bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antiretroviral choice and severe disease predict poorer neuropsychological outcomes in HIV+ children from Africa
Authors: Fairlie Lee , Chernoff Miriam , Cotton Mark F. , Bwakura-Dangarembizi Mutsa , Violari Avy , Familiar-Lopez Itziar , Barlow-Mosha Linda , Kamthunzi Portia , McCarthy Katie , Jean-Philippe Patrick , Laughton Barbara , Palumbo Paul E. , Boivin Michael J.
Published: August 2022

Background

The International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network (IMPAACT) P1104s study evaluated neuropsychological outcomes over 96 weeks in children living with HIV (CLHIV) aged 5–11 years at 6 Sub-Saharan African sites to explore associations between HIV-illness related biomarkers and neuropsychological outcomes.

Methods

Children living with HIV had participated in IMPAACT P1060, which compared efficacy of nevirapine versus lopinavir/ritonavir in children initiating ART at <3 years of age. At age 5–11, neuropsychological evaluations of KABC cognitive ability, TOVA attention-impulsivity and BOT-2 motor domains were assessed and repeated after 48 and 96 weeks. Clinical, antiretroviral therapy (ART) and laboratory (immunological and virological) parameters were used to predict neuropsychological outcomes using linear mixed-effects multivariable regression models, controlling for child and caregiver characteristics.

Results

246 CLHIV (45% male, mean age at initial neuropsychological evaluation 7.1 yrs [SD 1.2]) began ART at a median age 14.9 months (IQR 8.2, 25.2). Nadir CD4 percentage was 14.7% (IQR 11.0, 19.5); the median peak viral load (VL) was 750 000 copies/ml (IQR 366 000, 750 000) and 63% had ≥WHO stage 3 clinical disease; 164 (67%) were on lopinavir/ritonavir, 71 (29%) were on nevirapine and 7 (3%) were on efavirenz. Other antiretrovirals were similar. Nevirapine at P1104s study start or later was associated with poorer neuropsychological scores across all domains except Global Executive Composite, even when controlling for nadir CD4 percent and time-varying HIV VL. Other predictors of poorer scores in KABC domains included low birth weight, WHO stage 4 disease and serious illness history and elevated VL was associated with worse BOT-2 scores.

Conclusion

Children receiving nevirapine had poorer neuropsychological scores than those on lopinavir/ritonavir. Antiretroviral choice might adversely impact neuropsychological performance. In addition, low birth weight and markers of severe HIV disease: advanced WHO clinical HIV disease, history of serious illness and an elevated VL, were associated with lower neuropsychological scores.
Comparative study of different surgical approaches for treatment of UPJ obstruction according to the degree/severity of hydronephrosis factor
Authors: Zhao Peng , Wang Cao , Mao Kaiyi , Luo Zhen , Li Yingbo , Zhou Guangxu , Tan Hongyang , Liu Hong , Mao Yucheng , Ma Hong , Shang Xianhui , Liu Bin
Published: August 2022

Objective

To compare the efficacy of two different surgical approaches during and after pyeloplasty according to the degree/severity of hydronephrosis factor.

Materials and methods

Sixty child patients with UPJ obstruction admitted to our hospital from August 2019 to October 2021 were collected. Patients who underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty (RPLP) were enrolled into Group A (n = 20), while those who received transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty (TLP) were selected as Group B (n = 40). Clinical parameters, including gender, age, laterality of UPJ obstruction, degree/severity of hydronephrosis, body weight, operation time, drainage tube indwelling time, complete oral feeding time, and length of hospital stay, were compared between the two groups.

Results

All 60 child patients were operated upon successfully without conversion to open surgery. There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, laterality of UPJ obstruction, and body weight between the two groups, while the operation time of TLP was shorter than that of RPLP, indicating a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). The differences in complete oral feeding time, drainage tube indwelling time, and length of hospital stay were statistically significant between the two groups, and RPLP was superior to TLP in terms of postoperative recovery time (P < 0.001). A stratified comparison showed that there were no statistically significant differences in anteroposterior diameter ≤ 20 mm, while there were statistically significant differences in anteroposterior diameter >20 mm. Hydronephrosis is reviewed after 3 months of the operation, degree/severity of hydronephrosis have been reduced.

