bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A bibliometric analysis of 30 years of research on transarterial radioembolization (TARE) for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Hu Tongyao , Xu Qifan , Jia Guorong , Wang Tao , Zuo Changjing
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have very limited treatment options, among which transarterial radioembolization (TARE) receives increasing attention, relying on its promising efficacy and fewer side effect. However, a bibliometric analysis of TARE for HCC is still lacking. This study employed bibliometric methods to analyze the related articles over the past three decades, and aimed to identify trends in clinical research comparing TARE to other treatments.

Methods

Articles related with TARE for HCC were obtained from the Web of Science (WoS). After screening, the R package Bibliometrix was employed to explore the primary bibliometric characteristics. The number of publications was analyzed and mathematically fitted to a curve using Microsoft Excel 2021 and SPSS 25, and then was plotted in the graph using GraphPad Prism 8.0. VOSviewer, SCImago Graphica, and Pajek were utilized for the analysis of researchers’ co-authorship, co-occurrence, and visualization. Keywords citation burst was detected by CiteSpace software.

Results

A total of 1,110 articles from 1993 to 2023 were included in our final analysis, among which the United States not only ranked the first in term of the number of published articles, also was at the forefront in other important indicators, including the total number of article citations and the average citation frequency. Riad Salem from Northwestern University, also being the organization with the greatest number of research papers, was the most active author and has published 96 papers. The keywords were classified into three clusters: 90Y microspheres for TARE, Basic research on TARE, and Clinical trial of TARE for HCC. Furthermore, we identified the most frequently cited keywords with strong citation bursts since 2020 were “multicenter,” “overall survival” and “PET/CT.”

Conclusion

Our study employed a bibliometric approach to achieve the visualization research on TARE for HCC, and further revealed the trends and frontiers of TARE research, providing valuable information for researchers to identify the critical and persistent challenges and select potential partners in related area. Based on our analysis, future research focus include the clinical comparative studies on the effect of TARE and TACE combined with immunotherapies or targeted therapy, dosimetry, and personalized TARE therapy for HCC.
Regulation and therapy: the role of ferroptosis in DLBCL
Authors: Wang Yifan , He Zhengmei , Dong Xinyu , Yao Yiming , Chen Qiuni , Shi Yuye , Deng Yuan , Zhang Quane , Yu Liang , Wang Chunling
Published: January 2025

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), up to 30%–40% of patients will relapse and 10%–15% of patients have primary refractory disease, so exploring new treatment options is necessary. Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic cell death mode discovered in recent years. Its occurrence pathway plays an essential impact on the therapeutic effect of tumors. Numerous studies have shown that modulating critical factors in the ferroptosis pathway can influence the growth of tumor cells in hematological malignancies including DLBCL. This review highlights recent advances in ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs), including STAT3, Nrf2, and ZEB1, and focuses on the clinical potential of ferroptosis inducers such as IKE, α-KG, DMF, and APR-246, which are currently being explored in clinical studies for their therapeutic effects in DLBCL. Correlational studies provide a novel idea for the research and treatment of ferroptosis in DLBCL and other hematological malignancies and lay a solid foundation for future studies.
Phytochemical investigation and assessment of the anti-inflammatory activity of four Heracleum taxa growing in Turkey
Authors: Kurtul Ekin , Küpeli Akkol Esra , Karpuz Ağören Büşra , Yaylacı Büşra , Bahadır Acıkara Özlem , Sobarzo-Sánchez Eduardo
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Heracleum L. has been known as “hogweed” and used for inflammatory diseases, including fever, enteritis, and bronchitis, for many years worldwide. The Heracleum genus is also prominently recognized for its high content of coumarins, which are considered a significant group of natural compounds known for their noteworthy anti-inflammatory properties.

Methods

The present study evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of dichloromethane and methanolic extracts from H. paphlagonicum, H. sphondylium subsp. ternatum, H. sphondylium subsp. elegans, and H. sphondylium subsp. cyclocarpum (100 mg/kg), which have not been previously investigated for their anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation models induced by carrageenan, prostaglandin E2, and serotonin were employed to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity, using indomethacin (10 mg/kg) as the reference standard. Statistical differences between treatment and control groups were evaluated using ANOVA with Student-Newman-Keuls post-hoc tests. Additionally, the coumarin contents of the extracts were quantified as mg/g by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Results and discussion

