bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening of Drought-Resistant Potato Germplasm Resources Based on Intelligent Algorithm
Authors: Ma Hui , Zhang Ruijiu , Li Shuangdong , Zhao Ji , Fang Aiguo , Wang Lihong , Cheng Jing , Xin Mei
Published: February 2024

As a staple food resource, potato is of great significance for improving grain reserves and ensuring national food security. In order to improve potato yield and promote the process of potato becoming a staple food, a K-means algorithm optimized by particle swarm algorithm was
proposed to realize the screening of dry potato germplasm resources. First, the research continues the research on particle swarm optimization, and innovatively applies K-means algorithm to optimization. The research utilizes the advantages of particle swarm optimization, such as fast
convergence speed, strong search ability, and simple operation, to enable particle swarm optimization to take on the role of optimizing the initial clustering center, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of clustering analysis. On this basis, a PSO-K-means drought resistant potato
germplasm resource screening model was constructed. This model consists of a data collection and preprocessing module, an impact indicator determination module, and a comprehensive evaluation module. Finally, the application effect of the model was verified. The results show that the AUC value
of the model is up to 0.840, and the screening accuracy is as high as 94.5%, which is 13.5% higher than that of the K-means model. The research method has been validated to improve the limitations of K-means mode, such as high screening error, weak stability, and falling into
local optimal solutions. It optimizes the screening effect of drought resistant potato germplasm resources, which is conducive to exploring the potential of potato resources. In addition, research has also provided broader ideas for the optimization and application of particle swarm optimization
algorithms.
Effectiveness of Injection of Ginkgo biloba Leaf Extract Combined with Early Rehabilitation on Functional Recovery in Patients Following Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Chen Feng , Liang Yiling
Published: February 2024

The interest in the development of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS) is growing. In this study, we aim to examine the therapeutic effects of the standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba leaf EGb-761 on neurological behavioral outcomes and brain
infarction in rats following cerebral ischemia. Additionally, we evaluated the effectiveness of combining EGb-761 injection with early rehabilitation in improving the functional status of patients with IS. The rats were induced with focal transient cerebral ischemia by means of middle cerebral
artery occlusion (MCAO). The rats undergoing MCAO/reperfusion were given an intraperitoneal injection of different doses of EGb-761. A total of 65 patients with IS were recruited and assigned into receiving conventional treatments and intravenous drips of Ginaton injection, followed by early
rehabilitation. The results showed that neurological deficit scores, brain infarct volume, neuronal apoptosis, and oxidative stress injury were reduced in the MCAO/reperfusion rats treated with different doses of EGb-761 compared to those without EGb-761 treatment. These reductions were more
significant in the high-dose EGb-761 treatment group (P <0.05). Both EGb-761 treatment and conventional treatment combined with early rehabilitation resulted in increased muscle strength and higher total BI scores in the patients. However, these increases were more pronounced in
the group receiving Ginaton injection (P <0.05). In conclusion, our study demonstrates that acute administration of EGb-761 may contribute to better neurological behavioral outcomes and reduced area of brain infarction in rats following cerebral ischemia and EGb-761 treatment integrated
with early rehabilitation could improve the muscle strength and functional recovery of patients with IS.
Clinical Efficacy of β-Sodium Aescinate Injection Combined with Rehabilitation for Preventing Post-Surgical Swelling and Relieving Pain in Pediatric Lower Extremity Fractures
Authors: Peng Ying , Wang Huan , Zhou Jing , Li Dongmei
Published: February 2024

Lower extremity fractures (LEFs) are a severe form of extremity trauma. β-sodium aescinate (β-SA), derived from dried fruits of Aesulus wilsonii, is commonly used in clinical practice to treat post-surgical swelling. In this study, we aim to investigate
the preventive effects of β-SA injection on carrageenan-induced paw swelling in rats and its efficacy in 70 pediatric patients who received surgery for LEFs and rehabilitation plans. The rats were divided into three groups: a vehicle group received 2.5 mg/kg normal saline and two
treatment groups received a tail vein injection of either 1 mg/kg or 2.5 mg/kg β-SA. Our results demonstrated that treatment with 2.5 mg/kg β-SA increased the time required for paw volume to reach peak value and markedly reduced inflammation factor levels compared to
the group treated with normal saline or 1 mg/kg β-SA (P <0.05). In pediatric patients, after administration of β-SA with rehabilitation plans, the mean swelling score for affected limbs was 1.13 (±0.81), which was significantly lower than the score
of 1.71 (±1.04) observed in those treated with mannitol injection and rehabilitation plans (P <0.05). A significant difference in therapeutic response between these two groups of patients (P = 0.023). Furthermore, pediatric patients receiving β-SA injection
with rehabilitation plans exhibited lower FLACC scores and higher FMA scores compared to those receiving mannitol injection with rehabilitation plans (P <0.05). In conclusion, β-SA injection combined with rehabilitation plans could significantly prevent post-surgical
swelling and alleviate pain in pediatric patients with LEFs.
Morphological, Molecular Identification and Genetic Diversity Assessment of Three Terrestrial Isopods from the High-Altitude Region
Authors: Hassan Montaser M. , Albogami Bander , Mwabvu Tarombera , Hassan Mohamed M. , Awad Mohamed F. , Sabry Ayman , Ismail Mohamed , Farid Mona A. , Elsharkawy Mohsen Mohamed
Published: February 2024

