bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in authoritarianism before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Comparisons of latent means across East and West Germany, gender, age, and education
Authors: Heller Ayline , Decker Oliver , Clemens Vera , Fegert Jörg M. , Heiner Scarlett , Brähler Elmar , Schmidt Peter
Published: July 2022

Modern theories of authoritarianism have stressed the importance of threat to the expression of authoritarian attitudes and intolerance. Arguably, authoritarian tendencies may have increased during COVID-19 pandemic, a major threat to life and security. One issue arising when comparing mean scores is that of measurement invariance. Meaningful comparisons are only possible, if latent constructs are similar between groups and/or across time. This prerequisite is rarely ever tested in research on authoritarianism. In this study, we aim to analyze the short scale for authoritarianism KSA-3 by investigating its measurement invariance on two levels (three first-order and one second-order factors) and latent mean changes using two German representative samples (N = 4,905). Specifically, we look at differences before and during the pandemic (2017 vs. 2020). While measurement invariance holds across both levels in all conditions, we find a decrease in latent means in 2020, contrary to expectations and established theories. Moreover, latent means differ with regard to gender, education, and east–west Germany. We conclude that analyses of latent means and measurement invariance instead of mean comparisons with composites should become the standard. Future studies should focus on threat as a moderator between authoritarianism and intolerance, and on possible interactions with context variables.
Firm innovation activities and consumer brand loyalty: A path to business sustainability in Asia
Authors: Yi Lin , Khan Muhammad Saqib , Safeer Asif Ali
Published: July 2022

Background

In recent years, technological advancements have increased the importance of innovation activities. Therefore, firms invest millions of dollars in innovation activities to ensure long-term business sustainability. Similarly, consumer concerns have increased dramatically over the past years. Thus, brand loyalty has become a top priority for firms and consumers. In this background, this research examines how firms’ innovation activities translate into consumer brand loyalty to assure business sustainability in Asian markets, particularly China, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

Objectives

This study’s specific objectives are to comprehend the concept of firms’ innovation activities and their effect on the brand prototype. Examine the effect of the brand prototype on global brand preference, recommendation, and loyalty among Asian consumers. Find out the impact of brand preference on brand recommendations and the influence of brand recommendations on brand loyalty among Asian consumers.

Materials and methods

A total of 814 consumers from Asian countries (China, Pakistan, and Indonesia) participated in this study, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.

Results

The findings indicate that firms’ innovation activities, such as processes, products, and store environment, positively influenced the brand prototype, thereby increasing consumer brand knowledge. Likewise, brand prototype contributes to developing brand preference, brand recommendation, and brand loyalty among Asian consumers. Lastly, consumer brand preference significantly influenced brand recommendation, which positively improves consumer brand loyalty in Asia.

Conclusion

This study concluded that Asian (Chinese, Pakistani, and Indonesian) consumers have favorable perceptions of firms’ innovation activities (i.e., process, product, and store environment innovation), which influences their ability to develop brand prototypes to increase consumer brand knowledge. Similarly, brand prototype fosters brand preference, recommendation, and loyalty. Likewise, favorable brand preference encourages consumers to recommend the brand to others, strengthening brand loyalty. Thus, firms should invest in innovation activities to strengthen consumer brand loyalty in Asian markets. Consequently, this study may assist multinational corporations in increasing their business volumes and market shares in Asia.

Managerial recommendations

This study provides important managerial recommendations. The findings revealed that global managers can develop and implement several branding strategies for sustaining their businesses in the Asian environment.
The Effectiveness of Supportive Psychotherapy on the Anxiety and Depression Experienced by Patients Receiving Fiberoptic Bronchoscope
Authors: Ren Fengjuan , Ruan Dan , Hu Weilin , Xiong Yan , Wu Yuwan , Huang Siyu
Published: July 2022

Objectives

As the largest cohort of healthcare workers and nurses can practice as psychotherapists to integrate the psychotherapeutic interventions as part of routine care. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of supportive psychotherapy (SPT) on patients who had been scheduled to undergo a fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) procedure.

Methods

This study retrospectively analyzed 92 patients who underwent FOB, which was divided into the SPT group and usual-care group based on whether patients were given SPT interventions or not. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to determine the severity of depression and anxiety, as well as the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Moreover, the patients' satisfaction was assessed based on the Likert 5-Point Scale.

Results

The baseline status of anxiety, depression, and HRQoL in patients was similar in the SPT group and the usual-care group with no significant difference. Both PHQ-9 score and HADS-D score in the SPT group after intervention were lower than that in the usual-care group, accompanied by the deceased HADS-A subscale. Moreover, the improved HRQoL was found in the patients undergoing FOB after SPT interventions as compared to those receiving conventional nursing care using the SF-36 score. Additionally, the patient satisfaction in the SPT group was higher than in the usual-care group.

