bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New record of Sporochnus dotyi (Sporochnales, Phaeophyceae) from Kii Peninsula, Japan
Authors: Kawai Hiroshi , Sherwood Alison R. , Ui Shinsuke , Hanyuda Takeaki
Published: February 2023

The subtidal brown algal species Sporochnus dotyi Brostoff (Sporochnales, Phaeophyceae), which has been regarded as a Hawaiian endemic, is reported from Kushimoto, Kii Peninsula, Pacific coast of central Honshu, Japan, for the first time outside Hawai'i. The species grew on subtidal rocks ca. 5–20 m deep attached by a small conical holdfast. The erect thalli were 5–30 cm high, terete, robust and alternately branched in 1–2 orders. When mature, pedicellate receptacles developed on the branches, and formed elliptical sori 1 mm long with a pedicel 3–5 mm long. The apical parts of the thalli and the receptacles were terminated with a tuft of simple assimilatory filaments of up to 4 mm long and showed prominent green to yellow underwater iridescence. Reproductive filaments (paraphyses) were densely packed, simple, up to 200 μm long and bore 4–6 mostly unilateral unilocular zoidangia 20–22 μm long and 5–6 m in diameter. In the genetic analyses, the Sporochnus alga from Kushimoto had partial rbcL sequence identical to S. dotyi from Hawai'i. The cox3 phylogeny revealed that this alga formed a fully supported clade with S. dotyi. Therefore, we identified the alga from Kushimoto as S. dotyi. This finding of S. dotyi from Japan, together with the recent reports of the mesophotic macroalgae Ryuguphycus kuaweuweu (=Umbraulva kuaweuweu), Ulva iliohaha and Newhousia imbricata from various localities in the Pacific Ocean including Japan, suggest closer biogeographical connections of subtidal/mesophotic macroalgae in the Pacific than previously recognized.
Shedding light on the complex relationship between forest restoration and water services
Authors: Dib Viviane , Brancalion Pedro H. S. , Chan Chou Sin , Cooper Miguel , Ellison David , Farjalla Vinicius F. , Filoso Solange , Meli Paula , Pires Aliny P. F. , Rodriguez Daniel A. , Iribarrem Alvaro , Latawiec Agnieszka Ewa , Scarano Fabio R. , Vogl Adrian L. , de Viveiros Grelle Carlos Eduardo , Strassburg Bernardo
Published: February 2023

Although native vegetation is a determinant of aquatic ecosystems' maintenance, forest restoration has been linked to decreases in water yields worldwide. Here, we clarify linkages between forest restoration and water services and identify gaps in the literature critical for evaluating the benefits of forest restoration on water yields. Also, we discuss possible strategies to improve forest restoration planning and implementation. We argue that the apparent disconnect between estimates in the literature and real‐world observation reflects the limitation of studies, methods, and approaches in capturing forest and water relationships' complex nature. Future research should focus on hydrologic parameters other than annual streamflow flow (such as infiltration, groundwater recharge, and flow regulation) and encompass broader spatial–temporal scales. More empirical studies are needed, especially in the tropics, as the forest–water dynamics in these areas are unique and poorly understood. Filling this gap is critical to improving the decision‐making process related to water management and governance.
Indirect regulation of HIPPO pathway by miRNA mediates high‐intensity intermittent exercise to ameliorate aging skeletal muscle function
Authors: Ni Pin‐Shi , Ma Song , Wang Zhuang‐Zhi , He Jia‐Han , Zhang Chen‐Kai , Li Bo‐Ming , Yu Xiao‐Ming , Li Fang‐Hui
Published: February 2023

Exercise‐induced microRNA (miRNA) and HIPPO pathways participate in the regulation of skeletal muscle plasticity but their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) on miRNA expression and the HIPPO pathway in the skeletal muscle of aging rats to determine its role in the amelioration of muscle aging. Thirty‐six 18‐month‐old female rats were randomly divided into sedentary control (SED, n = 12), moderate‐intensity continuous training (MICT, n = 12), and HIIT (n = 12) groups, with continuous exercise for 8 months. Quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, KEGG enrichment, and dual‐luciferase assays were performed on the target skeletal muscle. Compared with the SED group, the MICT and HIIT groups showed a significant trend of improvement in Lee's index and grip strength and a marked increase in skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, apoptosis, antioxidant, and lipolysis‐related protein expression. They also exhibited PI3K/AKT pathway activation and a decrease in expression of HIPPO pathway‐related proteins; 20 miRNAs were differentially expressed and enriched in the exercise group compared with the SED group, including the HIPPO pathway and metabolic pathways. Further analysis of L6 cells confirmed that miR‐182 may target PTEN, which indirectly regulates HIPPO signaling, but not Mob1. the combined application of HIIT and MICT increased the antioxidant and lipolytic capacities of skeletal muscle and improved atrophy of aging skeletal muscle; HIIT was more effective than MICT. This may be related to HIIT‐mediated AKT pathway activation and HIPPO pathway inhibition by miRNAs (miR‐486 and miR‐182).
Identification of the novel HLA‐C*03:632 allele by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Bouthemy Charlène , Cargou Marine , Milhes Jean , Congy‐Jolivet Nicolas
Published: February 2023

HLA‐C*03:632 differs from C*03:03 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 285 in exon 5.
Comparison of computerized provider order entry specific transfusion indications versus the use of “Other”
Authors: Tong Nicholas , King Jessica , Fomani Katayoun
Published: February 2023

Background

Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems are one way to reinforce evidence‐based transfusion indications for blood products. The new CPOE system that was implemented at our institution allowed healthcare providers to select “Other” as an indication and provide reasons for transfusion outside of accepted guidelines.