Terrestrial specimens were collected from Ashshafa, a south-western highland area in Saudi Arabia. Three species, i.e., Porcellio laevis, Porcellionides pruinosus (Porcellionidae), and Armadillidium vulgare (Armadillidiidae), were identified in this study based on their
morphological characteristics. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences were used for DNA barcoding and biodiversity assessments. A phylogenetic tree of 22 haplotypes from 35 specimens of the three isopod species was drawn from the most similar sequences
obtained from BLAST with the associated accession numbers. The tree included two clades. The first clade included samples of P. laevis and P. pruinosus, whereas the second clade included samples of A. vulgare. Each identified species formed a distinct subclade within the
main clade, along with similar sequences obtained from the NCBI database. The heat map of genetic distance among haplotypes shows the haplotype diversity (Hd) ranged from 0.590 to 0.933 (mean = 0.767) and total nucleotide diversity (πT) ranged from 0.001 to 0.089 (mean=0.049),
with a similar trend observed for nucleotide diversity per site (θw) ranged from 0.001 to 0.80 (mean = 0.049). In contrast, synonymous nucleotide diversity (πs), mean=0.009, was low compared to nonsynonymous nucleotide diversity (πs), mean=0.060, across all
species. In conclusion, the morphological identification of terrestrial isopods was confirmed using COI gene sequencing of mitochondrial DNA. These results will be helpful in developing a deeper isopod identification method.
Increases in the Local Eddy Energetics of the Extratropical Atmosphere over the Last Four Decades
Authors: Battalio J. Michael , Lora Juan M.
Published: March 2024

Changes in the vertical and meridional temperature gradients of the atmosphere drive competing influences on storm-track activity. We apply local eddy energetics to the ERA5, JRA-55, MERRA-2, and NCEP-2 reanalyses during 1980–2020 to determine the locations, magnitudes, and trends of the energy transfer mechanisms for synoptic-scale eddies. Eddy kinetic energy (EKE) increases more rapidly in the Southern Hemisphere at all altitudes and seasons, with larger increases during austral winter and spring. In the Northern Hemisphere, increases occur within the Atlantic and Pacific storm tracks at pressures below 300 hPa but only during boreal winter and spring and confined within a narrow zonal band; EKE decreases during boreal summer and fall. Most EKE changes correspond with trends in baroclinic energy conversion upstream of storm tracks and appear to align with increases in the growth rate of the most unstable baroclinic mode. Barotropic energy conversion of EKE to the mean flow becomes locally more intense downstream of the storm tracks. Conversion of EKE to long-period eddies plays a minor role averaged over a hemisphere but can be important locally. The primary strengthening pathway for removal of EKE is a combination of surface friction and viscous dissipation. The increased baroclinic conversion in the Southern Hemisphere appears related to upper-level tropical temperature increases. In the Northern Hemisphere, increased baroclinic conversion is enabled by a combination of increased vertical heat fluxes and a region of temperature increases within 30°–60°N.

Significance Statement

Traveling atmospheric disturbances arrange into storm tracks that determine the weather in the midlatitudes. Storm tracks are evolving in time due to anthropogenic warming; however, the location and strength of temperature changes compete for influence on the storm tracks. A framework to quantify the mechanisms of generation of kinetic energy contained by eddies pinpoints the extent of storm-track evolution. Storm tracks generally strengthen across the planet but have increased the most in the Southern Hemisphere. Strengthening in the Northern Hemisphere is limited to the winter in a narrow latitudinal band, because of warming in the Arctic that reduces the primary instability that drives eddies. The locations of northern warming and storm-track strengthening suggest a role for tropical dynamics.
On the Importance of Regime-Specific Evaluations for Numerical Weather Prediction Models as Demonstrated Using the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) Model
Authors: Lee Temple R. , Pal Sandip , Leeper Ronald D. , Wilson Tim , Diamond Howard J. , Meyers Tilden P. , Turner David D.
Published: March 2024

The scientific literature has many studies evaluating numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. However, many of those studies averaged across a myriad of different atmospheric conditions and surface forcings that can obfuscate the atmospheric conditions when NWP models perform well versus when they perform inadequately. To help isolate these different weather conditions, we used observations from the U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN) obtained between 1 January and 31 December 2021 to distinguish among different near-surface atmospheric conditions [i.e., different near-surface heating rates (), incoming shortwave radiation (SWd) regimes, and 5-cm soil moisture (SM05)] to evaluate the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) Model, which is a 3-km model used for operational weather forecasting in the United States. On days with small (large) , we found afternoon T biases of about 2°C (−1°C) and afternoon SWd biases of up to 170 W m−2 (100 W m−2), but negligible impacts on SM05 biases. On days with small (large) SWd, we found daytime temperature biases of about 3°C (−2.5°C) and daytime SWd biases of up to 190 W m−2 (80 W m−2). Whereas different SM05 had little impact on T and SWd biases, dry (wet) conditions had positive (negative) SM05 biases. We argue that the proper evaluation of weather forecasting models requires careful consideration of different near-surface atmospheric conditions and is critical to better identify model deficiencies in order to support improvements to the parameterization schemes used therein. A similar, regime-specific verification approach may also be used to help evaluate other geophysical models.

