bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IL1RL1 polymorphisms rs12479210 and rs1420101 are associated with increased lung cancer risk in the Chinese Han population
Authors: Li Qi , Zhang Chan , Cheng Yujing , Yang Xin , Chen Wanlu , He Kunhua , Chen Mingwei
Published: August 2023

Background: Lung cancer is one of the most common human malignant diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between IL1RL1 genetic polymorphisms and lung cancer risk in the Chinese Han population.

Methods: We selected and genotyped six SNPs in the IL1RL1 gene using the Agena MassARRAY system in 507 lung cancer patients and 507 healthy controls. The association between IL1RL1 variants and lung cancer risk was assessed using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was used to analyze the impact of SNP-SNP interactions on the risk of lung cancer.

Results: The results of overall analysis indicated that rs12479210 (T vs. C: OR = 1.42, FDR-p = 0.002; TC vs. CC: OR = 1.70, FDR-p < 0.0001; TT vs. CC: OR = 1.77, FDR-p = 0.032; TT-TC vs. CC: OR = 1.71, FDR-p = 0.001; additive: OR = 1.44, FDR-p = 0.001) and rs1420101 (T vs. C: OR = 1.31, FDR-p = 0.036; TT-TC vs. CC: OR = 1.42, FDR-p = 0.031; additive: OR = 1.30, FDR-p = 0.030) were associated with an increased the risk of lung cancer among the Chinese Han population. Stratified analysis also found the association between these two SNPs and lung cancer risk. However, there were no significant association observed between the other four SNPs (rs3771180, rs3771175, rs10208293, and rs10197862) in IL1RL1 and lung cancer risk. Furthermore, MDR analysis showed that rs12479210 was the best single model with the highest testing accuracy (0.566) and perfect CVC (10/10) for predicting lung cancer risk. The expression level of the IL1RL1 gene is lower in lung cancer tissue than normal tissue, and there are significant differences in the expression levels of IL1RL1 between rs12479210 and rs1420101 genetypes in lung cancer tissue (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that IL1RL1 genetic variants (rs12479210 and rs1420101) are associated with an increased lung cancer risk in the Chinese Han population. These risk variants may serve as biomarkers for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.
Biodiversity conservation, advocacy coalitions, and science-focused disputes: the case of Caymanian coral reef conservation and the proposed port expansion project
Authors: Bailey Sabine , Morris Daniel , Dunning Kelly
Published: August 2023

An environmental dispute arose in the Cayman Islands where politicians and multinational cruise companies sought an infrastructure upgrade that would destroy 15 acres of coral reef habitat. A competing coalition emerged to contest this project resulting in important policy change: the first ever people’s-initiated referendum. Our research uses the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) to study how policy change is enacted in a biodiversity conservation policy system. We find differences between two coalitions in members, policy beliefs, resources, and strategy. Policy beliefs of both coalitions reveal two competing realities, especially on the subject of science needed to inform a sustainable tourism economy, with scientific misinformation becoming increasingly impactful in policy making. Second, we find that one coalition leveraged the interests of powerful politicians and international corporations to advocate for the infrastructure project, even though the destruction of coral reefs was in defiance of laws. To contest this, the second coalition leveraged volunteers and small donations to enact policy change, successfully triggering the referendum. Our research is significant because in places where volunteering and small donations are less possible, such as in emerging market economies, it is easy to see how well-resourced interests could degrade biodiversity even with domestic laws protecting species and habitats.
Prediction models for the recipients’ ideal perioperative estimated glomerular filtration rates for predicting graft survival after adult living-donor kidney transplantation
Authors: Hiramitsu Takahisa , Hasegawa Yuki , Futamura Kenta , Okada Manabu , Matsuoka Yutaka , Goto Norihiko , Ichimori Toshihiro , Narumi Shunji , Takeda Asami , Kobayashi Takaaki , Uchida Kazuharu , Watarai Yoshihiko
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The impact of the perioperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on graft survival in kidney transplant recipients is yet to be evaluated. In this study, we developed prediction models for the ideal perioperative eGFRs in recipients.

Methods

We evaluated the impact of perioperative predicted ideal and actual eGFRs on graft survival by including 1,174 consecutive adult patients who underwent living-donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) between January 2008 and December 2020. Prediction models for the ideal perioperative eGFR were developed for 676 recipients who were randomly assigned to the training and validation sets (ratio: 7:3). The prediction models for the ideal best eGFR within 3 weeks and those at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT in 474 recipients were developed using 10-fold validation and stepwise multiple regression model analyzes. The developed prediction models were validated in 202 recipients. Finally, the impact of perioperative predicted ideal eGFRs/actual eGFRs on graft survival was investigated using Fine–Gray regression analysis.

