bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical profile, antimicrobial activity, and leaf anatomy of Adenophyllum porophyllum var. cancellatum
Authors: Aguilar-Rodríguez Silvia , López-Villafranco Ma. Edith , Jácquez-Ríos María Patricia , Hernández-Delgado Claudia Tzasna , Mata-Pimentel María Fernanda , Estrella-Parra Edgar Antonio , Espinosa-González Adriana Montserrat , Nolasco-Ontiveros Erick , Avila-Acevedo José Guillermo , García-Bores Ana María
Published: October 2022

Adenophyllum porophyllum var. cancellatum, known as “árnica del monte” in Mexico, is an aromatic annual plant belonging to the Asteraceae family that grows from southern Arizona to central Mexico. The aerial parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine to treat skin diseases such as irritations, infections, and wounds. In this study, the essential oil of this plant was characterized, and its antimicrobial activity was evaluated. This species has large glands in its leaves; therefore, for quality control purposes, an anatomical study of the leaves was performed. The essential oil was isolated from the aerial parts of the plant through hydro-distillation and analyzed using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system. Its anti-yeast activity was evaluated against three Candida species and ten bacterial strains using the disk diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using broth microdilution. Anatomical study was performed on the middle part of the leaf. A yield of 0.5% of the essential oil was obtained from the herb, and Eighteen compounds in the essential oil were identified, within them trans pinocamphone (29.5%), limonene (24.7%), pinocarvone (21.8%), and cis pinocamphone (8.0%) were the main components. The inhibition zones were between 10 mm and 20 mm, and the MIC and MFC against the three Candida species ranged from 60 to 500 μg/ml. The leaf anatomy showed anisocytic stomata, simple and glandular trichomes of different types, and large and elliptical-shaped lysigenous glands, which can be used for taxonomic identification. The A. porophyllum var. cancellatum essential oil can serve as an alternative source of natural antimicrobial agents as an affordable approach to control infectious diseases. This is the first study that reports the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil, as well as the leaf anatomy of this species.
Exploratory study of sea buckthorn enhancing QiangGuYin efficacy by inhibiting CKIP-1 and Notum activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and analysis of active ingredients by molecular docking
Authors: Yuan Yi-Feng , Wang Shen , Zhou Hang , Tang Bin-Bin , Liu Yang , Huang Hai , He Cai-Jian , Chen Tian-Peng , Fang Mou-Hao , Liang Bo-Cheng , Mao Ying-De-Long , Qie Feng-Qin , Liu Kang , Shi Xiao-Lin
Published: October 2022

Background: Sea buckthorn (SBT) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins, which can potentially prevent and treat osteoporosis. However, no research has been conducted to confirm these hypotheses. QiangGuYin (QGY) is a TCM compound used to treat osteoporosis. There is a need to investigate whether SBT enhances QGY efficacy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore whether SBT enhances QGY efficacy by inhibiting CKIP-1 and Notum expression through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The study also aimed to explore the active components of SBT.

Methods: Experimental animals were divided into control, model, QGY, SBT, SBT + Eucommia ulmoides (EU), and SBT + QGY groups. After treatment, bone morphometric parameters, such as estrogen, PINP, and S-CTX levels, and Notum, CKIP-1, and β-catenin expression were examined. Screening of SBT active components was conducted by molecular docking to obtain small molecules that bind Notum and CKIP-1.

Results: The results showed that all the drug groups could elevate the estrogen, PINP, and S-CTX levels, improve femoral bone morphometric parameters, inhibit Notum and CKIP-1 expression, and promote β-catenin expression. The effect of SBT + EU and SBT + QGY was superior to the others. Molecular docking identified that SBT contains seven small molecules (folic acid, rhein, quercetin, kaempferol, mandenol, isorhamnetin, and ent-epicatechin) with potential effects on CKIP-1 and Notum.

Conclusion: SBT improves bone morphometric performance in PMOP rats by inhibiting CKIP-1 and Notum expression, increasing estrogen levels, and activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, SBT enhances the properties of QGY. Folic acid, rhein, quercetin, kaempferol, mandenol, isorhamnetin, and ent-epicatechin are the most likely active ingredients of SBT. These results provide insight into the pharmacological mechanisms of SBT in treating osteoporosis.
NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Wan Jiayi , Liu Dongwei , Pan Shaokang , Zhou Sijie , Liu Zhangsuo
Published: October 2022

