bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of prostate cancer in men with haematuria: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hansen Rasmus Søgaard , Biørn Signe Hedengran , Birk‐Korch Johan Baden , Sheikh Søren Paludan , Poulsen Mads Hvid , Vinholt Pernille Just
Published: December 2022

Objectives

To investigate the prevalence of prostate cancer in men attending evaluation for haematuria, as this could help healthcare providers to determine whether men with haematuria should have prostate examinations performed.

Methods

The study was performed according to a pre‐specified protocol uploaded to the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42022299383). A systematic search of MEDLINE, Ovid and Google Scholar was performed in December 2021. Two independent researchers evaluated all titles, available abstracts, and full texts. We included studies on adult men (aged ≥18 years) describing haematuria and prostate cancer.

Results

We screened 4252 titles and abstracts when available and assessed 350 studies in full text. In total, 65 studies were included and 42 was summarised in a meta‐analysis. In total, 18 752 men with haematuria were included, and the pooled prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of prostate cancer was 3.0% (2.0–4.1%). In men with macroscopic haematuria, the pooled prevalence (95% CI) of prostate cancer was 5.9% (2.9–9.9%; n = 265/5373). In men with microscopic haematuria, the pooled prevalence (95% CI) of prostate cancer was 1.4% (0.8–2.2%; n = 71/6642).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that the prevalence of prostate cancer is considerable in men attending evaluation for haematuria. Therefore, digital rectal examination and prostate‐specific antigen measurement should become a standard procedure for all men with haematuria, especially for men with macroscopic haematuria.
Implementing the Power to Kids programme in home‐based (foster) care: Identifying the SAFETY approach
Authors: McKibbin Gemma , Bornemisza Anna , Fried Ana , Humphreys Cathy , Gallois Esther
Published: December 2022

Sexual abuse and dating violence are chronic problems for children and young people in out‐of‐home care. This study explored the impact of a prevention and response programme Power to Kids, which targets harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), child sexual exploitation (CSE) and dating violence (DV) for children and young people in home‐based (foster) care. Twenty‐eight case managers, 25 foster carers and 13 children and young people participated in a mixed methods study in Victoria, Australia informed by the research question: How does the Power to Kids programme impact the sexual health and safety of children and young people in home‐based (foster) care? The data analysis revealed a SAFETY approach whereby the sexual health and safety knowledge of carers and case managers was enhanced, and carers were given permission to have Brave Conversations with children and young people, who could then apply the new knowledge to their lives. Case managers were upskilled in identifying indicators of sexual abuse and empowered to escalate stalled therapeutic and disruption practice when children and young people were identified as experiencing HSB, CSE or DV.
Management of adults with diabetes on dialysis: Summary of recommendations of the Joint British Diabetes Societies guidelines 2022
Authors: Frankel Andrew H. , Wahba Mona , Ashworth Vicky , Bedi Rachna , Berrington Rachel , Buckley Maria , Chandrasekharan Lakshmi , Doyle Fiona , Duval Deborah , Game Frances , Hamilton Susie , Hussain Sufyan , James June , Jebb Hannah , Karalliedde Janaka , Kong Marie‐France , Kuverji Apexa , Lambie Mark , Main Claire , Price Sara , Wijewickrama Piyumi , Williams Jennifer , Dhatariya Ketan , Chowdhury Tahseen A.
Published: December 2022

Diabetes is the commonest cause of end‐stage kidney disease in many parts of the world, and many people on dialysis programmes live with diabetes. Such people are vulnerable to complications from their diabetes, and their care may be fragmented due to the many specialists involved. This updated guidance from the Joint British Diabetes Societies aims to review and update the 2016 guidance, with particular emphasis on glycaemic monitoring in the light of recent advances in this area. In addition, the guidance covers clinical issues related to the management of diabetes in people on peritoneal dialysis, along with acute complications such as hypoglycaemia and ketoacidosis, and chronic complications such as foot and eye disease.
Effects of starvation on the fighting ability of invasive and autochthonous ants
Authors: Frizzi Filippo , Balzani Paride , Frasconi Wendt Clara , Masoni Alberto , Carta Elisa , Innocenti Maria Rita , Santini Giacomo
Published: December 2022

Ants are widespread in all terrestrial habitats, and competitive interactions between species are common. Although redistribution of food within a colony may buffer the negative effects of temporary resource shortages, colony functionality can be compromised when famine is prolonged. One of the possible effects of famine is impairment of the fighting ability of species, with cascade effects on community. Here, we investigated whether food shortage alters the fighting ability of workers of three dominant species in the Mediterranean area: the invasive alien species, Lasius neglectus and Linepithema humile, and one highly polydomous autochthonous species belonging to the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex. We performed laboratory tests of interspecific one‐on‐one aggression and pairwise group contests between species, with all possible combinations of artificially satiated and starved groups. Results showed that starvation had a scarce effect on the individual aggressiveness in all three species. Similarly, the outcomes of the group fights were only lightly affected, but with an important exception. The positions of species in the fighting hierarchies were in most cases clear and linear, with L. neglectus at the top. However, we found that L. humile and L. neglectus showed equal mortality when one of the two species was starved and the other satiated. Although we investigated only one aspect of competition, that is, fighting ability, our results provide a piece of the complex jigsaw of competitive interactions of ants, and suggest that food deprivation can be a determinant that alters the relationships between ants and promotes or hampers the coexistence of dominant species.
Verbal fluency functional magnetic resonance imaging detects anti‐seizure effects and affective side effects of perampanel in people with focal epilepsy
Authors: Xiao Fenglai , Caciagli Lorenzo , Wandschneider Britta , Fleury Marine , Binding Lawrence , Giampiccolo Davide , Hill Andrea , Galovic Marian , Foong Jaqueline , Zhou Dong , Sander Josemir W. , Duncan John S. , Koepp Matthias J.
Published: December 2022

