Attitudes Toward People With Intellectual Disability Associated With Integrated Sport Participation

Direct, meaningful contact with people with intellectual disability, such as through integrated sport, may be related to positive attitudes. The current study aimed to compare implicit (unconscious) and explicit (conscious) attitudes between adults involved in integrated sport events and those in a comparison group who were not and examine the association between attitudes and degree of integrated sport involvement. An online survey measuring attitudes was completed by 295 adults without intellectual disability who participated in integrated sport activities and 450 adults who did not. Individuals involved in integrated sport reported less negative behavioral and affective attitudes relative to the comparison group, with mixed results for cognitive attitudes. Groups did not differ on implicit attitudes. Greater integrated sport involvement was related to some aspects of explicit attitudes. Involvement in integrated sport may be linked to how participants view intellectual disability, which has important implications for enhancing social inclusion and informing positive attitudes.

Suicide among those who use mental health services: Suicide risk factors as evidenced from contact-based characteristics in Victoria

OBJECTIVE

The majority of suicide decedents have had contact with health services in the months before their death. Contacts for mental health services present potential suicide prevention opportunities. This study aims to compare contact-based characteristics among suicide decedents and living controls in the year subsequent to clinical mental health contact with the public health system in Victoria, Australia.

METHODS

A population-based nested case-control study of those who had mental health-related hospital and community contacts with the public health system was conducted. Cases (suicide decedents) were age and gender-matched to living controls (suicide non-decedents). These records were linked to records of suicides that occurred in the 12 months following the health service contact, between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016. Victorian residents aged 10 years and above were selected at the time of contact (483,933 clients). In the study population, conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between contact-based characteristics and suicide. Socio-demographics and mental health-related hospital and community contact data was retrieved from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset, the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset and the Public Clinical Mental Health database and suicide data from the Victorian Suicide Register.

RESULTS

During a six-year period, 1,091 suicide decedents had at least one mental health contact with the public health system in the 12 months preceding the suicide. Overall, controls used more mental health services than cases; however, cases used more mental health services near the event. The relationship between the type of service and suicide differed by service type: hospital admissions and emergency department presentations had a significant positive association with suicide with an OR of 2.09 (95% CI 1.82-2.40) and OR of 1.13 (95% CI 1.05-1.22), and the effect size increased as the event approached, whereas community contacts had a significant negative association with an OR of 0.93 (95% CI 0.92-0.94), this negative association diminished in magnitude as the event approached (OR∼1).

CONCLUSION

Suicide decedents had less contact with mental health services than non-decedents; however, evidence suggests suicide decedents reach out to mental health services proximal to suicide. An increase in mental health service contact by an individual could be an indication of suicide risk and therefore an opportunity for intervention. Further, community level contact should be further explored as a possible prevention mechanism considering the majority of suicide decedents do not access the public clinical mental health services.

Comprehensive Contact Tracing, Testing and Sequencing Show Limited Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between Children in Schools in Norway, August 2020 to May 2021

The role of children in the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in schools has been a topic of controversy. In this study among school contacts of SARS-CoV-2 positive children in 43 contact-investigations, we investigated SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Norway, August 2020-May 2021. All participants were tested twice within seven to ten days, using SARS-CoV-2 PCR on home-sampled saliva. Positive samples were whole genome sequenced. Among the 559 child contacts, eight tested positive (1.4%, 95% CI 0.62-2.80), with no significant difference between primary (1.0%, 95% CI 0.27-2.53) and secondary schools (2.6%, 95% CI 0.70-6.39), p = 0.229, nor by viral strain, non-Alpha (1.4%, 95% CI 0.50-2.94) and Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) (1.7%, 95% CI 0.21-5.99), p = 0.665. One adult contact (1/100) tested positive. In 34 index cases, we detected 13 different SARS-CoV-2 Pango lineage variants, with B.1.1.7 being most frequent. In the eight contact-investigations with SARS-CoV-2 positive contacts, four had the same sequence identity as the index, one had no relation, and three were inconclusive. With mitigation measures in place, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 from children in schools is limited. By excluding contact-investigations with adult cases known at the time of enrolment, our data provide a valid estimate on the role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools.

