bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Naturally occurring canine sarcomas: Bridging the gap from mouse models to human patients through cross-disciplinary research partnerships
Authors: Klosowski Marika , Haines Laurel , Alfino Lauren , McMellen Alexandra , Leibowitz Michael , Regan Daniel
Published: March 2023

Fueled by support from the National Cancer Institute’s “Cancer Moonshot” program, the past few years have witnessed a renewed interest in the canine spontaneous cancer model as an invaluable resource in translational oncology research. Increasingly, there is awareness that pet dogs with cancer provide an accessible bridge to improving the efficiency of cancer drug discovery and clinical therapeutic development. Canine tumors share many biological, genetic, and histologic features with their human tumor counterparts, and most importantly, retain the complexities of naturally occurring drug resistance, metastasis, and tumor-host immune interactions, all of which are difficult to recapitulate in induced or genetically engineered murine tumor models. The utility of canine models has been particularly apparent in sarcoma research, where the increased incidence of sarcomas in dogs as compared to people has facilitated comparative research resulting in treatment advances benefitting both species. Although there is an increasing awareness of the advantages in using spontaneous canine sarcoma models for research, these models remain underutilized, in part due to a lack of more permanent institutional and cross-institutional infrastructure to support partnerships between veterinary and human clinician-scientists. In this review, we provide an updated overview of historical and current applications of spontaneously occurring canine tumor models in sarcoma research, with particular attention to knowledge gaps, limitations, and growth opportunities within these applications. Furthermore, we propose considerations for working within existing veterinary translational and comparative oncology research infrastructures to maximize the benefit of partnerships between veterinary and human biomedical researchers within and across institutions to improve the utility and application of spontaneous canine sarcomas in translational oncology research.
Zanubrutinib for the treatment of lymphoid malignancies: Current status and future directions
Authors: Wolska-Washer Anna , Robak Tadeusz
Published: March 2023

Zanubrutinib (BGB-3111, Brukinsa®, BeiGene) is a next-generation irreversible inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), developed by BeiGene in 2012 for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. It was designed to minimize off-target inhibition of TEC- and EGFR-family kinases. Zanubrutinib is more selective than ibrutinib for BTK versus EGFR, FGR, FRK, HER2, HER4, ITK, JAK3, LCK, BLK and TEC. In addition, compared to ibrutinib, zanubrutinib has improved oral absorption and better target occupancy. Zanubrutinib demonstrated a lower incidence of off-target toxicities and reduced severity than ibrutinib. Moreover, zanubrutinib is similar to acalabrutinib, with less activity against TEC and ITK. The preliminary phase 1 results suggest that zanubrutinib has clinical activity and the drug is well tolerated in patients with B-cell lymphoid malignancies. Recent clinical trials have found it to demonstrate excellent efficacy and good tolerability in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). In recent phase 3 studies, zanubrutinib was compared with ibrutinib in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) MW and RR CLL. In both trials, zanubrutinib was found to demonstrate clinically meaningful advantages in safety and tolerability over ibrutinib; in particular, it was associated with a lower risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter and major bleeding events. In the recent SEQUOIA study, comparing zanubrutinib with bendamustine and rituximab (BR) in patients with previously untreated CLL, zanubrutinib significantly improved progression-free survival versus BR, with an acceptable safety profile consistent with previous studies. Zanubrutinib also demonstrated good activity and tolerability in patients with R/R MCL, marginal zone lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. Trials examining the efficacy and safety of the combination of zanubrutinib with obinutuzumab venetoclax and other drugs are ongoing. This review summarizes the clinical efficacy and safety of zanubrutinib in lymphoid malignancies.
Venetoclax plus hypomethylating agents versus intensive chemotherapy for hematological relapse of myeloid malignancies after allo-HSCT
Authors: Chen Zhangjie , Zhen Sisi , Zhang Tingting , Shen Yuyan , Pang Aiming , Yang Donglin , Zhang Rongli , Ma Qiaoling , He Yi , Wei Jialin , Zhai Weihua , Chen Xin , Jiang Erlie , Han Mingzhe , Feng Sizhou
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Since allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is considered one of the curative treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), hematological relapse following allo-HSCT remained a crucial concern for patients’ survival.

Methods

We retrospectively compared patients who received venetoclax plus hypomethylating agents (VEN+HMA, n=23) or intensive chemotherapy (IC, n=42) for hematological relapse of myeloid malignancies after allo-HSCT. HMA selection included decitabine (n=2) and azacitidine (n=21), and combined donor lymphocyte infusion was administered to 21 and 42 patients in VEN+HMA and IC groups, respectively.

