bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The long non-coding RNA GAS5 contributes to the suppression of inflammatory responses by inhibiting NF-κB activity
Authors: Curci Debora , Stankovic Biljana , Kotur Nikola , Pugnetti Letizia , Gasic Vladimir , Romano Maurizio , Zukic Branka , Decorti Giuliana , Stocco Gabriele , Lucafò Marianna , Pavlovic Sonja
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a key regulator of immune and inflammatory responses. Glucocorticoid drugs (GC) act through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) as immunosuppressant also in pediatric patients inhibiting NF-κB activity. The long non-coding RNA GAS5 interacts with the GR, influencing GC activity. No data on the role of GAS5 on GR-dependent inhibition of NF-κB activity have been published.

Methods

This study investigated the impact of GAS5 on NF-κB activity in HeLa cells overexpressing GAS5, both under basal conditions and during GC treatment. The study used EMSA, RNA-immunoprecipitation (RIP), Western blotting, and bioinformatic analyses to assess NF-κB DNA binding, GAS5-p65 interaction, and NF-κB signaling pathway modulation.

Results

GAS5 overexpression increased NF-κB DNA binding activity in untreated cells. RNA-IP confirmed a direct interaction between GAS5 and the NF-κB subunit p65, suggesting a potential regulatory mechanism. GAS5 overexpression led to downregulation of NF-κB target genes, TNF-α, and NR3C1. GC treatment reduced NF-κB DNA binding activity in GAS5-overexpressing cells, indicating a potential synergistic effect. Furthermore, GAS5 overexpression increased IκB levels and reduced p-p65/pan-p65 levels during GC treatment.

Discussion

GAS5 appears to modulate NF-κB activity in a complex manner, influencing both basal and GC-induced signaling. The interaction between GAS5, GCs, and NF-κB is multi-faceted, and further research is needed to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms. These findings suggest that GAS5 could be a potential target for personalized therapy, particularly in pediatric patients with inflammatory conditions.
Emerging small-molecule antiviral agents in long COVID prevention
Authors: He Xiaomeng , Zhang Xiang , Zhong Wu
Published: October 2024

Long COVID, or Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), was characterized by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive impairments. These symptoms, emerging one to 2 months post-infection and persisting for several months, cannot be attributed to other diagnoses. The pathophysiology of long COVID remained elusive; however, emerging studies suggested multiple potential mechanisms, including the reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus, persistent SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs, neuroinflammation, and vascular damage, which may contribute to its development. Long COVID affected multiple organ systems, including respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems, leading to a range of functional impairments. Additionally, it showed a profound impact on mental health, manifesting as anxiety and depression, which significantly degraded the quality of life. The absence of definitive treatments underscored the importance of prevention. Recent evidence indicated that early antiviral intervention—particularly with small-molecule drugs such as Metformin, Ensitrelvir, Molnupiravir, and Nirmatrelvir—may effectively reduce the incidence of long COVID. This underscored the promising role of small-molecule compounds in mitigating long-term COVID-19 consequences, offering a novel preventive strategy against long COVID and its extensive impacts on patients.
Combining mathematical modeling, in vitro data and clinical target expression to support bispecific antibody binding affinity selection: a case example with FAP-4-1BBL
Authors: Sanchez Javier , Claus Christina , McIntyre Christine , Tanos Tamara , Boehnke Axel , Friberg Lena E. , Jönsson Siv , Frances Nicolas
Published: October 2024

The majority of bispecific costimulatory antibodies in cancer immunotherapy are capable of exerting tumor-specific T-cell activation by simultaneously engaging both tumor-associated targets and costimulatory receptors expressed by T cells. The amount of trimeric complex formed when the bispecific antibody is bound simultaneously to the T cell receptor and the tumor-associated target follows a bell-shaped curve with increasing bispecific antibody exposure/dose. The shape of the curve is determined by the binding affinities of the bispecific antibody to its two targets and target expression. Here, using the case example of FAP-4-1BBL, a fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP)-directed 4-1BB (CD137) costimulator, the impact of FAP-binding affinity on trimeric complex formation and pharmacology was explored using mathematical modeling and simulation. We quantified (1) the minimum number of target receptors per cell required to achieve pharmacological effect, (2) the expected coverage of the patient population for 19 different solid tumor indications, and (3) the range of pharmacologically active exposures as a function of FAP-binding affinity. A 10-fold increase in FAP-binding affinity (from a dissociation constant [KD] of 0.7 nM–0.07 nM) was predicted to reduce the number of FAP receptors needed to achieve 90% of the maximum pharmacological effect from 13,400 to 4,000. Also, the number of patients with colon cancer that would achieve 90% of the maximum effect would increase from 6% to 39%. In this work, a workflow to select binding affinities for bispecific antibodies that integrates preclinical in vitro data, mathematical modeling and simulation, and knowledge on target expression in the patient population, is provided. The early implementation of this approach can increase the probability of success with cancer immunotherapy in clinical development.
Quantum long short-term memory (QLSTM) vs. classical LSTM in time series forecasting: a comparative study in solar power forecasting
Authors: Khan Saad Zafar , Muzammil Nazeefa , Ghafoor Salman , Khan Haibat , Zaidi Syed Mohammad Hasan , Aljohani Abdulah Jeza , Aziz Imran
Published: October 2024

