bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive comparative metabolome study of a large collection of Corsican bryophytes
Authors: Pannequin Anaïs , Muselli Alain , Marcourt Laurence , Ferreira Queiroz Emerson , Quiros-Guerrero Luis-Manuel , Asakawa Yoshinori , Dounoue-Kubo Miwa , Wolfender Jean-Luc
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Bryophytes are non-vascular plants that appeared on Earth before vascular plants. More than 24,000 species are reported worldwide, and only a small proportion have been studied. However, part of their biosynthetic potential has been unveiled and more than 1,600 terpenoids have been detected and identified. The study of bryophytes faces challenges due to their small size, and sociology, making it difficult to collect large amounts of uncontaminated samples. Additionally, their chemical specificity and the scarcity of chemical data specific to this branch further complicate their study. Traditionally, research on bryophytes has focused only on specific species or classes of compounds.

Methods

In contrast, our work proposes the first untargeted metabolite profiling investigation of a large collection of bryophytes (63 species) mainly issued from Corsican biodiversity. Metabolite profiling was performed by UHPLC-HRMS/MS and the data was extensively annotated using computational tools and molecular networking. This allowed us to describe in detail the chemical space covered by our collection and to establish comparisons between all the moss and liverwort species available. To validate some of the structural annotations, 3 liverworts (Frullania tamarisci, Pellia epiphylla, Plagiochila porelloides) and 2 mosses (Antitrichia curtipendula and Dicranum scoparium), available in larger quantities were fractionated using high-resolution semi-preparative HPLC, yielding 20 pure compounds. Five of them were newly discovered.

Results and discussion

This study highlights the main compositional differences between mosses and liverworts at the chemical class level. By analyzing given molecular network clusters, specific biosynthetic features or compounds that are characteristic of certain species are highlighted and discussed in detail.
Exploring the relationship between eco-anxiety and suicide risk in adolescents with mental health disorders: insights from a cross-sectional observational study
Authors: Lerolle Apolline , Micoulaud-Franchi Jean-Arthur , Fourneret Pierre , Heeren Alexandre , Gauld Christophe
Published: January 2025

Introduction

A limited number of studies have explored the connection between eco-anxiety, anxiety, and depression in adolescents. However, the relation between eco-anxiety and suicide remains unexamined. This cross-sectional observational study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the correlation between eco-anxiety intensity and suicide risk severity in adolescents.

Methods

We used validated French versions of the Climate Anxiety Scale (CAS) and its two key dimensions (cognitive and emotional and functional impairments), alongside the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD).

Results

Our study involved 87 hospitalized adolescent patients, aged 12–16. Although, the univariate model indicated a significant association between the CAS and the C-SSRS (β = 2.58; p = 0.049), the cognitive/emotional difficulties and functional impairment dimensions of eco-anxiety, considering different confounding factors, did not show statistical associations with the severity of suicide risk (respectively, p = 0.81 and p = 0.76).

Discussion

In an expansive literature, these results show for the first time that eco-anxiety may not be the priority of adolescents seen by adolescent psychiatrists. Such an observation would imply not overmedicalizing a dimension of life which perhaps does not fall solely within the field of medicine, but which concerns environmental issues broader than medical field. However, an ethical and prudent approach in mental health care for this particularly fragile population remains necessary. This intersection of eco-anxiety and suicide in youth opens up new avenues of research in the realm of environmental and mental health studies.
The impact of advertising on women’s self-perception: a systematic review
Authors: Dai Yao , Zhu Zhixuan , Yuan Guo Wu
Published: January 2025

This systematic review explores the multifaceted psychological impact of advertising on women’s self-perception, examining traditional advertising, femvertising, and the emerging effects of digital transformation. By synthesizing evidence from 95 peer-reviewed studies, this review examines the relationship between media portrayals of women and key psychological outcomes, including body image, self-esteem, self-objectification, and gender role attitudes. Our analysis reveals that traditional advertising, which often features idealized and stereotypical portrayals of femininity, continues to be associated with negative psychological outcomes such as increased body dissatisfaction and self-objectification. These effects appear to be intensifying in digital contexts, where exposure is more frequent and pervasive. Femvertising—advertising that aims to challenge gender stereotypes and empower women—shows promise in promoting positive psychological outcomes, but its effectiveness is contingent on perceived authenticity and individual viewer characteristics. The digital transformation of advertising has created new dynamics in how women encounter and process advertising messages, with social media platforms enabling both new forms of feminist messaging and new risks of superficial appropriation. Our findings suggest that understanding advertising’s impact requires consideration of platform-specific features, user characteristics, and content types. The review highlights the need for advertising practices that prioritize genuine representation and empowerment of women, while also addressing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by digital platforms. This work contributes to a deeper psychological understanding of advertising’s impact on women’s self-perception and calls for updated theoretical frameworks and practical approaches that can address both traditional and emerging forms of advertising exposure.
The possibility of reducing the risk of suicidal attempt in adolescents by practicing Confucian philosophy: a phenomenological study in Vietnam
Authors: Giang Thien-Vu , Nguyen-Ngoc Phi-Bao , Sam Vinh-Loc , Huynh Van-Son
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Suicide attempt in adolescents is a concern topic that differs greatly between countries because of its cultural specificity. This article reported on the possibility of reducing the risk of suicide attempts in adolescents by practicing Confucian philosophy.

