bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative Differentiation of Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma From Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: A Nomogram Based on Ultrasonographic Features and Clinical Indicators
Authors: Chen Yanling , Lu Qing , Zhang Weibin , Cao Jiaying , Dong Yi , Wang Wenping
Published: February 2022

Objective

To establish a predictive nomogram to distinguish combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) based on preoperative clinical and ultrasound findings.

Methods

A total of 261 patients with pathologically confirmed primary liver cancers (PLCs) were enrolled in this retrospective study, comprising 87 CHCs, 87 HCCs, and 87 ICCs matched by propensity score matching. Patients were randomly assigned to a training cohort and a validation one at the ratio of 7:3. A nomogram integrating ultrasound imaging characteristics and clinical features was established based on the independent risk factors selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated in the training and validation cohorts in terms of discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness.

Results

The nomogram, consisting of ultrasound imaging features (shape and margin on B-mode ultrasound, enhanced pattern on contrast-enhanced ultrasound) and clinical information [elevated alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level and serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) α1 level], showed promising performance in differentiating CHC from HCC and ICC, with the concordance index (C-index) of 0.8275 and 0.8530 in the training cohort and the validation cohort, respectively. Hosmer–Lemeshow test and the calibration curves suggested good consistency between predictions and observations. High clinical practicability was confirmed by the decision curve analysis.

Conclusions

The nomogram based on clinical and ultrasound imaging characteristics showed good performance in the discrimination of CHC from other subtypes of PLC and would be valuable in clinical decision-making.
Radiomic Analysis of Tumour Heterogeneity Using MRI in Head and Neck Cancer Following Chemoradiotherapy: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Guha Amrita , Anjari Mustafa , Cook Gary , Goh Vicky , Connor Steve
Published: February 2022

Objectives

To evaluate interval changes in heterogeneity on diffusion-weighted apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps and T1-weighted post-gadolinium (T1w post gad) MRI in head and neck carcinoma (HNSCC), with and without chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) response.

Methods

This prospective observational cohort study included 24 participants (20 men, age 62.9 ± 8.8 years) with stage III and IV HNSCC. The primary tumour (n = 23) and largest lymph node (n = 22) dimensions, histogram parameters and grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) parameters were measured on ADC maps and T1w post gad sequences, performed pretreatment and 6 and 12 weeks post CRT. The 2-year treatment response at primary and nodal sites was recorded. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare interval changes in parameters after stratifying for treatment response and failure (p < 0.001 statistical significance).

Results

23/23 primary tumours and 18/22 nodes responded to CRT at 2 years. Responding HNSCC demonstrated a significant interval change in ADC histogram parameters (kurtosis, coefficient of variation, entropy, energy for primary tumour; kurtosis for nodes) and T1w post gad GLCM (entropy and contrast in the primary tumour and nodes) by 6 weeks post CRT (p < 0.001). Lymph nodes with treatment failure did not demonstrate an interval alteration in heterogeneity parameters.

Conclusions

ADC maps and T1w post gad MRI demonstrate the evolution of heterogeneity parameters in successfully treated HNSCC by 6 weeks post CRT; however, this is not observed in lymph nodes failing treatment.

Advances in Knowledge

Early reduction in heterogeneity is demonstrated on MRI when HNSCC responds to CRT.
The Research Progress in Physiological and Pathological Functions of TRAF4
Authors: Ruan Xueqin , Zhang Rong , Li Ruijuan , Zhu Hongkai , Wang Zhihua , Wang Canfei , Cheng Zhao , Peng Hongling
Published: February 2022

Tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) is a member of the TRAF protein family, a cytoplasmic bridging molecule closely associated with various immune functions. The physiological processes of TRAF4 are mainly involved in embryonic development, cell polarity, cell proliferation, apoptosis, regulation of reactive oxygen species production. TRAF4 is overexpressed in a variety of tumors and regulates the formation and development of a variety of tumors. In this review, we summarize the physiological and pathological regulatory functions of TRAF4 and focus on understanding the biological processes involved in this gene, to provide a reference for further studies on the role of this gene in tumorigenesis and development.
Health Problems in Individuals With PWS Are Associated With Lower Quality of Life for Their Parents: A Snapshot in the Brazilian Population
Authors: Amaro Alexandre Slowetzky , Rubin Daniela Andrea , Teixeira Maria Cristina Triguero Veloz , Ferreira Arcenio José , Rodrigues Graciele Massoli , Carreiro Luiz Renato Rodrigues
Published: February 2022

