bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complicity at a distance: commemorating problematic involvement in perpetration in contemporary Central and Eastern European literatures
Authors: Prade-Weiss Juliane
Published: May 2022

Background: In the twenty-first century, literatures from Central and Eastern Europe are marked by a boom of documentary fiction portraying complicity Nazi perpetration, Soviet terror, or other instances of 20th century mass violence and totalitarianism. Since understanding the past serves requirements of the present, the boom prompts the question: Why the interest in past complicities now? My hypothesis is that the texts address convergences between involvements in past acts of mass violence and current forms of participation in wrongdoings in neoliberalism. While these issues differ profoundly, they are related: structurally, both present the challenge of forming a nuanced notion of participation. Historically, they are related since justifications of past involvements have established the terminology, narratives, and heuristics in which terror, repression, and mass violence are subsequently discussed, thus forming the frame for negotiating current problematic involvements.

Method: Critical discourse analysis is used to scrutinize the legal concept of complicity and combined it with close readings of passages from four literary texts to outline how attention to reciprocity in language can enhance our understanding of problematic involvement.

Results: Literary portrayals of historical complicity are ambivalent; they can help to find models for comprehending issues of the present in cultural memory, but they can also serve to establish distance between present and past to appease the sense that all is not quite well, even after the demise of Nazi and Soviet terror. The article outlines two modes of distancing: a) spacio-temporal distancing of the commemorating point of view in ‘the West’ from the portrayed violence in ‘the East’, and b) moral distancing that casts the audience as superior to complicit characters.

Conclusion: By pressing for analytic or consoling distance, both strategies of distancing amount to a complicity with the transmission of discourses that justify, excuse, or deny mass violence and totalitarian terror.
Two-photon-pumped amplified spontaneous emission from Ruddlesden-Popper perovskite flakes
Authors: Li Xiaohong , Liu Weiwei , Gao Yan , Qin Yan , Long Hua , Wang Kai , Wang Bing , Lu Peixiang
Published: May 2022

Herein, we report the two-photon pumped amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in the 2D RPPs flakes at room temperature. We prepared high-quality (BA)2(MA)n-1PbnI3n+1 (n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) flakes by mechanical exfoliating from the fabricated crystals. We show that the (BA)2(MA)n-1PbnI3n+1 flakes display a tunable two-photon pumped emission from 527 nm to 680 nm, as n increases from 1 to 5. Furthermore, we demonstrated two-photon pumped ASE from the (BA)2(MA)n-1PbnI3n+1 (n = 3, 4, 5) flakes. The two-photon pumped ASE thresholds of the RPPs are lower than lots of the other semiconductor nanostructures, indicating an excellent performance of the RPPs for two-photon pumped emission. In addition, we investigated the pump-wavelength-dependent two-photon pumped ASE behaviors of the RPPs flakes, which suggest that the near-infrared laser in a wide wavelength range can be converted into visible light by the frequency upconversion process in RPPs. This work has opened new avenues for realizing nonlinearly pumped ASE based on the RPPs, which shows great potential for the applications in wavelength-tunable frequency upconversion.
Fast autofocusing using tiny transformer networks for digital holographic microscopy
Authors: Cuenat Stéphane , Andréoli Louis , André Antoine N. , Sandoz Patrick , Laurent Guillaume J. , Couturier Raphaël , Jacquot Maxime
Published: May 2022

The numerical wavefront backpropagation principle of digital holography confers unique extended focus capabilities, without mechanical displacements along z-axis. However, the determination of the correct focusing distance is a non-trivial and time consuming issue. A deep learning (DL) solution is proposed to cast the autofocusing as a regression problem and tested over both experimental and simulated holograms. Single wavelength digital holograms were recorded by a Digital Holographic Microscope (DHM) with a 10x microscope objective from a patterned target moving in 3D over an axial range of 92 μm. Tiny DL models are proposed and compared such as a tiny Vision Transformer (TViT), tiny VGG16 (TVGG) and a tiny Swin-Transfomer (TSwinT). The proposed tiny networks are compared with their original versions (ViT/B16, VGG16 and Swin-Transformer Tiny) and the main neural networks used in digital holography such as LeNet and AlexNet. The experiments show that the predicted focusing distance

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is accurately inferred with an accuracy of 1.2 μm in average in comparison with the DHM depth of field of 15 µm. Numerical simulations show that all tiny models give the

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with an error below 0.3 µm. Such a prospect would significantly improve the current capabilities of computer vision position sensing in applications such as 3D microscopy for life sciences or micro-robotics. Moreover, all models reach an inference time on CPU, inferior to 25 ms per inference. In terms of occlusions, TViT based on its Transformer architecture is the most robust.
Digital twin of atmospheric turbulence phase screens based on deep neural networks
Authors: Jia Peng , Wang Weihua , Ning Runyu , Xue Xiaolei
Published: May 2022

