bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neighborhood segregation and cancer prevention guideline adherence in US Hispanic/Latino adults: Results from the HCHS/SOL
Authors: Pichardo Margaret S. , Pichardo Catherine M. , Talavera Gregory A. , Gallo Linda C. , Castañeda Sheila F. , Sotres-Alvarez Daniela , Molina Yamile , Evenson Kelly R. , Daviglus Martha L. , Hou Lifang , Joyce Brian , Aviles-Santa Larissa , Plascak Jesse
Published: December 2022

Background

Adherence to the American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines for cancer prevention is associated with a lower risk of cancer and mortality. The role of neighborhood segregation on adherence to the guidelines among Hispanic/Latino adults is relatively unexplored.

Materials and methods

The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos is a community-based prospective cohort of 16,462 Hispanic/Latino adults, ages 18-74 years enrolled in 2008-2011 from the Bronx, Chicago, Miami and San Diego. Dimensions of neighborhood segregation were measured using 2010 United States’ census tracts:—evenness (the physical separation of a group), exposure (the propensity for contact between groups), and their joint effect (hypersegregation). ACS guideline adherence levels – low, moderate, high – were created from accelerometry-measured physical activity, dietary intake, alcohol intake, and body mass index. Weighted multinominal logistic regressions estimated relative risk ratios (RRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for guideline adherence levels and its components.

Results

Hispanic/Latino adults were classified as low (13.7%), moderate (58.8%) or highly (27.5%) adherent to ACS guidelines. We found no evidence of an association between segregation and overall guideline adherence. Exposure segregation associated with lower likelihood of moderate adherence to alcohol recommendations (RRRmoderate vs. low:0.86, 95%CI:0.75-0.98) but higher likelihood for diet recommendations (RRRmoderate vs. low:1.07, 95%CI:1.01-1.14). Evenness segregation associated with lower likelihood of high adherence to the physical activity recommendations (RRRhigh vs. low:0.73, 95%CI:0.57-0.94). Hypersegregation was associated with individual guideline components.

Conclusion

We found evidence of a cross-sectional relationship between neighborhood segregation and ACS cancer prevention guideline components, but not with overall ACS guideline adherence.
A single-center study of two types of upper kidney preservation surgery for complete duplicated kidney in children
Authors: Chu Han , Zhang Xian-sheng , Cao Yong-sheng , Deng Qi-fei
Published: December 2022

Objective

The objectives of this study were to compare the efficacy, advantages, and disadvantages of insertable ureteral reimplantation (UC group) and ureteral end-to-side anastomosis (UU group) in the treatment of duplicated kidney and summarize the clinical experience in its diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

The current retrospective study enrolled 20 cases with duplicated kidney in Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital from April 2016 to June 2021, including 11 in the UC group and 9 in the UU group. There were 8 boys and 12 girls, with 12 on the left side and 8 on the right side. Meanwhile, there were three cases with urinary tract infection and nine with urinary incontinence. The rest of them were found by B ultrasound during physical examination. The median age of these patients was 33.5 months. Later, preoperative and postoperative renal pelvis separation, ureteral dilation, operation time, and drainage tube indwelling time were compared between the two groups.

Results

There were statistically significant differences in operation time (282 ± 50.55 vs. 176 ± 61.92, P = 0.03), drainage time (9.36 ± 5.00 vs. 5.33 ± 1.22, P = 0.02), and hospital stay (22.18 ± 5.40 vs. 14.78 ± 5.33, P = 0.007) between the two groups. In addition, the degree of hydronephrosis (UC: 1.86 ± 0.93 vs. 1.08 ± 0.77, P = 0.00; UU: 1.8 ± 0.95 vs. 0.89 ± 0.60, P = 0.02) and ureteral dilatation (UC: 1.57 ± 0.30 vs. 0.72 ± 0.22, P = 0.00; UU: 1.47 ± 0.50 vs. 0.88 ± 0.22, P = 0.001) were statistically different between the two groups before and after surgery.

Conclusion

Compared with the UC method, the UU method has the advantages of less trauma, faster recovery, and fewer complications. Double J tube or ureter stent placement is beneficial for finding and protecting the lower ureter intraoperatively, without increasing the difficulty in operation, which can also prevent anastomosis or ureteral orifice stenosis.
Characterization of lung adenocarcinoma based on immunophenotyping and constructing an immune scoring model to predict prognosis
Authors: Liu Mengfeng , Xiao Qifan , Yu Xiran , Zhao Yujie , Qu Changfa
Published: December 2022

Background: Lung cancer poses great threat to human health, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the main subtype. Immunotherapy has become first line therapy for LUAD. However, the pathogenic mechanism of LUAD is still unclear.

