System (ARIES)
Authors: Bona Jonathan , Kemp Aaron S. , Cox Carli , Nolan Tracy S. , Pillai Lakshmi , Das Aparna , Galvin James E. , Larson-Prior Linda , Virmani Tuhin , Prior Fred
Published: February 2022

Neuroimaging is among the most active research domains for the creation and management of open-access data repositories. Notably lacking from most data repositories are integrated capabilities for semantic representation. The Arkansas Imaging Enterprise System (ARIES) is a research data management system which features integrated capabilities to support semantic representations of multi-modal data from disparate sources (imaging, behavioral, or cognitive assessments), across common image-processing stages (preprocessing steps, segmentation schemes, analytic pipelines), as well as derived results (publishable findings). These unique capabilities ensure greater reproducibility of scientific findings across large-scale research projects. The current investigation was conducted with three collaborating teams who are using ARIES in a project focusing on neurodegeneration. Datasets included magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data as well as non-imaging data obtained from a variety of assessments designed to measure neurocognitive functions (performance scores on neuropsychological tests). We integrate and manage these data with semantic representations based on axiomatically rich biomedical ontologies. These instantiate a knowledge graph that combines the data from the study cohorts into a shared semantic representation that explicitly accounts for relations among the entities that the data are about. This knowledge graph is stored in a triple-store database that supports reasoning over and querying these integrated data. Semantic integration of the non-imaging data using background information encoded in biomedical domain ontologies has served as a key feature-engineering step, allowing us to combine disparate data and apply analyses to explore associations, for instance, between hippocampal volumes and measures of cognitive functions derived from various assessment instruments.
Developing Malawi's Universal Health Coverage Index
Authors: Mchenga Martina , Manthalu Gerald , Chingwanda Atamandike , Chirwa Emily
Published: February 2022

The inclusion of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the Sustainable Development Goals (target 3.8) cemented its position as a key global health priority and highlighted the need to measure it, and to track progress over time. In this study, we aimed to develop a summary measure of UHC for Malawi which will act as a baseline for tracking UHC index between 2020 and 2030. We developed a summary index for UHC by computing the geometric mean of indicators for the two dimensions of UHC; service coverage (SC) and financial risk protection (FRP). The indicators included for both the SC and FRP were based on the Government of Malawi's essential health package (EHP) and data availability. The SC indicator was computed as the geometric mean of preventive and treatment indicators, whereas the FRP indicator was computed as a geometric mean of the incidence of catastrophic healthcare expenditure, and the impoverishing effect of healthcare payments indicators. Data were obtained from various sources including the 2015/2016 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS); the 2016/2017 fourth integrated household survey (IHS4); 2018/2019 Malawi Harmonized Health Facility Assessment (HHFA); the MoH HIV and TB data, and the WHO. We also conducted various combinations of input indicators and weights as part of sensitivity analysis to validate the results. The overall summary measure of UHC index was 69.68% after adjusting for inequality and unadjusted measure was 75.03%. As regards the two UHC components, the inequality adjusted summary indicator for SC was estimated to be 51.59% and unadjusted measure was 57.77%, whereas the inequality adjusted summary indicator for FRP was 94.10% and unweighted 97.45%. Overall, with the UHC index of 69.68%, Malawi is doing relatively well in comparison to other low income countries, however, significant gaps and inequalities still exist in Malawi's quest to achieve UHC especially in the SC indicators. It is imperative that targeted health financing and other health sector reforms are made to achieve this goal. Such reforms should be focused on both SC and FRP rather than on only either, of the dimensions of UHC.
Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing for Diagnosing Infections in Lung Transplant Recipients: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Ju Chun-Rong , Lian Qiao-Yan , Guan Wei-Jie , Chen Ao , Zhang Jian-Heng , Xu Xin , Chen Rong-Chang , Li Shi-Yue , He Jian-Xing
Published: February 2022

Background:Accurate identification of pathogens is essential for the diagnosis and control of infections. We aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and conventional detection methods (CDM) in lung transplant recipients (LTRs).

Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 107 LTRs with suspected infection of pulmonary, blood, central nervous system or chest wall between March 2018 and November 2020. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and other body fluids were subject to pathogen detection by both mNGS and CDM.

Results:Of the 163 specimens, 84 (51.5%) tested positive for both mNGS and culture, 19 (11.7%) of which were completely consistent, 44 (27.0%) were partially congruent, and 21 (12.9%) were discordant (kappa = .215;p= .001). Compared with CDM, mNGS detected a higher diversity of pathogens. Moreover, the turn-around time was significantly shorter for mNGS compared with culture (2.7 ± .4 vs. 5.5 ± 1.6 days,p< .001). As an auxiliary method, treatment strategies were adjusted according to mNGS findings in 31 cases (29.0%), including eight patients with non-infectious diseases, who were finally cured.

