bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of quality indicators for the continued and safe delivery of Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT), throughout and beyond COVID-19, using a Delphi Consensus technique
Authors: Cousins Gráinne , Durand Louise , Boland Fiona , Harnedy Norma , Delargy Íde , Scully Mike , Bourke Margaret , Ebbitt William , Otero Vázquez María , Mayock Paula , Corrigan Nicola , Killeen Nicki , Goff Paul , Pate Muriel , Byrne Paula , Keenan Eamon
Published: August 2021

Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is the most effective treatment for opioid dependence, although it relies heavily on regular face-to-face healthcare delivery. Following the emergence of COVID-19, policies were rapidly changed in Ireland to reduce the risk of contracting the virus for both clients and treatment providers. From March 2020, the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Social Inclusion Office introduced a series of national contingency guidelines, to ensure fast and uninterrupted access to OAT while balancing efforts to mitigate COVID-19 risks. The Programme for Government 2020 states they will retain many of the measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce waiting times in accessing treatment services and reduce overdose mortality. It is therefore essential to examine the impacts, benefits and unintended consequences of the special measures introduced during COVID-19 at a national level, thus informing which measures can and should be sustained throughout and beyond COVID-19 to support effective, safe and patient-centered care promoting the health and wellbeing of all people with opioid dependence. The aim of this project is to identify priorities for quality improvements which will inform clinical decision making throughout and beyond the pandemic. This will be achieved through a Delphi consensus study. Quality indicators will be identified by comparing the national contingency guidelines with the national 2016 Clinical Guidelines. The project steering group will review the proposed indicators, and the agreed quality indicators will be integrated into an on-line Delphi questionnaire. One hundred participants will be invited to form the Delphi consensus panel and will include a wide range of stakeholders, including people accessing OAT services, general practitioners, pharmacists and outreach workers. Evidence generated from this study will inform national policy decisions in relation to improving quality of care in OAT.
¿Y el derecho al ambiente qué? Representaciones y prácticas locales en asentamientos informales, enmarcados en la causa judicial de saneamiento de la cuenca Matanza Riachuelo, en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires
Authors: Fainstein Carla
Published: August 2021

El presente trabajo se propone indagar sobre lo que sucede luego de la sentencia de una causa estructural, centrada en el derecho al ambiente en un territorio urbano. Se tomará el caso de la judicialización del saneamiento de la cuenca Matanza Riachuelo, una de las zonas más contaminadas de la Argentina, que atraviesa el Área Metropolitana Buenos Aires. El fallo supuso el despliegue de una batería de políticas, entre ellas la urbanización y relocalización de asentamientos informales localizados en la cuenca. se indagará en torno a las representaciones de los habitantes de estos barrios, sobre su ambiente y sus derechos en general. Además, se analizarán el accionar estatal y las tradiciones de los movimientos villeros en la zona, como elementos a considerar para examinar las características las características de estas percepciones. Se utilizó una metodología cualitativa realizando trabajo de campo en dos asentamientos de la cuenca entre los años 2014 y 2018.
Karakteristik Jelly Drink Seledri dengan Variasi Konsentrasi Karagenan dan Agar
Authors: Hasanah Nadlifatul , Hidayah Isti Nurul , Muflihati Iffah
Published: August 2021

Jelly drink merupakan salah satu alternative untuk memenuhi kebutuhan akan minuman yang praktis Salah satu bahan pangan yang dapat dimanfaatkan yaitu seledri karena sebagian besar seledri hanya digunakan sebagai campuran sup dan bahan makanan berkuah. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui pengaruh perbandingan karagenan dan agar terhadap nilai sineresis, pH, total padatan terlarut, dan uji organoleptik dari jelly drink seledri. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap dengan 4 perlakuan yaitu jenis seledri A. Graveolens L. var sacalinum dan A. Graveolens L. var sylvestre Alef serta konsentrasi karagenan:agar yaitu 80%:20%, 60%:0,4%. Hasil penelitian menjukkan rerata sineresis yaitu 2,33-6,39%, rerata pH berkisae 6,5-6,91, total padatan terlarut berkisar antara 7,66-12° Brix, dan perlakuan terbaik dari uji organoleptic yaitu konsentrasi 60%-40% jenis seledri A. Graveolens L. var sylvestre Alef.
Penggunaan Tepung pada Pembuatan Bawang Merah Goreng Enrekang: Kajian Tingkat Rendemen dan Nilai Gizinya
Authors: Khasanah Yuniar , Herawati Ervika Rahayu Novita , Praharasti Anggita Sari , Kusumaningrum Annisa , Frediansyah Andri
Published: August 2021

