bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing predictive validity of motoric cognitive risk syndrome for incident dementia and all-cause mortality with handgrip strength: insights from a prospective cohort study
Authors: Bai Weimin , Ma Ruizhu , Yang Yanhui , Xu Juan , Qin Lijie
Published: June 2024

Background

This study aimed to assess whether integrating handgrip strength (HGS) into the concept of motoric cognitive risk (MCR) would enhance its predictive validity for incident dementia and all-cause mortality.

Methods

A cohort of 5, 899 adults from the Health and Retirement Study underwent assessments of gait speed, subjective cognitive complaints, and HGS were involved. Over a 10-year follow-up, biennial cognitive tests and mortality data were collected. Cox proportional hazard analyses assessed the predictive power of MCR alone and MCR plus HGS for incident dementia and all-cause mortality.

Results

Patients with MCR and impaired HGS (MCR-HGS) showed the highest adjusted hazard ratios (AHR) for dementia (2.33; 95% CI, 1.49–3.65) and mortality (1.52; 95% CI, 1.07–2.17). Even patients with MCR and normal HGS (MCR-non-HGS) experienced a 1.77-fold increased risk of incident dementia; however, this association was not significant when adjusted for socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and medical conditions. Nevertheless, all MCR groups demonstrated increased risks of all-cause mortality. The inclusion of HGS in the MCR models significantly improved predictive discrimination for both incident dementia and all-cause mortality, as indicated by improvements in the C-statistic, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and net reclassification indices (NRI).

Conclusion

Our study underscores the incremental predictive value of adding HGS to the MCR concept for estimating risks of adverse health outcomes among older adults. A modified MCR, incorporating HGS, could serve as an effective screening tool during national health examinations for identifying individuals at risk of dementia and mortality.
Effect of acupuncture on post-stroke dysphagia: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bai Lin , Cheng Hongliang , Hu Peijia , Wang Qingqing , Shilin Zhang , Shen Zhiqiang , Xu Fangyuan , Su Xingxing , Zhang Yiting
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) is associated with various complications that increase morbidity and mortality rates. Acupuncture has been used extensively in China to treat these complications; however, its therapeutic efficacy remains uncertain. We therefore aimed to study the clinical effects of acupuncture on PSD.

Methods

Patients (n = 101) were randomly divided into acupuncture (n = 50) and rehabilitation training control (n = 51) groups based on the treatment used. Both groups were treated once daily, 6 days a week, for a total of 4 weeks. Pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) and standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) were performed before the intervention, 2 weeks into treatment, after the intervention (4 weeks post-intervention), and at a 6-month follow-up (28 weeks). The levels of hemoglobin (Hb) and albumin (ALB), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) were measured before the intervention, 2 weeks into treatment, and after the intervention (4 weeks), as nutrition and swallowing function indices, respectively.

Results

Following the intervention, significant differences were observed between the acupuncture and control groups. The acupuncture group exhibited considerably superior enhancements in SpO2 and SSA scores at 4 weeks (p < 0.001). Moreover, this group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in Hb, ALB, 5-HT, and DA values 4 weeks post-treatment (p < 0.001). However, sex-based differences were not observed (P > 0.005).

Conclusion

Acupuncture treatment can improve the swallowing function and nutritional status of patients with PSD, and increase the levels of 5-HT and DA. These findings strongly support the efficacy of acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention in patients with PSD.

Clinicaltrial registration: identifier, ChiCTR2100052201. (https://www.chictr.org.cn/).
Neural correlates of motor imagery and execution in real-world dynamic behavior: evidence for similarities and differences
Authors: Mustile Magda , Kourtis Dimitrios , Edwards Martin G. , Donaldson David I. , Ietswaart Magdalena
Published: June 2024

A large body of evidence shows that motor imagery and action execution behaviors result from overlapping neural substrates, even in the absence of overt movement during motor imagery. To date it is unclear how neural activations in motor imagery and execution compare for naturalistic whole-body movements, such as walking. Neuroimaging studies have not directly compared imagery and execution during dynamic walking movements. Here we recorded brain activation with mobile EEG during walking compared to during imagery of walking, with mental counting as a control condition. We asked 24 healthy participants to either walk six steps on a path, imagine taking six steps, or mentally count from one to six. We found beta and alpha power modulation during motor imagery resembling action execution patterns; a correspondence not found performing the control task of mental counting. Neural overlap occurred early in the execution and imagery walking actions, suggesting activation of shared action representations. Remarkably, a distinctive walking-related beta rebound occurred both during action execution and imagery at the end of the action suggesting that, like actual walking, motor imagery involves resetting or inhibition of motor processes. However, we also found that motor imagery elicits a distinct pattern of more distributed beta activity, especially at the beginning of the task. These results indicate that motor imagery and execution of naturalistic walking involve shared motor-cognitive activations, but that motor imagery requires additional cortical resources.
Bone mineral density and body composition in Australians following plant-based diets vs. regular meat diets
Authors: Austin Grace , Ferguson Jessica J. A. , Eslick Shaun , Oldmeadow Christopher , Wood Lisa G. , Garg Manohar L.
Published: June 2024

Background and aims

Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition play an important role in maintaining metabolic health and physical functioning. Plant-based diets (PBDs) are known to be lower in protein and calcium, which can impact BMD and body composition. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between various PBDs compared to regular meat diet and whole-body BMD, body composition, and weight status.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with adults (n = 240) aged 30–75 years, who habitually followed dietary patterns: vegan, lacto-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, or regular meat eater (48 per group). Parameters were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and multivariable regression analyses were used to adjust for lifestyle confounders, socioeconomic factors, and BMI.

