bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of dispersion and attenuation on elastic wave velocities in partially saturated rock based on the fluid distribution obtained from three-dimensional (3D) micro-CT images
Authors: Sun Chao , Fortin Jérôme , Tang Genyang , Wang Shangxu
Published: August 2023

Elastic wave attenuation in partially saturated porous rock is primarily due to wave-induced fluid flow, which arises from the contrast in compressibility between air and water and is influenced by the water distribution within the rock. We propose a method for constructing a numerical model that predicts mesoscopic dispersion and attenuation. Initially, we use fluid distribution data sourced from 3D X-ray Computed Tomography images to construct the numerical model, utilizing Biot’s poroelastic equations as the governing equations. Subsequently, we implement the finite element method to derive solutions for the numerical model. Our focus is centered on two key challenges: 1) reducing memory cost, and 2) efficiently handling element intersection during the meshing process. The solutions illustrate the evolution of fluid pressure distribution and the frequency-dependent advancement of the elastic moduli, coupled with their corresponding attenuation. Ultimately, we compare these numerical predictions with previously published experimental data from a study on partially saturated Indiana limestone. The considerable agreement between our numerical results and the experimental data confirms the validity of our method, which crucially incorporates the actual fluid distribution (captured from 3D CT images) as a vital input.
Student-led documentation of COVID-era education: a study of graduate programs on the human dimensions of oceans
Authors: Potter Caroline , Hiserman Luke , Papp Gregory , Viswanathan Harshitha , Huff Leah E.
Published: August 2023

This communication highlights the major actionable findings from 27 interviews of students in master’s programs that explore the human dimensions of oceans. The overall aim of the loosely structured conversations was to understand how COVID-19 impacted the interviewee’s educational experience, what was helpful to them, and how their experience could have been improved. From these voices, we developed 24 recommendations for universities and programs. Specifically, we found that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) should be a high priority as it supports students and a program’s resilience.
Relationship between sustainable development and financial development from the perspective of the European green economy. Fuzzy approach
Authors: Zioło Magdalena , Bąk Iwona , Spoz Anna , Oesterreich Maciej , Niedzielski Piotr , Raczkowski Konrad
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Although a large number of publications are devoted to analyzing the relationship between financial development and economic growth, we focused on the answer to the question that sustainable development is accompanied by financial development in particular European Union countries. To our best knowledge, it is a new and original research approach that addresses important research gaps.

Methodology: A synthetic indicator based on 13 variables was built to assess the level of sustainable development, taking into account the financial aspect. Fuzzy logic was used to assess the relationship between the level of sustainable development and financial development. It is an original and novel approach.

Results: The research results showed significant differences between the north and south and Europe’s east and west. The highest levels of the synthetic measure for all analyzed periods were recorded for Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, and the lowest for Lithuania (2013), Cyprus (2014–2015), and Bulgaria (2016–2021). Over the nine years covered by the analysis, the level of sustainable development, considering the financial aspect, improved in two countries: Germany and Portugal, but deteriorated in six: Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Romania, and Slovenia. In all analyzed years, the higher the level of the synthetic measure (sustainable development), the higher the value of the financial development index (FDI index).

Discussion: When developing sustainable development policies, policymakers should consider their links with financial development and the policy of developing and regulating financial markets. Financial markets are essential for sustainability, and finance is a crucial driver of sustainable development.
A new approach for modeling stand height development of German forests under climate change
Authors: Schick Jan , Albert Matthias , Schmidt Matthias
Published: August 2023

Introduction

We developed a new approach for site index curve models that combines longitudinal height development patterns derived from state-space data with the broad environmental conditions covered by space-for-time data.

Methods

For this, we gathered dendrometry from both inventories and research plots. Concerning environmental variables, we included soil mapping data as well as atmospheric data, i.e., precipitation, temperature, and nitrogen deposition. The atmospheric data was included as a weighted mean over the stand life of the sums for the dynamically determined vegetation period or as yearly sums in the case of nitrogen deposition, respectively. As a weight, the values of a height increment function were used. Then, we derived the basic shape of a height development curve from research plot data and transferred said shape to a site index curve model.

Results

The model represents a substantial advancement of a previous version and was fitted as a generalized additive model (GAM). All effects were of relevant size and showed biologically feasible patterns.

