bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial intelligence in the autonomous navigation of endovascular interventions: a systematic review
Authors: Robertshaw Harry , Karstensen Lennart , Jackson Benjamin , Sadati Hadi , Rhode Kawal , Ourselin Sebastien , Granados Alejandro , Booth Thomas C.
Published: August 2023

Background

Autonomous navigation of catheters and guidewires in endovascular interventional surgery can decrease operation times, improve decision-making during surgery, and reduce operator radiation exposure while increasing access to treatment.

Objective

To determine from recent literature, through a systematic review, the impact, challenges, and opportunities artificial intelligence (AI) has for the autonomous navigation of catheters and guidewires for endovascular interventions.

Methods

PubMed and IEEEXplore databases were searched to identify reports of AI applied to autonomous navigation methods in endovascular interventional surgery. Eligibility criteria included studies investigating the use of AI in enabling the autonomous navigation of catheters/guidewires in endovascular interventions. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), articles were assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2). PROSPERO: CRD42023392259.

Results

Four hundred and sixty-two studies fulfilled the search criteria, of which 14 studies were included for analysis. Reinforcement learning (RL) (9/14, 64%) and learning from expert demonstration (7/14, 50%) were used as data-driven models for autonomous navigation. These studies evaluated models on physical phantoms (10/14, 71%) and in-silico (4/14, 29%) models. Experiments within or around the blood vessels of the heart were reported by the majority of studies (10/14, 71%), while non-anatomical vessel platforms “idealized” for simple navigation were used in three studies (3/14, 21%), and the porcine liver venous system in one study. We observed that risk of bias and poor generalizability were present across studies. No procedures were performed on patients in any of the studies reviewed. Moreover, all studies were limited due to the lack of patient selection criteria, reference standards, and reproducibility, which resulted in a low level of evidence for clinical translation.

Conclusion

Despite the potential benefits of AI applied to autonomous navigation of endovascular interventions, the field is in an experimental proof-of-concept stage, with a technology readiness level of 3. We highlight that reference standards with well-identified performance metrics are crucial to allow for comparisons of data-driven algorithms proposed in the years to come.

Systematic review registration

identifier: CRD42023392259.
Deep learning-based segmentation of brain parenchyma and ventricular system in CT scans in the presence of anomalies
Authors: Gerken Annika , Walluscheck Sina , Kohlmann Peter , Galinovic Ivana , Villringer Kersten , Fiebach Jochen B. , Klein Jan , Heldmann Stefan
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The automatic segmentation of brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid-filled spaces such as the ventricular system is the first step for quantitative and qualitative analysis of brain CT data. For clinical practice and especially for diagnostics, it is crucial that such a method is robust to anatomical variability and pathological changes such as (hemorrhagic or neoplastic) lesions and chronic defects. This study investigates the increase in overall robustness of a deep learning algorithm that is gained by adding hemorrhage training data to an otherwise normal training cohort.

Methods

A 2D U-Net is trained on subjects with normal appearing brain anatomy. In a second experiment the training data includes additional subjects with brain hemorrhage on image data of the RSNA Brain CT Hemorrhage Challenge with custom reference segmentations. The resulting networks are evaluated on normal and hemorrhage test casesseparately, and on an independent test set of patients with brain tumors of the publicly available GLIS-RT dataset.

Results

Adding data with hemorrhage to the training set significantly improves the segmentation performance over an algorithm trained exclusively on normally appearing data, not only in the hemorrhage test set but also in the tumor test set. The performance on normally appearing data is stable. Overall, the improved algorithm achieves median Dice scores of 0.98 (parenchyma), 0.91 (left ventricle), 0.90 (right ventricle), 0.81 (third ventricle), and 0.80 (fourth ventricle) on the hemorrhage test set. On the tumor test set, the median Dice scores are 0.96 (parenchyma), 0.90 (left ventricle), 0.90 (right ventricle), 0.75 (third ventricle), and 0.73 (fourth ventricle).

Conclusion

Training on an extended data set that includes pathologies is crucial and significantly increases the overall robustness of a segmentation algorithm for brain parenchyma and ventricular system in CT data, also for anomalies completely unseen during training. Extension of the training set to include other diseases may further improve the generalizability of the algorithm.
Odor Hedonic Profile (OHP): a self-rating tool of everyday odors
Authors: Charlotte Bontempi , Laurence Jacquot , Gérard Brand
Published: August 2023

Odor hedonic estimation (pleasant/unpleasant) is considered the first and one of the most important dimensions in odor perception. Although there are several published scales that rate odor hedonicity, most of them use odorants that induce biases related to stimulus properties or test conditions and make difficult clinical or industrial applications. Thus, this study aimed to propose a model of odor hedonic profile (OHP) based on 14 items related to everyday odors without stimulus. The OHP is a self-rating tool based on the hedonic estimate representation and allows the determination of specific profiles, i.e., “conservative,” “neutral,” “liberal,” “negative olfactory alliesthesia,” and “positive olfactory alliesthesia.” It can be useful in different contexts (e.g., food studies) and general pathologies (e.g., eating disorders) or pathologies with mood/emotional disturbances (e.g., depression).
A novel feature fusion network for multimodal emotion recognition from EEG and eye movement signals
Authors: Fu Baole , Gu Chunrui , Fu Ming , Xia Yuxiao , Liu Yinhua
Published: August 2023

