bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tumor senescence leads to poor survival and therapeutic resistance in human breast cancer
Authors: Zhai Jingtong , Han Jiashu , Li Cong , Lv Dan , Ma Fei , Xu Binghe
Published: March 2023

Background

Breast cancer (BRCA) is the most common malignant tumor that seriously threatens the health of women worldwide. Senescence has been suggested as a pivotal player in the onset and progression of tumors as well as the process of treatment resistance. However, the role of senescence in BRCA remains unelucidated.

Methods

The clinical and transcriptomic data of 2994 patients with BRCA were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the METABRIC databases. Consensus clustering revealed senescence-associated subtypes of BRCA patients. Functional enrichment analysis explored biological effect of senescence. We then applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and LASSO regression to construct a senescence scoring model, Sindex. Survival analysis validated the effectiveness of Sindex to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with BRCA. A nomogram was constructed by multivariate Cox regression. We used Oncopredict algorithm and real-world data from clinical trials to explore the value of Sindex in predicting response to cancer therapy.

Results

We identified two distinct senescence-associated subtypes, noted low senescence CC1 and high senescence CC2. Survival analysis revealed worse OS associated with high senescence, which was also validated with patient samples from the National Cancer Center in China. Further analysis revealed extensively cell division and suppression of extracellular matrix process, along with lower stromal and immune scores in the high senescence CC2. We then constructed a 37 signature gene scoring model, Sindex, with robust predictive capability in patients with BRCA, especially for long time OS beyond 10 years. We demonstrated that the Sene-high subtype was resistant to CDK inhibitors but sensitive to proteosome inhibitors, and there was no significant difference in paclitaxel chemotherapy and immunotherapy between patients with different senescence statuses.

Conclusions

We reported senescence as a previously uncharacterized hallmark of BRCA that impacts patient outcomes and therapeutic response. Our analysis demonstrated that the Sindex can be used to identify not only patients at different risk levels for the OS but also patients who would benefit from some cancer therapeutic drugs.
Case report: Long-term survival in a patient with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with trifluridine/tipiracil in the third-line setting
Authors: ELBassiouny Mohamed
Published: March 2023

Third-line treatment with trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) is recommended for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) or gastric/gastroesophageal cancer (GC) who have progressed beyond first- and second-line therapy. We describe a patient with long-term survival following treatment with FTD/TPI. The patient, a 70-year-old woman diagnosed with right-sided mCRC (T3/N1) with metastases to the aortocaval and precaval lymph nodes, received first-line panitumumab and capecitabine for 6 months, followed by second-line bevacizumab and oxaliplatin. She had disease progression following 9 months of second-line therapy and began third-line treatment with FTD/TPI (50 mg bid). Three months after treatment initiation, lymph node involvement was reduced, and following 12 months of FTD/TPI treatment, her disease had stabilized, and she reported no treatment-related adverse events. She remained on the same dose of FTD/TPI for more than 27 months after initiating treatment, with maintenance of stable disease. This patient with mCRC demonstrated a survival benefit with FTD/TPI beyond those reported in published clinical trial data and real-world studies.
Retrospective, multicenter study of surgical treatment for carotid body tumors with or without preoperative embolization
Authors: Han Tonglei , Pu Jiaxi , Tang Hanfei , Yang Shaofei , Dong Dandan , Lu Minhao , Wei Xiaolong , Yang Guanghua , Zhao Bin , Guo Daqiao , Tang Xiao , Zhao Zhiqing
Published: March 2023

Background

Carotid body tumor (CBT) is the most common head and neck paraganglioma. Whether preoperative embolization benefits CBT patients who will receive surgical resection is still controversial.

Methods

In this multi-center retrospective study, we collected data from patients with CBT who received surgical treatment without (group A) or with preoperative embolization (group B) from 2011 to 2019. The primary outcome was the rate of death or stroke after 3 years of follow-up. The secondary outcomes of the study were length of operation (LOO), intraoperative blood loss (IBL), length of stay (LOS), rate of recurrence, and rate of cranial nerve (CN) injuries. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the demographics, clinical characteristics, complications, and follow-up results of the patients.

Results

Between January 2011 and October 2019, 261 consecutive patients (107 male and 154 female) entered analysis. After 3 years of follow-up, no patient died in both groups. Only three patients with stroke were detected: 2/226 (0.9%) in group A vs. 1/35 (2.9%) in group B (p = .308). The LOO in group A was 132.6 ± 64.6 min compared with 152.9 ± 40.4 min in group B (p = .072). IBL in group A was 375.4 ± 497.8 ml compared with 448.0 ± 270.8 ml in group B (p = .400). LOS in group A was 8.3 ± 2.0 days compared with 7.4 ± 1.7 days in group B (p = .016). Seventy-two CN injuries were detected: 65/226 (28.8%) in group A vs. 7/35 (20.0%) in group B (p = .281). There were 65 temporary CN injuries (59 in group A vs. 6 in group B) (p = .254) and seven permanent CN injuries (6 in group A vs. 1 in group B) (p = .945). Three most frequently injured cranial nerves were the pharyngeal branch and superior laryngeal nerve (12.3%), recurrent laryngeal nerve (7.7%) and vagus nerve (7.3%).

