bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with cancer survival disparities among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples compared with other Australians: A systematic review
Authors: Dasgupta Paramita , Harris Veronica Martinez , Garvey Gail , Aitken Joanne F. , Baade Peter D.
Published: September 2022

Background

While cancer survival among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples has improved over time, they continue to experience poorer cancer survival than other Australians. Key drivers of these disparities are not well understood. This systematic review aimed to summarise existing evidence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer survival disparities and identify influential factors and potential solutions.

Methods

In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, multiple databases were systematically searched for English language peer-reviewed articles on cancer survival by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status published from 1/1/2008 to 4/05/2022. Observational studies presenting adjusted survival measures in relation to potential causal factors for disparities were included. Articles were screened independently by two authors. Included studies were critically assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools.

Results

Thirty population-based and predominantly state-level studies were included. A consistent pattern of poorer unadjusted cancer survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was evident. Studies varied widely in the covariates adjusted for including a combination of socio-demographics, cancer stage, comorbidities, and treatment. Potential contributions of these factors varied by cancer type. For lung and female breast cancer, adjusting for treatment and comorbidities reduced the survival disparity, which, while still elevated was no longer statistically significant. This pattern was also evident for cervical cancer after adjustment for stage and treatment. However, most studies for all cancers combined, or colorectal cancer, reported that unexplained survival disparities remained after adjusting for various combinations of covariates.

Conclusions

While some of the poorer survival faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer patients can be explained, substantial disparities likely to be related to Aboriginal determinants, remain. It is imperative that future research consider innovative study designs and strength-based approaches to better understand cancer survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to inform evidence-based action.
Clinical characteristics of children with MIS-C fulfilling classification criteria for macrophage activation syndrome
Authors: Buda Piotr , Strauss Ewa , Januszkiewicz-Lewandowska Danuta , Czerwinska Ewa , Ludwikowska Kamila , Szenborn Leszek , Gowin Ewelina , Okarska-Napierała Magdalena , Kuchar Ernest , Ksia̧zyk Janusz
Published: September 2022

Background

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a potentially life-threatening complication of various inflammatory disorders, including multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). MIS-C refractory to treatment should raise suspicion of MAS, which can be fatal if a definitive diagnosis is delayed. Unfortunately, there is a lack of data on MAS in children with MIS-C.

Objective

Our study aims to analyze the risk factors for the development of MAS in MIS-C, its clinical course and response to treatment, and identify predictive factors for pediatric intensive care.

Material and methods

We analyzed data from the Polish MIS-C registry of the MultiOrgan Inflammatory Syndromes COVID-19 Related Study. Patients were diagnosed according to the WHO MIS-C definition and treated according to national guidelines (Polish Pediatric Society) based on international consensus. MAS definition was based on 2016 Classification Criteria for Macrophage Activation Syndrome Complicating Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Results

Two-hundred and seventy four children met the study inclusion criteria. Fifty-nine patients fulfilled MAS classification criteria, nine of which required admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). MIS-C patients with MAS were significantly older than patients without MAS (median 11.2 vs. 8.1 years). Multivariable analysis showed that age, symptoms characteristic of atypical Kawasaki disease, and skin erosions were significant factors associated with MAS in MIS-C patients. Analysis of laboratory parameters showed that on admission, MIS-C patients with MAS had significantly lower median lymphocyte and platelet counts, albumin and sodium levels, and higher median levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin, D-dimers, triglycerides, serum creatinine, urea, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, and neutrophil count. Multivariate analysis showed that higher procalcitonin, ferritin, and fibrinogen levels at admission were predictive of MAS. Only elevated troponin level was a factor indicating a requirement of PICU hospitalization for children with MAS. MIS-C patients fulfilling MAS criteria were treated more often with intravenous immunoglobulins and steroids than children without MAS. Children with MAS more often required mechanical ventilation. None of the patients required biological agents.

Conclusions

The clinical course of MAS in MIS-C seems milder, treatment less aggressive, and the prognosis better than expected based on the current knowledge on MAS complicating other rheumatological diseases.
Four decades of developmental dysplastic hip screening according to Graf: What have we learned?
Authors: Walter Sebastian G. , Ossendorff Robert , Yagdiran Ayla , Hockmann Jan , Bornemann Rahel , Placzek Sonja
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Sonographic hip examination according to Graf is widely accepted standard for diagnosing developmental dysplastic hips (DDH) but it is criticized for alleged intra- and interobserver variations. This review was conducted to evaluate whether objective quality criteria according to the Graf method are fulfilled within scientific literature.

Methods

A systematic literature search on Pubmed was performed using the search string: [(DDH) OR (Hip dysplasia)] AND (Graf). Studies suitable by title, abstract, manuscript, containing an image of sonographic hip examination and online accessibility were included into analysis.

