bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Values‐led curriculum co‐creation: A curriculum re‐innovation case study
Authors: Galpin Adam , Beevers David , Cassidy Simon , Short Ben , Panagiotidi Maria , Bendall Robert C. A. , Quigley Eileen , Thompson Catherine 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPersonal values influence goals and motivate actions. The case study reported in this paper explored whether an understanding of values would provide a useful framework to guide the co‐creation of the undergraduate cognitive psychology curriculum at a UK University. A design team composed of staff and students ran two co‐creation workshops to explore underlying values. These values were translated into curriculum ideas which were then shared via an online survey to students and staff for feedback. The activities revealed a set of values that were salient when imagining future curriculum designs: feeling stimulated, choice and autonomy, developing competence, feeling safe and secure, community and fairness. In addition, a deeper value layer was visible which reflected participants' orientations to learning and education. We describe our process for eliciting values and the intertwined and iterative relationship between value elicitation and a co‐created curriculum. We also reflect on the position of co‐creation within the value landscape of higher education and the social dynamics of staff‐student partnerships. We argue that whilst using values to frame co‐creation allows for deeper insight into how to embed curriculum re‐innovation, it is important to attend to the value system of co‐creation and those who do not participate.
Phylogenetic structure of specialization: A new approach that integrates partner availability and phylogenetic diversity to quantify biotic specialization in ecological networks
Authors: Pardo‐De la Hoz Carlos J. , Medeiros Ian D. , Gibert Jean P. , Chagnon Pierre‐Luc , Magain Nicolas , Miadlikowska Jolanta , Lutzoni François 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBiotic specialization holds information about the assembly, evolution, and stability of biological communities. Partner availabilities can play an important role in enabling species interactions, where uneven partner availabilities can bias estimates of biotic specialization when using phylogenetic diversity indices. It is therefore important to account for partner availability when characterizing biotic specialization using phylogenies. We developed an index, phylogenetic structure of specialization (PSS), that avoids bias from uneven partner availabilities by uncoupling the null models for interaction frequency and phylogenetic distance. We incorporate the deviation between observed and random interaction frequencies as weights into the calculation of partner phylogenetic α‐diversity. To calculate the PSS index, we then compare observed partner phylogenetic α‐diversity to a null distribution generated by randomizing phylogenetic distances among the same number of partners. PSS quantifies the phylogenetic structure (i.e., clustered, overdispersed, or random) of the partners of a focal species. We show with simulations that the PSS index is not correlated with network properties, which allows comparisons across multiple systems. We also implemented PSS on empirical networks of host–parasite, avian seed‐dispersal, lichenized fungi–cyanobacteria, and hummingbird pollination interactions. Across these systems, a large proportion of taxa interact with phylogenetically random partners according to PSS, sometimes to a larger extent than detected with an existing method that does not account for partner availability. We also found that many taxa interact with phylogenetically clustered partners, while taxa with overdispersed partners were rare. We argue that species with phylogenetically overdispersed partners have often been misinterpreted as generalists when they should be considered specialists. Our results highlight the important role of randomness in shaping interaction networks, even in highly intimate symbioses, and provide a much‐needed quantitative framework to assess the role that evolutionary history and symbiotic specialization play in shaping patterns of biodiversity. PSS is available as an R package at https://github.com/cjpardodelahoz/pss.
Genetic diversity and sex‐biased dispersal in the brown spotted pitviper (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus): Evidence from microsatellite markers
Authors: Yu Min , Liu Qin , Wu Ya‐Yong , Guo Peng , Yang Kong 
Published: March 2022

AbstractDispersal plays a vital role in the geographical distribution, population genetic structure, quantity dynamics, and evolution of a species. Sex‐biased dispersal is common among vertebrates and many studies have documented a tendency toward male‐biased dispersal in mammals and female‐biased dispersal in birds. However, dispersal patterns in reptiles remain poorly understood. In this study, we explored the genetic diversity and dispersal patterns of the widely distributed Asian pitviper Protobothrops mucrosquamatus. In total, 16 polymorphic microsatellite loci were screened in 150 snakes (48 males, 44 females, 58 samples without sex information) covering most of their distribution. Microsatellite analysis revealed high genetic diversity in P. mucrosquamatus. Bayesian clustering of population assignment identified two major clusters for all populations, somewhat inconsistent with the mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of P. mucrosquamatus reported in previous research. Analyses based on 92 sex‐determined and 37 samples of P. mucrosquamatus from three small sites in Sichuan, China (Mingshan, Yibin, and Zizhong) consistently suggested female‐biased dispersal in P. mucrosquamatus, which is the first example of this pattern in snakes. The female‐biased dispersal patterns in P. mucrosquamatus may be explained by local resource competition.
