bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prospecting during egg laying informs incubation recess movements of eastern wild turkeys
Authors: Bakner Nicholas W. , Ulrey Erin E. , Collier Bret A. , Chamberlain Michael J.
Published: January 2024

Background

Central place foragers must acquire resources and return to a central location after foraging bouts. During the egg laying (hereafter laying) period, females are constrained to a nest location, thus they must familiarize themselves with resources available within their incubation ranges after nest site selection. Use of prospecting behaviors by individuals to obtain knowledge and identify profitable (e.g., resource rich) locations on the landscape can impact demographic outcomes. As such, prospecting has been used to evaluate nest site quality both before and during the reproductive period for a variety of species.

Methods

Using GPS data collected from female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) across the southeastern United States, we evaluated if prospecting behaviors were occurring during laying and what landcover factors influenced prospecting. Specifically, we quantified areas prospected during the laying period using a cluster analysis and the return frequency (e.g., recess movements) to clustered laying patches (150-m diameter buffer around a clustered laying period location) during the incubation period.

Results

The average proportion of recess movements to prospected locations was 56.9%. Nest fate was positively influenced (μ of posterior distribution with 95% credible 0.19, 0.06–0.37, probability of direction = 99.8%) by the number of patches (90-m diameter buffer around a clustered laying period location) a female visited during incubation recesses. Females selected for areas closer to the nest site, secondary roads, hardwood forest, mixed pine-hardwood forest, water, and shrub/scrub, whereas they avoided pine forest and open-treeless areas.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that having a diverse suite of clustered laying patches to support incubation recesses is impactful to nest fate. As such, local conditions within prospected locations during incubation may be key to successful reproductive output by wild turkeys. We suggest that prospecting could be important to other phenological periods. Furthermore, future research should evaluate how prospecting for brood-rearing locations may occur before or during the incubation period.
Coproduction of bio-microbicide and silver nano-microbicide mediated by endospore-forming Bacillus and their synergetic control of plant disease
Authors: You Yuxin , Wang Chen , Abdallah Yasmine , Liu Quanhong , Liu Chentao , Luo Jinyan , Dai Dejiang , Al-Rejaie Salim S. , Mohany Mohamed , Li Bin , Ogunyemi Solabomi Olaitan , An Qianli
Published: January 2024

Background

One-pot synthesis of metal nanoparticles under ambient temperature and pressure using reducing and stabilizing materials from microbes is energy-effective and ecofriendly, but upstream extraction of biological raw materials and downstream purification of nanoparticles from bioreactors are laborious and expensive. To simplify the productive process for using metal nanoparticles as microbicides to control plant pathogens, we use an endospore-forming Bacillus biocontrol agent to produce the nano-microbicide and use the bacterial raw materials as bio-microbicides together with the nano-microbicide.

Results

Bacillus cells at the stationary phase form endospores and tolerate Ag+ and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), while the cell-free culture supernatant (CFCS) mediates the synthesis of AgNPs. AgNPs produced from the Bacillus culture and CFCS show similar physical, chemical, and electrical characteristics, and bactericidal and anti-biofilm activities. Moreover, the diluted products effectively protect the kiwifruit leaves from the infection of the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae.

Conclusions

This coproduction of bio-microbicide and nano-microbicide is a totally green one-pot synthesis process without extraction and purification and without production of waste and can be easily scaled up using the existing fermentation processing of Bacillus biocontrol agents. The application of the synergistic bio-microbicide and nano-microbicide can effectively control the bacterial canker disease of kiwifruit plants.

Graphical Abstract
STEM learning opportunities and career aspirations: the interactive effect of students’ self-concept and perceptions of STEM professionals
Authors: Chen Yu , So Winnie Wing Mui , Zhu Jinxin , Chiu Stephen Wing Kai
Published: January 2024

Background

Students’ positive perceptions of scientists or engineers have been reported to be positively related to their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career aspirations. However, other research indicates that positive perceptions of experts in these fields might not necessarily lead to students’ pursuit of STEM careers. Self-concept, defined as one’s perceived abilities in specific academic domains, likely plays a moderating role in the relationship between perceptions and career aspirations according to the motivational theory of role modelling. Moreover, students’ perceptions of STEM professionals might be sourced from STEM-related media and school experiences. Therefore, through running a moderated mediation model, this study examined whether and how the influences of media consumption and school STEM learning opportunities on career aspirations would be mediated by perceptions of STEM professionals, and whether the mediation effect would be conditional on students’ self-concept.

Methods

Data were collected through an online survey of 608 primary and secondary school students from Hong Kong, and were analysed using structural equation modelling.

