bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodological quality and clinical recommendations of guidelines on the management of dyslipidaemias for cardiovascular disease risk reduction: a systematic review and an appraisal through AGREE II and AGREE REX tools
Authors: Deffert Flávia , Vilela Ana Paula Oliveira , Cobre Alexandre de Fátima , Furlan Luiz Henrique Picolo , Tonin Fernanda Stumpf , Fernandez-Llimos Fernando , Pontarolo Roberto
Published: June 2024

Background

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are statements to assist practitioners and stakeholders in decisions about healthcare. Low methodological quality guidelines may prejudice decision-making and negatively affect clinical outcomes in non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases worsted by poor lipid management. We appraised the quality of CPGs on dyslipidemia management and synthesized the most updated pharmacological recommendations.

Methods

A systematic review following international recommendations was performed. Searches to retrieve CPG on pharmacological treatments in adults with dyslipidaemia were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Trip databases. Eligible articles were assessed using AGREE II (methodological quality) and AGREE-REX (recommendation excellence) tools. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. The most updated guidelines (published after 2019) had their recommendations qualitatively synthesized in an exploratory analysis.

Results

Overall, 66 guidelines authored by professional societies (75%) and targeting clinicians as primary users were selected. The AGREE II domains Scope and Purpose (89%) and Clarity of Presentation (97%), and the AGREE-REX item Clinical Applicability (77.0%) obtained the highest values. Conversely, guidelines were methodologically poorly performed/documented (46%) and scarcely provided data on the implementability of practical recommendations (38%). Recommendations on pharmacological treatments are overall similar, with slight differences concerning the use of supplements and the availability of drugs.

Conclusion

High-quality dyslipidaemia CPG, especially outside North America and Europe, and strictly addressing evidence synthesis, appraisal, and recommendations are needed, especially to guide primary care decisions. CPG developers should consider stakeholders’ values and preferences and adapt existing statements to individual populations and healthcare systems to ensure successful implementation interventions.
Development of an online food safety toolbox based on the Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene: engaging users through mapping, chunking, and learning-by-asking
Authors: Hasani Mahdiyeh , Camacho-Martinez S Vanessa , Zai Brenda , Warriner Lara J , Boesch Cornelia , Kopko Christine , Marafiotti Fabiana , Warriner Keith
Published: June 2024

Objectives

The paper describes designing and developing an online food safety toolbox that aims to elevate the food safety knowledge of food business operators, competent authorities, and trainers.

Materials and Methods

The material within the food safety toolbox was based on the Codex Alimentarius (Codex) General Principles of Food Hygiene (GPFH), an internationally recognized primary food safety standard. The GPFH provides a guide to elements that should be considered when establishing good hygienic practices (GHPs), which are subsequently managed through hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP). To support the understanding of how to apply the principles of GHPs and HACCP, the online food safety toolbox was developed. This toolbox was designed to enable users to access the principles quickly as a reminder for better understanding of more complex matters and conceptualizing, building, and maintaining food safety management systems. The learning approaches applied in the design of the toolbox were mapping, chunking (grouping topics into a logic sequence to enable an incremental approach to learning), and learning-by-asking. The self-directed learning approach collectively enables the user to understand, categorize, and contextualize food safety information for practical use. Mapping was performed to identify the different elements within the GPFH that formed the basis of the online platform and the categories in which basic information was provided for each.

Results

The material progresses into greater depth in the final toolbox platform and includes links to detailed descriptions of the underlying science. This user-centric design was chosen to address different users’ needs and reduce the entry barrier for contextually applying the presented GHPs and HACCP.

Conclusions

The GHP and HACCP Toolbox for Food Safety should be regarded as a reference resource rather than a training program to empower the user and ultimately enhance food safety practices.
Change in Healthy Lifestyle and Subsequent Risk of Cognitive Impairment Among Chinese Older Adults: A National Community-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Hu Chengxiang , Jiang Kexin , Sun Xiaoyue , He Yue , Li Runhong , Chen Yana , Zhang Yuan , Tao Yuchun , Jin Lina
Published: June 2024

Background

The association between change in lifestyle and cognitive impairment remains uncertain.

Objectives

To investigate the association of change in lifestyle with cognitive impairment.

Methods

In this study, 4 938 participants aged 65 or older were involved from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey for years 2008–2018. A weighted healthy lifestyle score was derived from 4 lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and diet). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to investigate the associations between 3-year changes in healthy lifestyle (2008–2011) and cognitive impairment (2011–2018).

Results

Researchers documented 833 new-onset of cognitive impairments more than 20 097 person-years of follow up. Compared with those in the persistently unhealthy group, those in the improved and persistently healthy groups had a lower risk of cognitive impairment, with the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 0.67 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55, 0.83) and 0.53 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.71), respectively. Furthermore, a significant interaction was observed between change in lifestyle and sex (p-interaction = .032); the HRs were 0.48 (95% CI, 0.34, 0.69) for the improved group and 0.41 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.64) for persistently healthy group among male vs 0.81 (95% CI, 0.63, 1.04) and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.44, 0.92) among female, respectively.

