bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A mutual inclusion mechanism for precise boundary segmentation in medical images
Authors: Pan Yizhi , Xin Junyi , Yang Tianhua , Li Siqi , Nguyen Le-Minh , Racharak Teeradaj , Li Kai , Sun Guanqun
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Accurate image segmentation is crucial in medical imaging for quantifying diseases, assessing prognosis, and evaluating treatment outcomes. However, existing methods often fall short in integrating global and local features in a meaningful way, failing to give sufficient attention to abnormal regions and boundary details in medical images. These limitations hinder the effectiveness of segmentation techniques in clinical settings. To address these issues, we propose a novel deep learning-based approach, MIPC-Net, designed for precise boundary segmentation in medical images.

Methods

Our approach, inspired by radiologists' working patterns, introduces two distinct modules: 1. Mutual Inclusion of Position and Channel Attention (MIPC) Module: To improve boundary segmentation precision, we present the MIPC module. This module enhances the focus on channel information while extracting position features and vice versa, effectively enhancing the segmentation of boundaries in medical images. 2. Skip-Residue Module: To optimize the restoration of medical images, we introduce Skip-Residue, a global residual connection. This module improves the integration of the encoder and decoder by filtering out irrelevant information and recovering the most crucial information lost during the feature extraction process.

Results

We evaluate the performance of MIPC-Net on three publicly accessible datasets: Synapse, ISIC2018-Task, and Segpc. The evaluation uses metrics such as the Dice coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff Distance (HD). Our ablation study confirms that each module contributes to the overall improvement of segmentation quality. Notably, with the integration of both modules, our model outperforms state-of-the-art methods across all metrics. Specifically, MIPC-Net achieves a 2.23 mm reduction in Hausdorff Distance on the Synapse dataset, highlighting the model's enhanced capability for precise image boundary segmentation.

Conclusion

The introduction of the novel MIPC and Skip-Residue modules significantly improves feature extraction accuracy, leading to better boundary recognition in medical image segmentation tasks. Our approach demonstrates substantial improvements over existing methods, as evidenced by the results on benchmark datasets.
Breaking the cellular defense: the role of autophagy evasion in Francisella virulence
Authors: Pavlik Pavla , Velecka Eva , Spidlova Petra
Published: December 2024

Many pathogens have evolved sophisticated strategies to evade autophagy, a crucial cellular defense mechanism that typically targets and degrades invading microorganisms. By subverting or inhibiting autophagy, these pathogens can create a more favorable environment for their replication and survival within the host. For instance, some bacteria secrete factors that block autophagosome formation, while others might escape from autophagosomes before degradation. These evasion tactics are critical for the pathogens’ ability to establish and maintain infections. Understanding the mechanisms by which pathogens avoid autophagy is crucial for developing new therapeutic strategies, as enhancing autophagy could bolster the host’s immune response and aid in the elimination of pathogenic bacteria. Francisella tularensis can manipulate host cell pathways to prevent its detection and destruction by autophagy, thereby enhancing its virulence. Given the potential for F. tularensis to be used as a bioterrorism agent due to its high infectivity and ability to cause severe disease, research into how this pathogen evades autophagy is of critical importance. By unraveling these mechanisms, new therapeutic approaches could be developed to enhance autophagic responses and strengthen host defense against this and other similarly evasive pathogens.
Transforming cities into sustainable and healthy territories starts with the “Culture of water”: learning from traditional peoples and communities of the Carapitanga river basin
Authors: Borges Júlia , Gallo Edmundo , Teixeira Simonne
Published: December 2024

Introduction

In a world where one in four individuals lacks assured access to water, this article investigates how the experiences of Traditional Peoples and Communities (TPCs) can serve as a guiding light in the search for solutions to water disparities, exacerbated by global warming. The study focuses on the microterritory known as Carapitanga in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the presence of indigenous, quilombola and caiçara communities highlights the significance of territorially-based and nature-focused solutions.

Methods

The research utilises the Ecology of Knowledge and Action Research as methodological pillars to investigate the Water Culture of TPCs and its impact on the Hydrosocial Cycle.

Results

The study reveals that the Water Culture of TPCs stimulates actions that propel balance in the Hydrosocial Cycle. This knowledge casts new light on the governance of water and sanitation.

Discussion

The findings offer alternatives anchored in the concept of Buen Vivir and the recognition of water as a fundamental source of life for cities worldwide. This not only contributes to the understanding of water resource management but also presents potential solutions for global water access disparities.
Soluble factors released by peripheral blood-derived CAR-NK cells cause bystander myeloid cell activation
Authors: Khanal Supreet , Baer Alan , Hossain Md Kamal , Colon-Moran Winston , Panthi Santosh , Bhattarai Nirjal
Published: December 2024

Introduction

CAR-T cell therapy is associated with life-threatening inflammatory toxicities, partly due to the activation and secretion of inflammatory cytokines by bystander myeloid cells (BMCs). However, due to limited clinical data, it is unclear whether CAR-NK cells cause similar toxicities.

