bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Primary hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasms of children, a systematic review
Authors: Samady Khanghah Ali , Madadi‐Sanjani Omid , Abdolzadeh Anahita , Atqiaee Khashayar
Published: February 2025

The term “carcinoid tumour” is no longer used and has given up its place to neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). Primary hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PHNENs) are as rare as compromising 0.4% of all neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). Searching the central medical databases of PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the references of the articles, we have collected 10 cases of pediatric PHNENs of children. The inclusion criteria were full‐text available literature in English and those under and equal to 19 years old. Diseases found during autopsy, carcinoma, and isolated gall bladder involvement also made the exclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients was 13.86 years, ranging from 8 to 19 years. Six female patients (55%) were in front of 5 males (45%). The right lobe was the most frequent site of involvement and surgery in four cases. Abdominal pain comprised the main symptom, and CT scans of most of them were common which helped in diagnosis. While a hepatic tumour is considered NEN, a detailed systemic evaluation of a primary tumour is mandatory to exclude metastatic HNEN. Secondary hepatic NENs are more common than primary ones. Surgical resection has had the most long‐term success.
Development and Evolution of Slacks‐Based Measure Models in Data Envelopment Analysis: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature
Authors: Emrouznejad Ali , Brzezicki Łukasz , Lu Chxiao
Published: February 2025

This paper provides a comprehensive review of slacks‐based measure (SBM) models within the nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) framework. The review reveals that the development and modifications of SBM models have progressed in multiple directions. Key areas of modification include (1) the nature of inputs and outputs, (2) data specificity, (3) super‐efficiency for ranking decision‐making units, (4) the inclusion of networks in organizational structures or production processes, (5) the dynamic nature of the analysis, and (6) various other methodological aspects. Increasingly, complex SBM models addressing multiple aspects, such as input/output characteristics and data specificity, are appearing in the literature. Another notable trend is the integration of various methodological proposals from different authors into unified SBM models. Some publications even attempt to forecast future efficiency levels and incorporate large datasets (big data). Despite numerous modifications and advancements, SBM models still lack robust statistical inference capabilities, unlike radial models, which possess more developed statistical foundations.
Nationwide survey on the transition of treatment protocols after the introduction of insurance coverage for assisted reproductive technology in Japan: The IZANAMI project
Authors: Kuroda Keiji , Jwa Seung Chik , Shirasawa Hiromitsu , Harada Miyuki , Osuga Yutaka , Yamada Mitsutoshi
Published: February 2025

Aim

How has the treatment policy changed since the introduction of health insurance coverage for assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Japan?

Methods

This study was conducted as a nationwide fact‐finding survey to determine the current situation of ART treatment in Japan, the IZANAMI project. Among the 616 ART facilities across Japan, 283 (45.9%) that responded to the first (December 2021–February 2022) and second surveys (December 2023–January 2024) were recruited. Information on the clinical practices was collected via a questionnaire survey and analyzed.

Results

Among the facilities with ≤200, 201–500, 501–1000, 1001–2000, and ≥2000 annual oocyte retrieval (OR) cycles, 93.9%, 88.7%, 75.0%, 69.7% and 42.9% performed ≥80% of their OR cycles using health insurance, respectively (p < 0.001), whereas 51.9%, 53.7%, 41.0%, 40.0% and 12.5% exhibited an increase in number of OR cycles, respectively (p = 0.03). Therefore, a significantly higher proportion of smaller‐scale institutions than larger clinics had insured treatment and an increase in the number of OR cycles. Significantly more large clinics than small facilities selected mild stimulation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and freeze‐all embryo cycle; however, no significant transitions were observed in the main policies for ART, regardless of facility size. However, the indication for mild stimulation significantly increased in normal to high responders, and the choice of ovarian stimulation protocol according to the patient's wishes was significantly reduced.

Conclusions

Small‐scale institutions were more likely to offer insured treatment and increase the number of OR cycles than large facilities; however, the main protocols did not significantly change.
Clinical, biological, and neuroimaging profiles for motoric cognitive risk syndrome in older adults: The MIND‐China study
Authors: Han Xiaolei , Han Qi , Wang Xiaojie , Liu Rui , Zhao Mingqing , Wang Chaoqun , Wang Jiafeng , Song Lin , Han Xiaojuan , Dong Yi , Grande Giulia , Kivipelto Miia , Ngandu Tiia , Du Yifeng , Wang Yongxiang , Qiu Chengxuan
Published: February 2025

Background

Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) has been associated with dementia, functional dependence, and mortality. We sought to describe the prevalence and distribution of MCR and to explore the clinical, biological, and neuroimaging profiles for MCR in rural‐dwelling Chinese older adults.

Methods

This population‐based study included 5021 dementia‐ and disability‐free participants (mean age 70.3 years) in MIND‐China. Of these, data were available in 1186 for blood biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and vascular injury and in 1159 for structural brain magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers. MCR was defined as having both subjective memory complaints and gait speed ≥1 standard deviation below the age‐ and sex‐specific means. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models and voxel‐based morphometry methods.

