bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Which site is better for prophylactic ileostomy after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery? By the specimen extraction site or new site: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zheng Bobo , Wang Quan , Wei Mingtian , Yue Yumin , Li Xiaojun
Published: February 2023

Background

There is controversy about the outcomes of prophylactic ileostomy via the specimen extraction site (SES) after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery (LRCS). We, therefore, performed a meta-analysis to determine the efficacy and safety of stoma through the SES versus new site (NS).

Methods

All relevant studies from 1997 to 2022 were searched in the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP databases. This meta-analysis was performed using RevMan software 5.3 for statistical analysis.

Results

7 studies with 1736 patients were included. The present meta-analysis noted that prophylactic ileostomy via SES was associated with a higher risk of overall stoma-related complications, especially parastomal hernia (OR, 2.39, 95% CI 1.43-4.00; p=0.0008). No statistical difference was found in terms of wound infection, ileus, stoma edema, stoma prolapse, stoma necrosis, stoma infection, stoma bleeding, stoma stenosis, skin inflammation around the stoma, stoma retraction and postoperative pain score on postoperative day 1 and 3 between SES group and NS group. However, prophylactic ileostomy via SES was associated with lesser blood loss (MD = -0.38, 95% CI: -0.62 - -0.13; p=0.003), shorter operation time(MD = -0.43, 95% CI: -0.54 - -0.32 min; p<0.00001), shorter post-operative hospital stay (MD = -0.26, 95% CI: -0.43 - -0.08; p=0.004), shorter time to first flatus(MD = -0.23, 95% CI: -0.39 - -0.08; p=0.003) and lower postoperative pain score on postoperative day 2.

Conclusion

Prophylactic ileostomy via SES after LRCS reduces new incision, decreases operative time, promotes postoperative recovery, and improves cosmetic outcomes, but may increase the incidence of parastomal hernias. The vast majority of parastomal hernias can be repaired by closing the ileostomy, therefore SES remain an option for temporary ileostomy after LRCS.
Can we characterize A-P/IAP behavioural phenotypes in people with chronic pain?
Authors: Sanmugananthan Vaidhehi Veena , Cheng Joshua C. , Hemington Kasey S. , Rogachov Anton , Osborne Natalie Rae , Bosma Rachael L. , Kim Junseok Andrew , Inman Robert D. , Davis Karen Deborah
Published: February 2023

Two behavioural phenotypes in healthy people have been delineated based on their intrinsic attention to pain (IAP) and whether their reaction times (RT) during a cognitively-demanding task are slower (P-type) or faster (A-type) during experimental pain. These behavioural phenotypes were not previously studied in chronic pain populations to avoid using experimental pain in a chronic pain context. Since pain rumination (PR) may serve as a supplement to IAP without needing noxious stimuli, we attempted to delineate A-P/IAP behavioural phenotypes in people with chronic pain and determined if PR can supplement IAP. Behavioural data acquired in 43 healthy controls (HCs) and 43 age-/sex-matched people with chronic pain associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was retrospectively analyzed. A-P behavioural phenotypes were based on RT differences between pain and no-pain trials of a numeric interference task. IAP was quantified based on scores representing reported attention towards or mind-wandering away from experimental pain. PR was quantified using the pain catastrophizing scale, rumination subscale. The variability in RT was higher during no-pain trials in the AS group than HCs but was not significantly different in pain trials. There were no group differences in task RTs in no-pain and pain trials, IAP or PR scores. IAP and PR scores were marginally significantly positively correlated in the AS group. RT differences and variability were not significantly correlated with IAP or PR scores. Thus, we propose that experimental pain in the A-P/IAP protocols can confound testing in chronic pain populations, but that PR could be a supplement to IAP to quantify attention to pain.
Clinical evaluation, accurate diagnosis and treatment of four pedigrees with Fabry's disease
Authors: Gou Peng , Leng Jie , Cheng Xinran , Zhang Jing
Published: February 2023

Objective

This article analyzes the data of four families with mutations of the GLA (galactosidase) gene with a special focus on the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and interdisciplinary clinical management of Fabry disease (FD) and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) treatment, and has the aim to assess more accurate prevention and treatment strategy.

Methods

The MSSI (Mainz Severity Score Index) scale was used to evaluate the clinical data of five children diagnosed in our hospital, and the genotypes of all the patients with FD were collected. Two of the male children started ERT. We summarize the clinical effect and the evaluation of globotriaosylsphingosine (Lyso-GL-3) before and after treatment.

Results

Five children were confirmed as having FD using the family histories, clinical manifestations, α-galactosidase A (a-Gal A) activity, and genetic test results. Two children used agalsidase α every 2 weeks regularly, after ERT. Their clinical symptoms improved, their pain intensity was significantly relieved, and upon re-examination their Lyso-GL-3 decreased conspicuously and no serious adverse reactions occurred. We report for the first time four families with children with FD. The youngest child was only 1 year old. The four families included one girl which is rare in X-linked lysosomal storage diseases.