Results

The correlation coefficients of the predicted ideal best eGFR within 3 weeks and the predicted ideal eGFRs at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT were 0.651, 0.600, 0.598, and 0.617, respectively. Multivariate analyzes for graft loss demonstrated significant differences in the predicted ideal best eGFR/actual best eGFR within 3 weeks and the predicted ideal eGFRs/actual eGFRs at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT.

Discussion

The predicted ideal best eGFR/actual best eGFR within 3 weeks and the predicted ideal eGFRs/actual eGFRs at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT were independent prognostic factors for graft loss. Therefore, the perioperative predicted ideal eGFR/actual eGFR may be useful for predicting graft survival after adult LDKT.
Early prediction of acute kidney injury in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding admitted to the intensive care unit based on extreme gradient boosting
Authors: Shi Huanhuan , Shen Yuting , Li Lu
Published: August 2023

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and important complication in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding who are admitted to the intensive care unit. The present study proposes an artificial intelligence solution for acute kidney injury prediction in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding admitted to the intensive care unit.

Methods

Data were collected from the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD) and Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The prediction model was developed using the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, precision, area under the precision–recall curve (AUC-PR), and F1 score were used to evaluate the predictive performance of each model.

Results

Logistic regression, XGBoost, and XGBoost with severity scores were used to predict acute kidney injury risk using all features. The XGBoost-based acute kidney injury predictive models including XGBoost and XGBoost+severity scores model showed greater accuracy, recall, precision AUC, AUC-PR, and F1 score compared to logistic regression.

Conclusion

The XGBoost model obtained better risk prediction for acute kidney injury in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding admitted to the intensive care unit than the traditional logistic regression model, suggesting that machine learning (ML) techniques have the potential to improve the development and validation of predictive models in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding admitted to the intensive care unit.
Listeria monocytogenes in ready to eat meat products from Zambia: phenotypical and genomic characterization of isolates
Authors: Centorotola Gabriella , Ziba Maureen Wakwamba , Cornacchia Alessandra , Chiaverini Alexandra , Torresi Marina , Guidi Fabrizia , Cammà Cesare , Bowa Benson , Mtonga Samson , Magambwa Phelly , D’Alterio Nicola , Scacchia Massimo , Pomilio Francesco , Muuka Geoffrey
Published: August 2023

The contamination of ready to eat foods (RTE) products due to Listeria monocytogenes could compromise the products safety becoming a great risk for the consumers. The high presence of L. monocytogenes in RTE products has been described worldwide, but few data are available about these products from African countries. The aims of this study were to report the presence of L. monocytogenes in Zambian RTE products, providing genomic characterization and data on similarity with African circulating strains using whole genome sequencing (WGS). A total of 304 RTE products, produced by different Zambian manufacturers, were purchased at retail, from major supermarkets located in Lusaka, Zambia, comprising 130 dairy and 174 meat products. L. monocytogenes was detected only in 18 (10.3%) RTE meat products of the 174 samples tested. The MLST analysis grouped the 18 L. monocytogenes isolates in 7 clonal complexes (CCs): CC1 (n = 5), CC2 (n = 4), CC9 (n = 4), CC5 (n = 2), CC121 (n = 1), CC155 (n = 1), and CC3 (n = 1). According to the cgMLST results, several clusters were detected, in particular belonging to hyper-virulent clones CC1 and CC2. Regarding the virulence factors, a complete L. monocytogenes Pathogenicity Island 3 (LIPI-3) was present both in the CC1 and CC3, in addition to LIPI-1. Several resistance genes and mobile genetic elements were detected, including Stress Islands, the bcrABC cassette and Tn6188_qac transposon, plasmids and intact prophages. Despite being a first preliminary work with a limited number of samples and isolates, this study helped to increase existing knowledge on contaminated RTE products in Zambia, confirming the presence of hyper-virulent L. monocytogenes CCs, which could play an important role in human diseases, posing a public health concern for consumers.
Assessment of cold exposure-induced metabolic changes in mice using untargeted metabolomics
Authors: Gong Linqiang , Zhao Shiyuan , Chu Xue , Yang Hui , Li Yanan , Wei Shanshan , Li Fengfeng , Zhang Yazhou , Li Shuhui , Jiang Pei
Published: August 2023

Background: Cold exposure (CE) can effectively modulate adipose tissue metabolism and improve metabolic health. Although previous metabolomics studies have primarily focused on analyzing one or two samples from serum, brown adipose tissue (BAT), white adipose tissue (WAT), and liver samples, there is a significant lack of simultaneous analysis of multiple tissues regarding the metabolic changes induced by CE in mice. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the metabolic profiles of the major tissues involved.

Methods: A total of 14 male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to two groups: the control group (n = 7) and the CE group (n = 7). Metabolite determination was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and multivariate analysis was employed to identify metabolites exhibiting differential expression between the two groups.