Conclusions

The study demonstrated that anxiety and depression, as negative emotions, can be reduced by supportive psychotherapy in patients receiving FOB with improved mental health and satisfaction with nursing care.
Functional connectivity changes in the delta frequency band following trauma treatment in complex trauma and dissociative disorder patients
Authors: Schlumpf Yolanda R. , Nijenhuis Ellert R. S. , Klein Carina , Jäncke Lutz , Bachmann Silke
Published: July 2022

Objective

Phase-oriented trauma treatment is efficacious in the treatment of complex trauma and dissociative disorder patients. However, the neural correlates of this therapeutic effect are not yet well-understood. In the current study we investigated whether patients show a strengthening in functional network connectivity in the delta frequency band (1–3.5 Hz) over the course of phase-oriented inpatient trauma treatment while they performed an emotion regulation task. Further, we examined whether neural changes were associated with symptom reduction and improvement in emotion regulation skills.

Methods

Before and after 8 weeks of treatment, electroencephalography (EEG) was acquired in patients (n = 28) with a complex posttraumatic stress disorder (cPTSD) or complex dissociative disorder (CDD). They also completed clinical and emotion regulation questionnaires. To delimit data variability, patients participated as one dissociative part that is referred to as Apparently Normal Part (ANP). Patients' data were compared to a matched healthy control croup (n = 38), also measured twice.

Results

Prior to treatment, functional connectivity was significantly lower in patients compared to controls during cognitive reappraisal of unpleasant pictures and passive viewing of unpleasant and neutral pictures. These hypoconnected networks largely overlapped with networks typically activated during the recall of (emotional) autobiographical memories. Functional connectivity strength within these networks significantly increased following treatment and was comparable to controls. Patients showed symptom reduction across various clinical domains and improvement in the use of cognitive reappraisal as emotion regulation strategy. Treatment-related network normalizations were not related to changes in questionnaire data.

Conclusion

Phase-oriented treatment may strengthen connections between regions that are activated during autobiographical recall. These findings encourage further investigation of this circuitry as a therapeutic target in cPTSD and CDD patients.

Clinial trial registration

www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02459340, https://www.kofam.ch/de/studienportal/suche/149284/studie/26681.
Multivariate Pattern Analysis of Lifelong Premature Ejaculation Based on Multiple Kernel Support Vector Machine
Authors: Geng Bowen , Gao Ming , Piao Ruiqing , Liu Chengxiang , Xu Ke , Zhang Shuming , Zeng Xiao , Liu Peng , Wang Yanzhu
Published: July 2022

Objective

This study aimed to develop an effective support vector machine (SVM) classifier based on the multi-modal data for detecting the main brain networks involved in group separation of premature ejaculation (PE).

Methods

A total of fifty-two patients with lifelong PE and 36 matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Structural MRI data, functional MRI data, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were used to process SPM12, DPABI4.5, and PANDA, respectively. A total of 12,735 features were reduced by the Mann–Whitney U test. The resilience nets method was further used to select features.

Results

Finally, 36 features (3 structural MRI, 7 functional MRI, and 26 DTI) were chosen in the training dataset. We got the best SVM model with an accuracy of 97.5% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.986 in the training dataset as well as an accuracy of 91.4% and an AUC of 0.966 in the testing dataset.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that the majority of the brain abnormalities for the classification was located within or across several networks. This study may contribute to the neural mechanisms of PE and provide new insights into the pathophysiology of patients with lifelong PE.
Influence of antipsychotics on metabolic syndrome risk in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Koricanac Aleksandra , Tomic Lucic Aleksandra , Veselinovic Mirjana , Bazic Sretenovic Danijela , Bucic Gorica , Azanjac Anja , Radmanovic Olivera , Matovic Mirjana , Stanojevic Marijana , Jurisic Skevin Aleksandra , Simovic Markovic Bojana , Pantic Jelena , Arsenijevic Nebojša , Radosavljevic Gordana D. , Nikolic Maja , Zornic Nenad , Nesic Jelena , Muric Nemanja , Radmanovic Branimir
Published: July 2022

Objective

Many studies so far have shown that antipsychotic therapy may have an effect on the development of metabolic syndrome in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Our goal was to determine whether our respondents are at risk for developing metabolic syndrome and who is more predisposed to it.

Methods

In a stable phase, 60 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were equally divided into three groups according to the drug (risperidone, clozapine, and aripiprazole monotherapy). Control group had 20 healthy examinees. Patients were evaluated first using The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Prolactin, lipid status, glycemia, insulin, cytokine values (IL-33, TGF-β, and TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Also, Body mass index (BMI), Homeostatic Model Assesment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA index), waist and hip circumference (WHR) and blood pressure (TA) measurement were performed in the study.

