bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of immunosuppressive therapy on ocular blood flow in initial‐onset acute uveitis associated with Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease
Authors: Abu El‐Asrar Ahmed M. , Alsarhani Waleed , Alzubaidi Abdullah , Gikandi Priscilla W.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To investigate the effect of immunosuppressive therapy on blood flow and waveform parameters in the choroid and optic nerve head (ONH) in patients with initial‐onset acute uveitis associated with Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease.

Methods

In this prospective study, 18 patients (36 eyes) were studied. Laser speckle flowgraphy was performed at baseline and at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after treatment. We analysed longitudinal changes in mean blur rate (MBR), blow‐out time, blow‐out score (BOS), acceleration time index (ATI), flow acceleration index (FAI), resistivity index (RI) and blood flow fluctuation.

Results

After immunosuppressive therapy, MBR, representing blood flow velocity, in the choroid and ONH significantly increased at each post‐treatment time point compared to baseline values. Among the analysed pulse waveform parameters, BOS significantly increased, while RI and fluctuation significantly decreased. Increased BOS and decreased RI indicate decreased vascular resistance following treatment. There was a strong negative correlation between BOS and RI. Additionally, FAI increased in the choroid and ATI increased in ONH.

Conclusions

Immunosuppressive therapy in the acute uveitic phase of VKH disease improved inflammation‐related impairment in choroidal and ONH blood flow.
Human and social capital accumulation within research infrastructures: The case of CERN
Authors: Catalano Gelsomina , Giffoni Francesco , Morretta Valentina
Published: March 2021

The contribution to human and social capital accumulation is one of the most important socio‐economic benefits of public investment in Research Infrastructures. Sure enough, these large scientific enterprises are exceptional incubators of human and social capital, especially for early‐career researchers who have the opportunity to gain new skills and expand their network of contacts in highly prestigious and challenging workplaces. This paper explores the contribution of spending a period of study and/or work at the Large Hadron Collider of CERN to the expected future lifelong salary of early‐career researchers. Previous studies are here extended by using three sources of data: primary data collected through a survey to CERN Alumni, a survey to team leaders who supervised early‐career researchers at CERN, and secondary data salary information. Findings show that an experience‐based learning process at CERN is instrumental in developing skills that are needed by the economy and reveal an expected salary premium between 5% and 11%. Such human capital effect seems more important than a pure networking and reputational effect.
Staple‐transection of the dorsal venous complex and urethra in cooperative laparoscopic and transperineal endoscopic total pelvic exenteration for pelvic malignancies
Authors: Mukai Toshiki , Nagasaki Toshiya , Akiyoshi Takashi , Yamaguchi Tomohiro , Hiyoshi Yukiharu , Nagayama Satoshi , Fukunaga Yosuke
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Herein, we describe our novel technique for transecting the dorsal venous complex (DVC) and urethra using a linear stapler inserted through a perineal port during endoscopic pelvic exenteration for pelvic malignancies.

Materials and Surgical Technique

First, a laparoscopic approach is made using a conventional 5‐trocar pneumoperitoneum technique. When the Retzius and paravesical spaces are dissected to expose the tendinous arch of the levator ani muscle, the transperineal approach is synchronously begun. After the levator ani muscle and bilateral puboprostatic ligaments are dissected, the DVC and urethra are completely exposed. A linear stapler is inserted through the transperineal port along the dorsal side of the pubic body. The DVC and urethra are carefully compressed and transected with minimal bleeding. We describe four cases of laparoscopic total pelvic exenteration using this technique. Tumor size, operation time, and estimated blood loss ranged from 30–130 mm, 535–877 minutes, and 50–1520 mL, respectively.

Discussion

Transperineal dissection of the DVC and urethra by linear staplers decreases both operation time and blood loss.
Children's perspectives and experiences of health, diet, physical activity and weight in an urban, multi‐ethnic UK population: A qualitative study
Authors: Murphy Marie , Boardman Felicity , Robertson Wendy , Johnson Rebecca
Published: March 2021

Background

Children from Black and South Asian ethnic groups are at risk for childhood obesity in the United Kingdom. To inform local action for childhood obesity prevention, it is crucial to explore the basis of ethnic disparities and consider the perspectives of children. This study aimed to understand cultural and contextual factors influencing childhood obesity in an ethnically diverse population using child‐centred methodology.

Methods

‘Draw, write and tell’ interviews were held with children aged 9–10 years in Coventry, an urban, multi‐ethnic city in the United Kingdom. Data were analysed thematically using framework analysis.

Results

Twenty‐six children participated (85% from Black or minority ethnic groups). Children's perspectives revealed universal themes around health, diet, physical activity and weight and highlighted issues specific to ethnic groups and those living in deprived areas. An underlying feature was weight‐based stigmatization and group stereotyping, and an emphasis on internal factors as the cause of obesity. Children described some experiences of social disadvantage but did not regard these as a barrier to being physically active. Children identified cultural or religious practices or experiences of migration that influenced diet and physical activity.