Results: In our study, we identified 32 discriminant metabolites in BAT, 17 in WAT, 21 in serum, 7 in the liver, 16 in the spleen, and 26 in the kidney, respectively. Among these metabolites, amino acids, fatty acids, and nucleotides emerged as the most significantly altered compounds. These metabolites were found to be associated with 12 differential metabolic pathways closely related to amino acids, fatty acids, and energy metabolism.

Conclusion: Our study may provide valuable insights into the metabolic effects induced by CE, and they have the potential to inspire novel approaches for treating metabolic diseases.
Transcriptome and methylome of the supraoptic nucleus provides insights into the age-dependent loss of neuronal plasticity
Authors: Thompson Derick , Odufuwa Abiodun E. , Brissette Catherine A. , Watt John A.
Published: August 2023

The age-dependent loss of neuronal plasticity is a well-known phenomenon that is poorly understood. The loss of this capacity for axonal regeneration is emphasized following traumatic brain injury, which is a major cause of disability and death among adults in the US. We have previously shown the intrinsic capacity of magnocellular neurons within the supraoptic nucleus to undergo axonal regeneration following unilateral axotomization in an age-dependent manner. The aim of this research was to determine the age-dependent molecular mechanisms that may underlie this phenomenon. As such, we characterized the transcriptome and DNA methylome of the supraoptic nucleus in uninjured 35-day old rats and 125-day old rats. Our data indicates the downregulation of a large number of axonogenesis related transcripts in 125-day old rats compared to 35-day old rats. Specifically, several semaphorin and ephrin genes were downregulated, as well as growth factors including FGF’s, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Differential methylation analysis indicates enrichment of biological processes involved in axonogenesis and axon guidance. Conversely, we observed a robust and specific upregulation of MHCI related transcripts. This may involve the activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factor complex as motif analysis of differentially methylated regions indicate enrichment of AP-1 binding sites in hypomethylated regions. Together, our data suggests a loss of pro-regenerative capabilities with age which would prevent axonal growth and appropriate innervation following injury.
Immunohistological responses in mice implanted with Parylene HT – ITO ECoG devices
Authors: Madarász Miklós , Fedor Flóra Z. , Fekete Zoltán , Rózsa Balázs
Published: August 2023

Transparent epidural devices that facilitate the concurrent use of electrophysiology and neuroimaging are arising tools for neuroscience. Testing the biocompatibility and evoked immune response of novel implantable devices is essential to lay down the fundamentals of their extensive application. Here we present an immunohistochemical evaluation of a Parylene HT/indium-tin oxide (ITO) based electrocorticography (ECoG) device, and provide long-term biocompatibility data at three chronic implantation lengths. We implanted Parylene HT/ITO ECoG devices epidurally in 5 mice and evaluated the evoked astroglial response, neuronal density and cortical thickness. We found increased astroglial response in the superficial cortical layers of all mice compared to contralateral unimplanted controls. This difference was largest at the first time point and decreased over time. Neuronal density was lower on the implanted side only at the last time point, while cortical thickness was smaller in the first and second time points, but not at the last. In this study, we present data that confirms the feasibility and chronic use of Parylene HT/ITO ECoG devices.
Autologous, allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and CAR-T/NK therapy: what is their real importance in PTCL?
Authors: Couto Samuel C. F. , Kowes Ariel , Aurabi Camila S. , Oliveira Theo G. M. , Klinger Paulo , Rocha Vanderson
Published: August 2023

Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a rare and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that affects mature T cells. This type of cancer is characterized by the abnormal growth of T cells, which can accumulate in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and other organs, leading to a variety of symptoms. PTCLs are often difficult to diagnose and treat, and they have a poorer prognosis than other types of lymphoma. However, recent advancements in treatment options, such as targeted therapies have shown promise in improving outcomes for patients with PTCL. Here, we discuss the use of autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) as a treatment strategy for patients with PTCL, as well as the recent treatment approaches based on advanced cellular therapy. The current evidence for the use of HCT in PTCL is mainly derived from registry data, retrospective studies, and expert opinion, as randomized trials are limited due to the low incidence and histological heterogeneity of PTCL subtypes.
Projecting cancer prevalence by phase of care: a methodological approach for health service planning
Authors: Francisci Silvia , Tursini Francesco , Dal Maso Luigino , Gigli Anna , Guzzinati Stefano
Published: August 2023

Background

In most developed countries, the number of cancer survivors is expected to increase in the coming decades because of rising incidence and survival rates and an aging population. These patients are heterogeneous in terms of health service demands: from recently diagnosed patients requiring first-course therapy to patients with extensive care needs and severe disabilities to long-term survivors who only need minimal care. Therefore, in terms of providing healthcare planners and policymakers with useful indicators for addressing policies according to health service demands, it is worth supplying updated measures of prevalence for groups of patients based on the level of care they require. The aim of this paper is to illustrate a new method for estimating short-term projections of cancer prevalence by phase of care that applies to areas covered by cancer registration.

