bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of neural circuits tested by transcranial magnetic stimulation in corticomotor control of low back muscle: a systematic review
Authors: Desmons Mikaël , Theberge Michael , Mercier Catherine , Massé-Alarie Hugo
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is widely used to investigate central nervous system mechanisms underlying motor control. Despite thousands of TMS studies on neurophysiological underpinnings of corticomotor control, a large majority of studies have focused on distal muscles, and little is known about axial muscles (e.g., low back muscles). Yet, differences between corticomotor control of low back and distal muscles (e.g., gross vs. fine motor control) suggest differences in the neural circuits involved. This systematic review of the literature aims at detailing the organisation and neural circuitry underlying corticomotor control of low back muscles tested with TMS in healthy humans.

Methods

The literature search was performed in four databases (CINAHL, Embase, Medline (Ovid) and Web of science) up to May 2022. Included studies had to use TMS in combination with EMG recording of paraspinal muscles (between T12 and L5) in healthy participants. Weighted average was used to synthesise quantitative study results.

Results

Forty-four articles met the selection criteria. TMS studies of low back muscles provided consistent evidence of contralateral and ipsilateral motor evoked potentials (with longer ipsilateral latencies) as well as of short intracortical inhibition/facilitation. However, few or no studies using other paired pulse protocols were found (e.g., long intracortical inhibition, interhemispheric inhibition). In addition, no study explored the interaction between different cortical areas using dual TMS coil protocol (e.g., between primary motor cortex and supplementary motor area).

Discussion

Corticomotor control of low back muscles are distinct from hand muscles. Our main findings suggest: (i) bilateral projections from each single primary motor cortex, for which contralateral and ipsilateral tracts are probably of different nature (contra: monosynaptic; ipsi: oligo/polysynaptic) and (ii) the presence of intracortical inhibitory and excitatory circuits in M1 influencing the excitability of the contralateral corticospinal cells projecting to low back muscles. Understanding of these mechanisms are important for improving the understanding of neuromuscular function of low back muscles and to improve the management of clinical populations (e.g., low back pain, stroke).
Desensitizing nicotinic agents normalize tinnitus-related inhibitory dysfunction in the auditory cortex and ameliorate behavioral evidence of tinnitus
Authors: Ghimire Madan , Cai Rui , Ling Lynne , Brownell Kevin A. , Wisner Kurt W. , Cox Brandon C. , Hackett Troy A. , Brozoski Thomas J. , Caspary Donald M.
Published: May 2023

Tinnitus impacts between 10–20% of the population. Individuals most troubled by their tinnitus have their attention bound to and are distracted by, their tinnitus percept. While numerous treatments to ameliorate tinnitus have been tried, no therapeutic approach has been clinically accepted. The present study used an established condition-suppression noise-exposure rat model of tinnitus to: (1) examine tinnitus-related changes in nAChR function of layer 5 pyramidal (PNs) and of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons in primary auditory cortex (A1) and (2) examine how the partial desensitizing nAChR agonists, sazetidine-A and varenicline, can act as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of tinnitus. We posited that tinnitus-related changes in layer 5 nAChR responses may underpin the decline in attentional resources previously observed in this animal model (Brozoski et al., 2019). In vitro whole-cell patch-clamp studies previously revealed a significant tinnitus-related loss in nAChR-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents from A1 layer 5 PNs. In contrast, VIP neurons from animals with behavioral evidence of tinnitus showed significantly increased nAChR-evoked excitability. Here we hypothesize that sazetidine-A and varenicline have therapeutic benefits for subjects who cannot divert their attention away from the phantom sound in their heads. We found that sazetidine-A or varenicline normalized tinnitus-related reductions in GABAergic input currents onto A1 layer 5 PNs. We then tested sazetidine-A and varenicline for the management of tinnitus using our tinnitus animal model. Subcutaneous injection of sazetidine-A or varenicline, 1 h prior to tinnitus testing, significantly decreased the rat’s behavioral evidence of tinnitus in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, these results support the need for additional clinical investigations of partial desensitizing nAChR agonists sazetidine-A and varenicline for the treatment of tinnitus.
Effectiveness of a starch thickened infant formula with reduced lactose content, probiotics and prebiotics on quality of life and clinical outcome in infants with regurgitation and/or colic
Authors: Chouraqui Jean-Pierre , Brancato Sandra , Delmas Berenice , Hanh Thierry
Published: May 2023

Background

Regurgitation and colic are quite common in young infants, leading to a reduced quality of life (QoL) and to parental distress. Their management is challenging and aims to effectively reassure and relieve symptoms. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness over 30 days of a starch thickened formula with a reduced lactose content, Limosilactobacillus reuteri (Lactobacillus reuteri) DSM 17938 and FOS/GOS.

Methods

A real-world prospective multicenter experimental study was conducted in a before-after design within subject. Full term infants 0−5 months with regurgitation or colic or both symptoms and without intercurrent illness were included after parental informed consent and received the studied formula. The primary endpoint was the improvement in QoL using the QUALIN infant’s questionnaire. Secondary endpoints were the symptoms outcome and the formula tolerance.