Conclusion

There was insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of preoperative embolization. CBT resection alone had a similar rate of stoke, recurrence, and CN injuries when compared with CBT resection with preoperative arterial embolization. Meanwhile, CBT resection alone did not increase LOO and IBL.
Association between napping and 24-hour blood pressure variability among university students: A pilot study
Authors: Dai Jie , Wu Hua-ying , Jiang Xiao-dong , Tang Yong-jie , Tang Hao-Kai , Meng Li , Huang Na , Gao Jing-yu , Li Jian , Baker Julien S. , Zheng Chan-Juan , Yang Yi-De
Published: March 2023

Background

Blood pressure variability (BPV) has been reported to be a predictor of cardiovascular and some cognitive diseases. However, the association between napping and BPV remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the association between napping and BPV.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional study including 105 university students was conducted. Participants’ 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (24 h ABPM) were measured, and napping behaviors were investigated. BPV were measured by the 24 h ABPM, included standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and average real variability (ARV).

Results

Among the participants, 61.9% reported daytime napping. We found that nap duration was significantly associated with daytime CV of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.250, P = 0.010), nighttime CV of systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.217, P = 0.026), 24 h WCV of DBP (r = 0.238, P = 0.014), 24 h ARV of SBP (r = 0.246, P = 0.011) and 24 h ARV of DBP (r = 0.291, P = 0.003). Compared with the no napping group, 24 h WCV of DBP, daytime CV of DBP, and daytime SD of DBP were significantly higher in participants with napping duration >60 min. With multiple regression analysis we found that nap duration was an independent predictor for 24 h ARV of SBP (β = 0.859, 95% CI, 0.101–1.616, P = 0.027) and 24 h ARV of DBP (β = 0.674, 95% CI, 0.173–1.175, P = 0.009).

Conclusions

Napping durations are associated with BPV among university students. Especially those with napping durations >60 min had a significantly higher BPV than those non-nappers.
Respiratory support strategies in the prevention and treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Hysinger Erik B. , Ahlfeld Shawn K.
Published: March 2023

Neonates who are born preterm frequently have inadequate lung development to support independent breathing and will need respiratory support. The underdeveloped lung is also particularly susceptible to lung injury, especially during the first weeks of life. Consequently, respiratory support strategies in the early stages of premature lung disease focus on minimizing alveolar damage. As infants grow and lung disease progresses, it becomes necessary to shift respiratory support to a strategy targeting the often severe pulmonary heterogeneity and obstructive respiratory physiology. With appropriate management, time, and growth, even those children with the most extreme prematurity and severe lung disease can be expected to wean from respiratory support.
Bronchiolitis obliterans associated with toxic epidermal necrolysis induced by infection: A case report and literature review
Authors: Liu Jingwei , Yan Haibo , Yang Chunfeng , Li Yumei
Published: March 2023

Background

Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis has a severe impact on patients' eyes, genital mucosa, and many other organs. Bronchiolitis obliterans is a rare complication of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Data sources

We report a case of bronchiolitis obliterans associated with toxic epidermal necrolysis in our department. Furthermore, we examined the patients with bronchiolitis obliterans induced by Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis and summarized the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis. Databases available online in English including PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science were consulted.

Results

We report one case and review 23 published case reports. Of the 24 patients, 13 were female, the oldest patient was 59 years old and the youngest was 5 years old. The time of bronchiolitis obliterans onset after Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis varied from 5 days to 5 months. Bronchoscopy examination showed ulceration, exudative lesions, occlusion, and inflammation. The CT of lung manifestation included mosaic perfusion, bronchiectasis, consolidation, air trapping, pneumatocele, pleural thickening, lung collapse, larger central airway dilatation, lung overinflation, oligemia, and pneumomediastinum. Most cases indicated pulmonary function tests with obstructive ventilation dysfunction. The prognosis was poor; six of the patients died.

Conclusions

Patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis may develop bronchitis obliterans at different stages, so all patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis should be followed up for possible respiratory complications.
Barriers and facilitators to maintaining a high level of polypharmacy adherence in people living with HIV: A scoping review
Authors: He Jiamin , Zhu Zheng , Sun Meiyan , Liu Xiaoning , Yu Junwen , Zhang Lin , Lu Hongzhou
Published: March 2023

Objectives: With the prolongation of life span and increasing incidence of comorbidities, polypharmacy has become a challenge for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). This review aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to maintaining a high level of polypharmacy adherence in people living with HIV/AIDS.

Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched for studies from 1996 to October 2021. Studies were included if they were conducted with adults living with HIV/AIDS and reported barriers and facilitators to maintaining a high level of polypharmacy adherence. This review presents a conceptual framework model to help understand the barriers and facilitators.

Results: Twenty-nine studies were included. The majority of publications were observational studies. Eighty specific factors were identified and further divided into five categories, including individual factors, treatment-related factors, condition-related factors, healthcare provider-related factors, and socioeconomic factors, based on the multidimensional adherence model (MAM).

Conclusion: Eighty factors associated with polypharmacy adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS were identified and grouped into five major categories. Healthcare providers can make decisions based on the five categories of relevant factors described in this paper when developing interventions to enhance polypharmacy adherence. It is recommended that medications be evaluated separately and that an overall medication evaluation be conducted at the same time to prevent inappropriate polypharmacy use.
The impact of levothyroxine therapy on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in euthyroid pregnant women with thyroid autoimmunity: A systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis
Authors: Chen Jingjing , Jiao Xue-Feng , Zhang Li , Zhang Miao , Zeng Linan , Liu Dan , Li Hailong , Zou Kun , Wei Qiang , Zhang Lingli
Published: March 2023

Background: At present, only one systematic review has investigated the effect of levothyroxine (LT4) in the treatment of euthyroid pregnant women with thyroid autoimmunity, but some problems [such as merging different types of research for meta-analysis, lacking neonatal outcomes, and so on] exist in this study, satisfactory results can not be provided. So, this systematic review was performed to investigate the effect of LT4 in euthyroid pregnant women with thyroid autoimmunity, in the hope of providing more comprehensive evidence for clinical use.

Methods: Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were electronically searched from database inception to March 2022. We included cohort studies and RCTs that evaluated the impact of LT4 therapy on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in euthyroid pregnant women with thyroid autoimmunity. Meta-analyses of different types of studies were performed separately, and meta-analyses were further performed by only including researches with low and moderate risk of bias. We used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach to evaluate the quality of evidence, and used TSA to test the sufficiency of the evidence.

Results: Finally, 2,901 euthyroid pregnant women with thyroid autoimmunity in six RCTs and five cohort studies were included. In all outcomes, no statistically significant differences were found between LT4 group and control group, including miscarriage [RR = 0.85, 95%CI (0.69,1.05), p = 0.14, I2 = 1%], preterm birth [RR = 0.80, 95%CI (0.59,1.08), p = 0.14, I2 = 0%], preeclampsia [RR = 0.68, 95%CI (0.12, 3.91), p = 0.66, I2 = 0%], placenta abruption [Peto’ OR = 0.14, 95%CI (0.00, 6.94), p = 0.32, I2 = 0%], birth weight [MD = -36.00, 95%CI (-170.41, 98.41), p = 0.60, I2 = 0%], gestational age at delivery [MD = -0.10, 95%CI (-0.61, 0.41), p = 0.70, I2 = 0%] and neonatal admission [RR = 1.33, 95%CI (0.21, 8.58), p = 0.76, I2 = 0%]. The results for all outcomes were insufficient and inconclusive as demonstrated by TSA. The GRADE assessments showed that the quality of evidence of 4 outcomes (miscarriage, preterm birth, birth weight and gestational age at delivery) were moderate, and 3 outcomes (preeclampsia, placenta abruption and neonatal admission) were low or very low.

Conclusion: For pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in euthyroid pregnant women with thyroid autoimmunity, we did not find benefit of LT4 treatment in this study.

Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022346745, identifier CRD42022346745.
Monotropein: A comprehensive review of biosynthesis, physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacology
Authors: Wu Mingquan , Lai Huabing , Peng Wei , Zhou Xu , Zhu Liyang , Tu He , Yuan Kezhu , Yang Zhirui
Published: March 2023

Monotropein, a principal natural compound in iridoid glycosides extracted from Morindae officinalis radix, has potent pharmacological activities. To understand and utilize monotropein, we systematically summarized the studies on monotropein, including its biosynthetic pathway, physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacology. Interestingly, we found that the multiple bioactivities of monotropein, such as anti-osteoporosis, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-nociception, and hepatic or renal protection, are closely associated with its capability of downregulating the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, attenuating the activation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway, and regulating the mammalian target of rapamycin/autophagy signaling pathway. However, the clinically therapeutic effects and the potential problems need to be addressed. This review highlights the current research progress on monotropein, which provides a reference for further investigation of monotropein.
Computational and experimental studies of salvianolic acid A targets 3C protease to inhibit enterovirus 71 infection
Authors: Shi Sai , Xie Lei , Ma Sen , Xu Binghong , An Hailong , Ye Sheng , Wang Yaxin
Published: March 2023