Results

The overall prevalence of MCR was 13.58%, which was higher in females than in males and increased with age. Controlling for demographic and lifestyle factors, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, hip fracture, and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with an elevated likelihood of MCR (p < 0.05). MCR was significantly associated with smaller volumes of the total brain tissue, thalamus, hippocampus, cerebellum, insula, supplementary motor area, and inferior frontal gyrus, higher volumes of white matter hyperintensities, and an increased likelihood of lacunes (all p < 0.05), but not with any of the examined blood biomarkers (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

MCR affects approximately one‐seventh of rural‐dwelling Chinese older adults. The clinical and neuroimaging profiles for MCR are characterized by cardiometabolic disorders, osteoarthritis, hip fracture, and depressive symptoms as well as global and regional brain atrophy and cerebral microvascular lesions.
Impact of higher temperatures on yolk sac absorption and early development in hybrid catfish between Clarias gariepinus and C. macrocephalus
Authors: Rey Juniman , Nguyen Ton Huu Duc , Singchat Worapong , Punthum Thitipong , Kraichak Ekaphan , Panochit Pichit , Maneeaphai Wiroon , Phuonnim Anake , Sengtrakool Sayam , Sriphairoj Kednapat , Hatachote Sittichai , Muangmai Narongrit , Chaiyes Aingorn , Duengkae Prateep , Matsuda Yoichi , Prasanpan Jiraboon , Srikulnath Kornsorn
Published: February 2025

Climate change has driven global temperature increases, resulting in severe heat waves, altered precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events. In April 2024, a massive die‐off of hybrid catfish larvae and fry occurred in Thai aquaculture farms, coinciding with elevated temperatures of air (37–41°C) and freshwater (30–32°C). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between elevated temperatures and abnormal embryonic development in hybrid catfish. Controlled mating of male North African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and female bighead catfish (Clarias macrocephalus) was conducted in May and June 2024. We examined the effects of water temperature changes in hybrid catfish, focusing on fertilization, hatching, yolk sac absorption, and mouth morphology, while keeping the conditions of water quality, feeding, and disease management constant. The fertilization rate was 67.7% at 29°C, whereas it significantly decreased to 59.0% at 32°C. The hatching rate decreased from 43.4% at 29°C to 26.6% at 32°C. Survival rates plummeted, with no larvae surviving beyond 72 h post‐hatching (hph) at 32°C. Yolk sac absorption was notably accelerated at 32°C, being completely absorbed by 48 hph. Mouth morphometry revealed that a gap in the mouth started to develop 12 hph, and the opening size of the mouth increased out to 72 h. These findings indicate that higher temperatures (32°C) lead to faster yolk absorption, causing embryos to deplete yolk reserves rapidly, potentially before full development and independent feeding. This results in a smaller body size and lower survival rates. Present study provides crucial insights for enhancing breeding practices and creating management protocols for hybrid catfish hatcheries during the period season of high temperature in the context of climate change.
Timonius arabii (Rubiaceae: Guettardeae), a new species from Bau limestone, Sarawak, with notes on its pollination ecology
Authors: Hoo Pui Kiat , Wong Sin Yeng
Published: February 2025

Our understanding of the pollination ecology of Timonius (a dioecious genus) is limited to deducing their pollination syndrome based on floral traits. Through a series of field surveys on several populations of Timonius as a prerequisite to studying their pollination ecology, a new species from a limestone hill in northern Dered Krian National Park in Bau, Sarawak, Malaysia is described. The new species, Timonius arabii, and two other co‐occurring congeners were compared in terms of morphology and ecology, in relation to the unique site conditions. Timonius arabii is associated with phalaenophily, as inferred from its yellow, short tubular, faintly fragrant, nectar‐producing flowers which open around dusk in both staminate and pistillate individuals. The anthetic period in male flowers typically spans only one night but may last 2–3 days in female flowers. Floral visitors monitored from dusk to dawn over a 7‐day observational period show that the flowers attracted up to 23 floral visitor types/species belonging to Coleoptera, Thysanoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Orthoptera, with most species belonging to moths. Two geometrid moths, Eumelea biflavata and E. florinata, have the highest visitation rate to female flowers, probably indicating their role in the pollination of the species. Further study is needed to demonstrate this, while also not excluding the potential role of other moth species as well as thrips and weevils as pollinators. Our preliminary observation provided important baseline data needed for a better understanding of the plant–pollinator relationships in Timonius.
Addressing grand ecological challenges in aquatic ecosystems: how can mesocosms be used to advance solutions?
Authors: Macaulay Samuel J. , Jeppesen Erik , Riebesell Ulf , Nejstgaard Jens C. , Berger Stella A. , Lewandowska Aleksandra M. , Rico Andreu , Kefford Ben J. , Vad Csaba F. , Costello David M. , Wang Haijun , Madge Pimentel Iris , Barcelos e Ramos Joana , González Jose , Spilling Kristian , de Senerpont Domis Lisette , Boersma Maarten , Stockenreiter Maria , Meerhoff Mariana , Vijver Martina G. , Kelly-Quinn Mary , Beklioğlu Meryem , Matias Miguel G. , Sswat Michael , Juvigny‐Khenafou Noël P. D. , Fink Patrick , Zhang Peiyu , Taniwaki Ricardo H. , Ptacnik Robert , Langenheder Silke , Nederstigt Tom A. P. , Horváth Zsófia , Piggott Jeremy J.
Published: February 2025