Methods

In this study, Confucian philosophy is approached as an educational philosophy applied in clinical practice on 12 adolescents who used to attempt suicide. Using a phenomenological study design, we interviewed the selected participants to describe themes surrounding the impact of practicing Confucian philosophy on cognition, emotions, and behaviors related to suicide attempts.

Results

From this framework, we explored the three main findings, which described the journey of reconnecting and repairing family relationships fractured by the negative influence of remnants of Vietnamese Confucianism families. The conservatism and remnants of traditional Confucianism have influenced how Vietnamese parents raise their children, leading to increased risks of suicide as adolescents.

Discussion

The discovered themes greatly contribute to the process of clinical intervention for adolescents who have attempted suicide in countries with similar cultures to Vietnam, or accepted Confucianism as a neutral approach. Above all, the self-nurture and neutral lifestyle were resources that helped the adolescents cope better with their personal problems after participating in this study.
Development of organizational healing scale: validity and reliability study
Authors: Karsantık İsmail , Çayak Semih
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Adverse and destructive situations can have a significant and long-lasting impact on organizational members, resulting in considerable disruption to organizational functioning. The occurrence of negative or traumatic events in organizations can be attributed to a range of factors, including natural adversities, as well as intentional or human-induced crises. The concept of organizational healing encompasses both the processes that enable an organization to regain functionality following adversity and the strategies that facilitate enhanced performance in the period following trauma or harm. Recent advances have highlighted the topic of organizational healing, particularly in relation to how organizations can recover from significant traumatic events and return to their pre-disaster state. This study aimed to develop the Organizational Healing Scale by verifying its reliability and validity.

Methods

The item pool for the organizational healing scale was developed with the objective of ensuring its applicability for researchers and participants by adhering to the principles of scientific rigor and practicality. In this context, an item pool of 32 items was created. To ensure construct validity, EFA and CFA were conducted, and for content and face validity, expert opinion was consulted. Validity was also ensured through convergent and discriminant validity. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient value.

Results

The two components (individual priority, organizational priority) identified through EFA as contributing to the construct validity of the scale were subsequently confirmed by CFA. The fit indices for the scale were at satisfactory level. The Cronbach Alpha coefficient value demonstrated that both components were reliable.

Discussion

A review of the results indicated that the organizational healing scale is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the healing levels of organizations with respect to the component under consideration.
Career calling and safety behavior among nurses: a cross-sectional study based on latent profile analysis
Authors: Xie Linli , Xie Sijia , Yu Yan , Jing Jie , Shi Min , Dai Lingli
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study aimed to clarify the subgroups of career calling among Chinese nurses, explore the factors correlated with the subgroups, and investigate the relationship between nurse safety behavior and different profiles of career calling.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 2,567 nurses from 25 hospitals in China was conducted from February to September 2023. A latent profile model of nurses’ career calling was analyzed using Mplus 7.4. The influencing factors of each profile were analyzed by multinomial logistic regression analysis. The hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between nurse safety behavior and different profiles of career calling. The STROBE guidelines were followed in this research.

Results

Three distinct latent profiles were identified: “low-calling” type (12.4%), “medium-calling” type (54.4%), and “high-calling” type (33.2%) groups, respectively. Gender and number of night shifts per month were identified as factors influencing the latent profiles of nurses’ career calling. The different categories of career calling significantly predicted the nurse safety behavior (ΔR2 = 0.307, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study suggests that nurses experience different types of career calling. The different categories of career calling are significantly associated with the nurse safety behavior. Consequently, administrators should pay attention to the differences in individual career calling and develop targeted intervention strategies to facilitate nurses’ career calling based on the influences of the different underlying profiles and develop enhancement strategies to strengthen nurses’ safety behaviors to ensure patient safety.
Honey bees rely on associative stimulus strength after training on an olfactory transitive inference task
Authors: Giurfa Martin , Lee Silvia , Macri Catherine
Published: January 2025