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood infectious disease caused by enterovirus (EV) infection. EV71 is one of the major pathogens causing hand, foot, and mouth disease and is more likely to cause exacerbation and death than other enteroviruses. Although a monovalent vaccine for EV71 has been developed, there are no clinically available anti-EV71 specific drugs. Here, we performed virtual screening and biological experiments based on the traditional Chinese medicine monomer library. We identified a traditional Chinese medicine monomer, Salvianolic acid A (SA), a polyphenolic compound isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza. Salvianolic acid A inhibits EV71 virus infection in a concentration-dependent manner, and its antiviral activity is higher than that of other reported natural polyphenols and has a high biosafety. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations showed that salvianolic acid A can anchor to E71, a member of the enzyme catalytic triad, and cause H40 to move away from the catalytic center. Meanwhile, molecular mechanics generalized born surface area (MMGBSA) and steered molecular dynamics (SMD) results showed that the P1 group of SA was most easily unbound to the S1 pocket of 3Cpro, which provided theoretical support to further improve the affinity of salvianolic acid A with 3Cpro. These findings suggest that salvianolic acid A is a novel EV71 3Cpro inhibitor with excellent antiviral activity and is a promising candidate for clinical studies.
Uncovering the mechanism of Kang-ai injection for treating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro validation
Authors: Song Fei , Lu Chang-Liang , Wang Cheng-Gui , Hu Chen-Wei , Zhang Yu , Wang Tian-Lun , Han Lu , Chen Zhong
Published: March 2023

Objective: Kang-ai injection (KAI) has been a popular adjuvant treatment for solid tumors, but its anti-tumor mechanism in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remains poorly understood. This study applied a network pharmacology-based approach to unveil KAI’s anti-tumor activity, key targets, and potential pharmacological mechanism in ICC by integrating molecular docking and in vitro validation.

Methods: The KAI-compound-target-ICC network was constructed to depict the connections between active KAI compounds and ICC-related targets based on the available data sources. The crucial ingredients, potential targets, and signaling pathways were screened using GO, KEGG enrichment analysis, and the PPI network. Molecular docking was performed to visualize the interactions between hub targets and components. In vitro experiments were carried out to validate the findings.

Results: Among the 87 active components of KAI and 80 KAI-ICC-related targets, bioinformatics analysis identified quercetin as a possible candidate. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway might be essential in ICC pharmacotherapy. The PPI network and its sub-networks screened 10 core target genes, including AKT1 and IL1β. Molecular docking results showed stable binding between AKT1 and IL1β with KAI active ingredients. The in vitro experiments confirmed that KAI might suppress the proliferation of ICC cell lines by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, consistent with the network pharmacology approach and molecular docking predictions.

Conclusion: The study sheds light on KAI’s biological activity, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms in treating ICC and provides a promising strategy for understanding the scientific basis and therapeutic mechanisms of herbal treatments for ICC. This research has important implications for developing new, targeted therapies for ICC and highlights the importance of network pharmacology-based approaches in investigating complex herbal formulations.
Construction of SNP fingerprint and population genetic analysis of honeysuckle germplasm resources in China
Authors: Li Jianjun , Chang Xiaopei , Huang Qian , Liu Pengfei , Zhao Xiting , Li Fengmei , Wang Yungang , Chang Cuifang
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The flower buds of Lonicera japonica Thunb. are widely used in Chinese medicine for their anti-inflammatory properties, and they have played an important role in the fight against SARS COVID-19 and other major epidemics. However, due to the lack of scientific and accurate variety identification methods and national unified standards, scattered and non-standardized management in flower bud production has led to mixed varieties that have caused significant difficulties in the cataloging and preservation of germplasm resources and the identification, promotion, and application of new L. japonica varieties.

Methods

In this study, we evaluated the population structure, genetic relationships, and genetic fingerprints of 39 germplasm resources of Lonicera in China using simplified genome sequencing technology.