Discussion

Though the model is biased for young ages, we could predict site index curves that, under constant environmental conditions, closely follow yield table curves and thus accurately depict stand height development. Moreover, the model does not require initial dendrometry, which broadens its applicability. Thus, the model represents a useful tool for forest management and planning under climate change.
MyD88-dependent Toll-like receptor 2 signaling modulates macrophage activation on lysate-adsorbed Teflon™ AF surfaces in an in vitro biomaterial host response model
Authors: McKiel Laura A. , Ballantyne Laurel L. , Negri Gian Luca , Woodhouse Kimberly A. , Fitzpatrick Lindsay E.
Published: August 2023

The adsorbed protein layer on an implanted biomaterial surface is known to mediate downstream cell-material interactions that drive the host response. While the adsorption of plasma-derived proteins has been studied extensively, the adsorption of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) derived from damaged cells and matrix surrounding the implant remains poorly understood. Previously, our group developed a DAMP-adsorption model in which 3T3 fibroblast lysates were used as a complex source of cell-derived DAMPs and we demonstrated that biomaterials with adsorbed lysate potently activated RAW-Blue macrophages via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). In the present study, we characterized the response of mouse bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) from wildtype (WT), TLR2-/- and MyD88-/- mice on Teflon™ AF surfaces pre-adsorbed with 10% plasma or lysate-spiked plasma (10% w/w total protein from 3T3 fibroblast lysate) for 24 hours. WT BMDM cultured on adsorbates derived from 10% lysate in plasma had significantly higher gene and protein expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, RANTES/CCL5 and CXCL1/KC, compared to 10% plasma-adsorbed surfaces. Furthermore, the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression in the 10% lysate in plasma condition was attenuated in TLR2-/- and MyD88-/- BMDM. Proteomic analysis of the adsorbed protein layers showed that even this relatively small addition of lysate-derived proteins within plasma (10% w/w) caused a significant change to the adsorbed protein profile. The 10% plasma condition had fibrinogen, albumin, apolipoproteins, complement, and fibronectin among the top 25 most abundant proteins. While proteins layers generated from 10% lysate in plasma retained fibrinogen and fibronectin among the top 25 proteins, there was a disproportionate increase in intracellular proteins, including histones, tubulins, actins, and vimentin. Furthermore, we identified 7 DAMPs or DAMP-related proteins enriched in the 10% plasma condition (fibrinogen, apolipoproteins), compared to 39 DAMPs enriched in the 10% lysate in plasma condition, including high mobility group box 1 and histones. Together, these findings indicate that DAMPs and other intracellular proteins readily adsorb to biomaterial surfaces in competition with plasma proteins, and that adsorbed DAMPs induce an inflammatory response in adherent macrophages that is mediated by the MyD88-dependent TLR2 signaling pathway.
Combining PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with type I interferon in cancer therapy
Authors: Razaghi Ali , Durand-Dubief Mickaël , Brusselaers Nele , Björnstedt Mikael
Published: August 2023

PD-1 and PD-L1 are crucial regulators of immunity expressed on the surface of T cells and tumour cells, respectively. Cancer cells frequently use PD-1/PD-L1 to evade immune detection; hence, blocking them exposes tumours to be attacked by activated T cells. The synergy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with type I interferon (IFN) can improve cancer treatment efficacy. Type I IFN activates immune cells boosts antigen presentation and controls proliferation. In addition, type I IFN increases tumour cell sensitivity to the blockade. Combining the two therapies increases tumoral T cell infiltration and activation within tumours, and stimulate the generation of memory T cells, leading to prolonged patient survival. However, limitations include heterogeneous responses, the need for biomarkers to predict and monitor outcomes, and adverse effects and toxicity. Although treatment resistance remains an obstacle, the combined therapeutic efficacy of IFNα/β and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade demonstrated considerable benefits across a spectrum of cancer types, notably in melanoma. Overall, the phases I and II clinical trials have demonstrated safety and efficiency. In future, further investigations in clinical trials phases III and IV are essential to compare this combinatorial treatment with standard treatment and assess long-term side effects in patients.
Evaluating the impacts of reduced sampling density in a systematic fisheries-independent survey design
Authors: DeFilippo Lukas , Kotwicki Stan , Barnett Lewis , Richar Jon , Litzow Michael A. , Stockhausen William T. , Palof Katie
Published: August 2023

