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PURPOSE: To offer guidance for future welfare technology research, this review provides an overview of current knowledge gaps and research needs as reported in primary scientific studies addressing the implementation of welfare technology for older people, people with disabilities and informal caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This paper conducted a state-of-the-art review based on systematic searches in 11 databases followed by a descriptive qualitative analysis of 21 selected articles. RESULTS: Knowledge gaps and research needs were identified concerning two categories: research designs and populations and focus of research. The articles reported needs for comparative studies, longitudinal studies, and demonstration trials as well as the development of co-design processes involving technology users. They also called for studies applying a social system theory approach, involving healthy and frail older adults, representative samples of users within and across countries, informal and formal caregivers, inter-and multidisciplinary teams, and care organizations. Moreover, there are reported needs for studies of acquirement, adoption and acceptance of welfare technology, attitudes, beliefs, and context related to welfare technology, caregiver perspectives on welfare technology, services to provide welfare technology and welfare technology itself. CONCLUSIONS: There are considerable knowledge gaps and research needs concerning the implementation of welfare technology. They relate not only to the research focus but also to research designs, a social system theory approach and study populations. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION When planning for the implementation of welfare technology for older people and persons with disabilities, it is important to be aware that necessary evidence and guidance may not always be available in peer-reviewed scientific literature but considerable knowledge gaps and research needs remain. Actors implementing welfare technology are encouraged to include researchers in their projects to study, document and report experiences made, and thereby contribute to building the evidence base and supporting evidence-based implementation.

To examine the impact of an integrative medicine (IM) course on self-perceived IM-related communication and research skills.A 3-day mandatory "hybrid" (online and in-person) IM course was held within COVID-19 restrictions for 161 pre-clerkship medical students, with workshops facilitated by mentor healthcare professionals (IM and non-IM) and student-directed tasks. Self-perceived levels of 6 IM-related skills were scored (from 1 to 5) for history-taking; communicating with patients with "alternative" health-beliefs; referral to IM consultations; assessing risks/benefits; and working with non-medical IM practitioners.137 students (85.1%) completed pre-/post-course questionnaires, with overall scores improving from pre-course (1.98 ± 0.92) to post-course (3.31 ± 0.63; p 0.0001), for the entire group and student subgroups (with vs. without prior IM experience). Multivariate analysis found no association between age, gender, primary language or prior experience with IM and improvement in skill scores.The IM course increased self-perceived skill levels, reflecting the course curriculum and workshops. Further research needs to explore the application of these skills during clinical training.Teaching medical students about IM in a course comprising communication and research skills was shown to be feasible and effective. The application of IM-related skills needs to be evaluated during the clinical clerkship.

Virtual personal assistants (VPAs) are becoming so widely available that considerations are being made as to whether to begin including them in self-driving vehicles. While research has been done exploring human interactions with single VPAs, there has been a little work exploring human interactions and human mental models with interconnected systems. As companies like Amazon consider whether to integrate Alexa in their self-driving car, research needs to be done to explore whether individual's mental model of these systems is of a single system or if every embodiment of the VPA (e.g., echo) represents a different VPA. Knowing this will allow researchers and practitioners to apply existing models of trust, and predict whether high trust in the Siri that exists in an iPhone will carry over into high (and potentially miscalibrated) trust in Apple's Siri-directed self-driving vehicle. Results indicate that there is not one consistent mental model that users have, and provides the framework for greater exploration into individual differences and the determinants that affect users’ mental model.

Imbalanced data typically refers to a condition in which several data samples in a certain problem is not equally distributed, thereby leading to the underrepresentation of one or more classes in the dataset. These underrepresented classes are referred to as a minority, while the overrepresented ones are called the majority. The unequal distribution of data leads to the machine's inability to carry out predictive accuracy in determining the minority classes, thereby causing various costs of classification errors. Currently, the standard framework used to solve the unequal distribution of imbalanced data learning is the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE). However, SMOTE can produce synthetic minority data samples considered as noise, which is also part of the majority classes. Therefore, this study aims to improve SMOTE to identify the noise from synthetic minority data produced in handling imbalanced data by adding the Local Outlier Factor (LOF). The proposed method is called SMOTE-LOF, and the experiment was carried out using imbalanced datasets with the results compared with the performance of the SMOTE. The results showed that SMOTE-LOF produces better accuracy and f-measure than the SMOTE. In a dataset with a large number of data examples and a smaller imbalance ratio, the SMOTE-LOF approach also produced a better AUC than the SMOTE. However, for a dataset with a smaller number of data samples, the SMOTE's AUC result is arguably better at handling imbalanced data. Therefore, future research needs to be carried out using different datasets with combinations varying from the number of data samples and the imbalanced ratio.

The accumulation of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in proteins throughout the lifecycle has been studied for decades, particularly more so with the advent of soft-ionization mass spectrometry-based proteomic techniques. However, particular PTMs, such as the deamidations of asparagine and glutamine residues, continue to accumulate in proteins that remain into the forensic, archaeological, and palaeontological records. The accurate measurement of these ancient ‘molecular timers’ has been proposed as a method to not only differentiate between exogenous and endogenous proteins within complex mixtures (i.e., contamination), but also as a method of providing relative age estimations into geological time. In this study we explored the extent to which deamidation varies with chronological age across different proteins in bones, as well as investigated differences between proteins across dental calculus and archaeological ceramics. We also analysed the relationships between the observed extent of deamidation and the protein primary structure. We found that collagen obtained from archaeological bones showed a chronological dependence on the extent of deamidation observed, but only when they were from similar environments, supporting prior suggestions about ‘thermal age’ being a major influence on the deamidation observed. Our study on non-collagenous proteins (NCPs) in archaeological bones showed that while biglycan, and to a lesser extent chondroadherin, showed positive correlations between geological age and the extent of deamidation, others including fetuin-A and serum albumin did not. However, despite the well-known dependence of deamidation on the three-dimensional structure of the peptides, we were unable to find any clear correlation between the structural motifs of the peptides in archaeological bones and the extent of deamidation observed. Our analysis of a set of food proteins obtained from Neolithic archaeological ceramics in Catalhoyuk also showed similar deamidation levels irrespective of the protein structure. Overall, our results suggest that deamidation in archaeological samples could be useful for obtaining additional information beyond identification of species and tissue type, be that as a measure of protein endogeneity and potential contamination, or a measure of protein degradation, or as an indicator of thermal age and for relative dating; however, further research needs to be undertaken to understand why particular proteins are better for this than others, going beyond simple consideration of their secondary structure.