The digital twin of optical systems can imitate its response to outer environments through connecting outputs from data–driven optical element models with numerical simulation methods, which could be used for system design, test and troubleshooting. Data-driven optical element models are essential blocks in digital twins. It can not only transform data obtained from sensors in real optical systems to states of optical elements in digital twins, but also simulate behaviors of optical elements with real measurements as prior conditions. For ground based optical telescopes, the digital twin of atmospheric turbulence phase screens is an important block to be developed. The digital twin of atmospheric turbulence phase screens should be able to generate phase screens with infinite length and high similarities to real measurements. In this paper, we propose a novel method to build the digital twin of atmospheric turbulence phase screens. Our method uses two deep neural networks to learn mapping functions between the space of parameters and the space of phase screens and vice versa. Meanwhile, a forecasting deep neural network is proposed to generate parameters for the next phase screen according to parameters extracted from a previous phase screen. The method proposed in this paper could be used to directly produce phase screens with infinite length and of any temporal or spatial power spectral density that follows statistical distributions of real measurements, which makes it an appropriate block in digital twins of ground based optical systems.
Magnetically-sensitive nanodiamond thin-films on glass fibers: publisher’s note
Authors: Czarnecka Paulina , Jani Mona , Sengottuvel Saravanan , Mrózek Mariusz , Dąbczyński Paweł , Filipkowski Adam , Kujawa Ireneusz , Pysz Dariusz , Gawlik Wojciech , Wojciechowski Adam M.
Published: May 2022

This publisher’s note amends the funding and acknowledgments of [Opt. Mater. Express 12(2), 444 (2022).10.1364/OME.447426].
Alcohol reduction outcomes following brief counseling among adults with HIV in Zambia: A sequential mixed methods study
Authors: Asombang Mah , Helova Anna , Chipungu Jenala , Sharma Anjali , Wandeler Gilles , Kane Jeremy C. , Turan Janet M. , Smith Helen , Vinikoor Michael J. ,   for IeDEA Southern Africa
Published: May 2022

Data from sub-Saharan Africa on the impact of alcohol on the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. In this region, it is not well understood how people with HIV (PLWHA) respond to alcohol reduction counseling while they are linked to HIV clinical care. We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study to understand patterns of alcohol use among adults (18+ years) within a prospective HIV cohort at two urban public-sector clinics in Zambia. At antiretroviral therapy (ART) start and one year later, we measured alcohol use with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) and those reporting any alcohol use were provided brief counseling. We conducted focus groups at 1 year with participants who had any alcohol use and 20 in-depth interviews among the subgroup with unhealthy use pre-ART and who either reduced or did not reduce their use by 1 year to moderate levels or abstinence. Focus group Discussions (FGDs) (n = 2) were also held with HIV clinic staff. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The data obtained from 693 participants was analyzed (median age 34 years, 45% men), it revealed that unhealthy alcohol use (AUDIT-C >3 for men; >2 for women) was reported among 280 (40.4%) at baseline and 205 (29.6%) at 1 year on ART. Reduction from unhealthy to moderate use or abstinence was more common with older age, female, non-smoking, and at Clinic B (all P<0.05). Qualitative data revealed ineffective alcohol support at clinics, social pressures in the community to consume alcohol, and unaddressed drivers of alcohol use including poverty, poor health status, depression, and HIV stigma. Healthcare workers reported a lack of training in alcohol screening and treatment, which led to mixed messages provided to patients (‘reduce to safe levels’ versus ‘abstain’). In summary, interventions to reduce unhealthy alcohol use are needed within HIV clinics in Zambia as a substantial population have persistent unhealthy use despite current HIV clinical care. A better understanding is needed regarding the implementation challenges related to screening for unhealthy alcohol use integrated with HIV services.
SARS-CoV-2 and endemic coronaviruses: Comparing symptom presentation and severity of symptomatic illness among Nicaraguan children
Authors: Frutos Aaron M. , Kubale John , Kuan Guillermina , Ojeda Sergio , Vydiswaran Nivea , Sanchez Nery , Plazaola Miguel , Patel May , Lopez Roger , Balmaseda Angel , Gordon Aubree
Published: May 2022

It has been proposed that as SARS-CoV-2 transitions to endemicity, children will represent the greatest proportion of SARS-Co-V-2 infections as they currently do with endemic coronavirus infections. While SARS-CoV-2 infection severity is low for children, it is unclear if SARS-CoV-2 infections are distinct in symptom presentation, duration, and severity from endemic coronavirus infections in children. We compared symptom risk and duration of endemic human coronavirus (HCoV) infections from 2011–2016 with SARS-CoV-2 infections from March 2020-September 2021 in a Nicaraguan pediatric cohort. Blood samples were collected from study participants annually in February-April. Respiratory samples were collected from participants that met testing criteria. Blood samples collected in were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and a subset of 2011–2016 blood samples from four-year-old children were tested for endemic HCoV antibodies. Respiratory samples were tested for each of the endemic HCoVs from 2011–2016 and for SARS-CoV-2 from 2020–2021 via rt-PCR. By April 2021, 854 (49%) cohort participants were ELISA positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Most participants had antibodies against one alpha and one beta coronavirus by age four. We observed 595 symptomatic endemic HCoV infections from 2011–2016 and 121 symptomatic with SARS-CoV-2 infections from March 2020-September 2021. Symptom presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and endemic coronavirus infections were very similar, and SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic infections were as or less severe on average than endemic HCoV infections. This suggests that, for children, SARS-CoV-2 may be just another endemic coronavirus. However, questions about the impact of variants and the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 remain.
A prospective observational study of community-acquired bacterial bloodstream infections in Metro Manila, the Philippines
Authors: Saito Nobuo , Solante Rontgene M. , Guzman Ferdinand D. , Telan Elizabeth O. , Umipig Dorcas V. , Calayo Joy P. , Frayco Carina H. , Lazaro Jezreel C. , Ribo Maricel R. , Dimapilis Alexis Q. , Dimapilis Virginia O. , Villanueva Annavi M. , Mauhay Jaira L. , Suzuki Motoi , Yasunami Michio , Koizumi Nobuo , Kitashoji Emi , Sakashita Kentaro , Yasuda Ikkoh , Nishiyama Akira , Smith Chris , Ariyoshi Koya , Parry Christopher M.
Published: May 2022