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder requiring interdisciplinary team monitoring and intensive care by parents. So far there is little information on people with PWS in Brazil. Our aim was to describe health problems and treatments used by people with PWS in Brazil and their relationship to their parents' quality of life. Parents answered questionnaires about their child's medical and exercise history, behavior problems, sociodemographic characteristics, and their own quality of life. Results: The responses of the participants showed similar health problems as in other countries. Anxiety and tantrums were the behavioral problems most commonly cited by parents. Parents of people with PWS had lower scores in respect of quality of life than the Brazilian population. Behavioral problems in individuals with PWS were negatively associated with their parents' quality of life. Behavioral and medical conditions in the children were associated with reduced quality of life in the parents. We conclude that heath care should not only be directed toward those with PWS, but also their parents.
Identification of lncRNA Signature of Tumor-Infiltrating T Lymphocytes With Potential Implications for Prognosis and Chemotherapy of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Liping , Yang Gui , Liu Guohong , Pan Yunbao
Published: February 2022

Purpose: We systematically analyzed HNSCC-infiltrating T lymphocytes lncRNAs (HILTlncRNAs) to assess their predictive value for the survival outcome and immunotherapy response of patients with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) therapy and to evaluate their predictive power to chemotherapeutic agents.

Methods: HNSCC transcriptome and clinical information was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Immunocell microarray data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. T-cell-specific lncRNAs were identified by differential expression analysis. Prognostic paired HILTlncRNAs (PHILTlncRNAs) were filtered and modeled by univariate cox, lasso and multivariate cox regression analysis. To construct lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks, differentially expressed mRNAs in HNSCC patients were incorporated, microRNAs and differentially expressed mRNAs interacting with T-cell-specific lncRNAs were filtered out based on miRcode, miRDB, miRTarBase, and TargetScan databases.

Results: 75 T-cell-specific lncRNAs and 9 prognostic PHILTlncRNAs were identified. Low-risk HNSCC patients had a better prognosis and significant immune cell infiltration, driving the immune response. Differential expression of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), PD-1 and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) was demonstrated in the high and low risk groups of HNSCC patients. In the high risk group, high expression of PD-1 improved patient prognosis, whereas the opposite was observed in the low-risk group. The promoter methylation levels of two RBPs (DNMT1 and ZC3H12D) were decreased in HNSCC patients compared with normal samples, their expression levels were positively correlated with PD-1 and PD-L1 levels and T-cell infiltration. Finally, we screened the sensitivity of HNSCC patients to chemotherapeutic agents and found it differed between high and low risk groups.

Conclusion: HILTlncRNAs provided a theoretical basis for immune targeted therapy and drug development.
Antipsychotic Drug-Induced Increases in Peripheral Catecholamines are Associated With Glucose Intolerance
Authors: Boyda Heidi N. , Pham Michelle , Huang Joyce , Ho Amanzo A. , Procyshyn Ric M. , Yuen Jessica W. Y , Honer William G. , Barr Alasdair M.
Published: February 2022

The second-generation antipsychotic drugs are widely used in the field of psychiatry, for an expanding number of different conditions. While their clinical efficacy remains indispensable, many of the drugs can cause severe metabolic side-effects, resulting in an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic disorders. The physiological basis of these side-effects remains an ongoing area of investigation. In the present study, we examined the potential role of peripheral catecholamines in antipsychotic-induced glucose intolerance. Adult female rats were acutely treated with either the first-generation antipsychotic drug haloperidol (0.1, 0.5 or 1 mg/kg) or the second-generation drugs risperidone (0.25, 1.0 or 2.5 mg/kg), olanzapine (1.5, 7.5 or 15 mg/kg) or clozapine (2, 10 or 20 mg/kg) or vehicle. Fasting glucose levels were measured and then animals were subjected to the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. Levels of peripheral norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine were concurrently measured in the same animals 75, 105 and 135 min after drug treatment. All antipsychotics caused glucose intolerance, with strongest effects by clozapine > olanzapine > risperidone > haloperidol. Plasma catecholamines were also increased by drug treatment, with greatest effects for norepinephrine and epinephrine caused by clozapine > risperidone > olanzapine > haloperidol. Importantly, there were strong and statistically significant associations between norepinephrine/epinephrine levels and glucose intolerance for all drugs. These findings confirm that increases in peripheral catecholamines co-occur in animals that exhibit antipsychotic-induced glucose intolerance, and these effects are strongly associated with each other, providing further evidence for elevated catecholamines as a substrate for antipsychotic metabolic side-effects.
Butin Attenuates Arthritis in Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-Treated Arthritic Rats: Possibly Mediated by Its Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Actions
Authors: Alzarea Sami I. , Alasmari Abdullah F. , Alanazi Abdullah S. , Alzarea Abdulaziz I. , Alharbi Metab , Alshammari Abdulrahman , Kazmi Imran , Aljoufi Fakhria A. , Sayyed Nadeem , Afzal Muhammad
Published: February 2022