Results

131 studies were included into final analysis. Only 68 (51.9%) presented correct sonographic images according Graf’s criteria. 98 (74.8%) studies plotted alpha-angles (angle between bony roof line and base line) but only 85 (64.8%) studies beta-angles (angle between cartilage roof line and base line). Studies were contributed from 25 countries.

Conclusion

Assumingly, skepticism regarding the Graf method is based on user errors and insufficient application of the Graf quality assessment algorithm resulting in high intra- and interobserver variations. When performed correctly, the Graf method is of high diagnostic value.
Angong Niuhuang Pill ameliorates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice partly by restoring gut microbiota dysbiosis
Authors: Zhang Han , Hui Xianrui , Wang Yule , Wang Yi , Lu Xiaoyan
Published: September 2022

Angong Niuhuang Pill (ANP) is a famous traditional Chinese patent medicine and is used for treating ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke for centuries. However, the mechanism of action of ANP in stroke treatment has rarely been reported. With increasing evidence for a mechanistic link between acute ischemic stroke and gut microbiota alterations, this study aimed to determine the mechanism of action of ANP in treating acute ischemic stroke from the perspective of the gut microbiota. A mouse model of acute ischemic stroke by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established, and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing and metabolomic analysis were performed on the cecal content samples collected from the sham, model, and ANP-treated MCAO mice. The results showed that ANP significantly ameliorated cerebral infarct volume, improved neurological deficits, and reduced histopathological injuries in the ipsilateral ischemic cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. The latter effects included inhibition of neuronal death, increased Nissl bodies, and decreased cell apoptosis. Moreover, ANP reversed gut microbiota dysbiosis by modulating the abundance of bacteria whose effects may mitigate MCAO damage, such as the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, the families Lachnospiraceae and Prevotellaceae, and the genera Alloprevotella and Roseburia. Microbial metabolites related to inflammation and neuroprotection, such as prostaglandin I2 and uridine, were also regulated by ANP treatment. Uridine, guanosine, and inosine might be potential neuromodulators produced by the gut microbiota in the ANP-treated group. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that these metabolites were intimately related to certain genera, including Alloprevotella, Lachnoclostridium, Enterorhabdus, Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006, and Colidextribacter. Our results demonstrated that alleviating gut microbiota dysbiosis is one of the mechanisms by which ANP protects against ischemic stroke and suggest that targeting Alloprevotella, Lachnoclostridium, Enterorhabdus, Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006, and Colidextribacter might be a potential anti-stroke therapy.
Sodium danshensu attenuates cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury by targeting AKT1
Authors: Gao Qing , Deng Hao , Yang Zhengfei , Yang Qiuyue , Zhang Yilin , Yuan Xiaopeng , Zeng Miao , Guo Maojuan , Zeng Wenyun , Jiang Xijuan , Yu Bin
Published: September 2022

The beneficial properties of Sodium Danshensu (SDSS) for controlling cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury (CIRI) are elucidated here both in vivo and in vitro. SDSS administration significantly improved the viability of P12 cells, reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, and decreased the apoptosis rate following exposure to an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD) environment. In addition, the results of a HuprotTM human protein microarray and network pharmacology indicated that AKT1 is one of the main targets of SDSS. Moreover, functional experiments showed that SDSS intervention markedly increased the phosphorylation level of AKT1 and its downstream regulator, mTOR. The binding sites of SDSS to AKT1 protein were confirmed by Autodock software and a surface plasmon resonance experiment, the result of which imply that SDSS targets to the PH domain of AKT1 at ASN-53, ARG-86, and LYS-14 residues. Furthermore, knockdown of AKT1 significantly abolished the role of SDSS in protecting cells from apoptosis and necrosis. Finally, we investigated the curative effect of SDSS in a rat model of CIRI. The results suggest that administration of SDSS significantly reduces CIRI-induced necrosis and apoptosis in brain samples by activating AKT1 protein. In conclusion, SDSS exerts its positive role in alleviating CIRI by binding to the PH domain of AKT1 protein, further resulting in AKT1 activation.
Andrographolide exerted anti-inflammatory effects thereby reducing sex hormone synthesis in LPS-induced female rats, but had no effect on hormone production in healthy ones
Authors: Yuan Xiaoyan , Xu Wenhao , Yan Zijun , Xu Xingmeng , Chen Yanqing , Chen Simin , Wang Ping
Published: September 2022