Community-acquired bacterial bloodstream infections are caused by diverse pathogens with changing antimicrobial-resistance patterns. In low-middle income countries in Southeast Asia, where dengue fever is endemic and a leading cause of fever, limited information is available about bacterial bloodstream infections due to challenges of implementing a blood culture service. This study describes bacterial bloodstream pathogens and antimicrobial-resistance patterns in Metro Manila, the Philippines. We aimed to identify the proportion of patients with a positive blood culture, the bacteria isolated and their antimicrobial resistance patterns, and the clinical characteristics of these patients, in this dengue endemic area. We conducted a prospective observational study in a single hospital enrolling febrile patients clinically suspected of having a community-acquired bacterial bloodstream infection between 1st July 2015 and 30th June 2019. Each patient had a blood culture and additional diagnostic tests according to their clinical presentation. We enrolled 1315 patients and a significant positive blood culture was found in 77 (5.9%) including Staphylococcus aureus (n = 20), Salmonella enterica Typhi (n = 18), Escherichia coli (n = 16), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 3) and Burkholderia pseudomallei (n = 2). Thirty-four patients had meningococcal disease diagnosed by culture (n = 8) or blood PCR (n = 26). Additional confirmed diagnoses included leptospirosis (n = 177), dengue virus infection (n = 159) and respiratory diphtheria (n = 50). There were 79 (6.0%, 95%CI 4.8%−7.4%) patients who died within 28 days of enrollment. Patients with a positive blood culture were significantly more likely to die than patients with negative culture (15.2% vs 4.4%, P<0.01). Among S. aureus isolates, 11/20 (55%) were methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and ST30: USA1100 was dominant sequence type (88.9%). Antimicrobial-susceptibility was well preserved in S. enterica Typhi. Among hospitalized patients with clinically suspected community-acquired bacterial bloodstream infection in Metro Manila, the Philippines, 5.9% had a blood culture confirmed infection of whom 15.6% died. S. aureus, including a significant number of MRSA (USA1100 clones), S. enterica Typhi, E.coli and Neisseria meningitidis were frequently identified pathogens.
Emergence of multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Niger: A snapshot based on whole-genome sequencing
Authors: Harouna Hamidou Zelika , Morsli Madjid , Mamadou Saidou , Drancourt Michel , Saad Jamal
Published: May 2022

Background

Among other West African countries experiencing the high endemicity of deadly tuberculosis, the situation in Niger is poorly evidenced by microbiological investigations.

Methodology/Principal findings

The study of 42 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Niger by whole genome sequencing using Illumina iSeq technology yielded four M. tuberculosis lineages: Indo-Oceanic L1 (n = 1) (2.3%), East-Asian (n = 1) (2.3%), East-African Indian L3 (n = 2) (4.7%) and Euro-American L4 (n = 38) (90.4%). The sub-lineage L4.1.3 comprising 18 isolates (47.3%) was predominant, followed by the L4.6.2.2 sub-lineage (Cameroon genotype, n = 13 isolates) (34.2%). Investigating drug resistance profile for 12 antibiotics found 8/42 (19%) pan-susceptible isolates and 34/42 (81%) resistant isolates; with 40/42 (95.2%) isolates being susceptible to clofazimine-bedaquiline.

Conclusions/Significance

These unprecedented data from Niger highlight the dynamics of tuberculosis transmission and drug resistance in Niger and may assist tuberculosis control in this country which continues to support a high burden of tuberculosis.
The use of a chimeric antigen for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax seroprevalence estimates from community surveys in Ethiopia and Costa Rica
Authors: McCaffery Jessica N. , Singh Balwan , Nace Douglas , Assefa Ashenafi , Hwang Jimee , Plucinski Mateusz , Calvo Nidia , Moreno Alberto , Udhayakumar Venkatachalam , Rogier Eric
Published: May 2022

Background

In low-transmission settings, accurate estimates of malaria transmission are needed to inform elimination targets. Detection of antimalarial antibodies provides exposure history, but previous studies have mainly relied on species-specific antigens. The use of chimeric antigens that include epitopes from multiple species of malaria parasites in population-based serological surveys could provide data for exposure to multiple Plasmodium species circulating in an area. Here, the utility of P. vivax/P. falciparum chimeric antigen for assessing serological responses was evaluated in Ethiopia, an endemic country for all four human malarias, and Costa Rica, where P. falciparum has been eliminated with reports of sporadic P. vivax cases.

