bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of pro-, pre-, and synbiotics supplementation on polycystic ovary syndrome: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Talebi Sepide , Zeraattalab-Motlagh Sheida , Jalilpiran Yahya , Payandeh Nastaran , Ansari Shakila , Mohammadi Hamed , Djafarian Kurosh , Ranjbar Mahsa , Sadeghi Sara , Taghizadeh Mahdiyeh , Shab-Bidar Sakineh
Published: September 2023

Background

Synbiotics, refer to a combination of probiotics and prebiotics in a form of synergism that beneficially affect the host’s health by alternating the composition and/or function of the gut microbiota. Numerous meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials have proven that pro, pre-, and synbiotics supplementation has health outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the strength and quality of this evidence in aggregate have not yet been synthesized in great detail.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Google Scholar were searched up to March 2023. We pooled the mean difference and its 95% confidence interval (CI) by applying a random-effects model.

Results

Overall, nine meta-analyses including a total of 12 trials were identified. The results of the present study indicated that probiotic supplementation significantly reduced the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; WMD: −0.29, 95% CI: −0.57 to −0.02, p = 0.03, n = 4; moderate certainty) and fasting glucose concentration (FGC; WMD: −7.5 mg/dL, 95% CI: −13.60 to −0.51, p = 0.03; n = 4; low certainty). Moreover, synbiotic supplementation had beneficial effects on glycemic control, lipid profile, and hormonal parameters, but the certainty of the evidence was rated as low to very low. However, supplementation with pro−/synbiotics did not affect inflammation and oxidative stress in women with PCOS. Furthermore, waist/hip circumference, fasting glucose concentration, lipid profile, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and hirsutism score were significantly reduced after prebiotics supplementation with low certainty of evidence.

Conclusion

Although pro-, pre-, and synbiotics supplementation had beneficial effects on some PCOS-related outcomes, the certainty of the evidence was rated as low to very low. Therefore, further well-designed RCTs might help to confirm our findings in women with PCOS.
Obesity and sarcopenic obesity characterized by low-grade inflammation are associated with increased risk for major depression in women
Authors: Pasco Julie A. , Berk Michael , Penninx Brenda , Hyde Natalie K. , Holloway-Kew Kara L. , West Emma C. , Kotowicz Mark A. , Anderson Kara B. , O’Neil Adrienne , Rufus-Membere Pamela G. , Williams Lana J.
Published: September 2023

Background

We aimed to determine women’s risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in relation to obesity phenotypes characterized by levels of circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

Methods

This population-based retrospective cohort study comprised 808 women (ages 20–84 y) recruited 1994–1997 and followed for a median 16.1 y (IQR 11.9–16.8). At baseline, body fat and lean tissue mass were measured by whole body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Obesity was identified as high fat mass index (>12.9 kg/m2), body fat percentage (≥35%) and body mass index (≥30 kg/m2); sarcopenic obesity referred to a high ratio fat mass/fat-free mass (≥0.80). Systemic inflammation was operationalized as serum hsCRP concentration in the upper tertile (>2.99 mg/L). Obesity phenotypes were: non-obese + lowCRP, non-obese + highCRP, obese + lowCRP, and obese + highCRP. During follow-up, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR (SCID-I/NP) was used to identify lifetime history of MDD and age of onset. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the MDD rate for each obesity phenotype during follow-up. Demographic, health and lifestyle factors were tested as potential confounders.

Results

During 11,869 p-y of follow-up, 161 (19.9%) women experienced an MDD episode. For obesity phenotypes based on fat mass index, models adjusted for baseline age and prior MDD, and non-obese + lowCRP as reference, RR for non-obese + highCRP was 1.21 (95% CI 0.80, 1.82), obese + lowCRP 1.46 (0.86, 2.47) and obese + highCRP 1.56 (1.03, 2.37). Patterns were similar for obesity by body fat percentage, body mass index and sarcopenic obesity.

Conclusion

Consistently across different obesity definitions, this longitudinal study reports that women with both obesity and systemic inflammation are at increased risk of subsequent MDD. Future research should examine whether tackling this metabolically unhealthy obesity type – through, for example, lifestyle or medication approaches – can reduce depression risk.
The role of a starch-based diet in solving existential challenges for the 21st century
Authors: McDougall John
Published: September 2023

Diet plays a fundamental role in our major chronic diseases, in climate change, and in our resistance to infectious diseases. The eating patterns that best support the health of people and our planet are based on traditional starchy staples. Historically, a wide variety of starches have provided the bulk of the food for most of the people who have walked our Earth. For example, rice has been food for Asians, corn for Central Americans, potatoes for people of the Andes, and for the Middle East, “the bread basket of the world,” food has meant wheat and barley. Focusing on our ethnicities can expose altruistic natures, and before it is too late, allow us to make the change from destructive animal-food based-diets to plant-food based-diets; ones that are health-supporting for people and our planet.
Effects of peripheral blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio levels and their changes on the prognosis of patients with early cervical cancer
Authors: Du Jun-Qiang , Zhang Fan , Wang Chao-Qun , Zhu Ju-Fan , Xu Li-Xia , Yang Yi-Heng , Han Meng-Fei , Hu Yan
Published: September 2023