Methods: We scored immune-related pathways in LUAD patients using single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm, and further identified distinct immune-related subtypes through consistent clustering analysis. Next, immune signatures, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, copy number variation (CNV) analysis, gene methylation analysis, mutational analysis were used to reveal differences between subtypes. pRRophetic method was used to predict the response to chemotherapeutic drugs (half maximal inhibitory concentration). Then, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to screen hub genes. Significantly, we built an immune score (IMscore) model to predict prognosis of LUAD.

Results: Consensus clustering analysis identified three LUAD subtypes, namely immune-Enrich subtype (Immune-E), stromal-Enrich subtype (Stromal-E) and immune-Deprived subtype (Immune-D). Stromal-E subtype had a better prognosis, as shown by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Higher tumor purity and lower immune cell scores were found in the Immune-D subtype. CNV analysis showed that homologous recombination deficiency was lower in Stromal-E and higher in Immune-D. Likewise, mutational analysis found that the Stromal-E subtype had a lower mutation frequency in TP53 mutations. Difference in gene methylation (ZEB2, TWIST1, CDH2, CDH1 and CLDN1) among three subtypes was also observed. Moreover, Immune-E was more sensitive to traditional chemotherapy drugs Cisplatin, Sunitinib, Crizotinib, Dasatinib, Bortezomib, and Midostaurin in both the TCGA and GSE cohorts. Furthermore, a 6-gene signature was constructed to predicting prognosis, which performed better than TIDE score. The performance of IMscore model was successfully validated in three independent datasets and pan-cancer.
From acute SARS-CoV-2 infection to pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Eroume À Egom Emmanuel , Shiwani Haaris A. , Nouthe Brice
Published: December 2022

As the world progressively recovers from the acute stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we may be facing new challenges regarding the long-term consequences of COVID-19. Accumulating evidence suggests that pulmonary vascular thickening may be specifically associated with COVID-19, implying a potential tropism of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) virus for the pulmonary vasculature. Genetic alterations that may influence the severity of COVID-19 are similar to genetic drivers of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The pathobiology of the COVID-19-induced pulmonary vasculopathy shares many features (such as medial hypertrophy and smooth muscle cell proliferation) with that of pulmonary arterial hypertension. In addition, the presence of microthrombi in the lung vessels of individuals with COVID-19 during the acute phase, may predispose these subjects to the development of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. These similarities raise the intriguing question of whether pulmonary hypertension (PH) may be a long-term sequela of SARS-COV-2 infection. Accumulating evidence indeed support the notion that SARS-COV-2 infection is indeed a risk factor for persistent pulmonary vascular defects and subsequent PH development, and this could become a major public health issue in the future given the large number of individuals infected by SARS-COV-2 worldwide. Long-term studies assessing the risk of developing chronic pulmonary vascular lesions following COVID-19 infection is of great interest for both basic and clinical research and may inform on the best long-term management of survivors.
German volume training for health promotion: Acute vasopressor, pulmonary and metabolic responses
Authors: Shaw Brandon S. , Lloyd Rohan , Da Silva Monica , Coetzee Donne , Moran Jason , Waterworth Sally P. W. , Mathunjwa Musa L. , Shaw Ina
Published: December 2022

Resistance training (RT) is increasingly recommended for incorporation into comprehensive fitness or “exercise as medicine” programs. However, the acute effects of RT, and especially its different sub-types, and how they impact health outcomes are not fully investigated. This study evaluated German Volume Training (GVT) (“10 set × 10 rep scheme”) for its efficacy for its use in health settings. This study utilized a randomized crossover design with subjects serving as their own controls to establish baseline values. Subjects were blinded to the study hypothesis. Subjects performed a single session of GVT or no exercise, in a randomised order separated by a 1-week washout period. Outcomes were assessed before and immediately post-exercise. GVT significantly (p < 0.05) decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP), but increased heart rate (HR), rate pressure product (RPP) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). No changes were found in the measured spirometry parameters. Increases were observed in carbon dioxide production (VCO2) and minute ventilation (VE), but not respiratory exchange ratio. Post hoc analysis demonstrated that post-GVT values were significantly lower for SBP (p = 0.017; d = 1.00), DBP (p = 0.013; d = 0.90), MAP (p = 0.024; d = 1.06), and VCO2 (p = 0.009; d = −1.32), and significantly higher for RPP (p = 0.001; d = −3.11), RPE (p = 0.001; d = −14.14), and HR (p = 0.001; d = −3.00). This study indicates that acute GVT promotes post-exercise hypotension and is of sufficient intensity to increase both objective HR and subjective RPE intensities appropriately for use in a variety of health promotion settings.
Normative values and integrated score of functional fitness among Chinese community-dwelling older adults in Suzhou
Authors: Xu Jing , Chen Ya , Li Jiaojiao , Zhang Hui , Shi Minhao , Meng Hongyan , Wang Li
Published: December 2022

Objectives: This study was performed to establish the normative values and integrated score of the functional fitness on the basis of the senior fitness test (SFT) among Chinese community-dwelling older adults in Suzhou.

Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 1,122 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years old and above were recruited at Suzhou, China, by using a multistage stratified sampling method and accepted the SFT measurements. Sex- and age-specific normative values of each index of the SFT were established by using the percentile method. The SFT integrated score was established using factor analysis according to the data of 70% of the participants (construction group) and verified using the error rate from the data of the remaining 30% of the participants (verification group).

Results: Normative-referenced percentile values at the 5th, 10th, 25th, 35th, 50th, 65th, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentiles for each index of SFT were established for the men and women among the different age groups. Five indices of the SFT, namely, 2-min step test, 30-s arm curl, 30-s chair stand, chair sit-and-reach, and 8-ft up-and-go (TUGT), gradually declined with age in both sexes (p < .05). The SFT integrated score was calculated as follows: F = 3.8 × 2-min step test + 3.8 × 30-s arm curl + 3.8 × 30-s chair stand + 2.2 × back starch + 2.6 × chair sit-and-reach + 4 × TUGT − .04 × BMI. The formula was verified using the error rate. The error rates of the verification group compared with the construction group in each grade score of SFT were lower than 5%.

Conclusion: Based on the data from the community-dwelling older adults in Suzhou, China, the functional fitness normative values for each index of the SFT and the integrated score of SFT were established. The SFT integrated score formula was verified to be reasonable and effective.
Deep learning-based recognition and segmentation of intracranial aneurysms under small sample size
Authors: Zhu Guangyu , Luo Xueqi , Yang Tingting , Cai Li , Yeo Joon Hock , Yan Ge , Yang Jian
Published: December 2022

The manual identification and segmentation of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) involved in the 3D reconstruction procedure are labor-intensive and prone to human errors. To meet the demands for routine clinical management and large cohort studies of IAs, fast and accurate patient-specific IA reconstruction becomes a research Frontier. In this study, a deep-learning-based framework for IA identification and segmentation was developed, and the impacts of image pre-processing and convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures on the framework’s performance were investigated. Three-dimensional (3D) segmentation-dedicated architectures, including 3D UNet, VNet, and 3D Res-UNet were evaluated. The dataset used in this study included 101 sets of anonymized cranial computed tomography angiography (CTA) images with 140 IA cases. After the labeling and image pre-processing, a training set and test set containing 112 and 28 IA lesions were used to train and evaluate the convolutional neural network mentioned above. The performances of three convolutional neural networks were compared in terms of training performance, segmentation performance, and segmentation efficiency using multiple quantitative metrics. All the convolutional neural networks showed a non-zero voxel-wise recall (V-Recall) at the case level. Among them, 3D UNet exhibited a better overall segmentation performance under the relatively small sample size. The automatic segmentation results based on 3D UNet reached an average V-Recall of 0.797 ± 0.140 (3.5% and 17.3% higher than that of VNet and 3D Res-UNet), as well as an average dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 0.818 ± 0.100, which was 4.1%, and 11.7% higher than VNet and 3D Res-UNet. Moreover, the average Hausdorff distance (HD) of the 3D UNet was 3.323 ± 3.212 voxels, which was 8.3% and 17.3% lower than that of VNet and 3D Res-UNet. The three-dimensional deviation analysis results also showed that the segmentations of 3D UNet had the smallest deviation with a max distance of +1.4760/−2.3854 mm, an average distance of 0.3480 mm, a standard deviation (STD) of 0.5978 mm, a root mean square (RMS) of 0.7269 mm. In addition, the average segmentation time (AST) of the 3D UNet was 0.053s, equal to that of 3D Res-UNet and 8.62% shorter than VNet. The results from this study suggested that the proposed deep learning framework integrated with 3D UNet can provide fast and accurate IA identification and segmentation.
Genetic mapping of a pollinator preference trait: Nectar volume in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
Authors: Barstow Ashley C. , Prasifka Jarrad R. , Attia Ziv , Kane Nolan C. , Hulke Brent S.
Published: December 2022

Although high pollinator visitation is crucial to ensure the yields of pollinator-dependent crops, the quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling nectar volume in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), a pollinator preference trait, have yet to be identified. To address this, a recombinant inbred line mapping population, derived from lines with contrasting nectar volume, was used to identify loci responsible for the phenotype. As a result, linkage mapping and QTL analysis discovered major loci on chromosomes 2 and 16 that are associated with variation in nectar volume in sunflower. Increased nectar volume is also associated with increased sugars and total energy available per floret. The regions on chromosomes 2 and 16 associated with the nectar phenotype exhibit indications of chromosome structural variation, such that the phenotype is associated with rearrangements affecting regions containing hundreds of genes. Candidate genes underlying QTL on chromosomes 9 and 16 are homologous to genes with nectary function in Arabidopsis. These results have implications for sunflower breeding, to enhance pollination efficiency in sunflower, as well as current and future studies on sunflower evolution.
Transcriptome analysis reveals the mechanisms for mycorrhiza-enhanced salt tolerance in rice
Authors: Hsieh Chen , Chen Yun-Hsin , Chang Kai-Chieh , Yang Shu-Yi
Published: December 2022