Results

Of the 101 infants included (age: 6.2 ± 4.3  weeks), 33 had regurgitation, 34 colic and 34 had both. At D30, the QoL score was improved in 75% of infants in per protocol analysis (n = 68; +8.2 ± 13.7; p < 0.001), more in those with colic or both symptoms. Meanwhile, in intention to treat analysis (all p < 0.001), the daily number of regurgitations decreased by 61% and the weekly number of days with colic by 63% while the daily cumulative duration of crying decreased by 82 ± 106 mn. These improvements were observed within the first week by 89 and 76% of parents, respectively.

Conclusion

The study formula associated with reassurance is shown to be quickly effective in the management of infant’s regurgitation or/and colic in routine clinical practice.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT04462640.
Preparation of quinoa bran dietary fiber-based zinc complex and investigation of its antioxidant capacity in vitro
Authors: Wei Chunhong , Wang Xinhui , Jiang Xiujie , Cao LongKui
Published: May 2023

In order to improve the economic utilization of quinoa bran and develop a safe and highly available zinc ion biological supplement. In this study, a four-factor, three-level response surface optimization of quinoa bran soluble dietary fiber (SDF) complexation of zinc was studied. The effect used four factors on the chelation rate was investigated: (A) mass ratio of SDF to ZnSO4.7H2O, (B) chelation temperature, (C) chelation time, and (D) pH. Based on the results of the single-factor test, the four-factor three-level response surface method was used to optimize the reaction conditions. The optimal reaction conditions were observed as mentioned here: the mass ratio of quinoa bran SDF to ZnSO4.7H2O was 1, the reaction temperature was 65°C, the reaction time was 120 min, and the pH of the reaction system was 8.0. The average chelation rate was 25.18%, and zinc content is 465.2 μg/g under optimal conditions. The hydration method rendered a fluffy quinoa bran SDF structure. The intramolecular functional groups were less stable which made the formation of the lone pairs of electrons feasible to complex with the added divalent zinc ions to form a quinoa bran soluble dietary fiber-zinc complex [SDF-Zn(II)]. The SDF-Zn(II) chelate had higher 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ABTS+, hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, and total antioxidant capacity. Therefore, metal ion chelation in dietary fiber is of biological importance.
Updating the fatty acid profiles of retail bovine milk in China based on an improved GC-MS method: implications for nutrition
Authors: Chen Meiqing , Wang Fengen , Wu Xufang , Si Boxue , Pan Junyu , Zheng Nan , Zhang Yangdong , Wang Jiaqi
Published: May 2023

The importance of food components to potential benefits and risks to human health is gradually being consumer awareness. Milk is an important part of the lipid content of the human diet, and there are few detailed reports on the fatty acid (FA) profiles of retail milk. In the study, we developed a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method to simultaneously determine 82 FAs, including 11 even-chain saturated FAs, 10 odd-chain saturated FAs, 9 branched-chain saturated FAs, 30 monounsaturated FAs, and 22 polyunsaturated FAs; this was applied to analyze samples (186 samples) of commercially available milk from 22 provinces throughout China and to evaluate the nutritional value of these samples based on FA-related indices. The results showed that the overall composition of milk FAs among the different regions was numerically similar, and minor FAs showed few differences. When considering the retail milk FA composition and dairy fat intake in China, regional variations have a limited impact on FA consumption. Moreover, milk accounts for approximately one-third and <10% of the maximum recommended intake of saturated FAs and trans-FAs in consumer diets, respectively. This study provides an updated report on the composition of FAs and the nutritional value of retail milk across China, which can serve as a reference for producers for future research on regulating milk FAs, for consumers to select milk, and for nutrition departments to formulate relevant nutritional guidance recommendations.
Pediatric Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: Epidemiology, Molecular Features, and Importance of GST-Theta 1 in Chemotherapy Response and Outcome
Authors: Andrade Francianne G. , Feliciano Suellen V. M. , Sardou-Cezar Ingrid , Brisson Gisele D. , Santos-Bueno Filipe V. dos , Vianna Danielle T. , Marques Luísa V. C. , Terra-Granado Eugênia , Zalcberg Ilana , Santos Marceli de O. , Costa Juliana T. , Noronha Elda P. , Thuler Luiz C. S. , Wiemels Joseph L. , Pombo-de-Oliveira Maria S. ,   The Brazilian Collaborative Study Group of Acute Leukemia
Published: May 2023

