bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
English text and video online resource recommendation based on attention mechanism and GNN
Authors: Xiao Zunlan , Yang Zhihao , Li Yin , Cheng Zuyan
Published: February 2025

This paper introduces an innovative online resource recommendation system tailored for English text and video content, leveraging the power of attention mechanisms and graph neural networks. Given the exponential growth of online learning resources, a crucial challenge lies in delivering personalized and efficient recommendations to users. Our study strives to optimize both the accuracy and efficiency of these recommendations by harnessing the synergistic effects of attention mechanisms and GNNs. By collecting and analyzing a large amount of user behavior data, we build a user-resource interaction graph. This graph not only contains the interaction information between users and resources, but also incorporates the association information between resources, providing a rich context for subsequent recommendations. We introduce an attention mechanism to handle node and edge information in graphs. By assessing the significance of various nodes and edges in the recommendation process, we are able to capture users’ interests and preferences with greater precision. According to experimental data, the integration of an attention mechanism has led to a notable improvement in the system’s recommendation accuracy, achieving an increase of approximately 15%. This significant enhancement underscores the effectiveness of the attention mechanism in effectively capturing user interests. Additionally, we leverage graph neural networks to model the intricate structural information within the graph. With graph convolution operations, we are able to capture potential relationships between resources and use these relationships in the recommendation process. Experimental results show that combined with GNN, the recommendation coverage of the system has increased by about 20%, providing users with more diverse recommendation results. The proposed online resource recommendation system for English text and video based on attention mechanism and GNN has achieved significant improvements in both accuracy and diversity of recommendations. In the future, we will further explore more optimization methods to provide more personalized and efficient online learning resource recommendation services.
Iron deficiency anemia in patients with heavy menstrual bleeding: The patients’ perspective from diagnosis to treatment
Authors: Akpan Imo J , Narang Mohit , Zampaglione Edio , Marshall Steve , Stefanik Dawn
Published: February 2025

Background:

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) associated with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) negatively affects quality of life (QoL). Management of IDA usually begins with oral iron supplementation or, if ineffective/poorly tolerated, then intravenous iron (IVI) is given; however, no guidance exists on transitioning from oral to IVI in patients with HMB. While various IVI products exist, safety profiles and distinct properties affecting treatment logistics make product choice important.

Objectives:

Assess the IVI treatment journey for patients with HMB and IDA.

Design:

A survey was designed to assess multiple aspects of IVI treatment to evaluate patient perspectives.

Methods:

Patients (⩾18 years) from the United States with IDA currently prescribed IVI completed a survey conducted by The Harris Poll in 2023. Questions covered symptoms, time to diagnosis/treatment, IVI appointment logistics, IVI infusion experience, impact on daily activities, and patient preferences.

Results:

Of 323 respondents, 71 (22.0%) were prescribed IVI for HMB and received ⩾2 IVI infusions monthly. The mean age for these patients was 33.5 years; they experienced a mean of 2.9 years from symptom onset until IDA diagnosis, and 1.4 years between diagnosis and IVI treatment. Most patients agreed that navigating IVI treatment logistics interfered with productivity and social commitments, and felt they must schedule their life around treatment. Patients who were also diagnosed with hypophosphatemia following IVI (12/71; 16.9%) reported a mean of 8.2 additional hospital visits. Furthermore, 36.6% of patients missed an IVI dose; of these, 80.8% preferred single-dose IVI.

Conclusion:

Patients with IDA and HMB experienced substantial delays from symptom onset to subsequent IVI treatment, demonstrating a gap in management. Therefore, oral iron may not be an appropriate first-line treatment for some of these patients. Multiple-dose IVI and associated appointment logistics can negatively impact patients’ perspectives on treatment. Single-dose IVI preferences should be considered to improve patients’ adherence and QoL.
CART-induced eosinophilic colitis with good response to corticosteroids and infliximab: a case report
Authors: Coleman Garrett T. , Wang Yinghong
Published: February 2025

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CART) therapy is an efficacious immunotherapy with known multi-organ toxicities, including gastrointestinal adverse events (GI-AEs). Eosinophilic colitis (EoC) is the inflammation of the intestine with diffuse eosinophilic infiltration. We present the case of a 66-year-old male who presented with diarrhea and biopsy-proven EoC two months after CART therapy for recurrent multiple myeloma (MM) and achieved a favorable response following corticosteroids and infliximab. A 66-year-old male with a past medical history of MM presented with watery stools 5–6 times per day. The patient was diagnosed with MM 10 years ago and achieved remission following an autologous stem cell transplant and maintenance chemotherapy. Three years ago, the patient developed recurrent MM, received CART therapy, and achieved cancer remission. Two months following CART therapy, he presented to the local emergency department (ED) for several weeks of diarrhea with a negative infectious workup. This disease course was associated with several ED visits and hospital admissions. He was started on budesonide without a significant response. Subsequent colonoscopy and resultant histology were consistent with EoC. The patient was started on an IV steroid with infliximab and a prednisone taper for refractory EoC. Following his third dose of infliximab and completing his prednisone taper, he reported a return to baseline symptomatically. CART is an immunotherapy associated with GI-AEs and requires corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants in select cases. EoC has been associated with cancer and cancer therapy and may require biological agents. Early recognition and treatment of immunotherapy toxicities are essential for successful management of gastrointestinal adverse events.
Impact of regular online MCQ practice on academic performance of first-year Vietnamese students in Biology-Genetics: A cross-sectional study in MeKong Delta
Authors: Cao Nguyen Thi Tai
Published: February 2025

