bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing ‘Age-Friendly’ Communities: The Experience of International Retired Migrants
Authors: Repetti Marion , Calasanti Toni , Phillipson Chris
Published: January 2024

Over the past two decades, the need to create ‘age-friendly cities and communities’ (AFCC) has emerged as a major theme in policies aimed at improving old people’s physical and social environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has driven this agenda through the launch in 2010 of the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. Support for ageing in place has, at the same time, run alongside an increase in international retirement migration, with people choosing not to age in their existing neighbourhood but rather to relocate to another country. The growth of retirement migration has occurred in the context of specialized housing and leisure-orientated developments in cheaper countries targeting retirees from richer countries. This article draws on the narratives of retirees of the UK, Switzerland, France and the USA who have relocated to Spain, Costa Rica and Mexico on a permanent basis. It highlights the reasons migrants put forward to explain the advantages of living in their new home, and what we can learn about the conditions for an age-friendly living environment. This article begins with a review of the development of age-friendly cities and communities, then outlines the concept of ‘elective belonging’ which is used to provide a framework for understanding the growth of retirement migration. Following an overview of current knowledge on retirement migration and a discussion of the methodology of the study, we present the results from interviews with retired migrants about their experiences within their new communities. Finally, we discuss the implications of our study for developing research and policies which acknowledge how age as a social status may be used as a means of fostering the integration of older people within their communities.
A participatory and inclusive 2-year-old infant classroom
Authors: Ceballos Noelia , Saiz-Linares Ángela , Susinos Teresa
Published: January 2024

The objective is to analyse the progress of a 2-year-olds classroom in a school in Cantabria (Spain) towards an inclusive participation project. The research, carried out over three school years, has been based on the qualitative paradigm and ethnographic approach. A variety of research strategies have been employed: participant observation; discussion groups; informal conversations; ambulation and child conferencing using image elicitation. We have analysed the transformation of the educational approach in a classroom for 2-year-olds into a pedagogy of inclusive participation. These transformation process have deployed through three practitioner enquiry cycles with different focuses: materials and proposals; curriculum as progetazzione; decision-making opportunities and child participation. These transformation processes have also allowed educators to move towards a critical ecology of the profession perspective. Finally, the teachers who enquired into their educational reality by listening to children, embarded on a process of transformation towards more participatory education.
Structure and development of kindergarten children’s mathematical competence
Authors: Dunekacke Simone , van den Ham A.-K. , Grüßing M. , Heinze A.
Published: January 2024

Mathematical competence in school-related contexts is a multidimensional construct that encompasses several content areas and cognitive components. Kindergarten children have experiences with different types of mathematical content. However, empirical research has focused mostly on children’s numerical skills, and less is known about their development in other mathematical content areas and interdependencies between areas, especially when it comes to less-structured approaches to early childhood education. The study investigated two research questions: (1) What is the structure of kindergarten children’s mathematical competence? (2) How do the different dimensions of mathematical competence develop over time? One-to-one interviews were completed with 442 kindergarten children to assess their mathematical competence at three measurement points. The results indicate that mathematical competence among kindergarten children should be treated as a multidimensional construct. Furthermore, the results indicate that skills in different content areas affect later skills in the same and in other content areas. Therefore, the results highlight the importance of addressing multiple mathematical content areas in early childhood.
Framed as (Un)Victims of Sexual Violence: An Intersectional Model
Authors: Wallace Patricia S. , Miller Kirk , Myers Kristen , Ingram Cornelius , Civilus Taylor
Published: January 2024

This study presents an intersectional analysis of beliefs about and experiences of Black women regarding sexual violence, using focus group and survey methods with BIPOC college students ( N = 37). Based on the analysis, we propose a theoretical model of “(un)victimization” that integrates two inequality frames – misogynoir and legal cynicism – applied to sexual assault. Specifically, this model explains the experiences of Black women survivors of sexual violence who simultaneously experience sexual victimization, are denied legitimate victim status, and have reason to distrust legal forms of justice. We theorize the process of (un)victimization enables future sexual assault of Black women.
Fascial Lengthening at the Time of Surgical Release for de Quervain’s Tenosynovitis to Prevent Postsurgical Tendon Subluxation
Authors: Jain Nirbhay S. , Barr Meaghan L. , Miller Amanda , DeLong Michael R. , Orr Steven , Benhaim Prosper
Published: January 2024

Background:

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a relatively common, painful condition. Although commonly managed nonoperatively, some patients have recalcitrant disease, necessitating surgical release. Traditional surgical release for de Quervain’s tenosynovitis with simple retinacular release can leave patients susceptible to first dorsal extensor compartment tendon subluxation. We present a stair-step flap technique that releases the first dorsal compartment while simultaneously preventing postoperative tendon subluxation via fascial lengthening.

Methods:

All patients over the past decade who underwent surgical release with this technique were collected. Preoperative characteristics, surgical details, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed and aggregated as summary statistics.