H. sphondylium subsp. cyclocarpum roots displayed the highest inhibition for carrageenan, prostaglandin E2, and serotonin-induced hind paw edema, with inhibition ranges of 22.8%–36.9%, 5.4%–35.7%, and 3.9%–17.9%, respectively, while the inhibition ranges for indomethacin were 12.8%–44.3%, 2.7%–41.3%, and 7.1%–30.6%, respectively. The highest bergapten and imperatorin quantities were found in H. sphondylium subsp. cyclocarpum roots (0.49% and 0.14%) and in H. sphondylium subsp. elegans roots, which had the highest xanthotoxin level (0.06%). Angelicin was detected in H. paphlagonicum, H. sphondylium subsp. elegans, and H. sphondylium subsp. cyclocarpum roots at concentrations of 0.04%, 0.04%, and 0.02%, respectively. The correlation between the highest inhibitory activity observed in H. sphondylium subsp. cyclocarpum roots and the elevated levels of coumarins, particularly bergapten and imperatorin, suggests a potential link between coumarin concentration and anti-inflammatory effects. Additionally, our findings support the traditional use of this genus for treating inflammatory disorders. Further investigations are necessary to identify the active compounds and elucidate the mechanisms of action of these plants, potentially leading to the discovery of novel therapeutic options for the treatment of inflammation.
Median effective dose of remimazolam combined with sufentanil for inhibiting laryngeal mask airway insertion responses in children of different ages
Authors: Li Hongyun , Wang Jinxia , Wei Rong , Jiang Yan
Published: January 2025

Introduction

We determined the median effective dose and 95% confidence interval (CI) of remimazolam required to inhibit laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion reactions combined with sufentanil 0.3 μg/kg in pediatric anesthesia.

Methods

Children scheduled to undergo elective laryngeal mask anesthesia were divided into the preschool (age: 3–6 years) and school-age (6–12 years) groups. The timer was started after intravenous remimazolam was administered; thereafter, 0.3 μg/kg sufentanil was injected intravenously. The laryngeal mask was placed 3 min after remimazolam was finished. If a positive response to LMA insertion, such as movement, swallowing, coughing, hiccups, or other reactions, was observed during the insertion, the dose was increased by 0.03 mg/kg for the next patient; if there was no response, the dose was decreased by 0.03 mg/kg instead. The trial officially commenced after the first LMA was successfully inserted and continued until alternating positive and negative responses formed seven crossover points. Thereafter, probit regression was performed to calculate the median effective dose (ED50) and 95% effective dose (ED95) with the corresponding 95% CIs. The time from remimazolam administration to the disappearance of the eyelash reflex was recorded. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure were recorded before (T1, baseline values) and 3 min after (T2) intravenous remimazolam administration. Adverse reactions were also noted.

Results

Overall, 52 children were included; 25 belonged to the preschool group and 27 to the school-age group. In the preschool group, the ED50 and ED95 for remimazolam and their 95% CIs were 0.476 (0.447–0.517) mg/kg and 0.554 (0.515–0.688) mg/kg, respectively. In the school-age group, the ED50 and ED95 for remimazolam and corresponding 95% CIs were 0.427 (0.399–0.463) mg/kg and 0.504 (0.467–0.635) mg/kg, respectively. The dosage for the preschool group was significantly higher than that for the school-age group (p = 0.003). Conversely, the time from remimazolam administration to the disappearance of the eyelash reflex; LMA insertion success rate; or incidence of coughing, movement, swallowing, and hiccups did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Conclusion

Remimazolam can be safely used for laryngeal mask anesthesia induction in pediatric patients.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2400087333.
Biological activities of Usnea lethariiformis lichen extracts and UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis of their secondary metabolites
Authors: Piñeiro Mauricio , Manrique Sofía , Gómez Jessica , Rodriguez Juan Manuel , Barrera Patricia , Caballero Duilio , Sosa Miguel A. , Vargas-Arana Gabriel , Tapia Alejandro , Lima Beatriz , Simirgiotis Mario J.
Published: January 2025