Previous studies have suggested a variation in the incidence of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) among the geographic regions with relatively higher percentages in the Latin American population. We aimed to explore the population burden of pediatric APL, gathering information from the population-based cancer registry (PBCR) and the diagnosis of APL obtained through incident cases from a hospital-based cohort. The homozygous deletion in glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) leads to a loss of enzyme detoxification activity, possibly affecting the treatment response. Mutations in the RAS pathway genes are also considered to be a key component of the disease both in the pathogenesis and in the outcomes. We have assessed mutations in a RAS–MAP kinase pathway (FLT3, PTPN11, and K-/NRAS) and GST variant predisposition risk in the outcome. Out of the 805 children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are registered in the PBCR, 35 (4.3%) were APL cases. The age-adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) was 0.03 per 100,000 person-years. One-hundred and sixty-three patients with APL were studied out of 931 AML cases (17.5%) from a hospital-based cohort. Mutations in FLT3, KRAS, and NRAS accounted for 52.1% of the cases. Patients with APL presented a 5-year probability of the overall survival (OS) of 67.3 ± 5.8%. A GST-theta 1 (GSTT1) null genotype conferred adverse prognosis, with an estimated hazard ratio of 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–6.9. We speculate that the GSTT1 polymorphism is associated with therapeutics and would allow better OS of patients with APL with a GSTT1 null genotype.
Densely Convolutional Spatial Attention Network for nuclei segmentation of histological images for computational pathology
Authors: Islam Sumon Rashadul , Bhattacharjee Subrata , Hwang Yeong-Byn , Rahman Hafizur , Kim Hee-Cheol , Ryu Wi-Sun , Kim Dong Min , Cho Nam-Hoon , Choi Heung-Kook
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Automatic nuclear segmentation in digital microscopic tissue images can aid pathologists to extract high-quality features for nuclear morphometrics and other analyses. However, image segmentation is a challenging task in medical image processing and analysis. This study aimed to develop a deep learning-based method for nuclei segmentation of histological images for computational pathology.

Methods

The original U-Net model sometime has a caveat in exploring significant features. Herein, we present the Densely Convolutional Spatial Attention Network (DCSA-Net) model based on U-Net to perform the segmentation task. Furthermore, the developed model was tested on external multi-tissue dataset – MoNuSeg. To develop deep learning algorithms for well-segmenting nuclei, a large quantity of data are mandatory, which is expensive and less feasible. We collected hematoxylin and eosin–stained image data sets from two hospitals to train the model with a variety of nuclear appearances. Because of the limited number of annotated pathology images, we introduced a small publicly accessible data set of prostate cancer (PCa) with more than 16,000 labeled nuclei. Nevertheless, to construct our proposed model, we developed the DCSA module, an attention mechanism for capturing useful information from raw images. We also used several other artificial intelligence-based segmentation methods and tools to compare their results to our proposed technique.

Results

To prioritize the performance of nuclei segmentation, we evaluated the model’s outputs based on the Accuracy, Dice coefficient (DC), and Jaccard coefficient (JC) scores. The proposed technique outperformed the other methods and achieved superior nuclei segmentation with accuracy, DC, and JC of 96.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 96.2 – 96.6), 81.8 (95% CI: 80.8 – 83.0), and 69.3 (95% CI: 68.2 – 70.0), respectively, on the internal test data set.

Conclusion

Our proposed method demonstrates superior performance in segmenting cell nuclei of histological images from internal and external datasets, and outperforms many standard segmentation algorithms used for comparative analysis.
Replication of genetic associations of chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity in the adjuvant NSABP B-31 clinical trial
Authors: Advani Pooja P. , Ruddy Kathryn J. , Herrmann Joerg , Ray Jordan C. , Craver Emily C. , Yothers Greg , Cecchini Reena S. , Lipchik Corey , Feng Huichen , Rastogi Priya , Mamounas Eleftherios P. , Swain Sandra M. , Geyer Charles E. , Wolmark Norman , Paik Soonmyung , Pogue-Geile Katherine L. , Colon-Otero Gerardo , Perez Edith A. , Norton Nadine
Published: May 2023

Background

The cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin, trastuzumab, and other anticancer agents are well known, but molecular genetic testing is lacking for the early identification of patients at risk for therapy-related cardiac toxicity.

Methods

Using the Agena Bioscience MassARRAY system, we genotyped TRPC6 rs77679196, BRINP1 rs62568637, LDB2 rs55756123, RAB22A rs707557, intergenic rs4305714, LINC01060 rs7698718, and CBR3 rs1056892 (V244M) (previously associated with either doxorubicin or trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity in the NCCTG N9831 trial of anthracycline-based chemotherapy ± trastuzumab) in 993 patients with HER2+ early breast cancer from the NSABP B-31 trial of adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy ± trastuzumab. Association analyses were performed with outcomes of congestive heart failure (N = 29) and maximum decline in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) using logistic and linear regression models, respectively, under an additive model with age, baseline LVEF, and previous use of hypertensive medications as covariates.

Results

Associations of maximum decline in LVEF in the NCCTG N9831 patients did not replicate in the NSABP B-31 patients. However, TRPC6 rs77679196 and CBR3 rs1056892 were significantly associated with congestive heart failure, p < 0.05, with stronger associations observed in patients treated with chemotherapy only (no trastuzumab) or in the combined analysis of all patients relative to those patients treated with chemotherapy + trastuzumab.