Conclusions

This study suggests that improving or maintaining a healthy lifestyle can significantly mitigate the risk of cognitive impairment in Chinese older adults. Additionally, researcher's findings emphasize the significance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and highlights the potential positive impact of improving previous unhealthy habits, especially for older women.
Promoting Late-Life Volunteering With Timebanking: A Quasi-Experimental Mixed-Methods Study in Hong Kong
Authors: Lu Shiyu , Chui Cheryl , Lum Terry , Liu Tianyin , Wong Gloria , Chan Wai
Published: June 2024

Background and Objectives

This study explores the impact of timebanking, where individuals earn time credits, nonmonetary currency, on promoting volunteerism among older adults.

Research Design and Methods

This study employed a quasi-experimental design with 116 timebank group (TBG) participants and 114 comparison group (CG) participants from 2021 to 2022. TBG received time credits to exchange for rewards, while CG received no time credits (i.e., volunteering as usual). The intervention of timebanking lasted for 1 year. Volunteering behaviors were tracked via an app, and intentions to volunteer were assessed at baseline (T0), after 6 months (the midpoint of the intervention, T1), and after 12 months (the endpoint of the intervention, T2). The use of rewards by TBG participants was also recorded (e.g., for personal use or sharing with others). Furthermore, focus group interviews were conducted to understand how rewards influenced participants’ volunteerism.

Results

TBG had significantly higher weekly volunteer hours at T2 (β = 1.37, p = .021) and increased intent to volunteer at T1 (β = 0.54, p = .001) and T2 (β = 0.51, p = .001) compared with CG. Participants using rewards personally volunteered more at T2 (β = 2.09, p = .014), although sharing rewards with family and friends or donating rewards to others did not yield the same effect. The qualitative study suggested that a sense of feeling recognized generated by timebanking may encourage increased volunteering and that personal reward use enriched the volunteer experience, and individuals sharing rewards with family and friends experienced a sense of fulfillment and reinforcement of their prosociality.

Discussion and Implications

Timebanking effectively encourages late-life volunteering. The study provides practical implications for promoting volunteering among older people.
Inaccuracies in provider directories persist for long periods of time
Authors: Haeder Simon F , Zhu Jane M
Published: June 2024

A growing literature has identified substantial inaccuracies in consumer-facing provider directories, but it is unclear how long these inaccuracies persist. We re-surveyed inaccurately listed Pennsylvania providers (n = 5170) between 117 to 280 days after a previous secret-shopper survey. Overall, 19.0% (n = 983) of provider directory listings that had been identified as inaccurate were subsequently removed, 44.8% (n = 2316) of provider listings continued to show at least 1 inaccuracy, and 11.6% (n = 600) were accurate at follow-up. We were unable to reach 24.6% (n = 1271) of providers. Longer passage of time was associated with reductions in directory inaccuracies, particularly related to contact information, and to a lesser degree, with removal of inaccurate listings. We found substantial differences in corrective action by carrier. Together, these findings suggest persistent barriers to maintaining and updating provider directories, with implications for how well these tools can help consumers select health plans and access care.
Synergistic bactericidal activity of a novel dual β-lactam combination against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Altarawneh Hala , Alhomra Turki , Alharbi Mohanned , Fan Yaxin , Derrick Jeremy P , Xia Guoqing
Published: June 2024

Objectives

MRSA is a major cause of hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections. Treatment options for MRSA are limited because of the rapid development of β-lactam resistance. Combining antibiotics offers an affordable, time-saving, viable and efficient approach for developing novel antimicrobial therapies. Both amoxicillin and cefdinir are oral β-lactams with indications for a wide range of bacterial infections and mild side effects. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of combining these two β-lactams against MRSA strains.

Methods

Fourteen representative prevalent MRSA strains with diverse sequence types (STs) were tested with a combination of amoxicillin and cefdinir, using chequerboard and time–kill assays. The Galleria mellonella larvae infection model was used to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of this dual combination against the community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) strain USA300 and the hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) strain COL.

Results

The chequerboard assay revealed a synergistic activity of the dual amoxicillin/cefdinir combination against all tested MRSA strains, with fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) values below 0.5 and at least a 4-fold reduction in the MICs of both antibiotics. Time–kill assays demonstrated synergistic bactericidal activity of this dual combination against the MRSA strain USA300 and strain COL. Moreover, in vivo studies showed that the administration of amoxicillin/cefdinir combination to G. mellonella larvae infected with MRSA strains significantly improved the survival rate up to 82%, which was comparable to the efficacy of vancomycin.

Conclusions

In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that the dual combination of amoxicillin/cefdinir demonstrates a synergistic bactericidal efficacy against MRSA strains of various STs. Further research is needed to explore its potential as a treatment option for MRSA infections.
Evaluating the antimicrobial efficacy of ceftriaxone regimens: 1 g twice daily versus 2 g once daily in a murine model of Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia
Authors: Kato Hideo , Hagihara Mao , Hiramatsu Shun-Ichi , Suematsu Hiroyuki , Nishiyama Naoya , Asai Nobuhiro , Mikamo Hiroshige , Yamamoto Kazuko , Iwamoto Takuya
Published: June 2024

Background

Ceftriaxone is administered in regimens of either 2 g once-daily or 1 g twice-daily for the treatment of pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Previous clinical study suggests the 2 g once-daily regimen is more effective, but comparison of antimicrobial efficacy between are lacking.

