bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Moringa Oleifera fortified porridge consumption on protein and vitamin A status of children with cerebral palsy in Nairobi, Kenya: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kajuju Malla Janet , Ochola Sophie , Ogada Irene , Munyaka Ann 
Published: November 2022

Background
Malnutrition due to inadequate dietary intake is commonly reported in children with Cerebral palsy (CP). Poor dietary intakes are majorly caused by feeding dysfunctions secondary to oro-motor impairment characteristic of the condition. Strategies that improve nutrient densities in foods can help enhance nutrient intakes by these children.

Objective
This study investigated the effect of consumption of fermented finger millet porridge fortified with Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MoLP) on the protein and vitamin A status of children with CP.

Design
A randomized controlled trial was conducted among 113 children aged 5–11 years with CP. The study had two arms (intervention [N = 57] and control [N = 56]). The intervention group received a daily serving of fortified finger millet porridge for 3 months while the control group received non-fortified finger millet porridge servings. All children received the same amounts of porridge servings. The levels of serum albumin and retinol between the groups were compared at both baseline and end line. The BMI-for-age Z-scores (BMIAZ) and morbidity prevalence of the children were also assessed.

Results
At baseline, the two study groups were similar in all demographic and socio-economic characteristics, nutrient intakes, serum levels of albumin and retinol, weight status and morbidity. At end line, the children from the intervention group had significantly higher intakes of vitamin A at 717.12±432.7 μg/d (p = 0.038) and protein at 44.367±17.2 g/d (p = 0.031) respectively. The serum nutrients levels increased significantly from baseline by 0.456±0.12 g/dL (p<0.001) for albumin and by 0.243±0.10 μmol/L (p<0.001) for retinol among children in the intervention group. Among the children in the control group, the changes in the levels of both serum albumin 0.012±0.07 g/dL (p = 0.868) and serum retinol [0.0021±0.02 μmol/L (p = 0.890)] were not significant. At endline, the BMI-for-age Z-scores results showed that 10.52% and 34.0% of children from intervention and control group respectively were undernourished [χ2 = 30.985; p = 0.037]. Among the children in the intervention, group there was a significant change in the weight status between baseline and endline (p = 0.036). The weight status among children in the control group was not significantly different between baseline and endline (p = 0.109). Significant difference in morbidity prevalence between the two groups was also observed at endline (p = 0.003) with the prevalence being 24.6% and 51.8% among children in the intervention and control group respectively.

Conclusion
Consumption of M. oleifera fortified porridge significantly improved the children’s serum albumin and retinol levels, as well as BMIAZ.

Registration number and name of trial registry
The trial is registered at Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, number PACTR202107669905145 URL link: https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/.
Identification of the onchocerciasis vector in the Kakoi-Koda focus of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Post Rory J. , Laudisoit Anne , Mandro Michel , Lakwo Thomson , Laemmer Christine , Pfarr Kenneth , Hoerauf Achim , Tortosa Pablo , Gomard Yann , Ukety Tony , Mande Claude , Farovitch Lorne , Amazigo Uche , Bakajika Didier , Oguttu David W. , Awaca Naomi , Colebunders Robert 
Published: November 2022