Emotion recognition is a challenging task, and the use of multimodal fusion methods for emotion recognition has become a trend. Fusion vectors can provide a more comprehensive representation of changes in the subject's emotional state, leading to more accurate emotion recognition results. Different fusion inputs or feature fusion methods have varying effects on the final fusion outcome. In this paper, we propose a novel Multimodal Feature Fusion Neural Network model (MFFNN) that effectively extracts complementary information from eye movement signals and performs feature fusion with EEG signals. We construct a dual-branch feature extraction module to extract features from both modalities while ensuring temporal alignment. A multi-scale feature fusion module is introduced, which utilizes cross-channel soft attention to adaptively select information from different spatial scales, enabling the acquisition of features at different spatial scales for effective fusion. We conduct experiments on the publicly available SEED-IV dataset, and our model achieves an accuracy of 87.32% in recognizing four emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, and neutrality). The results demonstrate that the proposed model can better explore complementary information from EEG and eye movement signals, thereby improving accuracy, and stability in emotion recognition.
Monoclonal antibodies binding to different epitopes of CD20 differentially sensitize DLBCL to different classes of chemotherapy
Authors: Lee Brian , Pierpont Tim , August Avery , Richards Kristy
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Rituximab (R), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and the world’s first approved antibody for oncology patients, was combined with the CHOP chemotherapy regimen and markedly improved the prognosis of all B- cell–derived lymphomas, the most common hematological malignancy worldwide. However, there is a 35% disease recurrence with no advancement in the first-line treatment since R was combined with the archetypal CHOP chemotherapy regimen nearly 30 years ago. There is evidence that R synergizes with chemotherapy, but the pharmacological interactions between R and CHOP or between newer anti-CD20 mAbs and CHOP remain largely unexplored.

Methods

We used in vitro models to score pharmacological interactions between R and CHOP across various lymphoma cell lines. We compared these pharmacological interactions to ofatumumab, a second-generation anti-CD20 mAb, and CHOP. Lastly, we used RNA-sequencing to characterize the transcriptional profiles induced by these two antibodies and potential molecular pathways that mediate their different effects.

Results

We discovered vast heterogeneity in the pharmacological interactions between R and CHOP in a way not predicted by the current clinical classification. We then discovered that R and ofatumumab differentially synergize with the cytotoxic and cytostatic capabilities of CHOP in separate distinct subsets of B-cell lymphoma cell lines, thereby expanding favorable immunochemotherapy interactions across a greater range of cell lines beyond those induced by R-CHOP. Lastly, we discovered these two mAbs differentially modulate genes enriched in the JNK and p38 MAPK family, which regulates apoptosis and proliferation.

Discussion

Our findings were completely unexpected because these mAbs were long considered to be biological and clinical equivalents but, in practice, may perform better than the other in a patient-specific manner. This finding may have immediate clinical significance because both immunochemotherapy combinations are already FDA-approved with no difference in toxicity across phase I, II, and III clinical trials. Therefore, this finding could inform a new precision medicine strategy to provide additional therapeutic benefit to patients with B-cell lymphoma using immunochemotherapy combinations that already meet the clinical standard of care.
“Waitlist mortality” is high for myeloma patients with limited access to BCMA therapy
Authors: Ahmed Nausheen , Wesson William , Mushtaq Muhammad Umair , Bansal Rajat , AbdelHakim Haitham , Bromert Sarah , Appenfeller Allison , Ghazal Batool Abu , Singh Anurag , Abhyankar Sunil , Ganguly Siddhartha , McGuirk Joseph , Abdallah Al-Ola , Shune Leyla
Published: August 2023

Background

The first-in-class approved BCMA CAR-T therapy was idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel), approved in March 2021, for RRMM patients who progressed after 4 or more lines of therapy. Despite the promising outcomes, there were limited apheresis/production slots for ide-cel. We report outcomes of patients at our institution who were on the “waitlist” to receive ide-cel in 2021 and who could not secure a slot.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of RRMM patients evaluated at the University of Kansas Cancer Center for ide-cel from 3/2021-7/2021. A retrospective chart review was performed to determine patient and disease characteristics. Descriptive statistics were reported using medians for continuous variables. Survival analysis from initial consult was performed using Kaplan-Meier Survival estimator.

Results

Forty patients were eligible and were on the “waitlist” for CAR-T. The median follow-up was 14 months (2-25mo). Twenty-four patients (60%) secured a production slot and 16 (40%) did not. The median time from consult to collection was 38 days (8-703). The median time from collection to infusion was 42 days (34-132 days). The median overall survival was higher in the CAR-T group (NR vs 9 mo, p<0.001).