Background: Regular assessments play an important role in final course grades, accounting for 30% of the score, and can also help students achieve higher marks in the final exams. Students’ regular participation in online tests may reflect their self-study skills and time management abilities to achieve high scores in final exams. Objectives: This study aims to identify certain characteristics of students through their engagement in online regular tests in Biology-Genetics and to determine whether the frequency of studying on the online MCQ system affects their final exam results. Subjects and methods: A total data of 413 students who completed the final exam for this subject and participated in online regular tests during the first semester of the 2024-2025 academic year were analyzed. Statistical analyses were conducted using R, including descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, and multivariable linear regression, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Conclusion: The study confirms the importance of completing online MCQ tests for students’ academic performance. Analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test shows that higher frequency in completing tests is associated with better final exam scores ( p < 0.05). Moreover, the diligence of students in Traditional Medicine significantly contributes to higher final exam scores. Multivariable linear regression analysis explains 52.01% of the variation in students’ final exam scores. It indicates that the number of test attempts can improve average exam scores, with each attempt on Topic 5 increasing the average score by 0.12 points ( p < 0.05). Additionally, factors such as major, gender, course, and ethnicity also play important roles in explaining differences in academic performance. Understanding these factors will help educators design and implement more effective teaching and assessment methods to support student learning and improve their academic outcomes.
Pleural and pericardial effusion associated with Bartonella henselae infection in a feline patient
Authors: Torrano Guillamón Ana , Juarez Sarrión Casandra , Álvarez Fernández Alejandra , Solano-Gallego Laia , González Villajos Carlos , Arenas Bermejo Carolina , Castro López Jorge
Published: February 2025

Case summary

A 7-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat was presented to our hospital with a 2-day history of anorexia, dyspnoea and lethargy. Blood tests revealed mild anaemia (packed cell volume [PCV] 22.4%) and the biochemistry panel was unremarkable. Thoracic radiographs and echocardiography showed the presence of pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade as well as pleural effusion. During the initial attempt at pericardiocentesis, a small sample was obtained, sufficient only for fluid analysis and cytology. Subsequently, the pericardial effusion immediately resolved, presumably owing to the drainage of pericardial fluid into the pleural space. Thoracocentesis was then performed, yielding 50 ml of fluid. The analysis of the fluid was consistent with a protein-rich transudate associated with macrophagic-neutrophilic inflammation in both sampled areas. PCR was positive for Bartonella henselae in the pleural/pericardial fluid pool and peripheral blood. Bacterial culture was negative and feline coronavirus real-time PCR was negative. The patient was treated with marbofloxacin 5 mg/kg PO q24h for 5 weeks. No clinical signs were reported at this time; however, blood B henselae PCR remained positive. Treatment was changed to doxycycline at 5 mg/kg PO q12h for 6 weeks. The cat remained subclinical throughout the treatment, and a blood PCR after 6 weeks yielded negative results.

Relevance and novel information

 To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present clinical findings related to B henselae infection in a cat without concurrent heart failure have not been previously documented. This clinical case highlights the need to include Bartonella species as a differential diagnosis in cats with protein-rich transudate effusions associated with neutrophilic-macrophagic inflammation and fever.
Who Is Spreading AI-Generated Health Rumors? A Study on the Association Between AIGC Interaction Types and the Willingness to Share Health Rumors
Authors: Xie Zehang
Published: February 2025

Generative chatbots based on artificial intelligence technology have become an essential channel for people to obtain health information. They provide not only comprehensive health information but also real-time virtual companionship. However, the health information provided by AI may not be completely accurate. Employing a 3 × 2 × 2 experimental design, the research examines the effects of interaction types with AI-generated content (AIGC), specifically under virtual companionship and knowledge acquisition scenarios, on the willingness to share health-related rumors. In addition, it explores the impact of the nature of the rumors (fear vs hope) and the role of altruistic tendencies in this context. The results show that people are more willing to share rumors in a knowledge acquisition situation. Fear-type rumors can stimulate people’s willingness to share more than hope-type rumors. Altruism plays a moderating role, increasing the willingness to share health rumors in the scenario of virtual companionship, while decreasing the willingness to share health rumors in the scenario of knowledge acquisition. These findings support Kelley’s three-dimensional attribution theory and negativity bias theory, and extend these results to the field of human–computer interaction. The results of this study help to understand the rumor spreading mechanism in the context of human–computer interaction and provide theoretical support for the improvement of health chatbots.
New Teacher Associations: Comparative Analysis of Teachers’ Political Participation in Chile and Spain
Authors: Ortiz-Mallegas Sebastián , Carrasco-Aguilar Claudia , Luzón-Trujillo Antonio , Torres-Sánchez Mónica
Published: February 2025

