bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Bonding Characteristics of Aluminum Alloy Treated by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation Process and Polymer Resin Bonded by Direct Injection Molding
Authors: Sung Muchang , Yoo Bongyoung
Published: May 2024

Aluminum alloy and polymer resin hybrid bonding technology is essential for lightweight mobile phone frames and automotive components. Recently, there has been extensive research on a method of bonding metals and polymer resins by treating the metal surface and then direct injection
molding. However, this method requires separate surface treatment of the aluminum alloy after bonding to enhance its corrosion resistance. This paper studies the use of Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation, one of the surface treatment methods for aluminum, to achieve the bonding of aluminum and
polymer resin in a single surface treatment step while ensuring high corrosion resistance. We conducted research to investigate optimal conditions by adjusting the process variables of Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation, in order to achieve integration with the polymer resin and measure the bonding
strength and corrosion resistance. The surface characteristics of each Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation condition were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscope equipment, while the bonding strength was measured using universal testing machine equipment. The corrosion
characteristics were evaluated by measuring the corrosion resistance in a saltwater solution.
Evaluating the Stroop Test With Older Adults: Construct Validity, Short Term Test-Retest Reliability, and Sensitivity to Mental Fatigue
Authors: Faria Larissa Oliveira , Frois Thais , Fortes Leonardo de Sousa , Bertola Laiss , Albuquerque Maicon Rodrigues
Published: May 2024

We conducted two studies to evaluate the construct validity, short term test-retest reliability, and sensitivity to mental fatigue of the Stroop task when used with older adults. In Study 1, 40 participants visited our lab on two separate days. On the first visit, they took five screening scales, and we measured their height and body mass. On the second visit, they completed the Stroop task twice with a 30-minute interval between assessments. In Study 2, 15 different participants took a 30-minute Flanker/Reverse Flanker task during the interval between the two administrations of the Stroop tasks and they gave subjective ratings of their mental fatigue on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) prior to taking either of the Stroop tasks. In Study 1, participants showed a ceiling effect on the Stroop accuracy measure, there was strong concurrent validity for the Stroop with significant score differences between the Stroop’s congruent and incongruent conditions ( p < .001), and there was excellent response time reliability (ICC = 0.926) on day two when participants took the Stroop twice within a 30-minute inter-test interval. However, there were significant test-retest performance differences with respect to cognitive inhibition ( p < .001). In Study 2, mental fatigue from the Flanker/Reverse Flanker test resulted in a significantly worse second Stroop performance ( p = .045). We concluded that the Stroop task demonstrated strong concurrent validity and response time reliability among older adults, but it showed sensitivity to mental fatigue, and repeated administrations within the short 30-minute test-retest interval revealed that the most important Stroop measure (cognitive inhibition) was unreliable. We discuss the implications of these findings.
Building an inclusive ecosystem for minority and women entrepreneurs: A case study of Columbus
Authors: Motoyama Yasuyuki , Golatt Henry , Etienne Harley
Published: May 2024

We all agree that it is essential to build an inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem for all kinds of people, particularly minority and women entrepreneurs, as the past studies are clear to demonstrate underperformance of those demographic groups. At the same time, we are only beginning to understand what kind of systemic barriers exist for women or minority entrepreneurs at the regional system level. Furthermore, it requires a different set of knowledge about how we can practically create an inclusive ecosystem. This paper applies the concept of equity planning for the context of economic development. This paper examines a case study of the City of Columbus, Ohio, in 2018–2019 in which the City Government actively promoted to build an inclusive ecosystem for women and minority entrepreneurs. We induce five essential steps that we could learn from this inclusionary practice which provide tangible implications for other city governments, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and other stakeholders of local entrepreneurship systems.
Real-Time Use of SGLT2i Verified in Pre-dialysis: The RSVP Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Wisbaum Aylon , Gaudreau Sandrine , Cloutier Isabelle , Robert Pascale , Kolment Regina , Beauchesne Marie-France , Couture Jodianne
Published: May 2024

Background:

The use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in nephrology practice is increasingly becoming standard of care in patients with diabetes or those with proteinuria.

Objectives:

The primary outcome was to identify the proportion of pre-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) G3a, G3b, or G4 prescribed an SGLT2i and describe their characteristics.

Methods:

This was a retrospective, multicentric, cross-sectional study of patients with CKD followed at 4 pre-dialysis clinics in the province of Quebec, Canada. We collected data of multiple covariates associated with prescribing SGLT2i in patients over 18 years of age with CKD G3a, G3b, or G4. We then performed a multivariate logistic regression to assess their associations.

Results:

Of the 874 patients included, 22.7% were prescribed an SGLT2i. Factors most strongly associated included male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 4.88, 95% CI = 2.38-10.03), being prescribed metformin (OR = 4.30, 95% CI = 2.23-8.31), having type 2 diabetes (OR = 4.00, 95% CI = 1.86-8.62), or having an albumin-to-creatinine ratio greater than 300 mg/g (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.08-3.14). The majority of patients (60.4%) had their SGLT2i initiated by the pre-dialysis clinic and the most frequent adverse event was an initial increase in serum creatinine 1 week after starting treatment (33.9%).