Detrital supply suppresses deforestation to maintain healthy kelp forest ecosystems
Authors: Rennick Mae , DiFiore Bartholomew P. , Curtis Joseph , Reed Daniel C. , Stier Adrian C. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractHerbivores can reach extraordinary abundances in many ecosystems. When herbivore abundance is high, heavy grazing can severely defoliate primary producers and, in some cases, even drive ecosystem to undergo regime shifts from a high productivity state to a denuded, low productivity state. While the phenomenon of herbivore‐driven regime shifts is well documented, we only partially understand the mechanisms underlying these events. Here, we combine herbivory experiments with 21 years of long‐term monitoring data of kelp forest ecosystems to test the hypothesis that herbivores drive regime shifts when herbivory exceeds primary production. To test this hypothesis, we quantified how the foraging habits of an important group of marine herbivores—sea urchins—change with increases in sea urchin biomass and trigger regime shifts to a foundation species, giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). Using experiments, we quantified how the grazing capacity of urchins increases as urchin biomass increases, then we combined these estimates of urchin grazing capacity with estimates of kelp production to predict when and where urchin grazing capacity exceeded kelp production. When grazing capacity exceeded kelp production, sea urchins caused a 50‐fold reduction in giant kelp biomass. Our findings support the hypothesis that the balance between herbivory and production underlies herbivore‐driven regime shifts in Southern California kelp forests and provides insight into when and where urchins are likely to force regime shifts in kelp forest ecosystems.
Introduction of quorum sensing elements into bacterial bioreporter circuits enhances explosives’ detection capabilities
Authors: Shpigel Etai , Nathansohn Shiri , Glozman Anat , Rosen Rachel , Shemer Benjamin , Yagur‐Kroll Sharon , Elad Tal , Belkin Shimshon 
Published: March 2022

AbstractA possible solution for the standoff detection of buried landmines is based on the use of microbial bioreporters, genetically engineered to emit a remotely detectable optical signal in response to trace amounts of explosives’ signature chemicals, mostly 2,4‐dinitrotoluene (DNT). Previously developed DNT sensor strains were based on the fusion of a DNT‐inducible gene promoter to a reporting element, either a fluorescent protein gene or a bacterial bioluminescence gene cassette. In the present study, a different approach was used: the DNT‐inducible promoter activates, in Escherichia coli, the quorum‐sensing luxI and luxR genes of Aliivibrio fischeri. N‐Acyl homoserine lactone (AHL), synthesized by LuxI, combines with LuxR and activates the bioluminescence reporter genes. The resulting bioreporter displayed a dose‐dependent luminescent signal in the presence of DNT. Performance of the sensor strain was further enhanced by manipulation of the sensing element (combining the E. coli DNT‐inducible azoR and yqjF gene promoters), by replacing the luminescence gene cassette of Photorhabdus luminescens luxCDABE with A. fischeri luxCDABEG, and by introducing two mutations, eutE and ygdD, into the host strain. DNT detection sensitivity of the final bioreporter was over 340‐fold higher than the original construct.
