bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review of Immunological and Neuropsychobehavioral Effects of Latent Toxoplasmosis on Humans
Authors: Kazemi Arababadi Mohammad , Abdollahi Seyyed Hossein , Ramezani Mahnaz , Zare‐Bidaki Mohammad
Published: July 2024

Toxoplasmosis as a zoonotic disease has a worldwide distribution and can infect a wide range of animal hosts, as well as at least one third of the world's human population. The disease is usually mild or asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, but dormant tissue cysts survive especially in the brain for the host lifespan, known as latent toxoplasmosis (LT). Recent studies suggest that LT can have certain neurological, immunological psychological and behavioural effects on human including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, depression, suicide anxiety and sleeping disorders. LT effects are controversial, and their exact mechanisms of action is not yet fully understood. This review aims to provide an overview of the potential effects, their basic mechanisms including alteration of neurotransmitter levels, immune activation in the central nervous system and induction of oxidative stress. Additionally, beneficial effects of LT, and an explanation of the effects within the framework of manipulation hypothesis, and finally, the challenges and limitations of the current research are discussed.
Exploring the role of cultivar, year and plot age in the incidence of esca and Eutypa dieback: Insights from 20 years of regional surveys in France
Authors: Etienne Lucas , Fabre Frédéric , Martinetti Davide , Frank Elise , Michel Lucie , Bonnardot Valérie , Guérin‐Dubrana Lucia , Delmas Chloé E. L.
Published: July 2024

Grapevine trunk diseases cause yield losses and vine mortality in vineyards worldwide. However, there have been few quantitative studies evaluating grapevine dieback on a large spatial and temporal scale. Here, we consolidated and standardized databases from the 13 main wine regions of France, compiling records of leaf symptoms associated with esca and Eutypa dieback from 2082 plots and 36 cultivars over a 20‐year period. This large dataset was used (a) for quantitative analysis of the prevalence (number of plots with at least one symptomatic plant) and incidence (percentage of symptomatic plants) of esca and Eutypa dieback; and (b) to decipher the effects of cultivar, year and plot age on both the prevalence and incidence of esca leaf symptoms by temporal Bayesian modelling. Esca was present on a mean of 74 ± 2% plots annually, with an incidence of 3.1 ± 0.1%. Eutypa dieback occurred in 41 ± 3% of the plots, with an incidence of 1.4 ± 0.1%. Our modelling approach revealed that the cultivar had a significant impact on the prevalence of esca, but not on its incidence when prevalence is greater than zero. Esca prevalence remained stable, whereas esca incidence was higher than the mean value in six of the years after 2012. We also found a significant non‐linear effect of plot age, with 10‐ to 30‐year‐old plots significantly more susceptible, depending on the cultivar. This study clearly illustrates the importance of considering extensive and continuous monitoring to improve our understanding of the impact and evolution of crop diseases.
Reference values for heart rate variability in older adults: A systematic review
Authors: Rocha Alaine Souza Lima , Siqueira Vitória de Barros , Maduro Paula Andreatta , Batista Laísla da Silva Paixão , Schwingel Paulo Adriano
Published: July 2024

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an early marker of risk for various health conditions, and its analysis serves as a valuable tool for assessing older adults. This study aimed to describe the reference values of HRV parameters in older adults through a systematic review of the literature. The review included searches in MEDLINE (via PubMed®), EMBASE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Literature, Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS). Studies presenting reference values for at least one HRV linear analysis measure in older adults were considered eligible. Out of 1618 studies identified, only 11 met the inclusion criteria. Sample sizes of older adults ranged from 21 to 6250 subjects. The HRV measures assessed (mean RR intervals, SDNN, RMSSD, PNN50, LF, HF, and LF/HF ratio) varied significantly between studies, with no standardized methods for HRV analysis. We concluded that reference values for HRV measures in older adults vary widely between studies. The scientific literature on HRV reference values in older adults is still limited, and future studies should standardize assessment methods for HRV measures in this population.
60 HLA class I and 115 HLA class II sequence confirmations submitted to the IPD‐IMGT/HLA Database
Authors: Lucas Jonathan A. M. , Hopper Sebastian J. F. , Robinson James , Marsh Steven G. E. , Mayor Neema P.
Published: July 2024

Sequence confirmations of 175 HLA class I and II alleles in the IPD‐IMGT/HLA Database.
The novel HLA‐DQA1*03:75 allele identified in a Korean kidney donor
Authors: Kim Si‐Hwan , Yang John Jeongseok , Oh Heung‐Bum
Published: July 2024

HLA‐DQA1*03:75 differs from HLA‐DQA1*03:02:01:01 by a single non‐synonymous nucleotide substitution in exon 2.
SNX32 Regulates Sorting and Trafficking of Activated EGFR to the Lysosomal Degradation Pathway
Authors: Wang Dou , Zhao Xia , Wang Panpan , Liu Jia‐Jia
Published: July 2024

