bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions, behaviours and potential barriers to effective obesity care. Results from the ACTION‐DK study
Authors: Vilsbøll Tina , Gribsholt Sigrid Bjerge , Jørgensen Nils Bruun , Andreassen Pernille , Nielsen Per , Yssing Cecilie , Bøgelund Mette , Stensen Signe , Nørremark Kasper , Bruun Jens Meldgaard
Published: June 2023

Aim

Weight bias, stigma and discrimination are pervasive in the health care system and society and may result in biased treatment of people living with obesity (PwO). We aimed to identify perceptions, attitudes and potential barriers that exist between people with obesity and health care professionals (HCPs) in Denmark.

Methods

The ACTION‐DK survey was a cross‐sectional, non‐interventional, descriptive study conducted in Denmark. The cohort included 879 PwO (body mass index ≥30.0 kg/m2) based on self‐reported height and body weight, and 100 HCPs from the primary and secondary sectors who frequently encountered PwO.

Results

Several discrepancies between PwO and HCPs were identified, including recognition of obesity as a chronic disease (PwO: 49% vs. HCPs: 84%) and whether PwO were responsible for their weight loss (PwO: 81% vs. HCPs: 17%). Among PwO, 46% were motivated to lose weight, but only 28% of HCPs shared this perception. Untimely initiation of obesity care consultations was also identified as a potential barrier to proper obesity care, as PwO waited 7 years, on average, from their initial decision to lose weight before having their first obesity care consultation. In addition, only 24% of PwO had a follow‐up consultation after the initial obesity care discussion. Almost half of HCPs (46%) considered weight loss medication effective, but only 10% brought up this possibility during an obesity care discussion.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that it is pivotal to improve obesity care in Denmark by ensuring a better follow‐up and alignment of the perceptions and attitudes toward obesity between PwO and HCPs.
The role of adiponectin for immune cell function in metabolic diseases
Authors: Gao Mingyue , Cui Dawei , Xie Jue
Published: June 2023

Adiponectin, as an indispensable regulator of the immune system, is the most abundant adipokine and is mainly produced by white adipose tissue. Adiponectin mediates the positive effects on systemic metabolism by regulating associated downstream signalling pathways; however, accumulating evidence shows that adiponectin plays an important role in regulating the function of innate and adaptive immune cells in the development of obesity and its related diseases. In this review, we focus on the biological function of adiponectin in regulating innate and adaptive immunity and outline the key role of adiponectin in various metabolic diseases, which will highlight a potential direction for adiponectin‐based therapeutic interventions for metabolic diseases.
Women, education, and violence: How women displaced into camps in north‐east Nigeria take up education
Authors: Idika‐Kalu Cecilia
Published: June 2023

Motivation

The Boko Haram insurgency has ravaged north‐east Nigeria since 2002. The killing, kidnapping, and burning of homes have left millions homeless in its wake. The insurgency has especially affected women. Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from a school in one instance; abducted partly for ransom and partly because Boko Haram resents Western education, especially for girls and women. Boko Haram has the dubious distinction of deploying the highest number of women as suicide bombers in history.

Purpose

How has displacement by the insurgency affected women's learning and education? How do women affected by Boko Haram experience self‐regulated learning? These questions shed light on how individual resilience manifests itself in women affected by violence and how learning opportunities can be taken up.

Methods and approach

Over two years, I repeatedly interviewed, using Skype, 10 women aged 18 years or more living in a camp for displaced persons in north‐east Nigeria owing to the violence of the insurgency. I analysed the themes raised in interview using Bandura's self‐efficacy and sensemaking theory as a conceptual framework.

Findings

The interviews revealed three main themes with six subthemes. One theme was the suffering of the women expressed as unquantifiable loss and worries about physical sustenance. A second was support by talking with family and friends, expressed as giving them a compass to guide their lives and encouragement to take advantage of opportunities like education in IDP camps. A third theme was tomorrow and hopes, expressed as dreams of a profession or career, and as desired education and marriage. Social relations helped the women to hope and to aspire. The bonds they built with each other to survive in their new circumstances helped them thrive, therefore developing self‐efficacy. The camp had schools, to which they were able to send their daughters. Many women and girls who previously had no access to Western education in their former lives in deprived villages now had such access.