Alteration of the effective seat tube angle (ESTA) may affect muscle activation patterns of the lower limbs in cycling. There is conflicting evidence due to inadequate kinematic controls in previous studies. The primary aim of this study was to determine the muscle activity of seven lower limb muscles during alterations of the ESTA by altering the position of both the handlebars and saddle forwards or backwards by 3 ​cm while ensuring controlled kinematics. Secondly, to determine the effect on the saddle pressure indexes. Ten participants performed two 5 ​min electromyography (EMG) trials at 70% of peak power output (PPO) for three consecutive visits. There was a significant increase in muscle activity in the biceps femoris, gluteus maximus, and medial gastrocnemius with reductions in ESTA while a significant increase in tibialis anterior with increases in ESTA was observed. Saddle pressure indices demonstrated a significant change in frontal versus back pressure as well as mean pubic pressure with changes in ESTA. Alteration in the ESTA affects muscle activity in some, but not all of the lower limb muscles. Further research needs to be conducted to adequately understand the mechanism behind the differences in muscle activation.

Objectives To revise a sex and gender appraisal tool for systematic reviews (SGAT-SR) and apply it to Cochrane sepsis reviews. Study design and setting The revision process was informed by existing literature on sex, gender, intersectionality, and feedback from an expert advisory board. We revised the items to consider additional factors associated with health inequities and appraised sex and gender considerations using the SGAT-SR-2 and female Participation-to-Prevalence Ratio (PPR) in Cochrane sepsis reviews. Results SGAT-SR-2 consists of 19 questions appraising the review's sections and use of the terms sex and gender. amongst 71 SRs assessed, 50.7% included at least one tool item, the most frequent being the number of participants by sex or gender at included study-level (24/71 reviews). Only four reviews provided disaggregated data for the full set of included trials, while two considered other equity-related factors. Reviews rarely appraised possible similarities and differences across sex and gender. In half of a subset of reviews, female participants were under-represented relative to their share of the sepsis population (PPR

There are significant anaphylaxis data and knowledge gaps that result in suboptimal patient care and outcomes. To address these gaps there is need for collaborative, multidisciplinary research networks to strategically design practice changing research specific to the following anaphylaxis themes: Population Science, Basic and Translational Sciences, Acute Management, and Long-Term Management. Top priorities are to refine anaphylaxis diagnostic criteria, identify accurate diagnostic and predictive anaphylaxis biomarkers, standardize postanaphylaxis care (observation periods, hospitalization criteria), and determine immunotherapy best practices. Addressing these gaps will result in improved, optimal care and clinical outcomes for patients with or at risk of anaphylaxis.

Nano-enabled agriculture is an emerging hot topic. To facilitate the development of nano-enabled agriculture, reviews addressing or discussing the applications, knowledge gap, future research needs, and possible new research field of plant nanobiotechnology in agricultural production are encouraged. Here we review the following topics in plant nanobiotechnology for agriculture: 1) improving stress tolerance, 2) stress sensing and early detection, 3) targeted delivery and controlled release of agrochemicals, 4) transgenic events in non-model crop species, and 5) seed nanopriming. We discuss the knowledge gaps in these topics. Besides the use of nanomaterials for harvesting more electrons to improve photosynthetic performance, they could be used to convert nIR and UV to visible light to expand the light spectrum for photosynthesis. We discuss this approach to maintaining plant photosynthesis under light-insufficient conditions. Our aim in this review is to aid researchers to learn quickly how to use plant nanobiotechnology for improving agricultural production.

Background Consumer demand, combined with industry interest, highlights the need to develop foods that have health promoting characteristics beyond basic nutrition. In this regard, Tinospora cordifolia (giloy) (TC), has paved the way in the food industry because of multi-purpose utilization for health care management. Being reservoir of bioactive components, TC has been exploited since ages for its therapeutic properties. Its’ consumption by people in the crude form has limited its utility for disease treatment and management. The greatest approach to avoid any disease is to prevent it thus, application of TC preparations in the development of functional foods would definitely address this issue and broaden the horizon of food market. However, this is relatively a nascent area and there is an urgent need to investigate the mechanisms and interactions between diverse food matrices and TC bioactive components. Scope and approach This review provides comprehensive information on TC and its health-related properties, elucidating the physiological role in human body and focusing its utilization in food industry. Literature is based on the findings of several researches on its protective role against various patho-physiological diseases. The potential of this medicinal plant as a therapeutic agent against SARS-COV-2 virus has also been reviewed. Research needs of food scientists dealing with development of functional foods using TC has also been catered under this review. Key findings and conclusion About 45 active constituents have been isolated from TC and include alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, polysaccharides, and are mainly responsible for its biological roles. These components provide the defense against diseases by several mechanisms viz., modulation of host immune responses via TLR4 dependent pathway, macrophage activation, inhibiting VEGF expression, activating enzyme system generating cyclic AMP, translocation of nuclear transcription factor etc. TC has also been explored in development of functional foods and edible packaging films as antioxidant, antimicrobial, lipase inhibitor and bioactive ingredient. Extensive research is required to investigate the suitable techniques for the stability of TC preparations in food matrix.

The sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, is a destructive invader in the Laurentian Great Lakes that relies on several complex chemical cues to complete their life cycle. The central roles of chemical cues in sea lamprey reproduction provide opportunities to leverage knowledge of sea lamprey chemical ecology when developing alternative or supplemental strategies for sea lamprey control. A solid foundation has been laid regarding sea lamprey chemical ecology, with recent advances in our understanding of the migratory pheromone, male sex pheromone, and alarm cues broadening our fundamental understanding of the diversity, complexity, and evolution of chemical cues used by sea lamprey. Additionally, research applying semiochemicals in differing management scenarios has provided useful insights into the challenges of incorporating chemical cues into the sea lamprey control program. Here, we synthesize new findings related to fundamental research of chemosensory cues along with knowledge learned from management-based tests and explore options for integrating an understanding of chemical ecology into sea lamprey control in light of new knowledge. We also highlight current unknowns and future research needs that should be addressed prior to implementation of sea lamprey chemical ecology into the sea lamprey control program.

