bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of dignity therapy on psychological distress and wellbeing of palliative care patients and family caregivers – a randomized controlled study
Authors: Seiler Annina , Amann Manuel , Hertler Caroline , Christ Sebastian M. , Schettle Markus , Kaeppeli Barbara Meier , Jung-Amstutz Judith , Nigg Christel , Pestalozzi Bernhard C. , Imesch Patrick , Dummer Reinhard , Blum David , Jenewein Josef
Published: March 2024

Background

This study extended the original Dignity Therapy (DT) intervention by including partners and family caregivers (FCs) of terminally-ill cancer patients with the overall aim of evaluating whether DT can mitigate distress in both patients nearing the end of life and their FCs.

Methods

In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial (RCT), a total of 68 patients with life expectancy < 6 months and clinically-relevant stress levels (Hospital Anxiety Depression total score; HADStot ≥ 8) including their FCs were randomly assigned to DT, DT + (including their FCs), or standard palliative care (SPC) in a 1:1:1 ratio. Study participants were asked to complete a set of questionnaires pre- and post-intervention.

Results

The coalesced group (DT and DT +) revealed a significant increase in patients’ perceived quality of life (FACIT-Pal-14) following the intervention (mean difference 6.15, SD = 1.86, p < 0.01). We found a statistically significant group-by-time interaction effect: while the HADStot of patients in the intervention group remained stable over the pre-post period, the control group’s HADStot increased (F = 4.33, df = 1, 82.9; p < 0.05), indicating a protective effect of DT. Most patients and their FCs found DT useful and would recommend it to other individuals in their situation.

Conclusions

The DT intervention has been well-received and shows the potential to increase HRQoL and prevent further mental health deterioration, illness burden and suffering in terminally-ill patients. The DT intervention holds the potential to serve as a valuable tool for facilitating end-of-life conversations among terminally-ill patients and their FCs. However, the implementation of DT within the framework of a RCT in a palliative care setting poses significant challenges. We suggest a slightly modified and less resource-intensive version of DT that is to provide the DT inventory to FCs of terminally-ill patients, empowering them to ask the questions that matter most to them over their loved one’s final days.

Trial registration

This study was registered with Clinical Trial Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov -Protocol Record NCT02646527; date of registration: 04/01/2016). The CONSORT 2010 guidelines were used for properly reporting how the randomized trial was conducted.
Measuring the quality of transitional care based on elderly patients’ experiences with the partners at care transitions measure: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Liu La-Mei , Zhuansun Meng-Yao , Xu Tong-Yao , Qian Yu-Meng , Zhang Hui-Qin , Zhang Qi-Han , Zhang Yi-Zhen
Published: March 2024

Background

The quality of transitional care is closely related to the health outcomes of patients, and understanding the status of transitional care for patients is crucial to improving the health outcomes of patients. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the quality of transitional care in elderly patients with chronic diseases and analyze its influencing factors, to provide a basis for improving transitional care services.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study. We used the Chinese version of the Partners at Care Transitions Measure (PACT-M) to survey patients with chronic diseases aged 60 years and older who were about to be discharged from five tertiary hospitals in Henan and Shanxi provinces. We used the mean ± standard deviation to describe the quality of transitional care, t-test or one-way ANOVA, and regression analysis to explore the factors affecting the quality of transitional care for patients.

Results

182 elderly patients with chronic diseases aged ≥ 60 years completed the PACT-M survey. The scores of PACT-M1 and PACT-M2 were (30.69 ± 7.87) and (25.59 ± 7.14) points, respectively. The results of the t-test or one-way ANOVA showed that the patient’s marital status, ethnicity, religion, educational level, preretirement occupation, residence, household income per month, and living situation had an impact on the quality of transitional care for elderly patients with chronic diseases (P < 0.05). The results of regression analyses showed that patients’ preretirement occupation, social support, and health status were the main influences on the quality of transitional care for elderly patients with chronic diseases (P < 0.05), and they explained 63.1% of the total variance.

Conclusions

The quality of transitional care for older patients with chronic illnesses during the transition from hospital to home needs further improvement. Factors affecting the quality of transitional care included patients’ pre-retirement occupation, social support, and health status. We can improve the hospital-community-family tertiary linkage service to provide coordinated and continuous transitional care for patients based on their occupation, health status, and social support to enhance the quality of transitional care and the patient’s health.
Improved emotion differentiation under reduced acoustic variability of speech in autism
Authors: Duville Mathilde Marie , Alonso-Valerdi Luz María , Ibarra-Zarate David I.
Published: March 2024

Background

Socio-emotional impairments are among the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the actual knowledge has substantiated both altered and intact emotional prosodies recognition. Here, a Bayesian framework of perception is considered suggesting that the oversampling of sensory evidence would impair perception within highly variable environments. However, reliable hierarchical structures for spectral and temporal cues would foster emotion discrimination by autistics.

