bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors versus chemotherapy alone in diffuse pleural mesothelioma
Authors: Zhang Xuemei , Chang Lele , Ma Qian , Zhang Qian , Xu Wansu , Li Qingwei
Published: June 2024

Background

This study aimed to investigate the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) versus chemotherapy on the prognosis of real‐world diffuse pleural mesothelioma patients in China.

Methods

Clinical data of 90 patients with diffuse pleural mesothelioma from 2019 to 2022 were collected from Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: the ICIs‐treated group (n = 46) and the chemotherapy‐only group (n = 44). The efficacy and safety of immunotherapy relative to chemotherapy at different treatment stages were explored.

Results

The median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 10.0 and 7.0 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 24.7 and 15.8 months in the ICIs‐treated group and the chemotherapy group, respectively. The ICIs‐treated group showed an 11% increase in objective response rate (ORR) (52.2% vs. 41.0%) and an 8.0% increase in disease control rate (DCR) (78.3% vs. 70.0%) compared to the chemotherapy group. The Kaplan–Meier curves demonstrated significant PFS (HR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.38–0.98; p = 0.038) and OS (HR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.26–0.86; p = 0.011) benefits of receiving immunotherapy over chemotherapy alone. Subgroup analysis according to treatment timing showed the same trend.

Conclusion

In patients with nonsurgical diffuse pleural mesothelioma, immunotherapy achieved better survival benefits compared to chemotherapy in both first‐ and second‐/third‐line treatments. The early addition of immunotherapy improved survival in patients with nonsurgical diffuse pleural mesothelioma.
Water and development in the Asian tropics, 1900–1939
Authors: Nath Maanik , Cheng Chung‐Tang , Ratnoo Vigyan D.
Published: June 2024

Environmental conditions significantly affected development in the Asian tropics. This paper investigates the relationship between weather risk and agriculture in four regions with distinct climatological features. Using new data, we estimate the scale of crop output sensitivity to rainfall shocks across ecological zones. Output was sensitive to shocks in regions with low levels, concentrated spells and high volatility of rainfall. Canal irrigation protected some districts while unirrigated regions remained vulnerable. Regions with high rainfall levels and long seasons remained protected. Regions with large interruptions deterred investment and were underdeveloped while regions with small interruptions invited investment‐led growth.
Separation at birth due to safeguarding concerns: Using reproductive justice theory to re‐think the role of midwives
Authors: De Backer Kaat , Rayment‐Jones Hannah , Montgomery Elsa , Easter Abigail
Published: June 2024

Separation at birth due to safeguarding concerns is a deeply distressing and impactful event, with numbers rising across the world, and has devastating outcomes for birth mothers and their children. It is one of the most challenging aspects of contemporary midwifery practice in high‐income countries, although rarely discussed and reflected on during pre‐ and post‐registration midwifery training. Ethnic and racial disparities are prevalent both in child protection and maternity services and can be explained through an intersectional lens, accounting for biases based on race, gender, class, and societal beliefs around motherhood. With this paper, we aim to contribute to the growing body of critical midwifery studies and re‐think the role of midwives in this context. Building on principles of reproductive justice theory, Intersectionality, and Standpoint Midwifery, we argue that midwives play a unique role when supporting women who go through child protection processes and should pursue a shift from passive bystander to active upstander to improve care for this group of mothers.
The relationship between hypomagnesemia and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Eker Edibe S. , Ataoğlu Hayriye E.
Published: June 2024

Objective

Diabetic nephropathy is a prevalent cause of chronic kidney disease worldwide. Magnesium plays a critical role in insulin resistance, and insulin, in turn, regulates magnesium levels. We aimed to investigate the association between hypomagnesemia and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Design, Patients and Measurements

This retrospective single‐centre study encompassed 1178 patients aged 18 and above with T2DM, who attended our outpatient clinic between January 2019 and August 2020. Albuminuria levels were categorised according to Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines. In the literature, when examining cut‐off values for hypomagnesemia, it is observed that studies typically use hospital normal level as a reference point. Hypomagnesemia, defined as magnesium levels below 1.6 mg/dL, was compared to normomagnesemia (magnesium between 1.6 and 2.4 mg/dL). The primary objective was to explore the impact of magnesium levels on albuminuria, while the secondary objective was to determine the prevalence of hypomagnesemia. The multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed according to age, gender (male), HbA1c, and presence of hypomagnesemia.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 58.7 ± 12.2 years, with 44% being male. Hypomagnesemia was identified in 5.3% of the patients. Advanced age and female gender were more common among patients with hypomagnesemia (p = .001). Magnesium levels exhibited a negative correlation with HbA1c and fasting blood glucose, and a positive correlation with creatinine levels (r = −.117, r = −.131, r = .117, p < .001 for all three variables). Hypomagnesemia was significantly more prevalent in patients with albuminuria (15.9% vs. 4.7%, p < .001). Moreover, participants with the presence of hypomagnesemia were independently associated with a higher risk of albuminuria (odds ratio 3,64 1.76–7.52, p = .001).