Significance Statement

Improving weather forecasting models requires careful evaluations against high-quality observations. We used observations from the U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN) and found that the performance of the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) Model varies as a function of differences in near-surface heating and solar radiation. This finding indicates that model evaluations need to be conducted under varying near-surface weather conditions rather than averaging across multiple weather types. This new approach will allow for model developers to better identify model deficiencies and is a useful step to helping improve weather forecasts.
Relationship Factors in the Longitudinal Spillover of Stress Between Parents and Children During COVID-19
Authors: Hu Yuyang , Russell Beth S. , Wu Rui , Adamsons Kari , Horton Abagail L. , Tambling Rachel R.
Published: March 2024

This study took a family systems perspective and tested spillover theory to examine the transmission of stress from parents to children during COVID-19. Using a longitudinal design with a 1-year interval, we tested the association between parent perceived stress and perceived child stress, and the sequential mediating effects of poor family functioning and parent–child closeness. The data comprised 134 parents residing in the US who were assessed from the initial first peak of COVID-19 infections in 2020 to 2021, 1 year later. Results indicated that when controlling for covariates, there was a significant association between parent perceived stress and perceived child stress. What is more, poor family functioning and parent–child closeness fully mediated the former link in sequence. These findings highlighted the need for improving family relationship quality when providing interventions that target families suffering in stressful contexts.
Adjunctive Brexpiprazole for Patient Life Engagement in Major Depressive Disorder: A Canadian, Phase 4, Open-Label, Interventional Study: Brexpiprazole d'appoint pour l'engagement dans la vie des patients souffrant de trouble dépressif majeur: une étude interventionnelle canadienne ouverte de phase 4
Authors: Therrien François , Ward Caroline , Chokka Pratap , Habert Jeffrey , Ismail Zahinoor , McIntyre Roger S. , MacKenzie Erin M.
Published: March 2024

Objectives

To characterize the effects of adjunctive brexpiprazole on patient life engagement and depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) using patient-reported outcomes.

Methods

An 8-week, Phase 4, open-label, interventional study was conducted at 15 Canadian trial sites between April 2021 and May 2022. Adult outpatients with MDD (at least moderately severe) and inadequate response to 1–2 antidepressants continued their current antidepressant and received oral adjunctive brexpiprazole 0.5–2 mg/day. Co-primary endpoints were change from baseline to Week 8 in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (IDS-SR) 10-item Life Engagement subscale score, and IDS-SR 30-item total score. Safety was assessed by standard variables.

Results

Of 122 enrolled patients, 120 (98.4%) were treated (mean [ SD] dose: 1.2 [0.4] mg/day) and analyzed, and 111 (91.0%) completed the study. Statistically significant least squares mean improvements to Week 8 were observed on IDS-SR10 Life Engagement subscale score (baseline mean [ SD]: 16.1 [4.7]; change [95% confidence interval]: −8.11 [−9.34, −6.88]; p < 0.001) and IDS-SR total score (baseline mean [ SD]: 41.3 [9.8]; change [95% confidence interval]: −17.38 [−20.08, −14.68]; p < 0.001). Improvements were observed from Week 2, onwards. Treatment-emergent adverse events with incidence ≥5% were fatigue ( n = 13, 10.8%), headache ( n = 13, 10.8%), insomnia ( n = 12, 10.0%), nausea ( n = 9, 7.5%), tremor ( n = 8, 6.7%), and weight increase ( n = 7, 5.8%). Six patients (5.0%) discontinued due to adverse events. Mean ( SD) change in body weight from baseline to last visit was +1.9 (3.4) kg.

Conclusions

Using an exploratory patient-reported outcome measure, patients with MDD and inadequate response to antidepressants who received open-label adjunctive brexpiprazole showed early and clinically meaningful improvement in patient life engagement, which should be further assessed in a prospective randomized controlled trial. Patient-rated depressive symptoms (on the validated 30-item IDS-SR) also improved. Adjunctive brexpiprazole was well tolerated, and no new safety signals were observed.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04830215.
Clinical and Advocacy Implications of the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization Ruling on Trafficked Persons
Authors: Gautham Ila , Coverdale John , Nguyen Phuong T. , Gordon Mollie R.
Published: March 2024