Telah dilakukan pengembangan produk bawang merah goreng di Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) Setia, Enrekang, Sulawesi Selatan dengan variasi penggunaan tepung terigu. Dalam kegiatan ini dilakukan pembuatan bawang goreng dalam tiga (3) variasi, yaitu: (1) original (tanpa penambahan tepung terigu); (2) grade A (penambahan tepung terigu 10 %); (3) grade B (penambahan tepung terigu 20 %). Evaluasi dilakukan terhadap rendemen serta karakteristik nilai gizi yang dihasilkan.Hasil menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan tepung terigu mampu menghasilkan rendemen bawang merah goreng 30 – 37 %, dibandingkan dengan tanpa penambahan tepung hanya sekitar 25 %. Pengamatan terhadap kadar air berkisar 10, 35 ± 0,71 % - 12,52 ± 0,34 %; kadar abu 3,02 ± 0,59 % - 6,22 ± 0,87 %; protein 8,32 ± 0,43 % – 12,97 ± 1,13 %; lemak 26,27 ± 0,49 % - 37,16 ± 3,37 % dan karbohidrat 35,96 ± 4,05 % - 47,09 ± 0,57 % (dalam berat kering/db). Hasil dari kegiatan ini diharapkan bisa menjadi masukan bagi pengolah bawang goreng untuk melakukan variasi produk olahannya, sehingga mampu bersaing dan menghasilkan lebih banyak. Dan bagi petani bawang merah, hasil ini diharapkan menjadi alternatif usaha paskapanen bawang merah, selain dijual dalam bentuk bawang merah segar
Produksi Nasi Instan Berbasis Diversifikasi Pangan Lokal Ubi Ungu Sebagai Pangan Darurat Fungsional
Authors: Setiawan Erwin , Hidayatulloh Alpin , Widiastuti Tania
Published: August 2021

Konsumsi beras di Indonesia masih sangat tinggi karena mayoritas penduduk Indonesia mengkonsumsi beras sebagai makanan pokok, hal tersebut membuat Indonesia harus mengimpor beras dari luar negeri. Selain itu Indonesia juga menjadi negara yang rawan terjadi bencana alam, keterbatasan bahan pokok dan peralatan memasak menjadi penyebab utama kurangnya pemenuhan gizi saat bencana alam.  Pemanfaatan bahan baku umbi lokal sebagai produk diversifikasi menjadi beras instan. Penyusunan artikel ilmiah ini bersifat paparan, yaitu dengan menjelaskan Produksi Nasi Instan Berbasis Diversifikasi Pangan Lokal Umbi Ungu Sebagai Pangan Darurat Fungsional. Metode perumusan masalah dengan cara mengumpulkan beberapa masalah yang timbul dari latar belakang serta disusun secara sistematik. Penyusunan perumusan masalah menggunakan metode analisa dengan objek beras analog dari ubi ungu sebagai nasi instan dan mencoba mengaitkan dengan potensi dalam pengembangan produk pangan darurat yang bersifat fungsional. Pengumpulan data merujuk beberapa literatur berupa jurnal penelitian, prosiding, dan buku referensi. Penulis melakukan metode analisis dan pemecahan masalah dengan beberapaa tahapan yaitu memahami konsep permasalahan dengan menemukan kata kunci, merumuskan masalah yang akan dibahas, mengumpulkan data melalui studi literatur, melakukan diskusi lanjutan, mengurai rumusan masalah dengan menggunakan kata kunci, serta menemukan solusi dan menarik kesimpulan. Tujuan artikel ilmiah ini untuk memaparkan terobosan untuk pembuatan nasi instan berbahan dasar umbi lokal sebagai pemenuhan gizi. Metode analisa dengan objek beras analog dari ubi ungu sebagai nasi instan dan mencoba mengaitkan dengan potensi dalam pengembangan produk pangan darurat yang bersifat fungsional. Dari hasil pemaparan dapat disimpulkan bahwa ubi ungu bisa dijadikan sebagai bahan baku nasi instan serta memilki zat gizi yang baik untuk pemenuhan gizi pada manusia
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the length of stay following total hip and knee arthroplasty in a high volume elective orthopaedic unit
Authors: Green Gemma , Abbott Sarah , Vyrides Yiannis , Afzal Irrum , Kader Deiary , Radha Sarkhell
Published: August 2021

Aims

Elective orthopaedic services have had to adapt to significant system-wide pressures since the emergence of COVID-19 in December 2019. Length of stay is often recognized as a key marker of quality of care in patients undergoing arthroplasty. Expeditious discharge is key in establishing early rehabilitation and in reducing infection risk, both procedure-related and from COVID-19. The primary aim was to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic length of stay following hip and knee arthroplasty at a high-volume, elective orthopaedic centre.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed. Patients undergoing primary or revision hip or knee arthroplasty over a six-month period, from 1 July to 31 December 2020, were compared to the same period in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographic data, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, wait to surgery, COVID-19 status, and length of hospital stay were recorded.

Results

A total of 1,311 patients underwent hip or knee arthroplasty in the six-month period following recommencement of elective services in 2020 compared to 1,527 patients the year before. Waiting time to surgery increased in post-COVID-19 group (137 days vs 78; p < 0.001). Length of stay also significantly increased (0.49 days; p < 0.001) despite no difference in age or ASA grade. There were no cases of postoperative COVID-19 infection.