Accurate solar power forecasting is pivotal for the global transition towards sustainable energy systems. This study conducts a meticulous comparison between Quantum Long Short-Term Memory (QLSTM) and classical Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models for solar power production forecasting. The primary objective is to evaluate the potential advantages of QLSTMs, leveraging their exponential representational capabilities, in capturing the intricate spatiotemporal patterns inherent in renewable energy data. Through controlled experiments on real-world photovoltaic datasets, our findings reveal promising improvements offered by QLSTMs, including accelerated training convergence and substantially reduced test loss within the initial epoch compared to classical LSTMs. These empirical results demonstrate QLSTM’s potential to swiftly assimilate complex time series relationships, enabled by quantum phenomena like superposition. However, realizing QLSTM’s full capabilities necessitates further research into model validation across diverse conditions, systematic hyperparameter optimization, hardware noise resilience, and applications to correlated renewable forecasting problems. With continued progress, quantum machine learning can offer a paradigm shift in renewable energy time series prediction, potentially ushering in an era of unprecedented accuracy and reliability in solar power forecasting worldwide. This pioneering work provides initial evidence substantiating quantum advantages over classical LSTM models while acknowledging present limitations. Through rigorous benchmarking grounded in real-world data, our study illustrates a promising trajectory for quantum learning in renewable forecasting.
Effects of extracellular metabolic acidosis and out-of-equilibrium CO2/HCO3− solutions on intracellular pH in cultured rat hippocampal neurons
Authors: Bouyer Patrice G. , Salameh Ahlam I. , Zhou Yuehan , Kolba Tiffany N. , Boron Walter F.
Published: October 2024

Metabolic acidosis (MAc)—an extracellular pH (pHo) decrease caused by a [HCO3−]o decrease at constant [CO2]o—usually causes intracellular pH (pHi) to fall. Here we determine the extent to which the pHi decrease depends on the pHo decrease vs the concomitant [HCO3−]o decrease. We use rapid-mixing to generate out-of-equilibrium CO2/HCO3− solutions in which we stabilize [CO2]o and [HCO3−]o while decreasing pHo (pure acidosis, pAc), or stabilize [CO2]o and pHo while decreasing [HCO3−]o (pure metabolic/down, pMet↓). Using the fluorescent dye 2′,7′-bis-2-carboxyethyl)-5(and-6)carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) to monitor pHi in rat hippocampal neurons in primary culture, we find that—in naïve neurons—the pHi decrease caused by MAc is virtually the sum of those caused by pAc (∼70%) + pMet↓ (∼30%). However, if we impose a first challenge (MAc1, pAc1, or pMet↓1), allow the neurons to recover, and then impose a second challenge (MAc2, pAc2, or pMet↓2), we find that pAc/pMet↓ additivity breaks down. In a twin-challenge protocol in which challenge #2 is MAc, the pHo and [HCO3−]o decreases during challenge #1 must be coincident in order to mimic the effects of MAc1 on MAc2. Conversely, if challenge #1 is MAc, then the pHo and [HCO3−]o decreases during challenge #2 must be coincident in order for MAc1 to produce its physiological effects during the challenge #2 period. We conclude that the history of challenge #1 (MAc1, pAc1, or pMet↓1)—presumably as detected by one or more acid-base sensors—has a major impact on the pHi response during challenge #2 (MAc2, pAc2, or pMet↓2).
Advances in VNS efficiency and mechanisms of action on cognitive functions
Authors: Wang Wendi , Li Rui , Li Chuangtao , Liang Qimin , Gao Xiaolin
Published: October 2024

Objective

This systematic review aims to comprehensively analyze the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in enhancing cognitive functions and its therapeutic potential for various cognitive impairments. The review focuses on the impact of VNS on emotional processing, executive functions, learning, memory, and its clinical applications in conditions such as epilepsy, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurological disorders.

Methods

A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) was conducted using the keywords “vagus nerve stimulation,” “cognitive enhancement,” “emotional processing,” “executive function,” “learning and memory,” “epilepsy,” “depression,” “Alzheimer’s disease,” “neurological disorders,” “attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,” “sleep disorders,” and “long COVID.” The inclusion criteria encompassed controlled trials, longitudinal studies, and meta-analyses published in English between 2000 and July 2024.