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the main cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), which is characterized by a series of abnormal changes such as glomerulosclerosis, podocyte loss, renal tubular atrophy and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Simultaneously, the occurrence of inflammatory reaction can promote the aggravation of DN-induced kidney injury. The most important processes in the canonical inflammasome pathway are inflammasome activation and membrane pore formation mediated by gasdermin family. Converging studies shows that pyroptosis can occur in renal intrinsic cells and participate in the development of DN, and its activation mechanism involves a variety of signaling pathways. Meanwhile, the activation of the NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome can not only lead to the occurrence of inflammatory response, but also induce pyroptosis. In addition, a number of drugs targeting pyroptosis-associated proteins have been shown to have potential for treating DN. Consequently, the pathogenesis of pyroptosis and several possible activation pathways of NLRP3 inflammasome were reviewed, and the potential drugs used to treat pyroptosis in DN were summarized in this review. Although relevant studies are still not thorough and comprehensive, these findings still have certain reference value for the understanding, treatment and prognosis of DN.
Automatic detection of sow posture and estrus based on convolutional neural network
Authors: Xue Hongxiang , Chen Jinxin , Ding Qi’an , Sun Yuwen , Shen Mingxia , Liu Longshen , Chen Xudong , Zhou Junyi
Published: October 2022

Estrus detection is an essential operation in the breeding of sows, and accurate estrus detection is immensely important to maintain the productivity and reproductive performance of sow. However, traditional sow estrus detection relies on the manually back-pressure test, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. This study aimed to develop an automatic method to detect estrus. In this study, a model based on the optimized yolov5s algorithm was constructed to detect the four sow postures of standing, sitting, sternum, lateral, and calculated the frequency of posture change in sows. Based on this, we studied the behavior of sows before and after estrus. The method embedded a convolutional block attention module into the backbone network to improve the feature extraction capability of the model. In addition, the object box judgment module was used to avoid interference from other sows in the detection region. Accelerate the optimized model on the TensorRT platform, ensuring that the embedded graphics card can run the model with lower latency. The result shows that the precision of estrus detection is 97.1%, and the accuracy of estrus detection is 94.1%. The processing time of a single image on the embedded graphics card is 74.4 ms, and this method could better meet the estrus detection demand in sow production.
Effects of hanger reflex on the cervical muscular activation and function: A surface electromyography assessment
Authors: Wang Dian , Liu Baoge
Published: October 2022

Introduction: Cervical muscular dysfunction is closely associated with disorders and neuromuscular diseases of the cervical spine, and the hanger reflex (HR) has the potential to become a rehabilitation method. The muscular electrophysiology mechanism of HR is unclear. This study aims to identify the impacts of HR on cervical rotators’ myoelectrical activity and function.

Methods: We designed a self-control clinical trial, and asymptomatic volunteers were continuously included from 1 September 2021 to 30 April 2022 in our department. Rotation tasks were performed on both sides under each of the situations: no HR, unilateral HR, and bilateral HR. Surface electromyography (SEMG) was used to detect the myoelectrical activity of agonistic splenius capitis (SPL), upper trapezius (UTr), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM). The co-contraction ratio (CCR) during rotation tasks was calculated. Correlation analyses and multiple linear regression were performed.

Results: Finally, 90 subjects were enrolled (power >90%). The adjusted EMG value (aEMG) of SPL UTr, SCM, and rotating CCR under the unilateral HR and bilateral HR were higher than no HR; the aEMG of SPL and rotating CCR under the bilateral HR were higher than the unilateral HR. Multiple linear regression showed that HR pattern and age were the independent affecting factors for the aEMG of SPL (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), UTr (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), and SCM (p < 0.001, p < 0.001); BMI was an independent affecting factor for the aEMG of SPL (p < 0.001) and SCM (p < 0.001); HR pattern was the only affecting factor for CCR (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: HR can increase the cervical rotators’ myoelectrical activities and rotating CCR, and the effects of bilateral HR are greater than unilateral HR, suggesting that bilateral HR has a greater clinical potential to become a rehabilitation method for treating cervical neuromuscular disorders.
The relationship between serum lipid levels and colorectal serrated lesions: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Xuerui , Zou Yangbin , Zhang Ruxuan , Teng Chunyan , Ren Xuejiao , Zhang Haishan , Zhou Liting
Published: October 2022

Objective: To clarify the relationship between colorectal serrated lesions and serum lipid levels, and provide a scientific basis for the identification and early clinical prevention and treatment of populations that are at risk for colorectal serrated lesions.

Methods: Studies comparing serum lipid levels in patients with colorectal serrated lesions and controls were searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Literature Database, CNKI, Wanfang Database, and VIP Database. Relevant literature was screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean and standard deviation of the serum lipid levels in patients and controls were extracted from the included literature. The combined weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Review Manager 5.0 software to evaluate the relationship between serum lipid levels and colorectal serrated lesions. Publication bias of the included studies was evaluated by the Egger test.