Conclusions

These findings allow a broad range of children's perspectives to inform future intervention design. In addition, the study was able to identify the many similarities and small amount of diversity in children's perspectives across ethnic groups.
Contextual determinants for use of dental services according to different healthcare financing systems: Andersen's model
Authors: Pilotto Luciane Maria , Celeste Roger Keller
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To explore contextual factors associated with overall dental service use, and investigate whether these factors influenced choice of the type of service according to the healthcare financing alternatives (public services; out‐of‐pocket services; and private health insurance), by adults and older individuals, based on the most recent Andersen's behavioural model.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study with individual data on 17,305 adults from 177 Brazilian municipalities in the National Oral Health Survey (SBBrasil 2010). Municipal‐level information was obtained from health information systems and census data. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression was carried out for multivariable analysis.

Results

In the previous year, 38.2% of the individuals visited the dentist; of which 21.4% used out‐of‐pocket spending, 11.6% used public services and 5.2% private dental insurance. Municipalities with population coverage of public primary dental care >80% had higher chances of using public services (OR = 1.28, 95%CI:1.00‐1.64) than those with ≤60%, but lower chances of using private insurance (OR = 0.56, 95%CI:0.38‐0.83). Municipalities with population coverage of private dental insurance > 5% had lower chances of using public services (OR = 0.62, 95%CI:0.47‐0.81) than those with <1% coverage, and greater chances of using private insurance (OR = 4.33, CI:95% 2.02‐9.29). These factors were not associated with out‐of‐pocket dental services.

Conclusions

Municipal coverage of dental services is associated with dental care use, and this is different according to the type of financing system (public or private), as they may change the individual's choice of service. A large public healthcare system may increase public service use for those with reduced access and decrease private service use.
Sensitization to peanut, egg or pets is associated with skin barrier dysfunction in children with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Sherenian Michael G. , Kothari Arjun , Biagini Jocelyn M. , Kroner John W. , Baatyrbek kyzy Asel , Johannson Elisabet , Atluri Gowtham , He Hua , Martin Lisa J. , Khurana Hershey Gurjit K.
Published: March 2021

Background

Children with atopic dermatitis (AD) are often sensitized to food and aeroallergens, but sensitization patterns have not been analysed with biologic measures of disease pathogenicity.

Objective

We sought to define allergen sensitization grouping(s) using unbiased machine learning and determine their associations with skin filaggrin (FLG) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) (assesses skin barrier integrity),S100A8andS100A9expression (assesses skin inflammation) and AD severity.

Methods

We studied 400 children with AD in the Mechanisms of Progression from Atopic Dermatitis to Asthma in Children (MPAACH) cohort to identify groupings of food and aeroallergen sensitizations. MPAACH is a paediatric AD cohort, aged 1–2, recruited through hospital/community settings between 2016 and 2018. We analysed these groupings' associations with AD biomarkers: skinFLG,S100A8andS100A9expression, total IgE, TEWL and AD severity.

Results

An unbiased machine learning approach revealed five allergen clusters. The most common cluster (N = 131), SPTPEP,had sensitization to peanut, egg and/or pets. Three low prevalence clusters, which included children with allergen sensitization other than peanut, egg or pets, were combined into SPTOther. SPTNEGincluded children with no sensitization(s). SPTPEPchildren had higher median non‐lesional TEWL (16.9 g/m2/h) and IgE (90 kU/L) compared with SPTOTHER(8.8 g/m2/h and 24 kU/L;p = .01 andp < .001) and SPTNEG(9 g/m2/h and 26 kU/L;p = .003 andp < .001). SPTPEPchildren had lower median lesional (0.70) and non‐lesional (1.09)FLGexpression compared with SPTOTHER(lesional: 0.9;p = .047, non‐lesional: 1.78;p = .01) and SPTNEG(lesional: 1.47;p < .001, non‐lesional: 2.21;p < .001). There were no differences among groupings inS100A8orS100A9expression.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

In this largely clinic‐based cohort of young children with AD, allergic sensitization to peanut, egg, cat or dog was associated with more severe disease and skin barrier function but not markers of cutaneous inflammation. These data need replicating in a population‐based cohort but may have important implications for understanding the interaction between AD and allergic sensitization.
Multidisciplinary team obviates biopsy in most patients with diffuse parenchymal lung diseases—A retrospective study from India
Authors: Murali Mohan Bangalore Venkataraman , Tousheed Syed Zulkharnain , Manjunath Poojaramuddanahally Hanumantharayappa , Ravichandra Malapaka Ramakrishna , Ranganatha Ramanjaneya , Annapandian Vellaichamy M. , Kumar M. Hemanth , Sagar Chandrasekar
Published: March 2021

Introduction

The inflammation and fibrosis in diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) in varied proportions give rise to different patterns in radiology and histopathology. The radiological pattern on CT of the thorax most often allows us to make a diagnosis with varying levels of confidence, to optimize management. With a multidisciplinary team bringing the strengths of their individual domains of knowledge, clinical, radiological, histopathological, and in many cases rheumatological, the level of confidence in making this diagnosis increases, often to the stage where the diagnosis is most often right, is concordant with the diagnosis achieved at histopathology and therefore obviates the need for lung biopsy which carries its own costs and risks of complications. Our study emphasizes the role of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in the management of DPLDs at a tertiary care referral center.

