bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Floridi’s thirteenth problem: on the role of the concept of information in the foundation of epistemology
Authors:   State Academic University for the Humanities, Dumov Alexander
Published: September 2024

L. Floridi’s philosophy of information is considered as a complex philosophical project that involves the solution of several tasks that are different in nature: the formation of a philosophical conceptual and categorical apparatus that is consistent with the needs of understanding the information reality, and the involvement of tools of information theory in the context of solving philosophical problems. The key question for this consideration is the question raised by Floridi about the possibility of substantiating epistemology by means of information theory: its content is understood as the substantiation of epistemology and analyzed. Attention is also paid to the relationship of epistemology to information theory as an independent scientific branch. Based on this, the assumptions existing in the litera­ture about the possibilities of interaction between information theory and epistemology in the context of research on cognitive processes are considered. It is shown that the interac­tion of information theory and epistemology proceeds in the direction of naturalization and formalization of epistemological research, i.e., it affects both the content level and organiza­tional level. As a source of examples of new epistemological problems and theoretical diffi­culties associated with the development of the information approach, the debatable objec­tions of a number of authors regarding the ideas of F. Dretske, expressed in the pages of the journal “The Behavioral and Brain Sciences”, are considered. It is noted that the pro­cesses of naturalization and formalization of epistemological studies have a fruitful effect on the organization of the study of classical epistemological problems, expanding the me­thodological possibilities of philosophical search and enriching it with new content. The po­sition according to which the naturalization and formalization of epistemology entails the loss of its own content is critically assessed. In conclusion, the author suggests that the formulation of the question of the possibility of substantiating epistemology by means of information theory, proposed by Floridi, needs some clarification.
Book review: V.E. Kemerov “Social philosophy: paradigms shift” (Moscow: Akademicheskij proekt, 2022. 127 pp.)
Authors: Skorobogatskiy Vyacheslav
Published: September 2024

The problem of paradigm shift has been on the agenda of social and humanitarian cognition for half a century. Among the factors that led to the appeal to this topic, two played a deci­sive role. The first one the emergence of Soviet social science from ideological isolation, gave an impetus to comparisons of the achieved results. The second one, the transfer of the problem of human to the center of theoretical and methodological analysis, gave rise to the need for a radical reconstruction not only of the structure of social science, but also of its basic methodological principles. Originating in line with the theoretical and method­ological principles of research of the “science” type, the social sciences and humanities of the classical period relied on the strategy of reductionism, which assumed the priority of the general (concepts) over the special (real phenomena, events, and people), identity over difference and diversity. The effect of this attitude persists to this day, causing not only a growing gap between science and reality, but also a decrease in the theoretical and methodological potential of social and humanitarian knowledge. The problem of changing the paradigm of social and humanitarian cognition is considered in the book by V.E. Ke­merov “Social philosophy: paradigm shift”, in which he substantiates the need to develop a strategy of anti-reductionism and outlines the range of tasks facing modern social philoso­phy in this area.
Deborinians are philosophers of science (natural sciences)
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Korsakov Sergey
Published: September 2024

The article attempts to give a panoramic overview of the works of philosophers of the school of Academician A.M. Deborin in the field of philosophical problems of special sciences. It is noted that the very model of the organization of philosophical knowledge according to the type: philosophical methodology – philosophical problems of special sciences – was formed in the Deborin school, then developed in Soviet philosophy and after the defeat of the Deborin school, and in general, with the corresponding changes, was inherited by the post-Soviet philosophy. At the same time, those philosophers who laid the foundations for the development of philosophical problems of particular sciences were forgotten, since almost all of them were repressed, and their works were withdrawn from free access in li­braries. The formation of the problematics of the philosophical problems of sciences during the “Thaw” period was based on the traditions of the Deborin school. But at the same time, the names of philosophers themselves were erased from history. This article will focus on those representatives of the Deborin school who dealt with the philosophical problems of mathematics (Yu.P. Shein), physics (B.M. Hessen, T.N. Gorshtein, E.F. Lepin, M.L. Shirvindt), chemistry (I.P. Rozen), biology (I.I. Agol, M.L. Levin, V.N. Slepkov) and medicine (S.G. Levit). The most general characteristic of their scientific works, the prob­lems they posed, the philosophical positions they occupied are given. The relevance of the in­dividual provisions put forward by them in the field of philosophy and methodology of spe­cific sciences is noted.
GCLKT: Enhancing Exercise Interactions via Global Context Information and Graph Contrastive Learning for Knowledge Tracing
Authors: Zhang Wei , Hu Sen , Song Linngling
Published: September 2024