Perampanel, a noncompetitive antagonist of the postsynaptic a‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic (AMPA) receptor, is effective for controlling focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures but is also known to increase feelings of anger. Using statistical parametric mapping–derived measures of activation and task‐modulated functional connectivity (psychophysiologic interaction), we investigated 14 people with focal epilepsy who had verbal fluency functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) twice, before and after the add‐on treatment of perampanel. For comparison, we included 28 people with epilepsy, propensity‐matched for clinical characteristics, who had two scans but no change in anti‐seizure medication (ASM) regimen in‐between. After commencing perampanel, individuals had higher task‐related activations in left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), fewer task‐related activations in the subcortical regions including the left thalamus and left caudate, and lower task‐related thalamocaudate and caudate‐subtantial nigra connectivity. Decreased task‐related connectivity is observed between the left OFC and precuneus and left medial frontal lobe. Our results highlight the brain regions associated with the beneficiary therapeutic effects on focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures (thalamus and caudate) but also the undesired affective side effects of perampanel with increased anger and aggression (OFC).
An epigenetic DNA methylation clock for age estimates in Indo‐Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus)
Authors: Peters Katharina J. , Gerber Livia , Scheu Luca , Cicciarella Riccardo , Zoller Joseph A. , Fei Zhe , Horvath Steve , Allen Simon J. , King Stephanie L. , Connor Richard C. , Rollins Lee Ann , Krützen Michael
Published: December 2022

Knowledge of an animal's chronological age is crucial for understanding and predicting population demographics, survival and reproduction, but accurate age determination for many wild animals remains challenging. Previous methods to estimate age require invasive procedures, such as tooth extraction to analyse growth layers, which are difficult to carry out with large, mobile animals such as cetaceans. However, recent advances in epigenetic methods have opened new avenues for precise age determination. These ‘epigenetic clocks’ present a less invasive alternative and can provide age estimates with unprecedented accuracy. Here, we present a species‐specific epigenetic clock based on skin tissue samples for a population of Indo‐Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Shark Bay, Western Australia. We measured methylation levels at 37,492 cytosine‐guanine sites (CpG sites) in 165 samples using the mammalian methylation array. Chronological age estimates with an accuracy of ±1 year were available for 68 animals as part of a long‐term behavioral study of this population. Using these samples with known age, we built an elastic net model with Leave‐One‐Out‐Cross‐Validation, which retained 43 CpG sites, providing an r = 0.86 and median absolute age error (MAE) = 2.1 years (5% of maximum age). This model was more accurate for our data than the previously published methylation clock based on skin samples of common bottlenose dolphins (T. truncatus: r = 0.83, MAE = 2.2) and the multi‐species odontocete methylation clock (r = 0.68, MAE = 6.8), highlighting that species‐specific clocks can have superior performance over those of multi‐species assemblages. We further developed an epigenetic sex estimator, predicting sex with 100% accuracy. As age and sex are critical parameters for the study of animal populations, this clock and sex estimator will provide a useful tool for extracting life history information from skin samples rather than long‐term observational data for free‐ranging Indo‐Pacific bottlenose dolphins worldwide.
The microbial community spatially varies during a Microcystis bloom event in Lake Kinneret
Authors: Schweitzer‐Natan Orna , Ofek‐Lalzar Maya , Sher Daniel , Sukenik Assaf
Published: December 2022

Cyanobacterial blooms in lakes frequently display high spatial heterogeneity, which may drive temporal changes in microbial community structure. Here we report on the spatial (horizontal and vertical) structure of the cyanobacteria community and of the co‐occurring heterotroph microbial community during a major lake‐wide bloom event at Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee, Israel).

We sampled the upper water layer (0, 1 and 5 m depths) at five locations across the lake, spatially representing north, south, east, west and centre of the lake, on two dates during winter 2016 when the Microcystis biomass was high. We aimed to characterise the spatial distribution of the bloom and the associated microbiota, as well as testing the extent to which variation in the structure of the microbial community could be associated with Microcystis biomass.

During the winter 2016 bloom, Microcystis biomass was spatially heterogeneous, but the Microcystis population structure was rather homogenous, dominated by a single genotype (ITS sequence variant). By contrast, the composition of the bacterial community, assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, was spatially heterogeneous, differing between depths, sampling locations and time.