Results: Twenty-three studies were included, comprising 2,063 patients and 63,909 controls. The serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in the case group was significantly lower than in the control group (WMD = −0.122 mmol/L, 95% CI: 0.170–0.073). Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and serum triglyceride levels in the case group were significantly higher than in the control group, and the WMDs were 0.180 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.061–0.299), 0.155 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.038–0.273), and 0.241 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.181–0.302), respectively.

Conclusion: Colorectal serrated lesions may be related to blood lipid levels. Hyperlipidemia might be a risk factor for colorectal serrated lesions.
Insights into transcription factors controlling strawberry fruit development and ripening
Authors: Sánchez-Gómez Carlos , Posé David , Martín-Pizarro Carmen
Published: October 2022

Fruit ripening is a highly regulated and complex process involving a series of physiological and biochemical changes aiming to maximize fruit organoleptic traits to attract herbivores, maximizing therefore seed dispersal. Furthermore, this process is of key importance for fruit quality and therefore consumer acceptance. In fleshy fruits, ripening involves an alteration in color, in the content of sugars, organic acids and secondary metabolites, such as volatile compounds, which influence flavor and aroma, and the remodeling of cell walls, resulting in the softening of the fruit. The mechanisms underlying these processes rely on the action of phytohormones, transcription factors and epigenetic modifications. Strawberry fruit is considered a model of non-climacteric species, as its ripening is mainly controlled by abscisic acid. Besides the role of phytohormones in the regulation of strawberry fruit ripening, a number of transcription factors have been identified as important regulators of these processes to date. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on the role of transcription factors in the regulation of strawberry fruit ripening, as well as in compiling candidate regulators that might play an important role but that have not been functionally studied to date.
Role of pepper MYB transcription factor CaDIM1 in regulation of the drought response
Authors: Lim Junsub , Lim Chae Woo , Lee Sung Chul
Published: October 2022

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a major phytohormone that plays important roles in stress responses, including regulation of gene expression and stomatal closure. Regulation of gene expression by transcription factors is a key cellular process for initiating defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, using pepper (Capsicum annuum) leaves, we identified the MYB transcription factor CaDIM1 (Capsicum annuum Drought Induced MYB 1), which was highly induced by ABA and drought stress. CaDIM1 has an MYB domain in the N-terminal region and an acidic domain in the C-terminal region, which are responsible for recognition and transactivation of the target gene, respectively. Compared to control plants, CaDIM1-silenced pepper plants displayed ABA-insensitive and drought-sensitive phenotypes with reduced expression of stress-responsive genes. On the other hand, overexpression of CaDIM1 in Arabidopsis exhibited the opposite phenotypes of CaDIM1-silenced pepper plants, accompanied by enhanced ABA sensitivity and drought tolerance. Taken together, we demonstrate that CaDIM1 functions as a positive regulator of the drought-stress response via modulating ABA-mediated gene expression.
Nitrogen optimization coupled with alternate wetting and drying practice enhances rhizospheric nitrifier and denitrifier abundance and rice productivity
Authors: Abid Abbas Ali , Zhang Qichun , Adil Muhammad Faheem , Batool Itrat , Abbas Muhammad , Hassan Zeshan , Khan Azhar Abbas , Castellano-Hinojosa Antonio , Zaidi Syed Hassan Raza , Di Hongjie , Abdeslsalam Nader R.
Published: October 2022

Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilization without sacrificing grain yield is a major concern of rice production system because most of the applied N has been depleted from the soil and creating environmental consequences. Hence, limited information is available about nutrient management (NM) performance at a specific site under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation compared to conventional permanent flooding (PF). We aimed to inquire about the performance of NM practices compared to the farmer’s fertilizer practice (FFP) under PF and AWD on rhizospheric nitrifier and denitrifier abundance, rice yield, plant growth, and photosynthetic parameters. Two improved NM practices; nutrient management by pig manure (NMPM); 40% chemical N replaced by pig manure (organic N), and nutrient management by organic slow-release fertilizer (NMSR); 40% chemical N replaced by organic slow-release N were compared. The results showed an increased total grain yield (16.06%) during AWD compared to PF. Compared to conventional FFP, NMPM, and NMSR significantly increased the yields by 53.84 and 29.67%, respectively, during AWD. Meanwhile, PF prompted a yield increase of 45.07 and 28.75% for NMPM and NMSR, respectively, (p < 0.05) compared to FFP. Besides, a significant correlation was observed between grain yield and nitrogen content during AWD (R2 = 0.58, p < 0.01), but no significant correlation was observed during PF. The NMPM contributed to photosynthetic attributes and the relative chlorophyll content under both watering events. Moreover, relatively higher abundances of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) were observed during AWD, and the highest value was found after the late panicle stage. Our results suggest that the AWD–NMPM model is the best option to stimulate nitrifier and denitrifier gene abundance and promote rice production.
Study on phytotoxicity evaluation and physiological properties of nicosulfuron on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)
Authors: Wang Longfeng , Riaz Muhammad , Song Baiquan , Song Xin , Huang Wengong , Bai Xiaoshan , Zhao Xiaoyu
Published: October 2022