Teacher associations have historically been important agents of teacher advocacy. However, they are now facing challenges due to the crisis of traditional structures. This has allowed the emergence of new teacher associations that seek other forms of participation in educational governance. Via a comparative qualitative analysis of education between Chile and Spain, this study examined the repercussions of associationism in two forms of regulating teacher participation in educational governance: regulated and de facto. The results show how in Chile, a new social force has been created to overcome the political ineffectiveness of associations, whereas in Spain, independence from political parties has been sought through the technification of trade unionism. These findings highlight critical differences in the political strategies of teacher associations in both countries, with implications for the future of educational governance. The study also discusses the broader consequences of associationism in the context of labor market shifts and the changing landscape of teaching professionals.
The Impact of Human-Robot Collaboration Work Mode on Hotel Employees’ Work Well-Being
Authors: Yang Dan , Liu Shanshan , Liang Yiyuan , Li Kaigeng , Zhao Yilan
Published: February 2025

Recent developments have seen a significant increase in the deployment of service robots, which are increasingly replacing traditional manual labor in various sectors. In China, this has been exacerbated by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. Especially in the hotel industry, the integration of human-robot collaboration is becoming more prevalent to enhance productivity and elevate service quality. It evokes negative perceptions among hotel employees. This study aimed to explore how two types of work mode (human-robot vs. human-human) influence hotel employees’ work well-being. Study 1 was conducted with 106 juniors in a vocational college who were doing internships in a chain hotel in China. Study 2 was conducted by 342 frontline employees from six hotels in Chengdu, China. The results of one-way ANOVA revealed that human-robot collaboration is associated with lower well-being than human-human collaboration in juniors and experienced employees in two studies. Study 2 used AMOS 25.0 and SPSS Process version 22.0 to analyze workplace friendship and workplace loneliness mediate the relationship between work mode and work well-being. In addition, study 2 demonstrated that high quality employee-customer interaction weakens the relationship between workplace friendship and workplace loneliness. This paper not only enriches the literature on the negative impact of service robot utilization from the perspective of employees but also helps hotel managers better understand employees’ perceptions and improves their work well-being during employee-robot collaboration.
A Sociophonetic Study of the Lexical Tones in Macau Mandarin
Authors: Ren Xin , Wang Huihui
Published: February 2025

In multilingual Macau, Macau Mandarin (MacM) exhibits substantial variation due to its complex linguistic landscape. This study investigates lexical tones in MacM, focusing on differences across age and gender group. Twenty-four fluent Mandarin speakers were recruited and stratified by age and gender. The findings reveal a reduced tonal space in MacM compared to Putonghua, the standard form of Mandarin used in mainland China, which partly results from physiological factors. Additionally, despite clear first-language (L1) influence on MacM across all age groups, this study identifies generational differences in tonal production. Younger speakers demonstrate greater assimilation toward Putonghua, likely reflecting the increasing use of Mandarin by the younger generation. Gender also appears to interact with age-related patterns, as females seem more likely to lead T2 and T3 tonal mergers in MacM. This study offers valuable insights into the current characteristics and future trends of MacM tones, providing new evidence on the factors influencing tonal variation and advancing a more nuanced understanding of these dynamics.
The Curse of Imagery: Trait Object and Spatial Imagery Differentially Relate to Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Yeung Ryan C. , Sokolowski H. Moriah , Fan Carina L. , Fernandes Myra A. , Levine Brian
Published: February 2025

Imagery is integral to autobiographical memory (AM). Past work has highlighted the benefits of high trait imagery on episodic AM, including faster, more detailed, and more vivid retrieval. However, these advantages may come with drawbacks: Following potentially traumatic events, strong visual imagery could promote the intrusions characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Conversely, spatial imagery could schematize potentially traumatic events, countering vivid recollection and reducing distress. We examined relationships between trait object imagery (e.g., color, shape), spatial imagery (e.g., abstract representations, locations), and PTSD symptoms in two independent samples: trauma-exposed adults ( n = 806) and undergraduates ( n = 493). As predicted, higher object imagery was associated with more PTSD symptoms in both samples. Higher spatial-schematic processing was associated with fewer PTSD symptoms in the trauma-exposed sample, although this effect was confined to men in the undergraduate sample. Different forms of imagery have different—or even opposing—relationships with episodic AM that affect PTSD symptoms.
Influence of Workers’ Compensation Status on Functional Recovery and Return to Work After Proximal Hamstring Avulsion Surgery: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Lefèvre Nicolas , Moussa Mohamad K. , Bohu Yoann , Valentin Eugénie , Gerometta Antoinne , Khiami Frédéric , Grimaud Olivier , Khalaf Zeinab , Meyer Alain , Hardy Alexandre
Published: February 2025

Background:

While patients receiving workers’ compensation (WC) often exhibit lower postoperative functional outcomes after orthopaedic surgery, this has not been completely explored with proximal hamstring avulsion injury (PHAI).