Results:

A total of 101 patients were found. Of these, 35 patients had isolated first dorsal compartment release. Tourniquet time for the total group was 1 hour and that for the isolated first dorsal compartment release subgroup was 20 minutes. The average follow-up was 590 days for the total group and only 440 days for the isolated first dorsal compartment release subgroup. No patients who underwent our novel technique experienced subluxation of the tendons postoperatively. One patient required oral antibiotics for a superficial cellulitis, and 1 patient had recurrent symptoms due to excessive scarring that resolved with scar massage and steroid injection. No patient required repeat operations.

Conclusion:

Our study demonstrates that first dorsal compartment release with a stair-step incision allows for closure of the compartment with a very loose sheath without subluxation and simultaneously provides satisfactory decompression. This procedure is safe and efficacious and can be considered a useful modification to traditional retinacular release alone.

Level of Evidence:

Level III
How to Encourage Inclusion in a Qualitative Research Project Using a Design-Based Research Methodology
Authors: Stockless Alain , Brière Sophie
Published: January 2024

Many issues and challenges face research design and research teams that want to become more inclusive, especially in large-scale research projects involving many stakeholders. This article explores an approach called Design-Based Research (DBR). DBR has been widely used in education for several years; it emphasizes collaboration with the community and takes the context of participants into consideration. DBR is transposable to other disciplines and is intended to be inclusive of the diverse stakeholders involved in a research project. For instance, in an ongoing research project about unconscious bias and inclusive behaviors, it takes into account all stakeholders’ needs and involves them in all stages of the research, which is taking place in a real-world context rather than a laboratory. The aim of this article is to better understand how the DBR methodology enables the inclusion of historically marginalized groups and how it is applied in the field. This exploratory article will present an example of an ongoing research project using the DBR methodology to show how this approach can be more inclusive than experimental approaches. This exploration reveals the positive impact of DBR in implementing solutions that can help reduce inequalities and power relationships. It also reveals the complexity of conducting qualitative research in a social laboratory. In particular, it takes into account the specificity of each historically marginalized group, from an intersectional perspective, the difficulty of operating within a process where not everything is determined in advance, and the need for a researcher specializing in DBR. It is important to allow sufficient time and financial resources at each stage to recognize the involvement of community organizations. The tools and knowledge generated by this type of research project will be useful for other organizations and future research.
The Sound of Emotional Prosody: Nearly 3 Decades of Research and Future Directions
Authors: Larrouy-Maestri Pauline , Poeppel David , Pell Marc D.
Published: January 2024

Emotional voices attract considerable attention. A search on any browser using “emotional prosody” as a key phrase leads to more than a million entries. Such interest is evident in the scientific literature as well; readers are reminded in the introductory paragraphs of countless articles of the great importance of prosody and that listeners easily infer the emotional state of speakers through acoustic information. However, despite decades of research on this topic and important achievements, the mapping between acoustics and emotional states is still unclear. In this article, we chart the rich literature on emotional prosody for both newcomers to the field and researchers seeking updates. We also summarize problems revealed by a sample of the literature of the last decades and propose concrete research directions for addressing them, ultimately to satisfy the need for more mechanistic knowledge of emotional prosody.
Left-handed voices? Examining the perceptual learning of novel person characteristics from the voice
Authors: Lavan Nadine
Published: January 2024

We regularly form impressions of who a person is from their voice, such that we can readily categorise people as being female or male, child or adult, trustworthy or not, and can furthermore recognise who specifically is speaking. How we establish mental representations for such categories of person characteristics has, however, only been explored in detail for voice identity learning. In a series of experiments, we therefore set out to examine whether and how listeners can learn to recognise a novel person characteristic. We specifically asked how diagnostic acoustic properties underpinning category distinctions inform perceptual judgements. We manipulated recordings of voices to create acoustic signatures for a person’s handedness (left-handed vs. right-handed) in their voice. After training, we found that listeners were able to successfully learn to recognise handedness from voices with above-chance accuracy, although no significant differences in accuracy between the different types of manipulation emerged. Listeners were, furthermore, sensitive to the specific distributions of acoustic properties that underpinned the category distinctions. We, however, also find evidence for perceptual biases that may reflect long-term prior exposure to how voices vary in naturalistic settings. These biases shape how listeners use acoustic information in the voices when forming representations for distinguishing handedness from voices. This study is thus a first step to examine how representations for novel person characteristics are established, outside of voice identity perception. We discuss our findings in light of theoretical accounts of voice perception and speculate about potential mechanisms that may underpin our results.
Network utility price regulation in Australia in the pre-first world war years
Authors: Abbott Malcolm
Published: January 2024