The present research work was planned to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions of butin in preventing complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Adult Wistar rats (200–240 g) were segregated equally into four groups: Group I (normal) and Group II complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA control) were administered orally with 3 ml/kg of 0.5% SCMC (vehicle); Group III and Group IV were test groups and orally administered 25 and 50 mg/kg of butin. These oral treatments were administered for a total of 21 days. In the 21-day treatment schedule, on the first day, animals from group I (normal control) were injected a single dose of normal saline (0.1 ml) intradermally into one of the hind paws, and animals from Group II to IV were injected CFA (0.1 ml) intradermally into one of the hind paws. During the treatment schedule, the volume of the hind paw and body weight were recorded at every 7 days intervals, and animals were scored for severe arthritis on days 17, 19, and 21. On the 22nd day, samples of blood were withdrawn by puncturing the retro-orbital sinus for analysis of RBC, WBC, hemoglobin, ALT, AST, ALP, PGE2, and cytokines. After blood withdrawal, animals were euthanized; the paw was separated by cutting at the ankle joint and used for analysis of oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters, as well as for the histopathological study. Administration of butin to CFA-treated animals significantly attenuated the CFA-induced inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and reversed the histopathological alteration towards normal. According to the findings, butin has anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties in rats with CFA-induced arthritis.
Chronic Administration of Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Agonist (JWH-133) Increases Ectopic Ovarian Tumor Growth and Endocannabinoids (Anandamide and 2-Arachidonoyl Glycerol) Levels in Immunocompromised SCID Female Mice
Authors: Blanton Henry L. , McHann Melissa C. , De Selle Haley , Dancel Canice Lei , Redondo Jose-Luis , Molehin Deborah , German Nadezhda A. , Trasti Scott , Pruitt Kevin , Castro-Piedras Isabel , Guindon Josée
Published: February 2022

Cannabinoid-based therapies are increasingly being used by cancer patients to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Recently, cannabinoids have gained increased attention for their effects on cancer growth. Indeed, the effect of CB2 (JWH-015, JWH-133) agonists on breast cancer models have shown to reduce the size of breast cancer tumors. However, these studies assessing breast cancer progression were using CB2 agonist administered early into the cancer progression therefore assessing their effects on already established tumors is a critical need. In our study, we evaluate tumor growth using an ectopic xenograft ovarian (SKOV-3 and OVCAR-5) cancer model. The impact of chronic (30 days) administration of CB2 (JWH-133) agonist will be evaluated and started on 30 days of ectopic ovarian tumors. We will then evaluate and determine the mechanisms involved in ovarian cancer tumor growth by measuring levels of anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol as well as protein levels of CB1, CB2, ERα, ERβ, GPER, TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 in ovarian and tumor tissues. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in ectopic ovarian tumor growth following chronic administration of JWH-133. Ovarian cancer tumor tissues chronically (30 days) treated with JWH-133 in comparison to vehicle treated groups showed an increase in endocannabinoid (AEA and 2-AG) and protein (CB2 and TNFα) levels with a decrease in GPER protein levels. Interestingly, our study emphasizes the importance of studying the impact of cannabinoid compounds on already established tumors to improve our understanding of cannabinoid-based therapies and, therefore better address clinical needs in cancer patients.
The Blind Spot of Pharmacology: A Scoping Review of Drug Metabolism in Prematurely Born Children
Authors: Mørk Mette Louise , Andersen Jón Trærup , Lausten-Thomsen Ulrik , Gade Christina
Published: February 2022

The limit for possible survival after extremely preterm birth has steadily improved and consequently, more premature neonates with increasingly lower gestational age at birth now require care. This specialized care often include intensive pharmacological treatment, yet there is currently insufficient knowledge of gestational age dependent differences in drug metabolism. This potentially puts the preterm neonates at risk of receiving sub-optimal drug doses with a subsequent increased risk of adverse or insufficient drug effects, and often pediatricians are forced to prescribe medication as off-label or even off-science. In this review, we present some of the particularities of drug disposition and metabolism in preterm neonates. We highlight the challenges in pharmacometrics studies on hepatic drug metabolism in preterm and particularly extremely (less than 28 weeks of gestation) preterm neonates by conducting a scoping review of published literature. We find that >40% of included studies failed to report a clear distinction between term and preterm children in the presentation of results making direct interpretation for preterm neonates difficult. We present summarized findings of pharmacokinetic studies done on the major CYP sub-systems, but formal meta analyses were not possible due the overall heterogeneous approaches to measuring the phase I and II pathways metabolism in preterm neonates, often with use of opportunistic sampling. We find this to be a testament to the practical and ethical challenges in measuring pharmacokinetic activity in preterm neonates. The future calls for optimized designs in pharmacometrics studies, including PK/PD modeling-methods and other sample reducing techniques. Future studies should also preferably be a collaboration between neonatologists and clinical pharmacologists.
Diabetes Mellitus and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Role of Obesity
Authors: Dhore-patil Aneesh , Thannoun Tariq , Samson Rohan , Le Jemtel Thierry H.
Published: February 2022