Fisheries-independent surveys provide critical data products used to estimate stock status and inform management decisions. While it can be possible to redistribute sampling effort to improve survey efficiency and address changing monitoring needs in the face of unforeseen challenges, it is important to assess the consequences of such changes. Here, we present an approach that relies on existing survey data and simulations to evaluate the impacts of strategic reductions in survey sampling effort. We apply this approach to assess the potential effects of reducing high density sampling near St. Matthew Island and the Pribilof Islands in the NOAA eastern Bering Sea (EBS) bottom trawl survey. These areas contain high density “corner stations” that were implemented for finer-scale monitoring of associated blue king crab stocks (Paralithodes platypus) which historically supported commercial fisheries but have since declined and are seldom eligible for harvest. We investigate the effects of removing these corner stations on survey data quality for focalP. platypusstocks and other crab and groundfish species monitored by the EBS survey. We find that removing the St. Matthew and Pribilof Islands corner stations has negligible effects on data quality for most stocks, except for those whose distributions are concentrated in these areas. However, the data quality for such stocks was relatively low even with higher density sampling, and corner station removal had only minor effects on stock assessment outcomes. The analysis we present here provides a generic approach for evaluating strategic reductions in sampling effort for systematic survey designs and can be applied by scientists and managers facing similar decisions elsewhere.
Calreticulin: a multifunctional protein with potential therapeutic applications for chronic wounds
Authors: Sawaya Andrew P. , Vecin Nicole M. , Burgess Jamie L. , Ojeh Nkemcho , DiBartolomeo Gabrielle , Stone Rivka C. , Pastar Irena , Tomic-Canic Marjana
Published: August 2023

Calreticulin is recognized as a multifunctional protein that serves an essential role in diverse biological processes that include wound healing, modification and folding of proteins, regulation of the secretory pathway, cell motility, cellular metabolism, protein synthesis, regulation of gene expression, cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. Although the role of calreticulin as an endoplasmic reticulum-chaperone protein has been well described, several studies have demonstrated calreticulin to be a highly versatile protein with an essential role during wound healing. These features make it an ideal molecule for treating a complex, multifactorial diseases that require fine tuning, such as chronic wounds. Indeed, topical application of recombinant calreticulin to wounds in multiple models of wound healing has demonstrated remarkable pro-healing effects. Among them include enhanced keratinocyte and fibroblast migration and proliferation, induction of extracellular matrix proteins, recruitment of macrophages along with increased granulation tissue formation, all of which are important functions in promoting wound healing that are deregulated in chronic wounds. Given the high degree of diverse functions and pro-healing effects, application of exogenous calreticulin warrants further investigation as a potential novel therapeutic option for chronic wound patients. Here, we review and highlight the significant effects of topical application of calreticulin on enhancing wound healing and its potential as a novel therapeutic option to shift chronic wounds into healing, acute-like wounds.
Proteinase K-pretreated ConA-based ELISA assay: a novel urine LAM detection strategy for TB diagnosis
Authors: Huang Huan , Qu Rong , Wu Kang , Xu Jinchuan , Li Jianhui , Lu Shuihua , Sui Guodong , Fan Xiao-Yong
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Lipoarabinomannan (LAM), an abundant cell wall glycolipid of mycobacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is a promising TB diagnostic marker. The current commercially available urine LAM assays are not sufficiently sensitive, and more novel detection strategies are urgently needed to fill the current diagnostic gap.

Methods

A proteinase K-pretreated Concanavalin A (ConA)-based ELISA assay was developed. Diagnostic performance was assessed by several bacterial strains and clinical urine samples.

Results

The limit of detection (LoD) of the assay against ManLAM was 6 ng/ml. The assay reacted strongly to Mtb H37Rv and M. bovis BCG, intermediately to M. smegmatis mc2155, and weakly to four non-mycobacteria pathogens. This method could distinguish TB patients from healthy controls (HCs) and close contacts (CCs) in 71 urine samples treated with proteinase K, which increases urine LAM antibody reactiveness. In TB+HIV+ and TB+HIV− patients, the sensitivity was 43.8 and 37.5%, respectively, while the specificity was 100.0%. The areas under ROC curves (AUCs) were 0.74 and 0.82, respectively.

Conclusion

This study implies that ConA can be paired with antibodies to detect LAM. Proteinase K treatment could effectively enhance the sensitivity by restoring the reactiveness of antibodies to LAM.
Effects of simultaneous transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation on disorders of consciousness: a study protocol
Authors: Zhuang Yutong , Zhai Weihang , Li Qinghua , Jiao Haoyang , Ge Qianqian , Rong Peijing , He Jianghong
Published: August 2023

Background

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques are now widely used in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) for accelerating their recovery of consciousness, especially minimally conscious state (MCS). However, the effectiveness of single NIBS techniques for consciousness rehabilitation needs further improvement. In this regard, we propose to enhance from bottom to top the thalamic–cortical connection by using transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) and increase from top to bottom cortical-cortical connections using simultaneous high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) to reproduce the network of consciousness.

Methods/design

The study will investigate the effect and safety of simultaneous joint stimulation (SJS) of taVNS and HD-tDCS for the recovery of consciousness. We will enroll 84 MCS patients and randomize them into two groups: a single stimulation group (taVNS and HD-tDCS) and a combined stimulation group (SJS and sham stimulation). All patients will undergo a 4-week treatment. The primary outcome will be assessed using the coma recovery scale-revised (CRS-R) at four time points to quantify the effect of treatment: before treatment (T0), after 1 week of treatment (T1), after 2 weeks of treatment (T2), and after 4 weeks of treatment (T3). At the same time, nociception coma scale-revised (NCS-R) and adverse effects (AEs) will be collected to verify the safety of the treatment. The secondary outcome will involve an analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) microstates to assess the response mechanisms of dynamic brain networks to SJS. Additionally, CRS-R and AEs will continue to be obtained for a 3-month follow-up (T4) after the end of the treatment.