SNX32 is a member of the evolutionarily conserved Phox (PX) homology domain‐ and Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain‐ containing sorting nexin (SNX‐BAR) family of proteins, which play important roles in sorting and membrane trafficking of endosomal cargoes. Although SNX32 shares the highest amino acid sequence homology with SNX6, and has been believed to function redundantly with SNX5 and SNX6 in retrieval of the cation‐independent mannose‐6‐phosphate receptor (CI‐MPR) from endosomes to the trans‐Golgi network (TGN), its role(s) in intracellular protein trafficking remains largely unexplored. Here, we report that it functions in parallel with SNX1 in mediating epidermal growth factor (EGF)‐stimulated postendocytic trafficking of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Moreover, SNX32 interacts directly with EGFR, and recruits SNX5 to promote sorting of EGF–EGFR into multivesicular bodies (MVBs) for lysosomal degradation. Thus, SNX32 functions distinctively from other SNX‐BAR proteins to mediate signaling‐coupled endolysosomal trafficking of EGFR.
To save lives: Lessons of a pandemic cartographer
Authors: Hessler John
Published: July 2024

For almost everyone in the world, the last few years have been unlike any experienced in their lifetimes. The public health crisis, spawned by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus and the outbreak of COVID‐19, presented a geospatial analysis challenge like none other as public health officials, emergency rooms, and the general public struggled to track the spread of the disease, allocate resources for testing and care, and understand the origin of this new zoonotic pathogen. During this period, the combination of rapid and open access genomic data combined with case counts and the mapping tools of geographic information systems allowed for near real‐time tracking of the pandemic. This paper describes these tools, how they were used to advise policy‐makers in the US at the height of the pandemic, and some of the lessons learned.
An Empirical Investigation of the Dynamic Linkages among Foreign Direct Investment, Economic Growth, and Governance in CEMAC Countries: A Panel VAR Analysis
Authors: Foabeh Peter Ajonghakoh , Aumeboonsuke Vesarach
Published: July 2024

Economic Growth and the inflow of investments in CEMAC countries have been frequently attributed to the quality of governance. Good governance might, in turn, be attributed to the level of investments flowing into these countries as well as being a source for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The main purpose of this study is to empirically investigate (plausible) the interaction between FDI inflows and market and economic dynamics of host countries using panel VAR model and a more robust Bayesian VAR approach in CEMAC countries over the years 1990−2019. All preliminary statistics, the VAR estimates, as well as structural dynamics are presented using EViews software package. The results show that there is a significantly positive impact of FDI inflows on economic growth. Governance and economic growth do not influence the flow of FDI into CEMAC countries. Based on the Granger causality test, we found a unidirectional causality running from FDI to economic growth. This shows that FDI is important for the growth of CEMAC economies, but the growth of the economy and the quality of aggregate governance do not help investors in making a decision to invest. Also, FDI inflow and growth of the economy do not encourage better governance. This might point to the investigation of individual dimensions of governance to see which is peculiar in CEMAC countries. Our results also show significant improvement in the estimates with the use of Bayesian method for the Minnesota prior.
Cognitive Load Factors in Online Home-Based Learning
Authors: Nordin Nurul Afiqah , Abd Halim Noor Dayana
Published: July 2024

At the beginning of 2020, the whole world was hit by the epidemic of COVID-19, which affected the country of Malaysia. To deal with this epidemic, the country of Malaysia had to implement the Movement Control Order (MCO), which caused the closure of various sectors. Among the sectors involved is the education sector. The closure of the education sector raises serious concerns among parents about their children's education. Therefore, in order to continue the education system, the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) has implemented online, home-based learning for school students. However, there are various complaints and problems that occur throughout the implementation of online, home-based learning. Among the problems that occur is when it involves students' cognitive skills. Hence, this research was undertaken to investigate the cognitive load elements present in online learning. This study uses a qualitative method involving systematic literature review analysis through past studies and an interview session with 30 teachers and 30 students from secondary schools. The findings of this study found that there are three types of cognitive load, among which are intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive. Through the results of the study, the researcher found that during online home-based learning, all three cognitive loads showed a large increase in the load received. Therefore, through the results of this study, teachers can identify the factors that cause these cognitive problems to occur and reduce the cognitive load received by students. When the cognitive load can be reduced indirectly, online home-based learning can be fully used in the education system. Thus, the researcher hopes that more studies will be conducted online to make learning more effective, especially by using the best pedagogy for online classes. This will help Malaysian education keep pace with developed countries that implement fully online learning.
SURFACE MODIFICATION OF NANOPARTICLES USING PLASMA TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE THE INSULATION PROPERTIES AND STABILITY OF NANOFLUIDS: A REVIEW
Authors: Mat Saman Norhafezaidi , Rosmin Norzanah , Ahmad Mohd Hafizi , Zakaria Izzah Hazirah , Buntat Zolkafle , Khamis Nurulaqilla , Abdul-Malek Zulkurnain
Published: July 2024