Nicosulfuron is an herbicide widely used in corn fields. In northeast China, sugar beet is often planted adjacent to corn, resulting in frequent phytotoxicity of nicosulfuron drift in sugar beet fields. This study was conducted by spraying nicosulfuron to assess the phytotoxicity and clarify the mechanism of nicosulfuron toxicity on sugar beet. The results showed that nicosulfuron impaired growth and development by reducing photosynthetic capacity and disrupting antioxidant systems at a lethal dose of 81.83 g a.i. ha–1. Nicosulfuron damaged the function of photosynthetic system II (PSII), lowered photosynthetic pigment content, and inhibited photosynthetic efficiency. Compared with the control, the electron transfer of PSII was blocked. The ability of PSII reaction centers to capture and utilize light energy was reduced, resulting in a weakened photosynthetic capacity. The maximum net photosynthetic rate (Amax), light saturation point (LSP), and apparent quantum yield (AQY) decreased gradually as the nicosulfuron dose increased, whereas the light compensation point (LCP) and dark respiration (Rd) increased. Nicosulfuron led to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in sugar beet leaf, a significant rise in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, electrolytic leakage (EL), and considerable oxidative damage to the antioxidant system. This study is beneficial for elucidating the effects of nicosulfuron toxicity on sugar beet, in terms of phytotoxicity, photosynthetic physiology, and antioxidative defense system.
Does environmental uncertainty of enterprises aggravate the accrual anomaly in the stock market? Evidence from China
Authors: Hu Shuya , Wang Shengnian
Published: October 2022

Enterprises do not exist independently of the external environment, so uncertainty affects their earnings volatility and exacerbates the information asymmetry between internal and external stakeholders. As a major manifestation of capital market mispricing, the accrual anomaly is caused by investors’ functional fixation on total surplus under information asymmetry. Against this backdrop, taking A-share listed companies in China from 2007 to 2019 as our research objects, this study explores the impact of environmental uncertainty on the accrual anomaly based on the information asymmetry and investor irrationality perspective. We find that environmental uncertainty enterprises facing exacerbates the accrual anomaly in the Chinese stock market, and internal control quality, state ownership and the media coverage will affect this impact. Furthermore, this study shows that there are three factors playing the mediating role in the effect, accounting information quality, investment growth and the investor attention. The results show that environmental uncertainty exacerbates the accrual anomaly driven by information manipulation, empire building and investor irrationality. Improving investor irrationality behavior and restraining the self-interest behavior of managers can help alleviate the mispricing of accruals caused by information asymmetry in psychology.
Pro-environmental behavior–Renewable energy transitions nexus: Exploring the role of higher education and information and communications technology diffusion
Authors: Deshuai Ma , Hui Li , Ullah Sana
Published: October 2022

The most accepted solution to deal with the problems of global warming and climate change is to transform the energy sector by moving toward renewable energy. Therefore, the primary focus of the analysis is to examine the role of renewable energy consumption, higher education, and ICT in improving environmental quality and green growth in China. We have employed the quantile ARDL model to obtain the short-and long-run estimates. According to the findings of QARDL, the long-run estimated coefficients of renewable energy consumption and higher education are positively significant in most quantiles. However, in the long run, the estimates attached to ICT are insignificant in the CO2 emissions model in most quantiles. On the other hand, the estimates of renewable energy consumption are significantly positive from the 50th quantile and onward in the green growth model, confirming that the higher the renewable energy in the economy, closer it will get to the target of green economic growth. The long-run estimates of higher education and ICT are positively significant at most quantiles in the green growth model. In the short run, renewable energy consumption turned out to be the most critical determinant of CO2 emissions and green growth.
Customer's Channel Selection Behavior on Purchasing Standardized and Customized Products: Optimized Prices and Channel Performances
Authors: Du Bisheng , Li Zhenfang , Yuan Jia , Zheng Jingyi , Shu Wenwen , Jin Yao
Published: October 2022