Methods

We characterized the soluble factors (SFs) released by activated human CAR-T and CAR-NK cells and assessed their role in BMC activation (BMCA).

Results

We found that SFs from both activated, peripheral blood-derived CAR-T (PB-CAR-T) and CAR-NK (PB-CAR-NK) cells induced BMCA; however, PB-CAR-NK cells caused significantly lower BMCA compared to PB-CAR-T cells. Interestingly, SFs from cord-blood-derived (CB) NK cells caused little to no BMCA, consistent with previous clinical studies showing minimal inflammatory toxicity with CB-CAR-NK cells. Comparative analysis of SFs released by PB-NK and PB-CAR-NK cells following CAR-dependent and CAR-independent activation revealed several candidate factors with the potential to cause BMCA. Antibody-mediated neutralization studies identified a combination of four factors that contribute to PB-CAR-NK cell-mediated BMCA. siRNA-mediated knockdown studies confirmed that inactivating these four factors in PB-CAR-NK cells significantly reduces BMCA. Importantly, neutralization or knockdown of these four factors did not affect CAR-NK cell potency.

Discussion

These data suggest that specific SFs released by PB-CAR-NK cells activate BMCs and have the potential to contribute to inflammatory toxicities. Furthermore, inactivation of these four factors in PB-CAR-NK cells could reduce inflammatory toxicities and improve safety of PB-CAR-NK cell therapy without compromising potency.
The relationship between the annual catch of bigeye tuna and climate factors and its prediction
Authors: Ding Peng , Xu Hui , Zou Xiaorong , Ding Shuyi , Bai Siqi
Published: December 2024

Introduction

In order to explore the impact of climate factors on bigeye tuna catch, monthly data of nine climate factors, including El Niño-related indices (Niño1 + 2, Niño3, Niño4, and Niño3.4), Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), North Pacific Index (NPI), and global sea–air temperature anomaly index (dT), were combined with the annual data of global bigeye tuna catch.

Methods

The relationship between low-frequency climate factors and bigeye tuna catch was studied using long short-term memory(LSTM) model, random forest (RF) model, BP neural network model, extreme gradient boosting tree (XGBoost) model, and Sparrow search optimization algorithm extreme gradient boosting tree (SSA-XGBoost) model.

Results

The results show that the optimal lag periods corresponding to the climate change characterization factors Niño1 + 2, dT, SOI, NPI, NAO, and PDO are 15 years,12 years, 12 years, 1 year, 14 years, and 4 years, respectively. The SSA-XGBoost model have the highest prediction accuracy, followed by XGBoost, BP, LSTM, and RF. The fitting degree between the predicted values and the actual values of the SSA-XGBoost model is 0.853, the mean absolute error is 0.104, the root mean square error is 0.124.

Discussion

The trend between the predicted values and the actual values of the SSA-XGBoost model is generally consistent, indicating good model fitting performance, which can provide a basis for the management of bigeye tuna fisheries.
A novel potential measurement indicator with objective and quantitative effect for trigeminal neuralgia: fractional anisotropy in MR-DTI
Authors: Ma Zhongshuai , Su Xu , Wang Zhengming , Wang Zhijia , Cheng Min , Tian Yu , Du Chao
Published: December 2024

Objectives

To investigate the effect of diffusivity metrics of magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (MR-DTI) in the assessment of treatment effects.

Methods

MR-DTI examination for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) patients and the diffusivity metrics of the trigeminal ganglion (TG) were analyzed. Before and after the percutaneous stereotactic radiofrequency rhizotomy (PSR) operation, the treatment effect was assessed using pain scores and MR-DTI. The correlation between the diffusivity metrics of cranial nerve five (CNV) and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores before and after treatment in TN patients was explored.

Results

In PSR patients, the fractional anisotropy (FA) of the affected TG is a significantly lower than that of the unaffected side (p < 0.01). After PSR, the diffusivity metrics on the bilateral TGs are not significantly different (p > 0.05). Following PSR treatment, both of the diffusivity metrics (FA) in the lowest area of the CNV and the VAS scores of TN patients show changes. Furthermore, diffusivity metric (FA) on the lowest area of the CNV preoperative is significantly negatively correlated with the VAS scores (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

MR-DTI is capable of investigating the longitudinal changes of FA before and after radiofrequency treatment, and diffusivity metrics could be an independent reliable efficacy indicator for TN.

Significance

The alteration of the diffusivity on TG may be correlated with the effect of radiofrequency treatment.
Research progress in neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury: a bibliometric study from 2013 to 2024
Authors: Huiqing Qin , Weishan Lin , Yuchang Gui , Yun Tang , Jianwen Xu
Published: December 2024

Background

The incidence of neuropathic pain (NP) after spinal cord injury (SCI) is quite high. This pain is clinically challenging to treat and has an debilitating effect on patients. In recent years, NP is a popular topic of research and a number of relevant articles have been published in academic journals. The purpose of this article is to analyze the global research trend of NP after SCI using bibliometric methods.