Conclusion

Time to surgery and length of hospital stay were significantly higher following recommencement of elective orthopaedic services in the latter part of 2020 in comparison to a similar patient cohort from the year before. Longer waiting times may have contributed to the clinical and radiological deterioration of arthritis and general musculoskeletal conditioning, which may in turn have affected immediate postoperative rehabilitation and mobilization, as well as increasing hospital stay. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(8):655–660.
A Case Series of Electronic or Vaping Induced Lung Injury
Authors:   Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria,  Peoria, Illinois USA, Espinosa Ronald , Hussein Abdirahman , Sehring Matthew , Rachid Mohamad , Dunn Ryan , Taneja Deepak
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Since their introduction, electronic cigarette use has increased and was even proposed as an alternative to traditional tobacco use. Recently, a series of patients with acute respiratory failure due electronic cigarette, or vaping, associated lung injury (EVALI) in 2019 has been described which has largely been attributed to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) containing vaporizer itself, as well as vitamin E acetate. Several case series have been published regarding the acute presentation, diagnosis and management. In addition to diagnosis and management of EVALI, we sought to describe potential long-term effects of lung parenchyma in these patients. Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 16 patients with clinically diagnosed EVALI at OSF St Francis Medical Center between August 01 2019 and February 1 2020. Relevant demographic and clinical data were collected in patients diagnosed with EVALI. Results: Of the 16 patients in the study the median age (IQR) age was 25.25 (20-29) and 94% were male. The predominant presenting symptoms were dyspnea (94%), cough (56%), nausea 63%), vomiting (63%), abdominal pain (50%), diarrhea (50%), and fever (63%). 2 (13%) patients required endotracheal intubation. Common features of computerized tomography (CT) scan were bilateral diffuse ground glass opacity (93%), septal thickening (53%), and subpleural sparing (47%). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was obtained in 3 patients and all demonstrated neutrophil predominance of 69% (56-90). One BAL was significant for hemosiderin laden macrophages. Post hospital follow up pulmonary function tests were obtained in 3 and 2 of these were significant for obstructive lung disease. Conclusions: In this case series of patients diagnosed with vaping associated lung injury, obstructive lung disease may be seen on pulmonary function testing and surveillance of these patients should occur regardless of duration.
Polarization enhancement of linearly polarized light through foggy
environments at UV–NIR wavelengths
Authors: Zeng Xiangwei , Chen Xueye , Li Yahong , Xiangnan Qiao
Published: August 2021

Wavelength is an essential factor affecting polarization propagation. We investigate the polarization persistence of linearly polarized light from ultraviolet to near-IR in foggy environments. Certain spectral bands, from ultraviolet to IR wavelengths that exhibit lower path loss, were initially selected. Using polarization-tracking Monte Carlo simulations for varying particle size, wavelength, refractive index and detection range, it is shown that linear polarization exhibits different persistence performance at different wavelengths in various foggy environments. For wet haze of 0.6 µm or 1 µm droplets, parallel polarization increases persistently as the wavelength increases, and has superior persistence in the near-IR region. For radiation fog of 5 µm or 7.5 µm droplets, parallel polarization shows superior persistence in the ultraviolet region. For advection fog of 15 µm or 45 µm droplets, parallel polarization shows a superior persistence in the ultraviolet region. It is therefore shown that changing the wavelength can improve linear polarization persistence in foggy environments.
Rigorous expressions of Huygens’ principle in scalar theory: reply
Authors: Fu Malong , Zhao Yang
Published: August 2021

The Green’s function is an auxiliary function that needs to satisfy different conditions according to the practical mathematical models applied to the problems. The required conditions do not have to be Helmholtz equation. Two possible common conditions are summarized in this reply, i.e., the Maxwell reciprocity and the corresponding homogeneous boundary conditions.
Hardware error correction for programmable photonics
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Saumil , Hamerly Ryan , Englund Dirk
Published: August 2021

Programmable photonic circuits of reconfigurable interferometers can be used to implement arbitrary operations on optical modes, providing a flexible platform for accelerating tasks in quantum simulation, signal processing, and artificial intelligence. A major obstacle to scaling up these systems is static fabrication error, where small component errors within each device accrue to produce significant errors within the circuit computation. Mitigating this error usually requires numerical optimization dependent on real-time feedback from the circuit, which can greatly limit the scalability of the hardware. Here we present a deterministic approach to correcting circuit errors by locally correcting hardware errors within individual optical gates. We apply our approach to simulations of large scale optical neural networks and infinite impulse response filters implemented in programmable photonics, finding that they remain resilient to component error well beyond modern day process tolerances. Our results highlight a potential way to scale up programmable photonics to hundreds of modes with current fabrication processes.
Spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion via light intensity gradient
Authors: Huang Shuang-Yin , Zhang Guan-Lin , Wang Qiang , Wang Min , Tu Chenghou , Li Yongnan , Wang Hui-Tian
Published: August 2021