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is a growing epidemic and accounts for half of all patients with heart failure. Increasing prevalence, morbidity, and clinical inertia have spurred a rethinking of the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Unlike heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction has distinct clinical phenotypes. The obese-diabetic phenotype is the most often encountered phenotype in clinical practice and shares the greatest burden of morbidity and mortality. Left ventricular remodeling plays a major role in its pathophysiology. Understanding the interplay of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and inflammation in the pathophysiology of left ventricular remodeling may help in the discovery of new therapeutic targets to improve clinical outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Anti-diabetic agents like glucagon-like-peptide 1 analogs and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 are promising therapeutic modalities for the obese-diabetic phenotype of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and aggressive weight loss via lifestyle or bariatric surgery is still key to reverse adverse left ventricular remodeling. This review focuses on the obese-diabetic phenotype of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction highlighting the interaction between obesity, diabetes, and coronary microvascular dysfunction in the development and progression of left ventricular remodeling. Recent therapeutic advances are reviewed.
Myotropic Activities of Tick Pyrokinin Neuropeptides and Analog in Feeding Tissues of Hard Ticks (Ixodidae)
Authors: Xiong Caixing , Wulff Juan P. , Nachman Ronald J. , Pietrantonio Patricia V.
Published: February 2022

Neuropeptides regulate many important physiological processes in animals. The G protein-coupled receptors of corresponding small neuropeptide ligands are considered promising targets for controlling arthropod pests. Pyrokinins (PKs) are pleiotropic neuropeptides that, in some insect species, stimulate muscle contraction and modulate pheromone biosynthesis, embryonic diapause, and feeding behavior. However, their function remains unknown in ticks. In this study, we reported the myotropic activity of tick endogenous PKs and a PK agonist analog, PK-PEG8 (MS[PEG8]-YFTPRLa), on feeding tissues of two tick species representing the family Ixodidae lineages, namely, Prostriata (Ixodes scapularis) and Metastriata (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). First, we predicted the sequences of two periviscerokinins (PVK), one with a derived ending RNa and five PKs encoded by the CAPA peptide precursor from R. sanguineus and found the encoded PKs were identical to those of R. microplus identified previously. The pharynx-esophagus of both tick species responded with increased contractions to 10 μM of the endogenous PK as well as to PK-PEG8 but not to the scrambled PK peptide, as expected. A dose-dependent myotropic activity of the PK-PEG8 was found for both tick species, validating the analog activity previously found in the pyrokinin recombinant receptor assay. In agreement with the tissue activity elicited, we quantified the relative transcript abundance of R. sanguineus PK receptor in unfed female ticks and found it was the highest in the feeding tissues extracted from the capitulum and lowest in the reproductive tissue. This is the first report of the activity of pyrokinins in ticks. These findings strongly indicate the potential role of PKs in regulating tick blood feeding and therefore, making the tick PK receptor a potential target for interference.
An Improved DeepLab v3+ Deep Learning Network Applied to the Segmentation of Grape Leaf Black Rot Spots
Authors: Yuan Hongbo , Zhu Jiajun , Wang Qifan , Cheng Man , Cai Zhenjiang
Published: February 2022

The common method for evaluating the extent of grape disease is to classify the disease spots according to the area. The prerequisite for this operation is to accurately segment the disease spots. This paper presents an improved DeepLab v3+ deep learning network for the segmentation of grapevine leaf black rot spots. The ResNet101 network is used as the backbone network of DeepLab v3+, and a channel attention module is inserted into the residual module. Moreover, a feature fusion branch based on a feature pyramid network is added to the DeepLab v3+ encoder, which fuses feature maps of different levels. Test set TS1 from Plant Village and test set TS2 from an orchard field were used for testing to verify the segmentation performance of the method. In the test set TS1, the improved DeepLab v3+ had 0.848, 0.881, and 0.918 on the mean intersection over union (mIOU), recall, and F1-score evaluation indicators, respectively, which was 3.0, 2.3, and 1.7% greater than the original DeepLab v3+. In the test set TS2, the improved DeepLab v3+ improved the evaluation indicators mIOU, recall, and F1-score by 3.3, 2.5, and 1.9%, respectively. The test results show that the improved DeepLab v3+ has better segmentation performance. It is more suitable for the segmentation of grape leaf black rot spots and can be used as an effective tool for grape disease grade assessment.
Novel Insights Into Refugia at the Southern Margin of the Distribution Range of the Endangered Species Ulmus laevis
Authors: Torre Sara , Sebastiani Federico , Burbui Guia , Pecori Francesco , Pepori Alessia L. , Passeri Iacopo , Ghelardini Luisa , Selvaggi Alberto , Santini Alberto
Published: February 2022