Methods

The literature was screened from 2013 to 2024 based on the Web of Science core collection (WOSCC). These publications, including annual publications, journals, authors, references, and keywords via CiteSpace, were analyzed in order to help understand the current research direction and hotspots in this field.

Results

A total of 2022 publications were included in the analysis. The results showed that an overall upward trend in the number of publications in the study period. The top five productive journals are Spinal Cord, Journal of Neurotrauma, Pain, Experimental Neurology, and Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, the journals related to spinal cord or pain. The top five most productive scholars are Armin Curt, Michael G. Fehlings, Wu Junfang, John L. K. Kramer, and Farinaz Nasirinezhad. Keyword bursts showed that signaling pathway, neuroinflammation, neuralgia, spinal cord stimulation, inhibition, and depression have become new research hotspots in the field of NP after SCI.

Conclusion

This study provides a basis for the study of pain after SCI. It summarizes past research on NP following SCI and offers valuable reference data for further exploration of research trends and issues of focus in this field.
Montreal cognitive assessment as a cognitive outcome measure in progressive supranuclear palsy
Authors: Ibrahim Vanessa , Isroff Catherine , Stephen Christopher D. , Iyer Jay , Dale Marian L. , Gunzler Douglas A. , Bayram Ece , Xie Tao , Pantelyat Alex , Montaser-Kouhsari Leila , Garcia-Cordero Indira , Tartaglia Maria Carmela , Lang Anthony E. , Swan Matthew , Boxer Adam L. , Golbe Lawrence I. , Wills Anne-Marie
Published: December 2024

Background

The Montreal Cognitive assessment (MoCA) is a well-validated global cognitive screening instrument. Its validity in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) has not been assessed.

Objectives

To evaluate the MoCA as an outcome measure in PSP clinical trials.

Methods

Cognitive data from 162 participants in the placebo arm of the Biogen PASSPORT study (NCT03068468) were analyzed using linear mixed-effects modeling (LMM) and repeated measures correlation.

Results

There was a significant decline in the MoCA score over time of −1.4 (95% CI −0.84 to −1.97) points over a 48-week period (p < 0.0001). Small but significant changes (p < 0.01) were observed in all MoCA domains except abstraction. The MoCA correlated weakly with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) over time (rrm = 0.1, p = 0.02) but exhibited a stronger correlation with the PSP Rating Scale (PSPRS) (rrm = −0.25, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The MoCA appears to have limited sensitivity in capturing cognitive decline in PSP.
The non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio as a predictive indicator of CKD risk in NAFLD patients: NHANES 2017–2020
Authors: Fan Yong-Qiang , Wang Hao , Wang Pei-Pei , Shi Zhi-Yong , Wang Yan , Xu Jun
Published: December 2024

Background

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are both closely related to dyslipidemia. However, the relationship between dyslipidemia in patients with NAFLD and CKD is not yet clear. The non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) is an innovative and comprehensive lipid index. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between NHHR and CKD risk in NAFLD patients with or without fibrosis.

Methods

This study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to 2020 for analysis, including a total of 4,041 subjects diagnosed with NAFLD. Among the NAFLD subjects, 3,315 individuals without liver fibrosis and 726 individuals with fibrosis. Weighted multivariate linear regression, weighted logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) curves, and subgroup analysis were used to evaluate the correlation between NHHR and CKD in patients with NAFLD.

Results

Our findings indicate that in NAFLD subjects without liver fibrosis, the highest tertile of NHHR, as compared to the lowest tertile, was inversely related to glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (β: −2.14, 95% CI: −3.97, −0.32, p < 0.05) and positively related to CKD (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.49, p < 0.05). No significant associations were observed between NHHR and eGFR, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) in NAFLD subjects with liver fibrosis. The RCS revealed a linear relationship between NHHR and ACR, CKD in NAFLD subjects without liver fibrosis, while a U-shaped relationship was observed between NHHR and ACR, CKD in NAFLD subjects with liver fibrosis.

Conclusion

In patients with non-fibrotic NAFLD, a significantly elevated NHHR is closely associated with an increased risk of CKD and shows a linear relationship with CKD. In patients with fibrotic NAFLD, NHHR shows a U-shaped relationship with CKD. LD, Our findings underscore the practical utility of NHHR as a biomarker for early risk stratification of CKD in patients with NAFLD.
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the paranasal sinus: a case report
Authors: Sun Ying , Yang Guanghui , Sun Ruijie , Cao Fangli
Published: December 2024

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab are recommended as first-line therapies for recurrent and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, their efficacy in neoadjuvant therapy remains uncertain.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 68-year-old male diagnosed with HNSCC who received neoadjuvant nivolumab (anti-PD-1 inhibitor) plus nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin. Biomarkerswere assessed by immunohistochemistry, and apoptosis-related molecules were analyzed via Western blotting. The patient achieved significant tumor regression and major pathological response (MPR) without severe adverse events. Post-treatment analyses revealed PD-L1 expression increased from 30% to 50% in tumor cells, CD8+ lymphocyte infiltration significantly improved, and Ki-67 expression was markedly reduced.

