bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pretherapeutic Assessment of Pancreatic Cancer: Comparison of FDG PET/CT Plus Delayed PET/MR and Contrast-Enhanced CT/MR
Authors: Zhang Zaizhu , Zhou Nina , Guo Xiaoyi , Li Nan , Zhu Hua , Yang Zhi
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This study aims to determine the diagnostic performance of whole-body FDG PET/CT plus delayed abdomen PET/MR imaging in the pretherapeutic assessment of pancreatic cancer in comparison with that of contrast-enhanced (CE)-CT/MR imaging.

Materials and Methods

Forty patients with pancreatic cancer underwent nonenhanced whole-body FDG PET/CT, delayed abdomen PET/MR imaging, and CE-CT/MR imaging. Two nuclear medicine physicians independently reviewed these images and discussed to reach a consensus, determining tumor resectability according to a 5-point scale, N stage (N0 or N positive), and M stage (M0 or M1). With use of clinical-surgical-pathologic findings as the reference standard, diagnostic performances of the two imaging sets were compared by using the McNemar test.

Results

The diagnostic performance of FDG PET/CT plus delayed PET/MR imaging was not significantly different from that of CE-CT/MR imaging in the assessment of tumor resectability [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.927 vs. 0.925 (p = 0.975)], N stage (accuracy: 80% (16 of 20 patients) vs. 55% (11 of 20 patients), p = 0.125), and M stage (accuracy: 100% (40 of 40 patients) vs. 93% (37 of 40 patients), p = 0.250). Moreover, 14 of 40 patients had liver metastases. The number of liver metastases detected by CE-CT/MR imaging, PET/CT, and PET/MR imaging were 33, 18, and 61, respectively. Compared with CE-CT/MR imaging, PET/MR imaging resulted in additional findings of more liver metastases in 9/14 patients, of which 3 patients were upstaged. Compared with PET/CT, PET/MR imaging resulted in additional findings of more liver metastases in 12/14 patients, of which 6 patients were upstaged.

Conclusions

Although FDG PET/CT plus delayed PET/MR imaging showed a diagnostic performance similar to that of CE-CT/MR imaging in the pretherapeutic assessment of the resectability and staging of pancreatic tumors, it still has potential as the more efficient and reasonable work-up approach for the additional value of metastatic information provided by delayed PET/MR imaging.
Apparent Diffusion Coefficient-Based Convolutional Neural Network Model Can Be Better Than Sole Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Improve the Differentiation of Invasive Breast Cancer From Breast Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
Authors: Yin Haolin , Jiang Yu , Xu Zihan , Huang Wenjun , Chen Tianwu , Lin Guangwu
Published: January 2022

Background and Purpose

Breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has no metastatic potential, and has better clinical outcomes compared with invasive breast cancer (IBC). Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can adaptively extract features and may achieve higher efficiency in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-based tumor invasion assessment. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of constructing an ADC-based CNN model to discriminate DCIS from IBC.

Methods

The study retrospectively enrolled 700 patients with primary breast cancer between March 2006 and June 2019 from our hospital, and randomly selected 560 patients as the training and validation sets (ratio of 3 to 1), and 140 patients as the internal test set. An independent external test set of 102 patients during July 2019 and May 2021 from a different scanner of our hospital was selected as the primary cohort using the same criteria. In each set, the status of tumor invasion was confirmed by pathologic examination. The CNN model was constructed to discriminate DCIS from IBC using the training and validation sets. The CNN model was evaluated using the internal and external tests, and compared with the discriminating performance using the mean ADC. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated to evaluate the performance of the previous model.

Results

The AUCs of the ADC-based CNN model using the internal and external test sets were larger than those of the mean ADC (AUC: 0.977 vs. 0.866, P = 0.001; and 0.926 vs. 0.845, P = 0.096, respectively). Regarding the internal test set and external test set, the ADC-based CNN model yielded sensitivities of 0.893 and 0.873, specificities of 0.929 and 0.894, and accuracies of 0.907 and 0.902, respectively. Regarding the two test sets, the mean ADC showed sensitivities of 0.845 and 0.818, specificities of 0.821 and 0.829, and accuracies of 0.836 and 0.824, respectively. Using the ADC-based CNN model, the prediction only takes approximately one second for a single lesion.