Nowadays, the traditional production is unable to meet the new diverse needs of target customers. In the current customization era, more and more companies are required by customers to provide more desirable customized products. However, research on customization and standardization based on quantitative analysis has drawn little attention in the literature of dual channel supply chain. In this paper, we study the effect of adopting a dual channel supply chain on the performance of a two-level system (manufacturer-retailer) by using a novelty quantitative approach. We try to analyze the system to get optimal prices and maximize profits, where manufactures offer both standardized and customized products via their traditional and customized channels, respectively. We build a Stackelberg game mode to construct a centralized and a decentralized dual channel scenarios. Furthermore, we study the effects of the different channel structures on price, degree of customization, degree of standardization, and supply chain profitability. We also analyze the effects of both standardized and customized demand sensitivities on their prices and profits. Eventually, we introduce a cost-sharing coordinating contract to optimize the channel's performance. We find that the potential market demand for customization affects the price of customized products and the profits of customized channels. Compared with the decentralized dual channel case, the cost-sharing contract can achieve higher total channel profits. In the cost-coordination case, there is an optimal range for the proportion of standardized costs borne by manufacturers.
Descriptive peer drinking norms and binge drinking: Enhancement motives as a mediator and alcohol resistance self-efficacy as a moderator
Authors: Chen Jianyong , Li Yuzhi , Zhang Yaping , Feng Ju , Jia Liang
Published: October 2022

The association between descriptive norms regarding peer drinking and college students’ binge drinking has been established; however, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship among first-and second-year college students remain minimally explored. Drawing on social norms theory, motivational model of alcohol use, and the theory of normative social behavior, the current study investigated whether enhancement drinking motives mediated the relationship between descriptive norms regarding peer drinking and college students’ binge drinking, and whether this relationship was moderated by alcohol resistance self-efficacy. Five hundred and nineteen first-and second-year college students (Mage = 19.19 years, SD = 0.98) who were from four universities and had at least one time of heavy episodic drinking during the last year completed self-report questionnaires. After controlling for sex, age, and university variable, stronger descriptive norms regarding peer drinking were positively associated with a greater frequency of binge drinking. Enhancement drinking motives partially mediated the effects of descriptive peer drinking norms on binge drinking. Furthermore, alcohol resistance self-efficacy moderated the direct effects of descriptive peer drinking norms on binge drinking. Compared with college students who reported high alcohol resistance self-efficacy, the direct effects of descriptive peer drinking norms on binge drinking were stronger among students with low alcohol resistance self-efficacy. These findings point to the potential value of alcohol intervention approaches including efforts to help first-and second-year college students change enhancement drinking motives and increase their ability of resisting drinks in the context of pervasive peer drinking.
“Be rational!” Epistemic aims and socio-cognitive tension in argumentation about dietary choices
Authors: Brocos Pablo , Jiménez-Aleixandre María Pilar , Baker Michael J.
Published: October 2022

Argumentation is a social practice that can lead to epistemic outcomes, that is, to the construction of knowledge. Recent research in collaborative learning has pointed out the significance of affective and motivational aspects, as well as the influence of socio-relational concerns, which have been found to frequently take priority over epistemic ones. Our research objective is to investigate how the epistemic and socio-relational dimensions of students' argumentative interactions are intertwined. We apply discourse analysis to examine the interactions in a small group of four 11th-graders evaluating the nutritional acceptability of omnivorous and vegetarian diets. The epistemic dimension is analyzed in terms of the aims pursued by the participants and the epistemic outcomes achieved. The socio-relational dimension is analyzed in terms of fluctuations of interpersonal tensions and their relaxations. The results show a convergence of participants' epistemic aims and the epistemic statuses of the options. Most of the epistemic outcomes are produced in sequences in which socio-cognitive tension arises and then relaxes. Enduring high socio-cognitive tension and overcoming conflict seem to have encouraged the adoption of epistemic aims. Moreover, our findings suggest that driven by epistemic aims in high socio-cognitive tensed contexts, students can refine the conditions by which they engage in argumentation. These results call for further investigating on what constitutes an appropriate or productive level of interpersonal tension for learning. Educational implications are related to the design of argumentative learning environments promoting epistemic aims and outcomes through the encouragement of suitable socio-cognitive climates leading to them.
Counterintuitive consequences of COVID-19 on healthcare workers: A meta-analysis of the relationship between work engagement and job satisfaction
Authors: Yildiz Bora , Yildiz Tayfun , Ozbilgin Mustafa , Yildiz Harun
Published: October 2022

Background

Studies conducted in the health sector have determined a positive relationship between job satisfaction and work engagement. However, this paper reveals that this relationship turns into a negative or non-significant relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic. We explore the reasons for inconsistency in research findings in this critical period through a meta-analysis.

Methods

This study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and PICO framework. Online databases including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and additional records from other databases were searched without any time limitation, and all studies published in English that reported the correlation between work engagement and job satisfaction were included in the analysis. In total, 36 individual correlation coefficients were synthesized. R statistical language was used to analyze the data.