Conclusions

This case highlights the potential of combining ICIs with chemotherapy in neoadjuvant settings for HNSCC, providing mechanistic insights and clinical evidence for this emerging approach. Further studies are needed to establish the optimal neoadjuvant treatment regimen and identify patient populations most likely to benefit.
Diagnostic value of Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT/CT in parathyroid carcinoma with lung metastasis: a case report and literature review
Authors: Zhu Yirong , Wang Lian , You Jiaxi , Deng Shengming , Shi Yizhen , Liu Zengli , Hong Zhihui
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is an extremely rare disease, typically presenting with marked elevations of serum calcium concentrations and associated with significantly increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Although it progresses slowly, approximately25% of PC patients have lung metastases. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the role of technetium-99m methoxy isobutyl isonitrile (Tc-99m-MIBI; sestamibi) SPECT/CT scintigraphy in the preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas, incidental metastases findings of PC, and ectopic parathyroid tissue.

Methods

We presented a rare case alongside a review of the relevant literature.

Results

We described an unusual case of a 25-year-old female patient with co-occurrence of PC and lung metastasis. The primary PC lesion showed no radioactive uptake, while the lung metastasis presented as a hyperfunctioning nodule, successfully localized using Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT/CT and confirmed through surgical and pathological examination.

Conclusions

This case emphasized the uniqueness of Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT/CT imaging in diagnosing PC and metastatic lesions. The appropriate application of this technique may help avert the aggressive clinical progression of PC.
LIM kinases in cardiovascular health and disease
Authors: Lateef Olubodun M. , Foote Christopher , Power Gavin , Manrique-Acevedo Camila , Padilla Jaume , Martinez-Lemus Luis A.
Published: December 2024

The Lim Kinase (LIMK) family of serine/threonine kinases is comprised of LIMK1 and LIMK2, which are central regulators of cytoskeletal dynamics via their well-characterized roles in promoting actin polymerization and destabilizing the cellular microtubular network. The LIMKs have been demonstrated to modulate several fundamental physiological processes, including cell cycle progression, cell motility and migration, and cell differentiation. These processes play important roles in maintaining cardiovascular health. However, LIMK activity in healthy and pathological states of the cardiovascular system is poorly characterized. This review highlights the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in LIMK activation and inactivation, examining its roles in the pathophysiology of vascular and cardiac diseases such as hypertension, aneurysm, atrial fibrillation, and valvular heart disease. It addresses the LIMKs’ involvement in processes that support cardiovascular health, including vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and endothelial mechanotransduction. The review also features how LIMK activity participates in endothelial cell, vascular smooth muscle cell, and cardiomyocyte physiology and its implications in pathological states. A few recent preclinical studies demonstrate the therapeutic potential of LIMK inhibition. We conclude by proposing that future research should focus on the potential clinical relevance of LIMK inhibitors as therapeutic agents to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and improve patient outcomes.
Unraveling the specialized metabolic pathways in medicinal plant genomes: a review
Authors: Wang Mingcheng , Zhang Shuqiao , Li Rui , Zhao Qi
Published: December 2024

Medicinal plants are important sources of bioactive specialized metabolites with significant therapeutic potential. Advances in multi-omics have accelerated the understanding of specialized metabolite biosynthesis and regulation. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have each contributed new insights into biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), metabolic pathways, and stress responses. However, single-omics approaches often fail to fully address these complex processes. Integrated multi-omics provides a holistic perspective on key regulatory networks. High-throughput sequencing and emerging technologies like single-cell and spatial omics have deepened our understanding of cell-specific and spatially resolved biosynthetic dynamics. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in managing large datasets, standardizing protocols, accounting for the dynamic nature of specialized metabolism, and effectively applying synthetic biology for sustainable specialized metabolite production. This review highlights recent progress in omics-based research on medicinal plants, discusses available bioinformatics tools, and explores future research trends aimed at leveraging integrated multi-omics to improve the medicinal quality and sustainable utilization of plant resources.
Public education, multinational citizenship, and territorial legitimacy: analyzing the 2004 and 2023 Ontario curricula on Indigenous peoples
Authors: Luoma Michael
Published: December 2024