Objectives

To assess the antimicrobial efficacy of these two ceftriaxone regimens against S. pneumoniae using a murine model of pneumonia.

Methods

The study employed three S. pneumoniae isolates with ceftriaxone MICs of 1, 2 and 4 mg/L and two human-simulated regimens based on the blood concentration of ceftriaxone (1 g twice-daily and 2 g once-daily). Antimicrobial activity was quantified based on the change in bacterial counts (Δlog10 cfu/lungs) observed in treated mice after 24 h, relative to the control mice at 0 h.

Results

The human-simulated 2 g once-daily regimen of ceftriaxone exhibited significantly higher antimicrobial activity against S. pneumoniae isolates with MICs of 1 and 2 mg/L compared with the 1 g twice-daily regimen (1 mg/L, −5.14 ± 0.19 Δlog10 cfu/lungs versus −3.47 ± 0.17 Δlog10 cfu/lungs, P < 0.001; 2 mg/L, −3.41 ± 0.31 Δ log10 cfu/lungs versus −2.71 ± 0.37 Δlog10 cfu/lungs, P = 0.027). No significant difference in antimicrobial activity was observed against the S. pneumoniae isolate with a MIC of 4 mg/L between the two regimens (−0.33 ± 0.18 Δlog10 cfu/lungs versus −0.42 ± 0.37 Δlog10 cfu/lungs, P = 0.684).

Conclusion

2 g once-daily regimen of ceftriaxone is more effective for treating pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae, with MICs of ≤2 mg/L.
Coprococcus protects against high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice
Authors: Lu Kaikai , Zhou Yimeng , He Lei , Li Ya , Shahzad Muhammad , Li Dongmin
Published: June 2024

Aims

The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing annually, leading to substantial medical and health burdens. Numerous studies have demonstrated the potential effectiveness of intestinal probiotics as a treatment strategy for NAFLD. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify a probiotic for the treatment of NAFLD.

Methods and results

In this study, blood and fecal samples were collected from 41 healthy volunteers and 44 patients diagnosed with NAFLD. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequencing data and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed a significant reduction in the abundance of Coprococcus in NAFLD patients. Subsequent animal experiments demonstrated that Coprococcus was able to effectively reverse liver lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice.

Conclusions

This study provides the first in vivo evidence that Coprococcus is a beneficial bacterium capable of preventing NAFLD and has the same probiotic effect in mice as Lactobacillus GG (LGG), a positive control. Therefore, Coprococcus has the potential to serve as a probiotic for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD in humans.
Effect of environmental factors on conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic settings
Authors: Dadeh Amirfard Katayoun , Moriyama Momoko , Suzuki Satoru , Sano Daisuke
Published: June 2024

Antimicrobial-resistance genes (ARGs) are spread among bacteria by horizontal gene transfer, however, the effect of environmental factors on the dynamics of the ARG in water environments has not been very well understood. In this systematic review, we employed the regression tree algorithm to identify the environmental factors that facilitate/inhibit the transfer of ARGs via conjugation in planktonic/biofilm-formed bacterial cells based on the results of past relevant research. Escherichia coli strains were the most studied genus for conjugation experiments as donor/recipient in the intra-genera category. Conversely, Pseudomonas spp., Acinetobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. were studied primarily as recipients across inter-genera bacteria. The conjugation efficiency (ce) was found to be highly dependent on the incubation period. Some antibiotics, such as nitrofurantoin (at ≥0.2 µg ml−1) and kanamycin (at ≥9.5 mg l−1) as well as metallic compounds like mercury (II) chloride (HgCl2, ≥3 µmol l−1), and vanadium (III) chloride (VCl3, ≥50 µmol l−1) had enhancing effect on conjugation. The highest ce value (−0.90 log10) was achieved at 15°C–19°C, with linoleic acid concentrations <8 mg l−1, a recognized conjugation inhibitor. Identifying critical environmental factors affecting ARG dissemination in aquatic environments will accelerate strategies to control their proliferation and combat antibiotic resistance.
Addressing Whiteness in communication scholar composition and collaboration across seven decades of ICA journals (1951–2022)
Authors: Hatfield Haley R , Hao Hongtao , Klein Matthew , Zhang Jing , Fu Yijie , Kim Jaemin , Lee Jongmin , Ahn Sun Joo (Grace)
Published: June 2024

The persisting legacies of colonialism have called for scholars to be more active in their efforts to dismantle and decenter the normative foundations of Whiteness in scholarly practices. This article examines the intersectional structures of authorship and collaboration patterns among scholarly teams within five flagship Communication journals. We used a bibliometric analysis to examine the race, gender, institution, and institution type of 11,292 authors from five International Communication Association journals between 1951 and 2022. We found that the dominating representation of white, male, and U.S.-based scholars is decreasing, but stark disparities within the composition of and collaborations among Communication scholars still remain. We offer insights into how these patterns reproduce structural inequities and propose future directions for scholars to support and participate in the ongoing work to dismantle and decenter Whiteness in academia. All data, code, and analyses are available at https://osf.io/8bszj/.
Rapid discrimination methods for clinical and environmental strains of Aeromonas hydrophila and A. veronii biovar sobria using the N-terminal sequence of the flaA gene and investigation of antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Miyagi Kazufumi , Shimoji Noriaki
Published: June 2024

