bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Processing Speed Deficit and Its Relationship with Math Fluency in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Lee Clara S. C.
Published: November 2023

Objectives:

(1) To determine the processing speed (PS) deficit in children with ADHD; and (2) To investigate if PS deficit was the primary cause of daily dysfunction in ADHD by testing the direct and indirect effects via working memory (WM) of PS on math fluency (MF).

Method:

Seventy-eight children (52 children with ADHD and 26 controls) were tested on their motor, perceptual, cognitive, and verbal PS, WM, and MF.

Results:

Children with ADHD performed worse than controls on all PS, suggesting a general PS deficit. Moreover, cognitive PS was a significant predictor for MF. Mediation analysis showed that cognitive PS had direct and indirect effects via WM on MF, suggesting PS deficit might be the primary cause of MF difficulties in ADHD.

Conclusion:

Findings of this study suggested a general PS deficit in ADHD. Due to the importance of PS in MF, interventions for MF underachievers should include assessment and training of PS.
Preschool teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and self-efficacy concerning autism: A parallel mixed-methods study of an intervention to improve autism identification
Authors: Taresh Sahar Mohammed , Morett Laura M , Zaid Sumaia Mohammed , Roslan Samsilah , Taresh Taleb Mohammed , Song Pu , Ahmad Nor Aniza , Noman Sarah
Published: November 2023

Preschool teachers can play a critical role in early detection of autism. Equipping preschool teachers with prerequisite knowledge and skills would allow them to identify children with probable autism and referral to diagnostic services. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an educational module (EMiASD) that prepared preschool teachers to identify autism symptoms. The sample included 144 preschool teachers, of which 120 were stratified and randomly assigned to an intervention arm receiving training in EMiASD ( n = 60) or a comparison arm receiving standard training (n = 60) using a parallel mixed-methods design. Responses to open-ended questions about video case studies revealed improvement in the identification of autism symptoms in preschool teachers in the intervention arm, in contrast to preschool teachers in the comparison arm. Moreover, significant changes in knowledge, belief, and self-efficacy about autism favoured EMiASD. Overall, these results demonstrate the influence of EMiASD in the Yemeni cultural context.

Lay Abstract

Preschool teachers can play a critical role in early detection of autism. Equipping preschool teachers with prerequisite knowledge and skills would allow them to identify children with probable autism and referral to diagnostic services. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an educational module (EMiASD) that prepared preschool teachers to identify autism symptoms. The sample included 144 preschool teachers, of which 120 were stratified and randomly assigned to an intervention arm receiving training in EMiASD ( n = 60) or a comparison arm receiving standard training (n = 60) using a parallel mixed-methods design. Responses to open-ended questions about video case studies revealed improvement in the identification of autism symptoms in preschool teachers in the intervention arm, in contrast to preschool teachers in the comparison arm. Moreover, significant changes in knowledge, belief, and self-efficacy about autism favoured EMiASD. Overall, these results demonstrate the influence of EMiASD in the Yemeni cultural context.
Colourblindness across borders: The de-racialized logics of Dutch and American border agents
Authors: Vega Irene I , van der Woude Maartje
Published: November 2023

This article illustrates how US Border Patrol agents and Dutch Military and Border Police officers explain racialized border control outcomes, through colourblind ideologies. These ideologies—legalism, criminalization and securitization—function as euphemisms that allow border agents to downplay the importance of immigrants’ race/ethnicity in their decision making and behaviour. Yet, underlying these colourblind ideologies are racialized immigration laws and social constructions that continue to produce group-based inequalities in who is questioned, arrested, detained and removed by border guards. We call for cross-national comparisons of how race/ethnicity is both manifested and concealed in border control. We also suggest the existence of supranational racial frames that protect the status quo in western immigration policies and practices.
Dynamic performance analysis of a gear transmission system due to cavitation in gerotor pump
Authors: Wang Zhiwei , Hu Zehua , Tian Zhaoyang , Chen Siyu
Published: November 2023

In this work, a dynamic model considering time-varying mesh stiffness and backlash was proposed and a test rig was built to investigate the vibration behavior of the idle gear set in a gerotor pump. The effects of input shaft speed, torque fluctuation, and gear tooth backlash on the dynamic performance of gerotor pump were analyzed according to the numerical and experimental results. Results demonstrate that when the torque fluctuation is neglected, the dynamic transmission error of drive gear is dominated by the first three mesh harmonic components; however, the RMS values of vibration acceleration have high frequency characteristics. When the torque fluctuation is considered, the dynamic responses of gerotor pump are modulated by the torque fluctuation. The effect of tooth backlash on the dynamic performance of gerotor pump is limited and mostly depended on the torque fluctuation condition. The gerotor pump noise is dominated by the low frequency component around the mesh frequency. The vibration energy can be divided into two parts in the frequency domain. In the low frequency band, the vibration energy is caused by the mechanical vibration. However, in the high frequency band, the cavitation phenomena may cause the concentration of the vibration energy and resonant of pump structure.
The medium of intersubjectivity
Authors: Edwards Terra
Published: November 2023

