bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is it True Perceived Fairness can Improve Employee Performance ?
Authors: Khotob Umar Bin , Marlien R.A.
Published: February 2024

The performance of the State Civil Service Apparatus  can be used as a benchmark to determine the qualifications and competence of government employees, as a measure of public trust in the government. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of psychological capital and Person Organization Fit  on performance by moderating perceptions of fairness at the Pati District Health Office. This research was conducted on employees at the Pati District Health Office with a population of 107 people. The sample takes the entire population to be used as a research sample. Data analysis used validity test with matrix components, reliability test with Cronbach alpha, multiple regression analysis, t test and r2 test with adjust r2 and moderation test. The results of the study concluded that psychological capital had a positive and significant effect on the performance of employees at the Pati District Health Office. Person Organization Fit has a positive and significant effect on employee performance at the Pati District Health Office. The perception of justice is considered unable to moderate the variables of psychological capital and Person Organization Fit on performance in the Pati District Health Office.
The Effect of Content Marketing and Ewom on Purchase Intention and Brand Image
Authors: Martha Haryadi Lisya , Nuryakin Nuryakin , Arni Arni
Published: February 2024

This study aims to determine the effect of content marketing on e-wom and its impact on purchase intention. The subjects in this study were social media followers on the official accounts of several shoe brands circulating in Indonesia. The sampling technique used purposive sampling by using several criteria. The number of samples in this study was 325. Data were collected using a questionnaire with a Liker scale of 1 to 5 and will be analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling method. Based on the results of the analysis that has been carried out, it shows that content marketing has a significant positive effect on e-wom, e-wom has a significant positive effect on brand image and purchase intention, and brand image has a significant positive effect on purchase intention, and brand image is able to play a role. as a mediator between e-wom and purchase intention. In conclusion, this study accepts all the hypotheses that have been proposed.
An Analysis of Dzikrayat Muslim Fashion Business Development Strategy With Canvas Business Model Approach In Ponorogo Regency, East Java
Authors: Zarkasy Muhammad Ridlo , Kurniawan Dhika Amalia , Zuhri Ahmad Syaifudin
Published: February 2024

This research aims to develop a strategy for Dzikrayaat Muslim fashion business using a business model canvas (BMC). This used a descriptive qualitative method with SWOT analysis by samples of 4 stakeholder respondents and customers. The results show from a key partner perspective, Dzikrayaat needs to collaborate with brand ambassadors, Darussalam Gontor Boarding School graduates as new partners, agents, and distributors in marketing. From the perspective of key activities, the strategy can be done by adding product variations such as robes, headscarves, and other Muslim attributes. From the perspective of value proposition, adding the size of Muslim clothing is necessary. From the sector of customer relationships, it needs to give membership card and discount to loyal customers. For the customer segments, it adds a market of women or young mothers who are interested in Muslim fashion. From the key resources side, they have their cohesion and professional tailors. From the channels, it needs to start an online shop in the marketplace. From the perspective of revenue stream, it utilizes fabric waste for sale. Therefore, according to those results, researchers have some suggestions such as developing a strategy by adding some components to nine business blocks of the canvas model.
The Effects of Profitability, Financial Risk and Corporate Growth on Profit Management on Healthcare Companies Listed on The Indonesian Stock Exchange Period 2018-2022
Authors: Anggraini Puput Diah , Imronudin Imronudin
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact on profitability, the risk of financial failure, and the growth of the corporate with regard to profit management in healthcare companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange for the years 2018–2022. The population included in this study included thirty-two companies. In this study, 17 companies were sampled using the purposive sampling method. Documentation and case studies are the data collection methods used in this study. The type of data used is secondary data consisting of financial accounting records that are generated using the Eviews application tool. The results of the research indicate that while profitability has no significant effect on profit management. The variable of financial risk has a positive and significant effect on profit management. The corporate growth variable does not have a significant effect on profit management. Simultaneously the variables of profitability, financial risk and corporate growth have a significant influence on profit management. The Adjusted R-Squared value of 41.76% indicates the degree to which the variables of profitability, financial risk, and corporate growth influence profit management, with the remaining 58.24% being influenced by other factors.
Filtration rate and bioremediatory potential of the tropical blacklip rock oyster Saccostrea lineage J
Authors: Rennie B , Nowland SJ , Cooke IR , Strugnell JM
Published: February 2024