The largest difference in microbial community structure was between particle‐associated (PA) and free‐living (FL) fractions. The PA community was characterised by a relatively lower diversity, and dominated by Proteobacteria, whereas the FL community was significantly more diverse and dominated by members of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. Variation in the microbial community was significantly correlated with geographical location and sampling depth. However, there was no clear relationship between the Microcystis biomass density (cells biovolume) and the structure of the microbial communities.

These results suggest that the structure of the bacterial community is partly decoupled from Microcystis population density, and potentially more affected by other environmental factors such as temperature and/or physicochemical conditions. Our study highlights the importance of spatial information on bloom composition and intensity in clarifying the factors affecting the progression of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and how this impacts their microbial counterparts.
How do clients with multiple problems and (in)formal caretakers coproduce integrated care and support? A longitudinal study on integrated care trajectories of clients with multiple problems
Authors: Reinhoudt‐den Boer Lieke , van Wijngaarden Jeroen , Huijsman Robbert
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Integrated care can create several advantages, such as better quality of care and better outcomes. These advantages apply especially to clients with multiple problems (CWMPs) who have multiple, interconnected needs that span health and social issues and require different health care (e.g., mental health care or addiction care), social care (e.g., social benefits) and welfare services at the same time. Integrated care is most often studied as a phenomenon taking place at the system, organizational, professional and clinical levels. Therefore, in many studies, clients seem to be implicitly conceptualized as passive recipients of care. Less research has been conducted on how clients and (in)formal caretakers coproduce integrated care.

Methods

We performed a longitudinal study to investigate how CWPMs and (in)formal caretakers coproduce integrated care. Data were collected among CWMPs and their (in)formal caretakers in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. CWMPs' care trajectories were followed for 1–1.5 years. CWMPs were interviewed three times at an interval of 6 months (T0, T1, T2). Informal caretakers were interviewed three times (T0, T1, T2), and formal caretakers of 16 clients were interviewed twice (T1, T2). Data in the municipal record systems about participating CWMPs were also included.

Results

Our study shows that the CWMPs' multidimensional needs, which should function as the organizing principle of integrated care, are rarely completely assessed at the start (first 6 weeks) of CWMPs' care trajectories. Important drivers behind this shortcoming are the urgent problems CWMPs enter the support trajectory with, their lack of trust in ‘the government’ and the complexity of their situations. We subsequently found two distinct types of cases. The highest level of integrated care is achieved when formal caretakers initiate an iterative process in which the CWMP's multidimensional needs are constantly further mapped out and interventions are attuned to this new information.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that integrated care is the joint product of formal caretakers and CWMPs. Integrated care however does not come naturally when CWMPs are ‘put at the center’. Professionals need to play a leading role in engaging CWMPs to coproduce integrated care.

Patient Contribution

CWMPs and their (in)formal caretakers participated in this study via interviews and contributed with their experiences of the process.
Bacterial decontamination of toothbrushes by immersion in a mouthwash containing 0.05% chlorhexidine and 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Àlvarez Gerard , Soler‐Ollé Agnès , Isabal Sergio , León Rubén , Blanc Vanessa
Published: December 2022

Objective

Toothbrushes are colonized by microorganisms, implying a risk of infection. That risk can be reduced by decreasing the microbial contamination of the filaments. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the antiseptic efficacy of a 0.05% chlorhexidine + 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash on toothbrushes.

Methods

A total of twelve toothbrushes used three times/day for 14 days by orally and systemically healthy people were randomly split into two groups, and their heads were immersed for 2 h in PBS (control) or Perio·Aid Active Control (treatment). The microorganisms were recovered, and their number was calculated by culture, quantitative PCR, and viability PCR. Statistical differences were first assessed with a two‐way mixed ANOVA and subsequently with Student's t‐test.

Results

The results showed no statistical differences in the total number of cells for the treatment (mean ± CI95% of 7.27 ± 1.09 log10 bacteria/ml) and the control (7.62 ± 0.64 log10 bacteria/ml) groups, but a significantly lower number of live cells in the treatment group (4.58 ± 0.61 log10 viable bacteria/ml and 2.15 ± 1.42 log10 cfu/ml) than in the control group (6.49 ± 1.39 log10 viable bacteria/ml and 5.04 ± 0.93 log10 cfu/ml).

Conclusions

Based on our findings, sanitization of toothbrushes with this mouthwash reduces the number of live microorganisms adhered to the filaments. Such decrease of the bacterial load could include bacteria from the oral cavity, from the environment, and from nearby toothbrushes since the quantification was not limited to any bacterial taxon.
Factors affecting the infection control behaviours of Korean dental hygienists in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic
Authors: Park Hye‐Rin , Min Ji‐Hyun
Published: December 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the prevention of cross‐infection with coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) among Korean dental hygienists.