More than half of the global population relies on rice as a staple food, but salinization of soil presents a great threat to rice cultivation. Although previous studies have addressed the possible benefits of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis for rice under salinity stress, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we found that mycorrhizal rice had better shoot and reproductive growth and a significantly higher K+/Na+ratio in the shoot. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity in rice shoots was also improved by AM symbiosis. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms required for AM-improved salt tolerance, transcriptome analysis revealing the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on the response to AM symbiosis, salinity or specific tissue was performed. Thirteen percent of DEGs showed tissue-preferred responses to both AM symbiosis and salt stress and might be the key genes contributing to AM-enhanced salt tolerance. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis identified GO terms specifically appearing in this category, including cell wall, oxidoreductase activity, reproduction and ester-related terms. Interestingly, GO terms related to phosphate (Pi) homeostasis were also found, suggesting the possible role of the Pi-related signaling pathway involved in AM-enhanced salt tolerance. Intriguingly, under nonsaline conditions, AM symbiosis influenced the expression of these genes in a similar way as salinity, especially in the shoots. Overall, our results indicate that AM symbiosis may possibly use a multipronged approach to influence gene expression in a way similar to salinity, and this modification could help plants be prepared for salt stress.
A lightweight convolutional neural network for recognition of severity stages of maydis leaf blight disease of maize
Authors: Haque Md. Ashraful , Marwaha Sudeep , Arora Alka , Deb Chandan Kumar , Misra Tanuj , Nigam Sapna , Hooda Karambir Singh
Published: December 2022

Maydis leaf blight (MLB) of maize (Zea Mays L.), a serious fungal disease, is capable of causing up to 70% damage to the crop under severe conditions. Severity of diseases is considered as one of the important factors for proper crop management and overall crop yield. Therefore, it is quite essential to identify the disease at the earliest possible stage to overcome the yield loss. In this study, we created an image database of maize crop, MDSD (Maydis leaf blight Disease Severity Dataset), containing 1,760 digital images of MLB disease, collected from different agricultural fields and categorized into four groups viz. healthy, low, medium and high severity stages. Next, we proposed a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify the severity stages of MLB disease. The proposed network is a simple CNN framework augmented with two modified Inception modules, making it a lightweight and efficient multi-scale feature extractor. The proposed network reported approx. 99.13% classification accuracy with the f1-score of 98.97% on the test images of MDSD. Furthermore, the class-wise accuracy levels were 100% for healthy samples, 98% for low severity samples and 99% for the medium and high severity samples. In addition to that, our network significantly outperforms the popular pretrained models, viz. VGG16, VGG19, InceptionV3, ResNet50, Xception, MobileNetV2, DenseNet121 and NASNetMobile for the MDSD image database. The experimental findings revealed that our proposed lightweight network is excellent in identifying the images of severity stages of MLB disease despite complicated background conditions.
Global transcriptomic analysis reveals candidate genes associated with different phosphorus acquisition strategies among soybean varieties
Authors: Yang Tongli , Yang Songhua , Chen Zhu , Tan Yuechen , Bol Roland , Duan Honglang , He Jin
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Soybean adapts to phosphorus-deficient soils through three important phosphorus acquisition strategies, namely altered root conformation, exudation of carboxylic acids, and symbiosis with clumping mycorrhizal fungi. However, the trade-offs and regulatory mechanisms of these three phosphorus acquisition strategies in soybean have not been researched.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the responses of ten different soybean varieties to low soil phosphorus availability by determining biomass, phosphorus accumulation, root morphology, exudation, and mycorrhizal colonization rate. Furthermore, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying root phosphorus acquisition strategies were examined among varieties with different low-phosphorus tolerance using transcriptome sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis.

Results and discussion

The results showed that two types of phosphorus acquisition strategies—“outsourcing” and “do-it-yourself”—were employed by soybean varieties under low phosphorus availability. The “do-it-yourself” varieties, represented by QD11, Zh30, and Sd, obtained sufficient phosphorus by increasing their root surface area and secreting carboxylic acids. In contrast, the “outsourcing” varieties, represented by Zh301, Zh13, and Hc6, used increased symbiosis with mycorrhizae to obtain phosphorus owing to their large root diameters. Transcriptome analysis showed that the direction of acetyl-CoA metabolism could be the dividing line between the two strategies of soybean selection. ERF1 and WRKY1 may be involved in the regulation of phosphorus acquisition strategies for soybeans grown under low P environments. These findings will enhance our understanding of phosphorus acquisition strategies in soybeans. In addition, they will facilitate the development of breeding strategies that are more flexible to accommodate a variety of production scenarios in agriculture under low phosphorus environments.
Identification of two tandem genes associated with primary rosette branching in flowering Chinese cabbage
Authors: Guan Jian , Li Jinyan , Yao Qingyu , Liu Zhiyong , Feng Hui , Zhang Yun
Published: December 2022