The aim of this article is to contribute to anthropological understandings of intersubjectivity by foregrounding the role of the environment. I begin by reviewing three key approaches that have emerged out of broader debates in the humanities and social sciences. The first mobilizes intersubjectivity as a way of explaining how a coherent social order is (re-)produced, given that the rational choice, for individuals, is to act in their own self-interest. Intersubjectivity in this view is the shared understanding that is achieved when actors adhere to normative constraints on interaction in order to fulfill an unconscious desire to be loved and accepted by others. The second approach to intersubjectivity challenges this idea, arguing that the motivations and expectations that individuals bring to interaction vary across ethnographic contexts, and for some, shared understanding is a false promise that masks the harmful intentions others are likely to have. Intersubjectivity, in this view, is organized by a desire to minimize exposure to others. The third approach treats intersubjectivity not as a possible outcome of interaction but as an existential condition that makes meaningful interaction possible. In this article, I put these debates in dialogue with “protactile theory,” which has grown out of a social movement in DeafBlind communities in the United States. Reading protactile theory through the lens of biosemiotics, ecological psychology, and existential phenomenology, I argue that the medium or “the thing we're in when we’re together” is the basis of intelligibility for all intersubjective behaviors and capacities; it can define a way of being, is ethnographically graspable, and is central to how humans interact.
Students with low prior knowledge learn more when explaining to a peer than to a teacher after viewing educational videos
Authors: Pi Zhongling , Guo Xin , Liu Caixia , Yang Jiumin
Published: November 2023

Students are often encouraged to explain recently-taught information to others to enhance their learning in various settings including face-to-face in the classroom, through text, or in educational videos. However, nearly all studies on the impact of explaining things to others have focused on the effects of explaining to a less-knowledgeable peer, and have not considered the students’ own prior knowledge. The current study tested the interaction effects of students’ prior knowledge and the social identity of their audience on the students’ learning via explaining their new knowledge to others after viewing educational videos. We observed interaction effects on immediate learning performance, monitoring accuracy, and theta power while the students both watching videos and prepared to explain, but not on delayed learning performance or motivation. The current study highlights the fact that students with low prior knowledge learn more from an educational video when explaining the lesson to a peer than they do when explaining to a teacher after viewing. Our findings have implications on learning strategies which can be adopted when using educational videos in educational settings, specifically that students, especially those with low prior knowledge, should be encouraged to generate explanations of the lesson to share with their peers rather than with their teachers, as this will better enhance their working memory activity as they prepare to explain the educational videos.
The Association Between Child Abuse and Internet Addiction: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhang Qiongzhi , Zhang Qi , Ran Guangming , Liu Yishuang
Published: November 2023

Child abuse is an important factor for Internet addiction. Despite numerous researches had observed there was a positive correlation between child abuse and Internet addiction, the strength of this association differed considerably in the previous studies. This study aims to obtain reliable estimates for effect sizes and investigate the potential moderator of the association between child abuse and Internet addiction. Thirty-one studies reported the association between child abuse and Internet addiction (273 effect sizes and 55,585 participants) through a systematic literature search. Based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis approach, a three-level model was employed to conduct a three-level meta-analysis. The current meta-analysis found that child abuse was significantly positively correlated with Internet addiction. Besides, the study found that the type of child abuse and publication year had significant moderating effects on the association between child abuse and Internet addiction. This study suggested child abuse was a risk factor for Internet addiction. Moreover, child abuse is an essential factor should be considered when strengthening interventions for individuals’ Internet addiction.
Using a CBPR Approach to Guide Successful Recruitment for an Online Questionnaire: The Measurement Approaches to Partnership Success (MAPS) Case Study
Authors: Wilson-Powers Eliza , Jensen Megan , Gabrysiak Adena , Brush Barbara L. , Coombe Chris M. , Israel Barbara , Lee Shoou-Yih D. , Richmond Al , Lachance Laurie
Published: November 2023

The Measurement Approaches to Partnership Success (MAPS) study team effectively used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to recruit 55 long-standing CBPR partnerships to participate in an online questionnaire to assess factors associated with partnership success. Our recruitment was guided by interconnected values of collaboration, transparency, and relationship-building to maintain fidelity to CBPR principles throughout the process. We operationalized these values into a series of strategies to recruit partnerships and sustain their involvement, including establishing primary points of contact, offering incentives for completion, personalizing recruitment materials, and practicing flexibility in our approach. We aim to inform public health researchers on the strategies that enabled our team to achieve 100% of our study recruitment goal, with the intent that our recommendations can be applied by others to enhance their recruitment efforts and reach their data collection goals for future public health research.
The Epistemology and Ethics of Analysing Lived Experience Data: A Pragmatic Foucauldian-Informed Approach to Coproducing Student Mental Health Initiatives in the Neoliberal University
Authors: Priestley Michael , Mazzoli-Smith Laura
Published: November 2023