Most existing knowledge tracing models primarily utilize local context information in the sequence of learning interactions, leading to catastrophic forgetting in predicting student performance. Moreover, knowledge tracing models based on skill interactions often overlook the difficulty information of exercise, leading to the models inability to accurately assess the students' knowledge states. However, knowledge tracing models based on exercise interactions face a significant challenge of data sparsity. In order to address the aforementioned issues, we propose a novel knowledge tracing model based on global context information and graph contrastive learning (GCLKT). GCLKT first utilizes exercise interaction sequences to construct a Weighted Exercise Transition Graph (WETG), which transforms the complete sequence structure into a topological graph based on exercise-exercise relationships, providing global context information for each interaction sequence segment. Due to the sparsity of exercise data, two enhanced graphs are obtained by randomly sampling the WETG. Through maximizing the mutual information between node representations and multi-view representations in the enhanced graphs, the model learns enhanced representations of exercises to alleviate the problem of data sparsity. Finally, attention mechanisms are utilized to extract the associative relationships between exercises and skills. Moreover, a subtask is devised to model student knowledge states by predicting the difficulty of exercises as an auxiliary training objective. Experimental results on three datasets demonstrate that the proposed model not only effectively addresses the aforementioned issues but also achieves significant performance improvement compared to existing state-of-the-art baselines.
Semantic Priming effects on the Kanizsa Illusion: a case for cognitive penetrability
Authors: Mudrik Liad , Litvak Nataly Davidson , Tal Amir
Published: September 2024

Visual illusions are considered key examples for cognitive impenetrability, as they are held not to be affected by non-perceptual processes. We revisit this claim in five experiments (N=1148; four preregistered) focused on the Kanizsa illusion, where a nonexistent shape is experienced within illusory contours. Pac-Man-like shapes inducing the illusion were presented after primes that were either semantically related to the Pac-Man game or not. We hypothesized that semantic primes would promote interpreting the shapes as individual Pac-Man characters, thus biasing participants away from the holistic Kanizsa illusion. Indeed, we found that the Kanizsa shape was detected less when participants were primed with Pac-Man-related stimuli. We then also demonstrated the opposite effect: a prime indexing the illusory shape (‘Triangle’) enhanced the probability of seeing the illusion. Together, our results suggest that semantic priming can both reduce and increase the probability of experiencing the Kanizsa illusion, thus supporting claims of cognitive penetrability.
Incorporation of Azadirachta indica kernel in the diet of guinea pigs: Effects on digestibility and caecal health.
Authors: Tobou Gina France Djoumessi , Kenfack Laurette Blandine Mezajoug , Miégoue Emile , Fokom David Wauffo , Kuitche Herve Mubé , Dongmo Delmas Kesnel Zambou , Tendonkeng Fernand , Tchiegang Clerge , Hornick Jean Luc
Published: September 2024

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of addition of neem (Azadirachta indica) kernel powder in diet on feed chemical components digestibility and on the composition of caecal microbiota of guinea pig. One hundred and thirty guinea pigs were divided equally into four groups. For 27 days, the animals were fed once daily a standard control diet (complete concentrate) or a concentrated mixture with 2.5, 5 or 7.5% (w/w) of neem kernel incorporation. The results showed that feed intake and digestibility increased significantly with the rate of kernel incorporation. In caeca content, the log number of lactic acid bacteria and Clostridium butyricum increased quadratically (p < 0.001) with the rate of kernel incorporation while that of Escherichia coli decreased. The results suggest that neem kernel could be used as a phytogenic supplement for guinea pigs in order to improve nutrient digestibility and microbiota quality.
Splicing Factor 3a Subunit 1 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Growth via Anti-programmed cell death of Syntaxin12.
Authors: Konishi Hiroaki , Sasaki Takahiro , Sakatani Aki , Tanaka Hiroki , Yamamoto Koji , Takahashi Keitaro , Ando Katsuyoshi , Ueno Nobuhiro , Kashima Shin , Moriichi Kentaro , Tanabe Hiroki , Okumura Toshikatsu , Fujiya Mikihiro
Published: September 2024

RNA dysregulation mediated by abnormal RNA binding proteins (RBPs) is associated with tumorigenesis. However, the specific tumorigenic mechanisms of each RBP remained unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that splicing factor 3A1 (SF3A1) interacts to and stabilizes the mRNA of STX12, thereby inhibiting programmed cell death (PCD) in colorectal cancer cells. Downregulation of SF3A1 significantly inhibited cell growth in colorectal cancer cells, with minimal cytotoxicity observed in non-cancerous epithelial cells. We validated the tumor-promoting function of SF3A1 in an HCT116 transplanted mouse model. TUNEL staining and western blotting of PARP revealed SF3A1 inhibits PCD in colorectal cancer cells. A transcriptome analysis, combined with RNA-immunoprecipitation (IP), demonstrated that SF3A1 interact to and stabilized 144 mRNAs. Among these mRNAs, knockdown of STX12 (Syntaxin 12) in colorectal cancer cells inhibited cell growth but had no inhibitory effect on non-cancerous epithelial cells, HCEC-1CT. The mRNA levels of STX12 were significantly reduced upon downregulation of SF3A1, contributing to the inhibition of PCD in colorectal cancer cells. Therefore, SF3A1, which mediates STX12 mRNA stabilization, represents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of colorectal cancer with fewer side effects.
mYongHong: a structure-guided design of stable and monomeric red fluorescent protein
Authors: Fu Zhifei , Piatkevich Kiryl , Zheng Qingbing , Wu Congxian , Xiong Haiyan , Chang Qiyuan , Ding Jiayi , Wang Shuyuan , Zhang Wenhao , Li Yu , Wu Yaochen , Liu Miaoxing , Fang Guicun , Yang Yiwei , xie Jiongfang , Qi Dong , Jiang Tao , Fu Wenfeng , Hu Fen , Chen Yiming , Yue Rongcai , Li Yanbin , Cui Yong , Li Min , Fan Shilong , Yang Yufeng , Xu Yunlu , Li Dong , Zhang Fenghua , Zhao Hu
Published: September 2024