Rapid and drastic anthropogenic impacts are affecting global biogeochemical processes and driving biodiversity loss across Earth's ecosystems. In aquatic ecosystems, species distributions are shifting, abundances of many species have declined dramatically, and many are threatened with extinction. In addition to loss of diversity, the ecosystem functions, processes and services on which humans depend are also being heavily impacted. Addressing these challenges not only requires direct action to mitigate environmental impacts but also innovative approaches to identify, quantify and treat their effects in the environment. Mesocosms are valuable tools for achieving these goals as they provide controlled environments for evaluating effects of stressors and testing novel mitigation measures at multiple levels of biological organisation. Here, we summarise discussions from a survey of marine and freshwater researchers who use mesocosm systems to synthesise their opportunities and limitations for advancing solutions to grand ecological challenges in aquatic ecosystems. While most research utilising mesocosm systems in aquatic ecology has focused on quantifying the effects of environmental threats, there is a largely unexplored potential for using them to test solutions. To overcome spatio‐temporal constraints, there are opportunities to scale up the size and time‐scales of mesocosm studies, or alternatively, test the outcomes of habitat‐scale restoration at a smaller scale. Enhancing connectivity in future studies can help to overcome the limitation of isolation and test an important aspect of ecological recovery. Conducting ‘metacosm' studies: coordinated, distributed mesocosm experiments spanning wide climatic and environmental gradients and utilising more regression‐based experimental designs can help to tackle the challenge of context dependent results. Finally, collaboration of theoretical, experimental and applied ecologists and biogeochemists with environmental engineers and technological developers will be necessary to develop and test the tools required to advance solutions to the impacts of human activities on Earth's vulnerable aquatic ecosystems.
Opportunistic Screening for Local Osteoporosis of the Proximal Humerus on the Basis of Hounsfield Units: A Study of Patients With Rotator Cuff Tears
Authors: Liu Guihu , Wang Xiaolong , Wang Xieyu , Zhang Yaxuan , Ma Yinguang , Zhou Haibin , Shen Guangsi
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The accuracy of dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) in predicting proximal humerus osteoporosis in patients with rotator cuff tears (RCTs) undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is uncertain. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of computed tomography (CT) Hounsfield units (HU) and the deltoid tuberosity index (DTI) with bone mineral density (BMD), and to evaluate the predictive value of HU values for implant selection.

Methods

This study analyzed the preoperative shoulder CT scans and x‐rays of 184 patients who underwent ARCR. Preoperative CT scans were utilized to assess the multiple anatomical parts of the proximal humerus to ascertain the HU values, whereas preoperative x‐rays were analyzed to derive the DTI. Among them, 104 patients with preoperative DXA data were grouped according to the WHO diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis to establish the threshold HU values. The correlation between HU values and DTI and the lowest T score on DXA was studied, and the relationship between the HU value and the type of implant selected was discussed. The Pearson correlation coefficient was employed to examine the relationship between HU values, DTI, and T scores. And the Spearman correlation coefficient was employed to examine the relationship between HU values and enhanced fixation.

Results

There was a significant correlation between the HU values and DTI and the lowest T score (rHU&T score = 0.539–0.576, rDTI&T score = 0.288, p < 0.05). On the basis of the lowest T score grouping, the threshold HU values for diagnosing proximal humeral osteoporosis were obtained: proximal humerus = 47.44, humeral head = 97.62, greater tuberosity = 10.9, and lesser tuberosity = 5.38. There was no correlation between HU values and enhanced fixation (using 5.5‐mm anchors or metal anchors instead of 4.5‐mm anchors or all‐suture anchors) (r = −0.143 to −0.027, p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Proximal humeral HU values were significantly correlated with DTI and the lowest T score on DXA. When the HU values in the proximal humerus in patients with RCTs fall below the thresholds, the surgery should be carefully planned. No correlation exists between HU values and enhanced fixation, thus further investigation through group studies is warranted.

Level of Evidence

Level III, study of nonconsecutive patients, diagnostic study.
Historical Development and Experience of Day Surgery in China: From the Perspective of Anesthesiologists
Authors: Luo Jiangrong , Xie Chunbao , Fan Dan
Published: February 2025

Background

Day surgery has become the main mode of surgery in American and European countries, but it is still in the early stage in developing countries due to the limitation of medical technology and the backward management concept. At present, day surgery accounts for more than 60% of elective surgery in many countries in Europe and North America and more than 85% in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States. There are 8469 ambulatory surgery centers in the United States in 2023. In China, the first ambulatory surgery center was established in 2001. In 2018, more than half of the tertiary hospitals (high‐level hospitals) in China carried out day surgery, of which 639 hospitals set up ambulatory surgery centers; the proportion of day surgery in elective surgery increased to 12.8%. The annual number of day surgeries exceeded 1.25 million. In 2022, our hospital established an ambulatory surgery center managed by anesthesiologists. Day surgery requires anesthesiologists to participate in the whole process of patient management from preoperative preparation to postoperative recovery. The establishment of ambulatory surgery centers managed by anesthesiologists is of great significance to China, developing countries, and the whole world.