Methods

A multiplex bead-based assay was used to determine the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against a chimeric malaria antigen (PvRMC-MSP1) from blood samples collected from household surveys in Ethiopia in 2015 (n = 7,077) and Costa Rica in 2015 (n = 851). Targets specific for P. falciparum (PfMSP1) and P. vivax (PvMSP1) were also included in the serological panel. Seroprevalence in the population and seroconversion rates were compared among the three IgG targets.

Results

Seroprevalence in Costa Rica was 3.6% for PfMSP1, 41.5% for PvMSP1 and 46.7% for PvRMC-MSP1. In Ethiopia, seroprevalence was 27.6% for PfMSP1, 21.4% for PvMSP1, and 32.6% for PvRMC-MSP1. IgG levels in seropositive individuals were consistently higher for PvRMC-MSP1 when compared to PvMSP1 in both studies. Seroconversion rates were 0.023 for PvMSP1 and 0.03 for PvRMC-MSP1 in Costa Rica. In Ethiopia, seroconversion rates were 0.050 for PfMSP1, 0.044 for PvMSP1 and 0.106 for PvRMC-MSP1.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that chimeric antigen PvRMC-MSP1 is able to capture antibodies to multiple epitopes from both prior P. falciparum and P. vivax infections, and suitable chimeric antigens can be considered for use in serosurveys with appropriate validation.
Who enjoys solitude? autonomous functioning (but not introversion) predicts self-determined motivation (but not preference) for solitude
Authors: Nguyen Thuy-vy T. , Weinstein Netta , Ryan Richard M.
Published: May 2022

Within the solitude literature, two discrete constructs reflect different perspectives on how time spent alone is motivated. Self-determined motivation for solitude reflects wanting time alone to find enjoyment and gain meaningful benefits from it, whereas preference for solitude concerns wanting time for oneself over others’ company regardless of reasons for why time alone is wanted. We investigated two personality characteristics: introversion from Big-Five personality theory and dispositional autonomy from self-determination theory. In two diary studies university students completed personality measures and reported about their experiences with time spent alone over a period of seven days. Across both studies, contrary to popular belief that introverts spend time alone because they enjoy it, results showed no evidence that introversion is predictive of either preference or motivation for solitude. Dispositional autonomy–the tendency to regulate from a place of self-congruence, interest, and lack of pressure–consistently predicted self-determined motivation for solitude but was unrelated to preference for solitude. These findings provided evidence supporting the link between valuing time spent alone with individual differences in the capacity to self-regulate in choiceful and authentic way.
The study of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants at Mojana Wodera district, central Ethiopia
Authors: Abebe Mikiyas
Published: May 2022

Ethnoveterinary study was conducted from March 2020 to December 2020 in Mojana Wodera district, centeral Ethiopia. The study was aimed to identify and document ethnoveterinary medicinal plant species and traditional medicinal knowledge of the traditional health practitioners. A total of 105 informants were selected purposely and volunteer sampling approaches, and from these total informants, 15 key informants were identified based on their knowledge difference. Semi-structured interviews, field observation, and discussion were employed to collect information. Descriptive statistical method was employed to analyze the collected data. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) values were calculated to determine the most common livestock ailment categories that occurred and identify potentially effective medicinal plant species in respective disease categories. T-test was applied to compare knowledge difference. The result showed that a higher average (p< 0.05) was recorded for key informants, illiterate and elder group; however, there is no significance difference (p = 0.53) between gender. A total of 33 ethnoveterinary medicinal plant species, which belong to 23 families and 31 genera were identified. Family Asteraceae and family Solanaceae were the dominant. From this total number of plant species (12.12%) were endemic for Ethiopia. The finding showed that shrubs accounted for 39.39% followed by herbs (36.36%) and trees (15.15%). The medicinal plant parts that were most commonly utilized were leaf (55.36%) followed by root (23.21%) and seed (8.93%) respectively. Higher ICF was recorded for Blackleg (0.82) followed by general illness (0.8) and pasturalosis. In this study, Vernonia amygdalina was the most effective medicinal plants to treat blackleg.
The science of YouTube: What factors influence user engagement with online science videos?
Authors: Yang Shiyu , Brossard Dominique , Scheufele Dietram A. , Xenos Michael A.
Published: May 2022

As the reach of science content in traditional media declines, many institutions and scientists are turning to YouTube as a powerful tool for communicating directly with non-expert publics. They do so with little empirical social science research guiding their efforts. This study explores how video characteristics and social endorsement cues provided by audience members might influence user engagement with online science videos. Shorter videos are more likely to be viewed. Social endorsement cues significantly relate to variations in user engagement, with likes having a consistent positive association with all types of engagement. Implications for science communication through YouTube are discussed.
Do black lives matter to employers? A combined field and natural experiment of racially disparate hiring practices in the wake of protests against police violence and racial oppression
Authors: Kirk David S. , Rovira Marti
Published: May 2022

