bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning System Outperforms Clinicians in Identifying Optic Disc Abnormalities
Authors: Vasseneix Caroline , Nusinovici Simon , Xu Xinxing , Hwang Jeong-Min , Hamann Steffen , Chen John J. , Loo Jing Liang , Milea Leonard , Tan Kenneth B.K. , Ting Daniel S.W. , Liu Yong , Newman Nancy J. , Biousse Valerie , Wong Tien Ying , Milea Dan , Najjar Raymond P. ,   for the BONSAI (Brain and Optic Nerve Study With Artificial Intelligence) Group
Published: January 2023

Background:

The examination of the optic nerve head (optic disc) is mandatory in patients with headache, hypertension, or any neurological symptoms, yet it is rarely or poorly performed in general clinics. We recently developed a brain and optic nerve study with artificial intelligence-deep learning system (BONSAI-DLS) capable of accurately detecting optic disc abnormalities including papilledema (swelling due to elevated intracranial pressure) on digital fundus photographs with a comparable classification performance to expert neuro-ophthalmologists, but its performance compared to first-line clinicians remains unknown.

Methods:

In this international, cross-sectional multicenter study, the DLS, trained on 14,341 fundus photographs, was tested on a retrospectively collected convenience sample of 800 photographs (400 normal optic discs, 201 papilledema and 199 other abnormalities) from 454 patients with a robust ground truth diagnosis provided by the referring expert neuro-ophthalmologists. The areas under the receiver-operating-characteristic curves were calculated for the BONSAI-DLS. Error rates, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the algorithm were compared with those of 30 clinicians with or without ophthalmic training (6 general ophthalmologists, 6 optometrists, 6 neurologists, 6 internists, 6 emergency department [ED] physicians) who graded the same testing set of images.

Results:

With an error rate of 15.3%, the DLS outperformed all clinicians (average error rates 24.4%, 24.8%, 38.2%, 44.8%, 47.9% for general ophthalmologists, optometrists, neurologists, internists and ED physicians, respectively) in the overall classification of optic disc appearance. The DLS displayed significantly higher accuracies than 100%, 86.7% and 93.3% of clinicians (n = 30) for the classification of papilledema, normal, and other disc abnormalities, respectively.

Conclusions:

The performance of the BONSAI-DLS to classify optic discs on fundus photographs was superior to that of clinicians with or without ophthalmic training. A trained DLS may offer valuable diagnostic aid to clinicians from various clinical settings for the screening of optic disc abnormalities harboring potentially sight- or life-threatening neurological conditions.
Pharmacologic treatment of depression in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Haussmann Robert , Donix Markus
Published: January 2023

Major depressive disorder and Alzheimer’s disease are common among older people, frequently co-occur and severely impact the quality of life. Unfortunately, data on the efficacy of pharmacologic treatment of depressive symptoms in patients with the neurodegenerative disease remain inconclusive. The heterogeneity of treatment study designs, from varying diagnostic specificity to diverse outcome measures, contributes to conflicting evidence across single trials and meta-analyses. In this literature review, we focus on commercially available products for antidepressant treatment in demented individuals and show how insights from randomized controlled trials could still guide and be aligned with common clinical practice.
SDF, SAP P11-4, and GI Sealants for Managing Initial Caries Lesions Produce Clinic and Payor Savings in Financial Impact Model
Authors: Shah Savyasachi V. , Kibbe Laura J , Heaton Lisa J. , Desrosiers Courtney , Wittenborn John , Filipova Mariya , Zaydenman Kirill , Keeper Jeremy Horst
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Evidence-based noninvasive caries therapies for initial caries lesions recently became available in the United States. Fundamental differences between noninvasive therapies and the traditional surgical dental approach warrant study of the financial scalability.

Methods

The financial costs and benefits to fee-for-service clinics and payors were compared across eleven scenarios simulating the treatment of 1,000 initial lesions over a three-year period. The scenarios included varying combinations of noninvasive therapies (silver diamine fluoride (SDF), SAP P11-4, and glass ionomer sealants), no treatment, and various rates of one to three surface restorations to an estimated current practice model. We used a decision tree microsimulation model for deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. We derived assumptions from an initial lesion and noninvasive therapy-focused cohort study with operations data from 16 sites accepting Medicaid in Alabama as a case study and clinical data from all 92 sites.

Results

In comparison to the current practice model, scenarios that produce mutually beneficial results for payors savings and clinics net profit and profit margin include: SAP P11-4, SDF on non-cosmetic surfaces, and a mix of three noninvasive therapies. When considering the limited resources of chair and clinician time, the same scenarios as well as SDF with restorations emerged with substantially higher clinic net profit.

Conclusion

Scenarios that include noninvasive therapies and minimize restorations achieve the balance of improving outcomes for all parties.