Results

Results revealed that the students’ positive perceptions of STEM professionals were positively associated with their career aspirations, and mediated the links from media consumption and school opportunities to career aspirations. In addition, this mediated pathway depended on STEM self-concept, such that perceptions of STEM professionals were only linked with STEM career aspirations for adolescents with average or high levels of self-concept.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest the need to pay attention to the STEM perceptions and self-concept interaction while designing and implementing learning activities to connect a diversity of students with STEM careers. It is not only important to foster students’ self-concept, but also to enrich their knowledge of diverse occupations, so as to help diversify their perceptions that being professionals in these fields is desirable and attainable, and to eventually inspire more student engagement and participation in STEM.
Unsupervised clustering of bitcoin transactions
Authors: Vlahavas George , Karasavvas Kostas , Vakali Athena
Published: January 2024

Since its inception in 2009, Bitcoin has become and is currently the most successful and widely used cryptocurrency. It introduced blockchain technology, which allows transactions that transfer funds between users to take place online, in an immutable manner. No real-world identities are needed or stored in the blockchain. At the same time, all transactions are publicly available and auditable, making Bitcoin a pseudo-anonymous ledger of transactions. The volume of transactions that are broadcast on a daily basis is considerably large. We propose a set of features that can be extracted from transaction data. Using this, we apply a data processing pipeline to ultimately cluster transactions via a k-means clustering algorithm, according to the transaction properties. Finally, according to these properties, we are able to characterize these clusters and the transactions they include. Our work mainly differentiates from previous studies in that it applies an unsupervised learning method to cluster transactions instead of addresses. Using the novel features we introduce, our work classifies transactions in multiple clusters, while previous studies only attempt binary classification. Results indicate that most transactions fall into a cluster that can be described as common user transactions. Other clusters include transactions made by online exchanges and lending services, those relating to mining activities as well as smaller clusters, one of which contains possibly illicit or fraudulent transactions. We evaluated our results against an online database of addresses that belong to known actors, such as online exchanges, and found that our results generally agree with them, which enhances the validity of our methods.
Involving patients and clinicians in the development of a randomised clinical trial protocol to assess spinal manual therapy versus nerve root injection for patients with lumbar radiculopathy: a patient and public involvement project to inform the SALuBRITY trial design
Authors: Ryf Corina , Hofstetter Léonie , Clack Lauren , Hincapié Cesar A.
Published: January 2024

Background

Spinal manual therapy and corticosteroid nerve root injection are commonly used to treat patients with lumbar radiculopathy. The SALuBRITY trial—a two parallel group, double sham controlled, randomised clinical trial—is being developed to compare their effectiveness. By gathering patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives and involving them in discussions related to the trial research question and objectives, proposed trial recruitment processes, methods, and outcome measures, we aimed to improve the relevance and quality of the SALuBRITY trial.

Methods

We involved patients with lived experience of lumbar radiculopathy (n = 5) and primary care clinicians (n = 4) with experience in the treatment of these patients. Involvement activities included an initial kick-off event to introduce the project, establishing a shared purpose statement, and empowering patient and clinician advisors for their involvement, followed by semi-structured group and individual interviews, and questionnaires to evaluate the experience throughout the project.

Results

Both patient and clinician advisors endorsed the significance and relevance of the trial’s objectives. Patients assessed the proposed trial methods as acceptable within the context of a trusting patient-clinician relationship. A trial recruitment and enrolment target time of up to five days was regarded as acceptable, although patients with chronic radiculopathy may need more time to consider their trial participation decision. All advisors reached consensus on the acceptability of a medication washout phase of 12- to 24-h before pain outcome measurement, with the inclusion of a rescue medication protocol. Both advisory groups preferred leg pain over back pain as the primary clinical outcome, with patient advisors advocating for personalized primary pain localization. Furthermore, patients requested expanding the pain, enjoyment, and general activity scale with peak pain intensity, rather than average pain alone. Patient and clinician advisors evaluated their engagement in clinical research as meaningful and impactful.

Conclusion

Patient and public involvement resulted in important and relevant considerations for the SALuBRITY trial, spanning all research phases. These findings hold promise for enhancing the trial’s quality and relevance and improving its translation into clinical practice.
The golden ratio—dispelling the myth
Authors: Naini Farhad B.
Published: January 2024

Background

The purpose of this article is to explore the claims often cited in scientific journals regarding the golden ratio, and its proposed link to beauty and idealized forms in nature, including idealized human proportions.

Main body

Claims made in the nineteenth century through to the modern day in the clinical literature do not appear to be supported by evidence.

Short conclusions

There is no convincing evidence that the golden ratio is linked to idealized human proportions or facial beauty. There is currently no evidence to support the use of the golden ratio in orthognathic or facial aesthetic/reconstructive surgical planning or analysis of results.
One-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with an iliac flap: a case report and literature review
Authors: Kang Yi-Fan , Ge Yan-Jun , Lv Xiao-Ming , Ding Meng-Kun , Shan Xiao-Feng , Cai Zhi-Gang
Published: January 2024

Background

One-stage jaw reconstruction with fibular flap and prosthetic rehabilitation restores bony and dental continuity simultaneously. It was also called as “jaw-in-a-day (JIAD)” technique. However, bone volume and height of fibular flap may be insufficient for dental implant insertion. The provision of a considerable amount of bone makes an iliac flap the ideal choice in these cases. We present the first case report to document the use of one-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with the iliac flap.