Policy implications

The study shows how violence, displacement, and social relations, allied to the concrete opportunity of schooling, allow women to access formal education and create new visions. Policy‐makers should recognize the agency of women in camps, and make sure that schools and other means of education are provided.
Effect of labile and recalcitrant carbon on heterotrophic nitrification in a subtropical forest soil
Authors: Zhang Yi , Cai Zucong , Zhang Jinbo , Müller Christoph
Published: June 2023

Carbon (C) is an important factor controlling heterotrophic nitrification in soil, but the effect of individual C components (e.g., labile and recalcitrant C) is largely unclear. We carried out a C amendment experiment in which either labile C (glucose) or a recalcitrant C (cellulose and biochar) was added to a subtropical forest soil. A 15N‐, 13C‐tracing and MiSeq sequencing study was performed to investigate soil gross heterotrophic nitrification rates, carbon utilization for soil respiration and microbial biomass production and microbial composition, respectively. After 2 days, results showed a significant increase of gross heterotrophic nitrification rate in glucose (GLU) (on average 3.34 mg N kg−1 day−1), cellulose (CEL) (on average 0.21 mg N kg−1 day−1) and biochar (BIO) (on average 0.13 mg N kg−1 day−1) amendment in comparison with the unamended soil (CK) (on average 0.01 mg N kg−1 day−1; p < 0.05). The contribution of heterotrophic nitrification to total soil nitrification was significantly larger in GLU (average 85.86%), CEL (average 98.52%) and BIO (average 81.25%) treatments compared with CK (average 33.33%; p < 0.01). After 2‐month amendment, the gross rates remarkably decreased in GLU (average 0.02 mg N kg−1 day−1), and the contribution to total nitrification (average 8.73%) were significantly lower than that in CK (p < 0.05). A decrease in the proportion of heterotrophic nitrification to total nitrification in soil was also observed in CEL (average 38.40%) and BIO (6.74%) treatments. Nevertheless, BIO amendment (compared to CK, GLU and CEL) showed the highest gross heterotrophic nitrification rate, accompanied by a notably higher abundance of specific heterotrophic nitrifiers, i.e. Trichoderma, Aspergillus and Penicillium. These results point to a stimulatory effect of C addition on soil heterotrophic nitrification in the short term, while the stimulatory impact of C amendment diminishes with the decline in easily available C. In addition, a shift of the microbial composition in the long term can possibly be sustained for longer if additional recalcitrant C is available to heterotrophic nitrifiers. The dynamic response of heterotrophic nitrification to labile and recalcitrant C in this study offered an explanation for the positive effect of plantation and plant root exudation on the process.
First case of adult onset neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease with both typical radiological signs and NOTCH2NLC repeat expansions in a Caucasian individual
Authors: Podar Iulian V. , Gutmann Daniel A. P. , Harmuth Florian , Haack Tobias B. , Ossowski Stephan , Hengel Holger , Bornemann Antje , Schöls Ludger , Neuhaus Oliver
Published: June 2023

Background and purpose

Adult onset neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder with a heterogeneous clinical presentation that can mimic stroke and various forms of dementia. To date, it has been described almost exclusively in Asian individuals.

Methods

This case presentation includes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the neurocranium, histology by skin biopsy, and long‐read genome sequencing.

Results

A 75‐year‐old Caucasian female presented with paroxysmal encephalopathy twice within a 14‐month period. Brain MRI revealed high‐intensity signals at the cerebral corticomedullary junction (diffusion‐weighted imaging) and the paravermal area (fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery), a typical distribution observed in adult onset NIID. The diagnosis was corroborated by skin biopsy, which demonstrated eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies, and confirmed by long‐read genome sequencing, showing an expansion of the GGC repeat in exon 1 of NOTCH2NLC.

Conclusions

Our case proves adult onset NOTCH2NLC‐GGC‐positive NIID with typical findings on MRI and histology in a Caucasian patient and underscores the need to consider this diagnosis in non‐Asian individuals.
A review of literature on slum redevelopment policies of India: Geographies of dispossessions and caste
Authors: Hazarika Naomi
Published: June 2023

This paper reviews literature and identifies trends in the study of slum redevelopment and rehabilitation policies in India since the country's Independence. In doing so, it brings into conversation literature from various disciplines centered around slum redevelopment and rehabilitation policies of Indian cities. The paper begins by laying out the history of slum redevelopment and rehabilitation policies in India and then contextualizing the policies by examining how they came about and how they correspond to specific moments of the Indian political‐economy, especially the “liberalization” of the market in the 1990s. In the second section, the paper highlights trends in contemporary research on slum redevelopment and rehabilitation policies with a focus on studies on dispossession. The final section identifies a critical omission of the socio‐spatial realities of caste in contemporary studies of slum redevelopment and provides suggestions for future research.
Income‐poor, asset‐rich? The role of homeownership in shaping the welfare position of the elderly
Authors: Marcinkiewicz Edyta , Chybalski Filip
Published: June 2023

The study explores the distribution of elderly households in terms of combinations of different levels of income and wealth and relates to the typically greater homeownership rates in this group than in the younger generation. Using microdata from the Luxembourg Wealth Study for 12 countries it demonstrates that ‘income‐poor, asset‐rich’ elderly households are a quite marginal category. However, the identification of this group is crucial from the policy perspective, as it constitutes a target for actions aiming at increasing the ability of the elderly households to use housing wealth in such a way as to improve their financial well‐being. The results also suggest that higher homeownership rates among elderly households, as compared to non‐elderly households, are not accompanied by proportionally greater household wealth. Nevertheless, when the level of data aggregation is reduced, there is some evidence that homeownership is positively associated with the welfare position of the elderly.
‘What is it we are trying to achieve here’? Community maternal and child health nurses and clinical supervision: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: O'Neill Anne , Hooker Leesa , Edvardsson Kristina
Published: June 2023

Aims

To explore clinical supervision practice by Victorian Maternal and Child Health nurses, identify the self‐reported supervision needs of nurses and the facilitators and barriers to meeting those needs.