Result

A total of 36 studies with a sample size of 16,087 were synthesized. The overall effect size was found as r = 0.57 (95% CI [0.50–0.64]). While the moderating effect of national culture was not statistically significant, presence of COVID-19 as the significant moderator explained 37.08% of effect size heterogeneity. Such that the presence of COVID-19 has transformed the positive relationship between work engagement and job satisfaction into a negative but statistically non-significant relationship.

Conclusion

This study empirically challenges the existing assumptions about the positive link between work engagement and job satisfaction. The results of the research can be a guide for managers and policymakers. Specifically, based on these results, different mechanisms can be put in place to support work engagement and, in turn, job satisfaction in the COVID-19 process.
Psychological and behavioral characterization of suicide ideators and suicide attempters in adolescence
Authors: Coci Chiara , Invernizzi Roberta , Capone Luca , Casini Erica , Orlandi Marika , Galli Paola , Rossi Ilaria , Martinelli Ottaviano , Borgatti Renato , Mensi Martina Maria ,   the Northern Italian Suicidality Research Group
Published: October 2022

Suicide is a global cause of death, a chronic disability, and a significant public health problem. Recent works emphasize the importance of differentiating people with suicide ideation (SI) and people with suicidal attempts (SA), so we conducted a clinical cross-sectional study to better characterize the features most associated with SA. We enrolled 88 adolescents (77 females) from 12 to 18 years of age (M = 15.21, SD = 1.63) admitted to Northern Italian Child Neurology and Psychiatry Service who presented SI and/or SA. We conducted an assessment using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, and divided participants into two groups: adolescents with SA, and adolescents with thoughts about killing themselves which may include a plan but no suicidal attempts (SI). We found that the SA group showed greater severity of SI [t(86) = −3.485, p < 0.001], higher levels of subjective depression [t(70) = −2.65, p = 0.01)], and a higher prevalence of personality disorders [χ(3)2 = 8.775, p = 0.032] than the SI group. Both groups presented a prevalence of internalizing problems compared to the externalizing ones in the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Higher scores on YSR internalizing problems correlate positively with the “Repulsion by Life” subscale of the Multi-Attitude Suicide Tendency (MAST) Scale in both SA and SI groups (p = 0.41 and p = 0.67, respectively), while low levels of the MAST “Attraction to Life” subscale appear more often in the SA one (p = −0.71). In conclusion, results showed that some features (e.g., prevalence of personality disorders, SI intensity, and subjective depression) might help clinicians distinguish between patients with SI and those with SA and support the importance of carefully pursuing this distinction in research.
The mental health status of offshore oil platform workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Baygi Fereshteh , Mohammadian Khonsari Nami , Seif Ehsan , Asayesh Hamid , Qorbani Mostafa
Published: October 2022

Background

Previous studies indicated that offshore workers have a high level of work-related stress on an everyday basis. This study aims to assess the prevalence and determinants of mental health conditions in offshore oil platform workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Workers of three oil and gas platforms were assessed in this cross-sectional study. Their mental status was evaluated by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD-8) questionnaire, and Depression Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) questionnaires. Furthermore, we assessed satisfaction with life (SWL) with a single question. Finally, multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association of demographic and work-related variables with mental health outcomes.

Results

Overall, 278 (Males:197, Females: 81) out of 315 invited workers with a mean age of 35.6 (SD: 7.2) years were included in this study using a random sampling method (participation rate: 88.2%). PTSD symptoms and Insomnia were observed in 9 (3.2%) and 138 (49.6%) of the participants, respectively. The prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were 72 (25.9%), 70 (24.6%), and 85 (30.5%), respectively. Based on multivariable (adjusted) logistic regression analysis, women had significantly higher odds of stress and anxiety than men; those with an academic education were significantly more dissatisfied with their lives than those without an academic education.

Conclusion

Our findings revealed a high prevalence of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and stress among offshore oil platformers during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in women. Indicating that women and those with a higher education level in the oil platform work settings are more susceptible to stressors.
Explanatory hypotheses of the ecology of new clinical presentations of Dissociative Identity Disorders in youth
Authors: Gauld Christophe , Espi Pauline , Revol Olivier , Fourneret Pierre
Published: October 2022