Conclusion

The ADC-based CNN model can improve the differentiation of IBC from DCIS with higher accuracy and less time.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Active, Multiorgan, Severe cGVHD After HSCT for Adolescent ALL: More Luck Than Understanding? A Case Report
Authors: Zubarovskaya Natalia , Hofer-Popow Irene , Idzko Marco , Haas Oskar A. , Lawitschka Anita
Published: January 2022

Graft-vs. -host disease (GvHD) is a serious and complex immunological complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and is associated with prolonged immunodeficiency and non-relapse mortality. Standard treatment of chronic GvHD comprises steroids in combination with other immunosuppressive agents. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), with its immunomodulatory mechanism, is applied as part of steroid-sparing regimens for chronic GvHD. Immunocompromised, chronically ill patients are at particular risk of severe disease courses of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. T-cell immunity in SARS-CoV-2 infection is well-described but the role of the humoral immune responses is not fully understood. This case report describes a moderate course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a patient <9 months after HSCT who was suffering from active, severe, chronic GvHD treated with prednisone and ECP. Following HSCT from a matched unrelated donor to cure acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, the 25-year-old male patient experienced multiple infectious complications associated with cytopenia, B-cell dyshomeostasis and autoantibody production followed by development of severe chronic GvHD thereafter at day +212. The steroid-sparing treatment plan consisted of supportive care, topical treatment, prednisone and ECP. He was diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection at day +252, experiencing loss of smell and taste as well as a cough. The patient's oxygen saturation was between 94 and 97% on room air, and computed tomography images showed evolution of typical of SARS-CoV-2 infiltrates. In addition to cytopenia and immune dyshomeostasis, laboratory tests confirmed macrophage activating syndrome, transaminitis and Epstein-Barr virus viraemia. At that time, anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies were not available in Austria and remdesivir seemed contraindicated. Surprisingly, despite severe lymphopenia the patient developed SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies within 15 days, which was followed by clearance of SARS-CoV-2 and EBV with resolution of symptoms. Thereafter, parameters of immune dysregulation such as lymphopenia and B-cell dyshomeostasis, the latter characterised by elevated CD21low B cells and autoantibody expression, normalised. Moreover, we observed complete response of active chronic GvHD to treatment.
Cardiopulmonary Function Assessment in Children With Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Authors: Teng Li Yun , Tsai Sen Wei , Hsiao Chun Yuan , Sung Wei Hung , Lin Ko Long
Published: January 2022

Objective

Pulmonary valve (PV) stenosis affects cardiac pulmonary function and exercise performance. A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) combined with a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) can measure exercise performance, disease progression, and treatment effects. We assessed the exercise capacity in children with PV stenosis by conducting CPET and TTE.

Methods

From 2005 to 2021, 84 patients with PV stenosis aged 6–18 years were enrolled; 43 were treated with balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) (Group A), and 41 received follow-up care (Group B), and their CPET and pulmonary function test results were compared with 84 healthy, matched individuals (Control). We also conducted TTE to compare the peak pulmonary artery pulse wave velocity and pulmonary valve (PV) area before and after catheterization and follow-up care.

Results

There were no significant differences among the CPET parameters of the patient groups and controls in anaerobic metabolic equivalent (MET) (group A: 6.44 ± 0.58; group B: 6.28 ± 0.47, control: 6.92 ± 0.39, p = 0.110), peak MET (group A: 9.32 ± 0.74; group B: 9.13 ± 0.63; control: 9.80 ± 0.52, p = 0.263), and heart rate recovery (group A: 28.04 ± 4.70; group B: 26.44 ± 3.43, control:26.10 ± 2.42, p = 0.718). No significant differences were found in the pulmonary functions between the three groups. The pulmonary artery pulse wave velocity significantly decreased after catheterization (3.97 ± 1.50 vs. 1.95 ± 0.94, p < 0.0001), but not after follow-up care (1.67 ± 0.77 vs. 1.75 ± 0.66, p = 0.129). The pulmonary vale area significantly improved in group A (0.89 ± 0.71 vs. 1.16 ± 0.58, p < 0.0001), whereas only insignificant progression of PV stenosis was observed in group B (1.60 ± 0.64 vs. 1.57 ± 0.65, p = 0.110).

Conclusions

Patients treated with BPV had a similar exercise capacity with that of patients under follow-up care and the healthy controls. Larger or multi-center studies should be conducted to confirm the physical fitness of pediatric patients with PV stenosis after management.
Targeting HSP90 Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis Through AKT1/ERK Pathway in Lung Cancer
Authors: Niu Mengyuan , Zhang Bin , Li Li , Su Zhonglan , Pu Wenyuan , Zhao Chen , Wei Lulu , Lian Panpan , Lu Renwei , Wang Ranran , Wazir Junaid , Gao Qian , Song Shiyu , Wang Hongwei
Published: January 2022

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers worldwide. Searching for specific cancer targets and developing efficient therapies with lower toxicity is urgently needed. HPS90 is a key chaperon protein that has multiple client proteins involved in the development of cancer. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional levels of HSP90 isoforms in cancerous and normal tissues of lung cancer patients in multiple datasets. The higher expression of HSP90AA1 in cancer tissues correlated with poorer overall survival was observed. The higher levels of transcription and expression of HSP90AA1 and the activity of AKT1/ERK pathways were confirmed in lung cancer patient tissues. In both human and mouse lung cancer cell lines, knocking down HSP90AA1 promoted cell apoptosis through the inhibition of the pro-survival effect of AKT1 by decreasing the phosphorylation of itself and its downstream factors of mTOR and BAD, as well as downregulating Mcl1, Bcl-xl, and Survivin. The knockdown also suppressed lung cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting ERK activation and downregulating CyclinD1 expression. The treatment of 17-DMAG, an HSP90 inhibitor, recaptured these effects in vitro and inhibited tumor cell growth, and induced apoptosis without obvious side effects in lung tumor xenograft mouse models. This study suggests that targeting HSP90 by 17-DMAG could be a potential therapy for the treatment of lung cancer.
Anti-Liver Fibrosis Activity and the Potential Mode of Action of Ruangan Granules: Integrated Network Pharmacology and Metabolomics
Authors: Shang Xiaofei , Yuan Huixin , Dai Lixia , Liu Yang , He Jian , Chen Huan , Li Hongyan , Li Xiuhui
Published: January 2022