Analysis of lived experience data is increasingly advocated as an enabling strategy to inform ethical and effective policy and practice, particularly in the university mental health field. However, where Michel Foucault’s work is often drawn on to frame subjectivity of lived experience in the neoliberal university, this brings forth epistemological, methodological, and ethical tensions in using student voice to inform changes in mental health policy and practice. In Foucauldian terms, a double bind emerges wherein the power of student voice to destabilise existing forms of mental health knowledge and to reimagine the distress-inducing power structures within the neoliberal university are recuperated to (re)produce the same neoliberal structures and subjectivities. Drawing on data from 10 student focus groups, this study explores the epistemic, methodological, and ethical questions attached to analysis of student lived experience data in the context of a Foucauldian-informed understanding of the neoliberal university. It is argued that in pragmatist terms, whilst student voice must be contextualised within the socio-material and socio-psychological context of the neoliberal system to ensure beneficial consequences for student experience, a Foucauldian approach to interpreting lived experience data can also re-empower the subject with the freedom to resist and disrupt the reproduction of mentally unhealthy structures within the neoliberal system as part of a whole university approach.
Spinal HDAC6 mediates nociceptive behaviors induced by chronic constriction injury via neuronal activation and neuroinflammation
Authors: Sun Kai , Zhang Hao , Zhang Ting , Sun Nan , Hao Jingru , Wang Zhiping , Gao Can
Published: November 2023

Neuropathic pain (NP) is often accompanied by psychiatric comorbidities and currently lacks effective treatment. Prior research has shown that HDAC6 plays a crucial role in pain sensitization, but the specific mechanisms remain unclear. HDAC6 inhibitors have been found to alleviate mechanical allodynia caused by inflammation and peripheral nerve damage. In this study, we investigated the cellular mechanisms of HDAC6 in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. Our findings indicate that HDAC6 expression in the spinal cord (SC) is upregulated in a time-dependent manner following chronic constriction injury (CCI). HDAC6 is primarily expressed in neurons and microglia in the spinal cord. CCI-induced HDAC6 production was abolished by intrathecal injection of a microglia inhibitor. ACY-1215, a specific HDAC6 inhibitor, significantly reduced CCI-induced mechanical allodynia, but not thermal hyperalgesia. ACY-1215 also inhibited neuron activation and suppressed CCI-induced pyroptosis and neuroinflammatory responses. In summary, our results suggest that HDAC6 contributes to the development and maintenance of NP through neuronal activation and neuroinflammation. HDAC6 may be a promising target for treating NP.
Toward a General Framework of Biased Reasoning: Coherence-Based Reasoning
Authors: Simon Dan , Read Stephen J.
Published: November 2023

A considerable amount of experimental research has been devoted to uncovering biased forms of reasoning. Notwithstanding the richness and overall empirical soundness of the bias research, the field can be described as disjointed, incomplete, and undertheorized. In this article, we seek to address this disconnect by offering “coherence-based reasoning” as a parsimonious theoretical framework that explains a sizable number of important deviations from normative forms of reasoning. Represented in connectionist networks and processed through constraint-satisfaction processing, coherence-based reasoning serves as a ubiquitous, essential, and overwhelmingly adaptive apparatus in people’s mental toolbox. This adaptive process, however, can readily be overrun by bias when the network is dominated by nodes or links that are incorrect, overweighted, or otherwise nonnormative. We apply this framework to explain a variety of well-established biased forms of reasoning, including confirmation bias, the halo effect, stereotype spillovers, hindsight bias, motivated reasoning, emotion-driven reasoning, ideological reasoning, and more.
Marceline, His Auguste, and the ‘Hippodrome Idea’
Authors: Scheide Frank Milo
Published: November 2023

Marceline Orbes’ clowning proved so popular during the New York Hippodrome's 12 April 1905 inaugural performance and the succeeding months that he purportedly signed a lifetime contract with that theatre in 1906. Marceline left this venue in 1912 to perform in his own 1913 roadshow based upon his ‘Hippodrome Idea’, which was described as central to how otherwise fragmented vaudeville acts were bound together by Marceline's artistry – evidence of how closely his identity intertwined with that of the New York Hippodrome's. Largely forgotten by the time of his death in 1927, scholars were generally unaware of Marceline until 1964, when Charles Chaplin revealed that this great artist was an inspiration for his classic 1952 film, Limelight. This study reveals how Marceline's mastery of nineteenth-century circus traditions, and brilliant trademark auguste, enabled this famous Hippodrome clown to develop a distinctive performance art uniquely associated with the New York Hippodrome.
Counting the Minutes: Perceived Diabetes Mental Load and its Associations With Technology Use and Mental Disorders
Authors: Priesterroth Lilli-Sophie , Hermanns Norbert , Kulzer Bernhard , Haak Thomas , Ehrmann Dominic
Published: November 2023