Discussion

This study protocol aims to innovatively develop a full-time and multi-brain region combined neuromodulation paradigm based on the mesocircuit model to steadily promote consciousness recovery by restoring thalamocortical and cortical-cortical interconnections.
Translation of obstructive sleep apnea pathophysiology and phenotypes to personalized treatment: a narrative review
Authors: McNicholas Walter T. , Korkalainen Henri
Published: August 2023

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) arises due to periodic blockage of the upper airway (UA) during sleep, as negative pressure generated during inspiration overcomes the force exerted by the UA dilator muscles to maintain patency. This imbalance is primarily seen in individuals with a narrowed UA, attributable to factors such as inherent craniofacial anatomy, neck fat accumulation, and rostral fluid shifts in the supine posture. Sleep-induced attenuation of UA dilating muscle responsiveness, respiratory instability, and high loop gain further exacerbate UA obstruction. The widespread comorbidity profile of OSA, encompassing cardiovascular, metabolic, and neuropsychiatric domains, suggests complex bidirectional relationships with conditions like heart failure, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. Recent advances have delineated distinct OSA phenotypes beyond mere obstruction frequency, showing links with specific symptomatic manifestations. It is vital to bridge the gap between measurable patient characteristics, phenotypes, and underlying pathophysiological traits to enhance our understanding of OSA and its interplay with related outcomes. This knowledge could stimulate the development of tailored therapies targeting specific phenotypic and pathophysiological endotypes. This review aims to elucidate the multifaceted pathophysiology of OSA, focusing on the relationships between UA anatomy, functional traits, clinical manifestations, and comorbidities. The ultimate objective is to pave the way for a more personalized treatment paradigm in OSA, offering alternatives to continuous positive airway pressure therapy for selected patients and thereby optimizing treatment efficacy and adherence. There is an urgent need for personalized treatment strategies in the ever-evolving field of sleep medicine, as we progress from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ to a ‘tailored-therapy’ approach.
Case report: Can cochlear implant stimulation lead to improved balance even after vestibular neurectomy?
Authors: Sluydts Morgana , De Laet Chloë , De Coninck Liesbeth , Blaivie Catherine , van Dinther Joost J. S. , Offeciers Erwin , Wuyts Floris L. , Zarowski Andrzej
Published: August 2023

Introduction

In a previous manuscript from our research group, the concept of vestibular co-stimulation was investigated in adult subjects who received a cochlear implant (CI). Despite what literature reports state, no signs of vestibular co-stimulation could be observed.

Results

In this case report, it was described how a woman, who previously underwent a neurectomy of the left vestibular nerve and suffers from bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP), reported improved balance whenever her CI on the left was stimulating. Unexpectedly, the sway analyses during posturography indeed showed a clinically relevant improvement when the CI was activated.

Discussion

Vestibular co-stimulation as a side effect of CI stimulation could not be the explanation in this case due to the ipsilateral vestibular neurectomy. It is more likely that the results can be attributed to the electrically restored auditory input, which serves as an external reference for maintaining balance and spatial orientation. In addition, this patient experienced disturbing tinnitus whenever her CI was deactivated. It is thus plausible that the tinnitus increased her cognitive load, which was already increased because of the BVP, leading to an increased imbalance in the absence of CI stimulation.
The PyMVPA BIDS-App: a robust multivariate pattern analysis pipeline for fMRI data
Authors: Torabian Sajjad , Vélez Natalia , Sochat Vanessa , Halchenko Yaroslav O. , Grossman Emily D.
Published: August 2023

With the advent of multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) as an important analytic approach to fMRI, new insights into the functional organization of the brain have emerged. Several software packages have been developed to perform MVPA analysis, but deploying them comes with the cost of adjusting data to individual idiosyncrasies associated with each package. Here we describe PyMVPA BIDS-App, a fast and robust pipeline based on the data organization of the BIDS standard that performs multivariate analyses using powerful functionality of PyMVPA. The app runs flexibly with blocked and event-related fMRI experimental designs, is capable of performing classification as well as representational similarity analysis, and works both within regions of interest or on the whole brain through searchlights. In addition, the app accepts as input both volumetric and surface-based data. Inspections into the intermediate stages of the analyses are available and the readability of final results are facilitated through visualizations. The PyMVPA BIDS-App is designed to be accessible to novice users, while also offering more control to experts through command-line arguments in a highly reproducible environment.
Parkinson’s disease model in zebrafish using intraperitoneal MPTP injection
Authors: Omar Noor Azzizah , Kumar Jaya , Teoh Seong Lin
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease that severely affects the quality of life of patients and their family members. Exposure to 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been shown to reflect behavioral, molecular, and proteomic features of PD. This study aimed to assess the protocol for inducing PD following MPTP injection in adult zebrafish.