Conclusion and relevance:

An increasing number of patients with CKD are being prescribed SGLT2i. Nonetheless, significant disparities in sex, severity of disease, and comorbidities remain. We suggest that specific strategies be put in place to promote prescribing of SGLT2i in women and other at-risk populations, in particular among nephrology teams, to improve patient care.
Coconstructing a Flexible At-Home Respite Model For and With Caregivers of Older Adults: A Living Lab Approach
Authors: Viens Maude , Carrier Annie , Leclerc Sonia , Giroux Dominique , Dubé Véronique , Éthier Sophie , Audet Mélisa , Provencher Véronique
Published: May 2024

At-home respite services seem too rigid to meet the needs of older adults and their caregivers. It is critical to develop service flexibility, as it allows for personalized care, adapted to health conditions, preferences, and evolving needs. While no prior studies used coconstruction methods to increase flexibility, this study could offer a better understanding of flexible respite for stakeholders. Using a living lab approach, this article aimed to (1) empirically determine the characteristics of this type of respite model and (2) document the levers and obstacles to consider for its implementation. Starting from a pre-existing flexible respite model named ANAAIS, the research team led workshops and interviews. First, the team carried out 2 workshops (TRIAGE and persona-scenario) with a total of 3 caregivers and 8 homecare professionals or managers. Second, a team member conducted interviews with 3 caregivers and 6 homecare professionals or managers. Content analysis was used on the data. The stakeholders coconstructed a Québec version of ANAAIS, a web application allowing caregivers to request an affordable respite, at the time wanted, and offered by a qualified care worker, through a simple application. Levers and barriers to its deployment are linked to the model’s characteristics as well as its internal and external context. For example, relations and connexions were perceived as a lever to deployment, while the lack of resources was considered an obstacle. This living lab project showed the feasibility and pragmatism of coconstructing a flexible and applicable respite service model.
How Celebrity Endorsement Affects Travel Intention: Evidence From Tourism Live Streaming
Authors: Zhang Lin , Shi Da , Huang Zixuan , Zhang Aixia , Zhang Bingchao
Published: May 2024

Celebrity endorsements via live streaming continue to draw attention in the tourism industry. This research examines the effects of such endorsements on tourism live streaming. We specifically compared celebrity streamers to key opinion leader streamers and brand streamers across two types of live streaming (travel live streaming vs. tourism e-commerce live streaming). Drawing on the flow theory, we developed a theoretical framework to explain why and how celebrity streamers can inspire travel intention more effectively than key opinion leader streamers and brand streamers. Results indicate that celebrity streamers’ endorsements enhance travel intention via informativity, entertainment, and interactivity, compared with endorsements from key opinion leaders and brand streamers. This effect is further amplified during travel live streaming.
Multi-channel decentralized decoupling FxLMS algorithm and active vibration control experiment
Authors: Chai Kai , Liu Yong Shu , Hu Bo Jun
Published: May 2024

When vibrations generated by marine machinery propagate through a ship’s hull into the ocean, they produce low-frequency radiated noise with distinct “acoustic fingerprint” characteristics. This noise, characterized by stable and concentrated energy, long transmission distances, and difficulty in elimination, becomes the primary target for enemy sonar detection. Active vibration isolation serves as a critical method for reducing low-frequency vibrations in ships and enhancing their acoustic stealth performance. However, control challenges persist, including multi-frequency excitation, frequency fluctuation, multi-channel coupling, and slow convergence speed. To address these issues, this paper introduced an innovative multi-channel decentralized decoupling filtered-x least mean square (DMFxLMS) algorithm. Firstly, a recursive least squares identification algorithm with a forgetting factor was proposed, taking into account the characteristics of single-input, multi-output and multi-input, and multi-output control systems, effectively enhancing the algorithm’s convergence speed and control accuracy. Secondly, based on the decentralized decoupling control concept, the multi-channel control system was simplified into parallel single-channel control loops. The control weight coefficient updates were only related to adjacent error signals, significantly reducing the algorithm’s computational complexity. Thirdly, an anti-impact link was designed to improve the algorithm’s robustness, considering the interference caused by other mechanical equipment during the control process. The influence of abnormal error signals in the control weight coefficient correction term was suppressed, and a percentage function was introduced to limit the output signal. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the DMFxLMS algorithm were verified through simulations and experiments. The results demonstrated that the DMFxLMS algorithm achieved significant control effects for both constant frequency line spectrum excitation and frequency fluctuating line spectrum excitation, fulfilling the objective of reducing base vibration. The DMFxLMS algorithm exhibited fast convergence and excellent robustness, making it suitable for practical engineering applications.
Police peer supporters in a domestic abuse-specific peer support initiative: Motivations, experiences and challenges
Authors: Ward Rachel , Belkin Liliana
Published: May 2024