The literature has shown that introducing nanoparticles into mineral oil is a potential approach to improving the liquid insulation's thermal and electrical performance. Nanoparticles' fundamental characteristics, such as conductivity and permittivity, can improve the relaxation time constant, thereby improving electrical performances, while the nanoparticles' Brownian motion may enhance the nanofluids' thermal conductivity. This manuscript includes a detailed analysis of the research on transformer oil-based nanofluids. Besides, a critical issue has been discovered: nanoparticle dispersion in transformer oil may result in sedimentation and agglomeration, affecting the stability and performance of nanofluids. The most typical approach for improving nanofluid dispersion and reducing sediment is to add a surfactant, but selecting the most effective surfactant remains challenging. An excess of surfactant added could cause an overabundance of change in nanofluid characteristics which is thermal conductivity and viscosity, which would be a concern in nanofluid applications. Therefore, many recent studies on plasma treatment for nanoparticle surface modification have been published. Plasma treatment, which is suitable for mass production, environmentally friendly, and easily operated, has emerged as the preferred method for modifying the surface of nanoparticles. This treatment may additionally eliminate the need for surfactants or other chemical dispersants to improve nanofluid stability and dispersion. There is currently a scarcity of research on plasma treatment in transformer oil-based nanofluids. Therefore, this manuscript reviews the non-conventional method of nanoparticle surface treatment known as atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, in an effort to improving the electrical, thermal, and the characteristics of transformer oil for power transformer applications, while also highlighting the culmination of the future direction of this non-conventional method of surface treatment for nanofluids.
CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON DENGUE TRANSMISSION IN MALAYSIA: A REVIEW
Authors: Anua Siti Marwanis , Hassan Noor Artika , Ahmad Idlan Mohd Fauzi  , Ahmad Muhaimin Kamaludin  , Asif Fikri Azmi  , Muhammad Luqman Haqim Mohd Yazid
Published: July 2024

Climate change remains a pressing global issue, with vast magnitude and detrimental effects on various aspects, including public health. Among the consequences of climate change, dengue fever is one of the vector-borne diseases projected to witness an increase in incidence due to alterations in transmission dynamics. This review aims to delve into the current understanding of how climate change impacts dengue transmission in Malaysia. The methodology involved the identification of relevant studies from three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO) spanning the years 2013 to 2023, followed by a screening process based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Ultimately, nine studies were included in the review, with temperature, precipitation, and humidity emerging as the three most extensively studied climatic variables, all of which demonstrated a significant correlation with dengue incidence. Given the evidence presented in numerous articles, it is imperative for policymakers to undertake essential policy revisions to confront this global challenge effectively and to demonstrate resolute and dedicated action in addressing this matter.
Pulsed-Low Intensity Ultrasound Improved Wound Healing Process in Hyperglycemic Microenvironment
Authors: Mohd Bohari Siti Pauliena , Othman Najwa Hanim
Published: July 2024

Chronic wounds among diabetic patients have always been in a concerning state over the past years. The implementation of non-invasive procedures such as ultrasound techniques to accelerate the healing of diabetic wounds is believed to provide impressive benefits in terms of improving cells’ physiology mechanistically. This current study focused on the effect of pulsed-low intensity ultrasound (PLIUS) as a mechanical stimulator for wound healing experiments under a hyperglycemic microenvironment. HSF 1184 cells were first optimized in 6-well plates using several seeding densities. The optimized seeding density, 4 × 105 cells/mL, was used for the scratch assay experiment. PLIUS probe was placed on the center of the scratched cells and treated with several doses for 5 minutes. The percentage of wound closure of HSF 1184 was analyzed using ImageJ software. The results revealed that the cells subjected to ultrasound treatment at a frequency of 1 MHz, intensity of 0.3 W/cm2, and 50% of duty cycle exhibited the greatest extent of wound closure in comparison to the other two ultrasound dosages. In summary, it can be concluded that the utilization of low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound at a frequency of 1 MHz, an intensity of 0.3 W/cm2, and a duty cycle of 50% holds promise for facilitating wound healing under a hyperglycemic microenvironment.
ANALYSIS OF A COUNTER ROTATING VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE
Authors: Mohamed Zuhri Zul Fitri , Mohamad Faiz Foong Muhammad Faruq Foong
Published: July 2024

This study analyses the performance of a counter rotating vertical axis wind turbine (CRVAWT). The CRVAWT consists of two separate three-blade rotors where conducting coils were fixed onto one turbine and permanent magnets were attached to the other turbine. Both rotors rotate in the opposite direction which, according to Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, significantly increases the performance of the device. A H-Darrieus type turbine was chosen for the analysis due to its higher efficiency. Both turbines were made to rotate in a counter-rotating motion by orientating their airfoil blades in the opposite direction. The device was fabricated, assembled and tested in a low-speed wind tunnel. Experimental results show that the CRVAWT obtained a much larger power output of up to five times that of the conventional VAWT (CVAWT). However, the coil-attached turbine displayed a lower rotational speed than the magnet-attached turbine due to resistance from the slip ring. This also caused the cut-in wind speed for the former turbine to be higher than the latter one. Additionally, while the coefficient of power for the CRVAWT is identical to the CVAWT, the efficiencies for both rotors vary differently with wind speed due to the slip ring. Nevertheless, the CRVAWT demonstrated a higher overall efficiency at wind speeds larger than 8.0 m/s and similarly, the power density of the CRVAWT becomes significantly larger than the CVAWT at wind speeds above 8.0 m/s.
INVESTIGATION OF WIND FLOW CHARACTERISTICS USING PASSIVE DEVICES IN BOUNDARY LAYER WIND TUNNEL
Authors: Wijaya Miko Hadi , Zaki Sheikh Ahmad , Mohammad Ahmad Faiz , Rahmat Nurizzatul Atikha , Othman Nor’azizi
Published: July 2024

Atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flow can be generated in an open-loop boundary layer wind tunnel (BLWT) to simulate a realistic rough-wall condition imposed on the natural wind. An open-loop BLWT experiment is performed in this work using a wall barrier and roughness elements as passive devices to create a rough-wall condition and reproduce a realistic neutral ABL flow. The roughness elements used are homogeneous cubic blocks with a side length of 25 mm arranged in a staggered layout at 12.5% packing density. Wind velocity data is measured in the upstream test section of the BLWT using a hot-wire anemometer (HWA) to obtain the wind velocity profiles, i.e., mean wind velocity, standard deviation, and skewness. The height z was measured from z = 7 mm from the test section floor to z = 800 mm. The mean vertical velocity profile of the rough wall indicates a significant decrease within the height interval of z/zref < 1.0 due to the surface roughness. Additionally, the normalized mean wind velocity is approaching unity at z/zref = 1 with the rough wall, whereas the smooth wall (no roughness elements) is observed at z/zref = 0.1. Moreover, the standard deviation profile of the rough wall shows higher values in the near-wall region (z/zref ≤ 0.4), suggesting a higher level of turbulence in the wind flow due to surface roughness. Finally, the rough wall skewness profile is left-skewed, suggesting a non-Gaussian feature. The study found that roughness parameters affect vertical velocity profiles and create realistic atmospheric boundary layer flows.
An Exploratory Study of School Staff’s Motivation and Involvement in Relation to the Dubai Fitness Challenge
Authors: Stanley-Vespero Syreeta , Webster Collin A.
Published: July 2024

Purpose: Drawing from self-determination theory, this exploratory mixed-methods study investigated the motivation and involvement of school staff regarding Dubai 30 × 30, an annual event for all Dubai residents, including schools, where the aim is to be physically active for 30 min each day for 1 month.
Method: A convenience sample of 18 physical education teachers, 20 classroom teachers, and two principals from three private international schools participated in surveys, focus groups, and interviews following the 2022 Dubai 30 × 30.
Results: Both autonomous and controlled motives underlied staff’s involvement in Dubai 30 × 30, and motivation and involvement were significantly related. Themes highlighted physical education teachers’ leadership as well as synergies across staff, parents, and community partners that embodied the ethos of whole-of-school physical activity approaches. Secondary analyses found school size, school level, and teacher gender were significant factors in staff motivation and/or involvement.
Discussion/Conclusion: This study provides initial evidence related to school-based implementation of Dubai 30 × 30 and adds to the international literature on whole-of-school physical activity.
Paradoxical development of Kimura’s disease in a patient treated with mepolizumab for bronchial asthma
Authors: Jain Harsh , Kumar Abhishek , Singh Vikram , Sivasami Kartik
Published: July 2024

A male patient in his early 30s was diagnosed with bronchial asthma 3 years previously. He responded well to inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists. Approximately 18 months from the onset, the patient reported worsening symptoms. These symptoms included severe functional limitations, requiring frequent exposure to high-dose prednisolone. Mepolizumab was added to the treatment, leading to optimal control of bronchial asthma. Despite receiving seven doses of mepolizumab at monthly intervals, the patient developed cervical and postauricular lymphadenopathy and subcutaneous swelling of soft tissue. A cervical lymph node biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of Kimura disease. Following treatment with oral glucocorticoids and methotrexate, the patient experienced a complete resolution of symptoms. He has been in remission and off oral prednisolone for the last 13 months. In this case, we highlight the development of Kimura disease in a patient undergoing mepolizumab treatment.
Scrotal migration of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt
Authors: Kashyap Shalvika , Singh Santosh Kumar , Gupta Girish
Published: July 2024

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) is the most common procedure done for hydrocephalus in the paediatric population. While shunt infection and shunt malfunction remain the most common complications, shunt migration is not frequently observed. Being present in a large peritoneal cavity, theoretically, a shunt can travel to a variety of locations. Even among these, scrotal migration is quite uncommon. This case highlights the significance of keeping this possibility in mind while evaluating a case of shunt malfunction. It also discusses various nuances of surgically managing scrotal migration.
Shapiro’s syndrome: episodic hypothermic hyperhidrosis
Authors: Avadhani Deepa , Ranganathan Lakshmi Narasimhan , Venkataraman Chandramouleeswaran , Samivel Balasubramanian
Published: July 2024