Conclusion(s)

Many patients who were eligible for ide-cel were not able to secure a timely slot in 2021. Mortality was higher in this group, due to a lack of comparable alternatives. Increasing alternate options as well as improvement in manufacturing and access is an area of high importance to improve RRMM outcomes.
SARS-CoV-2 infection in high-risk children following tixagevimab–cilgavimab (Evusheld) pre-exposure prophylaxis: a single-center observational study
Authors: Hijano Diego R. , Ferrolino Jose A. , Swift Elizabeth G. , Michaels Carolyn A. , Max Anita , Hayden Randall T. , Wolf Joshua , Dallas Ronald H. , Greene William L. , Richardson Julie L. , Hakim Hana , Morton Ted H. , Cross Shane J.
Published: August 2023

From 8 December 2021 to 26 January 2023, tixagevimab–cilgavimab (T-C) was authorized for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19. During this period, we used a multidisciplinary team to communicate, screen, approach, and administer T-C to eligible patients. Twenty-seven patients were eligible. Of these, 24 (88.9%) received at least one dose of T-C and three patients received two doses. Majority of patients were White, non-Hispanic, and women. Only two patients had COVID-19 prior to receiving T-C. Seventeen (70.8%) had received two or more doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. No serious adverse events were noted. Seven patients developed SARS-CoV-2 infection within 180 days of receiving T-C (median 102 days; range 28–135), and only one patient developed severe COVID-19 requiring intensive mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit.
Therapy by physician–pharmacist combination and economic returns for cancer pain management in China: a cost-effectiveness analysis
Authors: Lu Xikui , Zhang Lu , Huang Hangxing , Wu Xiangping , Wang Zhenting , Huang Ling , Li Jingyang , Yu Huimin , Zhang Hongyan , Xiao Jian
Published: August 2023

Objective: To examine whether joint management of cancer pain by physicians and pharmacists in clinics provides economic advantages from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system.

Methods: From February 2018 to March 2020, 100 patients who visited the joint cancer pain clinic at the Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were included. These patients were randomly assigned to either the control or intervention groups. The control group received regular outpatient services from a physician, while the intervention group received regular outpatient services from a physician and medication education provided by a pharmacist. The study considered various direct costs, including drug expenses, physician-pharmacist outpatient services, adverse event management, consultations, examinations, and readmissions. The outcome indicators considered were the cancer pain control rate and the reduction in pain scores. Decision tree modeling, single-factor sensitivity analysis, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of joint physician-pharmacist outpatient services compared to physician-alone outpatient services.

Results: The intervention group showed a significantly higher cancer pain control rate than the control group (0.69 vs. 0.39, p = 0.03). In the decision tree model, the intervention group had a significantly lower pain score than the control group (0.23 vs. 0.14). The cost per person in the intervention group was $165.39, while it was $191.1 per person in the control group. The univariate sensitivity analysis showed that the cost of self-management for patients in the control group was identified as the primary sensitivity factor. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that the joint clinic group had a favorable incremental cost-effectiveness compared to the physician clinic group. In addition, the probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated an absolute advantage in the incremental cost-effectiveness of the joint clinic group over the outpatient physician group.

Conclusion: The participation of pharmacists in joint cancer pain clinic services led to improved pain management for patients, demonstrating a clear advantage in terms of cost-effectiveness.
Tripterygium glycosides for safely controlling disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis
Authors: Chen Yifan , Wang Liuding , Li Nannan , Zhou Caiyun
Published: August 2023

Background: Tripterygium glycosides have been used to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for a long time, showing the effects of immune regulation. We aimed to evaluate the benefits and risks of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets (TGT) for patients with SLE.

Methods: We searched electronic databases and clinical trial registries for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We identified eligible RCTs and assessed risk of bias. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the pooled effects. The Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA) 0.9.5.10 software was used to verify the reliability of the results.

Results: Eight RCTs encompassing 538 patients with SLE were included. TGT combined with conventional treatments (CTs) was superior to CTs alone in reducing lupus activity (MD = −1.66, 95% CI = −2.07 to −1.26, p < 0.00001, low-certainty evidence) and improving overall response rate (ORR) (RR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.32, p < 0.0001, moderate-certainty evidence). The robustness of the results was confirmed by TSA. Regarding safety, there was no statistical difference in the overall incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups.