Results

Patients treated with risperidone compared to healthy control subjects and aripiprazol group of patients had statistically significant difference in prolactin levels. In clozapine group compared to healthy control group values of HDL cholesterol and glucose level were statistically significant different. In aripiprazole group compared to healthy control group value of BMI was statistically significant different. Statistically significant correlations were found in TNF-α with glucose and HOMA index in risperidone treated patients and with BMI in clozapine group of patients; IL-33 with glucose in risperidone and with BMI in clozapine group of patients and TGF-β with glucose in risperidone group, with insulin and HOMA index in clozapine group and statistically significant negative correlation with LDL cholesterol in aripiprazole group of patients.

Conclusion

Patients on risperidone and clozapine therapy may be at greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome than patients treated with aripiprazole. Statistically significant difference in concentration of TNF-α and TGF-β was in the group of patients treated with risperidone compared to healthy control group.
5:2 intermittent fasting tapers food intake in the refeeding state and ameliorates metabolic disturbances in mice exposed to olanzapine
Authors: Zhang Chengfang , Li Han , Yan Yabin , Zhang Xiyan , Tu Zhilan
Published: July 2022

A considerable number of patients suffer from adverse metabolic reactions caused by atypical antipsychotics (AAPs), however, current management strategies are disappointing to clinicians. Preclinical studies have consistently demonstrated that intermittent fasting (IF) has robust disease-modifying efficacy in animal models in a wide range of pathological conditions, especially obesity and diabetes. However, it is unclear what role IF can play in addressing AAPs-induced metabolic disturbances. In our study, we found that a 5:2 IF regimen significantly ameliorated the metabolic disturbances induced by olanzapine (a drug representative of AAPs) in animal models. Meanwhile, our research suggests that IF altering food intake during the refeeding phase may account for the metabolic benefit. This study provides supporting evidence regarding a potentially cost-effective intervention strategy for AAPs-induced metabolic disturbances.
Gamification-based intervention for enhancing team effectiveness and coping flexibility: Randomized controlled trial
Authors: Cheng Cecilia , Chau Chor-lam
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to evaluate a newly developed gamification-based intervention of serious play training (SPT). A randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of the new intervention program in comparison with a widely adopted cognitive-behavioral training (CBT) program. Real-life work teams were recruited to enhance the ecological validity of outcome evaluation. The participants comprised 250 Chinese working adults (68% men; median age = 25 years, range: 18–40) who took part voluntarily. They were randomly assigned to the SPT, CBT, and waitlist conditions. For outcome evaluation, team effectiveness was the primary outcome, whereas coping flexibility was the secondary outcome. For explanation of outcome changes, group cohesion and discriminative thinking were tested as the hypothesized learning mechanisms. The results revealed that the SPT group alone reported greater team effectiveness over time, with an increase in group cohesion found to explain the improvement. Both the SPT and CBT groups reported greater coping flexibility over time, with discriminative thinking found to account for the beneficial changes. These findings provide initial evidence indicating the efficacy of utilizing the gamification approach in corporate training for team-building and personal coping.
Study on the integrated teaching of English education, mental health and students' wellbeing
Authors: Zhao Qian , Shang Hang
Published: July 2022

Teachers' attitudes, behavior, and practices play an integral role in enhancing the students' learning activities. Teachers' strategies ensure the individuals' professional development by creating a healthy learning environment. The study's primary objective is to analyze students' attitudes toward learning English as a foreign language. The data was collected from the 359 colleges and universities students by adopting a convenient sampling technique. The study shows English self-concept and teacher behavior student orientation significantly positively impact attitudes toward learning English as a foreign language. Motivation for English and English Intentions mediate the relationship between English Self-concept, teacher behavior-student orientation, and Attitude toward learning English as a Foreign Language. The study motivates future studies to focus on the EFL, individuals' learning motivation and intentions in other domains across diverse contexts.
Associations of decreased serum total protein, albumin, and globulin with depressive severity of schizophrenia
Authors: Yin Xu Yuan , Cai Yuan , Zhu Zhen Hua , Zhai Chang Ping , Li Jian , Ji Cai Fang , Chen Peng , Wang Jing , Wu Yi Ming , Chan Raymond C. K. , Jia Qiu Fang , Hui Li
Published: July 2022

Objective

Depression and schizophrenia (SCH) were accompanied by an acute phase response (APR) that was implicated in the alterations in total protein (TP), albumin, and globulin levels. The aims of this study are to examine serum TP, albumin, globulin levels, depressive symptoms, and their associations in patients with SCH.

Methods

We recruited 34 patients with SCH and 136 healthy controls (HCs) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Psychiatric symptoms and biomarkers were assessed using the Chinese version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) as well as the bromocresol green and biuret methods.

Results

Serum TP (F= 46.11,p< 0.001, η2 = 0.19), albumin (F= 31.69,p< 0.001, η2 = 0.14), and globulin (F= 12.48,p< 0.001, η2 = 0.06) levels were lower in patients than those in HCs after adjusting for covariates. Serum TP (r= −0.37,p= 0.03) and albumin (r= −0.37,p= 0.03) levels were negatively correlated with depressive score in patients. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed the negative associations of depressive score with serum TP (β = −0.13,t= −2.92,p= 0.007), albumin (β = −0.23,t= −2.36,p= 0.03), and globulin (β = −0.16,t= −2.40,p= 0.02) levels in patients. Serum TP, albumin, and globulin levels exhibited the accuracies of 87.1, 70.0, and 69.4% in discriminating between patients and HCs (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.78, 0.68, and 0.77; sensitivity/specificity: 52.9%/95.6%, 55.9%/73.5%, and 76.5%/67.6%).