Conclusion

Albuminuria is more frequently observed in patients with hypomagnesemia.
Effects of the Three Gorges Dam on the mandarin fish larvae (Siniperca chuatsi) in the middle reach of the Yangtze River: Spatial gradients in abundance, feeding, growth, and survival
Authors: Song Yiqing , Cao Juan , Wang Zhen , Cheng Fei , Schmidt Bjorn , Xie Songguang
Published: June 2024

Large dams significantly impact river ecosystems by disrupting connectivity, altering physicochemical variables, and modifying flow regimes. These modifications influence the spatial and temporal dynamics of biological processes and species distributions. While much research has focused on potamodromous species, there remains a gap in understanding the recovery gradients of resident species in dam‐altered rivers. This study examines the responses of larvae of a resident species, the mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi), to environmental alterations caused by the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. We hypothesized that larval abundance, feeding, growth, and survival would exhibit longitudinal recovery gradients, improving with the increased distance from the TGD. Our results confirm this hypothesis, showing that larvae further from the TGD exhibited higher abundance, increased feeding intensity, enhanced growth rates, improved survival rate, and earlier peak abundance and hatching dates. Key environmental factors, including water temperature and discharge, increased downstream, while transparency decreased. Major tributary inputs significantly contributed to these recovery gradients. The observed longitudinal gradients in larval attributes mirrored environmental changes, underscoring the TGD impact on population recruitment. These results highlight the broader implications of dam‐induced changes on resident species recruitment, potentially affecting entire fish communities. Our study contributes to understanding the distinct spatial patterns of population trends, providing valuable insights for designing more effective conservation and management practices for resident freshwater fishes in large regulated rivers.
Comparative analysis of centrally mediated and inflammatory pain experiences amongst patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis: A multimethods study
Authors: Rutter‐Locher Zoe , Esterine Tom , Williams Ruth , Taams Leonie S. , Bannister Kirsty , Kirkham Bruce W. , Lempp Heidi
Published: June 2024

Background

The identification of pain originating from distinct biological processes may lead to individualised pain treatment. In this study, we aimed to explore the pain experiences of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), differentiating between those predominantly exhibiting features of peripheral inflammatory versus centrally mediated pain.

Methods

Through a multimethods approach we (i) quantitatively analysed the differences in pain descriptors between patients diagnosed with RA experiencing peripheral inflammatory and centrally mediated pain, utilising the Short Form‐McGill Pain Questionnaire which includes the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and (ii) qualitatively explored their subjective pain experiences grounded in the biopsychosocial model, commonly applied in chronic pain.

Results

Participants with centrally mediated pain reported higher pain scores on the VAS, used a wider range of pain descriptors, and a higher proportion selected each descriptor compared to those with inflammatory pain (p < .001). The qualitative analysis revealed the centrally mediated pain group's experiences were overwhelming and relentless, struggling to precisely articulate the nature of their pain. In contrast, individuals with inflammatory pain expressed their pain in more tangible terms and shared their adaptive and coping strategies. Importantly, both groups revealed the substantial psychological, functional and social impacts of their pain, highlighting the often ‘invisible’ and misunderstood nature of their symptoms.

Conclusion

This study has gained a deeper insight into the pain experiences of patients living with RA, particularly in differentiating between centrally mediated and inflammatory types of pain, potentially facilitating a more individualised approach to pain treatment.

Patient Contribution

Patients actively participated in the study conception and design. This engagement includes collaboration with key stakeholders, such as members of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and Patient Research Partners (PRPs), who provided continuous feedback and guidance throughout the research process. Specifically, the qualitative element was coproduced with two PRPs, who were involved in co‐leading the focus groups and data analysis.
The voice quality of pedagogical agent impacts learning and agent perceptions
Authors: Siegle Robert F. , Craig Scotty D.
Published: June 2024

Background

The voices virtual on‐screen characters use has been shown to impact learning and perception outcomes. Recent replication research on these voices showed that synthetic voices were not a detriment if produced by a high‐quality engine with clear articulation. The current manuscript examines previous accent research that utilized now outdated engines, to determine if the impact of accents still holds with high‐quality engines and voice actors.

Objectives

To investigate the impact on learning and perceptions with pedagogical agents speaking in accented voices, synthetic voices, and the interaction between the two using modern voice engines.

Methods

This study is a between‐subjects two (accent) by two (type) factorial design to determine the impact the voice accent, voice type, and the interaction have on learning retention, learning transfer, mental effort efficiency, and perception measures. 197 participants were recruited from the online Amazon's Mechanical Turk with qualifications of 18 years of age, “normal or corrected‐to‐normal hearing”, and located with the continental United States of America.