Females have higher inflammatory tolerance because they have some special sex-related anti-inflammatory pathways. Andrographolide, a diterpene lactone compound from Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees, has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. But whether andrographolide regulates sex-related anti-inflammatory pathways in females has yet to be reported. A non-targeted metabonomics method was employed to investigate the metabolic pathways of andrographolide in LPS-induced inflammatory female rats. Substances and genes were then selected out of gender-related pathways discovered by metabonomics experiments and their quantities or expressions were evaluated. Furthermore, the effects of andrographolide on these chemicals or genes in non-inflammatory female rats were also examined in order to investigate the cascade interaction between anti-inflammatory mechanisms and metabolites. The biomarkers of 24 metabolites in plasma were identified. Following pathway enrichment analysis, these metabolic markers were clustered into glycerophosphate, glycerolipids, inositol phosphate and steroid hormone synthesis pathways. Validation experiments confirmed that andrographolide lowered post-inflammatory female sex hormones such as progesterone, estradiol, corticosterone, and testosterone rather than increasing them. Andrographolide may have these effects via inhibiting the overexpression of CYP11a1 and StAR. However, andrographolide had no effect on the expression of these two genes or the four types of hormones in non-inflamed female rats. Similarly, andrographolide decreased TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β production in inflammatory rats but showed no effect on these inflammatory markers in non-inflammatory rats. LPS and other inflammatory cytokines promote hormone production, which in turn will prevent increased inflammation. Therefore, it may be hypothesized that andrographolide’s reduction of inflammatory cytokine is what generates its inhibitory action on sex hormones during inflammation. By blocking the activation of inflammatory pathways, andrographolide prevented the stimulation of inflammatory factors on the production of sex hormones. It does not, however, directly inhibit or enhance the synthesis of sex hormones.
Therapeutic potential of the Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin family in vascular disease
Authors: Suur Bianca E. , Chemaly Melody , Lindquist Liljeqvist Moritz , Djordjevic Djordje , Stenemo Markus , Bergman Otto , Karlöf Eva , Lengquist Mariette , Odeberg Jacob , Hurt-Camejo Eva , Eriksson Per , Ketelhuth Daniel F.J. , Roy Joy , Hedin Ulf , Nyberg Michael , Matic Ljubica
Published: September 2022

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexins (PCSKs) constitute a family of nine related proteases: PCSK1-7, MBTPS1, and PCSK9. Apart from PCSK9, little is known about PCSKs in cardiovascular disease. Here, we aimed to investigate the expression landscape and druggability potential of the entire PCSK family for CVD. We applied an integrative approach, combining genetic, transcriptomic and proteomic data from three vascular biobanks comprising carotid atherosclerosis, thoracic and abdominal aneurysms, with patient clinical parameters and immunohistochemistry of vascular biopsies. Apart from PCSK4, all PCSK family members lie in genetic regions containing variants associated with human cardiovascular traits. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that FURIN, PCSK5, MBTPS1 were downregulated, while PCSK6/7 were upregulated in plaques vs. control arteries. In abdominal aneurysms, FURIN, PCSK5, PCSK7, MBTPS1 were downregulated, while PCSK6 was enriched in diseased media. In thoracic aneurysms, only FURIN was significantly upregulated. Network analyses of the upstream and downstream pathways related to PCSKs were performed on the omics data from vascular biopsies, revealing mechanistic relationships between this protein family and disease. Cell type correlation analyses and immunohistochemistry showed that PCSK transcripts and protein levels parallel each other, except for PCSK9 where transcript was not detected, while protein was abundant in vascular biopsies. Correlations to clinical parameters revealed a positive association between FURIN plaque levels and serum LDL, while PCSK6 was negatively associated with Hb. PCSK5/6/7 were all positively associated with adverse cardiovascular events. Our results show that PCSK6 is abundant in plaques and abdominal aneurysms, while FURIN upregulation is characteristic for thoracic aneurysms. PCSK9 protein, but not the transcript, was present in vascular lesions, suggesting its accumulation from circulation. Integrating our results lead to the development of a novel ‘molecular’ 5D framework. Here, we conducted the first integrative study of the proprotein convertase family in this context. Our results using this translational pipeline, revealed primarily PCSK6, followed by PCSK5, PCSK7 and FURIN, as proprotein convertases with the highest novel therapeutic potential.
Evaluating the connectedness of commodity future markets via the cross-correlation network
Authors: Hou Lei , Pan Yueling
Published: September 2022

Financial markets are widely believed to be complex systems where interdependencies exist among individual entities in the system enabling the risk spillover effect. The detrended cross-correlation analysis (DCCA) has found wide applications in examining the comovement of fluctuations among financial time series. However, to what extent can such cross-correlation represent the spillover effect is still unknown. This article constructs the DCCA network of commodity future markets and explores its proximity to the volatility spillover network. Results show a moderate agreement between the two networks. Centrality measures applied to the DCCA networks are able to identify key commodity futures that are transmitting or receiving risk spillovers. The evolution of the DCCA network reveals a significant change in the network structure during the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison to that of the pre- and post-pandemic periods. The pandemic made the commodity future markets more interconnected leading to a shorter diameter for the network. The intensified connections happen mostly between commodities from different categories. Accordingly, cross-category risk spillovers are more likely to happen during the pandemic. The analysis enriches the applications of the DCCA approach and provides useful insights into understanding the risk dynamics in commodity future markets.
In-silico drug trials for precision medicine in atrial fibrillation: From ionic mechanisms to electrocardiogram-based predictions in structurally-healthy human atria
Authors: Dasí Albert , Roy Aditi , Sachetto Rafael , Camps Julia , Bueno-Orovio Alfonso , Rodriguez Blanca
Published: September 2022