Methods

Event-related spectral perturbations (ERSP) extracted from electroencephalographic (EEG) data indexed the perception of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, neutral, and sadness prosodies while listening to speech uttered by (a) human or (b) synthesized voices characterized by reduced volatility and variability of acoustic environments. The assessment of mechanisms for perception was extended to the visual domain by analyzing the behavioral accuracy within a non-social task in which dynamics of precision weighting between bottom-up evidence and top-down inferences were emphasized. Eighty children (mean 9.7 years old; standard deviation 1.8) volunteered including 40 autistics. The symptomatology was assessed at the time of the study via the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition, and parents’ responses on the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales. A mixed within-between analysis of variance was conducted to assess the effects of group (autism versus typical development), voice, emotions, and interaction between factors. A Bayesian analysis was implemented to quantify the evidence in favor of the null hypothesis in case of non-significance. Post hoc comparisons were corrected for multiple testing.

Results

Autistic children presented impaired emotion differentiation while listening to speech uttered by human voices, which was improved when the acoustic volatility and variability of voices were reduced. Divergent neural patterns were observed from neurotypicals to autistics, emphasizing different mechanisms for perception. Accordingly, behavioral measurements on the visual task were consistent with the over-precision ascribed to the environmental variability (sensory processing) that weakened performance. Unlike autistic children, neurotypicals could differentiate emotions induced by all voices.

Conclusions

This study outlines behavioral and neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin responses to sensory variability. Neurobiological insights into the processing of emotional prosodies emphasized the potential of acoustically modified emotional prosodies to improve emotion differentiation by autistics.

Trial registration

BioMed Central ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN18117434. Registered on September 20, 2020.
Alterations of lung microbiota in lung transplant recipients with pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia
Authors: Lian Qiaoyan , Song Xiuling , Yang Juhua , Wang Lulin , Xu Peihang , Wang Xiaohua , Xu Xin , Yang Bin , He Jianxing , Ju Chunrong
Published: March 2024

Background

Increasing evidence revealed that lung microbiota dysbiosis was associated with pulmonary infection in lung transplant recipients (LTRs). Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that frequently causes lethal pneumonia in LTRs. However, the lung microbiota in LTRs with P. jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) remains unknow.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, we performed metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) on 72 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from 61 LTRs (20 with PJP, 22 with PJC, 19 time-matched stable LTRs, and 11 from LTRs after PJP recovery). We compared the lung microbiota composition of LTRs with and without P. jirovecii, and analyzed the related clinical variables.

Results

BALFs collected at the episode of PJP showed a more discrete distribution with a lower species diversity, and microbiota composition differed significantly compared to P. jirovecii colonization (PJC) and control group. Human gammaherpesvirus 4, Phreatobacter oligotrophus, and Pseudomonas balearica were the differential microbiota species between the PJP and the other two groups. The network analysis revealed that most species had a positive correlation, while P. jirovecii was correlated negatively with 10 species including Acinetobacter venetianus, Pseudomonas guariconensis, Paracandidimonas soli, Acinetobacter colistiniresistens, and Castellaniella defragrans, which were enriched in the control group. The microbiota composition and diversity of BALF after PJP recovery were also different from the PJP and control groups, while the main components of the PJP recovery similar to control group. Clinical variables including age, creatinine, total protein, albumin, IgG, neutrophil, lymphocyte, CD3+CD45+, CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T cells were deeply implicated in the alterations of lung microbiota in LTRs.

Conclusions

This study suggests that LTRs with PJP had altered lung microbiota compared to PJC, control, and after recovery groups. Furthermore, lung microbiota is related to age, renal function, nutritional and immune status in LTRs.
Association between triglyceride-glucose index and intracranial/extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis: findings from a retrospective study
Authors: Xie Yu , Cen Kuan , Dan Bitang , Zou Li , Zhang Lei , Zhang Renwei , Li Huagang , Cai Qi , Aiziretiaili Nadire , Liu Zhenxing , Liu Yumin
Published: March 2024

Objective

The association of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) and extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ECAS) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of TyG index with the distribution and severity of ICAS and ECAS.

Method

Patients who underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for evaluating ICAS/ECAS in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2017 to October 2021 were retrospectively enrolled in our study. Clinical characteristics, DSA data, blood routine, lipid profile and fasting glucose were recorded. The association of TyG index and ICAS/ECAS status were investigated in four aspects: location and distribution of stenosis, stenosis severity and whether stenosis is symptomatic. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association. Restricted cubic splines were constructed to model the non-linear relationship between the TyG index and different arterial stenosis status.

Results

Among 1129 included patients, the median age was 62 (IQR 55–68) years, and 71.3% were male. The median TyG index was 8.81 (8.40, 9.21). Elevated TyG index was significantly associated with ICAS, combined ICAS/ECAS, anterior circulation stenosis, posterior circulation stenosis, combined anterior/posterior circulation stenosis, severe stenosis, both asymptomatic and symptomatic stenosis. This association was maintained after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, drinking, medical history of hypertension and stroke, platelet, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein. Multivariable-adjusted spline regression models showed that a progressively increasing risk of arterial stenosis was related to an elevated TyG index.