Study Design and Methods

Transfusion order records for packed red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) from high product‐ordering areas of Long Island Jewish Medical Center and Cohen's Children's Medical Center from April 2021, when the new CPOE system was implemented, to November 2021 were reviewed. The percentage of “Other” orders was determined and the reason for each “Other” order was reviewed to identify possible areas for education or valid indications not included in the institutionally recognized indications.

Results

9.7% of RBC orders, 1.9% of platelet orders, and 18.2% of FFP orders were placed with “Other” as the indication for transfusion (χ22 = 88.5; p < .001). Reasons for “Other” orders were varied, but notable reasons included indications already institutionally accepted such as, bleeding (15.7% of pediatric “Other” RBC orders), hold for OR (14.3% of pediatric and 15.8% of adult “Other” RBC orders), and novel reasons such as FFP for ACE‐inhibitor associated angioedema (84.6% of adult “Other” FFP orders).

Discussion

The findings from our study provide examples of potential difficulties hospitals may encounter when they implement a new computerized physician order entry system. Provider education may play an important role to reduce the number of “Other” orders placed for already recognized indications.
The Global Catastrophic Impact of 9/11 Attack: Analyzing the Mental Condition in the Postmodern Novels and Media in the Post-Apocalyptic Context
Authors: Paul David , Alan G.
Published: February 2023

Post-Apocalyptic novels unveil the disasters that traumatize the psyche of the people. Apparently, such a catastrophe has an excruciating impact. This paper analyses the impact of the World Trade Centre (9/11) attack on American postmodern characters, it’s representation through Media and as a result, the reverberating references in Indian novels as well. Don DeLillo’s novel Falling Man presents the dreadful effects of the 9/11 attacks through the complex life of the Postmodern characters. The title, “Falling Man” is identical to the name given to a photograph released on The New York Times, “The Falling Man” taken by Drew, Associated Press. It is the media’s representation of the 9/11 American fall. Along with the postmodern tenets, themes, and techniques, the paper probes into the mental condition of the postmodern characters in the Post-Apocalyptic context. Horney's psychoanalytic social theory is an effective tool for comprehending how catastrophic events influence people psychologically as well as how they interact and behave. The impact of the catastrophe is traced in the American novel, in the Media’s photograph and in the Indian Novel.
Heuristics for the asymptotics of the number of Sn$S_n$‐number fields
Authors: Shankar Arul , Tsimerman Jacob
Published: February 2023

We give a heuristic argument supporting conjectures of Bhargava on the asymptotics of the number of ‐number fields having bounded discriminant. We then make our arguments rigorous in the case giving a new elementary proof of the Davenport–Heilbronn theorem. Our basic method is to count elements of small height in ‐fields while carefully keeping track of the index of the monogenic ring that they generate.
Families of diffeomorphisms and concordances detected by trivalent graphs
Authors: Botvinnik Boris , Watanabe Tadayuki
Published: February 2023

We study families of diffeomorphisms detected by trivalent graphs via the Kontsevich classes. We specify some recent results and constructions of the second named author to show that those non‐trivial elements in homotopy groups are lifted to homotopy groups of the moduli space of ‐cobordisms . As a geometrical application, we show that those elements in for are also lifted to the rational homotopy groups of the moduli space of positive scalar curvature metrics. Moreover, we show that the same elements come from the homotopy groups of moduli space of concordances of positive scalar curvature metrics on with fixed‐round metric on the boundary .
Toward a taxonomy of trust for probabilistic machine learning
Authors: Broderick Tamara , Gelman Andrew , Meager Rachael , Smith Anna L. , Zheng Tian
Published: February 2023

Probabilistic machine learning increasingly informs critical decisions in medicine, economics, politics, and beyond. To aid the development of trust in these decisions, we develop a taxonomy delineating where trust in an analysis can break down: (i) in the translation of real-world goals to goals on a particular set of training data, (ii) in the translation of abstract goals on the training data to a concrete mathematical problem, (iii) in the use of an algorithm to solve the stated mathematical problem, and (iv) in the use of a particular code implementation of the chosen algorithm. We detail how trust can fail at each step and illustrate our taxonomy with two case studies. Finally, we describe a wide variety of methods that can be used to increase trust at each step of our taxonomy. The use of our taxonomy highlights not only steps where existing research work on trust tends to concentrate and but also steps where building trust is particularly challenging.
The link between neuroinflammation and the neurovascular unit in synucleinopathies
Authors: Wang Qing , Zheng Jialing , Pettersson Sven , Reynolds Richard , Tan Eng-King
Published: February 2023