Development and implementation of a time- and computationally-efficient methodology for reconstructing real-world crashes using finite element modeling to improve crash injury research investigations

Eleven Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) frontal crashes were reconstructed using a novel, time-efficient methodology involving a simplified vehicle model. Kinematic accuracy was assessed using novel kinematic scores between 0-1 and chest injury was assessed using literature-defined injury metric time histories. The average kinematic score across all simulations was 0.87, indicating good kinematic accuracy. Time histories for chest compression, rib strain, shoulder belt force, and steering column force discerned the most causative components of chest injury in all cases. Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ and AIS 3+ chest injury risk functions using belt force identified chest injury with 81.8% success.

Computational modeling of braided-stent deployment for interpreting the mechanism of stent flattening

This study develops a computational model of the braided stent for interpreting the mechanism of stent flattening during deployment into curved arteries. Stent wires are expressed using Kirchhoff's rod theory and their mechanical behavior is treated using a corotational beam formulation. The equation of motion of the braided stent is solved in a step-by-step manner using the resultant elastic force and mechanical interactions of wires with friction. Examples of braided-stent deployment into idealized arteries with various curvatures are numerically simulated. In cases of low curvature, the braided stent expands from a catheter by releasing the bending energy stored in stent wires, while incomplete expansion is found at both stent ends (ie, the fish-mouth phenomenon), where relatively little bending energy is stored. In cases of high curvature, much torsional energy is stored in stent wires locally in the midsection of the curvature and the bending energy for stent self-expansion is not fully released even after deployment, leading to stent flattening. These findings suggest that the mechanical state of the braided stent and its transition during deployment play an important role in the underlying mechanism of stent flattening. NOVELTY STATEMENT: This study developed a computational mechanical model of the braided stent for interpreting stent flattening, which is a critical issue observed during deployment into highly curved arteries. Mechanical behaviors of the stent wires are appropriately treated by corotational beam element formulation with considering multiple contacts. We conducted numerical examples of the stent deployment into curved arteries and found that the mechanical state of the braided stent during deployment associated with occurrences of the stent flattening. We believe this finding gives new insight into the mechanism of stent flattening and would advance the design of the stent and its deployment protocol.

Evaluation of Deep Neural Network ProSPr for Accurate Protein Distance Predictions on CASP14 Targets

The field of protein structure prediction has recently been revolutionized through the introduction of deep learning. The current state-of-the-art tool AlphaFold2 can predict highly accurate structures; however, it has a prohibitively long inference time for applications that require the folding of hundreds of sequences. The prediction of protein structure annotations, such as amino acid distances, can be achieved at a higher speed with existing tools, such as the ProSPr network. Here, we report on important updates to the ProSPr network, its performance in the recent Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP14) competition, and an evaluation of its accuracy dependency on sequence length and multiple sequence alignment depth. We also provide a detailed description of the architecture and the training process, accompanied by reusable code. This work is anticipated to provide a solid foundation for the further development of protein distance prediction tools.

Combining Cryo-EM Density Map and Residue Contact for Protein Secondary Structure Topologies

Although atomic structures have been determined directly from cryo-EM density maps with high resolutions, current structure determination methods for medium resolution (5 to 10 Å) cryo-EM maps are limited by the availability of structure templates. Secondary structure traces are lines detected from a cryo-EM density map for α-helices and β-strands of a protein. A topology of secondary structures defines the mapping between a set of sequence segments and a set of traces of secondary structures in three-dimensional space. In order to enhance accuracy in ranking secondary structure topologies, we explored a method that combines three sources of information: a set of sequence segments in 1D, a set of amino acid contact pairs in 2D, and a set of traces in 3D at the secondary structure level. A test of fourteen cases shows that the accuracy of predicted secondary structures is critical for deriving topologies. The use of significant long-range contact pairs is most effective at enriching the rank of the maximum-match topology for proteins with a large number of secondary structures, if the secondary structure prediction is fairly accurate. It was observed that the enrichment depends on the quality of initial topology candidates in this approach. We provide detailed analysis in various cases to show the potential and challenge when combining three sources of information.