Branching is an important agronomic trait determining plant architecture and yield; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying branching in the stalk vegetable, flowering Chinese cabbage, remain unclear. The present study identified two tandem genes responsible for primary rosette branching in flowering Chinese cabbage by GradedPool-Seq (GPS) combined with Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) genotyping. A 900 kb candidate region was mapped in the 28.0−28.9 Mb interval of chromosome A07 through whole-genome sequencing of three graded-pool samples from the F2 population derived by crossing the branching and non-branching lines. KASP genotyping narrowed the candidate region to 24.6 kb. Two tandem genes, BraA07g041560.3C and BraA07g041570.3C, homologous to AT1G78440 encoding GA2ox1 oxidase, were identified as the candidate genes. The BraA07g041560.3C sequence was identical between the branching and non-branching lines, but BraA07g041570.3C had a synonymous single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) mutation in the first exon (290th bp, A to G). In addition, an ERE cis-regulatory element was absent in the promoter of BraA07g041560.3C, and an MYB cis-regulatory element in the promoter of BraA07g041570.3C in the branching line. Gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment decreased the primary rosette branch number in the branching line, indicating the significant role of GA in regulating branching in flowering Chinese cabbage. These results provide valuable information for revealing the regulatory mechanisms of branching and contributing to the breeding programs of developing high-yielding species in flowering Chinese cabbage.
Can visual language convey tactile experience? A study of the tactile compensation effect of visual language for online products
Authors: Leng Xionghui , Zhou Xiaoyu , Wang Shuting , Xiang Yibin
Published: December 2022

Introduction

There is a common phenomenon of tactile missing in online retail. How to realize consumer tactile compensation is a consensus problem in the field of e-commerce. More and more marketeers and scholars convey their ideas via visual display, but few researches have focused on the tactile compensatory effect of visual language.

Methods

Study 1 collected data from nearly 13,000 online purchases to analyze the impact of haptic cues on sales in real online shopping platforms; Study 2 used a experimental research method to design three experimental groups: hand haptic cue group vs. Object haptic cue group vs. control group (N = 165) to investigate whether the main effect of haptic cues and the dual mediating effect of mental simulation held. Study 3 also adopted a simulated experimental research approach to design a two-factor group: 2 (haptic cue: hand vs. object) × 2 (product type: tactile functional product vs. tactile experiential product) (N = 198). To further explore whether the moderating effect of product type holds based on Study 2.

Results

Therefore, based on the visualization theory and mental simulation theory, and through a second-hand data experiment and two simulated experiments, this study confirmed that visual language did have a compensation effect on tactile missing specifically. Haptic cues in metaphorical visual language can actively compensate for consumers’ tactile loss, thus affecting the purchase intention. Mental simulation plays a mediating role in the tactile compensation effect. Product type has a moderating effect, and the use of hand (object) haptic cues in metaphorical visual language in tactile functional products (tactile experiential products) can lead to a more active purchase intention.

Discussion

This study not only enriches the theoretical research on the tactile compensation effect of visual language, but also provides valuable management enlightenment for e-commerce enterprises to improve the effectiveness of online product display and online sensory marketing strategies.
The effect of mobile phone addiction on perceived stress and mediating role of ruminations: Evidence from Chinese and Czech university students
Authors: Liu Hongyang , Novotný Jan Sebastian , Váchová Lucie
Published: December 2022

Introduction

The rise in the capabilities of mobile devices and the associated increase in the proportion of time we spend on them has not only positive benefits but also several risks, including mobile phone addiction and its consequences. The complex mechanisms of the impact of this addiction on mental health, especially in a cross-cultural context, however, remain relatively unknown. The aim of this cross-cultural study was to investigate the mediating role of rumination on the association between mobile phone addiction and perceived stress.

Methods

A population of 358 Chinese and 282 Czech university students was tested using a battery of validated psychological tests that included a short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Ruminative Response Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale.

Results

The results showed significant cross-cultural differences with Czech students manifesting greater rumination (d = 0.79) and perceived stress (d = 0.42) and Chinese students showing greater mobile phone addiction (d = 1.01). Mediation analyses showed that the effect of mobile phone addiction on stress levels was mediated through the rumination in both populations (45.6% and 80.9% of the explained variance for Chinese and Czech students, respectively) and did not differ between the two countries (estimate of difference [95%CI] = −0.052[−0.166, 0.037], p = 0.27). In contrast, the significant direct effect of mobile phone addiction on perceived stress was only present in Chinese students, where it was marginally larger than the indirect effect. In Czech students, the direct effect was not manifested and the difference between countries was significant (estimate of difference [95%CI] = 0.242 [0.035, 0.413], p < 0.001). In all of the cases, the association between the variables was positive, i.e., as one grew, so did the other. Finally, a moderated-mediation analysis confirmed that country of origin significantly moderated only the direct relationship between mobile phone dependence and perceived stress (p = 0.002).