Conclusion

The clinical phenotype of FD in childhood is nonspecific, and the misdiagnosis rate is high. Most children with FD have a delayed diagnosis, and their organs are often seriously damaged in adulthood. Pediatricians must improve their diagnosis and treatment awareness, screen high-risk groups, and emphasize multidisciplinary cooperation and holistic lifestyle management after diagnosis. The diagnosis of the proband is also conducive to the mining of other cases of FD families and has important guiding significance for prenatal diagnosis.
Berberine and rifaximin effects on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: Study protocol for an investigator-initiated, double-arm, open-label, randomized clinical trial (BRIEF-SIBO study)
Authors: Guo Huaizhu , Lu Siqi , Zhang Jindong , Chen Chen , Du Yanlin , Wang Kun , Duan Liping
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) leads to non-specific abdominal discomfort and nutrient malabsorption. Currently, rifaximin is widely applied in SIBO based on its antibacterial and non-absorbable nature. Berberine is a natural component of many popular medicine plants that ameliorates intestinal inflammation in humans through its modification of the gut microbiota. Potential effect of berberine to the gut may provide therapeutic target for SIBO. We aimed to evaluate the effect of berberine compared with rifaximin on SIBO patients.

Methods: This is an investigator-initiated, single-center, open-label, double-arm randomized controlled trial, termed BRIEF-SIBO (Berberine and rifaximin effects for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). In total, 180 patients will be recruited and allocated to an intervention group (berberine) and a control group (rifaximin). Each participant will receive one 400 mg drug twice a day (800 mg daily) for 2 weeks. The total follow-up period is 6 weeks from the start of medication. The primary outcome is a negative breath test. The secondary outcomes include abdominal symptom relief and alteration in gut microbiota. Efficacy assessment will be performed every 2 weeks, as well as safety assessment during the treatment. The primary hypothesis is that berberine is not inferior to rifaximin for SIBO.

Discussion: The BRIEF-SIBO study is the first clinical trial assessing the eradication effects of 2 weeks of berberine treatment in SIBO patients. The effect of berberine will be fully verified by using rifaximin as the positive control. The findings of this study may have implications for the management of SIBO, especially increasing the awareness of both physicians and patients who are suffering from long-term abdominal discomfort and avoiding excessive examination.
Changes in cardiovascular-health blood biomarkers in response to exercise intervention among older adults with cognitive frailty: A scoping review
Authors: Ibrahim Azianah , Mat Ludin Arimi Fitri , Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit , Rajab Nor Fadilah , Shahar Suzana
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Cardiovascular health contributes significantly to the incidence of cognitive impairment. Prior to conducting exercise-related intervention, it is crucial to explore cardiovascular health blood parameters that have been commonly used as guidance for the purpose of monitoring. Information on the effectiveness of exercise on cardiovascular-related biomarkers is lacking, especially among older adults with cognitive frailty. Therefore, we aimed to review existing evidence on cardiovascular-related blood parameters and their changes following exercise intervention among older adults with cognitive frailty.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Related studies involving only human and full text in either English or Malay language were selected. Types of impairment were limited to cognitive impairment, frailty, and cognitive frailty. Studies were restricted to randomized controlled trial and clinical trial design studies. For charting purposes, all variables were extracted and tabulated. Trends in types of parameters studied were explored.

Results: A total of 607 articles were screened, and the final 16 were included in this review. Four cardiovascular-related blood parameter categories were extracted: inflammatory, glucose homeostasis, lipid profile, and hemostatic biomarkers. The common parameters monitored were IGF-1 and HbA1c, glucose, and insulin sensitivity in some studies. Out of the nine studies on inflammatory biomarkers, exercise interventions showed a reduction in pro-inflammatory markers, namely, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-15, leptin, and C-reactive protein and an increase in anti-inflammatory markers, namely, IFN-γ and IL-10. Similarly, in all eight studies, glucose homeostasis-related biomarkers had improved with exercise intervention. The lipid profile was tested in five studies, with four studies showing improvements with exercise intervention via a decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein and an increase in high-density lipoprotein. A decrease in pro-inflammatory biomarkers and an increase in anti-inflammatory biomarkers were demonstrated with multicomponent exercise, including aerobic exercise in six studies and aerobic exercise on its own in the remaining two studies. Meanwhile, four out of six studies that yielded improvements in glucose homeostasis biomarkers involved only aerobic exercise and the remaining two studies involved multicomponent with aerobic exercise.