Shapiro’s syndrome is a rare neurological disease. The triad of Shapiro’s syndrome includes episodes of hyperhidrosis, hypothermia and complete/partial agenesis of the corpus callosum. We report a case of a young male who had episodic chills, increased sweating and fatigue. During these episodes, he was found to have bradycardia, hypotension and hypothermia. Clinical and neurological examinations were unremarkable. The MRI of the brain revealed agenesis of the corpus callosum. There was a good response to carbamazepine therapy.
Surgical management of skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas: insights from a national cohort study
Authors: Glancz Laurence J , Hannan Cathal John , Vyziotis Alexandros , Potter Gillian M , Siripurapu Rekha , Bhalla Raj K , Rutherford Scott A , King Andrew Thomas , Hammerbeck-Ward Charlotte , Crellin Adrian , Pan Shermaine , Colaco Rovel , Whitfield Gillian A , Pathmanaban Omar N
Published: July 2024

Objective

Skull base chordoma and chondrosarcoma are distinct sarcomas of the skull base but share significant therapeutic challenges due to their proximity to critical neurovascular structures, making surgical resection difficult. We sought to establish factors associated with outcome predictors in a national cohort of patients.

Methods and analysis

Data for all patients referred with a diagnosis of skull base chordoma or chondrosarcoma from April 2017 to December 2022 were obtained. We performed analyses of data pertaining to the first cohort of patients treated in the UK with proton beam therapy (PBT) to determine factors associated with obtaining gross total resection (GTR) and adequate clearance of the brainstem and optic apparatus.

Results

Of 230 patients with skull base chordoma or chondrosarcoma referred for PBT, 71% were accepted for PBT, with a wide regional variation between referring neurosurgical units (29%–93%). Of the first 75 consecutive patients treated with PBT, the only factor predictive of obtaining GTR was surgical resection at a unit with higher volumes of patients accepted for PBT (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.63, p=0.004). Use of intraoperative MRI (OR 4.84, 95% CI 1.21 to 27.83, p=0.04) and resection at a higher volume unit (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.64, p=0.013) were associated with increased rates of tumour clearance from the brainstem/optic apparatus.

Conclusions

Treatment at a higher volume centre was a key determinant of the optimal surgical outcome in this cohort. These data support the management of skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas in higher volume centres where multidisciplinary experience can be accumulated.
Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on oral health among secondary-level students: a cross-sectional study in Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Rajbhandari Anuja , Aryal Nishika
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Issues with oral health (OH) are frequently overlooked until individuals feel pain or discomfort. Highlighting OH behaviours is important in creating successful interventions. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the status of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) and examine the association between sociodemographic factors and KAP regarding OH among secondary-level students in Kathmandu.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 395 secondary-level students from five schools using a self-administered questionnaire. The study used a Chi-square test to examine the association between sociodemographic factors and KAP towards OH. Binary logistic regression was employed to analyse the relationship between dependent and independent variables.

Results

The study involved participants with an average age of 14.24 years, comprising 56.7% males and 43.3% females. While most students demonstrated good OH knowledge (77.2%) and positive attitudes (91.9%), there was reluctance towards dental visit. Additionally, only 41% practised adequate OH, with issues like suboptimal brushing technique, low floss use and high consumption of chocolates. Significant associations were discovered between knowledge and age group (p=0.02) and students’ grade (p<0.001). Similarly, OH practices were significantly associated with gender (p=0.008), age group and students’ grade (both p<0.001) through Chi-square analysis. Despite having satisfactory attitudes, males and younger individuals were more likely to have lower knowledge (OR=0.714 and OR=0.684, respectively) and poorer practices (OR=0.484 and OR=0.514, respectively). Overall, regardless of adequate knowledge and attitudes, adolescents showcased unsatisfactory OH practices.

Conclusions

This study emphasises the significance of improving real-life OH habits and bridging the gap with targeted interventions like educational programmes, counselling and parental involvement. These efforts are crucial for turning knowledge and positive attitudes into consistent and effective oral care practices.
Industry of employment and occupational class in relation to cardiovascular health by race/ethnicity, sex/gender, age and income among adults in the USA: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Murkey Jamie A , Gaston Symielle A , Alhasan Dana M , Jackson W Braxton , Jackson Chandra L
Published: July 2024

Background

Racially minoritised groups tend to have poorer cardiovascular health (CVH) than non-Hispanic (NH)-White adults and are generally more likely to work in labourer or support service positions where job strain—associated with cardiovascular disease—is often high. Yet, few studies have included racially/ethnically diverse samples.

Methods

Using 2004–2018 National Health Interview Survey cross-sectional data, we investigated standardised occupational classifications in relation to ‘ideal’ CVH using a modified ‘ideal’ CVH (mICVH) metric among US adults (n=230 196) by race/ethnicity, sex/gender, age, and income. mICVH was defined as a report of ‘yes’ to the following: never smoked/former smoker; body mass index (≥18.5–25 kg/m2); physical activity (≥150–300 min/week moderate or ≥75–150 min/week vigorous); sleep duration (7–9 hours/night); and no prior diagnosis of dyslipidaemia, hypertension, or diabetes/pre-diabetes. Adjusting for sociodemographic, clinical factors, and health behaviour confounders, we used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs of mICVH overall and by race/ethnicity and performed Wald tests for interaction.