Conclusion: In patients with SLE, TGT might safely reduce disease activity. However, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of TGT.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022300474; Identifier: CRD42022300474.
Subacute toxicity evaluations of LPM3480392 in rats, a full µ-opioid receptor biased agonist
Authors: Ye Liang , Li Chunmei , Jiang Wanglin , Yang Yifei , Wang Wenyan , Zhu Haibo , Hu Zhengping , Li Ning , Cen Xiaobo , Wang Hongbo , Tian Jingwei
Published: August 2023

Opiates produce analgesia via G-protein signaling, and adverse effects, such as respiratory depression and decreased bowel motility, by β-arrestin pathway. Oliceridine, a G protein-biased MOR agonist, only presents modest safety advantages as compared to other opiates in clinical trials, possibly due to its limited bias. Our previous study shown that LPM3480392, a full MOR biased agonist, is selective for the Gi pathway over the β-arrestin-2. In the present article, we evaluated the subacute toxicity of LPM3480392 in rats. The rats were administered with control article or LPM3480392 0.6, 1.2 or 2.4 mg/kg/day for 4 consecutive weeks followed by a 4-week recovery phase. Intravenous infusion was conducted at tail vein at 0.2, 0.4 or 0.8 mg/kg/day with a dosing volume of 10 mL/kg and 5 min/rat/dose, three times a day with an interval of approximately 4 h. The concomitant toxicokinetics study was conducted. Two unscheduled rats at 2.4 mg/kg/day died with no clear cause. For the scheduled necropsy, the major effects were associated with the MOR agonist-related pharmacodynamic properties of LPM3480392 (e.g., increased activity, increased muscle tone; decreased food consumption and body weight gain; and clinical chemistry changes related with decreased food consumption) in three LPM3480392 groups. In addition, LPM3480392 at 2.4 mg/kg/day also induced deep respiration and histopathology changes in testis and epididymis in sporadic individual rats. However, different from other opiates, LPM3480392 presents weak/no immunosuppression and the decreased adrenal gland weight, which may be due to LPM3480392’ full MOR bias. At the end of recovery phase, all findings were recovered to some extent or completely. In the toxicokinetics study, the dose-dependent elevation of drug exposure was observed, which partly explained the toxicity of high dose. In summary, LPM3480392 has exhibited good safety characteristics in this subacute toxicity study in rats.
SNPs in cytochrome P450 genes decide on the fate of individuals with genetic predisposition to Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Petkova-Kirova Polina , Baas Stephan , Wagenpfeil Gudrun , Hartz Philip , Unger Marcus Michael , Bernhardt Rita
Published: August 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most frequent neurological diseases affecting millions of people worldwide. While the majority of PD cases are of unknown origin (idiopathic), about 5%–10% are familial and linked to mutations in different known genes. However, there are also people with a genetic predisposition to PD who do not develop the disease. To elucidate factors leading to the manifestation of PD we compared the occurrence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various cytochrome P450 (P450) genes in people with a genetic predisposition and suffering from PD (GPD) to that of people, who are genetically predisposed, but show no symptoms of the disease (GUN). We used the PPMI (Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative) database and the gene sequences of all 57 P450s as well as their three redox partners. Corresponding odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess the incidence of the various SNPs in the two groups of individuals and consequently their relation to PD. We identified for the first time SNPs that are significantly (up to 10fold!) over- or under-represented in GPD patients compared to GUN. SNPs with OR > 5 were found in 10 P450s being involved in eicosanoid, vitamin A and D metabolism as well as cholesterol degradation pointing to an important role of endogenous factors for the manifestation of PD clinical symptoms. Moreover, 12 P450s belonging to all P450 substrate classes as well as POR have SNPs that are significantly under-represented (OR < 0.2) in GPD compared to GUN, indicating a protective role of those SNPs and the corresponding P450s regarding disease advancement. To the best of our knowledge our data for the first time demonstrate an association between known PD predisposition genes and SNPs in other genes, shown here for different P450 genes and for their redox partner POR, which promote the manifestation of the disease in familial PD. Our results thus shed light onto the pathogenesis of PD, especially the switch from GUN to GPD and might further help to advance novel strategies for preventing the development or progression of the disease.
Sexual dimorphic gene expression profile of perirenal adipose tissue in ovine fetuses with growth restriction
Authors: Blomberg Jack , Luna Ramirez Rosa I. , Goyal Dipali , Limesand Sean W. , Goyal Ravi
Published: August 2023