Practical implications

Payors should appropriately reimburse and clinics should adopt noninvasive caries therapies to improve oral health for all.
A dual diffusion model enables 3D binding bioactive molecule generation and lead optimization given target pockets
Authors: Huang Lei , Xu Tingyang , Yu Yang , Zhao Peilin , Wong Ka-Chun , Zhang Hengtong
Published: January 2023

Structure-based generative chemistry aims to explore much bigger chemical space to design a ligand with high binding affinity to the target proteins; it is a critical step inde novocomputer-aided drug discovery. Traditionalin silicomethods suffer from calculation inefficiency and the performances of existing machine learning methods could be bottlenecked by the auto-regressive sampling strategy. To address these concerns, we herein have developed a novel conditional deep generative model, PMDM, for 3D molecule generation fitting specified target proteins. PMDM incorporates a dual equivariant diffusion model framework to leverage the local and global molecular dynamics to generate 3D molecules in a one-shot fashion. By considering the conditioned protein semantic information and spatial information, PMDM is able to generate chemically and conformationally valid molecules which suitably fit pocket holes. We have conducted comprehensive experiments to demonstrate that PMDM can generate drug-like, synthesis-accessible, novel, and high-binding affinity molecules targeting specific proteins, outperforming the state-of-the-art (SOTA) models in terms of multiple evaluation metrics. In addition, we perform chemical space analysis for generated molecules and lead compound optimization for SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) by only utilizing three atoms as the seed fragment. The experimental results implicate that the structures of generated molecules are rational compared to the reference molecules, and PMDM can generate massive bioactive molecules highly binding to the targeted proteins which are not included in the training set.
Beyond the Reading Room: Integrating Radiology into a Longitudinal Integrated Framework
Authors: Porras Fimbres Denisse Cristina , Hatheway Marshall Emily , Musick Alexis , French Robert , Martin Jonathan , Sharma Poonam
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Although longitudinal integrated clerkship models have a growing evidence base and prevalence, the integration of radiology in such models is rarely explored. Institutions that have included radiology in longitudinal programs favor block rotation-style models, which do not capture longitudinal clinical care relationships with patients. We aimed to incorporate radiology learning objectives in a patient-centered and systems-based approach in a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship pilot radiology program.

Methods

Medical students participating in the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship model (N=9) chose imaging encounters from their patient panel or longitudinal clinical experiences and coordinated individual reviews with radiology faculty. 25 unique imaging encounters were required for this pilot program. This replaced discrete, asynchronous half-day experiences across radiology subspecialties that did not leverage patients that Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship students saw in clinic. Post-encounter and end-of-clerkship surveys were distributed to pilot students, and feedback surveys were distributed to faculty. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics; end-of-clerkship data was compared to three pre-pilot academic years.

Results

Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship students logged 237 unique radiology encounters with a maximum individual encounter log of 33 encounters and a mean of 26 encounters. All students were exposed to at least three of the most common imaging modalities: radiographs, computed tomography scans, and magnetic resonance imaging examinations. According to faculty evaluations, 100% of students were prepared for each imaging discussion and were above (39%) or at (61%) the level expected of their training. All students reported an increase in their skills and knowledge related to imaging or procedure indications.

Discussion

Leveraging the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship framework to include radiology experiences was feasible at our institution, and student and faculty survey responses suggest that students meet their faculty expectations and that the pilot provided students with improved radiology knowledge and skills.
Context matters: changes in memory over a period of sleep are driven by encoding context
Authors: Schechtman Eitan , Heilberg Julia , Paller Ken A.
Published: January 2023

During sleep, recently acquired episodic memories (i.e., autobiographical memories for specific events) are strengthened and transformed, a process termed consolidation. These memories are contextual in nature, with details of specific features interwoven with more general properties such as the time and place of the event. In this study, we hypothesized that the context in which a memory is embedded would guide the process of consolidation during sleep. To test this idea, we used a spatial memory task and considered changes in memory over a 10-h period including either sleep or wake. In both conditions, participants (N= 62) formed stories that contextually bound four objects together and then encoded the on-screen spatial position of all objects. Results showed that the changes in memory over the sleep period were correlated among contextually linked objects, whereas no such effect was identified for the wake group. These results demonstrate that context-binding plays an important role in memory consolidation during sleep.
Foreign direct investment by multinational corporations in emerging economies: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis
Authors: Nazzal Ahmed , Sánchez-Rebull Maria-Victòria , Niñerola Angels
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study introduces a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the foreign direct investment (FDI) literature by multinational corporations (MNCs) focusing on emerging economies to identify the most influential authors, journals and articles in FDI research and reveals the fields' conceptual and intellectual structures. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The study analyzed 533 articles published between 1974 and 2020 in 226 academic journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. We used the R language for statistical computing to map author collaboration, co-word and develop a conceptual and intellectual map of the field.

