bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Summary of drug therapy to treat cognitive impairment-induced obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: He Daqiang , Chen Jian , Du Xiaoxue , Xu Linhao
Published: September 2023

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a severe sleep disorder associated with intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. Cognitive impairment is a signifi- cant and common OSA complication often described in such patients. The most commonly utilized methods in clinical OSA treatment are oral appliances and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, the current therapeutic methods for improving cognitive function could not achieve the expected efficacy in same patients. Therefore, further understanding the molecular mechanism behind cognitive dysfunction in OSA disease will provide new treatment methods and targets. This review briefly summarized the clinical manifestations of cognitive impairment in OSA disease. Moreover, the pathophysiological molecular mechanism of OSA was outlined. Our study concluded that both SF and IH could induce cognitive impairment by multiple signaling pathways, such as oxidative stress activation, inflammation, and apoptosis. However, there is a lack of effective drug therapy for cognitive impairment in OSA. Finally, the therapeutic potential of some novel compounds and herbal medicine was evaluated on attenuating cognitive impairment based on certain preclinical studies.
Biomolecular alterations detected in multiple sclerosis skin fibroblasts using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Wilkins Jordan M. , Gakh Oleksandr , Guo Yong , Popescu Bogdan , Staff Nathan P. , Lucchinetti Claudia F.
Published: September 2023

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. New avenues are needed to help predict individuals at risk for developing MS and aid in diagnosis, prognosis, and outcome of therapeutic treatments. Previously, we showed that skin fibroblasts derived from patients with MS have altered signatures of cell stress and bioenergetics, which likely reflects changes in their protein, lipid, and biochemical profiles. Here, we used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine if the biochemical landscape of MS skin fibroblasts were altered when compared to age- and sex-matched controls (CTRL). More so, we sought to determine if FTIR spectroscopic signatures detected in MS skin fibroblasts are disease specific by comparing them to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) skin fibroblasts. Spectral profiling of skin fibroblasts from MS individuals suggests significant alterations in lipid and protein organization and homeostasis, which may be affecting metabolic processes, cellular organization, and oxidation status. Sparse partial least squares-discriminant analysis of spectral profiles show that CTRL skin fibroblasts segregate well from diseased cells and that changes in MS and ALS may be unique. Differential changes in the spectral profile of CTRL, MS, and ALS cells support the development of FTIR spectroscopy to detect biomolecular modifications in patient-derived skin fibroblasts, which may eventually help establish novel peripheral biomarkers.
Transcranial alternating current stimulation for the treatment of major depressive disorder: from basic mechanisms toward clinical applications
Authors: Pan Ruibo , Ye Shengfeng , Zhong Yun , Chen Qiaozhen , Cai Ying
Published: September 2023

Non-pharmacological treatment is essential for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) that is medication resistant or who are unable to take medications. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method that manipulates neural oscillations. In recent years, tACS has attracted substantial attention for its potential as an MDD treatment. This review summarizes the latest advances in tACS treatment for MDD and outlines future directions for promoting its clinical application. We first introduce the neurophysiological mechanism of tACS and its novel developments. In particular, two well-validated tACS techniques have high application potential: high-definition tACS targeting local brain oscillations and bifocal tACS modulating interarea functional connectivity. Accordingly, we summarize the underlying mechanisms of tACS modulation for MDD. We sort out the local oscillation abnormalities within the reward network and the interarea oscillatory synchronizations among multiple MDD-related networks in MDD patients, which provide potential modulation targets of tACS interventions. Furthermore, we review the latest clinical studies on tACS treatment for MDD, which were based on different modulation mechanisms and reported alleviations in MDD symptoms. Finally, we discuss the main challenges of current tACS treatments for MDD and outline future directions to improve intervention target selection, tACS implementation, and clinical validations.
Assessment of short-term effects of thoracic radiotherapy on the cardiovascular parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems
Authors: Wu Shuang , Guan Weizheng , Zhao Huan , Li Guangqiao , Zhou Yufu , Shi Bo , Zhang Xiaochun
Published: September 2023

Background

Prior research suggests that cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction might be an early marker of cardiotoxicity induced by antitumor treatment and act as an early predictor of cardiovascular disease-related morbidity and mortality. The impact of thoracic radiotherapy on the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, however, remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of thoracic radiotherapy on the autonomic nervous system, using deceleration capacity (DC), acceleration capacity (AC) of heart rate, and heart rate variability (HRV) as assessment tools.

Methods

A 5 min electrocardiogram was collected from 58 thoracic cancer patients before and after thoracic radiotherapy for DC, AC, and HRV analysis. HRV parameters employed included the standard deviation of the normal-normal interval (SDNN), root mean square of successive interval differences (RMSSD), low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF), total power (TP), and the LF to HF ratio. Some patients also received systemic therapies alongside radiotherapy; thus, patients were subdivided into a radiotherapy-only group (28 cases) and a combined radiotherapy and systemic therapies group (30 cases) for additional subgroup analysis.