This study uses an experimental audit design, implemented both before and during the heightened unrest following the murder of George Floyd, to gauge the impact of Black Lives Matter and associated protests against police brutality and anti-Black racism on racially disparate hiring practices. We contrast treatment of fictitious Black and White job applicants in the labor market for service-related job openings, specifically applicants with prior experience as a police officer, firefighter, or code enforcement officer. Results reveal that the White advantage in employer call-backs and requests for an interview receded during the protests and unrest following the killing of George Floyd, even to the point of producing a Black advantage.
Prevalence of gambling problems, help-seeking, and relationships with trauma in veterans
Authors: Metcalf Olivia , Lawrence-Wood Ellie , Baur Jenelle , Van Hooff Miranda , Forbes David , O’Donnell Meaghan , Sadler Nicole , Hodson Stephanie , Benassi Helen , Varker Tracey , Battersby Malcolm , McFarlane Alexander C. , Cowlishaw Sean
Published: May 2022

Background and aims

Veterans who have recently left the military (i.e., transitioned) may be vulnerable to the development of psychiatric disorders, but little is known about gambling problems in this population. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of gambling problems, help-seeking amongst veterans with gambling problems, and relationships with trauma and posttraumatic psychopathology.

Methods

Cross-sectional self-report survey data from 3,511 Australian Defence Force members who left the military within the past five years. Surveys included measures of gambling problems (PGSI); depressive symptoms (PHQ-9); posttraumatic stress disorder (PCL-5); help-seeking behaviours; military and non-military-related trauma.

Results

Prevalence rates for problem gambling (PGSI ≥ 5) were 4.6%, while an additional 8.8% were classified in terms of at-risk gambling (PGSI = 1–4). Time since leaving the military was not associated with gambling problems. Only 2.1% of veterans with problem gambling reported help-seeking for their gambling. While trauma exposure, depression, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were all related to gambling problems at the bivariate level, only arousal and dysphoric-related affect were uniquely associated with gambling problems when adjusting for covariates.

Discussion

Gambling problems may be under-recognised relative to other psychiatric issues. Posttraumatic mental health problems, rather than trauma exposure per se, may explain the relationship between trauma and gambling problems.

Conclusions

Some veterans are in a period of vulnerability during transition out of military service, and harms associated with gambling problems may be exacerbated during this period.
Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for evaluating cancer treatments in hospital-based health technology assessment: The Paraconsistent Value Framework
Authors: Campolina Alessandro Gonçalves , Estevez-Diz Maria Del Pilar , Abe Jair Minoro , de Soárez Patrícia Coelho
Published: May 2022

Background

In recent years, the potential of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) in the health field has been discussed widely. However, most MCDA methodologies have given little attention to the aggregation of different stakeholder individual perspectives.

Objective

To illustrate how a paraconsistent theory-based MCDA reusable framework, designed to aid hospital-based Health Technology Assessment (HTA), could be used to aggregate individual expert perspectives when valuing cancer treatments.

Methods

An MCDA methodological process was adopted based on paraconsistent theory and following ISPOR recommended steps in conducting an MCDA study. A proof-of-concept exercise focusing on identifying and assessing the global value of first-line treatments for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) was conducted to foster the development of the MCDA framework.

Results

On consultation with hospital-based HTA committee members, 11 perspectives were considered in an expert panel: medical oncology, oncologic surgery, radiotherapy, palliative care, pharmacist, health economist, epidemiologist, public health expert, health media expert, pharmaceutical industry, and patient advocate. The highest weights were assigned to the criteria “overall survival” (mean 0.22), “burden of disease” (mean 0.21) and “adverse events” (mean 0.20), and the lowest weights were given to “progression-free survival” and “cost of treatment” (mean 0.18 for both). FOLFIRI and mFlox scored the highest global value score of 0.75, followed by mFOLFOX6 with a global value score of 0.71. mIFL was ranked last with a global value score of 0.62. The paraconsistent analysis (para-analysis) of 6 first-line treatments for mCRC indicated that FOLFIRI and mFlox were the appropriate options for reimbursement in the context of this study.

Conclusion

The Paraconsistent Value Framework is proposed as a step beyond the current MCDA practices, in order to improve means of dealing with individual expert perspectives in hospital-based HTA of cancer treatments.
Global, high-resolution, reduced-complexity air quality modeling for PM2.5 using InMAP (Intervention Model for Air Pollution)
Authors: Thakrar Sumil K. , Tessum Christopher W. , Apte Joshua S. , Balasubramanian Srinidhi , Millet Dylan B. , Pandis Spyros N. , Marshall Julian D. , Hill Jason D.
Published: May 2022