Besides a linear momentum, optical fields also carry angular momentum (AM), which has two intrinsic components: one is spin angular momentum related to the polarization state and the other is orbital angular momentum (OAM) caused by the helical phase due to the existence of a topological azimuthal charge. The two AM components of the optical field may not be independent of each other, especially if spin-to-orbit conversion (STOC) under high focusing creates a spin-dependent optical vortex in the longitudinal field. However, it would be very exciting to experimentally manifest and control the local OAM density. Here, we present a strategy for achieving STOC via a radial intensity gradient. The linearly varying radial phase provides an effective way to control the local AM density, which induces a counterintuitive orbital motion of the isotropic microparticles in optical tweezers without intrinsic OAM. Our work not only provides fundamental insights into the STOC of light, but could also have applications in optical micromanipulation.
Suppression of Vps13 adaptor protein mutants reveals a central role for PI4P in regulating prospore membrane extension
Authors: Nakamura Tsuyoshi S. , Suda Yasuyuki , Muneshige Kenji , Fujieda Yuji , Okumura Yuuya , Inoue Ichiro , Tanaka Takayuki , Takahashi Tetsuo , Nakanishi Hideki , Gao Xiao-Dong , Okada Yasushi , Neiman Aaron M. , Tachikawa Hiroyuki
Published: August 2021

Vps13 family proteins are proposed to function in bulk lipid transfer between membranes, but little is known about their regulation. During sporulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Vps13 localizes to the prospore membrane (PSM) via the Spo71–Spo73 adaptor complex. We previously reported that loss of any of these proteins causes PSM extension and subsequent sporulation defects, yet their precise function remains unclear. Here, we performed a genetic screen and identified genes coding for a fragment of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4-kinase catalytic subunit and PI 4-kinase noncatalytic subunit as multicopy suppressors of spo73Δ. Further genetic and cytological analyses revealed that lowering PI4P levels in the PSM rescues the spo73Δ defects. Furthermore, overexpression of VPS13 and lowering PI4P levels synergistically rescued the defect of a spo71Δ spo73Δ double mutant, suggesting that PI4P might regulate Vps13 function. In addition, we show that an N-terminal fragment of Vps13 has affinity for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and ER-plasma membrane (PM) tethers localize along the PSM in a manner dependent on Vps13 and the adaptor complex. These observations suggest that Vps13 and the adaptor complex recruit ER-PM tethers to ER-PSM contact sites. Our analysis revealed that involvement of a phosphoinositide, PI4P, in regulation of Vps13, and also suggest that distinct contact site proteins function cooperatively to promote de novo membrane formation.
COVID-19 influences on US recreational angler behavior
Authors: Midway Stephen R. , Lynch Abigail J. , Peoples Brandon K. , Dance Michael , Caffey Rex
Published: August 2021

Recreational angling in the United States (US) is largely a personal hobby that scales up to a multibillion-dollar economic activity. Given dramatic changes to personal decisions and behaviors resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we surveyed recreational anglers across the US to understand how the pandemic may have affected their fishing motivations and subsequent activities. Nearly a quarter million anglers from 10 US states were invited to participate in the survey, and almost 18,000 responded. Anglers reported numerous effects of the pandemic, including fishing access restrictions. Despite these barriers, we found that the amount of fishing in the spring of 2020 was significantly greater—by about 0.2 trips per angler—than in non-pandemic springs. Increased fishing is likely associated with our result that most respondents considered recreational angling to be a COVID-19 safe activity. Nearly a third of anglers reported changing their motivation for fishing during the pandemic, with stress relief being more popular during the pandemic than before. Driven partly by the perceived safety of social fishtancing, recreational angling remained a popular activity for many US anglers during spring 2020.
Gender disparity in the individual attitude toward longevity among Japanese population: Findings from a national survey
Authors: Gai Tobe Ruoyan , Izumida Nobuyuki
Published: August 2021

The unprecedented population aging brings profound influences to the social values of longevity. The individual attitudes toward the expended life time deserves scrutiny, as it reflects the impacts of social networks and social welfare on people’s life and wellbeing. This study aims to examine whether and how gender disparity is affecting the individual anticipation to longevity among Japanese citizen. We used the dataset of National Survey on Social Security and Peoples Life implemented in 2017 to calculate the odds ratios (OR) of the individual anticipation to longevity. Besides gender, other demographic characteristics, physical and mental health, the experience of nursing care for the elderly, financial conditions and social networks are examined by performing the multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analysis. The results indicate the robust effects of gender disparity on the individual aspiration for longevity. The proportion of those who inclined the positive statement on longevity was estimated to be 69.7% (95% CI: 68.6% - 70.9%) in the whole population, and 70.9% (95% CI: 69.4% - 72.5%) and 68.7% (95% CI: 67.1% - 70.2%) in male and female, respectively. Besides gender, independent factors significantly affecting the individual valuation of longevity include age, annual household income, the experience of nursing care, household saving, having a conversation with others and the availability of reliable partner(s) for relevant supports; while the common factors affecting the outcome variable were self-perceived health status and mental distress measured by K6. The interaction of gender and these significant factors were determined as well. In conclusion, with relevant representativeness and quality of data source, this analysis adds knowledge on gender disparity in the individual anticipation on longevity. The findings are suggestive to reform the social security system in the super aged society.
Palm oil: Understanding barriers to sustainable consumption
Authors: Sundaraja Cassandra Shruti , Hine Donald W. , Lykins Amy D.
Published: August 2021