The stability of fluorescent proteins (FPs) is crucial for many imaging techniques, including long-term live cell imaging, correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), and tissue clearing. While several stable green and yellow FPs exist, the options for stable monomeric red fluorescent proteins (RFPs), commonly used as spectral counterparts for dual-color imaging, are significantly limited. Here, we applied structure-guided mutagenesis to develop an extremely stable monomeric RFP named mYongHong and report its structure at 1.5 Å resolution. Remarkably, mYongHong exhibited exceptional resistance to high temperature, chaotropic conditions, and highly oxidative environments, facilitating its efficient applications in CLEM imaging of various organelles and rapid (less than 1 day) whole organ tissue clearing. Additionally, our findings indicate that mYongHong’s thermal and chemical stability was associated with its high photostability, enabling the tracking of the fusion and fission of mitochondria using 3D structured illumination microscopy for up to 2 hours with minimal photobleaching. More importantly, the outstanding photostability made mYongHong a unique RFP for stimulated emission depletion microscopy, allowing it to capture the dynamics of the endoplasmic reticulum with a high signal-to-background ratio and strong specificity. Systematic benchmarking of mYongHong against high-performing RFPs established it as a highly stable FP suitable for multi-modality microscopy of cell cultures and model organisms (zebrafish, mice, and Nicotiana benthamiana plant), complementing existing GFPs for multiplexed imaging.
Identification and validation of a prognostic signature of drug resistance and mitochondrial energy metabolism-related differentially expressed genes for breast cancer
Authors: Xu Tiankai , Chu Chu , Xue Shuyu , Jiang Tongchao , Wang Ying , Xia Wen , Lin Huanxin
Published: September 2024

Background:
Drug resistance constitutes one of the principal causes of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Cancer cells can survive independently of the energy provided by mitochondria; however, they are incapable of synthesizing new DNA strands without mitochondrial involvement.This may suggest that mitochondrial energy metabolism could be related to drug resistance. Hence, drug resistance and mitochondrial energy metabolism-related differentially expressed genes (DMRDEGs) may emerge as candidates for novel cancer biomarkers. This study endeavors to assess the viability of DMRDEGs as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for breast cancer.
Methods:
We utilized the DRESIS database and MSigDB to identify genes related to drug resistance. Additionally, we sourced genes associated with mitochondrial energy metabolism from GeneCards and extant literature. By merging these genes with the differentially expressed genes observed in normal and tumor tissues from the TCGA-BRCA and GEO databases, we successfully identified the DMRDEGs. Employing unsupervised consensus Clustering, we divided breast cancer patients into two distinct groups based on the DMRDEGs. Consequently, we identified four hub genes to formulate a prognostic model, applying Cox regression, LASSO regression, and Random Forest methods. Furthermore, we examined the immune infiltration and tumor mutation burden of the genes within our model and scrutinized the divergences in the immune microenvironment between high- and low-risk groups. Small hairpin RNA and lentiviral plasmids were designed for the stable transfection of breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806. By conducting clone formation, scratch test and transwell assays, we initiated a preliminary investigation into the mechanistic roles of AIFM1.
Results:
We utilized DMRDEGs to develop a prognostic model that includes four mRNAs for breast cancer, which, by combining various clinical features and critical breast cancer facets, proved to be remarkably effective in forecasting patient outcomes. Additionally, AIFM1 appeared to enhance the proliferation, migration, and invasiveness of the breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and HCC1806.
Conclusions:
DMRDEGs have the potential to act as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for breast cancer. Within the mutated associated genes, ATP7B, FUS, AIFM1, and PPARG could serve as early diagnostic indicators, and notably, AIFM1 may present itself as a promising therapeutic target.
Pneumocystis sp. is a pivotal ecological driver contributing to shifts in microbial equilibrium during the early-life lower airway microbiome assembly
Authors: Magne Fabien , Ruiz-Ruiz Susana , Pérez-Brocal Vicente , Ponce Carolina A. , Bustamante Rebeca , Martin Viviana San , Gutierrez Mireya , Gatti Gianna , Vargas Sergio L. , Moya Andres
Published: September 2024