Conclusion

Our data suggested that decreased serum TP, albumin, and globulin should be regarded as the SCH risk factors and were implicated in the depressive severity of SCH, which further provided the support for the hypothesis that SCH and depression were accompanied by the abnormal inflammatory cytokines with the APR.
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging-based identification of altered brain the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation in adolescent major depressive disorder patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy
Authors: Wang Xing-Yu , Tan Huan , Li Xiao , Dai Lin-Qi , Zhang Zhi-Wei , Lv Fa-Jin , Yu Ren-Qiang
Published: July 2022

Purpose

While electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been repeatedly been shown to effectively and efficiently treat the major depressive disorder (MDD), the mechanistic basis for such therapeutic efficacy remains to be firmly established. As such, further research exploring the ECT-based treatment of MDD in an adolescent population is warranted.

Methods

This study included 30 treatment-naïve first-episode MDD patients and 30 healthy control (HC) individuals (aged 12–17 years). All participants were scanned using rs-fMRI, and the 30 MDD patients were scanned again after 2 weeks of the ECT treatment period. Intrinsic local activity in each voxel was assessed based on the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) parameter, with all fALFF analyses being completed using the REST application. Correlations between ECT-related changes in fALFF and clinical parameters were additionally examined.

Results

Relative to HCs, MDD patients exhibited increased fALFF values in the right inferior frontal gyrus (ORBinf), inferior occipital gyrus (IOG), and the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) at baseline. Following ECT, these patients exhibited significant increases in fALFF values in the right medial superior frontal gyrus (SFGmed), dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (SFGdor), anterior cingulate, and paracingulate gyrus (ACG), median cingulate and paracingulate gyrus (DCG), and left MFG. MDD patient HAMD scores were negatively correlated with fALFF values when analyzing pre-ECT vs. post-HCT ΔHAMD and fALFF values in the right SFGmed, SFGdor, and the left MFG.

Conclusion

These data suggest that ECT induced altered fALFF in some regions of the brain, suggesting that these alterations may serve as a neurobiological indicator of ECT effectiveness in MDD adolescents.
Upward trends of syphilis in the non-pregnant adults: A six-year report on clinical and epidemiological profile of syphilis from a tertiary care center, India
Authors: Solaimalai Dhanalakshmi , Gupta Ankan , George Leni , Manesh Abi , Karthik Rajiv , Sathishkumar Dharshini , Peter C. V Dincy , Varghese George M , Pulimood Susanne A , Kannangai Rajesh , Prakash John AJ
Published: July 2022

Since 2000, a resurgence of syphilis has been noted in many developed and developing countries, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). Incidence and prevalence of syphilis in pregnant women have been reduced drastically by mandatory screening in early pregnancy. Insufficient data in other populations especially from developing countries limit targeted public health interventions. This study aimed to describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of serologically confirmed syphilis cases among the non-pregnant high-risk group reporting to a tertiary care center in Southern India. A retrospective study was carried out in a tertiary care center in Southern India for 6 years from 2015 to 2020. A total of 265 serologically confirmed syphilis patients were included. A statistically significant increase in positivity from 0.52 to 2.1% was observed in this study (2015 to 2020). Among risk factors, high-risk behavior with multiple heterosexual partners was the commonest (51.3%), followed by marital partners who tested positive (9.4%) and MSM (7.5%). The majority of the patients were diagnosed at the latent stage (79%), followed by secondary syphilis (10%) and tertiary syphilis (8%). A quarter of patients (23%) were coinfected with HIV. Serological non-responsiveness was more common among HIV infected (47 vs. 24%). Sixteen had neurosyphilis and six had ocular involvement. HIV co-infection complicated 50% (8/16) of neurosyphilis patients. Syphilis is still prevalent, especially in high-risk groups including those are attending STI clinics. Further prospective multicentric studies are needed to identify and implement public health measures.
Civic communicators' view of and approach to health promotion for newly arrived migrants in Sweden
Authors: Svanholm Sara , Carlerby Heidi , Viitasara Eija
Published: July 2022