Atrial fibrillation (AF) inducibility, sustainability and response to pharmacological treatment of individual patients are expected to be determined by their ionic current properties, especially in structurally-healthy atria. Mechanisms underlying AF and optimal cardioversion are however still unclear. In this study, in-silico drug trials were conducted using a population of human structurally-healthy atria models to 1) identify key ionic current properties determining AF inducibility, maintenance and pharmacological cardioversion, and 2) compare the prognostic value for predicting individual AF cardioversion of ionic current properties and electrocardiogram (ECG) metrics. In the population of structurally-healthy atria, 477 AF episodes were induced in ionic current profiles with both steep action potential duration (APD) restitution (eliciting APD alternans), and high excitability (enabling propagation at fast rates that transformed alternans into discordant). High excitability also favored 211 sustained AF episodes, so its decrease, through prolonged refractoriness, explained pharmacological cardioversion. In-silico trials over 200 AF episodes, 100 ionic profiles and 10 antiarrhythmic compounds were consistent with previous clinical trials, and identified optimal treatments for individual electrophysiological properties of the atria. Algorithms trained on 211 simulated AF episodes exhibited >70% accuracy in predictions of cardioversion for individual treatments using either ionic current profiles or ECG metrics. In structurally-healthy atria, AF inducibility and sustainability are enabled by discordant alternans, under high excitability and steep restitution conditions. Successful pharmacological cardioversion is predicted with 70% accuracy from either ionic or ECG properties, and it is optimal for treatments maximizing refractoriness (thus reducing excitability) for the given ionic current profile of the atria.
Mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant supplementation for improving age-related vascular dysfunction in humans: A study protocol
Authors: Murray Kevin O. , Berryman-Maciel Morgan , Darvish Sanna , Coppock McKinley E. , You Zhiying , Chonchol Michel , Seals Douglas R. , Rossman Matthew J.
Published: September 2022

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and aging is the primary risk factor for the development of CVD. The increased risk of CVD with aging is largely mediated by the development of vascular dysfunction. Excessive production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) is a key mechanism of age-related vascular dysfunction. Therefore, establishing the efficacy of therapies to reduce mtROS to improve vascular function with aging is of high biomedical importance. Previously, in a small, randomized, crossover-design pilot clinical trial, our laboratory obtained initial evidence that chronic oral supplementation with the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant MitoQ improves vascular function in healthy older adults. Here, we describe the protocol for an ongoing R01-funded phase IIa clinical trial to establish the efficacy of MitoQ as a therapy to improve vascular function in older adults (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04851288).

Outcomes: The primary outcome of the study is nitric oxide (NO)-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) as assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMDBA). Secondary outcomes include mtROS-mediated suppression of EDD, aortic stiffness as measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, carotid compliance and β-stiffness index, and intima media thickness. Other outcomes include the assessment of endothelial mitochondrial health and oxidative stress in endothelial cells obtained by endovascular biopsy; the effect of altered circulating factors following MitoQ treatment on endothelial cell NO bioavailability and whole cell and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production ex vivo; and circulating markers of oxidative stress, antioxidant status, and inflammation.

Methods: We are conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group, phase IIa clinical trial in 90 (45/group) healthy older men and women 60 years of age or older. Participants complete baseline testing and are then randomized to either 3 months of oral MitoQ (20 mg; once daily) or placebo supplementation. Outcome measures are assessed at the midpoint of treatment, i.e., 6 weeks, and again at the conclusion of treatment.

Discussion: This study is designed to establish the efficacy of chronic supplementation with the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant MitoQ for improving vascular endothelial function and reducing large elastic artery stiffness in older adults, and to investigate the mechanisms by which MitoQ supplementation improves endothelial function.
Global analysis of lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation during Fusarium graminearum infection in maize
Authors: Zhang Kang , Cao Hongzhe , Ma Yuxin , Si Helong , Zang Jinping , Bai Hua , Yu Lu , Pang Xi , Zhou Fan , Xing Jihong , Dong Jingao
Published: September 2022