Conclusion:mNGS can identify pathogens with a shorter turn-around time and therefore provide a more accurate and timely diagnostic information to ascertaining pulmonary infections. mNGS might have a role in differentiating infectious from non-infectious lung diseases in LTRs.
Improved Scheduling Algorithm for Synchronous Data Flow Graphs on a Homogeneous Multi-Core Systems
Authors: Wang Lei , Wang Chenguang , Wang Huabing
Published: February 2022

In order to accelerate the execution of streaming applications on multi-core systems, this article studies the scheduling problem of synchronous data flow graphs (SDFG) on homogeneous multi-core systems. To describe the data flow computation process, we propose the SDAG (Super DAG) computation model based on the DAG model combined with data-driven thoughts. Further, we analyze the current common SDFG scheduling algorithms and propose an improved SDFG scheduling algorithm, LSEFT (level-shortest-first-earliest-finish time). The LSEFT algorithm uses an inverse traversal algorithm to calculate the priority of tasks in the task-selection phase; the shortest-job-priority earliest-finish-time policy is used in the processor selection phase to replace the original long job priority policy. In the experimental part, we designed an SDFG random generator and generated 958 SDFGs with the help of the random generator as test cases to verify the scheduling algorithm. The experimental results show that our improved algorithm performs well for different numbers of processor cores, especially for 8 cores, where the speedup of our improved algorithm improves by 10.17% on average.
Vehicle Positioning and Navigation in Asynchronous Navigation System
Authors: Zhao Xinyang , Zhu Bocheng
Published: February 2022

A Pseudo-satellite system that transmits signals similar to GNSS can provide positioning services in places where GNSS signals are not captured and have enormous potential for indoor machine system and airports. Different paths of the device have different carrier phase initial solution positioning accuracy. Existing methods rely on measuring instruments or use many coordinate points for solving ambiguity resolution (AR), which creates inconvenience for real-time ground positioning. This study aims to find a new on-the-fly (OTF) method to achieve high accuracy and convenient positioning. A new method is proposed based on a two-difference observation model for ground-based high-precision point positioning. We used an adaptive particle swarm algorithm to solve the initial solution, followed by a nonlinear least-squares method to optimize the localization solution. It is free of priori information or measuring instruments. We designed several different paths, such as circular trajectory and square trajectory, to study the positioning accuracy of the solution. Simulation experiments with different trajectories showed that geometric changes significantly impact solutions. In addition, it does not require precise time synchronization of the base stations, making the whole system much easier to deploy. We built a real-world pseudo-satellite system and used a multi-sensor crewless vehicle as a receiver. Real-world experiments showed that our approach could achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy in applications.
Numerical Investigation and Parameter Sensitivity Analysis on Flow and Heat Transfer Performance of Jet Array Impingement Cooling in a Quasi-Leading-Edge Channel
Authors: Xi Lei , Gao Jianmin , Xu Liang , Zhao Zhen , Ruan Qicheng , Li Yunlong
Published: February 2022

In this study, numerical simulations were carried out to investigate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of jet array impingement cooling in the quasi-leading-edge channel of gas turbine blades. The influence laws of Reynolds number (Re, 10,000 to 50,000), hole diameter-to-impingement spacing ratio (d/H, 0.5 to 0.9), hole spacing-to-impingement spacing ratio (S/H, 2 to 6), and Prandtl number (Pr, 0.690 to 0.968) on flow performance, heat transfer performance, and comprehensive thermal performance were examined, and the corresponding empirical correlations were fitted. The results show that increasing the d/H and reducing the S/H can effectively reduce the pressure loss coefficient in the quasi-leading-edge channel. Increasing the Re, reducing the d/H, and increasing the S/H can effectively enhance the heat transfer effect of the target wall. When d/H = 0.6 at lower Reynolds numbers and S/H = 5 at higher Reynolds numbers, the comprehensive thermodynamic coefficient reaches its maximum values. The average Nusselt numbers and comprehensive thermal coefficients of the quasi-leading-edge channel for steam cooling are both higher than those for air cooling. The pressure loss coefficient of the quasi-leading-edge channel is most sensitive to the change in d/H but is not sensitive to the change in Re. The average Nusselt number of the quasi-leading-edge channel is most sensitive to the change in Re and is least sensitive to the change in Pr. The comprehensive thermal coefficient of the quasi-leading-edge channel is most sensitive to the change in Re. The findings may provide a reference for the design of a steam-cooling structure in the leading edge channel of high-temperature turbine blades.