This research was designed to investigate the metabolite profiling, phenolics content, and the trypanocidal, nematicidal, antibacterial, antifungal, and free radical scavenging properties of Usnea lethariiformis Motyka. The air-dried U. lethariiformis material was extracted successively with dichloromethane and methanol (UlMeOH). Two phases were obtained from the extract with dichloromethane, one soluble in methanol (UlDCM-s) and the other insoluble (UlDCM-i). The metabolite profiling was obtained using ultra-high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) system. The trypanocidal and nematicidal activities were determined according to standardized protocols. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) rules. The total phenolic content of lichen extracts was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant properties were assessed through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity (TEAC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes (ILP) assays, and the extracts exhibited robust antioxidant activity. Seventeen compounds were detected, of which thirteen were identified by UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis, including depsides, depsidones, fatty acids, dibenzofurans, benzoic acids, and triterpenes. The UlDCM-s and UlMeOH extracts displayed strong trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes at 50 μg/mL and 100 μg/mL and a nematicidal activity toward J2 Meloidogyne incognita, an important nematode infecting horticultural crops. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, the results showed that all bacteria and yeasts tested were inhibited by the different extracts with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 25 μg/mL and 500 μg/mL. The UlDCM-s and UlMeOH extracts showed phenolic content of 107 mg and 48 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dried extract, respectively. The UlDCM-s, UIDCM-i, and UlMeOH extracts showed moderate free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH, FRAP, and TEAC assays until 1 mg/mL and ILP tests at 250 μg/mL. The results indicated that U. lethariiformis may constitute a potential source of diverse bioactivities with application in the food, pharmaceutical, and agronomic industries.
A network comparison on efficacy and safety profiling of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Fu Jie , Yan Yi-Dan , Wan Xu , Sun Xiao-Fan , Ma Xiu-Mei , Su Ying-Jie
Published: January 2025

Objective

PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are novel immunotherapeutic agents that have been approved for first-line treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, which have completed phase 3 clinical trials, as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC.

Materials and methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library was performed to extract eligible literature up to October 2023. Findings included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Furthermore, subgroup analyses were conducted based on PD-L1 expression levels and histological type.

Results

We analyzed 29 studies including 18,885 patients. In analyses of all patients, penpulimab plus chemotherapy led the way for OS (HR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40–0.75) and PFS (HR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27–0.67). Regarding OS, for patients with PD-L1 expression ≥50%, 1%–49% and <1%, camrelizumab + chemotherapy (HR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.21–1.11), cemiplimab + chemotherapy (HR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32–0.79) and nivolumab + ipilimumab (HR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.51–0.81) were considered optimal treatments. Compared with chemotherapy, monotherapy with nivolumab, cemiplimab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab and durvalumab had lower odds of TRAE grade ≥3.

Conclusion

In all patients, penpulimab plus chemotherapy was the most effective therapy, but treatment preferences varied by PD-L1 expression, histology type and associated outcomes. Safety at the individual patient level must be a high priority in the decision-making process. Further validation is warranted.
Accurate identification of snoRNA targets using variational graph autoencoder to advance the redevelopment of traditional medicines
Authors: Wang Zhina , Chen Yangyuan , Ma Hongming , Gao Hong , Zhu Yangbin , Wang Hongwu , Zhang Nan
Published: January 2025

Existing studies indicate that dysregulation or abnormal expression of small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) is closely associated with various diseases, including lung cancer. Furthermore, these diseases often involve multiple targets, making the redevelopment of traditional medicines highly promising. Accurate prediction of potential snoRNA therapeutic targets is essential for early disease intervention and the redevelopment of traditional medicines. Additionally, researchers have developed artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods to screen and predict potential snoRNA therapeutic targets, thereby advancing traditional drug redevelopment. However, existing methods face challenges such as imbalanced datasets and the dominance of high-degree nodes in graph neural networks (GNNs), which compromise the accuracy of node representations. To address these challenges, we propose an AI model based on variational graph autoencoders (VGAEs) that integrates decoupling and Kolmogorov-Arnold Network (KAN) technologies. The model reconstructs snoRNA-disease graphs by learning snoRNA and disease representations, accurately identifying potential snoRNA therapeutic targets. By decoupling similarity from node degree, the model mitigates the dominance of high-degree nodes, enhances prediction accuracy in scenarios like lung cancer, and leverages KAN technology to improve adaptability and flexibility to new data. Case studies revealed that snoRNA SNORA21 and SNORD33 are abnormally expressed in lung cancer patients and are strong candidates for potential therapeutic targets. These findings validate the proposed model’s effectiveness in identifying therapeutic targets for diseases like lung cancer, supporting early screening and treatment, and advancing the redevelopment of traditional medicines. Data and experimental findings are archived in: https://github.com/shmildsj/data.
Effects of upper extremity blood flow restriction training on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jing Jiapeng , Zheng Qinzhi , Dong Hongfei , Wang Yan , Wang Peiji , Fan Di , Xu Zhuo
Published: January 2025

Background

Low load resistance training with blood flow restriction (LL-BFRT) has been shown to improve muscle strength and hypertrophic function. The effect of LL-BFRT on lower extremity muscle improvement has been widely discussed. However, no studies have discussed the effect of this training method on the upper extremity muscles until now. This systematic review and meta-analysis focused on the use of LL-BFRT in the upper extremity muscles.

Methods

The relevant literature was searched in four major databases including Pubmed, Web of science, the Cochrane Library and Embase from 10 June 2024. The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool and GRADE methodology were used to assess the risk of bias and quality in included studies.