Background

Community‐based Maternal and Child Health nurses have responsibilities for the safety and wellbeing of children and specific clinical support needs. Clinical supervision has the potential to support nurses' clinical practice and reflective skills; however, little is known internationally about child and family health nurses' supervision practices.

Design

Qualitative descriptive study.

Methods

Twenty‐three semi‐structured interviews were conducted between October and December 2021 with nurses, managers and supervisors across metropolitan, regional/rural areas of Victoria, Australia. Inductive thematic analysis was applied to the data. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guided this study.

Results

Three main themes, with subthemes were generated; ‘Understand what we do’, ‘It's the gathering of the nurses’ and ‘Bringing a case’. A lack of agreed purpose, aims and varied understandings of clinical supervision contributed to suboptimal clinical supervision. Although participants agreed about the importance of clinical supervision, the perceived benefits were inconsistently realized.

Conclusions

This study points to a need for greater organizational awareness of the conditions and leadership needed to build reflective skills and culture in community‐based child and family nursing.

Reporting Method

The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research has guided this study.

No Patient or Public Contribution

There was no patient or public contribution in the conduct of this study.

Impact

A stronger focus is needed to build reflective culture and skill in child and family nursing.

Areas for improving child and family nurses' use of clinical supervision have been identified.

This study can inform nurse education, policy and service leaders, to strengthen clinical supervision in child and family nursing contexts.
Prevention and treatment of peri‐implant diseases—The EFP S3 level clinical practice guideline
Authors: Herrera David , Berglundh Tord , Schwarz Frank , Chapple Iain , Jepsen Søren , Sculean Anton , Kebschull Moritz , Papapanou Panos N. , Tonetti Maurizio S. , Sanz Mariano ,   the EFP workshop participants and methodological consultant
Published: June 2023

Background

The recently published Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment of stages I–IV periodontitis provided evidence‐based recommendations for treating periodontitis patients, defined according to the 2018 classification. Peri‐implant diseases were also re‐defined in the 2018 classification. It is well established that both peri‐implant mucositis and peri‐implantitis are highly prevalent. In addition, peri‐implantitis is particularly challenging to manage and is accompanied by significant morbidity.

Aim

To develop an S3 level CPG for the prevention and treatment of peri‐implant diseases, focusing on the implementation of interdisciplinary approaches required to prevent the development of peri‐implant diseases or their recurrence, and to treat/rehabilitate patients with dental implants following the development of peri‐implant diseases.

Materials and Methods

This S3 level CPG was developed by the European Federation of Periodontology, following methodological guidance from the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation process. A rigorous and transparent process included synthesis of relevant research in 13 specifically commissioned systematic reviews, evaluation of the quality and strength of evidence, formulation of specific recommendations, and a structured consensus process involving leading experts and a broad base of stakeholders.

Results

The S3 level CPG for the prevention and treatment of peri‐implant diseases culminated in the recommendation for implementation of various different interventions before, during and after implant placement/loading. Prevention of peri‐implant diseases should commence when dental implants are planned, surgically placed and prosthetically loaded. Once the implants are loaded and in function, a supportive peri‐implant care programme should be structured, including periodical assessment of peri‐implant tissue health. If peri‐implant mucositis or peri‐implantitis are detected, appropriate treatments for their management must be rendered.

Conclusion

The present S3 level CPG informs clinical practice, health systems, policymakers and, indirectly, the public on the available and most effective modalities to maintain healthy peri‐implant tissues, and to manage peri‐implant diseases, according to the available evidence at the time of publication.
Interventions to reduce nurses' burnout: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yildirim Nezaket , Yesilbas Hande , Kantek Filiz
Published: June 2023

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to reduce nurses' burnout.

Design

A systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Methods

The research was carried out using the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, ULAKBİM Turkish National Database, Science Direct, and Web of Science. The study selection, quality assessments, and data extractions of the included studies were carried out by the researchers independently. The PRISMA checklist was used to assure the quality and transparency of the report. The risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. The meta‐analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis (CMA) 3.0 software.

Results

A total of 19 studies including 1139 nurses were included in the study. Of these, only 13 were included in the meta‐analysis, as six contained incomplete data. Interventions aimed at reducing burnout in nurses were mostly person‐directed interventions. The meta‐analysis revealed that attempts to reduce burnout had a small effect on nurses' emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and a moderate effect on their personal accomplishment.