Conclusion

Both RPLP and TLP are safe and feasible in the treatment of UPJ obstruction, and their overall surgical effects are equivalent. For child patients with anteroposterior diameter ≤ 20 mm, RPLP is available, while patients with anteroposterior diameter >20 mm, TLP is recommended.
Long QT syndrome and left ventricular non-compaction in a family with KCNH2 mutation: A case report
Authors: Caiffa Thomas , Tessitore Antimo , Leoni Loira , Reffo Elena , Chicco Daniela , D'Agata Mottolese Biancamaria , Rubinato Elisa , Girotto Giorgia , Lenarduzzi Stefania , Barbi Egidio , Bobbo Marco , Di Salvo Giovanni
Published: August 2022

Background

Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is an abnormality of the myocardium, characterized by prominent left ventricular trabeculae and deep inter-trabecular recesses. Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiac ion channelopathy presenting with a prolonged QT interval on resting electrocardiogram and is associated with increased susceptibility to sudden death. The association between LVNC and LQTS is uncommon.

Case presentation

We report an Italian family with a novel pathogenic KCNH2 variant who presented with clinical features of LVNC and LQTS. The proband came to our attention after two syncopal episodes without prodromal symptoms. His ECG showed QTc prolongation and deep T wave inversion in anterior leads, and the echocardiogram fulfilled LVNC criteria. After that, also his sister was found to have LQTS and LVNC, while his father only presented LQTS.

Conclusions

Physicians should be aware of the possible association between LVNC and LQTS. Even if this association is rare, patients with LVNC should be investigated for LQTS to prevent possible severe or even life-threatening arrhythmic episodes.
Design study of a HPGe detector array for β-decay investigation in laboratory ECR plasmas
Authors: Naselli Eugenia , Santonocito Domenico , Amaducci Simone , Celona Luigi , Galatà Alessio , Goasduff Alain , Mauro Giorgio Sebastiano , Mazzaglia Maria , Mishra Bharat , Napoli Daniel R. , Pidatella Angelo , Torrisi Giuseppe , Mascali David
Published: August 2022

In the frame of the PANDORA project, a new experimental approach aims at measuring in-plasma β-decay rate as a function of thermodynamical conditions of the environment, namely a laboratory magnetized plasma able to mimic some stellar-like conditions. The decay rates (expected to change dramatically as a function of the ionization state) will be measured as a function of the charge state distribution of the in-plasma ions. The new experimental approach aims at correlating the plasma environment and the decay rate. This can be performed by simultaneously identifying and discriminating—through an innovative multi-diagnostic system working synergically with a γ-ray detection system —the photons emitted by the plasma and γ-rays emitted after the isotope β-decay. In this study, the numerical simulations supporting the design of the γ-ray detector array, including a statistical significance study to check the feasibility of measuring the in-plasma decay rates, are presented. Geant4 simulations focused on the design of the array of γ-ray detectors and the evaluation of total efficiency depending on the detector type and the optimal displacement of detectors around the trap (including collimation systems and shielding). The simulation results showed that, due to technical limitations in the number of apertures that can be created in the magnetic trap, the best compromise is to use 14 HPGe (70% of relative efficiency) detectors surrounding the magnetic trap. The HPGe detectors were chosen for their excellent energy resolution (0.2% @ 1 MeV), since the harsh environment (the background is represented by the intense plasma self-emission) strongly affects the signal-to-background ratio. Once determined the total photopeak efficiency (0.1–0.2%), the sensitivity of the PANDORA experiment was checked in a “virtual experimental run,” by exploring the measurability of isotope decay rates for the first three physical cases of PANDORA: 176Lu, 134Cs and 94Nb. The preliminary results demonstrated the feasibility of the measurement in terms of the signal-to-background ratio and significance that it is possible to reach. The results indicated that experimental run durations could take from several days to 3 months, depending on the isotope under investigation, thus shedding new light on the role of weak interactions in stellar nucleosynthesis.
The value of fecal calprotectin in Clostridioides difficile infection: A systematic review
Authors: Wen Bao-Jiang , Te Li-Ger , Liu Xiao-Xuan , Zhao Jian-Hong
Published: August 2022

As a marker of inflammation, calprotectin has potential application value in a variety of inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and bacterial infections. Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an infectious disease that causes intestinal damage and inflammation. This systematic review aims to determine whether fecal calprotectin has application value in CDI. Nine databases were searched from inception to 6 June 2022, and 17 studies were included. These studies were divided into four groups according to their content. Generally speaking, fecal calprotectin is not an ideal indicator for the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of CDI but may serve as a potential indicator for assessing disease severity and as a readily detectable marker for CDI screening. In addition, patients in need of treatment or with detectable toxins in stool may tend to have higher levels of fecal calprotectin. In summary, fecal calprotectin has some potential application value in CDI. However, further studies are needed to verify these findings and determine the reliability of calprotectin as a biomarker for CDI.
Cabbage and Weed Identification Based on Machine Learning and Target Spraying System Design
Authors: Zhao Xueguan , Wang Xiu , Li Cuiling , Fu Hao , Yang Shuo , Zhai Changyuan
Published: August 2022