Transitive inference, the ability to establish hierarchical relationships between stimuli, is typically tested by training with premise pairs (e.g., A + B–, B + C–, C + D–, D + E–), which establishes a stimulus hierarchy (A > B > C > D > E). When subjects are tested with non-adjacent stimuli (e.g., B vs. D), a preference for B indicates transitive inference, while no preference indicates decisions based on stimulus associative strength, as B and D are equally reinforced. Previous studies with bees and wasps, conducted in an operant context, have shown conflicting results. However, this context allows free movement and the possibility to avoid non-reinforced options, thus reducing the number of non-reinforced trials. To address this, we examined whether honey bees could perform transitive inference using a Pavlovian protocol that fully controls reinforcement. We conditioned bees with five odorants, either forward-or backward-paired with a sucrose solution, across four discrimination tasks. In all experiments, bees showed no preference for B over D, choosing equally between them, regardless of the training schedule. Our results show that bees’ choices were primarily influenced by stimulus associative strength and a recency effect, with greater weight given to the most recent reinforced or non-reinforced stimulus. We discuss these findings in the context of honey bee memory, suggesting that memory constraints may limit cognitive solutions to transitive inference tasks in bees.
Investigating the impact of acceptance and commitment therapy for mental healthcare professionals: the effect on patients´ self-stigmatization, a pilot study
Authors: Helmus Kim L. , van Doorn Marilon , de Koning Mariken B. , Myin-Germeys Inez , Schirmbeck Frederike N. , van Amelsvoort Therese A. M. J. , Nieman Dorien H. , Jaspers Monique W. M. , Popma Arne , de Haan Lieuwe
Published: January 2025

Background

A significant proportion of mental health care professionals (MHCPs) hold stigmatizing attitudes about their patients. When patients perceive and internalize these beliefs, self-stigmatization can increase. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may decrease stigmatizing attitudes by changing the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ thinking into continuum beliefs. In the present study MHCPs were given an ACT-based training, aiming to decrease stigmatization, hypothesizing that self-stigmatization of their patients will subsequently decrease.

Methods

An RCT with a 2 (pre-test/post-test) x 2 (no training/training) design was conducted. A total of 41 MHCPs participated, 20 were randomized to the experimental and 21 to the control condition respectively. The MHCPs in the experimental condition received an ACT-based training, MHCPs in the control condition received no training. From every MHCP, one of their patients participated in the pre- and post-measurement. As the primary outcome, patients’ awareness, agreement, application and hurt-self, was measured using the Self Stigma of Mental Illness Scale - Short Form (SSMIS-SF), before and after the MHCPs’ ACT-based training.

Results

Significant group x time interaction effects were found for ‘application’ (internalization of mental illness stereotypes) in patients after the ACT-based training of their MHCP: F (1,39) = 9.33, p < 0.01, ηp2 = .85. On the contrary, no effect was found on the subscales ‘awareness’, ‘agreement’ and ‘hurt-self’.

Conclusion

Preliminary results suggest that a brief ACT training for MHCP might heighten their awareness and contribute to reduction of their stigmatizing attitudes and behavior, leading to less application of self-stigmatizing beliefs in their patients.
Determining the diagnostic cut-off on the Chinese version of severity of dependence scale for cannabis
Authors: Chung Albert Kar Kin , Tse Cheuk Yin
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Cannabis use and misuse are surging among the Chinese community in East and Southeast Asia. A quick screening instrument that can effectively identify users with dependence for early intervention is in utmost need. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Severity of Dependence Scale for cannabis (C-SDS-C) in screening for the DSM-5 defined Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD).

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted on Chinese-speaking individuals reporting cannabis use from three different substance use studies. Their demographic data, frequency of cannabis use within the past 30 days, scorings for the C-SDS-C and the severity of CUD at baseline were analyzed.

Results

The C-SDS-C exhibited high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.778). It had a strong correlation with the severity of CUD (r = 0.456, p <.001) and a moderate correlation with the frequency of cannabis use within the past 30 days (r = 0.335, p = .001). All items loaded into a single factor which accounted for 56.64% of the variance. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that a C-SDS-C cut-off score of ≥ 3 provided optimal discrimination for moderate to severe CUD among Chinese-speaking individuals using cannabis.