Methods

The level of knowledge about COVID‐19 (KNWCO), level of awareness of infection control (AWRIC), degree of performance for infection control (PRFIC), and organizational factors for infection control (OFWIC) of clinical dental hygienists in Korea to prevent COVID‐19 transmission were investigated. A self‐written online questionnaire was administered to dental hygienists currently working in dental clinics or hospitals, and the survey results of 263 participants were analysed. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated for relationships between the KNWCO, AWRIC, PRFIC, and OFWIC. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the factors affecting the PRFIC. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results

Knowledge about COVID‐19, AWRIC, PRFIC, and OFWIC were significantly correlated with each other. OFWIC (β = 0.491, p < 0.001), followed by AWRIC (β = 0.428, p < 0.001) and KNWCO (β = 0.095, p = 0.013), had the greatest impact on PRFIC with regard to the prevention of COVID‐19 transmission.

Conclusions

Organizational factors for infection control and AWRIC should be strengthened to improve PRFIC and prevent COVID‐19 transmission during dental care.
Efficacy of a new sonic powered toothbrush versus a manual toothbrush in a young population. A randomized cross‐over clinical trial
Authors: Lucía Barallat , Léna Ben‐Kiran , Xavi Calvo , Paniagua Blanca , Pascual‐La Rocca Andrés
Published: December 2022

Objective

To compare the effectiveness of dental plaque removal between a new sonic toothbrush and a manual toothbrush.

Methods

In total, 75 healthy dental students participated in this randomized double‐blind crossover clinical trial. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the two groups (manual or sonic toothbrush) and underwent a single toothbrushing exercise. Seven days after, patients were asked to repeat the same procedure with the other toothbrush. Plaque scores were recorded before and after brushing.

Results

A significant mean reduction in the full‐mouth plaque index was observed after the use of both type of brushes: 46.2% ± 0.28% (p = 0.000) and 50.5% ± 0.24% (p = 0.000) for the manual and sonic toothbrush, respectively. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two types of brushes (p = 0.277). Regarding plaque reduction on the distinct tooth surfaces, differences between the groups reached statistical significance in favour of the sonic toothbrush only on the buccal sites (p = 0.003).

Conclusions

Both devices lead to similar plaque score reduction after a single tooth brushing.
A note on changes in additive risky benefits and risky costs
Authors: Menegatti Mario
Published: December 2022

We introduce a distinction between additive risky benefits and additive risky costs, showing that it is relevant in determining decision maker choices in the presence of changes in risk. Results obtained show the specific role of the order of risk change when facing the two types of risk. Similarities and differences with the case of multiplicative risks are discussed. Moreover, the analysis is performed in two models studying respectively saving and self‐protection and provides new applied results for both, some with reference to background risks.
SETDB1: A perspective into immune cell function and cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Johnson Eleanor , Salari Kiarash , Yang Shujie
Published: December 2022

Oncogene SET Domain Bifurcated 1 (SETDB1)/ESET, an H3K9 methyltransferase, was originally discovered over two decades ago; however, its function in the immune response was not first reported until 2011. SETDB1 immune functions include B cell maturation, T cell activity regulation, and immune escape in cancer cells. In B lymphocytes, SETDB1 mediates the transition from pro‐B to pre‐B cells and represses endogenous retroviruses (ERV) to encourage B cell lineage differentiation and maturation. SETDB1 alters T cell function by methylating IL‐2 and IL‐17 promoters and mediating T cell lineage commitment and development. In addition, SETDB1 plays a critical role in ERV silencing within a variety of immune cells, which can indirectly weaken the immune response. Although SETDB1 is critical for normal immune cell function, overexpression in cancer cells negatively impacts immune cell fights against cancer through decreased tumour immunogenicity. Within cancer cells, SETDB1 overexpression represses production and infiltration of antitumour immune cells, mediates immune escape through TE and ERV silencing, represses the type I interferon pathway, and interferes in immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) outcomes by regulation of PD‐L1 expression and IFN signalling. In this review, we further discuss the immunological mechanisms of SETDB1 in normal and cancerous cells and its implications in cancer immunotherapy.
‘No more heroes’: The ILC Oxford Statement on fundamental care in times of crises
Authors: Kitson Alison L. , Conroy Tiffany , Jeffs Lianne , Carr Devin , Huisman‐Dewaal Getty J. , Muntlin Asa , Jangland Eva , Grønkjær Mette , Parr Jenny
Published: December 2022

Aim

To outline the International Learning Collaborative (ILC) Oxford Statement, explicating our commitment to ensuring health and care systems are equipped to meet patients' fundamental care needs during times of unprecedented crisis.

Design/Method

Discussion paper. The content was developed via a co‐design process with participants during the ILC's international conference.

Key Arguments

We, the ILC, outline what we do and do not want to see within our health and care systems when faced with the challenges of caring for patients during global pandemics and other crises. Specifically, we want fundamental care delivery to be seen as the minimum standard rather than the exception across our health and care systems. We want nursing leaders to call out and stand up for the importance of building fundamental care into systems, processes and funding priorities. We do not want to see the voices of nursing leaders quashed or minimized in favour of other agendas. In turn, what we want to see is greater recognition of fundamental care work and greater respect for the people who do it. We expect nurses to have a ‘seat at the table’ where the key health and care decisions that impact patients and staff are made.