Through an analysis of the Ontario public school curriculum grounded in normative analytics drawn from philosophical theories of territorial rights and state legitimacy, this paper investigates the role of public education in promoting and/or undermining the conditions for the formation of multinational identities among the members of the (English-speaking) majority group in Canada. That is, it investigates compulsory public education curricula for the potential to transmit representations that furnish students with the resources for forming beliefs and attitudes that recognize Canada to be a treaty federation of distinct peoples with rights to territory and self-determination. As the paper argues, under present conditions in the Canadian context, public education with a mind to producing a multinational ethos is a requirement of political legitimacy. As we will see, there is evidence to suggest that public education is undergoing a transformation in Canada’s largest province with respect to its treatment of contemporary Indigenous presence, historical treaty-making, and the history of colonial wrongdoing – although serious omissions remain, notably in the areas of Indigenous governance, and consent and consultation. The results of curricular evolution can thus be expected to remain ambiguous with respect to the ideals of territorial legitimacy and treaty federalism, alongside the problematic discursive arena provided by the national news media and other sites of identity formation.
Acquisition of non-contrastive focus in Russian by adult English-dominant bilinguals
Authors: Luchkina Tatiana , Ionin Tania , Goldshtein Maria
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the acquisition of sentence focus in Russian by adult English-Russian bilinguals, while paying special attention to the relative contribution of constituent order and prosodic expression. It aims to understand how these factors influence perceived word-level prominence and focus assignment during listening.

We present results of two listening tasks designed to examine the influence of pitch cues and constituent order on perceived word prominence (Experiment 1) and focus assignment (Experiment 2) during the auditory comprehension of SV[O]F and OV[S]F sentences in Russian. Our findings reveal an asymmetric pattern: monolingual speakers, as a baseline, tend to perceive the nuclear pitch-accented object as more prominent, particularly in the SVO order, whereas bilinguals appear to be less sensitive to the constituent order distinction.

Additionally, baseline speakers consistently assign focus to the sentence-final nuclear pitch-accented noun regardless of constituent order. In contrast, bilinguals demonstrate a preference for assigning focus to the sentence-final nuclear-accented object, rather than the sentence-final nuclear-accented subject. A proficiency effect emerged indicative of a more target-like performance among bilinguals with greater proficiency in Russian.
The jeong and haan of Vincent van Gogh: neuropeptides of bondedness and loss
Authors: Lee Sung W. , Cullen Kathryn R. , Rim Sung-ryun , Toddes Carlee
Published: December 2024

We introduce two Korean-named yet transcultural feelings, jeong and haan, to fill gaps in neuroscientific understanding of mammalian bondedness, loss, and aggression. Jeong is a visceral sense of connectedness to a person, place, or thing that may arise after proximity, yet does not require intimacy. The brain opioid theory of social attachment (BOTSA) supports the idea that jeong involves increased activity of enkephalins and beta-endorphins. We propose that withdrawal of jeong-related neuropeptides leads to original haan, a sense of “missingness” that is too subtle to be grossly dysphoric. Through narrative, cognitive appraisals, or moral assignments, however, original haan may transform into the feeling of constructed haan—resentment, bitterness, grievance, sorrow, or suppressed anger. In males, the transformation may be driven by arginine vasopressin, an ancient fight-or-flight neurohormone. Constructed haan may also be driven by vasopressin in females, though data is more sparse, and in both sexes it may depend on situational or societal context. Endogenous opioids inhibit vasopressin, so that when jeong diminishes, vasopressin release may become disinhibited. This relationship implies a companion to the BOTSA, which we articulate as the brain opioid and vasopressin theory of original and constructed haan (BOVTOCH). To illustrate, we reflect on borderline personality disorder, and Vincent van Gogh’s self-severing of his ear while living and working with Paul Gauguin, and fearing abandonment by him; yet to understand Van Gogh more completely we also present the brain opioid theory of stable euphoric creativity (BOTSEC), to model the subjective “highs” associated with creative flow states. Together these brain opioid theories may help to explain how feelings related to social bondedness can influence a range of phenomena. For example, opioid drug dependence may be, at least partly, a maladaptive response to feelings of isolation or disconnectedness; the health protective effects of social bonds could be related to tonic exposure to endogenous opioids and their anti-inflammatory properties; endogenous opioid-based social relational enhancement may contribute to placebo responding. Finally we conclude by pointing out the possibility of virtuous cycles of social connectedness and creativity, when feelings of bondedness and euphoric flow reinforce one another through endogenous opioid elevation.
Cumulative ecological risk and problematic smartphone use among Chinese college students: the roles of performance goal orientation, learning goal orientation and psychological resilience
Authors: Guan Jinliang , Yu Peng , Liu Chengzhen , Ma Wangyan
Published: December 2024

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has emerged as a pressing concern among college students, with cumulative ecological risk identified as a crucial yet enigmatic contributor. To unravel its underlying mechanisms, we devised and validated a model that delves into the mediating roles of performance and learning goal orientations, as well as the moderating influence of psychological resilience. Our investigation encompassed 2011 Chinese college students spanning from freshmen to seniors, aged 16 to 25, utilizing comprehensive scales to assess various constructs. The findings revealed that both performance and learning goal orientations serve as pivotal mediators in the relationship between cumulative ecological risk and PSU. Furthermore, psychological resilience was found to moderate not only the direct link between cumulative ecological risk and PSU but also the indirect pathway through learning goal orientation. These insights underscore the practical significance of fostering healthy achievement goals and enhancing psychological resilience among college students, thereby mitigating the prevalence of PSU.
The influence of proactive personality on students’ knowledge sharing: the chain mediating effect of class climate and learning engagement
Authors: Lin Ye , Jin Yongchao , Yang Rui
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Knowledge sharing is an effective means of knowledge management in colleges and universities, which is of great significance for improving the quality and efficiency of universities and enhancing the balanced development of educational resources. The present study investigated the influence students’ proactive personalities drive knowledge-sharing activities, and examined the significance of class climate and learning engagement as mediating factors, utilizing the perspectives of social exchange theory (SET) and the job demands and resources model (JD-R) .