Results

Median age of all patients was 39 (16-64) years old. Overall response rates, including complete response (CR), CR with incomplete recovery of normal neutrophil or platelet counts (CRi) and partial response (PR), were not significantly different between VEN+HMA and IC groups (60.1% versus 64.3%, P=0.785). CR/CRi rate was 52.2% in VEN+HMA and 59.5% in IC group (P=0.567). The rate of relapse after response was 66.7% in VEN+HMA group and 40.7% in IC group (P=0.176). Median overall survival was 209.0 (95%CI 130.9-287.1) days for VEN+HMA group versus 211.0 (95%CI 28.7-393.3) days for IC group (P=0.491). The incidence of lung infection (17.4% versus 50.0%, P=0.010), thrombocytopenia (73.9% versus 95.2%, P=0.035) and acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) (50.0% versus 13.0%, P=0.003) was significantly higher in IC group.

Discussion

In conclusion, VEN+HMA is not inferior to IC regimen in terms of improving response and survival, and is associated with a lower incidence of adverse events and aGvHD. However, further research is required to enhance long-term survival.
Performance comparison of 2D and 3D MRI radiomics features in meningioma grade prediction: A preliminary study
Authors: Duan Chongfeng , Li Nan , Liu Xuejun , Cui Jiufa , Wang Gang , Xu Wenjian
Published: March 2023

Objectives

The objective of this study was to compare the predictive performance of 2D and 3D radiomics features in meningioma grade based on enhanced T1 WI images.

Methods

There were 170 high grade meningioma and 170 low grade meningioma were selected randomly. The 2D and 3D features were extracted from 2D and 3D ROI of each meningioma. The Spearman correlation analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were used to select the valuable features. The 2D and 3D predictive models were constructed by naive Bayes (NB), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), and support vector machine (SVM). The ROC curve was drawn and AUC was calculated. The 2D and 3D models were compared by Delong test of AUCs and decision curve analysis (DCA) curve.

Results

There were 1143 features extracted from each ROI. Six and seven features were selected. The AUC of 2D and 3D model in NB, GBDT, and SVM was 0.773 and 0.771, 0.722 and 0.717, 0.733 and 0.743. There was no significant difference in two AUCs (p=0.960, 0.913, 0.830) between 2D and 3D model. The 2D features had a better performance than 3D features in NB models and the 3D features had a better performance than 2D features in GBDT models. The 2D features and 3D features had an equal performance in SVM models.

Conclusions

The 2D and 3D features had a comparable performance in predicting meningioma grade. Considering the issue of time and labor, 2D features could be selected for radiomics study in meningioma.

Key points

There was a comparable performance between 2D and 3D features in meningioma grade prediction. The 2D features was a proper selection in meningioma radiomics study because of its time and labor saving.
Intraoperative ultrasound in recurrent gliomas surgery: Impact on residual tumor volume and patient outcomes
Authors: Wang Meiyao , Yu Jin , Zhang Jibo , Pan Zhiyong , Chen Jincao
Published: March 2023

Background

Reoperation may be beneficial for patients with recurrent gliomas. Minimizing the residual tumor volume (RTV) while ensuring the functionality of relevant structures is the goal of the reoperation of recurrent gliomas. Intraoperative ultrasound (IoUS) may be helpful for intraoperative tumor localization, intraoperative real-time imaging to guide surgical resection, and postoperative evaluation of the RTV in the reoperation for recurrent gliomas.

Objective

To assess the effect of real-time ioUS on minimizing RTV in recurrent glioma surgery compared to Non-ioUS.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data from 92 patients who had recurrent glioma surgical resection: 45 were resected with ioUS guidance and 47 were resected without ioUS guidance. RTV, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) at 6 months after the operation, the number of recurrent patients, and the time to recurrence were evaluated.

Results

The average RTV in the ioUS group was significantly less than the Non-ioUS group (0.27 cm3 vs. 1.33 cm3, p = 0.0004). Patients in the ioUS group tended to have higher KPS scores at 6 months of follow-up after the operation than those in the Non-ioUS group (70.00 vs. 60.00, p = 0.0185). More patients in the Non-ioUS group experienced a recurrence than in the ioUS group (43 (91.49%) vs. 32 (71.11%), p = 0.0118). The ioUS group had a longer mean time to recurrence than the Non-ioUS group (7.9 vs. 6.3 months, p = 0.0013).

Conclusion

The use of ioUS-based real-time for resection of recurrent gliomas has been beneficial in terms of both RTV and postoperative outcomes, compared to the Non-ioUS group.
Impact of cardiac surgical timing on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of newborns with Complex congenital heart disease (CHD)
Authors: Lenoir Marien , Beretti Thibault , Testud Benoit , Resseguier Noémie , Gauthier Kim , Fouilloux Virginie , Gran Célia , Paoli Florent , El-Louali Fedoua , Aldebert Philippe , Blanc Julie , Soulatges Camille , Al-dybiat Sarab , Carles Guillaume , Wanert Chloe , Rozalen William , Lebel Stéphane , Arnaud Sophie , Santelli Dominique , Allary Chloé , Peyre Marianne , Grandvuillemin Isabelle , Desroberts Clotilde , Alaoui Myriem Belghiti , Boubred Farid , Michel Fabrice , Ovaert Caroline , Milh Mathieu , François Clément , Desnous Béatrice
Published: March 2023

Background

More than half of infants with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) will have a neurodevelopmental disorder of multifactorial causes. The preoperative period represents a time-window during which neonates with complex CHD are in a state of hypoxia and hemodynamic instability, which fosters the emergence of brain injuries and, thus, affects early brain networks and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the optimal age for cardiac surgery in terms of neurodevelopmental outcomes, and its definition is a real challenge. Our aim is to determine the relationship between cardiac surgical timing and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for various types of complex CHD.