The tropical blacklip rock oyster Saccostrea lineage J is an emerging aquaculture species displaying fast growth rates, large sizes and resilience to fluctuations in temperature and salinity, all characteristics that suggest it would be well-suited to bioremediatory applications. To investigate their bioremediatory potential, the present study aimed to (1) determine the influence of temperature (20, 24, 28, 32°C) on the filtration rate of Saccostrea lineage J and (2) describe and quantify uptake in total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total suspended solids (TSS) and chlorophyll a (chl a), using prawn pond effluent and 2 levels of oyster stocking density. The results demonstrated that higher water temperatures promote a faster filtration rate and identified an optimal performance range of 24 to 32°C for a filtration rate of 12.68 to 15.20 l h-1 g-1. In addition, the highest density (0.66 oysters l-1) of stocked oysters resulted in significant reduction of all water quality parameters, with TN reduced by 13%, TP by 16%, TSS by 95% and chl a by 29% when compared to unstocked controls after 3 h. Tissue analysis of 10 oysters with a mean whole weight of 75.4 g revealed a mean of 0.09 g of nitrogen per oyster. Scaling these values suggests that 1.20 kg of nitrogen is removed per tonne of harvested oysters. This study is the first to investigate the bioremediatory potential of Saccostrea lineage J and demonstrates their potential to improve aquaculture wastewater treatment practices and bioremediation.
Gender and the Disruption of Patriarchy in the Crime Stories of Mariana Enríquez's Things We Lost in the Fire
Authors: Collins Shalisa M.
Published: February 2024

While Mariana Enríquez is most recognised as a writer of Gothic horror, this article explores issues of gender and power in crime stories from her collection Things We Lost in the Fire: ‘The Dirty Boy’, ‘Under the Black Water’ and ‘Things We Lost in the Fire’. Enríquez aligns herself with feminist variants of the crime genre by centring women's concerns and voices, breaking down binary and hierarchical representations of gender and sexuality and illustrating the struggles women and marginalised groups face in Argentina under patriarchy. Discussed as well are the implications of Enríquez's feminist project in contemporary crime fiction.
Aphra Behn in Crime Fiction – The Writer’s Afterlives in Recent Novels
Authors: Flothow Dorothea
Published: February 2024

As part of a wider trend of remedying the past neglect of historic women, their lives are currently being reimagined by writers and artists. This has led to a proliferation of biopics, biofiction and (popular) biographies dedicated to this task. Crime fiction writers, likewise, have approached secret, hidden lives of forgotten females. This paper examines how recent crime novels have re-created the life of the early-modern writer Aphra Behn (1640–1689), employing typical features of the genre. Aphra Behn has recently received much attention: she is famed as the first female writer to have ‘made money by [her] pen’ (Woolf), and her prose narrative Oroonoko has become central to the history of the early novel. Still, many of the details of her life have remained hidden, leaving crime writers with fascinating possibilities to explore. Next to analysing selected novels, the article examines the wider possibilities of crime writing as life-writing.
Mapping Citations and Conceptual Terms Central to the Study of Organizing and Democracy
Authors: Shoshan Aya , Oser Jennifer
Published: February 2024

How can political science researchers use citation mapping tools to refine the development of research on complex theoretical concepts? Citation mapping, a powerful research tool commonly used in the natural sciences, is not yet widely used in political science. This study illustrates citation mapping’s capabilities by producing citation maps of academic research on the term “organizing.” We describe our multi-step methodological approach for generating citation maps and demonstrate how these maps can be analyzed to produce insights about themes, potential gaps, canonical literature, and levels of dialogue across research streams. The paper concludes by outlining future research possibilities based on this study’s citation mapping approach.
The Use of Wearable Devices as a Self-Help Approach to Wellness Promotion, Overcoming Health Disparities and Reducing Medical Distrust Among African Americans
Authors: Hines Andre L. , Jones Lena , Pizzetta Candis , Berhie Girmay , Cecchetti Alfred A. , Ikem Fidelis , Azevedo Mario , Davidson Edith , White Monique , Malone Sheila
Published: February 2024