Case presentation

We modified the conventional JIAD workflow to make it suitable for iliac flap. Two cases were presented who both underwent segmental mandibulectomy for ameloblastoma. Virtual surgical planning was performed in all cases. The iliac crest was positioned upward to provide cortical bone for achieving primary stability of dental implants. Similar to the “all-on-4” procedure, the iliac bone was placed 12 to 15 mm below the occlusal plane to create adequate space for the implant-retained prosthesis. Immediate implant-based dental rehabilitation was performed at same stage. The surgery was successful in all cases without any short-term complications. In the first postoperative week, patients were given a liquid diet through a nasal feeding tube. The liquid diet is advised until 1 month after the surgery. Thereafter, a soft diet is recommended. Patients were advised to resume routine mastication and normal diet 3 months after the surgery. Peri-implantitis occurred in one patient, and additional gingival graft was required. Postoperative function and esthetics were satisfactory at the last follow-up visit.

Conclusions

One-stage jaw reconstruction and prosthetic rehabilitation with the iliac flap are safe and useful for restoring postoperative function and esthetics. It should be used in more cases with a longer follow-up in further studies.
Review of real-world evidence of dual inhibition of VEGF-A and ANG-2 with faricimab in NAMD and DME
Authors: Penha Fernando M , Masud Maliha , Khanani Zoha A. , Thomas Mathew , Fong Rodney D. , Smith Kyler , Chand Avishay , Khan Majid , Gahn Greggory , Melo Gustavo Barreto , Khanani Arshad M.
Published: January 2024

Management of vitreoretinal disorders (e.g., neovascular age-related macular degeneration [nAMD] and diabetic macular edema [DME]) have assumed the standard therapy of lifelong anti-VEGF injections with drugs like aflibercept, brolucizumab, ranibizumab and bevacizumab. However, the burden imposed on patients is a major deterrent for continual therapy and recovery. Faricimab, a bispecific antibody, blocking both VEGF-A and Ang-2 molecules, produces a comparable functional and anatomical results, with less injections, significantly reducing patient burden. Visual acuity, safety, adverse effects, and anatomical outcomes are discussed in the pivotal clinical trials (YOSEMITE/RHINE and TENAYA/LUCERNE), and early data from real-world studies (TRUCKEE, TAHOE, FARWIDE-DME, FARETINA and others). In YOSEMITE and RHINE, faricimab demonstrated non-inferior vision gains, better anatomical outcomes compared to aflibercept every 8 weeks. Faricimab in the personalized treatment interval (PTI), after week 96, achieved 12-week interval in 78.1% of the patients and 16-week interval in 62.3%. TENAYA and LUCERNE reported comparable best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement and better anatomic outcomes during head-to-head phase, parallel to aflibercept, at its 8-week treatment schedule. Faricimab in the PTI regimen, after week 96 achieved 12-week interval in 77.8% of the patients and 16-week interval in 63.1%. Safety of faricimab has been comparable to aflibercept in these pivotal trials. Real-world data supports the data from the pivotal studies regarding the efficacy and safety profile of faricimab in heterogenous real world patient population. Moreover, in previously treated patients, it also demonstrated a faster fluid resolution, good safety profile. Considering faricimab has demonstrated anatomic and durability benefit in the treatment of nAMD and DME, additional data from ongoing extension clinical trials, AVONELLE-X and RHONE-X will help understand longer term outcomes for patients treated with faricimab as well as patients switching from aflibercept to faricimab after finishing the pivotal trials. Longer term data from the real-world studies will also continue to contribute to our understanding of long-term efficacy, safety and durability in the real world patient population.
Contraceptive uses among married women in Bangladesh: a systematic review and meta-analyses
Authors: Hossain Sorif , Akter Tahmina , Mohsin Md , Islam Md. Momin , Chowdhury Promit Barua , Khudri Md Mohsan
Published: January 2024

Background

Although Bangladesh's economy has shown significant improvement over the past two decades, the high population growth rate has hindered development efforts. This study aimed to review the prevalence of different contraceptive methods used among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh, which could help control the population growth rate.

Methods

We conducted an extensive literature review and meta-analysis of 82 articles, identifying 20 articles for analysis. The analyses included heterogeneity and publication bias in published papers.

Results

The pooled prevalence of various contraceptive methods was as follows: condom use, 7.13%; Female Sterilization, 8.09%; injectables, 12.76%; intrauterine devices (IUDs), 3.76%; male sterilization, 2.34%; periodic abstinence, 6.71%; pills, 33.21%; and withdrawal, 3.27%. Modern contraceptive methods accounted for 62.91% of usage, while traditional methods constituted 8.79%. On average, only 1.95% of women opted for the implant method. The overall prevalence of contraceptive method usage was 59.48%, with 60.59% in urban areas and 54.54% in rural areas. We found statistically significant heterogeneity for all contraceptive methods used by women in Bangladesh. The funnel plot and Egger’s test showed no publication bias for any of the contraceptive methods, except condoms (Z = 2.34, P = 0.0194). The contraceptive methods used by women in rural areas also showed publication bias (Z = −3.04, P = 0.0024).

