Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of leadership on employees' employability: a bibliometric analysis, systematic literature review, and research agenda

Introduction Policymakers, researchers, and practitioners have recently begun treating employability-an individual's ability to possess and continuously adjust and acquire up-to-date competencies, flexibility, adaptability, and openness to change-as crucial to enabling employees to respond to ubiquitous and rapid changes in organizations (e.g., changing tasks and work-related processes). Research into ways to enhance employability, particularly through supervisor leadership, which, for example, facilitates training and competence development, has thus grown in popularity. A review on leadership as an antecedent of employability is both evident and timely. This review thus addresses the question of whether a supervisor's leadership influences employees' employability, and in which contexts and through which mechanisms it does so. Methods As preliminary study we conducted a bibliometric analysis (which corroborated employability's recent rise in popularity) and as main study we conducted a systematic literature review. For this, the authors independently searched for articles, which met the inclusion criteria and subsequently were included for full text analysis. The authors also independently used the forward and backward snowballing technique for identifying additional articles which met the inclusion criteria and subsequently were included for full text analysis. The procedure resulted in 17 articles in total. Results Most of the articles identified positive relationships among several conceptualizations of supervisor leadership and employee employability, such as transformational leadership and leader-member exchange, and to a lesser extent, servant leadership and perceived supervisor support. This review suggests that such relationships occur across different work contexts, such as educational, SMEs, healthcare, and several other industries, and these contexts also vary geographically. Discussion The relationships among supervisor leadership and employee employability are largely explained using a social exchange perspective, which means that the positive influence of leadership on employability is itself influenced by a two-way social exchange relationship between supervisor and employees. The quality of the dyadic relationship between leader and followers thus determines the extent to which leaders offer valuable resources such as training and feedback, which subsequently enhances employees' employability. This review demonstrates that investing in supervisors' leadership is a valuable HRM strategy that fosters employability, and it identifies practical implications that inform policy and practice and sets an agenda for future employability research.
Bilateral transfer of motor performance as a function of motor imagery training: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective The objective of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of mental imagery training (MIT) in promoting bilateral transfer (BT) of motor performance for healthy subjects. Data sources We searched 6 online-databases (Jul-Dec 2022) using terms: “mental practice,” “motor imagery training,” “motor imagery practice,” “mental training,” “movement imagery,” “cognitive training,” “bilateral transfer,” “interlimb transfer,” “cross education,” “motor learning,” “strength,” “force” and “motor performance. ” Study selection and data extraction We selected randomized-controlled studies that examined the effect of MIT on BT. Two reviewers independently determined if each study met the inclusion criteria for the review. Disagreements were resolved through discussion and, if necessary, by a third reviewer. A total of 9 articles out of 728 initially identified studies were chosen for the meta-analysis. Data synthesis The meta-analysis included 14 studies for the comparison between MIT and no-exercise control (CTR) and 15 studies for the comparison between MIT and physical training (PT). Results MIT showed significant benefit in inducing BT compared to CTR (ES = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.57–0.98). The effect of MIT on BT was similar to that of PT (ES = –0.02, 95% CI = –0.15–0.17). Subgroup analyses showed that internal MIT (IMIT) was more effective (ES = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.57–2.76) than external MIT (EMIT) (ES = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.74–1.17), and mixed-task (ES = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.26–2.11) was more effective than mirror-task (ES = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.14–0.78) and normal-task (ES = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.23–0.90). No significant difference was found between transfer from dominant limb (DL) to non-dominant limb (NDL) (ES = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.37–0.97) and NDL to DL (ES = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.59–1.15). Conclusion This review concludes that MIT can serve as a valuable alternative or supplement to PT in facilitating BT effects. Notably, IMIT is preferable to EMIT, and interventions incorporating tasks that have access to both intrinsic and extrinsic coordinates (mixed-task) are preferred over those that involve only one of the two coordinates (mirror-task or normal-task). These findings have implications for rehabilitation of patients such as stroke survivors.
A brain CT-based approach for predicting and analyzing stroke-associated pneumonia from intracerebral hemorrhage