Conclusion

The C-SDS-C is a valid and reliable screening instrument to identify cannabis users with moderate-to-severe CUD in the Chinese-speaking population.
The Social Return on Investment in programs designed for young people living with a family member who experiences mental health challenges: study protocol
Authors: Reupert Andrea Erika , Freeman Nerelie Claire , Nandakumar Nivedita , Hine Rochelle , Cain Rebecca , Foster Kim
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this paper is to describe the protocol for the evaluation of programs offered by the Satellite Foundation, designed for, and with, children and young people aged between 8 and 25 years who have family members experiencing mental health challenges. To achieve this, the Social Return on Investment (SROI) method was chosen. SROI is an economic measurement tool used to apply a monetary value to socially situated outcomes. In this study, SROI will be used to provide a means of quantifying the social impact generated by various programs offered by the Satellite Foundation, a community-based mental health organisation. These programs are designed for children and young people who have a family member who experiences mental health challenges, with the aim to promote resilience, hope and connectedness. Given that traditional financial metrics often fail to capture societal benefits, SROI offers a systematic approach to measuring the economic and often intangible social outcomes of any given endeavour. This protocol will describe the SROI method, who the stakeholders are, and how they are engaged. The rationale for the monetisation of outcomes is shown. Other SROI steps are presented, including how impact was established, and the proposed method of calculating the SROI. The limitations and potential benefits of this economic measurement approach are also discussed.
Distribution and determinants of the utilization of senior residential care homes in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Bindawas Saad M. , Vennu Vishal , Almarwani Maha , Alkeridy Walid
Published: January 2025

Background

With the accelerated increase in the population of seniors aged 60 years or older in Saudi Arabia, understanding the utilization of senior residential care homes is crucial for improving service delivery and policy planning to meet the care transformation objectives of Vision 2030.

Objective

To assess the distribution and determinants of senior residential care home utilization across Saudi Arabia’s 13 administrative regions, focusing on predictors of functional dependency among different socio-demographic groups.

Methods

This study analyzed data from 283 Saudi individuals aged ≥65 admitted to social residential care homes in 2021. Variables included age, sex, education level, marital status, region, and reasons for service use. Statistical analyses comprised descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

The Makkah region had the highest number of senior residential care home users (56.8%; p < 0.0001). Most participants were men (67.8%), while women constituted 32.2%. The mean age was 78.9 years (SD = 10.6), with women being significantly older than men (p = 0.014). Illiteracy was prevalent (73.5%), particularly among women (82.4% vs. 69.3% for men; p = 0.006). Most participants were divorced (68.2%), with higher rates among men (84.9% vs. 33% for women; p < 0.0001). The primary reasons for utilizing residential care home services were old age and functional dependency (88.5% of men and 83.4% of women). Multivariable logistic regression indicated that being in the age group 75–84 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02–1.81, p < 0.001), 85 years and above (OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.28–3.11, p < 0.001), and being single (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.14–5.13, p = 0.019) were significant predictors of old age and functional dependency.

Conclusion

The study highlights regional and socio-demographic variations in senior residential care home service utilization in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and policies aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to enhance service accessibility and effectiveness for the aging population.
Racism in German healthcare: uncovering the construction and silencing of the “other”
Authors: Gangarova Tanja , Yildiz Melike , Kabangu Lina
Published: January 2025

While the impact of racism on healthcare interactions has been researched extensively in many parts of the world, substantive studies on healthcare-related racism in Europe, and particularly in Germany, remain scarce. This paper builds on a study that applies Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and aims to explore healthcare users’ experiences of racism within German healthcare. Community members were trained as peer researchers and given support as they conducted a total of six focus group discussions that involved a total of 14 study participants: these participants were organized into two subsamples of seven participants each (subsample one: Black, African, Afro-diasporic healthcare users; subsample two: healthcare users perceived or self-describing as Muslim), and each subsample had three focus group discussions. A democratic approach to qualitative data analysis was applied in the form of the DEPICT model. The data analysis developed iteratively, with inductive and deductive steps complementing one another. The study results illustrate how the collaboratively developed concepts of being treated as “other” and being made inaudible can advance our understanding of the forms, dynamics, and effects of racism in healthcare encounters. Because this paper focuses on the process of racialization, it helps illumine the mechanisms of subtle racism, which, as study results suggest, can damage healthcare users, cause a loss of trust in the system, and lead to invisibilization of racism in healthcare. By doing so, it draws attention to areas for change and transformation, to larger power structures that must be challenged in order to ensure responsive and equal healthcare for all healthcare users. The application of CBPR and, particularly, the engagement of racialized healthcare users in the research process offered pathways for analyzing the subtle, otherwise hard-to-detect mechanisms of racism, and for learning from the wisdom of situated knowledges.
A meta-analysis of the effect of physical activity programs on fundamental movement skills in 3–7-year-old children
Authors: Yang Yunjiao , Mao Xiaojin , Li Wenhao , Wang Botian , Fan Lixia
Published: January 2025

Introduction

This study aimed to systematically review the effects of different physical activity programs on the fundamental movement skills of 3 - 7-year-old children.

Methods

For this review, the databases of CNKI, Web of Science, and PubMed were searched to collect relevant literature on the effects of different physical activity program interventions on fundamental movement skills, and a total of 10 articles with 1,121 subjects were included. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to assess the quality of the literature, and meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software.