The complexity of natural elements seriously affects the accuracy and stability of field target identification, and the speed of an identification algorithm essentially limits the practical application of field pesticide spraying. In this study, a cabbage identification and pesticide spraying control system based on an artificial light source was developed. With the image skeleton point-to-line ratio and ring structure features of support vector machine classification and identification, a contrast test of different feature combinations of a support vector machine was carried out, and the optimal feature combination of the support vector machine and its parameters were determined. In addition, a targeted pesticide spraying control system based on an active light source and a targeted spraying delay model were designed, and a communication protocol for the targeted spraying control system based on electronic control unit was developed to realize the controlled pesticide spraying of targets. According to the results of the support vector machine classification test, the feature vector comprised of the point-to-line ratio, maximum inscribed circle radius, and fitted curve coefficient had the highest identification accuracy of 95.7%, with a processing time of 33 ms for a single-frame image. Additionally, according to the results of a practical field application test, the average identification accuracies of cabbage were 95.0%, average identification accuracies of weed were 93.5%, and the results of target spraying at three operating speeds of 0.52 m/s, 0.69 m/s and 0.93 m/s show that the average invalid spraying rate, average missed spraying rate, and average effective spraying rate were 2.4, 4.7, and 92.9%, respectively. Moreover, it was also found from the results that with increasing speeds, the offset of the centre of the mass of the target increased and reached a maximum value of 28.6 mm when the speed was 0.93 m/s. The void rate and pesticide saving rate were 65 and 33.8% under continuous planting conditions and 76.6 and 53.3% under natural seeding deficiency conditions, respectively.
Phenotypic variation from waterlogging in multiple perennial ryegrass varieties under climate change conditions
Authors: Frisk Carl A. , Xistris-Songpanya Georgianna , Osborne Matthieu , Biswas Yastika , Melzer Rainer , Yearsley Jon M.
Published: August 2022

Identifying how various components of climate change will influence ecosystems and vegetation subsistence will be fundamental to mitigate negative effects. Climate change-induced waterlogging is understudied in comparison to temperature and CO2. Grasslands are especially vulnerable through the connection with global food security, with perennial ryegrass dominating many flood-prone pasturelands in North-western Europe. We investigated the effect of long-term waterlogging on phenotypic responses of perennial ryegrass using four common varieties (one diploid and three tetraploid) grown in atmospherically controlled growth chambers during two months of peak growth. The climate treatments compare ambient climatological conditions in North-western Europe to the RCP8.5 climate change scenario in 2050 (+2°C and 550 ppm CO2). At the end of each month multiple phenotypic plant measurements were made, the plants were harvested and then allowed to grow back. Using image analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) methodologies, we assessed how multiple predictors (phenotypic, environmental, genotypic, and temporal) influenced overall plant performance, productivity and phenotypic responses. Long-term waterlogging was found to reduce leaf-color intensity, with younger plants having purple hues indicative of anthocyanins. Plant performance and yield was lower in waterlogged plants, with tetraploid varieties coping better than the diploid one. The climate change treatment was found to reduce color intensities further. Flooding was found to reduce plant productivity via reductions in color pigments and root proliferation. These effects will have negative consequences for global food security brought on by increased frequency of extreme weather events and flooding. Our imaging analysis approach to estimate effects of waterlogging can be incorporated into plant health diagnostics tools via remote sensing and drone-technology.
Molecular evolutionary analysis of the SHI/STY gene family in land plants: A focus on the Brassica species
Authors: Fang Da , Zhang Weimeng , Cheng Xiuzhu , Hu Fei , Ye Ziyi , Cao Jun
Published: August 2022

The plant-specific SHORT INTERNODES/STYLISH (SHI/STY) proteins belong to a family of transcription factors that are involved in the formation and development of early lateral roots. However, the molecular evolution of this family is rarely reported. Here, a total of 195 SHI/STY genes were identified in 21 terrestrial plants, and the Brassica species is the focus of our research. Their physicochemical properties, chromosome location and duplication, motif distribution, exon-intron structures, genetic evolution, and expression patterns were systematically analyzed. These genes are divided into four clades (Clade 1/2/3/4) based on phylogenetic analysis. Motif distribution and gene structure are similar in each clade. SHI/STY proteins are localized in the nucleus by the prediction of subcellular localization. Collinearity analysis indicates that the SHI/STYs are relatively conserved in evolution. Whole-genome duplication is the main factor for their expansion. SHI/STYs have undergone intense purifying selection, but several positive selection sites are also identified. Most promoters of SHI/STY genes contain different types of cis-elements, such as light, stress, and hormone-responsive elements, suggesting that they may be involved in many biological processes. Protein–protein interaction predicted some important SHI/STY interacting proteins, such as LPAT4, MBOATs, PPR, and UBQ3. In addition, the RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis were studied in detail in rape. As a result, SHI/STYs are highly expressed in root and bud, and can be affected by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, drought, cold, and heat stresses. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses indicates that expression levels of BnSHI/STYs are significantly altered in different treatments (cold, salt, drought, IAA, auxin; ABA, abscisic acid; 6-BA, cytokinin). It provides a new understanding of the evolution and expansion of the SHI/STY family in land plants and lays a foundation for further research on their functions.
Fine mapping of candidate quantitative trait loci for plant and ear height in a maize nested-association mapping population
Authors: Yin Xingfu , Bi Yaqi , Jiang Fuyan , Guo Ruijia , Zhang Yudong , Fan Jun , Kang Manjit S. , Fan Xingming
Published: August 2022