Anthelmintic resistance (AR) has thus far only rarely been reported for intestinal helminths of dogs and cats, in contrast to parasites of livestock and horses. We highlight possible reasons for this striking and important discrepancy, including ecological, biological and genetic factors and/or intervention regimens of key intestinal helminths concerning both host groups. In view of the current knowledge related to the genetics, mechanisms and principles of AR development, we point at issues which in our view contribute to a comparatively lower risk of AR development in intestinal helminths of dogs and cats. Finally, we specify research needs and provide recommendations by which, based on the available information about AR in ruminant and equine helminths, the development of AR in dog and cat helminths may best be documented, prevented or at least postponed., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Identifying causes of differences in anthelmintic resistance between livestock and dogs & cats. • Discussion of roles of AR mechanisms, genetics and husbandry in delayed AR evolution in dogs & cats. • Research needs for improved tools to monitor AR development in dogs & cats.

The safety and efficacy of direct-acting antiviral therapies have allowed the transplantation of organs from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-viremic donors into uninfected recipients. This novel strategy contrasts with the previous standard-of-care practice of limiting the transplantation of HCV infected-donor organs to HCV-infected recipients, or all too often, discarding viable organs. In this review, we summarize the published literature about the safety and feasibility of transplanting organs from HCV-viremic donors, the challenges that hinder wider adoption of this strategy, and future research needs.

Software developers insert logging statements in their source code to collect important runtime information of software systems. In practice, logging appropriately is a challenge for developers. Prior studies aimed to improve logging by proactively inserting logging statements in certain code snippets or by learning where to log from existing logging code. However, there exists no work that systematically studies developers' logging considerations, i.e., the benefits and costs of logging from developers' perspectives. Without understanding developers' logging considerations, automated approaches for logging decisions are based primarily on researchers' intuition which may not be convincing to developers. In order to fill the gap between developers' logging considerations and researchers' intuition, we performed a qualitative study that combines a survey of 66 developers and a case study of 223 logging-related issue reports. The findings of our qualitative study draw a comprehensive picture of the benefits and costs of logging from developers' perspectives. We observe that developers consider a wide range of logging benefits and costs, while most of the uncovered benefits and costs have never been observed nor discussed in prior work. We also observe that developers use ad hoc strategies to balance the benefits and costs of logging. Developers need to be fully aware of the benefits and costs of logging, in order to better benefit from logging (e.g., leveraging logging to enable users to solve problems by themselves) and avoid unnecessary negative impact (e.g., exposing users' sensitive information). Future research needs to consider such a wide range of logging benefits and costs when developing automated logging strategies. Our findings also inspire opportunities for researchers and logging library providers to help developers balance the benefits and costs of logging, for example, to support different log levels for different parts of a logging statement, or to help developers estimate and reduce the negative impact of logging statements.

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect hempseed meal (HSM; a by-product of hemp oil production) supplementation has on DMI, rumen fermentation, in vitro true digestibility, blood metabolites, and growth performance of growing meat goats over a 60-d feeding trial. Materials and Methods Forty castrated Boer cross goats 4 to 5 mo of age with an average BW of 25.63 ± 0.33 kg were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments (n = 10/treatment): control (0), 11%, 22%, and 33% HSM of the total diet on a DM basis. The forage to concentrate ratio was maintained at 50.2:49.8 on a DM basis, and timothy hay was used as a forage source. Diets were pelleted as TMR. Data were collected for DMI, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, and growth performance for the 60-d feeding trial. Data were analyzed utilizing the GLM procedures of SAS (SAS Institute Inc.). Orthogonal contrasts for increasing HSM inclusion rates were used to determine linear and quadratic effects within the data. Results and Discussion The DMI was similar among treatments (P > 0.05). Total live weight gain (kg) decreased linearly (P Implications and Applications These findings provide new insights into the feeding value of HSM for meat goats; however, further research needs to be conducted to determine the optimal level of HSM supplementation.

The need for rapid chemical analyses and new analytical tools in forensic laboratories continues to grow due to case backlogs, difficult-to-analyze cases, and identification of previously unseen materials such as new psychoactive substances. To adapt to these needs, the forensics community has been pursuing the use of ambient ionization mass spectrometry, and more specifically direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS), for a wide range of applications. From the inception of DART-MS forensic applications have been researched with demonstrations ranging from drugs of abuse to inorganic gunshot residue to printer inks to insect identification. This article presents a review of research demonstrating the use of DART-MS for forensically relevant samples over the past five years. To provide more context, background on the technique, sampling approaches, and data analysis methods are presented along with a discussion on the potential future and research needs of the technology.

The Maker Movement is a community of hobbyists, tinkerers, engineers, hackers, and artists who creatively design and build projects for both playful and useful ends. There is growing interest among educators in bringing making into K-12 education to enhance opportunities to engage in the practices of engineering, specifically, and STEM more broadly. This article describes three elements of the Maker Movement, and associated research needs, necessary to understand its promise for education: 1) digital tools, including rapid prototyping tools and low-cost microcontroller platforms, that characterize many making projects; 2) community infrastructure, including online resources and in-person spaces and events; and 3) the maker mindset, aesthetic principles, and habits of mind that are commonplace within the community. It further outlines how the practices of making align with research on beneficial learning environments.