Police peer support programmes traditionally focus on mental health issues and experiences of trauma in work. Increased awareness of domestic abuse (DA), its impacts in the workplace, and calls to adopt trauma-informed approaches in the emergency and public services in the UK have culminated in a southern English police force instituting a novel peer support programme for personnel who are experiencing DA. This qualitative study interviewed 16 self-selected DA peer supporters to explore their motivations and experiences in providing support for their colleagues and the application of trauma-informed practice. Findings support previous research on the ongoing prevalence of stigma around help-seeking in the police generally, and this is perhaps even more pronounced for DA. However, the presence of this form of peer support has symbolic value to challenge prevailing culture and foster increased confidence to make disclosures. Findings also indicate value in adopting DA-specific peer support from an organizational justice perspective because this may enable a greater sense of staff well-being. The approaches employed in the DA peer support programme exhibited implicit trauma-informed practice, which could be made more explicit and aligned to wider initiatives of creating a more trauma-informed police service.
*READ**THIS*!! Spam as a threat for open science
Authors: Cohoon Johanna
Published: May 2024

Drawing on multiple sources of qualitative data, I describe a case of open science infrastructure (OSI) abuse. The case illustrates how developers navigated scholarly value tensions and issues of epistemic and platform legitimacy while battling spam on their open science webapp. Notably, their struggle used precious financial resources and drew attention away from other development tasks like feature expansion. This research makes evident that not only is OSI abuse like spam a financial burden, but it puts scholarly information security—specifically, the legitimacy of open science content—at risk. However, protecting against such abuse is not a trivial matter; it raises questions of who is responsible for defining and enforcing scholarly values. The urgency of this issue is magnified by OSI’s relationship to public trust in science.
Foreign Aid, Violence, and Electoral Support in Developing Countries: Experimental Evidence From the Philippines
Authors: Han Jun Young
Published: May 2024

Election-related violence is rampant in many developing countries that receive foreign aid. However, it is not well understood why voters often elect representatives who are associated with such violence. In this article, I investigate why voters might support politicians who resort to violence. I argue that the poor tend to vote for candidates who deliver tangible local benefits through foreign aid projects even when those candidates use violence during election periods. To support this argument, I conducted a nationwide survey in the Philippines that included an experiment about the effects of foreign aid and violence on voters’ electoral support for a candidate. I find that poor voters who reside in a region where basic public goods and services are deficient are more likely to support a candidate whose district has received foreign aid, regardless of her alleged electoral violence. This research sheds light on a mechanism that links poverty to electoral violence in less developed countries. It also reveals an unintended consequence of foreign aid: increasing the likelihood of electoral violence.
Attentional Deficits and Absence Epilepsy: A Tale of 2 Interneuronopathies
Authors: Knowles Juliet
Published: May 2024

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Through the Lens: Insights Into Sudden Death
Authors: Fine Anthony L.
Published: May 2024

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Evaluation of a Medical Fitness Referral Program at a Single Institution From 2015 to 2022
Authors: Lu Zhen Arthur , Ziegler Craig , Tharp Elise , Cole Darby , Price James
Published: May 2024

Purpose: To assess whether biometric data of participants (i.e., weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), heart rate, and blood pressure) would be statistically different from pre- to post-program assessments after completion of a single institution medical fitness referral program. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of randomly selected participants from August 2015 to December 2022. Analysis of variance was performed for each outcome with groups separated by gender, age, and time period relative to COVID. Results: Analysis included 984 participants, 653 (66%) were female, mean age was 55.5 years (SD = 14.9) with 297 (30%) of participants ≥65, and 747 (76%) completed the program prior to COVID. Significant mean reductions from pre- to post-program were seen for BMI (−.43, SD = 1.16), weight (-2.69 pounds, SD = 7.44), BFP (.44%, SD = 2.35%), systolic blood pressure (3.33 mmHg, SD = 14.58), and diastolic blood pressure (2.18 mmHg, SD = 8.65). Additional significant interactions identified: weight difference for participants less than age 65 (−3.16, SD = 8.31) vs participants ≥65 (−1.60, SD = 4.66), P = .003. Conclusions: In this analysis, participants of the program from August 2015 to December 2022 were seen to have statistically significant reductions in the delineated biometric parameters. However, due to limitations, specific conclusions regarding causation cannot be drawn.
TEVAR with fenestrations of all supra-aortic branches for traumatic aortic pseudoaneurysm: Case report and systematic review
Authors: Wang Yashi , Wang Bing , Qiu Chenyang
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Blunt thoracic aortic injuries (BTAIs) involving the aortic arch are a challenging condition. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with fenestration, which expands the proximal landing zone, is able to exclude the injury while preserving blood flow in supra-aortic branches.