Results

After adjustments, whole-body BMD and body composition were not significantly different between those following PBDs and regular meat diets, except for lacto-ovo vegetarians, who had significantly lower lean mass by −1.46 kg (CI: −2.78, −0.13). Moreover, lacto-ovo vegetarians had a significantly lower T-score by −0.41 SD (CI: −0.81, −0.01) compared to regular meat eaters. Waist circumference was significantly lower in individuals adhering to a PBD compared to a regular meat diet: vegans by −4.67 cm (CI: −8.10, −1.24), lacto-ovo vegetarians by −3.92 cm (CI: −6.60, −1.23), pesco-vegetarians by −3.24 cm (CI: −6.09, −0.39), and semi-vegetarians by −5.18 cm (CI: −7.79, −2.57). There were no significant differences in lean mass (%), fat mass (% and total), android/gynoid measures, body weight, or BMI across dietary patterns. All dietary patterns met the recommended dietary intake for calcium and protein, and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D status was comparable across groups.

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study found that adhering to a PBD characterized by varying degrees of dairy and meat restriction is not associated with meaningful changes in BMD or body composition, provided that the dietary patterns are planned appropriately with adequate levels of calcium and protein.
Lipid-lowering medications and risk of malignant melanoma: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Yang BoWen , Wang HanYu , Song WenYuan , Feng JiuHuan , Hou ShuFang
Published: June 2024

Background

The relationship between blood lipids, lipid-modifying medications, and cancer risk has been under investigation for some time. Recent studies suggest that lipid-lowering medications might influence melanoma outcomes, though findings remain controversial. Our study aims to clarify the potential causal relationship between lipid-lowering drugs commonly used and melanoma incidence through a comprehensive Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

Genetic variations within an LDL-related drug target gene (LDL-cholesterol from a genome-wide association study) served as proxies for exposure to lipid-lowering drugs. We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median approaches. The MR-PRESSO test and pleiotropy_test were utilized to identify and adjust for horizontal pleiotropy. Stability and reliability of the Mendelian randomization findings were assessed using the leave-one-out method, Cochran’s Q test, and funnel plot analysis. Odds ratios (OR) were employed to evaluate the causal relationship between genetic proxies of lipid-lowering drugs and melanoma risk.

Results

IVW analysis revealed that HMGCR gene expression is linked to a decreased risk of melanoma [OR: 0.624(0.439–0.888); p = 0.008]. Conversely, PCSK9 gene expression is tied to an elevated risk of melanoma [OR: 1.233(1.026–1.484); p = 0.025]. No significant association was observed between NPC1L1 and melanoma.

Conclusions

HMGCR inhibitors (statins) may increase melanoma risk, while PCSK9 inhibitors (evolocumab, alirocumab) could potentially decrease melanoma risk.
Early discontinuation of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy prior to disease progression in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: a survival analysis
Authors: McKinley Blake J. , Pai Tanmayi S. , Wolf Emily B. , Li Shenduo , Correia Guilherme Sacchi de Camargo , Zhao Yujie , Manochakian Rami , Lou Yanyan
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Limited survival data are available for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) who stop immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICI) early for reasons other than progression of disease (POD), such as immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observational study of all patients with mNSCLC treated with ICIs, with or without combination chemotherapy, at 3 Mayo Clinic sites between 2011 and 2022. Separate analyses were conducted at 6- and 12-month intervals. Patients who discontinued ICI due to POD prior to these time points were excluded from the analysis.

Results

A total of 246 patients with stage IV NSCLC used ICIs. Patients were then excluded if they had experienced POD prior to 6 or 12 months, resulting in 81 and 63 patients, respectively, for each timepoint. Sixty-four patients continued treatment beyond 6 months and were found to have longer progression-free survival (PFS) compared to the 17 patients who discontinued treatment (22.8 months vs 11.8 months, P =1.1E-04), as well as a significant increase in overall survival (OS) (33.9 months vs 14.4 months, P =7.2E-08). Forty patients continued treatment beyond 12 months and had longer PFS compared to the 23 patients that discontinued treatment (27.9 months vs 14.8 months, P =1.1E-04), as well as a significant increase in OS (39.7 months vs 18.0 months, P =2.0E-07). The most common reason for ICI discontinuation was irAEs. Other common reasons for stopping ICI were non-irAEs and stable disease. At both time points, 12 patients continued or restarted ICI after experiencing an irAE, and 2 patients experienced recurrent/new grade 1–2 irAEs. More patients continued/rechallenged with ICI after experiencing an irAE in the groups that continued ICI compared to those that discontinued ICI.