Palm oil is relatively inexpensive, versatile, and popular, generating great economic value for Southeast Asian countries. However, the growing demand for palm oil is leading to deforestation and biodiversity loss. The current study is the first to employ a capability-opportunity-motivation (COM-B) framework in green consumerism, to determine which capability, opportunity, and motivation factors strongly predict the intentional purchasing of sustainable palm oil products by Australian consumers (N = 781). Exploratory factor analysis revealed four main types of predictors of SPO purchasing–Pro-Green Consumption Attitudes,Demotivating Beliefs,Knowledge and Awareness, andPerceived Product Availability. Multiple regression revealed that these four factors explained 50% of the variability in SPO purchasing behaviour, out of whichKnowledge and Awarenessaccounted for 18% of the unique variance.Perceived Product AvailabilityandPro-Green Consumption Attitudeswere also significant predictors but accounted for only 2% and 1% of unique variance, respectively. These results provide a valuable foundation for designing behaviour change interventions to increase consumer demand for sustainable palm oil products.
Exploration of correlation of oral hygiene and condition with influenza infection
Authors: Kawamoto Makiko , Tanaka Hirokazu , Sakurai Akinari , Otagiri Hiroki , Karasawa Imahito , Yamada Shin-ichi , Kurita Hiroshi
Published: August 2021

Influenza viruses are known to be infected through epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract. The oral cavity is in close anatomical proximity to the upper respiratory tract, and it is conceivable that the viruses could pass through the oral cavity and infect to the upper respiratory tract. Several researchers have suggested that colonization of certain pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pneumoniae might affect the risk of influenza viral disease, indicating that oral hygiene and/or condition might play an important role in respiratory viral infection. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether an oral hygiene/condition might impact influenza infection. We conducted a retrospective observational study of Japanese citizens’ regional cohort (N = 2,904) consisting of National Health Insurance beneficiaries who underwent annual health/dental examination with data entries in the Kokuho database (KDB). Trained dentists checked the oral hygiene/condition, and saliva specimens were examined using the LION dental saliva multi-test (SMT) kit. Influenza infection was identified from the diagnosis recorded in the KDB. The correlations between influenza infection and oral hygiene, dryness of the mouth, or various salivary test results were examined by a multivariate analysis adjusting for confounding factors such as gender, age, recent smoking, alcohol drinking, BMI, HbA1c, RBC for influenza infection. The logistic regression model showed that age significantly correlated with influenza infection. In addition, oral hygiene status had a nearly significant impact on influenza infection (p = 0.061), whereby, the subjects with poor oral hygiene had a higher risk of influenza infection than those with good oral hygiene (odds ratio: 1.63, 95% confidence interval: 0.89–2.95). Further, the prevalence of influenza infection was lower in the subjects with saliva weakly acidic and/or containing higher protein level. The results of this study suggested that the maintenance of oral health conditions might be one of the pivotal factors for preventing and reducing influenza infection.
Coming up short: Comparing venous blood, dried blood spots & saliva samples for measuring telomere length in health equity research
Authors: Geronimus Arline T. , Bound John , Mitchell Colter , Martinez-Cardoso Aresha , Evans Linnea , Hughes Landon , Schneper Lisa , Notterman Daniel A.
Published: August 2021

Background

Telomere length (TL) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from fresh venous blood is increasingly used to estimate molecular impacts of accumulated social adversity on population health. Sometimes, TL extracted from saliva or dried blood spots (DBS) are substituted as less invasive and more scalable specimen collection methods; yet, are they interchangeable with fresh blood? Studies find TL is correlated across tissues, but have not addressed the critical question for social epidemiological applications: Do different specimen types show the same association between TL and social constructs?

Methods

We integrate expertise in social epidemiology, molecular biology, and the statistical impact of measurement error on parameter estimates. Recruiting a diverse sample of 132 Metro-Detroit women, we measure TL for each woman from fresh blood PBMC, DBS, and saliva. Using regression methods, we estimate associations between social characteristics and TL, comparing estimates across specimen types for each woman.

Results

Associations between TL and social characteristics vary by specimen type collected from the same woman, sometimes qualitatively altering estimates of the magnitude or direction of a theorized relationship. Being Black is associated with shorter TL in PBMC, but longer TL in saliva or DBS. Education is positively associated with TL in fresh blood, but negatively associated with TL using DBS.

Conclusion

Findings raise concerns about the use of TL measures derived from different tissues in social epidemiological research. Investigators need to consider the possibility that associations between social variables and TL may be systematically related to specimen type, rather than be valid indicators of socially-patterned biopsychosocial processes.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on quality of life in skin cancer patients
Authors: Kurzhals Jonas K. , Klee Gina , Busch Hauke , Hagelstein Victoria , Zillikens Detlef , Terheyden Patrick , Langan Ewan A.
Published: August 2021