Conclusions

TRPC6 rs77679196 and CBR3 rs1056892 (V244M) are associated with doxorubicin-induced cardiac events in both NCCTG N9831 and NSABP B-31. Other variants previously associated with trastuzumab-related decline in LVEF failed to replicate between these studies.
Combined bulk RNA and single-cell RNA analyses reveal TXNL4A as a new biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Li Yifan , Zhu Qiaozhen , Zhou Shuchang , Chen Jiangtao , Du Aoyu , Qin Changjiang
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high mortality rate worldwide. The dysregulation of RNA splicing is a major event leading to the occurrence, progression, and drug resistance of cancer. Therefore, it is important to identify new biomarkers of HCC from the RNA splicing pathway.

Methods

We performed the differential expression and prognostic analyses of RNA splicing-related genes (RRGs) using The Cancer Genome Atlas-liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC)-LIHC dataset was used to construct and validate prognostic models, and the PubMed database was used to explore genes in the models to identify new markers. The screened genes were subjected to genomic analyses, including differential, prognostic, enrichment, and immunocorrelation analyses. Single-cell RNA (scRNA) data were used to further validate the immunogenetic relationship.

Results

Of 215 RRGs, we identified 75 differentially expressed prognosis-related genes, and a prognostic model incorporating thioredoxin like 4A (TXNL4A) was identified using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis. ICGC-LIHC was used as a validation dataset to confirm the validity of the model. PubMed failed to retrieve HCC-related studies on TXNL4A. TXNL4A was highly expressed in most tumors and was associated with HCC survival. Chi-squared analyses indicated that TXNL4A expression positively correlated positively with the clinical features of HCC. Multivariate analyses revealed that high TXNL4A expression was an independent risk factor for HCC. Immunocorrelation and scRNA data analyses indicated that TXNL4A was correlated with CD8 T cell infiltration in HCC.

Conclusion

Therefore, we identified a prognostic and immune-related marker for HCC from the RNA splicing pathway.
The efficacy and safety of Trilaciclib in preventing chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Qiu Jingyue , Sheng Dandan , Lin Fei , Jiang Peng , Shi Ning
Published: May 2023

Background: This study aims to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of Trilaciclib in preventing chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in adult patients through meta-analysis.

Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, EU Clinical Trials Register, and International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched up to 25 October 2022. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the clinical outcomes of Trilaciclib and Trilaciclib plus chemotherapy for treating malignant cancers in adult patients were included. The primary outcome included the incidence of SN, FN, the DSN, and administration of ESAs, G-CSFs, and RBC or platelet transfusions, while the secondary outcomes included the risk of adverse events (AEs) and severe adverse events (SAEs).

Results: In total, four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 345 patients with SCLC or breast cancer were included in this meta-analysis. Results showed that administration of Trilaciclib significantly reduced the occurrence of SN (19.3% vs. 42.2%, OR = 0.31), FN (3.22% vs. 6.72%, OR = 0.47), anemia (20.5% vs. 38.2%, OR = 0.38) and shortened the DSN during treatment. The proportion of patients receiving therapeutic use of ESAs (4.03% vs. 11.8%, OR = 0.31), G-CSF (37.0% vs. 53.5%, OR = 0.52), RBC transfusions (19.8% vs. 29.9%, OR = 0.56) was also statistically lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Meanwhile, the ORR, overall survival, and progress-free survival of the two groups were identical, and no negative impact of Trilaciclib on the clinical outcomes of chemotherapy treatments was found. Other chemotherapy-induced adverse events (AEs) and severe adverse events (SAEs) like diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting were identical regardless of Trilaciclib usage.

Conclusion: Trilaciclib demonstrated its efficacy in reducing the occurrence of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression and utilization of supportive care interventions without undermining the clinical benefits of chemotherapy regimens during treatment with an acceptable safety profile.
Research on elevated orbit noise propagation based on AI algorithm and propagation path analysis
Authors: Ling-Xiao Weng , Xiao-Yan Lei , Kun Luo
Published: May 2023

With the rapid development of high-speed railway, noise reduction is becoming more and more important. At the same time, the study of elevated rail noise is also very important for the engineering field. The noise reduction of elevated rail noise is a part of the engineering construction, which is conducive to the economic development and the improvement of people’s life, and the reduction of noise has an impact on residents’ life. This article aims to investigate the analysis of the vibration and noise transmission path of the elevated railway. An optimized transmission path analysis method, which is based on the artificial intelligence algorithms, is used to optimize the path analysis, so as to trace the source of the noise and analyze the noise reduction. This method performs well in the analysis of vibration and noise of elevated railways. After this optimization, the contribution degree and frequency response function in the path analysis have better analysis performance. Through the actual measurement and analysis of the noise of the elevated railway, it can be proved that the traditional path method can better analyze the noise source. The environmental noise caused by high-speed trains passing bridges easily exceeds the acoustic environmental standards. After noise reduction, it can be reduced by about 5–10 dB.
Machine learning enhances prediction of plants as potential sources of antimalarials
Authors: Richard-Bollans Adam , Aitken Conal , Antonelli Alexandre , Bitencourt Cássia , Goyder David , Lucas Eve , Ondo Ian , Pérez-Escobar Oscar A. , Pironon Samuel , Richardson James E. , Russell David , Silvestro Daniele , Wright Colin W. , Howes Melanie-Jayne R.
Published: May 2023