Worldwide, fetal growth restriction (FGR) affects 7%–10% of pregnancies, or roughly 20.5 million infants, each year. FGR increases not only neonatal mortality and morbidity but also the risk of obesity in later life. Currently, the molecular mechanisms by which FGR “programs” an obese phenotype are not well understood. Studies demonstrate that FGR females are more prone to obesity compared to males; however, the molecular mechanisms that lead to the sexually dimorphic programming of FGR are not known. Thus, we hypothesized that FGR leads to the sexually dimorphic programming of preadipocytes and reduces their ability to differentiate into mature adipocytes. To test the hypothesis, we utilized a maternal hyperthermia-induced placental insufficiency to restrict fetal growth in sheep. We collected perirenal adipose tissue from near-term (∼140 days gestation) male and female FGR and normal-weight fetal lambs (N = 4 to 5 in each group), examined the preadipocytes’ differentiation potential, and identified differential mRNA transcript expression in perirenal adipose tissue. Male FGR fetuses have a lower cellular density (nuclei number/unit area) compared to control male fetuses. However, no difference was observed in female FGR fetuses compared to control female fetuses. In addition, the ability of preadipocytes to differentiate into mature adipocytes with fat accumulation was impaired in male FGR fetuses, but this was not observed in female FGR fetuses. Finally, we examined the genes and pathways involved in the sexually dimorphic programming of obesity by FGR. On enrichment of differentially expressed genes in males compared to females, the Thermogenesis KEGG Pathway was downregulated, and the Metabolic and Steroid Biosynthesis KEGG pathways were upregulated. On enrichment of differentially expressed genes in male FGR compared to male control, the Steroid Biosynthesis KEGG Pathway was downregulated, and the PPAR Signaling KEGG pathway was upregulated. No pathways were altered in females in response to growth restriction in perirenal adipose tissue. Thus, the present study demonstrates a sexually dimorphic program in response to growth restriction in sheep fetal perirenal adipose tissue.
Pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells in central nervous system arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Nakisli Sera , Lagares Alfonso , Nielsen Corinne M. , Cuervo Henar
Published: August 2023

Previously considered passive support cells, mural cells—pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells—have started to garner more attention in disease research, as more subclassifications, based on morphology, gene expression, and function, have been discovered. Central nervous system (CNS) arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) represent a neurovascular disorder in which mural cells have been shown to be affected, both in animal models and in human patients. To study consequences to mural cells in the context of AVMs, various animal models have been developed to mimic and predict human AVM pathologies. A key takeaway from recently published work is that AVMs and mural cells are heterogeneous in their molecular, cellular, and functional characteristics. In this review, we summarize the observed perturbations to mural cells in human CNS AVM samples and CNS AVM animal models, and we discuss various potential mechanisms relating mural cell pathologies to AVMs.
Protein and lipid content estimation in soybeans using Raman hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Aulia Rizkiana , Amanah Hanim Z. , Lee Hongseok , Kim Moon S. , Baek Insuck , Qin Jianwei , Cho Byoung-Kwan
Published: August 2023

Unlike standard chemical analysis methods involving time-consuming, labor-intensive, and invasive pretreatment procedures, Raman hyperspectral imaging (HSI) can rapidly and non-destructively detect components without professional supervision. Generally, the Kjeldahl methods and Soxhlet extraction are used to chemically determine the protein and lipid content of soybeans. This study is aimed at developing a high-performance model for estimating soybean protein and lipid content using a non-destructive Raman HSI. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) techniques were used to develop the model using a calibration model based on 70% spectral data, and the remaining 30% of the data were used for validation. The results indicate that the Raman HSI, combined with PLSR, resulted in a protein and lipid model Rp2 of 0.90 and 0.82 with Root Mean Squared Error Prediction (RMSEP) 1.27 and 0.79, respectively. Additionally, this study successfully used the Raman HSI approach to create a prediction image showing the distribution of the targeted components, and could predict protein and lipid based on a single seeds.
Wetland vegetation cover changes and its response to climate changes across Heilongjiang-Amur River Basin
Authors: Chang Xinyue , Yu Lingxue , Li Guangshuai , Li Xuan , Bao Lun
Published: August 2023

The Heilongjiang-Amur River Basin is one of the largest and most complex aquatic systems in Asia, comprising diverse wetland resources. The wetland vegetation in mid-high latitude areas has high natural value and is sensitive to climate changes. In this study, we investigated the wetland vegetation cover changes and associated responses to climate change in the Heilongjiang-Amur River Basin from 2000 to 2018 based on the growing season (May to September) climate and LAI data. Our results indicated that the wetland LAI increased at 0.014 m2·m-2/yr across Heilongjiang-Amur River Basin with the regional climate showed wetting and warming trends. On a regional scale, wetland vegetation in China and Russia had positive partial correlation with solar radiation and minimum air temperature, with precipitation showing a slight lag effect. In contrast, wetland vegetation in Mongolia had positive partial correlation with precipitation. These correlations were further investigated at different climate intervals. We found the precipitation is positively correlated with LAI in the warm regions while is negatively correlated with LAI in the wet regions, indicating an increase in precipitation is beneficial for the growth of wetland vegetation in heat sufficient areas, and when precipitation exceeds a certain threshold, it will hinder the growth of wetland vegetation. In the cold regions, we found solar radiation and minimum air temperature are positively correlated with LAI, suggesting SR and minimum air temperature instead of mean air temperature and maximum air temperature play more important roles in affecting the wetland vegetation growth in the heat limited areas. The LAI was found to be negatively correlated with maximum air temperature in the arid areas, indicating excessive temperature would inhibit the wetland vegetation growth when the water is limited. Our investigation can provide a scientific foundation for the trilateral region in wetland ecosystem protection and is beneficial for a more comprehensive understanding of the responses of wetlands in the middle and high latitudes to climate change.
Integrated metagenomics and metabolomics analysis reveals changes in the microbiome and metabolites in the rhizosphere soil of Fritillaria unibracteata
Authors: Liu Chengcheng , Yu Jingsheng , Ying Jizhe , Zhang Kai , Hu Zhigang , Liu Zhixiang , Chen Shilin
Published: August 2023