Findings

The results show that, although the FDI literature has many authors, few dominate the field. The International Business Review (IBR) and International Journal of Emerging Markets (IJoEM) are the main sources of the publications. Moreover, bibliometric laws show that our dataset follows the Lotka law of scientific productivity and Bradford law of scattering, identifying the core journals. Finally, FDI by MNCs in emerging economies research is divided into four sub-research themes related to (1) FDI determinants, (2) entry mode, (3) MNCs and FDI performance and (4) the internationalization process.

Originality/value

The current article provides several starting points for practitioners and researchers investigating FDI. It contributes to broadening the vision of the field and offers recommendations for future studies.
An analysis of the 2021 South African FATF mutual evaluation report: terrorist financing and NPOs
Authors: Bissett Bernice , Steenkamp Philip , Aslett Duane
Published: January 2023

Purpose

In the aftermath of the 2021 Financial Action Task Force Mutual Evaluation Report, legislators, supervisory bodies, law enforcement and the like are focusing on preventing South Africa from being greylisted. This paper performs an analysis of the 2021 South African Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Mutual Evaluation, specifically Recommendation 8 and Immediate Outcome 10. The purpose of this paper is to address the concerns raised and assist those tasked with implementing remediation measures.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary sources such as legislation, case law, textbooks and peer-reviewed publications are used in addressing the concerns. A major focus is placed on the evaluation itself, with an analysis of Recommendation 8 and Immediate Outcome 10.

Findings

Despite the non-compliance rating and a low level of effectiveness received regarding non-profit organisations, authorities might not place a large focus on remediating this, as more pertinent issues arise in the report. The lack of focus in this area adds to the likelihood of grey listing by FATF. However, with co-operation from the relevant stakeholders, these low ratings can be improved.

Originality/value

Since the Mutual Evaluation’s release in October 2021 there have not been any papers addressing the highlighted issues in the non-profit sector in South Africa, to the best of the authors’ knowledge. This paper will be the first of its kind and will be of use to authorities as regards mitigating the concerns raised by FATF.
Firm performance in uncertain times: the importance of networking capabilities
Authors: Wegner Douglas , Foguesatto Cristian Rogério , Zuliani André Luis
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Although a body of studies investigates how networking capabilities (NCs) form and maintain interorganizational relationships that affect firm performance, little is known about this relationship in crisis contexts. This article explores managers' perceptions of environmental uncertainties and how this perception influences NC development and subsequent firm performance, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a quantitative research approach to complete this objective, utilizing primary data from a survey of North American firms (N = 212), mostly (62.3%) small- and medium-sized. Data were analyzed via the partial least squares structural equation modeling technique.

Findings

The authors found that managers' perception of environmental uncertainties positively impacts the NCs to initiate and develop relationships, which is associated with better firm performance during crises. The capability to initiate and develop relationships supports the firm's access to relevant resources that may be converted into business performance.

Originality/value

By analyzing managers' perceptions of environmental uncertainties and the development of NCs, the study results expand upon previous research by highlighting that starting new relationships and developing existing ones may be an efficient managerial response immediately after a crisis occurs.
Exploring the impact of music on children at risk of contact with the criminal justice system
Authors: Caulfield Laura , Sojka Bozena
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Previous research has demonstrated the positive impact of participation in a music programme run by a Youth Offending Team in England (Caulfield et al., 2020). While the previous research focused solely on children involved with the criminal justice system, the purpose of this current paper is to report findings from research extended to young people identified as ‘at risk’ of involvement with the criminal justice system, vulnerable, or disengaged.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-methods approach was taken, using quantitative measures of the primary outcomes (educational engagement, well-being, musical development and attitudes and behaviour), complemented and extended by semi-structured interviews with a sample of participants.

Findings

Analysis of the quantitative data from 57 participants showed significant improvements in self-reported engagement with education, musical ability and well-being. In-depth interviews with 11 participants added a depth of understanding about children’s experiences of the programme and the impact they felt, providing a safe space and improved confidence and well-being.

Originality/value

This paper builds on previous research in schools and youth justice settings by presenting findings on the impact of a music programme on the educational engagement and well-being of children identified as at-risk of offending, vulnerable or disengaged.
Irish faba beans (Fabales: Fabaceae) depend on wild bumblebee pollination for marketable yields
Authors: Burns Katherine L. W. , Stanley Dara A.
Published: January 2023

Quantifying the contributions of insect pollinators to crops provides insight into how pollination services should be managed and protected into the future.

Faba bean, Vicia faba var minor (Linneaus), is a widely grown crop globally that can benefit from pollinator visitation, but only from species that are morphologically compatible with the plant's long‐corollae flowers. Here, we rank insect pollinators in terms of their potential importance to faba bean pollination and quantify the economic value of pollination for Irish faba beans.

Our findings demonstrate that bee pollination contributes significantly to the pod set of faba beans, and, consequently, the crop's production value. We find that pollination services account for almost half of Ireland's total faba bean market value, with the pollinator contribution estimated at almost €4,000,000 per year.