Australia has a long history of privately owned utility price regulation, one that is little known. This price control was designed to restrain the market power of several utilities (gas, rail, tramways, electricity, and water). The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to establish what types of price control that were used in Australia in the utilities sector before the First World War and to determine the degree to which this price control influenced efficiency. As price levels in this era were set in legislation, the lack of flexibility led to less-than-optimal outcomes, and eventually and led to new approaches were developed after 1912 to the utilities that remained in private ownership, and in some cases influenced the movement in Australia towards government control.
Our Hungry Neighbor: Self-Reported Data from Farmers’ Perspective on Tapanuli Orangutans in the Batang Toru Forest, Indonesia
Authors: Harahap Hamid Arrum , Yonariza  , Maynard Simone , Ridwan Endrizal , Yuerlita
Published: January 2024

Background and Research Aims

Human-orangutan conflicts are a growing problem in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra. Habitat degradation and fragmentation can drive orangutans to move on to agroforestry plantations and into conflict with farmers. This research examines farmers’ awareness of the roles that Tapanuli orangutans play, their attitudes towards orangutans when they come on their land and the broader political-economic factors which influence interactions between smallholders and orangutans.

Methods

We used a mixed methods approach of quantitative surveys with 275 farmers and qualitative in-depth interviews with 22 key informants from 11 villages on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Results

We found that while many farmers had negative encounters with orangutans eating their crops, their responses differed. Some tolerated the orangutans; others chased them away. The difference stemmed from cultural beliefs about orangutans and their relationship to humans. Some communities hold them as neighbours, others fear them, but in both cases would not harm them. Most farmers do not perceive them as significant threats but as hunger-driven neighbours. Rather than blaming the orang-utans per se, they argue that habitat loss caused by expanding extractive activities is the driving factor of this conflict. They want to see limits on the expansion of extractive industry, alternative income sources and compensation for their orangutan losses.

Conclusion

The study concludes by highlighting five aspects that need consideration for reducing human-orangutan conflicts and with a broader discussion on the need to include the socio-cultural context of the human populations in conservation initiatives.

Implications for Conservation

The study underscores the imperative of integrating local farmers’ perspectives in conserving critically endangered Tapanuli orangutans. It advocates coexistence through crop loss mitigation, deforestation prevention, and compensation strategies, emphasizing the need for holistic, sustainable conservation measures encompassing ecological, social, and economic facets within the region.
Reliability and Validity of the Star Excursion Balance Test for Evaluating Dynamic Balance of Upper Extremities
Authors: Yang Qi-Hao , Zhang Yong-Hui , Du Shu-Hao , Wang Yu-Chen , Xu Hao-Ran , Chen Ji-Wei , Mao Yuan , Wang Xue-Qiang
Published: January 2024

Background:

Upper extremity (UE) dynamic balance is a significant physical fitness ability, which includes high-level neuromuscular proprioception, joint mobility, force, and coordination. The evaluation methods of UE dynamic balance are insufficient and lack experimental support. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a reliable assessment of dynamic balance and injury risk of the lower extremity.

Hypothesis:

The UE-SEBT is a reliable and reproducible approach for evaluating dynamic balance of UEs.

Study Design:

Observational study.

Level of Evidence:

Level 4.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study recruited 65 healthy adults. All participants were required to complete UE-SEBT, UE Y-balance test (UE-YBT), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of UE, closed kinetic chain UE stability test (CKCUEST), trunk flexor endurance test (TFET), trunk extensor endurance test (TEET), and lateral trunk endurance test (LTET). Intra- and inter-rater reliability and the correlation of UE-SEBT with other outcomes were measured.

Results:

Among the participants, the intra- and interoperator reliability of UE-SEBT in all directions and composite score achieved a moderate-to-excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC], 0.729-0.946) reliability. For validity, the UE-SEBT had a moderate to very strong correlation with UE-YBT ( r = 0.315-0.755, P < 0.01) and a strong correlation with CKCUEST ( r = 0.4-0.67, P < 0.01). Furthermore, the UE-SEBT performance showed weak-to-strong correlations with MVIC ( r = 0.26-0.43, P < 0.05). UE-SEBT was also correlated with LTET, TEET, and TFET to varying degrees.

Conclusion:

UE-SEBT has good reliability and validity to assess UE dynamic balance compared with other tests.

Clinical Relevance:

UE-SEBT can be used as a clinical assessment method to evaluate UE dynamic balance and injury prevention.
Mapping a good society model in Ayatollah Khomeini’s religious political thought: Possibilities and challenges
Authors: Hasanpour Arash , Rabbani Ali
Published: January 2024

This article identifies the components of a good society in the thought of Ayatollah Khomeini. Over several decades, he experienced a voluntary and compulsory odyssey-like journey, the result of which was theorizing about a good society and Islamic government. From the young Ayatollah Khomeini to the late “Imam” Khomeini, several images are attributed to him. We find that the good society can be realized according to pure Mohammadian Islam and religious democracy. We claim that Khomeini’s thought evolved in the face of the Other and this Other has changed the perception of his identity and thought over time. This study shows that in a historical continuum, there are two breaks along the religious-political thought of Khomeini. Contrary to the common orthodox image of him, we claim that despite the contradictions, his thought has the capacity to reconcile Islam and modernity in a new religious-political framework. Nevertheless, one can observe the transformation, the elitist view, and the multiplicity of positions in his political, cultural, and social opinions.
Exploring the Communication and Spillover Effects of the Advertising Endorser and Appeal of Nonprofit Organizations
Authors: Yang Dong Jenn
Published: January 2024