Each year, millions of premature deaths worldwide are caused by exposure to outdoor air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Designing policies to reduce these deaths relies on air quality modeling for estimating changes in PM2.5 concentrations from many scenarios at high spatial resolution. However, air quality modeling typically has substantial requirements for computation and expertise, which limits policy design, especially in countries where most PM2.5-related deaths occur. Lower requirement reduced-complexity models exist but are generally unavailable worldwide. Here, we adapt InMAP, a reduced-complexity model originally developed for the United States, to simulate annual-average primary and secondary PM2.5 concentrations across a global-through-urban spatial domain: “Global InMAP”. Global InMAP uses a variable resolution grid, with horizontal grid cell widths ranging from 500 km in remote locations to 4km in urban locations. We evaluate Global InMAP performance against both measurements and a state-of-the-science chemical transport model, GEOS-Chem. Against measurements, InMAP predicts total PM2.5 concentrations with a normalized mean error of 62%, compared to 41% for GEOS-Chem. For the emission scenarios considered, Global InMAP reproduced GEOS-Chem pollutant concentrations with a normalized mean bias of 59%–121%, which is sufficient for initial policy assessment and scoping. Global InMAP can be run on a desktop computer; simulations here took 2.6–8.4 hours. This work presents a global, open-source, reduced-complexity air quality model to facilitate policy assessment worldwide, providing a screening tool for reducing air pollution-related deaths where they occur most.
Mothers at risk of postpartum depression in Sri Lanka: A population-based study using a validated screening tool
Authors: Røysted-Solås Therese , Hinderaker Sven Gudmund , Ubesekara Lasantha , De Silva Vijitha
Published: May 2022

Background

Postpartum depression is an important public health concern. The prevalence of postpartum depression is estimated to be 18% worldwide. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of mothers at risk of postpartum depression in Sri Lanka and to investigate its associated risk factors.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 975 mothers in Galle district, Sri Lanka. The prevalence of mothers at risk of postpartum depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression scale (EPDS) which has been validated for screening for mothers at risk of postpartum depression in Sri Lanka with a cut-off score 9 or more. Prevalence was estimated using a cut-off 9 or more, 10 or more, 11 or more and 12 or more to assess the difference in prevalence using unvalidated cut-offs for screening. Data from routine records on pregnancy, delivery and postnatal care was collected to investigate possible predictors of EPDS score 9 or more (risk of postpartum depression). Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to identify risk factors for EPDS score 9 or more (risk of postpartum depression).

Results

The prevalence of mothers with EPDS score 9 or more was found to be 9.4% (95%CI: 7.8–11.4); EPDS score 10 or more was 5.6% (95%CI: 4.4–7.3). EPDS score 9 or more (risk of postpartum depression) was associated with the following risk factors: Former history of mental illness (aOR 32.9, 95%CI: 7.9–136.2), high maternal age 30–39 (aOR 2.2, 95%CI: 1.3–3.8), BMI 25.0–29.9 (aOR 2.6, 95%CI: 1.5–4.5), hypertension (aOR 3.6, 95%CI: 1.2–10.9) and newborn death (aOR 28.9, 95%CI: 4.5–185.1). One in five women reported thoughts of self-harm.

Conclusion

Around one in ten mothers in Sri Lanka experience symptoms of postpartum depression, highest risk among mothers who reported former history of mental illness and newborn death. The prevalence estimates were lower with a higher cut-off for screening and this highlights the importance of using the validated cut-off for screening in future studies on postpartum depression in Sri Lanka. Mothers at increased risk should be identified in antenatal care and are important targets of referral.
Associations between endogenous sex hormones and FGF-23 among women and men in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Ogunmoroti Oluseye , Osibogun Olatokunbo , Zhao Di , Mehta Rupal C. , Ouyang Pamela , Lutsey Pamela L. , Robinson-Cohen Cassianne , Michos Erin D.
Published: May 2022

Elevated levels of testosterone and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) are both independently associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship between sex hormones and FGF-23 is not well established. We explored the association between sex hormones and FGF-23 among middle-aged to older men and women in MESA. We studied 3,052 men and 2,868 postmenopausal women free of CVD at the time of enrollment with baseline serum sex hormones [total testosterone (T), free T, estradiol (E2) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)] and intact FGF-23. In sex-stratified analyses, we examined the cross-sectional associations between log-transformed sex hormones (per 1 SD) and log-transformed FGF-23 using multiple linear regression adjusted for socio-demographics, CVD risk factors, estimated glomerular filtration rate and mineral metabolites (25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone). The mean (SD) age of study participants was 64 (10) years. The median (IQR) of FGF-23 was similar in women and men [38 (30–46) vs 38 (31–47) pg/mL]. In adjusted analyses, among women, 1 SD increment in free T was associated with 3% higher FGF-23 while SHBG was associated with 2% lower FGF-23. In men, 1 SD increment in E2 was associated with 6% higher FGF-23 whereas total T/E2 ratio was associated with 7% lower FGF-23. In conclusion, this exploratory analysis found that a more androgenic sex hormone profile was directly associated with FGF-23 in women and inversely associated with FGF-23 in men. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether FGF-23 mediates the relationship between sex hormones and CVD risk.
Students’ figurative communication of malaria messages, belief, norms, and practices in Oromia, Ethiopia: A qualitative content analysis approach
Authors: Tareke Kasahun Girma , Hayder Abdu , Teshome Firanbon , Birhanu Zewdie , Kebede Yohannes
Published: May 2022

Background

School engagement is an emerging strategy and proven potent vehicles for social and behavioral change communication (SBCC) intervention to prevent and control malaria. Little was known about the figurative speeches used in the malaria messages disseminated and communicated by school students. Therefore, this study evaluated the figurative speeches used in the poems to convey messages related to malarial perceptions, beliefs, norms and practices to prevent and control malaria.