Ruangan granules (RGGs) have been used to treat liver fibrosis with good clinical efficacy for many years. However, the potential mechanism of action of RGGs against liver fibrosis is still unclear. In this study, we evaluated the quality and safety of this preparation and aimed to explore the anti-liver fibrosis activity and potential mode of action of RGGs using network pharmacology and metabolomics. The results showed that RGGs contained abundant ferulic acid, salvianolic acid B and paeoniflorin, and at the given contents and doses, RGGs were safe and presented anti-liver fibrosis activity. They presented anti-liver fibrosis activity by improving liver function (ALT and AST, p < 0.01) and pathology and decreasing fibrosis markers in the serum of rats caused by CCl4, including HA, LN, PC III, HYP, CoII-V, and α-SMA, and the oxidant stress and inflammatory response were also alleviated in a dose-dependent manner, especially for high-dose RGGs (p < 0.01). Further studies showed that RGGs inhibited the activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in rats induced by CCl4, regulated pyrimidine metabolism, improved oxidative stress and the inflammatory response by regulating mitochondrial morphology, and alleviated liver fibrosis. Luteolin, quercetin, morin and kaempferol were active compounds and presented the cytotoxicity toward to LX-02 cells. This study provides an overall view of the mechanism underlying the action of RGGs protecting against liver fibrosis.
Neuroprotective Effect of Daidzein Extracted From Pueraria lobate Radix in a Stroke Model Via the Akt/mTOR/BDNF Channel
Authors: Zheng Meizhu , Zhou Mi , Chen Minghui , Lu Yao , Shi Dongfang , Wang Jing , Liu Chunming
Published: January 2022

Daidzein is a plant isoflavonoid primarily isolated from Pueraria lobate Radix as the dry root of P. lobata (Wild.) Ohwi, have long been used as nutraceutical and medicinal herb in China. Despite the report that daidzein can prevent neuronal damage and improve outcome in experimental stroke, the mechanisms of this neuroprotective action have been not fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine whether the daidzein elicits beneficial actions in a stroke model, namely, cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, and to reveal the underlying neuroprotective mechanisms associated with the regulation of Akt/mTOR/BDNF signal pathway. The results showed that I/R, daidzein treatment significantly improved neurological deficits, infarct volume, and brain edema at 20 and 30 mg/kg, respectively. Meanwhile, it was found out that the pretreatment with daidzein at 20 and 30 mg/kg evidently improved striatal dopamine and its metabolite levels. In addition, daidzein treatment reduced the cleaved Caspase-3 level but enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt, BAD and mTOR. Moreover, daidzein at 30 mg/kg treatment enhanced the expression of BDNF and CREB significantly. This protective effect of daidzein was ameliorated by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway using LY294002. To sum up, our results demonstrated that daidzein could protect animals against ischemic damage through the regulation of the Akt/mTOR/BDNF channel, and the present study may facilitate the therapeutic research of stroke.
Data Sources for Drug Utilization Research in Brazil—DUR-BRA Study
Authors: Leal Lisiane Freitas , Osorio-de-Castro Claudia Garcia Serpa , Souza Luiz Júpiter Carneiro de , Ferre Felipe , Mota Daniel Marques , Ito Marcia , Elseviers Monique , Lima Elisangela da Costa , Zimmernan Ivan Ricardo , Fulone Izabela , Carvalho-Soares Monica Da Luz , Lopes Luciane Cruz
Published: January 2022

Background: In Brazil, studies that map electronic healthcare databases in order to assess their suitability for use in pharmacoepidemiologic research are lacking. We aimed to identify, catalogue, and characterize Brazilian data sources for Drug Utilization Research (DUR).

Methods: The present study is part of the project entitled, “Publicly Available Data Sources for Drug Utilization Research in Latin American (LatAm) Countries.” A network of Brazilian health experts was assembled to map secondary administrative data from healthcare organizations that might provide information related to medication use. A multi-phase approach including internet search of institutional government websites, traditional bibliographic databases, and experts’ input was used for mapping the data sources. The reviewers searched, screened and selected the data sources independently; disagreements were resolved by consensus. Data sources were grouped into the following categories: 1) automated databases; 2) Electronic Medical Records (EMR); 3) national surveys or datasets; 4) adverse event reporting systems; and 5) others. Each data source was characterized by accessibility, geographic granularity, setting, type of data (aggregate or individual-level), and years of coverage. We also searched for publications related to each data source.

