bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the medical burden of COVID‐19 with seasonal influenza and measles outbreaks
Authors: Nesselroth Dafna , Yakub Hana Hussam , Gleyzer Alexandra , Simoes Eric A. F. , Abu Atta Mahdi , Ben Yehuda Yoram , Bibi Haim , Somekh Ido , Somekh Eli 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAimTo examine and compare the medical burden of measles, influenza and COVID‐19 outbreaks in the city of Bnei Brak, Israel.MethodsThe study was conducted during 2018–2021. The numbers of hospitalisations for these infections and their complications were recorded. Hospitalisation rates were determined by using the number of children residing in Bnei Brak and hospitalised with these infections during the study period as the numerators. The denominators were the estimated paediatric cases of measles, influenza and COVID‐19 in Bnei Brak and were calculated under both pragmatic and conservative assumptions.ResultsA total of 247, 65 and 32 children were hospitalised with influenza, COVID‐19 and measles respectively. Complication rates were higher following measles than after influenza and SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. Hospitalisation rates were 10% for measles, 0.6%‐1.2% for influenza and 0.15% ‐ 0.25% for COVID‐19 infections. Relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for hospitalisation following measles compared with COVID‐19 ranged from 42 (26.3–67.3) to 70.1 (43.8–112.1), while the relative risks for influenza hospitalisation ranged from 2.5 (1.83–3.41) to 8.2 (6.0–11.2), compared with COVID‐19 infection.ConclusionHospitalisation rates and direct medical burdens of measles and influenza were significantly higher than those of COVID‐19 infection in children.
Implementing competency‐based medical education curriculum in undergraduate psychiatric training in India: Opportunities and challenges
Authors: Sahadevan Sreeja , Kurian Neetu , Mani Anu Mary , Kishor Manohar Rao , Menon Vikas 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMedical education in India is undergoing a landmark transformation under the National Medical Commission implementing competency‐based medical education (CBME). The CBME approach intends to ensure that medical graduates acquire the competencies needed to fulfill the health needs of the patient and society. This outcome‐based approach shifts the focus from the traditional knowledge‐based training to skill‐based training valued on attitude, ethics, and communication (AETCOM) competencies. CBME thus aims to create medical professionals capable of providing holistic care with compassion and excellence embracing the global trends. The opportunity posed by the CBME should be utilized to sensitize and create interest among the learners about the science and scope of psychiatry. However, there are many challenges in the successful implementation of CBME, which have to be identified and addressed on time for serving the purpose. A basic tenet in CBME is to continue training until the desired competencies are achieved; in other words, to de‐emphasize time‐based learning. Moreover, the current COVID 19 pandemic is posing a significant influence on the execution of CBME implemented in August 2019. Online platforms could have several advantages in assisting the implementation of CBME; they provide an alternative to continue teaching–learning and assessment during these times and allow learners with the flexibility to learn at their own pace. In this article, we discuss the opportunities, including digital platforms and challenges to be overcame as well as the need for training the faculty toward assimilating the curriculum in the undergraduate psychiatric training.
Improving growth performance and blood profile by feeding autolyzed yeast to improve pork carcass and meat quality
Authors: Namted Siriporn , Poungpong Kanokporn , Loongyai Wiriya , Rakangthong Choawit , Bunchasak Chaiyapoom 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe 63 commercial pigs were divided into three groups consisting of seven replicates of three piglets each. The experimental diets were (1) control diet, (2) diet with autolyzed yeast (AY) 0.5%, and (3) diet with AY 1.0%. Compared to the control group, using AY 0.5% in the diet reduced average daily feed intake (ADFI) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p < 0.05). The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) in blood decreased with the addition of AY 0.5% (p < 0.05). The pH at 6‐h postmortem of meat in the 0.5% AY diet group was higher than for the control group (p < 0.05). Backfat thickness (p = 0.09) and P2‐backfat thickness (p = 0.07) tended to decrease, while the fat free index (FFI;p = 0.07) tended to increase with 0.5% AY supplementation. The protein percentage (p = 0.07) and the a* value (redness) (p = 0.08) in the meat tended to increase, and the springiness increased with 0.5% AY supplementation (p < 0.05). An appropriate level of AY supplementation can impact positively on the physiological functions in swine with a consequent seems to improve in qualitative traits of the meat quality.