Wearable health technologies, ranging from smartwatches to fitness trackers, have developed as promising tools in health self management and disease prevention. Offering real-time monitoring, feedback, and data analytics, these devices are bridging the gap between patients and healthcare providers, potentially leading to early interventions, better patient outcomes, and heightened user engagement in personal health management. Devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers offer users real-time monitoring and analysis of various health parameters. These devices hold the promise of transforming patient engagement and empowerment and have potential implications for the broader public health landscape.
Probing long-lived radioactive isotopes on the double-logarithmic Segrè chart
Authors: Shang Haitao
Published: February 2024

Isotopes have been widely applied in a variety of scientific subjects; many aspects of isotopes, however, remain not well understood. In this study, I investigate the relation between the number of neutrons (N) and the number of protons (Z) in stable isotopes of non-radioactive elements and long-lived isotopes of radioactive elements at the double-linear scale (conventional Segrè chart) and the double-logarithmic scale. Statistical analyses show that N is a power-law function of Z for these isotopes: N = 0.73 × Z1.16. This power-law relation provides better predictions for the numbers of neutrons in stable isotopes of non-radioactive elements and long-lived isotopes of radioactive elements than the linear relation on the conventional Segrè chart. The power-law pattern reveled here offers empirical guidance for probing long-lived isotopes of unknown radioactive elements.
Promising immunotherapeutic targets for treating candidiasis
Authors: Feng Zhe , Lu Hui , Jiang Yuanying
Published: February 2024

In the last twenty years, there has been a significant increase in invasive fungal infections, which has corresponded with the expanding population of individuals with compromised immune systems. As a result, the mortality rate linked to these infections remains unacceptably high. The currently available antifungal drugs, such as azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins, face limitations in terms of their diversity, the escalating resistance of fungi and the occurrence of significant adverse effects. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new antifungal medications. Vaccines and antibodies present a promising avenue for addressing fungal infections due to their targeted antifungal properties and ability to modulate the immune response. This review investigates the structure and function of cell wall proteins, secreted proteins, and functional proteins within C. albicans. Furthermore, it seeks to analyze the current advancements and challenges in macromolecular drugs to identify new targets for the effective management of candidiasis.
Making sense of radiomics: insights on human–AI collaboration in medical interaction from an observational user study
Authors: Mlynář Jakub , Depeursinge Adrien , Prior John O. , Schaer Roger , Martroye de Joly Alexandre , Evéquoz Florian
Published: February 2024

Technologies based on “artificial intelligence” (AI) are transforming every part of our society, including healthcare and medical institutions. An example of this trend is the novel field in oncology and radiology called radiomics, which is the extracting and mining of large-scale quantitative features from medical imaging by machine-learning (ML) algorithms. This paper explores situated work with a radiomics software platform, QuantImage (v2), and interaction around it, in educationally framed hands-on trial sessions where pairs of novice users (physicians and medical radiology technicians) work on a radiomics task consisting of developing a predictive ML model with a co-present tutor. Informed by ethnomethodology and conversation analysis (EM/CA), the results show that learning about radiomics more generally and learning how to use this platform specifically are deeply intertwined. Common-sense knowledge (e.g., about meanings of colors) can interfere with the visual representation standards established in the professional domain. Participants' skills in using the platform and knowledge of radiomics are routinely displayed in the assessment of performance measures of the resulting ML models, in the monitoring of the platform's pace of operation for possible problems, and in the ascribing of independent actions (e.g., related to algorithms) to the platform. The findings are relevant to current discussions about the explainability of AI in medicine as well as issues of machinic agency.
Deep learning denoising reconstruction for improved image quality in fetal cardiac cine MRI
Authors: Vollbrecht Thomas M. , Hart Christopher , Zhang Shuo , Katemann Christoph , Sprinkart Alois M. , Isaak Alexander , Attenberger Ulrike , Pieper Claus C. , Kuetting Daniel , Geipel Annegret , Strizek Brigitte , Luetkens Julian A.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate deep learning (DL) denoising reconstructions for image quality improvement of Doppler ultrasound (DUS)-gated fetal cardiac MRI in congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods

Twenty-five fetuses with CHD (mean gestational age: 35 ± 1 weeks) underwent fetal cardiac MRI at 3T. Cine imaging was acquired using a balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) sequence with Doppler ultrasound gating. Images were reconstructed using both compressed sensing (bSSFP CS) and a pre-trained convolutional neural network trained for DL denoising (bSSFP DL). Images were compared qualitatively based on a 5-point Likert scale (from 1 = non-diagnostic to 5 = excellent) and quantitatively by calculating the apparent signal-to-noise ratio (aSNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (aCNR). Diagnostic confidence was assessed for the atria, ventricles, foramen ovale, valves, great vessels, aortic arch, and pulmonary veins.

Results

Fetal cardiac cine MRI was successful in 23 fetuses (92%), with two studies excluded due to extensive fetal motion. The image quality of bSSFP DL cine reconstructions was rated superior to standard bSSFP CS cine images in terms of contrast [3 (interquartile range: 2–4) vs. 5 (4–5), P < 0.001] and endocardial edge definition [3 (2–4) vs. 4 (4–5), P < 0.001], while the extent of artifacts was found to be comparable [4 (3–4.75) vs. 4 (3–4), P = 0.40]. bSSFP DL images had higher aSNR and aCNR compared with the bSSFP CS images (aSNR: 13.4 ± 6.9 vs. 8.3 ± 3.6, P < 0.001; aCNR: 26.6 ± 15.8 vs. 14.4 ± 6.8, P < 0.001). Diagnostic confidence of the bSSFP DL images was superior for the evaluation of cardiovascular structures (e.g., atria and ventricles: P = 0.003).

Conclusion

DL image denoising provides superior quality for DUS-gated fetal cardiac cine imaging of CHD compared to standard CS image reconstruction.
Simultaneous 18-FDG PET and MR imaging in lower extremity arterial disease
Authors: Koppara Tobias , Dregely Isabel , Nekolla Stephan G. , Nährig Jörg , Langwieser Nicolas , Bradaric Christian , Ganter Carl , Laugwitz Karl-Ludwig , Schwaiger Markus , Ibrahim Tareq
Published: February 2024

Background

Simultaneous positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a novel hybrid imaging method integrating the advances of morphological tissue characterization of MRI with the pathophysiological insights of PET applications.

Aim

This study evaluated the use of simultaneous 18-FDG PET/MR imaging for characterizing atherosclerotic lesions in lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD).

Methods

Eight patients with symptomatic stenoses of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) under simultaneous acquisition of 18-FDG PET and contrast-enhanced MRI using an integrated whole-body PET/MRI scanner. Invasive plaque characterization of the SFA was performed by intravascular imaging using optical coherence tomography. Histological analysis of plaque specimens was performed after directional atherectomy.

Results

MRI showed contrast enhancement at the site of arterial stenosis, as assessed on T2-w and T1-w images, compared to a control area of the contralateral SFA (0.38 ± 0.15 cm vs. 0.23 ± 0.11 cm; 1.77 ± 0.19 vs. 1.57 ± 0.15; p-value <0.05). On PET imaging, uptake of 18F-FDG (target-to-background ratio TBR > 1) at the level of symptomatic stenosis was observed in all but one patient. Contrast medium-induced MR signal enhancement was detected in all plaques, whereas FDG uptake in PET imaging was increased in lesions with active fibroatheroma and reduced in fibrocalcified lesions.