Methods

We hypothesize that earlier surgical timing could represent a neuroprotective strategy that reduces perioperative white matter injuries (WMIs) and postoperative morbidity, leading to improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with complex CHD. Firstly, our prospective study will allow us to determine the correlation between age at the time of surgery (days of life) and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 24 months. We will then analyze the correlation between age at surgery and (i) the incidence of WMIs (through pre- and postoperative MRIs), (ii) postoperative morbidity, and (iii) the duration of the hospital stay.

Implications and Dissemination

This research protocol was registered in the Clinical Trial Registry (National Clinical Trial: NCT04733378). This project aims to help launch the first Neurocardiac Investigation Clinic in Marseille — AP-HM — to propose an overall personalized monitoring and treatment program for patients operated on for complex CHD.
Analysis of networks in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in chronic schizophrenia: Relevance of altered immune response
Authors: Vera-Montecinos América , Rodríguez-Mias Ricard , Vila Èlia , Villén Judit , Ramos Belén
Published: March 2023

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has a crucial role in cognitive functioning and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. However, limited information of altered protein networks is available in this region in schizophrenia. We performed a proteomic analysis using single-shot liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of grey matter of postmortem DLPFC in chronic schizophrenia subjects (n = 20) and unaffected subjects (n = 20) followed by bioinformatic analysis to identify altered protein networks in schizophrenia (PXD024939 identifier in ProteomeXchange repository). Our results displayed a proteome profile in the DLPFC of 1989 proteins. 43 proteins were found significantly altered in schizophrenia. Analysis of this panel showed an enrichment of biological processes implicated in vesicle-mediated transport, processing and antigen presentation via MHC class II, intracellular transport and selenium metabolism. The enriched identified pathways were MHC class II antigen presentation, vesicle-mediated transport, Golgi ER retrograde transport, Nef mediated CD8 downregulation and the immune system. All these enriched categories were found to be downregulated. Furthermore, our network analyses showed crosstalk between proteins involved in MHC class II antigen presentation, membrane trafficking, Golgi-to-ER retrograde transport, Nef-mediated CD8 downregulation and the immune system with only one module built by 13 proteins. RAB7A showed eight interactions with proteins of all these pathways. Our results provide an altered molecular network involved in immune response in the DLPFC in schizophrenia with a central role of RAB7A. These results suggest that RAB7A or other proteins of this network could be potential targets for novel pharmacological strategies in schizophrenia for improving cognitive and negative symptoms.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids and health risk of three Boraginaceae used in TCM
Authors: Zan Ke , Wang Zhao , Hu Xiao-Wen , Li Yao-Lei , Wang Ying , Jin Hong-Yu , Zuo Tian-Tian , Ma Shuang-Cheng
Published: March 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically explore the pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) type, content and risk assessment in the three Boraginaceae used in TCM, involving Arnebia euchroma (AE), A. guttata (AG), and Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE).

Method: A UHPLC–MS/MS method was established to simultaneously determine eight pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), namely intermedine, lycopsamine, intermedine N-oxide, lycopsamine N-oxide, 7-acetyllycopsamine, 7-acetyllycopsamine N-oxide, echimidine N-oxide, and echimidine in the three herbs. Based on these results, the risk assessment was explored using the routine margin of exposure (MOE) combined with relative potency (REP) for oral and external usage, respectively.

Results and Conclusion: Imermedine and imermedine N-oxide were common components in the eight tested PAs. 7-acetyllycopsamine and its N-oxide were not detected in AE; echimidine and its N-oxide were not detected in AG; lycopsamine and its N-oxide, 7-acetyllycopsamine and its N-oxide were not detected in LE. The total contents of 8 PAs in 11 batches of AG was341.56–519.51 μg/g; the content in 15 batches of LE was 71.16–515.73 μg/g, and the content in 11 batches of AE was 23.35–207.13 μg/g. Based on these results, the risk assessment was explored using MOE combined with REP for oral and external usage, respectively. The findings of the risk assessment method of PAs based on MOE combined with the REP factor were consistent with the clinical toxicity results. As an oral herb, AE had low risk or no risk due to its low PA contents, and individual batches of LE were medium risk, while attention should be paid to their clinical use.AG was also low risk. The external use of the three Boraginaceae used in TCM was not associated with any risk. This study systematically explored the PA type and content of the three Boraginaceae used in TCM. Additionally, the refined risk assessment of PAs based on REP provided a more scientific basis for quality evaluation and rational use of the medicinal Boraginaceae used in TCM to improve public health.
Assessment of immunostimulatory responses to the antimiR-22 oligonucleotide compound RES-010 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Authors: Panella Riccardo , Zanderigo Floriana , Morandini Francesca , Federico Denise , Vicentini Elena , Andreetta Filippo , Toniolo Alessandro , Kauppinen Sakari
Published: March 2023