This study provided an integrated model for an advanced understanding of an audience’s elaboration routes, communication effects, and the reciprocal spillover effects between NPO and endorsers using rational and emotional advertising appeals for smoking cessation with a celebrity endorser. Questionnaires with two advertising appeals (rational and emotional) were randomly distributed to adult participants, and 468 valid responses (243 rational and 225 emotional) were analyzed using linear structural equation modeling. The results revealed that although advertising attitudes toward smoking cessation did not directly affect idea acceptance, they mediated the changes in the elaboration route of the audience they mediated the changes in the audience’s elaboration route. Further, evoking the audiences’ responsible thinking was critical for smoking cessation and social marketing. This advertising appeal could change the elaboration path effects of the audience. Nevertheless, it has no significant influence on communication effects. Moreover, the reciprocal spillover effects existed for endorsers and NPOs, with endorsers having more spillover effects than NPOs. The rational appeal had better spillover effects than the emotional appeal for NPO. However, its effect on endorsers was insignificant. The findings show that regardless of whether it is rational or emotional appeals, the audience’s central and peripheral elaboration of coexists and interaction effects influence idea acceptance, and the reciprocal spillover effects existed for endorsers in the advertisement of NPOs.
Personal, Social, and Workplace Environmental Factors Related to Psychological Well-Being of Staff in University Settings
Authors: Mopkins Dawn , Lee Mikyoung , Malecha Ann
Published: January 2024

Background:

Understanding the psychological well-being (PWB) of university staff and factors that influence it is critical for developing intervention programs that promote PWB and enhance productivity and worker engagement.

Purpose:

This study aimed to assess the level of PWB in university staff and identify personal, social, and workplace environmental factors related to their PWB.

Methods:

A cross-sectional, correlational study design was used. A convenience sample of university staff was recruited from two universities in Texas. Participants completed an online questionnaire, which included Ryff’s PWB scale to measure PWB, along with questions related to personal, social, and workplace factors. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the influence of these factors on the PWB of university staff.

Results:

The PWB of university staff ( n = 202) was significantly influenced by personal factors (i.e., race and perceived mental health status), social factors (i.e., social support of friends), and workplace environmental factors (i.e., physical demands).

Conclusion/Application to Practice:

To effectively promote PWB among university staff, occupational health nurses should proactively track and monitor their PWB. Policies and interventions should consider the various personal, social, and workplace environment factors identified in this study, such as mental health, social support resources, and physical demands.
Different but Somewhat Similar: Panethnicity, Group Boundaries, and Dating Preferences among Asian and Latino College Students
Authors: Feliciano Cynthia , Hijara Cilka Mayumi
Published: January 2024

Few studies of romantic unions focus on interethnic preferences among Asians and Latinos to discern the salience of panethnicity in dating. Using unique mixed-methods data, which disaggregates the ethnic identity of respondents and their preferred partners, we examine patterns of panethnic and non-panethnic dating choices among Asian and Latino college students and their explanations for their preferences. We find that Asian college students, except for Filipinos, desire co-panethnic partners more than Latinos do, although only certain co-panethnics are preferred. Students use narratives about culture, phenotype, family, and familiarity in different ways to justify their preferences. In some cases, these criteria guide them to preferences in line with common understandings of where panethnic boundaries lie. In others, preferences reveal alternative conceptions of group boundaries based on phenotypic and cultural differences with co-panethnics or similarities across panethnic lines. These findings complicate existing understandings of panethnicity and challenge the durability of panethnic boundaries.
Inquiry on Inquiry: Examining Student Actions Required in Elementary Inquiry Design Models
Authors: Brugar Kristy A. , Roberts Kathryn L. , Cuenca Alexander
Published: January 2024

This article describes a qualitative content analysis of 37 elementary examples of social studies Inquiry Design Models (C3 Teachers, 2023a), conducted with the purpose of identifying the core student skills necessary to successfully engage in these inquiries. Prior research identifies core inquiry teaching skills for teachers across content areas and grade bands, but there has been little research on the demands placed on elementary students in social studies inquiry. In this study, we identify 33 broad skills, each of which are observable and teachable. Four of these skills occurred in high frequency: generation of new ideas ( n = 152), writing process ( n = 110), linking evidence with claims ( n = 65), and discussion ( n = 63). These most frequently occurring skills all required higher-level and/or critical thinking. Implications for preservice and in-service teacher education are discussed.
Understanding and Bridging Gaps in the Use of Evidence from Modeling for Evidence-Based Policy Making in Nigeria’s Health System
Authors: Mbachu Chinyere , Agwu Prince , Obi Felix , Onwujekwe Obinna
Published: January 2024