Methods

Fish were injected with 100 μg/g of MPTP intraperitoneally once or twice and then assessed on days 1 to 30 post-injection.

Results

Between one-time and two-time injections, there was no significant difference in most locomotor parameters, expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase-2 (th2) and dopamine transporter (dat) genes, and dopaminergic neurons (tyrosine hydroxylase positive, TH+ cells) counts. However, caspase-3 levels significantly differed between one- and two-time injections on the day 1 assessment.

Discussion

Over a 30-day period, the parameters showed significant differences in swimming speed, total distance traveled, tyrosine hydroxylase-1 (th1) and dat gene expressions, caspase-3 and glutathione protein levels, and TH+ cell counts. Days 3 and 5 showed the most changes compared to the control. In conclusion, a one-time injection of MPTP with delayed assessment on days 3 to 5 is a good PD model for animal studies.
Decoupled learning for brain image registration
Authors: Fang Jinwu , Lv Na , Li Jia , Zhang Hao , Wen Jiayuan , Yang Wan , Wu Jingfei , Wen Zhijie
Published: August 2023

Image registration is one of the important parts in medical image processing and intelligent analysis. The accuracy of image registration will greatly affect the subsequent image processing and analysis. This paper focuses on the problem of brain image registration based on deep learning, and proposes the unsupervised deep learning methods based on model decoupling and regularization learning. Specifically, we first decompose the highly ill-conditioned inverse problem of brain image registration into two simpler sub-problems, to reduce the model complexity. Further, two light neural networks are constructed to approximate the solution of the two sub-problems and the training strategy of alternating iteration is used to solve the problem. The performance of algorithms utilizing model decoupling is evaluated through experiments conducted on brain MRI images from the LPBA40 dataset. The obtained experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm over conventional learning methods in the context of brain image registration tasks.
Patient-reported outcomes and functional exercise capacity in a real-life setting in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy: the Lung PLUS study
Authors: van der Weijst Lotte , Bultijnck Renée , Van Damme Axel , Huybrechts Vincent , van Eijkeren Marc , Lievens Yolande
Published: August 2023

Introduction

To better understand the impact of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and its treatment-related toxicity on early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC) patients, we conducted the Lung PLUS study in a real-world setting.

Methods

This is a monocentric prospective longitudinal study up to 12 months post-treatment, evaluating clinician- and patient-reported toxicity (resp. CTCAE and PRO-CTCAE), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (EORTC QLQ-C30 and LC-13), activities of daily living (HAQ-DI) and functional exercise capacity (6 Minute Walking Test (6MWT)). A mixed model approach was applied to analyze the data.

Results

At baseline, clinicians and patients (n=51) reported mostly fatigue (63% vs 79%), cough (49% vs 75%) and dyspnea (65% vs 73%) of any grade. Dyspnea (p=.041) increased over time. Meaningful clinical improvements were particularly seen in pain, fatigue, and cough. Clinician reported clinically meaningful improvements and deteriorations over time in fatigue, cough, and dyspnea. Almost at every timepoint, more people reported deterioration to the clinician than improvement in aforementioned toxicities. Overall HRQoL (p=.014), physical (p=.011) and emotional (p<.001) functioning improved over time. At baseline, patients had a moderate daily functioning score and walked an average distance of 360 meters. No statistically significant differences were found in daily functioning and exercise capacity over time.

Conclusion

Our study showed an increase in patient-reported toxicity and dyspnea, without impacting functional status, following SBRT. Overall HRQoL, physical and emotional functioning improved over time. Understanding the impact of treatment on patient-reported outcomes is crucial to identify the needs/problems of patients to enhance their HRQoL.
Poorly cohesive duodenal carcinoma mixed with signet ring cell carcinoma with systemic metastasis: a case report and literature review
Authors: Tang Song , Li Xinjun , Wu Aiguo
Published: August 2023

Poorly cohesive duodenal carcinoma mixed with signet ring cell carcinoma is very rare, and no cases have been reported. When distant metastasis occurs, it is very easy to be misdiagnosed. We report the first case of a 52-year-old man with poorly cohesive carcinoma of the duodenum mixed with signet ring cell carcinoma with systemic metastasis. The process of its diagnosis and differential diagnosis is highlighted.
Research progress on mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Zhang Yan , Yang Yanli , Gao Xiang , Gao Wenqin , Zhang Liyun
Published: August 2023