Fritillaria unibracteata (FU) is a renowned herb in China that requires strict growth conditions in its cultivation process. During this process, the soil microorganisms and their metabolites may directly affect the growth and development of FU, for example, the pathogen infection and sipeimine production. However, few systematic studies have reported the changes in the microbiome and metabolites during FU cultivation thus far. In this work, we simultaneously used metagenomics and metabolomics technology to monitor the changes in microbial communities and metabolites in the rhizosphere of FU during its cultivation for one, two, and three years. Moreover, the interaction between microorganisms and metabolites was investigated by co-occurrence network analysis. The results showed that the microbial composition between the three cultivation-year groups was significantly different (2020-2022). The dominant genera changed from Pseudomonas and Botrytis in CC1 to Mycolicibacterium and Pseudogymnoascus in CC3. The relative abundances of beneficial microorganisms decreased, while the relative abundances of harmful microorganisms showed an increasing trend. The metabolomics results showed that significant changes of the of metabolite composition were observed in the rhizosphere soil, and the relative abundances of some beneficial metabolites showed a decreasing trend. In this study, we discussed the changes in the microbiome and metabolites during the three-year cultivation of FU and revealed the relationship between microorganisms and metabolites. This work provides a reference for the efficient and sustainable cultivation of FU.
The influence of Big Five personality traits on college students’ key competencies: the mediating effect of psychological capital
Authors: Hu Anqi , Li Xueyan , Song Hongfeng
Published: August 2023

Background

In recent years, both society and employers have put forward higher requirements for the comprehensive quality of college students in the new era. Based on the conservation of resources theory and life-cycle approach, this study aimed to examine the relationship between the Big Five personality traits, the psychological capital, and the key competencies among college students and analyzed the mediating role of the psychological capital in this link.

Methods

A total of 1,132 Chinese undergraduates (67.40% girls; 48.67% from key universities) participated. Participants completed self-report questionnaires that evaluated the five key characteristics of personality, psychological capital, and key competencies.

Results

There were extremely significant university-type differences in key competencies of college students. And the mediating role of psychological capital in the link between Big Five personality traits and key competencies was validated according to PROCESS model 4. Psychological capital serves as a partial mediator in the relationships between neuroticism and critical thinking, openness and creativity, conscientiousness and creativity, openness and communication, conscientiousness and communication, extraversion and collaboration, as well as openness and collaboration. The proportion of mediating effects for the above models was 5.97, 10.89, 11.82, 12.24, 11.98, 12.39, and 22.72%, respectively.

Discussion

The findings provide a better understanding of the key competencies of college students from the perspectives of the Big Five personality traits and psychological capital and suggest a greater emphasis to focusing on personality and improving psychological capital.
Factors related to the quality of life of family cancer caregivers
Authors: Liu Zhenya , Chen Cancan , Hu Yanli
Published: August 2023

Background

Cancer caregivers directly affect patient health outcomes. To maintain the function and health of caregivers so that patients can receive efficient care, we must pay more attention to caregivers’ quality of life in the process of caring for patients. However, the factors influencing caregivers’ quality of life are complex.

Aim

To assess caregivers’ quality of life in the process of caring for cancer patients and to explore the factors associated with it.

Design

This was a descriptive correlational study. A self-report questionnaire was used to anonymously collect data from one Chinese cancer hospital. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp-12), General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10 (CD-RISC-10), 24-item Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and Caregiver Evaluation Questionnaire were used to measure caregivers’ spiritual well-being, self-efficacy, affective well-being, resilience, caregiver burden and quality of life. One-way analysis of variance, the Kruskal–Wallis H test and multiple regression analysis were applied to measure the factors influencing caregivers’ situations.

Setting and participants

A total of 315 caregivers of cancer patients were selected by convenience sampling. All participants were invited to complete the questionnaire through a one-on-one approach.

Results

The mean score for caregiver quality of life was 204.62 ± 36.61. After controlling for demographic factors, self-efficacy (β’ = 0.265, p < 0.01), resilience (β’ = 0.287, p < 0.01) and positive affect (β’ = 0.103, p < 0.01) were protective factors for caregivers’ quality of life. Negative affect (β’ = −0.217, p < 0.01) and caregiver burden (β’ = −0.219, p < 0.01) were negative factors. Notably, not all of these predictors can predict all dimensions of quality of life.

