bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting hedgehog-driven mechanisms of drug-resistant cancers
Authors: Miller Jade S. , Bennett Natalie E. , Rhoades Julie A.
Published: October 2023

Due to the cellular plasticity that is inherent to cancer, the acquisition of resistance to therapy remains one of the biggest obstacles to patient care. In many patients, the surviving cancer cell subpopulation goes on to proliferate or metastasize, often as the result of dramatically altered cell signaling and transcriptional pathways. A notable example is the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, which is a driver of several cancer subtypes and aberrantly activated in a wide range of malignancies in response to therapy. This review will summarize the field’s current understanding of the many roles played by Hh signaling in drug resistance and will include topics such as non-canonical activation of Gli proteins, amplification of genes which promote tolerance to chemotherapy, the use of hedgehog-targeted drugs and tool compounds, and remaining gaps in our knowledge of the transcriptional mechanisms at play.
Improvements in operant memory of Aplysia are correlated with age and specific gene expression
Authors: Randolph Eric C. , Fieber Lynne A.
Published: October 2023

The transcription factor Aplysia CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (ApC/EBP) is expressed as an immediate early gene in the cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) mediated gene cascade, and it has essential functions in the synaptic consolidation of memory following a learning event. Synaptic consolidation primarily involves morphological changes at neuronal synapses, which are facilitated through the reorganization of the actin and microtubular cytoarchitecture of the cell. During early nervous system development, the transmembrane synaptic protein teneurin acts directly upon neuronal presynaptic microtubules and postsynaptic spectrin-based cytoskeletons to facilitate the creation of new synapses. It is reasonable to hypothesize that teneurin may also be linked to learning-induced synaptic changes and is a potential candidate to be a later gene expressed in the CREB-mediated gene cascade downstream of ApC/EBP. To assess the role of ApC/EBP and teneurin in learning and memory in the marine snail Aplysia californica, young (age 7–8 months) and aged (age 13–15 months; aging stage AII) siblings of Aplysia were trained in an operant conditioning paradigm—learning food is inedible (LFI)—over 2 days, during which they learned to modify the feeding reflex. Aged Aplysia had enhanced performance of the LFI task on the second day than younger siblings although far more aged animals were excluded from the analysis because of the initial failure in learning to recognize the inedible probe. After 2 days of training, ApC/EBP isoform X1 mRNA and teneurin mRNA were quantified in selected neurons of the buccal ganglia, the locus of neural circuits in LFI. Teneurin expression was elevated in aged Aplysia compared to young siblings regardless of training. ApC/EBP isoform X1 expression was significantly higher in untrained aged animals than in untrained young siblings but decreased in trained aged animals compared to untrained aged animals. Elevated levels of ApC/EBP isoform X1 and teneurin mRNA before training may have contributed to the enhancement of LFI performance in the aged animals that successfully learned.
Brief and long maternal separation in C57Bl6J mice: behavioral consequences for the dam and the offspring
Authors: Rombaut Cynthia , Roura-Martinez David , Lepolard Catherine , Gascon Eduardo
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Animal models, especially rodents, have become instrumental to experimentally investigate the effects of an adverse post-natal environment on the developing brain. For this purpose, maternal separation (MS) paradigms have been widely used in the last decades. Nonetheless, how MS affects maternal behavior and, ultimately, the offspring depend on multiple variables.

Methods

To gain further insights into the consequences of MS, we decided to thoroughly measure and compare the effects of short (15 min, 3 times/day) vs. long (3 h, 1 time/day) separation on multiple maternally-associated behaviors and across the entire post-natal period.

Results

Compared to unhandled control litters, our results confirmed previous studies and indicated that SMS enhanced the time and variety of maternal care whereas LMS resulted in poor caregiving. We also showed that SMS-accrued caregiving persisted during the whole post-natal period. In contrast, LMS effects on maternal behavior were restricted to the early life (P2-P10). Finally, we also analyzed the behavioral consequences of these different rearing social environments on the offspring. We found that MS has profound effects in social tasks. We showed that affiliative touch, a type of prosocial behavior that provides comfort to others, is particularly sensitive to the modification of maternal caregiving.

Discussion

Our results provide further support to the contention that interactions during the early post-natal period critically contribute to emotional processing and brain co-construction.
Correlations between omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory/glial abnormalities: the involvement of the membrane and neurotransmitter dysfunction in schizophrenia
Authors: Zhang Yongping , Yin Jingwen , Yan Haifeng , Yan Ling , Li Yuyu , Zhang Cai , Li Yajuan , Liu Baiping , Lin Juda , Zhang Liqiang , Hu Xueqiong , Song Cai
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Macrophages or T-lymphocytes triggered inflammation and, consequently, activated glial cells may contribute to neuroinflammation and neurotransmitter dysfunction in schizophrenia (SZ), while omega(n)-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can attenuate some SZ symptoms through anti-inflammatory effects. However, the correlations between macrophage/T-lymphocyte-produced cytokines and glia phenotypes, between inflammatory status and PUFAs composition, between cytokines and neurotransmitter function, and between n-3 PUFAs and neurotransmitter abnormality in SZ are unclear.