Methods

The proposed method combines linear regression models to project limited duration prevalence derived from cancer registry data and a session of the freely available software COMPREV to estimate the projected complete prevalence into three distinct clinically relevant phases of care: initial, continuing, and final. The method is illustrated and validated using data from the Veneto region in Italy for breast, colorectal, and lung cancers.

Results

Prevalence is expected to increase in 2015-2026 for all considered cancer sites and sexes, with average annual variations spanning from 2.6% for women with lung cancer to 0.5% for men with colorectal cancer. The only exception is lung cancer prevalence in men, which shows an average annual decrease of 1.9%. The majority of patients are in the continuing phase of care, followed by the initial and final phases, except for lung cancer, where the final phase of care prevails over the initial one.

Discussion

The paper proposes a method for estimating (short-term) future cancer healthcare needs that is based on user-friendly and freely available software and linear regression models. Validation results confirm the applicability of our method to the most frequent cancer types, provided that cancer registry data with at least 15 years of registration are available. Evidence from this method is addressed to policymakers for planning future cancer care, thus improving the cancer survivorship experience for patients and caregivers.
Transient liver elastography in the follow-up of Fontan patients: results of a nation wide survey in Germany
Authors: Meyer Zora , Haas Nikolaus , Mühlberg Richard , Braun Annabell , Fischer Markus , Mandilaras Guido
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Fontan-palliated patients are at risk for the development of Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD). Currently, there is no consensus on how to stage FALD. Transient elastography (TE) is a rapid, non-invasive method to assess FALD and liver fibrosis.

Method

To assess the availability and conditions of using TE to monitor liver disease in Fontan patients in german centers for pediatric cardiology and to propose the introduction of a standardized national protocol for the monitoring of liver disease, we developed a questionnaire.

Results

In total, 95 valid questionnaires were collected. Only 20% of the centers offer the TE investigation directly. Most of the centers transfer the patients to another department or center (40%) or didńt offer TE (40%). In only 2.6% of the centers TE is performed directly by the cardiologist. Most of the centers transfer the patients to a other department. In 29.2% TE is performed only at a certain age of the patients and in 27.7% it is performed if the patients present symptoms of failing Fontan. In only 13.9% of the centers TE is proposed in all the Fontan patients on a routine basis. Most often TE is performed only from the beginning of the adolescence. In the majority of answers it was not known if the patients are fasting for the examination (68%) or not and if the TE examination had to be performed in a specific breathing phase during TE (Inspiration/Expiration, 90%). In the majority, TE is not offered routinely (46.9%).

Discussion

To date in Germany, TE is only used in a few numbers of centers specialized in Fontan follow-up. A standardized protocol to use TE is currently not existing. With regard to the feasibility of the examination, it is evident that TE is a quick, cheap and easy method to distinguish between cases with and without progressive FALD. This makes TE a useful and prognostic tool for screening of liver disease and to failing Fontan circulation.

Conclusion

We propose a systematic TE evaluation of possible liver congestion and fibrosis, as a part of the routine follow-up of Fontan patients.
A tumor-associated endothelial signature score model in immunotherapy and prognosis across pan-cancers
Authors: Chen Shuzhao , Zhang Limei , Huang Mayan , Liang Yang , Wang Yun
Published: August 2023

Background: The tumor-associated endothelial cell (TAE) component plays a vital role in tumor immunity. However, systematic tumor-associated endothelial-related gene assessment models for predicting cancer immunotherapy (CIT) responses and survival across human cancers have not been explored. Herein, we investigated a TAE gene risk model to predict CIT responses and patient survival in a pan-cancer analysis.

Methods: We analyzed publicly available datasets of tumor samples with gene expression and clinical information, including gastric cancer, metastatic urothelial cancer, metastatic melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, primary bladder cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. We further established a binary classification model to predict CIT responses using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) computational algorithm.

Results: The model demonstrated a high predictive accuracy in both training and validation cohorts. The response rate of the high score group to immunotherapy in the training cohort was significantly higher than that of the low score group, with CIT response rates of 51% and 27%, respectively. The survival analysis showed that the prognosis of the high score group was significantly better than that of the low score group (all p < 0·001). Tumor-associated endothelial gene signature scores positively correlated with immune checkpoint genes, suggesting that immune checkpoint inhibitors may benefit patients in the high score group. The analysis of TAE scores across 33 human cancers revealed that the TAE model could reflect immune cell infiltration and predict the survival of cancer patients.