Background. Early life gut microbiota is being increasingly recognized as a major contributor to short and/or long-term human health and diseases. However, little is known about these early-life events in the human microbiome of the lower respiratory tract.
Objective. To explore fungal and bacterial colonization in the lower airways over the first year of life using lung tissue from autopsied infants.
Method. The fungal and bacterial communities of lung tissue samples from 54 autopsied infants were characterized by NGS of ITS and 16S rRNA genes respectively.
Results. Our study highlights a high degree of inter-individual variability in both fungal and bacterial communities inhabiting the infant lung, providing insights into the diverse nature of the lower respiratory tract microbiome. Mainly transient microorganisms composed the lower respiratory tract microbiota, but some genera were identified as inhabiting the lung, indicating their potential role in lung physiology or disease. At 3-4 months of age, important dynamic changes to the microbial community were observed, which might correspond to a transitional time period in the maturation of the lung microbiome. This timeframe represents a susceptibility period for the colonization of pathogens such as Pneumocystis. The asymptomatic colonization of Pneumocystis was associated with changes in the fungal and bacterial communities.
Conclusions. These findings suggest that the period of 2-4 months of age is a “critical window” early in life. Pneumocystis sp. could be a pivotal ecological driver contributing to shifts in microbial equilibrium during the early-life lower airway microbiome assembly, and to the future health of children.
Accounting for Temperature Influence in Non-destructive Measurements of Applied and Residual Stresses by Ultrasonic Method
Authors: Kleiman Jacob , Smilenko Volodimir , Kot Vladimir
Published: September 2024

Understanding the impact of temperature on ultrasonic velocity in solids is crucial for accurately assessing residual stresses (RS). A methodology and equipment, UltraMARS™, were developed for non-destructive stress measurement using ultrasound that was used successfully in measuring RS in welded structures . We studied changes in longitudinal and transverse ultrasound velocities in steel and aluminum samples across temperatures ranging from 10°C to 50°C. We incorporated a technique in the UltraMARS™ system that takes into account the effects of temperature on the measurement of uniaxial and biaxial residual stresses measured in stress-free points on the specimen. From the conducted experiments and available information in the literature, it can be suggested that the temperature does not affect the residual stress values in average through-thickness measurements.
One-way reinforced concrete slab with Holedeck H-ONE formwork: case study
Authors: Carrera David García , García Alberto Alarcón , Cassany Marta Farrús , Centelles Xavier , Márquez Xiomara
Published: September 2024

This article documents the design, calculation and commissioning process of an office building with one-way reinforced concrete floor slabs with perforated ribs, obtained using the 68 cm H-ONE system. This is the first project to use this type of formwork, designed by Holedeck and BIS structures. In the work carried out, this solution resulted in a saving of 0.214 m³/m² (50%) of concrete and 10.4 kg/m² (29%) of passive steel in the slab compared to a solution based on reinforced concrete slabs. This material saving resulted in a reduction in CO₂ emissions of 85 kgCO₂/m² (45%) according to the life cycle analysis of the building. When considering the entire structure, this reduction was 57% higher, as lightening the floor slab also reduces the size of the columns and foundations.
FMPA: Fragment Model Poisoning Attack in Federated Learning
Authors: Ren Zhiqiang , Chen Xuebin , Qu Changsheng
Published: September 2024

Federated learning is a distributed machine learning method that enables multiple participants to jointly train a machine learning model while preserving data privacy. However, its distributed nature makes federated learning vulnerable to Byzantine attacks, leading to degraded model performance or failure to converge. Existing model poisoning attacks primarily target all model parameter dimensions, which limits attackers in evading server defense methods and reduces the effectiveness of the attack. To address this, we propose a new fragment model poisoning attack method—FMPA. This method focuses on specific dimensions of model parameters, achieving a more concentrated attack to evade defense methods while significantly degrading model performance. Experimental results show that FMPA can effectively impair model performance even in the face of five different Byzantine robustness defense methods.
Clinical study on the distribution of acute respiratory pathogens after the unsealing of COVID-19
Authors: Cheng Bin , Tian Gang , Yang Jinlan , Liu Yanmei , Chen Chen , Qi Huaxin , Zhou Meifang , Xu Lingqing , Yin Weiguo
Published: September 2024

Objective
To analyze the distribution characteristics of pathogen infection in patients with acute respiratory tract infection in our hospital, in order to understand the etiology and epidemiological traits of respiratory pathogen infection in Qingyuan area of Guangdong Province after the epidemic, and provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Methods
Data of multiple RT-PCR and capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis were collected from hospitalized children aged 0-6 years who were diagnosed and treated for acute respiratory tract infection in Qingyuan People's Hospital from December 2022 to December 2023, and the results were statistically analyzed by SPSS 17.0.
Results
The total positive rate of acute respiratory pathogen infection was 65.49% (2306/3521), and the highest positive rate was HRV (21.81%), followed by HRSV (14.23%, 501/3521) and InfA (8.26%, 291/3521). The positive rate of at least one pathogen in male children was 73.77% (1 640/2223), as in female children was 72.88% (946/1298). The positive rate of respiratory pathogens in preschool children group was 71.47%(987/1381),which was higher than in the early childhood group (694/985,70.46%) and in the babyhood group(625/1155,54.11%), and the difference was statistically significant(c2=98.760，P<0.001).The positive rate of respiratory pathogens was highest in April(80.71%,251/311),then were in December 2023 (78.66%,199/253) and in November(76.92%,210/273), and the difference was statistically significant(c2=423.944，P<0.05).
Conclusion
The main pathogens of acute respiratory tract infection in our hospital are HRV, HRSV and InfA. The positive rate of males is higher than that of females, and the positive rate of preschool children is higher. There is a high incidence of infection during the winter and spring changes.
The German version of the self-efficacy questionnaire (SE-12-G) in a sample of healthcare professionals: Translation and psychometric properties
Authors: Frerichs Wiebke , Johannsen Lene Marie , Inhestern Laura , Bergelt Corinna
Published: September 2024