Conclusion

To achieve our goals we must (1) ensure that fundamental care is embedded in all health and care systems, at all levels; (2) build on and strengthen the leadership skills of the nursing workforce by clearly advocating for person‐centred fundamental care; (3) co‐design systems that care for and support our staff's well‐being and which foster collective resilience rather than overly rely on individual resilience; (4) improve the science and methodologies around reporting and measuring fundamental care to show the positive impact of this care delivery and (5) leverage the COVID pandemic crisis as an opportunity for transformational change in fundamental care delivery.
Decision tree for identifying pertinent integration procedures and joint displays in mixed methods research
Authors: Younas Ahtisham , Durante Angela
Published: December 2022

Aims

To propose a decision tree for identifying appropriate integration procedures and joint displays for  achieving integration in mixed methods studies.

Design

A methodological discussion.

Data Sources

Methodological literature including mixed methods textbooks, methodological reviews and studies published in the last 10 years (2012–2022).

Implications for Nursing

Mixed methods are instrumental to study complex nursing care processes and health‐human phenomena. Nurse researchers can use this decision tree to choose the most appropriate integration procedures to overcome the integration challenge when designing and conducting mixed methods nursing studies.

Conclusion

Integration procedures and joint displays are the most widely used methods for tackling the integration challenge in mixed methods research (MMR). The multifaceted and contingent nature of these methods are beneficial for their tailored and adapted use at the data collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting levels. The use of the most pertinent integration procedures and joint displays is critical for ensuring quality in MMR.

Impact

A growing methodological literature on MMR offers a wide range of integration procedures and techniques. Therefore, choosing appropriate integration procedures and analysis methods can be challenging for nurse researchers interested in conducting mixed methods studies. A decision tree is developed outlining 14 integration procedures and their corresponding mixed methods designs, purposes and joint displays. Examples of mixed methods studies in the discipline of nursing are presented to illustrate the implementation of the integration procedures. The decision tree can serve as a straightforward methodological tool for decision making in MMR. Nurse researchers can effectively use this decision tree for research and teaching purposes.

Patient or Public Contribution

No direct patient or public contribution.
Coding energy knowledge in constructed responses with explainableNLPmodels
Authors: Gombert Sebastian , Di Mitri Daniele , Karademir Onur , Kubsch Marcus , Kolbe Hannah , Tautz Simon , Grimm Adrian , Bohm Isabell , Neumann Knut , Drachsler Hendrik
Published: December 2022

Background

Formative assessments are needed to enable monitoring how student knowledge develops throughout a unit. Constructed response items which require learners to formulate their own free‐text responses are well suited for testing their active knowledge. However, assessing such constructed responses in an automated fashion is a complex task and requires the application of natural language processing methodology. In this article, we implement and evaluate multiple machine learning models for coding energy knowledge in free‐text responses of German K‐12 students to items in formative science assessments which were conducted during synchronous online learning sessions.

Dataset

The dataset we collected for this purpose consists of German constructed responses from 38 different items dealing with aspects of energy such as manifestation and transformation. The units and items were implemented with the help of project‐based pedagogy and evidence‐centered design, and the responses were coded for seven core ideas concerning the manifestation and transformation of energy. The data was collected from students in seventh, eighth and ninth grade.

Methodology

We train various transformer‐ and feature‐based models and compare their ability to recognize the respective ideas in students' writing. Moreover, as domain knowledge and its development can be formally modeled through knowledge networks, we evaluate how well the detection of the ideas within responses translated into accurate co‐occurrence‐based knowledge networks. Finally, in terms of the descriptive accuracy of our models, we inspect what features played a role for which prediction outcome and if the models pick up on undesired shortcuts. In addition to this, we analyze how much the models match human coders in what evidence within responses they consider important for their coding decisions.

Results

A model based on a modified GBERT‐large can achieve the overall most promising results, although descriptive accuracy varies much more than predictive accuracy for the different ideas assessed. For reasons of comparability, we also evaluate the same machine learning architecture using the SciEntsBank 3‐Way benchmark with an English RoBERTa‐large model, where it achieves state‐of‐the‐art results in two out of three evaluation categories.
Effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on the survival outcomes of elderly breast cancer: A retrospective cohort study based on SEER database
Authors: Wu Yunhao , Qi Yana , Yang Jiqiao , Yang Ruoning , Lui Weijing , Huang Ya , Zhao Xin , Chen Ruixian , He Tao , Lu Shan , Wang Zhu , Li Hongjiang , Sun Xin , Li Qintong , Zhou Li , Chen Jie
Published: December 2022

Background

Currently, the proportion of standard chemotherapy for elderly patients is much lower than that for young patients, with little evidence from clinical trials supporting the use of chemotherapy for elderly patients. The effectiveness of chemotherapy for the elderly suffering from breast cancer remains to be further verified.