Results

A comprehensive review of 100 articles highlighted the cognitive effects of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS). Studies show that VNS, especially through transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS), enhances emotional recognition, particularly for facial expressions, and improves selective attention under high cognitive demands. Additionally, VNS enhances learning and memory, including associative memory and spatial working memory tasks. In clinical applications, VNS exhibits promising benefits for improving cognitive functions in treatment-resistant epilepsy, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Conclusion

VNS represents a promising therapeutic approach for enhancing cognitive function across diverse patient populations. The reviewed evidence highlights its efficacy in modulating cognitive domains in healthy individuals and improving cognition in neurological conditions. However, the comparative effectiveness of different VNS modalities and the differential effects of online versus offline VNS on cognitive psychology require further investigation. Future research should focus on optimizing VNS protocols and elucidating specific cognitive domains that benefit most from VNS interventions. This ongoing exploration is essential for maximizing the therapeutic potential of VNS in clinical practice.
Identification and expression profiling of neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptor genes in a natural enemy, Coccinella septempunctata
Authors: Han ShunDa , Chen JunJie , Liu ZhaoHan , Zhang MaoSen , Guo PengHui , Liu XiaoXiao , Wang LongRui , Shen ZhongJian , Zhang LiSheng
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Neuropeptides and their receptors constitute diverse and abundant signal molecules in insects, primarily synthesized and released primarily from neurosecretory cells within the central nervous system Neuropeptides act as neurohormones and euromodulators, regulating insect behavior, lifecycle, and physiology by binding to receptors on cell surface. As a typical natural predator of agricultural pests, the lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata, has been commercially mass-cultured and widely employed in pest management. Insect diapause is a physiological and ecological adaptative strategy acquired in adverse environments. In biological control programs, knowledge about diapause regulation in natural enemy insects provides important insight for improving long-term storage, transportation, and field adoption of these biological control agents. However, little is known about the function of neuropeptides and their receptors in controlling reproductive diapause of C. septempunctata. It is unclear which neuropeptides affect diapause of C. septempunctata.

Methods

In this study, RNA-seq technology and bioinformatics were utilized to investigate genes encoding neuropeptides and their receptors in female adults of C. septempunctata. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis was employed to examine gene expression across different development/diapause stages.

Results

A total of 17 neuropeptide precursor genes and 9 neuropeptide receptor genes were identified, implicated in regulating various behaviors such as feeding, reproduction, and diapause. Prediction of partial mature neuropeptides from precursor sequences was also performed using available information about these peptides from other species, conserved domains and motifs. During diapause induction, the mRNA abundance of AKH was notably higher on the 10th day compared to non-diapause females, but decreased by the 20th day. In contrast, GPHA showed lower expression levels on the 5th day of diapause induction compared to non-diapause females, but increased significantly by the 15th and 20th days. NPF was higher expressed in head and midgut while DH showed higher expression in the fat body and midgut. Additionally, NPF expression remained consistently lower throughout all stages of diapause induction compared to non-diapause conditions in females.

Discussion

This study represents the first sequencing, identification, and expression analysis of neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptor genes in C. septempunctata. Our results could provide a foundational framework for further investigations into the presence, functions, and potential targets of neuropeptides and their receptors, particularly in devising novel strategies for diapause regulation in C. septempunctata.
Dendroclimatological study of ancient trees integrating non-destructive techniques
Authors: Li Jinkuan , Liu Yameng , Wei Yafei , Li Jiaxin , Zhang Keyu , Wei Xiaoxu , Peng Jianfeng
Published: October 2024

Based on the need to protect previous ancient trees and the development of dendroclimatology, the use of non-destructive technologies in tree-ring research has gained increasing attention. This study focuses on the ancient Pinus tabulaeformis in Yu Xiang Forest Farm in Henan Province. Firstly, samples were collected using the traditional Increment borers and the Resistograph, a non-destructive method. Subsequently, the peak-valley analysis was used to filter the data obtained by the Resistograph to extract the tree ring width sequence, and the data’s accuracy was verified by correlation analysis with tree ring width sequence by the Increment borers. Then, the optimal filtering method and an appropriate comprehensive threshold were determined, and tree ring width and density sequences were successfully extracted. Following that, the growth trend and residual resistance in the measurement process were corrected using linear fitting and Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) technology, thereby establishing the tree-ring width and density index series, which were further validated through correlation analysis and t-tests. Finally, analysis of the correlation with climatic factors, identified the main limiting factors for tree growth, and the accuracy of the tree-ring information extracted by the Resistograph was further verified. The results showed that spite of certain differences between the tree-ring width indices extracted by the Resistograph and the Increment borer, they were generally reliable. The radial growth of the ancient P.tabulaeformis in Yu Xiang Forest Farm is primarily influenced by temperature, with the maximum density of the tree rings responding more significantly to the mean maximum temperature, while the minimum density of the tree rings responded more significantly to the mean minimum temperature. These results not only provide a scientific and accurate age for the protection of ancient trees and verify the reliability of the data obtained by the Resistograph, but also facilitate the use of non-destructive technology for in-depth study of ancient trees, therefore enhancing our understanding of how climate change affects tree growth and provide valuable insights for the future protection and management of these ancient trees.
Application of Fe2O3 nanoparticles improves the growth, antioxidant power, flavonoid content, and essential oil yield and composition of Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss.
Authors: Khanizadeh Parisa , Mumivand Hasan , Morshedloo Mohamad Reza , Maggi Filippo
Published: October 2024

Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss., an endemic and endangered medicinal and aromatic plant in Iran, showcases distinct botanical characteristics and therapeutic promise. According to the IUCN grouping criteria, this plant is facing challenges due to overcollection from its natural habitats. To address this issue, there is an increasing inclination towards cultivating this species within agricultural systems. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of applying Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) at varying concentrations (50, 100, and 200 mg L-1), as well as bulk Fe2O3 at the same concentrations, on the growth, essential oil production, antioxidant capacity, total phenol, and flavonoid content of D. kotschyi. The foliar application of 100 and/or 200 mg L-1 of Fe2O3 NPs resulted in the greatest leaf length and dry weight, while Fe2O3 NPs at the level of 100 mg L-1 led to the highest leaf/stem ratio. Additionally, spraying 200 mg L-1 of Fe2O3 NPs and all concentrations of bulk Fe2O3 positively impacted chlorophyll and carotenoid levels. Both nano and bulk Fe2O3 supplements stimulated H2O2 production and subsequently enhanced enzymatic antioxidant activity. The use of 50 mg L-1 of Fe2O3 NPs resulted in the highest flavonoid content and non-enzymatic antioxidant activity. Meanwhile, the highest essential oil content and yield was achieved by the application of 50 and/or 100 mg L-1 Fe2O3 NPs. The addition of low concentration of Fe2O3 NPs (50 mg L-1) resulted in a significant increase in the concentration of geranial, while a higher supply of Fe2O3 NPs (200 mg L-1) significantly decreased the percentage of neral in the essential oil. Overall, the application of Fe2O3 NPs demonstrated significant potential for increased biomass, enhanced yield, essential oil production, and phytochemical attributes. The findings highlight the versatility of Fe2O3 NPs at optimal concentrations, acting as both a nano-fertilizer and a nano-inducer, promoting the production and accumulation of valuable secondary metabolites in plants.
Expectations concerning cancer treatment: perspectives of medical oncologists and patients on advanced, unresectable lung carcinoma
Authors: Cruz-Castellanos Patricia , Jiménez-Fonseca Paula , Galán-Moral Rocío , Piera-Molons Nuria , Gustems Marina , Calderon Caterina
Published: October 2024

Introduction

This study seeks to compare expectations regarding systemic cancer treatment for advanced lung cancer from the perspectives of both patient and medical oncologist.

Methods

A cross-sectional study involving 17 medical oncologists from 13 Spanish hospitals between 2021 and 2022. Patients with advanced, unresectable lung cancer were recruited prior to initiating systemic cancer treatment. Both patients and oncologists completed the NEOetic-EIT and the STAR.

Results

Seventeen medical oncologists specializing in lung cancer participated, with a mean age of 36.2 years (range 28–56); 65% were female. The study included 298 patients with advanced, unresectable lung cancer, predominantly non-small cell type (72%), and most at stage IV (77%). Most patients were retired or unemployed (71%), and married or partnered (77%). Treatment approaches varied, with 44% based on biomarkers. Oncologists had greater expectations of positive outcomes for participants with better baseline prognosis, such as ECOG 0, newly diagnosed, locally advanced, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer, and those receiving biomarker-based treatments. In contrast, patients’ treatment expectations did not vary based on sociodemographic or clinical factors. Generally, patients had high expectations of cure, in contrast to oncologists’ lower expectations, though both anticipated similar quality-of-life improvements. Patients anticipated more side effects than oncologists. Among oncologists, expectations varied by gender and decreased with age and experience, with no differences detected among patients based on gender, age, or doctor-patient relationship.

Conclusion

This study reveals the complex expectations of patients and oncologists in advanced lung cancer treatment. It underscores the need for effective communication in oncology to align patient expectations with clinical realities.
“… give me a lawyer, dawg”: recognizing youthful pleas for advice and support
Authors: Wilford Miko M. , Frazier Annabelle
Published: October 2024

(1) Youth are particularly vulnerable to making suboptimal legal decisions due to added challenges in comprehension, as well as their ongoing neurological development.

(2) This fact is especially problematic in our system of pleas, which frequently expects defendants to determine the outcome of their own cases (by accepting or rejecting plea offers).

(3) To better ensure that guilty pleas entered by youthful defendants are indeed knowing, intelligent, and voluntary, legal counsel should be mandatory during any and all juvenile criminal proceedings.