Methods

A convenience sampling method was employed to survey 1,053 Chinese college students, and evaluated them using the Proactive Personality Scale (PPS), Learning Engagement Scale (LES), Class Climate Scale (CCS), and Knowledge Sharing Behavior Scale (KSBS). The structural equation model and bootstrap method to explore the significance of the mediating effect of class climate and learning engagement between proactive personality and knowledge sharing of college students.

Results

(1) Proactive personality was positively associated with students’ knowledge sharing behavior; (2) Class climate had a significant mediating effect between proactive personality and knowledge sharing behavior of college students, and the mediating effect of class climate is 21.2%; (3) Learning engagement mediated effect between proactive personality and knowledge sharing behavior, and the mediating effect ratio of learning engagement is 8.4%; (4) Class climate and learning engagement play a chain mediating role in the relationship between proactive personality and knowledge sharing behavior of students, and the chain mediating role accounted for 2.1% of the total effect.

Conclusion

Proactive personality exerts a significant impact on students’ knowledge-sharing behaviors. However, this effect is not direct; it is mediated by both class climate and learning engagement. Specifically, students exhibiting higher levels of proactivity are more likely to actively engage in the learning process and foster a positive class climate, which, in turn, enhances their propensity to share knowledge with peers.
Assessment of human emotional reactions to visual stimuli “deep-dreamed” by artificial neural networks
Authors: Marczak-Czajka Agnieszka , Redgrave Timothy , Mitcheff Mahsa , Villano Michael , Czajka Adam
Published: December 2024

Introduction

While the fact that visual stimuli synthesized by Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) may evoke emotional reactions is documented, the precise mechanisms that connect the strength and type of such reactions with the ways of how ANNs are used to synthesize visual stimuli are yet to be discovered. Understanding these mechanisms allows for designing methods that synthesize images attenuating or enhancing selected emotional states, which may provide unobtrusive and widely-applicable treatment of mental dysfunctions and disorders.

Methods

The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), a type of ANN used in computer vision tasks which models the ways humans solve visual tasks, was applied to synthesize (“dream” or “hallucinate”) images with no semantic content to maximize activations of neurons in precisely-selected layers in the CNN. The evoked emotions of 150 human subjects observing these images were self-reported on a two-dimensional scale (arousal and valence) utilizing self-assessment manikin (SAM) figures. Correlations between arousal and valence values and image visual properties (e.g., color, brightness, clutter feature congestion, and clutter sub-band entropy) as well as the position of the CNN's layers stimulated to obtain a given image were calculated.

Results

Synthesized images that maximized activations of some of the CNN layers led to significantly higher or lower arousal and valence levels compared to average subject's reactions. Multiple linear regression analysis found that a small set of selected image global visual features (hue, feature congestion, and sub-band entropy) are significant predictors of the measured arousal, however no statistically significant dependencies were found between image global visual features and the measured valence.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that the specific method of synthesizing images by maximizing small and precisely-selected parts of the CNN used in this work may lead to synthesis of visual stimuli that enhance or attenuate emotional reactions. This method paves the way for developing tools that stimulate, in a non-invasive way, to support wellbeing (manage stress, enhance mood) and to assist patients with certain mental conditions by complementing traditional methods of therapeutic interventions.
Determinants of sleep quality and their impact on health outcomes: a cross-sectional study on night-shift nurses
Authors: Xiao Qingqing , Huang Xia , Yang Tao , Huang Lei , Li Nan , Wang Jingjun , Huang Junqiang , Huang Yalin , Huang Hao , Wang Ya
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to identify determinants of sleep quality and explore their adverse health outcomes among night-shift nurses in China.

Method

Through convenience sampling, this cross-sectional study enrolled a total of 711 night-shift nurses aged 20-55 years who completed questionnaires from which details regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, health-related indicators and sleep quality based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were extracted. A generalized linear regression analysis was then created to identify factors influencing sleep quality. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between sleep quality and chronic fatigue.