BACKGROUND: Well-defined, systematic, and transparent processes to identify health research gaps, needs, and priorities are vital to ensuring that available funds target areas with the greatest potential for impact. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review is to characterize methods conducted or supported by research funding organizations to identify health research gaps, needs, or priorities. METHOD: We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and the Web of Science up to September 2019. Eligible studies reported on methods to identify health research gaps, needs, and priorities that had been conducted or supported by research funding organizations. Using a published protocol, we extracted data on the method, criteria, involvement of stakeholders, evaluations, and whether the method had been replicated (i.e., used in other studies). RESULTS: Among 10,832 citations, 167 studies were eligible for full data extraction. More than half of the studies employed methods to identify both needs and priorities, whereas about a quarter of studies focused singularly on identifying gaps (7%), needs (6%), or priorities (14%) only. The most frequently used methods were the convening of workshops or meetings (37%), quantitative methods (32%), and the James Lind Alliance approach, a multi-stakeholder research needs and priority setting process (28%). The most widely applied criteria were importance to stakeholders (72%), potential value (29%), and feasibility (18%). Stakeholder involvement was most prominent among clinicians (69%), researchers (66%), and patients and the public (59%). Stakeholders were identified through stakeholder organizations (51%) and purposive (26%) and convenience sampling (11%). Only 4% of studies evaluated the effectiveness of the methods and 37% employed methods that were reproducible and used in other studies. DISCUSSION: To ensure optimal targeting of funds to meet the greatest areas of need and maximize outcomes, a much more robust evidence base is needed to ascertain the effectiveness of methods used to identify research gaps, needs, and priorities. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11606-021-07064-1.

Infant formula should provide the appropriate nutrients and adequate energy to facilitate healthy infant growth and development. If conclusive data on quantitative nutrient requirements are not available, the composition of human milk (HM) can provide some initial guidance on the infant formula composition. This paper provides a narrative review of the current knowledge, unresolved questions, and future research needs in the area of HM fatty acid (FA) composition, with a particular focus on exploring appropriate intake levels of the essential FA linoleic acid (LA) in infant formula. The paper highlights a clear gap in clinical evidence as to the impact of LA levels in HM or formula on infant outcomes, such as growth, development, and long-term health. The available preclinical information suggests potential disadvantages of high LA intake in the early postnatal period. We recommend performing well-designed clinical intervention trials to create clarity on optimal levels of LA to achieve positive impacts on both short-term growth and development and long-term functional health outcomes., Statement of Significance: The present work summarizes and discusses for the first time the (gaps in) available evidence on the effects of linoleic acid in an infant diet on infant health outcomes in relation to the recently adapted changes in regulations for the addition of linoleic acid to infant formula.

Clostridioides difficile has become the most common healthcare-associated pathogen in the United States, leading the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to classify C. difficile as an “urgent” public health threat that requires “urgent and aggressive action.” This call to action has led to new discoveries that have advanced our understanding of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) immunology and clinical development of immunologic-based therapies for CDI prevention. However, CDI immunology research has been limited in pediatric populations, and several unanswered questions remain regarding the function of host immune response in pediatric CDI pathogenesis and the potential role of immunologic-based therapies in children. This review summarizes the innate and adaptive immune responses previously characterized in animals and humans and provides a current update on clinical development of immunologic-based therapies for CDI prevention in adults and children. These data inform the future research needs for children.

Film-cooling hole-geometry research needs a better understanding in the mechanism of film cooling effectiveness, which was recently shown to depend rather strongly on the counter-rotating vortex pa...

The purpose of this research was to analyze the costs incurred by farmers in processing coconut into copra and to determine the added value of processing coconut into copra in Napa Village, Mawasangka District, Central Buton Regency. The population in this study were 21copra processors. The sampling in this study was using the census methed where the researchers took the entire copra processing population in Napa Village, Mawasangka District, Central Buton Regency. Data collection tehniques or methods are carried out by circulating a list of questions (questionnaires) to respondents who have been systematically compiled according to research needs. The results showed that, in 1 kg of copra requires 4 coconuts seeds and 1quintal of copra requires 400 coconut seeds, the price of coconut per seed is IDR 1.000 while the price of copra per kg is IDR 5.500 (1) the average total cost of copra proccesing bussiness is IDR 3.222.805 Poduction (2) added value of copra proccesing of Rp 730,19 kg of coconut raw material with the ratio of tambah value obtained of 26,73%. This indicates that the copra business carried out by farmers has a moderate value added ratio.

The field of plasmonic nanobubbles, referring to bubbles generated around nanoparticles due to plasmonic heating, is growing rapidly in recent years. Theoretical, simulation and experimental studies have been reported to reveal the fundamental physics related to this nanoscale multi-physics phenomenon. Using plasmonic nanobubbles for applications is in the early stage but progressing. In this article, we briefly review the current state of this research field and give our perspectives on the research needs in the theoretical, simulation and experimental fronts. We also give our perspectives on how the fundamental understanding can be applied to more practical applications.

Background The development of virtual reality (VR) technology has the potential to provide enormous opportunities for food and consumer behavior research to further explore current research methodologies and establish new ones. VR is different from the environment we experience in daily life. Therefore, the extent to which VR can be applied in food consumer behavior research needs to be assessed on the basis of the evidence provided by the studies that have employed VR. Approach To better understand VR technology and its potential applications and limitations in food and consumer behavior research, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on VR in food and consumer behavior research. The applications of VR addressed in the articles were extracted. The validity of VR for food and consumer behavior research was analyzed. Key findings VR has been used to build complex and realistic contextual environments for conducting food sensory evaluation research. VR was also used as a substitute (e.g., a VR buffet and supermarket) to real life settings for investigating consumers' purchasing behavior and food choices. Virtual food and food-related cues were used to induce psychological and physiological responses in consumers. The results supported the validity of VR as a tool for investigating consumers’ behavior toward food., Trends in Food Science & Technology, 116, ISSN:0924-2244, ISSN:0968-0020

Over the past 25 years, homicide researchers have largely ignored older adults. This pattern continues even in light of the ongoing demographic shift associated with the aging baby boomer generation. This article reflects on the current state of the literature and discusses areas in need of attention. Future research needs can be categorized into substantive and methodological issues. The insights gained by exploring these topics can generate nuanced explanations for fatal violence against older adults and support future evidence-based prevention policies.