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease with an unknown etiology. Clinically, it is characterized by localized or diffuse skin thickening and fibrosis. The pathogenesis of SSc includes microvascular injury, autoimmune-mediated inflammation, and fibroblast activation. These processes interact and contribute to the diverse clinicopathology and presentation of SSc. Given the limited effectiveness and substantial side effects of traditional treatments, the treatment strategy for SSc has several disadvantages. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are expected to serve as effective treatment options owing to their significant immunomodulatory, antifibrotic, and pro-angiogenic effects. Exosomes, secreted by MSCs via paracrine signaling, mirror the effect of MSCs as well as offer the benefit of targeted delivery, minimal immunogenicity, robust reparability, good safety and stability, and easy storage and transport. This enables them to circumvent the limitations of the MSCs. When using exosomes, it is crucial to consider preparation methods, quality standards, and suitable drug delivery systems, among other technical issues. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the latest research progress on MSCs and exosomes in SSc, offering novel ideas for treating SSc.
FoxO3 normalizes Smad3-induced arterial smooth muscle cell growth
Authors: Francisco Jake T. , Holt Andrew W. , Bullock Michael T. , Williams Madison D. , Poovey Cere E. , Holland Nathan A. , Brault Jeffrey J. , Tulis David A.
Published: August 2023

Transition of arterial smooth muscle (ASM) from a quiescent, contractile state to a growth-promoting state is a hallmark of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of death and disability in the United States and worldwide. While many individual signals have been identified as important mechanisms in this phenotypic conversion, the combined impact of the transcription factors Smad3 and FoxO3 in ASM growth is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine that a coordinated, phosphorylation-specific relationship exists between Smad3 and FoxO3 in the control of ASM cell growth. Using a ratin vivoarterial injury model and rat primary ASM cell lysates and fractions, validated low and high serumin vitromodels of respective quiescent and growth states, and adenoviral (Ad-) gene delivery for overexpression (OE) of individual and combined Smad3 and/or FoxO3, we hypothesized that FoxO3 can moderate Smad3-induced ASM cell growth. Key findings revealed unique cellular distribution of Smad3 and FoxO3 under growth conditions, with induction of both nuclear and cytosolic Smad3 yet primarily cytosolic FoxO3; Ad-Smad3 OE leading to cytosolic and nuclear expression of phosphorylated and total Smad3, with almost complete reversal of each with Ad-FoxO3 co-infection in quiescent and growth conditions; Ad-FoxO3 OE leading to enhanced cytosolic expression of phosphorylated and total FoxO3, both reduced with Ad-Smad3 co-infection in quiescent and growth conditions; Ad-FoxO3 inducing expression and activity of the ubiquitin ligase MuRF-1, which was reversed with concomitant Ad-Smad3 OE; and combined Smad3/FoxO3 OE reversing both the pro-growth impact of singular Smad3 and the cytostatic impact of singular FoxO3. A primary takeaway from these observations is the capacity of FoxO3 to reverse growth-promoting effects of Smad3 in ASM cells. Additional findings lend support for reciprocal antagonism of Smad3 on FoxO3-induced cytostasis, and these effects are dependent upon discrete phosphorylation states and cellular localization and involve MuRF-1 in the control of ASM cell growth. Lastly, results showing capacity of FoxO3 to normalize Smad3-induced ASM cell growth largely support our hypothesis, and overall findings provide evidence for utility of Smad3 and/or FoxO3 as potential therapeutic targets against abnormal ASM growth in the context of CVD.
The effect of teacher self-efficacy, teacher resilience, and emotion regulation on teacher burnout: a mediation model
Authors: Li Shanshan
Published: August 2023

Introduction

This research aimed to explore the relationships among teacher self-efficacy, teacher resilience, emotion regulation, and teacher burnout within the context of Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers.

Methods

A sample of 638 Chinese EFL teachers participated in this study. They completed self-report assessments for teacher self-efficacy, teacher resilience, emotion regulation, and teacher burnout. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to establish the construct validity of the measurement tools. Subsequently, structural equation modeling was utilized to assess the proposed structural model.

Results

The results of the study revealed significant insights. Teacher self-efficacy and resilience exhibited direct and negative associations with teacher burnout. Additionally, an interesting finding emerged where teacher emotion regulation indirectly affected teacher burnout, mediated by teacher resilience. The analysis supported the suitability of the partial mediation model as the best-fit representation of the relationships.