Dissociative Identity Disorders (DIDs) are controversial psychiatric conditions encountered in clinical practice and nosology. DID as described in the international classifications has little similarity with the clinical picture of “DID” met in current youth psychiatry. From this Perspective, we hypothesize that this current clinical presentation does not satisfy the categorical criteria of the international classifications. Based on the two terminological challenges related to the definition of DID (i.e., the notion of dissociative disorders and the different meanings of the term identity), we propose to differentiate two distinct entities from each other. The first is medical and listed in diagnostic criteria of international classifications; the second comes from popular culture and refers to the vast majority of clinical presentations received in daily clinical practice—presented under the term Dissociative Identity Conditions (DIC). Since the status of DIC is a hot topic in current clinical psychiatry, we aim to identify eight possible explanations that can be provided to support its occurrence: (1) impact of iatrogenicity; (2) factors of suggestibility and desire for social acceptability; (3) psychoanalytic explanations; (4) neuropsychological explanations; (5) socio-cognitive explanations; (6) emotional labeling; (7) narrative explanations; (8) and transient illnesses explanations. In conclusion, we sustain that DIC results from a narrative interpretation of medical discourse by popular culture, developing in patients presenting undeniable distress. Such a transient disease fits in an ecological niche, which echoes the values of society, persisting under the action of a need for narrative continuity of the self.
Exploring the contextual factors, behaviour change techniques, barriers and facilitators of interventions to improve oral health in people with severe mental illness: A qualitative study
Authors: Mishu Masuma Pervin , Faisal Mehreen Riaz , Macnamara Alexandra , Sabbah Wael , Peckham Emily , Newbronner Liz , Gilbody Simon , Gega Lina
Published: October 2022

People with severe mental illness (SMI) have significantly poorer oral health compared to people without SMI and interventions targetted to improve oral health in this population failed to show any long-term improvement. Interventions are influenced by many contextual factors ranging from individual to systems level. This study aimed to understand the contextual factors, behaviour change techniques of the available oral health interventions and explore the barriers to and facilitators for engagement with these interventions from the perspectives of people with SMI (service users) and related service providers. Intervention details were extracted from 12 intervention studies identified from a previous systematic review using the template for intervention description and replication checklist (TIDieR) and behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were coded using the behaviour change technique taxonomy v1. Sixteen individual BCTs were identified and out of which “4.1 instructions on how to perform the behaviour” (n = 9) and “6.1 demonstration of behaviour” (n = 6) were most frequently used BCTs. Video vignettes prepared from the different intervention components identified from existing studies were shown to service users and service providers in dyadic or one-to-one interview format to elicit their views on barriers and facilitators for engagement with the intervention components. Interviews were analysed using Framework analysis and were guided by theoretical domains framework (TDF); and capability, opportunity and motivation (COM-B) model of behaviour change. Main facilitators identified to increase capability, opportunity and motivation of service users were the involvement of carers/care coordinators and integration of dental and mental health care, provision of oral health/hygiene information/products at an appropriate level and provision of tailored support according to individual needs and preferences. Barriers identified were related to lack of communication skills of the service providers, provision of coordinated care, lack of support in visiting a dentist and navigating the payment system and long follow up times. Appropriate training was considered as a facilitator, and staff turnovers and workload were considered as main barriers by the service providers. The findings suggest that comprehensive interventions that target barriers and enhance facilitators from individual to systems level are needed to improve oral health outcomes of people with SMI.
Variations of cannabis-related adverse mental health and addiction outcomes across adolescence and adulthood: A scoping review
Authors: Kaur Navdeep , Bastien Gabriel , Gagnon Lea , Graham Johann , Mongeau-Pérusse Violaine , Bakouni Hamzah , Morissette Florence , Theriault Camille , Fischer Benedikt , Jutras-Aswad Didier
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Evidence supporting associations between cannabis use and many health outcomes is growing, however it remains unclear how such associations vary across the lifespan. We therefore aim to answer the following questions: (1) Are the risks of cannabis’s adverse effects on mental health and addiction-related outcomes different in adolescents than in adults? (2) What are the relationships between these cannabis’s adverse effects and (a) an individual’s age at first cannabis use, (b) age at assessment, and (c) duration of cannabis use?

Methods

We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and PsychINFO from inception to 18 October 2021. Two reviewers independently screened studies and descriptively synthesized results.

Results

We included 140 studies. Cannabis effects on mental health and addiction-related outcomes were worse in adolescents, early cannabis initiators and cannabis users who consumed for longest periods. Evidence of worse long-term adverse effects in adolescents was substantial for psychosis, cannabis, and nicotine use disorders; mixed for depression, suicidality, other substance use and disorders; and limited for anxiety. Additionally, acute cannabis exposure had the opposite trend with adults more often reporting adverse effects than adolescents.

Conclusion

The available evidence suggests that cannabis use should be delayed as late as possible in adulthood and shortened in duration across the lifespan to decrease the risk of negative outcomes, while emphasizing the need for adapted harm reduction approaches. This scoping review provides evidence on the role of age and duration of exposure as determinants of cannabis-related adverse effects, which may inform prevention and harm reduction strategies.