Conclusion: The most consistent blood parameters studied were glucose homeostasis and inflammatory biomarkers. These parameters have been shown to improve with multicomponent exercise programs, particularly with the inclusion of aerobic exercise.
Hemoglobin modulation affects physiology and patient reported outcomes in anemic and non-anemic subjects: An umbrella review
Authors: Tonino R. P. B. , Zwaginga L. M. , Schipperus M. R. , Zwaginga J. J.
Published: February 2023

Background: An abnormal hemoglobin concentration has a substantial effect on a person’s quality of life and physiology. Lack of tools that effectively evaluate hemoglobin-related outcomes leads to uncertainty regarding optimal hemoglobin levels, transfusion thresholds and treatment targets. We therefore aim to summarize reviews that assess the effects of hemoglobin modulation on the human physiology at various baseline hemoglobin levels, and identify gaps in existing evidence.

Methods: We conducted an umbrella review of systematic reviews. PubMed, MEDLINE (OVID), Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Emcare were searched from inception to the 15th of April 2022 for studies that reported on physiological and patient reported outcomes following a hemoglobin change.

Results: Thirty-three reviews were included of which 7 were scored as of high quality and 24 of critically low quality using the AMSTAR-2 tool. The reported data generally show that an increase in hemoglobin leads to improvement of patient reported and physical outcomes in anaemic and non-anaemic subjects. At lower hemoglobin levels, the effect of a hemoglobin modulation on quality of life measures appears more pronounced.

Conclusion: This overview has revealed many knowledge gaps due to a lack of high-quality evidence. For chronic kidney disease patients, a clinically relevant benefit of increasing the hemoglobin levels up until 12 g/dL was found. However, a personalized approach remains necessary due to the many patient-specific factors that affect outcomes. We strongly encourage future trials to incorporate physiological outcomes as objective parameters together with subjective, but still very important, patient reported outcome measures.
The population genomic analyses of chloroplast genomes shed new insights on the complicated ploidy and evolutionary history in Fragaria
Authors: Song Yanhong , Li Chaochao , Liu Lifeng , Hu Panpan , Li Gang , Zhao Xia , Zhou Houcheng
Published: February 2023

The genus Fragaria consists of a rich diversity of ploidy levels with diploid (2x), tetraploid (4x), pentaploid (5x), hexaploidy (6x), octoploid (8x) and decaploid (10x) species. Only a few studies have explored the origin of diploid and octoploid strawberry, and little is known about the roles of tetraploidy and hexaploidy during the evolution of octoploid strawberry. The chloroplast genome is usually a stable circular genome and is widely used in investigating the evolution and matrilineal identification. Here, we assembled the chloroplast genomes of F. x ananassa cv. ‘Benihoppe’ (8x) using Illumina and HiFi data seperately. The genome alignment results showed that more InDels were located in the chloroplast genomes based on the PacBio HiFi data than Illumina data. We obtain highly accurate chloroplast genomes assembled through GetOrganelle using Illumina reads. We assembled 200 chloroplast genomes including 198 Fragaria (21 species) and 2 Potentilla samples. Analyses of sequence variation, phylogenetic and PCA analyses showed that Fragaria was divided into five groups. F. iinumae, F. nilgerrensis and all octoploid accessions formed Group A, C and E separately. Species native to western China were clustered into Group B. Group D consisted of F. virdis, F. orientalis, F. moschata, and F. vesca. STRUCTURE and haplotype network confirmed that the diploid F. vesca subsp. bracteata was the last maternal donator of octoploid strawberry. The dN/dS ratio estimated for the protein-coding genes revealed that genes involved in ATP synthase and photosystem function were under positive selection. These findings demonstrate the phylogeny of totally 21 Fragaria species and the origin of octoploid species. F. vesca was the last female donator of octoploid, which confirms the hypothesis that the hexaploid species F. moschata may be an evolutionary intermediate between the diploids and wild octoploid species.
Divergent regulation of auxin responsive genes in root-knot and cyst nematodes feeding sites formed in Arabidopsis
Authors: Abril-Urias Patricia , Ruiz-Ferrer Virginia , Cabrera Javier , Olmo Rocio , Silva Ana Cláudia , Díaz-Manzano Fernando Evaristo , Domínguez-Figueroa Jose , Martínez-Gómez Ángela , Gómez-Rojas Almudena , Moreno-Risueno Miguel Ángel , Fenoll Carmen , Escobar Carolina
Published: February 2023