Initiation of paediatric advance care planning: Cross‐sectional survey of health professionals reported behaviour
Authors: Carr Karen , Hasson Felicity , McIlfatrick Sonja , Downing Julia 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundGlobally, initiation of paediatric advance care planning discussions is advocated early in the illness trajectory; however, evidence suggests it occurs at crisis points or close to end of life. Few studies have been undertaken to ascertain the prevalence and determinants of behaviour related to initiation by the healthcare professional.MethodUnderpinned by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation–Behaviour (COM‐B) model for behaviour change, a cross‐sectional online survey was conducted in United Kingdom and Ireland using a purposive sample of health professionals. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied and nonparametric statistical analysis used. Open‐ended questions were mapped and correlations between COM‐B and demographic profiles identified.ResultsResponses (n = 140): Paediatric advance care planning was viewed positively; however, initiation practices were found to be influenced by wide ranging diagnoses and disease trajectories. Whilst some tools and protocols exist, they were not used in a systematic manner, and initiation behaviour was often not guided by them. Initiation was unstandardized, individually led, guided by intuition and experience and based on a range of prerequisites. Such behaviour, combined with inconsistencies in professional development, resulted in varying practice when managing clinical deterioration. Professionals who felt adequately trained initiated more conversations (capability). Those working in palliative care specialties, hospice settings and doctors initiated more discussions (opportunity). There was no difference in Motivation between professions, clinical settings or specialisms, although 25% (n = 35) of responses indicated discomfort discussing death and 34% (n = 49) worried about families' emotional reaction.ConclusionAlthough advocated, paediatric advance care planning is a complex process, commonly triggered by the physical deterioration and rarely underpinned by support tools. The COM‐B framework was useful in identifying fundamental differences in initiation behaviour; however, further research is required to explore the complexity of initiation behaviour and the system within which the care is being delivered to identify influences on initiation.
Longitudinal changes in serum testosterone and sex hormone‐binding globulin in men aged 40–69 years from the UK Biobank
Authors: Marriott Ross J. , Murray Kevin , Hankey Graeme J. , Manning Laurens , Dwivedi Girish , Wu Frederick C. W. , Yeap Bu B. 
Published: December 2021

SummaryObjectiveTestosterone and sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations are reported to decline during male ageing, but whether these changes reflect physiological ageing or age‐related comorbidities remains uncertain. We examined longitudinal changes in serum testosterone and SHBG concentrations in middle‐aged to older men, concordance between baseline and follow‐up values and relationships with concomitant changes in lifestyle and medical factors.DesignPopulation‐based longitudinal cohort study.ParticipantsCommunity‐dwelling men aged 40–69 years.MeasurementsImmunoassay serum total testosterone (n = 7812) and SHBG (n = 6491) at baseline (2006–2010) and follow‐up (2012–2013). Free testosterone (cFT) was calculated. Bland–Altman analyses and concordance correlation of repeated measurements were conducted. Associations of changes in hormone concentrations with lifestyle and medical factors were explored using Spearman's rank correlation.ResultsOver 4.3 years follow‐up, there was a negligible mean change (±SE) in serum total testosterone concentration (+0.06 ± 0.03 nmol/L), whereas mean SHBG concentration increased (+3.69 ± 0.12 nmol/L) and cFT decreased (−10.7 ± 0.7 pmol/L). Concordance estimates were 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66–0.69) for total testosterone, 0.83 (CI = 0.82–0.84) for SHBG and 0.56 (CI = 0.54–0.58) for cFT. Changes in serum total testosterone correlated with changes in SHBG (Spearman's rank ρ = 0.33, CI = 0.30–0.35), and inversely with changes in body mass index (BMI) (ρ = −0.18, CI = −0.20 to −0.16) and waist circumference (ρ = −0.13, CI = −0.15 to −0.11) and in SHBG with changes in BMI (ρ = −0.34, CI = −0.36 to −0.32) and waist circumference (ρ = −0.21, CI = −0.24 to −0.19).ConclusionIn relatively healthy middle‐aged to older men, mean serum total testosterone concentration is stable with ageing, while mean SHBG concentration increases. Both total testosterone and SHBG concentrations were highly concordant over time.