Results

Physical activity significantly influenced children’s running ability, horizontal jump, dribbling the ball, kicking ability, catching ability, overhand throwing, striking a stationary ball, and dynamic balance. However, the intervention effect was insignificant for the hop and underhand throwing abilities. The intervention effects for running ability, horizontal jump, kicking ability, and catching ability were better at less than 12 weeks than at 12 weeks and above. In addition, an intervention duration of 90 min or more was better than less than 90 min for running ability and horizontal jump.

Conclusion

Future research is recommended to focus on the common factors of the intervention effects of physical activity programs to develop more precise and effective intervention practices to further improve children’s fundamental movement skill levels.
Unraveling the interconnectedness between physician burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress: a network analysis among Chinese psychiatrists
Authors: Wang Song , Gu Mengyue , Zhang Shujing , Gu Jingyang , Shi Yudong , Yang Yating , Zhang Ling , Li Mengdie , Xia Lei , Jiang Feng , Liu Huanzhong , Tang Yi-lang
Published: January 2025

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the levels of burnout and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare professionals. However, research on the interrelations between burnout and psychological symptoms is scarce, particularly among psychiatrists. This study addresses this gap in a national sample.

Method

Data was collected via an online survey conducted in Mainland China from January to March 2021 with a sample size of 3,783 participants. Psychological symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and physician burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey (MBIHSS). Network analysis was used to examine the interconnection between physician burnout and psychological symptoms, with further analysis conducted on multiple levels, including individual symptoms in central positions or acting as bridges between clusters, and identifying core symptom combinations with significant correlations.

Results

Stress emerged as the highest Expected Influence (EI) index, with emotional exhaustion in the burnout cluster being the singular bridge symptom. Furthermore, depressive symptoms such as hopelessness and anhedonia showed a strong and the most straightforward association with emotional exhaustion, while stress-related overreaction was closely associated with depersonalization.

Conclusion

Network analysis between burnout and psychological symptoms identified critical symptoms like stress and emotional exhaustion in Chinese psychiatrists. Close monitoring of these symptoms may be crucial for mitigating the risk of common psychological disturbances and preventing their exacerbation in this population.
A national cross-sectional study on latent profile analysis of occupational fatigue among Chinese nurses in the early post-COVID-19 era
Authors: He Qiuyang , Ren Jianhua , Wang Guoyu , Wang Yonghong
Published: January 2025

Background

Occupational fatigue is a widespread condition within the nursing workforce, adversely affecting both nurses’ health and patient safety. The protracted duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, approaching 3 years, has exacerbated the challenges faced by nurses globally. The escalation in patient numbers and the high incidence of infections among healthcare workers have intensified occupational fatigue. This study seeks to explore the enduring impact of the pandemic on occupational fatigue among Chinese nurses through a latent profile analysis, and to identify the associated risk factors.

Methods

A comprehensive survey was conducted involving 2,140 nurses from 186 hospitals across China during the initial phase of the post-COVID-19 era. The primary instruments utilized for data collection were the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire.

Results

Three distinct profiles of occupational fatigue were identified: a low fatigue/high recovery group (18.6%), a moderate fatigue/moderate recovery group (48.8%), and a high fatigue/low recovery group (32.6%). The vast majority of nurses reported experiencing moderate to high levels of occupational fatigue during the early stage of the post-coronavirus era. Significant predictors for membership in these fatigue profiles included marital status, possession of a master’s degree or higher, working over five night shifts per month, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, and exhibiting higher scores in extrinsic effort and overcommitment.

Conclusion

Chinese nurses exhibit a relatively high level of occupational fatigue in the early post-COVID-19 era, likely influenced by various socio-demographic and work-related factors. It is imperative to develop targeted interventions aimed at alleviating fatigue among specific groups of nurses to effectively address the challenges posed by occupational fatigue in the face of future public health disasters.
Disease burden of tuberculosis in China from 1990 to 2021 and its prediction to 2036
Authors: Sun Rong , Wang Liang , Xia Hongfang
Published: January 2025

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest infectious diseases and continues to be a major killer of human beings. This paper was designed to provide insights into the disease burden of TB.

Methods

The data was retrieved and downloaded from the latest GBD database. Joinpoint regression was done for the temporal trend analysis. The age-period-cohort model was introduced to get further insights into the independent effects of age, period, and cohort. The BAPC model was utilized to predict ASIR and ASMR from 2022 to 2036.