Methods

Changes in T-helper (h) patterns, peripheral macrophage/glial markers, PUFAs profile, membrane fluidity, and neurotransmitter functions were evaluated in SZ patients (n = 50) and healthy controls (n = 30) using ELISA, gas chromatography, fluorescence anisotropy techniques, and HPLC, respectively.

Results

Compared to the control, blood lymphocyte proliferation, the concentration of macrophage/microglia phenotype M1 markers, including cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α (Th1) and IL-6 (Th2), and astrocyte phenotype A1 marker S100β was significantly increased, while IL-17 and n-3 PUFAs contents, n-3/n-6 ratio, and membrane fluidity (FLU) were significantly decreased in SZ. Moreover, increased DA and HVA, decreased 5-HT and NE, and their metabolites appeared in SZ. Moreover, negative correlations between IL-6 and A2 marker Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) or n-3 PUFAs EPA and between IL-1β and FLU or 5HIAA, while positive correlations between EPA and 5-HIAA and between FLU and DHA were found in SZ.

Discussion

These findings showed (1) no clear Th pattern, but pro-inflammatory-dominant immunity occurred; (2) the pro-inflammatory pattern may result in the activated microglia M1 and astrocyte A1 phenotype; and (3) increased pro-inflammatory cytokines were related to decreased n-3 PUFA and decreased membrane fluidity and dysfunctional neurotransmitter systems in SZ.
UPSIT subitems may predict motor progression in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Lin Yu-Hsuan , Fang Ting-Chun , Lei Hsin-Bei , Chiu Shih-Chi , Chang Ming-Hong , Guo Yi-Jen
Published: October 2023

Background

The relationship between hyposmia and motor progression is controversial in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of this study was to investigate whether preserved identification of Chinese-validated University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) odors could predict PD motor progression.

Methods

PD patients with two consecutive clinical visits while taking medication were recruited. Based on mean changes in Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale part 3 score and levodopa equivalent daily dosage, the participants were categorized into rapid progression, medium progression, and slow progression groups. Odors associated with the risk of PD motor progression were identified by calculating the odds ratios of UPSIT item identification between the rapid and slow progression groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of these odors was conducted to determine an optimal threshold for rapid motor progression.

Results

A total of 117 PD patients were screened for group classification. Preserved identification of neutral/pleasant odors including banana, peach, magnolia, and baby powder was significantly correlated with rapid motor progression. The risk of rapid progression increased with more detected risk odors. Detection of ≥1.5 risk odors could differentiate rapid progression from slow progression with a sensitivity of 85.7%, specificity of 45.8%, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.687.

Conclusion

Preserved identification of neutral/pleasant odors may help to predict PD motor progression, and detection of ≥1.5 UPSIT motor progression risk odors could improve the predictive power. In PD patients with a similar level of motor disability during initial screening, preserved pleasant/neutral odor identification may imply relatively better cortical odor discriminative function, which may suggest the body-first (caudo-rostral) subtype with faster disease progression.
High-fat, high-carbohydrate diet-induced prediabetes preconception in Sprague–Dawley rats as a risk factor for the development of preeclampsia: assessing changes in placental metabolic insults
Authors: Ludidi Asiphaphola , Siboto Anelisiwe , Nkosi Ayanda , Xulu Nombuso Duduzile , Khathi Andile , Sibiya Ntethelelo Hopewell , Ngubane Phikelelani Siphosethu
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Hyperglycemia preconception deranges the establishment of a functional placenta; however, the risk of developing preeclampsia (PE) in prediabetic patients remains obscure. The aim was to assess abnormal placental changes as a risk factor for the development of PE in high-fat, high-carbohydrate (HFHC) diet-induced prediabetic (PD) rats.

Methods

HFHC diet-induced female prediabetic Sprague–Dawley rats were mated, and blood glucose concentrations, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and body weights were monitored on gestational days (GNDs) 0, 9, and 18. On GND 18, animals were euthanized. Blood and placentas were collected for biochemical analysis.

Results

Prediabetic rats showed significantly increased blood glucose concentration, proinflammatory cytokines, MAP, placental weight, and fetoplacental ratio compared with non-prediabetic (NPD) rats. Prediabetic rats showed significantly decreased placental vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) and placental growth factor (PLGF) and plasma nitric oxide (NO) compared with NPD.

