bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A study on robot force control based on the GMM/GMR algorithm fusing different compensation strategies
Authors: Xiao Meng , Zhang Xuefei , Zhang Tie , Chen Shouyan , Zou Yanbiao , Wu Wen
Published: January 2024

To address traditional impedance control methods' difficulty with obtaining stable forces during robot-skin contact, a force control based on the Gaussian mixture model/Gaussian mixture regression (GMM/GMR) algorithm fusing different compensation strategies is proposed. The contact relationship between a robot end effector and human skin is established through an impedance control model. To allow the robot to adapt to flexible skin environments, reinforcement learning algorithms and a strategy based on the skin mechanics model compensate for the impedance control strategy. Two different environment dynamics models for reinforcement learning that can be trained offline are proposed to quickly obtain reinforcement learning strategies. Three different compensation strategies are fused based on the GMM/GMR algorithm, exploiting the online calculation of physical models and offline strategies of reinforcement learning, which can improve the robustness and versatility of the algorithm when adapting to different skin environments. The experimental results show that the contact force obtained by the robot force control based on the GMM/GMR algorithm fusing different compensation strategies is relatively stable. It has better versatility than impedance control, and the force error is within ~±0.2 N.
Patricia Goldman-Rakic: a pioneer and leader in frontal lobe research
Authors: Kolb Bryan
Published: January 2024

Our understanding of the organization of the frontal cortex can be traced back to the experimental studies in the late 1800s by Fritsch and Hitzig on the frontal cortex of dogs and the frontal cortex of monkeys by Ferrier. These studies and many other studies that followed focused on motor functions, but halfway through the 20th century, very little was understood about the role of the frontal lobe in the control of other functions, and it was generally thought that the frontal lobe did not play a significant role in cognition. One result was that studies of cortical functions in cognition were carried out largely on parietal and temporal cortical regions with surprisingly little interest in the frontal lobe. The first systematic studies of the effects of prefrontal lesions on non-human primates began around 1950, especially by Rosvold and Mishkin in the Laboratory of Psychology at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the United States. With her background in development, Pat Goldman joined this laboratory in 1965 and began an examination of the effects of prefrontal lobectomy on behavior in infant rhesus monkeys, both during development and later as the animals grew into adulthood. Her developmental studies were groundbreaking as they demonstrated that the effects of early prefrontal lesions varied with precise age (including prenatal), precise lesion location, behaviors measured, and age at assessment. She also began in parallel extensive studies of the role of the prefrontal cortex for a range of functions (especially working memory) in adult monkeys, which led to an examination of factors that influenced functional outcomes after injury or disease. This research was critical in helping to identify the significant role of the prefrontal cortex in cognition in both normal brains and neurological diseases such as schizophrenia. Her pioneering study demonstrating the role of the prefrontal cortex in cognition led to a remarkable increase in the number of researchers studying prefrontal functions in both non-human primates and rodents. This review will chronicle the key findings in her 35+ years studying the prefrontal cortex and illustrate the course she set for generations to follow.
SDA: a data-driven algorithm that detects functional states applied to the EEG of Guhyasamaja meditation
Authors: Mikhaylets Ekaterina , Razorenova Alexandra M. , Chernyshev Vsevolod , Syrov Nikolay , Yakovlev Lev , Boytsova Julia , Kokurina Elena , Zhironkina Yulia , Medvedev Svyatoslav , Kaplan Alexander
Published: January 2024

The study presents a novel approach designed to detect time-continuous states in time-series data, called the State-Detecting Algorithm (SDA). The SDA operates on unlabeled data and detects optimal change-points among intrinsic functional states in time-series data based on an ensemble of Ward's hierarchical clustering with time-connectivity constraint. The algorithm chooses the best number of states and optimal state boundaries, maximizing clustering quality metrics. We also introduce a series of methods to estimate the performance and confidence of the SDA when the ground truth annotation is unavailable. These include information value analysis, paired statistical tests, and predictive modeling analysis. The SDA was validated on EEG recordings of Guhyasamaja meditation practice with a strict staged protocol performed by three experienced Buddhist practitioners in an ecological setup. The SDA used neurophysiological descriptors as inputs, including PSD, power indices, coherence, and PLV. Post-hoc analysis of the obtained EEG states revealed significant differences compared to the baseline and neighboring states. The SDA was found to be stable with respect to state order organization and showed poor clustering quality metrics and no statistical significance between states when applied to randomly shuffled epochs (i.e., surrogate subject data used as controls). The SDA can be considered a general data-driven approach that detects hidden functional states associated with the mental processes evolving during meditation or other ongoing mental and cognitive processes.
Analysis of the nutritional composition and organization of school meals in the province of Kadiogo in Burkina Faso: challenges and prospects
Authors: Compaoré Ella W. R. , Ouédraogo Ousmane , Souho Tiatou , Bengaly Marcel D. , Simporé Mamouna P. , Dicko Mamoudou H.
Published: January 2024

Background

In the face of food shortages and precariousness, school meals are an effective means of encouraging pupils to attend and stay in school, and of combating nutritional deficiencies. Unfortunately, there are bottlenecks to be identified and resolved.