Results

The prevalence rate of poor sleep quality among night-shift nurses reached as high as 90.1%. Our results showed that education level, years of working experience, quality of make-up sleep before and after night shifts, daily routine and diet were the primary factors affecting sleep quality (p < 0.01). Nurse fatigue had a significant positive correlation with subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep disturbance, medications to sleep, daytime dysfunctions and global sleep quality (p < 0.01). However, nurse sleep efficiency had a significant negative correlation with fatigue (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Higher education level, longer working years, worse quality of make-up sleep before and after night shifts, daily routine and daily diet were risk factors for poor sleep quality among nurses. Poor sleep among night-shift nurses is strongly correlated with chronic fatigue.
Randomized community trial to assess nutritional, socioeconomic, and health outcomes of a food forest initiative in Santa Elena Province, Ecuador: a study protocol
Authors: Faytong-Haro Marco , Quijano-Ruiz Alonso , Sanchez Daniel , Alvarez-Munoz Patricio , Gallegos-Caamaño Stephanie , Yambay-Delgado Victor , Checa Karina , Delgado-Rendón María José , Angulo-Prado Andrea
Published: December 2024

Malnutrition is an escalating concern in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), including Ecuador, particularly within rural settings. To address this issue, food forests emerge as a promising intervention. This research protocol outlines a controlled intervention in the province of Santa Elena, aiming to evaluate the efficacy of a food forest in enhancing nutritional outcomes, with potential implications for broader replication. The study will be conducted in the Colonche Parish of Santa Elena Canton, where one commune will be randomly selected to receive the food forest intervention. In contrast, another similarly characterized commune, also randomly selected through cluster-based sampling, will serve as a control group, receiving no intervention. This randomized, comparative approach will enable a more precise assessment of the food forest's impact. Data collection will occur at three intervals: baseline, 6 months, and 12 months post-intervention. Comprehensive questionnaires will be employed to measure the food forest's influence on the communities' nutritional, economic, and health metrics, distinguishing between the intervention and control communes to elucidate the intervention's specific effects.
Application of targeted high-throughput sequencing as a diagnostic tool for neonatal genetic metabolic diseases following tandem mass spectrometry screening
Authors: Lai Guihua , Gu Qiying , Lai Zhiyong , Chen Haijun , Tu Xiangwen , Chen Junkun , Huang Jungao
Published: December 2024

Background

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a crucial technique for detecting inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) in newborns. However, the high false positive rate poses challenges in diagnosing specific types of diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the role of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) in the accurate diagnosis of positive samples identified through MS/MS screening.

Methods

A cohort study of 260,915 newborns was conducted from January 2018 to June 2023 in Ganzhou City, southern China. Heel blood samples were collected within 72 h of birth and subjected to MS/MS analysis. Infants with positive MS/MS results underwent targeted NGS to confirm the diagnosis and identify genetic variants.

Results

Among 1,265 suspected cases with positive MS/MS results, 73 were confirmed by NGS, and 12 were identified as carriers of recessive diseases. The overall incidence rate was 1 in 3,574, effectively ruling out 94.2% (1,192/1,265) of the MS/MS false-positive. We found 76 variants in 18 genes associated with 15 types of IEM. Among these, 64.47% (49/76) were pathogenic, 10.53% (8/76) were likely pathogenic. Remarkably, 7.89% (6/76) were identified as novel variants. Variants in SLC22A5 (NM_003060.4) gene was most prevalent, accounting for 41% (77/188), with hotspot variants including c.51C > G, c.1400C > G, and c.338G > A.

Conclusion

Targeted NGS technology can serve as a crucial diagnostic tool for neonatal genetic metabolic diseases following MS/MS screening. Additionally, we identified IEM variant hotspots and some novel variants in our region, which are the underlying causes of disease in patients with IEM.
Swimming pool-associated viral outbreaks in China: causes and solutions
Authors: Huang Zheng
Published: December 2024

Objective

This study aimed to assess the causes of the swimming pool-associated viral outbreaks in China and discuss the possible preventive measures for the outbreaks.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in 4 Chinese and English databases for studies investigating the swimming pool-associated viral outbreaks in China up to June 2024.

Results

29 outbreaks were included in the review. A median of 89 cases per outbreak was observed among 29 outbreaks, and most outbreaks (27/29, 93%) were caused by adenovirus. The findings regarding the difference in attack rate of adenovirus between males and females were not consistent. Poor maintenance and management of the pool (26/29, 90%), difficulty in early identification of outbreaks (21/29, 72%), and lack of public awareness of waterborne diseases (7/29, 24%) were the main causes of the outbreaks.