Methods

A qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore the figurative speeches used in malaria messages conveyed in poems produced by primary school students. Twenty poems were purposively selected from twenty schools across rural villages in five districts of Jimma Zone. Data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti version 7.1.4 software. The figurative speeches were presented using central themes and categories supported with quotations.

Results

The predominantly used figurative speeches were simile, metaphor, personification and hyperbole. Simile was used to express the nature of anopheles mosquito, and sign and symptoms of malaria. The metaphor was used to express malaria, severity/seriousness of malaria and Insecticide-Treated Net (ITN); and also to express the relationship between persons ITN malpractice and its effect on their health. Personification was used to express the nature of anopheles mosquito and malaria. Finally, hyperbole was used to express nature of anopheles mosquito, severity of malaria and exaggerated effect of ITN and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).

Conclusions

The students conveyed messages related to malarial perceptions, beliefs, norms and practices of the local community to prevent and control malaria through different types of figurative speeches. Therefore, conceptualizing the local norms, beliefs, values, perception and practices, and expressing in different figurative speeches to convey messages and convince the local community might be important to bring the desired or intended behavioral change.
Assessment and determinants of acute post-caesarean section pain in a tertiary facility in Ghana
Authors: Azanu Wisdom Klutse , Osarfo Joseph , Larsen-Reindorf Roderick Emil , Agbeno Evans Kofi , Dassah Edward , Amanfo Anthony Ofori , Dah Anthony Kwame , Ampofo Gifty
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Caesarean sections (CS) feature prominently in obstetric care and have impacted positively on maternal / neonatal outcomes globally including Ghana. However, in spite of documented increasing CS rates in the country, there are no studies assessing the adequacy of post-CS pain control. This study assessed the adequacy of post-CS pain management as well as factors influencing this outcome. Additionally, post-CS analgesia prescription and serving habits of doctors and nurses were also described to help fill existing knowledge gaps.

Methods

Pain scores of 400 randomly selected and consenting post-CS women at a tertiary facility in Ghana were assessed at 6–12 hours post-CS at rest and with movement and at 24–36 hours post-CS with movement using a validated visual analog scale (VAS) from February 1, 2015 to April 8, 2015. Participant characteristics including age, marital status and duration of CS were obtained using pretested questionnaires and patient records review. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies and proportions. Associations between background characteristics and the outcome variables of adequacy of pain control at 6–12 hours post-CS at rest and with movement and at 24–36 hours post-CS with movement were analysed using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests and logistic regression methods. Adequate pain control was defined as VAS scores ≤5.

Results

At 6–12 hours post-CS (at rest), equal proportions of participants had adequate and inadequate pain control (50.1% vrs 49.9%). Over the same time period but with movement, pain control was deemed inadequate in 93% of respondents (369/396). Women who had one previous surgery [OR 0.47 95%CI 0.27, 0.82; p = 0.008] and those whose CS lasted longer than 45 mins [OR 0.39 95% CI 0.24, 0.62; p<0.001] had lower odds of reporting adequate pain control. Women prescribed 12-hourly and 8-hourly doses of pethidine had only 23.5% (12/51) and 10.3% (3/29) served as prescribed respectively. At 24–36 hours post CS, adequate pain control was reported by 85.3% (326/382) of participants.

Conclusions

Pain management was deemed inadequate within the first 12 hours post-CS with potential implications for early mother-child interaction. Appreciable numbers of participants did not have their analgesics served as prescribed. Adjunct pain control measures should be explored and healthcare workers must be encouraged to pay more attention to patients’ pain relief needs.
Economic evaluation of the Target-D platform to match depression management to severity prognosis in primary care: A within-trial cost-utility analysis
Authors: Lee Yong Yi , Mihalopoulos Cathrine , Chatterton Mary Lou , Fletcher Susan L. , Chondros Patty , Densley Konstancja , Murray Elizabeth , Dowrick Christopher , Coe Amy , Hegarty Kelsey L. , Davidson Sandra K. , Wachtler Caroline , Palmer Victoria J. , Gunn Jane M.
Published: May 2022

Background

Target-D, a new person-centred e-health platform matching depression care to symptom severity prognosis (minimal/mild, moderate or severe) has demonstrated greater improvement in depressive symptoms than usual care plus attention control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Target-D compared to usual care from a health sector and partial societal perspective across 3-month and 12-month follow-up.