Results

From 1990 to 2021, the ASPR dropped from 31,446 (95% UI: 27,902 to 35,142) to 30,557 (95% UI: 27,693 to 33,531) per 100,000 people, and ASDALYR dropped from 719 (95% UI: 611, 837) to 76 (95% UI: 63, 94) per 100,000 people with an AAPC of −7.009 (95% CI: −7.219, −6.799). ASIR and ASMR decreased from 109 (95% UI: 95, 125) to 36 (95% UI: 33, 40) and from 20 (95% UI: 17, 24) to 2 (95% UI: 2, 3) per 100,000 people, respectively. Men had a higher TB burden than women. The age-period-cohort analysis showed the age effect represented significant fluctuations with a valley at age 5 for incidence rate, and a similar but relatively simple pattern for death rate. Period effect and cohort effect showed both incidence and mortality rates significantly decreased with advancing time points and more recent birth cohorts. At the current decline rate, the ASIR and ASMR would be 26.12 (95%CI: 15.75, 36.48) per 100,000 people and 1.13 (95%CI: 0.45, 1.81) per 100,000 people in 2030, respectively. And the ASIR would be 21.96 (95%CI: 6.14, 37.79) per 100,000 people in 2035.

Conclusion

TB burden in China has decreased significantly overall in the past years. However, it is still hard to achieve the national goal of “End TB” by 2035, which means more effective strategies for TB prevention and control are urgently needed. Effective strategies aimed at men should include increasing awareness of tuberculosis among both the general population and healthcare workers, promoting smoking cessation and alcohol reduction, enhancing disease screening and treatment access, and providing psychological support and care.
The power of belief? Evidence of reduced fear extinction learning in Catholic God believers
Authors: Vicario Carmelo Mario , Culicetto Laura , Lucifora Chiara , Ferraioli Francesca , Massimino Simona , Martino Gabriella , Tomaiuolo Francesco , Falzone Alessandra Maria
Published: January 2025

Religious beliefs can shape how people process fear. Yet the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain poorly understood. We investigated fear learning and extinction processes in a group of individuals who professed a belief in God, compared to non-believers. Using a virtual reality Pavlovian fear conditioning/extinction task, we measured neurovegetative activity associated with these forms of associative learning. Our finding shows reduced fear extinction among God believers, compared to non-believers. This suggests that the general mechanism of fear extinction learning is suppressed in these individuals. Importantly, this effect was not explained by state or trait anxiety scores. These findings align with previous evidence linking religiosity and spirituality with the neural circuit of fear and suggest that religiosity may be associated with weaker inhibitory learning processes related to fear.
A comparative psychological evaluation of a robotic avatar in Dubai and Japan
Authors: Kamide Hiroko , Horikawa Yukiko , Sato Moe , Toyoda Atsushi , Sakai Kurima , Minato Takashi , Miyashita Takahiro , Ishiguro Hiroshi
Published: January 2025

Introduction

This study focused on the psychological evaluation of an avatar robot in two distinct regions, Dubai in the Middle East and Japan in the Far East. Dubai has experienced remarkable development in advanced technology, while Japan boasts a culture that embraces robotics. These regions are distinctively characterized by their respective relationships with robotics. In addition, the use of robots as avatars is anticipated to increase, and this research aimed to compare the psychological impressions of people from these regions when interacting with an avatar as opposed to a human.

Methods

Considering that avatars can be presented on screens or as physical robots, two methodologies were employed: a video presentation survey (Study 1, Dubai: n = 120, Japan: n = 120) and an experiment involving live interactions with a physical robot avatar (Study 2, Dubai: n = 28, Japan: n = 30).

Results and discussion

Results from the video presentations indicated that participants from Dubai experienced significantly lower levels of discomfort towards the avatar compared to their Japanese counterparts. In contrast, during live interactions, Japanese participants showed a notably positive evaluation towards a Japanese human operator. The findings suggest that screen-presented avatars may be more readily accepted in Dubai, while humans were generally preferred over avatars in terms of positive evaluations when physical robots were used as avatars. The study also discusses the implications of these findings for the appropriate tasks for avatars and the relationship between cultural backgrounds and avatar evaluations.
Reliable and robust robotic handling of microplates via computer vision and touch feedback
Authors: Scamarcio Vincenzo , Tan Jasper , Stellacci Francesco , Hughes Josie
Published: January 2025

Laboratory automation requires reliable and precise handling of microplates, but existing robotic systems often struggle to achieve this, particularly when navigating around the dynamic and variable nature of laboratory environments. This work introduces a novel method integrating simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), computer vision, and tactile feedback for the precise and autonomous placement of microplates. Implemented on a bi-manual mobile robot, the method achieves fine-positioning accuracies of ±1.2 mm and ±0.4°. The approach was validated through experiments using both mockup and real laboratory instruments, demonstrating at least a 95% success rate across varied conditions and robust performance in a multi-stage protocol. Compared to existing methods, our framework effectively generalizes to different instruments without compromising efficiency. These findings highlight the potential for enhanced robotic manipulation in laboratory automation, paving the way for more reliable and reproducible experimental workflows.
Revolutionizing dental research in the Pacific Islands: the Pacific Islands dental research framework
Authors: Lakshmikantha Hemanth Tumkur , Gavidi Ratu Osea , Leweni Tokasa , Tiim Kantara , Khan Kaitlyn , Kumar Samantha
Published: January 2025