Results

Thoracic radiotherapy resulted in a significant reduction in DC (8.5 [5.0, 14.2] vs. 5.3 [3.5, 9.4], p = 0.002) and HRV parameters SDNN (9.9 [7.03, 16.0] vs. 8.2 [6.0, 12.4], p = 0.003), RMSSD (9.9 [6.9, 17.5] vs. 7.7 [4.8, 14.3], p = 0.009), LF (29 [10, 135] vs. 24 [15, 50], p = 0.005), HF (35 [12, 101] vs. 16 [9, 46], p = 0.002), TP (74 [41, 273] vs. 50 [33, 118], p < 0.001), and a significant increase in AC (−8.2 [−14.8, −4.9] vs. -5.8 [−10.1, −3.3], p = 0.003) and mean heart rate (79.8 ± 12.6 vs. 83.9 ± 13.6, p = 0.010). Subgroup analysis indicated similar trends in mean heart rate, DC, AC, and HRV parameters (SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF, TP) in both the radiotherapy group and the combined treatment group post-radiotherapy. No statistically significant difference was noted in the changes observed in DC, AC, and HRV between the two groups pre- and post-radiotherapy.

Conclusion

Thoracic radiotherapy may induce cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction by reducing parasympathetic activity and enhancing sympathetic activity. Importantly, the study found that the concurrent use of systemic therapies did not significantly amplify or contribute to the alterations in autonomic function in the short-term following thoracic radiotherapy. DC, AC and HRV are promising and feasible biomarkers for evaluating autonomic dysfunction caused by thoracic radiotherapy.
Right message, right medium, right time: powering counseling to improve maternal, infant, and young child nutrition in South Asia
Authors: Bhanot Arti , Sethi Vani , Murira Zivai , Singh Konsan Dinachandra , Ghosh Sebanti , Forissier Thomas
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Quality counseling can positively impact maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN) behaviors linked to poor nutrition outcomes. Global guidance includes 93 recommendations on MIYCN counseling.

Methods

A desk review and key informant interviews sought to assess compliance to the recommendations, reach and quality, systemic gaps and opportunities for MIYCN counseling in seven South Asian countries. Ninety-three (93) policies and guidelines, 180 counseling materials and over 50 documents were reviewed; 115 key informant interviews were conducted. Information synthesis captured eight domains. Data from national surveys were analyzed to determine MIYCN counseling reach, quality and association with nutrition behaviors.

Results

Results showed that national guidelines were inconsistent with global recommendations for seven thematic areas. Coverage of contacts points like antenatal and postnatal care (ANC, PNC) with potential to deliver MIYCN counseling was highly variable. Having at least four ANC contacts was significantly associated with consumption of 100+ iron folic acid tablets in all countries. Rates of early initiation of breastfeeding (18% Pakistan to 90% Sri Lanka) were lower than institutional delivery rates, except for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. PNC contact within 48 h of birth was positively correlated with exclusive breastfeeding in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (OR 1.4, 3.1, 3.2). Health worker contacts and wealth status equally influenced child’s dietary diversity in India. MIYCN services were add-on roles for community-based workers, except in India. Supervision mechanisms exist but were not focused on quality of MIYCN services. Counseling resources were predominantly paper based (>70%), had rural-focused messaging on diets and mainly targeted women. Platforms to engage men were largely missing. Health management information systems included indicators on maternal contact points in all countries but not for children. Assessing funding for MIYCN counseling was challenging as costs were subsumed across several budget line-items.

Discussion

The research findings can be used to (1) align country guidance with global recommendations, (2) review workforce responsibilities and capacity building with supervision, (3) assess the need for new counseling materials based on coverage of content, service providers and audience, (4) integrate MIYCN counseling indicators in information systems and (5) include MIYCN counseling services with activities and budget in country plans.
Applications of large language models in cancer care: current evidence and future perspectives
Authors: Iannantuono Giovanni Maria , Bracken-Clarke Dara , Floudas Charalampos S. , Roselli Mario , Gulley James L. , Karzai Fatima
Published: September 2023

The development of large language models (LLMs) is a recent success in the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI). They are computer models able to perform a wide range of natural language processing tasks, including content generation, question answering, or language translation. In recent months, a growing number of studies aimed to assess their potential applications in the field of medicine, including cancer care. In this mini review, we described the present published evidence for using LLMs in oncology. All the available studies assessed ChatGPT, an advanced language model developed by OpenAI, alone or compared to other LLMs, such as Google Bard, Chatsonic, and Perplexity. Although ChatGPT could provide adequate information on the screening or the management of specific solid tumors, it also demonstrated a significant error rate and a tendency toward providing obsolete data. Therefore, an accurate, expert-driven verification process remains mandatory to avoid the potential for misinformation and incorrect evidence. Overall, although this new generative AI-based technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of medicine, including that of cancer care, it will be necessary to develop rules to guide the application of these tools to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
Effects of eyeshades in sleep quality and pain after surgery in school-age children with supracondylar humeral fractures
Authors: Wang Xiang-xuan , Lin Kai-nan , Xu Wen-chen , Chen Hui , Cai Hao-qi
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study aimed to explore the effects of eye masks on the sleep quality and pain of children over 5 years old with humeral supracondylar fracture after surgery.