Introduction Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is a common complication of stroke that can increase the mortality rate of patients and the burden on their families. In contrast to prior clinical scoring models that rely on baseline data, we propose constructing models based on brain CT scans due to their accessibility and clinical universality. Methods Our study aims to explore the mechanism behind the distribution and lesion areas of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in relation to pneumonia, we utilized an MRI atlas that could present brain structures and a registration method in our program to extract features that may represent this relationship. We developed three machine learning models to predict the occurrence of SAP using these features. Ten-fold cross-validation was applied to evaluate the performance of models. Additionally, we constructed a probability map through statistical analysis that could display which brain regions are more frequently impacted by hematoma in patients with SAP based on four types of pneumonia. Results Our study included a cohort of 244 patients, and we extracted 35 features that captured the invasion of ICH to different brain regions for model development. We evaluated the performance of three machine learning models, namely, logistic regression, support vector machine, and random forest, in predicting SAP, and the AUCs for these models ranged from 0.77 to 0.82. The probability map revealed that the distribution of ICH varied between the left and right brain hemispheres in patients with moderate and severe SAP, and we identified several brain structures, including the left-choroid-plexus, right-choroid-plexus, right-hippocampus, and left-hippocampus, that were more closely related to SAP based on feature selection. Additionally, we observed that some statistical indicators of ICH volume, such as mean and maximum values, were proportional to the severity of SAP. Discussion Our findings suggest that our method is effective in classifying the development of pneumonia based on brain CT scans. Furthermore, we identified distinct characteristics, such as volume and distribution, of ICH in four different types of SAP.
Dietary intake, physical activity and sedentary behavior and association with BMI during the transition to parenthood: a prospective dyadic study

Introduction Little is known on how diet, physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) changes during pregnancy and after childbirth in primiparous couples. Moreover, it is unclear how potential behavioral changes are associated with changes in BMI. This study examined changes in diet, PA and SB, and their association with changes in BMI in couples transitioning to parenthood. Methods Dietary intake (FFQ), PA, SB (both Actigraph GT3X accelerometers) and BMI of women and men were assessed at 12 weeks of gestation, 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Data were analyzed using dyadic longitudinal data analyses techniques. Results In women, a decrease in fruit intake, an increase in alcohol intake, an increase of light-intensity PA, and a decrease in SB were observed from the beginning of pregnancy up to 6 months postpartum. Decreases in fruit intake between 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum was associated with increases in BMI. Men did not show significant dietary changes, while an increase in light-intensity PA and a decrease in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was observed at 6 months postpartum when compared to 12 weeks of gestation. Paternal increases in “avoidance food group” intake were associated with increases in BMI between baseline and 6 weeks postpartum. No associations of changes in BMI and changes in PA and SB were found. Discussion Not only mothers but also fathers experienced unfavorable changes in lifestyle during the transition to parenthood, with impact on BMI changes. This highlights the need to monitor unhealthy changes in lifestyle and body weight in both parents when expecting a child and after childbirth. Clinical trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03454958.
Bimodal modulation of L1 interneuron activity in anterior cingulate cortex during fear conditioning