The United States Supreme Court decision on the case of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization abolished federal protections of abortion, leaving abortion legislation at the discretion of individual states. Trafficked persons are a population especially vulnerable to the impacts of this ruling. Because there is no existing literature describing the effects of restrictive abortion legislation on this group, we described some of the potential consequences of restrictive abortion laws for sex and labor trafficked persons, based on real case examples. We describe steps that should be taken to sufficiently protect and support pregnant trafficked women in relation to the Dobbs law.
Consumers’ Brand Experiences With Robotic Service Failures: Modeling Appraisal, Attribution, and Psychological Reactance
Authors: Shin Hyejo Hailey , Tung Vincent Wing Sun , Jeong Miyoung
Published: March 2024

Due to the stretched capacities of human staff, consumers are increasingly placed in situations where they are “required” to use technology amidst their travel experiences, despite potential service failures in robotic technologies. Yet, research into how robotic service failures could potentially spill over to consumers’ brand experiences, robot experiences, and adoption intention remains unexplored. Drawing on appraisal, attribution, and psychological reactance theories, an interconnected research model of service failure, attribution, and (in)voluntary robot adoption was tested via two experiments. A mixed-design quasi-experiment (Study 1) found a significant interaction effect of service failure and attribution on brand experience in the hotel concierge context. Study 2 provided further evidence for the causal effects in Study 1 by employing a between-subject quasi-experiment in the hotel front desk context with additional measures. Collectively, this research contributes to the literature by highlighting how temporal, situational, and contextual factors in HRI may impact evaluations of brand and robot experiences.
How evaluation is understood and practised in the European Parliament
Authors: Fernandes Meenakshi , Eisele Katharina , Anglmayer Irmgard
Published: March 2024

Over the past 10 years, the European Parliament has stepped up its use of evaluation to inform its law-making activities. This work has been guided in large part by the Inter-Institutional Agreement on Better Law-Making signed in 2016 by the European Parliament, the European Commission (which is the EU executive organ) and the Council of the European Union (representing the EU Member States). This article describes how evaluation is carried out in practice in the European Parliament and how it is shaped by the institutional setting. It argues that evaluation activities are inextricably linked with the law-making process, and that timing is a critical factor in evaluation uptake. Outstanding inter-institutional issues are identified and ways in which future trends and shocks can be integrated into European Parliament evaluation are described. There remain opportunities to better anticipate demands for evaluation, which could increase the time and resources available for such analysis, and for more transparency across the European Union institutions in the underlying data and evidence used to support evaluation findings.
Data-driven approach to quantify trust in medical devices using Bayesian networks
Authors: Thomas Mini , Boursalie Omar , Samavi Reza , Doyle Thomas E
Published: March 2024

Bayesian networks are increasingly used to quantify the uncertainty of subjective and stochastic concepts such as trust. In this article, we propose a data-driven approach to estimate Bayesian parameters in the domain of wearable medical devices. Our approach extracts the probability of a trust factor being in a specific state directly from the devices (e.g. sensor quality). The strength of the relationship between related factors is defined by expert knowledge and incorporated into the model. We use propagation rules from requirements engineering to estimate how much each trust factor contributes to the related intermediate nodes in the network and ultimately compute the trust score. The trust score is a relative measure of trustworthiness when different devices are evaluated in the same test conditions and using the same Bayesian structure. To evaluate our approach, we developed Bayesian networks for the trust quantification of similar wearable devices from two manufacturers under identical test conditions and noise levels. The results demonstrated the learnability and generalizability of our approach.
Inflammation and mitochondria in the pathogenesis of chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy
Authors: Nunes João Paulo Silva , Roda Vinicius Moraes de Paiva , Andrieux Pauline , Kalil Jorge , Chevillard Christophe , Cunha-Neto Edecio
Published: March 2024

Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected disease affecting around 6 million people. About 30% of CD patients develop chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC), an inflammatory cardiomyopathy that occurs decades after the initial infection, while most infected patients (60%) remain asymptomatic in the so-called indeterminate form (IF). Death results from heart failure or arrhythmia in a subset of CCC patients. Myocardial fibrosis, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction are involved in the arrhythmia substrate and triggering events. Survival in CCC is worse than in other cardiomyopathies, which may be linked to a Th1-T cell rich myocarditis with abundant interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, selectively lower levels of mitochondrial energy metabolism enzymes in the heart, and reduced levels of high-energy phosphate, indicating poor adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. IFN-γ and TNF-α signaling, which are constitutively upregulated in CD patients, negatively affect mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes, recapitulating findings in CCC heart tissue. Genetic studies such as whole-exome sequencing (WES) in nuclear families with multiple CCC/IF cases has disclosed rare heterozygous pathogenic variants in mitochondrial and inflammatory genes segregating in CCC cases. In this minireview, we summarized studies showing how IFN-γ and TNF-α affect cell energy generation, mitochondrial health, and redox homeostasis in cardiomyocytes, in addition to human CD and mitochondria. We hypothesize that cytokine-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in genetically predisposed patients may be the underlying cause of CCC severity and we believe this mechanism may have a bearing on other inflammatory cardiomyopathies.
The discovery of subunit-selective GluN1/GluN2B NMDAR antagonist via pharmacophere-based virtual screening
Authors: Tang Jialing , Jin Ju , Huang Zhihong , An Faliang , Huang Caiguo , Jiang Wenli
Published: March 2024