Plants are a rich source of bioactive compounds and a number of plant-derived antiplasmodial compounds have been developed into pharmaceutical drugs for the prevention and treatment of malaria, a major public health challenge. However, identifying plants with antiplasmodial potential can be time-consuming and costly. One approach for selecting plants to investigate is based on ethnobotanical knowledge which, though having provided some major successes, is restricted to a relatively small group of plant species. Machine learning, incorporating ethnobotanical and plant trait data, provides a promising approach to improve the identification of antiplasmodial plants and accelerate the search for new plant-derived antiplasmodial compounds. In this paper we present a novel dataset on antiplasmodial activity for three flowering plant families – Apocynaceae, Loganiaceae and Rubiaceae (together comprising c. 21,100 species) – and demonstrate the ability of machine learning algorithms to predict the antiplasmodial potential of plant species. We evaluate the predictive capability of a variety of algorithms – Support Vector Machines, Logistic Regression, Gradient Boosted Trees and Bayesian Neural Networks – and compare these to two ethnobotanical selection approaches – based on usage as an antimalarial and general usage as a medicine. We evaluate the approaches using the given data and when the given samples are reweighted to correct for sampling biases. In both evaluation settings each of the machine learning models have a higher precision than the ethnobotanical approaches. In the bias-corrected scenario, the Support Vector classifier performs best – attaining a mean precision of 0.67 compared to the best performing ethnobotanical approach with a mean precision of 0.46. We also use the bias correction method and the Support Vector classifier to estimate the potential of plants to provide novel antiplasmodial compounds. We estimate that 7677 species in Apocynaceae, Loganiaceae and Rubiaceae warrant further investigation and that at least 1300 active antiplasmodial species are highly unlikely to be investigated by conventional approaches. While traditional and Indigenous knowledge remains vital to our understanding of people-plant relationships and an invaluable source of information, these results indicate a vast and relatively untapped source in the search for new plant-derived antiplasmodial compounds.
An integrative systematic review of employee silence and voice in healthcare: what are we really measuring?
Authors: Lainidi Olga , Jendeby Mimmi Kheddache , Montgomery Anthony , Mouratidis Christos , Paitaridou Konstantina , Cook Clare , Johnson Judith , Karakasidou Eirini
Published: May 2023

The history of inquiries into the failings of medical care have highlighted the critical role of communication and information sharing, meaning that speaking up and employee silence have been extensively researched. However, the accumulated evidence concerning speaking-up interventions in healthcare indicates that they achieve disappointing outcomes because of a professional and organizational culture which is not supportive. Therefore, there is a gap with regard to our understanding of employee voice and silence in healthcare, and the relationship between withholding information and healthcare outcomes (e.g., patient safety, quality of care, worker wellbeing) is complex and differentiated. The following integrative review is aimed at addressing the following questions; (1) How is voice and silence conceptualized and measured in healthcare?; and (2) What is the theoretical background to employee voice and silence?. An integrative systematic literature review of quantitative studies measuring either employee voice or employee silence among healthcare staff published in peer-reviewed journals during 2016–2022 was conducted on the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL and Google Scholar. A narrative synthesis was performed. A review protocol was registered on the PROSPERO register (CRD42022367138). Of the 209 initially identified studies for full-text screening, 76 studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for the final review (N = 122,009, 69.3% female). The results of the review indicated the following: (1) concepts and measures are heterogenous, (2) there is no unifying theoretical background, and (3) there is a need for further research regarding the distinction between what drives safety voice versus general employee voice, and how both voice and silence can operate in parallel in healthcare. Limitations discussed include high reliance on self-reported data from cross-sectional studies as well as the majority of participants being nurses and female staff. Overall, the reviewed research does not provide sufficient evidence on the links between theory, research and implications for practice, thus limiting how research in the field can better inform practical implications for the healthcare sector. Ultimately, the review highlights a clear need to improve assessment approaches for voice and silence in healthcare, although the best approach to do so cannot yet be established.
Detecting user experience issues from mHealth apps that support stroke caregiver needs: an analysis of user reviews
Authors: Lobo Elton H. , Abdelrazek Mohamed , Frølich Anne , Rasmussen Lene J. , Livingston Patricia M. , Islam Sheikh Mohammed Shariful , Kensing Finn , Grundy John
Published: May 2023

Background

Existing research has demonstrated the potential of mHealth apps in improving the caregiving outcomes of stroke. Since most of the apps were published in commercially available app stores without explaining their design and evaluation processes, it is necessary to identify the user experience issues to promote long-term adherence and usage.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to utilize published user reviews of commercially available apps to determine the user experience issues to guide future app development in stroke caregiving.