Systematic review registration

https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/BYG72
Spatial differences in thermal comfort in summer in coastal areas: A study on Dalian, China
Authors: Zhang Hongchi , Guo Fei , Liu Kaitong , Wang Jie , Dong Jing , Zhu Peisheng
Published: October 2022

Thermal comfort is an important indicator for evaluating the environment of urban public space, and appropriate thermal comfort can effectively prolong the duration of outdoor activities. In the existing studies, there is a lack of thermal comfort comparison between hot spots and cold spots. In this study, we selected the coastal city of Dalian in China as our study area and conducted field investigations on the thermal comfort of two landmark resorts, namely, a downtown commercial street and coastal leisure park. The study was conducted on typical summer days and consisted of interviewing several residents to understand their thermal comfort requirements. We investigated the thermal expectations of the interviewees through meteorological measurements and questionnaires. The universal thermal climate index (UTCI) was used to determine the thermal benchmarks of the on-site subjects. The results indicated that (1) globe temperature and air temperature were the most important factors that affected thermal comfort, followed by relative humidity and wind speed in summer daytime. (2) Shaded spaces are more comfortable than open spaces, and tree shade is preferred over artificial shade in coastal park. (3) The neutral UTCI (NUTCI) of the respondents were 24.1°C (coastal park) and 26.0°C (commercial street); the neutral UTCI ranges (NUTCIR) were 20.8–27.4°C (coastal park) and 23.3–28.7°C (commercial street). (4) The upper thermal acceptable range limits of the coastal park and commercial street were 30.2 and 32.1°C, respectively, which were substantially higher than the upper NUTCIR limit, indicating that the residents in Dalian were well-adapted to hot weather. The results can provide a good reference for determining ideal design strategies to optimize the thermal environment of urban outdoor recreation spaces in summers and improve the quality of life in coastal cities.
Health-related quality of life and treatment satisfaction of patients with cardiovascular disease in Ethiopia
Authors: Tito Kebron , Gebremariam Girma Tekle , Beyene Kebede , Sander Beate , Gebretekle Gebremedhin Beedemariam
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Cardiovascular disease is the most prevalent health problem associated with poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to assess HRQoL and treatment satisfaction of cardiovascular disease patients in Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults attending the outpatient cardiac clinic at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital from July to September 2021. Patients were recruited consecutively during follow-up visits. Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication and European Quality of life questionnaires were used to evaluate treatment satisfaction and HRQoL, respectively. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to compare utility weights between patient subgroups. Utility values were computed using disutility weights of the Ethiopian general population derived using a hybrid regression model. Tobit regression modeling was used to explore factors associated with poor HRQoL. Statistical significance was determined at p < 0.05.

Results

A total of 357 patients participated in the study with a mean age of 49.3 ± 17.8 years. The most frequently reported health problems were pain/discomfort (75.4%), followed by mobility (73.4%). The median (interquartile range) European Quality questionnaires five dimensions with five levels utility (EQ-5D-5L) and European Quality of life Visual Analog Scale scores were 0.84 (0.55–0.92) and 70.0 (50.0–85.0), respectively. The highest and lowest mean (standard deviation) treatment satisfaction scores were for the convenience and safety satisfaction dimensions: 87.7 (17.9) and 53.1 (33.5), respectively. Unemployment, older age, previous hospital admission, non-adherence to lifestyle modification, and presence of three or more cardiovascular disease factors were significantly negatively associated with HRQoL.

Conclusions

Overall, the study found that cardiovascular disease had a profound negative effect on HRQoL and patient treatment satisfaction. We suggest that interventions to enhance HRQoL and treatment satisfactions should focus on modifiable associated factors including lifestyle changes and controlling disease progression.
A study of interactive robot architecture through the practical implementation of conversational android
Authors: Minato Takashi , Sakai Kurima , Uchida Takahisa , Ishiguro Hiroshi
Published: October 2022

This study shows an autonomous android robot that can have a natural daily dialogue with humans. The dialogue system for daily dialogue is different from a task-oriented dialogue system in that it is not given a clear purpose or the necessary information. That is, it needs to generate an utterance in a situation where there is no clear request from humans. Therefore, to continue a dialogue with a consistent content, it is necessary to essentially change the design policy of dialogue management compared with the existing dialogue system. The purpose of our study is to constructively find out the dialogue system architecture for realizing daily dialogue through implementing an autonomous dialogue robot capable of daily natural dialogue. We defined the android’s desire necessary for daily dialogue and the dialogue management system in which the android changes its internal (mental) states in accordance to the desire and partner’s behavior and chooses a dialogue topic suitable for the current situation. The developed android could continue daily dialogue for about 10 min in the scene where the robot and partner met for the first time in the experiment. Moreover, a multimodal Turing test has shown that half of the participants had felt that the android was remotely controlled to some degree, that is, the android’s behavior was humanlike. This result suggests that the system construction method assumed in this study is an effective approach to realize daily dialogue, and the study discusses the system architecture for daily dialogue.