Objective

Analyzing the composition of meals served to school-age children in primary schools in the province of Kadiogo, while assessing the opinion of school staff on these meals (Burkina Faso).

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional survey about school meals was carried out during the period from April to May 2019 among school stakeholders in primary schools in five (05) municipalities of the province of Kadiogo.

Results

Insufficient quantity and quality of rations served were recorded in primary schools. The endogenous initiative canteens represented 46.4% of the registered canteens. The promotion of Health-Hygiene-Nutrition (H-H-N) activities in schools encountered difficulties in covering the sanitary needs of school-aged children because unavailability of socio-sanitary infrastructures. School meals consisted of starchy foods and legumes in rural schools and more diversified meals consisting of fruits and vegetables as well as meat and fish in urban schools. In rural municipalities, school meals were insufficient in quantity and quality, while in the urban municipality, macronutrient intakes were in excess with micronutrient intakes largely deficient.

Conclusion

Despite the shortcomings, school officials specified that school meals cover lunch rations, increase school enrolment, and improve school-aged children’ learning capacity.
Interaction between birth characteristics and CRHR1, MC2R, NR3C1, GLCCI1 variants in the childhood lymphoblastic leukemia risk
Authors: de Carvalho Vitoria Müller , Chung-Filho Alython Araujo , Braga Flávio Henrique Paraguassu , Chagas-Neto Paulo , Soares-Lima Sheila Coelho , Pombo-de-Oliveira Maria S.
Published: January 2024

Background

The incidence rate of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) differs worldwide, and the interplay between hemostasis actors and the maladaptive responses to environmental exposures has been explored. It has been proposed that endogenous cortisol, induced by different triggers, would eliminate pre-leukemic clones originated in utero. Herein, we tested if the interaction between CRHR1rs242941 C>A, MC2Rrs1893219 A>G, NR3C1rs41423247 G>C, and GLCCI1rs37972 C>T (players in glucocorticoid secretion) and birth characteristics would be associated with ALL risk.

Methods

Children aged <10 years were enrolled within the EMiLI project (period: 2012 to 2020). The study had three steps: (1) observational analysis of birth characteristics (n = 533 cases and 1,603 controls); (2) genotyping to identify single-nucleotide variants (n = 756 cases and 431 controls); and (3) case-only to test gene–environment interactions (n = 402 cases). Genetic syndromes were exclusion criteria. The controls were healthy children. The distribution of the variables was assessed through Pearson’s chi-square test. Logistic regression (LR) tests were run fitted and adjusted for selected covariate models to estimate the association risk. Formal interaction analysis was also performed. Genotyping was tested by qPCR with TaqMan probes (NR3C1) or by high-resolution melting (MC2R and GLCCI1). Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was accessed by the chi-square test. The genotype–risk association was tested in co-dominant, dominant, and recessive models. The gene–environment interaction odds ratio (iOR) was assessed in case-only.

Results

Low birthweight, C-section, and low maternal schooling were associated with increased risk for ALL, adjOR 2.11, 95% CI, 1.02–4.33; adjOR 1.59, 95% CI, 1.16–2.17; and adjOR 3.78, 95% CI, 2.47–5.83, respectively, in a multiple logistic regression model. MC2R rs1893219 A>G was negatively associated with ALL (AG: OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.50–0.94 and GG: OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.42–0.85), while for GLCCI1 rs37972 C>T, TT was positively associated with ALL (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.21–3.00). The combination of genotypes for MC2R (AA) and GLCCI1 (TT) increased ALL risk (OR = 2.61; 95% CI = 1.16–5.87). In a multiplicative interaction, MC2R rs1893219 A>G was associated with children whose mothers had less than 9 years of schooling (iOR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.11–1.55).

Conclusion

Our study has demonstrated a significant association between MC2R rs1893219 A>G (reduced risk) and GLCCI1 rs37972 C>T variants (increased risk) and childhood ALL susceptibility. Based on this evidence, genes controlling the HPA axis activity may play a role in leukemogenesis, and further investigation is needed to substantiate our findings.
Determinants of circulating calcitonin value: analysis of thyroid features, demographic data, anthropometric characteristics, comorbidities, medications, and smoking habits in a population with histological full exclusion of medullary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Trimboli Pierpaolo , Peloni Giuseppe , Confalonieri Dorotea , Gamarra Elena , Piticchio Tommaso , Frasca Francesco , Makovac Petra , Piccardo Arnoldo , Ruinelli Lorenzo
Published: January 2024

Objective

Calcitonin (Ctn) measurement is crucial for the early diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). However, Ctn levels can be skewed/elevated due to other reasons, and the Ctn upper reference value remains controversial. In this field, studies have heterogeneous settings, published data are controversial, and no evidence has been achieved. The study’s aim was to evaluate all previously investigated Ctn determinants in a population with histological exclusion of MTC.