Plant height (PH) and ear height (EH) are two important traits in maize (Zea mays L.), as they are closely related to lodging resistance and planting density. Our objectives were to (1) investigate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with PH and EH for detecting quantitative trait loci (QTL) and new gene that determines PH and EH, (2) explore the value of the QTL in maize breeding, and (3) investigate whether the “triangle heterotic group” theory is applicable for lowering PH and EH to increase yield. Seven inbred female parents were crossed with a common founder male parent Ye 107 to create a nested association mapping (NAM) population. The analysis of phenotypic data on PH and EH revealed wide variation among the parents of the NAM population. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) and high-resolution linkage mapping were conducted using the NAM population, which generated 264,694 SNPs by genotyping-by-sequencing. A total of 105 SNPs and 22 QTL were identified by GWAS and found to be significantly associated with PH and EH. A high-confidence QTL for PH, Qtl-chr1-EP, was identified on chromosome 1 via GWAS and confirmed by linkage analysis in two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations. Results revealed that the SNP variation in the promoter region of the candidate gene Zm00001d031938, located at Qtl-chr1-EP, which encoded UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-peptide N-acetyl-glucosaminyl-transferase, might decrease PH and EH. Furthermore, the triangle heterotic pattern adopted in maize breeding programs by our team is practicable in selecting high-yield crosses based on the low ratio of EH/PH (EP).
Genetic and molecular factors in determining grain number per panicle of rice
Authors: Lu Yue , Chuan Mingli , Wang Hanyao , Chen Rujia , Tao Tianyun , Zhou Yong , Xu Yang , Li Pengcheng , Yao Youli , Xu Chenwu , Yang Zefeng
Published: August 2022

It was suggested that the most effective way to improve rice grain yield is to increase the grain number per panicle (GN) through the breeding practice in recent decades. GN is a representative quantitative trait affected by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Understanding the mechanisms controlling GN has become an important research field in rice biotechnology and breeding. The regulation of rice GN is coordinately controlled by panicle architecture and branch differentiation, and many GN-associated genes showed pleiotropic effect in regulating tillering, grain size, flowering time, and other domestication-related traits. It is also revealed that GN determination is closely related to vascular development and the metabolism of some phytohormones. In this review, we summarize the recent findings in rice GN determination and discuss the genetic and molecular mechanisms of GN regulators.
Gender bias in political candidate evaluation among voters: The role of party support and political gender attitudes
Authors: Pas Daphne Joanna van der , Aaldering Loes , Steenvoorden Eefje
Published: August 2022

To explain women's underrepresentation in politics, supply-side factors receive much empirical support, emphasizing the low numbers of women on the ballot. Whether demand from voters also contributes to the problem is less clear, however, as both observational and experimental research shows that average voters are not less likely to vote for women candidates. We argue that voters actually do play a role, although not all voters to an equal extent. More precisely, we expect the gender bias in the electorate to be conditional upon partisanship and propose two mechanisms through which this materializes: political gender attitudes and/or gender stereotypes. Although the conditionality of voters' gender bias based upon partisanship is convincingly shown to exist in the US, much less is known about it in the European context, while its multi-party political systems lend themselves well for a more detailed differentiation between party families. We expect that right, and especially populist radical right, voters are biased in favor of men politicians, while left, and especially green left, voters are biased in favor of women politicians. We test our hypotheses with a large-scale vignette experiment (N = 13,489) in the Netherlands, and show that there is indeed a (slight) preference for women representatives among Green party voters, and a clear preference for men candidates among voters of populist radical right parties. Moderate left-wing or right-wing voters, however, show no gender bias. Thus, although right-wing populist parties have electoral incentives to be hesitant about promoting women politicians, most other parties face no electoral risk in putting forth women politicians.
Cognitive, perceptual, and motor profiles of school-aged children with developmental coordination disorder
Authors: Van Dyck Dorine , Baijot Simon , Aeby Alec , De Tiège Xavier , Deconinck Nicolas
Published: August 2022