(4) Further, an additional “translator” (similar to a guardian ad litem), who has specialized training in developmental psychology, should be present to effectively counsel and support youth defendants who might otherwise fail to comprehend the advice of their attorneys (and other court actors).
Prefer cheap or expensive products? Shopping stage matters
Authors: Niu Wanshu , Zhang Wuke , Chen Mingliang , Han Minghua
Published: October 2024

E-commerce platforms generally provide consumers with the function of virtual shopping carts to help them store interested products. Although about 80% of online consumers intends to purchase after adding products to their shopping cart, the abandonment rate of cart products has been up to 70%. It is important to understand how to improve consumer attitude toward product both before and after cart use. Building on the relevant literature and the consumer shopping goal stages theory, this study aims to examine the effects of product price, as one of the most indispensable and important information in online shopping, on consumer attitudes toward product at different decision-making stages in online shopping (i.e., add-to-cart stage and place-an-order stage), and the mediating roles of perceived product quality and monetary sacrifice. The findings from behavioral experiment suggest that high price leads to a more positive attitude toward product at add-to-cart stage by strengthened perception of high product quality, while results in a less positive product attitude at place-an-order stage because of the enhanced perception of monetary sacrifice. Both theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.
Dissecting implicit food-related behaviors in Binge Eating Disorder and obesity: insights from a mobile approach-avoidance framework
Authors: Collantoni Enrico , Meregalli Valentina , Granziol Umberto , Di Vincenzo Angelo , Rossato Marco , Giovannini Serena , Capobianco Elisa , Zech Hilmar , Vettor Roberto , Favaro Angela
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Bulimic episodes experienced by patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) might be sustained by an enhanced behavioral propensity to approach food stimuli.

Methods

To test this hypothesis, automatic approach avoidance tendencies toward high-calorie foods (HCF), low-calorie foods (LCF), and neutral objects were assessed in a group of 23 patients with BED, and their performance was compared to the one of 17 patients with obesity without BED and a group of 32 normal weight participants. All participants performed a mobile approach-avoidance task in which they were required to approach and avoid different stimuli by respectively pulling their phone toward themselves or pushing it away. Reaction times were analyzed.

Results

Results showed a significant three-way interaction between group, type of movement and stimulus. Post-hoc analyses revealed that all the groups displayed an approach bias toward HCF. Patients with BED and healthy controls also displayed an approach bias toward LCF, a bias that was absent in obese individuals without BED. Moreover, patients with BED were faster in approaching food stimuli, both HCF and LCF, compared to healthy controls.

Discussion

These behavioral tendencies are quite consistent with the real-life attitudes of both BED patients and patients with obesity and might contribute to the maintenance of unhealthy eating habits such as binging in patients with BED and high-calorie diets in patients with obesity.
A method and approach for evaluating coparenting events during couples group interventions
Authors: McHale James P. , Irace Karina , Cowan Philip , Cowan Carolyn Pape , Odgaard Eric
Published: October 2024

Introduction

When interventionists stimulate productive father-mother dialogues around coparenting, there are numerous potential benefits for families. Families stand to benefit from more positive involvement of fathers with both coparents and children, key contributors to healthy child developmental outcomes. In this report, we introduce a new strategy and rating system for helping practitioners and supervisors assess the nature and quality of coparenting-related dialogues and conversations in the context of couples group interventions.

Method

The system derives from analysis of 24 relationship-enhancement groups, 13 enrolling English-speaking couples and 11 enrolling Spanish-speaking couples, all parents of young children. All groups were co-led by a male-female team explicitly trained to focus on marital and parenting themes and supervised to address couples issues - not coparenting issues explicitly. All co-leaders spoke the native language of group participants. We documented how frequently coparenting events occurred, and how the nature and quality of events varied within and across groups.

Results

Overall, in both English- and Spanish-speaking groups expressly assembled to focus on marital and parenting issues, coparenting events occurred relatively infrequently. At the same time, both mothers and fathers appeared motivated to raise and discuss issues associated with their coparenting, and extended discussions about coparenting issues broached by the parents blossomed in approximately 37% of all instances. Process-oriented (rather than didactic) co-leader responses appeared especially helpful in scaffolding prolonged coparenting discussions.

Discussion

We propose that use of the system as a training, supervision and self-assessment tool can help clinicians become more consciously aware of how well their interventions succeed in promoting and scaffolding coparenting conversations during group interactions.
Cultural adaptation and preliminary validation of the Flexibility Scale for Spain
Authors: Rodríguez-Armendariz Ekaine , Petrolini Valentina , Martín-González Isabel , Juncal-Ruiz Maria , Vicente Agustín
Published: October 2024

Background

Individuals exhibit varying degrees of flexibility depending on different characteristics, conditions, and diagnoses. The Flexibility Scale is a comprehensive informant-report measure used to assess multiple aspects of flexibility in autistic and non-autistic children and youth, with an emphasis on cognitive aspects. This tool has not been adapted nor validated for use in Spain.