Methods

The institutional records from 2010 to 2022 were reviewed to select patients with thyroid nodules who had undergone total thyroidectomy with histological exclusion of MTC and who had tested for Ctn just before surgery. Thyroid features, demographic and anthropometric data, comorbidities, medications, and lifestyle information were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 127 cases were included. The median age for thyroidectomy was 51 years. Median Ctn was 1.04 pg/mL (interquartile range (IQR) 1.04–2.77), with two cases having values above 10 pg/mL. In univariate analysis, Ctn was correlated with gender (p < 0.001), body weight (p = 0.016), height (p = 0.031), body surface area (p = 0.016), thyroid size (p = 0.03), thyroglobulin (p < 0.001), and chronic kidney disease (p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, the model with the highest accuracy included gender, chronic kidney disease, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with an adjusted R-squared of 0.4.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates, in a population histologically proven as MTC-free, that the Ctn value is mainly influenced by gender, anthropometric/thyroid features, and chronic kidney disease, with the further impact of TSH.
Untargeted metabolomics yields insight into extramammary Paget’s disease mechanisms
Authors: Jiang Long , Xu Xiaoxiang , Yan Guorong , Wu Yuhao , Xi Ningyuan , Lai Yongxian , Zhang Guolong , Liu Yeqiang
Published: January 2024

Background

Extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD) is a rare cutaneous malignancy, commonly affecting the external genitalia and perianal area of the elderly with unclear pathogenesis. Metabolomics provides a novel perspective for uncovering the metabolic mechanisms of a verity of cancers.

Materials and methods

Here, we explored the metabolome of EMPD using an untargeted strategy. In order to further investigate the potential relationship between metabolites and gene expression, we re-analyzed the gene expression microarray data (GSE117285) using differential expression analysis and functional enrichment analyses.

Results

Results showed that a total of 896 metabolites were identified and 87 metabolites including 37 upregulated and 50 downregulated significantly in EMPD were sought out. In the following feature selection analyses, four metabolites, namely, cyclopentyl fentanyl-d5, LPI 17:0, guanosine-3’,5’-cyclic monophosphate, kynurenine (KYN, high in EMPD) were identified by both random forest and support vector machine analyses. We then identified 1,079 dysfunctional genes: 646 upregulated and 433 downregulated in EMPD. Specifically, the tryptophan-degrading enzyme including indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2) were also increased. Generally, cancers exhibit a high expression of IDO1 and TDO2 to catabolize tryptophan, generating abundant KYN. Moreover, we also noticed the abnormal activation of sustaining proliferative signaling in EMPD.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study was the first to reveal the metabolome profile of EMPD. Our results demonstrate that IDO1/TDO2-initialized KYN metabolic pathway may play a vital role in the development and progression of EMPD, which may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating EMPD.
Radiomics analysis of multiparametric MRI for preoperative prediction of microsatellite instability status in endometrial cancer: a dual-center study
Authors: Jia Yaju , Hou Lina , Zhao Jintao , Ren Jialiang , Li Dandan , Li Haiming , Cui Yanfen
Published: January 2024

Objective

To develop and validate a multiparametric MRI-based radiomics model for prediction of microsatellite instability (MSI) status in patients with endometrial cancer (EC).

Methods

A total of 225 patients from Center I including 158 in the training cohort and 67 in the internal testing cohort, and 132 patients from Center II were included as an external validation cohort. All the patients were pathologically confirmed EC who underwent pelvic MRI before treatment. The MSI status was confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. A total of 4245 features were extracted from T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), contrast enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1WI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps for each patient. Four feature selection steps were used, and then five machine learning models, including Logistic Regression (LR), k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF), were built for MSI status prediction in the training cohort. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance of these models.

Results

The SVM model showed the best performance with an AUC of 0.905 (95%CI, 0.848-0.961) in the training cohort, and was subsequently validated in the internal testing cohort and external validation cohort, with the corresponding AUCs of 0.875 (95%CI, 0.762-0.988) and 0.862 (95%CI, 0.781-0.942), respectively. The DCA curve demonstrated favorable clinical utility.

Conclusion

We developed and validated a multiparametric MRI-based radiomics model with gratifying performance in predicting MSI status, and could potentially be used to facilitate the decision-making on clinical treatment options in patients with EC.
Impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on knowledge, attitude, and practice toward the rational use of antibiotics among healthcare workers in a secondary care hospital in Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Afzal Shairyar , Khan Farman Ullah , Aqeel Muhammad Tahir , Ullah Matti , Bajwa Mishal , Akhtar Masoom , Majid Muhammad
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and decreasing efficacy of the available antimicrobials have become a significant public health concern. The antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) ensures the appropriate use of antimicrobials and mitigates resistance prevalence through various interventions. One of the core components of the ASP is to educate healthcare workers (HWs). Therefore, this study aims to identify the impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention targeting knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding rational antibiotic use among healthcare professionals in a secondary care hospital in Punjab.