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a heterogeneous condition. Besides motor impairments, children with DCD often exhibit poor visual perceptual skills and executive functions. This study aimed to characterize the motor, perceptual, and cognitive profiles of children with DCD at the group level and in terms of subtypes. A total of 50 children with DCD and 31 typically developing (TD) peers (7–11 years old) underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological (15 tests) and motor (three subscales of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2) assessment. The percentage of children with DCD showing impairments in each measurement was first described. Hierarchical agglomerative and K-means iterative partitioning clustering analyses were then performed to distinguish the subtypes present among the complete sample of children (DCD and TD) in a data-driven way. Moderate to large percentages of children with DCD showed impaired executive functions (92%) and praxis (meaningless gestures and postures, 68%), as well as attentional (52%), visual perceptual (46%), and visuomotor (36%) skills. Clustering analyses identified five subtypes, four of them mainly consisting of children with DCD and one of TD children. These subtypes were characterized by: (i) generalized impairments (8 children with DCD), (ii) impaired manual dexterity, poor balance (static/dynamic), planning, and alertness (15 DCD and 1 TD child), (iii) impaired manual dexterity, cognitive inhibition, and poor visual perception (11 children with DCD), (iv) impaired manual dexterity and cognitive inhibition (15 DCD and 5 TD children), and (v) no impairment (25 TD and 1 child with DCD). Besides subtle differences, the motor and praxis measures did not enable to discriminate between the four subtypes of children with DCD. The subtypes were, however, characterized by distinct perceptual or cognitive impairments. These results highlight the importance of assessing exhaustively the perceptual and cognitive skills of children with DCD.
The Flipped Learning and Blendspace to Improve Pupils’ Speaking Skills
Authors: Santhanasamy Cassandra , Yunus Melor Md
Published: August 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the continuity of teaching and learning is very important to provide sustainable education to all pupils. The most difficult aspect of language acquisition has always been the speaking component. Pupils’ lack of interest and the difficulty in teaching and practicing speaking skills in the traditional classroom are the main issues that hinder pupils’ speaking skills. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the flipped learning approach to improve primary school pupils’ speaking skills. In this study, Blendspace was used to support the flipped learning method to help pupils improve their speaking skills. This study employed a mixed-method research design. For pre–posttests, questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data from Year 3 primary school students. The findings revealed that the use of Blendspace in teaching speaking has improved pupils’ speaking skills and that the pupils were motivated to practice speaking inside and outside of the classroom. Hence, the utilization of Blendspace in the flipped learning approach is an effective pedagogy to improve pupils’ speaking skills. The findings of this research would be useful for teachers and policymakers to assist pupils in enhancing their speaking abilities.
The relationship between Big Five Personality Traits, eating habits, physical activity, and obesity in Indonesia based on analysis of the 5th wave Indonesia Family Life Survey (2014)
Authors: Pristyna Greena , Mahmudiono Trias , Rifqi Mahmud A. , Indriani Diah
Published: August 2022

This study investigated the association between Big Five Personality Traits (Openness to new experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and nutrition-related variables (eating habits, physical activity, and obesity using Body Mass Index). We used secondary data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) wave 5 involving a total of 14,473 men and 16,467 women aged 15−101 years (mean = 37.34; SD = 14.916) in Indonesia that was selected by stratified random sampling conducted in the period 2014 to 2015. Data were collected through interviews with the Big Five Index 15 and a questionnaire similar to the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire which was translated into the Indonesian language, and based on measurements of height and weight. Analyses used binary logistic regression test controlled by socio-demographic factors (age, gender, education, occupation, and marital status) to determine the association between Big Five Personality Traits and eating habits (recommended and non-recommended foods), physical activity, and obesity. Results showed that openness and extraversion were positively associated with recommended and non-recommended foods, conscientiousness was positively associated with only recommended foods, agreeableness was positively associated with recommended foods, and negatively associated with only one non-recommended food. Whereas, neuroticism was positively associated with non-recommended foods and negatively associated with recommended foods. Openness (p = 0.010; OR = 1.015; 95% CI = 1.004−1.027) and conscientiousness (p < 0.001; OR = 1.045; 95% CI = 1.030−1.059) were associated with physical activity. Conscientiousness (p = 0.002; OR = 1.025; 95% CI = 1.009−1.041), extraversion (p < 0.001; OR = 1.079; 95% CI = 1.065−1.092), and neuroticism (p < 0.001; OR = 0.966; 95% CI = 0.953−0.978) were associated with obesity. Although some results were different from previous studies, these associations can be used as strategies of behavioral change due to the adaptation of personality characteristics, which can be modified even though the personality tends to be persistent. Further studies are needed to understand other mechanisms that might underlie this association.
Optimizing climate change communication: Context Comparison Model method
Authors: Seyranian Viviane , Lombardi Doug , Sinatra Gale M. , Crano William D.
Published: August 2022