Purpose:

To (1) investigate the impact of patients with WC status on the functional outcome of PHAI repair and (2) identify risk factors for worse outcomes after PHAI repair.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

This study focused on adults >18 years who underwent primary PHAI repair between 2008 and 2021 and had minimum 2-year follow-up data. Patients were divided into a WC group and a control group matched based on age, Tegner score, injury type (chronicity and tendon involved), and follow-up duration. The primary outcome measure was the Parisian Hamstring Avulsion Score (PHAS), with secondary outcomes including return-to-work metrics, activity levels measured by the Tegner and University of California at Los Angeles scores, and complications. The association between WC status and having worse postoperative outcomes (work changes, PHAS scores in the bottom 25% of cases, delayed return to work, or complications) was assessed, and the model that showed a statistically significant association with WC status was included in a multivariate analysis to adjust for confounders.

Results:

Overall, 104 patients (51 WC and 53 controls), with a mean age of 49.56 ± 9 years and a mean follow-up of 58.99 ± 44.61 months, were included. PHAS scores improved significantly after repair in both groups, yet WC patients exhibited lower postoperative PHAS scores (158.78 ± 34.43) than did control patients (171.77 ± 32.17; P = .049). Regression analysis revealed that patients with WC had a significantly higher risk of scoring in the bottom 25% (<150.75) on the PHAS (odds ratio [OR], 2.81 [95% CI, 1.09-7.28]; P = .033). On multivariate analysis, injury chronicity emerged as a significant risk factor for PHAS scores of <150.75 (OR, 8.09 [95% CI, 2.07-31.59]; P = .003), while the direct impact of the WC status was reduced (OR, 2.13 [95% CI, 0.75-6.07]; P = .155).

Conclusion:

The lower functional outcomes seen in patients with WC were not significant after adjusting for confounders, with injury chronicity being the key factor affecting postoperative results. No association was detected between WC status and return-to-work metrics.
Demographic and Social Characteristics of Internationally Educated Nurses in Sweden: Descriptive Statistical Study Comparisons Between Two Different Pathways for Recertification
Authors: Hadziabdic Emina , Årestedt Kristofer , Juuso Päivi , Marekovic Anna-Maria Sarstrand , Heikkilä Kristiina
Published: February 2025

Background

Nurse migration impacts global healthcare, which has a shortage of nurses, as many nurses move from lower-income to higher-income countries for better opportunities, working conditions, and salaries. Internationally educated nurses (IENs) have often been seen as a crucial solution to this issue. However, policies and regulations have been set in place to protect the public, including the recertification process and training to ensure educational comparability and competence. IENs’ contributions to the nursing workforce are significant, underscoring the importance of these policies and regulations.

Aim

The aim was to describe the demographic and social characteristics of IENs who had completed recertification for nurses’ licenses in Sweden and to compare these characteristics among those who completed recertification through the National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW) or bridging programs.

Methods

A cross-sectional design using a survey and 818 questionnaires was sent to IENs with an identified postal address who had undergone the recertification process in Sweden. Of them, 296 (38%) were completed. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Fischer's exact tests, and independent sample t-tests.

Results

Most IENs who had participated in a bridging program were women, commonly aged between 31 and 40 years of age who had immigrated mainly from Asian or Middle Eastern countries for family-related reasons. The average time to obtain a nursing license was 5.9 years, starting from the year they immigrated until recertification. IENs who received recertification by the NBHW were significantly younger ( p < .001), had been in Sweden for a shorter time ( p < .001), and the time to license was shorter ( p < .001). Significant differences were also shown for origin ( p < .001) and reason for immigration ( p < .001).

Conclusions

The findings can be used by decision-makers and authorities when developing higher education strategies for legalization and immigration policy to contribute to IENs’ career advancement opportunities.
Evaluating the Hypoglycemic Efficacy and Quality Assurance of Ya That Opchoei Mixture
Authors: Juengwatanatrakul Thaweesak , Jitsaeng Kusuma , Kaewamatawong Rawiwun
Published: February 2025

Diabetes mellitus, diagnosed as Madhumeho (sweet urine) in Thai traditional medicine, is believed to stem from imbalanced life elements. Ya That Opchoei mixture (YTO), a polyherbal mixture, is used to treat its symptoms. This study assessed the hypoglycemic potential of YTO and conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses of its bioactive constituents. YTO significantly inhibited α-glucosidase at IC50 0.05 ± 0.00 mg/mL and α-amylase activities at IC50 0.04±mg/mL. YTO at concentrations of 2.22 mg/mL significantly increased C-peptide secretion and stimulated glucose uptake. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed constituents from Amomum testaceum, Cinnamomum bejolghota, C. burmanii, Syzygium aromaticum, and Glycyrrhiza glabra. High-performance liquid chromatography enabled quantification of bioactive compounds, including glycyrrhizic acid, eugenol, cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, and coumarin. The coumarin content in 100 mL YTO was within the tolerable daily intake set by the European Food Safety Authority. This study confirms the hypoglycemic potential of YTO and presents its quality control process for safety assurance.
The impact of predialytic oral protein-based supplements on nutritional status and quality of life in hemodialysis patients: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Elsayed Mohamed Mamdouh , Abdelkader Mohamed Magdy , ElKazaz Amr Mohamed , Elgohary Iman Ezzat
Published: February 2025

Background

Administration of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) inside hemodialysis (HD) units before sessions is an increasingly adopted option. Our aim was to assess the effects of predialytic ONS on nutritional status and quality of life (QOL) in HD patients.