Traditional dental research paradigms often lack relevance in marginalized cultural contexts due to inherent biases and misalignment with local values. For Pacific Islanders, this issue is pronounced, as they face serious oral health challenges while remaining underrepresented in scientific discourse. In response, the authors developed the Pacific Islands Dental Research Framework (PIDRF), a culturally informed, community-driven model that directly addresses these limitations in conventional Western approaches. PIDRF supports indigenous priority-setting, reciprocal co-gauging, and cross-sector collaboration throughout the research process, guided by cultural relationship specialists and indigenous advisory boards. This framework expands diagnostic assessments to incorporate cultural and social determinants of oral health, combining holistic and culturally tailored therapies. By continuously integrating patient feedback, PIDRF fosters empathetic, effective support that aligns with Pacific values. PIDRF promotes knowledge-sharing, policy reform, and community-led advancements, enabling Pacific communities to lead in improving their oral health outcomes. This framework introduces an ethical, decolonized model for dental research, setting a new standard for culturally responsive research in Pacific contexts.
The standardization of biodiversity: how politicization changes standardization for corporate sustainability reporting
Authors: Zenglein Florian
Published: January 2025

This article asks how politicization changes the standardization of biodiversity in the realm of corporate sustainable reporting (CSR) frameworks. The study encompasses three areas: First, the participatory processes in standardization; second, the substantive prioritization of conservation considerations over economic aspects within standards; and third, the interplay between private and public standard-setting bodies. It argues that the European Union (EU) is taking on a more assertive role, shaping corporate reporting practices and the standards established by private organizations. Additionally, the standard-setting process is evolving from a technical exercise to a more politicized undertaking. The introduction of the EU Green Deal (EUG) brought in new biodiversity regulations, CSR frameworks, and standards, resulting in a new dynamic in politicizing biodiversity standardization. As a result, the number of actors with opposing interests is increasing, thereby intensifying the contestation of the standardization of biodiversity. Therefore, political rather than technical considerations increasingly drive biodiversity standardization processes in the EU. The EU is progressively expanding its role in two distinct yet complementary ways. Firstly, it is implementing political objectives through targeted reporting. Secondly, it provides an arena in which various actors are included. To elaborate on this argument, a qualitative analysis in the European context is conducted, highlighting the dynamics in the development of standards in CSR frameworks. Accordingly, the analysis encompasses standards and frameworks proposed by the EU, as well as by private standard-setting bodies GRI, ISO, ISBB, and CDP.
Correlation between management and leadership competencies and sustainability measures in Jordanian governmental hospitals: managers’ perception
Authors: Allari Rabia S. , Abu-Dames Mustafa
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Developing a new model for the healthcare system that includes a set of management and leadership competencies is crucial to the improvement of productivity and sustainability of organizations.

Objective

This study aims to identify the management and leadership competencies and sustainability measures from the perspective of Jordanian managers in governmental hospitals.

Methods

A descriptive correlational study design was utilized. A convenient sampling method was used to select managers in governmental hospitals in the Central region of Jordan. A self-administered questionnaire was conducted using the Management and Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ30) and the Sustainability in Healthcare Questionnaire (SHQ).

Results

The total mean score of the management and leadership scale was 3.49. The highest-ranked items were “Speaking confidently and presenting to groups” and “Building trust and modeling integrity “. while the lowest-ranked items are “Thinking and managing globally” and “Creating and innovating.” The importance of sustainability measures is ranked as follows: social, environmental, and economic factors. There was a positive, statistically significant relationship between managers’ competencies and the importance of sustainability measures. The combined competencies can predict the application of sustainability measures.

Conclusion

The sustainability factor that has been found exhibits components of environmental, economic, and social dimensions and this aligns well with the literature. Future hospital managers are today’s students, and the job they do will either positively or negatively affect their institutions whether governmental or private, and society. So, including core competencies of management and leadership that foster sustainable development in the curricula might be a significant step toward integrating sustainability in higher education, among other activities.
Linking evidence for targeted blood biomarkers in post-stroke cognitive impairment and dementia
Authors: Hong Jinny , Mun Katherine , Kern Kyle C. , Thirion Marissa , Hinman Jason D.
Published: January 2025