Discussion

The findings of this study provide valuable implications for EFL teaching programs. The negative connections between teacher self-efficacy, resilience, and burnout highlight the importance of nurturing these factors to mitigate burnout risk. The discovered mediation effect of teacher resilience emphasizes the role of emotion regulation in promoting teachers’ overall well-being. These outcomes collectively contribute to the understanding of teacher dynamics and suggest potential avenues for targeted interventions.
Social construction of the image of the psychologist and of the patient: the role of implicit premises
Authors: Convertini Josephine , Luciani Margherita
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, there is a growing consideration of people's mental health through awareness programs, policies, and practices promoted by international aid agencies and non-governmental organizations. Psychologists and patients are major actors in mental health, and their images are socially co-constructed. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of confusion about who “psychologists” and “patients” are or what a psychologist does. This muddle may underline stereotypes and broadly speaking stigma related to mental health. Therefore, confronting directly the ideas of “psychologist” and “patient” could be a little step in challenging stereotypes and making order in the panorama of mental health. In our study, we focus on the implicit contextual premises that shape particular framings around which the images of the psychologist and of the patient are socially and culturally co-constructed. In order to reach this goal, we have investigated the discourses and the multiple points of view behind the social image of the psychologist and of the patient from different sources or contextual domains: psychology online forums, university websites, and an online survey. From a methodological perspective and according to the pragma-dialectical approach, we have identified all the different standpoints and arguments related to the various conceptions of the psychologist and the patient. We have made explicit the implicit premises that lay behind each argumentative inference via the Argumentum Model of Topics. Based on these analyses, we have reconstructed the distinct framings at stake in the different contextual domains. The findings show that implicit contextual premises have huge power in constructing stigmatization in the ideas that lay people have toward the image of the psychologist and of the patient. In particular, we have observed that the more the contextual domain is defined, the more institutional premises dominate over individual ones; on the contrary, in informal contextual domains, heterogenous individual premises are prominent. Our study underlines that it is only by substituting old implicit premises with new unimagined ones that we can change subjacent contextual premises at the very core of stigma and the prototypical world's images.
Effects of a video game intervention on symptoms, training motivation, and visuo-spatial memory in depression
Authors: Bergmann Moritz , Wollbrandt Ines , Gittel Lisa , Halbe Eva , Mackert Sarah , Philipsen Alexandra , Lux Silke
Published: August 2023

Background

People with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) often experience reduced affect, mood, and cognitive impairments such as memory problems. Although there are various treatments for MDD, many of them do not address the cognitive deficits associated with the disorder. Playing 3D video games has been found to improve cognitive functioning in healthy people, but it is not clear how they may affect depressed mood and motivation in people with MDD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a six-week video game intervention leads to improvements in depressed mood, training motivation, and visuo-spatial (working) memory functions in patients with MDD.

Methods

A total of 46 clinically depressed individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: an experimental “3D video gaming” group (n = 14) which played a video game, an active control group (n = 16) which trained with a computer program “CogPack,” and a treatment-as-usual group (n = 16) which received a standard clinical treatment including psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy. Participants performed a neuropsychological assessment, including self-report questionnaires asking for depressive symptoms, training motivation, and visuo-spatial (working) memory functions before and after the training intervention.

Results

Regarding depressive symptoms, a significant decrease in the proportion of participants who showed clinical levels of depressive symptoms as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory was only found in the 3D video gaming group. Additionally, mean motivational levels of performing the training were significantly higher in the 3D video gaming group when compared with the active control group. Moreover, whereas the 3D Video Gaming group only significantly improved on one visuo-spatial memory test, the active control group improved in all visuo-spatial memory functions. The 3D video gaming group did not perform significantly better than the CogPack group, and the TAU group.

Conclusion

Besides a standalone cognitive training, the current findings suggest that cognitive trainings using a video game have potential to increase subjective well-being, show higher levels of training motivation, and lead to improvements in visuo-spatial (working) memory functions in MDD. However, given the mixed and unblinded nature of this study, the results should be interpreted with caution. Further research with larger samples and follow-up measurements is needed.
MicroRNA expression profiles of stress susceptibility and resilience in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortex of rats after single prolonged stress
Authors: Huang Gengdi , Iqbal Javed , Shen Dan , Xue Yan-xue , Yang Mei , Jia Xiaojian
Published: August 2023