microRNA-22 (miR-22) is a key regulator of lipid and energy homeostasis and represents a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD and obesity. We have previously identified a locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified antisense oligonucleotide compound complementary to miR-22, designated as RES-010 that mediated robust inhibition of miR-22 function in cultured cells and in vivo. In this study we investigated the immune potential of RES-010 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We treated fresh human peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from six healthy volunteers with different concentrations of the RES-010 compound and assessed its proinflammatory effects by quantifying IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IFN-α2a, IFN-β, IL-10, and IL-17A in the supernatants collected 24 h of treatment with RES-010. The T-cell activation markers, CD69, HLA-DR, and CD25 were evaluated by flow cytometry after 24 and 144 h of treatment, respectively, whereas cell viability was assessed after 24 h of treatment with RES-010. Our results show that RES-010 compound does not induce any significant immunostimulatory responses in human PBMCs in vitro compared to controls, implying that the proinflammatory potential of RES-010 is low.
Lie symmetries and reductions via invariant solutions of general short pulse equation
Authors: Mobeen Munir Muhammad , Bashir Hajra , Athar Muhammad
Published: March 2023

Around 1880, Lie introduced an idea of invariance of the partial differential equation (PDE) under one-parameter Lie group of transformation to find the invariant, similarity, or auto-model solutions. Lie symmetry analysis (LSA) provides us an algorithm to search for point symmetries for solving related linear systems for infinitesimal generators. Actually, point symmetries lead us to one-parameter family of solutions from a known solution. LSA is a program that provides us the exact solutions for the non-linear differential equations (DEs) in analogy of the program designed by Galois for algebraic polynomial equations. In this paper, we have carried out the LSA for computing the similarity solutions (symmetries) of the non-linear short pulse equation (SPE) for the cases when h(u) = eu, k(u) = uxx, h(u)=eun, and k(u) = uxx. In addition, an optimal system of one-dimensional sub-algebra has been set up. The reductions and invariant solutions for the generalized SPE are calculated corresponding to this optimal system as well. Reductions reduce the non-linear PDE or system of PDEs into non-linear reduced ordered ODE or system of PDEs. This helps to solve these systems of PDEs to reduced form. Graphical behavior of the transformed points of the 1-parameter solution functions have drawn.
Effects of mental fatigue on biomechanical characteristics of lower extremities in patients with functional ankle instability during unanticipated side-step cutting
Authors: Kong Lingyu , Wu Peng , Zhang Xinwen , Meng Lingyue , Kong Lintao , Zhang Qiuxia , Shen Jianzhong
Published: March 2023

Background: Functional ankle instability (FAI) is the primary classification of ankle injuries. Competitive activities have complicated movements that can result in ankle re-injury among patients with FAI. Unanticipated movement state (MS) and mental fatigue (MF) could also happen in these activities, which may further increase their joint injury risk.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the biomechanical characteristics difference of the lower extremity (LE) between the injured side and the uninjured side among patients with FAI when they perform unanticipated side-step cutting after MF.

Methods: Fifteen males with unilateral FAI participated in this study (age: 20.7 ± 1.3 years, height: 173.6 ± 4.4 cm, weight: 70.1 ± 5.0 kg). They used the injured side and the uninjured side of LE to complete anticipated and unanticipated side-step cutting before and after MF. The kinematic and kinetics data were evaluated using three-way ANOVA with repeated measures.

Results: During patients with FAI performed anticipated side-step cutting, the ankle stiffness of both sides showed no significant change after MF; During they performed unanticipated side-step cutting, their injured side presented significantly lower ankle stiffness after MF, while the uninjured side did not have such change. In addition, after MF, the injured side exhibited increased ankle inversion, knee valgus and LR, but the uninjured side did without these changes.

Conclusion: Influenced by MF, when patients with FAI use their injured side of LE to perform side-step cutting, this side LE has a higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries such as lateral ankle sprains and anterior cruciate ligament injury. The ankle stiffness of the injured side will be further reduced when patients with FAI perform unanticipated side-step cutting, which increases ankle instability and the risk of re-injury.
Skeletal muscle dysfunctions in pulmonary arterial hypertension: Effects of aerobic exercise training
Authors: Drummond Filipe Rios , Leite Luciano Bernardes , de Miranda Denise Coutinho , Drummond Lucas Rios , Lavorato Victor Neiva , Soares Leôncio Lopes , Neves Clóvis Andrade , Natali Antônio José
Published: March 2023