With improvements in acute stroke treatment and more patients surving the acute stroke period, the identification and prognostication of post-stroke disability is paramount. Post-stroke cognitive impairment and dementia (PSCID) severely impacts the morbidity and mortality of stroke survivors. While clinical factors and imaging are useful in identifying patients at risk for PSCID, blood-based biomarkers are sorely needed to provide cost-effective identification and prognostication for patients at greatest risk. Furthermore, blood-based biomarkers can inform the biologic basis for PSCID and lead to potential treatment targets. This narrative review attempts to summarize currently available research on the use of fluid biomarkers to measure and quantify PSCID using a framework proposed for use in the DISCOVERY Network study of PSCID. In this framework, blood biomarkers are divided into broad pathologic categories including inflammation, neurodegeneration, neuroaxonal injury, and vascular injury. Key biomarkers that have been proposed as relevant to PSCID include interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, β-amyloid 42:40 ratio, neurofilament light chain, and 10 angiogenic molecules. Critical to the assessment of prior studies includes defining the sample collection period and cognitive assessment period of prior studies to assess the temporal pattern of biomarker levels in relation to an incident stroke event. In addition to this comprehensive review, we performed a protein-protein network analysis of the putative blood biomarkers for PSCID and (surprisingly) find they exist in a highly connected protein-protein interaction network centered on inflammatory and neurodegenerative biomarkers suggesting shared biology underlies the pathogenesis of PSCID. Both the literature and this network analysis point to a role for the use of combinatorial blood biomarkers as a methodology to enhance the specificity and sensitivity of putative prognostic biomarkers for PSCID. This review highlights the emerging role for blood biomarkers in evaluating risk for PSCID while also informing the underlying biology that creates synergy between stroke and dementia.
More than a communication disorder: inequities in the financial toxicity of post-stroke aphasia
Authors: Jacobs Molly , Ellis Charles
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Aphasia, a communication disorder often resulting from stroke, can have profound impacts on both health outcomes and financial wellbeing. While the physical and cognitive consequences of stroke are well documented, the financial strain, or “financial toxicity,” associated with managing chronic conditions like aphasia remains underexplored. Furthermore, financial toxicity is not experienced equally across racial and ethnic groups, with disparities driven by socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, and structural inequities. This study compares the financial toxicity of people with aphasia (PWA) to those with stroke alone, examining differences across racial and ethnic groups to highlight disparities in economic burden.

Methods

This study utilized data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) collected between 2018 and 2021 to examine the financial toxicity of PWA compared to those with stroke only. Financial toxicity was assessed using self-reported income and wealth data from the MEPS. Individual-level income and wealth values were calculated from the self-reported financial data to quantify the financial burden. Fixed effects regression models were employed to account for unobserved individual heterogeneity, controlling for time-invariant characteristics. Interaction terms were included in the models to capture the differential financial impacts of aphasia on Black and Hispanic individuals, compared to other racial and ethnic groups. The analysis examined both within-group and between-group differences in financial toxicity, highlighting potential racial and ethnic disparities among those affected by aphasia.

Results

Approximately 18.71% (N = 281) of respondents who reported having a stroke also had aphasia. After controlling for demographic, health, and household characteristics, PWA had 21% lower income and 7% lower wealth compared to stroke survivors without aphasia. Aphasia had a disparate impact on the income (−29%) and wealth (−24%) of Black stroke survivors. These findings were consistent across different model specifications, highlighting the robustness of the results indicating racial inequity in the financial toxicity of post-stroke aphasia.

Conclusion

This study showed the financial impact of post-stroke aphasia and the disparate burden among Black PWA. The findings highlight the need to address the financial ramifications of post-stroke morbidities such as aphasia among vulnerable populations.
Ranking food security indicators and metrics in Hawaiʻi: a Delphi approach
Authors: Shon Jason , Miles Albie
Published: January 2025

A comprehensive set of regionally relevant indicators and metrics is crucial for tracking progress in transforming food systems to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Household food security, foundational to sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems, aligns with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). Policymakers require accurate data to guide decisions, yet a major challenge is developing scientifically sound, participatory, and reproducible approaches for sub-national food system indicators and metrics. This study addresses this need by using the Delphi research method to create a multi-indicator system of both stand-alone and complementary food security metrics specific to Hawaiʻi. Engaging 24 food security experts in Hawaiʻi, with a 58% response rate in the second round, consensus was achieved on 55 of 71 metrics (78%). The U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) received the highest rating among stand-alone metrics (3.5, SD = 0.8). Complementary metrics were organized within a framework encompassing the four dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability. Access metrics received top ratings, including the ‘rate of households below the ALICE threshold’ (4.4, SD = 0.7). ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed, and refers to households that earn enough to be ineligible for many public assistance programs but not enough to afford basic necessities. Results highlight the need to clarify terminology, address food (in)security misconceptions, develop new metrics for data gaps, and prioritize initiatives like the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that address Hawaiʻi’s high living costs and enhance food access. The participatory, multidimensional metrics model presented here is adaptable to other regions, extending its impact beyond Hawaiʻi.