Results

A total of 13,143,268 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. Thirty-nine samples of Lonicera were divided into four subgroups, and the population structure and genetic relationships among existing Lonicera germplasm resources were determined using principal component analysis, population structure analysis, and phylogenetic tree analysis. Through several stringent selection criteria, 15 additional streamlined, high-quality DNA fingerprints were filtered out of the validated 50 SNP loci and verified as being able to effectively identify the 39 Lonicera varieties.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study measuring the diversity and population structure of a large collection of Lonicera varieties in China. These results have greatly broadened our understanding of the diversity, phylogeny, and population structure of Lonicera. The results may enhance the future analysis of genetic diversity, species identification, property rights disputes, and molecular breeding by providing a scientific basis and reference data for these efforts.
Irrigation with primary wastewater alters wood anatomy and composition in willow Salix miyabeana SX67
Authors: Jerbi Ahmed , Laur Joan , Lajoie Kevin , Gallant Pierre-Paul , Barnabé Simon , Pitre Frederic E. , Labrecque Michel
Published: March 2023

Traditional treatment of wastewaters is a burden for local governments. Using short rotation coppice willow (SRCW) as vegetal filter has several environmental and economic benefits. Here, we investigated the effect of primary wastewater irrigation on wood structure and composition of the willow cultivar Salix miyabeana ‘SX67’ following two years of growth. Compared to unirrigated plants (UI), stem sections of plants irrigated with primary wastewater (WWD) showed an unexpected decrease of hydraulic conductance (KS) associated with a decrease in vessel density but not vessel diameter. The majority (86%) of vessels had diameters range groups [20-30[, [30-40[and [40-50[µm and contributed to > 75% of theoretical KS, while the group class [50-60[µm (less than 10% of vessels) still accounted for > 20% of total KS regardless irrigation treatments. WWD significantly alters the chemical composition of wood with an increase of glucan content by 9 to 16.4% and a decrease of extractives by 35.3 to 36.4% when compared to UI or to plants irrigated with potable water (PW). The fertigation did also increase the proportion of the tension wood which highly correlated with glucan content. In the context of energetic transition and mitigation of climate change, such results are of high interest since WWD effectively permit the phytofiltration of large amounts of organic contaminated effluents without impairing SRCW physiology.
How ambient temperature affects the heading date of foxtail millet (Setaria italica)
Authors: Huang Ya-Chen , Wang Yu-tang , Choong Yee-ching , Huang Hsin-ya , Chen Yu-ru , Hsieh Tzung-Fu , Lin Yann-rong
Published: March 2023

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a short-day plant, is one of the important crops for food security encountering climate change, particularly in regions where it is a staple food. Under the short-day condition in Taiwan, the heading dates (HDs) of foxtail millet accessions varied by genotypes and ambient temperature (AT). The allelic polymorphisms in flowering time (FT)–related genes were associated with HD variations. AT, in the range of 13°C–30°C that was based on field studies at three different latitudes in Taiwan and observations in the phytotron at four different AT regimes, was positively correlated with growth rate, and high AT promoted HD. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of foxtail millet HD, the expression of 14 key FT-related genes in four accessions at different ATs was assessed. We found that the expression levels of SiPRR95, SiPRR1, SiPRR59, SiGhd7-2, SiPHYB, and SiGhd7 were negatively correlated with AT, whereas the expression levels of SiEhd1, SiFT11, and SiCO4 were positively correlated with AT. Furthermore, the expression levels of SiGhd7-2, SiEhd1, SiFT, and SiFT11 were significantly associated with HD. A coexpression regulatory network was identified that shown genes involved in the circadian clock, light and temperature signaling, and regulation of flowering, but not those involved in photoperiod pathway, interacted and were influenced by AT. The results reveal how gene × temperature and gene × gene interactions affect the HD in foxtail millet and could serve as a foundation for breeding foxtail millet cultivars for shift production to increase yield in response to global warming.
A multidimensional construct of helicopter parenting and college students’ game and social media addictive behaviors: A cross-cultural study in South Korea and China
Authors: Hwang Woosang , Fu Xiaoyu , Kim Seonghee , Jung Eunjoo , Zhang Yue
Published: March 2023

Introduction

We explored latent classes of helicopter parenting among Korean and Chinese college students. In addition, we examined whether these latent classes of helicopter parenting are related to Korean and Chinese students’ game and social media addictive behaviors.

Methods

A three-step latent class analysis was conducted using 452 students from six universities in South Korea and 372 students from four universities in China.