Background. Modeled evidence is a proven useful tool for decision makers in making evidence-based policies and plans that will ensure the best possible health system outcomes. Thus, we sought to understand constraints to the use of models in making decisions in Nigeria’s health system and how such constraints can be addressed. Method. We adopted a mixed-methods study for the research and relied on the evidence to policy and Knowledge-to-Action (KTA) frameworks to guide the conceptualization of the study. An online survey was administered to 34 key individuals in health organizations that recognize modeling, which was followed by in-depth interviews with 24 of the 34 key informants. Analysis was done using descriptive analytic methods and thematic arrangements of narratives. Results. Overall, the data revealed poor use of modeled evidence in decision making within the health sector, despite reporting that modeled evidence and modelers are available in Nigeria. However, the disease control agency in Nigeria was reported to be an exception. The complexity of models was a top concern. Thus, suggestions were made to improve communication of models in ways that are easily comprehensible and to improve overall research culture within Nigeria’s health sector. Conclusion. Modeled evidence plays a crucial role in evidence-based health decisions. Therefore, it is imperative to strengthen and sustain in-country capacity to value, produce, interpret, and use modeled evidence for decision making in health. To overcome limitations in the usage of modeled evidence, decision makers, modelers/researchers, and knowledge brokers should forge viable relationships that regard and promote evidence translation.

Highlights

Despite the use of modeling by Nigeria’s disease control agency in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, modeling remains poorly used in the country’s overall health sector. Although policy makers recognize the importance of evidence in making decisions, there are still pertinent concerns about the poor research culture of policy-making institutions and communication gaps that exist between researchers/modelers and policy makers. Nigeria’s health system can be strengthened by improving the value and usage of scientific evidence generation through conscious efforts to institutionalize research culture in the health sector and bridge gaps between researchers/modelers and decision makers.
Laser metal deposition for powder metallurgy parts
Authors: Selcuk C
Published: January 2024

By combining laser and powder processing, laser metal deposition (LMD) enables the manufacture of high precision near-net shape components from powders, so enhancing materials utilisation. Rapid prototyping, in situ repair and surfacing are among the capabilities of LMD; applications cover the medical, defence and aerospace sectors, with potential applications in oil and gas and other sectors. To take full advantage of the rapid fabrication of complex geometries and automated repair offered by LMD, there is a need to develop understanding of the process–microstructure–property relationships, particularly the effect of powder characteristics on process variables and on the metallurgy and resulting mechanical properties. A brief overview of LMD from a PM perspective is presented, with an emphasis on underlying mechanisms and attendant metallurgical issues. Recent developments in the state-of-the-art are discussed and potential applications combining PM and LMD are identified.
Aberrant GPA expression and regulatory function of red blood cells in sickle cell disease
Authors: Marshall Juliana N. , Klein Matthew N. , Karki Pratap , Promnares Kamoltip , Setua Saini , Fan Xiaoxuan , Buehler Paul W. , Birukov Konstantin G. , Vasta Gerardo R. , Fontaine Magali J.
Published: January 2024

Glycophorin A (GPA), a red blood cell (RBC) surface glycoprotein, can maintain peripheral blood leukocyte quiescence through interaction with a sialic acid–binding Ig-like lectin (Siglec-9). Under inflammatory conditions such as sickle cell disease (SCD), the GPA of RBCs undergo structural changes that affect this interaction. Peripheral blood samples from patients with SCD before and after RBC transfusions were probed for neutrophil and monocyte activation markers and analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). RBCs were purified and tested by FACS for Siglec-9 binding and GPA expression, and incubated with cultured endothelial cells to evaluate their effect on barrier function. Activated leukocytes from healthy subjects (HS) were coincubated with healthy RBCs (RBCH), GPA-altered RBCs, or GPA-overexpressing (OE) cells and analyzed using FACS. Monocyte CD63 and neutrophil CD66b from patients with SCD at baseline were increased 47% and 27%, respectively, as compared with HS (P = .0017, P = .0162). After transfusion, these markers were suppressed by 22% and 17% (P = .0084, P = .0633). GPA expression in RBCSCD was 38% higher (P = .0291) with decreased Siglec-9 binding compared with RBCH (0.0266). Monocyte CD63 and neutrophil CD66b were suppressed after incubation with RBCH and GPA-OE cells, but not with GPA-altered RBCs. Endothelial barrier dysfunction after lipopolysaccharide challenge was restored fully with exposure to RBCH, but not with RBCSCD, from patients in pain crisis, or with RBCH with altered GPA. Pretransfusion RBCSCD do not effectively maintain the quiescence of leukocytes and endothelium, but quiescence is restored through RBC transfusion, likely by reestablished GPA-Siglec-9 interactions.
The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in post-tuberculosis and active tuberculosis populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: van Heerden Jennifer K. , Louw Elizabeth H. , Thienemann Friedrich , Engel Mark E. , Allwood Brian W.
Published: January 2024

Background:

The prevalence of tuberculosis (TB)-associated pulmonary hypertension (PH) has not previously been quantified, resulting in an underappreciated burden of disease. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of PH in post-TB and active TB populations.