Little is known about mental load in people with diabetes and associations with demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics, such as the use of diabetes technologies. To explore perceived mental load, 503 adults with diabetes answered the one-item survey “How much time (in minutes) would you spontaneously estimate that you spend each day thinking about your diabetes?” Mental load estimations varied widely within the sample and between subgroups. Perceived mental load was higher in type 1 diabetes than in type 2 diabetes, higher in women than in men and increased with treatment intensity (ie, insulin therapy, technology use) and the number of mental disorders. Further research may explore associations with diabetes-related distress and determine whether (perceived) mental load has relevance in technology use.
AI incidents and ‘networked trouble’: The case for a research agenda
Authors: Shaffer Shane Tommy
Published: November 2023

Against a backdrop of widespread interest in how publics can participate in the design of AI, I argue for a research agenda focused on AI incidents – examples of AI going wrong and sparking controversy – and how they are constructed in online environments. I take up the example of an AI incident from September 2020, when a Twitter user created a ‘horrible experiment’ to demonstrate the racist bias of Twitter's algorithm for cropping images. This resulted in Twitter not only abandoning its use of that algorithm, but also disavowing its decision to use any algorithm for the task. I argue that AI incidents like this are a significant means for participating in AI systems that require further research. That research agenda, I argue, should focus on how incidents are constructed through networked online behaviours that I refer to as ‘networked trouble’, where formats for participation enable individuals and algorithms to interact in ways that others – including technology companies – come to know and come to care about. At stake, I argue, is an important mechanism for participating in the design and deployment of AI.
Human Auditory Ecology: Extending Hearing Research to the Perception of Natural Soundscapes by Humans in Rapidly Changing Environments
Authors: Lorenzi Christian , Apoux Frédéric , Grinfeder Elie , Krause Bernie , Miller-Viacava Nicole , Sueur Jérôme
Published: November 2023

Research in hearing sciences has provided extensive knowledge about how the human auditory system processes speech and assists communication. In contrast, little is known about how this system processes “natural soundscapes,” that is the complex arrangements of biological and geophysical sounds shaped by sound propagation through non-anthropogenic habitats [Grinfeder et al. (2022). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 10: 894232]. This is surprising given that, for many species, the capacity to process natural soundscapes determines survival and reproduction through the ability to represent and monitor the immediate environment. Here we propose a framework to encourage research programmes in the field of “human auditory ecology,” focusing on the study of human auditory perception of ecological processes at work in natural habitats. Based on large acoustic databases with high ecological validity, these programmes should investigate the extent to which this presumably ancestral monitoring function of the human auditory system is adapted to specific information conveyed by natural soundscapes, whether it operate throughout the life span or whether it emerges through individual learning or cultural transmission. Beyond fundamental knowledge of human hearing, these programmes should yield a better understanding of how normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners monitor rural and city green and blue spaces and benefit from them, and whether rehabilitation devices (hearing aids and cochlear implants) restore natural soundscape perception and emotional responses back to normal. Importantly, they should also reveal whether and how humans hear the rapid changes in the environment brought about by human activity.
Academic’s Motivation for Entrepreneurial Engagement: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Sahu Dipan Kumar , Pawar Sucheta , Gaur Prerna , Jain Sudhir K.
Published: November 2023

The role of faculty in making a university Entrepreneurial is crucial, so is the research on what motivates the faculty to be entrepreneurial. This article is a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), done to find out factors motivating faculty to be ‘entrepreneurial’. Initially bibliometric analysis was done to understand the extent at which research is done on the topic. In all, 59 relevant articles (1995–2023) were selected for SLR. ‘Entrepreneurial motivation’ of faculty is considered to be a niche and less explored area of study due to which building strong propositions becomes a challenge. Majority of studies are of advanced and resource rich economies and applying those to resource constraint situation cannot be considered as an ideal situation. These research gaps are located by this article. Factors motivating faculties to get engaged in entrepreneurial activities were analysed. Existing research has classified motivational factors as intrinsic and extrinsic, in ‘resource constraint’ (push forces) and ‘resource-rich’ (pull forces) environment. The literature states that academicians tend to do explorative activities rather than commercialization related activities. This study has informed about various factors of entrepreneurial motivation which can be used for building instruments for measuring motivation of academic entrepreneurs. The study findings have a strong proposition for the need of empirical research on entrepreneurial motivation of faculty members which is the future scope of research.
A Rare Cause of Recurrent Pain in Athletes: Synovial Hemangioma
Authors: de Andrade Marco A. P. , Reis Igor G. N. , de Andrade Luciene Mota , de Oliveira Campos Túlio Vinícius , Pimenta Frederico Silva , Abreu e Silva Guilherme Moreira de
Published: November 2023

Background:

Synovial hemangioma is a rare neoplastic lesion, which can result in recurrent hemarthrosis and pain. It can affect any joint, tendon, or bursa, withal those around the knee. The intra-articular lesion is more prevalent and is more frequently diagnosed in female children or young adults.