Although some studies have reported on the levels and clinical significance of peripheral blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in cervical cancer, the role of NLR levels and their changes preoperatively and postoperatively in early cervical cancer remain unclear. Our analyses explored the preoperative and postoperative NLR in 203 patients with stage I–IIA cervical cancer and evaluated the relationship between NLR changes, clinicopathological characteristics, and patient prognosis. The cut-off preoperative and postoperative NLR values were determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Preoperative NLR correlated with age, menopausal status, tumor size, and vascular infiltration, whereas postoperative NLR correlated with tumor differentiation. Patients with cervical cancer with a high preoperative NLR had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than other patients, whereas PFS was significantly lower in the high postoperative NLR group. When comparing postoperative and preoperative NLR values, we observed a significantly higher rate of increase in postmenopausal patients and those without vascular infiltration than that among premenopausal patients and those with vascular infiltration. However, no clear difference in prognosis was observed between the groups with increased and decreased NLR. Therefore, a high peripheral blood NLR may predict a poor prognosis in patients with early cervical cancer. The effect of NLR changes on the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer requires further verification in multicenter studies.
177Lu-labeled PSMA targeting therapeutic with optimized linker for treatment of disseminated prostate cancer; evaluation of biodistribution and dosimetry
Authors: Abouzayed Ayman , Seitova Kamila , Lundmark Fanny , Bodenko Vitalina , Oroujeni Maryam , Tolmachev Vladimir , Rosenström Ulrika , Orlova Anna
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), highly expressed in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), is an established therapeutic target. Theranostic PSMA-targeting agents are widely used in patient management and has shown improved outcomes for mCRPC patients. Earlier, we optimized a urea-based probe for radionuclide visualization of PSMA-expression in vivo using computer modeling. With the purpose to develop a targeting agent equally suitable for radionuclide imaging and therapy, the agent containing DOTA chelator was designed (BQ7876). The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that 177Lu-labeled BQ7876 possesses target binding and biodistribution properties potentially enabling its use for radiotherapy.

Methods

BQ7876 was synthesized and labeled with Lu-177. Specificity and affinity of [177Lu]Lu-BQ7876 to PSMA-expressing PC3-pip cells was evaluated and its processing after binding to cells was studied. Animal studies in mice were performed to assess its biodistribution in vivo, target specificity and dosimetry. [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 was simultaneously evaluated for comparison.

Results

BQ7876 was labeled with Lu-177 with radiochemical yield >99%. Its binding to PSMA was specific in vitro and in vivo when tested in antigen saturation conditions as well as in PSMA-negative PC-3 tumors. The binding of [177Lu]Lu-BQ7876 to living cells was characterized by rapid association, while the dissociation included a rapid and a slow phase with affinities KD1 = 3.8 nM and KD2 = 25 nM. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration for natLu-BQ7876 was 59 nM that is equal to 61 nM for natLu-PSMA-617. Cellular processing of [177Lu]Lu-BQ7876 was accompanied by slow internalization. [177Lu]Lu-BQ7876 was cleared from blood and normal tissues rapidly. Initial elevated uptake in kidneys decreased rapidly, and by 3 h post injection, the renal uptake (13 ± 3%ID/g) did not differ significantly from tumor uptake (9 ± 3%ID/g). Tumor uptake was stable between 1 and 3 h followed by a slow decline. The highest absorbed dose was in kidneys, followed by organs and tissues in abdomen.

Discussion

Biodistribution studies in mice demonstrated that targeting properties of [177Lu]Lu-BQ7876 are not inferior to properties of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617, but do not offer any decisive advantages.
Dual mechanism of Let-7i in tumor progression
Authors: Zhou Jiapei , Xiang Hongjie , Cao Zhiqun
Published: September 2023

Let-7i regulates tumors primarily by binding to the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) of mRNA, which indirectly regulates post-transcriptional gene expression. Let-7i also has an epigenetic function via modulating DNA methylation to directly regulate gene expression. Let-7i performs a dual role by inducing both the promotion and inhibition of various malignancies, depending on its target. The mechanism of Let-7i action involves cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EV transmission, angiogenesis, autophagy, and drug resistance sensitization. Let-7i is closely related to cancer, and hence, is a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of various cancers. Therapeutically, it can be used to promote an anti-cancer immune response by modifying exosomes, thus exerting a tumor-suppressive effect.
Catastrophizing and acceptance are mediators between insomnia and pain intensity—an SQRP study of more than 6,400 patients with non-malignant chronic pain conditions
Authors: Gerdle Björn , Dragioti Elena , Rivano Fischer Marcelo , Dong Huan-Ji , Ringqvist Åsa
Published: September 2023

Background

Sleep problems (insomnia) and chronic pain are associated. Chronic pain and insomnia/insufficient sleep quality share similar symptoms and features. Although they have a bidirectional relationship, more research is needed to understand how they interact via mediators and how moderators influence this relationship.