Methods

Fifty children with humeral supracondylar fracture who underwent closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) in the Pediatric orthopaedic Department of a provincial hospital in China from February 2020 to December 2021 were selected. The children were randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 25) and the control group (n = 25). Children in the control group were given routine sleep care, and the children in the experimental group were given a sleep intervention with eye masks for three nights after surgery. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to evaluate the sleep quality of the children. The Children’s Pain Behaviour Scale was used to evaluate the pain of the children.

Results

After three nights of receiving the eye mask intervention, the children in the experimental group had significantly lower sleep quality scores than those in the control group; the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05), and the children in the experimental group had higher sleep quality. The experimental group’s pain scores were significantly lower than the control group’s, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05), and the children in the experimental group experienced less post-operative pain.

Conclusions

Eye masks are a simple, safe and economical intervention, that is beneficial for improving the sleep quality and reducing pain in children over 5 years old with humeral supracondylar fracture after closed reduction and percutaneous pinning. It can be used as a reference and basis for clinical pain relief and sleep quality after surgery for supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children.
Neonatal resuscitation workshop for trainees in standardized medical residency training—a pilot practice in Shenzhen, China
Authors: Xu Chenguang , Zhang Qianshen , Xue Yin , Yang Yuqian , Chen Yihua , Yan Wenjie , Cheung Po-Yin
Published: September 2023

Background

Neonatal resuscitation is an important skillset for clinicians attending deliveries. Accredited neonatal resuscitation training is not obligatory in most training centers of standardized medical residency programs before 2022 in China. We investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of neonatal resuscitation simulation training (neo-RST) in residents in Shenzhen, China.

Methods

Four two-day neo-RST workshops were conducted in the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital and Shenzhen Health Capacity Building and Continuing Education Center in 2020–2021. The workshops had Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)® update, skill stations and simulation practice with debriefing. Each participant had the integrated skill station assessment (ISSA) at the end of workshop. Participants of workshops included residents of different disciplines and health care providers (HCPs) of neonatal and obstetrical departments. We compared demographic characteristics, neonatal resuscitation knowledge before training, ISSA overall and categorical scores on skill sets between residents and HCPs.

Results

In 2020–2021, 4 neo-RST workshops were conducted with 48 residents and 48 HCPs. The residents group had less working experience, less prior experience in neo-RST and lower neonatal resuscitation knowledge scores than those of HCPs group. After the workshop, residents had higher overall ISSA score than that of HCPs group (90.2 ± 5.9 vs. 86.3 ± 6.6%, P = 0.003, respectively). There was no significant difference in the numbers of participants scored <80% in residents and HCPs group (3 [6.3%] vs. 7 [14.6%], respectively). Regarding the categorical scores, residents scored significantly higher in preparation, ventilation, crisis resource management and behavioral skills but lower in appropriate oxygen use, when compared with the HCPs.

Conclusion

Neo-RST for residents is feasible with promising short-term educational outcomes. Neo-RST could be implemented in standardized medical residency programs in China.
Bibliometric analysis and visualized study of research on autophagy in ischemic stroke
Authors: Chen Jiefang , Chen Gaijie , Xu Xiaojing , Chen Long , Zhang Jiewen , Liu Feng
Published: September 2023

Aims: To summarize and clarify the current research status and indicate possible future directions in the field of autophagy in ischemic stroke, we performed a comprehensive and multidimensional bibliometric analysis of the literature in this field published from 2011 to 2022.

Methods: We retrieved articles on the field of autophagy in ischemic stroke published between 2011 and 2022 from Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). VOSviewer (version 1.6.19) and CiteSpace (version 6.2.R2 Basic) were used to identify the leading topics as well as generate visual maps of Countries/regions, organizations, authors, journals, and keyword networks in the related field.

Results: A total of 568 publications were contained in this research. The journal with the most publications were Front Pharmacol, Mol Neurobiol, and Neuroscience. China was the most productive country with respect to co-authorship, with the Capital Med Univ being the organization with the most. co-authorships. In terms of authorship analysis, eight of the top 10 most contributive authors were from China. The co-occurring author keywords can be divided into three main clusters, including “protective effect of autophagy in ischemic stroke,” “autophagy-targeted therapy for ischemic stroke,” and “mitochondrial function in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury”.

Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis helps us reveal the current research hotspots in the research field of autophagy in ischemic stroke and guide future research directions. Subsequent trends in this special field are likely to identify and develop novel autophagy-targeted therapy strategies to effectively prevent and treat ischemic stroke.
Didymella fabae Punith.: mating type occurrence, distribution and phenotyping of the anamorph Ascochyta fabae Speg. in Tunisia
Authors: Omri Ben Youssef Noura , Halila Imen , Mbazia Ahlem , Bessaidi Zayneb , Missaoui Khawla , Kharrat Mohamed , Le May Christophe
Published: September 2023

Faba bean ascochyta blight, caused by Ascochyta fabae Speg. (teleomorph: Didymella fabae Punith.), is one of the most devastating diseases of the crop. It can cause yield losses that reach 95% in conducive weather conditions. Surveys were carried out in five regions of Tunisia: Beja, Bizerte, Jendouba, Kef and Tunis-Cap Bon. A total of 513 fungal isolates were collected from 2011 to 2013. A molecular characterization was conducted to identify the mating type of each individual using a mating type specific PCR. Results revealed that the two mating types MAT1-2 and MAT1-1 coexisted in all surveyed regions. An imbalance in favor of MAT1-2 was observed particularly in Bizerte and Jendouba regions (sex ratio was 18:85 and 32:80, respectively). Moreover, morphological and pathogenic characterization of 122 isolates among the collection revealed a significant variability in conidia type (one celled or two celled conidia) frequency, in conidia mean size and in aggressiveness toward Badii faba bean cultivar (incubation period, IP; percentage necrotic leaf area, S; and area under disease progression curve, AUDPC). A principal component analysis (PCA) performed on morphologically studied parameters (frequency of conidia cell number and conidia mean size) identified three groups of isolates based on morphological traits: one celled (1C) and two celled (2C) conidia rates, one celled and two celled conidia length and width (1L, 1W, 2L and 2W, respectively). A second PCA using aggressiveness parameters (IP: Incubation period, S1, S4 and S9: percentage of necrotic leaf area respectively 5, 20 and 45 days after inoculation) identified three distinct pathogenic groups: poorly pathogenic AG1, moderately pathogenic AG2 and highly pathogenic AG3. Morphological and pathogenic groups and mating type data were used to conduct a multiple factorial correspondence analysis (MFCA) which revealed a correlation between the variables studied. Five groups were identified, each associated with a morphological and pathogenic trait and mating type. The most pathogenic group belonged to MAT1-2 suggesting that in locations where MAT1-2 is prevalent the epidemic risk is more important.
Hairy root culture: a potent method for improved secondary metabolite production of Solanaceous plants
Authors: Biswas Diptesh , Chakraborty Avijit , Mukherjee Swapna , Ghosh Biswajit
Published: September 2023

Secondary metabolites synthesized by the Solanaceous plants are of major therapeutic and pharmaceutical importance, many of which are commonly obtained from the roots of these plants. ‘Hairy roots’, mirroring the same phytochemical pattern of the corresponding root of the parent plant with higher growth rate and productivity, are therefore extensively studied as an effective alternative for the in vitro production of these metabolites. Hairy roots are the transformed roots, generated from the infection site of the wounded plants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. With their fast growth, being free from pathogen and herbicide contamination, genetic stability, and autotrophic nature for plant hormones, hairy roots are considered as useful bioproduction systems for specialized metabolites. Lately, several elicitation methods have been employed to enhance the accumulation of these compounds in the hairy root cultures for both small and large-scale production. Nevertheless, in the latter case, the cultivation of hairy roots in bioreactors should still be optimized. Hairy roots can also be utilized for metabolic engineering of the regulatory genes in the metabolic pathways leading to enhanced production of metabolites. The present study summarizes the updated and modern biotechnological aspects for enhanced production of secondary metabolites in the hairy root cultures of the plants of Solanaceae and their respective importance.
Identification of E1-E4 allele combinations and ecological adaptability of soybean varieties from different geographical origins in China
Authors: Zheng Naiwen , Guo Yukai , Wang Siyu , Zhang Han , Wang Li , Gao Yang , Xu Mei , Wang Wenyan , Liu Weiguo , Yang Wenyu
Published: September 2023

The duration of soybean growth and development is regulated by E1-E4 allele genes, which form the basis for ecological adaptation related to biomass accumulation, flowering and pod formation, maturation, and yield. To elucidate the effects of different combinations of E1-E4 allele genes on soybean ecological adaptation, this study conducted competitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) analysis and photoperiod gene typing on 101 main soybean cultivars from different latitudes in China. The ecological adaptation of these cultivars in Sichuan was also investigated. The results showed that within a certain range (60-95 days), soybean varieties with a genotype combination of E1/e2-ns/E3/E4 exhibited a longer growth period and demonstrated higher biomass and yield, displaying overall better performance. These varieties showed strong ecological adaptation in the Chengdu Plain region and are suitable for introduction in similar low to mid-latitude areas like the Chengdu Plain (30°N~32°N). Conversely, soybean varieties carrying a higher number of recessive alleles of E1-E4 are not suitable for introduction in this region.
Digital transformation and middle managers’ leadership skills and behavior: a group concept mapping approach
Authors: Henderikx Maartje , Stoffers Jol
Published: September 2023