Methods

A total of 75,525 female breast cancer patients aged 70 years or older were hereby identified, all from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016. Kaplan–Meier analysis and multivariable Cox proportional model were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of chemotherapy on overall survival (OS) and breast cancer‐specific survival (BCSS). Propensity score matching (PSM) (PSM ratio: 1:1, caliper: 0.2 standard deviation of propensity score) was applied to construct balanced cohorts with or without chemotherapy based on demographic and pathophysiological characteristics.

Results

A total of 33,177 eligible patients were included, with 5273 (15.89%) receiving chemotherapy. Through PSM, 8360 patients were successfully matched, and balances between groups were almost reached. In the matched data set, multivariable Cox analysis reveals that chemotherapy was associated with a 36% and 21% risk reduction on OS (HR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.71) and BCSS (HR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.91), respectively. Furthermore, subgroups with more adjacent lymph nodes involved by tumor, or nonluminal A, were inclined to benefit more from chemotherapy. Moreover, chemotherapy did not increase the chances of dying from heart disease.

Conclusions

The present study provided evidence that chemotherapy may improve the prognosis of elderly breast cancer, especially for those subpopulations that benefit more from chemotherapy treatment.
Online Calibration in Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing with Polytomously Scored Items
Authors: Yuan Lu , Huang Yingshi , Li Shuhang , Chen Ping
Published: December 2022

Online calibration is a key technology for item calibration in computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and has been widely used in various forms of CAT, including unidimensional CAT, multidimensional CAT (MCAT), CAT with polytomously scored items, and cognitive diagnostic CAT. However, as multidimensional and polytomous assessment data become more common, only a few published reports focus on online calibration in MCAT with polytomously scored items (P‐MCAT). Therefore, standing on the shoulders of the existing online calibration methods/designs, this study proposes four new P‐MCAT online calibration methods and two new P‐MCAT online calibration designs and conducts two simulation studies to evaluate their performance under varying conditions (i.e., different calibration sample sizes and correlations between dimensions). Results show that all of the newly proposed methods can accurately recover item parameters, and the adaptive designs outperform the random design in most cases. In the end, this paper provides practical guidance based on simulation results.
Cold plasma disinfestation of Callosobruchus maculatus infested soybeans: Its subsequent impact on soymilk extraction yield and quality
Authors: Anbarasan Rajan , Boopathy Bhavadharini , Stephen Jaspin , Radhakrishnan Mahendran
Published: December 2022

Soybeans play a vital role in the world economy as an essential food commodity by fulfilling human dietary needs. Hence, the seeds are commonly transported and stored in bulk quantities in various parts of the world which ultimately results in infestation issues. Callosobruchus maculatus is one of the major storage pests that infest the soybean seeds and cause losses in both the quantity and quality of the seeds. Cold plasma (CP) is an emerging non‐thermal disinfestation technique that can disinfest food grain. Hence, we have used low pressure (<2 mbar) CP at different voltages (1.0–2.0 kV) and exposure times (2–24 min) to disinfest the C. maculatus from soybeans. The maximum mortality of 100.00 ± 0.00%, 98.89 ± 1.92%, and 37.33 ± 8.08% was achieved in adult, pupae, and egg stage insects, respectively, after 24 min of prolonged CP exposure at 2.0 kV voltage. However, CP treatment (1.5 kV–18 min) induced only 11.11 ± 3.85% mortality in larval stage insects as they were well protected under soybean seed coat. During the experiment, we also identified the impact of insect sex and egg age on the CP treatment effectiveness. Further, we have also analyzed the egg‐producing capacity of CP‐treated adult insects before their death. Apart from disinfestation, the CP treatment also assisted the soymilk extraction and increased the extraction yield from 92.44 ± 1.02% (control) to 97.22 ± 0.19% after CP treatment (2.0 kV–12 min). Nevertheless, the FTIR and SDS PAGE results had not shown any changes in the quality of soymilk extracted after CP treatment.

Practical applications

Since the lab scale study was found to be effective against most of the C. maculatus life stages, it is possible to adapt the CP for large‐scale disinfestation applications with essential modifications (i.e., pressure, conveyors) in the system's designs. Apart from that, CP also modifies the surface nature of the grains, hence the treatment also assists in increasing the extraction yield (milk, oil, and protein) and germination percentage of food grains.
Insomnia with objective short sleep duration in community‐living older persons: A multifactorial geriatric health condition
Authors: Miner Brienne , Doyle Margaret , Knauert Melissa , Yaggi Henry Klar , Stone Katie L. , Ancoli‐Israel Sonia , Cauley Jane A. , Redline Susan , Blackwell Terri , Gill Thomas M. ,   for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) and the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) Research Groups
Published: December 2022

Background

Insomnia or poor sleep quality with objective short sleep duration (hereafter referred to as ISSD) has been identified as a high‐risk phenotype among middle‐aged persons. We evaluated the prevalence and clinical correlates of ISSD among community‐living older persons.