Aims

In this large clinical registry-based cohort study (N = 6,497), we investigate important mediators between insomnia and pain intensity in a cross-sectional sample of chronic pain patients using advanced path analysis. In addition, we investigate whether some background variables were moderators of the identified important paths or not and the correlation patterns between insomnia and pain intensity in relation to the mediators.

Methods

This study includes a cohort of adult patients with chronic non-cancer pain from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (SQRP) with data on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) (2008–2016). The PROMs cover the background, pain aspects, psychological distress, pain-related cognitions, activity/participation, and health-related quality of life variables of the patients. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to explore the direct and indirect (via mediators) relationships between insomnia and pain intensity at baseline.

Results

In this cohort study, insomnia was prevalent at 62.3%, and both direct and indirect mediating paths were present for the insomnia–pain intensity relationship. All of the mediating effects combined were weaker than the direct effect between insomnia and pain intensity. The mediating effects via catastrophizing and acceptance showed the strongest and equal mediating paths, and mediating effects via fear avoidance were the second strongest. Insomnia showed stronger direct significant correlations with psychological distress, catastrophizing, and acceptance compared with those of pain intensity. Sex, age, education level, spatial extent of pain, or body mass index did not moderate the mediating paths.

Discussion and conclusion

This study confirms the existence of significant direct and mediating paths between reported insomnia and pain intensity. Future studies should focus on illuminating how sleep interventions influence pain intensity and other important key factors that contribute to the distress of chronic pain patients.
Harder, better, faster, stronger? Retrospective chart review of adverse events of interactions between adaptogens and antidepressant drugs
Authors: Siwek Marcin , Woroń Jarosław , Wrzosek Anna , Gupało Jarosław , Chrobak Adrian Andrzej
Published: September 2023

Aim: We aimed to systematically evaluate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of adverse events associated with the adaptogens and antidepressant drug interactions in a retrospective chart review.

Methodology: A total of 1,816 reports of adverse events were evaluated. Cases were included in the analysis if the pharmacoepidemiological analysis showed the presence of a high probability of a causal relationship between an adaptogen and antidepressant interaction and the occurrence of adverse events. The following data were extracted from the reports: age, sex, antidepressant, plant products containing adaptogens, other concomitant medications, and clinical consequences of the interactions and their possible mechanisms.

Results: Adaptogens were involved in 9% of adverse events associated with the concomitant use of antidepressants and other preparations. We identified 30 reports in which side effects presented a causal relationship with the use of antidepressants and adaptogens. Here, we present the list of adaptogens with the corresponding antidepressants and the side effects caused by their interactions: Withania somnifera: reboxetine (testicle pain and ejaculatory dysfunctions), sertraline (severe diarrhea), escitalopram (myalgia, epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, restless legs syndrome, and severe cough), and paroxetine (generalized myalgia, ophthalmalgia, and ocular hypertension); Eleutherococcus senticosus: duloxetine (upper gastrointestinal bleeding), paroxetine (epistaxis), sertraline (vaginal hemorrhage), and agomelatine (irritability, agitation, headache, and dizziness); Schisandra chinensis: bupropion (arthralgia and thrombocytopenia), amitriptyline (delirium), and fluoxetine (dysuria); Tribulus terrestris: citalopram (generalized pruritus), escitalopram (galactorrhea), and trazodone (psoriasis relapse); Coptis chinensis: mianserin (arrhythmias), mirtazapine (edema of lower limbs and myalgia), and fluoxetine (gynecomastia); Cimicifuga racemosa: mianserin (restless legs syndrome), paroxetine (gynecomastia and mastalgia), and venlafaxine (hyponatremia); Bacopa monnieri: agomelatine (back pain and hyperhidrosis) and moclobemide (myocardial infarction); Gynostemma pentaphyllum: duloxetine (back pain); Cordyceps sinensis: sertraline (upper gastrointestinal bleeding); Lepidium meyenii: mianserin (restless legs syndrome); and Scutellaria baicalensis: bupropion (seizures).