On the Origin of Plastic Deformation and Surface Evolution in Nano-Fretting: A Discrete Dislocation Plasticity Analysis

Discrete dislocation plasticity (DDP) calculations were carried out to investigate a single-crystal response when subjected to nano-fretting loading conditions in its interaction with a rigid sinusoidal asperity. The effects of the contact size and preceding indentation on the surface stress and profile evolution due to nano-fretting were extensively investigated, with the aim to unravel the deformation mechanisms governing the response of materials subjected to nano-motion. The mechanistic drivers for the material's permanent deformations and surface modifications were shown to be the dislocations' collective motion and piling up underneath the contact. The analysis of surface and subsurface stresses and the profile evolution during sliding provides useful insight into damage and failure mechanisms of crystalline materials subject to nano-fretting; this can lead to improved strategies for the optimisation of material properties for better surface resistance under micro- and nano-scale contacts.

The Personal Food Systems of Pre-Season NCAA Division 1 High-Contact, Low-Contact, and Non-Contact College Athletes

Previous research indicates that dietary habits may differ between athletes of different sports. In this cross-sectional study, we hypothesize meal frequency, food choices, and food preferences will significantly differ between contact types. The participants were athletes (n = 92; men: n = 57, body fat percent (BF%): 14.8 ± 8.4%, body mass index (BMI): 25.5 ± 5.5 kg·m^-2; women: n = 36, BF%: 26.7 ± 7.3%, BMI: 22.3 ± 2.7 kg·m^-2) from high-contact (HCS), low-contact (LCS), and non-contact (NCS) sports. Meal frequency, food preference, and food choice questionnaires assessed factors influencing dietary habits. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured lean body mass, fat mass, and body fat. A GLM multivariate analysis was used with significance accepted at p < 0.05. Significant body composition differences were observed between genders (p < 0.001) and among sports (p < 0.001). Dinner (83.7%), lunch (67.4%), and breakfast (55.4%) were the most frequently eaten meals, followed by evening snack (17.8%), afternoon snack (15.2%), and morning snack (8.7%). Greater preferences for starches were observed for HCS (p = 0.04; η² = 0.07) and for a greater preference for vegetables was found for NCS (p = 0.02; η² = 0.09). Significant differences also existed in the importance of health (p = 0.04; η² = 0.07), weight control (p = 0.05; η² = 0.11), natural content (p = 0.04; η² = 0.07), and price (p = 0.04; η² = 0.07). These results support our hypothesis that food choices and food preferences differ between contact types. This may help sports dieticians create more individualized nutrition programs.

Theoretical and Experimental Study of Changes in the Structure of the Intermediate Layer during Friction between Contacting Bodies

Friction is often accompanied by local fracture at the boundary of contacting bodies. The space between contacting bodies usually contains moving particles of a different nature, and a change in the effective friction conditions can be associated with a change in the structure of the contact area. This paper presents a new series of experiments where balls simulated the particles of the intermediate layer interacting with an elastic layer of different thickness. The effects of regularization when the balls approached each other were investigated considering different initial configurations (line and spatial structure). The balls simulated the particles of the intermediate layer interacting with the elastic layer of different thickness. The opposite effects of convergence and separation of the balls were observed in different experiments. A model of mutual effect during the contact of two balls with a two-layered elastic half-space was developed. An analysis of tangential forces due to the mutual effect was performed for different layer thicknesses, its relative compliance, and different distances between the balls. It was found that the input parameters defined the sign of the tangential force, which led to the convergence or the separation of the balls. The results can be used to create structures controlling the motion in the intermediate layer.

The Positive Impact of Joint Activities on Students Attitudes Toward Peers With Disabilities

Background: Attitudes toward peers with disabilities play a crucial role in implementing inclusive education. This study examines how students' attitudes are associated with gender; having relatives with disabilities and the frequency of contact with them; attending a class that includes students with special educational needs (SEN); and having previous contact with SEN students through joint activities. Methods and Procedures: The participants included 652 elementary school students (grades 4-6) who completed a short version of the Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Toward Children with Handicaps (CATCH) questionnaire in Arabic. Outcomes and Results: Students in inclusive classes express more positive attitudes in comparison with students in regular classes. However, previous contact through joint activities was associated with more positive attitudes. Females were more likely to hold positive views than males. Having relatives with disabilities had no effect; however, a high frequency of contact with them was associated with more positive perspectives. Conclusions and Implications: The findings on students' attitudes indicate that joint activities between students with and without disabilities are important to promote positive attitudes. Planned opportunities to increase frequent contact, and to promote joint activities between students with and without SEN are recommended.