Conclusion

Elevated TyG index was associated with ICAS/ECAS. TyG index might be a useful indicator of ICAS and severe stenosis.
Development of hybrid biomicroparticles: cellulose exposing functionalized fusion proteins
Authors: Żebrowska Joanna , Mucha Piotr , Prusinowski Maciej , Krefft Daria , Żylicz-Stachula Agnieszka , Deptuła Milena , Skoniecka Aneta , Tymińska Agata , Zawrzykraj Małgorzata , Zieliński Jacek , Pikuła Michał , Skowron Piotr M.
Published: March 2024

Background

One of the leading current trends in technology is the miniaturization of devices to the microscale and nanoscale. The highly advanced approaches are based on biological systems, subjected to bioengineering using chemical, enzymatic and recombinant methods. Here we have utilised the biological affinity towards cellulose of the cellulose binding domain (CBD) fused with recombinant proteins.

Results

Here we focused on fusions with ‘artificial’, concatemeric proteins with preprogrammed functions, constructed using DNA FACE™ technology. Such CBD fusions can be efficiently attached to micro-/nanocellulose to form functional, hybrid bionanoparticles. Microcellulose (MCC) particles were generated by a novel approach to enzymatic hydrolysis using Aspergillus sp. cellulase. The interaction between the constructs components – MCC, CBD and fused concatemeric proteins – was evaluated. Obtaining of hybrid biomicroparticles of a natural cellulose biocarrier with proteins with therapeutic properties, fused with CBD, was confirmed. Further, biological tests on the hybrid bioMCC particles confirmed the lack of their cytotoxicity on 46BR.1 N fibroblasts and human adipose derived stem cells (ASCs). The XTT analysis showed a slight inhibition of the proliferation of 46BR.1 N fibroblasts and ACSs cells stimulated with the hybrid biomicroparticles. However, in both cases no changes in the morphology of the examined cells after incubation with the hybrid biomicroparticles’ MCC were detected.

Conclusions

Microcellulose display with recombinant proteins involves utilizing cellulose, a natural polymer found in plants, as a platform for presenting or displaying proteins. This approach harnesses the structural properties of cellulose to express or exhibit various recombinant proteins on its surface. It offers a novel method for protein expression, presentation, or immobilization, enabling various applications in biotechnology, biomedicine, and other fields. Microcellulose shows promise in biomedical fields for wound healing materials, drug delivery systems, tissue engineering scaffolds, and as a component in bio-sensors due to its biocompatibility and structural properties.
Production, characterization and biomedical potential of biosurfactants produced by haloalkaliphilic archaea from Wadi El-Natrun, Egypt
Authors: Alghamrawy Basma T. , Hegazy Ghada E. , Sabry Soraya A. , Ghozlan Hanan
Published: March 2024

Extreme halophilic archaea that can live in high saline environments can offer potential applications in different biotechnological fields. This study delves into the fascinating field of halophilic archaea and their ability to produce biosurfactants. Some strains of haloarchaea were isolated from Wadi El-Natrun and were screened for biosurfactants production in a standard basal medium using emulsification index assay. Two strains were chosen as the potential strains for surface tension reduction. They were identified as Natrialba sp. BG1 and N3. The biosurfactants production was optimized and the produced emulsifiers were partially purified and identified using FTIR and NMR. Sequential statistical optimization, Plackett–Burman (PB) and Box–Behnken Designs (BBD) were carried out using 5 factors: oil, NaCl, casamino acids, pH, and inoculum size. The most significant factors were used for the next Response Surface Methodology experiment. The final optimal conditions for biosurfactants production were the inoculum size 2% pH 11 and NaCl 250 g/L, for Natrialba sp. BG1 and inoculum size 2.2%, pH 10 and NaCl 100 g/L for Natrialba sp. N3. The produced biosurfactants were tested for wound healing and the results indicated that Natrialba sp. BG1 biosurfactants is more efficient than Natrialba sp. N3 biosurfactants. Biosurfactants extracts were tested for their cytotoxic effects on normal cell line as well as on different cancer cells using MTT assay. The findings demonstrated that varying concentrations of the biosurfactants (31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 µg/mL) exhibited cytotoxic effects on the cell lines being tested. Additionally, the outcomes unveiled the presence of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties for both biosurfactants. Consequently, they could potentially serve as natural, safe, and efficient novel agents for combating cancer, promoting wound healing, and providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
Different divergence processes of isoglosses of folk nomenclature between wild trees and rice landraces imply the need for different conservation planning based on the type of plant resources
Authors: Tokuoka Yoshinori , Seo Mincheol , Hayakawa Hiroshi , Yamasaki Fukuhiro , Kimura Kenichiro , Takashima Kenji , Hashigoe Kiyokazu , Matsui Hiromitsu , Oka Mitsunori
Published: March 2024