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to characterise the vector in a small hyper-endemic focus of onchocerciasis (the Kakoi-Koda focus) which has recently been discovered on the western slopes of the rift valley above Lake Albert.Methodology/Principal findingsAquatic stages of blackflies were collected by hand from streams and rivers, and anthropophilic adult females were collected by human landing catches. Using a combination of morphotaxonomy and DNA barcoding, the blackflies collected biting humans within the focus were identified asSimulium dentulosumandSimulium vorax, which were also found breeding in local streams and rivers.Simulium damnosums.l.,Simulium neaveiandSimulium albivirgulatumwere not found (except for a single site in 2009 where crabs were carryingS.neavei). Anthropophilic specimens from the focus were screened forOnchocercaDNA using discriminant qualitative real-time triplex PCR. One specimen ofS.voraxwas positive forOnchocerca volvulusin the body, and out of 155S.dentulosum, 30% and 11% were infected and infective (respectively).Conclusions/SignificanceSimulium dentulosumcurrently appears to be the main vector of human onchocerciasis within the Kakoi-Koda focus, andS.voraxmay be a secondary vector. It remains possible thatS.neaveiwas the main (or only) vector in the past having now become rare as a result of the removal of tree-cover and land-use changes.Simulium voraxhas previously been shown to support the development ofO.volvulusin the laboratory, but this is the first time thatS.dentulosumhas been implicated as a probable vector of onchocerciasis, and this raises the possibility that other blackfly species which are not generally considered to be anthropophilic vectors might become vectors under suitable conditions. BecauseS.dentulosumis not a vector in endemic areas surrounding the Kakoi-Koda focus, it is probable that the Kakoi-Koda focus is significantly isolated.
Progression of microstructural deterioration in load-bearing immobilization osteopenia
Authors: Koseki Hironobu , Osaki Makoto , Honda Yuichiro , Sunagawa Shinya , Imai Chieko , Shida Takayuki , Matsumura Umi , Sakamoto Junya , Tomonaga Iku , Yokoo Seiichi , Mizukami Satoshi , Okita Minoru 
Published: November 2022

Purpose
Immobilization osteopenia is a major healthcare problem in clinical and social medicine. However, the mechanisms underlying this bone pathology caused by immobilization under load-bearing conditions are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate sequential changes to the three-dimensional microstructure of bone in load-bearing immobilization osteopenia using a fixed-limb rat model.

Materials and method
Eight-week-old specific-pathogen-free male Wistar rats were divided into an immobilized group and a control group (n = 60 each). Hind limbs in the immobilized group were fixed using orthopedic casts with fixation periods of 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Feeding and weight-bearing were freely permitted. Length of the right femur was measured after each fixation period and bone microstructure was analyzed by micro-computed tomography. The architectural parameters of cortical and cancellous bone were analyzed statistically.

Results
Femoral length was significantly shorter in the immobilized group than in the control group after 2 weeks. Total area and marrow area were significantly lower in the immobilized group than in the control group from 1 to 12 weeks. Cortical bone area, cortical thickness, and polar moment of inertia decreased significantly after 2 weeks. Some cancellous bone parameters showed osteoporotic changes at 2 weeks after immobilization and the gap with the control group widened as the fixation period extended (P < 0.05).

Conclusion
The present results indicate that load-bearing immobilization triggers early deterioration of microstructure in both cortical and cancellous bone after 2 weeks.
COVID-19 sentiment analysis using college subreddit data
Authors: Yan Tian , Liu Fang 
Published: November 2022

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our society and human well-being in various ways. In this study, we investigate how the pandemic has influenced people’s emotions and psychological states compared to a pre-pandemic period using real-world data from social media.

Method
We collected Reddit social media data from 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2020 (pandemic) from the subreddits communities associated with eight universities. We applied the pre-trained Robustly Optimized BERT pre-training approach (RoBERTa) to learn text embedding from the Reddit messages, and leveraged the relational information among posted messages to train a graph attention network (GAT) for sentiment classification. Finally, we applied model stacking to combine the prediction probabilities from RoBERTa and GAT to yield the final classification on sentiment. With the model-predicted sentiment labels on the collected data, we used a generalized linear mixed-effects model to estimate the effects of pandemic and in-person teaching during the pandemic on sentiment.

Results
The results suggest that the odds of negative sentiments in 2020 (pandemic) were 25.7% higher than the odds in 2019 (pre-pandemic) with a p-value < 0.001; and the odds of negative sentiments associated in-person learning were 48.3% higher than with remote learning in 2020 with a p-value of 0.029.