Results

Latinx (53%) and NH-Black (37%) adults were more likely than NH-White adults (29%) to report labourer positions and had the lowest prevalence of mICVH (5.2% (Latinx) and 3.9% (NH-Black)). Labourer versus professional/management occupational class positions were associated with a lower mICVH prevalence among NH-Asian (PR=0.60 (0.46–0.79)), NH-White (PR=0.80 (0.74–0.87)) and NH-Black (PR=0.77 (0.58–1.01)), but with no evidence of an association among Latinx (PR=0.94 (0.78–1.14) adults; p interaction <0.001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, working in labourer versus professional/management positions was associated with lower mICVH, except among Latinx adults. Given the higher likelihood of labourer occupations and lower prevalence of mICVH among minoritised racial/ethnic groups, social determinants related to occupational class should be considered in future studies of racial and ethnic disparities in CVH.
Decoding behaviour change techniques in opioid deprescribing strategies following major surgery: a systematic review of interventions to reduce postoperative opioid use
Authors: Bansal Neetu , Armitage Christopher J , Hawkes Rhiannon E , Tinsley Sarah , Ashcroft Darren M , Chen Li-Chia
Published: July 2024

Background and objectives

Methods

A structured search strategy encompassing databases including MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library was implemented from inception to October 2023. Included studies focused on interventions targeting opioid reduction in adults following major surgeries. The risk of bias was evaluated using Cochrane risk-of-bias tool V.2 (RoB 2) and non-randomised studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) tools, and Cohen’sdeffect sizes were calculated. BCTs were identified using a validated taxonomy.

Results

22 studies, comprising 7 clinical trials and 15 cohort studies, were included, with varying risks of bias. Educational (n=12), guideline-focused (n=3), multifaceted (n=5) and pharmacist-led (n=2) interventions demonstrated diverse effect sizes (small-medium n=10, large n=12). A total of 23 unique BCTs were identified across studies, occurring 140 times. No significant association was observed between the number of BCTs and effect size, and interventions with large effect sizes predominantly targeted healthcare professionals. Key BCTs in interventions with the largest effect sizes included behaviour instructions, behaviour substitution, goal setting (outcome), social support (practical), social support (unspecified), pharmacological support, prompts/cues, feedback on behaviour, environmental modification, graded tasks, outcome goal review, health consequences information, action planning, social comparison, credible source, outcome feedback and social reward.

Conclusions

Understanding the dominant BCTs in highly effective interventions provides valuable insights for future opioid tapering strategy implementations. Further research and validation are necessary to establish associations between BCTs and effectiveness, considering additional influencing factors.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022290060.
Back to Bernoulli: a simple formula for trans-stenotic pressure gradients and retrospective estimation of flow rates in cerebral venous disease
Authors: Sidora Gurnish , Haley Anna L , Cancelliere Nicole M , Pereira Vitor M , Steinman David A
Published: July 2024

Background

Venous sinus stenosis can be associated with cerebrovascular disorders. Understanding the role of blood flow disturbances in these disorders is often hampered by the lack of patient-specific flow rates. Our goal was to demonstrate the impact of this by predicting individual flow rates retrospectively from routine manometry and angiography.

Methods

Ten cases, spanning a range of stenosis severities and pressure gradients, were selected from a cohort of patients who had undergone venous stenting for pulsatile tinnitus. Lumen geometries were digitally segmented from CT venograms. A simplified Bernoulli formula was derived to estimate individual cycle-average flow rates from clinical pressure gradients and minimum lumen cross-section areas. High-fidelity pulsatile computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to compare predictions of flow disturbances using generic versus individual flow rates, and to validate the Bernoulli formula.

Results

Individual flow rates derived from the Bernoulli formula deviated by up to 47% from the assumed generic flow rate, resulting in substantial differences in CFD predictions of post-stenotic flow instabilities. Pressure gradients estimated by the simplified Bernoulli formula were, however, highly predictive of pressure gradients from the full CFD simulations (R2=0.95; slope=0.98, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.09).

Conclusions

A simple Bernoulli formula can predict CFD-estimated trans-stenotic pressure gradients in realistic venous geometries. As demonstrated here, this may be used to recover individual flow rates from routine-but-invasive clinical measurements; however, it also suggests a simpler path towards non-invasive estimation of trans-stenotic pressure gradients that may avoid some of the challenges associated with 4D flow MRI approaches.
Impact of disease activity patterns on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Authors: Elefante Elena , Gualtieri Luca , Schilirò Davide , Stagnaro Chiara , Signorini Viola , Zucchi Dina , Cardelli Chiara , Carli Linda , Ferro Francesco , Tani Chiara , Mosca Marta
Published: July 2024

Objective

To assess the impact of different disease activity patterns—long quiescent (LQ), chronically active (CA) and relapsing-remitting (RR)—on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

A retrospective, monocentric analysis of prospectively collected data. Adult SLE outpatients were enrolled between 2017 and 2021.