We estimate that, relative to other pollinators, wild bumblebees contribute to approximately 70% of the economic value of pollination services in faba bean fields, driven mainly by the contributions of a long‐tongued bumblebee species, Bombus hortorum (Linneaus; Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Based on these results, we suggest that B. hortorum populations be encouraged on farmland through appropriate management to ensure the continued delivery of pollination services to Irish faba beans.
A camera trap survey in the community zone of Lobéké National Park (Cameroon) reveals a nearly intact mammalian community
Authors: Poulain Florine , Breuer Thomas , Fonteyn Davy , Lhoest Simon , Lushimba Alain , Ahanda Yanick Achille , Vermeulen Cédric
Published: January 2023

Estimating the richness and abundance of animal species remains central to any conservation strategy of a given area. In remote and challenging environments such as tropical forests, camera traps have proven to be successful in documenting secretive wildlife communities compared to other survey methods, as they allow continuous monitoring without the presence of a human observer. Here, we used camera traps to characterise the community of medium and large terrestrial mammals in the community zone of Lobéké National Park, in southeastern Cameroon. We deployed a grid of 40 camera traps over a 5‐week period, recording 5156 independent detection events over 1284 camera days. We recorded 35 species, many of them showing high detection rates compared to other sites in central Africa. These results highlight the little disturbance of the studied area within the park despite its accessibility to local communities. These results obtained from a standardised approach using an expanding technology offer valuable information about the wildlife community of Lobéké, and new insights for reconciling human activities with wildlife conservation.
Understanding the increased susceptibility to asthma development in preterm infants
Authors: Anderson Jeremy , Do Lien Anh Ha , Wurzel Danielle , Licciardi Paul V.
Published: January 2023

Preterm birth is associated with aberrant pulmonary development and increased susceptibility to a range of chronic lung diseases. Even in healthy preterms, the prevalence of physician‐diagnosed asthma is far higher than in infants born at term. While physiological, environmental, and genetic factors have been studied extensively, few studies have investigated the immunological factors underpinning this increased susceptibility. Lower rates of atopy and allergic sensitization in preterm compared to term infants suggests non‐allergic mechanisms may be driving asthma development in preterms. Preterm infants are more likely to develop severe RSV and HRV disease and have altered microbiomes compared to term infants. Therefore, investigating the differences in immunological interactions (e.g., response to viral infections, microbiome) between children born preterm and term will aid in understanding the immunological basis for their increased susceptibility to asthma development. This is critical to inform the development of interventions to reduce the burden of asthma in this highly vulnerable demographic.
Bayesian Nonparametric Adjustment of Confounding
Authors: Kim Chanmin , Tec Mauricio , Zigler Corwin
Published: January 2023

Analysis of observational studies increasingly confronts the challenge of determining which of a possibly high-dimensional set of available covariates are required to satisfy the assumption of ignorable treatment assignment for estimation of causal effects. We propose a Bayesian nonparametric approach that simultaneously (1) prioritizes inclusion of adjustment variables in accordance with existing principles of confounder selection; (2) estimates causal effects in a manner that permits complex relationships among confounders, exposures, and outcomes; and (3) provides causal estimates that account for uncertainty in the nature of confounding. The proposal relies on specification of multiple Bayesian additive regression trees models, linked together with a common prior distribution that accrues posterior selection probability to covariates on the basis of association with both the exposure and the outcome of interest. A set of extensive simulation studies demonstrates that the proposed method performs well relative to similarly-motivated methodologies in a variety of scenarios. We deploy the method to investigate the causal effect of emissions from coal-fired power plants on ambient air pollution concentrations, where the prospect of confounding due to local and regional meteorological factors introduces uncertainty around the confounding role of a high-dimensional set of measured variables. Ultimately, we show that the proposed method produces more efficient and more consistent results across adjacent years than alternative methods, lending strength to the evidence of the causal relationship between SO2 emissions and ambient particulate pollution.
HNRNPC suppresses tumor immune microenvironment by activating Treg cells promoting the progression of prostate cancer
Authors: Cheng Yifei , Li Lu , Wei Xiyi , Xu Fan , Huang Xiaochen , Qi Feng , Zhang Yanyan , Li Xiao
Published: January 2023