Conclusion: Clinicians should monitor the adverse events associated with the concomitant use of adaptogens and antidepressant drugs in patients with mental disorders. Aggregation of side effects and pharmacokinetic interactions (inhibition of CYP and p-glycoprotein) between those medicines may result in clinically significant adverse events.
Seminal plasma untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic profiling for the identification of a novel panel of biomarkers and therapeutic targets related to male infertility
Authors: Correnti Serena , Preianò Mariaimmacolata , Fregola Annalisa , Gamboni Fabia , Stephenson Daniel , Savino Rocco , D’Alessandro Angelo , Terracciano Rosa
Published: September 2023

Male infertility occurs approximately in about 50% of all infertility cases and represents a serious concern worldwide. Traditional semen analysis alone is insufficient to diagnose male infertility. Over the past two decades, advances in omics technologies have led to the widespread application of metabolomics profiling as a valuable diagnostic tool for various diseases and disorders. Seminal plasma represents a rich and easily accessible source of metabolites surrounding spermatozoa, a milieu that provides several indispensable nutrients to sustain sperm motility and fertilization. Changes of metabolic profiles in seminal plasma reflect male reproductive tract disorders. Here, we performed seminal plasma metabolomics and lipidomics profiling to identify a new pattern of biomarkers of male infertility. Seminal plasma samples from unfertile subjects (n = 31) and fertile controls (n = 19) were analyzed using an untargeted metabolomics/lipidomics integrated approach, based on Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography–tandem Mass Spectrometry. Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis showed a distinct separation between healthy fertile men and infertile subjects. Among the 15 selected candidate biomarkers based on Variable Importance in Projection scores, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (18:1; 18:1) resulted with the highest score. In total, 40 molecular species showed statistically significant variations between fertile and infertile men. Heat-map and volcano plot analysis indicated that acylcarnitines, phosphatidylserine (PS) (40:2) and lactate were decreased, while PE (18:1; 18:1), Phosphatidic acid (PA) (O-19:2; 18:1), Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) (O-16:1) and Phosphatidylcholine (PC) (O-16:2; 18:1)-CH3 were increased in the infertile group. The present study is the first one to analyze the metabolomics/lipidomics dysregulation in seminal plasma between fertile and infertile individuals regardless of sub-infertility condition. Association of several metabolites/lipids dysregulation with male infertility reinforced data of previous studies performed with different approaches. In particular, we confirmed significantly decreased levels of PS and carnitines in infertile patients as well as the positive correlation with sperm motility and morphology. If validated on a larger prospective cohort, the metabolite biomarkers of infertility in seminal plasma we identified in the present study might inform novel strategies for diagnosis and interventions to overcome male infertility.
Accurate estimation of fractional vegetation cover for winter wheat by integrated unmanned aerial systems and satellite images
Authors: Yang Songlin , Li Shanshan , Zhang Bing , Yu Ruyi , Li Cunjun , Hu Jinkang , Liu Shengwei , Cheng Enhui , Lou Zihang , Peng Dailiang
Published: September 2023

Accurate estimation of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) is essential for crop growth monitoring. Currently, satellite remote sensing monitoring remains one of the most effective methods for the estimation of crop FVC. However, due to the significant difference in scale between the coarse resolution of satellite images and the scale of measurable data on the ground, there are significant uncertainties and errors in estimating crop FVC. Here, we adopt a Strategy of Upscaling-Downscaling operations for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and satellite data collected during 2 growing seasons of winter wheat, respectively, using backpropagation neural networks (BPNN) as support to fully bridge this scale gap using highly accurate the UAS-derived FVC (FVCUAS) to obtain wheat accurate FVC. Through validation with an independent dataset, the BPNN model predicted FVC with an RMSE of 0.059, which is 11.9% to 25.3% lower than commonly used Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Random Forest Regression (RFR), and traditional Normalized Difference Vegetation Index-based method (NDVI-based) models. Moreover, all those models achieved improved estimation accuracy with the Strategy of Upscaling-Downscaling, as compared to only upscaling UAS data. Our results demonstrate that: (1) establishing a nonlinear relationship between FVCUAS and satellite data enables accurate estimation of FVC over larger regions, with the strong support of machine learning capabilities. (2) Employing the Strategy of Upscaling-Downscaling is an effective strategy that can improve the accuracy of FVC estimation, in the collaborative use of UAS and satellite data, especially in the boundary area of the wheat field. This has significant implications for accurate FVC estimation for winter wheat, providing a reference for the estimation of other surface parameters and the collaborative application of multisource data.
Deciphering the genetic architecture of resistance to Corynespora cassiicola in soybean (Glycine max L.) by integrating genome-wide association mapping and RNA-Seq analysis
Authors: Patel Sejal , Patel Jinesh , Bowen Kira , Koebernick Jenny
Published: September 2023