Results and Conclusions

There were no significant differences between the accented conditions or interaction effects, deviating from previous research that showed impact of accents on learning. The synthetic condition had significantly lower knowledge retention, knowledge transfer, mental effort efficiency, and perception measures than the human professional. These findings demonstrate the importance of considering voice quality when designing pedagogical agents. Previous research showed synthetic voices perform as well as the average voice, and this research continues the narrative of voice quality by showing professional recordings outperform modern synthetic engines.
Self‐care behaviours and their determinants in people affected by coronary heart disease
Authors: Di Matteo Roberta , Bolgeo Tatiana , Dal Molin Alberto , Bassola Barbara , Lusignani Maura , Maconi Antonio , Rasero Laura , Vellone Ercole , Iovino Paolo
Published: June 2024

Objective

To describe self‐care in Italian adults with coronary heart disease and to identify sociodemographic and clinical determinants of self‐care.

Design

This is a cross‐sectional analysis of data from the Italian multicentre longitudinal study.

Methods

We used the follow instruments: Self‐Care of coronary heart disease inventory, Self‐care Self Efficacy Scale, Charlson Comorbidity Index and Sociodemographic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including absolute numbers, percentages, means and standard deviations were used to describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the sample, and the items. A structural equation model was fitted to understand sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with self‐care, and possible effects mediated by self‐efficacy.

Results

We enrolled 427 patients. Self‐care maintenance, monitoring, management and self‐care self‐efficacy means scores were 58.27 (SD = 20.07), 48.53 (SD = 26.97), 65.34 (SD = 22.85) and 77.16 (SD = 20.76), respectively. Except for the self‐care self‐efficacy scale, all the scores lay below the cut off 70 for adequacy. Older age, higher comorbidities, a higher number of stents placed, and the presence of a caregiver predicted poor self‐care.

Conclusion

Self‐care in Italian CHD populations is poor. Several associations were found between the dimensions of self‐care and sociodemographic factors. Implications for the profession these findings are important for health care providers to plan interventions to improve self‐care behaviour.

Impact

The study addressed self‐care behaviours of coronary heart disease patients.

Self‐care was poor in this population; several associations were found between the dimensions of self‐care and sociodemographic and clinical determinants.

Our results can be used to support health professionals in planning interventions to improve specific self‐care domains.

Reporting Method

STROBE checklist was followed.
Anti‐Blackness and psychological stress: The application of critical race psychology and minority stress theory among Black communities
Authors: Stamps David L.
Published: June 2024

Increased anti‐Blackness, including interpersonal racist encounters and macro forms such as extrajudicial killings by the state, have demonstrated that Black communities and their psychological well‐being are in a precarious position. Extant research has revealed that increased encounters with anti‐Blackness are related to excessive psychological stress. However, the role of stigma awareness, its relationship to anti‐Blackness and psychological stress, and our understanding of the relationship among subgroup identities (e.g., gender) remain underdeveloped. Appropriately, the current work adopted critical race psychology and minority stress theory and explored Black individuals’ (N = 410) experience with anti‐Blackness, stigma awareness, and their relationship to psychological stress. Results demonstrated that experience with anti‐Blackness was positively associated with increased physical, emotional, and cognitive stress; however, stigma awareness mediated only emotional stress. In addition, among the sample, Black men and Black individuals with increased education (e.g., received a college degree) reported increased levels of psychological stress compared to Black women and less educated Black individuals.
Development of sleepiness in professional truck drivers: Real‐road testing for driver drowsiness and attention warning (DDAW) system evaluation
Authors: Ahlström Christer , Anund Anna
Published: June 2024

All new vehicle types within the European Union must now be equipped with a driver drowsiness and attention warning system starting from 2022. The specific requirements for the test procedure necessary for type approval are defined in the Annex of EU Regulation C/2021/2639. The objectives of this study were to: (i) investigate how sleepiness develops in professional truck drivers under real‐road driving conditions; and (ii) assess the feasibility of a test procedure for validating driver drowsiness and attention warning systems according to the EU regulation. Twenty‐four professional truck drivers participated in the test. They drove for 180 km on a dual‐lane motorway, first during daytime after a normal night's sleep and then at nighttime after being awake since early morning. The results showed higher sleepiness levels during nighttime driving compared with daytime, with a faster increase in sleepiness with distance driven, especially during the night. Psychomotor vigilance task results corroborated these findings. From a driver drowsiness and attention warning testing perspective, the study design with sleep‐deprived drivers at night was successful in inducing the targeted sleepiness level of a Karolinska Sleepiness Scale score of ≥ 8. Many drivers who reported a Karolinska Sleepiness Scale ≥ 8 during the drives also acknowledged feeling sleepy in the post‐drive questionnaire. Reaching high levels of sleepiness on real roads during daytime is more problematic, not the least from legal and ethical perspectives as higher traffic densities during the daytime lead to increased risks.
Undesirable Difficulty of Interleaved Practice: The Importance of Initial Blocked Practice for Declarative Knowledge Development in Low‐Achieving Adolescents
Authors: Hwang Hyun‐Bin
Published: June 2024