Discussion

Prediabetes may have promoted endothelial dysfunction in the placenta and hypoxia, thus reducing PLGF and VEGFR1, which may have promoted proinflammation, endothelial dysfunction associated with NO decline, and hypertension, which is also observed in preeclamptic patients. Prediabetes may have promoted lipogenesis in placentas and fetuses that may have induced macrosomia and IUGR, also observed in preeclamptic patients. The findings from this study highlight the need for screening and monitoring of prediabetes during pregnancy to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia.
A safe and effective treatment combination of neoadjuvant therapy and surgical resection for metastatic TFE3-rearranged renal cell carcinoma:a case report
Authors: Yang Haiyang , Dong Xiang , Pan Xinghe , Ma Wenliang , Pan Jun , Guo Hongqian , Gan Weidong
Published: October 2023

TFE3-rearranged renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare subtype of renal tumor that primarily affects young women and is characterized by early metastasis and a poor prognosis. This case study presents a 29-year-old woman diagnosed with TFE3-rearranged RCC, who initially presented with painless gross hematuria. Computed Tomography (CT) imaging revealed the presence of a solid mass in the left kidney along with retroperitoneal metastasis. The patient received axitinib, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI), as first-line neoadjuvant therapy. Subsequent testing confirmed positive expression of programmed death-1 protein L1 (PDL1), leading to the addition of tislelizumab, a PD1 inhibitor, to the treatment regimen. After 8 months, the patient’s tumor size and metastases exhibited significant reduction, providing a favorable opportunity for subsequent surgical intervention. The tumor was classified as IV (pT3aN0M1) based on the pathologic stage of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC, 8th edition, 2017). The patient achieved long-term survival through combined systemic therapy involving surgery and neoadjuvant treatment. At the 30-month follow-up, there was no evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis.
Efficacy and safety of ondansetron for morning sickness in pregnancy: a systematic review of clinical trials
Authors: Ashour Ahmed M.
Published: October 2023

Background: Ondansetron is a selective antagonist of the serotonin 5-HT3 receptor that is commonly used to treat morning sickness. It is estimated that 70%–80% of pregnant women suffer from morning sickness, a condition characterized by nausea and vomiting. However, it is still controversial regarding its safety during pregnancy, and continued research will be necessary to fully understand the risks and benefits associated with its use. Therefore, we aimed to identify and provide details of the efficacy and safety of ondansetron in clinical trials.

Methods: A search was conducted of the ClinicalTrials.gov database on 13 April 2023, using the search term “ondansetron and pregnancy.” Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined to identify relevant clinical trials. The inclusion criteria encompassed clinical trials related to pregnancy that utilized ondansetron as a treatment, while other clinical trials were excluded from consideration. All data extractions such as study title, study status, study type, intervention details, and outcome were collected.

Results: A total of 18 clinical trials were identified, of which only 6 focused on studying the effects of ondansetron. Their respective study titles, statuses, conditions, interventions, outcome measures, and enrollment sizes have been written in detail. The information collected from these trials will contribute to our understanding of the potential benefits and risks of ondansetron in the context of pregnancy and its complications.

Conclusion: Ondansetron has been shown to be an effective treatment for nausea and vomiting, including pregnancy-related morning sickness. Further research is needed to better understand the potential risks and benefits associated with its use in pregnant women.

Systematic Review Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier
Construct and criterion validity of muscle ultrasonography for assessment of skeletal muscle in patients recovering from COVID-19
Authors: Mayer Kirby P. , Kosmac Kate , Wen Yuan , Parry Selina M. , Dhar Sanjay , Foster Sarah , Starck Jonathan , Montgomery-Yates Ashley A. , Dupont-Versteegden Esther E. , Kalema Anna G.
Published: October 2023

Background: The purpose was to investigate the content, construct, and criterion validity of muscle ultrasound in a mixed cohort of participants recovering from mild and critical COVID-19.

Methods: A secondary analysis of a prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on data obtained from a battery of muscle and physical function assessments including a muscle biopsy and muscle ultrasonography (US). Rectus femoris (RF) muscle thickness (mT), quadricep complex (QC) mT, RF muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) using 2D freeform trace and estimated from Feret’s diameter, and RF echo intensity (EI) were assessed with US. Muscle fiber CSA, fiber type, protein content in muscle fibers, extracellular matrix content (ECM; wheat-germ agglutin), and percent area of collagen in ECM (picrosirius red) were examined from vastus lateralis muscle biopsies. Spearman rho correlations (r) were performed to assess validity of ultrasound parameters.

Results: Thirty-three individuals participated including 11 patients surviving critical COVID-19, 15 individuals recovering from mild-COVID, and 7 controls. There were several significant correlations between RF mT, QC mT, RF CSA, and RF EI with age, comorbid burden, body-mass index, and measures of muscle strength, muscle power, and physical function (range r = 0.35–0.83). RF Feret’s CSA correlated to CSA of type II muscle fibers (r = 0.41, p = 0.022) and the average size of all muscle fibers (r = 0.39, p = 0.031). RF EI was correlated with collagen in muscle ECM (r = 0.53, p = 0.003) and protein content in muscle tissue (r = −0.52, p = 0.012).