Methods

Here we report a case of TEVAR with fenestrations of all supra-aortic branches for traumatic aortic pseudoaneurysm and perform a systematic review.

Results

A 24-year-old man suffering a blunt thoracic injury and a left femoral fracture was sent to our hospital. A pseudoaneurysm was found in the aortic arch between the brachiocephalic artery and the left common carotid artery. The patient underwent emergent TEVAR with fenestrations of all supra-aortic branches, which excluded the pseudoaneurysm and preserved the patency of all branches. The orthopedic team then treated the femoral fracture. The patient’s recovery was unremarkable. We performed a systematic review on TEVAR with fenestrations for BTAI. Six patients (75%) received TEVAR with single fenestration, 1 patient (12.5%) received TEVAR with two fenestrations, and 1 patient (12.5%) had fenestrations of all supra-aortic branches. Except one patient died in the perioperative, other patients survived without stent-related complications in the short-term follow-up.

Conclusions

TEVAR with fenestration is feasible for treating BTAI involving the aortic arch in selected patients.
Clinical activity of pembrolizumab in refractory MDM2-amplified advanced intimal sarcomas
Authors: Ribeiro Mauricio Fernando , Demicco Elizabeth G. , Razak Albiruni Ryan Abdul
Published: May 2024

Intimal sarcoma (InS) is an ultra-rare and aggressive subtype of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). It usually arises in large mediastinal arteries and the heart. In the advanced setting, sequential cytotoxic chemotherapy is often used, mainly based on retrospective studies and case series but with modest benefit. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors is a promising strategy for some STS, but identifying biomarkers of response remains challenging due to disease rarity and heterogeneity. A reactive and pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME) is believed to be associated with better outcomes for patients receiving anti-PD-1-based regimens, generating the rationale to explore this strategy in malignancies with this characteristic, such as InS. We report three cases of advanced InS patients experiencing partial response to pembrolizumab-based therapy despite low tumor mutational burden and absence of mismatch-repair deficiency. We hypothesize that TME-related characteristics such as PD-L1 expression and the presence of tertiary lymphoid structures might explain this phenomenon.
Outcomes of Blood Flow Restriction Training After ACL Reconstruction in NCAA Division I Athletes
Authors: Devana Sai K. , Solorzano Carlos A. , Vail Jeremy , Jackson Nicholas , Pham Derek , Jones Kristofer J.
Published: May 2024

Background:

Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) is a safe and potentially effective adjunctive therapeutic modality for postoperative rehabilitation related to various knee pathologies. However, there is a paucity of literature surrounding BFRT in high-performance athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

Purpose:

To (1) compare the overall time to return to sports (RTS) in a cohort of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes who underwent a standardized rehabilitation program either with or without BFRT after ACLR and (2) identify a postoperative time interval for which BFRT has the maximum therapeutic benefit.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 55 student-athletes who underwent ACLR between 2000 and 2023 while participating in NCAA Division I sports at a single institution were included in this study. Athletes were allocated to 1 of 2 groups based on whether they participated in a standardized postoperative rehabilitation program augmented with BFRT (BFRT group; n = 22) or completed the standardized protocol alone (non-BFRT group [control]; n = 33). Our primary outcome measure was time to RTS. The secondary outcome measure was handheld dynamometry quadriceps strength testing at various postoperative time points, converted to a limb symmetry index (LSI). Quadriceps strength was not tested between the BFRT and non-BFRT groups because of the limited amount of data on the control group.

Results:

The mean age at the date of surgery was 18.59 ± 1.10 years for the BFRT group and 19.45 ± 1.30 years for the non-BFRT group ( P = .011), and the mean RTS time was 409 ± 134 days from surgery for the BFRT group and 332 ± 100 days for the non-BFRT cohort ( P = .047). For the BFRT group, the mean quadriceps strength LSI increased by 0.67% (95% CI, 0.53%-0.81%) for every week of rehabilitation, and there was a significantly positive rate of change in quadriceps strength in weeks 13-16 compared with weeks 9-12 (ΔLSI, 8.22%; P < .001).

Conclusion:

In elite NCAA Division I athletes, a statistically significant delay was observed in RTS with BFRT compared with standardized physical therapy alone after undergoing ACLR. There also appeared to be an early window during the rehabilitation period where BFRT had a beneficial impact on quadriceps strength.
Factors associated with receptive and expressive language in autistic children and siblings: A systematic review
Authors: Muès Marjolein , Schaubroeck Sarah , Demurie Ellen , Roeyers Herbert
Published: May 2024

Background & aims

Language abilities of autistic children and children at elevated likelihood for autism (EL-siblings) are highly heterogeneous, and many of them develop language deficits. It is as of yet unclear why language abilities of autistic children and EL-siblings vary, although an interaction of multiple influential factors is likely at play. In this review, we describe research articles that identify one or multiple of such factors associated with the receptive or expressive language abilities of autistic children and EL-siblings since the introduction of the DSM-5. Our aim was to identify and summarize factors that are linked to language development in autistic children and siblings in the recent literature to ultimately gain insight into the heterogeneity of language abilities in these children.