This study explored the effects of practice schedule on the processing of new second language (L2) vocabulary and resulting knowledge. Participants were 107 low‐achieving adolescents attending a vocational high school in Korea. They were randomly assigned to one of three practice groups and completed a L2 English–L1 Korean paired‐associates learning task. The blocking group practiced one word at a time before switching to different words (e.g., A/A/A/B/B/B/C/C/C); the interleaving group practiced multiple words in sequence (e.g., A/B/C/A/B/C/A/B/C); and the hybrid group had both blocked and interleaved practice. Results revealed that (a) interleaved practice alone posed undesirable difficulty for low achievers, (b) blocked practice in the early learning phase facilitated the development of new declarative knowledge, and (c) hybrid practice produced more robust long‐term retention than blocking and interleaving. The findings are discussed in relation to real‐time processing accuracy, reaction time, coefficient of variation, and meaning recognition test outcomes. Additionally, I explore possible applications of these findings in developing optimal algorithm‐based software for vocabulary learning.
Glomerular basement membrane ultrastructural changes in a patient with COQ2 glomerulopathy: A case report
Authors: Sun Liuyu , Ren Yali , Su Baige , Wang Suxia , Zhong Xuhui , Jiang Yuwu , Wang Fang
Published: June 2024

Primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency‐1, caused by COQ2 disease‐causing variants, is an autosomal recessive disorder, and genetic testing is the gold standard for diagnosing this condition. A Chinese boy with steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and progressive kidney insufficiency was included in the study. Electron microscopy revealed the glomerular basement membrane with irregular thickness and lamellation with diffuse effacement of foot processes in the podocytes, and swollen mitochondria with abnormal cristae in the podocytes. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation started about 3 weeks after the onset of mild kidney dysfunction did not improve the proband's kidney outcome. Proband‐only whole‐exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing revealed two heteroallelic COQ2 variants: a maternally inherited novel variant c.1013G > A[p.(Gly338Glu)] in exon 6 and a variant of unknown origin c.1159C > T[p.(Arg387*)] in exon 7. Subsequent long‐read sequencing demonstrated these two variants were located on different alleles. Our report extends the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of COQ2 glomerulopathy.
Aberrant differentiation and proliferation of hepatocytes in chronic liver injury and liver tumors
Authors: Nishikawa Yuji
Published: June 2024

Chronic liver injury induces liver cirrhosis and facilitates hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the effects of this condition on hepatocyte proliferation and differentiation are unclear. We showed that rodent hepatocytes display a ductular phenotype when they are cultured within a collagenous matrix. This process involves transdifferentiation without the emergence of hepatoblastic features and is at least partially reversible. During the ductular reaction in chronic liver diseases with progressive fibrosis, some hepatocytes, especially those adjacent to ectopic ductules, demonstrate ductular transdifferentiation, but the majority of increased ductules originate from the existing bile ductular system that undergoes extensive remodeling. In chronic injury, hepatocyte proliferation is weak but sustained, and most regenerative nodules in liver cirrhosis are composed of clonally proliferating hepatocytes, suggesting that a small fraction of hepatocytes maintain their proliferative capacity in chronic injury. In mouse hepatocarcinogenesis models, hepatocytes activate the expression of various fetal/neonatal genes, indicating that these cells undergo dedifferentiation. Hepatocyte‐specific somatic integration of various oncogenes in mice demonstrated that hepatocytes may be the cells of origin for a broad spectrum of liver tumors through transdifferentiation and dedifferentiation. In conclusion, the phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity of mature hepatocytes are important for understanding the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases and liver tumors.
Extraction and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose from Vachellia nilotica plant leaves: A biomass waste to wealth approach
Authors: Vithya B. , Saravanakumar S. S. , Senthamaraikannan P. , Murugan R.
Published: June 2024

Biobased waste utilization is an intriguing area of research and an ecologically conscious approach. Plant‐based materials can be used to render cellulose, which is an eco‐friendly material that can be used in numerous aspects. In the current investigation, cellulose was extracted from the leaves of the Vachellia nilotica plant via acid hydrolysis. The application of this research is specifically directed toward the utilization of undesirable plant sources. To validate the extracted cellulose, FT‐IR spectroscopy was applied. The cellulose was measured to have a density of 1.234 g/cm3. The crystallinity index (58.93%) and crystallinity size (11.56 nm) of cellulose are evaluated using X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy analysis. The highest degradation temperature (320.8°C) was observed using thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry curve analysis. The analysis of particle size was conducted utilizing images captured by scanning electron microscopy. Particle size of less than 30 μm was found and they exhibit non‐uniform orientation. Additionally, atomic force microscopy analysis shows an improved average surface roughness (Ra), which increases the possibility of using extracted cellulose as reinforcement in biofilms.
Plastid‐expressed AdDjSKI enhances photosystem II stability, delays leaf senescence, and increases fruit yield in tomato plants under heat stress
Authors: Bulle Mallesham , Devadasu Elsinraju , Rampuria Sakshi , Subramanyam Rajagopal , Kirti Pulugurtha Bharadwaja
Published: June 2024