Conclusion: Muscle size and quality measured using US has moderate content and construct validity, and to lesser extent, fair to moderate criterion validity in a mixed cohort of individuals recovering from COVID. Muscle ultrasound quality (EI) appears to be sensitive at detecting muscle dysfunction as it is associated with strength, power, physical function, and collagen distribution in a mixed group of individuals recovering from COVID-19.
Accurate prediction of quantitative traits with failed SNP calls in canola and maize
Authors: Weber Sven E. , Chawla Harmeet Singh , Ehrig Lennard , Hickey Lee T. , Frisch Matthias , Snowdon Rod J.
Published: October 2023

In modern plant breeding, genomic selection is becoming the gold standard to select superior genotypes in large breeding populations that are only partially phenotyped. Many breeding programs commonly rely on single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to capture genome-wide data for selection candidates. For this purpose, SNP arrays with moderate to high marker density represent a robust and cost-effective tool to generate reproducible, easy-to-handle, high-throughput genotype data from large-scale breeding populations. However, SNP arrays are prone to technical errors that lead to failed allele calls. To overcome this problem, failed calls are often imputed, based on the assumption that failed SNP calls are purely technical. However, this ignores the biological causes for failed calls—for example: deletions—and there is increasing evidence that gene presence–absence and other kinds of genome structural variants can play a role in phenotypic expression. Because deletions are frequently not in linkage disequilibrium with their flanking SNPs, permutation of missing SNP calls can potentially obscure valuable marker–trait associations. In this study, we analyze published datasets for canola and maize using four parametric and two machine learning models and demonstrate that failed allele calls in genomic prediction are highly predictive for important agronomic traits. We present two statistical pipelines, based on population structure and linkage disequilibrium, that enable the filtering of failed SNP calls that are likely caused by biological reasons. For the population and trait examined, prediction accuracy based on these filtered failed allele calls was competitive to standard SNP-based prediction, underlying the potential value of missing data in genomic prediction approaches. The combination of SNPs with all failed allele calls or the filtered allele calls did not outperform predictions with only SNP-based prediction due to redundancy in genomic relationship estimates.
Epicuticular wax accumulation and regulation of wax pathway gene expression during bioenergy Sorghum stem development
Authors: Chemelewski Robert , McKinley Brian A. , Finlayson Scott , Mullet John E.
Published: October 2023

Bioenergy sorghum is a drought-tolerant high-biomass C4 grass targeted for production on annual cropland marginal for food crops due primarily to abiotic constraints. To better understand the overall contribution of stem wax to bioenergy sorghum’s resilience, the current study characterized sorghum stem cuticular wax loads, composition, morphometrics, wax pathway gene expression and regulation using vegetative phase Wray, R07020, and TX08001 genotypes. Wax loads on sorghum stems (~103-215 µg/cm2) were much higher than Arabidopsis stem and leaf wax loads. Wax on developing sorghum stem internodes was enriched in C28/30 primary alcohols (~65%) while stem wax on fully developed stems was enriched in C28/30 aldehydes (~80%). Scanning Electron Microscopy showed minimal wax on internodes prior to the onset of elongation and that wax tubules first appear associated with cork-silica cell complexes when internode cell elongation is complete. Sorghum homologs of genes involved in wax biosynthesis/transport were differentially expressed in the stem epidermis. Expression of many wax pathway genes (i.e., SbKCS6, SbCER3-1, SbWSD1, SbABCG12, SbABCG11) is low in immature apical internodes then increases at the onset of stem wax accumulation. SbCER4 is expressed relatively early in stem development consistent with accumulation of C28/30 primary alcohols on developing apical internodes. High expression of two SbCER3 homologs in fully elongated internodes is consistent with a role in production of C28/30 aldehydes. Gene regulatory network analysis aided the identification of sorghum homologs of transcription factors that regulate wax biosynthesis (i.e., SbSHN1, SbWRI1/3, SbMYB94/96/30/60, MYS1) and other transcription factors that could regulate and specify expression of the wax pathway in epidermal cells during cuticle development.
Candidate regulators of drought stress in tomato revealed by comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analyses
Authors: Liu Minmin , Zhao Gangjun , Huang Xin , Pan Ting , Chen Wenjie , Qu Mei , Ouyang Bo , Yu Min , Shabala Sergey
Published: October 2023