Background
Effective and patient-oriented communication is essential for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to deliver high quality care. Assessing communication skills training effectiveness relies on validated measures, such as the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (SE-12). Yet, a validated German version is lacking. Thus, we aimed to translate and adapt the SE-12 into German and assess its psychometric properties.
Methods
We translated the original SE-12 into German using the team translation protocol, adapted it to our context and added a subscale on importance of communication skills, resulting in the SE-12-G with two subscales (confidence and importance-scale). We conducted cognitive interviews with six HCPs to assess the comprehensibility of the SE-12-G. Afterwards, n = 152 HCPs completed the SE-12-G at two measurement time-points. We descriptively analyzed completion rate as indicator for acceptance, reliability (Cronbach’s α) and item characteristics (i.e., item difficulties, corrected item-total correlations, inter-item correlation). A confirmatory factor analysis was performed including three a priori hypothesized models including one that represents the factor structure performed by the authors of the original version of the SE-12.
Results
Translation and comprehensibility assessment of the German version of the SE-12-G showed high face and content validity through the cognitive interviews. Completion rate exceeded 98% for all items. Mean item difficulty across all items and subscales was 0.79, (ranging between 0.71 and 0.97), inter-item correlations ranged between 0.02 and 0.73 for the confidence-scale and between 0.044 and 0.533 for the importance-scale. Ceiling effects were present for half of the items on the confidence-scale, and for all items on the importance-scale. Internal consistency yielded a Cronbach’s α of 0.88 for the confidence-scale and 0.83 for the importance-scale. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor structure for both subscales of the SE-12-G.
Conclusion
The translated and adapted German version of the SE-12 shows good acceptance and reliability. Similarly to the original version, we found high ceiling effects in some items. Compared to the original factors structure, in our sample a one-factor structure was identified for both subscales. The SE-12-G should be evaluated in further studies and modification of some items should be considered.
Trial registration:
DRKS-00015794
Development of Multimodal Augmented Reality Application on the Flight Deck for Single-Pilot Operations: System Usability and User Interface Satisfaction
Authors: Li Wen-Chin , Zhang Jingyi , Blundell James , Court Samel , Sevillian Dujuan
Published: September 2024

Implementing augmented reality (AR) technologies has become a popular method of increasing operators' situation awareness by adding virtual information to the physical environment. In the current commercial two-pilot flight deck, the pilot-flying (PF) is responsible for flying the aircraft to an approved flight plan, and the pilot-monitoring (PM) focuses on communicating and monitoring PF’s operational behaviours. The driving factors behind single-pilot operations (SPO) are the foreseen pilot shortage and desire to reduce operating costs. Whilst SPO is expected to be enabled - in part - by advanced flight deck technologies. Forty participants attended simulator trials that involved interacting with multimodal AR apps (Hololens) which included voice and gesture command functionalities. Results revealed voice command scored higher than the gesture command on both the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction (QUIS). AR visualisation that blends the physical operation environment and a virtual holographic checklist with guiding cues can improve pilots’ monitoring performance and procedure compliance during the instrument landing trials. Furthermore, the AR voice command permits multiple sensory processing and response by integrating visual, auditory, and tactile inputs simultaneously, which provides the pilot with greater flexibility to meet task requirements. AR gesture command was regarded as an unnecessary burden to the pilot’s cognitive resources and limited hand movement while executing complicated operating procedures. Future research shall explore the implementation of AR voice command with artificial intelligence (AI) on the flight deck to support a single pilot performing both flying and monitoring tasks. This research paradigm needs to be assessed thoroughly for human-centred design to ensure broad acceptance by end users, manufacturers, airlines and regulators.
Using A RE-AIM Framework to Evaluate the Impact of Shared Medical Appointments for Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Wei , Mao Run , Liang Ziyun , Liang Zihui , Wang Ruixin , Wang Jiamin , Luo Xufei , Lyu Meng , Xu Dong (Roman) , Cai Yiyuan
Published: September 2024