Corporate governance guidelines recommend, and regulations in Canada and the US require that audit committees be actively involved in the whistleblowing process. Recognizing the lack of research based on direct evidence on the role of audit committees in the whistleblowing process and responding to calls for research on audit committees using different methods, we provide evidence on the audit committee’s actual role based on interviews with both audit committee members and auditors. We find audit committees provide limited oversight and do not play an active role in the whistleblowing process. We find audit committees tend to rely on management and internal audit. This contrasts with assumptions in prior research and the legal requirement in Canada. Our findings highlight the importance of an ethical organizational culture for the whistleblowing process to be effective. The findings also emphasize that regulators and practitioners need to recognize the potential gap between what is expected of audit committees and what they do in practice. Rather than assuming audit committees play an active role in the whistleblowing process, research needs to focus on the black box of the audit committee process and contributions to governance.

Background Although influenza vaccination can prevent influenza-related deaths, uptake remains low, particularly in disadvantaged populations. Purpose A theoretical model of psychological pathways to vaccination accounting for the direct and moderating role of socio-structural factors was tested. The study sought to understand the joint contributions of psychological (i.e., knowledge, attitudes, and intention) and socio-structural factors (i.e., income, education, and insurance) to influenza vaccination, prospectively. Methods A nationally representative empaneled sample of over 3,000 U.S. adults answered questions about vaccination knowledge, attitudes, and intentions, as well as actual vaccination across five timepoints from September 2018 to May 2019. Socio-structural factors were examined as moderators. Results Findings revealed strong positive associations between knowledge and attitudes, attitudes and intentions, as well as intentions and subsequent vaccination. Importantly, health insurance moderated the associations between attitudes and intentions and between intentions and vaccination, such that those without insurance had weaker associations between attitudes and intentions and between intentions and vaccination. In addition, education moderated the path from knowledge to attitude and from intentions to vaccination, such that people with lower educational attainment had weaker associations between knowledge and attitudes and between intentions and vaccination. Conclusions Socio-structural factors act as barriers to the influence of knowledge on attitudes, attitudes on intentions, and intentions on behavior. Future research needs to be mindful of the specific paths disrupted by social disadvantages and examine ways to intervene to decrease those effects.

Although insight is widely studied in some disorders, research on insight in anxiety is limited. This study investigates clinical and cognitive insight and their relationship to symptoms and cognitive factors. A total of 175 participants with high trait anxiety completed an online self-reported measures and a reasoning task. No significant correlations between clinical and cognitive insight were found, suggesting the two constructs are distinct. Impaired clinical insight was significantly associated with reduced reports of symptoms, suggesting they are less likely to recognize that they have a problem. Impaired clinical insight was positively associated with negative metacognitive beliefs, suggesting they are likely to use unhelpful cognitions. Overall cognitive insight and self-reflection were positively associated with negative metacognition, suggesting that these individuals are more likely to have unhelpful metacognitive beliefs. Future research needs to explore the different constructs of insight and their relation to psychopathology and treatment outcomes in anxiety disorders.

Certain events, termed potentially morally injurious events, can transgress an individual’s existing moral framework and elicit morally injurious outcomes, which, in turn, can be associated with negative mental health outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis (Prospero ID-CRD42018104621) aimed to examine the relationship between moral injury outcomes and mental health. Fifty-nine articles, representing 50 independent samples, were reviewed, including for methodological quality. We found statistically significant relationships between all moral injury outcomes and mental health, with predominately moderate–large effect sizes observed. Relationships were typically stronger if studies measured moral injury outcomes only, compared with studies that included measurement of both exposure and outcomes. The Moral Injury subscales (Self, Others, and Betrayal) were also significantly related to poorer mental health. Overall, the meta-analytic results support reliable associations between moral injury outcomes and poorer mental health. Future research needs to diversify into nonmilitary populations, consider measurement tool selection, and strive for greater consensus regarding theoretical frameworks to direct this emerging research area. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary science developed in the process of understanding and solving ecological and environmental problems. In order to tackle these problems, environmental science research is expected to reveal the source, behavior, fate, exposure, and risks of pollutants in the environment and develop potential solutions to control pollution. It provides the scientific basis for decision-makers to establish environmental and economic policies, and promote concerted efforts for the sustainable development of society. Here, we articulate the development patterns, challenges, and future research needs of environmental science in China based on literature review and expert panel discussion. Environmental science research has evolved significantly in the past decade with an increasing diversity of environmental pollutants and health impacts, new technologies and methods, deepening fusion of multiple disciplines, and emerging solutions for pollution control. Its future development relies on the advances in our knowledge on the fate and transport of pollutants, regional environmental processes, ecotoxicological effects, environmental exposure and health effects, environmental analysis and monitoring, source control and reduction, environmental remediation, as well as environmental risk management. For each of these fields, we summarize the significant challenges and highlight the research demands for China. Based on the status quo of China's environmental science research and future needs, we provide recommendations to promote its future development, including encouraging innovation and interdisciplinary research, providing decision support for national needs, encouraging international collaboration, and improving collaboration mechanisms.

Objective This paper explores the history of TB in Argentina from the pre- Columbian period to recent times in order to evaluate the impact of the industrialization (late 19th and early 20th centuries) on the increasing rates of this disease. Materials Historical, paleopathological, and current epidemiological data were reviewed. Methods Data were integrated under a paleopathological approach. Results Skeletal evidence suggests the existence of TB before colonization. This is followed by two different periods of increasing TB rates: a probable but unconfirmed first stage, related to the contact between Europeans and natives during the 16th-18th centuries, and a second stage during the Industrial Revolution, from the 1880s to the 1950s, when it was finally controlled with the aid of chemotherapies. Conclusions TB rates increased during industrialization, coincident and probably related to immigration, the disorganized growth of cities, and bad working conditions. Nowadays, TB is under control in the general population, but it remains an important health problem in areas with poor living conditions and in immunocompromised patients. Significance This is the first study that integrates archaeological, historical and epidemiological data to acknowledge the pathway of TB in Argentina. Limitations No skeletal evidence of TB from 19th and 20th centuries and from medical archives from sanatoria are available. Suggestions for further research Further research needs to be conducted from these records, in order to improve the current knowledge of TB during the industrialization period in Argentina.