Cysts (CNs) and root-knot nematodes (RKNs) induce specialized feeding cells, syncytia, and giant cells (GCs), respectively, within plant roots. The plant tissues around the GCs usually by respond forming a root swelling called a gall that contains the GCs. The ontogenesis of feeding cells is different. GC formation is a process of new organogenesis from vascular cells, which are still not well characterized, that differentiate into GCs. In contrast, syncytia formation involves the fusion of adjacent cells that have already differentiated. Nonetheless, both feeding sites show an auxin maximum pertinent to feeding site formation. However, data on the molecular divergences and similarities between the formation of both feeding sites regarding auxin-responsive genes are still scarce. We studied genes from the auxin transduction pathways that are crucial during gall and lateral root (LR) development in the CN interaction by using promoter-reporter (GUS/LUC)transgenic lines, as well as loss of function lines of Arabidopsis. The promoters pGATA23 and several deletions of pmiR390a were active in syncytia, as were in galls, but pAHP6 or putative up-stream regulators as ARF5/7/19 were not active in syncytia. Additionally, none of these genes seemed to play a key role during cyst nematode establishment in Arabidopsis, as the infection rates in loss of function lines did not show significant differences compared to control Col-0 plants. Furthermore, the presence of only canonical AuxRe elements in their proximal promoter regions is highly correlated with their activation in galls/GCs (AHP6, LBD16), but those promoters active in syncytia (miR390, GATA23) carry AuxRe overlapping core cis-elements for other transcription factor families (i.e., bHLH, bZIP). Strikingly, in silico transcriptomic analysis showed very few genes upregulated by auxins common to those induced in GCs and syncytia, despite the high number of upregulated IAA responsive genes in syncytia and galls. The complex regulation of auxin transduction pathways, where different members of the auxin response factor (ARF) family may interact with other factors, and the differences in auxin sensitivity, as indicated by the lower induction of the DR5 sensor in syncytia than galls, among other factors, may explain the divergent regulation of auxin responsive genes in the two types of nematode feeding sites.
Study on nitrogen demand model in pakchoi (Brassica campestris ssp. Chinensis L.) based on nitrogen contents and phenotypic characteristics
Authors: Chang Liying , Xiong Xin , Hameed Muhammad Khalid , Huang Danfeng , Niu Qingliang
Published: February 2023

Introduction

In precision agriculture, the diagnosis of the nitrogen (N) nutrition status based on the plant phenotype, combined effects of soil types, various agricultural practices, and environmental factors which are essential for plant N accumulation. It helps to assess the N supply for plants at the right time and optimal amount to ensure high N use efficiency thereby reducing the N fertilizer applications to minimize environmental pollution. For this purpose, three different experiments were performed.

Methods

A critical N content (Nc) model was constructed based on cumulative photothermal effect (LTF), Napplications, and cultivation systems on yield and N uptake in pakchoi.

Results and discussion

According to the model, aboveground dry biomass (DW) accumulation was found equal or below to 1.5 t/ha, and the Nc value was observed at a constant of 4.78%. However, when DW accumulation exceeded 1.5 t/ha, Nc declined with the increase in DW accumulation, and the relationship between Nc and DW accumulation developed with the function Nc %=4.78 x DW-0.33. An N demand model was established based on the multi-information fusion method, which integrated multiple factors, including Nc, phenotypical indexes, temperature during the growth period, photosynthetically active radiation, and N applications. Furthermore, the model’s accuracy was verified, and the predicted N contents were found consistent with the measured values (R2 = 0.948 and RMSE = 1.96 mg/plant). At the same time, an N demand model based on N use efficiency was proposed.

Conclusions

This study can provide theoretical and technical support for precise N management in pakchoi production.
What is holding back business process virtualization in the post-COVID-19 era? Based on process virtualization theory (PVT)
Authors: Feng Yituo , Park Jungryeol , Feng Miao
Published: February 2023

The post-pandemic COVID-19 has been influential in accelerating the digital transformation of enterprises and business process virtualization. However, in a virtual working environment with no physical interaction, the psychological requirements of the communication between teleworkers and the negative impact of information systems are hindering the business process virtualization. Studying the relationship between the interaction between organizational members and job performance is an important part of organizational psychology. For an enterprise to maintain high-efficiency output, it is necessary to study psychological factors related to business process virtualization. This paper verified the factors hindering business process virtualization based on process virtualization theory (PVT). The research was implemented on a sample of 343 teleworkers in China enterprises. The structure of the model of this study includes two aspects that hinder the business process virtualization: the psychological requirements of teleworkers (Sensory requirements, Synchronism requirements, and Relationship requirements) and the negative effects of information systems (Information overload and Communication overload). The results show that teleworkers’ sensory requirements, synchronism requirements, and communication overload negatively impact business process virtualization. However, unlike the results in the existing literature, the relationship requirements and information overload do not affect the business process virtualization. The results will help business managers, teleworkers, and information system developers develop strategies to address the negative factors hindering business process virtualization. In the so-called new “normal era,” our research will help companies to create a successful virtual work environment.
Impact of long working hours on depressive symptoms among COVID-19 frontline medical staff: The mediation of job burnout and the moderation of family and organizational support
Authors: Yin Chengjie , Ji Jingya , Cao Xin , Jin Hui , Ma Qiang , Gao Yuexia
Published: February 2023

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the frontline medical staff faced more workload and heavier physical and mental stress, which increased their job burnout and negative emotions. However, little is known about the potential factors mediating and moderating these relations. This study investigates the association between long working hours and depressive symptoms among frontline medical staff in China, and explores the potential mediating effect of job burnout, and moderating effect of family and organizational support on these associations.