Conclusion

A renewed commitment from government bodies and independent organizations is needed to implement and monitor family planning strategies to ensure adherence to and provision of the most appropriate contraceptive method for couples.
Risk factors for osteoporotic hip fracture among community-dwelling older adults: a real-world evidence study
Authors: Azevedo Daniela Castelo , Hoff Leonardo Santos , Kowalski Sergio Candido , de Andrade Carlos Augusto Ferreira , Trevisani Virgínia Fernandes Moça , de Melo Ana Karla Guedes
Published: January 2024

Background

Hip fractures in the older adults lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Although a low bone mineral density is considered the leading risk factor, it is essential to recognize other factors that could affect the risk of hip fractures. This study aims to evaluate the contribution of clinical characteristics, patient-reported outcomes, and muscle and aerobic capacity for hip fractures in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study with real world-data from subjects ≥ 60 years old attending an outpatient clinic in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from May 1, 2019, to August 22, 2022. Data about clinical characteristics (multimorbidity, medications of long-term use, sedative and or tricyclic medications, number of falls), patient-reported outcomes (self-perception of health, self-report of difficulty walking, self-report of vision problems, and self-report of falls) and muscle and aerobic capacity (calf circumference, body mass index, and gait speed) were retrieved from an electronic health record. The association of each potential risk factor and hip fracture was investigated by a multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sex.

Results

A total of 7,836 older adults were included with a median age of 80 years (IQR 72–86) and 5,702 (72.7%) were female. Hip fractures occurred in 121 (1.54%) patients. Multimorbidity was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture (OR = 1.12, 95%CI 1.06–1.18) and each episode of fall increased the chance of hip fracture by 1.7-fold (OR = 1.69, 95%CI 1.52–1.80). Patient-reported outcomes associated with increased fracture risk were regular or poor self-perception of health (OR = 1.59, 95%CI 1.06–2.37), self-report of walking difficulty (OR = 3.06, 95%CI 1.93–4.84), and self-report of falls (OR = 2.23, 95%CI 1.47–3.40). Body mass index and calf circumference were inversely associated with hip fractures (OR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.87–0.96 and OR = 0.93, 95%CI 0.88–0.97, respectively), while slow gait speed increased the chance of hip fractures by almost two-fold (OR = 1.80, 95%CI 1.22–2.66).

Conclusion

Our study reinforces the importance of identified risk factors for hip fracture in community-dwelling older adults beyond bone mineral density and available fracture risk assessment tools. Data obtained in primary care can help physicians, other health professionals, and public health policies to identify patients at increased risk of hip fractures.
Prescribed burning mitigates the severity of subsequent wildfires in Mediterranean shrublands
Authors: Fernández-Guisuraga José Manuel , Fernandes Paulo M.
Published: January 2024

Background

Prescribed  burning (PB) is becoming relevant in fuel reduction and thus fire hazard abatement in fire-prone ecosystems of southern Europe. Yet, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of this practice to mitigate wildfire severity in Mediterranean shrublands is non-existent, despite being the focus of PB efforts in this region. Here, we intended to quantify the protective effect of PB treatment units (2005–2021) to subsequent wildfire severity in shrublands across mainland Portugal, as well as the relative contribution and complex interactions between drivers of wildfire severity in PB-treated areas and untreated neighboring counterparts through Random Forest regression. We leveraged cloud-computing remote sensing data processing in Google Earth Engine to estimate fire severity (PB and wildfire) as the Relativized Burn Ratio (RBR) using Landsat data catalog.

Results

PB treatment was particularly effective at mitigating wildfire severity at the first PB-wildfire encounter in shrublands, with a mean reduction of around 24% in RBR units. Fuel age (i.e., time since prescribed burning) in PB-wildfire intersection areas overwhelmed to a large extent the effect of fire weather, burning probability, and PB severity. The mitigating effect of PB on wildfire severity persisted for a fuel age of around 5 years. However, this effect decreased with increasingly adverse fire weather conditions, such that variation in wildfire severity was somewhat insensitive to fuel age under extreme fire weather. Similarly, the lowest wildfire severity experienced in sites with high burning probability, along with the interaction effect observed between burning probability and fuel age, suggest that repeated PB treatments may be useful in controlling fuel accumulation and mitigating wildfire severity. The relative contribution of fire weather in explaining wildfire severity was exceedingly high in untreated areas, doubling that of the other variables in the model in the absence of PB treatment variables.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the implementation of PB treatments at intervals of less than 5 years is of paramount importance to control fuel build-up and fire hazard under extreme fire weather in productive Mediterranean shrublands. Further research on this topic is warranted in other shrublands worldwide, namely in Mediterranean-type climate regions.
Prediction of the synergistic effect of antimicrobial peptides and antimicrobial agents via supervised machine learning
Authors: Olcay Basak , Ozdemir Gizem D. , Ozdemir Mehmet A. , Ercan Utku K. , Guren Onan , Karaman Ozan
Published: January 2024

Background

Infectious diseases not only cause severe health problems but also burden the healthcare system. Therefore, the effective treatment of those diseases is crucial. Both conventional approaches, such as antimicrobial agents, and novel approaches, like antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), are used to treat infections. However, due to the drawbacks of current approaches, new solutions are still being investigated. One recent approach is the use of AMPs and antimicrobial agents in combination, but determining synergism is with a huge variety of AMPs time-consuming and requires multiple experimental studies. Machine learning (ML) algorithms are widely used to predict biological outcomes, particularly in the field of AMPs, but no previous research reported on predicting the synergistic effects of AMPs and antimicrobial agents.