Methods

One hundred HD patients were enrolled in this prospective, multicentric randomized clinical trial. Patients were assigned to receive ONS (25 gm protein powder) 1 h prior to the start of the HD session (predialytic) or maintained on their routine nutrition regimen for 3 months.

Results

At study end, supplemented patients showed a significant increase in serum albumin (p < 0.001), and a non-significant decrease in the median subjective global assessment (SGA) score. While in the control group, serum albumin remained stable, and the median SGA score increased significantly (p < 0.001). Body mass index and anthropometric measures did not differ between both groups. The supplemented patients showed significant improvement in three subscales of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36, without a significant change in QOL in control patients. Supplemented patients had significantly higher blood pressure (BP) (p = 0.037), lower urea reduction ratio (p = 0.020) and Kt/V (p = 0.021), higher serum calcium, lower total cholesterol and lower CRP (p = 0.047) levels compared to controls. There was no significant difference between groups regarding serum sodium, potassium, or phosphorus or adverse events.

Conclusions

Predialytic ONS administration may contribute to improvements in serum albumin, and QOL. The effects on BP, CRP, and the reduction in dialysis adequacy, should be carefully considered while adopting such strategy.

Clinical trials registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05952570.

First registration date

2/07/2023.
Development and preliminary validation of the Danish headache questionnaire
Authors: Dissing K. B. , Jensen R. K. , Christensen H. W. , Jensen M. E. , Lauridsen H. H.
Published: February 2025

Background

The prevalence of headache disorders is imposing a growing burden on public health. Although most patients are seen in primary care, there is an absence of validated questionnaires designed to describe how clinicians manage patients with headache in primary care. The aim of this study was to develop a standardised headache questionnaire for use by primary care clinicians, covering diagnostic procedures, management strategies, and treatment modalities, and to assess the prevalence of consultations for headache in primary care.

Methods

The Danish Headache Questionnaire was developed through a three-phase process: a development phase, a content validation phase via iterative feedback, and a phase to create a generic English version. The Danish Headache Questionnaire includes a survey that covers diagnostic procedures, management strategies, and treatment modalities, and a logbook for tracking the prevalence of consultations for headaches. The questionnaire was tested by Danish chiropractors in primary care from 2020 to 2022.

Results

The Danish Headache Questionnaire underwent several modifications. The survey was expanded to include questions about the Danish profession-specific guideline for managing headaches, different headache types, medical history, radiographic imaging, and potential side effects. The logbook was revised to allow for the documentation of multiple headaches and included a separate form for recording the total number of consultations. The generic version was adapted by removing or adjusting profession-specific terms and questions to suit other clinical environments. The final Danish Headache Questionnaire is available in a generic and a chiropractic-specific format, and was translated to English through a cross-cultural adaptation process.

Conclusions

The Danish Headache Questionnaire has good content validity and is a feasible tool for assessing clinicians’ knowledge in managing patients with headaches and gathering data on headache prevalence in primary care. The generic version promotes a uniform approach and enables comparative analysis across different settings. The Danish Headache Questionnaire may be a valuable instrument guiding teaching a standardised assessment and for clinical assessment in primary care. Furthermore, it may have the potential to fill in gaps of knowledge which could improve the management of headache disorders in primary care.
Healthy ageing for older adult people with intellectual disability: a scoping review
Authors: El Mrayyan Nadia , Holmgren Marianne , Ahlström Gerd
Published: February 2025

Background

The increasing longevity of people with intellectual disability creates a need for a healthy-ageing perspective, translated into evidence-based interventions in this multi-morbidity group. Accordingly, the aim of this scoping review was to identify, summarise and analyse the empirical research on healthy ageing in older adults with intellectual disability.

Methods

This review was based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and a PICO protocol (Patient/population, Intervention, Comparison/control, and Outcome). Empirical studies in English were included if they concerned older adults with intellectual disability with an average age of at least 45 and were based on a clearly expressed healthy-ageing perspective. An information specialist conducted a search in 11 databases with no geographical or temporal restrictions. Two independent researchers performed study selection, quality assessment and data extraction. Disagreements were resolved in consultation with a third researcher. A textual narrative synthesis was based on PICO domains and the seven research questions.

Results

The 11 studies were all from developed countries and had different designs: qualitative, mixed-method and one systematic review. Only three studies highlighted the term “healthy ageing”, most used synonymous terms. Eight studies focused on healthy ageing on the individual level, three on the organisational and societal level. The intervention studies in the systematic review were mainly nonrandomised, concerned interventions varying in intensity and duration, considered different research questions and employed different outcome measures.