Conclusion

In this multimodal imaging study, we report the feasibility and challenges of simultaneous PET/MR imaging of LEAD, which might offer new perspectives for risk estimation.
Autoimmune thyroid disease and myasthenia gravis: a study bidirectional Mendelian randomization
Authors: Wang Suijian , Wang Kui , Chen Xiaohong , Chen Daiyun , Lin Shaoda
Published: February 2024

Background

Previous studies have suggested a potential association between AITD and MG, but the evidence is limited and controversial, and the exact causal relationship remains uncertain.

Objective

Therefore, we employed a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal relationship between AITD and MG.

Methods

To explore the interplay between AITD and MG, We conducted MR studies utilizing GWAS-based summary statistics in the European ancestry. Several techniques were used to ensure the stability of the causal effect, such as random-effect inverse variance weighted, weighted median, MR-Egger regression, and MR-PRESSO. Heterogeneity was evaluated by calculating Cochran’s Q value. Moreover, the presence of horizontal pleiotropy was investigated through MR-Egger regression and MR-PRESSO

Results

The IVW method indicates a causal relationship between both GD(OR 1.31,95%CI 1.08 to 1.60,P=0.005) and autoimmune hypothyroidism (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.47, P =0.002) with MG. However, there is no association found between FT4(OR 0.88,95%CI 0.65 to 1.18,P=0.406), TPOAb(OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 0.86 to 2.07, P =0.186), TSH(OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.77 to 1.23, P =0.846), and MG. The reverse MR analysis reveals a causal relationship between MG and GD(OR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.98, P =3.57e-3), with stable results. On the other hand, there is a significant association with autoimmune hypothyroidism(OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.59, P =0.019), but it is considered unstable due to the influence of horizontal pleiotropy (MR PRESSO Distortion Test P < 0.001). MG has a higher prevalence of TPOAb(OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.39 to 2.42, P =1.47e-5) positivity and may be linked to elevated TSH levels(Beta:0.08,95% CI:0.01 to 0.14,P =0.011), while there is no correlation between MG and FT4(Beta:-9.03e-3,95% CI:-0.07 to 0.05,P =0.796).

Conclusion

AITD patients are more susceptible to developing MG, and MG patients also have a higher incidence of GD.
The impact of SLCO1B1 rs4149056 on LDL-C target achievement after lipid lowering therapy optimization in men and women with familial hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Bosco Giosiana , Di Giacomo Barbagallo Francesco , Di Marco Maurizio , Miano Nicoletta , Scilletta Sabrina , Spampinato Salvatore , Vitale Alessio , Di Bella Federica , Montalbano Maria , Di Mauro Stefania , Filippello Agnese , Scamporrino Alessandra , Milluzzo Agostino , Di Pino Antonino , Frittitta Lucia , Purrello Francesco , Piro Salvatore , Scicali Roberto
Published: February 2024

Background and aims

FH women are less likely to receive intensive statin treatment and to obtain a 50% reduction of LDL-C from baseline compared to men with FH. SLCO1B1 rs4149056 might influence statin therapy compliance and thus LDL-C target achievement. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of SLCO1B1 rs4149056 on LDL-C target achievement after lipid lowering therapy (LLT) optimization in men and women with FH.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study involving 412 FH subjects with a probable or defined clinical diagnosis of FH who had had genetic analysis from June 2016 to September 2022. Biochemical analysis was obtained from all subjects at baseline and at the last follow-up after LLT optimization.

Results

After LLT optimization the percentage of FH subjects on high-intensity statins decreased from the M/SLCO1B1- group to the W/SLCO1B1+ group and the same was found in LDL-C target distribution (for both p for trend < 0.01). The prevalence of SASE fear increased from the M/SLCO1B1- group to the W/SLCO1B1+ group and the same was observed in reported myalgia distribution (for both p for trend < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that the W/SCLO1B1-, M/SCLO1B1+ and W/SCLO1B1+ groups were inversely associated with LDL-C target achievement (p for trend < 0.001) and the W/SCLO1B1+ group exhibited the strongest association.