Conclusion: The TAE signature model could represent a CIT response prediction model with a prognostic value in multiple cancer types.
Exploration of 2D and 3D-QSAR analysis and docking studies for novel dihydropteridone derivatives as promising therapeutic agents targeting glioblastoma
Authors: Pan Meichen , Cheng Lingxue , Wang Yiguo , Lyu Chunyi , Hou Chao , Zhang Qiming
Published: August 2023

Background: Dihydropteridone derivatives represent a novel class of PLK1 inhibitors, exhibiting promising anticancer activity and potential as chemotherapeutic drugs for glioblastoma.

Objective: The aim of this study is to develop 2D and 3D-QSAR models to validate the anticancer activity of dihydropteridone derivatives and identify optimal structural characteristics for the design of new therapeutic agents.

Methods: The Heuristic method (HM) was employed to construct a 2D-linear QSAR model, while the gene expression programming (GEP) algorithm was utilized to develop a 2D-nonlinear QSAR model. Additionally, the CoMSIA approach was introduced to investigate the impact of drug structure on activity. A total of 200 novel anti-glioma dihydropteridone compounds were designed, and their activity levels were predicted using chemical descriptors and molecular field maps. The compounds with the highest activity were subjected to molecular docking to confirm their binding affinity.

Results: Within the analytical purview, the coefficient of determination (R2) for the HM linear model is elucidated at 0.6682, accompanied by an R2cv of 0.5669 and a residual sum of squares (S2) of 0.0199. The GEP nonlinear model delineates coefficients of determination for the training and validation sets at 0.79 and 0.76, respectively. Empirical modeling outcomes underscore the preeminence of the 3D-QSAR model, succeeded by the GEP nonlinear model, whilst the HM linear model manifested suboptimal efficacy. The 3D paradigm evinced an exemplary fit, characterized by formidable Q2 (0.628) and R2 (0.928) values, complemented by an impressive F-value (12.194) and a minimized standard error of estimate (SEE) at 0.160. The most significant molecular descriptor in the 2D model, which included six descriptors, was identified as “Min exchange energy for a C-N bond” (MECN). By combining the MECN descriptor with the hydrophobic field, suggestions for the creation of novel medications were generated. This led to the identification of compound 21E.153, a novel dihydropteridone derivative, which exhibited outstanding antitumor properties and docking capabilities.

Conclusion: The development of 2D and 3D-QSAR models, along with the innovative integration of contour maps and molecular descriptors, offer novel concepts and techniques for the design of glioblastoma chemotherapeutic agents.
Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic
Authors: Zinn Frank , Mittelstädt Justin Maximilian
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Despite significant challenges, personnel selection procedures had to continue as on-site testing in the Covid-19 pandemic. Health and safety measures and specifically the use of face masks threaten to limit the fairness of cognitive testing and behavioral observation in the assessment center.

Methods

In this study, we compare the performance and pass rates of pilot selection under three different conditions in the selection campaigns of 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2020 (health and safety measures without mask), and 2021 (health and safety measures with mask).

Results

Mask wearing and other health and safety measures had no influence on the objective parameters of pilot selection. However, for some of the areas of competence in the assessment center subjective observability was rated lower for the condition with face masks.

Discussion

We conclude that the fairness and precision of selection processes are not compromised by wearing face masks and that a high degree of standardization in diagnostic instruments prevents a partially reduced subjective observability from affecting the selection’s outcome.
“Anxiety or enjoyment, I feel pleasant to welcome them both”: thematic analysis of a Chinese PhD student’s personal growth experiences
Authors: Chen Hua
Published: August 2023

Engaging with research is an emotionally demanding experience and a trajectory full of difficulties, challenges, and stress. This autoethnographic study explored my personal experiences as a PhD student in a four-year program and conducted a qualitative thematic analysis by analyzing 550 research diary entries collected between September 2018 and June 2022, in which supervisor feedback and reviewer comments were part of the content. Three recurring, unique, and salient themes pertaining to my personal experiences were identified: being fraught with anxiety, gaining a sense of enjoyment, and achieving personal growth. Whereas anxiety was from publication and dissertation writing, foreign language writing, and individual stressors, enjoyment was gained from the support network and conducting research. My personal growth was reflected from sustained engagement and improved autonomy. In the process, I experienced some negative emotions, but found more enjoyment. The findings indicate that anxiety and enjoyment are fluctuating, co-occurring, and reciprocal. The findings call for more attention to the role of research diary writing in scaffolding PhD research, providing emotional support, and facilitating personal growth and well-being of PhD students.
At your service: supportiveness of servant leadership, communication frequency and communication channel fostering job satisfaction across generations
Authors: Coun Martine J. H. , De Ruiter Melanie , Peters Pascale
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The present study contributes to the conversations on the role of ‘autonomy supportive’ factors in employee wellbeing in remote work contexts by examining the relationships between servant leadership, communication frequency – overall and via synchronous (i.e., individual video-calls, individual telephone calls) and asynchronous communication channels (i.e., e-mail messages, and WhatsApp) – on the one hand, and job satisfaction, on the other, and the moderating role of generation (Baby Boomers and Gen X versus Gen Y) in these relationships.