The neurovascular unit (NVU) is composed of vascular cells, glial cells, and neurons. As a fundamental functional module in the central nervous system, the NVU maintains homeostasis in the microenvironment and the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. Disruption of the NVU and interactions among its components are involved in the pathophysiology of synucleinopathies, which are characterized by the pathological accumulation of α-synuclein. Neuroinflammation contributes to the pathophysiology of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy, and dementia with Lewy bodies. This review aims to summarize the neuroinflammatory response of glial cells and vascular cells in the NVU. We also review neuroinflammation in the context of the cross-talk between glial cells and vascular cells, between glial cells and pericytes, and between microglia and astroglia. Last, we discuss how α-synuclein affects neuroinflammation and how neuroinflammation influences the aggregation and spread of α-synuclein and analyze different properties of α-synuclein in synucleinopathies.
Volcanic CO
2
degassing postdates thermogenic carbon emission during the end-Permian mass extinction
Authors: Wu Yuyang , Cui Ying , Chu Daoliang , Song Haijun , Tong Jinnan , Dal Corso Jacopo , Ridgwell Andy
Published: February 2023

Massive carbon dioxide (CO
2
) emissions are widely assumed to be the driver of the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). However, the rate of and total CO
2
released, and whether the source changes with time, remain poorly understood, leaving a key question surrounding the trigger for the EPME unanswered. Here, we assimilate reconstructions of atmospheric
P
co
2
and carbonate δ
13
C in an Earth system model to unravel the history of carbon emissions and sources across the EPME. We infer a transition from a CO
2
source with a thermogenic carbon isotopic signature associated with a slower emission rate to a heavier, more mantle-dominated volcanic source with an increased rate of emissions. This implies that the CO
2
degassing style changed as the Siberian Traps emplacement evolved, which is consistent with geochemical proxy records. Carbon cycle feedbacks from terrestrial ecosystem disturbances may have further amplified the warming and the severity of marine extinctions.
Neuronal dynamics of the default mode network and anterior insular cortex: Intrinsic properties and modulation by salient stimuli
Authors: Chao Tzu-Hao Harry , Lee Byeongwook , Hsu Li-Ming , Cerri Domenic Hayden , Zhang Wei-Ting , Wang Tzu-Wen Winnie , Ryali Srikanth , Menon Vinod , Shih Yen-Yu Ian
Published: February 2023

The default mode network (DMN) is critical for self-referential mental processes, and its dysfunction is implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the neurophysiological properties and task-based functional organization of the rodent DMN are poorly understood, limiting its translational utility. Here, we combine fiber photometry with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and computational modeling to characterize dynamics of putative rat DMN nodes and their interactions with the anterior insular cortex (AI) of the salience network. Our analysis revealed neuronal activity changes in AI and DMN nodes preceding fMRI-derived DMN activations and cyclical transitions between brain network states. Furthermore, we demonstrate that salient oddball stimuli suppress the DMN and enhance AI neuronal activity and that the AI causally inhibits the retrosplenial cortex, a prominent DMN node. These findings elucidate the neurophysiological foundations of the rodent DMN, its spatiotemporal dynamical properties, and modulation by salient stimuli, paving the way for future translational studies.
Polarized accretion shocks from the cosmic web
Authors: Vernstrom Tessa , West Jennifer , Vazza Franco , Wittor Denis , Riseley Christopher John , Heald George
Published: February 2023

On the largest scales, galaxies are pulled together by gravity to form clusters, which are connected by filaments making a web-like pattern. Radio emission is predicted from this cosmic web, which should originate from the strong accretion shocks around the cosmic structures. We present the first observational evidence that Fermi-type acceleration from strong shocks surrounding the filaments of the cosmic web, as well as in peripherals of low-mass clusters, is at work in the Universe. Using all-sky radio maps and stacking on clusters and filaments, we have detected the polarization signature of the synchrotron emission with polarization fractions ≥20%, which is best explained by the organization of local magnetic fields by strong shock waves both at the cluster peripheries and between clusters. Our interpretation is well supported by a detailed comparison with state-of-the-art cosmological simulations.
Cuttlefish eye–inspired artificial vision for high-quality imaging under uneven illumination conditions
Authors: Kim Minsung , Chang Sehui , Kim Minsu , Yeo Ji-Eun , Kim Min Seok , Lee Gil Ju , Kim Dae-Hyeong , Song Young Min
Published: February 2023

With the rise of mobile robotics, including self-driving automobiles and drones, developing artificial vision for high-contrast and high-acuity imaging in vertically uneven illumination conditions has become an important goal. In such situations, balancing uneven illumination, improving image contrast for facile object detection, and achieving high visual acuity in the main visual fields are key requirements. Meanwhile, in nature, cuttlefish (genus
Sepia
) have evolved an eye optimized for vertically uneven illumination conditions, which consists of a W-shaped pupil, a single spherical lens, and a curved retina with a high-density photoreceptor arrangement and polarized light sensitivity. Here, inspired by the cuttlefish eye, we report an artificial vision system consisting of a W-shaped pupil, a single ball lens, a surface-integrated flexible polarizer, and a cylindrical silicon photodiode array with a locally densified pixel arrangement. The W-shaped pupil integrated on the ball lens balances vertically uneven illumination, and the cylindrical silicon photodiode array integrated with the flexible polarizer enables high-contrast and high-acuity imaging.
Genomic Insights into CRISPR-Harboring Plasmids in the Klebsiella Genus: Distribution, Backbone Structures, Antibiotic Resistance, and Virulence Determinant Profiles
Authors: Long Jinzhao , Zhang Jiangfeng , Xi Yanyan , Zhao Jiaxue , Jin Yuefei , Yang Haiyan , Chen Shuaiyin , Duan Guangcai
Published: February 2023