Conclusions

Interventions are more effective at preventing the sense of personal accomplishment of nurses from decreasing. Evidence in the literature on organization‐directed interventions and combined interventions to reduce burnout in nurses is limited. Person‐directed interventions are effective at low and medium levels. In future studies, it will be more effective to implement combined interventions including both person‐directed and organization‐directed interventions to reduce the burnout of nurses.
Regulatory pathway underpinning the development of encephalitis after simian immunodeficiency virus infection in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Kwon Taeho , Xiang Hong‐Yi , Xing Xiao‐Ya , Jiang Peng , Sun Shuai‐Yang , Sun Hu‐Nan , Han Ying‐Hao
Published: June 2023

Background

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) can lead to the development of SIV encephalitis (SIVE), which is closely related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐induced dementia.

Methods

This was done by analyzing SIV and SIVE encephalitis in infected M. mulatta hippocampus samples from two microarray data sets, identifying two groups of common differentially expressed genes and predicting associated protein interactions.

Results

We found that eight genes—MX1, B2M, IFIT1, TYMP, STAT1, IFI44, ISG15, and IFI27—affected the negative regulation of biological processes, hepatitis C and Epstein–Barr viral infection, and the toll‐like receptor signaling pathway, which mediate the development of encephalitis after SIV infection. In particular, STAT1 played a central role in the process by regulating biopathological changes during the development of SIVE.

Conclusion

These findings provide a new theoretical basis for the treatment of encephalopathy after HIV infection by targeting STAT1.
Legislative Pensions and Re‐election Seeking: Evidence from Canadian Legislatures
Authors: Burzo Stefano , Kramer Bert , Irwin Daniel , Kam Christopher
Published: June 2023

We use data from Canadian legislatures to examine how legislative pension rules affect the propensity of incumbents to seek re‐election. We predict that legislators with defined‐benefits pensions are more likely to seek re‐election than legislators without pensions. Once the legislator is vested (i.e., qualified) in the pension, however, this incentive disappears; indeed, pensions that accrue value quickly and can be collected at an early age, induce legislators to retire rather than seek re‐election. Difference‐in‐differences estimates bear out these predictions: on average, legislators with defined benefits pensions are 11 percentage points more likely to seek re‐election than legislators without pensions, whereas legislators who on vesting immediately qualify for a pension of 50% of their salary are 11 percentage points less likely to do so. These results show that legislative pensions alter the value that legislators place on re‐election and, in doing so, they affect the accumulation of legislative professionalism and the strength of democratic accountability.
Predictive factors for the success of trial without catheter for men with urinary retention
Authors: Takanashi Masato , Ito Hiroki , Fukazawa Takeshi , Takizawa Hiroki , Hioki Mari , Shinoki Risa , Kawahara Takashi , Kobayashi Kazuki
Published: June 2023

Objective

To investigate the trial of spontaneous urination without catheter (TWOC) outcomes for men with acute urinary retention, determine successful TWOC predictors, and evaluate the impact of add‐on medication therapy on TWOC.

Methods

This retrospective study included men with acute urinary retention and post‐void residual (PVR) >250 mL who underwent TWOC between July 2009 and July 2019. Patients were divided into a medicated group who received alpha1 blocker on urinary retention diagnosis and a naïve group who did not. The trial was defined as unsuccessful if the PVR was >150 mL or if the patient experienced difficulty emptying their bladder with abdominal discomfort or pain, and a transurethral catheter was reinserted.

Results

Among 576 men with urinary retention, 269 (46.7%) constituted the medicated group and 307 (53.3%) the naïve. The naïve group comprised more elderly patients (P = 0.010) with higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) (P = 0.001) and smaller prostate volume (P = 0.028) than the other. In the medicated group, 153 men received additional oral medication before TWOC to increase the success rate. There were significant age differences (P = 0.041) in the medicated group and significant median PS differences (P = 0.010) in the naïve group between the successful and unsuccessful outcomes of TWOC. The multivariate logistic regression model demonstrated that age <80 years in medicated patients (P = 0.042, odds ratio [OR] 1.701) and PS <2 in naïve patients (P = 0.001, OR 2.710) were significant independent predictors of successful TWOC outcomes.