Results: A total of 62 data sources were identified and screened; 38 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion and were fully characterized. We grouped 23 (60%) as automated databases, four (11%) as adverse event reporting systems, four (11%) as EMRs, three (8%) as national surveys or datasets, and four (11%) as other types. Eighteen (47%) were classified as publicly and conveniently accessible online; providing information at national level. Most of them offered more than 5 years of comprehensive data coverage, and presented data at both the individual and aggregated levels. No information about population coverage was found. Drug coding is not uniform; each data source has its own coding system, depending on the purpose of the data. At least one scientific publication was found for each publicly available data source.

Conclusions: There are several types of data sources for DUR in Brazil, but a uniform system for drug classification and data quality evaluation does not exist. The extent of population covered by year is unknown. Our comprehensive and structured inventory reveals a need for full characterization of these data sources.
Modeling Complex Networks Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Song Wenbo , Sheng Wei , Li Dong , Wu Chong , Ma Jun
Published: January 2022

The network topology of complex networks evolves dynamically with time. How to model the internal mechanism driving the dynamic change of network structure is the key problem in the field of complex networks. The models represented by WS, NW, BA usually assume that the evolution of network structure is driven by nodes’ passive behaviors based on some restrictive rules. However, in fact, network nodes are intelligent individuals, which actively update their relations based on experience and environment. To overcome this limitation, we attempt to construct a network model based on deep reinforcement learning, named as NMDRL. In the new model, each node in complex networks is regarded as an intelligent agent, which reacts with the agents around it for refreshing its relationships at every moment. Extensive experiments show that our model not only can generate networks owing the properties of scale-free and small-world, but also reveal how community structures emerge and evolve. The proposed NMDRL model is helpful to study propagation, game, and cooperation behaviors in networks.
Simulated Annealing-Based Image Reconstruction for Patients With COVID-19 as a Model for Ultralow-Dose Computed Tomography
Authors: Qureshi Shahzad Ahmad , Rehman Aziz Ul , Mir Adil Aslam , Rafique Muhammad , Muhammad Wazir
Published: January 2022

The proposed algorithm of inverse problem of computed tomography (CT), using limited views, is based on stochastic techniques, namely simulated annealing (SA). The selection of an optimal cost function for SA-based image reconstruction is of prime importance. It can reduce annealing time, and also X-ray dose rate accompanying better image quality. In this paper, effectiveness of various cost functions, namely universal image quality index (UIQI), root-mean-squared error (RMSE), structural similarity index measure (SSIM), mean absolute error (MAE), relative squared error (RSE), relative absolute error (RAE), and root-mean-squared logarithmic error (RMSLE), has been critically analyzed and evaluated for ultralow-dose X-ray CT of patients with COVID-19. For sensitivity analysis of this ill-posed problem, the stochastically estimated images of lung phantom have been reconstructed. The cost function analysis in terms of computational and spatial complexity has been performed using image quality measures, namely peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), Euclidean error (EuE), and weighted peak signal-to-noise ratio (WPSNR). It has been generalized for cost functions that RMSLE exhibits WPSNR of 64.33 ± 3.98 dB and 63.41 ± 2.88 dB for 8 × 8 and 16 × 16 lung phantoms, respectively, and it has been applied for actual CT-based image reconstruction of patients with COVID-19. We successfully reconstructed chest CT images of patients with COVID-19 using RMSLE with eighteen projections, a 10-fold reduction in radiation dose exposure. This approach will be suitable for accurate diagnosis of patients with COVID-19 having less immunity and sensitive to radiation dose.
The Contribution of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells to Clearance of Therapeutic Antibody
Authors: James Bethany H. , Papakyriacou Pantelitsa , Gardener Matthew J. , Gliddon Louise , Weston Christopher J. , Lalor Patricia F.
Published: January 2022

Many chronic inflammatory diseases are treated by administration of “biological” therapies in terms of fully human and humanized monoclonal antibodies or Fc fusion proteins. These tools have widespread efficacy and are favored because they generally exhibit high specificity for target with a low toxicity. However, the design of clinically applicable humanized antibodies is complicated by the need to circumvent normal antibody clearance mechanisms to maintain therapeutic dosing, whilst avoiding development of off target antibody dependent cellular toxicity. Classically, professional phagocytic immune cells are responsible for scavenging and clearance of antibodyviainteractions with the Fc portion. Immune cells such as macrophages, monocytes, and neutrophils express Fc receptor subsets, such as the FcγR that can then clear immune complexes. Another, the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) is key to clearance of IgGin vivoand serum half-life of antibody is explicitly linked to function of this receptor. The liver is a site of significant expression of FcRn and indeed several hepatic cell populations including Kupffer cells and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC), play key roles in antibody clearance. This combined with the fact that the liver is a highly perfused organ with a relatively permissive microcirculation means that hepatic binding of antibody has a significant effect on pharmacokinetics of clearance. Liver disease can alter systemic distribution or pharmacokinetics of antibody-based therapies and impact on clinical effectiveness, however, few studies document the changes in key membrane receptors involved in antibody clearance across the spectrum of liver disease. Similarly, the individual contribution of LSEC scavenger receptors to antibody clearance in a healthy or chronically diseased organ is not well characterized. This is an important omission since pharmacokinetic studies of antibody distribution are often based on studies in healthy individuals and thus may not reflect the picture in an aging or chronically diseased population. Therefore, in this review we consider the expression and function of key antibody-binding receptors on LSEC, and the features of therapeutic antibodies which may accentuate clearance by the liver. We then discuss the implications of this for the design and utility of monoclonal antibody-based therapies.
Breeding System and Response of the Pollinator to Floral Larceny and Florivory Define the Reproductive Success in Aerides odorata
Authors: Adit Arjun , Singh Vineet Kumar , Koul Monika , Tandon Rajesh
Published: January 2022