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a crucial role in encoding, consolidating and retrieving memories related to emotionally salient experiences, such as aversive and rewarding events. Various studies have highlighted its importance for fear memory processing, but its circuit mechanisms are still poorly understood. Cortical layer 1 (L1) of the ACC might be a particularly important site of signal integration, since it is a major entry point for long-range inputs, which is tightly controlled by local inhibition. Many L1 interneurons express the ionotropic serotonin receptor 3a (5HT3aR), which has been implicated in post-traumatic stress disorder and in models of anxiety. Hence, unraveling the response dynamics of L1 interneurons and subtypes thereof during fear memory processing may provide important insights into the microcircuit organization regulating this process. Here, using 2-photon laser scanning microscopy of genetically encoded calcium indicators through microprisms in awake mice, we longitudinally monitored over days the activity of L1 interneurons in the ACC in a tone-cued fear conditioning paradigm. We observed that tones elicited responses in a substantial fraction of the imaged neurons, which were significantly modulated in a bidirectional manner after the tone was associated to an aversive stimulus. A subpopulation of these neurons, the neurogliaform cells (NGCs), displayed a net increase in tone-evoked responses following fear conditioning. Together, these results suggest that different subpopulations of L1 interneurons may exert distinct functions in the ACC circuitry regulating fear learning and memory.
Stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with distress, depressive, and anxiety symptoms in cancer out-patients

Patients with cancer might be particularly prone to stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pandemic-related stressors on oncological patients’ psychological well-being. During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany 122 cancer out-patients of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Munich reported on COVID-19-related stressors (information satisfaction, threat perception, and fear of disease deterioration) and answered standardized questionnaires for psychosocial distress (DT) as well as depression and anxiety symptoms (PHQ-2, GAD-2). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify associations of the COVID-19-related stressors with psychological symptoms, controlling for sociodemographic, psychological (self-efficacy, ASKU) and clinical (somatic symptom burden, SSS-8) variables. Initially, satisfaction with information was significantly negatively associated with all three outcome variables. Fear of disease deterioration was associated with distress and depressive symptoms. After controlling for additional variables, only satisfaction with information remained an independent determinant of anxiety (β = −0.35, p < 0.001). All three outcomes were most strongly determined by somatic symptom burden (β ≥ 0.40, p < 0.001). The results of this study tentatively suggest that physical well-being overrides the relevance of some COVID-19-related stressors for oncological patients’ psychological wellbeing. Physical symptoms are strongly tied to personal wellbeing as they are associated with suffering from cancer, which might be more central to personal wellbeing than the possibility of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, satisfaction with the information received seems to be important beyond physical wellbeing, as this emerged as an independent determinant of anxiety.
Ceramide in cerebrovascular diseases

Ceramide, a bioactive sphingolipid, serves as an important second messenger in cell signal transduction. Under stressful conditions, it can be generated from de novo synthesis, sphingomyelin hydrolysis, and/or the salvage pathway. The brain is rich in lipids, and abnormal lipid levels are associated with a variety of brain disorders. Cerebrovascular diseases, which are mainly caused by abnormal cerebral blood flow and secondary neurological injury, are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. There is a growing body of evidence for a close connection between elevated ceramide levels and cerebrovascular diseases, especially stroke and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). The increased ceramide has broad effects on different types of brain cells, including endothelial cells, microglia, and neurons. Therefore, strategies that reduce ceramide synthesis, such as modifying sphingomyelinase activity or the rate-limiting enzyme of the de novo synthesis pathway, serine palmitoyltransferase, may represent novel and promising therapeutic approaches to prevent or treat cerebrovascular injury-related diseases.
Physiological and developmental mechanism of regressive molt in a damp-wood termite Hodotermopsis sjostedti