Methods:

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, Scopus, African Journals Online and Google Scholar, with no language restriction, for available literature published after 1950. Eligible studies described adult participants (≥16 years), with documented evidence of active or prior TB, diagnosed with PH. Study quality was assessed using a risk of bias tool specifically developed for prevalence studies. Aggregate prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals were synthesised using a random-effects meta-analysis model, incorporating the Freeman–Tukey transformation. Subgroup analysis was conducted to ascertain prevalence estimates in specific patient populations.

Results:

We identified 1452 unique records, of which 34 met our inclusion criteria. 23 studies, with an acceptable risk of bias and where PH was diagnosed at right heart catheterisation or echocardiography, were included in the meta-analysis. In post-TB studies (14/23), the prevalence of PH was 67.0% (95% CI 50.8–81.4) in patients with chronic respiratory failure, 42.4% (95% CI 31.3–54.0) in hospitalised or symptomatic patients and 6.3% (95% CI 2.3–11.8) in nonhealthcare-seeking outpatients (I2=96%). There was a lower estimated prevalence of PH in studies of populations with active TB (9.4%, 95% CI 6.3–13.0), I2=84%).

Conclusion:

Our results highlight the significant burden of PH in post-TB and active TB populations. We emphasise the need for increased recognition of TB-associated PH and additional high-quality prevalence data.
Comparison of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, functional and haemodynamic variables in pulmonary arterial hypertension: insights from REPAIR
Authors: Kiely David G. , Channick Richard , Flores Dayana , Galiè Nazzareno , MacDonald Gwen , Marcus J. Tim , Mitchell Lada , Peacock Andrew , Rosenkranz Stephan , Tawakol Ahmed , Torbicki Adam , Vonk Noordegraaf Anton , Swift Andrew J.
Published: January 2024

Background

Measures that can detect large treatment effects are important for monitoring therapeutic effectiveness. The 2022 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines highlight the importance of imaging in monitoring disease status and treatment response in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Are the standardised treatment effect sizes (STES) of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) comparable with functional and haemodynamic variables?

Methods

REPAIR (ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT02310672) was a prospective, multicentre, single-arm, open-label, 52-week phase 4 study evaluating the effect of macitentan 10 mg, with or without a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5i), on right ventricular (RV) remodelling, cardiac function and cardiopulmonary haemodynamics. Both cMRI and functional assessments were performed at screening and at weeks 26 and 52; haemodynamic measurements were conducted at screening and week 26. In thispost hocanalysis, STES were estimated using the parametric Cohen's d and non-parametric Cliff's delta tests.

Results

At week 26, large STES (Cohen's d) were observed for 10 of the 20 cMRI variables assessed, including the prognostic measures of RV and left ventricular stroke volume and RV ejection fraction and the haemodynamic trial end-point, pulmonary vascular resistance; medium STES were observed for 6-min walk distance (6MWD). The STES were consistent in treatment-naïve patients and those escalating therapy and maintained at week 52. Similar results were obtained using the non-parametric Cliff's delta method.

Conclusions

The treatment effect of macitentan, alone or in combination with a PDE5i, was comparable for several cMRI and haemodynamic variables with prognostic value in PAH, and greater than that of 6MWD in patients with PAH, highlighting the emerging relevance of cMRI in PAH.
Standardized Pre-clinical Surgical Animal Model Protocol to Investigate the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Ischemic Flap Healing
Authors: Aksamitiene Edita , Heffelfinger Ryan N. , Hoek Jan B. , Pribitkin Edmund deAzevedo
Published: January 2024

Background

Some of the most complex surgical interventions to treat trauma and cancer include the use of locoregional pedicled and free autologous tissue transfer flaps. While the techniques used for these reconstructive surgery procedures have improved over time, flap complications and even failure remain a significant clinical challenge. Animal models are useful in studying the pathophysiology of ischemic flaps, but when repeatability is a primary focus of a study, conventional in-vivo designs, where one randomized subset of animals serves as a treatment group while a second subset serves as a control, are at a disadvantage instigated by greater subject-to-subject variability. Our goal was to provide a step-by-step methodological protocol for creating an alternative standardized, more economical, and transferable pre-clinical animal research model of excisional full-thickness wound healing following a simulated autologous tissue transfer which includes the primary ischemia, reperfusion, and secondary ischemia events with the latter mimicking flap salvage procedure.