Conclusion

Caregivers’ quality of life needs to be further improved. The results of this study may provide clues to help identify factors influencing caregivers’ quality of life and implement targeted strategies to improve their quality of life.
Efficacy of immersive extended reality (XR) interventions on different symptom domains of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. A systematic review
Authors: Holopainen Roope , Tiihonen Jari , Lähteenvuo Markku
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Extended reality (XR) is an umbrella term for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), both novel vectors for therapeutic intervention modalities. In VR, head-mounted devices (HMD) allow interaction with three-dimensional virtual environments and simulated avatars, while AR overlaps virtual, simulated objects to observe physical reality. Treatment through immersive VR has been studied in psychiatry, including patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders, while there has not been much attention to AR technologies in psychiatry. Our systematic review aimed to examine the currently available literature regarding the treatment efficacy of immersive VR or AR technologies on different symptom domains of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, screen for potential adverse effects, and gather data on the technological and human resource requirements of such interventions to help guide future research.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review with database searches carried out between 9/2021 and 8/2022 through PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier, and Web of Science.

Results

We identified 2,157 records, 214 were assessed further for eligibility and 12 met inclusion criteria. All included articles studied immersive VR and none used AR technology. Included studies were heterogenous in nature, including AVATAR therapy (3) and CBT-based (5) VR interventions, as well as cognitive (2), social (1), and relaxation (1) training through VR. The comparison groups were either passive controls (waitlist and treatment as usual), therapeutic interventions (CBT and Integrated psychological treatment), passive VR environments, or traditional, comparable, non-virtual treatment modalities (social roleplay and progressive muscle relaxation training). Pooled together, the included studies on VR show positive treatment effects in all major symptom domains of schizophrenia spectrum disorders with hardly any adverse effects related to the intervention modalities.

Conclusions

In this review, we have showcased how different symptom domains can be targeted through VR interventions, highlighting VR as a potential new vector for a diverse range of psychosocial therapeutic modalities that allow for completely new possibilities in the treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. VR technology still requires more research and validation. Our review also shows that there are currently no studies examining AR technology in the treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, indicating a distinctive research gap.
Analysis of the disease burden of cardiomyopathy in children aged 0–14 years in China from 1990 to 2019
Authors: Kong Qingyu , Li Meng , Wang Minmin , Zhao Haizhao , Yang Xiaorong , Zhao Cuifen
Published: August 2023

Objectives

To assess the disease burden and changing trend of cardiomyopathy in children aged 0–14 years in China from 1990 to 2019.

Methods

This study was based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019; the age-specific prevalence rate, mortality rate and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rate were used for analysis. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in burden rate and its 95% confidence interval were calculated. The data of China were compared with the global average level.

Results

In 2019, the numbers of prevalence, deaths, and DALYs of cardiomyopathy in children aged 0–14 years in China were 4,493 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 2687 ~ 6,838], 434 (95%UI: 337 ~ 565) and 37,522 (95%UI: 29,321 ~ 48,891), with declining amplitudes of 16.32, 70.56, and 70.74%, compared with 1990, respectively. In 2019, the prevalence rate of cardiomyopathy in Chinese children aged 0–14 years was 2.00/100,000 (95%UI: 1.2/100,000 ~ 3.04/100,000), higher than 1990 [1.66/100,000 (95%UI:1.00/100,000 ~ 2.53/100,000)]; mortality rate was 0.19/100,000 (95%UI: 0.15/100,000 ~ 0.25/100,000), significantly lower than 1990 [0.46/100,000 (95%UI: 0.25/100,000 ~ 0.95/100,000)]; DALY rate was 16.69/100,000 (95%UI: 13.04/100,000 ~ 21.75/100,000), also significantly lower than 1990 [39.71/100,000 (95%UI: 22.06/100,000 ~ 82.8/100,000)]. All burden rates of cardiomyopathy in Chinese children aged 0–14 years old were all lower than the global averages of 2019; the burden rates of male children were higher than female children. In all calendar years from 1990 to 2019, the mortality and DALY rates of children younger than 1-year-old were significantly higher than in the other age groups of 0–14 years old. From 1990 to 2019, the prevalence rate of cardiomyopathy aged 0–14 years old gradually increased, with EAPC of 0.82 (95%CI: 0.71–0.93); mortality rate and DALY rate decreased [EAPC = −2.32 (95%CI: −2.59 to −2.05)].

Conclusion

From 1990 to 2019, the disease burden of cardiomyopathy in children of China aged 0–14 years was heterogeneous; the burden of male children was higher than females; and the burden of cardiomyopathy in children younger than 1 year old needs more attention.
Positive adult experiences as turning points for better adult mental health after childhood adversity
Authors: Crandall AliceAnn , Magnusson Brianna M. , Barlow Melissa J. , Randall Hannah , Policky Abigail L. , Hanson Carl L.
Published: August 2023

Background

The purpose of this study was to examine whether positive adult experiences (PAEs) were associated with lower odds for anxiety and depression even in the presence of high adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) or low positive childhood experiences (PCEs).

Methods

The sample was comprised of 435 adults (48% female), ages 18–56 years and who were living in the United States. Participants completed a survey about their childhood experiences, PAEs, and mental health. A series of multiple logistic regression models were estimated in Stata 17 to examine the aims.