Methods

In 3053 men from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Sleep Study (MrOS; average age 76.4 ± 5.5 years) and 3044 women from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF; average age 83.6 ± 3.8 years), we evaluated the prevalence of ISSD (trouble getting to sleep within 30 minutes, waking up in the middle of the night or early morning, and/or taking a medication to help with sleep ≥3 times per week and actigraphy‐estimated sleep duration <6 h). Using separate logistic regression models in men and women, we evaluated the cross‐sectional associations between predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors for ISSD, as compared with normal sleep (no insomnia and actigraphy‐estimated sleep duration of 6–9 h).

Results

Overall, 20.6% of older men and 12.8% of older women had insomnia with short sleep duration. Multiple predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors were cross‐sectionally associated with ISSD in both men and women. In multivariable models that adjusted for predisposing factors (demographics, multimorbidity, obesity), precipitating (depression, anxiety, central nervous system‐active medication use, restless legs syndrome) and perpetuating (napping, falls) factors were significantly associated with ISSD in men and women (adjusted odds ratios ranging 1.63–4.57).

Conclusions

In this cross‐sectional study of community‐living older men and women, ISSD was common and associated with multiple predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors, akin to a multifactorial geriatric health condition. Future work should examine causal pathways and determine whether the identified correlates represent modifiable risk factors.
Investigating ‘treat culture’ in a secure care service: a study of inpatient NHS staff on their views and opinions on weight gain and treat giving for patients in a forensic secure care service
Authors: Attala Anita , Smith Jo , Lake Amelia A. , Giles Emma
Published: December 2022

Background

Obesity is a significant health inequality within forensic secure care mental health/learning disability inpatient settings. Patients may be at increased risk of developing preventable long‐term conditions/premature death. This study investigated staff views on patient weight gain, how it affects patients and how to better manage patient weight in this setting. Furthermore, the research explored the culture of food being used as a ‘treat’ and the perceived impact of ‘treats’ on weight.

Methods

A two‐phase mixed methods approach was taken to explore staff views on patient weight gain and the ‘treat’ culture on adult forensic secure care inpatient wards in one NHS Mental Health Trust in the north‐east of England. Phase one was an online survey, and phase two consisted of semi‐structured qualitative interviews. The quantitative survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Thematic analysis was used for the open‐ended survey questions and interview data.

Results

The survey had 49 responses out of a possible 380 (13%). Ninety‐two per cent of staff participants viewed patient weight gain as an area for concern, citing a range of reasons for weight gain. Weight gain was considered a risk to developing long‐term health conditions and poor mental health. Nine participants were interviewed. Six themes were identified suggesting why patients might gain weight in forensic secure care, for example, patient history, staff behaviours, the surrounding ‘treat’ culture in this environment, along with suggestions of what could be improved to manage patient weight.

Conclusions

People detained in forensic secure care may be more at risk of weight gain due to their history, the secure care environment and the ‘treat’ culture adopted in these environments.
Implementation considerations of deprescribing interventions: A scoping review
Authors: Wang Jinjiao , Shen Jenny Y. , Conwell Yeates , Podsiadly Eric J. , Caprio Thomas V. , Nathan Kobi , Yu Fang , Ramsdale Erika E. , Fick Donna M. , Mixon Amanda S. , Simmons Sandra F.
Published: December 2022

Over half of older adults experience polypharmacy, including medications that may be inappropriate or unnecessary. Deprescribing, which is the process of discontinuing or reducing inappropriate and/or unnecessary medications, is an effective way to reduce polypharmacy. This review summarizes (1) the process of deprescribing and conceptual models and tools that have been developed to facilitate deprescribing, (2) barriers, enablers, and factors associated with deprescribing, and (3) characteristics of deprescribing interventions in completed trials, as well as (4) implementation considerations for deprescribing in routine practice. In conceptual models of deprescribing, multilevel factors of the patient, clinician, and health‐care system are all related to the efficacy of deprescribing. Numerous tools have been developed for clinicians to facilitate deprescribing, yet most require substantial time and, thus, may be difficult to implement during routine health‐care encounters. Multiple deprescribing interventions have been evaluated, which mostly include one or more of the following components: patient education, medication review, identification of deprescribing targets, and patient and/or provider communication about high‐risk medications. Yet, there has been limited consideration of implementation factors in prior deprescribing interventions, especially with regard to the personnel and resources in existing health‐care systems and the feasibility of incorporating components of deprescribing interventions into the routine care processes of clinicians. Future trials require a more balanced consideration of both effectiveness and implementation when designing deprescribing interventions.
Genome‐wide RAD sequencing data suggest predominant role of vicariance in Sino‐Japanese disjunction of the monotypic genus Conandron (Gesneriaceae)
Authors: Ling Shao‐Jun , Yao Xiao‐Lan , Caujapé‐Castells Juli , López‐Pujol Jordi , Tan Ke , Ren Ming‐Xun
Published: December 2022