Immune microenvironment could affect the biological progress in prostate cancer (PCa) through N6 methyl adenosine (m6A) methylation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the crosstalk between m6A methylation and immune microenvironment and explore potential biomarkers to improve the immunotherapeutic response. Firstly, according to 11 differentially expressed m6A genes between normal and tumor samples, PCa patients were divided into immune microenvironment subtype 1 (IMS1) and IMS2 based on m6A gene profiles extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. IMS2 showed an immune “cold” phenotype with worse prognoses, and HNRNPC was identified as the biomarker of IMS2 by the protein‐protein interaction network. Furthermore, through bioinformatics analyses and in vitro experiments, we found that HNRNPC‐high patients showed a suppressive immune‐infiltrating tumor microenvironment with a higher infiltration of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Finally, we cocultured transfected PCa cells with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and verified that HNRNPC inhibits tumor immunity by elevating the activation of Treg cells and suppression of effector CD8 T cell. In conclusion, we identified a “cold” immune phenotype in PCa, and HNRNPC regulating the activation of Treg cells. Activation of the immune microenvironment through targeting HNRNPC may be a potential therapeutic option for advanced PCa.
Association between omentin and obstructive sleep apnea: A meta‐analysis
Authors: She Ningning , Liu Na , Ren Xiaoyong , Liu Haiqin
Published: January 2023

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to multisystem and multiorgan damage, which has attracted widespread attention from scholars. The pathogenesis of OSA is complex, and obesity plays an important role. Adipokine is secreted by adipose tissue, and its abnormal expression may be closely related to OSA. The relationship between omentin (a novel adipokine) and OSA is controversial. This study focuses on the important role of omentin in OSA and explores whether it can be regarded as a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of OSA.

Method

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane library, WANFANG, VIP, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure were systematically searched for retrieving eligible studies until May 2022. Documents were screened according to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were extracted using Excel spreadsheets. The quality of the literature was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0 software were used in this meta‐analysis for data synthesis.

Result

A total of eight eligible studies with 23 databases involving 914 participants were included in this meta‐analysis. Combined data indicated that omentin levels in OSA patients were lower than that in controls (standardized mean difference = −1.54, 95% confidence interval = −2.07 to −1.00, p < 0.001). According to the subgroup analysis results of different races, sample source, gender, and the severity of the disease, compared with that in the control group, the level of omentin in OSA patients was significantly lower. When conducting sensitivity analysis, the results of the study were less stable. Meta‐analysis indicated that there was no publication bias in this study. The omentin levels were significantly lower in OSA patients. The findings suggest that omentin may be a potential marker for the diagnosis and treatment of OSA. However, the heterogeneity of this study is high, and more high‐quality large‐sample studies will be needed in the future.
The impact of puff frequency on respirable particulate matter in mainstream cigarette smoke
Authors: Maiyo Alfayo K. , Korir Benjamin K. , Kibet Joshua K.
Published: January 2023

Background

Inhalation of particulate matter (PM) from cigarette smoke is hazardous to smokers and non‐smokers. This contribution simulates the deposition of cigarette PM on the lung surface by trapping tobacco smoke particulates on Croton megalocarpus biochar. This study investigated one commercial cigarette (MM) and one local cigarette (RR).

Methodology

Biochar was incorporated into the filters of MM and RR cigarettes in order to adsorb PM from mainstream cigarette smoke. A weighed 5 mg of biochar with adsorbed cigarette PM was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The size distribution of cigarette smoke particulates was processed using ImageJ software.

Results

At 15 s puff time, the mean particulate diameters for the commercial and the local cigarettes, respectively, can be classified as coarse ≈ PM10. Conversely, the mean particulate diameter at 2 s puff time for the commercial cigarette falls under the ultrafine classification of ≤PM2.5, whereas at the same puff time, the mean particulate diameter for the local cigarette was approximately PM2.5. Data from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicate the PM in the two model cigarettes contains aromatic structures that feature the C=C bond characterized by an intense absorption band at δs (1600 cm−1).

Conclusions

This study found that PM in mainstream cigarette smoke depends on puff time. Although cigarette smoking was conducted for two model cigarettes, this study can be extended to any other form of cigarette. Moreover, this study emphasizes the need for comprehensive studies on real‐world cigarette smoking conditions, taking into account cigarette smokers who use larger puff volumes.
Green solvents for deoiling pumpkin and sunflower press cakes: impact on composition and technofunctional properties
Authors: Morejón Caraballo Sophie , Rohm Harald , Struck Susanne
Published: January 2023

The applicability of protein‐rich press cake from mechanical seed oil production is limited because of its relatively high residual oil content. To overcome this drawback, pumpkin and sunflower press cakes were deoiled at room temperature by using two green solvents, namely ethanol and isopropyl alcohol. Hexane, which is mostly used in the plant oil industry, was used as a reference. The derived meals were analysed regarding composition as well as with respect to technofunctional properties such as water‐binding capacity, water solubility, nitrogen solubility and colour. Extraction efficiencies of more than 94% were achieved once the solvents were refreshed during extraction. In contrast to pumpkin meal, solvent‐specific differences in the residual oil content of sunflower press cake were discovered, which was lowest for hexane and highest for ethanol. The water‐binding capacity and nitrogen solubility of the meals were improved after solvent extraction. The results indicate that it is possible to replace hexane with more sustainable green solvents such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol to extract residual oil from sunflower and pumpkin press cake.
Ultrawide near‐infrared SrHfO3:Cr3+ phosphor with dual emission bands
Authors: Sun Zhicong , Zhou Tianliang , Liu Ronghui , Tang Xueyuan , Xie Rong‐Jun
Published: January 2023