The incidence and mortality rates of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, are gradually increasing worldwide. Numerous studies have demonstrated that N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR)-mediated excitotoxicity contributes to neurodegenerative diseases. Ifenprodil, a subtype-selective NMDAR antagonist, showed strong therapeutic potential. However, it suffers from low oral bioavailability and off-target side effects. In this study, natural compounds were identified for selective inhibition of GluN1/GluN2B NMDAR of human. We obtained a set of natural compounds ( n = 81,366) from COCONUT, TIPdb, PAMDB, CMNPD, YMDB, and NPAtlas databases, and then virtually screened by an ifenprodil-structure-based pharmacophore model and molecular docking. The top 100 compounds were selected for binding affinity prediction via batch drug–target affinity (BatchDTA). Then, the top 50 compounds were analyzed by absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity (ADMET). Molecular dynamics involving molecular mechanics/position-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) calculation were performed to further screening. The top 15 compounds with strong binding affinity and ifenprodil, a proven GluN2B-selective NMDAR antagonist, were subjected to molecular dynamic simulations (100 ns), root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF), radius of gyration (Rg), H-bonds, solvent accessible surface area (SASA), principal component analysis (PCA), and binding free energy calculations. Based on these analyses, one possible lead compound carrying positive charges (CNP0099440) was identified, with great binding affinity and less off-target activity by contrast to ifenprodil. CNP0099440 has great potential to be a GluN1/GluN2B NMDAR antagonist candidate and can be further detected via in vitro and in vivo experiments.
Family-friendly work conditions and well-being among Malaysian women
Authors: Mat Pozian Nadirah , Miller Yvette D , Mays Jenni
Published: March 2024

Background:

Although participation in paid work improves women’s quality of life and well-being, the health benefits decline for women with young children. Implementing family-friendly work conditions is one strategy for improving working women’s well-being, especially those with competing unpaid work responsibilities.

Objective:

This study investigated the extent to which accessibility and use of 11 specific family-friendly work conditions were associated with physical health, anxiety and depression in Malaysian women with young children.

Design:

A cross-sectional design using a retrospective self-complete, anonymous, online survey was conducted between March and October 2021.

Methods:

Women with a child aged 5 years or less ( N = 190) completed an online survey measuring their exposure (availability and use) to 11 specific family-friendly work conditions, and their physical health, anxiety, and depression. The sample included women who were currently and recently working and with both formal and informal employment.

Results:

After accounting for potential confounders, women who used paid maternity leave have a lower likelihood of having anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion:

Future research is needed to extend the findings from this study by over-sampling women who are informally employed and not currently working. Policy creation and development processes, including research and decision-making, should be led by and inclusive of women. For example, research funding could be allocated to ‘lived experience’ research that privileges the co-design of research with consumers. Based on these findings, the extent to which family-friendly work conditions fulfill their intent to improve the well-being for working women requires further critique.
Characterising the declarative-procedural transformation in instruction-based learning
Authors: Ruge Hannes , Jargow Janine , Sinning Eva , Fregni Sofia , Baumann Alexander Willy
Published: March 2024

Many accounts of instruction-based learning assume that initial declarative representations are transformed into executable procedural ones, so as to enable instruction implementation. We tested the hypothesis that declarative-procedural transformation should be bound to a specific response modality and not transferable across different modalities. In Experiment 1, novel stimulus-response instructions had to be implemented either verbally or manually either once or three times. Modality-specific procedural encoding was probed via a subsequent implicit priming test. This involved the same stimuli but required a response that could be either compatible or incompatible with the originally instructed response using either the same or a different response modality. We found that procedural encoding was modality-specific as indicated by a stronger repetition-dependent increase of the compatibility effect when response modality was unchanged. Explicit test performance, serving as a marker of declarative encoding, was independent of modality transition and it was uncorrelated with implicit test performance. Unexpectedly, the implicit priming test also revealed a small yet significant transfer to the response modality that was previously not overtly implemented, likely reflecting covert response “simulation”. To examine if covertly simulated responding occurs even when instruction implementation is omitted altogether, we conducted Experiment 2. Subjects merely viewed novel stimulus-response instructions prior to testing. Again, we found evidence for procedural encoding of the non-implemented instructions. Moreover, a direct comparison of both experiments revealed higher test scores (both implicit and explicit) for previously non-implemented instructions than for previously implemented instructions. This calls for theoretical reconciliation with diverging previous study results.
Swallowing during provision of helmet ventilation: Review and provisional multidisciplinary guidance
Authors: Vergara José , Brenner Michael J , Skoretz Stacey A , Pandian Vinciya , Freeman-Sanderson Amy , Dorça Alessandra , Suiter Debra , Brodsky Martin B
Published: March 2024