Static Modeling of Soft Reinforced Bending Actuator Considering External Force Constraints

Soft robots are utilized in various operations such as rehabilitation, manipulation, and locomotion. These robots are sometimes excited by means of rubber based bending actuators, which are highly nonlinear and hyperelastic. In addition, in contrast to robots with rigid links and common actuators, continuous deformation of soft bending actuators in the presence of external forces makes the modeling more complicated. Thus, introducing a proper mathematical framework that accurately describes mechanical behavior of these actuators is still a challenge. In this research study, an analytical static model based on the Neo-Hookean material model is proposed. By resorting to the proposed model, a nonlinear relation between the actuator shape and inlet actuation pressure is extracted. Next, by means of the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, the effect of external forces on the actuator configuration is investigated. Finally, experimental results are presented to validate the proposed theoretical model. In this regard, first, the actuator nonlinear behavior in a free motion is appropriately verified. Then, the actuator configuration, in the presence of two conventional external forces, called following and fixed direction, is analyzed.

An observational study of hand-to-face contact via videotaping of Korean older people in daily life settings

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to quantify hand-to-face contact (HFC) and identify the related factors that influence HFC in the daily life of Korean older people.

METHODS

From November 20-December 4, 2018, 30 older people were enrolled and were each videotaped for their daily activities for two hours in total. The videotaped HFC data were classified by frequency, duration, site of contact, and as self-contact with membranes (eye, nose and mouth) or non-membranes (head, forehead, chin, cheek and ear).

RESULTS

Of the 4826 self-contacts, 1311 HFC (560 membrane contacts [42.7%], 751 non-membrane contacts [57.3%]) were observed in 60 person-hours. The mean contact frequency (mean/person) of membrane and non-membrane contact was 18.7 times (nose, 9.3; mouth, 5.7; and eye, 3.6) and 24.6 (highest with the chin, 8.5), respectively. The mean contact duration (seconds/contact) for membrane and non-membrane contacts was 3.4 s (nose, 3.1; mouth, 3.7; and eye, 3.0) and 6.3 s (highest with the chin, 8.2), respectively. Contact exposure (frequency-duration/second/person) of the membrane and non-membrane was 3510.7 (nose, 1002.3; mouth, 639.3; and eye, 92.3) and 11,727.1 (highest with the chin, 2,965.6), respectively. The frequency and duration of HFC differed by age, economic activity and household income.

CONCLUSIONS

HFC was highest at the nose in Korean older people, followed by the mouth. Consequently, education about avoiding HFC of the nose and hygienic care of the nose should be a nursing priority. Awareness of the risks of HFC and the prophylactic effects of vigorous hand hygiene should be strengthened among the elderly to prevent the spread of infectious diseases via hand contact.

Contact events in rugby union and the link to reduced cognition: evidence for impaired redox-regulation of cerebrovascular function

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? How does recurrent contact incurred across a season of professional rugby union impact molecular, cerebrovascular and cognitive function? What is the main findings and its importance? A single season of professional rugby union increases systemic oxidative-nitrosative stress (OXNOS) confirmed by a free radical-mediated suppression in nitric oxide bioavailability. Forwards encountered a higher frequency of contact events compared to backs, exhibiting elevated OXNOS and lower cerebrovascular function and cognition. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insight into the possible cause of reduced cognition in rugby union subsequent to impairment in the redox regulation of cerebrovascular function.