Target spot caused by Corynespora cassiicola is a problematic disease in tropical and subtropical soybean (Glycine max) growing regions. Although resistant soybean genotypes have been identified, the genetic mechanisms underlying target spot resistance has not yet been studied. To address this knowledge gap, this is the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted using the SoySNP50K array on a panel of 246 soybean accessions, aiming to unravel the genetic architecture of resistance. The results revealed significant associations of 14 and 33 loci with resistance to LIM01 and SSTA C. cassiicola isolates, respectively, with six loci demonstrating consistent associations across both isolates. To identify potential candidate genes within GWAS-identified loci, dynamic transcriptome profiling was conducted through RNA-Seq analysis. The analysis involved comparing gene expression patterns between resistant and susceptible genotypes, utilizing leaf tissue collected at different time points after inoculation. Integrating results of GWAS and RNA-Seq analyses identified 238 differentially expressed genes within a 200 kb region encompassing significant quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for disease severity ratings. These genes were involved in defense response to pathogen, innate immune response, chitinase activity, histone H3-K9 methylation, salicylic acid mediated signaling pathway, kinase activity, and biosynthesis of flavonoid, jasmonic acid, phenylpropanoid, and wax. In addition, when combining results from this study with previous GWAS research, 11 colocalized regions associated with disease resistance were identified for biotic and abiotic stress. This finding provides valuable insight into the genetic resources that can be harnessed for future breeding programs aiming to enhance soybean resistance against target spot and other diseases simultaneously.
Form and contour: breeding and genetics of organ shape from wild relatives to modern vegetable crops
Authors: Goldman Irwin L. , Wang Yanbing , Alfaro Andrey Vega , Brainard Scott , Oravec Madeline W. , McGregor Cecilia Elizabeth , van der Knaap Esther
Published: September 2023

Shape is a primary determinant of consumer preference for many horticultural crops and it is also associated with many aspects of marketing, harvest mechanics, and postharvest handling. Perceptions of quality and preference often map to specific shapes of fruits, tubers, leaves, flowers, roots, and other plant organs. As a result, humans have greatly expanded the palette of shapes available for horticultural crops, in many cases creating a series of market classes where particular shapes predominate. Crop wild relatives possess organs shaped by natural selection, while domesticated species possess organs shaped by human desires. Selection for visually-pleasing shapes in vegetable crops resulted from a number of opportunistic factors, including modification of supernumerary cambia, allelic variation at loci that control fundamental processes such as cell division, cell elongation, transposon-mediated variation, and partitioning of photosynthate. Genes that control cell division patterning may be universal shape regulators in horticultural crops, influencing the form of fruits, tubers, and grains in disparate species. Crop wild relatives are often considered less relevant for modern breeding efforts when it comes to characteristics such as shape, however this view may be unnecessarily limiting. Useful allelic variation in wild species may not have been examined or exploited with respect to shape modifications, and newly emergent information on key genes and proteins may provide additional opportunities to regulate the form and contour of vegetable crops.
Distribution-dependent representations in auditory category learning and generalization
Authors: Gan Zhenzhong , Zheng Lurong , Wang Suiping , Feng Gangyi
Published: September 2023

A fundamental objective in Auditory Sciences is to understand how people learn to generalize auditory category knowledge in new situations. How we generalize to novel scenarios speaks to the nature of acquired category representations and generalization mechanisms in handling perceptual variabilities and novelty. The dual learning system (DLS) framework proposes that auditory category learning involves an explicit, hypothesis-testing learning system, which is optimal for learning rule-based (RB) categories, and an implicit, procedural-based learning system, which is optimal for learning categories requiring pre-decisional information integration (II) across acoustic dimensions. Although DLS describes distinct mechanisms of two types of category learning, it is yet clear the nature of acquired representations and how we transfer them to new contexts. Here, we conducted three experiments to examine differences between II and RB category representations by examining what acoustic and perceptual novelties and variabilities affect learners’ generalization success. Learners can successfully categorize different sets of untrained sounds after only eight blocks of training for both II and RB categories. The category structures and novel contexts differentially modulated the generalization success. The II learners significantly decreased generalization performances when categorizing new items derived from an untrained perceptual area and in a context with more distributed samples. In contrast, RB learners’ generalizations are resistant to changes in perceptual regions but are sensitive to changes in sound dispersity. Representational similarity modeling revealed that the generalization in the more dispersed sampling context was accomplished differently by II and RB learners. II learners increased representations of perceptual similarity and decision distance to compensate for the decreased transfer of category representations, whereas the RB learners used a more computational cost strategy by default, computing the decision-bound distance to guide generalization decisions. These results suggest that distinct representations emerged after learning the two types of category structures and using different computations and flexible mechanisms in resolving generalization challenges when facing novel perceptual variability in new contexts. These findings provide new evidence for dissociated representations of auditory categories and reveal novel generalization mechanisms in resolving variabilities to maintain perceptual constancy.
Simultaneity of consciousness with physical reality: the key that unlocks the mind-matter problem
Authors: Sanfey John
Published: September 2023