With more than 82 million cases worldwide and almost two million deaths, the Covid-19 global pandemic shows little sign of abating. However, its effect on quality of life (QoL) in skin cancer patients has not been systematically evaluated to date. Given that QoL impairments may be associated with increased psychological morbidity, and may interfere with engagement with cancer therapy and follow-up, we prospectively evaluated quality of life in skin cancer patients using the Covid-19 Emotional Impact Survey (C-19EIS) and the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires. 101 patients (48 females and 53 males) completed both questionnaires. The mean C-19EIS score was 3.8 on a scale from 0 (no impact) to 12 (severe impact). Patients undergoing systemic therapy showed significantly impaired physical (p = 0.006) and social functioning (p = 0.003). However, when compared to the published normative EORTC QLQ-C30 data, there was no evidence that the Covid-19 pandemic had significantly impacted upon overall quality of life. Subscales of the EORTC QLQ-C30 were significantly inversely correlated with the C-19EIS, validating its use in skin cancer patients. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, skin cancer patients in our tertiary referral center were surprisingly resilient. However, given the geographical variations in the rates of Sars-CoV-2 infection it is possible that the low incidence in Northern Germany may have resulted in a lack of general QoL impairments. Multi-center studies are required to further determine the impact of Covid-19 on psychological wellbeing in skin cancer patients in order to develop supportive interventions and to ensure that engagement with cancer care services is maintained in order to enable early detection of cancer progression and/or recurrence.
“He who pays the piper calls the tune”: Researcher experiences of funder suppression of health behaviour intervention trial findings
Authors: McCrabb Sam , Mooney Kaitlin , Wolfenden Luke , Gonzalez Sharleen , Ditton Elizabeth , Yoong Serene , Kypri Kypros
Published: August 2021

Background

Governments commonly fund research with specific applications in mind. Such mechanisms may facilitate ‘research translation’ but funders may employ strategies that can also undermine the integrity of both science and government. We estimated the prevalence and investigated correlates of funder efforts to suppress health behaviour intervention trial findings.

Methods

Our sampling frame was lead or corresponding authors of papers (published 2007–2017) included in a Cochrane review, reporting findings from trials of interventions to improve nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, smoking, and substance use. Suppression events were based on a previous survey of public health academics. Participants answered questions concerning seven suppression events in their efforts to report the trial, e.g., [I was…] “asked to suppress certain findings as they were viewed as being unfavourable.” We also examined the association between information on study funder, geographical location, targeted health behaviour, country democracy rating and age of publication with reported suppression.

Findings

We received responses from 104 authors (50%) of 208 eligible trials, from North America (34%), Europe (33%), Oceania (17%), and other countries (16%). Eighteen percent reported at least one of the seven suppression events relating to the trial in question. The most commonly reported suppression event was funder(s) expressing reluctance to publish because they considered the results ‘unfavourable’ (9% reported). We found no strong associations with the subject of research, funding source, democracy, region, or year of publication.

Conclusions

One in five researchers in this global sample reported being pressured to delay, alter, or not publish the findings of health behaviour intervention trials. Regulation of funder and university practices, establishing study registries, and compulsory disclosure of funding conditions in scientific journals, are needed to protect the integrity of public-good research.
Analysis of the coaptation role of the deltoid in reverse shoulder arthroplasty. A preliminary biomechanical study
Authors: Martinez Lucas , Machefert Margaux , Poirier Thomas , Matsoukis Jean , Billuart Fabien
Published: August 2021

Background

Lateralization of the glenoid implant improves functional outcomes in Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty. Lateralization does not appear to impact the Deltoid’s Moment Arm. Therefore, the stabilizing effect described in the literature would not be the result of an increase this moment arm. A static biomechanical model, derived from Magnetic Resonance Imaging, can be used to assess the coaptation effect of the Middle Deltoid. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of increasing amounts of glenoid lateralization on the moment arm but also on its coaptation effect.

Methods

Eight patients (72.6 ± 6.5 years) operated for Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty were included in the study. Three-dimensional models of each shoulder were created based on imaging taken at 6 months postoperative. A least square sphere representing the prosthetic implant was added to each 3D models. A static biomechanical model was then applied to different planar portions of the Middle Deltoid (from 3D models), first without lateralization and then with simulated lateralization of 6, 9 and 12mm. This static model enables to compute a Coaptation/Elevation Ratio and to measure the Deltoid’s Moment Arm. The inter- and intra-rater agreement of the 3D models was evaluated.

Results

One patient was excluded due to motion during imaging. The inter- and intra-rater agreement was over 0.99. The ratio increased starting at 6 mm of lateralization (p<0.05), compared to the initial position. The moment arm was not affected by lateralization (p<0.05), except in two slices starting at 9 mm (S1 p<0.05 and S2 p<0.05).

Conclusion

Our hypothesis that the Middle Deltoid’s coaptation role would be greater with glenosphere lateralization was confirmed. This trend was not found in the moment arm, which showed little sensitivity to lateralization. The stabilizing effect therefore appears to stem from the coaptation role of the Middle Deltoid.
The association between attachment pattern and depression severity in Thai depressed patients
Authors: Chinvararak Chotiman , Kirdchok Pantri , Lueboonthavatchai Peeraphon
Published: August 2021

Objective

We aimed to study attachment patterns and their association with depression severity in Thai depressed patients.

Method

We conducted a descriptive study of depressed participants at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital from November 2013 to April 2014. The Thai Short Version of Revised Experience of Close Relationships Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were administered to all participants. We assessed BDI-II scores, classified by attachment patterns, using one-way analyses of variance. The associated factors and predictors of depression severity were analysed by chi-square and logistic regression analyses, respectively.