Proteins post-translational modification (PTMs) is necessary in the whole life process of organisms. Among them, lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) plays an important role in protein synthesis, transcriptional regulation, and cell metabolism. Khib is a newly identified PTM in several plant species. However, the function of Khib in maize was unclear. In this study, western blotting results showed that Khib modification level increased significantly after Fusarium graminearum infection, and 2,066 Khib modified sites on 728 proteins were identified in maize, among which 24 Khib sites occurred on core histones. Subcellular localization results showed that these Khib modified proteins were localized in cytoplasm, chloroplast, and nucleus. Then, comparative proteomic analysis of the defense response to F. graminearum infection showed that Khib modification participated in plant resistance to pathogen infection by regulating glycolysis, TCA cycle, protein synthesis, peroxisome, and secondary metabolic processes, such as benzoxazinoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, jasmonic acid synthesis, and tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis. In addition, we also demonstrated that lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation sites on histones were involved in the gene expression of pathogenesis-related proteins. Our results provide a new perspective for the study of plant disease resistance, and had directive significance of maize disease resistance for molecular breeding.
Comparative chloroplast genome analysis of Ficus (Moraceae): Insight into adaptive evolution and mutational hotspot regions
Authors: Zhang Zheng-Ren , Yang Xue , Li Wei-Ying , Peng Yan-Qiong , Gao Jie
Published: September 2022

As the largest genus in Moraceae, Ficus is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions and exhibits a high degree of adaptability to different environments. At present, however, the phylogenetic relationships of this genus are not well resolved, and chloroplast evolution in Ficus remains poorly understood. Here, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the chloroplast genomes of 10 species of Ficus, downloaded and assembled 13 additional species based on next-generation sequencing data, and compared them to 46 previously published chloroplast genomes. We found a highly conserved genomic structure across the genus, with plastid genome sizes ranging from 159,929 bp (Ficus langkokensis) to 160,657 bp (Ficus religiosa). Most chloroplasts encoded 113 unique genes, including a set of 78 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, four ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and one pseudogene (infA). The number of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) ranged from 67 (Ficus sagittata) to 89 (Ficus microdictya) and generally increased linearly with plastid size. Among the plastomes, comparative analysis revealed eight intergenic spacers that were hotspot regions for divergence. Additionally, the clpP, rbcL, and ccsA genes showed evidence of positive selection. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that none of the six traditionally recognized subgenera of Ficus were monophyletic. Divergence time analysis based on the complete chloroplast genome sequences showed that Ficus species diverged rapidly during the early to middle Miocene. This research provides basic resources for further evolutionary studies of Ficus.
NLRexpress—A bundle of machine learning motif predictors—Reveals motif stability underlying plant Nod-like receptors diversity
Authors: Martin Eliza C. , Spiridon Laurentiu , Goverse Aska , Petrescu Andrei-José
Published: September 2022

Examination of a collection of over 80,000 Plant Nod-like receptors (NLRs) revealed an overwhelming sequence diversity underlying functional specificity of pathogen detection, signaling and cooperativity. The NLR canonical building blocks—CC/TIR/RPW8, NBS and LRR—contain, however, a number of conserved sequence motifs showing a significant degree of invariance amongst different NLR groups. To identify these motifs we developed NLRexpress—a bundle of 17 machine learning (ML)-based predictors, able to swiftly and precisely detect CC, TIR, NBS, and LRR motifs while minimizing computing time without accuracy losses—aimed as an instrument scalable for screening overall proteomes, transcriptomes or genomes for identifying integral NLRs and discriminating them against incomplete sequences lacking key motifs. These predictors were further used to screen a subset of ∼34,000 regular plant NLR sequences. Motifs were analyzed using unsupervised ML techniques to assess the structural correlations hidden underneath pattern variabilities. Both the NB-ARC switch domain which admittedly is the most conserved region of NLRs and the highly diverse LRR domain with its vastly variable lengths and repeat irregularities—show well-defined relations between motif subclasses, highlighting the importance of structural invariance in shaping NLR sequence diversity. The online NLRexpress webserver can be accessed at https://nlrexpress.biochim.ro.
Enhancing Career Decision Status of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students Through Learning Engagement: Perspective of SOR Model
Authors: Peng Michael Yao-Ping , Yue Xiaoyao
Published: September 2022

Higher education plays the role of cultivating talents in national development and meets the talent sources needed by the development of the state, industries and enterprises. Besides, for students, higher education can provide stimuli to improve the development of family and personal career. Especially for socioeconomically disadvantaged Students, higher education means the main factor for turning over the Socio- Economic Status. Universities endow students with abundant employment skills, so as to make them more confident in contending with the challenges in the job market. However, innate pessimism or negative attitudes and cognition may exist in socioeconomically disadvantaged Students, thereby providing effective learning context to improve their learning engagement. This study explores the influence on students’ career decision status from deep approach to learning, problem-based learning, self-efficacy and employability. A total of 627 valid questionnaires are collected in this study. PLS-SEM was adopted to verify the structural relationship in data analysis via SmartPLS. The results indicate that deep approach to learning and problem-based learning have significant impacts on students’ self-efficacy and employability; self-efficacy has significant impacts on employability and career decision status; employability has significant impact on career decision status; and that self-efficacy and employability play significant mediating roles in the research framework.
An ecological approach to understanding university English teachers’ professional agency in implementing formative assessment
Authors: Jiang Yuhong , Li Jia , Wang Qiang
Published: September 2022