Although the genus Aeromonas inhabits the natural environment, it has also been isolated from hospital patient specimens as a causative agent of Aeromonas infections. However, it is not known whether clinical strains live in the natural environment, and if these strains have acquired antimicrobial resistance. In this study, we performed the typing of flagellin A gene (flaA) of clinical and environmental strains of Aeromonas hydrophila and A. veronii biovar sobria using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay with newly designed primers. Detection rates of the clinical and environmental flaA types of A. hydrophila were 66.7% and 88.2%, and the corresponding rates for A. veronii biovar sobria were 66.7% and 90.9%. The PCR assays could significantly discriminate between clinical and environmental strains of both species in approximately 4 h. Also, among the 63 clinical Aeromonas strains used, only one extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing bacteria, no plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance bacteria, and only four multidrug-resistant bacteria were detected. Therefore, the PCR assays could be useful for the rapid diagnosis of these Aeromonas infections and the monitoring of clinical strain invasion into water-related facilities and environments. Also, the frequency of drug-resistant Aeromonas in clinical isolates from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, appeared to be low.
Major Imaging Challenges in Microscopy and How to Solve Them
Authors: Balaji S
Published: June 2024

Imaging artifacts often hinder the accuracy of microscopy images, affecting sample analyses and their interpretations. In this article, we explore five prominent imaging artifacts that commonly plague microscopy: blooming/saturation, pixelation, temporal/time varying noise, phototoxicity/photobleaching, and compression. Effective mitigation of these imaging artifacts hinges on careful consideration of key camera parameters, including quantum efficiency, bit-depth, resolution, and dynamic range, each crucial for optimizing image quality and fidelity. A wide range of camera solutions offered by e-con Systems provides consistent support to the various types of microscopy techniques from fluorescence microscopy to live cell imaging.
A sub-solar Fe/O, log (T/K) ∼ 7.5 gas component permeating the Milky Way’s CGM
Authors: Lara-DI Armando , Krongold Yair , Mathur Smita , Das Sanskriti , Gupta Anjali , Segura Montero O
Published: June 2024

Our study focuses on characterizing the highly ionized gas within the Milky Way’s (MW) Circumgalactic Medium (CGM) that gives rise to ionic transitions in the X-ray band 2–25 Å. Utilizing stacked Chandra/ACIS-S MEG and LETG spectra toward Quasar (QSO) sightlines, we employ the self-consistent hybrid ionization code phase to model our data. The stacked spectra are optimally described by three distinct gas phase components: warm [log (T/K) ∼ 5.5], warm-hot [log (T/K) ∼6], and hot [log (T/K) ∼ 7.5] components. These findings confirm the presence of the hot component in the MW’s CGM indicating its coexistence with warm and warm-hot gas phases. We find this hot component to be homogeneous in temperature but inhomogeneous in column density. The gas in the hot component requires overabundances relative to solar to be consistent with the Dispersion Measure (DM) from the Galactic halo reported in the literature. For the hot phase we estimated a DM = $55.1^{+29.9}_{-23.7}$ pc cm−3. We conclude that this phase is either enriched in Oxygen, Silicon, and Sulfur, or has metallicity over 6 times solar value, or a combination of both. We do not detect Fe L-shell absorption lines, implying O/Fe ≥ 4. The non-solar abundance ratios found in the supervirial gas component in the Galactic halo suggest that this phase arises from Galactic feedback.
Strong gravitational lensing’s ‘external shear’ is not shear
Authors: Etherington Amy , Nightingale James W , Massey Richard , Tam Sut-Ieng , Cao XiaoYue , Niemiec Anna , He Qiuhan , Robertson Andrew , Li Ran , Amvrosiadis Aristeidis , Cole Shaun , Diego Jose M , Frenk Carlos S , Frye Brenda L , Harvey David , Jauzac Mathilde , Koekemoer Anton M , Lagattuta David J , Lange Samuel , Limousin Marceau , Mahler Guillaume , Sirks Ellen , Steinhardt Charles L
Published: June 2024

The distribution of mass in galaxy-scale strong gravitational lenses is often modelled as an elliptical power-law plus ‘external shear’, which notionally accounts for neighbouring galaxies and cosmic shear along our line of sight. A small amount of external shear could come from these sources, but we show that the vast majority does not. Except in a handful of rare systems, the best-fitting values do not correlate with independent measurements of line-of-sight shear: from weak lensing in 45 Hubble Space Telescope images, or in 50 mock images of lenses with complex distributions of mass. Instead, the best-fit external shear is aligned with the major or minor axis of 88 per cent of lens galaxies; and the amplitude of the external shear increases if that galaxy is discy. We conclude that ‘external shear’ attached to a power-law model is not physically meaningful, but a fudge to compensate for lack of model complexity. Since it biases other model parameters that are interpreted as physically meaningful in several science analyses (e.g. measuring galaxy evolution, dark matter physics or cosmological parameters), we recommend that future studies of galaxy-scale strong lensing should employ more flexible mass models.
The many colours of the TNG100 simulation
Authors: Gebek Andrea , Trčka Ana , Baes Maarten , Martorano Marco , Pillepich Annalisa , Kapoor Anand Utsav , Nersesian Angelos , van der Wel Arjen
Published: June 2024