Results

Unlike in the most frequently used classical unilateral McFarlane’s caudally based dorsal random pattern skin flap model, in the herein described bilateral epigastric fasciocutaneous advancement flap (BEFAF) model, one flap heals under normal and a contralateral flap—under perturbed conditions or both flaps heal under conditions that vary by one within-subjects factor. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the proposed experimental approach and, as a part of model validation, provide the examples of its use in laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus) axial pattern flap healing studies.

Conclusions

This technically challenging but feasible reconstructive surgery model eliminates inter-subject variability, while concomitantly minimizing the number of animals needed to achieve adequate statistical power. BEFAFs may be used to investigate the spatiotemporal cellular and molecular responses to complex tissue injury, interventions simulating clinically relevant flap complications (e.g., vascular thrombosis) as well as prophylactic, therapeutic or surgical treatment (e.g., flap delay) strategies in the presence or absence of confounding risk factors (e.g., substance abuse, irradiation, diabetes) or favorable wound-healing promoting activities (e.g., exercise). Detailed visual instructions in BEFAF protocol may serve as an aid for teaching medical or academic researchers basic vascular microsurgery techniques that focus on precision, tremor management and magnification.

Graphical Abstract
SperMD: the expression atlas of sperm maturation
Authors: Li Yifan , Li Qianying , Wu Lvying , Wang Haiyan , Shi Hui , Yang Chenhui , Gu Yiqun , Li Jianyuan , Ji Zhiliang
Published: January 2024

The impairment of sperm maturation is one of the major pathogenic factors in male subfertility, a serious medical and social problem affecting millions of global couples. Regrettably, the existing research on sperm maturation is slow, limited, and fragmented, largely attributable to the lack of a global molecular view. To fill the data gap, we newly established a database, namely the Sperm Maturation Database (SperMD, http://bio-add.org/SperMD). SperMD integrates heterogeneous multi-omics data (170 transcriptomes, 91 proteomes, and five human metabolomes) to illustrate the transcriptional, translational, and metabolic manifestations during the entire lifespan of sperm maturation. These data involve almost all crucial scenarios related to sperm maturation, including the tissue components of the epididymal microenvironment, cell constituents of tissues, different pathological states, and so on. To the best of our knowledge, SperMD could be one of the limited repositories that provide focused and comprehensive information on sperm maturation. Easy-to-use web services are also implemented to enhance the experience of data retrieval and molecular comparison between humans and mice. Furthermore, the manuscript illustrates an example application demonstrated to systematically characterize novel gene functions in sperm maturation. Nevertheless, SperMD undertakes the endeavor to integrate the islanding omics data, offering a panoramic molecular view of how the spermatozoa gain full reproductive abilities. It will serve as a valuable resource for the systematic exploration of sperm maturation and for prioritizing the biomarkers and targets for precise diagnosis and therapy of male subfertility.
CircNetVis: an interactive web application for visualizing interaction networks of circular RNAs
Authors: Nguyen Thi-Hau , Nguyen Ha-Nam , Vu Trung Nghia
Published: January 2024

Analyzing the interactions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) is a crucial step in understanding their functional impacts. While there are numerous visualization tools available for investigating circRNA interaction networks, these tools are typically limited to known circRNAs from specific databases. Moreover, these existing tools usually require complex installation procedures which can be time-consuming and challenging for users. There is a lack of a user-friendly web application that facilitates interactive exploration and visualization of circRNA interaction networks. CircNetVis is an interactive online web application to enhance the analysis of human/mouse circRNA interactions. The tool allows three different input formats of circRNAs including circRNA IDs from CircBase, circRNA coordinates (chromosome, start position, end position), and circRNA sequences in the FASTA format. It integrates multiple interaction networks for visualization and investigation of the interplay between circRNA, microRNAs, mRNAs and RNA binding proteins. CircNetVis also enables users to interactively explore the interactions of unknown circRNAs which are not reported from previous databases. The tool can generate interactive plots and allows users to save results as output files for offline usage. CircNetVis is implemented as a web application using R-shiny and freely available for academic use at https://www.meb.ki.se/shiny/truvu/CircNetVis/.
MSCAN: multi-scale self- and cross-attention network for RNA methylation site prediction
Authors: Wang Honglei , Huang Tao , Wang Dong , Zeng Wenliang , Sun Yanjing , Zhang Lin
Published: January 2024

Background

Epi-transcriptome regulation through post-transcriptional RNA modifications is essential for all RNA types. Precise recognition of RNA modifications is critical for understanding their functions and regulatory mechanisms. However, wet experimental methods are often costly and time-consuming, limiting their wide range of applications. Therefore, recent research has focused on developing computational methods, particularly deep learning (DL). Bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM), convolutional neural network (CNN), and the transformer have demonstrated achievements in modification site prediction. However, BiLSTM cannot achieve parallel computation, leading to a long training time, CNN cannot learn the dependencies of the long distance of the sequence, and the Transformer lacks information interaction with sequences at different scales. This insight underscores the necessity for continued research and development in natural language processing (NLP) and DL to devise an enhanced prediction framework that can effectively address the challenges presented.