Methods: This is a single-center, questionnaire-based, pre–post interventional study conducted over a six-month time period. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26.

Results: Regarding the pre-interventional knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) score of the respondents, 90.3% had a good knowledge score, 81.5% had a positive attitude, and 72.3% of HWs (excluding doctors) had a good practice score. Additionally, 74.6% of the doctors had a good practice score. After educational intervention, there was a significant improvement in the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the respondent HWs (p-value <0.001). Furthermore, males have higher knowledge scores compared to females in the pre- and post-intervention stages (p-value <0.05), and doctors differ from nurses regarding knowledge scores in both pre- and post-intervention stages.

Conclusion: Considering educational programs as the backbone of the ASP, it is imperative to sustain efforts in the ongoing educational programs of HWs to foster high awareness and adherence to the ASP among HWs.
Natural products for the treatment of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment and prospects of nose-to-brain drug delivery
Authors: He Yu-Qiong , Zhou Can-Can , Jiang Sheng-Gui , Lan Wen-Qian , Zhang Feng , Tao Xia , Chen Wan-Sheng
Published: January 2024

Chemotherapy-related cognitive deficits (CRCI) as one of the common adverse drug reactions during chemotherapy that manifest as memory, attention, and executive function impairments. However, there are still no effective pharmacological therapies for the treatment of CRCI. Natural compounds have always inspired drug development and numerous natural products have shown potential therapeutic effects on CRCI. Nevertheless, improving the brain targeting of natural compounds in the treatment of CRCI is still a problem to be overcome at present and in the future. Accumulated evidence shows that nose-to-brain drug delivery may be an excellent carrier for natural compounds. Therefore, we reviewed natural products with potential anti-CRCI, focusing on the signaling pathway of these drugs’ anti-CRCI effects, as well as the possibility and prospect of treating CRCI with natural compounds based on nose-to-brain drug delivery in the future. In conclusion, this review provides new insights to further explore natural products in the treatment of CRCI.
Forecasting and dynamical modeling of reversible enzymatic reactions with a hybrid proportional fractional derivative
Authors: Naik Parvaiz Ahmad , Zehra Anum , Farman Muhammad , Shehzad Aamir , Shahzeen Sundas , Huang Zhengxin
Published: January 2024

Chemical kinetics is a branch of chemistry that investigates the rates of chemical reactions and has applications in cosmology, geology, and physiology. In this study, we develop a mathematical model for chemical reactions based on enzyme dynamics and kinetics, which is a two-step substrate–enzyme reversible reaction, applying chemical kinetics-based modeling of enzyme functions. The non-linear differential equations are transformed into fractional-order systems utilizing the constant proportional Caputo–Fabrizio (CPCF) and constant proportional Atangana–Baleanu–Caputo (CPABC) operators. The system of fractional differential equations is simulated using the Laplace–Adomian decomposition method at different fractional orders through simulations and numerical results. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses such as boundedness, positivity, unique solution, and feasible concentration for the proposed model with different hybrid operators are provided. The stability analysis of the proposed scheme is also verified using Picard’s stable condition through the fixed point theorem.
Chronic hypoxia disrupts T regulatory cell phenotype contributing to the emergence of exTreg-TH17 cells
Authors: Lantz Benjamin J. , Moriwaki Mika , Oyebamiji Olufunmilola M. , Guo Yan , Gonzalez Bosc Laura
Published: January 2024

The imbalance between pro-inflammatory T helper 17 (TH17) cells and anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been implicated in multiple inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, but the effects of chronic hypoxia (CH) on this balance have yet to be explored. CH-exposed mice have an increased prevalence of TH17 cells in the lungs with no change in Tregs. This imbalance is significant because it precedes the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH), and TH17 cells are a major contributor to CH-induced PH. While Tregs have been shown to attenuate or prevent the development of certain types of PH through activation and adoptive transfer experiments, why Tregs remain unable to prevent disease progression naturally, specifically in CH-induced PH, remains unclear. Our study aimed to test the hypothesis that increased TH17 cells observed following CH are caused by decreased circulating levels of Tregs and switching of Tregs to exTreg-TH17 cells, following CH. We compared gene expression profiles of Tregs from normoxia or 5-day CH splenocytes harvested from Foxp3tm9(EGFP/cre/ERT2)Ayr/J x Ai14-tdTomato mice, which allowed for Treg lineage tracing through the presence or absence of EGFP and/or tdTomato expression. We found Tregs in CH exposed mice contained gene profiles consistent with decreased suppressive ability. We determined cell prevalence and expression of CD25 and OX40, proteins critical for Treg function, in splenocytes from Foxp3tm9(EGFP/cre/ERT2)Ayr/J x Ai14-tdTomato mice under the same conditions. We found TH17 cells to be increased and Tregs to be decreased, following CH, with protein expression of CD25 and OX40 in Tregs matching the gene expression data. Finally, using the lineage tracing ability of this mouse model, we were able to demonstrate the emergence of exTreg-TH17 cells, following CH. These findings suggest that CH causes a decrease in Treg suppressive capacity, and exTregs respond to CH by transitioning to TH17 cells, both of which tilt the Treg–TH17 cell balance toward TH17 cells, creating a pro-inflammatory environment.
Abnormal urodynamic changes in post-upper urinary tract dysfunction in ureteral obstruction rat models
Authors: Liu Xin , Li Xing , Liao Limin
Published: January 2024