ABSTRACT

Contact events in rugby union remain a public health concern. We determined the molecular, cerebrovascular and cognitive consequences of contact events during a season of professional rugby. Twenty-one male players aged 25 (mean) ± 4 (SD) years were recruited from a professional rugby team comprising forwards (n = 13) and backs (n = 8). Data were collected across the season. Pre- and post-season, venous blood was assayed for the ascorbate free radical (A^•- , electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy) and nitric oxide (NO, reductive ozone-based chemiluminescence) to quantify oxidative-nitrosative stress (OXNOS). Middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv, Doppler ultrasound) was measured to assess cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), and cognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Notational analysis determined contact events over the season. Forwards incurred more collisions (Mean difference [M_D ] 7.49; 95% CI, 2.58-12.40; P = 0.005), tackles (M_D 3.49; 95% CI, 0.42-6.56; P = 0.028) and jackals (M_D 2.21; 95% CI, 0.18-4.24; P = 0.034). Forwards suffered five concussions while backs suffered one concussion. An increase in systemic OXNOS, confirmed by elevated A^•- (F_2,19  = 10.589, P = 0.004) and corresponding suppression of NO bioavailability (F_2,19  = 11.492, P = 0.003) was apparent in forwards and backs across the season. This was accompanied by a reduction in cerebral oxygen delivery ( c D O 2 , F_2,19  = 9.440, P = 0.006) and cognition (F_2,19  = 4.813, P = 0.041). Forwards exhibited a greater decline in the cerebrovascular reactivity range to changes in PET_CO2 ( CV R C O 2 RANG compared to backs (M_D 1.378; 95% CI, 0.74-2.02; P < 0.001).

Open to Contact? Increased State Openness Can Lead to Greater Interest in Contact With Diverse Groups

Contact is a reliable method of prejudice reduction. However, individuals higher in prejudice are less interested in contact with diverse groups. This research investigates a novel method of encouraging interest in contact, particularly for those lower in the personality trait of Openness/Intellect, who tend to be higher in prejudice. Although long-term traits are relatively stable, momentary personality states show considerable within-person variation, and can be manipulated. In two experimental studies (total N = 687), we tested whether inducing higher state Openness would affect interest in contact. In Study 1, those lower in trait Openness/Intellect showed a positive indirect effect of condition on two outcome measures, via greater state Openness. In a larger sample with lower trait Openness/Intellect (Study 2), the indirect effect on the first outcome was replicated, regardless of disposition. The findings suggest that experiencing open states more frequently could encourage contact and lead to eventual reductions in prejudice.

Does Cross-Race Contact Improve Cross-Race Face Perception? A Meta-Analysis of the Cross-Race Deficit and Contact

Contact with racial outgroups is thought to reduce the cross-race recognition deficit (CRD), the tendency for people to recognize same-race (i.e., ingroup) faces more accurately than cross-race (i.e., outgroup) faces. In 2001, Meissner and Brigham conducted a meta-analysis in which they examined this question and found a meta-analytic effect of r = -.13. We conduct a new meta-analysis based on 20 years of additional data to update the estimate of this relationship and examine theoretical and methodological moderators of the effect. We find a meta-analytic effect of r = -.15. In line with theoretical predictions, we find some evidence that the magnitude of this relationship is stronger when contact occurs during childhood rather than adulthood. We find no evidence that the relationship differs for measures of holistic/configural processing compared with normal processing. Finally, we find that the magnitude of the relationship depends on the operationalization of contact and that it is strongest when contact is manipulated. We consider recommendations for further research on this topic.

Tunable Doping of Rhenium and Vanadium into Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for Two-Dimensional Electronics

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with unique electrical properties are fascinating materials used for future electronics. However, the strong Fermi level pinning effect at the interface of TMDCs and metal electrodes always leads to high contact resistance, which seriously hinders their application in 2D electronics. One effective way to overcome this is to use metallic TMDCs or transferred metal electrodes as van der Waals (vdW) contacts. Alternatively, using highly conductive doped TMDCs will have a profound impact on the contact engineering of 2D electronics. Here, a novel chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using mixed molten salts is established for vapor-liquid-solid growth of high-quality rhenium (Re) and vanadium (V) doped TMDC monolayers with high controllability and reproducibility. A tunable semiconductor to metal transition is observed in the Re- and V-doped TMDCs. Electrical conductivity increases up to a factor of 108 in the degenerate V-doped WS2 and WSe2 . Using V-doped WSe2 as vdW contact, the on-state current and on/off ratio of WSe2 -based field-effect transistors have been substantially improved (from ≈10-8 to 10-5 A; ≈104 to 108 ), compared to metal contacts. Future studies on lateral contacts and interconnects using doped TMDCs will pave the way for 2D integrated circuits and flexible electronics.