Methods and findings

A cost-utility analysis was conducted alongside the Target-D randomised controlled trial; which involved 1,868 participants attending 14 general practices in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Data on costs were collected using a resource use questionnaire administered concurrently with all other outcome measures at baseline, 3-month and 12-month follow-up. Intervention costs were assessed using financial records compiled during the trial. All costs were expressed in Australian dollars (A$) for the 2018–19 financial year. QALY outcomes were derived using the Assessment of Quality of Life-8D (AQoL-8D) questionnaire. On a per person basis, the Target-D intervention cost between $14 (minimal/mild prognostic group) and $676 (severe group). Health sector and societal costs were not significantly different between trial arms at both 3 and 12 months. Relative to a A$50,000 per QALY willingness-to-pay threshold, the probability of Target-D being cost-effective under a health sector perspective was 81% at 3 months and 96% at 12 months. From a societal perspective, the probability of cost-effectiveness was 30% at 3 months and 80% at 12 months.

Conclusions

Target-D is likely to represent good value for money for health care decision makers. Further evaluation of QALY outcomes should accompany any routine roll-out to assess comparability of results to those observed in the trial. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12616000537459).
Multilevel analysis of predictors of multiple indicators of childhood vaccination in Nigeria
Authors: Aheto Justice Moses K. , Pannell Oliver , Dotse-Gborgbortsi Winfred , Trimner Mary K. , Tatem Andrew J. , Rhoda Dale A. , Cutts Felicity T. , Utazi C. Edson
Published: May 2022

Background

Substantial inequalities exist in childhood vaccination coverage levels. To increase vaccine uptake, factors that predict vaccination coverage in children should be identified and addressed.

Methods

Using data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and geospatial data sets, we fitted Bayesian multilevel binomial and multinomial logistic regression models to analyse independent predictors of three vaccination outcomes: receipt of the first dose of Pentavalent vaccine (containing diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, Hemophilus influenzae type B and Hepatitis B vaccines) (PENTA1) (n = 6059) and receipt of the third dose having received the first (PENTA3/1) (n = 3937) in children aged 12–23 months, and receipt of measles vaccine (MV) (n = 11839) among children aged 12–35 months.

Results

Factors associated with vaccination were broadly similar for documented versus recall evidence of vaccination. Based on any evidence of vaccination, we found that health card/document ownership, receipt of vitamin A and maternal educational level were significantly associated with each outcome. Although the coverage of each vaccine dose was higher in urban than rural areas, urban residence was not significant in multivariable analyses that included travel time. Indicators relating to socio-economic status, as well as ethnic group, skilled birth attendance, lower travel time to the nearest health facility and problems seeking health care were significantly associated with both PENTA1 and MV. Maternal religion was related to PENTA1 and PENTA3/1 and maternal age related to MV and PENTA3/1; other significant variables were associated with one outcome each. Substantial residual community level variances in different strata were observed in the fitted models for each outcome.

Conclusion

Our analysis has highlighted socio-demographic and health care access factors that affect not only beginning but completing the vaccination series in Nigeria. Other factors not measured by the DHS such as health service quality and community attitudes should also be investigated and addressed to tackle inequities in coverage.
Retail chicken giblets contaminated with extended-spectrum cephalosporin- and carbapenem-resistant Salmonella enterica carrying blaCMY-2
Authors: Abdel-Kader Fatma , Hamza Eman , Abdel-Moein Khaled A. , Sabry Maha A.
Published: May 2022

Background and Aim: Chickens are considered as the main source of Salmonella, with infection potentially spreading to the public through outlets. The study aimed to investigate poultry shops for Salmonella enterica resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins-resistant (ESCR) and carbapenems-resistant (CR).

Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from chicken giblets, water tanks, and workers at retail shops. Salmonella was isolated and serotyped; the presence of invA, stn, ompA, and ompF was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The isolates were tested for ESCR and CR by a disk-diffusion test; a confirmatory extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) test was performed by combinational disk-diffusion test with clavulanic acid. The resistant isolates were screened for ESBL (blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, and blaOXA-1), AmpC blaCMY-2, and carbapenemase (blaKPC, blaNDM, and blaOXA-48) genes using PCR.

Results: S. enterica was isolated from chicken giblets (13/129) and the 13 isolates were ESCR. Based on the confirmatory ESBL test and CR, the 13 isolates were classified into the following resistance phenotypes: ESBL-producing and CR (n=4), ESBL-producing (n=1), non-ESBL-producing and CR (n=6), and non-ESBL-producing (n=2). All the five isolates with ESBL-producing phenotype carried predominantly blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCMY-2. Regardless of being phenotypically CR, none of these isolates carried any of the tested carbapenemase genes. Surprisingly, the isolates with non-ESBL phenotype were found to carry blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCMY-2. The blaKPC was present mainly in the isolates with non-ESBL and CR phenotypes. Interestingly, two isolates of the non-ESBL and CR phenotype showed resistance to cefepime, the fourth generation cephalosporins. Salmonella was also recovered from the water tanks (2/7) and the workers (2/16). The four isolates were ESCR and showed a non-ESBL-producing and CR phenotype; they harbored blaTEM, blaSHV, blaOXA-1, and blaKPC. The blaCMY-2 was found in one isolate from water and one from humans. All Salmonella isolates carried invA, stn, ompA, and ompF.

Conclusion: Virulent ESCR S. enterica were identified in retail shops. The isolates carried blaCMY-2 and ESBL-genes, with a high proportion showing CR. Transmission of such strains to humans through food leads us to recommend regular inspection of retail outlets for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.