For newly arrived migrants, integration is important in promoting health and decreasing health inequities. In a Swedish context, civic orientation is a program to promote integration and increase the chance of employment for newly arrived migrants. The aim of this project was to explore how civic communicators view and approach health promotion in their work with newly arrived migrants in the civic orientation program in Sweden. Data were collected through interviews with eight civic communicators working with newly arrived migrants in civic orientation in the north of Sweden. The interviews followed a semi-structured interview guide and were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis resulted in the main theme “To dress the participants for a (healthy) life in Sweden,” with two sub-themes “Knowledge—a key to health” and “Being a guide for participants in a new context.” In their work with civic orientation for newly arrived migrants, civic communicators are involved in health promotion by preparing their participants for a life in Sweden. They work to empower their participants to be able to make informed decisions and live healthy lives by both providing information to enhance knowledge and skills. They also work to guide them through the complexity of being in a new situation and country.
A bibliometric analysis of COVID-19 publications in neurology by using the visual mapping method
Authors: Zhang Qian , Li Jian , Weng Ling
Published: July 2022

Background

The characteristic symptom of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is respiratory distress, but neurological symptoms are the most frequent extra-pulmonary symptoms. This study aims to explore the current status and hot topics of neurology-related research on COVID-19 using bibliometric analysis.

Methods

Publications regarding neurology and COVID-19 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) on March 28 2022. The Advanced search was conducted using “TS = (‘COVID 19’ or ‘Novel Coronavirus 2019’ or ‘Coronavirus disease 2019’ or ‘2019-nCOV’ or ‘SARS-CoV-2’ or ‘coronavirus-2’) and TS = (‘neurology’or ‘neurological’ or ‘nervous system’ or ‘neurodegenerative disease’ or ‘brain’ or ‘cerebra’ or ‘nerve’)”. Microsoft Excel 2010 and VOSviewer were used to characterize the largest contributors, including the authors, journals, institutions, and countries. The hot topics and knowledge network were analyzed by CiteSpace and VOSviewer.

Results

A total of 5,329 publications between 2020 and 2022 were retrieved. The United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom were three key contributors to this field. Harvard Medical School, the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology were the major institutions with the largest publications. Josef Finsterer from the University of São Paulo (Austria) was the most prolific author. Tom Solomon from the University of Liverpool (UK) was the most cited author. Neurological Sciences and Frontiers in Neurology were the first two most productive journals, while Journal of Neurology held the first in terms of total citations and citations per publication. Cerebrovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, encephalitis and encephalopathy, neuroimmune complications, neurological presentation in children, long COVID and mental health, and telemedicine were the central topics regarding the neurology-related research on COVID-19.

Conclusion

Neurology-related research on COVID-19 has attracted considerable attention worldwide. Research topics shifted from “morality, autopsy, and telemedicine” in 2020 to various COVID-19-related neurological symptoms in 2021, such as “stroke,” “Alzheimer's disease,” “Parkinson's disease,” “Guillain–Barre syndrome,” “multiple sclerosis,” “seizures in children,” and “long COVID.” “Applications of telemedicine in neurology during COVID-19 pandemic,” “COVID-19-related neurological complications and mechanism,” and “long COVID” require further study.
Perinatal outcomes among twin pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus: A nine-year retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lin Dongxin , Fan Dazhi , Li Pengsheng , Chen Gengdong , Rao Jiaming , Zhou Zixing , Zhang Huishan , Luo Xin , Ma Huiting , Feng Jingping , Lu Demei , Wang Lijuan , Lan Shiyan , Luo Caihong , Guo Xiaoling , Liu Zhengping
Published: July 2022

Objective

To compare the outcomes between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) vs. non-GDM twin gestations.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of 2,151 twin pregnancies was performed in a tertiary hospital in Foshan, China, 2012–2020. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were compared between women with vs. without GDM using 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) and multivariable logistic models. For neonatal outcomes, generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach was used to address the intertwin correlation.

Results

Of the 2,151 participants, 472 women (21.9%) were diagnosed with GDM. Women with GDM were older and more likely to be overweight or obese, and more likely have chronic hypertension, assisted pregnancies and dichorionic twins. In the PSM cohort of 942 pregnancies, there was no statistical difference when comparing GDM twin pregnancies and non-GDM in any of the perinatal outcomes, especially in terms of preterm birth (PTB) <37 weeks (P = 0.715), large for gestational age (LGA) (P = 0.521) and neonatal respiratory distress (NRDS) (P = 0.206). In the entire cohort, no significant adjusted ORs for these outcomes were obtained from logistic regression models adjusted for confounders (aOR for PTB < 37 weeks: 1.25, 95% CI: 0.98–1.58; aOR for LGA: 1.26, 95% CI: 0.88–1.82; and aOR for NRDS, 1.05, 95% CI: 0.68–1.64).

Conclusion

Twin pregnancies with GDM and adequate prenatal care have comparable perinatal outcomes to those without.
“The worst thing that has happened to me”: Healthcare and social services professionals confronting death during the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Hernández-Fernández Carlos , Meneses-Falcón Carmen
Published: July 2022

Objectives

This study analyzes the subjective emotional impact COVID-19 deaths have had on healthcare, social services, and funeral services professionals, it explores the different implications, and analyzes the different reactions of health and social care professionals and funeral professionals to the volume of deaths.