Cutting, Impingement, Contact, Endurance, Flexibility, and Asymmetric/Overhead Sports: Is There a Difference in Return-to-Sport Rate After Arthroscopic Femoroacetabular Impingement Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have established a classification of sports based on hip mechanics: cutting, impingement, contact, endurance, flexibility, and asymmetric/overhead. No previous review has compared the outcomes of hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) using this classification.

PURPOSE

To determine whether the rate of return to sport differs among cutting, impingement, contact, endurance, flexibility, and asymmetric/overhead athletes who undergo hip arthroscopy for FAIS. We also aimed to identify differences in patient characteristics, intraoperative procedures performed, and time to return to play among the 6 sport categories.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Three electronic databases were searched for eligible articles. Two reviewers independently screened the titles, abstract, and full-text articles using prespecified criteria. Eligible articles were those that reported the rate of return to sport (defined by the number of hips) after hip arthroscopy for FAIS in athletes of all levels. Data collected were patient age, sex, body mass index, type of sport, rate and time to return to sport, and intraoperative procedures performed. A mixed effects model was used for meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 29 articles and 1426 hip arthroscopy cases were analyzed with 185 cutting, 258 impingement, 304 contact, 207 endurance, 116 flexibility, and 356 asymmetric/overhead athletes. The mean age was similar among the 6 subgroups (P = .532), but the proportion of female athletes was significantly higher in flexibility, endurance, and asymmetric/overhead sports as compared with impingement and contact athletes. Flexibility athletes had the highest rate of return to sport after hip arthroscopy for FAIS (94.8%), whereas contact athletes had the lowest rate (88%). The longest mean ± SD time (8.5 ± 1.9 months) to return to sport was reported in cutting sports, while endurance athletes returned faster than the rest (5.4 ± 2.6 months). The difference in rate and time to return to sport, as well as the intraoperative procedure performed, did not reach statistical significance among the 6 subgroups. There was evidence of publication bias and study heterogeneity, and the mean Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies score was 13 ± 2.6.

CONCLUSION

Flexibility athletes had the highest rate of return to sport after hip arthroscopy for FAIS, while endurance athletes returned the fastest. The difference in rate and time to return to sport and intraoperative procedures performed did not reach statistical significance among the 6 subgroups. These results are limited by the evidence of publication bias and should be interpreted with caution. Laboratory-based studies are necessary to validate the classification of sports based on hip mechanics.

Analysis of Asymptomatic and Presymptomatic Transmission in SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak, Germany, 2020

We determined secondary attack rates (SAR) among close contacts of 59 asymptomatic and symptomatic coronavirus disease case-patients by presymptomatic and symptomatic exposure. We observed no transmission from asymptomatic case-patients and highest SAR through presymptomatic exposure. Rapid quarantine of close contacts with or without symptoms is needed to prevent presymptomatic transmission.

Predictive Modeling of Surface Wear in Mechanical Contacts under Lubricated and Non-Lubricated Conditions

The surface wear in mechanical contacts under running conditions is always a challenge to quantify. However, the inevitable relationship between the airborne noise and the surface wear can be used to predict the latter with good accuracy. In this paper, a predictive model has been derived to quantify surface wear by using airborne noise signals collected at a microphone. The noise was generated from a pin on disc setup on different dry and lubricated conditions. The collected signals were analyzed, and spectral features estimated from the measurements and regression models implemented in order to achieve an average wear prediction accuracy of within 1mm3.

Effects of Human Presence and Voice on the Behaviour of Shelter Dogs and Cats: A Preliminary Study

Simple Summary

Environmental enrichment is fundamental for the welfare of shelter animals. This study compared the behaviour of single-housed shelter dogs and cats while being read a book (using a prerecording) in the presence of an unfamiliar human (without direct physical contact) or in its absence. Behaviours such as scratching the door, gaze direction and location in relation to the audio source/human were observed for 10 min. When a human was present, dogs spent longer in their bed and looking at the auditory source, while cats scratched the door and rubbed against the door. In the absence of the human, cats tended to spend more time in the vertical dimension, where the hiding boxes were located. Overall, the presence of a person, combined with auditory enrichment, induced greater interest compared to just an audio stimulation in both shelter dogs and cats. However, some animals showed signs of frustration likely due to not being able to physically interact with the human. Given that dogs that exhibit calmness and cats that scratch the door in the presence of humans and try to attract human attention are more likely to be adopted, auditory enrichment combined with human presence promotes behaviours that may consequentially increase adoption rate.