Objects: This study investigated changes in upper urinary tract urodynamics (UUTU) after upper urinary tract dysfunction (UUTD).

Methods: The UUTD model was induced through unilateral ureteral obstruction. To measure the renal pelvis volume, and resting pressure. Ureteral electromyography (EMG) and in situ ureteral constriction experiments were performed. Ureteral tissue was obtained for HE and masson staining, IF staining and IHC research to explore the distribution of Piezo1, and the expression of Piezo1 was studied using Western blotting.

Results: The study showed that the renal pelvis volumes and the renal pelvis resting pressures gradually increased post surgery in the experimental group. The degree of ureteral tissue edema, cell necrosis and fibrosis gradually increased. The maximum contraction force and frequency of ureter in the experimental group post surgery were significantly higher than in the sham group. Western blotting showed that the expression intensity of Piezo1 gradually increased and was significantly higher than in the sham group. Further analysis of each sub-layer of the ureter revealed that Piezo1 was highly expressed in the urothelium layer, followed by the suburothelium layer, and had low expression in the smooth muscle cell layer.

Conclusion: The study observed that morphological and electrophysiological changes in the upper urinary tract may be important mechanisms of abnormal UUTU. Increased expression of the Piezo1 may be a new molecular mechanism of abnormal urodynamics after UUTD.
Autobiographical Implicit Association Test and eye movements: fixations topography enables detection of autobiographical memories
Authors: Zangrossi Andrea , Gatto Liisa Camilla , Lanfranchi Virginia , Scarpazza Cristina , Celli Miriam , Sartori Giuseppe
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Autobiographical memory is the capacity to recollect memories of personally experienced events. The detection of such memories plays a key role in criminal trials. Among behavioral memory-detection methods, the autobiographical Implicit Association Test (aIAT) has gained popularity for its flexibility and suitability for forensic applications. The aIAT is a reaction time-based methodology aiming to assess whether information about an event is encoded in the respondent’s mind. Here, we introduced the eye-D index, a measure based on the topography of fixations while performing the aIAT, as an additional measure to detect autobiographical memories covertly.

Methods

In this study, participants were involved in a mock-crime experiment in which they could act as Guilty or Innocent. One week later all participants underwent the aIAT combined with eye-tracking to investigate the presence of the crime-related memory.

Results

Guilty participants showed a higher number of fixations towards the category labels in the block in which true sentences shared the same response key with crime-related sentences, as compared to the block in which true sentences were paired with sentences describing an alternative version. Innocent participants showed the opposite pattern. This unbalanced allocation of attention to the category labels was quantified by the eye-D index and was found to be highly correlated to the standard aIAT-D index.

Discussion

This suggests that more fixations to the category labels could indicate increased cognitive load and monitoring of response conflicts. These preliminary results highlight eye-tracking as a tool to detect autobiographical memories covertly while performing the aIAT.
Tree–shrub–grass composite woodland better facilitates emotional recovery in college students emotion better than other plant communities
Authors: Fu Wen Jun , Gao Fei , Zhang Xing , Dong Bo , Chen Xi Lin , Xu Xin , Yang Zhi Yu , Liu Yong
Published: January 2024

Previous research has indicated that natural landscapes exhibit a greater capacity for ameliorating negative emotional states in individuals when compared to urban landscapes. Nevertheless, significant scientific inquiries, such as the uniformity of the rejuvenating effect across distinct categories of natural landscapes on college students and the choice of the optimal plant community for achieving the most potent restorative effect, remain unexplored. This study aimed to address these questions by selecting four plant communities (single-layer grassland, single-layer woodland, tree-grass composite woodland, tree-shrub-grass composite woodland) and using an electroencephalography method to capture the neuroelectric activity of the participants in combination with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule score to explore the effects of plant community types on emotional recovery. The results showed that all four plant communities significantly increased positive emotions and significantly reduced negative emotions. There was no significant difference in the recovery effect of positive emotions among the four plant community types, but there was a significant difference in the recovery effect of negative emotions. The effect of tree-shrub-grass composite woodland on the negative emotion recovery effect is the best; the EEG results found that the alpha wave amplitude induced by the tree-shrub-grass composite woodland was significantly higher than that of the other three groups of plant communities, and the EEG and behavioral results were consistent. The results show that the tree-shrub-grass composite woodland has the best restoration effect and has stronger planning and design significance.
Virtual reality tasks with eye tracking for mild spatial neglect assessment: a pilot study with acute stroke patients
Authors: Uimonen Jenni , Villarreal Sanna , Laari Siiri , Arola Anne , Ijäs Petra , Salmi Juha , Hietanen Marja
Published: January 2024

Objective

Increasing evidence shows that traditional neuropsychological tests are insensitive for detecting mild unilateral spatial neglect (USN), lack ecological validity, and are unable to clarify USN in all different spatial domains. Here we present a new, fully immersive virtual reality (VR) task battery with integrated eye tracking for mild visual USN and extinction assessment in the acute state of stroke to overthrow these limitations.