Riparian ecosystems, in long-time developed regions, are among the most heavily impacted by human activities; therefore, the distribution of tree riparian species, such as Ulmus laevis, is highly affected. This phenomenon is particularly relevant at the margins of the natural habitat of the species, where populations are small and rare. In these cases, it is difficult to distinguish between relics or introductions, but it is relevant for the restoration of natural habitats and conservation strategies. The aim of this study was to study the phylogeography of the southern distribution of the species. We sequenced the entire chloroplast (cp) genomes of 54 individuals from five sampled populations across different European regions to highlight polymorphisms and analyze their distribution. Thirty-two haplotypes were identified. All the sampled populations showed private haplotypes that can be considered an indicator of long-term residency, given the low mutation rate of organellar DNA. The network of all haplotypes showed a star-like topology, and Serbian haplotypes were present in all branches. The Balkan population showed the highest level of nucleotide and genetic diversity. Low genetic differentiation between populations was observed but we found a significant differentiation among Serbia vs. other provenances. Our estimates of divergent time of U. laevis samples highlight the early split of above all Serbian individuals from other populations, emphasizing the reservoir role of white elm genetic diversity of Serbian population.
15N Metabolic Labeling Quantification Workflow in Arabidopsis Using Protein Prospector
Authors: Shrestha Ruben , Reyes Andres V. , Baker Peter R. , Wang Zhi-Yong , Chalkley Robert J. , Xu Shou-Ling
Published: February 2022

Metabolic labeling using stable isotopes is widely used for the relative quantification of proteins in proteomic studies. In plants, metabolic labeling using 15N has great potential, but the associated complexity of data analysis has limited its usage. Here, we present the 15N stable-isotope labeled protein quantification workflow utilizing open-access web-based software Protein Prospector. Further, we discuss several important features of 15N labeling required to make reliable and precise protein quantification. These features include ratio adjustment based on labeling efficiency, median and interquartile range for protein ratios, isotope cluster pattern matching to flag incorrect monoisotopic peak assignment, and caching of quantification results for fast retrieval.
Enabling Self-Directed Academic and Personal Wellbeing Through Cognitive Education
Authors: Van Tonder Gideon P. , Kloppers Magdalena M. , Grosser Mary M.
Published: February 2022

Background

The international crisis of declining learner wellbeing exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic with its devastating effects on physical health and wellbeing, impels the prioritization of initiatives for specifically enabling academic and personal wellbeing among school learners to ensure autonomous functioning and flourishing in academic and daily life. Research emphasizes the role of self-directed action in fostering wellbeing. However, there is limited research evidence of how self-directed action among school learners could be advanced.

Aim

We explore the effectiveness of an intervention initiative that exposes teachers to foregrounding Cognitive Education – the explicit and purposeful teaching of thinking skills and dispositions to learners that would advance self-regulated action - to establish the latent potential of the intervention for assisting learners to develop self-regulating abilities that progressively inspires increased self-directed action.

Method

We illuminate the qualitative outcomes of an exploratory pilot study with a heterogeneous group of willing in-service teachers from two public primary schools (n = 12), one private primary school (n = 3), and one pre-school (n = 2) in South Africa who received exposure to an 80-h intervention that comprised seven study units. The article delineates the experiences of the teachers concerning their participation in the intervention as reflected in their written reflections, as well as their perceptions about the value of the intervention probed with semi-structured one-on-one interviews after completion of the intervention.

Results

The findings revealed that exposure to the intervention holds benefits for equipping teachers with teaching strategies to create classroom conditions that nurture the development of thinking skills and dispositions that are important for self-regulating, and ultimately self-directing academic and personal wellbeing.

Conclusion

Cognitive Education is a form of strengths-based education that can play an indispensable role in enabling self-directed academic and personal wellbeing among school learners.
On the Relationship Between English as a Foreign Language Learners’ Positive Affectivity, Academic Disengagement, and Communication Apprehension
Authors: Ma Yuxia
Published: February 2022

This review tends to investigate the related studies on the relationships among positive affectivity as a type of positive psychology construct and academic disengagement and communication apprehension (CA) as two types of negative emotions. The negative correlations among CA, disengagement, and positive affectivity like enjoyment have been verified in the review of the literature. Moreover, little research has been done on the relationship between academic disengagement and CA. The studies showed that some factors such as encouraging teaching methodologies, positive classroom context, exciting and challenging classroom tasks can act as mediators in the relationship between positive affectivity and CA. In the end, the pedagogical implications are explicated to foster the language learning quality and to develop a language educational system. Suggestions for further research are provided to develop the existent literature on the relationship between English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ academic disengagement, CA, and their positive affectivity.
The Neural Mechanisms of Cognitive Control in the Category Induction Task
Authors: Cai Xueli , Li Guo , Liu Qinxia , Xiao Feng , Zhang Youxue , Wang Yifeng
Published: February 2022