Drought is among the most common abiotic constraints of crop growth, development, and productivity. Integrating different omics approaches offers a possibility for deciphering the metabolic pathways and fundamental mechanisms involved in abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we explored the transcriptional and post-transcriptional changes in drought-stressed tomato plants using transcriptomic and proteomic profiles to determine the molecular dynamics of tomato drought stress responses. We identified 22467 genes and 5507 proteins, among which the expression of 3765 genes and 294 proteins was significantly changed under drought stress. Furthermore, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) showed a good correlation (0.743). The results indicated that integrating different omics approaches is promising in exploring the multilayered regulatory mechanisms of plant drought resistance. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis identified several GO terms and pathways related to stress resistance, including response to stress, abiotic stimulus, and oxidative stress. The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays pivotal roles in response to drought stress, ABA-response element binding factor (AREB) is a key positive regulator of ABA signaling. Moreover, our analysis indicated that drought stress increased the abscisic acid (ABA) content, which activated AREB1 expression to regulate the expression of TAS14, GSH-Px-1, and Hsp, ultimately improving tomato drought resistance. In addition, the yeast one-hybrid assay demonstrated that the AREB1 could bind the Hsp promoter to activate Hsp expression. Thus, this study involved a full-scale analysis of gene and protein expression in drought-stressed tomato, deepening the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of the essential drought-tolerance genes in tomato.
Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-enzymatic properties of Alpinia coriandriodora (sweet ginger) rhizome
Authors: Wu Xia , Wei Feng , Ding Furong , Yang Nian , Niu Jingming , Ran Yuanquan , Tian Minyi
Published: October 2023

Alpinia coriandriodora, also known as sweet ginger, is a medicinal and edible plant. A. coriandriodora rhizome is popularly utilized in traditional Chinese medicine and as flavouring spices, but there are few reports on its constituents and bioactivities. This study analyzed the phytochemical components of A. coriandriodora rhizome by GC-MS and UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS and evaluated its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-enzymatic properties. According to the GC-FID/MS data, its rhizome essential oil (EO) consisted mainly of (E)-2-decenal (53.8%), (E)-2-decenyl acetate (24.4%), (Z)-3-dodecenyl acetate (3.5%), and (E)-2-octenal (3.5%). Its water extract (WE) and 70% ethanol extract (EE) showed high total phenolic content (TPC, 52.99–60.49 mg GAEs/g extract) and total flavonoid content (TFC, 260.69–286.42 mg REs/g extract). In addition, the phytochemicals of WE and EE were further characterized using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS, and a total of sixty-three compounds were identified, including fourteen phenolic components and twenty-three flavonoid compounds. In the antioxidant assay, WE and EE revealed a potent scavenging effect on DPPH (IC50: 6.59 ± 0.88 mg/mL and 17.70 ± 1.15 mg/mL, respectively), surpassing the BHT (IC50: 21.83 ± 0.89 mg/mL). For the antimicrobial activities, EO displayed excellent antibacterial capabilities against Proteus vulgaris, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus with DIZ (12.60–22.17 mm), MIC (0.78–1.56 mg/mL), and MBC (3.13 mg/mL) and significantly inhibited Aspergillus flavus growth (MIC = 0.313 mg/mL, MFC = 0.625 mg/mL, respectively). In addition to weak tyrosinase and cholinesterase inhibition, EE and WE had a prominent inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase (IC50: 0.013 ± 0.001 mg/mL and 0.017 ± 0.002 mg/mL), which was significantly higher than acarbose (IC50: 0.22 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Hence, the rhizome of A. coriandriodora has excellent potential for utilization in the pharmaceutical and food fields as a source of bioactive substances.
Brief report: noise reduction in preschool from a self-regulated learning perspective—implementation of a game-based voice regulation training program
Authors: Sarfaty Lihi , Ben-Eliyahu Adar
Published: October 2023

An 8-week voice regulation training program (VRTP) incorporating everyday activities was implemented in an experimental preschool classroom (EG; n = 34), which was compared with a control preschool classroom (CG; n = 31). The VRTP includes songs, games, and conversations aiming to raise children's awareness of noise levels and teach voice modulation skills. Grounded in the theoretical framework of self-regulated learning, the study's objectives were to evaluate the impact of the VRTP on noise levels, children's self-regulation, and pre-literacy skills. Noise levels were assessed weekly using an electronic noise meter before and during the program. The EG preschoolers demonstrated modest but significant improvements over their pre-VRTP levels of voice modulation, behavioral and emotional self-regulated learning, and pre-literacy skills, in contrast with the CG children. The findings provide evidence that young children's self-regulation may be enhanced in preschool, challenging the field of developmental–educational psychology to consider self-regulated learning during early childhood.
Improving the cancer adult patient support network (iCAN): a pilot study on a communication model and modified focus group
Authors: Campisi Giuseppina , Bazzano Monica , Mauceri Rodolfo , Panzarella Vera , La Mantia Gaetano , Di Fede Olga
Published: October 2023

Background

Many consider that cancer has the greatest impact of any disease in the world, and it can drastically limit patients’ quality of life. Combating such a life-threatening disease can pose many challenges to daily life, highlighted by demonstrating the need to discuss one’s health status within a focus group and encourage treatment compliance.

Aim

the purposes of this study were to share the authors’ experience of a modified focus group in an Oral Medicine Unit, termed “Improving Cancer Adult Patients Support Network” (iCAN), and to evaluate how effective communication could improve patients’ quality of life and empower them by virtue of enhanced knowledge and an awareness of cancer management.