Methods

This work is based on a qualitative, phenomenological, and interpretative approach through in-depth interviews with 42 informants, including 36 social and healthcare professionals, as well as 6 family members of those who died from COVID-19 in Madrid. The interviews were processed through a qualitative, interpretative, categorical analysis.

Results

Healthcare professionals were overexposed to a significant number of deaths under dramatic circumstances. Many of these professionals had difficulties processing their experiences and expressed the need for psychological help. The fact that certain professionals had previous exposure to high mortality rates was not a protective factor. Some coping differences were seen between healthcare professionals and professionals dedicated to the care of the deceased (undertakers or firemen), particularly in the degree to which they personalized the care they provided.

Conclusion

The overexposure to death with the circumstances that existed during the state of emergency had a significant emotional impact on the professionals, which can lead to mental health problems in the near term.
Heart rhythm assessment in elite endurance athletes: A better method?
Authors: Ausland Ådne , Sandberg Edvard Liljedahl , Jortveit Jarle , Seiler Stephen
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Arrhythmias also occur among elite endurance athletes. Conventional diagnostic tools for assessment of arrhythmias suffer from limited availability and usability challenges, particularly under the demanding training conditions of an elite athlete. Among endurance athletes, there is a need for out-of-hospital monitoring to enhance detection of arrhythmias under conditions that are relevant and potentially provocative of underlying pathology. The Norwegian patch ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor has been developed to simplify the assessment of heart rhythm disorders. The current study aimed to evaluate the ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor function and usability in an elite athlete environment.

Methods

A total of 13 professional cyclists from the UNO-X Pro Cycling Team were examined with the ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor during training camp in Spain, December 2021. All ECG data were analyzed by cardiologists at Sorlandet Hospital Arendal, Norway. The athletes also completed a brief questionnaire registering their training (from on-bike monitoring units) and provided self-assessment of usability parameters after the test.

Results

In 8 of 13 athletes (69% male, age 23 ± 4 years), two test periods were performed with different ECG patches, resulting in a total of 21 tests with continuous ECG monitoring. Average total ECG test duration per athlete was 144 ± 47 h (89 ± 24 h/patch). Athletes performed an average of 15 ± 5 training h during each test. The ECG quality from all tests was considered satisfactory for rhythm analysis—also during exercise. The reported usability of the ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor was high, and no athletes reported trouble sleeping or training with the sensor. The automatic arrhythmia algorithm reported episodes of possible arrhythmias in 5 (24%) tests; 2 atrial flutter, 2 supraventricular tachycardia and 1 bradycardia (heart rate <30/min). Manual assessment by physicians verified the episode of bradycardia but revealed normal sinus rhythm in all other tests. No false negative events were identified in over 1,800 h of ECG collection.

Conclusion

The ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor allowed for high quality ECG monitoring with high usability during intensive exercise in athletes.
Accuracy of a markerless motion capture system in estimating upper extremity kinematics during boxing
Authors: Lahkar Bhrigu K. , Muller Antoine , Dumas Raphaël , Reveret Lionel , Robert Thomas
Published: July 2022

Kinematic analysis of the upper extremity can be useful to assess the performance and skill levels of athletes during combat sports such as boxing. Although marker-based approach is widely used to obtain kinematic data, it is not suitable for “in the field” activities, i.e., when performed outside the laboratory environment. Markerless video-based systems along with deep learning-based pose estimation algorithms show great potential for estimating skeletal kinematics. However, applicability of these systems in assessing upper-limb kinematics remains unexplored in highly dynamic activities. This study aimed to assess kinematics of the upper limb estimated with a markerless motion capture system (2D video cameras along with commercially available pose estimation software Theia3D) compared to those measured with marker-based system during “in the field” boxing. A total of three elite boxers equipped with retroreflective markers were instructed to perform specific sequences of shadow boxing trials. Their movements were simultaneously recorded with 12 optoelectronic and 10 video cameras, providing synchronized data to be processed further for comparison. Comparative assessment showed higher differences in 3D joint center positions at the elbow (more than 3 cm) compared to the shoulder and wrist (<2.5 cm). In the case of joint angles, relatively weaker agreement was observed along internal/external rotation. The shoulder joint revealed better performance across all the joints. Segment velocities displayed good-to-excellent agreement across all the segments. Overall, segment velocities exhibited better performance compared to joint angles. The findings indicate that, given the practicality of markerless motion capture system, it can be a promising alternative to analyze sports-performance.
How effective is indocyanine green (ICG) in localization of malignant pulmonary nodules? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gkikas Andreas , Lampridis Savvas , Patrini Davide , Kestenholz Peter B. , Scarci Marco , Minervini Fabrizio
Published: July 2022