The problem of explaining the relationship between subjective experience and physical reality remains difficult and unresolved. In most explanations, consciousness is epiphenomenal, without causal power. The most notable exception is Integrated Information Theory (IIT), which provides a causal explanation for consciousness. However, IIT relies on an identity between subjectivity and a particular type of physical structure, namely with an information structure that has intrinsic causal power greater than the sum of its parts. Any theory that relies on a psycho-phyiscal identity must eventually appeal to panpsychism, which undermines that theory’s claim to be fundamental. IIT has recently pivoted towards a strong version of causal emergence, but macroscopic structures cannot be stronger causally than their microphysical parts without some new physical law or governing principle. The approach taken here is designed to uncover such a principle. The decisive argument is entirely deductive from initial premises that are phenomenologically certain. If correct, the arguments prove that conscious experience is sufficient to create additional degrees of causal freedom independently of the content of experience, and in a manner that is unpredictable and unobservable by any temporally sequential means. This provides a fundamental principle about consciousness, and a conceptual bridge between it and the physics describing what is experienced. The principle makes testable predictions about brain function, with notable differences from IIT, some of which are also empirically testable.
Why human olfaction should not be modeled on theories and tasks of vision
Authors: Møller Per , Köster Egon P.
Published: September 2023

In this paper we analyze some key concepts and problems in olfaction and argue that many concepts borrowed from vision are not helpful in elucidating the functions of human olfaction. This is illustrated with several examples. Olfaction is rarely in the focus of human attention. Olfaction is, compared to vision, a ‘hidden sense’, but still guides many important behaviors by way of unattended unconscious olfactory perception and implicit memory. Not all olfactory processing, however, is of an unconscious nature. Flavors, and the pleasures gained from them, are most often consciously perceived. These are experiences mostly determined by olfaction, taste, touch and chemesthesis. Our analyses lead us to conclude that olfaction should not be modeled on vision, neither conceptually nor with respect to the problems solved by the two senses. A critical examination of the ecological and physical constraints of olfaction and the other senses should be given priority. Such analyses will further our understanding of which problems are solved by the different senses and how they collaborate to guide us through the world.
Transmit Radiant Individuality to Offspring (TRIO) study: investigating intergenerational transmission effects on brain development
Authors: Matsudaira Izumi , Yamaguchi Ryo , Taki Yasuyuki
Published: September 2023

Intergenerational transmission is a crucial aspect of human development. Although prior studies have demonstrated the continuity of psychopathology and maladaptive upbringing environments between parents and offspring, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. We have begun a novel neuroimaging research project, the Transmit Radiant Individuality to Offspring (TRIO) study, which focuses on biological parent-offspring trios. The participants of the TRIO study were Japanese parent-offspring trios consisting of offspring aged 10–40 and their biological mother and father. Structural and functional brain images of all participants were acquired using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Saliva samples were collected for DNA analysis. We obtained psychosocial information, such as intelligence, mental health problems, personality traits, and experiences during the developmental period from each parent and offspring in the same manner as much as possible. By April 2023, we completed data acquisition from 174 trios consisting of fathers, mothers, and offspring. The target sample size was 310 trios. However, we plan to conduct genetic and epigenetic analyses, and the sample size is expected to be expanded further while developing this project into a multi-site collaborative study in the future. The TRIO study can challenge the elucidation of the mechanism of intergenerational transmission effects on human development by collecting diverse information from parents and offspring at the molecular, neural, and behavioral levels. Our study provides interdisciplinary insights into how individuals’ lives are involved in the construction of the lives of their descendants in the subsequent generation.
Medical and social factors influencing the utilization of healthcare services among older adults in Israel during the COVID-19 lockdown
Authors: Shaked Ohad , Korn Liat , Shapiro Yair , Zwilling Moti , Zigdon Avi
Published: September 2023

Background

The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly impacted older adults. However, most older communities focused on the medical issues. The aims of this study were to identify the medical and social factors linked with the usage of medical services during the COVID-19 lockdown in Israel.

Methods

The study was conducted Over two periods of time from February to April in 2019 (P1), before the COVID-19 and from February to April in 2020 (P2), during the first lockdown. The study was conducted on people aged 65 and older in Israel. The variable statistics were analyzed using frequency tabulation, cross-tabulation frequencies, and t-tests. Two hierarchical logistic regressions were conducted over four steps for each period.

Results

The participants (n = 102,303) comprised 64.5% female (65,946) and 35.5% male (36,357) (mean age 80.5, SD- 7.46). It was found that participants who had not subscribed to the supportive community services were 7.47 times more likely to access medical services in P1 and 12.417 times more likely to access medical services during the lockdown. This variable was also found to be a strong predictor in the final model. The most significant variable for predicting the participants’ needs during P2 was their previous needs in P1. Other social variables were living in assisted living home and living in community settlements. The presence of 12 diseases in this study did not predict service demand.

Conclusion

Community support reduces medical service demands during disasters and provides services for older adults. During pandemics, however, social services need to be expanded and made more easily accessible to older adults.
Mental health and life satisfaction among those advised to shield during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK: a secondary analysis of the Understanding Society longitudinal study
Authors: Morris Simon George , Kudrna Laura , Martin James
Published: September 2023

Introduction

During the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, those considered most vulnerable to adverse outcomes from infection were designated “clinically extremely vulnerable” and advised to “shield.” This involved prolonged confinement at home with strict limits on face-to-face contact, beyond national restrictions. Shielding ended in September 2021 and was considered likely to have harmed mental health and wellbeing. As the UK moved toward a new phase of “living with COVID-19” the mental health and wellbeing experiences of those advised to shield may have diverged from the general population.