Conclusions

This is the first study classifying patients with urinary retention according to medication status. Both medicated and naïve groups had different patient backgrounds and TWOC outcome predictors, suggesting a discrepant etiology behind urinary retention. Hence, acute urinary retention management in men should vary based on medication status for male lower urinary tract symptoms when urinary retention is diagnosed.
Property rights enforcement and wage inequality
Authors: Pi Jiancai , Zhang Pengqing
Published: June 2023

This paper establishes a general equilibrium model to investigate how property rights enforcement impacts wage inequality when unproductive and productive activities coexist. We consider enforcement funded by a gross income tax, a labor tax, or a capital tax, and find that in all of the three schemes, when property rights enforcement is relatively efficient and the skilled sector is more capital intensive than the unskilled sector, an increase in enforcement will decrease wage inequality. However, the critical values of property rights enforcement efficiency under the three funding sources are different. In particular, the critical value in the scheme of a capital tax is always smaller than that in the scheme of a gross income tax, which suggests that if the skilled sector is more capital intensive than the unskilled sector, switching the funding sources of enforcement from a gross income tax to a capital tax can help mitigate wage inequality.
Drivers of genomic landscapes of differentiation across a Populus divergence gradient
Authors: Shang Huiying , Field David L. , Paun Ovidiu , Rendón‐Anaya Martha , Hess Jaqueline , Vogl Claus , Liu Jianquan , Ingvarsson Pär K. , Lexer Christian , Leroy Thibault
Published: June 2023

Speciation, the continuous process by which new species form, is often investigated by looking at the variation of nucleotide diversity and differentiation across the genome (hereafter genomic landscapes). A key challenge lies in how to determine the main evolutionary forces at play shaping these patterns. One promising strategy, albeit little used to date, is to comparatively investigate these genomic landscapes as progression through time by using a series of species pairs along a divergence gradient. Here, we resequenced 201 whole‐genomes from eight closely related Populus species, with pairs of species at different stages along the divergence gradient to learn more about speciation processes. Using population structure and ancestry analyses, we document extensive introgression between some species pairs, especially those with parapatric distributions. We further investigate genomic landscapes, focusing on within‐species (i.e. nucleotide diversity and recombination rate) and among‐species (i.e. relative and absolute divergence) summary statistics of diversity and divergence. We observe relatively conserved patterns of genomic divergence across species pairs. Independent of the stage across the divergence gradient, we find support for signatures of linked selection (i.e. the interaction between natural selection and genetic linkage) in shaping these genomic landscapes, along with gene flow and standing genetic variation. We highlight the importance of investigating genomic patterns on multiple species across a divergence gradient and discuss prospects to better understand the evolutionary forces shaping the genomic landscapes of diversity and differentiation.
The potential for forest landscape restoration in the Amazon: state of the art of restoration strategies
Authors: da Silva Carolina Melo , Elias Fernando , do Nascimento Rodrigo Oliveira , Ferreira Joice
Published: June 2023

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) is the intentional intervention in the forest landscape to recover biological diversity and ecosystem functions, improving human well‐being in altered landscapes. The general objective of the present study was to understand the state of the art of research that potentially contributes to FLR practices in the Amazon. We carried out a comprehensive literature review using the Web of Science platform, considering papers published between 2000 and 2020 to understand the state of knowledge on restoration strategies that support FLR in the nine Amazonian countries and the nine states of the Brazilian Amazon. We selected 362 articles that met our inclusion criteria after analyzing 1,205 articles. We found that Brazil, followed by Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador, has the largest number of published articles on FLR. Agroforestry (37.88%) and natural regeneration (30.35%) were the most common FLR strategies across all countries and Brazilian states. Most studies investigated ecological functioning (33%), vegetation structure (31%), and tree diversity (15.5%). Forest restoration strategies (forest plantation, natural regeneration, or silviculture) are reported in most studies (57.23%), in comparison to restoration strategies of agricultural lands (agroforestry systems or improved fallow; 42.77%). We found an increase in publications describing restoration strategies over time in the Amazon, especially from 2012 onwards, with a peak in 2018. Future studies in the Amazon region should address socioeconomic issues and expand the geographic scope within the Amazon, as well as the FLR strategies and the ecosystem attributes investigated.
Mind the ESG capital allocation gap: The role of index providers, standard‐setting, and “green” indices for the creation of sustainability impact
Authors: Fichtner Jan , Jaspert Robin , Petry Johannes
Published: June 2023

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) funds are among the fastest‐growing investment styles. ESG investing thereby has a governing effect, and a key open question is whether ESG merely reduces risks for investors or whether it can have a sustainability impact and actively contribute to climate transition. This governance through ESG is characterized by three potential transmission mechanisms: ratings, shareholder engagement, and capital allocation. These can create sustainability impact or constitute “ESG gaps” if transmission mechanisms remain ineffective/unutilized. Based on financial data, an investigation of ESG methodologies and expert interviews, we provide a novel ESG market analysis, focusing on the standard‐setting role of a handful of ESG index providers in capital allocation. Our findings highlight that while “Dark Green” indices could have an impact, currently “Broad ESG” indices, which do not meaningfully facilitate sustainability, dominate investing: we call this the “ESG capital allocation gap.” This has important implications, because effective transmission mechanisms are crucial for ESG funds to achieve sustainability impact in the real economy.
Analysis of facial vascular pattern characteristics in the Korean population
Authors: Kim Tae‐Eun , Lee Ye Eun , Han Young‐Min , Baek Ji Hwoon , Ko Min Ji , Ahn Hye‐Jin , Shin Min Kyung
Published: June 2023

Background

Facial erythema is a common problem among patients visiting dermatologists. However, data on the clinical characteristics of facial erythema in healthy people are lacking. We aimed to compare and analyze the severity and pattern of facial vascularity in healthy subjects based on their age and gender.