Conclusions
Our study results are consistent with the findings in the literature on the negative impacts of the pandemic on people’s emotions and psychological states. Our study contributes to the growing real-world evidence on the various negative impacts of the pandemic on our society; it also provides a good example of using both ML techniques and statistical modeling and inference to make better use of real-world data.
Analysis of costs and utilization of ambulance services in the ministry of health facilities, Malaysia
Authors: Bahari Mohd Shahri , Aminuddin Farhana , Raman Sivaraj , Hanafiah Ainul Nadziha Mohd , Kunusagaran Mohd Shaiful Jefri Mohd Nor Sham , Zaimi Nur Amalina , Hassan Nor Zam Azihan Mohd , Mohamad Nor Ahmad Tajuddin 
Published: November 2022

Background
Despite emergency ambulance services playing a pivotal role in accessibility to life-saving treatments in Malaysia, there are still numerous gaps in knowledge in terms of their utilization and cost. This leads to current policies on procurement, maintenance, and allocation being predicated on historical evidence and expert opinions. This study thus aims to analyse the cost and utilization of ambulance services in selected public health facilities in Malaysia.

Methods
A cross-sectional study was employed involving 239 ambulances from selected hospitals and clinics. Ambulance service utilization was based on the number of trips, distance and duration of travel obtained from travel logbooks. A mixed top-down and activity-based costing approach was used to estimate the monthly cost of ambulance services. This constituted personnel, maintenance, fuel, overhead, consumables, ambulance, and medical equipment costs. The utilization and costs of ambulance services were further compared between settings and geographical locations.

Results
The average total cost of ambulance services was MYR 11,410.44 (US$ 2,756.14) for hospitals and MYR 9,574.39 (US$ 2,312.65) for clinics, albeit not significantly different. Personnel cost was found to be the main contributor to the total cost, at around 44% and 42% in hospitals and clinics, respectively. There was however a significant difference in the total cost in terms of the type and age of ambulances, in addition to their location. In terms of service utilization, the median number of trips and duration of ambulance usage was significantly higher in clinics (31.88 trips and 58.58 hours) compared to hospitals (16.25 trips and 39.25 hours).

Conclusions
The total cost of ambulance services was higher in hospitals compared to clinics, while its utilization showed a converse trend. The current findings evidence that despite the ambulance services being all under the MOH, their operating process and utilization reflected an inherent difference by setting.
Optimizing tuberculosis screening for immigrants in southern New Brunswick: A pilot study protocol
Authors: Shamputa Isdore Chola , Nguyen Duyen Thi Kim , Higazy Doaa , Abdelhadi Amani , MacKenzie Hope , Reddin Michelle , Barker Kimberley , Webster Duncan 
Published: November 2022

IntroductionImmigrants from high tuberculosis-burdened countries have been shown to have an increased risk of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). To reduce the risk of increased tuberculosis cases in Canada, the country has a comprehensive immigration medical examination process that identifies individuals with active tuberculosis using chest X-ray; however, it fails to identify LTBI. The lack of LTBI identification is concerning because immigrants with LTBI are at an increased risk of developing active tuberculosis within their first few years of migration due to stressful experiences common to many immigrants.ObjectivesThe goal of this pilot study is to improve the current LTBI screening protocols among immigrants from high tuberculosis incidence countries and to better prevent and manage tuberculosis cases, by introducing an LTBI screening pilot program. The objectives are threefold: 1) to screen LTBI in immigrants from high tuberculosis incidence countries, including immigrants identified as being at risk of LTBI by the NB health care system, using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA); 2) to offer LTBI treatment and supports to those identified as having LTBI; and 3) to assess immigrant and health care providers (HCPs) satisfaction of the LTBI screening pilot program.MethodsThis cross-sectional study seeks to recruit 288 participants. Participants will be recruited via posters, social media platforms, invitations at immigrant wellness check-ups, presentations to local ethnocultural groups, and by snowball sampling. Consenting participants will be asked to submit a blood sample for LTBI screening; if positive, participants will be assessed and offered treatment for LTBI based on clinical assessment. Participants and HCPs’ feedback will be gathered via short questionnaires. For the quantitative portion of the study, descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participant characteristics and feedback. Simultaneous logistic regression will be performed to identify variables associated with the IGRA test outcome and evidence of increased CD8 T-cell immune response among those found to be LTBI-positive. Qualitative results will be analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.DiscussionThe findings from this study will allow us to understand the role of the IGRA LTBI screening assay and its feasibility and acceptability by immigrants and HCPs in New Brunswick. The findings will additionally provide information on the enhancers and barriers of LTBI screening and management useful in determining how best to expand the LTBI screening program if deemed appropriate.
Higher readability of institutional websites drives the correct fruition of the abortion pathway: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Ferrari Amerigo , Pirrotta Luca , Bonciani Manila , Venturi Giulia , Vainieri Milena 
Published: November 2022