Heat stress substantially reduces tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) growth and yield globally, thereby jeopardizing food security. DnaJ proteins, constituents of the heat shock protein system, protect cells from diverse environmental stresses as HSP‐70 molecular co‐chaperones. In this study, we demonstrated that AdDjSKI, a serine‐rich DnaJ III protein induced by pathogens, plays an important role in stabilizing photosystem II (PSII) in response to heat stress. Our results revealed that transplastomic tomato plants expressing the AdDjSKI gene exhibited increased levels of total soluble proteins, improved growth and chlorophyll content, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, and diminished PSII photoinhibition under elevated temperatures when compared with wild‐type (WT) plants. Intriguingly, these transplastomic plants maintained higher levels of D1 protein under elevated temperatures compared with the WT plants, suggesting that overexpression of AdDjSKI in plastids is crucial for PSII protection, likely due to its chaperone activity. Furthermore, the transplastomic plants displayed lower accumulation of superoxide radical (O2•─) and H2O2, in comparison with the WT plants, plausibly attributed to higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities. This also coincides with an enhanced expression of corresponding genes, including SlCuZnSOD, SlFeSOD, SlAPX2, and SltAPX, under heat stress. Taken together, our findings reveal that chloroplastic expression of AdDjSKI in tomatoes plays a critical role in fruit yield, primarily through a combination of delayed senescence and stabilizing PSII under heat stress.
The progression of cognitive impairment and its influencing factors in older adults based on longitudinal item response theory
Authors: Xue Jihui
Published: June 2024

Background

Understanding the development of cognitive impairment and its influencing factors in older adults is crucial for formulating early intervention strategies.

Purpose

To identify the early dimensions of cognitive impairment and provide a comprehensive description of the trajectories of cognitive decline in older adults prior to death.

Methods

Based on the data of 9883 older adults in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey from 2002 to 2018, a longitudinal item response theory (Longitudinal IRT) model including covariates was applied to estimate the following parameters. The items in which older adults encountered obstacles first had the least difficulty parameters (δ). The earlier the information curve of an item is lifted, the more information it provides in the early stages of cognitive impairment. Regression coefficient (β) represents the relative rate of cognitive decline. The cognitive impairment values estimated from the Longitudinal IRT were fitted to a mixed‐effects model to examine cognitive impairment trajectories.

Results

‘Draw the figure on B Card’ (δ = −0.816) was the most challenging item, followed by ‘recalling ‘clothes” (δ = 0.348) and ‘recalling ‘apples” (δ = 0.419), while ‘name the ‘pen” (δ = 4.402) was the simplest instruction for the old adults. The curves of the items in the recall dimension began to rise in the early stages of cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment of older adults who were women (β = 0.061), elder (β = 0.111), smokers (β = 0.060), living in rural areas (β = 0.052), not participating in organised social activities (β = 0.092), suffering from hypertension (β = 0.022), hyperglycaemia (β = 0.035), dyslipidaemia (β = 0.314), low education levels (β = 0.128), manual labourers (β = 0.027), and eventual development of dementia (β = 0.212) exhibited a more accelerated progression. These individuals also had poorer cognitive trajectories.

Conclusion

Recall is the earliest dimension of cognitive impairment. The subjects who were women, elder, smokers, living in rural areas, not participating in organised social activities, suffering from hypertension, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, low education, manual labourers, and eventually development of dementia, had a faster descending speed and poorer trajectories.
Control in context: The theta rhythm provides evidence for reactive control but no evidence for proactive control
Authors: Mendl Jonathan , Banerjee Sayani , Fischer Rico , Dreisbach Gesine , Köster Moritz
Published: June 2024

A prime goal of psychological science is to understand how humans can flexibly adapt to rapidly changing contexts. The foundation of this cognitive flexibility rests on contextual adjustments of cognitive control, which can be tested using the list‐wide proportion congruency effect (LWPC). Blocks with mostly incongruent (MI) trials show smaller conflict interference effects compared to blocks with mostly congruent (MC) trials. A critical debate is how proactive and reactive control processes drive contextual adjustments. In this preregistered study (N = 30), we address this conundrum, by using the theta rhythm as a key neural marker for cognitive control. In a confound‐minimized Stroop paradigm with short alternating MC and MI blocks, we tested reaction times, error rates, and participants' individualized theta activity (2–7 Hz) in the scalp‐recorded electroencephalogram. An LWPC effect was found for both, reaction times and error rates. Importantly, the results provided clear evidence for reactive control processes in the theta rhythm: Theta power was higher in rare incongruent compared with congruent trials in MC blocks, but there was no such modulation in MI blocks. However, regarding proactive control, there were no differences in sustained theta power between MC and MI blocks. A complementary analysis of the alpha activity (8–14 Hz) also revealed no evidence for sustained attentional resources in MI blocks. These findings suggest that contextual adjustments rely mainly on reactive control processes in the theta rhythm. Proactive control, in the present study, may be limited to a flexible attentional shift but does not seem to require sustained theta activity.
Does opening up change customs? Evidence from trade liberalization and marriage payments in China
Authors: Feng Qiyangfan , Shangguan Yiwen , Wei Hao
Published: June 2024