Conclusions

The findings highlight a major knowledge gap concerning evidence-based interventions with a healthy-ageing perspective in the case of older adults with intellectual disability. There is an urgent need to initiate healthy-ageing studies in developing countries, where such people are even more vulnerable to stigma and discrimination than those in developed countries. Our findings confirm the need to scale up healthy-ageing interventions in line with the WHO’s ambition to develop evidence-based approaches to optimise the functional capacity of all older people, including older adults with intellectual disability, by 2030.

Registration

The study is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), CRD42022337211 (13 June 2022).
Population-specific genetic-risk scores enable improved prediction of mortality within 28 days of sepsis onset: a retrospective Taiwanese cohort study
Authors: Hsieh Ming-Shun , Wu Pei-Hsuan , Chiu Kuan-Chih , Liao Shu-Hui , Chen Che-Shao , Hsiao Tzu-Hung , Chen Yi-Ming , Hu Sung-Yuan , How Chorng-Kuang , Chattopadhyay Amrita , Lu Tzu-Pin
Published: February 2025

Background

Sepsis is characterized by organ dysfunction as a response to infection and is one of the leading causes of mortality and loss of health. The heterogeneous nature of sepsis, along with ethnic differences in susceptibility, challenges a thorough understanding of its etiology. This study aimed to propose prediction models by leveraging genetic-risk scores and clinical variables that can assist in risk stratification of patients.

Methods

A total of 1,403 patients from Taiwan, diagnosed with sepsis, were utilized. Genome-wide survival analysis was conducted, with death within 28 days from sepsis onset, as the primary event to report significantly associated SNPs. A polygenic risk score (PRS-sepsis) was constructed via clumping and thresholding method which was added to clinical-only models to generate better performing prognostic models for identifying high-risk patients. Kaplan–Meier analysis was conducted using PRS-sepsis.

Results

A total of five single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) reached genome-wide significance (p < 5e-8), and 86 SNPs reached suggestive significance (p < 1e-5). The prognostic model using PRS-sepsis showed significantly improved performance with c-index [confidence interval (CI)] of 0.79 [0.62–0.96] and area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) [CI] of 0.78 [0.75–0.80], in comparison to clinical-only prognostic models (c-index [CI] = 0.63 [0.45– 0.81], AUROC [CI] = 0.61 [0.58–0.64]). The ethnic specificity was established for our proposed models by comparing it with models generated using significant SNPs from prior European studies (c-index [CI] = 0.63 [0.42–0.85], AUROC [CI] = 0.60 [0.58–0.63]). Kaplan–Meier plots showed that patient groups with higher PRSs have inferior survival probability compared to those with lower PRSs.

Conclusions

This study proposed genetic-risk models specific for Taiwanese populations that outperformed clinical-only models. Also it established a strong racial-effect on the underlying genetics of sepsis-related mortality. The model can potentially be used in real clinical setting for deciding precise treatment courses for patients at high-risk thereby reducing the possibility of worse outcomes.
Investigating the expression level of 9-methylated septin 9 in different grades of colorectal cancer—a meta-analysis study
Authors: Mohandesi khosrosroshahi Elaheh , Bashi Zadeh Fakhar Haniyeh , Akbari Mohammad-Esmaiel , Izadi Neda
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality in the USA, highlighting the urgent need for early detection. Methylated septin 9 (mSEPT9) is a promising tumor marker for CRC, offering high sensitivity for early stage detection, but its use in Asia is limited.

Method

We conducted a systematic review of empirical quantitative studies on mSEPT9 gene in cell-free DNA collected from plasma in CRC, following PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines, with searches yielding 1,340 records, of which 13 met our inclusion criteria. Quality was assessed using the STROBE checklist, ensuring robust data extraction and analysis.

Result

A total of 13 quantitative studies analyzed showed an overall positive detection rate of 66.98% for mSEPT9 as a diagnostic test for colorectal cancer, with the highest detection rate of 99.99% in Stage IV and the lowest at 51.21% in Stage I.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that mSEPT9 gene expression was a key biomarker for diagnosing and staging CRC, with higher detection rates in advanced stages, particularly Stage IV. Its role in critical signaling pathways highlights its potential for improving early detection and treatment planning in CRC patients.
The Body Encyclopedic: Embodiment in Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain
Authors: Farout Julien
Published: February 2025

Past critics have too often concluded that the many discourses on the body found in The Magic Mountain are, at best, metaphors for the decay of the prewar European community. This article proposes an alternative reading of Thomas Mann’s novel by exploring how Mann expresses, stages, and dramatizes embodiment. It argues that The Magic Mountain presents what Mann himself termed a “new mind-body entity,” which brings together mind and flesh, effectively challenging a worldview increasingly dominated by the supremacy of disembodying technology and scientific positivism. By analyzing Mann’s overarching use of irony, his reassessment of medical and philosophical discourses, and his dramatization of contemporary technology, this study shows that The Magic Mountain aims to redeem the body from rampant Cartesianism, which, willingly or not, conceptualizes the body as a mound of dumb, useless, ultimately fallible matter.
Construction of an Atlas of transcription factor binding during mouse development identifies popular regulatory regions
Authors: Nordin Anna , Zambanini Gianluca , Jonasson Mattias , Weiss Tamina , van de Grift Yorick , Pagella Pierfrancesco , Cantù Claudio
Published: February 2025