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is associated with skeletal muscle myopathy and atrophy and impaired exercise tolerance. Aerobic exercise training has been recommended as a non-pharmacological therapy for deleterious effects imposed by pulmonary arterial hypertension. Aerobic physical training induces skeletal muscle adaptations via reduced inflammation, improved anabolic processes, decreased hypoxia and regulation of mitochondrial function. These benefits improve physical exertion tolerance and quality of life in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic potential of aerobic exercise to skeletal muscle disfunctions in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension are not well understood yet. This minireview highlights the pathways involved in skeletal muscle adaptations to aerobic exercise training in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Non-host plant odors influence the tritrophic interaction between tomato, its foliar herbivore Tuta absoluta and mirid predator Nesidiocoris tenuis
Authors: Adams Bashiru , Yusuf Abdullahi Ahmed , Torto Baldwyn , Khamis Fathiya Mbarak
Published: March 2023

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta is a destructive invasive pest of cultivated tomato and other Solanaceae plants, with yield losses of 80-100%. Mirid predators are key natural enemies of T. absoluta, but they also feed on host plants in the absence of their prey. Management of T. absoluta is a challenge due to its high biotic potential, resistance to many insecticides and the absence of sufficiently adapted auxiliary fauna in its new dispersion zones. Olfaction plays an important role in the tritrophic interaction between tomato, its herbivore pest T. absoluta and its mirid predators, which can be influenced by non-host plant odors. However, how non-host odours shape this interaction is poorly understood. Previously, we had demonstrated belowground crop protection properties of certain Asteraceae plants against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, pest of tomato and other Solanaceae plants. Additionally, Asteraceae plants impact negatively on feeding behavior of above-ground pests of Solanaceae plants, including the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and green peach aphid (Myzus persicae). Here, we tested the hypothesis that foliar volatiles from some of these non-host Asteraceae plants can influence the tomato-T. absoluta-mirid predator tritrophic interaction. In olfactometer assays, T. absoluta females were attracted to volatiles of the Solanaceae host plants tomato and giant nightshade but avoided volatiles of the Asteraceae plants, blackjack and marigold, and the positive control, wild tomato, when tested alone or in combination with the host plants. Coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that host and non-host plants varied in their emission of volatiles, mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Random forest analysis combined with behavioral assays identified monoterpenes as the host plant attractive blend to T. absoluta and its mirid predator, with sesquiterpenes identified as the non-host plant repellent blend against T. absoluta. Contrastingly, the mirid predator was indifferent to the non-host plant repellent sesquiterpenes. Our findings indicate that terpenes influence the tomato-T. absoluta-mirid predator tritrophic interaction. Further, our results emphasize the importance of studying crop protection from a holistic approach to identify companion crops that serve multi-functional roles.
Melatonin: Current status and future perspectives in horticultural plants
Authors: Zhao Jing , Hu Junjie
Published: March 2023

Global warming in this century increases incidences of various abiotic stresses, restricting plant growth and productivity and posing a severe threat to global food production and security. Different phytohormones are produced by plants to mitigate the adverse effects of these stresses. One such phytohormone is melatonin (MEL), which, being a potential bio-stimulator, helps to govern a wide array of functions in horticultural crops. Recent advancements have determined the role of MEL in plants’ responses to abiotic stresses. MEL enhances physiological functions such as seed germination, growth and development, seedling growth, root system architecture, and photosynthetic efficiency. The potential function of MEL in stressful environments is to regulate the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activity, thus playing a role in the substantial scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, MEL, as a plant growth regulator and bio-stimulator, aids in promoting plant tolerance to abiotic stress, mainly through improvements in nutrient uptake, osmolyte production, and cellular membrane stability. This review, therefore, focuses on the possible functions of MEL in the induction of different abiotic stresses in horticultural crops. Therefore, this review would help readers learn more about MEL in altered environments and provide new suggestions on how this knowledge could be used to develop stress tolerance.
Intergenerational transmission of left-right ideology: A question of gender and parenting style?
Authors: Weiss Julia
Published: March 2023