Methods

The search strategy of this review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The following databases were consulted: Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria for studies were the presence of a sample of autistic children no older than 7 years old who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder per the criteria of the DSM-5. Intervention studies and studies without an explicitly reported language measure were excluded. Risk of bias assessment was completed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scales. Ultimately, 55 articles were included in this review.

Main contribution

Fifty-six factors were identified to be related to receptive or expressive language abilities of autistic children and EL-siblings. They were grouped into three main categories: biological factors; psychosocial and environmental factors; and age-related and developmental factors, each with different subcategories. Although many of the identified variables were only examined in one article, some well-researched associated factors were reported across multiple studies and were present in both autistic children and EL-siblings, in particular joint attention, nonverbal cognitive abilities and frontal EEG power. Better insight in these factors associated with language abilities in autistic children and siblings at elevated likelihood can inform future intervention strategies to reduce language deficits and its corresponding negative consequences in these children.

Conclusions

Our results confirm that multiple different factors likely underlie language deficits in autism. Important aspects that should be considered are, among others, social factors such as joint attention, child characteristics such as nonverbal cognition, and neurocognitive factors.
OsLSC6 Regulates Leaf Sheath Color and Cold Tolerance in Rice Revealed by Metabolite Genome Wide Association Study
Authors: Lv Shuwei , Tang Xuan , Jiang Liqun , Zhang Jing , Sun Bingrui , Liu Qing , Mao Xingxue , Yu Hang , Chen Pingli , Chen Wenfeng , Fan Zhilan , Li Chen
Published: May 2024

Plant metabolites including anthocyanins play an important role in the growth of plants, as well as in regulating biotic and abiotic stress responses to the environment. Here we report comprehensive profiling of 3315 metabolites and a further metabolic-based genome-wide association study (mGWAS) based on 292,485 SNPs obtained from 311 rice accessions, including 160 wild and 151 cultivars. We identified hundreds of common variants affecting a large number of secondary metabolites with large effects at high throughput. Finally, we identified a novel gene namely OsLSC6 (Oryza sativa leaf sheath color 6), which encoded a UDP 3-O-glucosyltransferase and involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis of Cyanidin-3-Galc (sd1825) responsible for leaf sheath color, and resulted in significant different accumulation of sd1825 between wild (purple) and cultivars (green). The results of knockout transgenic experiments showed that OsLSC6 regulated the biosynthesis and accumulation of sd1825, controlled the purple leaf sheath. Our further research revealed that OsLSC6 also confers resistance to cold stress during the seedling stage in rice. And we identified that a SNP in OsLSC6 was responsible for the leaf sheath color and chilling tolerance, supporting the importance of OsLSC6 in plant adaption. Our study could not only demonstrate that OsLSC6 is a vital regulator during anthocyanin biosynthesis and abiotic stress responses, but also provide a powerful complementary tool based on metabolites-to-genes analysis by mGWAS for functional gene identification andpromising candidate in future rice breeding and improvement.
Characterizing dysregulations via cell-cell communications in Alzheimer’s brains using single-cell transcriptomes
Authors: Lee Che Yu , Riffle Dylan , Xiong Yifeng , Momtaz Nadia , Lei Yutong , Pariser Joseph M. , Sikdar Diptanshu , Hwang Ahyeon , Duan Ziheng , Zhang Jing
Published: May 2024

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder affecting 44 million people worldwide, leading to cognitive decline, memory loss, and significant impairment in daily functioning. The recent single-cell sequencing technology has revolutionized genetic and genomic resolution by enabling scientists to explore the diversity of gene expression patterns at the finest resolution. Most existing studies have solely focused on molecular perturbations within each cell, but cells live in microenvironments rather than in isolated entities. Here, we leveraged the large-scale and publicly available single-nucleus RNA sequencing in the human prefrontal cortex to investigate cell-to-cell communication in healthy brains and their perturbations in AD. We uniformly processed the snRNA-seq with strict QCs and labeled canonical cell types consistent with the definitions from the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network. From ligand and receptor gene expression, we built a high-confidence cell-to-cell communication network to investigate signaling differences between AD and healthy brains.

Results

Specifically, we first performed broad communication pattern analyses to highlight that biologically related cell types in normal brains rely on largely overlapping signaling networks and that the AD brain exhibits the irregular inter-mixing of cell types and signaling pathways. Secondly, we performed a more focused cell-type-centric analysis and found that excitatory neurons in AD have significantly increased their communications to inhibitory neurons, while inhibitory neurons and other non-neuronal cells globally decreased theirs to all cells. Then, we delved deeper with a signaling-centric view, showing that canonical signaling pathways CSF, TGFβ, and CX3C are significantly dysregulated in their signaling to the cell type microglia/PVM and from endothelial to neuronal cells for the WNT pathway. Finally, after extracting 23 known AD risk genes, our intracellular communication analysis revealed a strong connection of extracellular ligand genes APP, APOE, and PSEN1 to intracellular AD risk genes TREM2, ABCA1, and APP in the communication from astrocytes and microglia to neurons.