Indications:

Surgery is indicated when patients present with recurrent painful hemarthrosis that affect daily living and functionality.

Technique Description:

Diagnostic knee arthroscopy, initially without tourniquet inflation, was performed to detect and study the extent of the lesion. Afterwards, the tourniquet was inflated to proceed with the surgical excision. Medial parapatellar approach was performed, and limits of the hemangioma were identified. Wide resection was performed taking care to not damage the medial meniscus and medial condyle cartilage. Neoplastic lesion was sent to pathology analysis. The tourniquet was deflated and hemostasis checked because these lesions can present extensive bleeding.

Results:

Localized, well-circumscribed, and encapsulated lesions have been reported to usually present low recurrence rate when completely excised.

Discussion/Conclusion:

It is a rare disease, and around 200 cases have been reported; therefore, conclusions about treatment and outcomes rely mostly on case series and case reports. Early diagnosis and treatment are paramount to prevent degenerative changes secondary to recurrent hemarthrosis.

Patient Consent Disclosure Statement:

The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.
‘Headless women in public art’: Migrant artivism and do-it-yourself practices in the city of Porto
Authors: Sousa Sofia
Published: November 2023

This article focuses on the do-it-yourself artistic creation of migrant women in the city of Porto, Portugal, and emerging modalities of artivism. It is focused on the project ‘Headless Women in Public Art’, by the artist Mariana Morais; an art and design project – sustained by a do-it-yourself praxis and ethos – that aims to examine public art in the city of Porto through a feminist and (i) migrant lens, to identify/deconstruct aesthetic narratives created around women in public art. By adopting a case study methodology based on the use of a qualitative and visual methodology, we present a sociological discussion around the project ‘Headless Women in Public Art’, as well as a content analysis regarding a semi-structured interview made to the artist. The goal is to enhance social, cultural, artistic and symbolic re-significations around public art and female bodies in public art in Porto, while using do-it-yourself.
The Future of Talent Management: Leveraging Automation and HR Analytics for Success—A Critical Review of Literature
Authors: Gupta Chabi
Published: November 2023

In the constantly evolving and highly competitive modern world, talent management has become a crucial aspect of any organization's success. The conventional techniques of managing human resources are no longer sufficient to cater to the ever-increasing demands for efficiency and effectiveness in operations. With advancements in automation technology coupled with HR analytics tools, businesses have an opportunity to revolutionize their approach towards talent management practices. Therefore, it is essential for companies to embrace these changes if they want to remain relevant and achieve sustainable growth in this fast-paced digital era. This research analyses using data visualization tools how automation and HR analytics can be leveraged for successful talent management in the changing business landscape. Retaining skilled employees is crucial for organizational growth, but technological advancements have made talent management more complex than ever before. We suggest investing in learning platforms which can help organizations provide advanced training programs on emerging technologies like AI and big data analytics.
Long-term effectiveness of eptinezumab in patients with migraine and prior preventive treatment failures: extension of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ashina Messoud , Tepper Stewart J. , Gendolla Astrid , Sperling Bjørn , Ettrup Anders , Josiassen Mette Krog , Starling Amaal J.
Published: November 2023

Background

Eptinezumab demonstrated efficacy in adults with migraine and prior preventive treatment failures in the placebo-controlled phase of the DELIVER clinical trial; its long-term effectiveness in this population has not yet been reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of eptinezumab in a migraine patient population during the 48-week extension phase of DELIVER.

Methods

DELIVER was conducted June 1, 2020 to September 15, 2022. 865 adults with migraine, with documented evidence of 2–4 prior preventive migraine treatment failures and with completion of the 24-week placebo-controlled period of DELIVER received eptinezumab (100 or 300 mg) during the dose-blinded extension, either continuing their randomized dose or, if originally receiving placebo, were randomized 1:1 to an eptinezumab dose (100 or 300 mg). A mixed model for repeated measures was used to evaluate changes from baseline in the number of monthly migraine days (MMDs).