“Left” and “right” are common concepts when it comes to describing both political attitudes of citizens and politicians or to classifying, for example, parties on the political spectrum. But how do political ideological attitudes emerge? One central factor is political socialization, in which the family is a key socialization agent. However, existing research focuses largely on partisan preferences and how they emerge through family political socialization. Nevertheless, due to multiparty systems, this concept is less suitable in the European context. This paper therefore contributes to filling this research gap by looking at the role of the family as a political socialization agent in the emergence of political ideological attitudes. Hereby the focus is on two key research questions: what difference does the cross-gender transmission of left-right ideology make? How does the parenting style affect intergenerational transmission? These questions are examined using the Cultural Pathways to Economic Self-Sufficiency and Entrepreneurship (CUPESSE) dataset, whose structure allows for several advances on existing studies. First, it contains a high number of cases with more than 4,000 parent-child dyads, which come from a total of 11 European countries and thus allow a view beyond existing single country studies. Furthermore, it contains the classification of the parenting style by the children and thus enables analyses based on the perception of the recipients of the parenting rather than the parent self-assessment. The results of the analysis indicate that existing differences in political ideology between parents and children vary for cross-gender transmission processes. It also shows that the similarity of political ideology between parents and children is influenced by the parenting style, such as whether children experienced warmth from their parents, support in the pursuit of autonomy, or strong controlling behavior.
COVID-19 risk perception and tourist satisfaction: A mixed-method study of the roles of destination image and self-protection behavior
Authors: Zhou Bin , Liu Si-yi , Wang Ling-en , Wang Lu-ting , Wang Yu-xin
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to examine the effects of COVID-19 risk perception on negative destination image and self-protection behavior, and the resultant effects on tourist satisfaction. Hence, this study applied a continuous interpretive mixed-method design combining quantitative and qualitative analyses. A quantitative survey (n = 486) in the cities of Ningbo, Huangshan, and Chengdu, China, and 19 qualitative interviews were conducted online. The results of the quantitative study show that: (1) Risk perception and negative destination image are antecedent variables influencing tourist satisfaction, and (2) there are significant positive correlations between risk perception and negative destination image, risk perception and tourist self-protection behavior, and negative destination image and tourist self-protection behavior. Moreover, (3) negative destination image had a partial mediating effect between risk perception and satisfaction. Furthermore, to supplement the research data and expand the quantitative findings, this study further examined whether the above variables are related to tourist satisfaction, through in-depth interviews with tourists. The findings showed that COVID-19 risk perception, negative destination image, and self-protection behavior all affect tourist satisfaction. The findings provide valuable crisis management suggestions for the government and should contribute to the efforts of tourist destinations to build a healthy and safe image, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of tourism industries in the post-epidemic era.
When interlocutor’s face-language matching alters: An ERP study on face contexts and bilingual language control in mixed-language picture naming
Authors: Zhuang Binyuan , Liang Lijuan , Yang Jing
Published: March 2023

The present study used event-related potentials (ERP) to examine Chinese-English bilinguals’ reactive and proactive language control as they performed mixed-language picture naming with face cues. All participants named pictures in Chinese (first language, L1) and English (second language, L2) across three sessions: a 25% face-language matched session, a baseline session without face cues, and a 75% face-language matched session. Behavioral analyses for reactive language control showed that the asymmetrical switch cost was larger for L2 than L1 in the 25% session and for L1 than L2 in the 75% session. ERP results revealed more negative N2 and LPC during L1 switching in 25% session but enhanced N2 during L2 switching in 75% session. Similar N2 and LPC effect was found during L1 and L2 switching in the baseline context. For proactive language control, the reversed language dominance and enhanced LPC amplitudes during L2 naming were consistent across the three sessions. Our findings suggest that reactive but not proactive language control is modulated by the ever-changing face contexts, which highlights the highly flexible bilingual control systems subserving nonlinguistic cues.
An examination of the potential benefits of expert guided physical activity for supporting recovery from extreme social withdrawal: Two case reports focused on the treatment of Hikikomori
Authors: Yokoyama Keiko , Furuhashi Tadaaki , Yamamoto Yuji , Rooksby Maki , McLeod Hamish J.
Published: March 2023

Extreme and long-term social withdrawal, first described in Japan as Hikikomori, has now become a globally recognized mental health problem. Intervention studies severely lag behind epidemiological and phenomenological research. We present two descriptive case reports of Japanese university students with Hikikomori who participated in an early phase test of a structured intervention involving physical activities that was developed and facilitated by clinicians and physical education specialists—Human Movement Consultation (HMC). The two recipients (19- and 29-years old at the start of treatment) completed approximately 40 consultation sessions delivered over 3 years consisting of a combination of outdoor workouts (i.e., walking, running, and cycling) and interpersonal sports (e.g., table tennis, badminton, and tennis). Changes in social withdrawal behavior were independently rated from clinical health records using a structured scale (the Glasgow Hikikomori Scale; GHS). Behavioral observations and scale data for both cases indicated improvements from pre-treatment levels of social withdrawal. At the end of the intervention, both had returned to normative levels of functioning. Case A returned to university and Case B secured a new job upon the completion of HMC. To help advance our understanding of treatment options, these case descriptions analyze potential change mechanisms in order to understand how HMC can support recovery from extreme social withdrawal. One key observation is that both outdoor workouts and interpersonal sports offer a non-threatening method of enabling Hikikomori to engage in interpersonal interactions. Such connections via structured activities may allow the reinstatement of social skills in a graded manner. In addition, an initial focus on physical experiences may help promote psychological and social connectedness without triggering the social fears and challenges that underlie the Hikikomori state. The findings from these two cases offer a framework to guide further research and the development of exercise-based interventions for this hidden and often neglected group.
The effect of mindfulness on social media addiction among Chinese college students: A serial mediation model
Authors: Chang Hongming , Meng Xiaolu , Li Yaqi , Liu Jiaxi , Yuan Wen , Ni Jian , Li Chunlu
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social media addiction (SMA), making it urgent to find effective interventions for social media addiction. Evidence has shown that mindfulness might be an effective intervention for social media addiction. However, psychological mechanisms by which mindfulness reduce social media use remain unclear. Here, we further addressed this issue to examine whether attentional control and fear of missing out (FOMO) mediate the relationship between mindfulness and SMA.