Methods

User reviews were extracted from the previously identified 46 apps that support stroke caregiving needs using a python-scraper. The reviews were pre-processed and filtered using python scripts to consider English reviews that described issues faced by the user. The final corpus was categorized based on TF-IDF vectorization and k-means clustering technique, and the issues extracted from the various topics were classified based on the seven dimensions of user experience to highlight factors that may affect the usage of the app.

Results

A total of 117,364 were extracted from the two app stores. After filtration, 13,368 reviews were included and classified based on the user experience dimensions. Findings highlight critical issues that affect the usability, usefulness, desirability, findability, accessibility, credibility, and value of the app that contribute to decreased satisfaction and increased frustration.

Conclusion

The study identified several user experience issues due to the inability of the app developers to understand the needs of the user. Further, the study describes the inclusion of a participatory design approach to promote an improved understanding of user needs; therefore, limiting any issues and ensuring continued use.
Potential impact of metabolic syndrome on cognitive function in US firefighters
Authors: Seo Myong-Won , Gann Joshua , Lee Jung-Min , Heffernan Kevin S. , Kim Joon Young , Jung Hyun Chul
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Among US firefighters, sudden cardiac arrest and psychological stress (i.e., PTSD) are the leading cause of on-duty death. Metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) may influence both cardiometabolic and cognitive health. Here, we examined differences in cardiometabolic disease risk factors, cognitive function, and physical fitness in US firefighters with vs. without MetSyn.

Materials and methods

One hundred fourteen male firefighters, aged 20 to 60 years, participated in the study. US firefighters with MetSyn vs. non-MetSyn were divided by AHA/NHLBI criteria. Of them, we performed a paired-match analysis with respect to the age and BMI of firefighters with (n = 18) vs. without MetSyn (n = 18). The cardiometabolic disease risk factors included blood pressure, fasting glucose, blood lipid profiles [HDL-C, triglyceride (TG)], and surrogate markers of insulin resistance [TG/HDL-C, TG glucose index (TyG)]. The cognitive test included a psychomotor vigilance task as a measure of reaction time and a delayed-match-to-sample task (DMS) as a measure of memory, using the computer-based Psychological Experiment Building Language Version 2.0 program. The differences between MetSyn and non-MetSyn groups in US firefighters were analyzed using an independent t-test adjusted for age and BMI. In addition, Spearman correlation and stepwise multiple regression were conducted.

Results

US firefighters with MetSyn exhibited severe insulin resistance estimated by TG/HDL-C and TyG (Cohen’s d > 0.8, all p < 0.01) compared with their age- and BMI-matched counterparts without MetSyn. In addition, US firefighters with MetSyn exhibited higher DMS total time and reaction time compared with non-MetSyn (Cohen’s d > 0.8, all p < 0.01). In stepwise linear regression, HDL-C predicted DMS total time (β = − 0.440, R2 = 0.194, p < 0.05), and TyG (β = 0.432, R2 = 0.186, p < 0.05) predicted DMS reaction time.

Conclusion

US firefighters with vs. without MetSyn were predisposed to metabolic risk factors, surrogate markers of insulin resistance, and cognitive function, even when matched for age and BMI, and there was a negative association between metabolic characteristics and cognitive function in US firefighters. The findings of this study suggest that the prevention of MetSyn may be beneficial to supporting firefighters’ safety and occupational performance.
First principles data-driven potentials for prediction of iron carbide clusters
Authors: Diao Enhu , He Yurong , Liu Xuhong , Tong Qiang , Yang Tao , Liu Xiaotong , Lewis James P.
Published: May 2023

Many have reported the use of quantum chemistry approaches for evaluating the catalytic properties of iron carbide clusters. Unfortunately, structural energy calculations are computationally expensive when using density functional theory. The computational cost is prohibitive for high-throughput simulations with large length and time scales. In this paper, we generate data from 177 k clusters and choose state-of-the-art machine learning models within physical chemistry to train the features of this data. The generated potential gives a very high prediction accuracy on the order of the structure stability and achieves better adaptability/tolerance to poor structures of clusters. In addition, we use the machine learning potential to assist in high-throughput data collection and the prediction of hydrogen adsorption sites on cluster surfaces. We achieve more stable adsorption locations of the hydrogen atom more rapidly compared with traditional quantum chemical calculations.
Comparison of complete multi-level vs. iliac-only revascularization for concomitant iliac and superficial femoral artery occlusive disease
Authors: Ren Hong Cheng , Li Tian Run , Zhuang Jin Man , Li Xuan , Luan Jing Yuan , Wang Chang Ming , Ding Ming Chao
Published: May 2023

Objective

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of complete multi-level vs. iliac-only revascularization for the treatment of concomitant iliac and superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusive disease.

Methods

A total of 139 consecutive adult patients with severe stenosis and occlusive iliac and SFA disease with Rutherford categories 2–5 underwent multi-level (n = 71) and iliac-only (n = 68) revascularization at the Department of Intervention Vascular Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, and Aerospace Center Hospital, between March 2015 and June 2017. Improvement in Rutherford class, perioperative major adverse events, the length of stay, survival rate, and limb salvage rate were assessed. The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and platelet–lymphocyte ratio were compared between the two groups.