Methods

Data of 992 frontline medical staff who participated in the prevention and control of COVID-19 was obtained from the online survey conducted in November to December 2021 in China. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionaire-9 (PHQ-9). Moderated mediating model was employed to understand the relationship between long working hours (X), depressive symptoms (Y) mediated through job burnout (M), moderated by family support (W1) and organizational support (W2), while controlling all possible covariates.

Results

56.96% of participants worked more than 8 h per day. 49.8% of them had depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 5) and 65.8% experienced job-related burnout. Long working hours was positively associated with depressive symptoms score (β = 0.26, 95% CI:0.13 ~ 0.40). Mediation analyses revealed that job burnout significantly mediated this relationship (indirect effect = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.08 ~ 0.26). Moderated mediation further indicated that both two interactions of social support (family support W1, organizational support W2) and job burnout were negatively related to depressive symptoms among frontline medical staff, indicating that higher social support being less job burnout with lower depressive symptoms.

Conclusion

Longer working hours and higher job burnout may contribute to worse mental health among frontline medical staff. Social support could buffer the detrimental effects by reducing their job burnout.

Contribution

The main contribution of this study was to estimate the negative effect of long working hours on depressive symptoms among frontline medical staff and explore the potential mediating role of job burnout and moderating role of social support on these associations.
New is not always better: Virtual reality does not necessarily enhance mnemonic processing
Authors: Johnsdorf Marike , Pham Kim Anh , Schmidt Tino , Truong Van Ly , Wohnig Andre , Kisker Joanna , Gruber Thomas , Schöne Benjamin
Published: February 2023

Integrating new technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) can contribute to increasing efficiency in several areas relevant to society. VR can be applied in various contexts and has the potential to improve mnemonic processes and memory performance. However, the specific conditions under which VR is more beneficial than conventional learning methods remain unclear. To further investigate the value of VR for mnemonic processing, participants performed a memory task under three different conditions. For that task, they were presented with rules regarding the spatial arrangement of building blocks with a written text or a video in 2D on a screen or in 3D/360° with a head-mounted display. Following the learning session, memory performance was measured by a recognition test involving a multiple-choice questionnaire, in which participants had to mark the correct arrangement of building blocks, and a construction test, in which they had to arrange five different building blocks according to the rules learned. Additionally, participants had to arrange 38 building blocks according to the rules in a free recall test the following day. Surprisingly, results revealed no superiority effect for learning in VR. Instead, learning the rules with the text yielded the best memory performance results, indicating that prior experience with conventional learning methods facilitates declarative knowledge acquisition. Considering previous findings regarding cognitive processing in VR, our results suggest that in passive learning, processing the more salient and personally relevant virtual stimuli in the surrounding VR environment requires more attentional resources. Therefore, VR impairs focusing on the relevant declarative information and impedes the transfer of the learned knowledge to different contexts. When considering to implement VR, the value to the particular domain and specific learning task should be taken into consideration: For learning basic declarative information without actively involving the students, conventional learning methods seem sufficient and more efficient for mnemonic processing compared to new technologies.
The reality of virtual reality
Authors: Schöne Benjamin , Kisker Joanna , Lange Leon , Gruber Thomas , Sylvester Sophia , Osinsky Roman
Published: February 2023

Virtual reality (VR) has become a popular tool for investigating human behavior and brain functions. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether VR constitutes an actual form of reality or is more like an advanced simulation. Determining the nature of VR has been mostly achieved by self-reported presence measurements, defined as the feeling of being submerged in the experience. However, subjective measurements might be prone to bias and, most importantly, do not allow for a comparison with real-life experiences. Here, we show that real-life and VR height exposures using 3D-360° videos are mostly indistinguishable on a psychophysiological level (EEG and HRV), while both differ from a conventional 2D laboratory setting. Using a fire truck, three groups of participants experienced a real-life (N = 25), a virtual (N = 24), or a 2D laboratory (N = 25) height exposure. Behavioral and psychophysiological results suggest that identical exogenous and endogenous cognitive as well as emotional mechanisms are deployed to process the real-life and virtual experience. Specifically, alpha- and theta-band oscillations in line with heart rate variability, indexing vigilance, and anxiety were barely indistinguishable between those two conditions, while they differed significantly from the laboratory setup. Sensory processing, as reflected by beta-band oscillations, exhibits a different pattern for all conditions, indicating further room for improving VR on a haptic level. In conclusion, the study shows that contemporary photorealistic VR setups are technologically capable of mimicking reality, thus paving the way for the investigation of real-world cognitive and emotional processes under controlled laboratory conditions. For a video summary, see https://youtu.be/fPIrIajpfiA.
Effects of positive reappraisal and self-distancing on the meaningfulness of everyday negative events
Authors: Lau Clement Yong Hao , Tov William
Published: February 2023