Conclusions

Patients with mNSCLC and no POD who continued ICI beyond 6 months and 12 months, experienced significantly increased PFS and OS compared to patients who discontinued ICI, with larger increases in those who continued ICI past 12 months. Oncology providers should discuss the survival benefits of continuing ICI and offer support to overcome obstacles to continuation of treatment, if possible, particularly management of grade 1 and 2 irAEs.
Modified Si Miao Powder granules alleviates osteoarthritis progression by regulating M1/M2 polarization of macrophage through NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: He Qi , Tian Ding , Wang Zhiyuan , Zheng Dan , Zhi Liqiang , Ma Jianbing , An Jing , Zhang Rui
Published: June 2024

Background

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease mainly characterized by cartilage damage and synovial inflammation. Si Miao Powder, an herbal formula, was recorded in ancient Chinese medicine prescription with excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Based on the classical formula, the modified Si Miao Powder (MSMP) was developed with the addition of two commonly Chinese orthopedic herbs, which had the efficacy of strengthening the therapeutic effect for OA.

Methods

In the in vivo experiments, thirty-six 8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into six groups: sham group, OA group, celecoxib group, low-MSMP group, middle-MSMP group, and high-MSMP group. OA mice were constructed by destabilization of medial meniscus (DMM) and treated with MSMP granules or celecoxib by gavage. The effects of MSMP on cartilage, synovitis and inflammatory factor of serum were tested. For in vitro experiments, control serum and MSMP-containing serum were prepared from twenty-five C57BL/6 mice. Macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and then treated with MSMP-containing serum. The expression of inflammatory factors and the change of the NF-κB pathway were tested.

Results

In vivo, celecoxib and MSMP alleviated OA progression in the treated groups compared with OA group. The damage was partly recovered in cartilage, the synovial inflammatory were reduced in synovium, and the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α were reduced and the expression of IL-10 was increased in serum. The function of the middle MSMP was most effective for OA treatment. The results of in vitro experiments showed that compared with the LPS group, the MSMP-containing serum significantly reduced the expression levels of pro-inflammatory (M1-type) factors, such as CD86, iNOS, TNF-α and IL-6, and promoted the expression levels of anti-inflammatory (M2-type) factors, such as Arg1 and IL-10. The MSMP-containing serum further inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway after LPS induction.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that MSMP alleviated OA progression in mice and MSMP-containing serum modulated macrophage M1/M2 phenotype by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. Our study provided experimental evidence and therapeutic targets of MSMP for OA treatment.
Determination of the effective swath of a plant protection UAV adapted to mist nozzles in mountain Nangguo pear orchards
Authors: Liu Yihan , Yao Weixiang , Guo Shuang , Yan Hao , Yu Ziqi , Meng Sikai , Chen Dennis , Chen Chunling
Published: June 2024

Plant protection unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become popular in mountain orchards, but due to the differences in planting structures, the chances of heavy spraying, missed spraying and pesticide drift are increasing. To mitigate the adverse effects of these phenomena, it is necessary to clarify the effective deposition range of aerial spray droplets. This study proposed an effective spray swath determination method for the effective spraying range of mountainous orchards with UAVs equipped with a mist nozzle (bilateral 1% coverage). This approach focused on exploring the effects of flight height (unidirectional flight modes of 2, 3 and 4 m), spray nozzle atomization performance (reciprocating flight modes of 20, 30 and 40 µm) and flight route (treetop flying and inter-row flying) on the spraying range in a mountain setting. In addition, the study analysed the relationship between the droplet-size spectrum and the effective swath position. The results showed that it is feasible to use the bilateral 1% coverage evaluation method to determine the effective spray swath of a UAV adapted with a mist nozzle for aerial operation in a mountainous Nangguo Pear orchard. With the increase in UAV flight height (2–4 m), the effective unidirectional spray swath also increased, and with the increase in atomization level (20–40 μm), the effective reciprocating spray swath showed a decreasing trend. Moreover, the average effective swath width measured by the UAV for treetop flight was greater than that measured for inter-row flight. The study also found that the proportion of small droplets (droplet size less than 100 µm) below the UAV route was lower (approximately 50%) than along the sides of the route (approximately 80%), and the spray swath was not symmetrically distributed along the flight route but shifted laterally by approximately 3 to 4 m in the downhill direction.
The relationship between physical activity and anxiety in college students: exploring the mediating role of lifestyle habits and dietary nutrition
Authors: Sun Dezhuo , Zhu Xiangfei , Bao Zhonghan
Published: June 2024

Background

Physical activity has been shown to be effective in treating and improving anxiety in college students. However, no studies have been conducted to examine the relationship between physical activity and anxiety in college students through mediating factors such as dietary nutrition and lifestyle habits. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of lifestyle and dietary nutrition in the relationship between physical activity and anxiety.