Multi‐performance objectives optimum design method and vibration control application of generalized toggle–brace–damper system
Authors: Lan Bingji , He Haoxiang , Wu Shan , Cheng Shitao , Chen Yifei 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe toggle–brace–damper system (TBDS) is an effective displacement amplification damper occupying a large building space. The small deformation solution, which is widely used, cannot describe the feature that the displacement amplification capacity varies with the lateral displacement of the TBDS. This is not conducive to investigate the performance of the TBDS comprehensively. Therefore, the geometric design and optimization of the TBDS are lack of a theoretical basis. A generalized toggle–brace–damper system (GTBDS), a generalized form of TBDS, is proposed. It has a flexible layout and optimizes the space available. We also introduce an amplification factor of displacement increment (AFDI) that can accurately describe the performance of the GTBDS. The amplification capacity and the geometric sensitivity are two aspects of the performance. The influence of geometric parameters on the performance of the GTBDS is clarified based on the AFDI. Some regulations are also proposed to compare the performance of GTBDSs with different geometric constructions. Two geometric parameter optimization methods of the GTBDS are proposed to balance its amplification capacity, operation safety and geometric sensitivity. The relationship between the displacement amplification capacity and the energy dissipation capacity of the GTBDS is examined. The existing modal energy dissipation method (MEDM) is extended to calculate the additional damping ratio (ADR) provided by the GTBDS. Combining the calculation method of ADR and the geometric optimization methods of GTBDS, a multiperformance objectives design method of the GTBDS is proposed. The case analysis verifies the effectiveness and the feasibility of the design method.
Enteric bacterial pathogens and their antibiotic‐resistant patterns from the environmental sources in different regions of Ethiopia: A laboratory‐based cross‐sectional study
Authors: Denku Chalachew Yenew , Ambelu Argaw , Mitike Getnet 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackground and AimAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) resulting in the most significant public health and economic threat. Unfortunately, it is one of the missing topics on sustainable development goals (SDGs). Therefore, this laboratory‐based study aimed at determining enteric bacterial pathogens and their antibiotic‐resistant patterns from the environmental sources in different regions of Ethiopia.MethodsA laboratory‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted by following the standard microbial culture and the Kirby‐Bauer disc diffusion method for identification and AMR patterns of the enteric bacteria using a total of 180 environmental samples from January through June 2020. We employed descriptive statistics to examine the prevalence rate, comparability of results, and summary of AMR patterns of enteric bacteria and a 95% confidence Interval (CI) for considering the statistical significance and give conclusions by using Stata 14.1.ResultsThe mean prevalence rates (SD) at 95% CI of AMR enteric bacterial pathogens were 53.13 (2.51)% (52.31, 53.95), 45 (1.85)% (44.40, 45.60), 32.5 (3.01)% (31.10, 33.00), and 31.12 (1.95)% (30.80, 31.45) in Wastewaters, leachate from solid waste dumping sites, waste receiving water bodies (Lake Tana at Bahir Dar and Boye Wetland at Jimma), and Soils sequentially. Specifically, Escherichia coli, Shigella, and Salmonella were 90 (3.10)% (89.00, 91.10), 67.5 (2.58)% (66.72, 68.41), and 45(1.58)% (44.48, 45.52), respectively, investigated in wastewater. In addition, solid waste dumping sites were contaminated with E. coli 80 (3.97)% (79.34, 80.66), Shigella 61 (2.87)% (59.06, 60.94), and Salmonella 42 (5.67)% (40.15, 43.85). This study implies that the waste discharges are the main source of contamination for AMR pathogens to the two aquatic water bodies.ConclusionThe finding indicated that wastewater and solid waste dumping sites were important sources for AMR enteric pathogens. The finding might have indicated the tip of the iceberg about the environmental contamination with antimicrobial‐resistant enteric pathogens.
Association of pregnancy‐related stigma and intimate partner violence with anxiety and depression among adolescents
Authors: Asiimwe Ronald , Tseng Chi‐Fang , Murray Sarah M. , Ojuka Julius C. , Arima Ethan G. , Familiar‐Lopez Itziar 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIntroductionWe explored the association between pregnancy‐related stigma and intimate partner violence (IPV) with depression and anxiety among adolescents in Uganda.MethodsWe interviewed a convenience sample of 100 adolescents (>18 years) who were pregnant (>3 months) or recently gave birth (<3 months) at Tororo District Hospital, Uganda. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL‐25), physical and sexual IPV were assessed using the WHO violence against women instrument, and pregnancy‐related stigma was captured with a questionnaire. Regression models were used to evaluate associations of pregnancy stigma and IPV with depression and anxiety.ResultsMean age was 18 years, 84% were primiparous, 66% were married and 57% had only primary school‐level education. About 48% women had clinically meaningful distress levels; 45% reported sexual IPV, 32% physical IPV, and 86% reported experiencing pregnancy‐related stigma. Adjusted models showed that higher levels of depression and anxiety were associated with higher report of pregnancy‐related stigma (β = .27, p = .03), physical IPV, (β = −.24, p < .01), or sexual IPV (β = −.19, p = .05), compared to those who did not. Unemployment (β = −.24, p = .01) and lower educational level (β = −.21, p = .05) were also independent predictors of depression and anxiety.ConclusionFindings suggest that IPV is common among adolescents in Uganda, as is pregnancy‐related stigma, and both are independent predictors of depression and anxiety. The implications of these findings and the need for clinical interventions for IPV among adolescents are discussed.