Background

The intensification of production and socio-economic changes have accelerated the loss of local traditional knowledge and plant resources. Understanding the distribution and determinants of such biocultural diversity is essential in planning efficient surveys and conservation efforts. Because the concept of biocultural diversity in socio-ecological adaptive systems comprises biological, cultural, and linguistic diversity, linguistic information should serve as a surrogate for the distribution of local biological and cultural diversity. In this study, we spatio-linguistically evaluated the names of local trees and rice landraces recorded in Ehime Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

Methods

Hierarchical clustering was performed separately for the names of local trees and rice landraces. By considering innate flora differences and species having multiple local names, a novel distance index was adopted for local tree names. For the names of rice landraces, Jaccard distance was adopted. V-measure and factor detector analysis were used to evaluate the spatial association between the isogloss maps of the folk nomenclature derived from the clustering and multiple thematic maps.

Results

Local tree names showed stronger spatial association with geographical factors than rice landrace names. One folk nomenclature group of trees overlapped well with the slash-and-burn cultivation area, suggesting a link between the naming of trees and the traditional production system. In contrast, rice landraces exhibited stronger associations with folklore practices. Moreover, influences of road networks and pilgrimages on rice landraces indicated the importance of human mobility and traditional rituals on rice seed transfer. High homogeneity and low completeness in the V-measure analysis indicated that the names of local trees and rice landraces were mostly homogenous within current municipalities and were shared with a couple of adjacent municipalities. The isogloss maps help to illustrate how the biological and cultural diversity of wild trees and rice landraces are distributed. They also help to identify units for inter-municipal collaboration for effective conservation of traditional knowledge related to those plant resources and traditional rice varieties themselves.

Conclusions

Our spatio-linguistic evaluation indicated that complex geographical and sociological processes influence the formation of plant folk nomenclature groups and implies a promising approach using quantitative lexico-statistical analysis to help to identify areas for biocultural diversity conservation.
Trials that turn from retrospectively registered to prospectively registered: a cohort study of “retroactively prospective” clinical trial registration using history data
Authors: Holst Martin , Carlisle Benjamin Gregory
Published: March 2024

Background

Prospective registration of clinical trials is mandated by various regulations. However, clinical trial registries like ClinicalTrials.gov allow registry entries to be updated at any time, and key study elements, including the start date, may change before the first patient is enrolled. If a trial changes its start date after recruiting began, however, it may indicate a reason for concern. This study aimed to measure the rate of “retroactively prospective” trials. This refers to trials that are originally registered retrospectively, with the start date before the registration date, but that retroactively change their start date to be after the registration date, making them appear as if they were prospectively registered.

Methods

We retrieved clinical trial history data for all clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with a first registration date in the year 2015 (N = 11,908). Using automated analyses, we determined the timepoints of registration in relation to the start date of the trial over time. For retroactively prospective trials and a set of control trials, we manually checked the accompanying publications to determine which start date they report and whether they report changes to the start date.

Results

We found 235 clinical trials to be retroactively prospective, comprising 2.0% of all clinical trials in our sample of 11,908 trials. Among the 113 retroactively prospective clinical trials with an accompanying publication, 12 (10.6%) explicitly stated in the publication that they had been prospectively registered.

Conclusions

Retroactively prospective trial registration happens in one in 50 trials. While these changes to the start date could be mistakes or legitimate edits based on the most up-to-date information, they could also indicate a retrospectively registered trial that has been made to appear as a prospectively registered trial, which would lead to biases unapparent to reviewers. Our results point to the need for more transparent reporting of changes to a trial’s details and have implications for the review and conduct of clinical trials, with our fully automated and freely available tools allowing reviewers or editors to detect these changes.

Trial registration

The preregistered protocol of our study is available via https://osf.io/rvq53. The most recent version of the protocol lists all deviations from the original study plan, including the rationale behind the changes, and additional analyses that were conducted.
Predictive effect of triglyceride-glucose index on No-Reflow Phenomenon in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and acute myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Ma Juan , Wang Mohan , Wu Peng , Ma Xueping , Chen Dapeng , Jia Shaobin , Yan Ning
Published: March 2024

Objective

Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is considered as a new alternative marker of insulin resistance and a clinical predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with coronary artery disease. However, the prognostic value of TyG index on No-Reflow (NR) Phenomenon in T2DM patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 1683 patients with T2DM and AMI underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were consecutively included between January 2014 and December 2019. The study population was divided into two groups as follows: Reflow (n = 1277) and No-reflow (n = 406) group. The TyG index was calculated as the ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL)×fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/2].Multivariable logistic regression models and receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis were conducted to predict the possible risk of no-reflow. Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) and Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI) were calculated to determine the ability of the TyG index to contribute to the baseline risk model.