Consumption of pollination reward by felonious means in a plant species can influence the foraging behavior of its pollinator and eventually the reproductive success. So far, studies on this aspect are largely confined to interaction involving plant-pollinators and nectar robbers or thieves. However, a foraging guild in such interactions may also include floral herbivores or florivores. There is a paucity of information on the extent to which nectar larcenists may influence the foraging behavior of the pollinator and reproductive fitness of plants in the presence of a florivore. We investigated various forms of larceny in the natural populations of Aerides odorata, a pollinator-dependent and nectar-rewarding orchid. These populations differed in types of foraging guild, the extent of larceny (thieving/robbing), which can occur with or without florivory, and natural fruit-set pattern. The nectariferous spur of the flower serves as an organ of interest among the foraging insects. While florivory marked by excision of nectary dissuades the pollinator, nectar thieving and robbing significantly enhance visits of the pollinator and fruit-set. Experimental pollinations showed that the species is a preferential outbreeder and experiences inbreeding depression from selfing. Reproductive fitness of the orchid species varies significantly with the extent of floral larceny. Although nectar thieving or robbing is beneficial in this self-compatible species, the negative effects of florivory were stronger. Our findings suggest that net reproductive fitness in the affected plant species is determined by the overarching effect of its breeding system on the overall interacting framework of the foraging guild.
Advancing Endodormancy Release in Temperate Fruit Trees Using Agrochemical Treatments
Authors: Guillamón Jesús Guillamón , Dicenta Federico , Sánchez-Pérez Raquel
Published: January 2022

Endodormancy in temperate fruit trees likePrunusis a protector state that allows the trees to survive in the adverse conditions of autumn and winter. During this process, plants accumulate chill hours. Flower buds require a certain number of chill hours to release from endodormancy, known as chilling requirements. This step is crucial for proper flowering and fruit set, since incomplete fulfillment of the chilling requirements produces asynchronous flowering, resulting in low quality flowers, and fruits. In recent decades, global warming has endangered this chill accumulation. Because of this fact, many agrochemicals have been used to promote endodormancy release. One of the first and most efficient agrochemicals used for this purpose was hydrogen cyanamide. The application of this agrochemical has been found to advance endodormancy release and synchronize flowering time, compressing the flowering period and increasing production in many species, including apple, grapevine, kiwi, and peach. However, some studies have pointed to the toxicity of this agrochemical. Therefore, other non-toxic agrochemicals have been used in recent years. Among them, Erger®+ Activ Erger®and Syncron®+ NitroActive®have been the most popular alternatives. These two treatments have been shown to efficiently advance endodormancy release in most of the species in which they have been applied. In addition, other less popular agrochemicals have also been applied, but their efficiency is still unclear. In recent years, several studies have focused on the biochemical and genetic variation produced by these treatments, and significant variations have been observed in reactive oxygen species, abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellin (GA) levels and in the genes responsible for their biosynthesis. Given the importance of this topic, future studies should focus on the discovery and development of new environmentally friendly agrochemicals for improving the modulation of endodormancy release and look more deeply into the effects of these treatments in plants.
A Two-Person Neuroscience Approach for Social Anxiety: A Paradigm With Interbrain Synchrony and Neurofeedback
Authors: Saul Marcia A. , He Xun , Black Stuart , Charles Fred
Published: January 2022