Results

Several supervised ML models were implemented to accurately predict the synergistic effect of AMPs and antimicrobial agents. The results demonstrated that the hyperparameter-optimized Light Gradient Boosted Machine Classifier (oLGBMC) yielded the best test accuracy of 76.92% for predicting the synergistic effect. Besides, the feature importance analysis reveals that the target microbial species, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the AMP and the antimicrobial agents, and the used antimicrobial agent were the most important features for the prediction of synergistic effect, which aligns with recent experimental studies in the literature.

Conclusion

This study reveals that ML algorithms can predict the synergistic activity of two different antimicrobial agents without the need for complex and time-consuming experimental procedures. The implications support that the ML models may not only reduce the experimental cost but also provide validation of experimental procedures.
Revisiting the predictability of follicular fluid leptin and related adiposity measures for live birth in women scheduled for ICSI cycles: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Abdelmagied A. , Makhlouf Alaa A. , Abdel-Aleem Ahmed A. , Mohamed Safwat A. , Nasr Ahmed , Elfadl Azza Abo , Ali Mohammed K.
Published: January 2024

Background

Our research question is could follicular fluid (FF) leptin solely or contemporaneously with other clinical, biochemical, and sonographic adiposity measures predict the probability of having a live birth during ICSI cycles? This is a prospective cohort study that enrolled infertile women without polycystic ovary syndrome scheduled for ICSI. At baseline, women had an assessment of obesity using different metrics: clinical, serum biochemical, and sonographic. Clinical measures encompassed waist circumference and body mass index. Biochemical evaluation comprised an assessment of the homeostasis model for insulin resistance, visceral adiposity index, and lipid accumulation product. Preperitoneal and subcutaneous abdominal fat were measured using ultrasound and body fat index was calculated. On the day of oocyte retrieval, pooled FF was sampled to assess FF leptin. Our primary outcome was live birth after one fresh embryo transfer cycle.

Results

Out of 91 women analyzed in this study, 28 have a live birth (30.8%). No difference in FF leptin concentration was found between women with and without live birth (mean ± SD; 20336 ± 8006 vs 18493 ± 6655 pg/ml; P = 0.2). None of the assessed adiposity markers was a predictor for live birth. Substantially, follicular fluid leptin was positively correlated with insulin resistance in women with and without live birth (r = 0.21, P = 0.04). In logistic regression analysis, the outcome of the prior cycle, the ability to have cryopreserved embryos, and the oocyte maturation index were the predictors for live birth in our study.

Conclusions

The present work could not find evidence that follicular fluid leptin, preperitoneal fat, and other evaluated adiposity measures could impact live births after ICSI cycles.
Simulations of S waves from the piezoelectric source to the receiver to assist in laboratory measurements of rock properties
Authors: Biyoghé Alvin T. , Leroy Yves M. , Zimmerman Robert W.
Published: January 2024

An accurate determination of the emitted S-wave arrival time at the piezoelectric receiver of laboratory triaxial cells is challenging due to the complex preceding P- and S-wave patterns. To analyze this pattern and decipher the true arrival time of the emitted S wave, we simulate wave propagation from the actuator to the receiver. The piezoelectric response is accounted for, and the electromechanical coupling is solved, using the spectral finite-element method or approximated using a linear spatial variation of the electric potential over the actuator to capture the same field over the receiver. The fully coupled algorithms are validated with 1D simulations and compared with an exact solution constructed with the method of characteristics. Simulations for a 2D simplified experimental system indicate the validity of the linear simplification. The comparison of the simulated results through a section of the triaxial cell with laboratory calibration data for a steel specimen validates our choice of damping material proxy within the actuator. A final series of simulations for two orthotropic shales with different anisotropy axis orientations with respect to the cell, and two Fontainebleau sandstones with very different [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratios, is presented. These differences in physical properties have little impact on the wave pattern at and just after the arrival of the main S wave. The pattern is influenced more by the experimental setup geometry and the actuator’s internal structure than by the nature of the specimen.
Recovery-focused self-help intervention using vodcasts for patients with personality disorder: feasibility randomised controlled trial
Authors: Kim Youl-Ri , An Zhen , Han Soo Wan , Ko Jeong Kyung , Hwa Kwag Kyung
Published: January 2024

Background

Availability of long-term psychological interventions for personality disorders is limited because of their high intensity and cost. Research in evidence-based, low-intensity interventions is needed.