Disjunct distribution is a key issue in biogeography and ecology, but it is often difficult to determine the relative roles of dispersal vs. vicariance in disjunctions. We studied the phylogeographic pattern of the monotypic Conandron ramondioides (Gesneriaceae), which shows Sino‐Japanese disjunctions, with ddRAD sequencing based on a comprehensive sampling of 11 populations from mainland China, Taiwan Island, and Japan. We found a very high degree of genetic differentiation among these three regions, with very limited gene flow and a clear Isolation by Distance pattern. Mainland China and Japan clades diverged first from a widespread ancestral population in the middle Miocene, followed by a later divergence between mainland China and Taiwan Island clades in the early Pliocene. Three current groups have survived in various glacial refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum, and experienced contraction and/or bottlenecks since their divergence during Quaternary glacial cycles, with strong niche divergence between mainland China + Japan and Taiwan Island ranges. Thus, we verified a predominant role of vicariance in the current disjunction of the monotypic genus Conandron. The sharp phylogenetic separation, ecological niche divergence among these three groups, and the great number of private alleles in all populations sampled indicated a considerable time of independent evolution, and suggests the need for a taxonomic survey to detect potentially overlooked taxa.
How long does a brachiopod shell last on a seafloor? Modern mid‐bathyal environments as taphonomic analogues of continental shelves prior to the Mesozoic Marine Revolution
Authors: Tomašových Adam , García‐Ramos Diego A. , Nawrot Rafał , Nebelsick James H. , Zuschin Martin
Published: December 2022

Carbonate skeletal remains are altered and disintegrate at yearly to decadal scales in present‐day shallow‐marine environments with intense bioerosion and dissolution. Present‐day brachiopod death assemblages are invariably characterized by poor preservation on continental shelves, and abundant articulated shells of brachiopods with complete brachidia are thus not expected to be preserved if not rapidly buried. However, such preservation is paradoxically observed in shallow‐water Palaeozoic and Mesozoic brachiopod assemblages. Here, we show that a bathyal death assemblage time‐averaged to several millennia (Adriatic Sea) consists of sediment‐filled articulated shells of Gryphus vitreus with complete brachidia. Post‐mortem age distributions indicate that disintegration half‐lives exceed several centuries (c. 500–1700 years). The high frequency of articulated but centuries‐old shells (>50%) and the fitting of taphonomic models to post‐mortem ages indicate that disarticulation half‐life is unusually long (c. 200 years). Rapid sediment filling of shells: (1) inhibited disarticulation, loop fragmentation and colonization by coelobites; and (2) induced precipitation of ferromanganese oxides at redox fronts within shells. Sediment‐filled articulated shells, however, still resided at the sediment–water interface as indicated by encrusters and sponges that infested them after death. Sediment‐filled shells disintegrated through bioerosion and physical wear when residence in the taphonomically active zone exceeded c. 2000 years. We suggest that the articulation paradox is driven by the Mesozoic Marine Revolution (MMR) that escalated predation, bioturbation and organic matter recycling, all intensifying shell disintegration. A scenario with slow disarticulation in bathyal environments may have lead to preservation of articulated shells in shallow‐water assemblages prior to the MMR.
Cutaneous lesions and mitochondrial hearing loss: A case report
Authors: Moreno‐Artero Ester , Imizcoz Teresa , Prieto Carlos , Manrique Raquel , González‐Cañete Marta , Manrique Manuel , Torrelo Antonio
Published: December 2022

Pathogenic sequence changes in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are one of the most common causes of genetic hearing loss. We report an infant with palmoplantar hyperkeratosis, extrapalmoplantar cutaneous features and mitochondrial sensorineural hearing loss caused by the previously reported pathogenic NC_012920:m.7445A > G sequence change in the mitochondrial gene COX1 (COX1, MT‐CO1). Next generation sequencing‐ based technology was key for the diagnosis and management of this patient.
Evaluation of Antifungal Activity and Potential Application as Fluorescent Probes of Indolenine and Benzo[e]Indole‐Based Squarylium Dyes
Authors: Gomes Vanessa S. D. , Ferreira João C. C. , Boto Renato E. , Almeida Paulo , Fernandes José R. , Sousa Maria João , Reis Lucinda V. , Gonçalves M. Sameiro T.
Published: December 2022

The antifungal performance and the possible use as fluorescent probes of a series of squarylium dyes derived from indolenine and benzo[e]indole previously synthesized was evaluated. Some photophysical properties were performed in ethanol and phosphate buffer, and the type of aggregates form in phosphate buffer was analyzed. Using the 1,3‐diphenylisobenzofuran assay, a qualitative assessment of the capacity of dyes to produce singlet oxygen after irradiation was performed. Regarding the antifungal activity, this was studied through a broth microdilution assay using Saccharomyces cerevisiae PYCC 4072 as a biological model. The effect of irradiation of the dyes, with an appropriate light emitting diode system, on the antifungal activity was also evaluated, and it was verified that some of the dyes improve their activity after irradiation. Using fluorescence microscopy techniques, the colocalization of dyes in S. cerevisae cells was investigated and it was possible to verify that some of the squarylium dyes with a barbituric moiety in the four‐membered central ring stained and accumulated preferentially in the mitochondrial web and perinuclear membrane of the cells. The possible use as a fluorescent probe for the detection of HSA was also evaluated for one of the dyes of the series, demonstrating a linear variation in the fluorescence intensity accompanied by the increase in the protein concentration.