Current work on meaning-making has primarily focused on major negative life events such as trauma and loss, leaving common daily adversities unexplored. This study aimed to examine how utilizing meaning-making strategies such as positive reappraisal and self-distancing (in isolation or in combination) can facilitate an adaptive processing of these daily negative experiences. Overall meaning and facets of meaning (coherence, purpose, and significance/mattering) were assessed at both global and situational levels. Results suggested that positive reappraisal was generally effective for enhancing situational meaning but not under all conditions. Specifically, when negative experiences were high on emotional intensity, reflecting on the experience from a distanced (third-person) perspective enhanced coherence and existential mattering more than engaging in positive reappraisal. However, when negative experiences were low on intensity, distanced reflection led to less coherence and mattering than positive reappraisal. The findings of this study elucidated the importance of examining the multidimensional construct of meaning at the facet level and highlighted the importance of applying different coping strategies to effectively make meaning out of daily negative experiences.
Long-term effects of early adversity on the mental health of college students: The mitigating effect of physical exercise
Authors: Wang Xinzhu , Fu Kaixian
Published: February 2023

Background

We aim to investigate the long-term effects of early adversity on university students’ mental health and the mitigating role of physical exercise on this effect.

Methods

The survey sample consisted of 895 college students. Descriptive statistics, linear regression, and moderating effect analysis were used to analyze the results.

Results

(1) Early adversity negatively predict mental health level (β = −0.109, t = −4.981, p < 0.01); (2) Physical exercise can effectively mitigate the long-term harm of early adversity to mental health (β = 0.039, t = 2.001, p < 0.05); compared to low-level physical exercise (bsimple = −0. 067, t = −7.88, p < 0.01), high-level physical exercise can mitigate the long-term harm of early adversity to mental health (bsimple = −0, 025, t = −2. 37, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Early adversity affects the mental health of university students, but physical exercise can effectively mitigate this effect.
Class-dependent and cross-modal memory network considering sentimental features for video-based captioning
Authors: Xiong Haitao , Zhou Yuchen , Liu Jiaming , Cai Yuanyuan
Published: February 2023

The video-based commonsense captioning task aims to add multiple commonsense descriptions to video captions to understand video content better. This paper aims to consider the importance of cross-modal mapping. We propose a combined framework called Class-dependent and Cross-modal Memory Network considering SENtimental features (CCMN-SEN) for Video-based Captioning to enhance commonsense caption generation. Firstly, we develop class-dependent memory for recording the alignment between video features and text. It only allows cross-modal interactions and generation on cross-modal matrices that share the same labels. Then, to understand the sentiments conveyed in the videos and generate accurate captions, we add sentiment features to facilitate commonsense caption generation. Experiment results demonstrate that our proposed CCMN-SEN significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods. These results have practical significance for understanding video content better.
Mechanisms for change: A theoretical pathway for a school-wide social–emotional learning initiative in an urban middle school
Authors: White Gwyne W. , Hatchimonji Danielle R. , Vaid Esha , Simmons Christopher C. , Yuan May , Wang Angela , Elias Maurice J.
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Investment in academic instruction without complementary attention to the social–emotional environment of students may lead to a failure of both. The current study evaluates a proposed mechanism for change, whereby academic achievement occurs as a result of the social–emotional learning environment impacting behavioral (discipline) outcomes.

Methods

We tested the hypothesized model during each year of a 3-year intervention to determine whether the relations among these constructs held potential as a pathway for targeted improvement.

Results

Path analysis for each year demonstrated excellent fit [Year 1: χ2(19) = 76.16, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.05,TLI = 0.98; Year 2: χ2(19) = 70.68, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.048, TLI = 0.98; Year 3: χ2(19) = 66.59, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.05, TLI = 0.98] supporting the theoretical model for change. For each year the effect of the SEL Environment construct on discipline was significant, as was the effect of discipline on Academic Performance. Further, the indirect effect of SEL Environment on Academic Performance was significant across all years.

Discussion

The consistency of these relationships supports the proposed logic model as a potential mechanism for change and has the potential to guide interventions for whole school improvement.
Normative model detects abnormal functional connectivity in psychiatric disorders
Authors: Oliveira-Saraiva Duarte , Ferreira Hugo Alexandre
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The diagnosis of psychiatric disorders is mostly based on the clinical evaluation of the patient's signs and symptoms. Deep learning binary-based classification models have been developed to improve the diagnosis but have not yet reached clinical practice, in part due to the heterogeneity of such disorders. Here, we propose a normative model based on autoencoders.

Methods

We trained our autoencoder on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from healthy controls. The model was then tested on schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients to estimate how each patient deviated from the norm and associate it with abnormal functional brain networks' (FBNs) connectivity. Rs-fMRI data processing was conducted within the FMRIB Software Library (FSL), which included independent component analysis and dual regression. Pearson's correlation coefficients between the extracted blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) time series of all FBNs were calculated, and a correlation matrix was generated for each subject.