Use of noninvasive ventilation provided by a helmet increased globally during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach may reduce need for intubation and its associated clinical complications in critically ill patients. Use of helmet interface minimizes virus aerosolization while enabling verbal communication, oral feeding and coughing/expectoration of secretions during its administration. Although improved oral hydration is a recognized benefit of helmet NIV, relatively little is known about the safety and efficiency of swallowing during helmet NIV. Risk of aspiration is a key consideration given the fragile pulmonary status of critically ill patients requiring respiratory support, and therefore the decision to initiate oral intake is best made based on multidisciplinary input. We reviewed the current published evidence on NIV and its effects on upper airway physiology and swallowing function. We then presented a case example demonstrating preservation of swallowing performance with helmet NIV. Last, we offer provisional multidisciplinary guidance for clinical practice, and provide directions for future research.
Expanding the repertoire reveals recurrent, cryptic, and hematopoietic HLA class I minor histocompatibility antigens
Authors: Fuchs Kyra J. , van de Meent Marian , Honders M. Willy , Khatri Indu , Kester Michel G. D. , Koster Eva A. S. , Koutsoumpli Georgia , de Ru Arnoud H. , van Bergen Cornelis A. M. , van Veelen Peter A. , ’t Hoen Peter A. C. , van Balen Peter , van den Akker Erik B. , Veelken J. Hendrik , Halkes Constantijn J. M. , Falkenburg J. H. Frederik , Griffioen Marieke
Published: March 2024

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is a curative treatment for hematological malignancies. After HLA-matched alloSCT, antitumor immunity is caused by donor T cells recognizing polymorphic peptides, designated minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHAs), that are presented by HLA on malignant patient cells. However, T cells often target MiHAs on healthy nonhematopoietic tissues of patients, thereby inducing side effects known as graft-versus-host disease. Here, we aimed to identify the dominant repertoire of HLA-I-restricted MiHAs to enable strategies to predict, monitor or modulate immune responses after alloSCT. To systematically identify novel MiHAs by genome-wide association screening, T-cell clones were isolated from 39 transplanted patients and tested for reactivity against 191 Epstein-Barr virus transformed B cell lines of the 1000 Genomes Project. By discovering 81 new MiHAs, we more than doubled the antigen repertoire to 159 MiHAs and demonstrated that, despite many genetic differences between patients and donors, often the same MiHAs are targeted in multiple patients. Furthermore, we showed that one quarter of the antigens are cryptic, that is translated from unconventional open reading frames, for example long noncoding RNAs, showing that these antigen types are relevant targets in natural immune responses. Finally, using single cell RNA-seq data, we analyzed tissue expression of MiHA-encoding genes to explore their potential role in clinical outcome, and characterized 11 new hematopoietic-restricted MiHAs as potential targets for immunotherapy. In conclusion, we expanded the repertoire of HLA-I-restricted MiHAs and identified recurrent, cryptic and hematopoietic-restricted antigens, which are fundamental to predict, follow or manipulate immune responses to improve clinical outcome after alloSCT.
A potential mechanism for the cytoprotective effects of activated protein C–released endothelial extracellular vesicles
Authors: Das Kaushik , Keshava Shiva , Mukherjee Tanmoy , Rao L. Vijaya Mohan
Published: March 2024

Activated protein C (APC) was shown to release extracellular vesicles (EVs). APC bound to the EVs was thought to be responsible for cytoprotection. Our study demonstrates that the cytoprotective effects of APC-released EVs are independent of APC. APC-released EVs carry anti-inflammatory microRNAs in their cargo.
HormoNet: a deep learning approach for hormone-drug interaction prediction
Authors: Emami Neda , Ferdousi Reza
Published: February 2024

Several experimental evidences have shown that the human endogenous hormones can interact with drugs in many ways and affect drug efficacy. The hormone drug interactions (HDI) are essential for drug treatment and precision medicine; therefore, it is essential to understand the hormone-drug associations. Here, we present HormoNet to predict the HDI pairs and their risk level by integrating features derived from hormone and drug target proteins. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first attempts to employ deep learning approach for prediction of HDI prediction. Amino acid composition and pseudo amino acid composition were applied to represent target information using 30 physicochemical and conformational properties of the proteins. To handle the imbalance problem in the data, we applied synthetic minority over-sampling technique technique. Additionally, we constructed novel datasets for HDI prediction and the risk level of their interaction. HormoNet achieved high performance on our constructed hormone-drug benchmark datasets. The results provide insights into the understanding of the relationship between hormone and a drug, and indicate the potential benefit of reducing risk levels of interactions in designing more effective therapies for patients in drug treatments. Our benchmark datasets and the source codes for HormoNet are available in: https://github.com/EmamiNeda/HormoNet.
Revising model for end-stage liver disease from calendar-time cross-sections with correction for selection bias
Authors: de Ferrante H. C. , van Rosmalen M. , Smeulders B. M. L. , Vogelaar S. , Spieksma F. C. R.
Published: February 2024

Background

Eurotransplant liver transplant candidates are prioritized by Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), a 90-day waitlist survival risk score based on the INR, creatinine and bilirubin. Several studies revised the original MELD score, UNOS-MELD, with transplant candidate data by modelling 90-day waitlist mortality from waitlist registration, censoring patients at delisting or transplantation. This approach ignores biomarkers reported after registration, and ignores informative censoring by transplantation and delisting.