This study, with the aim to test theory in practice, used group concept mapping to develop a comprehensive conceptualization of middle managers’ leadership behaviors concerning digital transformation as a form of radical change. Participants were professionals in the largest public organization in the Netherlands (a police organization) who were dealing with digital transformation in their own practice and who enrolled in an education program on leadership and intelligence. Based on 94 unique statements, the participant-driven results revealed six thematically coherent clusters representing leadership skills and behaviors regarding improvement and results, digital technologies, cooperation, the self, change and ambivalence, and others. The stress value of 0.2234 indicated a good fit. Further analysis showed that clusters containing soft skills and people-oriented behaviors were considered the most important. These results can serve as input to support leadership development programs for middle managers to develop themselves into people-oriented, empowering leaders who can adapt their leadership approaches to fit and support change in general and technology-driven change in particular. Ultimately this will benefit their and their employees’ overall well-being at work. This study is the first to investigate middle managers’ leadership skills and behaviors in a large public organization that is entirely participant-driven.
Jealousy, sexism, and romantic love myths: the role of beliefs in online dating violence
Authors: Ramírez-Carrasco Daniela , Ferrer-Urbina Rodrigo , Ponce-Correa Felipe
Published: September 2023

With the massification of the Internet and social networks, a new form of dating violence called cyber-violence has emerged, which involves behaviors of control, humiliation, intimidation and threats towards the partner or ex-partner. Using a non-probabilistic sample of 1,001 participants aged 18 to 25 years, the present study used an ex post facto, retrospective, cross-sectional, single-group design to analyze the joint effects that beliefs associated with dating violence such as romantic love myths, jealousy, and sexism have on the victimization and perpetration of cyber-violence. The results evidenced that jealousy is involved in both Cyber-victimization and Cyber-harassment perpetrated, while sexist beliefs are only involved in perpetration. In the discussion section, it is postulated that cyber-violence is a phenomenon that is more related to the probability of aggression, but not to the probability of being a victim. Finally, limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Causality of particulate matter on cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular biomarkers
Authors: Wang Qiubo , Wang Zhimiao , Chen Mingyou , Mu Wei , Xu Zhenxing , Xue Mei
Published: September 2023

Background

Previous observational studies have shown that the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is related to particulate matter (PM). However, given the methodological limitations of conventional observational research, it is difficult to identify causality conclusively. To explore the causality of PM on CVDs and cardiovascular biomarkers, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Method

In this study, we obtained summary-level data for CVDs and cardiovascular biomarkers including atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke (IS), stroke subtypes, body mass index (BMI), lipid traits, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and blood pressure from several large genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Then we used two-sample MR to assess the causality of PM on CVDs and cardiovascular biomarkers, 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for PM2.5 and 6 SNPs for PM10 were obtained from UK Biobank participants. Inverse variance weighting (IVW) analyses under the fixed effects model were used as the main analytical method to calculate MR Estimates, followed by multiple sensitivity analyses to confirm the robustness of the results.

Results

Our study revealed increases in PM2.5 concentration were significantly related to a higher risk of MI (odds ratio (OR), 2.578; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.611–4.127; p = 7.920 × 10−5). Suggestive evidence was found between PM10 concentration and HF (OR, 2.015; 95% CI, 1.082–3.753; p = 0.027) and IS (OR, 2.279; 95% CI,1.099–4.723; p = 0.027). There was no evidence for an effect of PM concentration on other CVDs. Furthermore, PM2.5 concentration increases were significantly associated with increases in triglyceride (TG) (OR, 1.426; 95% CI, 1.133–1.795; p = 2.469 × 10−3) and decreases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR, 0.779; 95% CI, 0.615–0.986; p = 0.038). The PM10 concentration increases were also closely related to the decreases in HDL-C (OR, 0.563; 95% CI, 0.366–0.865; p = 8.756 × 10−3). We observed no causal effect of PM on other cardiovascular biomarkers.

Conclusion

At the genetic level, our study suggested the causality of PM2.5 on MI, TG, as well HDL-C, and revealed the causality of PM10 on HF, IS, and HDL-C. Our findings indicated the need for continued improvements in air pollution abatement for CVDs prevention.
The role of intergenerational support in shaping oral healthcare-seeking behavior among older adults in China
Authors: Wen Cai , Zhang Qing
Published: September 2023

Background

This study aimed to explore how intergenerational support affects the oral healthcare or treatment-seeking behaviors of older Chinese adults and provide evidence for improving the oral health of the older adults in an aging society.

Methods

Data from a cross-sectional survey, the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, were used to explore the relationship between oral healthcare-seeking behavior in older adults and various independent variables, such as marital status, number of children, offspring’s education duration, parent–offspring interaction frequency, and financial/material support provided by children. The chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used.