Methods

We included 11 right-sided stroke patients and 10 healthy controls aged 18−75 years. Three VR tasks named the Extinction, the Storage and the Shoot the target tasks were developed to assess USN. Furthermore, neuropsychological assessment examining various parts of cognitive functioning was conducted to measure general abilities. We compared VR and neuropsychological task performance in stroke patients – those with (USN+,n= 5) and without USN (USN−,n= 6) – to healthy controls (n= 10) and tentatively reported the usability of VR system in the acute state of stroke.

Results

Patients had mostly mild neurological and USN symptoms. Nonetheless, we found several differences between the USN+ and healthy control groups in VR task performance. Compared to controls, USN+ patients showed visual extinction and asymmetry in gaze behavior and detection times in distinct spatial locations. Extinction was most evident in the extrapersonal space and delayed detection times on the extreme left and on the left upper parts. Also, USN+ patients needed more time to complete TMT A compared with USN− patients and TMT B compared with controls. VR system usability and acceptance were rated high; no relevant adverse effects occurred.

Conclusion

New VR technology with eye tracking enables ecologically valid and objective assessment methods with various exact measures for mild USN and thus could potentially improve future clinical assessments.
The role of grit in inclusive education: a study of motivation and achievement among preservice physical education teachers
Authors: Lee Joonyoung , Park Jinwoo
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Grit, a combination of enduring effort and persistent interest, is key to long-term goals. The training of preservice physical education (PE) teachers is vital for child development, emphasizing the need to assess their resilience and commitment. However, research is limited regarding how grit influences motivation and achievement goals in PE. The purpose of this study was to explore how the grit dimensions of preservice PE teachers impact their motivation and achievement goals, which may subsequently shape their future career intentions of becoming PE teachers.

Methods

A total of 279 preservice physical education (PE) teachers (69.5% males; 26.9% PE graduate program) from five South Korean universities participated in the study. They completed validated questionnaires measuring grit, motivation, achievement goal orientations, and career intentions. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine variable relationships and test the hypothesis model.

Results

Correlation analysis indicated a spectrum of relationships between facets of grit (perseverance of effort and consistency of interests), motivational parameters, and career intention, with both positive and negative correlations ranging from weak to moderate (r ranging from 0.119 to 0.425, p < 0.05–0.01). SEM confirmed the model’s goodness-of-fit (χ2/df = 1.928, RMSEA = 0.058, IFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.91, CFI = 0.92). Path analysis showed that both perseverance of effort and consistency of interests significantly influenced motivational mechanisms (β ranging from −0.34 to 0.57, p < 0.05–0.01), both directly and indirectly, which then notably impacted career intentions (β = 0.10, p < 0.05). Notably, both grit dimensions significantly impacted mastery approach goals (β ranging from 0.49 to 0.56, p < 0.01). Mastery approach goals, in turn, had a substantial impact on intrinsic motivation (β = 0.27, p < 0.01), which subsequently significantly influenced career intentions (β = 0.32, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The study illuminated the complex relationships between grit dimensions, motivation, achievement goals, and career intentions of future PE teachers. SEM validation confirmed grit’s direct and indirect influence on goal orientations and motivation, underscoring the importance of incorporating grit-building strategies alongside mastery approach goals in preservice PE programs to enhance resilience, dedication, and long-term career commitment.
Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: the wellbeing of Chinese migrant children—a case study in Shanghai
Authors: Ding Qifan , Wu Qiaobing , Zhou Qi
Published: January 2024

Introduction

This study uses Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model as its theoretical framework to consider the findings of an investigation of the emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of Chinese migrant children and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in urban areas. This study expands our perspective by combining the views of students, parents, and teachers to explore the emotional, social and physical wellbeing of migrant children in Shanghai who were participating in online learning during the COVID-19.

Methods

Observation and semi-structured interviews were carried out to collect data for this case study. Thirty-one migrant children, nine parents, 10 teachers and a school principal from a Shanghai junior high school participated in this research. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results and Discussion

The findings indicated that although video-recorded lessons were high quality, it put pressure on migrant children due to the lessons containing only new material with no reviews and reduced opportunities for them to interact with their own teachers. In addition, the differences in study progress between the migrant children and the local children that showed up during the online learning, and neglect from teachers and policymakers, made the migrant children anxious, angry and confused about their future. Besides, parents install monitors at home to support their children’s online learning, but it had the opposite effect and simply provoked increased conflicts between children and their parents. Finally, although the online lessons have affected the optical health of students, the subsequent additional cooking lessons have mitigated the optical health problem and strengthened the connections between home and school.