Conclusion

This review reveals the causes of swimming pool-associated viral outbreaks in China, and possible preventive measures could include improving pool maintenance and management, early recognition of the outbreaks, and increasing public awareness of recreational water illnesses.
Growing Stronger Crops for a Changing World
Authors: Palmgren Michael , Shabala Sergey
Published: December 2024

The crops that we grow for food are sensitive to the effects of climate change, including drought, flooding, poor soil conditions, and increasing temperatures. This is a major problem because the demand for food continues to grow as Earth’s population increases—and we cannot keep turning land into farmland. Instead, we could try to develop crop plants that can survive the stresses of a changing climate. The wild relatives of many crop plants can thrive in challenging environments, but those survival traits were often lost as farmers bred those plants to become good food producers. How can science help crop plants to regain important survival traits? In this article, we will describe two possible ways: either giving existing crop plants the survival genes from wild plants, or giving wild plants (that already have survival genes) the genes that can make them good food producers. Both options are challenging, so plant scientists have plenty of work to do!
Virtual reality boxing: impact of gaze-contingent blur on elite boxers performance and gaze behavior
Authors: Limballe Annabelle , Kulpa Richard , Verhulst Eulalie , Ledouit Simon , Bennett Simon J.
Published: December 2024

It is essential in combat sports such as boxing for athletes to perceive the relevant visual information that enables them to anticipate and respond to their opponent's attacking and defensive moves. Here, we used virtual reality (VR), which enables standardization and reproducibility while maintaining perception-action coupling, to assess the influence of a gaze-contingent blur on the visual processes that underpin these boxing behaviours. Eleven elite French boxers were placed in an immersive and adaptive first-person VR environment where they had to avoid by dodging one or two punches, and then counterattack to strike their opponent. The VR boxing task was performed in a central blur, peripheral blur and control condition. The results showed that elite boxers outcome performance was resilient to blur, irrespective of its location in the visual field. However, there was an effect of blur on the eye gaze data, with participants spending less time looking at the left hand and plexus, and more time looking at the head and areas other than the boxer, in the peripheral blur condition. Overall, then, our study contributes to growing evidence that performance in dynamic interceptive sports can be maintained when the visual stimulus is artificially blurred. In future work, it will be relevant to consider whether VR training with a gaze-contingent blur can facilitate learning, transfer, and/or reintroduction after injury, to a real boxing situation.
Sialoadhesin-dependent susceptibility and replication of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses in CD163-expressing cells
Authors: Lee Hyun-Ji , You Su-Hwa , Lee Hyang-Sim , Shin Yeun-Kyung , Cho Yun Sang , Park Tae-Sub , Kang Seok-Jin
Published: December 2024

Understanding the molecular interactions between porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSVs) and host cells is crucial for developing effective strategies against PRRSV. CD163, predominantly expressed in porcine macrophages and monocytes, is a key receptor for PRRSV infection. CD169, also known as Sialoadhesin, has emerged as a potential receptor facilitating PRRSV internalization. In this study, we investigated PRRSV susceptibility in relation to CD169 expression in CD163-expressing cells. Susceptibility to PRRSV infection was estimated by immunostaining the N protein using SR30A and quantifying ORF7 using RT-PCR. PRRSV strains adapted to MARC-145 did not infect CD163+/CD169-cells but successfully replicated in CD163+/CD169+ cells. Similarly, porcine alveolar macrophage-isolated PRRSV strains effectively infected and propagated in CD163+/CD169+ cells compared to CD163+/CD169-cells (100% vs. 82.9%). We confirmed that high CD169 expression in CD163-expressing cells increases susceptibility to PRRSVs compared to low or no CD169 expression. In conclusion, CD169 expression level influences viral entry efficiency into CD163-expressing cells, providing valuable insights for isolating wild PRRSVs and producing high-titer PRRS vaccine candidates.
Deer antler reserve mesenchyme cells modified with miR-145 promote chondrogenesis in cartilage regeneration
Authors: Jia Boyin , Han Xintong , Li Xin , Zhang Linlin , Ma Fuquan , Wang Yusu , Wang Xue , Yan Yaru , Li Yaxin , Shen Junnan , Chen Xinran , Li Xinyi , Zhang Qianzhen , Hu Pengfei , Du Rui
Published: December 2024

Deer antler-derived reserve mesenchyme cells (RMCs) are a promising source of cells for cartilage regeneration therapy due to their chondrogenic differentiation potential. However, the regulatory mechanism has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating the differentiation of RMCs and in the post-transcriptional regulation of chondrogenesis and hypertrophic differentiation at the molecular and histological levels. The results showed that RMCs showed typical MSC differentiation potentials. During chondrogenic differentiation, we obtained the expression profile of miRNAs, among which miR- 145 was the most prominent candidate as a key microRNA involved in the balance of chondral and endochondral differentiation. Knockdown of miR-145 promoted chondrogenesis and inhibited hypertrophy differentiation in RMCs. Mechanically, by prediction through online databases combined with dual-luciferase reporter assay, SOX9 was suggested as a target of miR-145. Further validation experiments confirmed that knockdown of miR-145 contributed to the balance between endochondral versus chondral differentiation of RMCs by targeting SOX9. Additionally, RMCs transfected with the miR-145-knockdown-mediated lentiviral vector successfully promoted cartilage regeneration in vivo. In summary, our study suggested that the reciprocal negative feedback between SOX9 and miR-145 was essential for balancing between endochondral versus chondral differentiation of RMCs. Our study suggested that modification of RMCs using miRNAs transduction might be an effective treatment for cartilage defects.