Background

Video-Assisted and Robotic-Assisted techniques become constantly more prominent practice in thoracic surgery for lung cancer. Furthermore, the increased frequency in detection of small lung cancers makes the intra-operative identification of these cancers even more challenging. Indocyanine Green (ICG) is one of the most commonly used dyes that assists surgeons identify small lung cancers intra-operatively. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ICG in lung cancer detection.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of the literature by screening the databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and Scopus until 30th April 2022 and the first 300 articles of Google Scholar for any suitable grey literature. We included any study that investigated the effectiveness of ICG in lung cancer detection. We excluded studies that explored the use of ICG only in identification of intersegmental planes, lymph node mapping, case reports and non-English articles. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis on test accuracy studies using hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) and the bivariate random-effects models. In cases where the data for a localization technique was not sufficient for that analysis, it was presented with tables with narrative purposes. Each study was assessed for Risk of Bias (RoB) and Applicability using the QUADAS-2 tool.

Results

We found 30 eligible studies that included a total of 1,776 patients who underwent ICG localization of pulmonary nodules. We identified three ICG localization techniques: CT-guided, endobronchial and intravenous. From the 30 studies, 13 investigated CT-guided localization, 12 explored an endobronchial method while 8 studies administered ICG intravenously the median reported success rate was 94.3% (IQR: 91.4%–100%) and 98.3% (IQR: 94%–100%) for the first two techniques respectively. Intravenous ICG lung cancer localization showed Sensitivity of 88% (95% CI: 59%–0.97%) and Specificity of 25% (95% CI: 0.04%–0.74%). There were 15.2% (150/989) patients who experienced complications from CT guided ICG localization. No ICG-related complications were reported in endobronchial or intravenous techniques.

Conclusion

Our study provides a comprehensive review of the literature on ICG localization techniques for lung cancer. Current evidence suggests that ICG is boh effective and safe. Further prospective research with standardized protocols across multiple thoracic units is required in order to accurately validate these findings.
Biological response of extracorporeal shock wave therapy to tendinopathy in vivo (review)
Authors: Chen Yixuan , Lyu Kexin , Lu Jingwei , Jiang Li , Zhu Bin , Liu Xueli , Li Yujie , Liu Xinyue , Long Longhai , Wang Xiaoqiang , Xu Houping , Wang Dingxuan , Li Sen
Published: July 2022

Tendinopathy is a degenerative disease of the tendons caused by prolonged overstretching or overuse of the tendons. It accounts for a large proportion of musculoskeletal disorders which can occur in all age groups. The management of tendinopathy is typically conservative. In clinical practice, when other conservative treatments fail, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is normally used as an efficient alternative to surgical management. Several basic studies have shown that ESWT with lower energy flux densities can produce some biological responses in vivo to tendinopathy and may accelerate the initiation of the healing process in injured tendons. ESWT has a positive impact on the interactive chain of biological response, enhancing the signaling pathways of angiogenesis through mechanical conduction, and promoting cell proliferation and collagen formation. Finally, it helps tissue regeneration by controlling inflammation. The purpose of this review is to summarize the biological responses generated by ESWT in tendinopathy through a comprehensive review of the published literature. Although ESWT has been used clinically for the treatment of tendinopathies for nearly decades, less is known about the experimental studies of its biological effects on tendon tissue. Further studies on the biological response of ESWT for tendon injuries in vivo are needed in the future in order to provide better management to patients.
Factors Influencing Tacit Knowledge Sharing in Research Groups in Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Alves Regycleia B. C. , Pinheiro Paulo
Published: July 2022

Higher education institutions (HEIs) create, disseminate, and share knowledge through relationships involving people, processes, and technologies. Tacit knowledge is difficult to formalize and depends on social context. Its sharing is influenced by individual, organizational, and structural factors, and the knowledge management strategy. The literature suggests that this topic is quite relevant and that there is an evident lack of empirical studies investigating the tacit knowledge sharing in higher education institutions (HEIs). In this context, the main objective of this article is to identify the factors that influence the sharing of tacit knowledge in research groups in higher education institutions (HEIs). Data were collected at a Brazilian public higher education institution with a questionnaire applied to research faculty members. The sample was composed of 255 respondents. The data collected enabled the analysis of a structural equation model. The results reveal that individual, organizational structure, and knowledge management strategy factors are determinants for sharing tacit knowledge in the institution’s research groups.
Transcriptome Analysis of Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) under High Temperature Stress
Authors: Yang Qing , Liu Jinping , Yang Yizhong , Lu Yanhui
Published: July 2022