The Context Comparison Model (CCM) provides a promising avenue to guide persuasive communication development by highlighting the features of the communication context that require consideration, including source, target, and task variables. The model was tested in a study of global climate change. American participants read a text outlining scientific evidence for global climate change and a policy proposal to mitigate future climate change. Prior to reading the text, participants’ completed measures of their political affiliation (Republican, Democrats, Independent or Other) to render their group memberships salient. They were randomly assigned to one of four source conditions: (a) ingroup minority; (b) ingroup majority; (c) outgroup minority; or (d) outgroup minority. Participants completed pre- and post-measures of attitudes and the plausibility of climate change. Pretest scores revealed that global climate change attitudes were held less strongly by Republicans than Democrats. In line with expectations, participants’ subjective attitudes were more influenced by ingroup sources, and larger persuasive effects were obtained for ingroup minorities. For the plausibility of climate change, participants were more persuaded by an outgroup source, and larger effects were evident for outgroup majorities. Results were precisely predicted by the CCM. Their implications for science communication were discussed.
A sustainable artificial intelligence facilities management outsourcing relationships system: Case studies
Authors: Lok Ka Leung , So Albert , Opoku Alex , Chen Charles
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this article was to validate the published artificial intelligence (AI) facilities management (FM) outsourcing relationships system by real business cases in the working environment. The research aims to inspire the modern FM professionals in different industries with some challenging and innovative concepts about FM outsourcing relationships between facilities owners and service providers. First, it will briefly introduce the theory of the FM outsourcing relationships system on how it can help the FM seniors and strategists to design their FM daily strategies wisely and make their business more effective and productive. Second, it will also introduce what the research is practically doing in the stage of case study for test and verification. It is concluded that FM outsourcing categorization may help to define the appropriate relationships. This further detailed outcome generated from the AI can be considered a solid reference to define and explain the existing outsourcing relationships between the stakeholders and the service providers to assign an outsourcing category to the FM relationship between the client and service provider based on the learnt rules.
The association between peer relationship and learning engagement among adolescents: The chain mediating roles of self-efficacy and academic resilience
Authors: Shao Yanhong , Kang Shumin
Published: August 2022

Previous studies have shown that peer relationship affects learning engagement. And learning engagement plays a vital role in promoting knowledge acquisition and production, enhancing adolescents’ academic success. However, few studies have focused on the mechanism between peer relationship and learning engagement. As such, based on Social Cognitive Theory, this study attempts to explore how peer relationship of adolescents is linked to learning engagement through the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy and academic resilience. The participants were 250 students who were selected via random sampling in a public middle school, in Eastern China, in June 2021. All the participants filled in the structured self-report questionnaires on peer relationship, self-efficacy, academic resilience, and learning engagement. The data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM) in SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 24.0. Results indicated that peer relationship was directly and positively associated with learning engagement. Results also indicated that peer relationship was indirectly and positively associated with learning engagement via self-efficacy and academic resilience, respectively, and sequentially. More importantly, it was found that the direct effect was much lower than the indirect effects of which self-efficacy was the greatest. It is suggested that appropriate interventions and support should be provided to facilitate adolescents’ peer relationship, self-efficacy, and academic resilience, thus promoting their learning engagement and academic success.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A pilot study for symptom assessment and diagnosis in children in Chile
Authors: Fioravante Isabella , Lozano-Lozano José Antonio , Martella Diana
Published: August 2022

Background

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders among school-age children and is characterized by varying degrees of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Diagnosis, which currently relies on the DSM-V criteria, is complex. This research proposes an integrated procedure for ADHD diagnosis in children, improving the diagnostic process and scientific research on etiopathology.

Materials and methods

We conducted a clinical report on ADHD diagnosis in children (n = 92) between the ages of 8 and 13, based on the results of the application of different scales to parents of school-age children in Chile. The children were divided into two groups, those with an ADHD diagnosis (n = 44) and those without (n = 48) (24% females).

Results

The results revealed statistically significant differences between groups for scales EDAH y SDQ-Cas, Conners Comprehensive Behavior Scale, Conners Parent Scale and the criteria according to the DSM-V and its dimensions, with the exception of inattention.