Gene regulators physically associate to the genome, in a combinatorial fashion, to drive tissue-specific gene expression. Uncovering the genome-wide activity of all gene regulators across tissues is therefore needed to understand gene regulation during development. Here, we take a first step towards this goal. Using CUT&RUN, we systematically mapped genome-wide binding profiles of key transcription factors and cofactors that mediate ontogenetically relevant signaling pathways in select mouse tissues at two developmental stages. Computation of the datasets unveiled tissue and time-specific activity for each gene regulator. We identified “popular” regulatory regions that are bound by a multitude of regulators, which tend to be more evolutionarily conserved. Consistently, they lie near the TSS of genes whose dysregulation causes early embryonic lethality. Moreover, the human homologs of these regions are similarly bound by many gene regulators and are highly conserved, indicating a retained relevance for human development. This work constitutes a decisive step towards understanding how the genome is simultaneously read and used by gene regulators in a holistic fashion to drive embryonic development.
A chromosomal reference genome sequence for the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens form pipiens, Linnaeus, 1758
Authors: Hesson Jenny C , Haba Yuki , McBride Carolyn S , Sheerin Edel , Mathers Thomas C , Paulini Michael , Pointon Damon-Lee B , Torrance James W , Sadasivan Baby Cibin , Wood Jonathan M.D. ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team, McCarthy Shane A , Lawniczak Mara K N , Makunin Alex
Published: February 2025

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Culex pipiens sensu stricto (the northern house mosquito; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Culicidae), from a wild population in Sweden. The genome sequence is 533 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into three chromosomal pseudomolecules. The complete mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 15.6 kilobases in length.
Mode Connectivity in Auction Design
Authors: Hertrich Christoph , Tao Yixin , Végh László A.
Published: February 2025

Optimal auction design is a fundamental problem in algorithmic game theory. This problem is notoriously difficult already in very simple settings. Recent work in differentiable economics showed that neural networks can efficiently learn known optimal auction mechanisms and discover interesting new ones. In an attempt to theoretically justify their empirical success, we focus on one of the first such networks, RochetNet, and a generalized version for affine maximizer auctions. We prove that they satisfy mode connectivity; that is, locally optimal solutions are connected by a simple, piecewise linear path such that every solution on the path is almost as good as one of the two local optima. Mode connectivity has been recently investigated as an intriguing empirical and theoretically justifiable property of neural networks used for prediction problems. Our results give the first such analysis in the context of differentiable economics, where neural networks are used directly for solving nonconvex optimization problems.

Funding: All three authors gratefully acknowledge support by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [Grant ScaleOpt–757481 (all three authors); Grant ForEFront–615640 (C. Hertrich)]. Y. Tao is partially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China [Grant 2023YFA1009500].
Association between serum lactate levels and refeeding syndrome in critical Ill patients.
Authors: Bolaños Ladinez Oswaldo , Arteaga-Pazmiño Cecilia Liceth , Sánchez Rebeca , Alvarado Villa Geovanny , Frías-Toral Evelyn
Published: February 2025

Aim: To analyze the relationship between blood lactate levels and the development of refeeding syndrome (RFS) in critically ill patients. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled patients aged 18 years and older who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Hospital Clínica San Francisco for at least 48 hours between January and June 2019. RFS was defined as a 30% decrease in serum phosphorus within 48 hours after the initiation of nutritional support. Serum lactate, SOFA, APACHE II, nutritional risk, and nutritional status were measured upon ICU admission. Statistical analyses were conducted using Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test. Results: A total of 141 patients were selected, with 53.8% (n = 83) being male, and 34.8% (n = 49) develped RFS. The primary diagnoses were sepsis and neurocritical conditions, with an overall mortality rate of 18.4%. Among patients with RFS, 85.7% (n = 41) were identified as having a nutritional risk at admission, and 53.1% (n = 26) had moderate malnutrition. Patients with RFS experienced longer ICU stays (12 vs. 7 days, p = 0.006) and longer hospital stays (22 vs. 15 days, p = 0.007) compared to those without RFS. Patients with RFS had significantly higher serum lactate levels compared to those without RFS (1.62 vs. 2.14 mmol/l; p=0.002). Conclusions: In the present study, serum lactate level is associated with the development of RFS in critically ill patients.
Development of nutrient-Rich purple Sweet potato and moringa-based biscuits as an alternative snack for toddlers at risk of stunting.
Authors: Rahman Nurdin , Sakung Jamaluddin M , Ariani Ariani , Rakhman Aulia
Published: February 2025