Materials and Methods

This study included 198 Korean volunteers (126 females and 72 males) with Fitzpatrick skin types II, III, or IV. Fourteen different anatomical areas on the face were divided into facial erythema units. Each unit was scored from one (least erythematous) to five (most erythematous) according to the observed level of erythema on the red images implemented as hemoglobin content. We also evaluated the presence of facial telangiectatic macules.

Results

On average, the perinasal, nasal, and cheek units were the most hypervascular regions. In contrast, the degree of facial erythema was lowest in the labial (perioral), neck, and temporal regions. The average value of erythema was higher in males than in females. Additionally, the severity of erythema tended to increase with age. In both males and females, the number of telangiectatic macules increased with age.

Conclusions

We analyzed the clinical characteristics of erythema in healthy subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types II, III, or IV in the Korean population. This study is expected to be used to identify the neurovascular pathogenesis of the most common regions of facial dermatosis in the future.
A case study of Gulf Securities Market in the last 20 years: A Long Short‐Term Memory approach
Authors: Sen Abhibasu , Dutta Choudhury Karabi
Published: June 2023

Various researches have been conducted on forecasting stock prices. Several tools ranging from statistical techniques to quantitative methods have been used by researchers to forecast the market. But so far, very little research has been done on forecasting the stock markets of the Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. Our approach is to predict the market indices of the Gulf countries using Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM) techniques. Thereafter, we optimized the hyperparameters of the LSTM technique using various optimization methods such as Grid Search and Bayesian Optimization with Gaussian Process and found out the best‐suited hyperparameter for the LSTM model. We tried the LSTM method for predicting the indices using data from the last twenty years.
Using umbilical cord blood as a source of paediatric packed red blood cells: Processing and quality control
Authors: Risso Mariane Aparecida , Deffune Elenice , Luzo Ângela Cristina Malheiros
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been used as a source of red blood cells (RBCs) for neonatal/paediatric transfusion purposes. This study adopted two different procedures to obtain umbilical RBC (U‐RBC) to compare its quality control parameters to those of fractionated adult RBC (A‐RBC), for paediatric purposes.

Materials and Methods

UCB units (24) were filtered and processed based on two different methods, namely, conventional/manual (P1;n12) and automatic (P2;n12). They were compared to five fractionated A‐RBCs. U‐RBC and A‐RBC were stored for 14 days and had their haematological, biochemical, haemolytic and microbiological parameters analysed at D1, D7 and D14. Cytokines and growth factors (GFs) in residual U‐RBC plasma were measured.

Results

Mean volume of processed U‐RBC units was 45 mL for P1 and 39 mL for P2; the mean haematocrit level reached 57% for P1 and 59% for P2. A‐RBC recorded a mean volume of 44 mL. Haematologic and biochemical parameters analysed in U‐RBC and A‐RBC presented similar behaviours during storage time, except for parameter values, which differed between them. Pro‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokines, as well as GFs, were higher in U‐RBC residual plasma than in that A‐RBC.

Conclusion

UCB can be processed into RBC based on either manual or automated protocols. U‐RBC units met the referenced quality parameters defined for A‐RBC. Some features, mainly the biochemical ones, should be further investigated to help improve quality parameters, with emphasis on differences found in, and particularities of, this material and on recipients of this new transfusion practice.
q-stability conditions on Calabi–Yau-𝕏 categories
Authors: Ikeda Akishi , Qiu Yu
Published: June 2023

We introduce $q$-stability conditions $(\sigma,s)$ on Calabi–Yau-$\mathbb {X}$ categories $\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$, where $\sigma$ is a stability condition on $\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$ and $s$ a complex number. We prove the corresponding deformation theorem, that $\operatorname {QStab}_s\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$ is a complex manifold of dimension $n$ for fixed $s$, where $n$ is the rank of the Grothendieck group of $\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$ over $\mathbb {Z}[q^{\pm 1}]$. When $s=N$ is an integer, we show that $q$-stability conditions can be identified with the stability conditions on $\mathcal {D}_N$, provided the orbit category $\mathcal {D}_N=\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}/[\mathbb {X}-N]$ is well defined. To attack the questions on existence and deformation along the $s$ direction, we introduce the inducing method. Sufficient and necessary conditions are given, for a stability condition on an $\mathbb {X}$-baric heart (that is, a usual triangulated category) of $\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$ to induce $q$-stability conditions on $\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$. As a consequence, we show that the space $\operatorname {QStab}^\oplus \mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$ of (induced) open $q$-stability conditions is a complex manifold of dimension $n+1$. Our motivating examples for $\mathcal {D}_\mathbb {X}$ are coming from (Keller's) Calabi–Yau-$\mathbb {X}$ completions of dg algebras. In the case of smooth projective varieties, the $\mathbb {C}^*$-equivariant coherent sheaves on canonical bundles provide the Calabi–Yau-$\mathbb {X}$ categories. Another application is that we show perfect derived categories can be realized as cluster-$\mathbb {X}$ categories for acyclic quivers.
Guidance to best tools and practices for systematic reviews
Authors: Kolaski Kat , Logan Lynne Romeiser , Ioannidis John P.A.
Published: June 2023