Aims

This study aimed to examine the feasibility, acceptability and potential impact of a low-intensity, digital guided self-help (GSH) intervention that is focused on emotion regulation, recovery-oriented and provides in-the-moment delivery for patients with personality disorders.

Method

We conducted a single-blind feasibility trial. A total of 43 patients with a personality disorder were recruited and randomly assigned to either a GSH arm (n = 22) or a treatment-as-usual arm (n = 21). The GSH intervention included a series of short videos offering psychoeducation and support, personalised feedback using text messages, and supportive telephone calls, for 4 weeks in addition to treatment as usual. Outcomes of emotional disturbance, emotion dysregulation, self-harm behaviours and decentring ability were measured at baseline, 4 weeks (end of intervention) and 8 weeks (follow-up).

Results

All patients who attended the first session continued until the last session. There was an interaction effect between time and group on anxiety (P = 0.027, Δη2 = 0.10), where the GSH group showed a significant reduction in anxiety at follow-up (P = 0.003, d = 0.25). The GSH group increased in decentring ability at the end of intervention (P = 0.007, d = −0.65), and the decrease in self-harm behaviours continued until follow-up (P = 0.02, d = 0.57).

Conclusions

The results suggest that a personalised digital GSH with a focus on recovery could reduce anxiety and self-harm behaviours at short-term follow-up.
Suicide in the press: an analysis of newspaper coverage of adolescent versus adult suicides in Italy
Authors: Davico Chiara , Arletti Luca , Silverio Giulia , Marcotulli Daniele , Ricci Federica S. , Amianto Federico , Vitiello Benedetto
Published: January 2024

Background

An association between sensationalized media reporting and subsequent increase in suicidal behavior has been documented, and adolescents are especially vulnerable to imitative influences. The aims of this study were to examine the characteristics of the articles reporting adult and adolescent (under age 18) suicides in the Italian press and to assess adherence to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for responsible reporting. Methods: The print versions of the three newspapers with the widest national distribution in Italy were searched for all the articles on incident suicides printed over a 7-month period (July 2022 to February 2023). Articles were examined for adherence to the WHO guidelines. Results: Overall, 213 articles were identified, reporting on 122 individual suicide cases (88.5% adults and 11.5% adolescents). Of the articles, 78.9% were on adults and 21.1% on adolescents, with a ratio articles/suicide cases of 1.6 for adults and 3.2 for adolescents (p < 0.0001). Adolescent suicide articles had more words (mean 612.5 ± SD 275.6) than adult ones (462.1 ± 267.7, p = 0.001). Potentially harmful reporting features were present in both the adult and adolescent articles (12–82%). Few articles (0–15%) included protective features. Articles on adolescents were more adherent to the WHO guidelines for omitting specific information of suicide method and location. Conclusions: Significant differences were found in the press reporting of adolescent versus adult suicides, with adolescent suicides receiving more attention in terms of the number of articles and article length. Suicide press reporting can be improved. A close collaboration between journalists and suicide prevention experts may be beneficial.
Streptococcus salivarius K12 Alleviates Oral Mucositis in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy for Malignant Head and Neck Tumors: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Peng Xingchen , Li Zixia , Pei Yiyan , Zheng Shuhao , Liu Jinchi , Wang Jingjing , Li Ruidan , Xu Xin
Published: January 2024

PURPOSE

Oral mucositis (OM) is a common debilitating toxicity associated with radiotherapy (RT) for malignant head and neck tumors. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Streptococcus salivarius K12 (SsK12) in reducing the incidence, duration, and severity of severe OM (SOM).

METHODS

A total of 160 patients with malignant head and neck tumors undergoing definitive or postoperative adjuvant RT were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive SsK12 probiotic (n = 80) or placebo (n = 80) at West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Patients were instructed to suck SsK12 or placebo lozenges thrice daily from the initiation to the end of RT. OM was evaluated twice a week during RT and once a week thereafter for up to 8 weeks. The primary end point was the incidence of SOM. Adverse events were assessed according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0.

RESULTS

Baseline patient characteristics were similar in the SsK12 and placebo groups. The incidence of SOM was significantly lower in the SsK12 group as compared with the placebo group (36.6%
v
54.2%;
P
= .0351). The duration (median, 0.0 days
v
7.0 days; mean, 8.9 days
v
18.3 days;
P
= .0084) and time to develop SOM (median, not estimable
v
42.0 days; hazard ratio, 0.55 [95% CI, 0.34 to 0.89]; log-rank test:
P
= .0123) were also improved in the case of the SsK12 group. Adverse events were similar between the groups, and mild or moderate gastrointestinal reactions (flatulence or dyspepsia) associated with the lozenges were observed in two patients in the SsK12 group. High-throughput sequencing results indicated that SsK12 inhibited opportunistic pathogens and enriched oral commensals during RT.