Methods

We study how MELD revision is affected by revision from calendar-time cross-sections and correction for informative censoring with inverse probability censoring weighting (IPCW). For this, we revised UNOS-MELD on patients with chronic liver cirrhosis on the Eurotransplant waitlist between 2007 and 2019 (n = 13,274) with Cox models with as endpoints 90-day survival (a) from registration and (b) from weekly drawn calendar-time cross-sections. We refer to the revised score from cross-section with IPCW as DynReMELD, and compare DynReMELD to UNOS-MELD and ReMELD, a prior revision of UNOS-MELD for Eurotransplant, in geographical validation.

Results

Revising MELD from calendar-time cross-sections leads to significantly different MELD coefficients. IPCW increases estimates of absolute 90-day waitlist mortality risks by approximately 10 percentage points. DynReMELD has improved discrimination over UNOS-MELD (delta c-index: 0.0040, p < 0.001) and ReMELD (delta c-index: 0.0015, p < 0.01), with differences comparable in magnitude to the addition of an extra biomarker to MELD (delta c-index: ± 0.0030).

Conclusion

Correcting for selection bias by transplantation/delisting does not improve discrimination of revised MELD scores, but substantially increases estimated absolute 90-day mortality risks. Revision from cross-section uses waitlist data more efficiently, and improves discrimination compared to revision of MELD exclusively based on information available at listing.
“Provided a window on the world and lessened my feeling of isolation”: older adults’ perceived COVID-19 impact and technology use in Australia during recurrent lockdowns
Authors: Siette Joyce , Ludlow Kristiana , Dodds Laura , Strutt Paul , Wuthrich Viviana
Published: February 2024

Background

An informed understanding of older adults’ perceptions of the impact (positive or negative) of recurrent COVID-19 long lockdowns is important for the development of targeted interventions and resources for future restrictions. This study aimed to understand self-reported impacts of COVID-19 recurrent restrictions on older adults and how technology has been used to mitigate these.

Methods

A cross-sectional national study of 257 community-dwelling older Australians based in Victoria (mean age = 67.6 years [SD = 7.2]; 20.6% male) completed an online or postal survey as part of a larger study examining the physical and mental health impacts of a second extended COVID-19 lockdown period. This secondary analysis reports on the findings from free-text responses to two open-ended questions included in that survey that asked participants to comment on the greatest impacts of the COVID-19 lockdowns (positive or negative) and the role of technology in supporting their wellbeing during this time. Responses were collected between July and September 2020. Data were analysed using content (COVID-19 impacts) and thematic (role of technology) analysis.

Results

Respondents gave more negative responses (75.5%) than mixed (15.2%) and positive responses (6.2%) in reporting on the biggest impact of COVID-19 lockdowns. Inductive content analysis revealed two first-order main categories (Positive impacts and Negative impacts). Axial coding of main categories showed five second-order categories (Environmental, Physical Health, Social, Mental Health, and Personal) for both negative and positive main categories (totalling 10 second-order categories). Overall, respondents highlighted social loss as the key negative experience (70%), with acute feelings of social isolation contributing to negative impacts on mental wellbeing. The most commonly reported positive impact reported (11%) was having more time for relationships, relaxation, and new hobbies. Technology was primarily used to sustain socialisation and provide access to essential resources, services, and goods, which respondents perceived to contribute to maintaining their wellbeing.

Conclusions

Findings suggest a critical need for interventions that address the social loss experienced by older adults during COVID-19 recurrent lockdowns, particularly to alleviate the associated negative impact on mental wellbeing. Recognising the positive aspect of increased time for relationships and leisure activities indicates potential areas for resilience-building strategies. The pivotal role of technology in mitigating adverse effects highlights its significance in building social connections and supporting overall wellbeing during challenging times. These implications can guide future efforts to enhance older adults’ resilience, mental health, and holistic wellbeing in future public health crises.
Long-term ozone exposure and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease: a large cohort study
Authors: Kim Ejin , Huh Hyuk , Mo Yongwon , Park Jae Yoon , Jung Jiyun , Lee Hajeong , Kim Sejoong , Kim Dong Ki , Kim Yon Su , Lim Chun Soo , Lee Jung Pyo , Kim Yong Chul , Kim Ho
Published: February 2024

Background

Epidemiologic studies on the effects of long-term exposure to ozone (O3) have shown inconclusive results. It is unclear whether to O3 has an effect on chronic kidney disease (CKD). We investigated the effects of O3 on mortality and renal outcome in CKD.