CRISPR systems are often encoded by many prokaryotes as adaptive defense against mobile genetic elements (MGEs), but several MGEs also recruit CRISPR components to perform additional biological functions. Type IV-A systems are identified in
Klebsiella
plasmids, yet the distribution, characterization, and role of these plasmids carrying CRISPR systems in the whole
Klebsiella
genus remain unclear. Here, we performed large-scale comparative analysis of these plasmids using publicly available plasmid genomes.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Roseibium
sp. Strain Sym1, a Bacterial Associate of Symbiodinium linucheae, the Microalgal Symbiont of the Anemone
Aiptasia
Authors: Aguirre Emily G. , Carlson Harold K. , Kenkel Carly D.
Published: February 2023

We sequenced the genome of
Roseibium
sp. strain Sym1, a strain isolated from a monoculture of a Symbiodiniaceae marine dinoflagellate,
Symbiodinium linucheae
, a microalgal symbiont of cnidarians. The completed genome consists of one circular chromosome of 6,694,563 bp and four plasmids of 192,102 bp, 160,136 bp, 120,881 bp, and 89,413 bp.
Small Spatial Scale Drivers of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Diversity in Environmental Microbiomes
Authors: Geers Aileen Ute , Strube Mikael Lenz , Bentzon-Tilia Mikkel
Published: February 2023

To counteract the antibiotic resistance crisis, novel anti-infective agents need to be discovered and brought to market. Microbial secondary metabolites have been important sources of inspiration for small-molecule therapeutics.
Sputum Microbiome and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Rural Ugandan Cohort of Well-Controlled HIV Infection
Authors: Kayongo Alex , Bartolomaeus Theda Ulrike Patricia , Birkner Till , Markó Lajos , Löber Ulrike , Kigozi Edgar , Atugonza Carolyne , Munana Richard , Mawanda Denis , Sekibira Rogers , Uwimaana Esther , Alupo Patricia , Kalyesubula Robert , Knauf Felix , Siddharthan Trishul , Bagaya Bernard S. , Kateete David P. , Joloba Moses L. , Sewankambo Nelson K. , Jjingo Daudi , Kirenga Bruce , Checkley William , Forslund Sofia K.
Published: February 2023

Even with ART available, HIV-infected individuals are at high risk of suffering comorbidities, as shown by the high prevalence of noninfectious lung diseases in the HIV population. Recent studies have suggested a role for the respiratory microbiota in driving chronic lung inflammation.
Combined Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Reveals That the Potent Antifungal Pyrylium Salt Inhibits Mitochondrial Complex I in Candida albicans
Authors: Lv Quanzhen , Yan Lan , Wang Jinxin , Feng Jia , Gao Lu , Qiu Lijuan , Chao Wen , Qin Yu-Lin , Jiang Yuanying
Published: February 2023

The development of new antifungal drugs is critical for solving the problem of antifungal resistance and expanding the limited variety of clinical antifungal drugs. Based on the modification of the pyrylium salt SM21, a new lead compound, xy12, was synthesized which was effective against
Candida
species both
in vitro
and
in vivo
.
Clostridioides difficile S-Layer Protein A (SlpA) Serves as a General Phage Receptor
Authors: Royer Alexia L. M. , Umansky Andrew A. , Allen Marie-Maude , Garneau Julian R. , Ospina-Bedoya Maicol , Kirk Joseph A. , Govoni Gregory , Fagan Robert P. , Soutourina Olga , Fortier Louis-Charles
Published: February 2023

Phage therapy represents an interesting alternative to treat
Clostridioides difficile
infections because, contrary to antibiotics, most phages are highly species specific, thereby sparing the beneficial gut microbes that protect from infection. However, currently available phages against
C. difficile
have a narrow host range and target members from only one or a few PCR ribotypes.
Colonization of Honey Bee Digestive Tracts by Environmental Yeast
Lachancea thermotolerans
Is Naturally Occurring, Temperature Dependent, and Impacts the Microbiome of Newly Emerged Bees
Authors: Kogan Helen V. , Elikan Annabelle B. , Glaser Kimberly F. , Bergmann Jenna M. , Raymond Laure M. , Prado-Irwin Sofia R. , Snow Jonathan W.
Published: February 2023

Although many fungal species are found in association with honey bees and their broader environment, the effects of these interactions on honey bee health are largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery that a yeast commonly found in the environment can be found at high levels in honey bee digestive tracts.
For children admitted to hospital, what interventions improve medication safety on ward rounds? A systematic review
Authors: King Charlotte , Dudley Jan , Mee Abigail , Tomlin Stephen , Tse Yincent , Trivedi Ashifa , Hawcutt Daniel B
Published: February 2023

Objective

Every year, medication errors harm children in hospitals. Ward rounds are a unique opportunity to bring information together and plan management. There is a need to understand what strategies can improve medication safety on ward rounds. We systematically reviewed published interventions to improve prescribing and safety of medicines on ward rounds.