Methods

This study is a secondary analysis of nine “COVID-19 Survey” waves of Understanding Society, a longitudinal study of UK participants covering April 2020 to September 2021 alongside pre-pandemic baseline data. The prevalence of clinically significant psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire 12) and low life satisfaction were examined at each wave for participants with longitudinal responses across all waves, stratified by receipt of shielding guidance (Received n = 410, Not received n = 6,878). Mixed effects regression modeling examined associations between shielding guidance receipt and mental health and life satisfaction when adjusting for potential confounders including age and sex, pre-pandemic mental health/life satisfaction, and loneliness.

Results

Those who received shielding guidance were more likely to experience poor mental health and low life satisfaction during the pandemic. However, this largely reflected differences in pre-pandemic baselines. Variation between waves broadly coincided with the changing burden of COVID-19 and associated restrictions, with similar patterns regardless of shielding guidance receipt. Regression modeling combining data across all waves indicated that receipt of shielding guidance did not independently predict adverse outcomes. However, poor pre-pandemic mental health and low life satisfaction, and frequent loneliness, as well as demographic factors including sex and age, consistently predicted adverse pandemic mental health and wellbeing.

Discussion

While those who received shielding guidance did on average experience poorer mental health and life satisfaction during the pandemic, this study suggests this largely reflects existing inequalities. Drawing on data throughout the shielding program, it addresses an existing evidence gap. These findings reinforce the importance of addressing existing mental health inequalities in the recovery from the current pandemic and for future preparedness.
Enabling people with intellectual and other disabilities to make verbal requests using cardboard chips with mini objects or pictures and a smartphone
Authors: Lancioni Giulio E. , Singh Nirbhay N. , O’Reilly Mark F. , Sigafoos Jeff , Alberti Gloria , Troccoli Oriana , Orlando Isabella , Ricci Carlo
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study aimed to help six participants with intellectual disability combined with sensory and motor impairments to make verbal requests through the use of a technology system involving cardboard chips and a smartphone.

Method

The participants were divided into two groups of three based on whether they did or did not have visual skills. Each group was exposed to the intervention with the technology system according to a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design. During the 20 min intervention sessions, the participants were provided with a smartphone and nine cardboard chips each of which had a picture or object (i.e., a mini object replica or raised object contour) and several radio frequency identification tags attached to it. To make a request, the participants were to bring a cardboard chip in contact with the smartphone. This read the tags attached to the cardboard and verbalized the request related to that cardboard.

Results

During the baseline (without cardboard chips and smartphone), the participants’ mean frequency of independent requests (all non-verbal requests) varied between zero and near 1.5 per session. During the intervention (with cardboard chips and smartphone), the participants’ mean frequency of independent requests (all verbal requests) varied between over 4.5 and about 10 per session.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the system might be useful to help participants like the ones included in this study to make verbal requests with simple responses.
Agricultural pesticide regulatory environment for pollinator protection across geographical regions
Authors: Phan Ngoc T. , Rajotte Edwin G. , Smagghe Guy , Ren Zong-Xin , Biddinger David J. , Joshi Neelendra K.
Published: September 2023

The alarming decline of pollinator populations has raised significant concerns worldwide and prompted the need for effective pesticide risk assessment within the Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management (IPPM) framework. This paper examines the diverse approaches to pollinator protection within the pesticide regulatory environments of the United States (US), the European Union (EU), and selected Asian countries. The US adopts a reactive approach, regulating pesticides only after evidence of harm emerges, while the EU embraces a proactive stance under the precautionary principle. The EU has implemented stringent regulations, including neonicotinoid bans, and conducts coordinated research on pesticide impacts. In contrast, some Asian countries face challenges with inadequate regulations, leading to adverse health and environmental consequences. This article highlights the need for comprehensive pesticide regulations across different regions to safeguard pollinators and mitigate the non-target risks associated with pesticide use.
Residue determination and dietary risk assessment of mesotrione, nicosulfuron, atrazine and its four metabolites in maize in China
Authors: Chen Huazhang , Li Jiewei , Wang Yuxi , Zhou Yannan , Duan Zhengfeng , Duan Tingting
Published: September 2023

Introduction

To improve maize yield in China, multiple herbicides have been simultaneously applied to control more weeds. However, this combined application raises concerns about potential residues and their subsequent risks to human health. Therefore, evaluating the residues and dietary risk of new herbicide formulations is critical for the sustainability of maize production.

Methods

Using UHPLC-MS/MS, we developed quick methods for the determination of residues of mesotrione, nicosulfuron, atrazine and its four metabolites with acceptable accuracy and precision. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.01 mg/kg for mesotrione and atrazine-desethyl-desopropyl, and 0.005 mg/kg for nicosulfuron, atrazine, 6-deisopropyl atrazine, 2 hydroxyatrazine, and deethylatrazine. Field trials were conducted at 12 different locations in China. And the risk quotient (RQ) model was used to evaluate the chronic risk of residues of these herbicides.