Results

At 48 months, improvement in the Rutherford category was observed in the two groups with no significant difference (P = 0.809). Additionally, the two groups were similar concerning the primary patency (84.0% vs. 79.1%, P = 0.717) and limb salvage rate (93.1% vs. 91.3%, P = 0.781). A higher proportion of the perioperative major adverse events (33.8% vs. 27.9%, P = 0.455), the all-cause mortality (11.3% vs. 8.8%, P = 0.632), and the average length of hospital stay [7.0 (6.0, 11.0) vs. 7.0 (5.0, 8.0), P = 0.037] were seen in the multi-level group compared with the iliac-only group.

Conclusion

For concomitant iliac and superficial femoral artery occlusive disease, iliac-only revascularization has favorable efficacy and safety outcomes compared with complete multi-level revascularization in selected patients with patent profunda femoris artery and at least one healthy outflow tract of the infrapopliteal artery.
Rapid construction of infectious clones for distinct Newcastle disease virus genotypes
Authors: Yu Zuhua , Zhang Yuhao , Li Zedian , Yu Qingzhong , Jia Yanyan , Yu Chuan , Chen Jian , Chen Songbiao , He Lei
Published: May 2023

The reverse genetics system of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has provided investigators with a powerful approach to understand viral molecular biology and vaccine development. It has been impressively improved with modified strategies since its first report, but it still poses some challenges. Most noteworthy, the genome complexity and length made full-length error-free cDNA assembly the most challenging and time-consuming step of NDV rescue. In the present study, we report a rapid full-length NDV genome construction with only a two-step ligation-independent cloning (LIC) strategy, which could be applied to distinct genotypes. In this approach, the genome of NDV was divided into two segments, and the cDNA clones were generated by RT-PCR followed by LIC. Subsequently, the infectious NDVs were rescued by co-transfection of the full-length cDNA clones and supporting plasmids expressing the NP, P, and L proteins of NDV in BHK-21 cells. Compared with the conventional cloning approaches, the two-step cloning method drastically reduced the number of cloning steps and saved researchers a substantial amount of time for constructing NDV infectious clones, thus enabling a rapid rescue of different genotypes of NDVs in a matter of weeks. Therefore, this two-step LIC cloning strategy may have an application to the rapid development of NDV-vectored vaccines against emerging animal diseases and the generation of different genotypes of recombinant NDVs for cancer therapy.
Autonomous Electric Vehicle Route Optimization Considering Regenerative Braking Dynamic Low-Speed Boundary
Authors: Mohammadi Masoud , Fajri Poria , Sabzehgar Reza , Harirchi Farshad
Published: May 2023

Finding the optimal speed profile of an autonomous electric vehicle (AEV) for a given route (eco-driving) can lead to a reduction in energy consumption. This energy reduction is even more noticeable when the regenerative braking (RB) capability of AEVs is carefully considered in obtaining the speed profile. In this paper, a new approach for calculating the optimum eco-driving profile of an AEV is formulated using mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) while carefully integrating the RB capability and its limitations in the process of obtaining a driving profile with minimum energy consumption. One of the most important limitations of RB which has been neglected in previous studies is operation below the low-speed boundary (LSB) of electric motors, which impairs the energy extraction capability of RB. The novelty of this work is finding the optimal speed profile given this limitation, leading to a much more realistic eco-driving profile. Python is used to code the MILP problem, and CPLEX is employed as the solver. To verify the results, the eco-driving problem is applied to two scenarios to show the significance of considering a dynamic LSB. It is shown that for the route under study, up to 27% more energy can be harvested by employing the proposed approach.
Nematicidal and Insecticidal Activity of Proteases from Carica papaya and Ananas comosus
Authors: Castro Henry Leonel Bueso , Alves Jhennifer Cristina de Souza , Gladenucci Joanina , Marucci Rosangela Cristina , Soares Filippe Elias de Freitas
Published: May 2023

Plant proteases are well known for their various industrial applications. Papain, present in papaya latex (Carica papaya) and pineapple bromelain (Ananas comosus), is undoubtedly the most studied and widely used vegetable protease in the food and pharmaceutical industry worldwide. However, its potential as a biopesticide has been little explored. The objective of this study was to evaluate the activity of proteases from Carica papaya latex and peel and crown of Ananas comosus fruits on agricultural pests. To evaluate proteolytic activity on nematodes, extracts, and approximately 50 juveniles of Panagrellus sp. were placed in microtubes. To evaluate the insecticidal effect, larvae and pupae of Tenebrio molitor L. were submerged in active and denatured extracts. Additionally, larvae of T. molitor were fed an artificial diet at doses of 0, 100, 250, and 500 mg/g of wheat bran. The weight and number of dead larvae were recorded, and feeding behavior was evaluated. The proteases of papaya latex and papain caused reduction (p < 0.05) on Panagrellus sp. The extracts showed a toxic effect (p < 0.05) against the larvae of T. molitor. Active papain resulted in the absence of wings in 53.3% of adults from the pupae, and no malformation caused by denatured papain was observed. No mortality was observed in larvae fed an artificial diet. However, there was a strong feed reduction, reduction in the relative rate of consumption, reduction in growth and feed conversion efficiency caused by papaya latex. The results of this study show that plant proteases have the potential for the development of sustainable alternatives for the control of arthropod pests and parasitic nematodes.
Effects of Nitrogen on Photosynthetic Productivity and Yield Quality of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Noor Hafeez , Yan Zhouzuo , Sun Peijie , Zhang Limin , Ding Pengcheng , Li Linghong , Ren Aixia , Sun Min , Gao Zhiqiang
Published: May 2023