Method

Building on self-determination theory, incorporating insights from servant leadership, telework, and media richness and synchronicity literatures, we developed hypotheses that were tested via multilevel analysis (273 employees nested in 89 managers).

Results

In line with expectations, servant leadership had a positive relationship with job satisfaction. Total communication frequency, however, was not related to job satisfaction. Further analyses per communication channel showed that only level 2 e-mail communication frequency was positively related to job satisfaction. In contrast to expectations, the relationships studied were not moderated by generation.

Discussion

We concluded that, for all generations, both servant leadership and frequent (e-mail) communication can be regarded as ‘autonomy supportive’ factors in employee wellbeing. Paradoxically, whereas servant leadership, considered as a human-centric leadership style, suggests close trust-based employment relationships, employees valued frequent asynchronous communication (via e-mail). Having access to information and knowledge when needed may satisfy employees’ need for autonomy (and perhaps for flexibility to engage in work and non-work activities). The insights gained in our study can inform organizations, managers, and employees, particularly in future remote work contexts.
Managing multiple, geographically-separated identities, and its effect on employee retention
Authors: Unsworth Kerrie L. , Seivwright Ami N.
Published: August 2023

Extant literature posits that an individual manages their multiple identities by integrating or separating them to varying degrees. We posit that, rather than managing a single set of identities, an individual may engage different identity structures in different contexts. We use the fly-in, fly-out work context, whereby an employee’s home and work are substantially geographically separated, to explore whether different identity structures exist, strategies for managing them, and their effect on employee retention intentions. Analysis of qualitative data from 29 participants collected across three work sites revealed three main strategies that employees adopt to cope with having multiple identity structures: aligning identities; making work identity dominant; and creating a new identity around the working arrangement and discarding all other identities. These strategies interact with the employee’s actual identity structure to influence retention intentions. Implications for retaining employees in such working arrangements are discussed.
Repeated measures ANOVA and adjusted F-tests when sphericity is violated: which procedure is best?
Authors: Blanca María J. , Arnau Jaume , García-Castro F. Javier , Alarcón Rafael , Bono Roser
Published: August 2023

Introduction

One-way repeated measures ANOVA requires sphericity. Research indicates that violation of this assumption has an important impact on Type I error. Although more advanced alternative procedures exist, most classical texts recommend the use of adjustedF-tests, which are frequently employed because they are intuitive, easy to apply, and available in most statistical software. AdjustedF-tests differ in the procedure used to estimate the corrective factorε, the most common being the Greenhouse-Geisser (F-GG) and Huynh-Feldt (F-HF) adjustments. Although numerous studies have analyzed the robustness of these procedures, the results are inconsistent, thus highlighting the need for further research.

Methods

The aim of this simulation study was to analyze the performance of theF-statistic,F-GG, andF-HFin terms of Type I error and power in one-way designs with normal data under a variety of conditions that may be encountered in real research practice. Values ofεwere fixed according to the Greenhouse–Geisser procedure (ε̂). We manipulated the number of repeated measures (3, 4, and 6) and sample size (from 10 to 300), withε̂values ranging from the lower to its upper limit.

Results

Overall, the results showed that theF-statistic becomes more liberal as sphericity violation increases, whereas bothF-HFandF-GGcontrol Type I error; of the two,F-GGis more conservative, especially with large values ofε̂and small samples.

Discussion

If different statistical conclusions follow from application of the two tests, we recommend usingF-GGforε̂values below 0.60, andF-HFforε̂values equal to or above 0.60.
Leading higher education into the fourth industrial revolution: an empirical investigation
Authors: Singaram Shwetha , Mayer Claude-Hélène , Oosthuizen Rudolf M.
Published: August 2023

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) rapidly advanced at the beginning of the 21st century. Leaders within organisations need to adjust their visions, plans, organisational structures, and management with regard to the demands, challenges and opportunities of this development. This is in particular the case in higher educational institutions (HEIs), which have to adjust to the rapid changes and new demands of skills of university graduates. Leaders in HEIs must therefore be aware of the related challenges and opportunities and might have to adjust the learning and teaching environment, the skills development of students, graduates, and faculty, as well as the technological requirements to create advanced skill sets. This article is based on a qualitative research study which was conducted at a university in South Africa. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were used to explore the views of higher-education leaders at the selected university. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. It was found that leaders in HEIs need to be aware of their leadership and preferences in times of transition toward a more technologised learning environment, as well as the needs, demands, challenges and opportunities of the new workplaces, and new skill sets needed in the 4IR. The researchers made some recommendations.