Social anxiety disorder has been widely recognised as one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders. Individuals with social anxiety disorder experience difficulties during social interactions that are essential in the regular functioning of daily routines; perpetually motivating research into the aetiology, maintenance and treatment methods. Traditionally, social and clinical neuroscience studies incorporated protocols testing one participant at a time. However, it has been recently suggested that such protocols are unable to directly assess social interaction performance, which can be revealed by testing multiple individuals simultaneously. The principle of two-person neuroscience highlights the interpersonal aspect of social interactions that observes behaviour and brain activity from both (or all) constituents of the interaction, rather than analysing on an individual level or an individual observation of a social situation. Therefore, two-person neuroscience could be a promising direction for assessment and intervention of the social anxiety disorder. In this paper, we propose a novel paradigm which integrates two-person neuroscience in a neurofeedback protocol. Neurofeedback and interbrain synchrony, a branch of two-person neuroscience, are discussed in their own capacities for their relationship with social anxiety disorder and relevance to the paradigm. The newly proposed paradigm sets out to assess the social interaction performance using interbrain synchrony between interacting individuals, and to employ a multi-user neurofeedback protocol for intervention of the social anxiety.
Finding Someone to Blame: The Link Between COVID-19 Conspiracy Beliefs, Prejudice, Support for Violence, and Other Negative Social Outcomes
Authors: Šrol Jakub , Čavojová Vladimíra , Ballová Mikušková Eva
Published: January 2022

One of the appeals of conspiracy theories in times of crises is that they provide someone to blame for what has happened. Thereby, they increase distrust, negative feelings, and hostility toward implicated actors, whether those are powerful social outgroups or one’s own government representatives. Two studies reported here examine associations of COVID-19 conspiracy theories with prejudice, support for violence, and other and negative social outcomes. In Study 1 (N = 501), the endorsement of the more specific conspiracy theories about the alleged role of China was associated with more prejudiced views of Chinese and Italian people. In Study 2 (N = 1024), lowered trust in government regulations and increased hostility associated with the COVID-19 and generic conspiracy beliefs were correlated with justification of and willingness to engage in non-compliance with regulations, violent attacks on 5G masts, and anti-government protests. Across both of the studies, higher exposure to news about COVID-19 was associated with lower endorsement of conspiracy theories, but also with increased feelings of anxiety and lack of control, which in turn were correlated with higher COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs endorsement. We highlight the potential social problems which are associated with the wide-spread endorsement of COVID-19 conspiracy theories.
Justification of Sentencing Decisions: Development of a Ratio-Based Measure Tested on Child Neglect Cases
Authors: Watamura Eiichiro , Ioku Tomohiro , Wakebe Toshihiro
Published: January 2022

Theoretically, people’s justification of a sentencing decision involves a hybrid structure comprising retribution, incapacitation, general deterrence, and rehabilitation. In this study, a new ratio-type measure was developed to assess this structure and was tested to detect changes in the weighting of justification according to the content emphasized in a particular crime. Two child neglect scenarios were presented to participants, where they read either a severe-damage scenario (where a single mother’s selfish neglect caused her son’s death) or a moderate-damage scenario (where a single mother became apathetic due to economic deprivation and caused her child’s debilitation). Participants then indicated the proportion of importance they placed on each justification in determining the defendant’s punishment, with an overall proportion of 100%, along with responding to the sentence on an 11-point scale. This study involved a two-factor analysis of variance for justification ratios, at-test for the sentence, and a multiple regression analysis with three demographic variables, the four justifications as independent variables, and the sentence as the dependent variable. The ratio of retribution to rehabilitation was reversed depending on the scenario: in the severe-damage scenario, retribution was weighted highest at 27.0% and rehabilitation was weighted at only 19.0%. By contrast, in the moderate-damage scenario, rehabilitation had the highest weighting of about 26.2%, while retribution was weighted at 21.5%. The sentence was more severe in the severe-damage scenario. Multiple regression analysis suggested that in the severe-damage scenario, most participants failed to deviate from choosing retribution by default and decided on heavier sentences, while some who considered rehabilitation and incapacitation opted for lighter sentences. The present measure succeeded in detecting changes in the weighting of justification, which can be difficult to detect with common Likert Scales. In addition, it was found that not only retribution but utilitarian justification was considered in the sentencing decisions of serious cases.
Unofficial Media, Government Trust, and System Confidence Evidence From China: An Empirical Exploration of the Attitudes of Netizens Based on the Dual Moderating Effect
Authors: Chen Caijuan , Li Li , Ye Jie
Published: January 2022

Mass media has a significant impact on public support for the government. This manuscript constructs a mixed model with official media use as the moderating variable and government trust as the intermediary variable to explore the mechanism of how unofficial media use affects system confidence, using data from a survey of the political and social attitudes of netizens (2015). The study finds that official media use weakens the negative role of unofficial media use in building system confidence, with the intermediary variable of government trust creating the necessary conditions for weakening the effect of unofficial media use. Moreover, the effect of unofficial media use on system confidence is heterogeneous. These findings remind us that it is necessary to deepen research into the micromechanisms that explain how unofficial media use reduces system confidence, a task for which cognitive theory is well suited.
Becoming a Psychotherapist: Learning Practices and Identity Construction Across Communities of Practice
Authors: Alby Francesca , Zucchermaglio Cristina , Fatigante Marilena
Published: January 2022