Conclusions

In summary, with the novel advances in single-cell sequencing technologies, we show that cellular signaling is regulated in a cell-type-specific manner and that improper regulation of extracellular signaling genes is linked to intracellular risk genes, giving the mechanistic intra- and inter-cellular picture of AD.
Causal inference between pernicious anemia and cancers: a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Che Bangwei , Yuan Shenglan , Zhang Hongyan , Zhai Jiancheng , Zhang Yang , Wu Chuanchuan , Tang Kaifa
Published: May 2024

Background

Observational study investigated the association between pernicious anemia (PA) and cancers. However, with the exception of gastric cancer, the results are mostly contradictory. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential causal relationship between PA and cancers through bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomized (MR) analysis.

Methods

The European sample FinnGen project provided the genetic summary data for PA and 20 site-specific cancers. This bidirectional two-sample MR design mainly used the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method to evaluate the causal relationship between PA and cancer risk. Benjamini-Hochberg correction was performed to reduce the bias caused by multiple tests.

Results

Our study shows that there was a causal relationship between PA and gastric cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and malignant melanoma of skin, and there was a reverse causal relationship between prostate cancer or gastric cancer and PA (P < 0.05). After Benjamini-Hochberg correction test, there was still a causal correlation between PA and gastric or prostate cancer (P’ < 0.05), while there was only an implied causal association between PA and testicular cancer and malignant melanoma of skin (P’> 0.05). There was still a reverse causal relationship between gastric cancer and PA (P‘< 0.05), while prostate cancer shows an implied reverse causal relationship(P’> 0.05). In addition, MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO tests showed no significant horizontal pleiotropy.

Conclusions

PA may be genetically associated with testicular cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer, and malignant melanoma of skin.
Lens subluxation combined with parry-romberg syndrome: case report
Authors: Tang Yating , Jing Qinghe , Jiang Yongxiang , Lu Yi
Published: May 2024

Background

Parry-Romberg syndrome (PRS) is a rare progressive degenerative disorder of unknown etiology. Here we report a rare case of PRS combined with lens subluxation in Eye and ENT hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai. To our knowledge, it is the first reported case of PRS combined with lens subluxation that has been managed surgically with phacoemulsification and CTR placement and IOL implantation in Shanghai.

Case presentation

A 60-year-old woman was referred for “right visual blur for 2 years” and had persistent right facial paralysis of unknown etiology since the age 12. She had right facial muscle atrophy and paralysis. Eye examination also showed the right eyelid pseudoptosis, enophthalmos, age-related cataract combined with lens subluxation existed in the right eye. The patient was diagnosed as age-related cataract and lens subluxation in the right eye and progressive hemifacial atrophy (Parry-Romberg syndrome). We conducted a combined phacoemulsification, IOL and CTR implantation and pupilloplasty surgery for the patient under general anesthesia and the postoperative UCVA was 20/30 and remained for 1 year’s follow up.

Conclusions

Here we reported a rare case of PHA combined with lens subluxation in China. After appropriate eye surgery, the patient achieved satisfying vision result in the right eye.
Unused, expired pharmaceuticals and their disposal practices among the general public in Burdur-Türkiye: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Köksoy Serkan
Published: May 2024

Background

Unused pharmaceuticals are currently a public health problem. This study aimed to identify unused pharmaceuticals, research practices about the disposal methods, classify the medicines according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes (ATC) and, to determine the number of unused medicines.

Methods

The study was designed as a cross-sectional study. Data were collected between April and August 2023 in Burdur-Türkiye by non-probability sampling technique (convenience method). Pharmaceuticals were classified according to ATC. Statistical Package for Social Science SPSS (V.24) package program was used for data analysis.

Results

A total of 1120 people, 1005 in the first sample group and 115 in the second sample group, participated in the study. Findings of first sample group: A total of 4097 boxes of unused pharmaceuticals (4.7 ± 4.3 boxes/per capita) were detected. It was found that pharmaceuticals were stored in areas such as kitchens (59.1%) and refrigerators (38.6%), the reason for keeping them was reuse (41%), and the disposal practice was household garbage (81%). Paracetamol (648 boxes), Other cold preparation (303 boxes), Dexketoprofen (239 boxes), Diclofenac (218 boxes), Amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitor (190 boxes) were found to be the most frequently unused pharmaceuticals. Using the unused medicines at home without consulting a physician was 94.1% (self-medication). Findings of second sample group: Of the 6189 dosage forms in 265 boxes pharmaceutical, 3132(50.6%) dosage forms were used and 3057(49.4%) were found to be unused.