In cotton-growing regions of northern Xinjiang, Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an important natural enemy that provides significant control of some pest hemipterans. Previous studies have shown that the survival and reproduction of P. quatuordecimpunctata differs under different high temperatures. However, its molecular mechanism for thermotolerance is poorly understood. In this study, transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed on P. quatuordecimpunctata, after its exposure to different temperatures (32–38 °C) for 24 h, using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that the 35 vs. 38 °C groups had the most DEGs (1425), indicating that P. quatuordecimpunctata has more genes that can be mobilized under high temperature (38 °C). The results of functional analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly involved in “Oxidation–reduction process”, “Oxidoreductase activity”, “Metabolic pathways”, and “Small molecule metabolic processing” groups. We randomly selected DEGs (eleven P450 genes and one Hsp70 gene) of interest for qRT-PCR validation. The qRT-PCR results were consistent with the transcriptome data, indicating that the transcriptome data were reliable. In summary, these genes involved in these pathways play an important role in the resistance of P. quatuordecimpunctata to high temperature stress. Our study enriched our understanding of the molecular mechanism for thermotolerance in P. quatuordecimpunctata.
Comparison of Desired-Genetic-Gain Selection Indices in Late Generations as an Insight on Superior-Family Formation in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Mahdy Rasha Ezzat , Althagafi Zaharh M. A. , Al-Zahrani Rasha M. , Aloufi Hanan H. K. , Alsalmi Reem A. , Abeed Amany H. A. , Mahdy Ezzat Elsayed , Tammam Suzan A.
Published: July 2022

Wheat is one of the most important sources of food worldwide. A selection index helps in making selection decisions and permits the exploitation of information on correlated traits to improve yields. Two cycles of pedigree selection based on the desired-genetic-gain selection index were imposed to identify the best index to isolate promising lines. The base population was composed of 120 families of bread wheat in the F6 generation. Eight combinations were constructed from six traits, i.e., days to heading (DH), number of spikes/plant (NS/P), grain yield/plant (GY/P), number of grains/spike (NG/S), mean spike weight (MSW) and mean grain weight (GW). The narrow-sense heritability of NS/P, NG/S, MSW and GW increased from cycle 1 to cycle 2, revealing an increase in the observed gain and homogeneity of the selected families for these traits from cycle to cycle. After the second cycle, the observed gain in GY/P ranged from 9.5 to 23.75% of the mid-parent. The best index for improving GY/P was index 2 (composed of GY/P, NS/P, NG/S, MSW and GW). The indices involving DH were inferior for improving GY/P. The desired-genetic-gain index was efficient in simultaneously improving several involved traits and was a good method to preserve genetic variability. Furthermore, six superior promising families were identified.
Reasons for and Behavioral Consequences of Male Dog Castration—A Questionnaire Study in Poland
Authors: Kriese Marcelina , Kuźniewska Ewelina , Gugołek Andrzej , Strychalski Janusz
Published: July 2022

In many Western countries, castration is the most popular surgical desexing procedure in dogs. The aim of the study was to identify the reasons for male dog castration and to determine the owners’ perceptions about changes in dog behavior before and after castration. An online survey was posted on social networking sites dedicated to dogs. A total of 386 respondents participated in the survey. The main reason (39%) for castration was undesirable behavior, including hyperactivity (8%), roaming (8%), mounting (7%), aggression (5%), marking (5%) and others (5%). This surgery did not change the prevalence of aggressive behaviors towards people, but it reduced aggressive behaviors towards dogs and other animals. Castration did not reduce the presentation of anxious behavior in fearful dogs. Castration increased the number of dogs that were fearful of unfamiliar dogs/humans, as well as dogs with sound phobias, while decreased the prevalence of hiding behavior. This procedure greatly decreased incidences of roaming, mounting and urine marking as well as the dog’s overall activity. Thus, it can be concluded that while castration can resolve many undesirable behaviors in male dogs, the arguments for and against neutering should always be considered on an individual basis.
Stepwise Method and Factor Scoring in Multiple Regression Analysis of Cashmere Production in Liaoning Cashmere Goats
Authors: Meng Yang , Zhang Boqi , Qin Zhiyun , Chen Yang , Shan Xuesong , Sun Limin , Jiang Huaizhi
Published: July 2022

Liaoning cashmere goat is a well-known local cashmere goat breed in China and even in the world. It is famous for producing cashmere with superior quality and high yield. Cashmere yield, body measurements, and body weight are the primary indicators of cashmere goat breeding, but the correlation between them is not yet clear. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between certain body measurements, body weight, and cashmere yield in Liaoning cashmere goats using stepwise and factor score analyses in a multiple regression analysis. For this purpose, the body measurements (body slanting length (BSL), body height (BH), chest circumference (CC), pipe circumference (PC), chest depth (CD), chest width (CW), hip breadth (HB), body weight (BW) and cashmere yield (CY)) of 200 (2-year-old) Liaoning cashmere goats were collected. Stepwise analysis of the results showed that body weight had the greatest direct effect on cashmere yield, followed by hip breadth, while chest circumference mainly affected cashmere yield indirectly. The results of factor score analysis showed that the independent variable can be represented by two factors, which explained 49.596% and 12.095% of the total variance, respectively. The factor scores used in the regression analysis explained 75.8% of the total variance in Liaoning cashmere yield. The above studies show that the growth traits of Liaoning cashmere goats are closely related to the cashmere yield. Growth traits should be considered important factors in breed selection, germplasm identification, and rearing.