Within a perspective that views groups as communities of practice and sites of construction of knowledge, learning, and identity, this article aims to explore the contribution that participation in different groups over the course of one’s life provides to the development of the professional practices of psychotherapist trainees enrolled in the C.O.I.R.A.G. school, an Italian graduate program in group psychotherapy. Through qualitative analyses of 10 semi-structured interviews, our study empirically shows that by participating in groups, the trainees not only learn the practices of that group but also develop a sort of meta-learning which takes place across groups. The results highlight that: (1) Transversality, duration, and informality are found to be the group properties with the highest formative value; and (2) Learning practices across different groups have common characteristics: are organized around complex topics of group life (e.g., how to manage conflicts, how to join and leave groups, etc.), began in early group experiences, are in continuous evolution, are associated with a critical event, and a negative affect. At the same time, it seems that these critical events are exactly what triggered and sustained the learning practices. Data from the interviews also showed how professional identities are constructed as the outcome of learning in different communities of practice. The study outlines how the experience made in different groups is elaborated in and through meaningful self-narratives, highlighting them as a fundamentally collective and culturally shaped sense-making process. Overall, these results contribute to a better understanding of learning processes as situated and jointly constructed through multiple group participations over time. Furthermore, they contribute to highlighting the role of self-narratives as a primary way through which trainees shape their identity as self-reflexive professionals who are competent in reading group dynamics. Directions for future research and suggestions for psychotherapist training paths are outlined in the conclusions.
Development of the Japanese Version of the State Self-Compassion Scale (SSCS-J)
Authors: Miyagawa Yuki , Tóth-Király István , Knox Marissa C. , Taniguchi Junichi , Niiya Yu
Published: January 2022

Research in the U.S. developed and validated the State Self-Compassion Scale (SSCS), which measures self-compassionate reactions toward a specific negative event. The current study is aimed at developing the Japanese version of the State Self-Compassion Scale (SSCS-J) and extending previous findings in the U.S. by showing measurement invariance across sexes and demonstrating the construct validity of this scale. Across two studies (n = 596 in Study 1, n = 474 in Study 2), the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling representation of the SSCS-J showed excellent fit in which a single global factor (i.e., self-compassion) and most of the specific factors (six subscales) were well defined. Study 1 further provided evidence for the measurement invariance across sexes. The SSCS-J was related with higher trait self-compassion and lower fear of and negative beliefs about self-compassion. In Study 2, participants who were instructed to be self-compassionate reported higher scores in the SSCS-J relative to those in the control condition. These results attest to the replicability of the factor structure of the SSCS in Japan and provide further evidence for the construct validity of this scale.
Effects of COVID-Induced Public Anxiety on European Stock Markets: Evidence From a Fear-Based Algorithmic Trading System
Authors: Sun Yunpeng , Li Haoning , Cao Yuning
Published: January 2022

The effect of COVID-induced public anxiety on stock markets, particularly in European stock market returns, is examined in this research. The search volumes for the notion of COVID-19 gathered by Google Trends and Wikipedia were used as proxies for COVID-induced public anxiety. COVID-induced public anxiety was shown to be linked with negative returns in European stock markets when a panel data method was used to a sample of data from 14 European stock markets from January 2, 2020 to September 17, 2020. Using an automated trading system, we used this finding to suggest investment methods based on COVID-induced anxiety. The findings of back-testing indicate that these techniques have the potential to generate exceptional profits. These results have significant consequences for government officials, the media, and investors.
The Effect of Electrical Stimulation–Induced Pain on Time Perception and Relationships to Pain-Related Emotional and Cognitive Factors: A Temporal Bisection Task and Questionnaire–Based Study
Authors: Weng Chun-Chun , Wang Ning , Zhang Yu-Han , Wang Jin-Yan , Luo Fei
Published: January 2022

Pain has not only sensory, but also emotional and cognitive, components. Some studies have explored the effect of pain on time perception, but the results remain controversial. Whether individual pain-related emotional and cognitive factors play roles in this process should also be explored. In this study, we investigated the effect of electrical stimulation–induced pain on interval timing using a temporal bisection task. During each task session, subjects received one of five types of stimulation randomly: no stimulus and 100 and 300 ms of non-painful and painful stimulation. Pain-related emotional and cognitive factors were measured using a series of questionnaires. The proportion of “long” judgments of a 1,200-ms visual stimulus duration was significantly smaller with 300 ms painful stimulation than with no stimulus (P < 0.0001) and 100 ms (P < 0.0001) and 300 ms (P = 0.021) non-painful stimulation. The point of subjective equality (PSE) did not differ among sessions, but the average Weber fraction (WF) was higher for painful sessions than for no-stimulus session (P = 0.022). The pain fear score correlated positively with the PSE under 100 ms non-painful (P = 0.031) and painful (P = 0.002) and 300 ms painful (P = 0.006) stimulation. Pain catastrophizing and pain anxiety scores correlated significantly with the WF under no stimulus (P = 0.005) and 100 ms non-painful stimulation (P = 0.027), respectively. These results suggest that electrical stimulation–induced pain affects temporal sensitivity, and that pain-related emotional and cognitive factors are associated with the processing of time perception.
Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Healthcare Providers: A Comparison of a Psychiatric Hospital and a General Hospital
Authors: Anzola Daniel , Limoges Jacqueline , McLean Jesse , Kolla Nathan J.
Published: January 2022

Background:

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers (HCPs) were already experiencing a higher prevalence of mental health disorders compared with non-healthcare professionals. Here, we report on the psychosocial functioning and stress resilience of HCPs who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large-sized psychiatric facility and a large acute care hospital, both located in central Ontario, Canada.