According to the conflict monitoring hypothesis, conflict monitoring and inhibitory control in cognitive control mainly cause activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and control-related prefrontal cortex (PFC) in many cognitive tasks. However, the role of brain regions in the default mode network (DMN) in cognitive control during category induction tasks is unclear. To test the role of the ACC, PFC, and subregions of the DMN elicited by cognitive control during category induction, a modified category induction task was performed using simultaneous fMRI scanning. The results showed that the left middle frontal gyrus (BA9) and bilateral dorsal ACC/medial frontal gyrus (BA8/32) were sensitive to whether conflict information (with/without) appears, but not to the level of conflict. In addition, the bilateral ventral ACC (BA32), especially the right vACC, a part of the DMN, showed significant deactivation with an increase in cognitive effort depending on working memory. These findings not only offer further evidence for the important role of the dorsolateral PFC and dorsal ACC in cognitive control during categorization but also support the functional distinction of the dorsal/ventral ACC in the category induction task.
New Frontiers in Computer-Assisted Career Guidance Systems (CACGS): Implications From Career Construction Theory
Authors: Leung S. Alvin
Published: February 2022

This article addresses the use of computer-assisted career guidance systems (CACGS) in career interventions. Major CACGS developed in the past decades were based on the trait-factor or person-environment fit approaches in their conceptualization and design. The strengths and limitations of these CACGS in addressing the career development needs of individuals are discussed. The Career Construction Theory (CCT) is a promising paradigm to guide the development of new generations of CACGS. The narrative tradition, career adaptability model, and life-design interventions of CCT offer rich conceptual and practical applications that could expand the scope and breadth of career exploration and identity construction through using CACGS. A digital system developed in Hong Kong called Infinity is a case-in-point of a CACGS where users could learn about career planning, engage in self and career construction through using the quantitative and qualitative assessment applications and gamified tools, take career planning actions over time, and communicate with their social supportive systems. Initial findings suggested that users of the system reported lesser decision-making difficulties, higher levels of decision clarity, and better understanding of what is career planning than non-users. Users from high academic achievement schools reported higher levels of career adaptability than their counterparts in schools of similar academic background. Users from low achievement schools reported higher intention to pursue government-supported universities than non-users from schools of similar background. Research and practice implications in schools and organizational settings are discussed.
“I Gave Up Football and I Had No Intention of Ever Going Back”: Retrospective Experiences of Victims of Bullying in Youth Sport
Authors: Ríos Xènia , Ventura Carles , Mateu Pau
Published: February 2022

Bullying is a global issue that, beyond school, is present in different social contexts, such as sport environments. The main objective of this study was to get to know the experiences of victims of bullying in sport throughout their youth sport training. Semi-structured interviews to four Spanish women and seven Spanish men were carried out, within an age range of 17–27 (Mage = 21 years, SD = 3.69). The following main themes were established by means of a hierarchical content analysis: (a) “bullying characterization,” (b) “dealing with bullying,” and (c) “consequences of bullying.” The results show the presence of physical, verbal and social bullying in the sport context, with the changing room being the space where this type of behavior is most frequently developed. Most victims show an internal attribution (self-blame) for the bullying event, related to their motor skills and their personal physical and psychological characteristics. Double victimization can be observed, at the sport club and at the educational center. Passive strategies are used to deal with the situation, while little support is shown by sport agents (teammates and coaches). The victims, as a consequence of the bullying experience, suffer from short and long-term negative effects on a psychosocial level. The study highlights the necessity to design and implement programs focused on the prevention, detection and intervention of bullying for sport organizations, bearing in mind all the agents that make them up (coaches, management teams, families, and players). Furthermore, the importance of promoting the creation of safe sport environments, free from any kind of violence, is emphasized.
Social Sustainability in Late Adolescence: Trait Emotional Intelligence Mediates the Impact of the Dark Triad on Altruism and Equity
Authors: Giancola Marco , Palmiero Massimiliano , D’Amico Simonetta
Published: February 2022