Results

The meta-analysis included a total of 11 articles with 220 participants. LL-BFRT and high load resistance training (HLRT) produced similar effects in improving upper extremity muscle strength (low certainty evidence, SMD: −0.35; 95%CI: −0.73 to 0.03; p: 0.07; I2: 2%) and hypertrophy (moderate certainty evidence, SMD: −0.36; 95%CI: −0.73 to 0.01; p: 0.05; I2: 0%). Compared with low load resistance training (LLRT), LL-BFRT showed greater advantages in improving upper extremity muscle strength (low certainty evidence, SMD: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.33 to 1.01; p: 0.0001; I2: 0%) and hypertrophy (low certainty evidence, SMD: 0.37; 95%CI: 0.06 to 0.67; p: 0.02; I2: 0%).

Conclusion

In general, LL-BFRT can be used as an alternative training method for HLRT to improve upper extremity muscle strength and hypertrophy. Our study shows that the effect of LL-BFRT on upper extremity muscle is limited by age and region. It is necessary to formulate reasonable exercise programs according to the characteristics of different demographic groups.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42024555514.
Effects of cattle manure and sludge vermicompost on nutrient dynamics and yield in strawberry cultivation with distinct continuous cropping histories in a greenhouse
Authors: Bai Xiaofeng , Lu Wei , Xu Jin , Li Qingyun , Xue Zhanjun , Wang Xin-Xin
Published: January 2025

Continuous cropping has emerged as a significant challenge affecting yield and quality in greenhouse strawberries, particularly as the cultivation of strawberries as a protected crop continues to increase. To address this issue, substrates with 0 or 2 years of continuous cropping were fertilized with two types of organic materials: vermicompost derived from either sludge or cattle manure. A control group consisted of substrate without the addition of vermicompost. Both type of vermicompost improved substrate fertility, promoted plant growth and fruit quality. The cattle manure vermicompost had a better improvement effect at peak fruiting stage. Substrate nutrients were increased 14.58~38.52% (0-year substrate) and 12.04%~42.54% (2-year substrate), respectively. In both substrate types, there was a substantial increase in microbial population and enzyme activity, accompanied by a significant decrease in phenolic acid content. During the senescence stage, the use of cattle manure vermicompost led to enhancements in plant height, leaf area, and root length, with increases ranging from 15.01% to 32.77% and 23.75% to 32.78% across the two substrate types compared to the control group. Furthermore, the application of cattle manure vermicompost significantly improved both fruit yield and quality. Compared with the control (CK), the cattle manure vermicompost increased fruit yield by 18.29% and 19.64% in the 0- and 2-year substrates, respectively. The contents of soluble sugars, vitamin C, and free amino acids in the fruits increased by 21.42%~34.16% (0-year substrate) and 9.62%~42.62% (2-year substrate), at peak fruiting stage. Cattle manure vermicompost application to the 2-year substrate ranked higher in the membership function than the CK treatment at 0-year planting. In conclusion, the application of vermicompost can significantly improve strawberry fruit yield and quality, as well as substrate characteristics, thus effectively addressing challenges associated with continuous cropping. Furthermore, the use of cattle manure vermicompost produced more pronounced positive effects.
Leadership transition, ally restraints, and target state resistance
Authors: Qi Haixia , Wang Qi , Li Ruoxing
Published: January 2025

Understanding how target states respond to international provocations is crucial to the study of crisis management and conflict onset. The primary focus of existing research is on the individual effects of ally influence and domestic politics without considering their interaction. This study addresses this gap by exploring the combined impact of leadership transitions, manners of leader entry, and ally’s importance on target states’ decisions to resist challenges. Utilizing the Truly Dyadic Dyad-Year (TDD) version of the Militarized Interstate Confrontation (MIC) dataset from 1920 to 2014, the Archigos leadership dataset, and logit models for statistical testing, our findings reveal that target states’ leadership transitions and irregular means of leaders entry significantly increase the likelihood of target states’ resistance, particularly when leaders seek to consolidate power. Moreover, although the support of a powerful ally may embolden the target state to resist, the restraining effect of allies during the target state’s leadership transitions becomes more pronounced. Our research highlights the intricate balance between domestic political considerations and external influences, emphasizing that an understanding of the domestic political context is essential for comprehending how states respond to international provocations and the effectiveness of ally restraints.
How does Internet use impact the mental health of social assistance recipients in China? Examining the chain mediating role of social support and family resilience
Authors: Wu Bin , Tian Beihai
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Previous studies have explored the relationship between Internet use and mental health, but there has been a lack of focus on social assistance recipients. Additionally, there has been insufficient discussion on the impact mechanisms of social support and family resilience on this relationship. This study aims to fill these gaps. Using data from social assistance recipients in China, this study analyzes the relationship between Internet use and the mental health of social assistance recipients and its mechanisms based on the Mindsponge Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory.