Methods

In this paper we aim to provide a culturally adapted and validated version of the Flexibility Scale for Spain. We detail the procedure followed by our research team to obtain a cultural adaptation of the scale for Spain, including forward and back translations, cognitive interviews, feedback from experts, and preliminary validation. Our participants in the validation process were 75 autistic and 39 typically developing children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17.

Results

We reached a culturally adapted and preliminary validated version of the Flexibility Scale for Spain (Escala de Flexibilidad).

Conclusions

We make the scale available to researchers and practitioners working in Spain. This contributes to laying the groundwork for further testing and adaptations in Spanish-speaking countries and communities worldwide.
Effectiveness of a peer-to-peer, self-management intervention for young people with depression and anxiety in Denmark: an observational study and a propensity score-matched comparison
Authors: Andersen Susan , Thygesen Lau Caspar , Jensen Marie Pil , Lauridsen Sigurd , Folker Anna Paldam , Nielsen Maj Britt Dahl
Published: October 2024

Objective

This study investigated the effectiveness of a 7-weeks peer-to-peer program for young people aged 15 to 25 years with depression or anxiety symptoms in Denmark.

Methods

A total of 483 participants (72% women) participated in the program and the evaluation. The participants completed questionnaires at baseline, postintervention, and at 5-month follow-up to assess changes in depression symptoms (using Beck’s Depression Inventory-II), anxiety symptoms (using Spielbergers State–Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults) and self-efficacy in controlling or managing the illness (using the personal control subscale from the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised). Analyses were done using repeated measures mixed linear regression models. Moreover, a register-based matched comparison group was derived as a comparison to assess changes in being in education and employment at 8-month follow-up.

Results

Within the intervention group, both depression and anxiety scores declined across the 5-month follow-up compared to baseline (b = −9.6, 95% CI: −11.2, −8.1 for depression symptoms). The self-efficacy score increased from baseline to post-intervention (b = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.8) and this level was maintained at follow-up. More than half of the participants were in education at baseline while 24% received social transfer payments. Compared with matched comparison group, a lower proportion of the intervention group remaining in education (71% vs. 80%). Among participants who were employed at baseline, a higher proportion of the intervention group were enrolled in education (27% vs. 19%) and were unemployed (14% vs. 4%) compared to the matched comparison group.

Conclusion

This study supports the effectiveness of a peer-to-peer intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms, and self-efficacy in symptom control. However, mixed effects on education and employment were observed, indicating a negative impact on education among those initially enrolled and a higher proportion of employed participants starting education.
The ABCs of mental health at the university: a multi-level intervention design for promoting mental well-being
Authors: Nielsen Line , Bermejo-Martins Elena , Nelausen Malene Kubstrup , Madsen Cecilie Schacht , Riva Elena , Koushede Vibeke Jenny , Meilstrup Charlotte Bjerre
Published: October 2024

Background

There is an escalating concern for the mental health of university students being recognized as a high-risk group for psychological distress. Despite research emphasizing the need to integrate mental well-being into higher education, existing interventions primarily focus on challenges and support services, leaving a gap in practical insights for promoting mental well-being at the university as a whole.

Objectives

This paper aims to cover the theoretical and methodological foundations for the design and development of a complex multi-level intervention called the ABCs of mental health at the university (ABC-uni).

Methods

Following the MRC framework for complex interventions, the design and development of a novel complex intervention is described (Phase I). Using the socio-ecological model and incorporating principles from health promotion charters, capacity building, organizational change models, and the principles of the ABCs of mental health a program theory for mental health promotion at the university is proposed. Following this theoretical foundation a logic model outlines the ABC-uni intervention components at structural, community, and individual levels. The components include staff training, campaign materials, a photovoice project, integration of mental well-being literacy into introductory programs, a credit-bearing course, and an online module. Preferably, most of these components are developed and carried out collaboratively with students at the university. As proposed in the logic model expected outcomes encompass heightened awareness, supportive environments, commitment, and accountability, aiming to enhance mental well-being across the entire university. The design and development of the intervention components occur at a Danish public university.

Discussion

This section addresses the strengths and limitations of the design of the ABC-uni intervention. Future research will cover the feasibility phase of each components of the ABC-uni intervention (phase II). The conceptual framework and program theory outlining mental health promotion at the university, along with the detailed description of the intervention components, provides valuable insights for fostering mental well-being in the university community.
Developing a High School Mental Health Action Checklist in Thailand: insights on perception and communication
Authors: Punneng Suwatsa , Arphorn Sara , Thanachoksawang Chatchai , Bangkadanara Goontalee , Tangtong Chaiyanun , Maruo Suchinda Jarupat , Chantra Niranyakarn , Yogyorn Densak , Ishimaru Tomohiro
Published: October 2024

Background

This study aimed to develop a mental health action checklist for high school students that emphasized the importance of readiness, safety, and good hygiene at work to enhance their mental health and prepare them for the workforce.