Methods

We recruited 446 college students from two universities in China and analyzed the data.

Results

The results suggest that there are mediation effects of attentional control and FOMO between mindfulness and SMA through 3 paths: path 1, mindfulness → attention control → SMA (−0.04); path 2, mindfulness → FOMO → SMA (−0.22); and path 3, mindfulness → attention control → FOMO → SMA (−0.05).

Discussion

Therefore, mindfulness-based interventions may be an effective way to alleviate social media addiction, especially mindfulness-based interventions targeting FOMO. At the end of the article, we also discussed the limitations of this study.
Elucidating gut microbiota–hippocampus interactions in emerging psychosis: A new perspective for the development of early interventions for memory impairments
Authors: Iseli Galya C. , Ulrich Sarah , Schmidt André
Published: March 2023

Hippocampal dysregulation might be a key pathophysiological factor for memory impairments in psychosis. Contemporary models particularly postulate that an imbalance of hippocampal glutamate and GABA leads to impaired memory and may thus serve as a therapeutic target to improve memory deficits. However, currently available interventions in early stages of psychosis do not explicitly target hippocampal pathology. A novel approach for manipulating hippocampus-dependent memory processes is provided via the gut microbiota. In this perspective article, we first recapitulate compelling evidence for emerging hippocampus pathology during the development of psychosis. The following sections emphasize the critical role of the gut microbiota in hippocampus plasticity and memory, and summarize existing evidence of gut microbiota alterations in different stages of psychosis. Finally, we propose a novel conceptual roadmap for future studies deciphering gut microbiota–hippocampus synergisms in emerging psychosis and argue that specific microbial supplementation might be promising for improving hippocampus-dependent memory deficits in early stages of psychosis.
Pathological social withdrawal in autism spectrum disorder: A case control study of hikikomori in Japan
Authors: Yamada Mari , Kato Takahiro A. , Katsuki Ryoko Inoue , Yokoi Hideki , Igarashi Miki , Komine Yoko , Kamata Yukinori , Kato Nobumasa , Iwanami Akira , Ohta Haruhisa
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Hikikomori, a form of pathological social withdrawal, has been suggested to have comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to clarify how characteristics of ASD are associated with hikikomori.

Methods

Thirty-nine adult male patients with a diagnosis of ASD attending our outpatient clinic for neurodevelopmental disabilities were subjected to a structured interview regarding social withdrawal, various self-administered questionnaires, and blood tests. Through structured interviews, the subjects were divided into two groups: (Group 1) ASD with hikikomori condition and (Group 2) ASD without hikikomori condition. Sixteen subjects qualified as hikikomori and 23 subjects qualified as subjects without hikikomori. Age, sex, autism spectrum quotient (AQ), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and FIQ were matched.

Results

Compared to non-hikikomori controls, hikikomori cases were likely to have stronger sensory symptoms, lower uric acid (UA) (p = 0.038), and higher rates of atopic dermatitis (p = 0.01). Cases showed more severe depressive and social anxiety symptoms based on self-rated scales: Patient Heath Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) (p < 0.001) and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Japanese Version (LSAS-J) (p = 0.04). Tarumi's Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale (TACS-22), which measure traits of Modern-Type Depression (MTD), were significantly higher in cases (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

The present study has suggested that ASD patients with hikikomori were more likely to have higher sensory abnormalities, comorbid atopic dermatitis, lower UA, stronger depressive, and anxiety tendency. Evaluating and approaching these aspects are important for appropriate interventions in ASD with hikikomori. Further investigations should be conducted to validate our pilot findings.
Social reappraisal of emotions is linked with the social presence effect in the default mode network
Authors: Xie Xiyao , Bertram Teresa , Zorjan Saša , Horvat Marina , Sorg Christian , Mulej Bratec Satja
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Social reappraisal, during which one person deliberately tries to regulate another’s emotions, is a powerful cognitive form of social emotion regulation, crucial for both daily life and psychotherapy. The neural underpinnings of social reappraisal include activity in the default mode network (DMN), but it is unclear how social processes influence the DMN and thereby social reappraisal functioning. We tested whether the mere presence of a supportive social regulator had an effect on the DMN during rest, and whether this effect in the DMN was linked with social reappraisal-related neural activations and effectiveness during negative emotions.

Methods

A two-part fMRI experiment was performed, with a psychotherapist as the social regulator, involving two resting state (social, non-social) and two task-related (social reappraisal, social no-reappraisal) conditions.