Quick preparation of ABO‐incompatible living donor liver transplantation for acute liver failure
Authors: Lee Wei‐Chen , Cheng Chih‐Hsien , Lee Chen‐Fang , Hung Hao‐Chien , Lee Jin‐Chiao , Wu Tsung‐Han , Wang Yu‐Chao , Wu Ting‐Jung , Chou Hong‐Shiue , Chan Kun‐Ming 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAcute liver failure is life‐threatening and has to be treated by liver transplantation urgently. When deceased donors or ABO‐compatible living donors are not available, ABO‐incompatible (ABO‐I) living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) becomes the only choice. How to prepare ABO‐I LDLT urgently is an unsolved issue. A quick preparation regimen was designed, which was consisted of bortezomib (3.5 mg) injection to deplete plasma cells and plasma exchange to achieve isoagglutinin titer ≤ 1: 64 just prior to liver transplantation and followed by rituximab (375 mg/m2) on post‐operative day 1 to deplete B‐cells. Eight patients received this quick preparation regimen to undergo ABO‐I LDLT for acute liver failure from 2012 to 2019. They aged between 50 and 60 years. The median MELD score was 39 with a range from 35 to 48. It took 4.75 ± 1.58 days to prepare such an urgent ABO‐I LDLT. All the patients had successful liver transplantations, but one patient died of antibody‐mediated rejection at post‐operative month 6. The 3‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year graft/patient survival were 100%, 87.5%, and 75%, respectively. In conclusion, this quick preparation regimen can reduce isoagglutinin titers quickly and make timely ABO‐I LDLT feasible for acute liver failure.
Why Is the Drug Trade Not Violent? Cocaine Production and the Embedded Economy in the Chapare, Bolivia
Authors: Grisaffi Thomas 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTBolivia is a centre for drug production and trafficking and yet it experiences far less drug‐related violence than other countries in Latin America that form part of cocaine's commodity chain. Drawing upon more than three years of ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2005 and 2019, this article presents evidence from the Chapare, a coca‐growing and drug processing region in central Bolivia, to consider why this is the case. Building from the literature on embedded economies and the subsistence ethic of peasant communities, the article demonstrates that the drug trade is part of a local moral order that prioritizes kinship, reciprocal relations and community well‐being, facilitated by the cultural significance of the coca leaf. This has served to limit possibilities for the violence that is often associated with drug production and trafficking. In addition, coca grower agricultural unions act as a parallel form of governance, providing a framework for the peaceful resolution of disputes and working actively to exclude the state and criminal actors.
Changes in soil pH and mobility of heavy metals in contaminated soils
Authors: Kicińska Alicja , Pomykała Radosław , Izquierdo‐Diaz Miguel 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIn the present paper, the authors attempt to explain the importance of pH in soil environment studies and show what mistakes to avoid when measuring pH and interpreting the results obtained. The tests conducted (i.e., extraction in aqua regia, buffer capacity determination, and the impact of acidification on the amount of heavy metals extracted from soils) demonstrated how soil pollution and buffer capacity affect the pace of extracting cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) cations from heavily polluted and unpolluted soils following gradual acidification. It was shown that soil acidification caused a significant increase in metal mobility in the following order Cd > Zn > Pb and that the highest decrease in pH was observed after adding the first portion of acid. Further addition of acid caused a gradually lower decrease in pH. Soils from the polluted area presented a high buffer capacity. The control samples displayed a distinctly poorer resistance to pH changes in the soil environment. Special focus was placed on cadmium due to its high mobility in soils, even with neutral and slightly alkaline pH. The analyses revealed that in areas heavily polluted by long‐term industrial activity (Igeo > 5 for Zn, Pb and Cd), it is very important to conduct extensive geochemical studies related to the presence and circulation of particularly toxic elements. This is because every environmental factor, especially pH, may significantly affect their mobility, causing metal ions to become more or less active or increasing or decreasing environmental risk related to their presence.Highlights
Soil acidification caused a significant increase in metal mobility in the following order: Cd > Zn > Pb.