Data continue to accumulate indicating that many systematic reviews are methodologically flawed, biased, redundant, or uninformative. Some improvements have occurred in recent years based on empirical methods research and standardization of appraisal tools; however, many authors do not routinely or consistently apply these updated methods. In addition, guideline developers, peer reviewers, and journal editors often disregard current methodological standards. Although extensively acknowledged and explored in the methodological literature, most clinicians seem unaware of these issues and may automatically accept evidence syntheses (and clinical practice guidelines based on their conclusions) as trustworthy.

A plethora of methods and tools are recommended for the development and evaluation of evidence syntheses. It is important to understand what these are intended to do (and cannot do) and how they can be utilized. Our objective is to distill this sprawling information into a format that is understandable and readily accessible to authors, peer reviewers, and editors. In doing so, we aim to promote appreciation and understanding of the demanding science of evidence synthesis among stakeholders. We focus on well-documented deficiencies in key components of evidence syntheses to elucidate the rationale for current standards. The constructs underlying the tools developed to assess reporting, risk of bias, and methodological quality of evidence syntheses are distinguished from those involved in determining overall certainty of a body of evidence. Another important distinction is made between those tools used by authors to develop their syntheses as opposed to those used to ultimately judge their work.

Exemplar methods and research practices are described, complemented by novel pragmatic strategies to improve evidence syntheses. The latter include preferred terminology and a scheme to characterize types of research evidence. We organize best practice resources in a Concise Guide that can be widely adopted and adapted for routine implementation by authors and journals. Appropriate, informed use of these is encouraged, but we caution against their superficial application and emphasize their endorsement does not substitute for in-depth methodological training. By highlighting best practices with their rationale, we hope this guidance will inspire further evolution of methods and tools that can advance the field.
Phosphorus deactivation by hydrogen on hot carrier stressed high-voltage N-channel field effect transistor CMOS device demonstrated by scanning capacitance microscopy imaging
Authors: Nxumalo Jochonia , Smith Mike , Fillmore David , Gerber Matthew
Published: June 2023

Junction profiles of hot electron stressed high-voltage N-channel field effect transistor (NFET) devices were measured by scanning capacitance microscopy. Deactivation of phosphorous was observed on the drain side. To directly establish a link between phosphorus deactivation and hydrogen, junction profiles were measured on an unstressed NFET (N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor) device with and without H2 plasma treatment and with subsequent 400 °C annealing in helium. Phosphorus deactivation was observed in the device after H2 plasma treatment, while subsequent 400 °C annealing led to dissociation of the P–H (or H–Si–P) bond and recovery of the device junctions.
High-quality GeSn thin-film resonant cavities for short-wave infrared applications
Authors: Wu Jheng-Ying , Wang Yu-Fu , Liu Chia-You , Kuo Shin-Chun , Chen Tzu-Hsuan , Li Jiun-Yun , Huang Chin-Ya , Liu Chien-Hao , Yang Jung-Yen , Chang Chun-Chieh , Chang Tzu-Hsuan
Published: June 2023

High-quality infrared (IR) devices made of group IV materials are highly promising to replace traditional III–V semiconductor-based IR optoelectronics due primarily to their compatibility with mature silicon-based technologies and much lower costs. In this regard, germanium tin (GeSn) has emerged as the only direct bandgap material in the group IV family exhibiting superior electrical and optical characteristics. In the past years, GeSn IR optoelectronics including lasers and photodetectors have been realized, although novel device architectures are still needed to enhance their device performance. Here, we experimentally demonstrate high-performance, large-area (mm2) GeSn thin-film resonant cavities (film thickness resonance operating at short-wave IR wavelengths by employing membrane transfer techniques). The fabricated asymmetric air/GeSn/metal structures exhibit high absorptance (>90%) at designed resonance wavelengths, which are easily tuned by tailoring the GeSn layer thickness. The measured resonance absorption reveals excellent agreement with numerical simulations, which further elucidates the mode characteristics of the observed cavity resonances. The demonstrated thin-film device architectures could greatly facilitate the development of novel GeSn photonic devices with tunable wavelengths and enhanced performance enabled by strain engineering, and could allow for the integration of GeSn into many existing group IV-based devices for next-generation IR optoelectronics where high performance, small footprint, and low cost are all required.
Pedagogically treating topics as having several ways to be addressed: Harmonically varying states of free-edge circular plates
Authors: Lagny Laure , Bruneau Michel , Gautier François
Published: June 2023