Background
In Italy, abortion services are public: therefore, health Institutions should provide clear and easily readable web-based information. We aimed to 1) assess variation in abortion services utilisation; 2) analyse the readability of institutional websites informing on induced abortion; 3) explore whether easier-to-read institutional websites influenced the correct fruition of abortion services.

Methods
We identified from the 2021 administrative databases of Tuscany all women having an abortion, and–among them–women having an abortion with the certification provided by family counselling centres, following the pathway established by law. We assessed variation in total and certified abortion rates by computing the Systematic Component of Variation. We analysed the readability of the Tuscan health authorities’ websites using the readability assessment tool READ-IT. We explored how institutional website readability influenced the odds of having certified abortions by running multilevel logistic models, considering health authorities as the highest-level variables.

Results
We observed high variation in the correct utilization of the abortion pathway in terms of certified abortion rates. The READ-IT scores showed that the most readable text was from the Florence Teaching Hospital website. Multilevel models revealed that higher READ-IT scores, corresponding to more difficult texts, resulted in lower odds of certified abortions.

Conclusions
Large variation in the proper fruition of abortion pathways occurs in Tuscany, and such variation may depend on readability of institutional websites informing on induced abortion. Therefore, health Institutions should monitor and improve the readability of their websites to ensure proper and more equitable access to abortion.
Fire-retardant properties of wood modified with sorbitol, citric acid and a phosphorous-based system
Authors: Kurkowiak Katarzyna , Wu Muting , Emmerich Lukas , Militz Holger 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Scots pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) was modified with an aqueous solution of sorbitol and citric acid (SorCA) and a commercial phosphorus-based fire-retardant (FR). The aim of this study was to assess whether the fire behavior can be improved when the SorCA solution is supplemented by an FR and if this effect is resistant to leaching. The fire behavior of modified wood was investigated by a Bunsen burner ignition test, mass loss calorimetry (MLC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results demonstrated a significantly improved fire-retardancy based on a decreased burning rate and a reduced mass loss in the Bunsen burner test. Also, the induced formation of a protective char barrier facilitated by the addition of a FR, reduced the heat release rate and delayed the ignition. The fire-retardant effect was still observed, to the less extent, after a cold-water (EN 84 2020) leaching of the specimens.
New trends in translation and interpreting studies: Linguistic accessibility in Romania
Authors: Șimon Simona , Dejica Daniel , Fărcașiu Marcela Alina , Kilyeni Annamaria 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Providing access to knowledge and information for all citizens, including the disadvantaged ones, is a constant preoccupation of the decision-making bodies of countries across the globe, particularly of developed and developing ones. In Europe, guidelines for creating accessible informational content have been created, being constantly improved and adapted to the new social realities. As a member state of the European Union, Romania also fosters social inclusion at various levels, including that of making information accessible to all people. Nevertheless, a lot still needs to be done in the field of linguistic accessibility as the analysis presented in the article shows. For example, research should be conducted to draft guidelines for using accessible languages. Then, the study of accessible languages should be implemented in “Translation and interpreting” study programmes for the purpose of developing skills that could be employed socially to increase knowledge accessibility, through interlingual and intralingual translation and interpreting services. In this way, awareness is raised in society and professionals specialised in linguistic accessibility are provided to the labour market to contribute, as language professionals, to the creation of an inclusive society.
Halide-sodalites: thermal behavior at low temperatures and local deviations from the average structure
Authors: Wolpmann Marius , Etter Martin , Kirsch Andrea , Balzaretti Filippo , Dononelli Wilke , Robben Lars , Gesing Thorsten M. 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Sodalites of the general type |Na8X2|[T1T2O4]6 with X = Cl−, Br−, I− have been synthesized for Al–Si, Ga–Si, Al–Ge and Ga–Ge as T1–T2 frameworks. The structures were examined using in-house and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, force-field structure optimizations and DFT based ab-initio molecular dynamics (MD) computations. Calculated phonon density of states (PDOS) of the 12 compounds show only minor differences within a framework composition with a lowering of certain phonon energies with increasing anion size. Earlier published Debye and Einstein temperatures obtained with a Debye-Einstein-anharmonicity (DEA) model approach are confirmed using the determined low-temperature lattice parameters (18 K–293 K) and show no correlation with the respective PDOS. Small-box refinements against radial pair distribution functions (PDF) allowed the determination of anisotropic displacement ellipsoids (ADP) for Na+ and O2−, indicating a strong dependency of the ADP of Na+ on the chemical composition. Significantly lower thermal displacements from MD calculations suggested an influence of structural displacements. For compounds with an aspherical ADP for sodium, structural models could be refined in which the sodium is located on two
8e
or one
24i
site (both partially occupied), and also temperature-dependent (100 K–300 K) for the compounds with Ga–Ge framework. 3D-plots of the bond-valence sums of Na+ further validate the structural differences. These results imply that the local structure of halide-sodalites in many cases is not best described by the known average structure and may even not be cubic.
Midbrain–Hippocampus Structural Connectivity Selectively Predicts Motivated Memory Encoding
Authors: Elliott Blake L. , D'Ardenne Kimberlee , Murty Vishnu P. , Brewer Gene A. , McClure Samuel M. 
Published: November 2022