There is widespread concern about whether opening up changes cultural customs. However, empirical evidence remains limited. In this paper, we provide new evidence on this issue by examining the impact of trade liberalization on marriage payment customs in China. We first provide a conceptual framework based on a labor market perspective to illustrate how trade liberalization has driven changes in marriage payment customs. Then, using China's World Trade Organization accession as a quasi‐natural experiment, this paper uses the difference‐in‐differences strategy and China's large‐scale household survey data to conduct an empirical study. Our results suggest that trade liberalization has reduced marriage payments in China, especially the bride price but not the dowry. Evidence from industry and census surveys suggests that the declining earning ability of marriageable men and the increasing relative economic status of women have driven down the bride price from the supply and demand sides, respectively. We also find that the impact of trade liberalization has been concentrated on southern and rural households. In addition to the decline in the bride price, the bad practice of child marriage in China has also been alleviated as a result.
The remittance‐growth nexus in leading remittance‐earning nations, controlling regulatory quality, trade openness, energy use, and financial expansion
Authors: Islam Md. Saiful
Published: June 2024

Many emerging countries rely on incoming remittances to finance their economic growth, as remittance inflow has a variety of positive knock‐on effects. This study looks at the “remittance‐growth nexus” among the top 20 nations that earn remittances, considering regulatory quality, trade openness, energy consumption, and financial development as controlling variables. It makes use of panel data covering the years 1996–2021, the “Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCEMG)” and “Augmented Mean Group” estimation techniques, and the “Dumitrescu‐Hurlin (D‐H)” causality assessment. The primary estimation findings demonstrate a unique outcome that incoming remittance hurts economic growth (EG). However, EG benefits from trade openness, energy use, financial expansion, and regulatory quality, which have a beneficial impact on EG. The D‐H causality assessment results support the primary estimation findings and also reveal that despite both regulatory quality's and financial expansion's influence on EG, they don't cause remittances, rather remittance inflow causes them. The findings have significant policy ramifications for inbound remittance to be routed to saving and investment, guaranteeing reliable energy availability, enhancing trade openness, a prudential banking system, and improving regulatory quality to affect EG positively.
Cannabis Legalization and its Effects on Organized Crime: Lessons and Research Recommendations from Canada
Authors: Bouchard Martin , Zakimi Naomi , Gomis Benoît
Published: June 2024

In October 2018, Canada legalized and regulated its entire recreational cannabis supply chain via the Cannabis Act. One of the objectives of this new policy was to take revenue away from organized crime groups. Five years after the Cannabis Act went into effect, we address the following question: what do we know about the impacts of cannabis regulation on organized crime? A review of the gray and academic literature revealed that there is little and inconclusive research on the matter, as well as a lack of diverse and relevant data sources from which to draw conclusions. Using Canadian and international literature, we developed recommendations for indicators that could be used to assess such impacts. These indicators could be particularly useful for policymakers and researchers in countries that have yet to regulate cannabis to allow for pre‐ and post‐legalization comparisons.
Integrating geospatial data and street‐view imagery to reconstruct large‐scale 3D urban building models
Authors: Wu Changbin , Yu Xinyang , Ma Can , Zhong Rongkai , Zhou Xinxin
Published: June 2024

3D urban building modeling is a vital foundational step for building Digital Twins and Smart Cities. In response to existing challenges, such as high time costs, complex production processes, and low consistency with real‐world textures in large‐scale 3D urban building modeling methods, this research proposes a reconstructing 3D urban building models (3DUBM) approach that integrates geospatial data and street view. The approach achieves an enhanced generation of large‐scale 3DUBMs. Based on open geospatial data and street‐view imagery (SVI), the approach was tested in modeling experiments conducted in Shanghai, Hongkong, and Nanjing. Furthermore, a dataset covering unique blocks of 30 cities in China was constructed to demonstrate the approach's characteristics of large coverage, high time efficiency, high model quality and low economic cost. The accuracy of texture mapping from SVI to 3DUBM reached 85%. This achievement has significant economic value in bridging the gap in the production of large‐scale and low‐cost 3DUBM data, promoting the construction of Digital Twins, Smart Cities, and Real‐world 3D modeling.
Predicting Behavioural Intention to Enrol at a TVET Institution
Authors: Abd Hamid Harris Shah , Othman Mohhidin
Published: June 2024

Enrolment into TVET programs is not consistently meeting the desired number at different levels in Malaysia. While much research has examined the attitude and predictors towards various field of studies, not much is known for TVET programs. A survey based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour was developed and administered to secondary school leavers and parents to measure their attitude towards Institut Latihan Kemahiran Belia dan Sukan (ILKBS) as TVET programs provider. The survey reveals almost similar results for school leavers and parents: attitude towards ILKBS is positive and intention to enrol can be predicted by subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Financial capability is a significant predictor among parents, but not the school leavers. Marketing of TVET programs and institutions could leverage on subjective norms to nudge the intention of school leavers to enrol at TVET institutions.
Comportamiento ético de odontólogos y especialistas de la salud oral en redes sociales electrónicas: Publicación de fotografías de casos clínicos
Authors: Guerrero-Arias Alejandra , Jiménez-Agudelo Zaira , Gutiérrez-Quiceno Bruno , Moreno-Gómez Freddy
Published: June 2024