Design

Systematic review of randomised controlled trials and observational studies.

Setting

Studies examining inpatient ward rounds.

Patients

Children and young people aged between 0 and 18 years old.

Interventions

Any intervention or combination of interventions implemented that alters how paediatric ward rounds review inpatient medications.

Main outcome measure

Primary outcome was improvement in medication safety on paediatric ward rounds. This included reduction in prescribing error rates, healthcare professionals’ opinions on prescribing and improvement in documentation on ward rounds.

Results

Three studies were eligible for review. One examined the use of an acrostic, one the use of a checklist, and the other a use of a specific prescribing ward round involving a clinical pharmacist and doctor. None of the papers considered weight-based errors or demonstrated reductions in clinical harm. Reductions in prescribing errors were noted by the different interventions.

Conclusions

There are limited data on interventions to improve medication safety in paediatric ward rounds, with all published data being small scale, either quality improvement or audits, and locally derived/delivered. Good-quality interventional or robust quality improvement studies are required to improve medication safety on ward rounds.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022340201.
metaumbrella: the first comprehensive suite to perform data analysis in umbrella reviews with stratification of the evidence
Authors: Gosling Corentin J , Solanes Aleix , Fusar-Poli Paolo , Radua Joaquim
Published: February 2023

Objective

Umbrella reviews are a new form of literature review that summarises the strength and/or quality of the evidence from all systematic reviews and meta-analyses conducted on a broad topic. This type of review thus provides an exhaustive examination of a vast body of information, providing the highest synthesis of knowledge. A critical strength of umbrella reviews is recalculating the meta-analytic estimates within a uniform framework to allow a consistent evidence stratification. To our best knowledge, there is no comprehensive package or software to conduct umbrella reviews.

Methods

The R package metaumbrella accomplishes this aim by building on three core functions that (1) automatically perform all required calculations in an umbrella review (including but not limited to pairwise meta-analyses), (2) stratify evidence according to various classification criteria and (3) generate a visual representation of the results. In addition, this package allows flexible inputs for each review or meta-analysis analysed (eg, means plus SD, or effect size estimate and CI) and customisation (eg, stratification criteria following Ioannidis, algorithmic GRADE or personalised classification).

Results

The R package metaumbrella thus provides the first comprehensive range of facilities to perform umbrella reviews with stratification of the evidence.

Conclusion

To facilitate the use of this package, even for researchers unfamiliar with R, we also provide a JAMOVI module and an open-access, browser-based graphical interface that allow use of the core functions of the package with a few mouse clicks.
Symptom-specific effects of counselling for depression compared to cognitive–behavioural therapy
Authors: O'Driscoll Ciarán , Buckman Joshua E J , Saunders Rob , Ellard Sarah , Naqvi Syed Ali , Singh Satwant , Wheatley Jon , Pilling Stephen
Published: February 2023

Background

Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling for depression (CfD) are recommended first-line treatments for depression. While they approach change differently, there is little understanding of the impact those approaches have on change during treatment.

Objectives

This study aimed to identify whether CBT and CfD target different symptoms and explore the implications of modelling choices when quantifying change during treatment.

Methods

Symptom-specific effects of treatment were identified using moderated network modelling. This was a retrospective cohort study of 12 756 individuals who received CBT or CfD for depression in primary/community care psychological therapy services in England. Change was modelled several ways within the whole sample and a propensity score matched sample (n=3446).

Findings

CBT for depression directly affected excessive worry, trouble relaxing and apprehensive expectation and had a stronger influence on changes between suicidal ideation and concentration. CfD had a stronger direct influence on thoughts of being a failure and on the associated change between being an easily annoyed and apprehensive of expectation. There were inconsistencies when modelling change using the first and second appointments as the baseline. Residual score models produced more conservative findings than models using difference scores.

Conclusions

CfD and CBT for depression have differential effects on symptoms demonstrating specific mechanisms of change.

Clinical implications

CBT was uniquely associated with changes in symptoms associated with anxiety and may be better suited to those with anxiety symptoms comorbid to their depression. When assessing change, the baseline should be the first therapy session, not the pretreatment assessment. Residual change scores should be preferred over difference score methods.
Association between socioeconomic status and Parkinson’s disease: findings from a large incident case–control study
Authors: Najafi Fereshteh , Mansournia Mohammad Ali , Abdollahpour Ibrahim , Rohani Mohammad , Vahid Farhad , Nedjat Saharnaz
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been investigated in few studies. To our knowledge, SES measurement based on wealth index and perceived SES in PD patients has not been investigated in any study. Also, the simultaneous measurement of objective and perceived SES and their association with PD has not been conducted yet. This study aimed to determine the association between various SES indicators and PD.