Background: This study aims to address the nutritional needs of young children while utilizing local food resources in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Methods: This study employs a descriptive method based on laboratory tests for nutrient content analysis and acceptability. The research design utilizes a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 treatments of varying substitutions of purple sweet potato flour and moringa flour. The analysis of carbohydrate, fat, protein, ash, moisture, and fiber content is conducted by descriptively comparing each formula.
Results: Carbohydrates, namely formula F5 has the highest carbohydrate content of 52.2%, Fat, namely formula F1 has the highest fat content of 35.7%, Protein, namely formula F1 also has the highest protein content of 15.38%. Water Content, namely formula F1 has the highest water content of 2.55%, Ash Content, namely formula F1 also has the highest ash content of 4.84%, Fiber Content, namely formula F3 has the highest fiber content of 5.12%. F1 formula biscuits have relatively strong antioxidant power with an IC50 of 94.655 ppm compared to other formulas. Sensory analysis revealed significant differences in the perception of quality and preference for color, aroma, and taste among the five formulas. The highly significant differences in color and taste preferences indicate that the composition of each formula has a substantial influence on the product's sensory characteristics.
Conclusion: Purple sweet potato and Moringa leaf-based biscuits demonstrate potential as a nutritious snack for children experiencing stunting and wasting due to their favorable nutritional content and relatively high acceptance rate. However, further research is necessary to determine the optimal formulation that maximizes nutritional value while maintaining sensory qualities acceptable to children
Notes on the coexistence of sympatric northern raccoons and white-nosed coatis in a dry forest of northwest Costa Rica
Authors: Montalvo Victor H. , Fuller Todd K. , Sáenz-Bolaños Carolina , Carrillo Eduardo
Published: February 2025

El uso de recursos por especies simpátricas que coexisten es poco conocido.  Considerando las especies de prociónidos simpátricos en el bosque seco de Costa Rica (Parque Nacional Santa Rosa), planteamos la hipótesis que la presencia del mapache (Procyon lotor) es relativamente alta en tipos de cobertura donde el pizote (Nasua narica) está ausente.  Colocamos 56 cámaras trampa entre junio de 2016 y junio de 2017 para comparar la ocurrencia y actividad del pizote y el mapache en diferentes tipos de cobertura, incluyendo éstas y otras 45 cámaras monitoreadas de manera irregular entre 2011 y 2016.  En un año, ninguna cámara registró ambas especies, con la excepción del bosque ribereño.  Las tasas fotográficas de mapache fueron mayores en el manglar y bosque de playa, no obteniendo registros en bosque primario y secundario.  Los registros de pizote fueron mayores en bosque secundario y ausentes en el manglar y bosque de playa o pastizales arbolados.  El mapache mostró mayor actividad nocturna mientras el pizote diurna, observando tasas fotográficas de pizotes (1.37/100 noches de trampa [tn]; n = 20.416 tn) que fueron más del doble que los mapaches (0.48).  Las diferencias en los registros fotográficos para cada especie por tipo de cobertura y horario sugieren un patrón de alopatría local.  Esta segregación interespecífica entre pizote y mapache puede atribuirse a diferencias en alimentación, además de competencia.  Finalmente, este estudio mostró que las cámaras pueden proporcionar información valiosa sobre la ecología de las especies crípticas como este estudio.
Terrestrial nesting behavior in the white-nosed coati, Nasua narica: evidence from a ground-level nest
Authors: Mora José Manuel , López Lucía I.
Published: February 2025

El pizote, Nasua narica, se distribuye desde Arizona, EE. UU., hasta Colombia, desde el nivel del mar hasta 2,879 m.  Presenta comportamientos terrestres y arbóreos, con actividades reproductivas en árboles.  Durante la reproducción, bandas y machos adultos solitarios construyen nidos en árboles.  Las hembras preñadas se separan del grupo para dar a luz y criar a sus crías en nidos arbóreos aislados.  Entre 2016 y 2018, realizamos censos de mamíferos en el Parque Nacional Palo Verde, en el noroeste de Costa Rica, con una visita cada semestre durante 3 días.  Esta región experimenta una estación seca de diciembre a abril, a veces más.  Durante un censo, observamos un nido en el suelo con crías, tomamos fotografías y medimos una de ellas.  En abril de 2018, observamos una hembra de pizote con 3 crías, estimadas en menos de 11 días de edad, bajo un tronco caído.  Las crías estaban parcialmente expuestas y la hembra las movía a la sombra.  Las medidas (longitud en mm) de una cría, las 3 de tamaño similar, fueron: cabeza-cuerpo = 136, cola = 110, oreja = 7, pie trasero izquierdo = 26.  La anidación en el suelo por los pizotes podría reducir la competencia intraespecífica, especialmente en bosques secos deciduos con poco follaje.  Un nido en el suelo podría ser menos visible que uno en un árbol, reduce el riesgo de depredación y podría ser energéticamente eficiente para una hembra que forrajea.  En bosques secos costarricenses, podría ser una adaptación a condiciones ambientales específicas.