Results and discussion

We identified four distinct helicopter parenting latent classes among the parents of Korean and Chinese students: weak, strong, academic management, and academic and schedule management. We also found that Korean students in the strong class reported significantly higher levels of game and social media addictive behaviors than those in the other three classes, but this did not hold for Chinese students. This finding indicates that the association between helicopter parenting and college students’ game and social media addictive behaviors can be differentiated within Asian cultural contexts.
Competency categorization and roles of online teachers from the perspective of university students
Authors: Tawafak Ragad M. , Al-Obaydi Liqaa Habeb , Pikhart Marcel
Published: March 2023

The teaching and learning process is facing many unprecedented challenges that require innovative solutions in the short life of knowledge and the abrupt development of technology. Some of these challenges are the new roles of teachers who are the main constituents in the online teaching process. The main aim of this study revolved around determining and analyzing university students’ priorities concerning the competency categorization and roles of online teachers. The research was based on Moodle and Google classroom to validate the competency elements with the final aim of improving teaching and learning processes. The data were collected by using an online questionnaire that evaluated eight dimensions of competencies and roles of online teachers. The research sample consisted of 430 participants (aged between 19 and 30) from Iraq and Oman. The results obtained from these two countries were very similar as the respondents highlighted professional, pedagogical and social competencies in their teachers. It further shows that though the applications used in the two contexts were different (Google classroom with Google Meet or Moodle), it did not affect the final results gained. The results of this survey could be important for further analysis of online teaching practice and bring several important insights regarding the possibilities of online teaching.
Comparison of SSS-CN and PHQ-15 in the evaluation of patients with suspected psychological disorders in cardiovascular medicine
Authors: Fu Yan , Lin Qiuzhen , Xiang Qunyan , Wen Xingyu , Liu Ling
Published: March 2023

Aims

Somatic Symptom Scale-China (SSS-CN) has been applied to assess the presence and severity of somatization symptom disorders (SSD) in Chinese patients. However, there was no study comparing SSS-CN with Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15). The aim of this study was to compare the consistency of the SSS-CN with the PHQ-15 in evaluating SSD in patients with suspected psychological disorders in cardiovascular medicine and to explore the relationship between scores on the two SSD self-rating scales and scores on self-rating scales for anxiety or depression.

Methods

In this study, 1,324 subjects were enrolled by using a “three-question method.” Then, they completed four self-assessment scales, i.e., SSS-CN, PHQ-15, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), in turn. The ability of SSS-CN to diagnose SSD was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the area under the curve (AUC) value, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. Reliability analysis was performed with the Kappa statistic to determine consistency between SSS-CN and PHQ-15. The relationship between two qualitative variables was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.

Results

The proportions of SSD evaluated by SSS-CN and PHQ-15 were 83.2 and 87.0%, respectively. SSS-CN score was significantly correlated with PHQ-15 one (r = 0.709, p < 0.001). The AUC of the SSS-CN for the diagnosis of SSD was 0.891, with a high sensitivity and acceptable specificity. There was a moderate agreement between SSS-CN and PHQ-15 in assessing SSD, with a Kappa value of 0.512. Anxiety and/or depression were detected in about 70% of patients with SSD. There was significant correlation between the score of each SSD scale and that of GAD-7 or PHQ-9 (SSS-CN: r = 0.614 or 0.674; PHQ-15: r = 0.444 or 0.582, all p < 0.001). In addition, the SSS-CN score was more closely correlated with the GAD-7 or PHQ-9 score than the PHQ-15 score, and a higher proportion of patients with anxiety or depression was detected in those with moderate and severe SSD evaluated by SSS-CN.

Conclusion

The SSS-CN could be one of the ideal scales for the rapid screening of patients with suspected psychological disorders in cardiovascular medicine.
Development and preliminary validation of Cancer-related Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire
Authors: Ou Mei-jun , Xu Xiang-hua , Chen Hong , Chen Fu-rong , Shen Shuai
Published: March 2023

The Cancer-related Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire (CPFQ) was developed and validated for assessing cancer patients’ psychological flexibility, including attitudes and behavior toward cancer. In a systematic process, the CPFQ identified four factors through principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis: Cancer Acceptance, Cancer Avoidance, Activity Engagement, and Valued Action. The results of this study reveal that the CPFQ has a clear factor structure and good psychometric properties. The specific nature of cancer and the need for a specific measure of cancer patient psychological flexibility make this questionnaire valuable for research on psychological flexibility in cancer patients.
The influence mechanism of interlocking director network on corporate risk-taking from the perspective of network embeddedness: Evidence from China
Authors: Li Hua , Li Yangyang , Sun Qiubai
Published: March 2023

The interlocking director network can not only help achieve low-cost information sharing and exchange learning among enterprises, but also provide essential resource support for corporate risk-taking behavior. This study aims to empirically analyze the impact, mechanism of action, and boundary of influence of interlocking director network (NET) on corporate risk-taking (RISK) using data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2020.The results show: (1) There is a significant positive correlation between NET and RISK, and the above results are still established after a series of robustness tests. (2) Mechanistic tests show that the NET can promote RISK through two channels: alleviating financing constraints and increasing R&D investment. (3) Further analysis reveals the promotion of NET on RISK is more significant in non-state-owned enterprises and enterprises with higher industry competition intensity. These findings have positive implications for the construction of an inter-enterprise interlocking director network and the enhancement the of the risk-taking level.
How can transforming representation of mathematical entities help us employ more cognitive resources?
Authors: Khatin-Zadeh Omid , Farsani Danyal , Breda Adriana
Published: March 2023