Conclusion

There is a significant amount and number of unused medicines in households, and self-medication is common. Medicines are not properly disposed of and some of them expire. Public information is needed. A “drug take-back system” for unused medicines can be useful in solving this problem.
Nursing students’ perspectives on patients' safety competencies: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Khider Yasmin Ibrahim Abdelkader , Allam Shaimaa Mohamed Elghareeb , Zoromba Mohamed A. , Elhapashy Heba Mohammed Mahmoud
Published: May 2024

Background

Nurses constitute the largest body of healthcare professionals globally, positioning them at the forefront of enhancing patient safety. Despite their crucial role, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding the comprehension and competency of nursing students in patient safety within Egypt. This gap underscores the urgent need for research to explore how nursing students perceive patient safety and the extent to which these competencies are integrated into their clinical and educational experiences. Understanding these perspectives is essential for developing targeted interventions that can significantly improve patient safety outcomes. The objective of this study was to fill this gap by assessing the perspectives of nursing intern students on patient safety competencies, thereby contributing to the global efforts in enhancing patient safety education and practice.

Methods

In this research, a cross-sectional study design was employed to investigate the topic at hand. A purposive sample of 266 nursing intern students was enrolled from the Faculty of Nursing at Mansoura University. The data were collected using a patient safety survey. Subsequently, the collected data underwent analysis through the application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques using SPSS-20 software.

Results

Among the studied intern nursing students, we found that 55.3% and 59.4% of the involved students agreed that they could understand the concept of patient safety and the burden of medical errors. Regarding clinical safety issues, 51.1% and 54.9% of the participating students agreed that they felt confident in what they had learned about identifying patients correctly and avoiding surgical errors, respectively. Concerning error reporting issues, 40.2% and 37.2% of the involved students agreed that they were aware of error reports and enumerated the barriers to incident reporting, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the nursing student patient safety overview domain and their age (p = 0.025).

Conclusions

Our study's compelling data demonstrated that intern students who took part in the patient safety survey scored higher overall in all patient safety-related categories. However, problems with error reporting showed the lowest percentage. The intern students would benefit from additional educational and training workshops to increase their perspectives on patients' safety competencies.
Nurse perceptions of practice environment, quality of care and patient safety across four hospital levels within the public health sector of South Africa
Authors: Tenza Immaculate Sabelile , Blignaut Alwiena J. , Ellis Suria M. , Coetzee Siedine K.
Published: May 2024

Improving the practice environment, quality of care and patient safety are global health priorities. In South Africa, quality of care and patient safety are among the top goals of the National Department of Health; nevertheless, empirical data regarding the condition of the nursing practice environment, quality of care and patient safety in public hospitals is lacking.

Aim

This study examined nurses’ perceptions of the practice environment, quality of care and patient safety across four hospital levels (central, tertiary, provincial and district) within the public health sector of South Africa.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional survey design. We used multi-phase sampling to recruit all categories of nursing staff from central (n = 408), tertiary (n = 254), provincial (n = 401) and district (n = 244 [largen = 81; mediumn = 83 and smalln = 80]) public hospitals in all nine provinces of South Africa. After ethical approval, a self-reported questionnaire with subscales on the practice environment, quality of care and patient safety was administered. Data was collected from April 2021 to June 2022, with a response rate of 43.1%. ANOVA type Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM) was used to present the differences in nurses’ perceptions across four hospital levels.

Results

Nurses rated the overall practice environment as poor (M = 2.46; SD = 0.65), especially with regard to the subscales of nurse participation in hospital affairs (M = 2.22; SD = 0.76), staffing and resource adequacy (M = 2.23; SD = 0.80), and nurse leadership, management, and support of nurses (M = 2.39; SD = 0.81). One-fifth (19.59%;n = 248) of nurses rated the overall grade of patient safety in their units as poor or failing, and more than one third (38.45%;n = 486) reported that the quality of care delivered to patient was fair or poor. Statistical and practical significant results indicated that central hospitals most often presented more positive perceptions of the practice environment, quality of care and patient safety, while small district hospitals often presented the most negative. The practice environment was most highly correlated with quality of care and patient safety outcomes.

Conclusion

There is a need to strengthen compliance with existing policies that enhance quality of care and patient safety. This includes the need to create positive practice environments in all public hospitals, but with an increased focus on smaller hospital settings.
Evolutionary genomics of socially polymorphic populations of Pogonomyrmex californicus
Authors: Errbii Mohammed , Ernst Ulrich R. , Lajmi Aparna , Privman Eyal , Gadau Jürgen , Schrader Lukas
Published: May 2024

Background

Social insects vary considerably in their social organization both between and within species. In the California harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex californicus (Buckley 1867), colonies are commonly founded and headed by a single queen (haplometrosis, primary monogyny). However, in some populations in California (USA), unrelated queens cooperate not only during founding (pleometrosis) but also throughout the life of the colony (primary polygyny). The genetic architecture and evolutionary dynamics of this complex social niche polymorphism (haplometrosis vs pleometrosis) have remained unknown.