Results

According to the results of data analysis, age, sex, marital status, cohabitation status, number of children, children’s education level, and financial support from children affected older adults’ oral healthcare-seeking behavior. Interviewees living with a partner and those who had 1–2 or 3–4 children showed different likelihoods of seeking oral healthcare. Moreover, interviewees whose children had higher education duration and those who received more financial/material support from their children were more likely to seek dental treatment.

Conclusion

Regarding the study’s outcome, financial and emotional support, as well as practical assistance from family members can significantly promote oral health-seeking behavior among older adult people. Intergenerational support can serve as a crucial mechanism for promoting oral health behaviors among the older adults or act as a valuable complement to social medical assistance, warranting increased attention.
Argumentation and explanation in the law
Authors: Rotolo Antonino , Sartor Giovanni
Published: September 2023

This article investigates the conceptual connection between argumentation and explanation in the law and provides a formal account of it. To do so, the methods used are conceptual analysis from legal theory and formal argumentation from AI. The contribution and results are twofold. On the one hand, we offer a critical reconstruction of the concept of legal argument, justification, and explanation of decision-making as it has been elaborated in legal theory and, above all, in AI and law. On the other hand, we propose some definitions of explanation in the context of formal legal argumentation, showing a connection between formal justification and explanation. We also investigate the notion of stable normative explanation developed elsewhere in Defeasible Logic and extend some complexity results. Our contribution is thus mainly conceptual, and it is meant to show how notions of explanation from literature on explainable AI and legal theory can be modeled in an argumentation framework with structured arguments.
Synergetic effect of combining PEF treatments with sublethal doses of SO2 on the inactivation of Saccharomyces bayanus and Brettanomyces bruxellensis in red wine
Authors: Delso Carlota , Berzosa Alejandro , Sanz Jorge , Álvarez Ignacio , Raso Javier
Published: September 2023

Certain microorganisms are capable of proliferating in wine despite its low pH and high ethanol content. The yeasts of the Saccharomyces genus responsible for alcoholic fermentation can alter wines with residual sugars; the proliferation of Brettanomyces bruxellensis brings about thoroughly unpleasant sensory changes. The main strategy currently applied in wineries for microbial control is the addition of sulfites (SO2). However, sulfites are being researched due to the symptoms they can cause in allergic individuals. Pulsed electric field (PEF) technology has the capability of inactivating vegetative cells of microorganisms at non-lethal temperatures and could thus prove to be an alternative to SO2. In this study, the resistance of Saccharomyces bayanus and B. bruxellensis suspended in wine to a series of different PEF treatments (10–25 kV/cm; 25–1000 µs; 40–170 kJ/kg) combined with sublethal concentrations of SO2 (10, 25, and 50 ppm) was evaluated. The results showed that even the least intense PEF treatments (10 kV/cm; 115 kJ/kg) inactivated more than 4.0 Log10 cycles in both types of yeasts immediately after treatment. The subsequent incubation of the treated yeasts for 24 h in wine managed to increase inactivation by 3.0 Log10 cycles. The combination of a moderate PEF treatment with sublethal doses of SO2 had a synergistic lethal effect on the two yeasts under study after 24 h of incubation in wine, leading to counts lying below the detection limit (>5.0 Log10 cycles). This synergistic effect was attributed to the existence of a portion of the population that had been sublethally damaged by PEF and in which SO2 could more easily penetrate the cytoplasm. These results demonstrate the capacity of PEF technology for microbial control of spoilage yeasts in wine. PEF could thus represent an alternative with the potential of eliminating or reducing SO2 levels in the winemaking process.
The characteristics of organized sport and physical activity initiatives for older adults in Sweden
Authors: Ericson Helena , Geidne Susanna
Published: September 2023

There is a common understanding that sport and physical activity can be important to address healthy aging. There are individual-level recommendations about how much physical activity people of different ages should engage in to gain health benefits, but at the same time there are no recommendations for how organizations should organize physical activities to suit as many people as possible for as long as possible. The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of sport and physical activity initiatives that older adults participate in. Different ongoing sport and physical activity initiatives that involve older adults were investigated regarding their focus, organization, intensity and organizer, and in relation to their costs, booking opportunities and recruitment. The study was conducted with a cross-sectional design using the Salutogenic Physical Activity Health Resources Questionnaire (SPAHRQ). The study included 27 different initiatives with 372 participants (60% women) ranging from 60 to 96 years of age. A health-promoting, salutogenic settings-based approach, and specifically the concepts drop-in, drop-through and drop-over were used in discussing recommendations for the organization of sport and physical activity for older adults. The main findings were that who organizes the sport and physical activity initiative seems to affect the characteristics of how it is organized and what characterizes the participants in it. Despite the differing characters of sport and physical activity initiatives, the majority of older adults are recruited by internal contacts like friends and family. Which older adults participate in which initiatives is explained mostly by the age and gender of the participants. In conclusion, to attract as many older adults as possible, organizations should work with lowering the thresholds, as well as within and between, organizations, and raise the threshold for dropping out of sports and physical activity.
Towards a practical theory for commercializing novel continuous living cover crops: a conceptual review through the lens of Kernza perennial grain, 2019–2022
Authors: Cureton Colin , Peters Tessa E. , Skelly Sophia , Carlson Constance , Conway Tara , Tautges Nicole , Reser Aaron , Jordan Nicholas R.
Published: September 2023