Methods

This study used multiple linear regression models and PROCESS models to complete data analysis on 765 Chinese social assistance recipients samples to test the hypothesis. All analyzes were performed using SPSS26.0 and MPlus 8.0.

Results

The empirical analysis shows that Internet use positively correlates with the mental health of social assistance recipients, and social support and family resilience mediate between Internet use and mental health. In addition, social support and family resilience also play a chain mediating role in the relationship between Internet use and mental health.

Discussion

The analysis results of this study support our hypothesis. Combined with the findings of this study, we discussed the theoretical significance, practical significance, limitations, and future research directions of this study.
Effects of virtual reality motor games on motor skills in children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xue Zhuolin , Zhang Weiqiang , Zhou Ni , Ma Pengwei , Yuan Kun , Zheng Peiyun , Li Junfeng , Chang Jindong
Published: January 2025

Background

Enhancing motor skills is crucial for the functional development of children with cerebral palsy. Virtual reality has emerged as a promising technology for rehabilitating these children.

Objective

The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the effects of virtual reality motor games on the gross and fine motor skills of children with cerebral palsy.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted in databases including PubMed, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and Wanfang Data, covering publications from their inception to June 1, 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of virtual reality motor games on the gross and fine motor skills of children with cerebral palsy. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, and data were analyzed with RevMan software (version 5.4).

Results

Nineteen studies involving 850 children with cerebral palsy were included. The results indicated that virtual reality motor games significantly improved gross motor skills [mean difference (MD) 1.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.75–2.56; P < 0.001] and fine motor skills [standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.73, 95% CI: 0.30–1.16; P = 0.00008] in children with cerebral palsy.

Conclusions

Virtual reality motor games have the potential to significantly enhance both gross and fine motor skills in children with cerebral palsy.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, PROSPERO [CRD42024558713].
The hidden face of Duchenne (Neuro)Muscular Dystrophy. Preliminary evidence of social cognition impairment as a feature of the neuropsychological phenotype of DMD
Authors: Parravicini S. , Quaranta C. A. , Dainesi M. I. , Berardinelli A.
Published: January 2025

Aim

To study unexplored neuropsychological domains in the characterization of the Central Nervous System (CNS) involvement in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) that could be relevant based on the recent findings about dystrophin expression in human CNS.

Method

A sample of DMD individuals (n = 20) underwent a neuropsychological battery encompassing standard cognitive assessments but also less explored social cognition skills. Wechsler scales and a developmental neuropsychological assessment (NEPSY-II) were adopted.

Results

Our sample performed significantly worse than the reference scores in the “social cognition” sub-items of the NEPSY-II; the difference persisted even when splitting the sample by Dp140 depletion or cognitive deficit. The difference in the “affect recognition” scores between the Dp140 + and the Dp140− subgroups was confirmed even after excluding the subjects with a cognitive deficit.

Interpretation

Dystrophin is highly expressed in structures involved in the brain networks underlying some social cognition skills. Our results, which provide additional preliminary evidence of a possible specific impairment in this area, underscore the importance of considering social cognition as another feature of the CNS phenotype of DMD, consistent with a few other previous reports.
Borders of physical self in virtual reality: a systematic review of virtual hand position discrepancy detection
Authors: Antoš David , Švec Tomáš , Hořínková Jana , Bartečková Eliška
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Virtual reality (VR) holds significant promise for psychiatric research, treatment, and assessment. Its unique ability to elicit immersion and presence is important for effective interventions. Immersion and presence are influenced by matching—the alignment between provided sensory information and user feedback, and self-presentation—the depiction of a user’s virtual body or limbs. Discrepancies between real and virtual hands can affect the sense of presence and thus treatment efficacy. However, the precise impact of positional offsets in healthy individuals remains under-explored. This review assesses how various factors influence the detection thresholds for positional offsets in VR among healthy subjects.

Methods

A comprehensive database search targeted English-language studies on the detection thresholds of virtual hand positional offsets using head-mounted displays (HMDs) with specific tracking capabilities. Data on methodologies, participant demographics, and VR system specifics were extracted.

Results

Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, revealing significant variability in detection thresholds—from a few millimeters to 42 cm for linear shifts and from 2° to 45° for angular shifts. Sensitivity to these offsets was affected by hand movement direction and magnitude, hand representation realism, and the presence of distractions. VR system specifications, such as resolution and tracking accuracy, also played a significant role. Methodological issues included small sample sizes, inadequate demographic reporting, and inconsistent presence or avatar embodiment measures.