Materials and Methods

Every case of DPLD presenting to our pulmonology department was discussed in an MDT meeting before subjecting them to any diagnostic intervention or therapy. A clinico‐radiological diagnosis was made according to the 2002 ATS/ERS guidelines initially. Later an official ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT statement on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a 2013 ATS/ERS consensus for the classification and diagnosis of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia was used. The concordance in our study was defined as the percentage of histopathological diagnoses that were identical to the clinico‐radiological MDT diagnosis prior to the biopsy.

Results

A total of 434 patients with DPLDs were evaluated. The MDT suggested biopsy for only 38.7% (168/434) patients since the pattern was very clear in 266 (61.3%) cases. As not all patients consented to undergo the biopsy procedure when recommended, histopathology was obtained in 102 patients. The histological diagnosis was concordant with the initial MDT diagnosis in 80.3% (82/102) of samples. On an individual basis, connective tissue disease‐interstitial lung disease and sarcoidosis showed the best concordance (87%). In idiopathic non‐specific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP) cases, the histopathological diagnosis concurred in only 53.3% (8/15), out of which 8 were NSIP, 4 were usual interstitial pneumonia, and 3 were reported as inadequate sampling on histopathology.

Conclusion

The MDT plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of DPLDs. Not every pattern requires biopsy confirmation. However, an idiopathic non‐specific interstitial pneumonitis diagnosis by the MDT should probably be better confirmed by biopsy.
Cultural notes on the development of optical endoscopic diagnostic patterns in Japan and the West
Authors: Voiosu Andrei M. , Puşcaşu Claudia , Hamanaka Jun , Voiosu Theodor A.
Published: March 2021

This Editorial refers to the article by A. Ebigbo et al., p 587‐591 of this issue.
An internationalised Europe and regionally focused Americas: A network analysis of higher education studies
Authors: Akbaritabar Aliakbar , Barbato Giovanni
Published: March 2021

The study on which this article reports investigated the internationalisation of higher education studies by examining collaborations in the form of international co‐authorships. We analyse how network‐based mechanisms, related to structural relationship between authors (preferential attachment, i.e., higher tendency to collaborate among the most productive ones) and node level features (homophily, i.e., tendency to collaborate with similar others), affect higher education co‐authorship networks. We build a bipartite co‐authorship network based on 17,262 publications from 33 specialised higher education journals indexed in Scopus from 1996–2018. Scientific collaboration in higher education mainly occurs within national borders. We found that higher education is not an internationally oriented field of research, with around 90% single‐country publications. A geographical divide was observed between the two largest communities (Europe, Asia and Oceania vs. the Americas) which was also reflected in the research themes addressed by these communities, structured around the known divide between (1) learning and teaching, and (2) policy‐based studies. Preferential attachment was observed to be a network‐based mechanism that contributes to drive the formation of new co‐authorships. Similarly, homophily based on academic seniority and research productivity emerged as a significant explanatory mechanism. We present a methodology for disambiguating the names of higher education institutions. We demonstrate an associated effect on co‐authorship networks. Our research and analysis support the effectiveness of the proposed method.
What is the societal economic cost of poor oral health among older adults in the United States? A scoping review
Authors: Huang Shulamite S. , Veitz‐Keenan Analia , McGowan Richard , Niederman Richard
Published: March 2021

Objective

To assess the state of the literature in the United States quantifying the societal economic cost of poor oral health among older adults.

Background

Proponents of a Medicare dental benefit have argued that addressing the growing need for dental care among the US older adult population will decrease costs from systemic disease and other economic costs due to oral disease. However, it is unclear what the current economic burden of poor oral health among older adults is in the United States.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review examining the cost of poor oral health among older adults and identified cost components that were included in relevant studies.

Results

Other than oral cancer, no studies were found examining the economic costs of poor oral health among older adults (untreated tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss and chronic disease/s). Only two studies examining the costs of oral cancer were found, but these studies did not assess the full economic cost of oral cancer from patient, insurer and societal perspectives.

Conclusions

Future work is needed to assess the full economic burden of poor oral health among older adults in the United States, and should leverage novel linkages between medical claims data, dental claims data and oral health outcomes data.
How do older age, gender and risk groups affect protective behaviours and mental health in the COVID‐19 pandemic?
Authors: Gamsızkan Zerrin , Sungur Mehmet Ali , Erdemir Gökhan
Published: March 2021

Background

COVID‐19 infection is severe in the presence of older age, male gender and risk factors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the level of anxiety created by immensely spreading COVID‐19‐related information and age, gender and the presence of risk factors.

Material and Methods

The data used in this study were obtained by collecting a 25‐question questionnaire created through Google forms with various communication tools.