Methods

the paper adhered to the COREQ checklist regarding its reporting procedures. The iCAN format was precisely reproduced four times with four groups, consisting of 12 adult male and female patients with solid cancers. They discussed several main topics relating to cancer treatment, as chosen by a majority of the participants. Four specialists were involved in the discussion of the selected topics The iCAN format was faithfully reproduced during each meeting, with the participants in the roles of moderator and health specialists. Finally, a satisfaction questionnaire was administered.

Results

the most reliable results demonstrated a marked change in lifestyle and eating habits in more than 50% of participants. More than 80% were unaware of the side effects of cancer treatments in general and the oral mucosa in particular. Each meeting reported a maximum degree of satisfaction experienced by the participants.

Conclusion

iCAN focus group meetings appear to have facilitated a process of narrative interviewing, thereby improving the doctor-patient relationship underlying the humanization of the care process.
Development of telemedicine in the Czech Republic from patients’ and other key stakeholders’ perspective
Authors: Těšinová Jolana Kopsa , Dobiášová Karolína , Dušek Zdeněk , Tobiášová Alena
Published: October 2023

Telemedicine is a way to improve healthcare outcomes with greater efficiency for both patients and care providers. The great potential of digital technologies also lies in strengthening the patient-centered approach. The early successes and benefits of telemedicine in the Czech Republic, amplified by the COVID-19, have contributed to the fact that wider implementation of telemedicine is already generally supported at the expert and public levels. Our research focuses on the identification of key issues in the implementation of telemedicine and the challenges of telemedicine in the future, from the perspective of patients and other stakeholders. The study is based on a qualitative research approach, combining focus groups with key stakeholders, patient panels and expert panels (2021–2022). The lack of rules and uncoordinated development of various activities proved to be the main barriers to the integration of telemedicine in the health system. This regulatory uncertainty can generate a number of problems in the patient–doctor relationship in practice, including ethical ones, and can also lead to inequalities in access to healthcare and affect the overall quality of care provided. Furthermore, it has been shown that patients’ interests in the implementation of telemedicine are: 1. a predictable and reliable framework that guarantees them certainty and security in the provision of telemedicine services, 2. telemedicine solutions that increase the availability and efficiency of the care provided while bringing comfort, and 3. user-friendly and simple solutions. At the same time, patients want to understand the new environment and be active participants in the process of digital innovation, including the practical implementation of telemedicine. The research team has developed recommendations for further developments in the implementation of telemedicine that reflect the patient’s interest and can be implemented at three levels – the health system, institutional, and community level. In countries with a well-developed and institutionalized patient movement, the community level can be represented by patient organizations, thus becoming the link between telemedicine policy making and implementation at the individual level of healthcare provision. For the further development of telemedicine, the development of a national strategy involving all key stakeholders, including patients, in the implementation has proven essential.
The epidemiology of Aedes-borne arboviral diseases in Zhejiang, Southeast China: a 20 years population-based surveillance study
Authors: Ren Jiangping , Chen Zhiping , Ling Feng , Liu Ying , Chen Enfu , Shi Xuguang , Guo Song , Zhang Rong , Wang Zhen , Sun Jimin
Published: October 2023

Objective

Aedes-borne arboviral diseases were important public health problems in Zhejiang before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics and change of the epidemiology of Aedes-borne arboviral diseases in the province.

Methods

Descriptive analyses were conducted to summarize the epidemiology of Aedes-borne arboviral diseases during 2003–2022.

Results

A total of 3,125 cases, including 1,968 indigenous cases, were reported during 2003–2022. Approximately three-quarters of imported cases were infected from Southeast Asia. The number of annual imported cases increased during 2013–2019 (R2 = 0.801, p = 0.004) and peaked in 2019. When compared with 2003–2012, all prefecture-level cities witnessed an increase in the annual mean incidence of imported cases in 2013–2019 (0.11–0.42 per 100,000 population vs. 0–0.05 per 100,000 population) but a drastic decrease during 2020–2022 (0–0.03 per 100,000 population). The change in geographical distribution was similar, with 33/91 counties during 2003–2012, 86/91 during 2013–2019, and 14/91 during 2020–2022. The annual mean incidence of indigenous cases in 2013–2019 was 7.79 times that in 2003–2012 (0.44 vs. 0.06 per 100,000 population). No indigenous cases were reported between 2020–2022. Geographical extension of indigenous cases was also noted before 2020—from two counties during 2003–2012 to 44 during 2013–2019.