We apply the 3D dust radiative transfer code skirt to the low-redshift (z ≤ 0.1) galaxy population in the TNG100 cosmological simulation, the fiducial run of the IllustrisTNG project. We compute global fluxes and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from the far-ultraviolet to the submillimetre for $\approx 60\, 000$ galaxies, with the same post-processing methodology that was previously applied to the TNG50 simulation. We verify that TNG100 reproduces observational luminosity functions at low redshifts to excellent precision, unlike TNG50. Additionally, we test the realism of our TNG100 plus skirt fluxes by comparing various flux and colour relations to data from the GAMA survey. TNG100 broadly reproduces the observed distributions, but we predict ultraviolet colours that are too blue by $\approx 0.4\, \mathrm{mag}$, possibly related to the extinction in the star-forming regions subgrid model not being selective enough. Furthermore, we find that the simulated galaxies exhibit mid-infrared fluxes elevated by up to $\approx 0.5\, \mathrm{mag}$ that we attribute to overly effective stochastic heating of the diffuse dust. All synthetic broad-band fluxes and SEDs are made publicly available in three orientations and four apertures, and can readily be used to study TNG100 galaxies in a mock observational fashion.
The environmental dependence of the stellar mass–gas metallicity relation in Horizon Run 5
Authors: Rowntree Aaron R , Singh Ankit , Vincenzo Fiorenzo , Gibson Brad K , Gouin Céline , Galárraga-Espinosa Daniela , Lee Jaehyun , Kim Juhan , Laigle Clotilde , Park Changbom , Pichon Christophe , Few Gareth , Hong Sungwook E , Kim Yonghwi
Published: June 2024

Metallicity offers a unique window into the baryonic history of the cosmos, being instrumental in probing evolutionary processes in galaxies between different cosmic environments. We aim to quantify the contribution of these environments to the scatter in the mass–metallicity relation (MZR) of galaxies. By analysing the galaxy distribution within the cosmic skeleton of the Horizon Run 5 cosmological hydrodynamical simulation at redshift z = 0.625, computed using a careful calibration of the T-ReX filament finder, we identify galaxies within three main environments: nodes, filaments, and voids. We also classify galaxies based on the dynamical state of the clusters and the length of the filaments in which they reside. We find that the cosmic environment significantly contributes to the scatter in the MZR; in particular, both the gas metallicity and its average relative standard deviation increase when considering denser large-scale environments. The difference in the average metallicity between galaxies within relaxed and unrelaxed clusters is ≈0.1dex, with both populations displaying positive residuals, δZg, from the averaged MZR. Moreover, the difference in metallicity between node and void galaxies accounts for $\approx 0.14 \, \text{dex}$ in the scatter of the MZR at stellar mass $M_{\star } \approx 10^{9.35}\, \text{M}_{\odot }$. Finally, both the average [O/Fe] in the gas and the galaxy gas fraction decrease when moving to higher large-scale densities in the simulation, suggesting that the cores of cosmic environments host – on average – older and more massive galaxies, whose enrichment is affected by a larger number of Type Ia Supernova events.
Sexual and reproductive health and rights through a screen: on technology and accessibility in the Arab region
Authors: El Fakahany Sohayla , Ibrahim Fayrouz
Published: June 2024

In the Arab region, the availability of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) resources is hindered by structural sociocultural barriers. In response to these challenges, youth and activists have turned to digital platforms such as websites, blogs and social media accounts to improve access to SRHR information and services. The coalescence of such digital platforms has created a complimentary social space that exists to improve the sought for an equal, accessible and empowering SRHR environment. Drawing from Asef Bayat’s concept of social non-movements, this research analyzes SRHR in repressive and conservative settings within the Arab region. The methodology employed includes a digital ethnography on SRHR-related online platforms and an online anonymous survey with young Arab individuals. Through the analysis, it becomes evident that online mobilization efforts may be framed as social non-movements and the role of such digital platforms is imperative to the improvement of youth’s SRHR. Recommendations for improvement include prioritizing comprehensive sexuality education through reformation of curricula, normalizing SRHR and engaging communities in locally and culturally sensitive discourses, disseminating SRHR through media and outreach programs, enhancing accessibility and support, creating more cohesive networks of support and knowledge, and promoting trusted SRHR services and platforms. The coupling between the online space, which has proven to fill in gaps that exist socially, with the formal healthcare system is bound to produce strides in the advocacy for gender equality and equitable access to healthcare in the region.
Divergences between mainstream and social media discourses after COP26, and why they matter
Authors: Sanford Mary , Painter James
Published: June 2024