Results

The data of 929 people who answered the questionnaire were used. The level of anxiety increased with age significantly, upon hearing that a person from their age group was harmed by the virus (P < .001). The feelings of being depressed and hopeless significantly increased as the age increased (P < .001). There was no significant difference between the genders in terms of feeling depressed and feeling of lack of joy in life (P = .066, P = .308, respectively). Participants with chronic diseases stated that they felt more depressed and hopeless and a lack of joy in life more frequently (P < .001).

Conclusion

Our results indicated that individuals with older age and having risk factors were more vulnerable to the stress caused by the pandemic. It is necessary for healthcare providers to identify high‐risk groups by considering these situations, in order to make early psychological interventions.
From pirates to subscribers: 20 years of music consumption research
Authors: Montoro‐Pons Juan D. , Caballer‐Tarazona María , Cuadrado‐García Manuel
Published: March 2021

The last two decades have witnessed an increasing scholarly interest on music consumption. This interest can be explained, at least partly, to the relevance of music as a form of cultural consumption and the profound changes the sector has undergone. This paper performs a bibliometric analysis of the literature on music consumption research. In doing so, a database comprising 455 academic documents on the fields of business, economics, and management, was reviewed following a systematic procedure. Through it we identify the intellectual roots and the methodological evolution of the field. Furthermore, text mining was applied to analyse the themes included in the research agenda and their evolution. As a result, potential topics, approaches, and methods for future music consumption research are proposed.
A consumer culture theory perspective of the marketplace: An integrative review and agenda for research
Authors: Hungara Ana , Nobre Helena
Published: March 2021

In the last decades, the focus of studies on consumer behavior has changed from the individual to the group. Classical theories based on economic utility are insufficient to understand this phenomenon. Therefore, a new theoretical and postmodern approach seems necessary. Despite the increasing popularity of consumption communities, the investigation in the field is still dispersed. This study represents one first attempt to synthesize findings on the topic, in light of the consumer culture theory (CCT) tradition. CCT provides a useful framework to understand the social, cultural, experiential, and symbolic aspects of consumption. In this paper, we perform a systematic literature review on consumption communities. We also suggest an agenda for future research on the topic, consisting of its emerging themes and a set of propositions of study.
Effect of obesity on mortality among hospitalized paediatric patients with severe sepsis
Authors: Thavamani Aravind , Umapathi Krishna Kishore , Sankararaman Senthilkumar , Roy Aparna
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Severe sepsis is one of the leading causes of mortality among children. Studies in adults have suggested a protective effect of obesity on mortality among patients hospitalized with sepsis. Paediatric studies evaluating similar relationship is lacking.

Methods

We analysed non‐overlapping years of the Kids Inpatient Database (KID) and National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database between 2003 and 2014 of all paediatric patients with severe sepsis (PSS) up to 20 years of age. PSS was defined using specific International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and modified Angus criteria. Using ICD‐9 diagnosis codes, patients were divided into three mutually exclusive groups (obesity, morbid obesity and control groups), and these groups were compared for outcomes measures including in‐hospital mortality and healthcare resource utilization using the length of stay and inflation‐adjusted hospitalization charges.

Results

We analysed 109 026 hospitalizations due to PSS. The prevalence rate of obesity was 1.5% (n = 1643), and morbid obesity was 1.05% (n = 1147). Multivariate regression models showed obesity was associated with 63% (OR 0.37, CI: 0.29–0.47, p < 0.001) and 54% reduction in mortality among PSS patients and patients with septic shock respectively. Contrastingly, morbid obesity was not associated with mortality among PSS patients and but was associated with 1.37 times (CI: 1.06–1.78, p = 0.01) increased risk of mortality among paediatric patients with septic shock.

Conclusions

Paediatric obesity is associated with reduced mortality among patients with PSS, with the exception of morbid obesity. Further prospective studies are needed to better understand the relationship between obesity and outcomes in PSS.
Fewer jobs, better jobs? An international comparative study of robots and ‘routine’ work in the public sector
Authors: Lloyd Caroline , Payne Jonathan
Published: March 2021

Routine manual work is often considered particularly vulnerable to digitalisation. Alongside potential employment effects, jobs are expected to change in terms of task and skill requirements. This article contributes to debates on the pace of digitalisation and the impact on low‐skilled manual work through a study of transport robots in public hospitals in Norway and Scotland. Drawing on qualitative research, the findings are used to analyse the role of unions, as part of ‘country’ and ‘sector’ effects, shaping digitalisation and its outcomes.
The impact of innovation attributes and the mediating effect of environmental attitudes towards environmental management practices among SMEs
Authors: Latip Malisah , Sharkawi Ismawati , Mohamed Zainalabidin
Published: March 2021