As agricultural scientists rapidly develop and deploy novel continuous living cover (CLC) crops and cropping systems such as perennial grains, a growing number of intermediaries are engaged in advancing the commercialization, adoption, and scaling of these novel CLC crops. However, these commercialization practitioners lack a conceptual and practical roadmap to help them achieve success. Through key concept review and practice narratives, this article presents the firsthand experience of primarily non-academic staff at several key public and nonprofit agricultural innovation platforms between 2019 and 2022 that have held core institutional responsibilities for facilitating the commercialization, adoption, and scaling of Kernza® perennial grain, North America’s first commercially-viable perennial grain crop. Reviews of key concepts identified as relevant to the practice of commercializing novel continuous living cover crops are interwoven with practice narratives of the Kernza commercialization process through the lens of each concept, demonstrating the ways in which these concepts translate to specific activities, methods, and strategies, also noting remaining gaps, limitations, and areas for growth and learning. This narrative can move the growing community of CLC intermediaries and innovation brokers toward a ‘practical theory’ of CLC commercialization that lies at the intersection of technology transfer and adoption, innovation, and agri-food systems change processes. Such conceptual orientation and practical guidance stands to improve the efficacy of novel CLC crop commercialization intermediaries, accelerate wider efforts of agricultural innovation platforms to rapidly advance CLC agriculture, and provide fertile ground for further applied research.
Case report: Inspiration from a rare fatal heart perforation after percutaneous vertebroplasty
Authors: Deng Ke , Yu Jia-Lin , Feng Ye-Jun , Huang Kui , Wu Guo-Feng
Published: September 2023

The principal benefit of employing percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for managing osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures lies in its capacity to facilitate early mobilization in elderly patients, thereby effectively avoiding the potential catastrophic complications associated with prolonged bedridden states. However, bone cement leakage, as the most common complication of PVP, may have fatal consequences. Here, we report a case involving an 85-year-old male patient with L1 vertebral compression fracture who underwent PVP at our hospital and was discharged on the same day of the surgical intervention. Subsequently, the patient experienced symptoms of chest tightness and palpitations. Cardiac ultrasound examination revealed pericardial effusion, while pulmonary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) demonstrated a strip high-density shadow in the right ventricular area. Finally, it was determined that the perforation of the right ventricular wall was caused by bone cement embolism. Through this comprehensive case report, we aim to deepen the understanding of orthopedic doctors on the importance of preventing bone cement leakage.
Excellence in Organ Utilisation—A Quantitative and Qualitative Evidence Base for a New Approach in the UK
Authors: Williment Claire , Jones Jessica , Forsythe John , Mumford Lisa , Powis Stephen
Published: September 2023

The Department of Health and Social Care in England established an Organ Utilisation Group, to collate and analyse evidence regarding the organ transplantation care pathway, make recommendations on how to reduce inequity of access, make the best use of available resources, and drive innovation in organ transplantation. The group consulted with national and international experts and stakeholders, sought views from service providers across the transplant care pathway, and heard from over 600 people, including over 250 patients, carers, and donors. The group uncovered new evidence about where improvements are needed—particularly in relation to patient experience and inequities in access. The final report suggests a new direction for organ transplantation services in the United Kingdom, with action required at local, regional, and national levels. Ultimately, it is expected to increase transplant activity through increased organ utilisation and improve patient experience, outcomes, and empowerment whilst also supporting the transplant clinical community.
Autotematyczne przekazy informacyjne we współczesnych mediach
– typy i funkcje
Authors: Kaszewski Krzysztof
Published: September 2023

The aim of this article is to present the primary types of autothematic media information and its non-informative functions as well as the objects and methods of linguisyic valuation in the messages. Information about the reception of a media offering, information about rewards and successes of a medium, information about non-media undertakings of media broadcasters, and information about an offering were distinguished based on content analysis. By means of a semantic and pragmatic analysis of the expressions used, it was ascertained that the media broadcaster itself is rarely the object of valuation, whereas the events organised by the medium, messages included in its offering, the invited guests and recipients are eagerly granted positive
valuations. The overarching value is the positive relationship between the medium and others, the valuation is normally overt and intensive, and the examined messages perform various kinds of promotional tasks.
Keywords: information – media – autothematicism – function – self-promotion – self-
-presentation
Uchodźcy czy migranci? – społeczna percepcja pojęć na podstawie wyników badań opinii publicznej
Authors: Staniszewski Robert Miron
Published: September 2023