Background
Diabetes is a major global health concern and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Shared medical appointment (SMA), an integrated treatment and health management service, is effective in improving the clinical and behavioral outcomes of people with diabetes (PWD). Using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, this review aimed to evaluate the impact of SMA on PWD treatment and management to inform the feasibility, scalability, and equity of future SMA implementation.
Methods
Eight electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials, non-randomized grouped controlled trials, pre/post studies, and interrupted time series model studies published in English and Chinese up to February 2024. We performed meta-analyses for all RCTs using a random-effects model and presented Forrest plots and test statistics (Cochran's Q and I2) for heterogeneity analysis. Other results that did not lend themselves to quantitative analysis were summarized qualitatively.
Results
Forty-seven studies were included in the review. The SAM was a highly resource-demanded and complex intervention package. The studies were evaluated according to the RE-AIM framework, and most studies reported effectiveness well, while all other dimensions were poorly reported. Most studies demonstrated that SMA effectively improved patients’ HbA1c and SBP levels and reduced healthcare costs.
Discussion
The available evidence suggests that the SMA was beneficial in improving PWD management and health outcomes among PWD. However, its complexity would constrain its feasibility and scalability. Future research should assess the effect size of each intervention component and evaluate the implementation process, costs, and sustainability of SMA intervention, especially in resource-limited settings, to improve its scalability and equity.
Trial registration
PROSPERO CRD42019134273
RETRACTED: Determine Soil Loss Response to Agroforestry Land Use Change (ALUC) Using RUSLE Based GIS and RS in Gilgel Gibe I Catchment, Southwestern, Ethiopia
Authors: Jiru Endale , Abera Girma , Temesgen Habtamu
Published: September 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
The Chinese Adaptation of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale in Early Childhood Pre-service Teachers: Validity, Measurement Invariance, and Reliability
Authors: Shao Mingxing , Muhamad Mohd Mokhtar , Razali Fazilah , Nasiruddin Nasnoor Juzaily Mohd , Sha Xinchong , Yin Guoqiang
Published: September 2024

Background
Teachers’ sense of efficacy (TSE) is a crucial construct for evaluating the quality of pre-service teachers. While the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) is the most widely used and promising instrument for measuring TSE, there is no existing literature assessing the appropriateness of the TSES for early childhood pre-service teachers in China. This study aimed to translate the English version of the TSES into Chinese and test its factor structure, validity, measurement invariance across gender, age, and college year, as well as reliability.
Methods
This study used a cross-sectional design. The sample included 402 participants in China. The TSES was translated into Chinese using the standard back-to-back translation method. The psychometric properties of the TSES, including construct validity, concurrent validity, convergent validity, criterion-related validity, measurement invariance, internal consistency reliability, and composite reliability, were examined.
Results
CFA results indicated that the TSES is best represented by a modified three-factor model, demonstrating strong preliminary, overall, and internal structure fit. The concurrent validity, convergent validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency reliability, and composite reliability of the Chinese version TSES were robust. The measurement invariance across gender, age, and college year was also confirmed.
Conclusions
This study addresses a gap in the literature by providing robust empirical evidence on the factor structure, validity, measurement invariance, and reliability of the Chinese version of the TSES for early childhood pre-service teachers, thereby enhancing understanding of TSE in Chinese-speaking context.
Intra and inter-operator reliability of an ultrasonographic automated software for the assessment of endometrial receptivity assessment
Authors: Saleh Shahenda , Kamel Rasha , Dayem Tamer Abdel , Attia Rana , Negm Sherif , Elgammal Hisham
Published: September 2024

Background
Endometrial receptivity assessment (ERA) is considered one of the main indicators of success in assisted conception. This was a multi-centre, prospective observational study conducted in 3 university affiliated tertiary referral units. The study population comprised non-pregnant participants between 18 and 45 years of age attending the gynaecology outpatient department for a gynaecological ultrasound scan.
The objectives of this study were to assess the intra-operator and inter-operator reliability of a three dimensional-ultrasound automated software (Smart ERA™) in assessing endometrial thickness (ET), endometrial volume (EV), vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI).
Results
A total of 226 patients were recruited into the study between December 2022 and March 2023. The mean age and BMI were 34.11 (8.71) years and 29.10 (5.15) respectively. When assessing the intra-operator relationship between the two observations using Pearson’s coefficient, ET (.93; p<.0001) and EV (.90; p<.0001) had very high correlation. The correlations for FI (.71; p<.0001), VFI (.57; p<.0001) and VI (.40; p<.0001) were high, moderate and low respectively. For the inter-operator correlation, it was high for ET (.84; p<.0001), moderate for EV (.65; p<.0001) and low for VI (.41; p<.0001), FI (.31; p<.0001) and VFI (.49; p<.0001). The inter-operator reliability was excellent for ET (0.91), substantial for EV (0.78) and VFI (0.82), moderate for VI (0.72) and low for FI (0.38).
Conclusions
The intra-operator and inter-operator agreement and reliability of ET and EV assessments using Smart ERA™ ranged from substantial to excellent. Similarly, the inter-operator reliability for VFI was substantial. However, the volume and flow indices had moderate to low inter-operator reliability.
Association between hysterectomy status and hypertension: Results from NHANES 2007– 2018 and two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Yan Weiren , Wang Jiahui , Xu Ke , Liu Xianglin , Li Xinsheng , Lv Haichen
Published: September 2024