Antecedentes: El uso de las redes sociales electrónicas (RSE) permite a los profesionales de la salud establecer relaciones mediante dispositivos electrónicos, transformando las prácticas sociales. Facebook, Twitter e Instagram son un medio cuyo patrón de conducta favorece el intercambio de información profesional, lo cual es catalogado como una conducta inapropiada que compromete el profesionalismo y la ética vulnerando la privacidad y la confidencialidad de los pacientes. Objetivo: Evaluar el comportamiento ético en RSE de odontólogos y especialistas de la salud oral con relación a la publicación de fotografías de casos clínicos. Métodos: estudio observacional descriptivo que evaluó el comportamiento ético en RSE de odontólogos y especialistas de la salud oral con relación a la publicación de fotografías de casos clínicos. Se aplicó una encuesta estructurada para obtener información sobre el uso de Facebook, Twitter e Instagram. Una p< 0,05 fue considerada estadísticamente significativa. Resultados: de los 127 participantes, el 60 % publican fotografías de casos clínicos en sus RSE desconociendo cualquier protocolo ético. El 18,11 % ha leído el Código de Ética del Odontólogo Colombiano y el 18 % ha leído las políticas internas de las RSE. El 7 % no cree que esté cometiendo alguna falta a la ética profesional cuando publica fotografías en las que se puede identificar al paciente. Conclusiones: parte de los participantes de este estudio desconocen las implicaciones éticas y legales de la publicación de fotografías de casos clínicos en Facebook, Twitter e Instagram, asociado a la vulneración de la intimidad, la privacidad y la confidencialidad del secreto médico profesional.
Evaluación imagenológica de los cambios morfológicos en la articulación temporomandibular de pacientes en crecimiento tratados con aparatos funcionales. Revisión sistemática
Authors: Tomàs Aliberas Jordi , Pizarro Lavin Catalina , Sotorra Figuerola Dídac , Felipe Spada Natalia
Published: June 2024

Antecedentes: Una amplia gama de aparatos funcionales permiten estimular el crecimiento mandibular de pacientes clase II, mediante su avance mandibular; logrando corregir este tipo de desarmonía esquelética y oclusal. Los aparatos de reposicionamiento fijos aplican fuerzas constantes sobre la ATM y pueden causar la remodelación del cóndilo articular y de la fosa glenoidea. La tomografía computarizada (TC) ha sido el estándar de oro para obtener imágenes del hueso y tejidos duros de la ATM, pero hoy en día se emplean la tomografía computarizada de haz cónico (TCHC) y la Resonancia Magnética Nuclear (RMN), a causa de sus niveles bajos y nulos respectivamente, de radiación. Objetivo: medir los cambios morfológicos mediante evaluación imagenológica de la ATM después de la corrección de la maloclusión de clase II con tratamiento funcional con aparatos en pacientes en crecimiento Métodos: se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica sistemática integral desde enero de 2015 hasta mayo de 2023 en las siguientes bases de datos bibliográficas PubMed, EBSCO Embase y la Biblioteca Cochrane. Resultados: 10 estudios fueron seleccionados. El tamaño muestral total fue de 210 pacientes, y el rango de edad fue de 10,3 a 14 años. El principal método de imagen utilizado fue la TCHC con n = 9. Conclusiones: El principal cambio descrito es el remodelado condilar, seguido de la adaptación morfológica de la fosa. Aunque no se han reportado diferencias significativas en los cambios morfológicos en la ATM entre aparatos funcionales fijos versus removibles, la aparatología fija causa mayor incidencia de cambios morfológicos.
Percepción de la calidad de la atención de pacientes adultos en un hospital-escuela de Asunción, Paraguay
Authors: Flores-Alatorre José Francisco , Giménez-Caballero Édgar Daniel , Caballero-Garcia Cristina Raquel , Peralta-Garay Néstor
Published: June 2024

Antecedentes: El presente documento corresponde a un estudio acerca de la percepción de la calidad de atención de usuarios adultos en los servicios de consulta externa y urgencias de un hospital ubicado en la zona metropolitana de la Ciudad de Asunción durante el período de noviembre a diciembre de 2014. Cabe resaltar que esta evaluación se llevó a cabo antes de la reforma de los espacios correspondientes, específicamente en urgencias y consulta externa para adultos. Objetivo: Describir la percepción de los usuarios (pacientes) sobre la calidad de la atención en salud e identificar procesos que requieran ajustes para mejorar la calidad de la atención en los servicios de urgencias y consulta externa para adultos, según la perspectiva de los usuarios que utilizan diariamente dichos servicios en el año 2014. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo-transversal con un enfoque cuantitativo a través de un cuestionario CQC. Resultados: 99,2 % de los usuarios de urgencias y el 99,6 % de los usuarios de consulta externa recomendarían el servicio del hospital. Estos datos reflejan la satisfacción general de los usuarios con los servicios proporcionados por este destacado hospital nacional, evidenciando su disposición a volver en futuras ocasiones, con porcentajes del 99,4 % y 99,3 % en los usuarios de urgencias y consulta externa, respectivamente. Conclusión: Es relevante subrayar la alta satisfacción experimentada por los encuestados en cuanto a la atención médica recibida durante el periodo analizado.
Cambios en conocimientos e higiene bucal tras intervenciones educativas realizadas en un centro educativo de Managua, Nicaragua
Authors: Castro Sánchez María Mercedes , Vanegas Sáenz Juan Ramón
Published: June 2024