Results

A total of 180 participants (75% female; mean age = 45.2 ± 14.3 years) were recruited. Dismissing attachment was the most common pattern in Thai depressed patients (36.1%). Depressed patients with preoccupied attachment demonstrated the highest BDI-II scores. The best predictor of moderate to severe depression severity was preoccupied/fearful attachment (odds ratio = 3.68; 95% confidence interval = 2.05–7.30).

Conclusions

Anxious attachment was found to be associated with higher depression severity. Preoccupied/fearful attachment was the predictor of moderate to severe depression severity.
Above-ground carbon stock and REDD+ opportunities of community-managed forests in northern Thailand
Authors: Thammanu Siriluck , Han Hee , Marod Dokrak , Srichaichana Jamroon , Chung Joosang
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to investigate the structure of two deciduous forests and assess their above-ground carbon stock in order to promote community forest management (CFM) for REDD+ opportunities in the Ban Mae Chiang Rai Lum Community Forest in northern Thailand. A systematic sampling method was used to establish twenty-five sample plots of 40 m × 40 m (0.16 ha) each that were used to survey the entire 3,925 ha area of the community forest. Cluster analysis identified two different forest types: dry dipterocarp forest and mixed deciduous forest. It was determined that the above-ground carbon stock did not vary significantly between them. An analysis of carbon sequestration in the community forest indicates that carbon stock increased under CFM from 2007 to 2018 by an estimated 28,928 t C and participation in the carbon market would have yielded approximately US $339,730.43 or US $8.66 /ha/year to the community for that 10-year period. Projections for 2028 reflect that carbon stock will experience continual growth which indicates that maintaining CFM can increase carbon sequestration and reduce CO2 emissions. However, though further growth of carbon stock in the community forest is expected into 2038, that growth would be at a lesser rate than during the preceding decade. This suggests that CFM management should address forest utilization practices with a focus on maintaining long term carbon stock growth. Additional measures to address the impact of drought conditions and to safeguard against forest fires are required to sustain tree species’ growth and expansion in order to increase their carbon accumulation potential. Thailand’s community forest involvement in REDD+ and participation in its international carbon market could create more economic opportunities for local communities.
Analyzing the 2019 Chilean social outbreak: Modelling Latin American economies
Authors: Curilef Sergio , González Diego , Calderón Carlos
Published: August 2021

In this work, we propose a quantitative model for the 2019 Chilean protests. We utilize public data for the consumer price index, the gross domestic product, and the employee and per capita income distributions as inputs for a nonlinear diffusion-reaction equation, the solutions to which provide an in-depth analysis of the population dynamics. Specifically, the per capita income distribution stands out as a solution to the extended Fisher-Kolmogorov equation. According to our results, the concavity of employee income distribution is a decisive input parameter and, in contrast to the distributions typically observed for Chile and other countries in Latin America, should ideally be non-negative. Based on the results of our model, we advocate for the implementation of social policies designed to stimulate social mobility by broadening the distribution of higher salaries.
Dynamic graph convolutional networks with attention mechanism for rumor detection on social media
Authors: Choi Jiho , Ko Taewook , Choi Younhyuk , Byun Hyungho , Kim Chong-kwon
Published: August 2021

Social media has become an ideal platform for the propagation of rumors, fake news, and misinformation. Rumors on social media not only mislead online users but also affect the real world immensely. Thus, detecting the rumors and preventing their spread became an essential task. Some of the recent deep learning-based rumor detection methods, such as Bi-Directional Graph Convolutional Networks (Bi-GCN), represent rumor using the completed stage of the rumor diffusion and try to learn the structural information from it. However, these methods are limited to represent rumor propagation as a static graph, which isn’t optimal for capturing the dynamic information of the rumors. In this study, we propose novel graph convolutional networks with attention mechanisms, namedDynamic GCN, for rumor detection. We first represent rumor posts with their responsive posts as dynamic graphs. The temporal information is used to generate a sequence of graph snapshots. The representation learning on graph snapshots with attention mechanism captures both structural and temporal information of rumor spreads. The conducted experiments on three real-world datasets demonstrate the superiority of Dynamic GCN over the state-of-the-art methods in the rumor detection task.
Differential prevalence of pathobionts and host gene polymorphisms in chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases: Crohn’s disease and intestinal tuberculosis
Authors: Khan Imteyaz Ahmad , Nayak Baibaswata , Markandey Manasvini , Bajaj Aditya , Verma Mahak , Kumar Sambudhha , Singh Mukesh Kumar , Kedia Saurabh , Ahuja Vineet
Published: August 2021

Background and objectives

Crohn’s disease (CD) and Intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) are chronic inflammatory ulcero-constrictive intestinal diseases with similar phenotype. Although both are disease models of chronic inflammation and their clinical presentations, imaging, histological and endoscopic findings are very similar, yet their etiologies are diverse. Hence, we aimed to look at differences in the prevalence of pathobionts like adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC), Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni and Yersinia enterocolitica in CD and ITB as well as their associations with host-associated genetic polymorphisms in genes majorly involved in pathways of microbial handling and immune responses.