Results

Multivariable logistic regression models revealed that the TyG index was positively associated with NR[OR,95%CI:5.03,(2.72,9.28),p<0.001] in patients with T2DM and AMI. The area under the curve (AUC) of the TyG index predicting the occurrence of NR was 0.645 (95% CI 0.615–0.673; p < 0.001)], with the cut-off value of 8.98. The addition of TyG index to a baseline risk model had an incremental effect on the predictive value for NR [net reclassification improvement (NRI): 0.077(0.043to 0.111), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI): 0.070 (0.031to 0.108), all p < 0.001].

Conclusions

High TyG index was associated with an increased risk of no-reflow after PCI in AMI patients with T2DM. The TyG index may be a valid predictor of NR phenomenon of patients with T2DM and AMI. Early recognition of NR is critical to improve outcomes with AMI and T2DM patients.
Psychometric properties of the exercise addiction inventory (EAI) questionnaire among physically active young adults
Authors: Khoshro Sahar , Farhangi Mahdieh Abbasalizad , Jahangiry Leila
Published: March 2024

Background

Exercise addiction (EA) is a pathological behavior pattern in which a person loses control over his exercise habits and exercises excessively and suffers negative consequences for his health and even his social life. One of the best tools to measure EA is EAI. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the EAI among Iranian physically active young adults.

Methods

Participants were randomly selected from sports clubs in Tabriz, Iran. A total of 200 questionnaires were completed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted along with tests of convergent validity. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest methods.

Results

EFA indicated a one-factor structure explaining 40.43% of variance. CFA confirmed the one-factor model with good fit (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = 0.076; Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.968). Internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71) and convergent validity was adequate. Test-retest reliability was also adequate (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.71).

Conclusion

The results of our study show that the Persian EAI has satisfactory psychometric properties and can be used as a valid tool to assess EA.
A new workflow for the effective curation of membrane permeability data from open ADME information
Authors: Esaki Tsuyoshi , Yonezawa Tomoki , Ikeda Kazuyoshi
Published: March 2024

Membrane permeability is an in vitro parameter that represents the apparent permeability (Papp) of a compound, and is a key absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion parameter in drug development. Although the Caco-2 cell lines are the most used cell lines to measure Papp, other cell lines, such as the Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK), LLC-Pig Kidney 1 (LLC-PK1), and Ralph Russ Canine Kidney (RRCK) cell lines, can also be used to estimate Papp. Therefore, constructing in silico models for Papp estimation using the MDCK, LLC-PK1, and RRCK cell lines requires collecting extensive amounts of in vitro Papp data. An open database offers extensive measurements of various compounds covering a vast chemical space; however, concerns were reported on the use of data published in open databases without the appropriate accuracy and quality checks. Ensuring the quality of datasets for training in silico models is critical because artificial intelligence (AI, including deep learning) was used to develop models to predict various pharmacokinetic properties, and data quality affects the performance of these models. Hence, careful curation of the collected data is imperative. Herein, we developed a new workflow that supports automatic curation of Papp data measured in the MDCK, LLC-PK1, and RRCK cell lines collected from ChEMBL using KNIME. The workflow consisted of four main phases. Data were extracted from ChEMBL and filtered to identify the target protocols. A total of 1661 high-quality entries were retained after checking 436 articles. The workflow is freely available, can be updated, and has high reusability. Our study provides a novel approach for data quality analysis and accelerates the development of helpful in silico models for effective drug discovery. Scientific Contribution: The cost of building highly accurate predictive models can be significantly reduced by automating the collection of reliable measurement data. Our tool reduces the time and effort required for data collection and will enable researchers to focus on constructing high-performance in silico models for other types of analysis. To the best of our knowledge, no such tool is available in the literature.
Performance evaluation of distributed multi-agent IoT monitoring based on intelligent reflecting surface
Authors: Sun Ying , Huang Jiajia , Wei Fusheng
Published: March 2024

The advent of intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) technology has revolutionized the landscape of wireless communication systems, offering promising opportunities for enhancing the performance of Internet of Things (IoT) applications. This paper presents a comprehensive performance evaluation of multi-agent IoT monitoring systems leveraging IRS technology. We focus on three criteria for selecting IRS units and assess the impact on system performance. Specifically, we analyze the system performance by deriving an outage probability expression for each criterion. Our study begins by introducing the concept of IRS and its role in IoT monitoring. We then present three IRS unit selection criteria: optimal selection (OS), partial selection (PS), and random selection (RS). For each criterion, we mathematically model and analyze the system outage probability, shedding light on the reliability and connectivity of IoT devices. The outage probability expressions derived in this work offer valuable insights into the trade-offs associated with IRS unit selection criteria in the context of IoT monitoring. Additionally, our findings contribute to the optimization of multi-agent IoT monitoring systems, enabling improved communication performance and enhanced reliability.
Exploring an application-oriented land-based hyperspectral target detection framework based on 3D–2D CNN and transfer learning
Authors: Zhao Jiale , Wang Guanglong , Zhou Bing , Ying Jiaju , Liu Jie
Published: March 2024