Methods

This study used a stratified random sampling method to survey 498 college students from three universities in Fujian, China. Data on participants’ demographic characteristics, physical activity, lifestyle habits, and dietary nutrition were collected and analyzed using SPSS software. The proposed structural equation model was analyzed using Amos software.

Results

The results of the study showed that dietary nutrition and lifestyle habits had significant independent mediating effects and continuous multiple mediating effects (p < 0.01) in the effects of physical activity on college students’ anxiety. Dietary nutrition and lifestyle habits played an independent mediating role, accounting for 24.9% of the total effect; there was also a continuous multiple mediating effect between dietary nutrition and lifestyle habits, accounting for 13.27% of the total effect value. In addition, physical activity had a direct effect value on anxiety in college students, accounting for 36.93% of the total effect value.

Conclusion

By increasing the behavior and awareness of college students to participate in physical activity, supplemented by guiding them to develop regular lifestyle habits and correct dietary nutritional patterns, the anxiety level of college students can be effectively improved and reduced. This type of regulation is an important reference for the self-management and rehabilitation of college students with anxiety disorders. Future studies can experimentally develop a combined intervention of physical activity, lifestyle habits, and dietary nutritional to help college students better cope with anxiety.
The association between team behaviors and competitive anxiety among team-handball players: the mediating role of achievement goals
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Sun Zhuo , Yuan Lei , Dong Depeng , Dong Delong
Published: June 2024

Team sports athletes may encounter significant stress, leading to competitive anxiety. The anxiety levels can be influenced by team behaviors and achievement goals. This study aims to investigate the relationship between team behaviors (i.e., perceptions of controlling coaching behavior and team cohesion) and competitive anxiety, and to examine the mediation effects of achievement goals (i.e., task-oriented and ego-oriented) on the relationship. A total of 298 team-handball players were involved in the study, ages ranging from 16 to 24 years old (M = 18.44, SD = 3.09). A cross-sectional research design was adopted, and structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze path coefficients and mediating effects. Findings indicated that perceptions of controlling coaching behaviors had significant positive predictions for state and somatic anxiety (β = 0.22, 0.29) and negative predictions for self-confidence (β = −0.19). Team cohesion had significant negative predictions for state anxiety (β = −0.31) and positive predictions for self-confidence (β = 0.58). In addition, ego-oriented goals play a positive mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (β = 0.03–0.35), while task-oriented goals play a negative mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (β = −0.18 - −0.03). In conclusion, team behaviors have a significant relationship with competitive anxiety, with achievement goals playing a mediating role among them. Therefore, to alleviate team sports athletes’ competitive anxiety, it is recommended to reduce coach control behaviors, enhance team cohesion, and employ psychological training methods (e.g., mindfulness or meditation) to strengthen athletes’ task-oriented goals.
Prevalence and associated factors of premenstrual dysphoric disorder among high school students in Finote Selam town, northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Kibralew Getasew , Demilew Demeke , Koye Selam , Yitayih Sewbesew , Kelebie Mulualem , Melkam Mamaru , Tadesse Gebresilassie , Fentahun Setegn , Nakie Girum , Wassie Yilkal Abebaw , Amare Tadele
Published: June 2024

Background

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is the most prevalent but neglected psychiatric disorder, with somatic symptoms that are severe enough to markedly affect usual daily activities and have a negative impact on mental health and quality of life by affecting female patients’ behavior and cognition. Studies regarding premenstrual dysphoric disorder and associated factors among high school students in low- and middle-income countries are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of PMDD among high school students, and this is pivotal in further investigation.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 25 to April 17, 2023 using a simple random-sampling technique to select a sample of 564 participants. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder was assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Self-administered standardized questionnaires were used to collect data.

Result

A total of 548 study participants participated, with a 97.2% response rate. The prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder among high school students was found to be 33.03% (95%CI: 29.20–37.09). In a multivariable analysis, irregular menstruation cycle (AOR = 4.242, 95%CI = 2.182–8.246), depression (AOR = 5.272, 95%CI = 2.779–10.002), having greater than 4 days of menstruation bleeding duration (AOR = 2.138, 95%CI = 1.105–4.138), and high perceived stress (AOR = 3.468, 95%CL = 1.217–9.880) were the factors significantly associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Conclusion

The overall prevalence of PMDD which was one-third among high school students was high. Moreover, long duration of menstruation bleeding, depressive symptoms, irregular menstruation cycle, and high perceived stress were significant factors in PMDD. Therefore, it needs early screening and intervention in primary healthcare settings, especially for those who have high perceived stress, having depression, having a long duration of menstruation bleeding, and having an irregular menstruation cycle, so as to have good academic achievement and psychological wellbeing.
Levodopa-based device-aided therapies for the treatment of advanced Parkinson’s disease: a social return on investment analysis
Authors: Denham Inez , Maurin Roxanne , Deltetto Irene , Mikolaizak Anna Stefanie , Waern Jenny B. , Taylor Colman
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an incurable, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder. As PD advances and symptoms progress, patients become increasingly dependent on family and carers. Traditional cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) only consider patient and payer-related outcomes, failing to acknowledge impacts on families, carers, and broader society. This novel Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis aimed to evaluate the broader impact created by improving access to levodopa (LD) device-aided therapies (DATs) for people living with advanced PD (aPD) in Australia.