Results

Positive childhood experiences were associated with higher PAE scores, but ACEs did not significantly correlate with PAEs. Positive adult experiences were associated with lower odds of moderate-to-severe anxiety and depression, especially among those who had experienced high ACEs or low PCEs. Younger adults were more likely to experience a positive benefit from PAEs compared to adults 35 years and older.

Conclusion

Even when ACEs were high or PCEs were low, adults with high PAEs had lower odds for moderate-to-severe anxiety and/depression. Positive adult experiences may be an opportunity to turn the tide for individuals who experienced childhood adversity and/or low levels of support or connection.
Use of viability PCR for detection of live Chlamydia trachomatis in clinical specimens
Authors: Vojtech Lucia , Paktinat Shahrokh , Luu Tiffany , Teichmann Stella , Soge Olusegun O. , Suchland Robert , Barbee Lindley A. , Khosropour Christine M.
Published: August 2023

Background

The current testing approach to diagnose Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection relies on nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). These tests are highly sensitive, but do not distinguish between active infection and residual bacterial nucleic acid which may remain after resolution of infection, or via cross-contamination. Better methods to assess the viability of CT detected in clinical samples would be useful in determining the relevance of CT detection in a variety of clinical settings. The goal of this study was to test viability PCR (vPCR) as a method to distinguish viable bacteria from non-viable CT.

Methods

The vPCR relies on a propidium monoazide dye (PMAxx), which intercalates into accessible DNA from dead organisms and prevents their detection in a PCR assay for the CT ompA gene. We used digital PCR to quantify absolute genome copy numbers from samples. We validated the vPCR approach using laboratory stocks of CT with known viability. Then, we tested total DNA, viable CT DNA, and culture results from 18 clinical vaginal specimens and 25 rectal clinical specimens, all of which had tested positive by NAAT.

Results

In laboratory stocks of CT, vPCR using defined ratios of heat-killed to live bacteria tracked closely with expected results. In vaginal clinical specimens, vPCR and total DNA results were correlated, though total DNA genomes outnumbered viable genomes by 2.2–52.6-fold more copies. As expected, vPCR detected more total genomes than culture results. Both vPCR and total DNA correlated with culture results (Spearman correlation R = 0.8425 for total DNA and 0.8056 for vPCR). Ten rectal NAAT positive specimens were negative by total DNA PCR, vPCR, and were negative or inconclusive by culture. Of the 6 rectal specimens that were culture positive, all were total DNA and vPCR positive. vPCR additionally detected viable bacterial DNA in 8 specimens which were NAAT + and culture negative, though levels were very low (mean 1,357 copies/ml)

Conclusions

vPCR is a fast and easy method to assess viability in clinical specimens and is more correlated with culture results than total DNA PCR. Inconsistent ratios between total DNA and vPCR results suggest that the amount of dead bacteria varies considerably in clinical specimens. Results from rectal specimens suggest that many NAAT positive specimens do not in fact represent live replicating bacteria, and likely result in significant overuse of unnecessary antibiotics.
Robust atomic states for quantum information with continuous variables
Authors: Vudayagiri Ashok , Sankhari Bappaditya
Published: August 2023

Using a set of Zeeman sublevels of an alkali atom such as rubidium or sodium, we propose to construct a pair of coherentc population trap (CPT) states, which can be individually addressed and populated at will. The system can be arranged such that there exists a dressed state that is a linear combination of these two CPT states. We have earlier shown the capability of forming discrete quantum gates using this configuration [J.Phys. B, (2006), 39, 3919]. In the present communication, we will show how the same configuration can be used to prepare and operate continuously varying states. The state can be mapped to a 2D parametric space in such a way that any desired vector within it can be prepared, and a continuous, adiabatic evolution from one vector to another is also possible. A method to exploit a continuous interaction potential, which can be used in quantum computation, is also suggested. We discuss how a continuous variable quantum computation can be performed using such states.
Touching the future of training: investigating tangible interaction in virtual reality
Authors: Rettinger Maximilian , Rigoll Gerhard
Published: August 2023

Virtual reality offers exciting new opportunities for training. This inspires more and more training fields to move from the real world to virtual reality, but some modalities are lost in this transition. In the real world, participants can physically interact with the training material; virtual reality offers several interaction possibilities, but do these affect the training’s success, and if yes, how? To find out how interaction methods influence the learning outcome, we evaluate the following four methods based on ordnance disposal training for civilians: 1) Real-World, 2) Controller-VR, 3) Free-Hand-VR, and 4) Tangible-VR in a between-subjects experiment (n = 100). We show that the Free-Hand-VR method lacks haptic realism and has the worst training outcome. Training with haptic feedback, e.g., Controller-VR, Tangible-VR, and Real-World, lead to a better overall learning effect and matches the participant’s self-assessment. Overall, the results indicate that free-hand interaction is improved by the extension of a tracked tangible object, but the controller-based interaction is most suitable for VR training.