There is growing concern about the disastrous effect of the food manufacturing sector on the environment, making environmental management practices (EMPs) a potential solution that cannot be ignored. In order to deepen the knowledge related to environmental attitude and the relationship between this attitude and the intention to adopt EMPs, the owner‐managers of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), which are the primary decision‐makers in the organisation, are the best area of interest to be tested. This paper aims to investigate the influence of owner‐managers’ environmental attitude and its mediation effect, as well as the influences of attributes of innovation toward the intention to adopt EMPs. This study was conducted on 367 food manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia, and the data collected were analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings revealed that environmental attitude, relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity have significantly influenced the owner‐managers’ intention to adopt EMPs. Furthermore, the owner‐managers’ environmental attitude proved to have partial mediation effects in the structural model. The paper has significant implications as it shows the vital role of the owner‐managers’ environmental attitude, not only as a driver that nurtures the intentions of EMPs, but also as an intervening variable that mediates the relationship between the attributes of innovation and the intention to adopt EMPs.
Nurturing and quiet intervention (NeuroN‐QI) on preterm infants’ neurodevelopment and maternal stress and anxiety: A pilot randomized clinical trial protocol
Authors: Aita Marilyn , Héon Marjolaine , Lavallée Andréane , De Clifford Faugère Gwenaëlle , Altit Gabriel , Le May Sylvie , Dorval Véronique , Lippé Sarah , Larone Juneau Audrey , Remmer Elissa , Rennick Janet E.
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Primary objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the NeuroN‐QI and the study procedures. Secondary objectives are to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the NeuroN‐QI by the nurses, assess the nurses’ training needs about the components of the NeuroN‐QI, and estimate the preliminary effects of the NeuroN‐QI on infants’ neurodevelopment as well as maternal stress and anxiety at infants’ 36 weeks of gestational age.

Design

A two‐group pilot parallel randomized clinical trial stratified by center.

Methods

The pilot study will be conducted in two neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). A sample of 24 mother–infant dyads born between 26 and 316/7 gestational age will be randomized into an experimental or control group. Fifty nurses will be recruited. The NeuroN‐QI consists of four 2‐hour skin‐to‐skin contact sessions/week with a 15‐minute auditory stimulation by mothers with controlled ambient levels of light and noise. A 1‐hour quiet period will follow where infants will rest in their incubator/crib with their mother's milk for olfactory stimulation and where the light and noise control will be continued. In the control group, mother–infant dyads will do four skin‐to‐skin contacts per week and receive standard care. Acceptability and feasibility of the NeuroN‐QI in addition to maternal stress and anxiety will be measured through questionnaires, while infants’ neurodevelopment will be assessed with Assessment of Preterm Infant Behaviour and General Movement Assessment.

Conclusions

This pilot trial will address knowledge gaps and generate evidence in neonatal care by evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a multi‐component developmental care intervention.

Impact

This project is an innovative step towards optimizing the neurodevelopmental trajectory of infants in NICUs and consequently promoting their long‐term health outcomes.

Trial Registration

NCT04593095.
Understanding parapatry: How do environment and competitive interactions shape Iberian vipers’ distributions?
Authors: Chamorro Darío , Martínez‐Freiría Fernando , Real Raimundo , Muñoz Antonio‐Román
Published: March 2021

Aim

As parapatric distributions are traditionally studied by pairs of species, this study aims to evaluate the causes of the maintenance of parapatry, specifically to assess whether the case of the three viper species present in the Iberian Peninsula is mainly caused by environmental conditions, historical events, interspecific competition among them, or a combination of these factors.

Location

The Iberian Peninsula.

Taxon

Vipera aspis,V. latasteiandV. seoanei..

Methods

We applied the concept of favourability of occurrence to produce commensurate distribution units unaffected by the prevalence of different species in the Iberian Peninsula. We compared the favourability of each species individually with the favourability of occurrence of more than one species co‐occurring in their overlapping ranges, and identified the areas in which sympatric coexistence, environmental segregation and competitive exclusion are predicted to occur.

Results

The main driver of the parapatric pattern was competitive exclusion, which was mediated by gradual changes in the environmental conditions favouring each species. The para‐MediterraneanV. aspispresented fragmented favourable areas outside its range that seemed to be unoccupied due to competitive exclusion by the other vipers. The MediterraneanV. latasteiappeared to be limited by competition with the other viper species and by the environment in north‐western Iberia.V. seoaneiprevented the other two species becoming established in the north‐western quarter of the Iberian Peninsula due to its better adaption to the humid conditions in this region. Some areas of sustainable coexistence were detected, mainly in the upper reaches of the River Ebro.

Main conclusions

Each species is better adapted to particular conditions. However, the existence of ecotones forces them to occur sympatrically and compete for resources. The parapatric pattern is a result of the evolutionary history of the species and of strong competitive interactions between them, which form ‘competitive‐exclusion barriers’. However, these barriers are environmentally dependent, so changes in the environment could rapidly affect the limits of the species distribution.
Identifying environmental pathways between irritability during childhood and suicidal ideation and attempt in adolescence: findings from a 20‐year population‐based study
Authors: Forte Alberto , Orri Massimiliano , Turecki Gustavo , Galera Cedric , Pompili Maurizio , Boivin Michel , Tremblay Richard E. , Côté Sylvana M. , Geoffroy Marie‐Claude
Published: March 2021

Background

Irritable children are at increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, but the underlying environmental mechanisms accounting for these associations are largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the mediating role of peer victimization and harsh parenting in the association between childhood irritability and adolescent suicidal ideation and attempt.