A special focus needs to be placed on Cd due to its high mobility in soils (up to 70% of total concentration), even with neutral and slightly alkaline pH.
A higher pH buffering capacity would lead to a lower increase in percentage of bioavailable pollutants with an increase in acidity.
Brothers and broken dreams: Men, masculinity, and emotions in platform capitalism
Authors: Dinh Trang Thi Quynh , Tienari Janne 
Published: December 2021

AbstractHow platform companies act as intermediaries between precarious workers and consumers has received critical attention in terms of the way companies exploit those who work for them and the ambiguity they create in the labor market. We study how male drivers, or “brothers,” in an intermediary platform that provides ride‐hailing services in Vietnam discuss their work and lives on social media. We analyze how men experience getting stuck, not achieving their desired dignity, and being exploited, and how they enact masculinity through sharing emotions such as despair, anger, and shame in dealing with their experiences. We argue that this extends understanding of how platform capitalism is experienced by men in the Global South where many low‐skilled jobs have always been precarious, but platform companies offer hope and dreams of freedom and prosperity. How men cope with broken dreams, grapple with challenges to their sense of masculinity, and seek to retain a sense of agency are important questions today.
Tempering–preservation treatment inactivated lipase in wheat bran and retained phenolic compounds
Authors: Qi Yajing , Yang Yuying , Hassane Hamadou Alkassoumi , Shen Qiuyun , Xu Bin 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWheat bran is rich in functional ingredients, but the high level of lipase limits its applications. Tempering–preservation treatment (at 70–90 °C with moisture of 20%–40% for 1–4 h) was exploited for stabilising wheat bran and its effect on polyphenols was investigated. The results showed that more lipase was inactivated at higher tempering moisture, temperature and longer time. The optimum condition for inactivation of wheat bran lipase was 30% moisture and 90 °C for 4 h. The inactivation rate reached 93.8% with a residual enzyme activity of 0.264 U g−1. Under the optimum condition, the sum of free phenolic acids rose from 25.4 to 55.8 µg g−1. As for bound phenolic acids, there was a slight increase of hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives but a slight decrease of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The total contents of phenolic acids before and after stabilisation were not significantly different. This study showed the possibility of using tempering–preservation as an efficient method for inactivation of wheat bran lipase while maintaining its phenolic compounds, which could be used in the production of whole wheat flour.
Barriers in adopting health‐promoting behaviours among nurses: A qualitative systematic review and meta‐synthesis
Authors: Chong Kai En , Shorey Shefaly 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAimsNursing is a highly stressful occupation where irregular shifts and working overtime lead to unhealthy behaviours. This qualitative systematic review and meta‐synthesis aims to examine nurses' barriers in adopting health‐promoting behaviours.MethodsSix electronic databases were searched from their respective inception dates to October 2021: EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist was used to appraise the quality of included studies. Data synthesis followed Sandelowski's and Barroso's two‐step approach.ResultsFourteen studies were included in this review, and three themes were generated as follows: (1) work environment and workplace culture, (2) nature of the job and (3) intrinsic factors.ConclusionThis review synthesized available evidence on the barriers nurses experienced while adopting health‐promoting behaviours. Health‐care institutions should target these factors when providing facilities and services to support nurses in adopting health‐promoting behaviours. Policies should focus on workplace health promotion by advocating for healthy lifestyle policies. Future research should be conducted in more multicultural and geographically diverse regions to obtain a more global view of nurses' barriers to adopt health‐promoting behaviours.