Adolescence involves a profound number of changes in all domains of development. Among others, adolescence yields an enhanced awareness and responsibility toward the community, representing a critical age to develop prosocial behaviors. In this study, the mediation role of Trait Emotional Intelligence (TEI) was detected for the relationship between the dark triad and prosocial behavior based on altruism and equity. A total of 129 healthy late adolescents filled in the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen, measuring Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism; the Altruistic Action Scale, evaluating behaviors directed at helping others; the Equity Scale, assessing behaviors directed at equity in different forms; and the TEI Questionnaire-Short Form. Results showed that TEI mediated the negative effects of the three dark triad traits on both altruism and equity. This finding suggests that TEI, which relies on a set of dispositions (e.g., emotional management of others, social competence, and empathy), might reduce the malevolent effects of the dark triad on altruism and equitable behavior in late adolescence. This led to assume that intervention programs focused on improving emotional skills, also in late adolescence, can promote prosociality.
The Professional Identity and Career Attitude of Chinese Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China
Authors: Yang Xingjie , Gao Lan , Zhang Suoyuan , Zhang Libin , Zhang Ligang , Zhou Shuangjiang , Qi Meng , Chen Jingxu
Published: February 2022

Background

Although professional identity is a strong predictor of career choice, only a few studies have reported on medical students' career attitude during a public health emergency. This study investigates the changes in medical students' professional identity and career attitude during the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluates their mental health and social support system under stress, and explores the relationship between their career attitude and other factors.

Methods

An online survey of 6,226 Chinese medical students was conducted to collect information on demographics, professional identity, and career attitude. The collected data were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and the Social Support Rating Scale.

Results

The results revealed that most (80.8%) of the participants did not change their career attitude and the professional identity of most participants strengthened, and they preferred to participate on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence of depression and anxiety among medical students was 22.86% and 35.43%. Low social support, depressive symptoms, male gender, and higher grades were factors that negatively affected career attitude.

Conclusions

After the outbreak of the pandemic, it was necessary to conduct diversified professional identity research to support medical students, especially those with low social support and depressive symptoms.
WhatsApp-Delivered Intervention for Continued Learning for Nurses in Pakistan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Randomized-Controlled Trial
Authors: Jafree Sara Rizvi , Zakar Rubeena , Rafiq Nasim , Javed Ambreen , Durrani Rana Rubab , Burhan Syeda Khadija , Hasnain Nadir Syed Mujtaba , Ali Fatima , Shahid Aimen , Momina Ain ul , Wrona Kamil J. , Mahmood Qaisar Khalid , Fischer Florian
Published: February 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated support for continued learning in frontline practitioners through online digital mediums that are convenient and fast to maintain physical distancing. Nurses are already neglected professionals for support in training for infection control, leadership, and communication in Pakistan and other developing countries. For that reason, we aimed to deliver a WhatsApp-based intervention for continued learning in nurses who are currently working in both private and public sector. A 12-week intervention was delivered to 208 nurses (102 in the control group and 106 in the intervention group) who had been employed in the clinical setting during data collection. The analysis reveals that nurses in the intervention group show significantly better results for learning in “infection prevention and control” and “leadership and communication.” Results of a content analysis based on participant's feedback also confirm that the WhatsApp-based intervention is a valuable tool for education. This study highlights the effectiveness of online-based digital interventions as a convenient training tool for awareness and management of infectious diseases, leadership, and communication during COVID-19 and beyond. Furthermore, this study emphasizes that group interventions with other healthcare practitioners and the role of on-going longer WhatsApp-based interventions can become integral tools to support continued learning and patient safety practices.
An Integrated Quantitative Assessment of Urban Water Security of a Megacity in the Global South
Authors: Mukherjee Subham , Sundberg Trude , Sikdar Pradip Kumar , Schütt Brigitta
Published: February 2022

Water security, the access to adequate amounts of water of adequate quality, is and will remain a hugely important issue over the next decades as climate change and related hazards, food insecurity, and social instability will exacerbate insecurities. Despite attempts made by researchers and water professionals to study different dimensions of water security in urban areas, there is still an absence of comprehensive water security measurement tools. This study aims to untangle the interrelationship between biophysical and socio-economic dimensions that shape water security in a megacity in the Global South—Kolkata, India. It provides an interdisciplinary understanding of urban water security by extracting and integrating relevant empirical knowledge on urban water issues in the city from physical, environmental, and social sciences approaches. To do so we use intersectional perspectives to analyze urban water security at a micro (respondent) level and associated challenges across and between areas within the city. The study concludes with the recommendation that future studies should make use of comprehensive and inclusive approaches so we can ensure that we leave no one behind.
Hemostatic Activity of Canine Never-Frozen Liquid Plasma Collected for Transfusion
Authors: Proverbio Daniela , Perego Roberta , Baggiani Luciana , Spada Eva
Published: February 2022