The paper is mainly concerned with the training of students by treating exercises as having several ways to be addressed. The topic considered herein focuses on the vibrations of a free edge axisymmetric homogeneous circular thin plate excited by a time-periodic source. This topic is prepared using the three analytic methods available (but these are not fully used analytically in the literature) to show the different aspects of the problem: modal expansion, integral formulation, and exact general solution, against which the other models are tested. Several results are provided when the source is localized at the center of the plate to validate the methods with each other, and these are discussed before concluding.
CD4
+
T cells aggravate hemorrhagic brain injury
Authors: Shi Samuel X. , Xiu Yuwen , Li Yan , Yuan Meng , Shi Kaibin , Liu Qiang , Wang Xiaoying , Jin Wei-Na
Published: June 2023

Leukocyte infiltration accelerates brain injury following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Yet, the involvement of T lymphocytes in this process has not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that CD4
+
T cells accumulate in the perihematomal regions in the brains of patients with ICH and ICH mouse models. T cells activation in the ICH brain is concurrent with the course of perihematomal edema (PHE) development, and depletion of CD4
+
T cells reduced PHE volumes and improved neurological deficits in ICH mice. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis revealed that brain-infiltrating T cells exhibited enhanced proinflammatory and proapoptotic signatures. Consequently, CD4
+
T cells disrupt the blood-brain barrier integrity and promote PHE progression through interleukin-17 release; furthermore, the TRAIL-expressing CD4
+
T cells engage DR5 to trigger endothelial death. Recognition of T cell contribution to ICH-induced neural injury is instrumental for designing immunomodulatory therapies for this dreadful disease.
SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity
Authors: Martínez-Mármol Ramón , Giordano-Santini Rosina , Kaulich Eva , Cho Ann-Na , Przybyla Magdalena , Riyadh Md Asrafuzzaman , Robinson Emilija , Chew Keng Yih , Amor Rumelo , Meunier Frédéric A. , Balistreri Giuseppe , Short Kirsty R. , Ke Yazi D. , Ittner Lars M. , Hilliard Massimo A.
Published: June 2023

Numerous viruses use specialized surface molecules called fusogens to enter host cells. Many of these viruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can infect the brain and are associated with severe neurological symptoms through poorly understood mechanisms. We show that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces fusion between neurons and between neurons and glia in mouse and human brain organoids. We reveal that this is caused by the viral fusogen, as it is fully mimicked by the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein or the unrelated fusogen p15 from the baboon orthoreovirus. We demonstrate that neuronal fusion is a progressive event, leads to the formation of multicellular syncytia, and causes the spread of large molecules and organelles. Last, using Ca
2+
imaging, we show that fusion severely compromises neuronal activity. These results provide mechanistic insights into how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses affect the nervous system, alter its function, and cause neuropathology.
Impact of prior dengue virus infection on Zika virus infection during pregnancy in marmosets
Authors: Kim In-Jeong , Tighe Michael P. , Clark Madeline J. , Gromowski Gregory D. , Lanthier Paula A. , Travis Kelsey L. , Bernacki Derek T. , Cookenham Tres S. , Lanzer Kathleen G. , Szaba Frank M. , Tamhankar Manasi A. , Ross Corrina N. , Tardif Suzette D. , Layne-Colon Donna , Dick Edward J. , Gonzalez Olga , Giraldo Giraldo Maria I. , Patterson Jean L. , Blackman Marcia A.
Published: June 2023

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy causes severe developmental defects in newborns, termed congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Factors contributing to a surge in ZIKV-associated CZS are poorly understood. One possibility is that ZIKV may exploit the antibody-dependent enhancement of infection mechanism, mediated by cross-reactive antibodies from prior dengue virus (DENV) infection, which may exacerbate ZIKV infection during pregnancy. In this study, we investigated the impact of prior DENV infection or no DENV infection on ZIKV pathogenesis during pregnancy in a total of four female common marmosets with five or six fetuses per group. The results showed that negative-sense viral RNA copies increased in the placental and fetal tissues of DENV-immune dams but not in DENV-naïve dams. In addition, viral proteins were prevalent in endothelial cells, macrophages, and neonatal Fc receptor–expressing cells in the placental trabeculae and in neuronal cells in the brains of fetuses from DENV-immune dams. DENV-immune marmosets maintained high titers of cross-reactive ZIKV-binding antibodies that were poorly neutralizing, raising the possibility that these antibodies might be involved in the exacerbation of ZIKV infection. These findings need to be verified in a larger study, and the mechanism involved in the exacerbation of ZIKV infection in DENV-immune marmosets needs further investigation. However, the results suggest a potential negative impact of preexisting DENV immunity on subsequent ZIKV infection during pregnancy in vivo.