Methods

In total, 949 students from public high schools in Bangkok, Thailand voluntarily participated in this study. The 15-item High School Mental Health Action Checklist was developed based on a literature review and a pilot study. We used the index of item-objective congruence (IOC) to verify the content validity of the Checklist and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to establish its construct validity. The tool’s internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.

Results

The High School Mental Health Action Checklist had good content (IOC = 0.867) and construct validity. EFA revealed four factors that accounted for 46.5% of the variance. The overall reliability coefficient for the High School Mental Health Action Checklist was 0.788, and the reliability coefficients of the subdomains were 0.783–0.797.

Conclusion

The Checklist will allow schools to develop an annual action plan for student mental health promotion activities, in accordance with public health guidelines. Our results indicate the High School Student Mental Health Action Checklist has good psychometric properties.
The association between living alone and depressive symptoms in older adults population: evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Fang Hui , Duan Yingxin , Hou Yinxin , Chang Haoran , Hu Shanju , Huang Ruyi
Published: October 2024

Objective

The goal of this research was to reveal the association between living alone and depressive symptoms in older adults. It also aims to explore the mediating role of social activity and adult children’s relationship satisfaction. Ultimately, the study seeks to add to the body of knowledge for lowering the risk of depression among older people and promoting positive aging.

Methods

Based on information from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, the ordinary least square (OLS) regression model and propensity score matching (PSM) were used to investigate the association between living alone and depressive symptoms in older adults and to explore possible heterogeneity in different groups. Utilizing the SPSS PROCESS macro application, the mediation model was constructed. The significance of the mediation effect was investigated using the Bootstrap technique.

Results

The average level of depressive symptoms of older people living alone (10.55 ± 6.962) was higher than that of older people who do not live alone (8.80 ± 6.363). The baseline regression analysis revealed a significant connection between living alone and the depressive symptoms of older people (β = 0.842, p < 0.001). The association between living alone and the level of depressive symptoms was significantly higher in those aged 60–74 years (β = 1.698, p < 0.001) than in those aged 75 and older (β = 0.953, p < 0.05). The association between living alone and depressive symptoms was significantly higher in rural older adults (β = 1.512, p < 0.001) than in urban older adults (β = 1.141, p < 0.001). Between living alone and the level of depressive symptoms experienced by older people, there was a substantial mediation impact on social engagement and adult children’s relationship satisfaction, which contributed to 2.91 and 13.62% of the overall effect.

Conclusion

For older age groups, living alone is associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. This effect is stronger in older adults aged 60–74 or rural areas. In older age groups, the association between living alone and depressive symptoms is mediated by social activity and adult children’s relationship satisfaction.
Healthcare-seeking behavior for diarrhea in under-five children and associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel robust Poisson regression model
Authors: Tebeje Tsion Mulat , Tesfaye Solomon Hailemariam , Abebe Mesfin , Seboka Binyam Tariku , Tesfa Getanew Aschalew , Seifu Beminate Lemma , Mare Kusse Urmale , Aragaw Fantu Mamo
Published: October 2024

Background

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of child death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Children with diarrhea who do not receive medical advice or treatment are at high risk of poor health outcomes and increased mortality. Prompt and adequate treatment is essential to mitigate these risks. However, studies that have been conducted on the factors influencing healthcare-seeking behavior (HSB) for diarrhea in under-five children in SSA are scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine the variables related to HSB for diarrhea in children under the age of five.

Methods

A secondary data analysis was conducted on the most recent data from the Demographic and Health Surveys in 35 SSA countries. The study included a total weighted sample of 51,791 children under the age of five with diarrhea. We presented the adjusted prevalence ratio and the 95% confidence interval in the multivariable multilevel robust Poisson regression analysis to show the statistical significance and strength of the association between HSB and its determinants.

Results

The pooled prevalence of HSB for diarrhea in under-five children was 58.71% (95%CI: 55.39 to 62.04). Factors found to be associated with HSB included maternal age, education and working status, antenatal care visits, postnatal checkups for the child, wasting, distance to a health facility, SSA region, and country income level.

Conclusion

More than 40% of under-five children with diarrhea in SSA did not receive medical advice or treatment. To improve healthcare-seeking behavior, effective health policy interventions are necessary. These include enhancing the education and employment status of mothers, promoting regular antenatal and postnatal care visits, building health facilities in close proximity, and raising awareness in the community about the importance of seeking healthcare services for malnourished children.
The Safe System Approach and technology—what works?
Authors: Booker Nicole , Dolce Glendedora , Obi Simon Patrick
Published: October 2024