Target detection based on hyperspectral images refers to the integrated use of spatial information and spectral information to accomplish the task of localization and identification of targets. There are two main methods for hyperspectral target detection: supervised and unsupervised methods. Supervision method refers to the use of spectral differences between the target to be tested and the surrounding background to identify the target when the target spectrum is known. In ideal situations, supervised object detection algorithms perform better than unsupervised algorithms. However, the current supervised object detection algorithms mainly have two problems: firstly, the impact of uncertainty in the ground object spectrum, and secondly, the universality of the algorithm is poor. A hyperspectral target detection framework based on 3D–2D CNN and transfer learning was proposed to solve the problems of traditional supervised methods. This method first extracts multi-scale spectral information and then preprocesses hyperspectral images using multiple spectral similarity measures. This method not only extracts spectral features in advance, but also eliminates the influence of complex environments to a certain extent. The preprocessed feature maps are used as input for 3D–2D CNN to deeply learn the features of the target, and then, the softmax method is used to output and obtain the detection results. The framework draws on the ideas of integrated learning and transfer learning, solves the spectral uncertainty problem with the combined similarity measure and depth feature extraction network, and solves the problem of poor robustness of traditional algorithms by model migration and parameter sharing. The area under the ROC curve of the proposed method has been increased to over 0.99 in experiments on both publicly available remote sensing hyperspectral images and measured land-based hyperspectral images. The availability and stability of the proposed method have been demonstrated through experiments. A feasible approach has been provided for the development and application of specific target detection technology in hyperspectral images under different backgrounds in the future.
Ubiquitin ligase subunit FBXO9 inhibits V-ATPase assembly and impedes lung cancer metastasis
Authors: Liu Liang , Chen Xiaodong , Wu Leilei , Huang Kaizong , Wang Zhenyi , Zheng Yaolin , Zheng Cheng , Zhang Zhenshan , Chen Jiayan , Wei Jiaming , Chen Song , Jin Weilin , Chen Jinfei , Wei Dongping , Xu Yaping
Published: March 2024

Background

The evolutionarily conserved protein FBXO9 acts as a substrate receptor for the SKP1-cullin-1-RBX1 ubiquitin ligase and is implicated in cancer, exhibiting either tumor-suppressive or oncogenic effects depending on the specific tumor type. However, their role in lung cancer metastasis remains unclear.

Methods

Lentiviral vectors carrying miRNA-based shRNA sequences for gene-specific knockdown were generated, and Lenti-CRISPR-Cas9 vectors containing gene-specific sgRNA sequences were designed. Gene overexpression was achieved using doxycycline-inducible lentiviral constructs, while gene knockdown or knockout cells were generated using shRNA and CRISPR-Cas9, respectively. Functional assays included migration, clonogenic survival assays, tumor sphere assays, and protein interaction studies using mass spectrometry, immunoprecipitation, and immunoblot analysis.

Results

This study identified FBXO9 as a crucial regulator that suppresses lung cancer cell migration, tumor sphere growth and restricts metastasis. We showed that FBXO9 facilitates the ubiquitination of the catalytic subunit A (ATP6V1A) of the Vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (V-ATPase), resulting in its interaction with the cytoplasmic chaperone HSPA8 and subsequent sequestration within the cytoplasm. This process hinders the assembly of functional V-ATPase, resulting in reduced vesicular acidification. In contrast, depletion of FBXO9 reduced ATP6V1A ubiquitination, resulting in increased V-ATPase assembly and vesicular acidification, thus promoting pro-metastatic Wnt signaling and metastasis of lung cancer cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated the effectiveness of inhibitors targeting V-ATPase in inhibiting lung cancer metastasis in a mouse model. Finally, we established a correlation between lower FBXO9 levels and poorer survival outcomes in patients with lung cancer.

Conclusion

These findings collectively elucidate the critical role of FBXO9 in regulating V-ATPase assembly and provide a molecular basis for FBXO9’s function in inhibiting lung cancer metastasis. This highlights the potential therapeutic opportunities of FBXO9 supplementation.
Academic grit scale for Chinese middle- and upper-grade primary school students: testing its factor structure and measurement invariance
Authors: Lin Rongmao , Chen Yanping , Shen Yilin , Hu Ting , Huang Ying , Yang Yishan , Yu Xueting , Ding Jinliang
Published: March 2024