In some species of termites, a part of nymphs can undergo “regressive molt,” in which imaginal characters such as wing buds and body size are reduced. The function of regressive molt is thought to be a regulatory mechanism controlling caste composition in a colony. However, little is known about the physiological and developmental processes resulting in the regressive molt. In this study, therefore, regressive molt was observed in a damp-wood termite Hodotermopsis sjostedti, under rearing conditions, and histological and morphological observations during regressive molt (especially the reduction of wing buds) were carried out. It was found that nymphs with wing buds were classified into three morphological types. Almost all nymphs with swollen wing buds (Type 1) differentiated into alates, while nymphs with pigmented wing buds (Type 2) or with flat wing buds (Type 3) underwent regressive molts to become pseudergates (workers). Through the regressive molt, a part of nymphs differentiated into presoldiers or neotenic reproductives. Histological observations showed that, in nymphs undergoing regressive molt, epithelial tissue of wing buds was degenerated. Consistently, real-time qPCR analyses revealed that, apoptosis-related factors were up-regulated in the thoracic parts of Type 3 nymphs. Furthermore, expression analyses on developmental and endocrine factors by real-time qPCR were carried out, showing that, the expression pattern of these factors in regressive molt is nearly identical to that in stationary molt. These results suggest that the differentiation fate of nymph is determined during the intermolt period before the differentiation into Type 1 or Type 2/3 nymphs. The regressive molt itself would be almost identical to stationary molt.
Ghrelin does not impact the blunted counterregulatory response to recurrent hypoglycemia in mice

Introduction Recurrent episodes of insulin-induced hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus can result in hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF), which is characterized by a compromised response to hypoglycemia by counterregulatory hormones (counterregulatory response; CRR) and hypoglycemia unawareness. HAAF is a leading cause of morbidity in diabetes and often hinders optimal regulation of blood glucose levels. Yet, the molecular pathways underlying HAAF remain incompletely described. We previously reported that in mice, ghrelin is permissive for the usual CRR to insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Here, we tested the hypothesis that attenuated release of ghrelin both results from HAAF and contributes to HAAF. Methods C57BL/6N mice, ghrelin-knockout (KO) + control mice, and GhIRKO (ghrelin cell-selective insulin receptor knockout) + control mice were randomized to one of three treatment groups: a “Euglycemia” group was injected with saline and remained euglycemic; a 1X hypoglycemia (“1X Hypo”) group underwent a single episode of insulin-induced hypoglycemia; a recurrent hypoglycemia (“Recurrent Hypo”) group underwent repeated episodes of insulin-induced hypoglycemia over five successive days. Results Recurrent hypoglycemia exaggerated the reduction in blood glucose (by ~30%) and attenuated the elevations in plasma levels of the CRR hormones glucagon (by 64.5%) and epinephrine (by 52.9%) in C57BL/6N mice compared to a single hypoglycemic episode. Yet, plasma ghrelin was equivalently reduced in “1X Hypo” and “Recurrent Hypo” C57BL/6N mice. Ghrelin-KO mice exhibited neither exaggerated hypoglycemia in response to recurrent hypoglycemia, nor any additional attenuation in CRR hormone levels compared to wild-type littermates. Also, in response to recurrent hypoglycemia, GhIRKO mice exhibited nearly identical blood glucose and plasma CRR hormone levels as littermates with intact insulin receptor expression (floxed-IR mice), despite higher plasma ghrelin in GhIRKO mice. Conclusions These data suggest that the usual reduction of plasma ghrelin due to insulin-induced hypoglycemia is unaltered by recurrent hypoglycemia and that ghrelin does not impact blood glucose or the blunted CRR hormone responses during recurrent hypoglycemia.
Chairwork in schema therapy for patients with borderline personality disorder—A qualitative study of patients' perceptions

Objective Chairwork is one of the core experiential techniques of Schema Therapy (ST) which is used in the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, little is known about how people with BPD experience chairwork. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of patients with BPD with chairwork in ST. Method Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 29 participants with a primary diagnosis of BPD who experienced chairwork as part of their ST treatment. The interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings Many participants reported initial skepticism, and difficulties with engaging in chairwork. Specific therapist behaviors as well as some external (e.g., restricted facilities, noise) and internal factors (especially feeling ashamed or ridiculous) were named as hindering factors. Participants described several therapist behaviors facilitating chairwork such as providing safety, clear guidance through the process as well as flexible application of the technique according to their needs, and sufficient time for debriefing. Participants experienced emotional pain and exhaustion as short-term effects of the technique. All participants reported positive long-term effects including an improved understanding of their mode model as well as positive mode changes (e.g., less Punitive Parent and more Healthy Adult Mode), greater self-acceptance, improvements in coping with emotions and needs as well as improvements in interpersonal relationships. Conclusions Chairwork is experienced as an emotionally demanding but valuable technique. Based on the participants' statements, the delivery of chairwork can be optimized which can help to improve treatment outcome.
Whole-genome informed circulating tumor DNA analysis by multiplex digital PCR for disease monitoring in B-cell lymphomas: a proof-of-concept study