Results

We provide a first analysis of its genomic basis and evolutionary history using population genomics comparing individuals from a haplometrotic population to those from a pleometrotic population. We discovered a recently evolved (< 200 k years), 8-Mb non-recombining region segregating with the observed social niche polymorphism. This region shares several characteristics with supergenes underlying social polymorphisms in other socially polymorphic ant species. However, we also find remarkable differences from previously described social supergenes. Particularly, four additional genomic regions not in linkage with the supergene show signatures of a selective sweep in the pleometrotic population. Within these regions, we find for example genes crucial for epigenetic regulation via histone modification (chameau) and DNA methylation (Dnmt1).

Conclusions

Altogether, our results suggest that social morph in this species is a polygenic trait involving a potential young supergene. Further studies targeting haplo- and pleometrotic individuals from a single population are however required to conclusively resolve whether these genetic differences underlie the alternative social phenotypes or have emerged through genetic drift.
Comparative transcriptomic analysis provides insights into the genetic networks regulating oil differential production in oil crops
Authors: Chen Jinwen , Hu Yan , Zhao Ting , Huang Chujun , Chen Jiani , He Lu , Dai Fan , Chen Shuqi , Wang Luyao , Jin Shangkun , Zhang Tianzhen
Published: May 2024

Background

Plants differ more than threefold in seed oil contents (SOCs). Soybean (Glycine max), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), rapeseed (Brassica napus), and sesame (Sesamum indicum) are four important oil crops with markedly different SOCs and fatty acid compositions.

Results

Compared to grain crops like maize and rice, expanded acyl-lipid metabolism genes and relatively higher expression levels of genes involved in seed oil synthesis (SOS) in the oil crops contributed to the oil accumulation in seeds. Here, we conducted comparative transcriptomics on oil crops with two different SOC materials. In common,DIHYDROLIPOAMIDE DEHYDROGENASE,STEAROYL-ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN DESATURASE,PHOSPHOLIPID:DIACYLGLYCEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE, and oil-body protein genes were both differentially expressed between the high- and low-oil materials of each crop. By comparing functional components of SOS networks, we found that the strong correlations between genes in “glycolysis/gluconeogenesis” and “fatty acid synthesis” were conserved in both grain and oil crops, withPYRUVATE KINASEbeing the common factor affecting starch and lipid accumulation. Network alignment also found a conserved clique among oil crops affecting seed oil accumulation, which has been validated inArabidopsis. Differently, secondary and protein metabolism affected oil synthesis to different degrees in different crops, and high SOC was due to less competition of the same precursors. The comparison ofArabidopsismutants and wild type showed thatCINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE 9, the conserved regulator we identified, was a factor resulting in different relative contents of lignins to oil in seeds. The interconnection of lipids and proteins was common but in different ways among crops, which partly led to differential oil production.

Conclusions

This study goes beyond the observations made in studies of individual species to provide new insights into which genes and networks may be fundamental to seed oil accumulation from a multispecies perspective.
The association between the triglyceride–glucose index and the risk of cardiovascular disease in US population aged ≤ 65 years with prediabetes or diabetes: a population-based study
Authors: Liu Chang , Liang Dan
Published: May 2024

Background

The relationship between the triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the U.S. population under 65 years of age with diabetes or prediabetes is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between baseline TyG index and CVD risk in U.S. patients under 65 years of age with diabetes or prediabetes.

Methods

We used data from the 2003–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multivariate regression analysis models were constructed to explore the relationship between baseline TyG index and CVD risk. Nonlinear correlations were explored using restricted cubic splines. Subgroup analysis and interaction tests were also conducted.

Results

The study enrolled a total of 4340 participants with diabetes or pre-diabetes, with a mean TyG index of 9.02 ± 0.02. The overall average prevalence of CVD was 10.38%. Participants in the higher TyG quartiles showed high rates of CVD (Quartile 1: 7.35%; Quartile 2: 10.04%; Quartile 3: 10.71%; Quartile 4: 13.65%). For CVD, a possible association between the TyG index and the risk of CVD was observed. Our findings suggested a linear association between the TyG index and the risk of CVD. The results revealed a U-shaped relationship between the TyG index and both the risk of CVD (P nonlinear = 0.02583) and CHF (P nonlinear = 0.0208) in individuals with diabetes. Subgroup analysis and the interaction term indicated that there was no significant difference among different stratifications. Our study also revealed a positive association between the TyG index and comorbid MetS in the U.S. population under 65 years of age with prediabetes or diabetes.

Conclusions

A higher TyG index was linked to an increased likelihood of CVD in the U.S. population aged ≤ 65 years with prediabetes and diabetes. Besides, TyG index assessment will contribute to more convenient and effective screening of high-risk individuals in patients with MetS. Future studies should explore whether interventions targeting the TyG index may improve clinical outcomes in these patients.