Results

Of 865 patients entering the extension (eptinezumab 100 mg, n = 433; 300 mg, n = 432), 782 (90.4%) completed and 11 (1.3%) discontinued due to an adverse event. Eptinezumab was associated with early and sustained reductions in migraine frequency. Mean MMDs at baseline were approximately 14 days across groups. Mean (standard error) change from baseline in MMDs over the final dosing interval (weeks 61–72) was −6.4 (0.50) with placebo/eptinezumab 100 mg, –7.3 (0.49) with placebo/eptinezumab 300 mg, –7.1 (0.39) with eptinezumab 100 mg, and −7.0 (0.39) with eptinezumab 300 mg. During weeks 61–72, 63–70% of patients demonstrated ≥ 50% reduction in MMDs, and 36–45% demonstrated ≥ 75% reduction. Headache severity and acute medication use reductions, and patient-reported improvements in most bothersome symptom, disease status, quality of life, and work productivity, were observed. Adverse events were generally mild, transient, and similar in frequency/type to previous eptinezumab trials.

Conclusions

The long-term effectiveness and safety/tolerability of eptinezumab in patients with migraine and 2–4 prior preventive treatment failures was demonstrated by high completion rates and migraine-preventive benefits sustained for up to 18 months, implying that eptinezumab is a viable long-term treatment option for patients still seeking successful migraine treatments.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04418765; URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04418765); EudraCT (Identifier: 2019-004497-25; URL: https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/search?query=2019-004497-25).

Graphical Abstract
Can polygenic risk scores help explain disease prevalence differences around the world? A worldwide investigation
Authors: Jain Pritesh R. , Burch Myson , Martinez Melanie , Mir Pablo , Fichna Jakub P. , Zekanowski Cezary , Rizzo Renata , Tümer Zeynep , Barta Csaba , Yannaki Evangelia , Stamatoyannopoulos John , Drineas Petros , Paschou Peristera
Published: November 2023

Complex disorders are caused by a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors, and their prevalence can vary greatly across different populations. The extent to which genetic risk, as identified by Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS), correlates to disease prevalence in different populations has not been investigated systematically. Here, we studied 14 different complex disorders and explored whether polygenic risk scores (PRS) based on current GWAS correlate to disease prevalence within Europe and around the world. A clear variation in GWAS-based genetic risk was observed based on ancestry and we identified populations that have a higher genetic liability for developing certain disorders. We found that for four out of the 14 studied disorders, PRS significantly correlates to disease prevalence within Europe. We also found significant correlations between worldwide disease prevalence and PRS for eight of the studied disorders with Multiple Sclerosis genetic risk having the highest correlation to disease prevalence. Based on current GWAS results, the across population differences in genetic risk for certain disorders can potentially be used to understand differences in disease prevalence and identify populations with the highest genetic liability. The study highlights both the limitations of PRS based on current GWAS but also the fact that in some cases, PRS may already have high predictive power. This could be due to the genetic architecture of specific disorders or increased GWAS power in some cases.
Contrasting new and available reference genomes to highlight uncertainties in assemblies and areas for future improvement: an example with monodontid species
Authors: Bringloe Trevor T. , Parent Geneviève J.
Published: November 2023

Background

Reference genomes provide a foundational framework for evolutionary investigations, ecological analysis, and conservation science, yet uncertainties in the assembly of reference genomes are difficult to assess, and by extension rarely quantified. Reference genomes for monodontid cetaceans span a wide spectrum of data types and analytical approaches, providing the context to derive broader insights related to discrepancies and regions of uncertainty in reference genome assembly. We generated three beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) and one narwhal (Monodon monoceros) reference genomes and contrasted these with published chromosomal scale assemblies for each species to quantify discrepancies associated with genome assemblies.

Results

The new reference genomes achieved chromosomal scale assembly using a combination of PacBio long reads, Illumina short reads, and Hi-C scaffolding data. For beluga, we identified discrepancies in the order and orientation of contigs in 2.2–3.7% of the total genome depending on the pairwise comparison of references. In addition, unsupported higher order scaffolding was identified in published reference genomes. In contrast, we estimated 8.2% of the compared narwhal genomes featured discrepancies, with inversions being notably abundant (5.3%). Discrepancies were linked to repetitive elements in both species.

Conclusions

We provide several new reference genomes for beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), while highlighting potential avenues for improvements. In particular, additional layers of data providing information on ultra-long genomic distances are needed to resolve persistent errors in reference genome construction. The comparative analyses of monodontid reference genomes suggested that the three new reference genomes for beluga are more accurate compared to the currently published reference genome, but that the new narwhal genome is less accurate than one published. We also present a conceptual summary for improving the accuracy of reference genomes with relevance to end-user needs and how they relate to levels of assembly quality and uncertainty.
Effects of dexmedetomidine dosage on the short-term cognitive function of elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery
Authors: Fang Jun , Yang Jia , Zhai Mingyu , Zhang Qiong , Zhang Min , Xie Yanhu
Published: November 2023

Background

This study aimed to investigate the effects of perioperative dexmedetomidine (DEX) infusion rates on the postoperative short-term cognitive function.