Discussion

These results suggest that the mechanism of interaction between excessive mobile phone use and perceived stress is culturally conditioned, which may limit the transferability of research findings in a global context and requires further cross-cultural studies.
The relationship between HIV-related stigma and HIV self-management among men who have sex with men: The chain mediating role of social support and self-efficacy
Authors: Tao Yan , Xiao Xueling , Ma Jun , Wang Honghong
Published: December 2022

HIV infection becomes a manageable disease, and self-management is one of the key indicators of achieving optimal health outcomes. Men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV face many psychosocial challenges when managing HIV infection, such as sexual minority pressure and HIV-related stigma. Higher perceived HIV-related stigma had been related to low self-management. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between HIV-related stigma and HIV self-management are unclear. Two possible mediators include social support and self-efficacy. This study aimed to examine the relationship between HIV-related stigma and HIV self-management among MSM living with HIV and to explore the single mediating effect of social support and self-efficacy and the chain mediating effect of these two variables on this relationship in China. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Changsha City, Hunan province, China. A total of 459 MSM living with HIV completed questionnaires regarding sociodemographic and disease-related information, HIV-related stigma, social support, self-efficacy, and HIV self-management. Descriptive statistics analysis, one-way ANOVA, independent t-tests, Pearson’s bivariate correlation, and multiple regression were conducted using the SPSS v24.0. Process macro in SPSS was used to analyze the single and chain mediating effect among variables. Our findings showed that the indirect and total effect of HIV-related stigma on HIV self-management was significant, while the direct effect was not statistically significant. Social support and self-efficacy mediated the relationship between HIV-related stigma and HIV self-management, respectively. Moreover, the chain mediating model confirmed that the association between HIV-related stigma and HIV self-management was mediated by social support and self-efficacy sequentially. Future interventions focusing on improving HIV self-management among MSM living with HIV should consider a multi-faced approach.
Skills and abilities to thrive in remote work: What have we learned
Authors: Henke Jonn B. , Jones Samantha K. , O’Neill Thomas A.
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid acceleration in the number of individuals engaging in remote work. This presented an opportunity to study individuals that were not voluntarily working remotely pre-pandemic and examine how they adapted and learned to achieve success in a remote work environment, at an organization that did not have substantial prior experience managing remote work. We used a semi-structured interview process to interview participants (n = 59) who occupied both Individual Contributor and Leadership levels at an organization and broadly representative across several important demographic characteristics. We asked participants to discuss what factors at individual, team, and organizational levels contributed positively toward their remote work experience, which factors presented challenges to remote work, and what could be done to ensure success with remote work in the future. Interviews were analyzed utilizing a thematic analysis approach and summarized into common themes pertaining to factors that influence success in a remote working environment. Themes were used to identify specific skillsets particularly relevant to remote work that would benefit from training, as well as important organizational culture changes and policies needed to support remote workers and ensure their success. We present these and other findings in relation to current research and provide recommendations for practitioners.
Maladaptive coping among military-connected adolescents: Examining combined risk using QCA
Authors: Gilreath Tamika D. , Montiel Ishino Francisco A. , Sullivan Kathrine S. , Okoror Titilayo A.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Military-connected students in public schools face a unique set of stressors that may impact their wellbeing and academic functioning.

Methods

Twenty-four youth in the 7th to 12th grades who had an active-duty parent (mother or father) serving in the U.S. Armed Forces were interviewed. Participants completed a qualitative interview while actively completing a Life History Calendar (LHC) to mark deployment and family military service milestones and discuss how they impacted the youth respondent. This study used Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to explore the interplay and combination of specific stressors related to relocation and deployment experiences among adolescents, and to determine key factors associated with maladaptive outcomes.

Results

The results of the QCA analysis identified bullying experiences and negative experiences with other military-connected youth as conditions that are associated with maladaptive coping.

Discussion

Chronic and acute stressors in adolescence are established risk factors for mental, emotional, and behavioral problems in the short and long-term including suicidality, substance use and abuse, and substance use disorders. Through qualitative inquiry we were able to identify specific contextual details related to maladaptive coping that can be used to further refine areas of focus for research, prevention, and interventions for military-connected adolescents.
Will executive equity incentives affect investor relations management: Empirical evidence from Chinese listed companies
Authors: Shi Xiaofei , Liu Zunhu , Wang Yuanfang
Published: December 2022