“Education is the key that unlocks the golden door to freedom.”George Washington Carver.
The experience of buprenorphine implant in patients with opioid use disorder: a series of narrative interviews
Authors: Scurti Pietro , Nunzi Marco , Leonardi Claudio , Pierlorenzi Claudio , Marenzi Roberta , Lamartora Vincenzo
Published: August 2023

Background

This study used narrative medicine (NM) to assess the point of view of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) and the impact that addiction and a new treatment approach via buprenorphine implant had on their daily lives as compared with previous oral Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT).

Methods

Five patients with OUD undergoing treatment with a buprenorphine subcutaneous implant participated voluntarily and provided their anonymity by self-describing, in response to questions prompted by the clinician, their experience with this innovative therapy. The narratives were analyzed according to standard NM methodology. Citations of patients' positive or negative experiences with traditional OAT and buprenorphine implant were classified according to five categories—patient's determination toward complete opioid abstinence, emotional impact, impact on life, smoothness of therapy, and therapy dependency—and quantified to obtain a picture of the overall therapy experience.

Results

The analysis revealed the extent of the burden not only of addiction but also of the traditional OAT on patients' life, including relationships with family, job management, and free time. Conversely, the therapy with buprenorphine implant revealed a significant improvement in the quality of life of the patients, who also largely reported a positive emotional outcome during this therapy, as well as a solid determination to achieve complete recovery.

Conclusions

This study illustrates the complex problems of living with OUD and provides insights into the added value of an innovative buprenorphine implant therapy that, due to its administration route and prolonged duration, allows patients to take an additional step toward total opioid abstinence and complete recovery of daily life.
Offenders and non-offenders with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: the crime-preventive potential of sufficient embedment in the mental healthcare and support system
Authors: Machetanz Lena , Hofmann Andreas B. , Möhrke Jan , Kirchebner Johannes
Published: August 2023

Background

Suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) has been well-established as a risk factor for offending. However, the majority of patients with an SSD do not show aggressive or criminal behavior. Yet, there is little research on clinical key features distinguishing offender from non-offender patients. Previous results point to poorer impulse control, higher levels of excitement, tension, and hostility, and worse overall cognitive functioning in offender populations. This study aimed to detect the most indicative distinguishing clinical features between forensic and general psychiatric patients with SSD based on the course of illness and the referenced hospitalization in order to facilitate a better understanding of the relationship between violent and non-violent offenses and SSD.

Methods

Our study population consisted of forensic psychiatric patients (FPPs) with a diagnosis of F2x (ICD-10) or 295.x (ICD-9) and a control group of general psychiatric patients (GPPs) with the same diagnosis, totaling 740 patients. Patients were evaluated regarding their medical (and, if applicable, criminal) history and the referenced psychiatric hospitalization. Supervised machine learning (ML) was used to exploratively evaluate predictor variables and their interplay and rank them in accordance with their discriminative power.

Results

Out of 194 possible predictor variables, the following 6 turned out to have the highest influence on the model: olanzapine equivalent at discharge from the referenced hospitalization, a history of antipsychotic prescription, a history of antidepressant, benzodiazepine or mood stabilizer prescription, medication compliance, outpatient treatment(s) in the past, and the necessity of compulsory measures. Out of the seven algorithms applied, gradient boosting emerged as the most suitable, with an AUC of 0.86 and a balanced accuracy of 77.5%.

Discussion

Our study aimed to identify the most influential illness-related predictors, distinguishing between FPP and GPP with SSD, thus shedding light on key differences between the two groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare a homogenous sample of FPP and GPP with SSD regarding their symptom severity and course of illness using highly sophisticated statistical approaches with the possibility of evaluating the interplay of all factors at play.
Clinically derived 12-factor structure and confirmatory factor analysis of the neurodevelopmental parent report for outcome monitoring
Authors: Baumer Nicole T. , Pawlowski Katherine G. , Amaral Joseph L. , Zhang Bo , Sideridis Georgios , Levin April R.
Published: August 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication and social interaction impairments accompanied by restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. Co-occurring conditions may greatly impact overall functioning and intervention needs, and contribute to individual variability and etiologic subtypes. Clinical care of individuals with ASD requires gathering a breadth of information across multiple domains. The neurodevelopmental parent report for outcome monitoring (ND-PROM) was developed to assess symptoms across core features of ASD as well as frequent concerns and comorbidities. The current study expands upon the initially reported psychometric properties of the ND-PROM and evaluates a proposed a clinically derived 12-factor structure of the ND-PROM.

Methods and procedures

The ND-PROM was completed for 246 children with ASD ands tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and measurement invariance based on sex.