Results and discussion

We found that the functional connectivity related to the basal ganglia network seems to play an important role in the neuropathology of BD and SCZ, whereas in ADHD, its role is less evident. Moreover, the abnormal connectivity between the basal ganglia network and the language network is more specific to BD. The connectivity between the higher visual network and the right executive control and the connectivity between the anterior salience network and the precuneus networks are the most relevant in SCZ and ADHD, respectively. The results demonstrate that the proposed model could identify functional connectivity patterns that characterize different psychiatric disorders, in agreement with the literature. The abnormal connectivity patterns from the two independent SCZ groups of patients were similar, demonstrating that the presented normative model was also generalizable. However, the group-level differences did not withstand individual-level analysis implying that psychiatric disorders are highly heterogeneous. These findings suggest that a precision-based medical approach, focusing on each patient's specific functional network changes may be more beneficial than the traditional group-based diagnostic classification.
Global, regional, and national HIV/AIDS disease burden levels and trends in 1990–2019: A systematic analysis for the global burden of disease 2019 study
Authors: Tian Xuebin , Chen Jingjing , Wang Xi , Xie Yiwen , Zhang Xiaodi , Han Dating , Fu Haijing , Yin Wanpeng , Wu Nanping
Published: February 2023

Background

Since the first HIV/AIDS case appeared in 1980s, HIV/AIDS has been the focus of international attention. As a major public health problem, there are epidemiological uncertainties about the future of HIV/AIDS. It is important to monitor the global statistics of HIV/AIDS prevalence, deaths, disability adjusted life years (DALYs), and risk factors for adequate prevention and control.

Methods

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database was used to analyze the burden of HIV/AIDS in 1990–2019. By extracting global, regional, and national data on HIV/AIDS prevalence, deaths, and DALYs, we described the distribution by age and sex, explored the risk factors, and analyzed the trends in HIV/AIDS.

Results

In 2019, there were 36.85 million HIV/AIDS cases (95% UI: 35.15–38.86 million), 863.84 thousand deaths (95% UI: 78.61–99.60 thousand), and 47.63 million (95% UI: 42.63–55.65 million) DALYs. The global age-standardized HIV/AIDS prevalence, death, and DALY rates were 454.32 (95% UI: 433.76–478.59), 10.72 (95% UI: 9.70–12.39), and 601.49 (95% UI: 536.16–703.92) per 100,000 cases, respectively. In 2019, the global age-standardized HIV/AIDS prevalence, death, and DALY rates increased by 307.26 (95% UI: 304.45–312.63), 4.34 (95% UI: 3.78–4.90), and 221.91 (95% UI: 204.36–239.47) per 100,000 cases, respectively, compared to 1990. Age-standardized prevalence, death, and DALY rates decreased in high sociodemographic index (SDI) areas. High age-standardized rates were observed in low sociodemographic index areas, while low age-standardized rates were observed in high sociodemographic index areas. In 2019, the high age-standardized prevalence, death, and DALY rates were predominant in Southern Sub-Saharan Africa, and global DALYs peaked in 2004 and subsequently decreased. The highest global HIV/AIDS DALYs were in the 40–44 age group. The main risk factors affecting HIV/AIDS DALY rates included behavioral risks, drug use, partner violence, and unsafe sex.

Conclusions

HIV/AIDS disease burden and risk factors vary by region, sex, and age. As access to health care increases across countries and treatment for HIV/AIDS infection improves, the HIV/AIDS disease burden is concentrated in areas with low SDIs, particularly in South Africa. Regional differences should be fully considered to target optimal prevention strategies and treatment options based on risk factors.
Adult first-generation immigrants and cardiovascular risk factors in the Veneto Region, Northeast Italy
Authors: Dalla Zuanna Teresa , Batzella Erich , Pitter Gisella , Russo Francesca , Spadea Teresa , Canova Cristina
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The health condition of immigrants traditionally follows a transition from a low disease occurrence to the epidemiological profile of the deprived groups in the host country. In the Europe, studies examining differences in biochemical and clinical outcomes among immigrants and natives are lacking. We examined differences in cardiovascular risk factors between first-generation immigrants and Italians, and how migration pattern variables could affect health outcomes.

Material and methods

We included participants between 20 and 69 years recruited from a Health Surveillance Program of the Veneto Region. Blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol levels were measured. Immigrant status was defined by being born in a high migratory pressure country (HMPC) and subdivided by geographical macro-areas. We used generalized linear regression models to investigate differences between these outcomes among immigrants compared to native-born, adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, food consumption, salt consumption in the BP analysis and the laboratory in charge for cholesterol analysis. Within immigrant subjects, the results were stratified by variables of the migration pattern: age at immigration and length of residence in Italy.

Results

Thirty seven thousand three hundred and eighty subjects were included in the analysis, 8.6% were born in an HMPC. Heterogeneous results were seen by the macro-areas of origin and sex, with male immigrants from CE Europe (β = 8.77 mg/dl) and Asia (β = 6.56 mg/dl) showing higher levels of TC than native-born, while female immigrants from Northern Africa showed lower levels of TC (β = −8.64 mg/dl). BP levels were generally lower among immigrants. Immigrants residing in Italy for more than 20 years had lower levels of TC (β = −2.9 mg/dl) than native-born. In contrast, immigrants who arrived <20 years ago or arrived older than 18 years had higher levels of TC. This trend was confirmed for CE Europeans and was inverted for Northern Africans.