Improving Bone Mineral Density Screening by Using Digital X‐Radiogrammetry Combined With Mammography
Authors: Rao Amshuman , Elder Elisabeth , Center Jacqueline R. , Tran Thach , Pocock Nicholas , Elder Grahame J. 
Published: March 2022

ABSTRACTFracture risk evaluation of postmenopausal women is suboptimal, but most women undergo screening mammography. Digital X‐radiogrammetry (DXR) determines bone mineral density (BMD) at the metacarpal shaft and can be performed on mammography equipment. This study examined correlations between DXR and dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) in women undergoing mammography, to identify optimal DXR thresholds for triage to osteoporosis screening by central DXA. Postmenopausal women over age 50 years, recruited from Westmead Hospital's Breast Cancer Institute, underwent mammography, DXR and DXA. Agreements were determined using the area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUC ROC) curve and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. Optimal DXR T‐scores to exclude osteoporosis by DXA were determined using the Youden's method. Of 200 women aged 64 ± 7 years (mean ± standard deviation [SD]), 82% had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 37% reported prior fracture. DXA T‐scores were ≤ −1 at the spine, hip or forearm in 77.5% and accorded with DXR T‐scores in 77%. For DXR and DXA T‐scores ≤ −2.5, the AUC ROC was 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81–0.94) at the 1/3 radius, and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.64–0.84) for hip or spine. DXR T‐scores > −1.98 provided a negative predictive value of 94% (range, 88%, 98%) for osteoporosis by central DXA. In response to a questionnaire, radiography staff responded that DXR added 5 minutes to patient throughput with minimal workflow impact. In the mammography setting, triaging women with a screening DXR T‐score < −1.98 for DXA evaluation would capture a significant proportion of at‐risk women who may not otherwise be identified and improve current low rates of osteoporosis screening. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Sensitive and selective LC‐MS/MS for the determination of tolperisone and etodolac in human plasma and application to a pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Helmy Marwa Ibrahim , Saad Samah Sabry , Hegazy Maha Abdelmonem , Fayed Ahmed Salah 
Published: March 2022

Tolperisone and etodolac were proven to have synergistic effect for patients of acute low back pain associated with musculoskeletal spasm. In this work, a specific, highly sensitive and reproducible analytical method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of tolperisone and etodolac in human plasma using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometric technique. Liquid–liquid extraction was optimized for sample preparation. Zorbax C8 column (3.5 μm, 50 × 4.6 mm) was used, carrying a mobile phase mixture of 10.0 mM ammonium formate:acetonitrile (40:60, v/v) pH 3.8, running in an isocratic mode. Chlorzoxazone acted as an internal standard. Sample volume of injection was 5.0 μL, and analysis was achieved within 2.5 min. Detection and quantitation were performed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry using the multiple‐reaction monitoring mode. The proposed method could determine the analytes in the range of concentration 0.5–200.0 ng mL−1 for tolperisone and 0.05–20.0 μg mL−1 for etodolac. Findings of inter‐ and intraday precisions were ≤12.3% with accuracy of ±5.0%. Pharmacokinetics study for the two drugs after oral administration of healthy human volunteers was achieved with the aid of application of the developed study.