Method

N = 1,483 participants from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development followed up from 5 months until 20 years of age (2018) with annual or biannual assessments. Irritability was operationalized using assessments of teacher‐reported temper tantrums and reactive aggression. Suicidal ideation and suicide attempt at ages 13, 15, 17, and 20 years were self‐reported. Peer victimization (self‐reported at age 13) and harsh parenting (mothers reported at age 13) were considered as potential mediators.

Results

We identified four trajectories of teacher‐reported irritability symptoms from 6 to 12 years: low (74.8%), rising (12.9%), declining (7.3%), and persistent (4.9%). In adjusted models, children in the persistent and rising trajectories had, respectively, 2.81‐fold (CI, 1.27–6.22) and 2.14‐fold (CI, 1.20–3.81) increased odds of suicide attempt in adolescence, but not suicidal ideation. We found that a significant proportion of the association between irritability trajectories and suicide attempt was mediated by peer victimization (33% and 35% for rising and persistent, respectively), but there was no mediation via harsh parenting.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that peer victimization may be a key mechanism explaining the increased suicide attempt risk of children presenting with persistently high or increasing irritability. Interventions to reduce peer victimization may be helpful to reduce suicide risk among irritable children.
Evaluating entrepreneurship training: How important are field experiments for estimating impacts?
Authors: Fairlie Robert W.
Published: March 2021

Governments and donors around the world spend billions of dollars subsidizing entrepreneurship training programs. Unbiased evaluation estimates are paramount to understanding whether subsidies and investments in these programs are justified. The goal of this paper is to compare nonexperimental to experimental methods for evaluating the effectiveness of entrepreneurship training programs that provide training in management, marketing, accounting, legal, and other aspects of starting and running businesses. For the comparison, I take advantage of an unprecedented setting in which experimental and nonexperimental estimates are derived from the same underlying population of study participants. The Growing America through Entrepreneurship field experiment provides a uniquely large sample allowing for a separate nonexperimental analysis using only the control group. Experimental estimates indicate null effects of entrepreneurship training on business outcomes: business ownership, sales, and employment. In contrast, nonexperimental estimates using an extremely rich set of controls, including typically unobservable characteristics, such as previous family business experience, credit problems, and personality traits, find large, positive, and statistically significant effects. The nonexperimental estimates range from 21 to 22 percentage points (pp) for business ownership, $1300–2000 for average monthly sales, and 4–6 pp for hiring any employees at 1.5‐ and 5‐year follow‐ups. Nearest‐neighbor and propensity‐score matching models using detailed individual characteristics provide similarly large, positive, and statistically significant effects of entrepreneurship training on business outcomes. The findings have implications for choosing evaluation methods of government programs and provide evidence of positive selection bias which has more general implications on the scalability of entrepreneurship training programs to broader populations.
Application of artificial neural networks for predicting parameters of commercial vacuum cooling process of baby cos lettuce
Authors: Kongwong Pratsanee , Boonyakiat Danai , Pongsirikul Israpong , Poonlarp Pichaya
Published: March 2021

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) demonstrated sensitive results in predicting final temperature and weight loss percentage of commercial vacuum cooling process. According to the results for final temperature, ANNs showed better prediction performance than multiple linear regression in all criteria, including an adjusted R‐squared (R2adj) of .932 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.579. In addition, the predicted values of weight loss percentage from ANN models were in good agreement with all experimental data (Radj2 = .82 and RMSE = 0.286). The process parameters from proper ANN model was subsequently used to investigate the effect of vacuum cooling on the qualities of baby cos lettuce during storage compared with the non‐precooled samples. The results suggested that vacuum cooling was an effective method for extending shelf life of baby cos lettuce from 9 to 16 days at 4°C. Qualities of fresh lettuce vacuum cooled using selected process parameters simulated from proper ANN model were significantly better than the non‐precooled sample during storage (p ≤ .05).

Practical Applications

Vacuum cooling widely considered the best precooling technique for horticultural produce. However, vacuum cooling also has some disadvantages including weight loss and freezing injury occurring during the vacuum cooling process, due to the setting of inapplicable parameters before the vacuum cooling process such as final pressure and holding time. Experimental study of the optimum vacuum cooling parameters for baby cos lettuce in each season (winter or summer) takes a long time and is expensive. Therefore, the present study emphasized the effects of vacuum cooling parameters setting on final temperature and weight loss percentage of baby cos lettuce. Prediction methods using artificial neural network (ANN) allow for vacuum cooling processes based on experimental research to be recommended as feasible at an industrial scale.
A rainfall threshold‐based approach to early warnings in urban data‐scarce regions: A case study of pluvial flooding in Alexandria, Egypt
Authors: Young Adele , Bhattacharya Biswa , Zevenbergen Chris
Published: March 2021