This article discusses the cognitive process of transforming one representation of mathematical entities into another representation. This process, which has been calledmathematical metaphor, allows us to understand and embody a difficult-to-understand mathematical entity in terms of an easy-to-understand entity. When one representation of a mathematical entity is transformed into another representation, more cognitive resources such as the visual and motor systems can come into play to understand the target entity. Because of their nature, some curves, which are one group of visual representations, may have a great motor strength. It is suggested that directedness, straightness, length, and thinness are some possible features that determine degree of motor strength of a curve. Another possible factor that can determine motor strength of a curve is the strength of association between shape of the curve and past experiences of the observer (and her/his prior knowledge). If an individual has had the repetitive experience of observing objects moving along a certain curve, the shape of the curve may have a great motor strength for her/him. In fact, it can be said that some kind of metonymic relationship may be formed between the shapes of some curves and movement experiences.
Which type of fear of cancer progression contributes to the quality of life of Romanian cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Authors: Kállay Éva , Medrea Flavia , Müller-Fábián Andrea , Dégi László Csaba
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Fear of cancer progression (FoP) is one of the most frequently reported unmet needs invoked by the majority of cancer patients, which may significantly impair the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The major objective of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the specificities of the relationship between different dimensions and intensity of FoP and different aspects of patients’ QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania.

Methods

A nationwide sample of 330 participants completed a survey, including measures of demographic characteristics, medical variables, QoL, and FoP. Multivariate General Linear and Hierarchical Regression Models were conducted in order to assess the relationship between variables.

Result

Our results indicate that less than a quarter of the sample experienced low, between 63 and 70% moderate, and 15% high levels of FoP. Our results also indicate that anxiety/worry related to the possibility of progression of the disease, and loss of independence produced significant differences with large effect sizes in all the dimensions of QoL.

Discussion

Our results indicate that besides affective reactions, the fear of cancer survivors to lose independence, not being able to attend to their own lives, seems to be a considerable threat, especially in the context of Romanian health system which has difficulties in offering qualitative psychosocial care for cancer patients. The idea that patients will have to rely on others and may not function well independently, not being able to attend to their own lives, seems to be a considerable threat, next to the experienced affective reactions per se.
The effects of online tourism information quality on conative destination image: The mediating role of resonance
Authors: Wang Xueyi , Wang Xin , Lai Ivan Ka Wai
Published: March 2023

With the increasing popularity of mobile applications, people enjoy browsing online tourism information on social media. This information may cause psychological resonance, which in turn stimulates travel intentions. This study examined the relationship between online travel information quality (OTIQ), resonance, and conative destination image. A partial least squares structural equation model was used to analyze the survey data of 426 users who recently used social media to browse online tourism information. The results show that four dimensions of OTIQ (value-added, relevancy, completeness, and design) affect cognitive resonance, and three dimensions of OTIQ (interestingness, design, and amount of information) affect emotional resonance. Both cognitive resonance and emotional resonance directly affect the conative destination image. This study contributes to online tourism marketing research by identifying the factors of OTIQ that rise tourists’ resonance. It also contributes to destination image research by extending the application of resonance theory and examining the role of cognitive resonance and emotional resonance in forming a conative destination image. Understanding how QTIQ builds a destination image can help destinations improve the quality of online tourism information to attract potential tourists. This study also provides recommendations to destination marketers to formulate appropriate marketing strategies in the age of innovative technology.
The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality compared to enhanced treatment as usual for inpatients who are suicidal: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Santel Miriam , Neuner Frank , Berg Michaela , Steuwe Carolin , Jobes David A. , Driessen Martin , Beblo Thomas
Published: March 2023

Background

Although use of inpatient crisis hospital intervention for suicide risk is common, the evidence for inpatient treatments that reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors is remarkably limited. To address this need, this novel feasibility pilot randomized controlled trial compared the use of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) to enhanced treatment as usual (E-TAU) within a standard acute inpatient mental health care setting.

Objectives

We hypothesized that CAMS would be more effective than E-TAU in reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. As secondary outcomes we also investigated depressive symptoms, general symptom burden, reasons for living, and quality of the therapeutic relationship.

Methods

All patients were admitted due to acute suicidal thoughts or behaviors. They were randomly assigned to CAMS (n = 43) or E-TAU (n = 45) and assessed at four time points (admission, discharge, 1 month and 5 months after discharge). We used mixed-effects models, effect sizes, and reliable change analyses to compare improvements across and between treatment groups over time.