Objectives

So this study aimed to review the development of day surgery in China, combine Chinese government policy evolution, summarize the management model of Chinese ambulatory surgery centers, guide the establishment of ambulatory surgery centers in low‐ and middle‐income countries, and highlight and analyze the advantages of anesthesiologist‐managed ambulatory surgery centers as distinct from other physician‐managed ones.

Discussion

We call on anesthesiologists, other physicians, surgeons, nurses, and health system managers around the world to promote efficient, low‐cost day surgery in developing countries and thereby increase access to surgical treatment for the world's poor.
Divergent MYB paralogs determine spatial distribution of linalool mediated by JA and DNA demethylation participating in aroma formation and cold tolerance of tea plants
Authors: Yue Rui , Li Yaling , Qi Yujia , Liang Xiaoyu , Zheng Ziqing , Ye Zhili , Tong Wei , Si Xiongyuan , Zhang Yanrui , Xia Enhua , Li Penghui
Published: February 2025

Linalool not only is one of characteristic flavour volatiles of tea, contributing to floral aroma, but also a kind of defensive compounds, playing essential roles in resistance against biotic/abiotic stresses. Although the linalool synthases have been identified, much is unknown about the regulation mechanism in tea plants. We identified two pairs of MYB paralogs as linalool biosynthesis activators, in which one pair (CsMYB148/CsMYB193) specifically expressed in flowers, and another (CsMYB68/CsMYB147) highly expressed in flowers, leaves, fruits and roots. These activators interacted with CsMYC2 to form MYC2‐MYB complexes to regulate linalool synthase. While Jasmonate ZIM‐domain (JAZ) proteins served as the linalool biosynthesis repressors by interfering MYC2‐MYB complex. Further, we found that the transcripts of CsMYB68/CsMYB147 were significantly upregulated by jasmonic acid (JA) to improve linalool products during tea processing and that linalool pathway may as one of the downstream pathways of JA signalling and DNA methylation processes to participate in cold resistance. Under cold stress, JA signalling was activated to elevate the abundance of MYC‐MYB complexes; meanwhile, DNA demethylation was also activated, leading to declining methylation levels and increasing transcripts of CsMYB68/CsMYB147. Our study provides a new insight into synergistically improving tea quality and tea plant resistance.
Towards a latent space cartography of subjective experience in mental health
Authors: Manuel Shawn , Gagnon Jean , Gosselin Frédéric , Taschereau‐Dumouchel Vincent
Published: February 2025

Aims

The way that individuals subjectively experience the world greatly influences their own mental well‐being. However, it remains a considerable challenge to precisely characterize the breadth and depth of such experiences. One persistent problem is the lack of objective tools for directly quantifying and comparing narrative reports of subjective experiences. Here, we develop a new approach to map and compare reports of experience using the latent space of artificial neural networks.

Methods

Using a series of 31 prompts, including 30 images and one open‐ended question, we quantified how the verbal reports provided by participants (n = 210, 50% female) deviate from one another and how these variations are linked to subjective experience and mental health.

Results

We found that latent space embeddings of experience can accurately predict subjective judgments of valence and arousal in a series of emotional pictures. Furthermore, we show that narrative reports to ambiguous images can accurately predict transdiagnostic factors of mental health. While distortions in the latent space of artificial neural networks are notoriously difficult to interpret, we propose a new approach to synthesize visual stimuli with generative artificial intelligence that can be used to explore semantic distortions in reported experiences.

Conclusions

In sum, latent space cartography could offer a promising avenue for objectively quantifying distortions of subjective experience in mental health and could ultimately help identify new therapeutic targets for clinical interventions.
PLACK Syndrome in Two Unrelated Indian Children Caused by Novel Pathogenic Variants in the CAST Gene
Authors: Srinivas Sahana M. , Basavapura Shashikumar
Published: February 2025

PLACK syndrome is an autosomal recessively inherited genodermatosis characterized by peeling skin, leukonychia, acral keratoses, cheilitis, and knuckle pads caused by variants in CAST gene. This report describe two unrelated Indian children with typical features of PLACK syndrome and homozygous novel variants in the CAST gene.
Comparing Manual and Automatic Artifact Detection in Sleep EEG Recordings
Authors: Ujma Péter P. , Dresler Martin , Bódizs Róbert
Published: February 2025

Sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings can be contaminated by artifacts. Visual and automatic methods have been developed to mark such erroneous segments of EEG data. Here, we systematically explored the effect of artifacts on the sleep EEG power spectrum density (PSD), and we compared gold‐standard visual detections to a simple automatic detector using Hjorth parameters to identify artifacts. We found that most distortions in the all‐night average PSD occur because of a small minority of highly anomalous artifacts, which mainly affect the beta and gamma frequency ranges and NREM delta. Visual and automatic detections only showed moderate agreement in which data segments are artifactual. However, the resulting all‐night average PSD is highly similar across all methods, and PSDs calculated with all methods successfully recover the known correlations of PSD with age and sex. No parameter settings of the automatic detector clearly outperformed others. Additionally, we showed that accurate average PSD estimates can be recovered from just a fraction of available data epochs. Our results suggest that artifacts represent a minor and easily solvable problem in sleep EEG recordings. Most visually identified artifacts do not seriously distort estimates of mid‐frequency activity in the sleep EEG spectrum, and distortions to low and high frequencies can be eliminated using a simple automatic detection method nearly as well as with visual detections. These findings show that the visual inspection of EEG data is not necessary to eliminate the effects of artifacts, which is encouraging for the expected performance of automatic preprocessing in large sleep EEG databases.
Who views what from whom? Social media exposure and the Chinese public's risk perceptions of climate change
Authors: Huang Jiayu , Bu Yumei
Published: February 2025

The Chinese public is increasingly experiencing the local impacts of climate change, whereas the government downplays its domestic effects and critical opinions on environmental governance. As climate change perceptions are crucial for individual risk management, adaptation, and collective climate actions, it is vital to explore how these perceptions are shaped. Given the increasing significance of social media in climate change discourse, this study employs survey data from the 2021 Environmental Risk Perceptions and Environmental Behaviors of Urban Residents Project to investigate how social media exposure influences risk perceptions of climate change among the Chinese public. Drawing on the social amplification of risk framework, this study examines the effect of exposure to environmental information, exposure to opinion diversity, individuals’ social media network ties to environmental opinion leaders, and the interaction between social media exposure and cultural values. The results indicate that in the contexts where climate change is neither politically divisive nor openly debated, social media exposure to diverse opinions and social media network ties to environmental scholars positively predict risk perceptions. Additionally, egalitarianism and fatalism are found to moderate the effect of these connections with environmental scholars. This study extends previous research, which focuses largely on the association between the frequency of social media exposure and risk perceptions of climate change, by revealing a more comprehensive and nuanced process that links social media exposure to climate change perceptions.
The taxonomy of risky activities and technologies: Revisiting the 1978 psychological dimensions of perceptions of technological risks
Authors: Sokolowska Joanna , Rey Zofia
Published: February 2025

The objective of this study is to replicate the original study by Fischhoff et al. (1978) and its replication by Fox‐Glassman and Weber (2016) and to examine whether risk perceptions for the previously studied activities and technologies have changed over the past 40 years, especially when activities/technologies related to contemporary concerns are included. To achieve this goal, the list of activities/technologies has been modified. To facilitate the analysis of individual data, all participants were asked to rate the benefits and risks of 24 activities. The within‐participant approach was also used to achieve the second objective of our study: to analyze the relationship between perceived benefits and risks. In summary, the design of this study differed from previous studies in the following ways: (1) Nine activities/technologies were added related to contemporary concerns such as global warming and fake news on the Internet; (2) all participants rated both benefits and risks; (3) data were collected online (as in the 2016 study); (4) the study was conducted by Prolific with a sample size large enough to detect medium‐size effects (n = 382). The two‐factor structure proposed by Fischhoff et al.—unknown risk and dread risk—was confirmed on aggregated data for the new set of hazards, which included novel hazards. At the level of individual data, modest support for this structure was observed, and a very strong inverse relationship between perceived benefits and risks was observed.
Sexual and Gender Minority Stress in Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury Engagement: A Meta‐Analytic Review
Authors: Ahrenholtz Michaela S. , Nicholas Julia , Sacco Abbi , Bresin Konrad
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals report a higher prevalence rate of nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) compared to their cisgender heterosexual peers. Minority stress theory posits that the unique stressors experienced by those with a minoritized sexual orientation and/or gender identity increase the risk of negative health outcomes. As such, SGM stress may be a significant risk factor for NSSI and may help explain the disparate prevalence rates in the community.

Method

Thus, a meta‐analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between SGM stress and NSSI (k = 42; N = 253,686).

Results

Broadly, SGM stress was significantly positively related to NSSI engagement (r = 0.15). While this effect size is small in absolute size, it is comparable to other evidence‐based risk factors for NSSI, such as impulsivity. Contrary to our hypothesis, the number of items used to assess NSSI engagement did not significantly moderate the relationship (b = −0.001). Exploratory analyses found no significant difference between proximal and distal SGM stressors (b = 0.07), sexual minority stress and gender minority stress (b = 0.03), nor assessment of lifetime compared to past year NSSI engagement (b = 0.08).

Conclusion

Overall, the results of this meta‐analysis support that SGM stress is a significant risk factor for NSSI and should be integrated into interventions for NSSI.
Stepping Into the Night: The Preparedness of Newly Qualified Doctors for Out‐of‐Hours Work
Authors: Synnott David , Cavallari Sarah , Synnott Kevin , Coakley Niamh
Published: February 2025

Background

The transition from medical student to doctor is a significantly stressful event with a perceived lack of preparedness. A comprehensive exploration of the facilitators and barriers to preparedness for out‐of‐hours specifically, such as night duty, is lacking. This study aims to investigate the perspectives of newly qualified Irish doctors (interns) regarding their readiness for out‐of‐hours work, the levels of support available and the influence of their medical education on readiness.