Assessing the impacts of donor support on Nigeria's health system: The global fund in perspective
Authors: Kalu Kenneth 
Published: December 2021

AbstractFrom 2003 to 2019, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (the “Global Fund”) disbursed a total of US$2.3 billion in grants to Nigeria, mainly for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. This paper examines the impacts of the Global Fund's interventions on Nigeria's health system. Case study evidence shows that while the Global Fund has been successful in achieving its specific performance targets, its impacts on Nigeria's health system has been minimal at best. Major reasons for its negligible impacts on the country's health system include the Global Fund's ambivalent operational structure, little input from the host country in program design, excessive focus on fiduciary matters as opposed to public health interventions, as well as emphasis on parochial performance targets. Policy implications arising from this study include the need for domestic actors in Nigeria's health sector to have significant input in designing the Global Fund's projects in the country. In addition, the Global Fund's board and major donors should work collaboratively to refocus the institution to enhance its public health impacts.
Hemocyte activation and nodule formation in the giant keyhole limpet, Megathura crenulata
Authors: Martin Gary G. , Stamnes Stephanie , Henderson Nicola , Lum Juliette , Rubin Nicole , Williams Jonathan P. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe giant keyhole limpet, Megathura crenulata, lives in rocky intertidal and subtidal environments along the Southern California coast, where it is exposed to viruses, bacteria, and other potential pathogens. We demonstrate that when exposed to bacteria or latex beads, hemocytes from specimens of M. crenulata in vivo and in vitro immediately become adhesive and form nodules. The rapid activation of hemocytes suggests a role for an array of recognition proteins, and inhibition of nodulation by the tripeptide Arg–Gly–Asp indicates that integrins are involved. The morphological changes involved with nodule formation include the rapid extension of lamellipodia, phagocytosis of particles, and compaction of the hemocyte aggregates. The number of nonadherent hemocytes rapidly decreases as aggregates form. The elimination of bacteria is due to a dynamic hemocyte response, rather than antibacterial factors in the plasma. These findings are compared to work on other gastropods and expand the current knowledge on the immune response of molluscs, such as M. crenulata, which is increasing in importance as they continue to be raised in aquaculture for pharmacological use.
Dominance of Scorpaena maderensis among scorpaenids of littoral rocky reefs in Corsica (NW Mediterranean): Further evidence of Mediterranean Sea warming
Authors: Astruch Patrick , Belloni Bruno , Rouanet Elodie , Schohn Thomas , Harmelin‐Vivien Mireille , Harmelin Jean‐Georges , Boudouresque Charles‐François 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe population of Scorpaenidae was investigated in the Nature Reserve of Scàndula (Corsica, France, NW Mediterranean). While absent from Corsica a few decades ago, the Madeira rockfish Scorpaena maderensis is now the most abundant scorpaenid species in shallow rocky reef areas, far outnumbering Scorpaena notata and Scorpaena porcus. Considered as a subtropical species of Atlantic origin, the northward progression of the thermophilic S. maderensis and its dominance in Corsican waters is further evidence of the ongoing warming of the Mediterranean Sea.
Religion, Politics, and Public Funding for Abortion
Authors: Braunstein Ruth , Whitehead Andrew L. , Burge Ryan P. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAn abundance of research examines Americans’ attitudes toward abortion legality and morality with particular attention to polarization around this issue and the influence of social movements, religious organizations, the media, and political leaders. There is a relative dearth, however, of research focusing on attitudes toward the public funding of abortion services. Using three national, random samples of American adults, we address this gap in the literature. We find that the oft‐cited “bipartisan consensus” around opposition to public funding of abortion is a myth. In fact, there is more bipartisan consensus around abortion legality than abortion funding, across religious traditions. As national debates about abortion funding intensify, these findings underscore the importance of future surveys consistently measuring Americans’ attitudes toward public funding of abortion, above and beyond abortion legality or morality.