Results

Intent-to-treat analyses of 88 participants [mean age 32.1, SD = 13.5; n = 47 (53%) females] showed that both groups improved over time across all outcome measures with no significant between-group differences in terms of change in suicidal ideation, depression, reasons for living, and distress. However, CAMS showed larger effect sizes across all measures; for treatment completers CAMS patients showed significant improvement in suicidal ideation (p = 0.01) in comparison to control patients. CAMS patients rated the therapeutic relationship significantly better (p = 0.02) than E-TAU patients and were less likely to attempt suicide within 4 weeks after discharge (p = 0.05).

Conclusions

CAMS and E-TAU were both effective in reducing suicidal thoughts and symptom distress. Within this feasibility RCT the pattern of results was generally supportive of CAMS suggesting that inpatient use of CAMS is both feasible and promising. However, our preliminary results need further replication within well-powered multi-site randomized controlled trials.

Trial registration

DRKS-ID/ICTRP-ID: DRKS00013727. The trial was retrospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register, registration code/ DRKS-ID: DRKS00013727 on 12.01.2018 and also in the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform of the World Health Organization (identical registration code).
Longitudinal multi-omics alterations response to 8-week risperidone monotherapy: Evidence linking cortical thickness, transcriptomics and epigenetics
Authors: Zong Xiaofen , Wang Gaohua , Nie Zhaowen , Ma Simeng , Kang Lijun , Zhang Nan , Weng Shenhong , Tan Qing , Zheng Junjie , Hu Maolin
Published: March 2023

Background

Antipsychotic treatment-related alterations of cortical thickness (CT) and clinical symptoms have been previously corroborated, but less is known about whether the changes are driven by gene expression and epigenetic modifications.

Methods

Utilizing a prospective design, we recruited 42 treatment-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients (FESP) and 38 healthy controls. Patients were scanned by TI weighted imaging before and after 8-week risperidone monotherapy. CT estimation was automatically performed with the FreeSurfer software package. Participants' peripheral blood genomic DNA methylation (DNAm) status, quantified by using Infinium® Human Methylation 450K BeadChip, was examined in parallel with T1 scanning. In total, CT measures from 118 subjects and genomic DNAm status from 114 subjects were finally collected. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to detect the spatial associations between longitudinal CT variations after treatment and cortical transcriptomic data acquired from the Allen Human Brain Atlas. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was then performed to identify multivariate associations between DNAm of PLS1 genes and patients' clinical improvement.

Results

We detected the significant PLS1 component (2,098 genes) related to longitudinal alterations of CT, and the PLS1 genes were significantly enriched in neurobiological processes, and dopaminergic- and cancer-related pathways. Combining Laplacian score and CCA analysis, we further linked DNAm of 33 representative genes from the 2,098 PLS1 genes with patients' reduction rate of clinical symptoms.

Conclusions

This study firstly revealed that changes of CT and clinical behaviors after treatment may be transcriptionally and epigenetically underlied. We define a “three-step” roadmap which represents a vital step toward the exploration of treatment- and treatment response-related biomarkers on the basis of multiple omics rather than a single omics type as a strategy for advancing precise care.
Positive and negative experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic among lonely and non-lonely populations in Germany
Authors: Wegner Luisa , Liu Shuyan
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing an epidemic of loneliness. Previous studies have shown the differences in positive and negative experiences of lonely and non-lonely people in a non-pandemic setting. However, it is unclear how the drastic alteration of the COVID-19 pandemic may influence peoples' reactions and beliefs, especially among those who feel lonely. Our study aims to examine the positive and negative experiences among lonely and non-lonely people. We undertook a cross-sectional online survey of the general population in Germany (N = 1,758) from May 2020 to May 2022. We assessed their feelings of loneliness with the short eight-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), their positive and negative experience of living in the COVID-19 pandemic as well as their psychological distress regarding the pandemic with the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). We found lonely individuals (ULS-8 score ≥ 16) reported fewer positive experiences of living in the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, less time with loved ones [z(1, 756) = −2.5, p = 0.012] and less sense of togetherness [z(1, 756) = −2.39, p = 0.017] as compared to non-lonely individuals. Meanwhile, they experienced more negative experiences, for example, worry and fear [z(1, 756) = 6.31, p < 0.001] compared with non-lonely individuals. Interestingly, lonely people were less likely to view the pandemic as a conspiracy than non-lonely people were [z(1, 756) = −3.35, p < 0.001]. Our results may give insight into attribution bias and the negative affect of lonely people during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as highlight the experience of non-lonely people and raise the question of differences in conspiracy beliefs. For pandemic preparedness and response, decision-makers may focus on interventions to foster social cohesion, empower people, build resilience, and most importantly provide timely social care.