Methods

A survey using both quantitative and qualitative data was developed and distributed amongst 145 interns in one Irish regional ‘network’ using nonprobability sampling. Quantitative data were analysed using nonparametric methods of Likert scale responses. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis using Braun and Clarke's approach.

Findings

Seventy‐seven respondents met inclusion criteria. Of participants, 88.3% disagreed with feeling prepared for out‐of‐hours, a sentiment corroborated by qualitative expressions of fear and apprehension. Themes emerged regarding general preparedness, support, and the hidden curriculum. Seeking support presented challenges, often met with resistance. Isolation and post‐call anxiety were recurrent sentiments. Participants believed medical education had inadequately prepared them, emphasising theoretical knowledge at the expense of practical skills for real‐world scenarios.

Conclusion

This study highlights the anxiety and isolation experienced by new doctors, underscoring a pervasive sense of unpreparedness, inadequate support structures and a disconnect between medical education and the practical demands of out‐of‐hours clinical work. These findings support current literature and emphasise the need for enhanced training, emotional support and better alignment between education and clinical realities for out of hours.
Evaluation of the Effect of Intravenous Mannitol and Hypertonic Saline on Intraocular Pressure and Biometry Parameters in Anesthetized Horses With Experimentally Increased Intracranial Pressure
Authors: Bercovitz Genia R. , Sullivan Stasia N. , Reed Rachel A. , Ryan Clare A. , Diehl Kathryn A.
Published: February 2025

Objective

To evaluate the effect of intravenous mannitol and hypertonic saline (HS) on intraocular pressure (IOP) and biometry parameters of horses with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP).

Procedures

Seven horses with normal ophthalmic exams were anesthetized and placed in lateral recumbency. A subarachnoid transducer was placed, and the head was lowered until ICP measured 40 mmHg +/− 2 mmHg. Five intravenous boluses of mannitol 20% (0.4 g/kg) or HS 7.2% (1 mL/kg) were administered, each 15 min apart. A 2‐day washout period ensued, and the procedure was repeated with the other hyperosmotic agent. IOP via a TonoVet, axial length and vitreous chamber depth via biometry, and ICP via the subarachnoid transducer were monitored.

Results

No significant correlation between ICP and IOP was identified. Estimated marginal mean (EMM) reduction in IOP (comparing values 5 min post bolus to values at bolus administration) following mannitol and HS was 2.4 mmHg and 0.4 mmHg, respectively. Mean axial length EMM decreased by and increased by 0.1 mm following mannitol and HS, respectively. Mean vitreous chamber depth EMM was unchanged and increased by 0.1 mm following mannitol and HS, respectively. The EMM of the second HS bolus demonstrated an increase of 0.8 mm (95% confidence interval 0.01–1.5 mm) in axial length (p < 0.048), though the remaining individual bolus assessments were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Intravenous mannitol and HS did not cause a significant change in IOP, axial length, or vitreous chamber depth in healthy, anesthetized, laterally recumbent horses in this experimental model of increased ICP.
Embedding clique subdivisions via crux
Authors: Yang Donglei , Yang Fan
Published: February 2025

For a graph with average degree and a constant , we denote by the minimum order of a subgraph with . Liu and Montgomery conjectured that every graph contains as a subdivision for . In the paper, we prove this conjecture.
Magnified interaural level differences enhance binaural unmasking in bilateral cochlear implant users
Authors: Richardson Benjamin N. , Kainerstorfer Jana M. , Shinn-Cunningham Barbara G. , Brown Christopher A.
Published: February 2025

Bilateral cochlear implant (BiCI) usage makes binaural benefits a possibility for implant users. Yet for BiCI users, limited access to interaural time difference (ITD) cues and reduced saliency of interaural level difference (ILD) cues restricts perceptual benefits of spatially separating a target from masker sounds. The present study explored whether magnifying ILD cues improves intelligibility of masked speech for BiCI listeners in a “symmetrical-masker” configuration, which ensures that neither ear benefits from a long-term positive target-to-masker ratio (TMR) due to naturally occurring ILD cues. ILD magnification estimates moment-to-moment ITDs in octave-wide frequency bands, and applies corresponding ILDs to the target-masker mixtures reaching the two ears at each specific time and frequency band. ILD magnification significantly improved intelligibility in two experiments: one with normal hearing (NH) listeners using vocoded stimuli and one with BiCI users. BiCI listeners showed no benefit of spatial separation between target and maskers with natural ILDs, even for the largest target-masker separation. Because ILD magnification relies on and manipulates only the mixed signals at each ear, the strategy never alters the monaural TMR in either ear at any time. Thus, the observed improvements to masked speech intelligibility come from binaural effects, likely from increased perceptual separation of the competing sources.
Acoustic vector sensor based multi-sources localization in reverberant environment using acoustic polarization state analysis
Authors: Sun Yuan , Ge Hao , Wang Bei , Wang Kai , Xu Xiang-Yuan , Lu Ming-Hui , Chen Yan-Feng
Published: February 2025