Results

This study presents a multi-scale self- and cross-attention network (MSCAN) to identify the RNA methylation site using an NLP and DL way. Experiment results on twelve RNA modification sites (m6A, m1A, m5C, m5U, m6Am, m7G, Ψ, I, Am, Cm, Gm, and Um) reveal that the area under the receiver operating characteristic of MSCAN obtains respectively 98.34%, 85.41%, 97.29%, 96.74%, 99.04%, 79.94%, 76.22%, 65.69%, 92.92%, 92.03%, 95.77%, 89.66%, which is better than the state-of-the-art prediction model. This indicates that the model has strong generalization capabilities. Furthermore, MSCAN reveals a strong association among different types of RNA modifications from an experimental perspective. A user-friendly web server for predicting twelve widely occurring human RNA modification sites (m6A, m1A, m5C, m5U, m6Am, m7G, Ψ, I, Am, Cm, Gm, and Um) is available at http://47.242.23.141/MSCAN/index.php.

Conclusions

A predictor framework has been developed through binary classification to predict RNA methylation sites.
Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene family in rye (Secale cereale L.): genome-wide identification, phylogeny, evolutionary expansion and expression analyses
Authors: Chen Xingyu , Yao Caimei , Liu Jiahao , Liu Jintao , Fang Jingmei , Deng Hong , Yao Qian , Kang Tairan , Guo Xiaoqiang
Published: January 2024

Background

Rye (Secale cereale), one of the drought and cold-tolerant crops, is an important component of the Triticae Dumortier family of Gramineae plants. Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), an important family of transcription factors, has played pivotal roles in regulating numerous intriguing biological processes in plant development and abiotic stress responses. However, no systemic analysis of the bHLH transcription factor family has yet been reported in rye.

Results

In this study, 220 bHLH genes in S. cereale (ScbHLHs) were identified and named based on the chromosomal location. The evolutionary relationships, classifications, gene structures, motif compositions, chromosome localization, and gene replication events in these ScbHLH genes are systematically analyzed. These 220 ScbHLH members are divided into 21 subfamilies and one unclassified gene. Throughout evolution, the subfamilies 5, 9, and 18 may have experienced stronger expansion. The segmental duplications may have contributed significantly to the expansion of the bHLH family. To systematically analyze the evolutionary relationships of the bHLH family in different plants, we constructed six comparative genomic maps of homologous genes between rye and different representative monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Finally, the gene expression response characteristics of 22 ScbHLH genes in various biological processes and stress responses were analyzed. Some candidate genes, such as ScbHLH11, ScbHLH48, and ScbHLH172, related to tissue developments and environmental stresses were screened.

Conclusions

The results indicate that these ScbHLH genes exhibit characteristic expression in different tissues, grain development stages, and stress treatments. These findings provided a basis for a comprehensive understanding of the bHLH family in rye.
Glutamine metabolism-related genes and immunotherapy in nonspecific orbital inflammation were validated using bioinformatics and machine learning
Authors: Wu Zixuan , Li Na , Gao Yuan , Cao Liyuan , Yao Xiaolei , Peng Qinghua
Published: January 2024

Background

Nonspecific orbital inflammation (NSOI) is an idiopathic, persistent, and proliferative inflammatory condition affecting the orbit, characterized by polymorphous lymphoid infiltration. Its pathogenesis and progression have been linked to imbalances in tumor metabolic pathways, with glutamine (Gln) metabolism emerging as a critical aspect in cancer. Metabolic reprogramming is known to influence clinical outcomes in various malignancies. However, comprehensive research on glutamine metabolism's significance in NSOI is lacking.

Methods

This study conducted a bioinformatics analysis to identify and validate potential glutamine-related molecules (GlnMgs) associated with NSOI. The discovery of GlnMgs involved the intersection of differential expression analysis with a set of 42 candidate GlnMgs. The biological functions and pathways of the identified GlnMgs were analyzed using GSEA and GSVA. Lasso regression and SVM-RFE methods identified hub genes and assessed the diagnostic efficacy of fourteen GlnMgs in NSOI. The correlation between hub GlnMgs and clinical characteristics was also examined. The expression levels of the fourteen GlnMgs were validated using datasets GSE58331 and GSE105149.

Results

Fourteen GlnMgs related to NSOI were identified, including FTCD, CPS1, CTPS1, NAGS, DDAH2, PHGDH, GGT1, GCLM, GLUD1, ART4, AADAT, ASNSD1, SLC38A1, and GFPT2. Biological function analysis indicated their involvement in responses to extracellular stimulus, mitochondrial matrix, and lipid transport. The diagnostic performance of these GlnMgs in distinguishing NSOI showed promising results.

Conclusions

This study successfully identified fourteen GlnMgs associated with NSOI, providing insights into potential novel biomarkers for NSOI and avenues for monitoring disease progression.