Methods

A forecast SROI analysis over a three-year time horizon was conducted. People living with aPD and their families were recruited for qualitative interviews or a quantitative survey. Secondary research and clinical trial data was used to supplement the primary research. Outcomes were valued and assessed in a SROI value map in Microsoft Excel™. Financial proxies were assigned to each final outcome based on willingness-to-pay, economic valuation, and replacement value. Treatment cost inputs were sourced from Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) and Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) published prices.

Results

Twenty-four interviews were conducted, and 55 survey responses were received. For every $1 invested in access to LD-based DATs in Australia, an estimated $1.79 of social value is created. Over 3 years, it was estimated $277.16 million will be invested and $406.77 million of social return will be created. This value is shared between people living with aPD (27%), their partners (22%), children (36%), and the Australian Government (15%). Most of the value created is social and emotional in nature, including reduced worry, increased connection to family and friends, and increased hope for the future.

Discussion

Investment in LD-based DATs is expected to generate a positive social return. Over 50% of the value is created for the partners and children of people living with aPD. This value would not be captured in traditional CEA. The SROI methodology highlights the importance of investing in aPD treatment, capturing the social value created by improved access to LD-based DATs.
The association of physical activity and sedentary behavior with depression in US adults: NHANES 2007–2018
Authors: Meng Yanli , Ma Ning , Shi Yixin , Zhang Ning , Wu Jing , Cui Xia , Niu Wenquan
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Depression is largely preventable, and strategies that can effectively suppress its development are imperative. We aimed to examine whether physical activity and sedentary behavior were associated with depression and explore the possible mediatory role of complete blood count in this association.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, data were integrated from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (2007–2018). Depression was defined using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The risk for depression, expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), was quantified by survey-weighted logistic regression analyses.

Results

A total of 31,204 respondents were analyzed. Significance was identified for all, except walking or bicycling per week, types of physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Per 1 standard deviation (SD) increment in metabolic equivalent of task (MET) of weekly vigorous recreational physical activity was associated with 31.3% decreased depression risk (adjusted OR: 0.687, 95% CI: 0.5663–0.840). Per 1 SD increment in sitting time can increase depression risk by 22.4% (adjusted OR: 1.224, 95% CI: 1.131–1.325). In subsidiary analyses, the association with depression was reinforced in respondents aged ≤65 years and those overweight or obese. Mediation analyses revealed significant effects for red blood cell (RBC) on total MET (19.4%) and moderate work-related physical activity (MWPA) (22.0%), and for red cell distribution wide (RCDW) on vigorous work-related physical activity (17.7%), moderate work-related physical activity (13.1%), total MET (11.2%), and sitting time (16.4%) (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that more physical activity and less sitting time were associated with a lower likelihood of having depression among US adults, and this association was probably mediated by RBC and RCDW.
Why Do We Care How Much Oxygen Tumors Have?
Authors: Martin Louise A. W. , Hammond Ester M.
Published: June 2024

The air we all breathe contains oxygen, which is essential for life. Each of the tiny cells that make up our bodies needs oxygen, although they need different amounts. Whenever a cell does not receive enough oxygen, it is said to be hypoxic, which means “low oxygen”. Normally, if a cell is very hypoxic it stops working and eventually dies. As we age, things can go wrong in our bodies and tumors can develop. The cancer cells inside the tumor can experience hypoxia. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells can adapt to living in hypoxic conditions and survive instead of dying. Hypoxic cancer cells are very difficult to kill using the standard therapies given to cancer patients, so the degree of hypoxia is in a tumor can determine whether the cancer can be cured. We understand how hypoxia makes cancer worse, but we are still working on ways to get rid of hypoxic cancer cells.
Active galactic nuclei: global perspective and time-domain implications
Authors: Kazanas Demosthenes
Published: June 2024