Conclusion

The results highlight the need to consider identified influencing factors to maximize user presence in VR-based therapies. Variability in VR device capabilities also emphasizes the need for detailed reporting of device properties in research. The individual variability in offset detection further illustrates VR’s potential as a tool for studying body ownership and multisensory integration.
Neural correlates of facial recognition deficits in autism spectrum disorder: a comprehensive review
Authors: Liu Jianmei , Chen Huihui , Wang Haijing , Wang Zhidan
Published: January 2025

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by significant impairments in social interaction, often manifested in facial recognition deficits. These deficits hinder individuals with ASD from recognizing facial identities and interpreting emotions, further complicating social communication. This review explores the neural mechanisms underlying these deficits, focusing on both functional anomalies and anatomical differences in key brain regions such as the fusiform gyrus (FG), amygdala, superior temporal sulcus (STS), and prefrontal cortex (PFC). It has been found that the reduced activation in the FG and atypical activation of the amygdala and STS contribute to difficulties in processing facial cues, while increased reliance on the PFC for facial recognition tasks imposes a cognitive load. Additionally, disrupted functional and structural connectivity between these regions further exacerbates facial recognition challenges. Future research should emphasize longitudinal, multimodal neuroimaging approaches to better understand developmental trajectories and design personalized interventions, leveraging AI and machine learning to optimize therapeutic outcomes for individuals with ASD.
Trends in tuberculosis mortality among older adults in China, 2004–2021: a Joinpoint regression and age–period–cohort analysis
Authors: Zhang Mengdi , Wang Xin , Xiao Yiran , Wang Qiqi , Huang Fei , Ren Xiang , Guo Xiaomin , Sun Wenshan , Deng Jinqi , Jiang Qi , Liu Jianjun , Zheng Wenjing , Yao Hongyan
Published: January 2025

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in China and globally, particularly among older adults. This study aimed to examine secular trends in TB mortality among older adults in China and the net effects of age, period, and cohort.

Methods

Data from the National Disease Surveillance Points (DSPs) system were analyzed using Joinpoint regression to determine annual changes in TB mortality among individuals aged 60 years and older from 2004 to 2021. An age–period–cohort (APC) analysis using the intrinsic estimator (IE) method was conducted to estimate the independent effects of age, period, and cohort.

Results

The age-standardized TB mortality rate was 5.68 per 100,000, with higher rates observed in men, rural areas, and western regions. TB mortality among older adults declined overall from 2004 to 2021, although the rate of decline has slowed in recent years. The APC analysis revealed increased TB mortality with age, with the relative risk (RR) rising from 0.57 in the 60–64 age group to 1.53 in the 80–84 age group. The period effect decreased from 2007 to 2021, showing a higher risk effect in rural areas (RR = 1.51) than in urban areas (RR = 1.16) during 2007–2011, but this trend reversed in the period 2017–2021. The cohort effect generally declined, with the exception of certain demographic groups that showed an increase in the 1952–1956 and 1957–1961 birth cohorts.

Conclusion

TB mortality among older adults in China decreased from 2004 to 2021, although the decline has slowed in recent years. Variations in age, period, and cohort effects highlight differences by gender, urban and rural areas, and regions, providing insights for targeted intervention strategies.
Exploring factors influencing childhood immunization status in East Africa using multilevel ordinal logistic regression analysis
Authors: Dires Aster Addisu , Workie Demeke Lakew , Teklie Abay Kassa
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Childhood vaccinations are crucial in safeguarding children from infectious diseases and are recognized as one of the most cost-effective public health interventions. However, children in East African countries face more than a fifteen-fold increased risk of death from vaccine-preventable diseases compared to those in high-income nations. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing childhood immunization status in East Africa.

Methods

A sample of 22,734 children aged 12 to 23 months was included to assess immunization status, utilizing recent data from the Demographic and Health Survey conducted between 2015 and 2022 across ten East African countries. A Level-3 multilevel generalized odds model with a logit link function was employed for the analysis.

Results

Among the 22,734 children in the sample, only 67.4% were fully immunized, 27.7% were partially immunized, and the remaining were not immunized at all. The null hypothesis of proportionality was rejected based on the Brant test. Consequently, various partial and non-proportional odds models were fitted, with the generalized odds model demonstrating the best fit compared to other ordinal regression models. The findings indicated that 43.14% of the variation in children’s immunization status was attributable to differences between countries, while 18.18% was due to variations between regions. Specific factors associated with immunization status revealed that mothers who attended antenatal care were 1.23 times more likely to fully immunize their children compared to those who did not, and those who received postnatal care were 1.13 times more likely to do so. Additionally, mothers who had antenatal and postnatal services were 1.07 and 1.08 times more likely, respectively, to fully or partially immunize their children compared to those who did not.