Methods

This incident case–control study was conducted on 508 patients with PD and 1015 controls randomly selected from the general population in Iran in 2021–2022. A telephone interviewing method was used for data collection. The wealth index and educational level were used to measure objective SES. Perceived SES was also recorded. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted OR (AOR).

Results

A significant association based on the wealth index was found, where the intermediate category had lower odds of developing PD than the deprived category (AOR 0.75 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.99)). The odds of PD was significantly higher in the people with academic education compared with illiterate and primary-level education (AOR 2.17 (95% CI 1.58 to 2.99). Additionally, the odds of PD were significantly lower in the intermediate (AOR 0.26 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.52)) and affluent (AOR 0.21 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.40)), compared with the deprived categories based on perceived SES. Similar results were obtained in the analysis by sex.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that lower wealth index, a lower perceived SES and academic education are associated with increased the odds of PD.
Role of nutrition in human performance in military populations
Authors: Scott Jonathan M , Deuster P A
Published: February 2023

The role of nutrition and performance is well established. Service members� physical and cognitive performance, sleep and mood are impacted by nutritional choices. Although many eating patterns have emerged, consensus among experts recommend a dietary pattern focused on predominantly whole plant-based foods. Adequate intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds should be prioritised. Implementation of strategic and intentional fuelling strategies around times of activity maintain adequate energy stores, enhance recovery and protect against training injuries. Carbohydrates are prioritised before, during and after activity or a mission, although the type and amount will vary based on duration and intensity of activity. Protein is generally the focus after activity or a mission and may be included before activity depending on individual tolerance. There are no specific recommendations for fat consumption before, during and after exercise that will improve performance. That said, Service members generally tolerate low-fat meals/snacks prior to exercise, limit fat intake during exercise, may include fat as part of the post exercise meal/snack, and generally consume most fat during the maintenance and growth phase. Careful consideration and planning for food and fluid requirements should be made when Service members are exposed to heat, cold and/or altitude. Operational rations are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of all Service members across a variety of diverse climates, environments and altitudes. Service members may use dietary supplements to improve their performance and need to be aware of available resources to help them make informed decisions.
Acute pain service reduces barriers to buprenorphine/naloxone initiation by using regional anesthesia techniques
Authors: Seol Alice , Chan John , Micham Brittni , Ye Ying , Mariano Edward R , Harrison T Kyle , Hunter Oluwatobi O
Published: February 2023

Background

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are a life-saving intervention; thus, it is important to address barriers to successful initiation. Spasticity affects many patients with spinal cord injury and can be painful and physically debilitating. Chronic painful conditions can lead to the illicit use of non-prescribed opioids, but fear of pain is a barrier to the initiation of MOUD. In this case report, we describe the novel use of botulinum toxin A injections to treat abdominal spasticity and facilitate Acute Pain Service-led buprenorphine/naloxone initiation in a patient with opioid use disorder and severe abdominal spasticity due to spinal cord injury.

Case presentation

A patient with C4 incomplete tetraplegia and opioid use disorder complicated by abdominal spasticity refractory to oral antispasmodics and self-treating with intravenous heroin was referred to the Acute Pain Service for inpatient buprenorphine/naloxone initiation. The patient began to fail initiation of buprenorphine/naloxone secondary to increased pain from abdominal spasms. The patient was offered ultrasound-guided abdominal muscle chemodenervation with botulinum toxin A, which resulted in the resolution of abdominal spasticity and facilitated successful buprenorphine/naloxone initiation. At 6 months post-initiation, the patient remained abstinent from non-prescribed opioids and compliant with buprenorphine/naloxone 8 mg/2 mg three times a day.

Conclusions

This case report demonstrates that inpatient buprenorphine/naloxone initiation by an Acute Pain Service can improve the success of treatment by addressing barriers to initiation. Acute Pain Service clinicians possess unique skills and knowledge, including ultrasound-guided interventions, that enable them to provide innovative and personalized approaches to care in the complex opioid use disorder population.
Dicarbon defect in hexagonal boron nitride monolayer—a theoretical study
Authors: Korona Tatiana , Jankowska Joanna , Masoumifeshani Emran
Published: February 2023

A comprehensive theoretical study of the lowest electronic vertical excitations of the CBCN defect in the monolayer of hexagonal boron nitride has been performed. Both the periodic boundary conditions approach and the finite-cluster simulation of the defect have been utilized at the density-functional theory (DFT) level. Clusters of increasing sizes have been used in order to estimate artefacts resulting from edge effects. The stability of the results with respect to several density functionals and various basis sets has been also examined. High-level ab initio calculations with methods like equation-of-motion coupled cluster method with single and double excitations (EOM-CCSD), algebraic-diagrammatic construction to the second order (ADC(2)), and time-dependent approximate coupled cluster theory to the second order (TD-CC2) were performed for the smallest clusters. It turns out that TD-DFT with the CAM-B3LYP functional gives similar lowest excitation energies as EOM-CCSD, ADC(2), and TD-CC2. The lowest excitation energies resulting from the periodic-boundary calculation utilizing the Bethe–Salpeter equation are in agreement with the results for finite clusters. The analysis of important configurations and transition densities shows that for all studied methods, the lowest excited state is localized on two carbon atoms and their closest neighbours and has a large dipole transition moment. The optimized geometries for the lowest two excited states indicate that in both cases, the carbon–carbon bond becomes a single bond, while for the second excited state, additionally one from boron–nitrogen bonds loses its partially double character. The calculation of the excitation energies at the respective optimal geometry reveals that these two energies become about 0.5 eV lower than vertical excitations from the ground-state geometry.
Tectonic geomorphology of the Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben, Eastern Canada: implications for regional uplift and intraplate seismicity
Authors: Gusti Ugi K. , Peace Alexander L. , Rimando Jeremy
Published: February 2023