Effective conservation requires that species recovery measures are informed by rigorous scientific research. For imperilled freshwater fishes and mussels in Canada, numerous research gaps exist, in part owing to the need for specialized research methods. The Canadian Freshwater Species at Risk Research Network (SARNET) was formed and identified or implemented approaches to address current research gaps, including (1) captive experimental research populations, (2) nonlethal methods for estimating abundance and distribution, (3) nonlethal field methods to measure life-history parameters, (4) species distribution models informed by co-occurring species, (5) conservation physiology to inform habitat and threat science, (6) evidence syntheses to evaluate threats and recovery measures, (7) disease-transmission models to understand mussel–host relationships, (8) experimental mesocosms and manipulative experiments to evaluate key habitat stressors, (9) threat and hazard models for predictive applications, and (10) rigorous evaluation of surrogate species. Over a dozen threat- and recovery-focused SARNET research applications are summarized, demonstrating the value of a coordinated research program between academics and government to advance scientific research on, and to support the recovery of, imperilled freshwater species.

The transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) between food-producing animals (poultry, cattle and pigs) during short journeys ( 8 h) directed to other farms or to the slaughterhouse lairage (directly or with intermediate stops at assembly centres or control posts, mainly transported by road) was assessed. Among the identified risk factors contributing to the probability of transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), the ones considered more important are the resistance status (presence of ARB/ARGs) of the animals pre-transport, increased faecal shedding, hygiene of the areas and vehicles, exposure to other animals carrying and/or shedding ARB/ARGs (especially between animals of different AMR loads and/or ARB/ARG types), exposure to contaminated lairage areas and duration of transport. There are nevertheless no data whereby differences between journeys shorter or longer than 8 h can be assessed. Strategies that would reduce the probability of AMR transmission, for all animal categories include minimising the duration of transport, proper cleaning and disinfection, appropriate transport planning, organising the transport in relation to AMR criteria (transport logistics), improving animal health and welfare and/or biosecurity immediately prior to and during transport, ensuring the thermal comfort of the animals and animal segregation. Most of the aforementioned measures have similar validity if applied at lairage, assembly centres and control posts. Data gaps relating to the risk factors and the effectiveness of mitigation measures have been identified, with consequent research needs in both the short and longer term listed. Quantification of the impact of animal transportation compared to the contribution of other stages of the food-production chain, and the interplay of duration with all risk factors on the transmission of ARB/ARGs during transport and journey breaks, were identified as urgent research needs. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The use of concept mapping strategies has implications in teaching and learning to improve visual literacy. This study examined pre-service teacher education students’ experiences and perspectives in relation to concept map creation and their use in education to promote visual literacy. The data analyzed for this study consisted of concept maps created by students and their written online portfolio reflections. Findings revealed that students found concept maps helped organize and present information visually relating to a specific topic. Highlighting key points helped direct learners’ attention. Students’ inabilities to decide what information to include and the best way to present information were limitations of concept map creation. Also, there were technical difficulties. More research needs to be completed as concept maps are practical visual tools.

Consortium-based research is crucial for producing reliable, high-quality findings, but existing tools for consortium studies have important drawbacks with respect to data protection, ease of deployment, and analytical rigor. To address these concerns, we developed COnsortium of METabolomics Studies (COMETS) Analytics to support and streamline consortium-based analyses of metabolomics and other -omics data. The application requires no specialized expertise and can be run locally to guarantee data protection or through a Web-based server for convenience and speed. Unlike other Web-based tools, COMETS Analytics enables standardized analyses to be run across all cohorts, using an algorithmic, reproducible approach to diagnose, document, and fix model issues. This eliminates the time-consuming and potentially error-prone step of manually customizing models by cohort, helping to accelerate consortium-based projects and enhancing analytical reproducibility. We demonstrated that the application scales well by performing 2 data analyses in 45 cohort studies that together comprised measurements of 4,647 metabolites in up to 134,742 participants. COMETS Analytics performed well in this test, as judged by the minimal errors that analysts had in preparing data inputs and the successful execution of all models attempted. As metabolomics gathers momentum among biomedical and epidemiologic researchers, COMETS Analytics may be a useful tool for facilitating large-scale consortium-based research.

A textbook is crucial in teaching-learning process at the university level. However, many textbooks in universities are lack in practice and too theoretical. This can be an obstacle for non-English department students. It will be hard for them to speak in English if the existing textbooks only concern in grammatical issues and put aside the communicative side (Speaking). This study aims to develop a practical and effective English textbook that prioritize the communicative side i.e., the spoken English for non-English department students. The research method used in this research is the Research & Development (R&D) by using the ADDIE development model in which the non-English Department students of STKIP Al Maksum Langkat as its research subject. The research sample was taken randomly (Random Sampling) based on the research needs. From the data taken, it was found that: 1) the developed-English textbook is declared very valid (92.9%) by 6 expert validators and could be used but needed minor revisions, 2) textbooks had met the criteria of practicality and effectiveness in improving the English speaking skill of non-English department students.

Small area population forecasts are widely used by government and business for a variety of planning, research and policy purposes, and often influence major investment decisions. Yet, the toolbox of small area population forecasting methods and techniques is modest relative to that for national and large subnational regional forecasting. In this paper, we assess the current state of small area population forecasting, and suggest areas for further research. The paper provides a review of the literature on small area population forecasting methods published over the period 2001–2020. The key themes covered by the review are extrapolative and comparative methods, simplified cohort-component methods, model averaging and combining, incorporating socioeconomic variables and spatial relationships, ‘downscaling’ and disaggregation approaches, linking population with housing, estimating and projecting small area component input data, microsimulation, machine learning, and forecast uncertainty. Several avenues for further research are then suggested, including more work on model averaging and combining, developing new forecasting methods for situations which current models cannot handle, quantifying uncertainty, exploring methodologies such as machine learning and spatial statistics, creating user-friendly tools for practitioners, and understanding more about how forecasts are used. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11113-021-09671-6.