Conclusion

The inequalities of education encountered by migrant children during the COVID-19 period have made them realize the disparities they have suffered in Shanghai. The exposure of this problem raises the prospect of a reform of educational policies for migrant children in the future.
Therapeutic alliance with psychotherapist versus dietician: a pilot study of eating disorder treatment in a multidisciplinary team during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Elran-Barak Roni , Grundman-Shem Tov Rinat , Zubery Eynat , Lewis Yael D.
Published: January 2024

Little is known about the therapeutic alliance (TA) formed with different professionals in multidisciplinary eating disorder (ED) treatment, particularly in the context of online treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to conduct a pilot study during the COVID-19 pandemic examining characteristics of patients’ TA with their dieticians and psychotherapists, associations between patients’ and therapists’ views of the TA, and relationships between psychological characteristics and TAs. Sixty-three patients with EDs and their treating psychotherapists and dieticians were surveyed during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI-S). Spearman correlation tests were used to examine associations between variables. Positive associations were found between the TAs examined. Concordance was stronger in patient–dietician dyads than in patient–psychotherapist dyads. Severe ED psychopathology was associated with weaker TA (bond subscale). General psychopathology was associated with weaker TA with the dietician (task subscale). Given that several differences were found between the TAs of treatment dyads, further longitudinal studies are needed to validate our pilot findings and to investigate multidisciplinary TAs and their impact on treatment outcomes in online ED treatment settings during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as in other treatment settings (e.g., in-person settings). This study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of TAs in multidisciplinary ED treatment and inform the development of more effective interventions.
Is the mental health of couples with twins more at risk? Results from an Italian cohort study
Authors: Bonanni Giulia , Longo Valentina Laurita , Airoldi Chiara , Meli Federica , Familiari Alessandra , Romanzi Federica , Pellegrino Marcella , Visconti Daniela , Serio Annamaria , Lanzone Antonio , Bevilacqua Elisa
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Our retrospective study aimed to investigate whether parents of twins encounter heightened psychological and emotional distress one year after childbirth, in comparison to parents of singletons within an Italian cohort.

Methods

Exclusion criteria included multiparity, preterm birth, congenital anomalies, stillbirth, >2 fetus pregnancies, and pre-existing maternal mental health disorders. Out of the 300 couples (600 parents) invited to participate, 286 parents (158 mothers, 128 fathers) successfully completed a self-administered survey. We analyzed three scores separately for mothers and fathers, differentiating between singleton and twin pregnancies: the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score, the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)-Y1 score, and the STAI-Y2 score.

Results

Logistic models were used to assess the influence of age, BMI, marital status, education, and employment on the three binary scores (EPDS, STAI-Y1, and STAI-Y2), revealing no significant differences in absolute scores between parents of singletons and twins. Paired analysis revealed significantly higher EPDS (mean increase: 3.8, SD: 6.5), STAI-Y1 (mean increase: 5.4, SD: 12.5), and STAI-Y2 (mean increase: 4.5, SD: 12.4) scores for mothers (p < 0.0001). Approximately 10% of women and 8% of men reported suicidal thoughts.

Discussion

Contrary to expectations, no substantial psychological differences emerged between parents of twins and singletons. Adjusting for confounders through univariate analysis maintained nonsignificant trends. Nevertheless, caution in interpretation is warranted due to strict inclusion criteria favoring twin pregnancies with better outcomes. Unintended bias could have resulted from routine psychological support offered to mothers of twins in our clinic. This presents an important framework for future research, including randomized controlled trials comparing parents of multiples with psychological support to those without.Finally, the elevated prevalence of depression symptoms and suicidal thoughts in our cohort underscores the importance of mental health during pregnancy and early parenting. We advocate for the screening of parents for postpartum depression and various psychological conditions, encompassing a spectrum of anxiety disorders. Those at elevated risk of mental distress should be proactively offered appropriate support.
Predicting violence in female forensic inpatients with substance use disorders – the utility of a gender-responsive assessment
Authors: Wolf Viviane , Mayer Juliane , Steiner Ivonne , Franke Irina , Klein Verena , Streb Judith , Dudeck Manuela
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Given that risk assessment tools are commonly based on male samples, the applicability to justice-involved women remains to be clarified. This study aimed at assessing (1) the predictive validity of the HCR-20 V3, the prevailing, yet primarily male-based violence risk assessment instrument, and (2) the incremental validity of the FAM, a gender-responsive supplement, for both inpatient violence and violent recidivism in justice-involved women.

Methods

The sample included 452 female forensic inpatients with substance use disorder discharged from German forensic psychiatric care between 2001 and 2018.