Results

The residues of straw samples were in the ranges of <0.01 mg/kg for mesotrione, <0.005–0.010 mg/kg for nicosulfuron, and <0.037–0.254 mg/kg for accumulated atrazine. In green straw, the observed ranges were <0.01 mg/kg for mesotrione, <0.005–0.007 mg/kg for nicosulfuron, and <0.037–0.211 mg/kg for accumulated atrazine. Meanwhile, for both green and fully-grown maize, residues were <0.01 mg/kg for mesotrione, <0.005 mg/kg for nicosulfuron, and <0.037 mg/kg for accumulated atrazine. And all RQ values of green and fully-grown maize were below 100%.

Conclusion

Based on the RQ model, the dietary risk of exposure to three herbicides through maize was acceptable by consumers. This study helps guide the rational use of mesotrione, nicosulfuron and atrazine to ensure the safe production of maize and our human health.
Health System Response to Refugees’ and Migrants’ Health in Iran: A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis and Policy Recommendations
Authors: Bakhtiari Ahad , Takian Amirhossein , Olyaeemanesh Alireza , Behzadifar Masoud , Takbiri Afsaneh , Sazgarnejad Saharnaz , Kargar Sahar
Published: September 2023

Objective: Iran is one of the main hosts of Afghan refugees. This study aims to provide comprehensive evidence to increase Afghan migrants’ access to healthcare services in Iran.

Methods: To assess the health system’s response to Afghan migrants in Iran, we conducted three phases for SWOT analysis, including: 1-developing a review and comprehensive analysis of documents, laws, and, programs, 2-conducting semi-structured interviews with policymakers and experts, and 3-mapping the results through the Levesque’s conceptual framework for healthcare access.

Results: We evaluated the response of the health system to Afghan migrants’ health needs in three domains: 1-Approachability and ability to perceive migrants; 2-Ability to reach, engage, and availability and accommodation and appropriateness; 3-The ability to pay and affordability. For each of the three domains, we identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, complemented with evidence-based suggestions to improve migrants’ access to needed healthcare services.

Conclusion: Given the rising trend of immigration and deteriorating financial crises, we recommend appropriate strategies for the adoption of specialized focus services, gateway services, and restricted services. Also simplifying financial procedures, and implementing innovative insurance mechanisms are essential.
Factors Shaping Euro and Forint Cash Holding Ratios : The Rise of Cash Demand for Savings Purposes from the Turn of the Millennium
Authors: Bódi-Schubert Anikó , Ritzlné Kazimir Ildikó
Published: September 2023

This study reviews the factors shaping forint and euro cash demand for savings purposes by examining the cash holding ratio. Forint and euro cash holding ratios are both rising, which points to an increase in cash savings. According to the results, in the long run, the cash demand for savings purposes is determined by traditional variables such as wealth and yields, along with uncertainty, the price of financial services and the institutional environment. In the short run, the change in uncertainty and the evolution of short interest rates dominate. Crises and the sudden shifts in the institutional environment lead to a shock, with large growth in the cash holding ratio for both currencies.
In-Vehicle Speech Recognition for Voice-Driven UAV Control in a Collaborative Environment of MAV and UAV
Authors: Park Jeong-Sik , Geng Na
Published: September 2023

Most conventional speech recognition systems have mainly concentrated on voice-driven control of personal user devices such as smartphones. Therefore, a speech recognition system used in a special environment needs to be developed in consideration of the environment. In this study, a speech recognition framework for voice-driven control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is proposed in a collaborative environment between manned aerial vehicles (MAVs) and UAVs, where multiple MAVs and UAVs fly together, and pilots on board MAVs control multiple UAVs with their voices. Standard speech recognition systems consist of several modules, including front-end, recognition, and post-processing. Among them, this study focuses on recognition and post-processing modules in terms of in-vehicle speech recognition. In order to stably control UAVs via voice, it is necessary to handle the environmental conditions of the UAVs carefully. First, we define control commands that the MAV pilot delivers to UAVs and construct training data. Next, for the recognition module, we investigate an acoustic model suitable for the characteristics of the UAV control commands and the UAV system with hardware resource constraints. Finally, two approaches are proposed for post-processing: grammar network-based syntax analysis and transaction-based semantic analysis. For evaluation, we developed a speech recognition system in a collaborative simulation environment between a MAV and an UAV and successfully verified the validity of each module. As a result of recognition experiments of connected words consisting of two to five words, the recognition rates of hidden Markov model (HMM) and deep neural network (DNN)-based acoustic models were 98.2% and 98.4%, respectively. However, in terms of computational amount, the HMM model was about 100 times more efficient than DNN. In addition, the relative improvement in error rate with the proposed post-processing was about 65%.