CONCLUSION

In this prospective, randomized clinical trial, SsK12 probiotic significantly reduced the incidence, onset, and duration of SOM with a good safety profile.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in High-Grade Myxoid Liposarcoma: Results of the Expanded Cohort of a Randomized Trial From Italian (ISG), Spanish (GEIS), French (FSG), and Polish Sarcoma Groups (PSG)
Authors: Gronchi Alessandro , Palmerini Emanuela , Quagliuolo Vittorio , Martin Broto Javier , Lopez Pousa Antonio , Grignani Giovanni , Brunello Antonella , Blay Jean-Yves , Tendero Oscar , Diaz Beveridge Robert , Ferraresi Virginia , Lugowska Iwona , Pizzamiglio Sara , Verderio Paolo , Fontana Valeria , Donati Davide Maria , Palassini Elena , Sanfilippo Roberta , Bianchi Giuseppe , Bertuzzi Alexia , Morosi Carlo , Pasquali Sandro , Stacchiotti Silvia , Bagué Silvia , Coindre Jean Michel , Miceli Rosalba , Dei Tos Angelo Paolo , Casali Paolo Giovanni
Published: January 2024

PURPOSE

A randomized trial was conducted to compare neoadjuvant standard (S) anthracycline + ifosfamide (AI) regimen with histology-tailored (HT) regimen in selected localized high-risk soft tissue sarcoma (STS). The results of the trial demonstrated the superiority of S in all STS histologies except for high-grade myxoid liposarcoma (HG-MLPS) where S and HT appeared to be equivalent. To further evaluate the noninferiority of HT compared with S, the HG-MLPS cohort was expanded.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients had localized high-grade (cellular component >5%; size ≥5 cm; deeply seated) MLPS of extremities or trunk wall. The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS). The secondary end point was overall survival (OS). The trial used a noninferiority Bayesian design, wherein HT would be considered not inferior to S if the posterior probability of the true hazard ratio (HR) being >1.25 was <5%.

RESULTS

From May 2011 to June 2020, 101 patients with HG-MLPS were randomly assigned, 45 to the HT arm and 56 to the S arm. The median follow-up was 66 months (IQR, 37-89). Median size was 107 mm (IQR, 84-143), 106 mm (IQR, 75-135) in the HT arm and 108 mm (IQR, 86-150) in the S arm. At 60 months, the DFS and OS probabilities were 0.86 and 0.73 (HR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.24 to 1.46]; log-rank P = .26 for DFS) and 0.88 and 0.90 (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 0.37 to 3.93]; log-rank P = .77 for OS) in the HT and S arms, respectively. The posterior probability of HR being >1.25 for DFS met the Bayesian monitoring cutoff of <5% (4.93%). This result confirmed the noninferiority of trabectedin to AI suggested in the original study cohort.

CONCLUSION

Trabectedin may be an alternative to standard AI in HG-MLPS of the extremities or trunk when neoadjuvant treatment is a consideration.
Diet and Nutritional Supplementation in Patients With Cancer: Is More Necessarily Better?
Authors: Dhakal Prajwal , Bhatt Vijaya Raj
Published: January 2024

This editorial and the accompanying article summarize evidence-based guidelines that can inform dietary recommendations in oncology practices.
Sex and early-life conditions shape telomere dynamics in an ectotherm
Authors: Hansson Alexander , Wapstra Erik , While Geoffrey M. , Olsson Mats
Published: January 2024

Telomeres, the repetitive DNA regions that protect the ends of chromosomes, and their shortening have been linked to key life history trade-offs among growth, reproduction and lifespan. In contrast to most endotherms, many ectotherms can compensate for telomere shortening throughout life by upregulation of telomerase in somatic tissues. However, during development, marked by rapid growth and an increased sensitivity to extrinsic factors, the upregulation of telomerase may be overwhelmed, resulting in long-term impacts on telomere dynamics. In ectotherms, one extrinsic factor that may play a particularly important role in development is temperature. Here, we investigated the influence of developmental temperature and sex on early-life telomere dynamics in an oviparous ectotherm, Lacerta agilis. While there was no effect of developmental temperature on telomere length at hatching, there were subsequent effects on telomere maintenance capacity, with individuals incubated at warm temperatures exhibiting less telomere maintenance compared with cool-incubated individuals. Telomere dynamics were also sexually dimorphic, with females having longer telomeres and greater telomere maintenance compared with males. We suggest that selection drives this sexual dimorphism in telomere maintenance, in which females maximise their lifetime reproductive success by investing in traits promoting longevity such as maintenance, while males invest in short-term reproductive gains through a polygynous mating behaviour. These early-life effects, therefore, have the potential to mediate life-long changes to life histories.
Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of college students in disposing used masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in DKI Jakarta Province
Authors: Inovasanti Avicenna , Susanna Dewi , Poddar Sandeep , Hermawati Ema , Kusuma Aria
Published: January 2024