Conclusion

The fitted generalized odds model indicated that several factors significantly associated with childhood immunization status included maternal age, number of antenatal and postnatal care visits, tetanus injections received by mothers, vitamin A intake, presence of health documentation, place of delivery, birth order, mother’s occupation, sex of the household head, distance to health facilities, maternal education, community maternal education, community wealth index, and community media exposure. Therefore, it is recommended that interventions focus on enhancing household wealth, educating mothers, and improving health systems.
Evaluating the role of generative AI and color patterns in the dissemination of war imagery and disinformation on social media
Authors: García-Huete Estibaliz , Ignacio-Cerrato Sara , Pacios David , Vázquez-Poletti José Luis , Pérez-Serrano María José , Donofrio Andrea , Cesarano Clemente , Schetakis Nikolaos , Di Iorio Alessio
Published: January 2025

This study explores the evolving role of social media in the spread of misinformation during the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with a focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) contributes to the creation of deceptive war imagery. Specifically, the research examines the relationship between color patterns (LUTs) in war-related visuals and their perceived authenticity, highlighting the economic, political, and social ramifications of such manipulative practices. AI technologies have significantly advanced the production of highly convincing, yet artificial, war imagery, blurring the line between fact and fiction. An experimental project is proposed to train a generative AI model capable of creating war imagery that mimics real-life footage. By analyzing the success of this experiment, the study aims to establish a link between specific color patterns and the likelihood of images being perceived as authentic. This could shed light on the mechanics of visual misinformation and manipulation. Additionally, the research investigates the potential of a serverless AI framework to advance both the generation and detection of fake news, marking a pivotal step in the fight against digital misinformation. Ultimately, the study seeks to contribute to ongoing debates on the ethical implications of AI in information manipulation and to propose strategies to combat these challenges in the digital era.
Instantaneous correlations of Shannon’s big data in nonlocal cosmos
Authors: Bulyzhenkov Igor É.
Published: January 2025

The etheric energy in Umov’s thermomechanical transport through material space changes reversibly within a limited band of hidden rest energy in accordance with Lorentz transformations. Umov’s continuum of field masses allows the local embedding of stored information in accordance with the Shannon distribution law to describe nonlocal hierarchies. The information guidance for the nonlocal mass integral nullifies its volumetric rest energy by self-gravity. Shannon entropy for big data can describe both macro- and mega-entanglement of correlated densities. Lomonosov’s interpretation “from here to there” for measured Newtonian forces supports instantaneous correlations in the matterspace informatics continuum of Umov, Kotel’nikov, and Shannon. Field mechanics of Russian cosmism proposes conceptual probes of monistic hierarchies with nonlocal entanglement for prospective use in energetics, engineering, informatics, life sciences, and astronomy.
Influential mechanism of green consumption on the realization of ecological products value in China
Authors: Shao Jingbo , Cai Chengzhi
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Realizing the value of ecological products (EP) is of great significance to comprehensively promote the green transformation of China’s economy. With the increasing demand of consumers for green, environmental protection and health, the great tendency of people’s green consumption (GC) has been triggered. Based on the theory of sustainable development and the theory of ecosystem services, this paper constructs relevant econometric models and deeply discusses the influence mechanism of demand-side GC behavior on the Ep value realization (EPVR).

Methods

This paper obtains the reliability data from the relevant statistical reports and statistical yearbooks, and innovatively constructs the index system of EPVR and GC whose comprehensive indexes are measured by entropy weight TOPSIS method. In the data analysis stage, STATA software was used for unit root test, cointegration test, multicollinearity test and descriptive statistics. On this basis, regression analysis was carried out by constructing a two-way fixed effect model, mediating effect and moderating effect model.

Results and discussion

(1) The level of EPVR is generally not high with a national average of 0.156 in the study area. The GC level of the study area is significantly different and the national GC level is 0.311; (2) From the regression results of the econometric model, GC has a significant positive effect on the EPVR, and has passed a series of robustness tests; (3) From the analysis of the influential mechanism, GC further affects the EPVR by affecting the supply willingness of EP, the advancement of industrial structure and the rationalization of industrial structure. Among them, the willingness to supply EP has a partial mediating effect, the advancement of industrial structure has a complete mediating effect, and the rationalization of industrial structure has a masking effect; (4) From the perspective of heterogeneity analysis, it is found that the influence of GC on the EPVR is enhanced in turn in eastern, central and western regions of China through grouping regression and adjustment effect test, and the promotion effect is more obvious in areas with lower economic development level. This paper provides an important literature reference for the impact of GC on the EPVR in China.
Evaluating efficacy and outcomes: comparison of laser treatment and crystallized phenol in pilonidal sinus disease
Authors: Emral Ahmet Cihangir , Gülen Merter , Ege Bahadır
Published: January 2025

Objective

The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of laser ablation and crystallized phenol application in the treatment of pilonidal sinus disease, focusing on treatment success, recurrence rates, complications, and the patients' return to normal life.