Results

ROC analyses revealed good predictive accuracy for the HCR-20 V3 while the FAM failed to provide incremental validity. Further, binary logistic regression determined several predictors of violence including personality disorder, covert/manipulative behavior, suicidal behavior/self-harm, and problematic intimate relationship.

Discussion

These findings support the applicability of the HCR-20 V3 in justice-involved women with substance use disorder, while highlighting the clinical relevance of the FAM in supporting a gender-informed risk management.
COVID-19 waves in an urban setting 2020–2022: an electronic medical record analysis
Authors: Chen Yi-shuan Elaine , Gawel Susan H. , Desai Pankaja , Rojas Juan , Barbian Hannah J. , Tippireddy Nagarjuna , Gopinath Rajkamal , Schneider Sharon , Orzechowski Anthony , Cloherty Gavin , Landay Alan
Published: January 2024

Background

Global and national surveillance efforts have tracked COVID-19 incidence and clinical outcomes, but few studies have compared comorbid conditions and clinical outcomes across each wave of the pandemic. We analyzed data from the COVID-19 registry of a large urban healthcare system to determine the associations between presenting comorbidities and clinical outcomes during the pandemic.

Methods

We analyzed registry data for all inpatients and outpatients with COVID-19 from March 2020 through September 2022 (N = 44,499). Clinical outcomes were death, hospitalization, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Demographic and clinical outcomes data were analyzed overall and for each wave. Unadjusted and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to explore the associations between age, sex, race, ethnicity, comorbidities, and mortality.

Results

Waves 2 and 3 (Alpha and Delta variants) were associated with greater hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and mortality than other variants. Chronic pulmonary disease was the most common comorbid condition across all age groups and waves. Mortality rates were higher in older patients but decreased across all age groups in later waves. In every wave, mortality was associated with renal disease, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic pulmonary disease. Multivariable analysis found that liver disease and renal disease were significantly associated with mortality, hospitalization, and ICU admission, and diabetes was significantly associated with hospitalization and ICU admission.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 registry is a valuable resource to identify risk factors for clinical outcomes. Our findings may inform risk stratification and care planning for patients with COVID-19 based on age and comorbid conditions.
Metrology in sEMG and movement analysis: the need for training new figures in clinical rehabilitation
Authors: Merletti Roberto
Published: January 2024

A new educational curriculum for the next generation of physical and occupational therapists is urgent in order to manage the recent fast advances in sensors, measurement technologies and related instrumentation. This is required by the growing role of STEM in rehabilitation, kinesiology, and sport sciences. Surface EMG technology is used in this work as a representative example of similar problems present in movement analysis, exoskeletons, and many other fields. A review of the most relevant articles and international projects in the field of interfacing physical therapy with measurement technology for quantitative assessment of outcome is presented. It is concluded that a new generation of educators is needed as well as a Ph.D. and/or a clinical doctorate degree in physical therapy, still lacking in many countries. It is urgent to consider knowledge translation since it will take many years before any recommended change in teaching will be accepted and show some effect. A call for a “white paper” on rehabilitation metrology is highly auspicable.
Serotonin transporter density in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavioral disorder
Authors: Garwood Mark , Vijayakumar Punithavathy , Bohnen Nicolaas I. , Koeppe Robert A. , Kotagal Vikas
Published: January 2024

Background/objective

The serotoninergic nervous system is known to play a role in the maintenance of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Serotoninergic projections are known to be vulnerable in synucleinopathies. To date, positron emission tomography (PET) studies using serotonin-specific tracers have not been reported in isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD).

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional imaging study using serotonin transporter (SERT) 11C-3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfaryl)-benzonitrile (DASB) PET to identify differences in serotonin system integrity between 11 participants with iRBD and 16 older healthy controls.

Results

Participants with iRBD showed lower DASB distribution volume ratios (DVRs) in the total neocortical mantle [1.13 (SD: 0.07) vs. 1.19 (SD: 0.06); t = 2.33, p = 0.028)], putamen [2.07 (SD: 0.19) vs. 2.25 (SD: 0.18); t = 2.55, p = 0.017], and insula [1.26 (SD: 0.11) vs. 1.39 (SD: 0.09); t = 3.58, p = 0.001]. Paradoxical increases relative to controls were seen in cerebellar hemispheres [0.98 (SD: 0.04) vs. 0.95 (SD: 0.02); t = 2.93, p = 0.007)]. No intergroup differences were seen in caudate, substantia nigra, or other brainstem regions with the exception of the dorsal mesencephalic raphe [3.08 (SD: 0.53) vs. 3.47 (SD: 0.48); t = 2.00, p = 0.056] that showed a non-significant trend toward lower values in iRBD.

Conclusions

Insular, neocortical, and striatal serotoninergic terminal loss may be common in prodromal synucleinopathies before the onset of parkinsonism or dementia. Given our small sample size, these results should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating/exploratory in nature.