Near‐infrared phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diodes (NIR‐pc‐LEDs) are superior to traditional NIR‐LEDs in spectral modulation, volume, and cost, and their optoelectronic properties are dominantly controlled by the NIR phosphors, which thus boosts the search for high efficiency and broadband NIR phosphors. In this work, we attempt to realize ultra‐broadband NIR phosphors by doping Cr3+ in self‐emitting SrHfO3 with a weak crystal field. Dual emission bands centered at 770 (host) and 1000 nm (Cr3+) are observed, leading to a wide spectral range of 700–1400 nm. The Cr3+ ions enter the HfO6 octahedron and thus produce an NIR emission with a full width at half maximum of 190 nm and an internal quantum efficiency of 24% under 460 nm excitation. A prototype NIR‐pc‐LED surface light is demonstrated for machine vision by using NIR‐pc‐LEDs that combine the blue LED with SrHfO3:Cr. The work paves an avenue for designing super‐broadband NIR phosphors by doping Cr3+ or other ions into hosts with self‐trapped exciton emission (e.g., halide perovskites).
Integrating Creative Thinking Skills Pedagogies into a Higher Education Visual Arts Course
Authors: Tam Cheung On
Published: January 2023

Although there has been increasing international emphasis on creativity in education, many creativity training programmes have focused on enhancing students' creative thinking skills with few studies on how these skills can be integrated into the teaching of subject disciplines. As a member of a Community of Practice project that ran from spring 2021 to summer 2022 at my university, I worked with ten university teachers from multiple disciplines to develop and implement instructional strategies to foster students' creative thinking skills. The paper documented the development, implementation and evaluation of creative thinking skills teaching strategies for a higher education course in visual arts. Both the development of the teaching strategies and the measurement of the impact on student learning have undergone vigorous research procedures and made reference to the existing literature. The effectiveness of the activities was assessed using multiple methods including the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, a self‐report inventory, and a focus group interview. The results indicated the new learning activities enhanced students' creative thinking skills. They also showed that creativity can be developed through teaching while revealing that playfulness, freedom and structure, group interactions, and problem‐solving activities are beneficial for the development of creative thinking skills. Readers may better understand the different ways in which creative thinking skills instruction materials can be developed and incorporated into teaching of visual arts by making reference to the strategies suggested and the process of development in the paper.
Structural characteristics of patients with superior vena cava foci initiating atrial fibrillation: Analysis with electrocardiogram‐triggered computed tomography
Authors: Oka Satoshi , Yamagata Kenichiro , Nishii Tatsuya , Tonegawa‐Kuji Reina , Shimamoto Keiko , Inoue Yuko , Miyamoto Koji , Nagase Satoshi , Aiba Takeshi , Kusano Kengo
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The superior vena cava (SVC) is the most common source of non‐pulmonary vein foci in atrial fibrillation (AF); therefore, predicting the existence of non‐pulmonary vein foci before the catheter ablation procedure helps construct a proper ablation strategy in preparation for SVC isolation. This study aimed to clarify the structural characteristics of patients with SVC foci initiating AF.

Methods

We enrolled 331 consecutive patients with AF who underwent cardiac computed tomography imaging before radiofrequency catheter ablation treatment, and they were divided into SVC (+) and (−) groups based on the presence or absence of SVC foci initiating AF.

Results

The SVC (+) group (n = 27) exhibited SVC crescent signs—defined as a curve‐shaped SVC with two narrow pointed ends—more frequently (37% vs. 9%, p < .001), and larger right atrial volume (95.6 ± 20.8 vs. 80.5 ± 26.1 mL, p = .004) than the SVC (−) group (n = 304). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the SVC crescent sign (odds ratio, 8.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.21–24.60) and right atrial volume (odds ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.04) were independent predictors of SVC foci.

Conclusion

Patients with SVC foci exhibited more frequent SVC crescent signs and larger right atrial volumes, and these characteristics may help clinicians choose the appropriate ablation technology.
EDITOR SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Brain Imaging Special Issue guest editors Victor Villemagne and Yulong Li
Authors:   JNC Editorial Office, Kwan Kim H. , Villemagne Victor L. , Li Yulong
Published: January 2023

As guest editors of our new Brain Imaging Special Issue, we interviewed Victor Villemagne and Yulong Li to hear their perspectives on the future of neuroimaging research, career development, and academic success. Victor Villemagne is a highly accomplished Alzheimer disease expert and was ranked in the top 1% of neuroscience researchers worldwide by citations in the Web of Science™. Yulong Li develops advanced, cutting‐edge imaging probes to analyze neuronal communication and shares these tools with the world. Yulong is also a Handling Editor for the Journal of Neurochemistry, while Victor is the Senior Editor for our Clinical Studies, Imaging and Biomarkers category.