This study aims to understand the influence of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters on the yield of winter wheat in some areas of China. Nitrogen (N) application is believed to improve photosynthesis in flag leaf, which ultimately increases the final yield. The experiment was conducted in the wheat experimental base of Shanxi Agricultural University in Taigu, Shanxi Province, China; before sowing, four N application rates were set—N0, N120, N150, and N210 kg ha–1 of the Yunhan-20410 variety from 2019 to 2022. The results from different parameters of research showed that the organic manure partial substitution for chemical fertilizer increased post-anthesis N uptake by 16.4 and 81.4%, thus increasing the post-anthesis photosynthetic capacity and delaying leaf senescence. N150 treatment can improve dry matter (DM) accumulation, thus promoting the increase of the yield. The maximum net photosynthesis PN value of the booting stage and flowering stage indicated that nitrogen application could significantly improve the photosynthetic rate of wheat leaves, among which medium nitrogen treatment had the most significant promoting effect. The single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) value of the leaf of wheat in each treatment increased rapidly in a small range from the jointing stage to the booting stage, respectively. The grain yield under N fertilizer partial substitution for N fertilizer treatment increased by 23%. According to the different significance test, the effects of nitrogen application rate on net photosynthesis PN of winter wheat were extremely significant at all growth stages, indicating that changing the population distribution mode and nitrogen level could effectively improve leaf photosynthetic performance and that N150 level was the best.
Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Reveal That Exogenous Gibberellin Application Regulates Lignin Synthesis in Ramie
Authors: Jie Hongdong , Zhao Long , Ma Yushen , Rasheed Adnan , Jie Yucheng
Published: May 2023

Gibberellin regulates plant growth, development, and metabolic processes. However, the underlying mechanism of the substantial effect of gibberellin on stem height and secondary metabolites in forage ramie is unclear. Therefore, this study combined transcriptomic and metabolomics analyses to identify the mechanisms regulating growth and secondary metabolite contents in forage ramie following exogenous gibberellin application. Exogenous gibberellin application significantly reduced the lignin content in the leaves but not in the stems. At the same time, gibberellin significantly increased the total flavonoid and chlorogenic acid contents in both the stems and leaves. In addition, 293 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 68 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified in the leaves. In the stems, 128 DEGs and 41 DEMs were identified. The DEGs PER42, FLS, CYP75A, and PNC1 were up-regulated in the leaves, affecting phenylpropane metabolism. The joint analysis of the DEMs and DEGs revealed that the changes in the DEGs and DEMs in the leaves and stems improved the substrate efficiency in the phenol propane pathway and inhibited lignin synthesis in plants, thus shifting to flavonoid pathway synthesis. In conclusion, gibberellin treatment effectively reduces the lignin content in forage ramie while increasing the flavonoid and chlorogenic acid contents. These findings provide empirical and practical guidance for breeding for forage quality in ramie and the improvement and cultivation control of forage ramie.
Breeding Cowpea for Adaptation to Intercropping for Sustainable Intensification in the Guinea Savannas of Nigeria
Authors: Omoigui Lucky O. , Kamara Alpha Y. , Shaibu Abdulwahab S. , Aliyu Kamaluddin T. , Tofa Abdullahi I. , Solomon Reuben , Olasan Olalekan J.
Published: May 2023

Cowpea is a multifaceted crop; however, considerable challenges affect the production of this crop despite its comparatively better adaptation to harsh environments. Most smallholder farmers in West Africa cultivate this crop in intercropping systems where its low plant population does not allow the full expression of the cultivars’ yield potential. This is because most varieties currently grown in intercrop have been developed in and for monocropping, although some breeding programs recently have focused on intercrop systems. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the performance of some newly developed cowpea breeding lines for adaptation to intercropping systems. Firstly, an on-station field experiment was conducted in 2018. The selected promising lines and a standard check were evaluated in three locations in an intercropping system and on-farm trials. Significant differences were observed among the cowpea genotypes for all the traits measured. Two improved lines, UAM14-122-17-7 and UAM14-123-18-3, had superior grain and fodder yields under sole and intercropping systems and in different agroecological systems, revealing their adaptability. Based on our findings, UAM14-122-17-7 and UAM14-123-18-3 are recommended for a cereal-cowpea mixture because they are adapted to intercropping and produce high-grain yield under intercrop and sole-cropping systems.