In intraplate areas where regional tectonic strain is accommodated by the reactivation of pre-existing structures, the level of seismic hazard associated with faults may be underestimated due to the poor surface expression of faults, scattered earthquake distribution, and long earthquake recurrence intervals. The cause(s) of seismicity in eastern Canada remains unresolved. This is partially because surface expressions of faults have been eroded during glacial and deglacial periods and in the Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben (OBG) are undetectable until a seismic event. Morphotectonic analysis has been widely applied to assess relative tectonic activity in various geological settings. To establish whether active uplift is occurring and to investigate the spatial distribution of relative uplift rates, 131 bedrock drainage basins in OBG were analysed. The aim of this was to (1) test the applicability of geomorphic indices for quantifying active deformation, (2) quantify the spatiotemporal distribution of relative uplift rates, and (3) explore the implications for faulting mechanisms, deformation styles, and ultimately regional seismic hazard. We measured valley floor width-to-height ratio ( Vf), basin elongation ratio ( Re), basin hypsometric integral, and normalized channel steepness index ( ksn). The results show that high relative uplift rates exist in all the six bedrock escarpment sections investigated, suggesting that they are presumably related with regional broad wavelength uplift (epeirogeny) caused by a complex interaction between far-field tectonic stress and glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). Our analysis showed that Vf, Re, and ksn reveals no considerable spatial differences in high relative uplift rates, consistent with the Canadian Base Network GPS uplift rates.

Highlights Geomorphic indices are applied in a low relief and low-medium seismicity area. Geomorphic indices reveal a broad wavelength regional uplift and show relative tectonic activity in the OBG. Relatively high geomorphic indices values provide longer term deformation history compared to global positioning system (GPS) records. Landscape formation and river incision is driven by a complex interaction between GIA and far-field tectonic stresses. Relative uplift rate results show similar patterns to published GPS uplift rates. Possible link between relative tectonic activity and current seismicity.
Towards the development of the PCR-based InDel markers associated with fruit skin quality traits in melon (Cucumis melo L.) using bulked segregant analysis
Authors: Adedze Y.M.N. , Fan W.Y. , Lu X. , Zhang W.T. , Yang X. , Deng Z.J. , Teng L.H. , Xu G.L. , Wang X.L. , Li W.H.
Published: February 2023

Melon's fruit skin quality is an agriculturally important and consumer-appealing trait. To identify molecular markers associated with fruit skin qualities, including reticulation and color, a total of 1200 Insertion/Deletion (InDel) markers randomly selected from the whole genome re-sequencing data of melon were combined with bulk segregant analysis to analyze a panel of melon genetic resources presenting reticulated- and smooth-skinned fruits as well as varying fruit skin colors. Four DNA bulks, including reticulated skin DNA bulk, smoothed skin DNA bulk, green skin DNA bulk, as well as white skin and light yellow skin DNA bulks, were developed. Four DNA pools were created by combining the DNA of 12 representative plants from each DNA bulk for polymorphism analysis, and 200 polymorphic InDel markers were selected. These polymorphic markers were used to characterize typical genetic bands within each DNA bulk. Two InDel markers, MC8-52 and MC4-7, were discovered to be related to fruit surface patterning (reticulated- and smooth-skinned fruits) and fruit color (green and white–light yellow fruits), respectively. These markers offer a high degree of detection accuracy. InDel marker MC8-52 on chromosome 8 achieved detection accuracies of 78.33% and 90.56%, whereas marker MC4-7 on chromosome 4 displayed detection accuracies of 92.92% and 83.35%, respectively. However, these markers were seen as a likely means of identifying strongly related markers for these traits. Hence, a high-resolution map of genomic regions carrying them is required for the development of highly linked markers for these traits.
Debiased Recommendation with User Feature Balancing
Authors: Yang Mengyue , Cai Guohao , Liu Furui , Jin Jiarui , Dong Zhenhua , He Xiuqiang , Hao Jianye , Shao Weiqi , Wang Jun , Chen Xu
Published: February 2023