Methods

A total of 88 patients aged ≥ 60 years who underwent cardiac surgery from January 2022 to November 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) were included. Based on a single-center pilot analysis, patients were divided into two groups according to the rate of intraoperative DEX infusion, which started after tracheal intubation and continued until 1 h before extubation in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit. In Group L (n = 44), the infusion rate was 0.1–0.5 µg/kg/h (low-dose group), whereas in Group H (n = 44), the infusion rate was 0.5–0.9 µg/kg/h (high-dose group). Clinical outcomes were then compared between the groups. The Mini–Mental State Evaluation (abbreviated as MMSE1, MMSE2, MMSE3, and MMSE4) scale was used for the assessment of cognitive function, which was conducted on postoperative Days 2 (T1), 7 (T2), 14 (T3), and 28 (T4), with the score from postoperative Day 2 (MMSE1) considered as the primary observation.

Results

Patients in Group L had higher MMSE1 scores compared to those in Group H (26.0 [24.0, 27.0] vs. 24.5 [22.0, 26.0], p = 0.046), and there was no significant difference in the scores between the groups at all subsequent time points. Group H exhibited a higher incidence of hypotension and bradycardia compared to Group L (p = 0.044 and p = 0.047, respectively).

Conclusions

Compared to a high dose (0.5–0.9 µg/kg/h) of DEX infusion, a low-dose (0.1–0.5 µg/kg/h) infusion started after induction of anesthesia and continued until 1 h before extubation improved postoperative cognitive function scores on postoperative Day 2 in patients aged 60 years and older.

Trial registration

URL: www.chictr.org.cn with registration number ChiCTR2100055093, registered on 31/12/2021.
The effect of disease misclassification on the ability to detect a gene-environment interaction: implications of the specificity of case definitions for research on Gulf War illness
Authors: Haley Robert W. , Dever Jill A. , Kramer Gerald , Teiber John F.
Published: November 2023

Background

Since 1997, research on Gulf War illness (GWI) has predominantly used 3 case definitions—the original Research definition, the CDC definition, and modifications of the Kansas definition—but they have not been compared against an objective standard.

Methods

All 3 case definitions were measured in the U.S. Military Health Survey by a computer-assisted telephone interview in a random sample (n = 6,497) of the 1991 deployed U.S. military force. The interview asked whether participants had heard nerve agent alarms during the conflict. A random subsample (n = 1,698) provided DNA for genotyping the PON1 Q192R polymorphism.

Results

The CDC and the Modified Kansas definition without exclusions were satisfied by 41.7% and 39.0% of the deployed force, respectively, and were highly overlapping. The Research definition, a subset of the others, was satisfied by 13.6%. The majority of veterans meeting CDC and Modified Kansas endorsed fewer and milder symptoms; whereas, those meeting Research endorsed more symptoms of greater severity. The group meeting Research was more highly enriched with the PON1 192R risk allele than those meeting CDC and Modified Kansas, and Research had twice the power to detect the previously described gene-environment interaction between hearing alarms and RR homozygosity (adjusted relative excess risk due to interaction [aRERI] = 7.69; 95% CI 2.71–19.13) than CDC (aRERI = 2.92; 95% CI 0.96–6.38) or Modified Kansas without exclusions (aRERI = 3.84; 95% CI 1.30–8.52) or with exclusions (aRERI = 3.42; 95% CI 1.20–7.56). The lower power of CDC and Modified Kansas relative to Research was due to greater false-positive disease misclassification from lower diagnostic specificity.

Conclusions

The original Research case definition had greater statistical power to detect a genetic predisposition to GWI. Its greater specificity favors its use in hypothesis-driven research; whereas, the greater sensitivity of the others favor their use in clinical screening for application of future diagnostic biomarkers and clinical care.
Development of a tool for assessing the performance of long-term care systems in relation to care transition: Transitional Care Assessment Tool in Long-Term Care (TCAT-LTC)
Authors: Wieczorek Estera , Kocot Ewa , Evers Silvia , Sowada Christoph , Pavlova Milena
Published: November 2023

Background

Improving the quality and safety of care transitions is a priority in many countries. Carrying out performance measurements play a significant role in improving quality of decisions undertaken by different actors involved in reforms. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to present the development of an evaluation tool for assessing the performance of long-term care systems in relation to care transition, namely the Transitional Care Assessment Tool in Long-Term Care (TCAT-LTC). This study is performed as part of a larger European TRANS-SENIOR project.

Methods

The development of the TCAT-LTC involved three steps. First, we developed a conceptual model based on Donabedian’s quality framework and literature review. Second, we carried out a thorough process of item pool generation using deductive (systematic literature review) and deductive-inductive methods (in-depth interviews) with experts in the field of long-term care. Third, we conducted preliminary validation of the tool by asking experts in research and practice to provide an opinion on a tool and to assess content validity. Future fourth step will involve a tool’s pilot with country experts from Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.