Methods

We included 61,073 participants and applied Cox proportional hazards models to examine the effects of ozone on the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and mortality in a two-pollutants model adjusted for socioeconomic status. We calculated the concentration of ozone exposure one year before enrollment and used inverse distance weighting (IDW) for interpolation, where the exposure was evenly distributed.

Results

In the single pollutant model, O3 was significantly associated with an increased risk of ESRD and all-cause mortality. Based on the O3 concentration from IDW interpolation, this moving O3 average was significantly associated with an increased risk of ESRD and all-cause mortality. In a two-pollutants model, even after we adjusted for other measured pollutants, nitrogen dioxide did not attenuate the result for O3. The hazard ratio (HR) value for the district-level assessment is 1.025 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.014–1.035, while for the point-level assessment, the HR value is 1.04 with a 95% CI of 1.035–1.045. The impact of ozone on ESRD, hazard ratio (HR) values are, 1.049(95%CI: 1.044–1.054) at the district unit and 1.04 (95%CI: 1.031–1.05) at the individual address of the exposure assessment. The ozone hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.012 (95% confidence interval: 1.008–1.017) for administrative districts and 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 1.031–1.05) for individual addresses.

Conclusions

This study suggests that long-term ambient O3 increases the risk of ESRD and mortality in CKD. The strategy to decrease O3 emissions will substantially benefit health and the environment.
Modeling the structural relationships between trauma exposure with substance use tendency, depression symptoms, and suicidal thoughts in individuals with earthquake trauma experience: the mediatory role of peritraumatic dissociation and experiential avoidance
Authors: Ahmadi Farshad , Goodarzi Mohammad Ali , Taghavi Mohammad Reza , Imani Mahdi
Published: March 2024

Background

Despite the fact that studies indicate that earthquake trauma is associated with numerous psychological consequences, the mediating mechanisms leading to these outcomes have not been well-studied. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between trauma exposure with substance use tendency, depression, and suicidal thoughts, with the mediating role of peritraumatic dissociation and experiential avoidance.

Methods

The descriptive-correlational approach was employed in this study. The participants were people who had experienced the Kermanshah earthquake in 2017. A total of 324 people were selected by convenient sampling method. The Traumatic Exposure Severity Scale, the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, the Iranian Addiction Potential Scale, Beck’s Depression Inventory [BDI-II], and Beck’s Suicidal Thoughts Scale were used to collect data. The gathered data was analyzed‌ using structural equation modeling in ‌SPSS Ver. 24 and LISREL Ver. 24.

Results

The study findings indicated that the intensity of the trauma exposure is directly and significantly associated with depression symptoms, peritraumatic dissociation, and experiential avoidance. The severity of exposure to trauma had a significant indirect effect on the tendency to use substances through experiential avoidance. This is while the severity of the trauma experience did not directly correlate with substance use and suicidal thoughts. In addition, peritraumatic dissociation did not act as a mediator in the relationship between the severity of trauma exposure with substance use, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Conclusions

The severity of exposure to the earthquake was associated with symptoms of depression and these findings indicate the importance of experiential avoidance in predicting the tendency to use drugs. Hence, it is essential to design and implement psychological interventions that target experiential avoidance to prevent drug use tendencies and to establish policies that lower depression symptoms following natural disasters.
Characteristics and outcomes of a hospitalized cohort with reduced mortality from COVID-19, White Mountain apache tribal lands, April 1 – July 31, 2020
Authors: Close Ryan M. , Lutz Chelsea S. , Jones T. Shaifer , Stone Myles , Bratsch Nicole , Thompson Trevor , Jentoft Christopher , McAuley James B.
Published: March 2024

Background

Widespread transmission of COVID-19 continues to threaten public health, particularly of rural, American Indian communities. Although COVID-19 risk factors for severe disease and clinical characteristics are well described in the general population, there has been little shared on hospitalized American Indian populations.

Methods

In this observational study, we performed chart extractions on all persons hospitalized with COVID-19 from April 1 through July 31, 2020 among an exclusively American Indian population living on or near Tribal lands in eastern Arizona. We provide descriptive statistics for the cohort stratified by presentation, comparing those who self-presented or were referred by an outreach program. Exploratory analyses were performed to identify risk factors for morbidity and mortality.

Results

During the observation period, 2262 persons were diagnosed with COVID-19 and 490 (22%) were hospitalized. Hospitalized persons had a median age of 54 years; 92% had at least one comorbidity, 72% had greater than one comorbidity, and 60% had a BMI of > 30. Most persons required supplemental oxygen (83%), but the majority (62%) only required nasal cannula and only 11% were intubated. The case fatality rates were 1.7% for the population, 7.1% among hospitalizations, and 9.3% among hospitalized patients 50 years and older. All rates that are significantly lower than those reported nationally during the same period.

Conclusions

We observed a cohort of American Indian patients hospitalized secondary to COVID-19 with greater number of comorbidities compared to the general population but with lower mortality rates. We posit that the primary driver of mortality reduction for this population and the hospitalized cohort was a community-based referral program that led to disproportionately lower fatality rates among the oldest persons.