Methods

The study cohort included 142 subjects (69 patients with CD, 32 with ITB and 41 controls). RT- PCR amplification was used to detect the presence of AIEC, L. monocytogenes, C. jejuni, and Y. enterocolitica DNA in colonic mucosal biopsies. Additionally, we tested three SNPs in IRGM (rs13361189, rs10065172, and rs4958847), one SNP in ATG16L1 (rs2241880) and one SNP in TNFRSF1A (rs4149570) by real-time PCR with SYBR green from peripheral blood samples in this cohort.

Results

In patients with CD, AIEC was most frequently present (16/ 69, 23.19%) followed by L. monocytogenes (14/69, 20.29%), C. jejuni (9/69, 13.04%), and Y. enterocolitica (7/69, 10.14%). Among them, L. monocytogenes and Y. enterocolitica were significantly associated with CD (p = 0.02). In addition, we identified all the three SNPs in IRGM (rs13361189, rs10065172, and rs4958847), one SNP in ATG16L1 (rs2241880) and TNFRSF1A (rs4149570) with a significant difference in frequency in patients with CD compared with ITB and controls (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Higher prevalence of host gene polymorphisms, as well as the presence of pathobionts, was seen in the colonic mucosa of patients with CD as compared to ITB, although both are disease models of chronic inflammation.
Reactive anti-predator behavioral strategy shaped by predator characteristics
Authors: Palmer Meredith S. , Packer Craig
Published: August 2021

Large mammalian herbivores use a diverse array of strategies to survive predator encounters including flight, grouping, vigilance, warning signals, and fitness indicators. While anti-predator strategies appear to be driven by specific predator traits, no prior studies have rigorously evaluated whether predator hunting characteristics predict reactive anti-predator responses. We experimentally investigated behavioral decisions made by free-ranging impala, wildebeest, and zebra during encounters with model predators with different functional traits. We hypothesized that the choice of response would be driven by a predator’s hunting style (i.e., ambush vs. coursing) while the intensity at which the behavior was performed would correlate with predator traits that contribute to the prey’s relative risk (i.e., each predator’s prey preference, prey-specific capture success, and local predator density). We found that the choice and intensity of anti-predator behaviors were both shaped by hunting style and relative risk factors. All prey species directed longer periods of vigilance towards predators with higher capture success. The decision to flee was the only behavior choice driven by predator characteristics (capture success and hunting style) while intensity of vigilance, frequency of alarm-calling, and flight latency were modulated based on predator hunting strategy and relative risk level. Impala regulated only the intensity of their behaviors, while zebra and wildebeest changed both type and intensity of response based on predator traits. Zebra and impala reacted to multiple components of predation threat, while wildebeest responded solely to capture success. Overall, our findings suggest that certain behaviors potentially facilitate survival under specific contexts and that prey responses may reflect the perceived level of predation risk, suggesting that adaptive functions to reactive anti-predator behaviors may reflect potential trade-offs to their use. The strong influence of prey species identity and social and environmental context suggest that these factors may interact with predator traits to determine the optimal response to immediate predation threat.
RNA-sequencing of AVPV and ARH reveals vastly different temporal and transcriptomic responses to estradiol in the female rat hypothalamus
Authors: Mohr Margaret A. , Wong Angela M. , Sukumar Gauthaman , Dalgard Clifton L. , Hong Weizhe , Wu T. John , Wu Ye Emily , Micevych Paul E.
Published: August 2021

In females, estrogens have two main modes of action relating to gonadotropin secretion: positive feedback and negative feedback. Estrogen positive and negative feedback are controlled by different regions of the hypothalamus: the preoptic area/anterior portion (mainly the anteroventral periventricular nucleus, AVPV) of the hypothalamus is associated with estrogen positive feedback while the mediobasal hypothalamus (mainly the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, ARH), is associated with estrogen negative feedback. In this study, we examined the temporal pattern of gene transcription in these two regions following estrogen treatment. Adult, ovariectomized, Long Evans rats received doses of estradiol benzoate (EB) or oil every 4 days for 3 cycles. On the last EB priming cycle, hypothalamic tissues were dissected into the AVPV+ and ARH+ at 0 hrs (baseline/oil control), 6 hrs, or 24 hrs after EB treatment. RNA was extracted and sequenced using bulk RNA sequencing. Differential gene analysis, gene ontology, and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed. Overall, we found that the AVPV+ and ARH+ respond differently to estradiol stimulation. In both regions, estradiol treatment resulted in more gene up-regulation than down-regulation. S100g was very strongly up-regulated by estradiol in both regions at 6 and 24 hrs after EB treatment. In the AVPV+ the highest number of differentially expressed genes occurred 24 hrs after EB. In the ARH+, the highest number of genes differentially expressed by EB occurred between 6 and 24 hrs after EB, while in the AVPV+, the fewest genes changed their expression between these time points, demonstrating a temporal difference in the way that EB regulates transcription these two areas. Several genes strongly implicated in gonadotropin release were differentially affected by estradiol including Esr1, encoding estrogen receptor-α and Kiss1, encoding kisspeptin. As an internal validation, Kiss1 was up-regulated in the AVPV+ and down-regulated in the ARH+. Gene network analysis revealed the vastly different clustering of genes modulated by estradiol in the AVPV+ compared with the ARH+. These results indicate that gene expression in these two hypothalamic regions have specific responses to estradiol in timing and direction.