Objetivo: Este estudio pretende identificar y analizar las medidas observacionales para evaluar el constructo de responsividad parental, con especial atención en los componentes que se evalúan, en las características de aplicación y en los criterios de uso. Método: Se llevó a cabo una revisión sistemática de la literatura de todos los instrumentos publicados a través de las bases de datos de PsychINFO y Google Scholar. Dos investigadoras independientes evaluaron la elegibilidad de todos los instrumentos, extrajeron los datos y evaluaron sus características. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 33 instrumentos. Los componentes evaluados son diversos y más del 50% evalúan también otros constructos. La mayoría son de enfoque positivo, más de la mitad se codifican a través de vídeo y el tiempo destinado a la evaluación es muy variable, desde menos de 5 minutos a más de una hora. Algo menos de la mitad solicita realizar tareas concretas y todos ellos requieren formación específica para su uso. Discusión: Existe una gran oferta de instrumentos para evaluar la responsividad parental. Esta revisión ofrece claves que facilitan la elección del instrumento más adecuado a cada necesidad profesional o de investigación. Objective: The aim of this research is to identify and analyze the observational measures for the assessment of parental responsiveness construct, with a focus on the components that are evaluated, the characteristics of the implementation and the criteria of use. Method: A systematic review was carried out to identify all instruments published through PsychINFO and Google Scholar databases. Two independent researchers assessed the eligibility criteria of all measures, substracted data and assessed their characteristics. Results: 33 instruments were selected. The components of the measures are diverse and more than 50% also evaluate other constructs. Most instruments are positive in focus, more than half are encoded through video and the evaluation periods are very variable, from less than 5 minutes to more than one hour. Less than a half request to perform specific tasks and all of them require specific training for their use. Discussion: There is a wide range of instruments to assess parental responsiveness. This review offers clues that facilitate the choice of the most appropriate instrument for each professional or research needs.

This review focuses on biological control as a management strategy for brown rot disease on cherry. Specifically, the strain Monilina laxa as much of the research so far has been focused on Monilina fructicola and other stone fruit. Brown rot is one of the most economically important stone fruit diseases worldwide. Current control methods rely heavily on fungicide and costly physical controls. Biological control agents (BCAs) have been found which antagonise M. laxa and other Monilinia species. However, only a few have been developed into commercial products. This is primarily because they are still not as effective and consistent as the fungicides currently available to growers. Current biocontrol research focuses heavily on post-harvest applications but more could be done to look at the potential for BCAs to be used in the field to protect blossoms and fruits, reducing post-harvest losses. Future research needs to understand the ecology of these BCAs and their population dynamics in relation to external conditions, in order to optimise their use in integration with other management strategies. Disease management in the near future will rely more on the use of BCAs than conventional fungicides.

The incidence rate of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is currently increasing within Canada as well as worldwide. Environmental pollutants are ubiquitous in the environment and can potentially increase an individual’s risk of developing NHL. The goal of this literature review was to identify environmental pollutants associated with diagnosis of NHL and summarize their current levels in human populations. Sixteen environmental pollutants were identified as having associations with NHL diagnosis, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), pentachlorophenol (PCP), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), carbon tetrachloride, and various pesticides. PCB levels in human breast milk were highest in developed countries, while DDT levels were highest in malaria-endemic countries. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and glyphosate levels were highest in individuals who were occupationally exposed to these chemicals. Humans are mainly exposed to the identified pollutants through food. PCBs were found within animal products such as milk and cheese, and a variety of pesticides were found in various fruits and vegetables. Individuals who followed vegan and vegetarian diets had lower levels of non-pesticide pollutants in their body due to limited consumption of animal products but had higher pesticide levels due to increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, organic diets proved to mitigate this issue. Further research needs to be conducted on a wider variety of pollutants to gain a comprehensive understanding of the effects of these pollutants in association with NHL.

Microplastics (MPs) are considered as an emerging contaminant in aquatic environments which enter through various routes. The number of studies on MPs has increased dramatically in recent years, owing to a growing awareness of the potential health hazards associated with MPs exposure. The adoption of a set of acceptable methodologies to reliably identify and measure MPs from various matrices is an underlying issue in this study field due to its complexity and impact. These approaches should then be harmonized to create quantitative, repeatable, and comparable data in the quantification of MPs. In concern to this unique problem; this focal point review aims to provide researchers with an overview of methods for collection, handling, and sampling from the aqueous environment; delineation and quantification of MPs; the advantages and limits of such processes; approaches for future studies to surmount such limitations. The review findings highlighted that the sampling needs an appropriate design, collection tool, exact sampling site, and size for accuracy. The development of extractive effectiveness by re-utilizing the chemicals recommended for accurate separation of the MPs. The subsequent validation of spectroscopic analysis in addition to visual imaging is essential for the qualitative analysis of MPs. Temporal comparison and large-scale spatial data procured from existing analytical techniques and approaches are the major issues delimiting the decision appropriate in the monitoring of MPs. Hence, it’s recommended that future research needs to focus on developing standard methodologies and highly equipped automated analytical techniques for rapid and reliable detection of MPs.

Fungicides, despite certain limitations, continue to play a crucial role in the management of plant diseases. In their history of more than a century, several fungicide classes have been introduced starting from multi-site inorganic salts to organic compounds with protectant action and then to single-site systemic fungicides with curative activity. However, site-specific fungicides are regularly confronted with the problem of resistance. New compounds with novel modes of action are introduced to manage resistance to the existing fungicides and to provide more effective options for control of devastating diseases. Technological advances such as combinatorial chemistry, high throughput screening and bio-rational screen designs have revolutionized the synthesis and development of new fungicide active ingredients. However, stringent regulatory pressure has impacted the discovery of new active ingredients and this has led to the decline in introduction rate of new fungicides. In future, natural compounds hold promise to serve as new fungicide leads in place of more toxic synthetic compounds. This review will discuss technological advances and challenges in the discovery and development of new fungicides and future research needs for more ecofriendly disease management.