As a sub-realm of Language Teacher Psychology (LTP), teachers’ professional agency has gained significant attention from educational practitioners and teachers. The aim is to better discern teachers’ professional development and teaching effectiveness with a view to ensuring the quality of language teaching. International literature concerning teachers’ professional agency has noted a shift from knowledge training to vocational development in relation to teachers’ experience in decision making. Yet, little research so far has scrutinized this specific issue in Chinese university settings, and the real picture of teacher agency needs further exploration. Besides, the multidimensional and complex nature of agency identifies the overwhelming research work in understanding its contents in detail based on the previous perspectives from individuals, society, and time. To this end, the ecological understanding of professional agency reframed the theoretical basis of this study, prone to explore how teachers’ experience could be examined in relation to individual capacity, resources, and structural and contextual variables. The study was conducted in Chinese university settings in response to the research gap related to understanding professional agency. Quantitative and qualitative data from questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations with 116 university teachers in China demonstrated that the enactment of professional agency rested on the interplay between temporal contexts, teacher capacity, and beliefs, especially in the instructional community. The findings revealed that university teachers at different stages of career development manifested variability in exercising their professional agency in relation to adapting or adopting existing teaching concepts, methods, or approaches. Mounting evidence revealed some enablers and constraints in relation to formative assessment, time impact, classroom interaction, and school culture. Emphasizing the interaction between individuals’ ability and their engagement with the professional environment, the findings provide insights into theoretical implications associated with ecological theory and enhance the practical discussion about promoting professional development for novice, mid-career, and veteran English teachers at the university level.
Vulnerability as determinant of suicide among older people in Northern Indian states
Authors: Patel Avanish Bhai
Published: September 2022

Older people are confronted with a myriad of challenges throughout the course of their lives in the present society. One of these is the issue of suicidal behaviour among people of older age. This article understands the nature and examines the cause of mortality due to suicide among older people in later life. The author has applied the document analysis method. The information for the current research has been collected using the news content of various Indian newspapers, magazines, and news portals. The researcher was collated 60 occurrences of old-age suicide from the newspapers of Northern Indian states from March 2022 to June 2022. The study has indicated that there is a substantial rise in old-age suicide due to the vulnerable condition of older people in late life. Moreover, the vulnerable condition of older people has led to various factors instrumental in old-age suicide, such as abuse in the family, chronic diseases, depression, poverty, and social rejection that give rise to feelings of committing suicide among the older people.
A qualitative analysis of control-value appraisals, positive achievement emotions, and EFL performance in a Chinese senior high school context
Authors: Yu Weihua , Wu Hanwei , Zhao Wanzhu
Published: September 2022