Introduction Analyzing liquid biopsies for tumor-specific aberrations can facilitate detection of measurable residual disease (MRD) during treatment and at follow-up. In this study, we assessed the clinical potential of using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of lymphomas at diagnosis to identify patient-specific structural (SVs) and single nucleotide variants (SNVs) to enable longitudinal, multi-targeted droplet digital PCR analysis (ddPCR) of cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Methods In 9 patients with B-cell lymphoma (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma), comprehensive genomic profiling at diagnosis was performed by 30X WGS of paired tumor and normal specimens. Patient-specific multiplex ddPCR (m-ddPCR) assays were designed for simultaneous detection of multiple SNVs, indels and/or SVs, with a detection sensitivity of 0.0025% for SV assays and 0.02% for SNVs/indel assays. M-ddPCR was applied to analyze cfDNA isolated from serially collected plasma at clinically critical timepoints during primary and/or relapse treatment and at follow-up. Results A total of 164 SNVs/indels were identified by WGS including 30 variants known to be functionally relevant in lymphoma pathogenesis. The most frequently mutated genes included KMT2D, PIM1, SOCS1 and BCL2. WGS analysis further identified recurrent SVs including t(14;18)(q32;q21) (IGH::BCL2), and t(6;14)(p25;q32) (IGH::IRF4). Plasma analysis at diagnosis showed positive circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels in 88% of patients and the ctDNA burden correlated with baseline clinical parameters (LDH and sedimentation rate, p-value <0.01). While clearance of ctDNA levels after primary treatment cycle 1 was observed in 3/6 patients, all patients analyzed at final evaluation of primary treatment showed negative ctDNA, hence correlating with PET-CT imaging. One patient with positive ctDNA at interim also displayed detectable ctDNA (average variant allele frequency (VAF) 6.9%) in the follow-up plasma sample collected 2 years after final evaluation of primary treatment and 25 weeks before clinical manifestation of relapse. Conclusion In summary, we demonstrate that multi-targeted cfDNA analysis, using a combination of SNVs/indels and SVs candidates identified by WGS analysis, provides a sensitive tool for MRD monitoring and can detect lymphoma relapse earlier than clinical manifestation.
A critical review of COVID-19 course and vaccination in dermatology patients on immunomodulatory/biologic therapy: recommendations should not differ between non-pregnant and pregnant individuals

COVID-19 can have detrimental effects on immunosuppressed patients. Here, we evaluate the evidence regarding continuing immunomodulatory/biologic (IMBI) therapy in pregnant dermatology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, we discuss the risks of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant dermatology patients on IMBI therapy. As indicated in this review, regarding continuing IMBI therapy in pregnant dermatology patients during the pandemic, there is no compelling reason for treating them differently than non-pregnant. The body of evidence indicates that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are safe during pregnancy. Studies on rheumatology patients, a group that overlaps significantly with the dermatology group, provided essential findings. IMBI in a non-pregnant rheumatology patient was not associated with COVID-19 mortality (except for rituximab), and vaccination of the rheumatology patient during pregnancy improved the obstetric outcomes compared to the unvaccinated patient. Based on this data, it can be stated that after weighing the benefit–risk profile of the available COVID-19 vaccines, the recommendation for the pregnant dermatology patient speaks in favor of the COVID-19 vaccination. COVID-19 vaccine recommendations in pregnant dermatology patients on IMBI should not differ from those for their non-pregnant counterparts.