Estimating the direction of arrival (DOA) under real-world conditions poses a significant challenge, as reverberations can lead to erroneous information. We note that the direct-path component and the reverberant components of sound exhibit distinct polarization states within the acoustic particle velocity field. Based on this observation, we propose and experimentally verify a method for localizing multiple sources in reverberant environments using a single acoustic vector sensor (AVS). The measurement of polarization states via AVS enables the identification of time-frequency bins primarily influenced by the direct-path component within the time-frequency domain, which are subsequently utilized for DOA estimation. Our study offers a novel perspective on sound field detection and may catalyze future applications including de-reverberation and the determination of environmental geometric parameters.
Enhancing marine acoustic field prediction in shallow seas using an ocean-sediment coupled model
Authors: Yang Guang-Bing , Huang Poru , Zhang Xiaochan , Xiao Bin , Liu Zongwei , Yang Chunmei , Jiang Ying , Lü Lian-Gang , Qiao Fangli
Published: February 2025

Marine acoustic field prediction (MAFP) is essential for a variety of application scenarios. Given the rapid temporal changes in the ocean environment, MAFP requires time-dependent acoustic parameters. Ocean models are generally employed to provide dynamic acoustic parameters for the water column; however, few models extend this capability to sediments. Nonetheless, both observations and simulations have revealed that sediment temperature variations in shallow seas significantly affect the sediment acoustic properties. This paper proposes conducting MAFP using an ocean-sediment coupled model, which integrates the water column and sediment through the ocean bottom heat flux process, enabling simultaneous modeling of both the sediment and water temperatures. The MAFP results from an ocean-only model are compared with those of the ocean-sediment coupled model. The findings indicate that the coupled model enhances the MAFP in two significant ways. First, it provides a time-varying sediment temperature field, allowing the use of temperature-sensitive sediment acoustic parameters that evolve over time. Second, it yields a more accurate water temperature profile. These enhancements could significantly reduce MAFP errors, underscoring the critical role of the coupled model, particularly in shallow-water environments.
Pro-inflammatory secreted virulence factors of
Staphylococcus capitis
causing a rare occurrence of severe native hip joint infection
Authors: Schlievert Patrick M. , Kilgore Samuel H. , Ford Bradley , Leung Donald Y. M. , Sekar Poorani
Published: February 2025

Background

Staphylococcus capitis
occasionally causes human infections. We report a case of
S. capitis
infection associated with inflammatory destructive hip abscess/osteomyelitis.

Case Summary

A 63-year-old man with severe hip osteoarthritis and recent left hip replacement presented with 2 months of worsening right hip pain. Radiographic imaging showed right femoral head destruction. The patient had no known hip trauma. His white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were abnormal. Pre-operative aspirate of the hip showed purulent fluid. The examining radiologist believed the changes seen were due to inflammatory arthritis with infection from low-virulence organisms. The patient underwent image-guided biopsies of the synovium and the acetabulum, which showed pure cultures of
S. capitis
and infiltrating neutrophils. The patient’s native hip was removed, and an antibiotic spacer was placed. The patient was treated with intravenous cefazolin (6 weeks), after which he was transitioned to oral cefadroxil. The patient is doing well. The
S. capitis
was analyzed by nucleotide sequencing and biochemically for secreted virulence factors. The strain contained the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin biofilm operon. The strain was negative for urease, hemolysins, and major superantigens. The organism secreted a neutrophil pro-inflammatory autolysin protease and an analog of the immunodominant antigen B of
S. aureus
, previously with no known biological function.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that the inflammatory lesion in the patient’s right hip was due to
S. capitis
subspecies
capitis
, and furthermore, it is likely that two secreted proteins (autolysin and an analog of immunodominant antigen B) contributed to the inflammation.
Diversities of African swine fever virus host-virus dynamics revealed by single-cell profiling
Authors: Zhao Xiaoyang , Zhang Yanyan , Jia Hanying , Lv Lin , Ahsan Md.Asif , Fu Xudong , Hu Rongliang , Shen Zhiqiang , Shen Ning
Published: February 2025

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes epidemics with high mortality; however, effective vaccines and therapies remain missing. Here, we depict a temporal single-cell landscape of primary porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) exposed to three different virulent ASFV strains
in vitro
. We found that attenuated and low-virulence ASFV strains tend to exhibit higher viral loads than highly virulent strain, which may result from upregulated RNA polymerase subunit genes expression. On the host side, our study highlights the IRF7-mediated positive feedback loop to the activation of the interferon signaling pathway in cells exposed to attenuated and low virulent ASFV strains. Moreover, we unraveled the PAMs populations marked by expressions of the
IFI16
and
CD163
, respectively, which produce high levels of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and IL18 to regulate the host response to different virulent ASFV strains. Collectively, our data provide insights into the complex host-virus interactions with various ASFV strain infections, which may shed light on the development of effective antiviral strategies.