Can urodynamic diagnosis of dysfunctional voiding/external sphincter nonrelaxation be made on two‐channel pressure‐flow study without video‐urodynamics, electromyography, or urethral pressure profilometry? Plateau detrusor pattern in perspective
Authors: Agarwal Mayank M. , Sharma Suresh , Jain Saurabh , Prasad Durga , Bhaskar Ved , Gupta Shailendra , Kapoor Rohit , Kapoor Rakesh 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAimsurodynamic diagnosis of dysfunctional voiding/external‐sphincter nonrelaxation (DV/EUSD) needs assistance of specialized testing namely urethral pressure profilometry (UPP), electromyography (EMG), and/or videofluoroscopy (VUDS). We aimed to find a predictive model based on standard pressure‐flow study without need for specialized testing.Material and MethodsIn this retrospective study (2017–2021), clinical and urodynamic data of adult men and women presenting with voiding dysfunction was collected. Mandatory inclusion criteria were availability of all—(1) findings of clinical examination and neurological status, (2) a valid filling cystometry and pressure‐flow study (with active detrusor contraction), (3) a final clinic‐urodynamic diagnosis. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) was performed to confirm the location of obstruction.ResultsData of 218 participants (178♂, 40♀) was eligible. Plateau detrusor contraction pattern was observed in 89.0% of men and 86% of women with DV/EUSD; whereas only 7.5% men and no women with other obstructions demonstrated this pattern. Forward likelihood Logistic regression analysis revealed presence of plateau pattern, lower bladder outlet obstruction index (BOOI), and smaller difference between Pdetmax and PdetQmax highly predictive of presence of DV/EUSD in men as per the following equation—Y = −9.900 + (0.085 × BOOI) + (0.123 × pdetmax – pdetQmax) + (4.061 × detrusor pattern). A kattan‐type nomogram was constructed based on the above equation. In women, presence of plateau pattern alone was highly predictive of DV/EUSD.ConclusionDiagnosis of DV/EUSD can be accurately predicted using parameters of three‐channel urodynamics (plateau pattern, BOOI, Pdetmax—pdetQmax) minimizing need for specialized testing.
Adaptive experimental design for multi‐fidelity surrogate modeling of multi‐disciplinary systems
Authors: Jakeman John D. , Friedman Sam , Eldred Michael S. , Tamellini Lorenzo , Gorodetsky Alex A. , Allaire Doug 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWe present an adaptive algorithm for constructing surrogate models of multi‐disciplinary systems composed of a set of coupled components. With this goal we introduce “coupling” variables with a priori unknown distributions that allow surrogates of each component to be built independently. Once built, the surrogates of the components are combined to form an integrated‐surrogate that can be used to predict system‐level quantities of interest at a fraction of the cost of the original model. The error in the integrated‐surrogate is greedily minimized using an experimental design procedure that allocates the amount of training data, used to construct each component‐surrogate, based on the contribution of those surrogates to the error of the integrated‐surrogate. The multi‐fidelity procedure presented is a generalization of multi‐index stochastic collocation that can leverage ensembles of models of varying cost and accuracy, for one or more components, to reduce the computational cost of constructing the integrated‐surrogate. Extensive numerical results demonstrate that, for a fixed computational budget, our algorithm is able to produce surrogates that are orders of magnitude more accurate than methods that treat the integrated system as a black‐box.
Environmental Impact Evaluation for Heterogeneously Catalysed Starch Oxidation
Authors: Hoogstad Tim M. , Timmer Stijn M. , van Boxtel Anton J. B. , Buwalda Pieter L. , Bitter Johannes H. , Kiewidt Lars 
Published: March 2022

AbstractOxidised starch is currently produced from native starch using sodium hypochlorite as an oxidising agent. The use of hypochlorite has undesired side reactions and produces stoichiometric amounts of waste (salt), thus alternative oxidation methods are desired. In this study, the potential of two catalysed starch oxidation methods to reduce the environmental impact (EI) of oxidised starch production are assessed. We compared the EI of oxidation with molecular oxygen (heterogeneously catalysed) and hydrogen peroxide (homogeneously catalysed) to hypochlorite oxidation through life cycle assessment (LCA). The results confirm that hypochlorite oxidation is the main environmental hotspot in the current process of oxidised starch production, and that both hydroperoxide oxidation and molecular oxygen oxidation can significantly lower the EI of the process. The impact reduction is most significant in the categories of freshwater eutrophication (∼67 %), ozone depletion (∼66 %), climate change (35–60 %) and resource use (40 %–78 %) for peroxide and molecular oxygen oxidation, respectively.