Rapidly expanding cities in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region are at risk of flooding due to heavy rainfall, insufficient drainage capacity, a lack of preparedness and insufficient data to conduct required studies. A low regret Early Warning Systems (EWS) using rainfall thresholds is proposed as a cost‐effective short‐term solution. This study aims to utilise a probabilistic approach to characterise and predict urban floods by assessing critical rainfall thresholds likely to cause flooding combined with ensemble precipitation forecast in Alexandria, Egypt. Rainfall thresholds were inferred by associating observed rainfall and historical flood information sourced from social media and newspapers. Floods were classified in a colour‐coded hazard matrix as no flood (green), minor flood (yellow), significant flood (orange), and severe flood (red). Probability of occurrence of hazard classes was derived by incorporating ensemble rainfall into the hazard matrix to jointly evaluate likelihood and hazard severity. Results from this study showed that three of four severe events analysed could have been predicted with a high likelihood up to 24 hr before. The presented approach supports decision making to issue warnings and flood control actions with limited data and is a model for other data scare regions.
CD33M inhibits microglial phagocytosis, migration and proliferation, but the Alzheimer’s disease‐protective variant CD33m stimulates phagocytosis and proliferation, and inhibits adhesion
Authors: Butler Claire Ann , Thornton Peter , Brown Guy Charles
Published: March 2021

CD33 is a Siglec (sialic acid‐binding immunoglobulin‐type lectin) receptor on microglia. Human CD33 can be alternatively spliced into two isoforms: the long isoform (CD33M) and a shorter isoform (CD33m) that lacks the sialic acid‐binding site. CD33m appears to protect against Alzheimer's disease; however, it remains unclear how. To investigate potential mechanisms by which CD33m may confer protection, we expressed the CD33m and CD33M isoforms of human CD33 in mouse BV‐2 and human CHME3 microglial cells and assessed microglia functions. In the BV‐2 cells, CD33M inhibited microglial phagocytosis of beads, synapses, debris and dead cells, while CD33m increased phagocytosis of beads, debris and cells. RNAi knockdown of the endogenous mouse CD33 increased phagocytosis and prevented CD33m's (but not CD33M’s) effect on phagocytosis. CD33M increased cell attachment but inhibited cell proliferation, while CD33m did the opposite. We also found that CD33M inhibited cell migration. In human CHME3 cells, CD33M increased cell attachment, but inhibited phagocytosis, proliferation and migration, whereas CD33m did the opposite. We conclude that CD33M inhibits microglial phagocytosis, inhibits migration and increases adhesion, while CD33m increases phagocytosis, proliferation and inhibits adhesion. Thus, CD33m might protect against Alzheimer's disease by increasing microglial proliferation, movement and phagocytosis of debris and dead cells.

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Role of vitamin D in treatment of keloid
Authors: Mamdouh Menna , Omar Ghada A. , Hafiz Hala S.A. , Ali Sally M.
Published: March 2021

Background

Keloid is a benign well‐demarcated overgrowth of fibrotic tissue which extends beyond the original boundaries of a defect. The treatment of keloids is a particular challenge to dermatologists. Intralesional corticosteroid injection has been considered the first‐line treatment for keloids. Vitamin D plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation as it slows the progression of tissue fibrosis by keloid fibroblasts and inhibits collagen synthesis in dermal fibrosis.

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of intralesional injection of vitamin D in the treatment of keloids, both clinically and ultrasonically.

Methods

Forty Egyptian patients with keloid scars were injected weekly with intralesional vitamin D with dose of 0.2 ml (200,000 IU) per 1 cm lesion. The keloid scars were evaluated with Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and by a high‐resolution ultrasound using B mode before and after treatment, the patients received 3 to 4 sessions.

Results

There was statistically highly significant reduction in VSS after treatment with intralesional vitamin D injection (p value≤0.001). There was also statistically highly significant improvement in ultrasonic keloid scar thickness after treatment (P value ≤0.001).

Conclusions

Intralesional vitamin D is an effective and safe method in treatment of keloid scars. Ultrasound is a useful method in assessing the improvement of keloids after treatment.
Biochemical effects of intraoperative cell salvage and autotransfusion during cesarean section: A prospective pilot study
Authors: Hayata Eijiro , Nakata Masahiko , Takano Mayumi , Nagasaki Sumito , Oji Ayako , Sakuma Junya , Morita Mineto
Published: March 2021

Aim

Intraoperative cell salvage and autotransfusion (ICSA) is a useful technique for women undergoing cesarean sections who are predicted to experience significant bleeding. This method can reduce allogeneic transfusions as well as its associated risks and costs. Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is an abnormal maternal response to ICSA similar to the classic systemic inflammatory response syndrome, but its mechanism is not well understood. This study was conducted to investigate the biochemical aspects of AFE.

Methods

A prospective case–controlled pilot study was conducted in a general perinatal hospital in Japan. ICSA was performed using a two‐step retransfusion process. Blood samples were collected presurgery, immediately postsurgery, and 24 h after surgery. Changes in sialyl Tn antigen (STN), complement C3 and C4, fibrinogen, and fibrin degradation product and D‐dimer, C1 esterase inhibitor, and interleukin‐8 (all considered AFE‐related markers) activities were compared between patients who underwent cesarean sections with ICSA (ICSA group) versus without ICSA (control group).