UN climate conferences (COPs) have become powerful opportunities for driving public attention to climate issues and raising awareness via mainstream and social media coverage. While there is an abundance of studies examining various elements of the media arenas separately, there are currently no comparative analyses of how mainstream media outlets and social media opinion leaders react to and thereby shape discourses around COPs. Using Bourdieu’s field theory to conceptualize agents in the two arenas as ‘adversaries’, we use manual content analysis to compare reactions to the 2021 Glasgow climate conference (COP26) across the five top English-language online newspapers in Australia, India, the UK and the USA with those of prominent users and organizations on Facebook and Instagram. We find entirely different appraisals of the conference between the two arenas: Where the mainstream media outlets highlighted the progress of the summit, social media leaders were eager to criticize its failures and those of world leaders to take sufficient action. We discuss the implications of this divergence, specifically (i) the extent to which it hinders the cultivation of cohesive narratives about critical climate issues, and (ii) how the failure frame advocated by social media opinion leaders may de-legitimize international policy initiatives and undercut public support for and engagement with these efforts.
Muscle‐specific pyruvate kinase isoforms, PKM1 and PKM2, regulate mammalian SWI/SNF proteins and histone 3 phosphorylation during myoblast differentiation
Authors: Olea‐Flores Monserrat , Sharma Tapan , Verdejo‐Torres Odette , DiBartolomeo Imaru , Thompson Paul R. , Padilla‐Benavides Teresita , Imbalzano Anthony N.
Published: June 2024

Pyruvate kinase is a glycolytic enzyme that converts phosphoenolpyruvate and ADP into pyruvate and ATP. There are two genes that encode pyruvate kinase in vertebrates; Pkm and Pkl encode muscle‐ and liver/erythrocyte‐specific forms, respectively. Each gene encodes two isoenzymes due to alternative splicing. Both muscle‐specific enzymes, PKM1 and PKM2, function in glycolysis, but PKM2 also has been implicated in gene regulation due to its ability to phosphorylate histone 3 threonine 11 (H3T11) in cancer cells. Here, we examined the roles of PKM1 and PKM2 during myoblast differentiation. RNA‐seq analysis revealed that PKM2 promotes the expression of Dpf2/Baf45d and Baf250a/Arid1A. DPF2 and BAF250a are subunits that identify a specific sub‐family of the mammalian SWI/SNF (mSWI/SNF) of chromatin remodeling enzymes that is required for the activation of myogenic gene expression during differentiation. PKM2 also mediated the incorporation of DPF2 and BAF250a into the regulatory sequences controlling myogenic gene expression. PKM1 did not affect expression but was required for nuclear localization of DPF2. Additionally, PKM2 was required not only for the incorporation of phosphorylated H3T11 in myogenic promoters but also for the incorporation of phosphorylated H3T6 and H3T45 at myogenic promoters via regulation of AKT and protein kinase C isoforms that phosphorylate those amino acids. Our results identify multiple unique roles for PKM2 and a novel function for PKM1 in gene expression and chromatin regulation during myoblast differentiation.
Internet Gaming Disorder and the Incidence of Suicide-related Ideation and Behaviors in College Students
Authors: Orozco Ricardo , Borges Guilherme , Caldas-de-Almeida José Miguel , Gutiérrez-García Raúl A. , Albor Yesica , Jiménez Pérez Ana Lucía , Valdés-García Karla Patricia , Baez Mansur Patricia M. , Covarrubias Díaz Couder María Anabell , Hernández Uribe Praxedis Cristina , Benjet Corina
Published: June 2024

Objectives

The longitudinal associations between DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and suicide-related ideation and behaviors have not been explored. In this study, we therefore seek to examine the association between baseline IGD and incident suicide ideation, plans, and attempts.

Methods

This is a prospective cohort study of 2586 Mexican college students followed up from September 2018 to June 2022. We estimated hazards ratios modeling incidence of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts by fitting proportional hazards Cox models with person-time scaled in years.

Results

Among 2140 students without suicide ideation at baseline, there were 467 incident cases in 3987.6 person-years; ideation incidence rates were 179 cases per 1000 person-years among students with IGD and 114 cases per 1000 person-years among those without IGD. Incidence rates for suicide plans were 67 and 39 per 1000 among IGD and non-IGD students, and 15 and 10 per 1000, respectively for attempts. After controlling for age, sex, and mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, IGD was associated with an 83% increased risk of suicide ideation. Although incidence rate estimates for plans and attempts were higher among students with IGD, results were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

This study helps to raise awareness of the increased risk of at least suicidal ideation in people experiencing IGD. Clinicians treating patients with IGD may encounter complaints of suicide ideation over time, and even reports of suicidal behavior that should not be disregarded. Identifying these patients and treating/referring them for underlying suicidality should form part of IGD treatment.
Validation of the Chinese Version of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale for Parents and Children
Authors: Fang Te-Yung , Lin Pei-Hsuan , Ko Yu , Wu Chen-Chi , Wang Han , Liao Wan-Cian , Wang Pa-Chun
Published: June 2024

Objectives:

To translate and validate the Chinese version of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) for children with hearing impairment (C-SSQ-C) and for their parents (C-SSQ-P).