Abstract

Reading books to shelter animals combining auditory enrichment with human presence is increasingly used although its effects on animal welfare have not yet been investigated. This study compared the behaviour of single-housed shelter dogs and cats during a prerecorded reading condition in the absence or presence of an unfamiliar human (without direct physical contact). Fourteen dogs and twenty-one cats were observed in their enclosure in the two conditions in a counterbalanced order. Behaviours such as scratching the door, gaze direction and location in relation to the audio source/human were analysed from video recording for 10 min per condition. Dogs spent more time in their bed (p < 0.047) and looking at the auditory source (p < 0.004) when a human was present. Cats showed door scratching and rubbing when a human was present (p < 0.043), whereas they tended to spend more time in the vertical dimension (p = 0.051), where the hiding boxes were located, during auditory stimulation without a human present. These results show that the presence of a human induces greater interest compared to just audio stimulation in shelter dogs and cats but may induce frustration likely due to not being able to physically interact in some animals.

Hand-to-Environment Contact During Indoor Activities in Senior Welfare Centers Among Korean Older Adults: A Pilot Study

(1) Background: This study aimed to describe the characteristics of hand-to-environment contact (HEC) and identify the influencing factors of HEC behavior during the indoor daily life of Korean older adults in senior welfare centers. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was used with 30 participants over 65 years of age attending programs in senior welfare centers. Video recordings of the 30 participants were collected for two hours a day for participants selected from 20 November to 4 December 2018. Contact frequency, density, and duration were measured. (3) Results: Video recordings of 3,930 HEC cases were analyzed. Furniture surface (25.0%), tableware and cooking utensils (5.4%), phones (5.3%), and door handles (0.1%) were found to be the items with the most frequent contact, in this order. The average contact frequency and contact density (frequency-duration/min/person) of HEC for two hours were highest for the Category I equipment (personally used, accounting for 70.4%), and the average contact duration of HEC was highest in the Category III equipment (commonly used, 47.7 s/contact/person). Contact density was as high as 266.5 (frequency-duration/min/person). Participants above 75 years of age and the unemployed showed high HEC with Category III. (4) Conclusions: Older adults need to be educated to avoid unnecessary hand contact with items in Category III. In particular, hand hygiene and sanitization through the regular and thorough disinfection of furniture surfaces and shared equipment are very important to prevent the spread of pathogens.

Schools as a Framework for COVID-19 Epidemiological Surveillance of Children in Catalonia, Spain: A Population-Based Study

Objective: We describe and analyze the childhood (<18 years) COVID-19 incidence in Catalonia, Spain, during the first 36 weeks of the 2020-2021 school-year and to compare it with the incidence in adults. Methods: Data on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) tests were obtained from the Catalan Agency for Quality and Health Assessment. Overall, 7,203,663 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed, of which 491,819 were positive (6.8%). We collected epidemiological data including age-group incidence, diagnostic effort, and positivity rate per 100,000 population to analyze the relative results for these epidemiological characteristics. Results: Despite a great diagnostic effort among children, with a difference of 1,154 tests per 100,000 population in relation to adults, the relative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 for <18 years was slightly lower than for the general population, and it increased with the age of the children. Additionally, positivity of SARS-CoV-2 in children (5.7%) was lower than in adults (7.2%), especially outside vacation periods, when children were attending school (4.9%). Conclusions: A great diagnostic effort, including mass screening and systematic whole-group contact tracing when a positive was detected in the class group, was associated with childhood SARS-CoV-2 incidence and lower positivity rate in the 2020-2021 school year. Schools have been a key tool in epidemiological surveillance rather than being drivers of SARS-CoV-2 incidence in Catalonia, Spain.