The Safe System Approach is an evidence-based strategy committed to eliminating fatalities and serious injuries among all road users. The Safe System Approach as developed in Sweden, acknowledges that human errors will occur, but the cost of these mistakes should not be death or serious injury. Technology is an integral component of the Safe System Approach and can address equity and reduce human error among other safety benefits. A literature review will be conducted to compare high-income countries leveraging the Safe System Approach and assess opportunities for technology interventions in low- and middle-income contexts. Evidence will be analyzed, as well as implementation considerations of the recent National adoption of the Safe System Approach in the United States. As SSA evolves in a global context, further evaluation is needed on the role of technology and how government policies can restrict or advance its implementation.
Identifying fatigue of climbing workers using physiological data based on the XGBoost algorithm
Authors: Xu Yonggang , Jian Qingzhi , Zhu Kunshuang , Wang Mingjun , Hou Wei , Gong Zichao , Xu Mingkai , Cui Kai
Published: October 2024

Background

High-voltage workers often experience fatigue due to the physically demanding nature of climbing in dynamic and complex environments, which negatively impacts their motor and mental abilities. Effective monitoring is necessary to ensure safety.

Methods

This study proposed an experimental method to quantify fatigue in climbing operations. We collected subjective fatigue (using the RPE scale) and objective fatigue data, including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), vital capacity (VC), grip strength (GS), response time (RT), critical fusion frequency (CFF), and heart rate (HR) from 33 high-voltage workers before and after climbing tasks. The XGBoost algorithm was applied to establish a fatigue identification model.

Results

The analysis showed that the physiological indicators of SpO2, VC, GS, RT, and CFF can effectively evaluate fatigue in climbing operations. The XGBoost fatigue identification model, based on subjective fatigue and the five physiological indicators, achieved an average accuracy of 89.75%.

Conclusion

This study provides a basis for personalized management of fatigue in climbing operations, enabling timely detection of their fatigue states and implementation of corresponding measures to minimize the likelihood of accidents.
Death from COVID-19 in contexts of social deprivation in Mexico
Authors: Martínez-Martínez Oscar A. , Ramírez-López Araceli , Coutiñho Brenda , Reyes-Martínez Javier
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Poverty is one of the macro factors that has been little studied in terms of its effect on death from COVID-19 since most studies have focused only on investigating whether the pandemic increased poverty or not. With that on mind, the present study aims to analyze how the social deprivations that comprise the measurement of municipal poverty in interaction with health comorbidities and sociodemographic characteristics, increased the probability of death from COVID-19.

Methods

The study is cross-sectional and covers daily reports on the conditions of COVID-19 in the Mexican population for almost 2 years. Using data from the National Epidemiological Surveillance System and the National Council for Evaluation of the Social Development Policy (N = 5,387,981), we employ a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM), specifically a binomial generalized linear mixed model.

Results

The findings indicate that, besides comorbidities, sociodemographic traits, and clinical aspects, living in a municipality where one or more of the social deprivations exist increases the probability of death. Specifically, in those municipalities where there is deprivation in education, social security, and food, as well as deprivation due to access to health services and deprivation in household services, the probability of death was greater.

Discussion

Living in a municipality with one or more of the social deprivations that compose poverty generated a greater probability of death. Each one of them or together, shows that poverty is a substantial factor for a pandemic like COVID-19 to worsen contagion and death, becoming a circle from which it is difficult to escape.
Preventing occupational injuries in the informal construction industry: a study protocol for the development of a safety education intervention for bricklayers and carpenters in Osun State, Nigeria
Authors: Ojo Temitope Olumuyiwa , Onayade Adedeji Ayodeji , Naicker Nisha
Published: October 2024

Background

Occupational injuries are a growing public health problem. Approximately 1,000 workers die daily from occupational injuries globally. Artisans working in the informal sector of the construction industry in many low/middle income countries like Nigeria have a higher injury predisposition. This study will assess the determinants of occupational injuries and design a safety intervention for informal sector artisans in the Nigerian construction industry.

Methods

A sequential mixed-methods design will be employed to study 840 bricklayers and carpenters (420 per artisan group) in Osun State, Nigeria. Quantitative data will be collected first while qualitative data will be collected thereafter. Thirdly, a modified Delphi-technique will be employed to co-design a safety education intervention. For the quantitative study, artisans will be recruited via multi-stage sampling and a semi-structured questionnaire will be administered to obtain information on artisans’ socio-demographics, work-patterns and occupational injuries. A multivariable regression model will be used to determine the association between injury occurrence and independent variables. Twelve to sixteen focus group discussion (FGD) sessions will be conducted for artisans to obtain group perspectives about injuries and preferred safety training topics. From the FGD and quantitative study findings, a list of items for the safety training module will be compiled for the modified-Delphi process. Thereafter, the content validation index (CVI) will be derived and items with CVI of ≥0.80 will be included in the final safety training module.

Conclusion

This paper describes the process required to assess the determinants of occupational injuries among artisans in the informal sector of the construction industry in Nigeria and further proposes the design of a context-relevant safety training intervention. The information from this study will be essential in promoting safe working environments for construction artisans.