Design:

We translated the SSQ for children into Chinese and verified its readability and comprehensibility. A total of 105 participants with moderate-to-profound hearing loss (HL) and 54 with normal hearing were enrolled in the validation process. The participants with HL were fitted with bilateral hearing aids, bimodal hearing, or bilateral cochlear implants. The C-SSQ-P was administered to the parents of participants aged 3 to 6.9 years, and the C-SSQ-C was administered to participants aged 7 to 18 years. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity were evaluated for both questionnaires.

Results:

Both C-SSQ-P and C-SSQ-C demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α >0.8) and good validity (generalized linear model revealed significant negative relationships between the C-SSQ-P subscales with aided better-hearing threshold [β = −0.08 to −0.12, p ≤ 0.001] and between the C-SSQ-C subscales with worse-hearing threshold [β = −0.13 to −0.14, p < 0.001]). Among the children with HL, the participants with bilateral cochlear implants had demonstrated better performance than those with bimodal hearing and bilateral hearing aids, as evidenced by the highest mean scores in three subscales.

Conclusions:

Both C-SSQ-P and C-SSQ-C are reliable and valid for assessing HL in children and adolescents. The C-SSQ-P is applicable in evaluating young children aged 3 to 6.9 years after a 7-day observation period, while the C-SSQ-C is appropriate for children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 years.
Epinephrine Dosing Intervals Are Associated With Pediatric In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes: A Multicenter Study*
Authors: Kienzle Martha F. , Morgan Ryan W. , Reeder Ron W. , Ahmed Tageldin , Berg Robert A. , Bishop Robert , Bochkoris Matthew , Carcillo Joseph A. , Carpenter Todd C. , Cooper Kellimarie K. , Diddle J. Wesley , Federman Myke , Fernandez Richard , Franzon Deborah , Frazier Aisha H. , Friess Stuart H. , Frizzola Meg , Graham Kathryn , Hall Mark , Horvat Christopher , Huard Leanna L. , Maa Tensing , Manga Arushi , McQuillen Patrick S. , Meert Kathleen L. , Mourani Peter M. , Nadkarni Vinay M. , Naim Maryam Y. , Pollack Murray M. , Sapru Anil , Schneiter Carleen , Sharron Matthew P. , Tabbutt Sarah , Viteri Shirley , Wolfe Heather A. , Sutton Robert M. ,   for the Oxy-PICU Investigators of the Pediatric Critical Care Society Study Group
Published: June 2024

OBJECTIVES:

Data to support epinephrine dosing intervals during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are conflicting. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between epinephrine dosing intervals and outcomes. We hypothesized that dosing intervals less than 3 minutes would be associated with improved neurologic survival compared with greater than or equal to 3 minutes.

DESIGN:

This study is a secondary analysis of The ICU-RESUScitation Project (NCT028374497), a multicenter trial of a quality improvement bundle of physiology-directed CPR training and post-cardiac arrest debriefing.

SETTING:

Eighteen PICUs and pediatric cardiac ICUs in the United States.

PATIENTS:

Subjects were 18 years young or younger and 37 weeks old or older corrected gestational age who had an index cardiac arrest. Patients who received less than two doses of epinephrine, received extracorporeal CPR, or had dosing intervals greater than 8 minutes were excluded.

INTERVENTIONS:

The primary exposure was an epinephrine dosing interval of less than 3 vs. greater than or equal to 3 minutes.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

The primary outcome was survival to discharge with a favorable neurologic outcome defined as a Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score of 1–2 or no change from baseline. Regression models evaluated the association between dosing intervals and: 1) survival outcomes and 2) CPR duration. Among 382 patients meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria, median age was 0.9 years (interquartile range 0.3–7.6 yr) and 45% were female. After adjustment for confounders, dosing intervals less than 3 minutes were not associated with survival with favorable neurologic outcome (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.10; 95% CI, 0.84–1.46; p = 0.48) but were associated with improved sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) (aRR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07–1.37; p < 0.01) and shorter CPR duration (adjusted effect estimate, –9.5 min; 95% CI, –14.4 to –4.84 min; p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:

In patients receiving at least two doses of epinephrine, dosing intervals less than 3 minutes were not associated with neurologic outcome but were associated with sustained ROSC and shorter CPR duration.
Effects of Immersive Straight Catheterization Virtual Reality Simulation on Skills, Confidence, and Flow State in Nursing Students
Authors: Yoon Hyeongyeong
Published: June 2024

Core nursing procedures are essential for nursing students to master because of their high frequency in nursing practice. However, the experience of performing procedures in actual hospital settings decreased during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, necessitating the development of various contents to supplement procedural training. This study investigated the effects of a straight catheterization program utilizing an immersive virtual reality simulation on nursing students' procedural performance, self-confidence, and immersion. The study employed a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design with 29 participants in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. The experimental group received training through a computer-based immersive virtual reality program installed in a virtual reality hospital, with three weekly sessions over 3 weeks. The control group underwent straight catheterization using manikin models. The research findings validated that virtual reality–based straight catheterization education significantly improved students' procedural skills, self-confidence, and flow state. Therefore, limited practical training can be effectively supplemented by immersive virtual reality programs.
Using Large Language Models to Address Health Literacy in mHealth
Authors: Loughran Elliot , Kane Madison , Wyatt Tami H. , Kerley Alex , Lowe Sarah , Li Xueping
Published: June 2024