The Academic Grit Scale (AGS) is a novel measure of academic-specific grit. However, its factor structure and measurement invariance have yet to be thoroughly supported. The present study tested the factor structure and measurement invariance of the AGS with a large sample of early adolescents (aged 9–14 years) from China (N = 1,894). The bifactor model showed that the AGS was predominately accounted for by the general factor rather than the domain-specific factors; the parallel model from the AGS’s one-factor model showed good fit indices; thus, the AGS should be described as a univocal solution and reported as the total score. Gender and grade measurement invariance were supported at a scalar level, warranting further mean difference comparisons. In addition, academic grit was significantly associated with positive academic emotions and academic achievement, yielding evidence of good criteria-related validity. The current study contributes additional evidence to the construct validity of the Chinese version of the AGS among middle- and upper-grade primary school students in China.
Enhanced enzymatic sugar production from corn stover by combination of water extraction and glycerol-assisted instant catapult steam explosion
Authors: Wang Fengqin , Dong Hongli , Yu Weiwei , Gao Yinling , Mao Guotao , An Yanxia , Xie Hui , Song Andong , Zhang Zhanying
Published: March 2024

Glycerol-assisted instant catapult steam explosion (ICSE) of lignocellulose is an effective pretreatment method for enhancing sugar production compared to glycerol-free ICSE. In this study, glycerol-assisted ICSE of corn stover was studied in order to understand the reaction mechanisms and further optimize the process. Results showed that water extraction of corn stover prior to ICSE reduced pseudo-lignin formation. The combination of water extraction and glycerol-assisted ICSE led to the formation of lignin with a lower molecular weight (Mw) of 2851 g/mol than 3521 g/mole of that from the combination of water extraction and glycerol-free ICSE. 1H-13C NMR analysis revealed that glycerol likely reacted with lignin carboxylic OHs through esterification while etherification of aliphatic OHs was not observed in ICSE. These lignin analyses indicated that glycerol protected lignin from condensation/repolymerization during glycerol-assisted ICSE. Enzymatic hydrolysis results showed that without water extraction increasing glycerol usage from 0.2 kg/kg stover to 0.4 kg/kg stover improved glucan digestibility to 78% but further increase to 0.5 kg/kg stover reduced glucan digestibility. In addition, at the glycerol usage of 0.2–0.4 kg/kg stover, washing of pretreated stover for removal of glycerol and other biomass-derived compounds did not improve glucan digestibility compared to unwashed ones. Combination of water extraction and glycerol-assisted ICSE led to a high glucan digestibility of 89.7% and a total glucose yield of 25.5 g glucose/100 g stover, which were 30.1% and 7.5 g/100 g stover higher than those derived from glycerol-free ICSE of stover, respectively. Since glycerol is a low-cost carbon source, the resulting enzymatic hydrolysate that contained both glucose and glycerol may be directly used to produce bioproducts by microbial fermentation.

Graphical Abstract
Analysis methods for deformation detection using TLS and UAS data on the example of a landslide simulation
Authors: Becker Denise , Raddatz Laura , Roussel Cédric , Klonowski Jörg
Published: March 2024

Geodetic monitoring measurements (e.g., of terrain surfaces) are used to detect deformations. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) equipped with lightweight cameras are often utilized for land surveying, resulting in point clouds that represent the surface of the captured object. For image-based acquisition of the area of interest, point clouds must first be generated from overlapping images, for which the Structure-from-Motion (SfM) method is commonly used. To perform deformation analyses and derive changes from them, at least two temporally different measurement epochs of the same area are required. In this article, we present both point cloud- and feature-based models from TLS and SfM-based UAS point clouds. In addition, an image-based 2D approach using optical flow is applied as an example for landslide simulation to detect changes on object surfaces. To eliminate erroneous results in the analyses due to vegetation areas, the 3D data is filtered using the CANUPO algorithm. The results of this research study show, that the task of deformation detection has some challenges, depending on the use case and the methodology. The point cloud-based methods are suitable to detect pure changes between two point clouds. Also, the direction of these changes can be determined to distinguish between material uplift and downlift. In contrast, the feature-based descriptor (Fast Point Feature Histogram, FPFH) assigns pairs of points between two epochs based on similar geometry in both point clouds therewith individual movements can be detected. However, areas that have changed significantly cannot be assigned. Optical flow shows point changes in similar dimensions to the target deformations and allows deformation analysis with much less computational effort than with 3D point clouds. Considering these findings, point cloud-based method are suitable for determining surface-based information, while the feature-based and image-based methods are capable of extracting local changes.
Evaluation of masticatory efficiency and OHRQoL in implant-retained overdenture with different numbers of implant in the edentulous mandible: a one-year follow-up prospective study
Authors: Sagheb Kawe , Wentaschek Stefan , Bjelopavlovic Monika , Berres Manfred , Díaz Leonardo , Fan Shengchi , Schiegnitz Eik , Al-Nawas Bilal , Sagheb Keyvan
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The aim of this article is to evaluate to the masticatory function performance and Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in implant-retained overdenture compared with different implant number placements in the edentulous mandible.

Methods

From 2013 to 2015, each patients received 3 implants (iSy-Implant, Camlog, Wimsheim, Germany) in intraforaminal mandible (34, 41/31, 44). After operation, inserted implants were gradually loaded and incorporated into an overdenture with a self-aligning attachment system (Locator abutments) in 3 + 3 + 3 months. Five checked points were performed chewing cycle test with multicolored chewing gum and OHIP-G14 questionnaire and a sum score questionnaire as following: pre-operation, one implant load (41/31), two implants loaded (33,43), three implants loaded and 1-year follow up.