Methods:

Participants completed five validated psychometric instruments assessing depression, anxiety, and stress (The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21, DASS-21); work-related quality of life (Work-Related Quality of Life Scale, WRQoL); resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, CD-RISC); anxiety about the novel coronavirus (Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, CAS); and loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale, ULS). Participants from the psychiatric hospital (n = 94) were sampled during the easing of restrictions after the first wave in Ontario, and participants from the acute care hospital (n = 146) were sampled during the height of the second wave in Ontario.

Results:

Data showed that HCPs from the acute care hospital and psychiatric hospital reported similar scores on the psychometric scales. There were also no significant differences in psychometric scale scores between medical disciplines at the acute care hospital. Among all HCPs, being a nurse predicted better quality of life (p = 0.01) and greater stress resilience (p = 0.031).

Conclusion:

These results suggest that HCPs' psychological symptoms are similar across the hospital settings sampled. Compared to other HCPs, nurses may show a unique resiliency to the pandemic. We suggest that emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic have a pervasive effect on HCPs. It is important to address HCPs' mental health needs in terms of crisis management and improve resilience among all HCPs during the inter-crisis period before a new challenge arrives.
Digital Media Exposure and Predictors for Screen Time in 12-Month-Old Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data From a German Birth Cohort
Authors: Durham Kira , Wethmar David , Brandstetter Susanne , Seelbach-Göbel Birgit , Apfelbacher Christian , Melter Michael , Kabesch Michael , Kerzel Sebastian ,   The KUNO Kids Study Group
Published: January 2022

Background: Early exposure to digital media may affect the physical and cognitive development in young children. The American Academy of Pediatrics and national guidelines recommend no digital media use at all under the age of 18 months. The aim of our study was to determine the actual exposure to digital media in 12-month-old infants and to reveal potential risk factors for screen time.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional survey, data was collected from the KUNO Kids birth cohort study using parent-report questionnaires regarding the media exposure of the study child. We determined age at first contact with different digital media, mean screen time on an average weekday, and the influence of major demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Results: Data for screen time analysis was available for 630 children. In summary, 45% of children had already been exposed to digital media by their first birthday. The most frequent first digital media exposure was the TV (33.0%) followed by smartphones (16.9%), both most commonly exposed to around the age of 8 months. On a regular weekday, 20% of the children spent 0.5–1 h in front of a TV and 9% were exposed to a smartphone for the same time frame, compared to 31% of joint parent-child media use. Predictors for screen time were having one sibling, less living space per person, and excessive TV use in the household, the latter of which doubled the chance of the child being exposed to digital media.

Conclusion: A proportion of 10% of 1-year-old children were already regularly exposed to digital media. The TV remains the most predominant device but new media, particularly smartphones, might be catching up. Our study provides further support that family TV time is a major predictor of infant screen time. Pediatric recommendations should be re-evaluated in the light of the actual exposure to digital media already in infancy and parents should be proactively counseled regarding possible effects on child development.
Adolescents Engaged in Radicalisation and Terrorism: A Dimensional and Categorical Assessment
Authors: Bronsard Guillaume , Cohen David , Diallo Issaga , Pellerin Hugues , Varnoux Aurélien , Podlipski Marc-Antoine , Gerardin Priscille , Boyer Laurent , Campelo Nicolas
Published: January 2022

Since 2010 and the founding of the Islamic State, the radicalisation phenomenon in Europe has involved more adolescents and converts to Islam than in previous Islamist terrorist group movements (e.g., Al-Qaeda). In most cases, these adolescents are “homegrown terrorists,” a challenging difference, as they are in confrontation with their home and societal environment. As a new and emerging phenomenon, radicalisation leads to many questions. Are empathic capacities altered? Are they presenting psychiatric pathologies or suicidal tendencies that explain why they put themselves in serious dangers? Are they just young delinquents who simply met a radical ideology? In January 2018, by special Justice Department authorisation, we contacted all minors (N = 31) convicted in France for “criminal association to commit terrorism.” We assessed several sociodemographic, clinical and psychological variables, including empathy and suicidality, in half of them (N = 15) and compared them with 101 teenagers convicted for non-terrorist delinquency who were placed in Closed Educational Centres (CEC). The results show that adolescents engaged in radicalisation and terrorism do not have a significant prevalence of psychiatric disorders, suicidal tendencies or lack of empathy. It also appears that they have different psychological profiles than delinquent adolescents. “Radicalised” adolescents show better intellectual skills, insight capacities and coping strategies. In addition, the manifestation of their difficulties is less externalised than adolescents from the CEC, having committed very few delinquent acts.