The aim of article is to answer the questions: what is the public perception of the terms ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’? as well as In the light of opinion polls, are these terms equivalent or do they have a different connotation (linguistic content) and denotation (scope)? The starting point for the analysis is the identification of the dictionary-encyclopaedic, statistical and formal-legal meanings of these names. The analysis presented in the article is based on the results of the public opinion research “Social perception of refugees from Ukraine, migrants and actions taken by the Polish state”, which was carried out between 2022 and 2023 by the research LAB managed by the author. In order to holistically reconstruct the social perception of ‘refugees’ and ‘migrants’, the author developed a multidimensional indicator (index), which he called the Social Perception of Migrants Index (SPMI). The result of the analysis is the identification of the constitutive features of the names ‘refugee’ and ‘migrant’ as well as their denotation. The author also proposes to introduce a new concept concerning the migration crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border and the refugee crisis on the Polish-Ukrainian border, which he called a ‘hybrid humanitarian crisis’.
Przyszli. Czy zostaną? Wybrane narracje o Ukraińcach w Polsce a koncepcja paniki moralnej
Authors: Demel Grzegorz
Published: September 2023

The article investigates framing of the presence of Ukrainian war refugees and Ukrainian immigrants in Poland in Polish public debate on the empirical basis of selected leading opinion forming weeklies. The action “Stop of Ukrainisation of Poland” launched by far right Konfederacja Korony Polskiej party is considered as an attempt to launch moral panic. The author examines the mainstream media reactions on this activity and concludes (also using results of public opinion surveys), that, so far, neither classic, nor polarizing moral panic has begun. The important part of the analysis is an overview of the visons of further co-existence of Poles and Ukrainians in Poland, as the competing postulates regarding to areas of social inclusion and exclusion are present in the analyzed material.
Bezpieczeństwo Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej wobec migracji z Ukrainy wskutek inwazji Federacji Rosyjskiej – percepcja społeczna (studium przypadku)
Authors: Olbrycht Paweł
Published: September 2023

The purpose of the research conducted for the purposes of this article was to examine the respondents’ perception of the increase in the scale of migration from Ukraine to Poland as a result of the invasion of the Russian Federation in 2022. The method of source analysis and diagnostic survey were used in the research process. The results of the research indicate that in the perception of the respondents, the increase in the scale of migration from Ukraine to Poland may pose a potential threat to security, but they positively assessed the actions of public authorities of the Republic of Poland in relation to the analyzed phenomenon.
Power Balance Strategies in Steady-State Simulation of the Micro Gas Turbine Engine by Component-Coupled 3D CFD Method
Authors: Xu Yibing , Gao Lei , Cao Ruizhe , Yan Chong , Piao Ying
Published: September 2023

Currently, an increasing number of designers have begun to pay attention to a new paradigm for evaluating the performance with full engine 3-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (3D CFD) simulations. Compared with the traditional component-based performance simulation method component-based performance simulation method (‘component-matched’ method), this novel ‘component-coupled’ method can evaluate the overall performance of the engine more physically and obtain more detailed flow field parameters simultaneously. Importantly, the power balance iteration should be introduced to the novel method to satisfy the constraints of the coaxial components for the gas turbine engine at steady state. By carrying out the ‘component-matched’ simulation and the ‘component-coupled’ simulation for a micro turbojet engine, the necessity of introducing the power balance iteration was discussed in this paper. The influence of steady-state co-working constraints on the engine performance was analysed and strategies for power balance iteration were proposed. To verify the capability and feasibility of this method, not only the co-working state but also the windmill state of the gas turbine engine were simulated by using the 3D CFD method considering power balance iteration. The results show that the power balance strategy proposed in this paper can converge the aerodynamic parameters as well as the power residual in a robust way.
Intelligent Maneuver Strategy for a Hypersonic Pursuit-Evasion Game Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Guo Yunhe , Jiang Zijian , Huang Hanqiao , Fan Hongjia , Weng Weiye
Published: September 2023

In order to improve the problem of overly relying on situational information, high computational power requirements, and weak adaptability of traditional maneuver methods used by hypersonic vehicles (HV), an intelligent maneuver strategy combining deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and deep neural network (DNN) is proposed to solve the hypersonic pursuit–evasion (PE) game problem under tough head-on situations. The twin delayed deep deterministic (TD3) gradient strategy algorithm is utilized to explore potential maneuver instructions, the DNN is used to fit to broaden application scenarios, and the intelligent maneuver strategy is generated with the initial situation of both the pursuit and evasion sides as the input and the maneuver game overload of the HV as the output. In addition, the experience pool classification strategy is proposed to improve the training convergence and rate of the TD3 algorithm. A set of reward functions is designed to achieve adaptive adjustment of evasion miss distance and energy consumption under different initial situations. The simulation results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the above intelligent maneuver strategy in dealing with the PE game problem of HV under difficult situations, and the proposed improvement strategies are validated as well.