For each year of follow-up, three disease activity patterns were defined: LQ if at each visit clinical Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-Systemic Lupus Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI)=0, Physician Global Assessment (PGA)=0; CA if at each visit clinical SELENA-SLEDAI >0, PGA >0; RR if patients presented active disease in at least one visit during the observation period, interspersed with periods of remission. These patterns were applied to the year and the 3 years before enrolment.

At enrolment, each patient completed: Short Form 36 (SF-36), Lupus Impact Tracker, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The correlation between disease patterns and Patient-Reported Outcomes was analysed.

Results

241 SLE patients were enrolled, of which 222 had complete clinical data for the 3-year period before enrolment. Both in the year and during the 3 years before enrolment, the most frequent disease pattern was the LQ (154/241 and 122/222 patients, respectively), followed by RR (53/241 and 92/222 patients, respectively) and CA (34/241 and 8/222 patients, respectively).

At baseline, fibromyalgia, organ damage, age and daily glucocorticoid dose were associated with worse HRQoL.

At the multivariable analysis, after adjusting for confounding factors, patients with LQ disease during the 3 years before enrolment presented a better physical HRQoL (SF-36 physical component summary, regression coefficient=3.2, 95% CI 0.51–5.89, p=0.02) and minor depressive symptoms (HADS-D, regression coefficient=−1.17, 95% CI −2.38 to 0.0.27, p=0.055), compared with patients with CA/RR disease.

Conclusion

A persistently quiescent disease may have a positive impact on patients’ physical HRQoL and on depressive symptoms. However, this condition appears insufficient to obtain a significant improvement in mental health, fatigue and disease burden among patients with SLE.
“But will they do it?” Challenging assumptions and incivility in the academic discourse on high-intensity interval training
Authors: Jung Mary E. , Santos Alexandre , Ginis Kathleen A. Martin
Published: July 2024

Debate over whether to promote high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in public-health contexts has centred on assumptions that people will have negative psychological responses to HIIT, leading to poor adoption and adherence. We challenge these assumptions through reviews of (1) studies that have measured psychological responses to HIIT and (2) studies that have measured adherence to HIIT protocols in supervised or unsupervised settings. Overall, the evidence suggests that HIIT is just as enjoyable as moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). In supervised situations, on average, adherence is similarly high for HIIT and MICT (>89%). In unsupervised situations, adherence is similarly lower for both HIIT and MICT (<69%). Based on these findings, we recommend that attention be directed toward improving behaviour-change and maintenance for all types of exercise. Resources are better spent addressing fundamental questions about exercise initiation and adherence, than perpetuating a vitriolic and uncivil debate over the value of HIIT versus MICT. We discuss how debate, incivility, and bullying undermine scientific progress and we issue a call for respectful, civil dialogue in academic HIIT discussions. We conclude with recommendations that can be used by all members of the scientific community to practice, champion, and defend civil discourse.
Numerical and experimental study on adaptive stiffness yaw damper for suppressing abnormal vibration of high-speed trains
Authors: Guo Zhaotuan , Dai Liangcheng , Chi Maoru , Li Yixiao , Sun Jianfeng
Published: July 2024

The mismatch between the parameters of the yaw damper and the equivalent conicity of wheel rail contact can lead to abnormal vibration of rail vehicles, while the stiffness variation range of traditional yaw dampers is very small, covering a limited range of equivalent conicity of wheel rail contact, resulting in the risk of carbody hunting at low conicity and bogie hunting at high conicity. To overcome the abovementioned shortcomings of traditional yaw dampers and reduce the abnormal vibration of high-speed trains under various operating conditions, this study proposes an adaptive stiffness yaw damper. The effectiveness of this solution was confirmed through roller testing rig and multi-body dynamic simulations. The results show that the device can dynamically adjust the stiffness according to the operating conditions of the vehicle, effectively reducing the carbody and bogie hunting under extreme wheel rail contact conditions, and thereby reducing the abnormal vibration of high-speed trains. At the same time, this device helps reconcile the trade-off between the curve negotiation performance and stability of vehicle, indirectly lessening the requirement for wheel–rail maintenance and reducing operational and maintenance expenses.
Learning From Established Writers
Authors: Yaffe Philip
Published: July 2024

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.

It is almost cliché to say that to be a good writer (or good speaker), you should read (or listen to) good writers and speakers. This is true. However, it must be taken with a grain of salt because being too attentive to how others write and speak can lead you into dangerous territory.
Exploring the Relationship between Learning of Machine Learning Concepts and Socioeconomic Status Background among Middle and High School Students: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Martins Ramon Mayor , Von Wangenheim Christiane G. , Rauber Marcelo F. , Borgatto Adriano F. , Hauck Jean C. R.
Published: July 2024