Conclusions

The large heterogeneity in the results depending on sex and macro-area of origin indicates the need for targeted intervention in each specific immigrant group. The results confirm that acculturation leads to a convergence toward the epidemiological profile of the host population that depends on the starting condition of the immigrant group.
Malaria knowledge, attitude, and practice among communities involved in a seasonal malaria chemoprevention study in Nanyumbu and Masasi districts, Tanzania
Authors: Ngasala Billy , Mwaiswelo Richard O. , Chacky Frank , Molteni Fabrizio , Mohamed Ally , Lazaro Samwel , Samuel Bushukatale , Mmbando Bruno P.
Published: February 2023

Background

Utilization of malaria interventions is influenced by, among other things, the level of knowledge and attitude that the community has toward the infection as well as the available interventions. This study assessed malaria knowledge, attitudes, and practices on malaria infection and interventions in Masasi and Nanyumbu districts, Tanzania.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and September 2020, among the heads of households having at least one under-five child. Information on knowledge, attitudes, and practices on malaria infection and interventions was gathered from the heads of the households using a structured questionnaire. The knowledge level was classified into low, moderate, and high. Attitudes were classified into positive and negative, whereas the practices were classified into good and poor. Children aged between 3 and 59 months were screened for malaria infection using a malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT). The proportion of the households' heads with high level of knowledge was the primary outcome. Proportions were compared using Chi-square or fisher's test, and logistic regression analysis was used as appropriate.

Results

A total of 1,556 household heads were interviewed, 1,167 (75.00%) were male, and according to marital status, 1,067 (68.57%) were couples. All the household heads had some knowledge of malaria, but 47.33% (736/1,555) and 13.83% (215/1,555) of them had moderate and high knowledge, respectively. The level of knowledge on malaria was significantly influenced by gender [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.72, 95.00% confidence interval (CI) = 0.56–0.94, p = 0.017], level of education (aOR = 1.50, 95.00% CI = 1.04–2.16, p = 0.03), and the occupation of the household head (aOR = 1.90, 95.00% CI = 1.22–2.96, p = 0.004). Majority of the households [83.87% (1,305/1,556)] had bed nets hanging on the sleeping spaces. Of the household heads possessing bed nets, 85.10% (514/604), 79.62% (586/736), and 95.35% (205/215) of them had a low, moderate, and high level of knowledge on malaria infection, respectively (trend x2 = 31.53, p < 0.001). The majority [95.04% (1,474/1,551)] of the household heads perceived sleeping under the bed net to be beneficial. Furthermore, 15.56% (94/604), 14.67% (108/736), and 7.44% (16/215) of the household heads with low, moderate, and high knowledge, respectively, had children with malaria infection (trend x2 = 9.172, p = 0.01).

Conclusion

The study population had a good level of knowledge about malaria infection, and a good attitude toward malaria interventions, and the majority of them were using bed nets.
Engaging men in gender transformative work in institutions of higher learning: A case of the men's hub at Makerere University
Authors: Kikooma Julius , Kyomuhendo Grace Bantebya , Muhanguzi Florence Kyoheirwe , Babalanda Stanley
Published: February 2023

It was noted that globally, sexual harassment (SH), abuse, and exploitation in higher education institutions (HEIs) remain a problem. In Uganda, it regularly made headlines in the media. Yet, it was only after high-profile cases were reported in the media that a spotlight was put on the problem. Moreover, despite there being policies on sexual harassment, changes in reporting processes, and a roster for the swift investigation of sexual harassment cases, sexual harassment persisted in the respective units of Makerere University. The study reported here was based on a project code-named “Whole University Approach: Kicking Sexual Harassment out of Higher Education Institutions in Uganda” (hereafter referred to as the KISH Project). It was action research intended to move beyond feminizing SH interventions and draw in all the key stakeholders with respectively tailored interventions that were need-based. The project applied multiple interventions targeting different stakeholders (including students, academic and support staff, and administrators) to address gaps, prevention, and support for the survivors of SH in HEIs. One of the project components is a “men's hub,” which is aimed at providing space for both male staff and male students to hold dialogs on positive masculinity and call them to act as agents of change in a bid to address sexual harassment within higher education institutions (HEIs). As a platform that brings men together to discuss the issues of sexual harassment, the sessions at the men's hub enhanced their confidence and ability to prevent and respond to sexual harassment as well as their knowledge about the issues of masculinity and how they relate to sexual harassment. It was found to be an empowering platform with opportunities for awareness creation and the potential for amplifying the role of men in influencing change by speaking up and acting on their masculinity to address sexual harassment.