Antecedentes: A pesar de la creciente conciencia sobre la importancia de la salud general y bucal a través de intervenciones educativas, todavía existen lagunas en la comprensión e implementación de estrategias efectivas para abordar los problemas de salud. Por tanto, es necesario evaluar el efecto de dichas intervenciones en grupos específicos de población. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de intervenciones educativas sobre la salud general y bucal realizadas con estudiantes del Centro Educativo Eduardo Contreras de Managua, Nicaragua. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de diseño cuasiexperimental, que se centró en evaluar conocimientos sobre salud general y bucal a través de un cuestionario y habilidades de higiene bucal a través del índice O'Leary de los estudiantes del Centro Educativo Eduardo Contreras del Residencial Las Colinas, Managua. Las evaluaciones se realizaron antes y después de la intervención educativa. Resultados: Participaron en el estudio 174 estudiantes. Los puntajes promedio de conocimientos de los estudiantes sobre salud general y bucal antes y después de la intervención educativa fueron de 9,66 y 10,76 puntos, respectivamente (p < 0,001). El promedio del índice de O'Leary antes y después de la intervención fue de 28,28 % y 12,98 %, respectivamente, con una diferencia de 15,3 % (p < 0,001). Conclusiones: Los conocimientos aumentaron y la placa dental disminuyó después de implementar las intervenciones educativas entre los estudiantes del Centro Educativo Eduardo Contreras que participaron en el estudio. Los hallazgos sugirieron que las intervenciones fueron exitosas.
Reliability Analysis for Rotate Vector Reducer by Combining Polynomial Chaos Expansion and Saddlepoint Approximation Considering Multi-Failure Modes
Authors: Yang Shunqi , Xiao Huipeng , Lu Pan , Xu Guohua , Li Hao , Zhang Xiaoling
Published: June 2024

Rotate vector (RV) reducer is an essential mechanical transmission device in industrial machinery, robotics, aerospace, and other fields. The dynamic transmission characteristics and strength of the cycloidal pin gear and turning-arm bearing significantly affect the motion accuracy and reliability of RV reducer. Uncertainties from manufacturing and assembly errors and working loads add complexity to these effects. Developing effective methods for uncertainty propagation and reliability analysis for the RV reducer is crucial. In this work, the mail failure modes of RV reducer are studied, and an effective reliability analysis method for RV reducer considering the correlation between multi-failure modes is proposed by combining polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) and saddlepoint approximation method (SPA). This paper develops an uncertainty propagation strategy for RV reducer based on dynamic simulation and PCE method with high accuracy. On this basis, a surrogated cumulant generating function (CGF) and SPA are combined to analyze the stochastic characteristics of the failure behaviors. Then, based on the probability density function (PDF) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) calculated by SPA, the copula function is employed to quantify the correlations between the multi-failure modes. Further, the system reliability with multi-failure modes is estimated by SPA and optimal copula function. The validity of the proposed approach is illustrated by RV-320E reducer reliability estimation, and the results show that the proposed method can provide an effective reliability assessment technology for complex system under unknown physical model and distribution characteristics.
An unexpected role for the ketogenic diet in triggering tumor metastasis by modulating BACH1-mediated transcription
Authors: Su Zhenyi , Liu Yanqing , Xia Zhangchuan , Rustgi Anil K. , Gu Wei
Published: June 2024

We have found that the ketogenic (Keto) diet is able to, unexpectedly, promote the metastatic potential of cancer cells in complementary mouse models. Notably, the Keto diet–induced tumor metastasis is dependent on BTB domain and CNC homolog 1 (BACH1) and its up-regulation of pro-metastatic targets, including cell migration–inducing hyaluronidase 1, in response to the Keto diet. By contrast, upon genetic knockout or pharmacological inhibition of endogenous BACH1, the Keto diet–mediated activation of those targets is largely diminished, and the effects on tumor metastasis are completely abolished. Mechanistically, upon administration of the Keto diet, the levels of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) are markedly induced. Through direct interaction with BACH1, ATF4 is recruited to those pro-metastatic target promoters and enhances BACH1-mediated transcriptional activation. Together, these data implicate a distinct transcription regulatory program of BACH1 for tumor metastasis induced by the Keto diet. Our study also raises a potential health risk of the Keto diet in human patients with cancer.