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for mask production which has caused the problem of mask waste generating in the environment without being managed. This research was conducted to determine the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and sociodemographic factors with college student behaviours in managing household mask waste in Daerah Khusus Ibukota (DKI) Jakarta Province. Methods This study used a quantitative approach and cross-sectional study design. Data collection was carried out using an online questionnaire consisting of the respondents’ sociodemographic, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. Results The majority of students had high knowledge (63.3%), positive attitudes (52.5%), and good behaviours (50.6%). Statistically, there was a significant relationship between knowledge and behaviours (p = 0.022), but there was no significant relationship between attitudes and behaviours (p = 0.269). In addition, the sociodemographic factor variables showed a significant relationship between place of residence and behaviours (p = 0.008). However, there was no significant relationship between age, gender, education, and study program groups and behaviours (p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that living with family was a dominant factor for bad behaviours (OR 1.664, 95% CI=1.124-2.464), and the second risk factor was the low level of knowledge has a significant relationship with the behaviours of mask waste management at home (OR=1.559, 95% CI=1.044-2.330). Conclusions Students who live alone also show better behaviour compared to students who live with their families. The place of residence variable has the greatest influence on the behaviour of mask waste management at the household, followed by the knowledge variable.
Perioperative management in haemophilia with extended half-life factors: a case series
Authors: Khurana Harshit , Prasad Verma Shailendra
Published: January 2024

Hemophilia B is a hereditary bleeding disorder characterized by deficient or defective coagulation factor IX, leading to a propensity for recurrent bleeding episodes, particularly in the joints. Management of Hemophilia B in surgical settings poses unique challenges due to the risk of excessive bleeding. This paper presents a series of two cases that demonstrate the effective use of perioperative extended half-life (EHL) factor IX products, specifically N9-GP (Refixia), in the surgical management of Hemophilia B. The cases include total knee replacement and total hip replacement. In each case, early initiation of EHL was observed to maintain adequate factor IX levels and control perioperative bleeding effectively, leading to successful surgical outcomes. These findings support the growing body of evidence suggesting the advantages of EHL perioperative treatment in patients with Hemophilia B, particularly in preparation for surgery. The implementation of EHL factor IX products as part of perioperative management plans may contribute to improved surgical outcomes and overall quality of life in Hemophilia B patients.
The possibility of spatial mapping of SOC content in olive groves under integrated production using easy-to-obtain ancillary data in a Mediterranean area
Authors: Blanco Velázquez Francisco José , Shahabi Mahmoud , Rezaei Hossein , González-Peñaloza Félix , Shahbazi Farzin , Anaya-Romero María
Published: January 2024

Background Unlike most of Europe, Andalucía in southern Spain as a Mediterranean area still lacks digital maps of SOC content provided by machine learning algorithms. The wide diversity of climate, geology, hydrology, landscape, topography, vegetation, and micro-relief data as easy-to-obtain covariates facilitated the development of digital soil mapping (DSM). The purpose of this research is to model and map the spatial distribution of SOC at three depths, in an area of approximately 10000 km2 located in Seville and Cordoba Provinces, and to use R programming to compare two machine learning techniques (cubist and random forest) for developing SOC maps at multiple depths. Methods Environmental covariates used in this research include nine derivatives from digital elevation models (DEM), three climatic variables and finally eighteen remotely-sensed spectral data (band ratios calculated by the acquired Landsat-8 OLI and Sentinel-2A MSI in July 2019). In total, 300 soil samples from 100 points were taken (0-25 cm). The purpose of this research is to model and map the spatial distribution of SOC, in an area with approximately 10000 km2 located in Seville and Cordoba Provinces, and to compare two machine learning techniques (cubist and random forest) by R programming. Results The findings showed that the novel approach for integrating the indices using Landsat-8 OLI and Sentinel-2A MSI satellite data had a better result. Conclusions Finally, we obtained evidence that the resolution of satellite images is more important in modelling and digital mapping.
A rare case of P63-negative sinonasal NUT midline carcinoma in the elderly: Nut Midline Carcinoma
Authors: Qayum Anum , Khan Malik Waleed Zeb , Arshad Abdul Rehman , Hasnain Samar , Tariq Muhammad Danyal , Khan Salman , Ullah Shakir
Published: January 2024

A nuclear protein in testis (NUT) midline carcinoma arises from squamous cells and is often located in the head, neck, and lungs. This report focuses on the negative p63 mutation and older age at the diagnosis of a NUT carcinoma, which has significant prognostic implications. A 62-year-old patient presented initially with a three-year history of recurring frontal headaches, intermittent nasal bleeding, and a sensation of a nasal cavity mass. An incisional biopsy revealed a poorly differentiated NUT carcinoma in the left maxillary sinus. A functional endoscopic sinus surgery was performed, but the cancer recurred. As a result, a total maxillectomy was performed, and the patient was declared cancer-free with no evidence of residual disease. This is a rare instance of a p63-negative midline NUT cell carcinoma (NCC) in an elderly patient, which could potentially contribute to a more favourable prognosis and longer survival compared to other reported cases.
Emergencia climática y empleo, un reto que no podemos ignorar en salud laboral
Authors: Benavides Fernando
Published: January 2024

Más de 200 revistas científicas de todo el mundo han solicitado a las Naciones Unidas que declare la emergencia sanitaria global antes de la próxima Asamblea de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), prevista para mayo de 2024