This study measured the changes of hemostatic activity in liquid plasma (LP) over 7 days of storage. Five canine plasma units, divided into two aliquots were evaluated: one stored refrigerated at 2–6°C as never-frozen LP and one frozen at −18°C as fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Clotting times, coagulation activities of factor (F) V, VIII, X, XI, antithrombin (AT), and von Willebrand (vWF), fibrinogen and D-dimers (DD) content were assessed before storage (baseline value), and after 12, 24, 48 h and 7 days (D7) in LP stored refrigerated, and on day 7 in FFP. At baseline median values of all factor activity were greater than 80%, and for clotting times, AT, fibrinogen and DD content, were within the canine reference range. Some hemostatic parameters changed significantly over 7 days and at the end of storage in LP. However, median activities of FV, FVIII, FX and FXI, coagulation time, AT, fibrinogen and DD content remained within reference ranges at all time points. The only exception was for vWF which median activity was lower than reference range for all storage time points. Activity of FVIII was significant lower in LP at D7 when compared to activity in FFP, with values of 62 vs. 118%, respectively. DD content showed a median value higher than reference range in FFP at D7. Despite some statistically significant changes at the end of 7-day storage period, never-frozen LP maintained median factor activities >80% for most factors. The clinical impact of the drop over time of vWF activity is unknown.
Engaging With Farmers to Explore Correlates of Bovine Tuberculosis Risk in an Internationally Important Heritage Landscape: The Burren, in the West of Ireland
Authors: Clarke AnneMarie , Byrne Andrew W. , Maher James , Ryan Eoin , Farrell Fidelma , McSweeney Catherine , Barrett Damien
Published: February 2022

Bovith recene tuberculosis (bTB) continues to be a pathogen of concern in several countries globally. Analysis of areas that have higher incidences of bTB outbreaks has demonstrated how risk is not equally distributed, and local data collection, analysis and participatory engagement is required to develop tailored approaches. The Burren, an internationally important heritage landscape, has been an area of higher bTB incidence for many years in Ireland, and owing to its unique geology and farming heritage a survey was developed to engage with local farmers to gain greater insight into farming practices and bTB control to inform tailored approaches. The survey gathered data on the farm and animal management approaches being used within the Burren, including local farming techniques like the use of “winterage” (grazing exposed limestone dominated uplands). Thematic analysis of free text responses was undertaken. Quantitative data were then explored using statistical models to assess associations with recent (<3 years) self-reported bTB breakdown risk. There was a high number of responses demonstrating a high degree of willingness to engage on the issue. Thematic analysis suggested that wildlife and its management (culling and vaccination), testing quality, and its impact on the bTB scheme, and pessimism around eradication were important themes. Statistical analysis suggested that increasing bTB risk was primarily related to increasing herd-size and the percentage of herd owner's land inaccessible to those attempting to locate badger setts. There was less evidence for associations relating to the amount of time, or which season (i.e., summer), farmers utilized “winterage”. The results of the study will feed back directly to local bTB management plans and further stakeholder engagement and is an exemplar for local tailoring of national control measures in situations of high incidences of bTB outbreaks in particular areas.
The Translational Benefits of Sheep as Large Animal Models of Human Neurological Disorders
Authors: Murray Samantha J. , Mitchell Nadia L.
Published: February 2022

The past two decades have seen a considerable rise in the use of sheep to model human neurological disorders. While each animal model has its merits, sheep have many advantages over small animal models when it comes to studies on the brain. In particular, sheep have brains more comparable in size and structure to the human brain. They also have much longer life spans and are docile animals, making them useful for a wide range of in vivo studies. Sheep are amenable to regular blood and cerebrospinal fluid sampling which aids in biomarker discovery and monitoring of treatment efficacy. Several neurological diseases have been found to occur naturally in sheep, however sheep can also be genetically engineered or experimentally manipulated to recapitulate disease or injury. Many of these types of sheep models are currently being used for pre-clinical therapeutic trials, particularly gene therapy, with studies from several models culminating in potential treatments moving into clinical trials. This review will provide an overview of the benefits of using sheep to model neurological conditions, and highlight naturally occurring and experimentally induced sheep models that have demonstrated translational validity.
Long Non-Coding RNA in Esophageal Cancer: A Review of Research Progress
Authors: Yang Chenbo , Chen Kuisheng
Published: February 2022

In recent years, there has been significant progress in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer. However, owing to the lack of early diagnosis strategies and treatment targets, the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer remains unsatisfactory. There is an urgent need to identify novel biomarkers and treatment targets for esophageal cancer. With the development of genomics, long-chain non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs), which were once considered transcriptional “noise,” are being identified and characterized rapidly in large numbers. Recent research shows that LncRNAs are closely related to a series of steps in tumor development and play an important regulatory role in DNA replication, transcription, and post-transcriptional regulation. The abnormal expression of LncRNAs leads to tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and treatment resistance. This review focuses on the latest progress in research on the abnormal expression and functional mechanisms of LncRNAs in esophageal cancer. Further, it discusses the potential applications of these findings towards achieving an early diagnosis, improving treatment efficacy, and evaluating the prognosis of esophageal cancer.