The innate complexity of medical topics often makes it challenging to produce educational content for the public. Although there are resources available to help authors appraise the complexity of their content, there are woefully few resources available to help authors reduce that complexity after it occurs. In this case study, we evaluate using ChatGPT to reduce the complex language used in health-related educational materials. ChatGPT adapted content from the SmartSHOTS mobile application, which is geared toward caregivers of children aged 0 to 24 months. SmartSHOTS helps reduce barriers and improve adherence to vaccination schedules. ChatGPT reduced complex sentence structure and rewrote content to align with a third-grade reading level. Furthermore, using ChatGPT to edit content already written removes the potential for unnoticed, artificial intelligence–produced inaccuracies. As an editorial tool, ChatGPT was effective, efficient, and free to use. This article discusses the potential of ChatGPT as an effective, time-efficient, and open-source method for editing health-related educational materials to reflect a comprehendible reading level.
Robert Gross MD and the Birth of Pediatric Heart Surgery
Authors: Krell Matthew , Hines George L.
Published: June 2024

Robert Gross performed the first repair of a patent ductus arteriosus in 1938. His life and career were dedicated to the advancement of vascular, cardiac, pediatric surgery, and the unrelenting care of his patients.
Safety and Outcomes with Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Vitamin-K Antagonists in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression
Authors: Jain Hritvik , Odat Ramez M. , Ahmed Mushood , Jain Jyoti , Goyal Aman , Idrees Muhammad , Passey Siddhant , Jha Jagriti , Shah Janhvi , Gole Shrey
Published: June 2024

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a subtype of pulmonary hypertension characterized by organized thrombi inside the pulmonary vasculature, leading to an increase in pulmonary artery pressure. CTEPH is seen in about 3–4% of patients with acute pulmonary embolism and is associated with poor outcomes. Apart from surgical intervention, lifelong anticoagulation is the mainstay of CTEPH management. Traditionally, CTEPH is managed with vitamin-K antagonists (VKA); however, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recently gaining popularity. However, the current literature comparing DOACs versus VKAs in CTEPH has inconsistent results. An electronic search of the major bibliographic databases was performed to retrieve studies comparing DOACs versus VKAs in CTEPH patients. For dichotomous outcomes, the odds ratio (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model to generate forest plots. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05. Ten studies were included with 3936 patients (1269 in the DOAC group and 2667 in the VKA group). Treatment with DOAC was associated with no statistically significant difference in the risk of all-cause mortality (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.35–1.71; P < 0.53), venous thromboembolism (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.59–2.40; P = 0.63), major bleeding (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.38–1.22; P = 0.20), and clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.80–1.86; P = 0.37). Our analysis demonstrates that DOACs are noninferior to VKAs in terms of their safety and outcomes profile in CTEPH. Further trials are needed to evaluate more robust evidence and to compare additional outcomes.
IMAGING PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES AFTER RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT REPAIR
Authors: Lee Wei Wei , Francisconi Carolina L. M. , Marafon Samara B. , Juncal Verena R. , Chaudhary Varun , Hillier Roxane J. , Muni Rajeev H.
Published: June 2024

Purpose:

To evaluate the microstructural optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence imaging predictors of visual acuity, metamorphopsia, and aniseikonia following rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair.

Methods:

This is a multicenter retrospective study of patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment who underwent repair. Best-corrected visual acuity, metamorphopsia, and aniseikonia were formally tested at 3 months postoperatively. Metamorphopsia and aniseikonia were quantitatively assessed with M-CHARTS and the New Aniseikonia Test, respectively. High-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence images were obtained at 3 months postoperatively. Images were assessed for discontinuity of the outer retinal bands on optical coherence tomography and retinal displacement detected by retinal vessel printings on fundus autofluorescence by two masked graders with disagreements adjudicated by a third senior masked grader. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine the predictors of postoperative visual acuity, metamorphopsia, and aniseikonia.

Results:

Six hundred fourteen eyes of 614 patients were included in this study. Regression analysis indicated that significant early postoperative (at 3 months) imaging predictors of visual acuity were discontinuity of the external limiting membrane (P = 0.001) and the presence of retinal vessel printings on fundus autofluorescence (P = 0.033). Discontinuity of interdigitation zone was a significant predictor of metamorphopsia [horizontal metamorphopsia (P =0.004); vertical metamorphopsia (P = 0.056); average of horizontal metamorphopsia + vertical metamorphopsia (P = 0.008)], and presence of retinal vessel printings was a significant predictor of aniseikonia (P = 0.04).

Conclusion:

Discontinuity of the external limiting membrane and retinal displacement were significant predictors of postoperative visual acuity following rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair. Discontinuity of the interdigitation zone and retinal displacement were significant predictors of metamorphopsia and aniseikonia, respectively.