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Objective, measurable assessment of the elasticity of the skin around the eyes following the carboxytherapy treatment
Authors: Kołodziejczak Anna , Rotsztejn Helena
Published: January 2023

Background

Carboxytherapy is one of the most popular procedures used in dermatology. The treatments are known to be minimally invasive and highly effective for various skin disorders. Therefore, the research carried out in the paper is purposeful and addresses an important area of aesthetic therapies.

Aims

Objective, apparatus‐based assessment of the effect of carboxytherapy on skin elasticity around the eyes.

Patients/Methods

The study included a group of 39 Caucasian individuals aged 35–55 years. Participants were subjected to a series of five carboxytherapy treatments of eye area at weekly intervals. The Cutometer measuring probe was used to assess skin elasticity. Additionally, photographic documentation was out using the Fotomedicus system.

Results

In this study, statistically significant increase in R2 parameter was found as the result of applied treatment. This parameter is considered to be the most important indicator of changes in skin elasticity. In 29 out of 39 subjects, the carboxytherapy treatment significantly improved skin tension and elasticity. Such therapy may also exert a beneficial effect on flexibility since in 28 participants the favorable change in the R7 parameter was visible.

Conclusions

The objective analysis of the impact of carboxytherapy treatment on parameters determining skin elasticity revealed that this therapy can be used as an anti‐aging method in the eye area. Obtained results are in agreement with other biochemical, histological, and photographical documentation analyses of the effect of carboxytherapy on skin, performed by independent researchers.
The vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism rs1544410 T/T genotype as a predictor of factor vitamin D thresholds deficiency in patients with psoriasis vulgaris—A preliminary study
Authors: AbdElneam Ahmed Ibrahim , Al‐Dhubaibi Mohammed Saleh , Bahaj Saleh Salem , Mohammed Ghada Farouk
Published: January 2023

Background

Many clinical features of psoriasis include a rash with itchy, scaly patches, most frequently on the knees, elbows, trunk, and scalp. By studying genes involved with psoriasis receptivity, the pathologic pathways of psoriasis become clearer and more understood.

Aim

To predict the participation of rs1544410 in serum vitamin D levels (SDL) in psoriasis, psoriasis susceptibility, and severity.

Patients/Methods

One hundred five patients with psoriasis were categorized by body surface area as mild, moderate, and severe. SDL and genetic analysis of rs1544410 were performed using polymerase chain reaction and standard Sanger methods.

Result

Our findings revealed that SDL were higher in healthy subjects than in patients. The rs1544410 genotype TT was more prevalent in patients, while CT was more prevalent in controls. Our findings revealed that the T alleles were frequently more in the patient group than in the controls. (p ≤ 0.001). While in healthy normal individuals, the C alleles were frequently more (p ≤ 0.001). SDL are lower in patients with the TT genotype. Patients with moderate form of psoriasis have higher SDL than those with mild or severe form.

Conclusion

rs1544410 polymorphism has been linked to a higher probability of psoriasis and SDL deficiency. However, grander scale studies in a larger number of people are necessary.
Effect of fractional laser alone or in combination on alopecia areata: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Shen Yuqing , Sun Jiayi , Zhu Yuqi , Chen Yi , Hu Yebei , Luo Haixin , Song Xiuzu
Published: January 2023

Background

Alopecia areata (AA) is characterized by limited non‐scarring patchy alopecia, which appears as round or oval patches and is prone to recurrence, causing severe psychological burdens to patients. No specific device has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of baldness, but new treatments are being investigated and treatments such as the excimer laser, He‐ Ne laser, and excimer lamp have been proposed. A growing number of studies have found that fractional lasers also have great potential in the treatment of AA.

Methods

A literature search and meta‐analysis using Review Manager 5.4 software to investigate the efficacy of fractional laser treatment for AA.

Results

Fractional laser combined with minoxidil (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.17–1.49, p < 0.00001) or cortisol (RR 1.39, 95% CI 1.15–1.67, p = 0.00006) was more effective than either drug alone in the treatment of AA. Of course, the fractional laser alone was also effective in the treatment of AA (RR 10.33, 95% CI 2.07–51.36, p = 0.004) and more effective than cortisol alone (RR 1.86, 95% CI 1.36–2.52, p < 0.00001), and there was no effect on the occurrence of adverse effects (p = 0.49 > 0.05). When compared to other physical treatments of a comparable kind, fractional laser therapy's effectiveness was not significantly different (p = 0.15 > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our results show that the use of fractional lasers can effectively treat alopecia areata.
Efficacy and safety of Politranexamide® liposomal emulsion on facial melasma: A comparative study
Authors: Manfreda Valeria , Eleonora Di Matteo , Luca Bianchi
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Melasma is a human melanogenesis dysfunction that results in localized, chronic acquired hypermelanosis of the skin difficult to treat.