A view of the global structure of active galactic nuclei (AGN) is presented herein following the detection of blue-shifted warm absorber (WA) and ultrafast outflow (UFO) absorption features in their X-ray spectra. A straightforward interpretation of these features suggests the presence of magnetohydrodynamic winds off the underlying accretion disks spanning a wide range of a few to ∼106 Schwarzschild radii. UFOs are associated with wind segments closest to a black hole, with decreasing ionization absorber species associated with these wind segments at increasingly larger distances; eventually, the wind segments at the largest distances are sufficiently cool and dusty to be associated with the AGN tori, as suggested in the past. Furthermore, spectroscopic X-ray observations at a sufficient resolution allow estimates of the mass fluxes of these winds, showing that they increase with radius. As a consequence, the mass flux of the underlying accretion disk must decrease toward the accreting black hole, eventually reaching a value smaller than that needed to convert the flow into an X-ray hot advection-dominated accretion flow; it is suggested that this hot segment of the accretion flow is responsible for the observed AGN X-rays (and galactic X-ray binaries) in place of the ad hoc corona assumed thus far. This work indicates that the properties of this component that are reflected in its relative luminosity to the viscous disk O-UV component depend on the source luminosity in broad agreement with the observations.
Design and Test of a Crawler-Type On-Film Precision Cotton Seeding Device on DEM-CFD
Authors: Zhang Hui , Pan Feng , Han Dalong , Liu Jinbao , Ji Chao
Published: June 2024

To solve the limitation of speed in the operation of air-suction cotton precision seeding devices, a new crawler-type precision on-film seeding device was designed using an extended duckbill hole-forming device to produce hole-forming belts and lateral seed collection. Coupling simulation of seeding, and analysis of drag force and movement speed of cotton seeds were conducted on EDEM-CFD. A mechanical model of the operation was established, and the effects of the suction hole diameter, pressure relief block length, and wind pressure on seeding performance were analyzed. Regression models between influencing factors and seeding performance indices were established using response surface methodology. The test data were analyzed using Design Expert 10.0.3. The influence rules for each factor on seeding performance were established. The factors affecting the seeding qualified index exhibited the following order: air pressure > pressure relief block length > suction hole diameter. The optimization goals included defining the maximum value of a qualified single-seed index and the minimum value of the missing index, and the best parameter combination was obtained based on a suction hole diameter of 3.624 mm, pressure relief block length of 63.369 mm, and wind pressure of 3.797 kPa. According to the actual test conditions, the parameters were revised to include a suction hole diameter of 3.6 mm, a relief block length of 63.4 mm, and wind (air) pressure of 3.8 kPa for verification tests. The actual qualified single-seed index is 94.87% ± 0.98 %, the missing index is 1.45% ± 0.32%, and the multiple index is 3.68% ± 0.62%. The difference from the predicted value is within 5%, indicating that this study can provide a reference for the structural design and optimization of crawler-type on-film precision cotton seeding devices.
Research on Backstepping Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control of Hypersonic Vehicle
Authors: Bao Chengwei , Zhu Guixin , Zhao Tong
Published: June 2024

In this paper, the velocity and altitude control problem of hypersonic vehicles is studied. Aiming at the nonlinear parameter uncertainties, external disturbances and coupling of the hypersonic vehicle system, a control method combining backstepping control with linear active disturbance rejection control is proposed. The backstepping control solves the coupling of the system and transforms the longitudinal dynamic model of the hypersonic vehicle into the form of strict feedback, which is divided into the altitude subsystem and velocity subsystem. The linear extension state observer (LESO) can observe parameter uncertainty disturbance and external disturbance. At the same time, the stability of the system is proved by Lyapunov theory. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed controller is verified by numerical simulation and comparison with classical PID control.
Novel Therapeutics for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—A Look at the Past Decade and a Glimpse into the Future
Authors: Chee Ying Jie , Dalan Rinkoo
Published: June 2024

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and kidney disease are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Globally, the incidence of T2DM continues to rise. A substantial increase in the burden of CVD and renal disease, alongside the socioeconomic implications, would be anticipated. Adopting a purely glucose-centric approach focusing only on glycemic targets is no longer adequate to mitigate the cardiovascular risks in T2DM. In the past decade, significant advancement has been achieved in expanding the pharmaceutical options for T2DM, with novel agents such as the sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) demonstrating robust evidence in cardiorenal protection. Combinatorial approaches comprising multiple pharmacotherapies combined in a single agent are an emerging and promising way to not only enhance patient adherence and improve glycemic control but also to achieve the potential synergistic effects for greater cardiorenal protection. In this review, we provide an update on the novel antidiabetic agents in the past decade, with an appraisal of the mechanisms contributing to cardiorenal protection. Additionally, we offer a glimpse into the landscape of T2DM management in the near future by providing a comprehensive summary of upcoming agents in early-phase trials.
Gynotoxic Effects of Chemotherapy and Potential Protective Mechanisms
Authors: Markowska Anna , Antoszczak Michał , Markowska Janina , Huczyński Adam
Published: June 2024