Background
Previous observational studies have shown an association between hysterectomy status and the risk of developing hypertension, but the exact relationship between the two is unclear. The aim of our study was to conduct an observational analysis of this relationship and to determine the causality of that relationship through a Mendelian randomization (MR) study.
Methods
This study included 12,628 participants from the 2007–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and used weighted logistic regression to analyze the association between hysterectomy status and the risk of developing hypertension, followed by a subgroup analysis and restricted cubic splines (RCS) to further explore the associations. A two-sample MR study was conducted to determine the causal relationships between hysterectomy status and the risk of developing hypertension and increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Results
Adjusted-weighted logistic regression revealed a significant association between hysterectomy status and the risk of developing hypertension (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04-1.52). Both subgroup and RCS analyses revealed that a younger age at hysterectomy was associated with a greater risk of hypertension. MR showed a causal association between genetically predicted hysterectomy status and the risk of developing hypertension (OR=1.205, 95% CI: 1.043-1.392), increased systolic blood pressure (beta =9.642, 95% CI: 2.125-17.159) and increased diastolic blood pressure (beta =6.695, 95% CI: 2.173-11.217).
Conclusions
Our study revealed that hysterectomy increases the risk of hypertension. Moreover, hysterectomy at an early age is associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension. Therefore, there is an urgent need to manage and monitor blood pressure in post hysterectomy patients.
Rapid phenotypic and genotypic change in a laboratory schistosome population
Authors: JUTZELER Kathrin S. , PLATT Roy N. , LI Xue , MORALES Madison , DIAZ Robbie , CLEC’H Winka LE , CHEVALIER Frédéric D. , ANDERSON Timothy J.C.
Published: September 2024

Background
Genomic analysis has revealed extensive contamination among laboratory-maintained microbes including malaria parasites, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Salmonella spp. Here, we provide direct evidence for recent contamination of a laboratory schistosome parasite population, and we investigate its genomic consequences. The Brazilian Schistosoma mansoni population SmBRE has several distinctive phenotypes, showing poor infectivity, reduced sporocysts number, low levels of cercarial shedding and low virulence in the intermediate snail host, and low worm burden and low fecundity in the vertebrate rodent host. In 2021 we observed a rapid change in SmBRE parasite phenotypes, with a ~ 10x increase in cercarial production and ~ 4x increase in worm burden.
Methods
To determine the underlying genomic cause of these changes, we sequenced pools of SmBRE adults collected during parasite maintenance between 2015 and 2023. We also sequenced another parasite population (SmLE) maintained alongside SmBRE without phenotypic changes.
Results
While SmLE allele frequencies remained stable over the eight-year period, we observed sudden changes in allele frequency across the genome in SmBRE between July 2021 and February 2023, consistent with expectations of laboratory contamination. (i) SmLE-specific alleles rose in the SmBRE population from 0 to 41–46% across the genome between September and October 2021, documenting the timing and magnitude of the contamination event. (ii) After contamination, strong selection (s = ~ 0.23) drove replacement of low fitness SmBRE with high fitness SmLE alleles. (iii) Allele frequency changed rapidly across the whole genome, except for a region on chromosome 4 where SmBRE alleles remained at high frequency.
Conclusions
We were able to detect contamination in this case because SmBRE shows distinctive phenotypes. However, this would likely have been missed with phenotypically similar parasites. These results provide a cautionary tale about the importance of tracking the identity of parasite populations, but also showcase a simple approach to monitor changes within populations using molecular profiling of pooled population samples to characterize fixed single nucleotide polymorphisms. We also show that genetic drift results in continuous change even in the absence of contamination, causing parasites maintained in different labs (or sampled from the same lab at different times) to diverge.
Association of Kawasaki disease with intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hsu Chih-Wei , Lin Yu-Wei , Chen Yang-Chieh Brian , Wang Liang-Jen , Kuo Ho-Chang
Published: September 2024

Background: The relationship between Kawasaki disease (KD) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) remains unclear. This study aims to explore the association between them.
Method: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Embase databases from inception to May 1, 2024 (INPLASY202450017). We included case-control or cohort studies comparing KD patients to healthy controls in assessing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability (ID). The meta-analysis employed a random-effects model to calculate effect sizes using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the disease occurrence. Moreover, mean differences (MDs) were used to calculate intelligence quotient (IQ).
Results: Four eligible studies, including 1,454,499 participants, were analyzed for ADHD, ASD, and ID. Additionally, three studies with 365 participants were analyzed for IQ. The risk of ADHD in KD patients was higher than in healthy controls (HR[95%CI]=1.76[1.21–2.57]). However, the risks of ASD (HR[95%CI]=1.68[0.47–5.94]) and ID (HR[95%CI]=1.39[0.52–2.63]) were not significantly different between KD and controls. IQ comparisons showed no significant differences in full IQ (MD[95%CI]=-0.01[-2.44–2.42]), verbal IQ (MD[95%CI]=-1.05[-4.42–2.33]), and performance IQ (MD[95%CI]=-0.08[-2.75–2.59]).
Conclusion: This study indicates that individuals with KD have a higher risk for ADHD but not for ASD or ID.
Trial registration: INPLASY202450017
Cytochrome c oxidase dependent respiration is essential for T cell activation, proliferation and memory formation
Authors: McGuire Peter , Tarasenko Tatiana , Warren Emily , Fuchs Amanda , Singh Bharati , Marin Jose , Szibor Marten
Published: September 2024