Results

Fibrinogen levels were significantly lower in the ICSA group than in the control group before surgery but not immediately after or 24 h after surgery. D‐dimer was significantly higher immediately after surgery but not 24 h later. STN was significantly lower only before surgery. None of the AFE‐related markers showed significant differences between the groups after 24 h. No adverse events were observed in the ICSA group.

Conclusions

There is no clinical evidence that ICSA alters the biochemical statuses of AFE‐related markers in a manner that could lead to adverse maternal responses.
Police procedural justice and adolescents’ internalization of the law: Integrating self‐determination theory into legal socialization research
Authors: Van Petegem Stijn , Trinkner Rick , van der Kaap‐Deeder Jolene , Antonietti Jean‐Philippe , Vansteenkiste Maarten
Published: March 2021

The procedural justice model is a common framework for understanding how and why fair procedures conveyed by legal authorities (such as police officers) shape the legal socialization process. The present contribution draws upon self‐determination theory (SDT) to advance the procedural justice model through its focus on internalization, in terms of identification and external regulation. Study 1 is a questionnaire‐based study conducted among 268 Belgian adolescents that provides initial evidence for the incremental value of the SDT‐based operationalization of internalization, above and beyond the classic operationalization (i.e., obligation to obey), for explaining why perceived procedural justice is linked to more compliance and less defiance. These results are corroborated in Study 2, which involves an experimental, vignette‐based study (N = 210) contrasting a procedurally just versus unjust situation. The discussion focuses on how SDT may inform the legal socialization literature.
Comparison of performances of loop‐mediated isothermal amplification, XPERT MTB/RIF and BACTEC MGIT in the diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis
Authors: Govindan S Achyudhananda , Yadav Rakesh , Vaidya Pankaj C , Sethi Sunil , Mehra Nancy , Das Rashmi R , Saini Aastha , Verma Indu , Singh Meenu
Published: March 2021

Aim

Key to the successful management of paediatric pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) lies in the early detection and proper treatment. We evaluated the performances of modern diagnostic tests: loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP‐IS6110), Xpert MTB/RIF (Cepheid) and mycobacteria growth indicator tube (BACTEC MGIT 960 culture) against a modified version of international consensus diagnostic definition (i.e. composite reference standard (CRS)).

Methods

A cross‐sectional analytical study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in North India from July 2016 to December 2017 involving 100 children <14 years with suspected PTB. Respiratory specimens (sputum, gastric lavage and/or bronchoalveolar lavage) were collected and subjected to LAMP‐IS6110, Xpert MTB/RIF and BACTEC MGIT 960 culture assay.

Results

Fifty‐five children had confirmed and probable TB according to the CRS (prevalence = 58.5%). The sensitivity of BACTEC MGIT 960 culture, Xpert MTB/RIF and LAMP‐IS6110 assay was 14%, 9.1% and 10.91%, respectively, when compared against the predefined CRS. The specificity for all these tests was 100%. When compared with BACTEC MGIT 960 culture as the gold standard, the LAMP‐IS6110 assay and Xpert MTB/RIF assay had the sensitivity of 85.71% (95% CI: 42.13–99.64%) and 71.43% (95% CI: 29.04–96.33%), respectively. The specificity of both assays was 100%.

Conclusions

We noted that LAMP‐IS6110 performed better than Xpert MTB/RIF (Cepheid) in terms of sensitivity when compared against BACTEC MGIT 960 culture as reference standard, though specificity of both the tests was comparable. The diagnostic performance of BACTEC MGIT 960 culture was better than LAMP‐IS6110 and Xpert MTB/RIF in paediatric PTB, when compared against CRS.
Children's eating behaviour traits and dental caries
Authors: Shqair Ayah Qassem , dos Santos Motta Janaína Vieira , da Silva Ricardo Azevedo , do Amaral Paulinia Leal , Goettems Marília Leão
Published: March 2021

Objectives

This cross‐sectional study aimed to assess eating behavior traits in children with or without dental caries.

Methods

A sample of 580 children aged 8 years enrolled in 20 public schools in the city of Pelotas, Brazil were included. Parents/caregivers provided sociodemographic information and answered the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) to assess eating behavior traits. This instrument possesses the subscales: food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, satiety responsiveness, slowness in eating, food fussiness, emotional overeating, emotional undereating, and desire to drink. To assess the presence of decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT/dmft), the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were adopted. WHO criteria were used to evaluate presence of overweight and obesity. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean score in each CEBQ subscale according to the different exposure variables. Linear regression was used to assess the association between dental caries and CEBQ subscales means.

Results

Approximately half of the children were male (51.03 percent) and 66.73 percent had low/middle socioeconomic status. The mean DMFT/dmft was 2.41, ranging from 0 to 13, and 63 percent of the children showed DMFT/dmft > 0. After adjustments for potential confounders, children with dental caries showed higher scores on the subscales desire to drink (P = 0.03), and satiety responsiveness (P = 0.04).

Conclusion

The present study showed that some aspects of eating behaviors differ in children with or without caries. Such knowledge adds to the understanding of the multifactorial etiology of caries and may help in the development of nutritional interventions to promote healthy eating behaviors, with benefits for oral health.