How to improve the level of investor relationship management of listed companies and establish trust relationship with investors is an important research issue for enterprises in the capital market. From the perspective of optimal contracting theory, we construct a theoretical model to assess how executive equity incentive plans (EEIPs) affect enterprises’ investor relationship management. For the analysis purpose, this study looks into panel data issues in depth by using approaches the fixed effect (FE) method, and the study employs the propensity score matching (PSM), instrumental variable method, and core indicator substitution method to test the robustness of the conclusions. Based on the panel data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2014 to 2019, our baseline results indicate that EEIPs improves investor relations. This positive effect mainly exists in stock options, rather than restricted stocks. In the sample of enterprises implementing EEIPs, the intensity of executive equity incentive is positively correlated with investor relationship management. Further research shows that EEIPs mainly through telephone communication, network communication and on-site communication to achieve the impact of listed companies investor relationship management. These findings enriches the economics of executive equity incentives from the perspective of investor relations management. At the same time, it has certain guiding significance for improving the design of the incentive system for corporate executives and improving the information efficiency of the capital market.
Face identity and facial expression representations with adaptation paradigms: New directions for potential applications
Authors: Minemoto Kazusa , Ueda Yoshiyuki
Published: December 2022

Adaptation and aftereffect are well-known procedures for exploring our neural representation of visual stimuli. It has been reported that they occur in face identity, facial expressions, and low-level visual features. This method has two primary advantages. One is to reveal the common or shared process of faces, that is, the overlapped or discrete representation of face identities or facial expressions. The other is to investigate the coding system or theory of face processing that underlies the ability to recognize faces. This study aims to organize recent research to guide the reader into the field of face adaptation and its aftereffect and to suggest possible future expansions in the use of this paradigm. To achieve this, we reviewed the behavioral short-term aftereffect studies on face identity (i.e., who it is) and facial expressions (i.e., what expressions such as happiness and anger are expressed), and summarized their findings about the neural representation of faces. First, we summarize the basic characteristics of face aftereffects compared to simple visual features to clarify that facial aftereffects occur at a different stage and are not inherited or combinations of low-level visual features. Next, we introduce the norm-based coding hypothesis, which is one of the theories used to represent face identity and facial expressions, and adaptation is a commonly used procedure to examine this. Subsequently, we reviewed studies that applied this paradigm to immature or impaired face recognition (i.e., children and individuals with autism spectrum disorder or prosopagnosia) and examined the relationships between their poor recognition performance and representations. Moreover, we reviewed studies dealing with the representation of non-presented faces and social signals conveyed via faces and discussed that the face adaptation paradigm is also appropriate for these types of examinations. Finally, we summarize the research conducted to date and propose a new direction for the face adaptation paradigm.
The association between lower socioeconomic position and functional limitations is partially mediated by obesity in older adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Witkam Rozemarijn , Verstappen Suzanne M. M. , Gwinnutt James M. , Cook Michael J. , O'Neill Terence W. , Cooper Rachel , Humphreys Jennifer
Published: December 2022

Objective

To assess the longitudinal associations of socioeconomic position (SEP) with functional limitations and knee joint replacement surgery (JRS) in people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA), and whether body mass index (BMI) mediated these relationships.

Methods

Data came from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a national longitudinal panel study of adults aged ≥50 years. A total of 1,499 participants (62.3% female; mean age 66.5 (standard deviation (SD) 9.4) years; 47.4% obese) self-reporting an OA diagnosis and knee pain, with at least one BMI measurement were included. Mixed effect models estimated longitudinal associations of each SEP variable (education, occupation, income, wealth and deprivation index) and obesity (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2) with repeated measures of functional limitations. Cox regression analyses estimated associations between SEP indicators and obesity at baseline and risk of knee JRS at follow-up. Structural equation modeling estimated any mediating effects of BMI on these relationships.

Results

Lower SEP and obesity at baseline were associated with increased odds of functional limitations in people with knee OA [e.g., difficulty walking 100 yards: no qualification vs. degree adjOR 4.33 (95% CI 2.20, 8.55) and obesity vs. no obesity adjOR 3.06 (95% CI 2.14, 4.37); similar associations were found for the other SEP indicators]. A small proportion of the association between lower SEP and functional limitations could be explained by BMI (6.2–12.5%). Those with lower income, lower wealth and higher deprivation were less likely to have knee JRS [e.g., adjHR most vs. least deprived 0.37 (95% CI 0.19, 0.73)]; however, no clear association was found for education and occupation. Obesity was associated with increased hazards of having knee JRS [adjHR 1.87 (95% CI 1.32, 2.66)]. As the direction of the associations for SEP and obesity with knee JRS were in opposite directions, no mediation analyses were performed.

Conclusions

Lower SEP was associated with increased odds of functional limitations but lower hazards of knee JRS among people with knee OA, potentially indicating underutilization of JRS in those with lower SEP. Obesity partially mediated the relationship between lower SEP and increased odds of functional limitations, suggesting adiposity as a potential interventional target.
The dose-response relationship between BMI and hypertension based on restricted cubic spline functions in children and adolescents: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Yani , Min Congcong , Song Xiaoyan , Zhang Heyue , Yuan Chen , Chen Lizhen , Zhang Haiying
Published: December 2022

Background

A high body mass index (BMI) is a major risk factor for hypertension. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the BMI and hypertension in children and adolescents.