Based on the control-value theory (CVT), this study qualitatively investigated the relationship between control-value appraisals, achievement emotions (mainly enjoyment, pride, and hope), and English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) performance, and explored other antecedents of achievement emotions in addition to control-value appraisals. Data were collected from six Chinese high school students through two semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion. With thematic analysis, data were analyzed under the framework of the CVT using NVivo 11.0. Results indicate that high perceived control, high perceived extrinsic, and intrinsic values were interactively associated with enjoyment, pride, and hope. Low perceived control, high perceived extrinsic value, and low perceived intrinsic value were interactively associated with fewer positive achievement emotions (only hope) and more negative achievement emotions like fear. High perceived control, high perceived extrinsic value, and low perceived intrinsic value were interactively associated with fewer positive achievement emotions (only pride), and more negative achievement emotions like anguish. Besides, positive achievement emotions were positively associated with EFL performance, while negative achievement emotions were negatively associated with EFL performance. Moreover, factors inside the classroom, factors outside the classroom, and personal factors were found to be the antecedents of achievement emotions in EFL learning.
Suspension of social welfare services and mental health outcomes for women during the COVID-19 pandemic in a peripheral neighborhood in São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Bruhn Lenora , Szabzon Felipe , Abarca Brown Cristobal , Ravelli Cabrini Daniela , Miranda Elisangela , Andrade Laura Helena
Published: September 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian urban peripheries have been severely affected both by the spread of the virus and by social, political, and economical dynamics, raising concerns about the psychological wellbeing and mental health of the population living in these areas. The pandemic broke out in a context of reduced public spending in social and health policies as well as in a process of erosion of social rights, fostering processes of exclusion and highlighting the association between austerity, the increase in poverty and inequality as well as in health and mental health problems indicators. This article presents the results of a qualitative participatory research that investigated subjective experiences in a peripheral neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil, aiming to understand how contextual dynamics played a role in shaping mental health experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. A multidisciplinary team of researchers worked closely with local volunteers trained to provide emotional support calls to neighbors of the community who signed up for the project. This article presents three ethnographic cases of women who had their routines strongly affected by the suspension of public and social protection services for the containment of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, leading to psychological suffering due to the increased demand of “domestic circuits of care”. We argue that within a context of austerity, the pandemic was remarkably harsh in urban peripheries and, specifically, for women with caring responsibilities. In addition to highlighting the pervasive “social protection gap”, the cases presented in this paper also reveals the unequal dynamics of the social reproduction work in several layers, which falls mainly on women's shoulders. The “crisis of care”, proposed by gender and feminist scholars, can contribute to understanding the psychological outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic for these women.
Prolonged grief disorder in Arabic-speaking treatment-seeking populations: Relationship with socio-demographic aspects, loss- and trauma-related characteristics, and mental health support
Authors: Specht Freya , Vöhringer Max , Knaevelsrud Christine , Wagner Birgit , Stammel Nadine , Böttche Maria
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) has been included as a new diagnosis in the ICD-11 and is set to be included in the DSM-5-TR. To better identify vulnerable individuals, different factors associated with PGD have to be taken into account, but results regarding these factors remain equivocal. Moreover, few studies on PGD are available from Arabic-speaking populations and from different countries dealing with conflicts and wars. The objective was thus to examine PGD prevalence and associated characteristics in these populations.

Materials and methods

A total of N = 1,051 bereaved participants from Arabic-speaking populations completed the PG-13 as part of a screening procedure for an online mental health intervention. Multiple linear regression was conducted to examine associated factors for PGD symptom severity, and multiple logistic regression was applied to investigate associated factors for PGD according to PG-13 diagnostic criteria.

Results

Of the participants, 18.8% (n = 198) met the PGD diagnostic criteria, at an average of about 6 years post-loss. The multiple linear regression yielded eight associated factors for PGD symptom severity (age, gender, number of losses, number of traumatic event types, relationship with the deceased, age at loss, impairment during first year post-loss, perceived social support), which explained 40.2% of the variance [F(17, N=1,033) = 40.82, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.402]. The multiple logistic regression yielded five significant associations with PGD (gender, relationship with the deceased, number of lost persons, impairment during first year post-loss, perceived social support), which explained 33.0% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance in PGD according to PG-13 diagnostic criteria.

Discussion

A substantial proportion of the participants met the PG-13 criteria for PGD, emphasizing that therapeutic services are indispensable in this population. The associated factors for PGD found in our Arab-speaking sample are largely consistent with those found in studies from other regions. The slightly differing numbers of associated factors between the linear and logistic regression underline that a continuous score reflects the continuum between normal and dysfunctional grieving, and therefore also a range of factors associated with PGD.
Driving mechanism of farmers' green production behavior under normalization of COVID-19 prevention and control: A case study in China
Authors: Teng Yun , Pang Boyuan , Zhang Mei , Guo Xiangyu
Published: September 2022

China's public health emergency COVID-19 has brought great challenges to food safety. Among them, the quality and safety of agricultural products under the normalization of the COVID-19 prevention and control has become a hot issue of general concern. This study attempts to reveal the driving factors and mechanisms of farmers' green production behavior. The empirical research by collecting 673 sample data shows that: individual characteristics of farmers, government guiding factors, an industrial organization promoting factors, and market adjustment factors have a positive driving effect on farmers' green production behavior. And farmers' green production behavior has a positive influence on the quality and safety of agricultural products. Farmers' green production behavior plays an intermediary role between the quality and safety of agricultural products and individual characteristics of farmers, government guidance factors, industrial organization promotion factors, and market regulation factors. The results of the study have guiding significance for ensuring the quality and safety of agricultural products, promoting ecological environmental protection, and sustainable agricultural development under the normalization of COVID-19 prevention and control.
Assessing COVID-19 vaccination strategies in varied demographics using an individual-based model
Authors: Ben-Zuk Noam , Daon Yair , Sasson Amit , Ben-Adi Dror , Huppert Amit , Nevo Daniel , Obolski Uri
Published: September 2022

Background

New variants of SARS-CoV-2 are constantly discovered. Administration of COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses, combined with the application of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), is often used to prevent outbreaks of emerging variants. Such outbreak dynamics are further complicated by the population's behavior and demographic composition. Hence, realistic simulations are needed to estimate the efficiency of proposed vaccination strategies in conjunction with NPIs.