Conclusion

The findings indicate the importance of appropriate criteria and procedures to establish a diagnosis and implement effective interventions in ADHD.
How business environment shapes urban tourism industry development? Configuration effects based on NCA and fsQCA
Authors: Zhang Hui , Long Shujing
Published: August 2022

The optimization of the business environment helps to create a good market ecological environment and promote industrial development. Based on the theory of institutional complexity, this study constructs the evaluation index system of China's urban business environment and analyzes the influencing factors using the NCA method. It is found that there is no necessary condition for a single element to constitute the high-level development of the tourism industry, but improving public service, total market volume, and innovation environment play universal roles in promoting the high-level development of the tourism industry. Using fsQCA for configuration analysis, two business environment configuration paths with high-level development of the tourism industry are obtained, which shows that there is no single path to promote the development of the tourism industry. In addition, the antecedent paths of high- and low-level tourism industry development are not the opposite, presenting an asymmetric causal relationship. The above findings reveal the realization path of the business environment for the development of China's urban tourism industry. Under the logic of multiple systems, cities can find the business ecological environment that best matches the development of the local tourism industry.
Help-seeking behavior in bereaved university and college students: Associations with grief, mental health distress, and personal growth
Authors: Tureluren Emilie , Claes Laurence , Andriessen Karl
Published: August 2022

Many students have experienced the death of a loved one, which increases their risk of grief and mental health problems. Formal and social support can contribute to better coping skills and personal growth in bereaved students. The purpose of this study was to examine the support that students received or wanted to receive and its relation to students’ mental health. We also looked at students’ needs when receiving support and barriers in seeking formal and social support. Participants (N = 666) completed an online survey consisting of questions about their sociodemographic characteristics, the support they received or wanted to receive, and support needs and barriers in seeking support. The survey also included three scales assessing grief, mental health distress, and personal growth. First, we analyzed the data descriptively. Next, we used MANCOVA to examine whether students who did or did not receive or wanted more support differed in terms of their grief, mental health distress, or personal growth. About 30% of students needed more support and experienced more grief and mental health distress than students who had their support needs met. Students who received support experienced more personal growth and grief than students who did not receive support. Students indicated a need for feeling acknowledged and safe. Feeling like a burden to others and perceiving their problems as not serious enough to warrant support were common barriers to seeking support. Our results indicate that support should be provided actively to students after the death of a loved one, and support being available on an ongoing basis.
Theta oscillations: A rhythm difference comparison between major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder
Authors: Zhang Yu , Lei Lei , Liu Ziwei , Gao Mingxue , Liu Zhifen , Sun Ning , Yang Chunxia , Zhang Aixia , Wang Yikun , Zhang Kerang
Published: August 2022

Background

Due to substantial comorbidities of major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorder (AN), these two disorders must be distinguished. Accurate identification and diagnosis facilitate effective and prompt treatment. EEG biomarkers are a potential research hotspot for neuropsychiatric diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in EEG power spectrum at theta oscillations between patients with MDD and patients with AN.

Methods

Spectral analysis was used to study 66 patients with MDD and 43 patients with AN. Participants wore 16-lead EEG caps to measure resting EEG signals. The EEG power spectrum was measured using the fast Fourier transform. Independent samples t-test was used to analyze the EEG power values of the two groups, and p < 0.05 was statistically significant.

Results

EEG power spectrum of the MDD group significantly differed from the AN group in the theta oscillation on 4–7 Hz at eight electrode points at F3, O2, T3, P3, P4, FP1, FP2, and F8.

Conclusion

Participants with anxiety demonstrated reduced power in the prefrontal cortex, left temporal lobe, and right occipital regions. Confirmed by further studies, theta oscillations could be another biomarker that distinguishes MDD from AN.
The applicability of the Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton Depression Scale in the automatic recognition of depression based on speech signal processing
Authors: Hajduska-Dér Bálint , Kiss Gábor , Sztahó Dávid , Vicsi Klára , Simon Lajos
Published: August 2022

Depression is a growing problem worldwide, impacting on an increasing number of patients, and also affecting health systems and the global economy. The most common diagnostical rating scales of depression are self-reported or clinician-administered, which differ in the symptoms that they are sampling. Speech is a promising biomarker in the diagnostical assessment of depression, due to non-invasiveness and cost and time efficiency. In our study, we try to achieve a more accurate, sensitive model for determining depression based on speech processing. Regression and classification models were also developed using a machine learning method. During the research, we had access to a large speech database that includes speech samples from depressed and healthy subjects. The database contains the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score of each subject and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) score of 20% of the subjects. This fact provided an opportunity to compare the usefulness of BDI and HAMD for training models of automatic recognition of depression based on speech signal processing. We found that the estimated values of the acoustic model trained on BDI scores are closer to HAMD assessment than to the BDI scores, and the partial application of HAMD scores instead of BDI scores in training improves the accuracy of automatic recognition of depression.
A computational lens on menopause-associated psychosis
Authors: Fisher Victoria L. , Ortiz Liara S. , Powers Albert R.
Published: August 2022