Background The increase in demand of fresh like food products requires the development of novel non-thermal processing and preservation technique which can produce food products with minimal changes in its quality properties. This has drawn attention of researchers towards cold plasma technology since last decade. Cold plasma is an emerging technique and has huge potential to reduce the unacceptable thermal effects on nutritional and quality characteristics of food products. Scope and approach To appreciate the potential opportunities of cold plasma in beverage industry, it is important to study it's effect on different constituents which are summarized in the present review article. Cold plasma is promising technique which shows several advantages in retaining the quality properties of fruit beverages. This review article focus on the fundamentals, sources and the recent trends in the processing of cold plasma treated beverages. Key findings and conclusions Cold plasma has potential for preventing the growth of spoilage micro-organisms, inactivation of various endogenous enzymes while retaining physico-chemical properties of fruit based beverages. The paper presents the effect of plasma on bioactive compounds which shows the strong effect of plasma exposure time on beverages. However, due to less exposure time, cold plasma has no significant effect on the quality parameters of beverages. The review also highlights future research needs regarding the complex mechanisms of interaction with plasma species.

Introduction: Quercetin is the main active ingredient of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. Traditional compatibility theory of traditional Chinese medicine has typically reported a synergistic interaction among multiple components, while the synergistic effects of nanoemulsion have not been fully clarified. Objective: The paper aims to study the preparation and characterization of quercetin-based Mongolia Medicine Sendeng-4 nanoemulsion (N-QUE-NE) and its antibacterial activity and mechanisms. Methods: The morphology of the nanoemulsion was observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and the zeta potential, Polydispersity Index (PDI), and particle size distribution were determined by the nanometer particle size analyze. The stability of nanoemulsion was investigated by light test, high-speed centrifugal test and storage experiment at different temperatures. The combined bacteriostatic effect of N-QUE-NE was studied in vitro by the double-dilution method and checkerboard dilution method. Results: The appearance of N-QUE-NE was pale yellow, clear and transparent. The nanoemulsion particles were spherical and uniformly distributed under TEM. The PDI was 0.052, the average particle size was 19.6nm, and the Zeta potential was -0.2mV. When quercetin nanoemulsion (QUENE) was used in combination with tannin nanoemulsion (TAN-NE) and toosendanin nanoemulsion (TOO-NE), it exhibited a synergistic antibacterial effect. However, the combination of QUE-NE and geniposide nanoemulsion (GEN-NE) exhibited an antagonistic effect. It was revealed that the antibacterial effect was in the order of quercetin-tannin-toosendanin nanoemulsion (QUE-TANTOO- NE) > quercetin-tannin nanoemulsion (QUE-TAN-NE) > QUE-NE > quercetin-tannintoosendanin- geniposide nanoemulsion (QUE-TAN-TOO-GEN-NE). Conclusion: This study explored the preparation and efficacy of N-QUE-NE, and the results showed that quercetin, tannin and toosendanin had satisfactory synergistic antibacterial effects. The antagonistic effect of quercetin and geniposide in nanoemulsion indicated that it is not beneficial to the antibacterial effect of Sendeng-4, and further research needs to be conducted to clarify its antibacterial effect.

Biologic agents are emerging for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) patients with recalcitrant disease. Although early work has shown promise, and several trials are ongoing, there is significant work to be done in this field. CRS patients form a heterogeneous group, and identification of appropriate patients for the use of biologic agents is critical. The determination of endotype-specific biomarkers will help define patient selection and predict treatment response. As more biologic agents become approved, head-to-head trials will be needed to compare them with similar products. Ultimately, cost-effectiveness analyses and further quality of life studies will guide treatment recommendations.

Background: Radiation Protection Officer (PPR) plays an important role in ensuring radiation safety supervision in diagnostic and interventional radiology facilities. To support this, high level competencies are absolutely necessary. The purpose of this competency analysis study is to obtain an overview of the competence of radiation protection officers working in diagnostic and interventional radiology facilities. Methods: This study is a descriptive as well as quantitative research. The study was conducted by collecting primary data through filling out questionnaires with an assessment by 6 inspectors with respondents assessed as 40 PPR from 40 diagnostic radiology facilities spread across West Java, East Java, Batam, Riau Islands. Validity and Reliability testing was carried out in this study. PPR competency level analysis was carried out by testing statistical descriptions and testing the frequency distribution using Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) for windows 21.Results: The results of PPR competence in 40 diagnostic and interventional radiology facilities by 6 Nuclear Safety Inspectors showed that the level of PPR competence in diagnostic radiology facilities was at a high level. This is related to the selection of nuclear safety inspectors who are in the (good) and (very good) rangeConclusion: Based on the computational analysis using the SPSS version 21 program, it shows that the level of hard competency (technical competency) and soft competency of PPR in diagnostic and interventional radiology facilities is at a level above 3 or the average is at a level close to high. Further research needs to be done with a more comprehensive competency statement item variable and with a larger number of inspectors and PPR with a research time span long enough in order to describe the actual PPR competencies on the field.

Hutan rakyat memegang peranan yang tak kalah penting dalam aspek ekologis jika dibandingkan hutan jenis lainnya, salah satunya sebagai penyimpan karbon yang membantu dalam mitigasi perubahan iklim global. Keberadaan hutan rakyat yang termasuk bagian dari wilayah perkotaan cukup jarang ditemukan, sehingga penelitian ini perlu dilakukan mengingat lokasinya yang cukup istimewa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengestimasi simpanan karbon yang terdapat pada hutan rakyat di kawasan perkotaan Kota Bandar Lampung, Provinsi Lampung. Metode yang digunakan pada penelitian ini yaitu metode destruktif dan non-destruktif. Pengukuran simpanan karbon dilakukan pada tiga carbon pool yakni biomasa di atas tanah; nekromasa; serasah dan tumbuhan bawah. Pengukuran tersebut dilakukan dengan melakukan inventarisasi vegetasi pada 15 klaster plot yang berlokasi di hutan rakyat Kelurahan Pinang Jaya tersebut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rerata simpanan karbon berkisar 54,59 tC/ha dengan interval nilai 48,93 tC/ha sampai 60,26 tC/ha. Biomasa di atas tanah memegang persentase terbesar sebagai penyumbang simpanan karbon yaitu sebesar 95,71%, diikuti dengan nekromasa 4,23%, serasah dan tumbuhan bawah 0,05%.