Results

The psychotherapist’s presence enhanced intrinsic functional connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) within the anterior medial DMN, with the effect positively related to participants’ trust in psychotherapists. Secondly, the social presence-induced change in the dACC was related with (a) the social reappraisal-related activation in the bilateral dorsomedial/dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the right temporoparietal junction and (b) social reappraisal success, with the latter relationship moderated by trust in psychotherapists.

Conclusion

Results demonstrate that a psychotherapist’s supportive presence can change anterior medial DMN’s intrinsic connectivity even in the absence of stimuli and that this DMN change during rest is linked with social reappraisal functioning during negative emotions. Data suggest that trust-dependent social presence effects on DMN states are relevant for social reappraisal—an idea important for daily-life and psychotherapy-related emotion regulation.
Development and validation of a computer program for measuring emotional awareness in German—The geLEAS (German electronic Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale)
Authors: Herpertz Julian , Taylor Jacob , Allen John J. B. , Herpertz Stephan , Opel Nils , Richter Maike , Subic-Wrana Claudia , Dieris-Hirche Jan , Lane Richard D.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Emotional awareness is the ability to identify, interpret, and verbalize the emotional responses of oneself and those of others. The Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS) is an objective performance inventory that accurately measures an individual's emotional awareness. LEAS assessments are typically scored manually and are therefore both time consuming and cognitively demanding. This study presents a German electronic scoring program for the LEAS (geLEAS), the first non-English computerized assessment approach of the LEAS.

Methods

Data were collected from a healthy German community sample (N = 208). We developed a modern software for computerizing LEAS scoring, an open-source text-based emotion assessment tool called VETA (Verbal Emotion in Text Assessment). We investigated if the software would arrive at similar results as hand scoring in German and if emotional awareness would show similar associations to sociodemographic information and psychometric test results as in previous studies.

Results

The most frequently used scoring method of the geLEAS shows excellent internal consistency (α = 0.94) and high correlations with hand scoring (r = 0.97, p < 0.001). Higher emotional awareness measured by the geLEAS is associated with female gender, older age, and higher academic achievement (all p < 0.001). Moreover, it is linked to the ability to identify emotions in facial expressions (p < 0.001) and more accurate theory of mind functioning (p < 0.001).

Discussion

An automated method for evaluating emotional awareness greatly expands the ability to study emotional awareness in clinical care and research. This study aims to advance the use of emotional awareness as a clinical and scientific parameter.
Internalization of athletic body ideal as a mediating variable between family influence and body image of young women. A cross-cultural study of polish, Italian, and Ukrainian women
Authors: Izydorczyk Bernadetta , Głomb Kaja , Bętkowska-Korpała Barbara , Yablonska Tetiana , Bulatevych Nataliya , Opałka Renata , Lizińczyk Sebastian , Sitnik-Warchulska Katarzyna , Radtke Bartosz M. , Sajewicz-Radtke Urszula , Lipowska Małgorzata
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Our aim was to analyze the strength of the family’s influence on the internalization of the ideal of an athletic figure and, consequently, on the multifactorial image of the body, from the perspective of intercultural differences

Methods

A total of 488 healthy women aged 19–26; of Polish (154), Ukrainian (228), and Italian (106) took part in the study. The Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-4) and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ 69) were used to measure athletic ideal internalization and family pressure. The body image of Ukrainian, Polish, and Italian women depends both on the degree of internalization the ideal of an athletic figure and influence of the family

Results and Discussion

The research also suggests significant differences between the three populations, which may suggest cultural differences between young women living in Eastern, Central, and South European countries.
Effects of cannabis regulation in Switzerland: Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Baltes-Flueckiger Lavinia , Steinauer Regine , Meyer Maximilian , Vogel Marc , Walter Marc
Published: March 2023

Background

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance. Various countries have legalized cannabis for recreational use. Evidence on the health effects of cannabis regulation remains unclear and is mainly based on observational studies. To date, there is no randomized controlled study evaluating the impact of cannabis regulation for recreational use compared to the illicit market on relevant health indicators. The present study (“Weed Care”) is the first to evaluate the impact of regulated cannabis access in pharmacies versus a waiting list control group representing the illicit market on problematic cannabis use as well as on mental and physical health.

Methods

The study is divided into two parts—a randomized controlled study of 6 months followed by an observational study of 2 years. Participants (N = 374) are randomly assigned to either the experimental group with access to legal cannabis in pharmacies or to the waiting list control group representing the current legal framework in Switzerland, namely the illicit market. After 6 months, all participants will have access to legal cannabis for the following 2 years (observational study). The primary outcome is problematic cannabis use as measured with the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test-Revised (CUDIT-R). Secondary outcomes are cannabis use patterns, mental disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, and psychosis) and physical health (e.g., respiratory symptoms). Primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed online every 6 months. The study is approved by the responsible ethics committee as well as by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health.

Discussion

Findings from this study may provide a scientific basis for future discussions about addiction medicine and cannabis policy in Switzerland.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05522205). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05522205