IMPORTANCE

There is still no available research on the temporal transcriptional profile of host cells exposed to different virulent ASFV strains at the single-cell level. Here, we first profiled the temporal viral and host transcriptomes in PAMs exposed to high virulent, attenuated virulent, and low virulent ASFV strains. Our analysis revealed that attenuated and low-virulence ASFV strains tend to exhibit higher viral loads than highly virulent strains, which may result from upregulated RNA polymerase subunit genes expression. We also found a positive feedback loop of the interferon signaling pathway mediated through IRF7 and identified the populations of PAMs marked by
IFI6
and
CD163
, respectively, which produce high levels of ISGs and
IL18
to regulate host response to different virulent ASFV strains. Our study delineated a comprehensive single-cell landscape of host-virus dynamics across ASFV strains with different virulences and would provide an important resource for future research.
Begomovirus capsid proteins interact with cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-specific phosphodiesterase of its whitefly vector and modulate virus retention within its vector
Authors: Ghosh Saptarshi , Mondal Banani , Jassar Ola , Ghanim Murad , Gautam Saurabh , Reddy Netla Vamsidhar , Srinivasan Rajagopalbabu
Published: February 2025

Begomoviruses are whitefly-transmitted ss-DNA viruses that infect dicotyledonous plants and contribute to major economic losses to global crop production. Invasion and establishment of an aggressive cryptic species of
Bemisia tabaci
, known as the B cryptic species, has severely constrained vegetable production in the southeastern and southwestern United States. Disruption of genes/pathways critical for whitefly-mediated transmission can be effective for the management of begomoviruses. In this study, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H)-based screening of
B. tabaci
cDNA library identified a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-specific phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) of the whitefly as an interacting partner with capsid proteins (CPs) of old- and new-world begomoviruses. Interactions of PDE4 with begomovirus CPs were validated by glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay and co-immunolocalization in whitefly midgut. The PDE4 family of enzymes hydrolyzes cAMP and regulates intracellular cAMP levels. This study conclusively proves that acquisition of begomoviruses downregulates the expression of PDE4 (mRNA and protein) resulting in elevated cAMP levels within the whitefly. The role of cAMP post virus acquisition is further elucidated wherein elevation of cAMP by chemical inhibition or gene (PDE4) silencing resulted in increased retention and transmission of begomoviruses. Similarly, decreased cAMP levels resulted in reduced begomovirus retention. The results of this study demonstrate that whitefly-mediated transmission of begomoviruses is regulated by intracellular cAMP by unknown mechanisms.

IMPORTANCE

Begomoviruses, transmitted by the sweetpotato whitefly (
Bemisia tabaci
Gennadius), are the causal agents of many economically important plant virus diseases. Lack of host plant resistance against begomoviruses, high whitefly abundance, and whitefly’s ability to develop insecticide resistance rapidly often render the commonly used management practice ineffective. This study demonstrates how begomovirus retention within whitefly and its transmission can be modulated by altering cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) expression of its insect vector. Naturally occurring bio-pesticides that target insect cAMPs are known. Our findings can lead to alternative strategies for the management of begomoviruses by targeting whitefly cAMP using chemicals, botanicals, or RNAi-based insecticides.
Differential mosaicism of recombinant foot-and-mouth disease viruses resulting from heterologous superinfection of cattle
Authors: Stenfeldt Carolina , Fish Ian H. , Rodriguez-Calzada Monica , Medina Gisselle , Richt Juergen A. , Arzt Jonathan
Published: February 2025

Evidence from both field and experimental studies suggests that recombination is a common feature in the evolution of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Recent studies have demonstrated that heterologous superinfection of cattle persistently infected with FMDV leads to rapid generation of inter-serotypic recombinant viruses in the upper respiratory tract mucosa. The current study demonstrates that the order of exposure to FMDV strains A24 Cruzeiro and O1 Manisa substantially influenced the patterns of mosaicism of resultant recombinants. FMDV recombinants were isolated from oropharyngeal fluid samples from 7 of 12 cattle following heterologous superinfection at 21 days post-initial infection. There was no apparent competitive advantage of either parental virus. However, recombinant viruses recovered from six of seven animals had gained, or regained through multiple recombination events, the capsid-coding sequence of FMDV O1 Manisa despite the presence of high titers of neutralizing antibodies against that virus. Additionally, a sub-genomic region of high amino acid diversity, spanning the 3′ portion of 3A through 3B, was derived from FMDV A24 in most of the recovered recombinants. Despite the frequent recovery of FMDV recombinants from the upper respiratory tract of superinfected animals, there was no detection of recombinant viruses in blood or lesions in the subset of animals that developed clinical foot-and-mouth disease during superinfection. Overall, these findings confirm the high frequency at which FMDV recombination occurs when persistently infected carrier cattle are exposed to a heterologous virus and reaffirm that superinfection of carriers should be considered as a source of FMDV genetic diversity in endemic regions.

IMPORTANCE

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is a pathogen of domestic livestock with profound global socioeconomic impacts. FMDV causes a subclinical persistent infection in ruminant hosts, such as cattle, during which the animals may become sequentially infected by heterologous variants of the virus. Our previous works have demonstrated that such superinfections frequently lead to emergence of novel recombinant virus variants in the upper respiratory tracts of infected animals. This current investigation demonstrates that the order in which the animals are exposed to two different viruses substantially influences the structure of resultant recombinant genomes and confirms the frequency at which FMDV recombination occurs following heterologous superinfection of persistently infected FMDV carriers.