Debiased recommendation has recently attracted increasing attention from both industry and academic communities. Traditional models mostly rely on the inverse propensity score (IPS), which can be hard to estimate and may suffer from the high variance issue. To alleviate these problems, in this article, we propose a novel debiased recommendation framework based on user feature balancing. The general idea is to introduce a projection function to adjust user feature distributions, such that the ideal unbiased learning objective can be upper bounded by a solvable objective purely based on the offline dataset. In the upper bound, the projected user distributions are expected to be equal given different items. From the causal inference perspective, this requirement aims to remove the causal relation from the user to the item, which enables us to achieve unbiased recommendation, bypassing the computation of IPS. To efficiently balance the user distributions upon each item pair, we propose three strategies, including clipping, sampling, and adversarial learning to improve the training process. For more robust optimization, we deploy an explicit model to capture the potential latent confounders in recommendation systems. To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first work on debiased recommendation based on confounder balancing. In the experiments, we compare our framework with many state-of-the-art methods based on synthetic, semi-synthetic, and real-world datasets. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our model is effective in promoting the recommendation performance.
Unsupervised Domain Adaptation by Causal Learning for Biometric Signal-based HCI
Authors: Dai Qingfeng , Wong Yongkang , Sun Guofei , Wang Yanwei , Zhou Zhou , Kankanhalli Mohan S. , Li Xiangdong , Geng Weidong
Published: February 2023

Biometric signal based human-computer interface (HCI) has attracted increasing attention due to its wide application in healthcare, entertainment, neurocomputing, and so on. In recent years, deep learning-based approaches have made great progress on biometric signal processing. However, the state-of-the-art (SOTA) approaches still suffer from model degradation across subjects or sessions. In this work, we propose a novel unsupervised domain adaptation approach for biometric signal-based HCI via causal representation learning. Specifically, three kinds of interventions on biometric signals (i.e., subjects, sessions, and trials) can be selected to generalize deep models across the selected intervention. In the proposed approach, a generative model is trained for producing intervened features that are subsequently used for learning transferable and causal relations with three modes. Experiments on the EEG-based emotion recognition task and sEMG-based gesture recognition task are conducted to confirm the superiority of our approach. An improvement of +0.21% on the task of inter-subject EEG-based emotion recognition is achieved using our approach. Besides, on the task of inter-session sEMG-based gesture recognition, our approach achieves improvements of +1.47%, +3.36%, +1.71%, and +1.01% on sEMG datasets including CSL-HDEMG, CapgMyo DB-b, 3DC, and Ninapro DB6, respectively. The proposed approach also works on the task of inter-trial sEMG-based gesture recognition and an average improvement of +0.66% on Ninapro databases is achieved. These experimental results show the superiority of the proposed approach compared with the SOTA unsupervised domain adaptation methods on HCIs based on biometric signal.
Supporting Physical Activity in Later Life: Perspectives From Older Adults
Authors: Yang Muhe
Published: February 2023

The older population, especially those living alone, is less likely to meet recommended physical activity levels than other age groups and deserves more attention in this era of population ageing. However, existing technologies for supporting physical activity have been generally poorly aligned with the needs of older adults. Reasons for such problem are manifold, including the lack of involving older adults in design and evaluation, prevalent technology-driven perspectives, and the complexity of designing behavior change technology. Therefore, this research project aims to investigate how to better design behavior change technology to support the needs of older adults living alone for physical activity, which will address four main aspects: meeting user needs, investigating the rationale of technology design, improving co-design practice, and evaluating designed technology. To this end, this project will employ a human-centered iterative design methodology and actively involve the target group in the design process to let their voices heard and incorporated in design. This research will not only contribute to a deeper understanding towards the needs and preferences of this insufficiently studied group, but also identify implications for improving co-design practices as well as design opportunities for future behavior change technology.
Animal Models, Zoonotic Reservoirs, and Cross-Species Transmission of Emerging Human-Infecting Coronaviruses
Authors: Kane Yakhouba , Wong Gary , Gao George F.
Published: February 2023

Over the past three decades, coronavirus (CoV) diseases have impacted humans more than any other emerging infectious disease. The recent emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), has resulted in huge economic disruptions and loss of human lives. The SARS-CoV-2 genome was found to mutate more rapidly due to sustained transmission in humans and potentially animals, resulting in variants of concern (VOCs) that threaten global human health. However, the primary difficulties are filling in the current knowledge gaps in terms of the origin and modalities of emergence for these viruses. Because many CoVs threatening human health are suspected to have a zoonotic origin, identifying the animal hosts implicated in the spillover or spillback events would be beneficial for current pandemic management and to prevent future outbreaks. In this review, wesummarize the animal models, zoonotic reservoirs, and cross-species transmission of the emerging human CoVs. Finally, we comment on potential sources of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOCs and the new SARS-CoV-2 recombinants currently under investigation.
Poaching Forensics: Animal Victims in the Courtroom
Authors: Harper Cindy K.
Published: February 2023

Poaching and the international trade in wildlife are escalating problems driven by poverty and greed and coordinated by increasingly sophisticated criminal networks. Biodiversity loss, caused by habitat change, is exacerbated by poaching, and species globally are facing extinction. Forensic evidence underpins human and animal criminal investigations and is critical in criminal prosecution and conviction. The application of forensic tools, particularly forensic genetics, to animal case work continues to advance, providing the systems to confront the challenges of wildlife investigations. This article discusses some of these tools, their development, and implementations, as well as recent advances. Examples of cases are provided in which forensic evidence played a key role in obtaining convictions, thus laying the foundation for the future application of techniques to disrupt the criminal networks and safeguard biodiversity through species protection.