Methods

This prospective, randomized, single‐blind, study aimed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of a liposomal emulsion based on Politranexamide® (SAMPLE A) with that of a competitor based on acetylglucosamine, ethyl linoleate and phenyl ethyl resorcinol (SAMPLE B) in patients affected by facial melasma on 26 patients. Disease severity was assessed by the Melasma Area Severity Index (MASI) at baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks of therapy. All patients were subjected to photo documentation using DermaView camera and Antera 3D camera.

Results

The mean MASI score at baseline was 10.93 ± 7 in the group A and 9.34 ± 6.29 in the group B, respectively. A significant decrease in MASI score from baseline was noted in both treatment groups as early as 6 weeks of follow‐up (p = 0.00096 for SAMPLE A and p = 0.0049 for SAMPLE B) and was confirmed at the end of the treatment (p = 0.0006 for SAMPLE A and p = 0.00039 for SAMPLE B). Intergroup comparison revealed a greater improvement of melasma among patients in group A compared to those in group B that was quite statistically significant at weeks 6 (p = 0.055009) and significant after 12 weeks of follow‐up (p = 0.032942). Both treatment groups experienced an improvement in Antera average level of melanin.

Conclusion

Our results suggested Politranexamide® to be a useful and safe therapeutic option in treating melasma, more effective than competitor used in this study.
Nursing adherence, barriers and facilitators to conduct post‐stroke dysphagia screening and assessment: A study based on theoretical domain framework
Authors: Guo Yuanli , Guo Lina , Dong Xiaofang , Yang Caixia , Wang Min , Gao Huanhuan , Lv Peihua , Ma Keke
Published: January 2023

Background

There are an increasing number of evidence‐based recommendations for managing dysphagia in post‐stroke patients. However, it is unclear whether nurses adopt these recommendations in their daily nursing practices.

Aims

This study aimed to explore nurses' adherence, barriers, facilitators and views on dysphagia screening and assessment of post‐stroke dysphagia.

Methods

In this study, multiple methods were adopted. In Phase 1, a general information questionnaire and a knowledge‐attitude‐practice and barriers/facilitators questionnaire for dysphagia screening and assessment were distributed in 55 hospitals online. In Phase 2, semi‐structured interviews were conducted to explore nurses' views on barriers. Descriptive and one‐way variance analyses were used to analyse the quantitative data, while content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. This study adheres to STROBE and COREQ guidelines.

Results

Nine hundred and forty‐two completed questionnaires were collected. Only 36.52% of the nurses screened for swallow function in patients as a guideline. The biggest barrier was ‘memory, attention and decision process’, with an average score of 3.22 (.74). The different stages of implementation had various types and degrees of barriers (p < .001). Five themes were extracted after interviews, namely ‘Inadequate environment and resource support’, ‘Increased workload’, ‘Professional value perception’, ‘Organisational culture’, and ‘Poor knowledge and skill’.

Conclusions

Nurses' practice of dysphagia screening and assessment of patients with dysphagia after stroke were inadequate, and the barriers originated from patients, leadership and the nurses themselves.

Relevance to clinical practice

This research extracted five barriers of guidance adherence for post‐stroke dysphagia screening and assessment and identified the different kinds and degrees of barriers in five implementation stages, providing a basis for nursing managers to break through the bottleneck of guideline implementation.

Patient or public contribution

The nurses recruited in this study completed validated questionnaires in the survey and suggestive answers in interviews.
Body mass predicts personality development across 18 years in middle to older adulthood
Authors: Arumäe Kadri , Mõttus René , Vainik Uku
Published: January 2023

Objective

Various personality traits have longitudinal relations with body mass index (BMI), a measure of body weight and a risk factor for numerous health concerns. We tested these associations' compatibility with causality in either direction.

Method

Using three waves of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (N = 12,235, Mage = 53.33 at baseline), we tested how accurately the Five‐Factor Model personality domains and their items could collectively predict BMI and change in it with elastic net models. With multilevel models, we tested (a) bidirectional and (b) within‐person associations between BMI and personality traits.

Results

The five domains were able to predict concurrent (r = 0.08), but not future BMI. Twenty‐nine personality items predicted concurrent and future BMI at r = 0.21 and r = 0.16 to 0.25, respectively. Neither the domains nor items could collectively predict change in BMI. Similarly, no individual trait predicted change in BMI, but BMI predicted changes in Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and several items (|b*| = 0.03 to 0.08). BMI had within‐person correlations with these same traits; time‐invariant third factors like genetics or childhood environments therefore could not (fully) account for their relations.

Conclusions

Body weight may contribute to adults' personality development, but the reverse appears less likely.