Psychotic episodes are debilitating disease states that can cause extreme distress and impair functioning. There are sex differences that drive the onset of these episodes. One difference is that, in addition to a risk period in adolescence and early adulthood, women approaching the menopause transition experience a second period of risk for new-onset psychosis. One leading hypothesis explaining this menopause-associated psychosis (MAP) is that estrogen decline in menopause removes a protective factor against processes that contribute to psychotic symptoms. However, the neural mechanisms connecting estrogen decline to these symptoms are still not well understood. Using the tools of computational psychiatry, links have been proposed between symptom presentation and potential algorithmic and biological correlates. These models connect changes in signaling with symptom formation by evaluating changes in information processing that are not easily observable (latent states). In this manuscript, we contextualize the observed effects of estrogen (decline) on neural pathways implicated in psychosis. We then propose how estrogen could drive changes in latent states giving rise to cognitive and psychotic symptoms associated with psychosis. Using computational frameworks to inform research in MAP may provide a systematic method for identifying patient-specific pathways driving symptoms and simultaneously refine models describing the pathogenesis of psychosis across all age groups.
Depression and anxiety among children and adolescents pre and post COVID-19: A comparative meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Sifan , Chen Lin , Ran Hailiang , Che Yusan , Fang Die , Sun Hao , Peng Junwei , Liang Xuemeng , Xiao Yuanyuan
Published: August 2022

Background

Published studies in comparing pre and post the COVID-19 pandemic depression and anxiety levels among children and adolescents yielded incongruent results. Therefore, there is a necessity to perform a timely meta-analysis to synthesize existing evidence.

Methods

A total of 10 digital databases (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, ScienceDirect, CNKI, WanFang, CQVIP) were fully searched for eligible studies published before November 6, 2021. Based on quality assessment results, relevant data were extracted for eligible studies of higher quality. We combined standardized mean difference (SMD) or prevalence ratio (RR) for anxiety and depression pre and post the COVID-19 pandemic by using random-effects models. Sensitivity analysis was further performed to evaluate heterogeneity of included studies.

Results

14,508 articles were preliminarily identified, and after stepwise screening process, 8 articles were included eventually. The results showed that the SMD for post COVID-19 anxiety score measured by GAD-7 was 0.12 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.17), an significant increase compared with pre COVID-19 period; the SMDs and 95% CIs for post COVID-18 depression scores measured by PHQ-9, PHQ-8, and MFQ were 0.17 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.24), 0.23 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.38), and 0.11 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.17), respectively, also significantly increased compared with pre COVID-19 period. The RR for depression was 2.54 (95% CI: 2.48, 2.60) in post COVID-19 period when compared with pre-pandemic.

Conclusions

Children and adolescents reported deteriorated anxiety and depression levels after the COVID-19 pandemic. More attention should be paid to this vulnerable group. Effective, expedient, and practical intervention measures which are compatible with COVID-19 prevention and control policies should be developed and implemented to maintain mental health wellbeing of the youths.
A machine-learning model to predict suicide risk in Japan based on national survey data
Authors: Chou Po-Han , Wang Shao-Cheng , Wu Chi-Shin , Horikoshi Masaru , Ito Masaya
Published: August 2022

Objective

Several prognostic models of suicide risk have been published; however, few have been implemented in Japan using longitudinal cohort data. The aim of this study was to identify suicide risk factors for suicidal ideation in the Japanese population and to develop a machine-learning model to predict suicide risk in Japan.

Materials and Methods

Data was obtained from Wave1 Time 1 (November 2016) and Time 2 (March 2017) of the National Survey for Stress and Health in Japan, were incorporated into a suicide risk prediction machine-learning model, trained using 65 items related to trauma and stress. The study included 3,090 and 2,163 survey respondents >18 years old at Time 1 and Time 2, respectively. The mean (standard deviation, SD) age was 44.9 (10.9) years at Time 1 and 46.0 (10.7) years at Time 2. We analyzed the participants with increased suicide risk at Time 2 survey. Model performance, including the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity, were also analyzed.

Results

The model showed a good performance (AUC = 0.830, 95% confidence interval = 0.795–0.866). Overall, the model achieved an accuracy of 78.8%, sensitivity of 75.4%, specificity of 80.4%, positive predictive value of 63.4%, and negative predictive value of 87.9%. The most important risk factor for suicide risk was the participants' Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale score, followed by the Sheehan Disability Scale score, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores, Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure (CCSM-suicidal ideation domain, Dissociation Experience Scale score, history of self-harm, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder check list-5 score, CCSM-dissociation domain, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised scores at Time 1.

Conclusions

This prognostic study suggests the ability to identify patients at a high risk of suicide using an online survey method. In addition to confirming several well-known risk factors of suicide, new risk measures related to trauma and trauma-related experiences were also identified, which may help guide future clinical assessments and early intervention approaches.