Chemotherapy is one of the leading cancer treatments. Unfortunately, its use can contribute to several side effects, including gynotoxic effects in women. Ovarian reserve suppression and estrogen deficiency result in reduced quality of life for cancer patients and are frequently the cause of infertility and early menopause. Classic alkylating cytostatics are among the most toxic chemotherapeutics in this regard. They cause DNA damage in ovarian follicles and the cells they contain, and they can also induce oxidative stress or affect numerous signaling pathways. In vitro tests, animal models, and a few studies among women have investigated the effects of various agents on the protection of the ovarian reserve during classic chemotherapy. In this review article, we focused on the possible beneficial effects of selected hormones (anti-Müllerian hormone, ghrelin, luteinizing hormone, melatonin), agents affecting the activity of apoptotic pathways and modulating gene expression (C1P, S1P, microRNA), and several natural (quercetin, rapamycin, resveratrol) and synthetic compounds (bortezomib, dexrazoxane, goserelin, gonadoliberin analogs, imatinib, metformin, tamoxifen) in preventing gynotoxic effects induced by commonly used cytostatics. The presented line of research appears to provide a promising strategy for protecting and/or improving the ovarian reserve in the studied group of cancer patients. However, well-designed clinical trials are needed to unequivocally assess the effects of these agents on improving hormonal function and fertility in women treated with ovotoxic anticancer drugs.
Importance of Michaelis Constants for Cancer Cell Redox Balance and Lactate Secretion—Revisiting the Warburg Effect
Authors: Niepmann Michael
Published: June 2024

Cancer cells metabolize a large fraction of glucose to lactate, even under a sufficient oxygen supply. This phenomenon—the “Warburg Effect”—is often regarded as not yet understood. Cancer cells change gene expression to increase the uptake and utilization of glucose for biosynthesis pathways and glycolysis, but they do not adequately up-regulate the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Thereby, an increased glycolytic flux causes an increased production of cytosolic NADH. However, since the corresponding gene expression changes are not neatly fine-tuned in the cancer cells, cytosolic NAD+ must often be regenerated by loading excess electrons onto pyruvate and secreting the resulting lactate, even under sufficient oxygen supply. Interestingly, the Michaelis constants (KM values) of the enzymes at the pyruvate junction are sufficient to explain the priorities for pyruvate utilization in cancer cells: 1. mitochondrial OXPHOS for efficient ATP production, 2. electrons that exceed OXPHOS capacity need to be disposed of and secreted as lactate, and 3. biosynthesis reactions for cancer cell growth. In other words, a number of cytosolic electrons need to take the “emergency exit” from the cell by lactate secretion to maintain the cytosolic redox balance.
Predictive Approach to the Phase Behavior of Polymer–Water–Surfactant–Electrolyte Systems Using a Pseudosolvent Concept
Authors: Sheu Ji-Zen , Nagarajan Ramanathan
Published: June 2024

A predictive approach to the phase behavior of four-component polymer–water–surfactant–electrolyte systems is formulated by viewing the four-component system as a binary polymer–pseudosolvent system, with the pseudosolvent representing water, surfactant, and the electrolyte. The phase stability of this binary system is examined using the framework of the lattice fluid model of Sanchez and Lacombe. In the lattice fluid model, a pure component is represented by three equation-of-state parameters: the hard-core volume of a lattice site (v*), the number of lattice sites occupied by the component (r), and its characteristic energy (ε*). We introduce the extra-thermodynamic postulate that r and v* for the pseudosolvent are the same as for water and all surfactant–electrolyte composition-dependent characteristics of the pseudosolvent can be represented solely through its characteristic energy parameter. The key implication of the postulate is that the phase behavior of polymer–pseudosolvent systems will be identical for all pseudosolvents with equal values of characteristic energy, despite their varying real compositions. Based on the pseudosolvent model, illustrative phase diagrams have been computed for several four-component systems containing alkyl sulfonate/sulfate surfactants, electrolytes, and anionic or nonionic polymers. The pseudosolvent model is shown to describe all important trends in experimentally observed phase behavior pertaining to polymer and surfactant molecular characteristics. Most importantly, the pseudosolvent model allows one to construct a priori phase diagrams for any polymer–surfactant–electrolyte system, knowing just one experimental composition data for a system at the phase boundary, using available thermodynamic data on surfactants and electrolytes and without requiring any information on the polymer.
Gonadal Cycle of Corbicula largillierti (Bivalvia: Cyrenidae) in a Pampean Streams, Argentina
Authors: Damborenea Cristina , Labaut Yeny , Penchaszadeh Pablo , Collado Gonzalo A. , Darrigran Gustavo
Published: June 2024

The reproductive cycle of non-native species is indicative of their capacity for dispersal, invasion, and competition, and the alteration in biodiversity. Corbicula spp. are successful invaders of aquatic ecosystems. We studied the reproductive cycle of Corbicula largillierti from a Pampean stream, Argentina, at its southern distribution in South America. Specimens were collected monthly from January 2003 to April 2005 and processed using traditional histological techniques. Three gonadal stages (active gametogenesis, mature, and spawned) were recognized. In the studied population, most individuals were hermaphroditic with a dominant female gonadal portion. The three gonadal stages were observed during the whole sampling period with rapid gonadal recovery; no resting period was observed. Five oocyte spawning events were recognized, occurring in autumn and spring. Expanding the knowledge of reproductive features of the Corbicula largillierti allows the understanding of current distributions. The results highlight the difficulty of identifying patterns of gamete release and spawning behavior in this invasive species, as it is recorded for other Corbicula spp.
Research on Internal Damage Identification of Wire Rope Based on Improved VGG Network
Authors: Li Pengbo , Tian Jie
Published: June 2024