Result

A total of 10 patients with 30 implants were placed, the survival rate of the implants was 100% within 1-year follow-up. Regarding the masticatory function analysis, for the higher number of chewing cycles, the higher mixing rate was observed. After 1 year, the inter-mixing rate without significant changes was found compared to the time after three implants were loaded with attachment system. The mean value of OHIP-G14 was 30.4 preoperatively, 21.1 after loading the first locator, 10.7 after loading two locator abutments, and 3.2 after loading all three locator abutments. After 1 year, OHIP-G14 was 2.6 without significantly changed. The mean of the sum score was 15.5 preoperatively, 27.8 after activation of the first locator, 39.4 after activation of two locators, 46.2 after activation of all three locators, and 47.3 after 1 year. An increase of 0.7 sum score units per time point was observed. No significance was detectable, analogous to OHIP-G14, compared to the time of activation of all three locator setups (p-value = 0.22).

Conclusions

A significant improvement in masticatory function performance and OHRQoL was evaluated with the increasing number of implants with locator attachment in edentulous mandible. With the investigation of the OHIP-G14 and sum score, the results of patient report outcome might be associated with the increase in the number of implants.

Graphical abstract
Blue-green urine in traditional medicine consumption: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Lionardi Stevan Kristian , Hengky Antoninus , Haruman Sean Peter
Published: March 2024

Background

Abnormal urine discoloration tends to be concerning for the patient and piques the interest of medical professionals. Different factors can arise in cases of urine turning blue or green. We highlight the necessity of obtaining a thorough history of the patient, particularly regarding previous diets and medications leading up to the condition.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 63-year-old man who presented to the emergency room due to an inability to urinate 6 h prior with suprapubic discomfort. He had been having trouble urinating for the past 2 months. The urine bag had a blue-green urine color after urethral catheterization. Further questioning revealed traditional medicine consumption prior to admission.

Conclusions

Consideration of the patient’s diet, current medications, and any medical conditions or diseases may aid in deducing the causality of urine discoloration. The clinician’s awareness of the effects of certain medications and conditions could have merit in avoiding unnecessary and costly investigations.
Adaptation and feasibility assessment of a dating violence prevention program for girls in foster care
Authors: de Moura Julliane Quevedo , Saratt Manoela Mosena , da Silva Stephanie Caroline Souza , Silva Victória Caroline , Murta Sheila Giardini , Habigzang Luísa Fernanda
Published: March 2024

Background

Dating violence in adolescence is a serious public health issue due to its significant impact on mental health and its significant predictive value for intimate partner violence in adulthood. Universal and selective programs can contribute to the prevention of this issue. Nonetheless, there are few selective programs with evidence of feasibility in contexts of social vulnerability.

Objective

The present study examined evidence of the feasibility of a dating violence selective prevention program for girls in foster care by monitoring process indicators during the implementation phase of a pilot study.

Methods

The program, originally designed for adolescents in the general population, was adapted to the context of girls at risk. The pilot study was conducted in the southern region of Brazil and involved the participation of six girls aged between 15 and 17. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used, and the data were explored through frequency analysis, the Jacobson and Truax test, and content analysis.

Results

The study identified favorable evidence regarding demand, acceptability, and adaptation of the intervention. On the other hand, contextual and institutional barriers hindered recruitment and restricted the reach of the intervention.

Conclusion

Although there are changes to be made to improve the program’s applicability in its specific context, it should be emphasized that this study provides evidence to maintain the methods and content of the intervention.
Cognitive disorders in advanced Parkinson’s disease: challenges in the diagnosis of delirium
Authors: Daniels Christine , Rodríguez-Antigüedad Jon , Jentschke Elisabeth , Kulisevsky Jaime , Volkmann Jens
Published: March 2024

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that is frequently associated with cognitive disorders. These can arise directly from the primary disease, or be triggered by external factors in susceptible individuals due to PD or other predisposing factors. The cognitive disorders encompass PD-associated cognitive impairment (PD-CI), delirium, PD treatment-associated cognitive side effects, cognitive non-motor fluctuations, and PD-associated psychosis. Accurate diagnosis of delirium is crucial because it often stems from an underlying disease that may be severe and require specific treatment. However, overlapping molecular mechanisms are thought to be involved in both delirium and PD, leading to similar clinical symptoms. Additionally, there is a bidirectional interaction between delirium and PD-CI, resulting in frequent concurrent processes that further complicate diagnosis. No reliable biomarker is currently available for delirium, and the diagnosis is primarily based on clinical criteria. However, the screening tools validated for diagnosing delirium in the general population have not been specifically validated for PD. Our review addresses the current challenges in the diagnosis of these cognitive disorders and highlights existing gaps within this field.