As Machine Learning (ML) becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it is essential to teach ML to young people from an early age including also students from a low socioeconomic status (SES) background. Yet, despite emerging initiatives for ML instruction in K-12, there is limited information available on the learning of students from a low SES background. To address this gap, our study conducted an analysis of comparing the students’ performance assessment scores of ML concepts as a result of the ML4ALL! course among 266 middle and high school students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The results demonstrated an understanding of ML concepts among students from all SES backgrounds. Although some differences were observed regarding specific parts of the ML development process, these were not substantial enough to identify SES as a determining factor affecting the performance assessment score. Also, when considering the background together with other demographic factors such as sex assigned at birth or educational stage, no significant difference of the students’ performance assessment scores was observed. These findings provide a first indication that a low SES background must not be a barrier to ML competencies and that effective and inclusive ML teaching strategies can ensure equitable access to ML education across diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Efficiently Gluing Pre-Trained Language and Vision Models for Image Captioning
Authors: Song Peipei , Zhou Yuanen , Yang Xun , Liu Daqing , Hu Zhenzhen , Wang Depeng , Wang Meng
Published: July 2024

Vision-and-language pre-training models have achieved impressive performance for image captioning. But most of them are trained with millions of paired image-text data and require huge memory and computing overhead. To alleviate this, we try to stand on the shoulders of large-scale pre-trained language models (PLM) and pre-trained vision models (PVM) and efficiently connect them for image captioning. There are two major challenges: one is that language and vision modalities have different semantic granularity (e.g., a noun may cover many pixels), and the other is that the semantic gap still exists between the pre-trained language and vision models. To this end, we design a lightweight and efficient connector to glue PVM and PLM, which holds a criterion of
selection-then-transformation
. Specifically, in the selection phase, we treat each image as a set of patches instead of pixels. We select salient image patches and cluster them into visual regions to align with text. Then, to effectively reduce the semantic gap, we propose to map the selected image patches into text space through spatial and channel transformations. With training on image captioning datasets, the connector learns to bridge the semantic granularity and semantic gap via backpropagation, preparing for the PLM to generate descriptions. Experimental results on the MSCOCO and Flickr30k datasets demonstrate that our method yields comparable performance to existing works. By solely training the small connector, we achieve a CIDEr performance of 132.2% on the MSCOCO Karpathy test split. Moreover, our findings reveal that fine-tuning the PLM can further enhance performance potential, resulting in a CIDEr score of 140.6%. Code and models are available at
https://github.com/YuanEZhou/PrefixCap
.
LO-SpMM: Low-cost Search for High-performance SpMM Kernels on GPUs
Authors: Lin Junqing , Sun Jingwei , Shi Xiaolong , Zhang Honghe , Yu Xianzhi , Wang Xinzhi , Yao Jun , Sun Guangzhong
Published: July 2024

As deep neural networks (DNNs) become increasingly large and complicated, pruning techniques are proposed for lower memory footprint and more efficient inference. The most critical kernel to execute pruned sparse DNNs on GPUs is Sparse-dense Matrix Multiplication (SpMM). To maximize the performance of SpMM, despite the high-performance implementation generated from advanced tensor compilers, they often take a long time to iteratively search tuning configurations. Such a long time slows down the cycle of exploring better DNN architectures or pruning algorithms. In this article, we propose LO-SpMM to efficiently generate high-performance SpMM implementations for sparse DNN inference. Based on the analysis of nonzero elements’ layout, the characterization of the GPU architecture, and a rank-based cost model, LO-SpMM can effectively reduce the search space and eliminate possibly low-performance candidates. Besides, rather than generating complete SpMM implementations for evaluation, LO-SpMM constructs simplified proxies to quickly estimate performance, thereby substantially reducing compilation and execution costs. Experimental results show that LO-SpMM can reduce the search time by 281× at most, while the performance of generated SpMM implementations is comparable to or better than the state-of-the-art sparse tensor compiling solutions.
Concrete Times
Authors: Archambault Julie Soleil
Published: July 2024

Our existence has become so entangled with concrete that it would be difficult to imagine life without it, though we probably should. Anthropologists recognize the part that concrete plays in mediating social relations and in shaping political subjectivities. Thinking about concrete anthropologically involves moving across multiple scales—from large infrastructure projects to modest housebuilding projects. This review asks what we might gain from a focus on this ubiquitous material. I propose that attending ethnographically to how concrete mediates social experiences across scales brings to the fore building as an activity of political, economic, social, and ecological significance. Concrete offers a lens through which to apprehend social formations and transformations as well as to examine how built forms mediate and leverage power, how space is used and claimed, and how futures are imagined and pasts remembered. I conclude with a critical reflection on the ecological implications of these concrete times.
The Invasion Ecology of Mutualism
Authors: Aizen Marcelo A. , Torres Agostina
Published: July 2024

Successful invasive species commonly depend on the establishment of mutualistic interactions with native and nonnative biota. In turn, invasive species can affect native mutualisms and community stability. Here, we examine different forms of mutualist acquisition by invasive species and the causes and consequences of mutualism abandonment for invasion processes. Additionally, we delve into the quantitative and qualitative effects of invaders on native biota via mutualism disruption that can occur through direct and diverse indirect pathways. These effects of invasive species on native biota via mutualistic interactions can often be a consequence of the invaders’ abundance, which should be considered a prime predictor when evaluating the impact of invasive species on native mutualisms and community stability. We propose that the ecological as well as the evolutionary consequences of mutualism disruption and switches caused by invasive species can play crucial roles in determining future biodiversity.