Methods

We analyzed physical examination data from 29,810 students aged 6–14 years old. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) function was used to investigate the dose-response relationship between the BMI and hypertension.

Results

The prevalence of hypertension was 9.91%, followed by 11.71% in males and 7.9% in females, respectively. Compared to the normal weight group, the odds risk (OR) for hypertension in the overweight group was 1.729, and the OR for hypertension in the obesity group was 3.089. After adjusting for potential confounders, the adjusted ORs were 1.620 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.457–1.800] in the overweight group and 3.092 (95% CI: 2.824–3.385) in the obesity group. According to the multivariate RCS regression analysis, there was a significant non-linear dose-response association between the BMI and the risk of hypertension (all P-values for non-linear < 0.001).

Conclusion

The dose-response relationship analysis showed that the association strength of hypertension increased non-linearly along with the continuous change of BMI in children and adolescents.
The Story of Legionella: From Surviving Inside Amoebas to Causing Pneumonia
Authors: Al-quadan Tasneem , Abukwaik Yousef
Published: December 2022

Legionella pneumophila is type of bacteria present in natural water sources, such as rivers, ponds, and in man-made water reservoirs, such as water fountains. Amoebas are single-celled organisms that also live in water sources and generally feed on bacteria. However, Legionella are not digested by amoebas and have even evolved to multiply inside the amoebas that try to digest them! This resistance to being eaten by amoebas has enabled the Legionella bacteria to survive in water sources and to be transmitted to humans through contaminated water droplets. Their ability to survive inside amoebas also allows Legionella bacteria to survive and multiply within cells in the human lungs, leading to pneumonia. Therefore, the long relationship between Legionella and amoebas helped Legionella to evolved and to infect human macrophages causing disease.
Learning from innovative practitioners: Evidence for the sustainability and resilience of pasture fed livestock systems
Authors: Norton Lisa , Maskell Lindsay , McVittie Alistair , Smith Laurence , Wagner Markus , Waterton Claire , Watson Christine
Published: December 2022

There is an urgent need for transformational change in agriculture to address current and future issues caused by climate change, biodiversity loss and socio-ecological disruption. But change is slow to come and is hindered by a lack of transdisciplinary evidence on potential approaches which take a systems approach. The research described here was co-developed with the Pasture Fed Livestock Association in the UK to objectively evidence their practices. These include producing pasture-based meat from livestock fed on pasture and pasture-based forages alone. This approach sits alongside wider aims of fitting their practices with the ecological conditions on each individual farm to facilitate optimal production and working collaboratively through a forum for sharing knowledge. The research provides strong indications that the PFLA approach to livestock production is resilient and viable, as well as contributing to wider public goods delivery, despite variability within and between farms. It also reveals that learning and adaption of practice (through farmer experience) is central to farming using agro-ecological approaches. This fluidity of practice presents challenges for reductionist approaches to “measuring” agricultural innovations.
Safeguarding the land to secure food in the highlands of Peru: The case of Andean peasant producers
Authors: Sarapura–Escobar Silvia , Hoddy Eric T.
Published: December 2022

Local or traditional agri-food systems in the Andes depend on community land use planning to maintain the genetic pool of crops and landraces in the face of disease, disasters, and climate change. These systems are managed integrally and on the basis of traditional knowledge around soil conservation, water management and maintaining biodiversity. At the same time, agri-food system research, policy and programming exhibit a limited understanding of local or traditional systems planning and community and cultural contexts. In policy and programming, the treatment of communities as homogenous groups overlooks heterogeneity in local identities, which is reflected for example in different access and use of traditional knowledge among men and women and forms of community organization and customs. The purpose of this article is to respond to this gap by shedding light on the intersecting identities of Andean farmers–peasant women and men–that contribute to the sustainability and resilience of local agri-food systems. Our focus is on intersecting identities and planning processes in particular. We detail the nature and cultural components that make up local agri-food systems in the Andean region and identify policy gaps around identities. To do this, we draw on intersectional feminist thinking, socio-ecological systems and resilience thinking to apply an intersectional lens to the study of planning processes in several Andean communities. Findings identify contributions around soil conservation, biodiversity upkeep, water management, and communal or cultural practices that are shaped by peasant's intersecting identities and their interactions within social-ecological systems. Findings illustrate the importance of multiple social locations, relations, and structures of power, including but not limited to gender, but other categories such as age and ethnicity for the delivery of equitable resilience. We formulate some initial recommendations so that national approaches and interventions better reflect the diversity of Andean people's identities and the way these affect relationships with socio-ecological systems in national and public planning. In particular, we suggest there may be value in exploring further the potential of rights-based approaches for enhancing equitable resilience in Andean agri-food systems. This article should be of interest to academics and practitioners in planning working around local or traditional food systems.