Outcomes and results

A 12-factor correlated structure was found (expressive language, receptive language, nonverbal communication, social emotional understanding, social interaction, independent play, adaptive/toileting skills, restrictive and repetitive behaviors and interests, sensory processes, challenging behaviors, impulse/ADHD, and mental health), which did not vary by sex.

Conclusions and implications

The ND-PROM captures a range of distinct aspects of developmental and behavioral functioning in ASD that can be used to track independent functioning across domains.
Older adults’ perspectives towards optimizing lifestyle behaviors and strategies to support healthy brain ageing during COVID-19 restrictions
Authors: Siette Joyce , Dodds Laura , Brooks Cristy , Deckers Kay
Published: August 2023

Introduction

It is unknown how the impact of COVID-19 restrictions has affected brain healthy behaviors that contribute to dementia risk reduction in older adults. Our aim was to explore perspectives of older adults on lifestyle behaviors that support positive brain health and dementia risk reduction during and following COVID-19 restrictions.

Methods

Community-dwelling older Australians (N = 159) during June to October 2021 (the second wave of COVID-19 restrictions) who had taken part in a pre-post dementia risk reduction intervention program were invited to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on their lifestyle behaviors. Semi-structured interviews explored individual’s adaptability to pandemic restrictions, intended behavior changes following restrictions easing, and feedback on the effectiveness of ongoing intervention programs for sustaining brain health. Thematic data analysis was performed using a deductive approach.

Results

Participants had an average age of 73.1 years (SD = 5.6; range: 65–90), majority were female (74.7%), lived in a major city (82.2%) and mean 9.5 years (SD = 1.7) of education. Older adults’ views about lifestyle prevention strategies during the pandemic were both positive (e.g., more spare time and adaptive leisure activities) and negative (e.g., social isolation, lack of motivation, adverse emotions). Participants highlighted a continuous conscious effort to adapt certain brain healthy behaviors despite the persistence of adverse impacts of COVID-19 restrictions. Participants also expressed the intention and desire to revert to their previous lifestyle before the COVID-19 pandemic or a sense of the ‘new normal’.

Conclusion

This formative research will inform future interventions targeting dementia risk reduction to consider the immediate and lasting effects of COVID-19 restrictions on older adult’s lifestyle behavior.
Characteristics and effectiveness of interventions to reduce cyberbullying: a systematic review
Authors: Henares-Montiel Jesús , Pastor-Moreno Guadalupe , Ramírez-Saiz Alberto , Rodríguez-Gómez Marina , Ruiz-Pérez Isabel
Published: August 2023

Background

This paper presents the results from a systematic review on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce Cyberbullying (CB) as a function of their outcomes and main characteristics; and an analysis of the level of completeness to which the characteristics of these interventions are described.

Methods

Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ERIC and Psycinfo databases on February 14, 2022. In addition, relevant publications were hand searched for relevant studies. We considered interventions that provided data on CB prevalence changes in populations between primary school and college age.

Results

In total, 111 studies were retained for further screening from 3,477 results. Following rigorous screening, 43 reports including 46 studies and information from 36 different interventions were included in our systematic review. Results shows that most of the interventions measuring reductions in global CB, cyberperpetration/victimization, cybervictimization and cyberperpetration were effective or partially effective. While the interventions measuring reductions in cyber-bystanding were not effective. Multicomponent interventions showed higher effectiveness than single-component interventions. After completion of the TIDieR check-list, included interventions were considered to offer an insufficient level of detail for a number of the analyzed items in relation to “how well planned,” “intervention modifications” and “tailoring.”

Conclusion

Given the aforementioned, it is critical to increase the number of studies and the quality of interventions targeting CB and the level of detail of its description in order to obtain more robust outcomes about how to reduce its prevalence and facilitate the replication of the effective interventions.

Systematic review registration

https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-wn5u4-v1, Identifer DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/WN5U4
Machine learning meets quantum mechanics in catalysis
Authors: Lewis James P. , Ren Pengju , Wen Xiaodong , Li Yongwang , Chen Guanhua
Published: August 2023

Over the past decade many researchers have applied machine learning algorithms with computational chemistry and materials science tools to explore properties of catalysts. There is a rapid increase in publications demonstrating the use of machine learning for rational catalyst design. In our perspective, targeted tools for rational catalyst design will continue to make significant contributions. However, the community should focus on developing high-throughput simulation tools that utilize molecular dynamics capabilities for thorough exploration of the complex potential energy surfaces that exist, particularly in heterogeneous catalysis. Catalyst-specific databases should be developed to contain enough data to represent the complex multi-dimensional space that defines structure-function relationships. Machine learning tools will continue to impact rational catalyst design; however, we believe that more sophisticated pattern recognition algorithms would yield better understanding of structure-function relationships for heterogeneous catalysis.