Conclusion

Dengue, chikungunya fever, zika disease, and yellow fever are not endemic in Zhejiang but will be important public health problems for the province in the post-COVID-19 era.
Using the RE-AIM framework to assess national teledermatology expansion
Authors: Lamkin Rebecca P. , Peracca Sara B. , Jackson George L. , Hines Aliya C. , Gifford Allen L. , Lachica Olevie , Li Donglin , Morris Isis J. , Paiva Marcelo , Weinstock Martin A. , Oh Dennis H.
Published: October 2023

Background

Teledermatology has been utilized in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for decades but continues to have incomplete penetration. VA has funded an initiative to enhance access to dermatology services since 2017 to support asynchronous teledermatology for Veterans living in rural areas. As part of an ongoing evaluation of this program, we assessed the teledermatology activity between the fiscal years 2020 and 2022. We focused on the second cohort of the initiative, comprising six VA facilities and their 54 referral clinics.

Methods

We studied teledermatology programs at cohort facilities using the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance framework. We used a mixed-methods design including annual online reports completed by participating facilities and VA administrative data. When possible, we compared the data from the 3 years of teledermatology funding with the baseline year prior to the start of funding.

Findings

Reach: Compared with the baseline year, there was a 100% increase in encounters and a 62% increase in patients seen at the funded facilities. Over 500 clinicians and support staff members were trained. Effectiveness: In FY 2022, primary or specialty care clinics affiliated with the funded facilities had more dermatology programs than primary or specialty care clinics across the VA (83% vs. 71% of sites). Adoption: By the end of the funding period, teledermatology constituted 16% of dermatology encounters at the funded facilities compared with 12% nationally. This reflected an increase from 9.2% at the funded facilities and 10.3% nationally prior to the funding period. Implementation: The continued funding for staff and equipment facilitated the expansion to rural areas. Maintenance: By the end of the funding period, all facilities indicated that they had fully implemented their program for patients of targeted primary care providers. The Program Sustainability Index scores generally increased during the funding period.

Conclusions

Targeted funding to support asynchronous teledermatology implementation for rural Veterans increased its reach, adoption, and implementation, ultimately improving access. Providing program guidance with staffing and training resources can increase the impact of these programs. Ongoing efforts to maintain and increase communication between primary care and dermatology will be needed to sustain success.
Behavior and self-efficacy modulate learning in virtual reality simulations for training: a structural equation modeling approach
Authors: Mousavi S. M. Ali , Powell Wendy , Louwerse Max M. , Hendrickson Andrew T.
Published: October 2023

Introduction: There is a rising interest in using virtual reality (VR) applications in learning, yet different studies have reported different findings for their impact and effectiveness. The current paper addresses this heterogeneity in the results. Moreover, contrary to most studies, we use a VR application actually used in industry thereby addressing ecological validity of the findings.

Methods and Results of Study1: In two studies, we explored the effects of an industrial VR safety training application on learning. In our first study, we examined both interactive VR and passive monitor viewing. Using univariate, comparative, and correlational analytical approaches, the study demonstrated a significant increase in self-efficacy and knowledge scores in interactive VR but showed no significant differences when compared to passive monitor viewing. Unlike passive monitor viewing, however, the VR condition showed a positive relation between learning gains and self-efficacy.

Methods and Results of Study2: In our subsequent study, a Structural Equation Model (SEM) demonstrated that self-efficacy and users’ simulation performance predicted the learning gains in VR. We furthermore found that the VR hardware experience indirectly predicted learning gains through self-efficacy and user simulation performance factors.

Conclusion/Discussion of both studies: Conclusively, the findings of these studies suggest the central role of self-efficacy to explain learning gains generalizes from academic VR tasks to those in use in industry training. In addition, these results point to VR behavioral markers that are indicative of learning.
When “Peer Pressure” Is Positive
Authors: Kreidell Kennedy J. , Duell Natasha
Published: October 2023

Have you ever noticed that you are more likely to do something when your friends are doing it, too? Fitting in with friends is important during the teenage years, so being influenced by others is completely normal! Sometimes we can even be influenced to do good things, like helping others. There are many changes happening in teenagers’ bodies that influence the way they interact with others (which is called social behavior). Changes include development of the “social brain”, which allows teens to have deeper thoughts about themselves and others, and shifts in hormone levels. Looking at 136 teens aged 11–14 years, this study shows that teens can be influenced to make prosocial decisions—decisions that benefit others. Being influenced in this way is associated with particular hormonal changes, and with activation in regions of the “social brain”. This research highlights the complex relationship between biology and the influence of our peers on our behavior.
Police officers’ perspective on doping and prevention among recreational athletes: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kvillemo Pia , Gripenberg Johanna , Strandberg Anna K. , Elgán Tobias H.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The use of anabolic androgenic steroids among recreational athletes has received growing attention in recent decades. Several countries have implemented bans on doping; however, recreational athletes and other subpopulations continue to use doping substances. Recognizing that the police play a crucial role in preventing the use and dealing of doping substances in Sweden, efforts have been made to intensify police interventions and enhance collaboration with other key actors. This study examined police officers’ perceptions of doping as defined in Swedish law, related problems, and suggestions for effective prevention of doping in the society.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey study was conducted using a web survey of police officers (N = 597). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and free-form text responses were analyzed using content analysis.