Methods

We developed an individual-based model of COVID-19 dynamics that considers age-dependent parameters such as contact matrices, probabilities of symptomatic and severe disease, and households' age distribution. As a case study, we simulate outbreak dynamics under the demographic compositions of two Israeli cities with different household sizes and age distributions. We compare two vaccination strategies: vaccinate individuals in a currently prioritized age group, or dynamically prioritize neighborhoods with a high estimated reproductive number. Total infections and hospitalizations are used to compare the efficiency of the vaccination strategies under the two demographic structures, in conjunction with different NPIs.

Results

We demonstrate the effectiveness of vaccination strategies targeting highly infected localities and of NPIs actively detecting asymptomatic infections. We further show that different optimal vaccination strategies exist for each sub-population's demographic composition and that their application is superior to a uniformly applied strategy.

Conclusion

Our study emphasizes the importance of tailoring vaccination strategies to subpopulations' infection rates and to the unique characteristics of their demographics (e.g., household size and age distributions). The presented simulation framework and findings can help better design future responses against the following emerging variants.
Participating in health insurance and health improvements for the relatively poor population: A propensity score analysis
Authors: Hou Bin , Wu Yuxin , Huang Siyi
Published: September 2022

This study examined the causal relationship between participation in the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) and health status among relatively poor population in rural China. Data were obtained from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) conducted in 2018, which contained 4,507 samples. This study used propensity score matching (PSM) to examine the net effect of participation in the NRCMS on the health of the relatively poor population, and this effect was tested for equilibrium using nearest neighbor matching, radius matching, and kernel matching. This study showed that participation in the NRCMS has a significant and positive effect on the health status of the relatively poor population and the positive health effect may come from three channels, including the increased frequency of physical activity, the fact that an individual is more likely to seek medical care at a lower level of visit, and a plan to reduce health care expenditures.
Predicting occupational injury causal factors using text-based analytics: A systematic review
Authors: Khairuddin Mohamed Zul Fadhli , Hasikin Khairunnisa , Abd Razak Nasrul Anuar , Lai Khin Wee , Osman Mohd Zamri , Aslan Muhammet Fatih , Sabanci Kadir , Azizan Muhammad Mokhzaini , Satapathy Suresh Chandra , Wu Xiang
Published: September 2022

Workplace accidents can cause a catastrophic loss to the company including human injuries and fatalities. Occupational injury reports may provide a detailed description of how the incidents occurred. Thus, the narrative is a useful information to extract, classify and analyze occupational injury. This study provides a systematic review of text mining and Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications to extract text narratives from occupational injury reports. A systematic search was conducted through multiple databases including Scopus, PubMed, and Science Direct. Only original studies that examined the application of machine and deep learning-based Natural Language Processing models for occupational injury analysis were incorporated in this study. A total of 27, out of 210 articles were reviewed in this study by adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA). This review highlighted that various machine and deep learning-based NLP models such as K-means, Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, and K-Nearest Neighbors were applied to predict occupational injury. On top of these models, deep neural networks are also included in classifying the type of accidents and identifying the causal factors. However, there is a paucity in using the deep learning models in extracting the occupational injury reports. This is due to these techniques are pretty much very recent and making inroads into decision-making in occupational safety and health as a whole. Despite that, this paper believed that there is a huge and promising potential to explore the application of NLP and text-based analytics in this occupational injury research field. Therefore, the improvement of data balancing techniques and the development of an automated decision-making support system for occupational injury by applying the deep learning-based NLP models are the recommendations given for future research.
Emergent neurovascular imaging in patients with blunt traumatic injuries
Authors: Bounajem Michael T. , McNally J. Scott , Baker Cordell , Colby Samantha , Grandhi Ramesh
Published: September 2022

Blunt cerebrovascular injuries (BCVIs) are commonly encountered after blunt trauma. Given the increased risk of stroke incurred after BCVI, it is crucial that they are promptly identified, characterized, and treated appropriately. Current screening practices generally consist of computed tomography angiography (CTA), with escalation to digital subtraction angiography for higher-grade injuries. Although it is quick, cost-effective, and readily available, CTA suffers from poor sensitivity and positive predictive value. A review of the current literature was conducted to examine the current state of emergent imaging for BCVI. After excluding reviews, irrelevant articles, and articles exclusively available in non-English languages, 36 articles were reviewed and included in the analysis. In general, as CTA technology has advanced, so too has detection of BCVI. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with sequences such as vessel wall imaging, double-inversion recovery with black blood imaging, and magnetization prepared rapid acquisition echo have notably improved the utility for MRI in characterizing BCVIs. Finally, transcranial Doppler with emboli detection has proven to be associated with strokes in anterior circulation injuries, further allowing for the identification of high-risk lesions. Overall, imaging for BCVI has benefited from a tremendous amount of innovation, resulting in better detection and characterization of this pathology.