Material and method

Data from patients treated for pilonidal sinus disease with laser ablation and crystallized phenol application at our clinic between January 2020 and September 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative data including pit counts, disease stage, preoperative pilonidal abscess history, disease duration (week), treatment success, recurrence/persistent disease, postoperative complications, healing time (days), and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores on postoperative days 1 and 7, as well as return to normal life (days), were analyzed.

Results

A total of 121 patients were included in the study, with 51 receiving laser ablation and 70 receiving crystallized phenol application. The postoperative outcomes revealed that the wound healing period and postoperative VAS values were statistically significantly better in the laser ablation group.

Conclusion

Wound healing was faster and postoperative pain was less in the laser group compared to the phenol group. According to this study, both methods can successfully treat the disease in selected cases.
Risk factors for low back pain after oblique lumbar interbody fusion in patients with low-grade degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis: a retrospective study
Authors: Wang Shuanchi , Chen Jiabao , Lu Zhe
Published: January 2025

Objective

To investigate the risk factors of low back pain after oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) in patients with low grade degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS).

Methods

This retrospective study included 116 patients with single-level low-grade lumbar spondylolisthesis with low back pain who underwent OLIF surgery in our hospital from December 2017 to October 2020. Demographic, clinical, surgical, and radiological characteristics of this population were analyzed to determine the relationship between these characteristics and the degree of low back pain relief after OLIF.

Results

A total of 116 patients (average age 58.61 ± 7.01 years) were included in this study. Among them, 33 patients had poor improvement of low back pain after surgery, and 83 patients had satisfactory effect after surgery with obvious relief of low back pain. Postoperative disc height increase ≤2.5 mm (P = 0.000) was most correlated with poor improvement of low back pain symptoms after OLIF. The factors positively correlated with poor improvement of low back pain symptoms after OLIF in patients with low-grade degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis included the increase of spondylolisthesis grade (OR = 17.665; 95%CI: 3.262–95.678 P = 0.001), disc height increase ≤2.5 mm (OR = 34.377; 95%CI: 5.632–209.818 P = 0.000). The factors negatively correlated with poor improvement of low back pain symptoms after OLIF in patients with low-grade degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis included no osteoporosis (OR = 0.067; 95%CI: 0.013–0.350 P = 0.001), no cage subsidence (OR = 0.208; 95%CI: 0.048–0.903 P = 0.036), duration of preoperative low back pain symptoms ≤36 months (OR = 0.045; 95%CI: 0.007–0.277 P = 0.001).

Conclusions

OLIF can significantly improve the low back pain symptoms in patients with low-grade degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. High grade of spondylolisthesis before operation, duration of low back pain symptoms more than 36 months, osteoporosis, postoperative cage subsidence, and postoperative segmental disc height improvement less than 2.5 mm are risk factors for low back pain after operation.
Bone measurements interact with phenotypic measures in canine Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Schneider Sarah M. , Mackey Macie L. , Wilkinson Savannah , Guo Lee-Jae , Nghiem Peter P.
Published: January 2025

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked muscle disease with weakness, loss of ambulation, and premature death. DMD patients have reduced bone health, including decreased femur length (FL), density, and fractures. The mdx mouse model has paradoxically greater FL, density, and strength, positively correlating with muscle mass. Bone morphology has not been extensively studied in the genetic homolog, golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD). The aim of this study was to compare bone and muscle characteristics in GRMD dogs to understand their relationship to muscle function and density. We hypothesized that GRMD bone measurements would be altered similarly to DMD and would correlate with muscle strength and density. Eighteen variably aged and mixed gender dogs (6 each dystrophic, carrier, normal) were studied by computed tomography (CT) and bone measures were compared with various muscle functional measurements. FL, density, and volume and muscle density of several pelvic limb muscles were assessed. Dystrophic dogs showed some boney and muscle density changes on CT analysis compared to carriers and normal dogs. In GRMD, bone measurements were highly correlated with several other functional outcome measures, including eccentric contraction decrement, hip joint angle, and muscle volume/density. This novel experiment demonstrates an impact of dystrophy on bone outcome measures and provides observations on their correlation with functional outcomes.