Results

Participant responses to the survey (73.7% response rate) indicated that approximately 62.6% thought that doping is a societal problem, and approximately 26% perceived that the availability of doping substances has increased over the past three years. A total of 95.6% of respondents believed that doping occurred in connection with other crimes such as intimate partner violence (88.2%) and drug-related crimes (88.0%). Further, 96.3% of respondents perceived that it was their duty to prevent doping, but 63.8% indicated that doping-related work was not prioritized within their local police district.

Discussion

Police officers perceived doping as a societal problem and expressed motivation to counteract it, highlighting increased knowledge, legislative changes, intensified doping prevention in gyms, and commitment from other societal actors to increase the effectiveness of doping prevention. Suggestions for increasing the efficiency of doping prevention included education and increased knowledge at all levels in the police organization, intensified prevention efforts at gyms, legislative changes to permit simplified doping test procedures, and breach of secrecy for postal items. There was also a suggestion for further engagement from other actors, such as healthcare workers, school officials, and non-governmental organizations.
Developing the surgeon-machine interface: using a novel instance-segmentation framework for intraoperative landmark labelling
Authors: Park Jay J. , Doiphode Nehal , Zhang Xiao , Pan Lishuo , Blue Rachel , Shi Jianbo , Buch Vivek P.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) augments intraoperative safety, surgical training, and patient outcomes. We introduce the term Surgeon-Machine Interface (SMI) to describe this innovative intersection between surgeons and machine inference. A custom deep computer vision (CV) architecture within a sparse labelling paradigm was developed, specifically tailored to conceptualise the SMI. This platform demonstrates the ability to perform instance segmentation on anatomical landmarks and tools from a single open spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) surgery video dataset.

Methods

Our custom deep convolutional neural network was based on SOLOv2 architecture for precise, instance-level segmentation of surgical video data. Test video consisted of 8520 frames, with sparse labelling of only 133 frames annotated for training. Accuracy and inference time, assessed using F1-score and mean Average Precision (mAP), were compared against current state-of-the-art architectures on a separate test set of 85 additionally annotated frames.

Results

Our SMI demonstrated superior accuracy and computing speed compared to these frameworks. The F1-score and mAP achieved by our platform were 17% and 15.2% respectively, surpassing MaskRCNN (15.2%, 13.9%), YOLOv3 (5.4%, 11.9%), and SOLOv2 (3.1%, 10.4%). Considering detections that exceeded the Intersection over Union threshold of 50%, our platform achieved an impressive F1-score of 44.2% and mAP of 46.3%, outperforming MaskRCNN (41.3%, 43.5%), YOLOv3 (15%, 34.1%), and SOLOv2 (9%, 32.3%). Our platform demonstrated the fastest inference time (88ms), compared to MaskRCNN (90ms), SOLOV2 (100ms), and YOLOv3 (106ms). Finally, the minimal amount of training set demonstrated a good generalisation performance –our architecture successfully identified objects in a frame that were not included in the training or validation frames, indicating its ability to handle out-of-domain scenarios.

Discussion

We present our development of an innovative intraoperative SMI to demonstrate the future promise of advanced CV in the surgical domain. Through successful implementation in a microscopic dAVF surgery, our framework demonstrates superior performance over current state-of-the-art segmentation architectures in intraoperative landmark guidance with high sample efficiency, representing the most advanced AI-enabled surgical inference platform to date. Our future goals include transfer learning paradigms for scaling to additional surgery types, addressing clinical and technical limitations for performing real-time decoding, and ultimate enablement of a real-time neurosurgical guidance platform.
Case Report: Hybrid approach as a Rescue Treatment in a patient with vascular Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome
Authors: Park Suehyun , Hwang Deokbi , Yun Woo-Sung , Kim Hyung-Kee , Huh Seung
Published: October 2023

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (vEDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder associated with COL3A1 gene mutation encoding type III collagen. Given the possible fatal prognosis if not treated timely, it is important to suspect and diagnose as soon as possible. Despite advances in endovascular technique, access point complications remain a serious challenge in patients with vEDS. Here, we describe a 30-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with vEDS after consecutive events of bilateral iliac vessels at an interval of 3 months: (1) spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of right iliac artery and (2) arteriovenous fistula between left internal iliac artery (IIA) and left common iliac vein. This patient was treated with iliac stent-grafts and overlapping femoral interposition graft (Dacron) in the 1st operation and access artery repair with surgical dissection after coil embolization of IIA and stent-graft insertion into left common to external iliac arteries in the 2nd operation. The patient has been treated with beta-blockers and anticoagulants for the management of vEDS and postoperative deep vein thrombosis, respectively. The stent-grafts in both iliac arteries and the access sites have been well-tolerated without any adverse effects for 14 months following the 2nd operation. In conclusion, given the vascular fragility and the potential for future events, additional vascular manipulation should be avoided unless it is in a life-threatening condition. In particular, meticulous hybrid interventions can be effective treatments.