T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation are fundamentally driven by shifts in cellular metabolism, with mitochondria playing a central role. Cytochrome c oxidase (COX, complex IV) is a key player in this process, as its activity is crucial for apoptosis, mtDNA maintenance, mitochondrial transcription, and mitochondrial respiration (MR), all of which influence T cell fate and function. Despite its known roles, the specific functions of COX required for T cell activity in vivo remain unclear. To isolate the role of MR in T cell function, we reintroduced this capability in COX-deficient T cells using an alternative oxidase (AOX) from Ciona intestinalis. Our findings demonstrate that MR is vital for maintaining metabolic balance during T cell activation by alleviating electron pressure from metabolic reprogramming and preserving redox homeostasis. We further showed that AOX mitigates apoptosis, prevents metabolic disruptions in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and improves mtDNA maintenance and transcription, indicating that these disturbances are secondary to impaired MR in the absence of COX. Most importantly, the introduction of AOX restored robust effector and memory T cell generation and function in COX-deficient cells. These results highlight the essential role of COX-dependent MR in ensuring cellular health and underscore its pivotal role in T cell proliferation and differentiation.
Saharan dust in Central Europe: Impact on particulate matter characteristics in an urban and a natural locality
Authors: Loskot Jan , Jezbera Daniel , Nalezinkova Martina , Smejkalova Adela Holubova , Halboth Danilo , Komarek Jan
Published: September 2024

At the turn of March and April 2024, most of mainland Europe was afflicted by sand dust particles carried by wind flow from the Sahara Desert. As a result, Central Europe experienced an exceptionally high increase in air pollution. In this work, the impact of this Saharan dust event on PM10 characteristics in an urban and a natural locality in the Czech Republic was investigated. PM10 concentrations before and during the Saharan dust event were measured using the Beta-Attenuation method. During the Saharan dust event, they were about 6–8 times higher than under normal atmospheric conditions, exceeding WHO guidelines by up to 2 times. A potential effect of terrain and altitude on the local concentrations of Saharan dust was observed. Airborne dust collected before and during the Saharan dust event was then studied using scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (single-particle analysis of sizes and elemental composition) and X-ray diffractometry (mineralogical composition). Surprisingly, the particle size distribution was not significantly affected by the Saharan dust advection, but its dependency on the sampling locality was revealed. The dominant mineral in the Saharan dust was calcite, which substantially altered the local PM10 composition. The studied Saharan dust probably originated from a natural area, as the amount of anthropogenic pollutants detected was negligible. Notably, its carbon content was lower compared with the usual local PM10. The elevated PM10 concentrations appear to be the most relevant risk associated with this Saharan dust event in Central Europe. The transported dust originated from the northern/north-western Sahara – probably from the Atlas region – which was verified by a backward trajectory analysis of air masses.
Consequential Validity Evidence of Yes-No Angoff Standard Setting in a Pre-Clinical Medical School Curriculum
Authors: Dimanche Ketsia , Klatt Edward , Angle Marshall
Published: September 2024

Background
Standard setting is consequential to student outcomes for defining sufficient mastery of knowledge and thus accurately classifying medical students as competent (or not) for advancing through a pre-clinical curriculum. In particular, for multiple-choice medical knowledge exams the Yes-No Angoff method for standard setting yields consequential cut-off scores based on faculty-experts’ item-level judgments of students possessing borderline but sufficient competence required for demonstrating sufficient mastery. Adapting a construct validity framework and defining consequential academic success in terms of unimpeded progress, we investigated consequential validity evidence of passing standards derived from the Yes-No Angoff method.
Methods
We analyzed academic success for four pre-clinical semesters across three student cohorts. First, we identified passing standards for pre-clinical courses using the Yes-No Angoff method. Then, we applied binary logistic regression and receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analyses with area under the curve (AUC) to evaluate passing standards. For binary outcomes, we defined academic success in terms of unimpeded progress through the curriculum and students’ first-attempt passage of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1. Model predictors included Yes-No Angoff passing standards, Medical College Admissions test scores, and grade point averages for math and science courses.
Results
ROC analyses showed a low but acceptable area under the curve for a single semester in one cohort and excellent or outstanding AUCs for the remaining 11 semesters. With rates ranging between 89% and 96%, overall classification accuracy for predicting academic success was adequate for all pre-clinical semesters across all cohorts.
Conclusions
Affirming that Yes-No Angoff standards accurately predicted academic success, study results indicated consequential validity evidence for our school’s passing standards in a pre-clinical medical curriculum.