Motivation is a powerful driver of learning and memory. Functional MRI studies show that interactions among the dopaminergic midbrain substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA), hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) are critical for motivated memory encoding. However, it is not known whether these effects are transient and purely functional, or whether individual differences in the structure of this circuit underlie motivated memory encoding. To quantify individual differences in structure, diffusion-weighted MRI and probabilistic tractography were used to quantify SN/VTA–striatum and SN/VTA–hippocampus pathways associated with motivated memory encoding in humans. Male and female participants completed a motivated source memory paradigm. During encoding, words were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, reward ($1.00), control ($0.00), or punishment (−$1.00). During retrieval, participants were asked to retrieve item and source information of the previously studied words and were rewarded or penalized according to their performance. Source memory for words assigned to both reward and punishment conditions was greater than those for control words, but there were no differences in item memory based on value. Anatomically, probabilistic tractography results revealed a heterogeneous, topological arrangement of the SN/VTA. Tract density measures of SN/VTA–hippocampus pathways were positively correlated with individual differences in reward-and-punishment-modulated memory performance, whereas density of SN/VTA–striatum pathways showed no association. This novel finding suggests that pathways emerging from the human SV/VTA are anatomically separable and functionally heterogeneous. Individual differences in structural connectivity of the dopaminergic hippocampus–VTA loop are selectively associated with motivated memory encoding.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTFunctional MRI studies show that interactions among the SN/VTA, hippocampus, and NAc are critical for motivated memory encoding. This has led to competing theories that posit either SN/VTA–NAc reward prediction errors or SN/VTA–hippocampus signals underlie motivated memory encoding. Additionally, it is not known whether these effects are transient and purely functional or whether individual differences in the structure of these circuits underlie motivated memory encoding. Using diffusion-weighted MRI and probabilistic tractography, we show that tract density measures of SN/VTA–hippocampus pathways are positively correlated with motivated memory performance, whereas density of SN/VTA–striatum pathways show no association. This finding suggests that anatomic individual differences of the dopaminergic hippocampus–VTA loop are selectively associated with motivated memory encoding.