The experience of traumatic stress can engender lasting memories associated with the trauma, often resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, only a minority of individuals develop PTSD symptoms upon exposure. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying the pathology of PTSD are poorly understood. Utilizing a rat model of PTSD, the Single Prolonged Stress (SPS) paradigm, we were able to differentiate between resilient and susceptible individuals. Fourteen days after the SPS exposure, we conducted the behavioral analyses using Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and Open Field (OF) tests to identify male rats as trauma resilient or susceptible. We focused on the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of the infralimbic (IL) and prelimbic (PL) cortical regions, known to be crucial in regulating the stress response. Our investigation of stressed rats exposed to the SPS procedure yielded divergent response, and differential expression microRNAs (DEmiRs) analysis indicated significant differences in the IL and PL transcriptional response. In the IL cortex, the GO analysis revealed enriched GO terms in the resilient versus control comparison, specifically related to mitogen-activated protein kinase and MAP kinase signaling pathways for their molecular functions as well as cytosol and nucleoplasm for the biological process. In the susceptible versus resilient comparison, the changes in molecular functions were only manifested in the functions of regulation of transcription involved in the G1/S transition of the mitotic cell cycle and skeletal muscle satellite cell activation. However, no enriched GO terms were found in the susceptible versus control comparison. In the PL cortex, results indicated that the DEmiRs were enriched exclusively in the cellular component level of the endoplasmic reticulum lumen in the comparison between resilient and control rats. Overall, our study utilized an animal model of PTSD to investigate the potential correlation between stress-induced behavioral dysfunction and variations in miRNA expression. The aforementioned discoveries have the potential to pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches for PTSD, which could involve the targeted regulation of transcriptome expression.
The experience of healthcare workers to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis
Authors: Zhang Liao , Song Yuqing , Zheng Xutong , Liu Ying , Chen Hong
Published: August 2023

Background

The effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis has been extensively documented. However, there are substantial gaps between the actual implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis and the ideal goal, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Healthcare workers play critical roles in the pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation, and they have more multi-level experiences about the barriers of pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation and how to facilitate it. However, the evidence aiming to synthesize their experiences is limited.

Objective

This study aims to aggregate the healthcare workers’ experiences of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis in low-and middle-income countries, and find the barriers, facilitators, and recommendations of pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation.

Methods

The ENTREQ (Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research) statement was used to guide the design and reporting of this qualitative meta-synthesis. A comprehensive search was conducted from inception of databases to 16th March 2023 in four databases: PubMed, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Embase, Web of Science. The quality appraisal was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. JBI’s meta-aggregation approach was used to guide the data extraction and synthesis, and the JBI ConQual approach was used to evaluate the evidence level of the synthesized findings.

Results

Fourteen articles with good methodological quality were included in this review. A total of 122 findings were extracted and 117 findings with credibility ratings of “unequivocal” or “equivocal” were included in this meta-synthesis. The eligible findings were aggregated into 13 new categories and subsequently developed into 3 synthesized findings: the barriers, facilitators, and recommendations of pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation in low-and middle-income countries. The overall ConQual score of all three synthesized findings was rated as “low.”

Conclusion

This review aggregated the experience of health care workers implementing pre-exposure prophylaxis in low-and middle-income countries and we could focus on the following key points to promote the uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis: improve knowledge about pre-exposure prophylaxis, create a supportive environment, address medication-related barriers, increase the human resources and financial investments, and diversify the providing models.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/. The protocol of this review has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, CRD42023411604).
Exercise Keeps the Brain Healthy!
Authors: Raine Lauren B. , Logan Nicole E. , Watrous Jennifer H. , Hillman Charles H. , Kramer Arthur F.
Published: August 2023

Did you know that exercise may help your brain work better? Scientists are studying how kids’ brains respond to exercise and how physical activity may help kids learn better in school. Using equipment that can help them to see the structure and function of the brain, scientists can measure and record what the brain is doing while kids engage in tasks that require attention and memory, or while they are just resting. Physical fitness and physical activity can help kids’ brains function better, help them to stay focused in school, and help them do well on tests. In this article, we explore research aimed at how being physically fit and participating in physical activities may not only benefit kids’ bodies, but also benefit their brains and improve skills like attention, memory, and learning.
The multidimensionality of social wellbeing: interactions from the individual to the collective level in large cities
Authors: Martínez-Martínez Oscar A. , Ramírez-López Araceli , Hernández Martínez Eduardo Gamaliel , Mac Kinney Romero René
Published: August 2023

This paper responds to two questions—What dimensions and indicators are relevant to the construction of social wellbeing? How are the levels of wellbeing distributed in the municipalities of Mexico City? To answer these questions, we use data from the Wellbeing Survey (N = 2,871) that is representative of Mexico City and its municipalities. We employed two methods, DM-R distances, and Mamdani's Fuzzy Inference Method. The results show that all the proposed dimensions and indicators contributed to the building of multidimensional social wellbeing; in the case of some indicators (social security, built environment, and public insecurity) they contributed less. This suggests government interventions should be designed in order to improve the gaps in those areas. The evidence also indicates that community wellbeing is a relevant dimension when measuring social wellbeing in large cities, in addition to identifying areas of intervention for the development of more efficient and inclusive public policies.