Results

By applying methodological triangulation, we developed the TCAT-LTC, which consists of 2 themes, 12 categories and 63 items. Themes include organizational and financial aspects. Organizational aspects include categories such as communication, transfer of information, availability and coordination of resources, training and education of staff, education/support of the patient/informal caregiver, involvement of the patient/informal caregiver, telemedicine and e-Health, and social care. Financial aspects include categories such as primary care, hospital, and long-term care. We also present the instructions on the application of the TCAT-LTC.

Conclusions

In this paper, we presented the development of the TCAT-LTC evaluation tool for assessing the performance of long-term care systems in relation to care transition. The TCAT-LTC is the first tool to assess the performance of long-term care systems in relation to care transition. Assessments can be carried out at the national and international level and enable to monitor, evaluate, and compare performance of the long-term care systems in relation to care transition within and across countries.
CT features of calcified micro-gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a case series
Authors: Chen Li-Jun , Han Yue-Dong , Zhang Ming
Published: November 2023

Background

Due to the lack of corresponding clinical symptoms, small calcified gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are often overlooked in clinical practice. Therefore, there is an unmet need to define the imaging features of calcified micro-gastric GISTs to facilitate diagnosis. This study retrospectively analyzed the computed tomography (CT) features of pathologically confirmed calcified micro-gastric GISTs.

Methods

The medical records (gastroscopy, pre-treatment gastric CT imaging [pre- and post-contrast scans], pathology) of patients with calcified gastric GISTs < 1 cm in diameter confirmed pathologically after endoscopic submucosal dissection, endoscopic submucosal excavation, or endoscopic full-thickness resection were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Seven patients had 8 calcified gastric GISTs < 1 cm in diameter. Six patients hadsingle lesions, and 1patients had multiple lesions. Six patients had lesions in the gastric fundus, 1 patient had a lesion in the body of the stomach. Lesions had a mean diameter of 5.2 mm (range, 1.3 mm ~ 7 mm). Unenhanced CT scans showed spots and high-density nodular calcifications in 3 submucosal lesions, 2 lesions in the muscularis propria, and 3 subserosal lesions that protruded outside the stomach. Among the 8 lesions, only two had solid soft tissue components surrounding the calcification, with one of these two showing post contrast enhancement of the solid soft tissue component.

Conclusions

Novel CT features of gastric GISTs included: commonly found in the gastric antrum, small size (< 1 cm in diameter), calcification, few solid soft tissue components, and no abnormal enhancement in most cases.
Enhancing the clinical diagnosis of the acute and subacute phases of autoimmune encephalitis and predicting the risk factors: the potential advantages of 18F-FDG PET/CT
Authors: Liu Lili , Lyu Zhehao , Li Huimin , Bai Lin , Wan Yong , Li Ping
Published: November 2023

Background

2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) could help evaluate metabolic abnormalities by semi-quantitative measurement to identify autoimmune encephalitis (AE). Few studies have been conducted to analyze the prognostic factors of AE. The study aimed to explore the values of diagnosis and treatment evaluation by 18F-FDG PET and preliminarily discussed the potential value in predicting the prognosis of AE patients.

Methods

AE patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There were two steps to analyse 18F-FDG PET imaging data. The first step was visual assessment. The second step was to analyse 18F-FDG PET parameters using Scenium software (Siemens Molecular Imaging Ltd). The mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of brain relative regional metabolism (BRRM) were quantified in the case and control groups according to the anatomical automatic labeling (AAL) partition. The main statistical method was the Kruskal–Wallis test. Finally, the simple linear regression method was used to analyse the relationships between 18F-FDG PET parameters and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores before and after treatment.

Results

The results on 18F-FDG PET showed that visual assessment abnormalities were in the mesial temporal lobe (MTL) (70.8%), (mainly infringing on the hippocampus and amygdala), basal ganglia (62.5%), frontal lobes (37.5%), occipital lobes (29.2%), and parietal lobes (12.5%). The positive rate of abnormalities on 18F-FDG PET was more sensitive than that on MRI (95.5% vs 32.2%, p = 0.001). The number of lesions on PET was positively correlated with the mRS scores before and after treatment, and the correlation before treatment was more significant. Before treatment, the SUVmean of the left occipital lobe was the most remarkable (SUVmean, R2 = 0.082, p > 0.05) factor associated with the mRS score, and the correlation was negative. With regard to prognosis, the SUVmax of the MTL was the most notable (R2 = 0.1471, p > 0.05) factor associated with the mRS score after treatment, and the correlation was positive.

Conclusions

18F-FDG PET could be more sensitive and informative than MRI in the early phases of AE. The common pattern of AE was high MTL metabolism on 18F-FDG PET, which was associated with hypometabolism of the occipital lobe, and the number of lesions on PET before treatment may be significant factors in assessing disease severity. The SUVmax of MTL hypermetabolism may serve as a prognostic biomarker in AE.