In order to solve the problem of great difficulty in detecting the internal damage of wire rope, this paper proposes a method to improve the VGG model to identify the internal damage of wire rope. The short-time Fourier transform method is used to transform the wire rope damage signal into a time-frequency spectrogram as the model input, and then the traditional VGG model is improved from three aspects: firstly, the attention mechanism module is introduced to increase the effective feature weights, which effectively improves the recognition accuracy; and then, the batch normalization layer is added to carry out a uniform normalization of the data, so as to make the model easier to converge. At the same time, the pooling layer and the fully connected layer are improved to solve the redundancy problem of the traditional VGG network model, which makes the model structure more lightweight, greatly saves the computational cost, shortens the training time, and finally adopts the joint-sample uniformly distributed cross-entropy as the loss function to solve the overfitting problem and further improve the recognition rate. The experimental results show that the improved VGG model has an identification accuracy of up to 98.84% for the internal damage spectrogram of the wire rope, which shows a good identification ability. Not only that, but the model is also superior, with less time-consuming training and stronger generalization ability.
Evolutionary Implications of Self-Assembling Cybernetic Materials with Collective Problem-Solving Intelligence at Multiple Scales
Authors: Hartl Benedikt , Risi Sebastian , Levin Michael
Published: June 2024

In recent years, the scientific community has increasingly recognized the complex multi-scale competency architecture (MCA) of biology, comprising nested layers of active homeostatic agents, each forming the self-orchestrated substrate for the layer above, and, in turn, relying on the structural and functional plasticity of the layer(s) below. The question of how natural selection could give rise to this MCA has been the focus of intense research. Here, we instead investigate the effects of such decision-making competencies of MCA agential components on the process of evolution itself, using in silico neuroevolution experiments of simulated, minimal developmental biology. We specifically model the process of morphogenesis with neural cellular automata (NCAs) and utilize an evolutionary algorithm to optimize the corresponding model parameters with the objective of collectively self-assembling a two-dimensional spatial target pattern (reliable morphogenesis). Furthermore, we systematically vary the accuracy with which the uni-cellular agents of an NCA can regulate their cell states (simulating stochastic processes and noise during development). This allows us to continuously scale the agents’ competency levels from a direct encoding scheme (no competency) to an MCA (with perfect reliability in cell decision executions). We demonstrate that an evolutionary process proceeds much more rapidly when evolving the functional parameters of an MCA compared to evolving the target pattern directly. Moreover, the evolved MCAs generalize well toward system parameter changes and even modified objective functions of the evolutionary process. Thus, the adaptive problem-solving competencies of the agential parts in our NCA-based in silico morphogenesis model strongly affect the evolutionary process, suggesting significant functional implications of the near-ubiquitous competency seen in living matter.
Flipped Quartification: Product Group Unification with Leptoquarks
Authors: Dent James B. , Kephart Thomas W. , Päs Heinrich , Weiler Thomas J.
Published: June 2024

The quartification model is an SU(3)4 extension with a bi-fundamental fermion sector of the well-known SU(3)3 bi-fundamentalfication model. An alternative “flipped” version of the quartification model is obtained by rearrangement of the particle assignments. The flipped model has two standard (bi-fundamentalfication) families and one flipped quartification family. In contrast to traditional product group unification models, flipped quartification stands out by featuring leptoquarks and thus allows for new mechanisms to explain the generation of neutrino masses and possible hints of lepton-flavor non-universality.
Data-Driven Approaches for Energy Theft Detection: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Kim Soohyun , Sun Youngghyu , Lee Seongwoo , Seon Joonho , Hwang Byungsun , Kim Jeongho , Kim Jinwook , Kim Kyounghun , Kim Jinyoung
Published: June 2024

The transition to smart grids has served to transform traditional power systems into data-driven power systems. The purpose of this transition is to enable effective energy management and system reliability through an analysis that is centered on energy information. However, energy theft caused by vulnerabilities in the data collected from smart meters is emerging as a primary threat to the stability and profitability of power systems. Therefore, various methodologies have been proposed for energy theft detection (ETD), but many of them are challenging to use effectively due to the limitations of energy theft datasets. This paper provides a comprehensive review of ETD methods, highlighting the limitations of current datasets and technical approaches to improve training datasets and the ETD in smart grids. Furthermore, future research directions and open issues from the perspective of generative AI-based ETD are discussed, and the potential of generative AI in addressing dataset limitations and enhancing ETD robustness is emphasized.