Conclusion

A low prevalence of FH women with SLCO1B1 rs4149056 were on high intensity statins and they rarely achieved LDL-C target. The genotype effect of SLCO1B1 rs4149056 could be more pronounced in FH women than men.
Determining the effect of tung biodiesel on thermodynamic, thermoeconomic, and exergoeconomic analyses at high engine speeds
Authors: Şanlı Bengi , Güven Onur , Özcanlı Mustafa , Uludamar Erinç
Published: February 2024

Tung biodiesel is a promising alternative fuel type produced from the tung tree. In the current study, the effect of the addition of 20%, by volume, of tung biodiesel to diesel fuel was evaluated in terms of energetic–exergetic analyses based on the first and second laws of thermodynamic at various high engine speeds (2,400, 2,600, and 2,800 rpm). Additionally, this study aimed to assess the thermoeconomic and exergoeconomic aspects of a diesel engine. The findings revealed that the amount of energy converted to useful work for the diesel fuel was higher than that of the DTB20 fuel, even though the fuel energy obtained from DTB20 fuel was higher than that of diesel fuel at all engine speeds. The highest energy and exergy efficiencies for the engine fueled with diesel fuel were obtained as 31.07% and 29.15% respectively, while the corresponding values for the engine fueled with DTB20 fuel were determined as 27.15% and 25.19% at the engine speed of 2,400 rpm, respectively. However, at 2,800 rpm, a significant decrease in both the energy and exergy efficiencies was observed for both diesel and tung biodiesel blended fuels due to the increased mechanical friction of the engine components. Furthermore, at the highest engine speed, entropy generation increased, owing to a higher exergy destruction rate. The entropy generation rate increased to 0.38 kW/K for diesel fuel and 0.46 kW/K for DTB20 fuel since the enhancement of the engine speed caused the ascent of the fuel consumption rate. Regarding thermoeconomic–exergoeconomic analyses, for both diesel and tung biodiesel blended fuels, there is no distinct difference in the thermoeconomic–exergoeconomic parameters at 2,400 and 2,600 rpm as the values of these parameters at the engine speed of 2,800 rpm increased significantly. In light of all the findings, it can be concluded that the engine speed of 2,800 rpm is not applicable to run the engine due to higher friction and corresponding energy destruction in the engine system.
Understanding gender inequity in brain health outcomes: missed stroke as a case study for intersectionality
Authors: Berkhout Suze G. , Hashmi Syeda , Pikula Aleksandra
Published: February 2024

Recent attention into sex and gender-based inequities surrounding outcomes for brain health disorders has generated momentum toward addressing what has been called the “brain health gap.” Importantly though, “women” are not uniform demographic group. In this perspective piece, we discuss misdiagnosis in stroke as an aspect of access and quality of care within brain health. Drawing on narrative data from a mixed methods study of young stroke survivors we suggest that while missed stroke isn't only an issue of gender, if we are going to understand gender-based gaps in access and navigation through stroke care, we have to understand how intersections of gender with age, ethnoracial identity, nationality, language, (dis)ability, and other aspects of social identity come together to create affordances as well as biases that contribute to stroke outcomes.
Pan-immune inflammation value as a prognostic biomarker for cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Kuang Tianrui , Qiu Zhendong , Wang Kunpeng , Zhang Lilong , Dong Keshuai , Wang Weixing
Published: February 2024

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent a paradigm shift in the development of cancer therapy. However, the improved efficacy of ICIs remains to be further investigated. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the pan-immunoinflammatory value (PIV) and PILE score used to predict response to ICI therapy.

Methods

We searched selected databases for studies on pan-immune inflammation values and their association with outcomes of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. We used hazard ratios (HRS) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to summarize survival outcomes. All data analyses were performed using STATA 15.0.

Results

7 studies comprising 982 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that higher PIV was significantly associated with shorter overall survival OS (HR = 1.895, 95%CI: 1.548-2.318) and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 1.582, 95%CI: 1.324-1.890). Subgroup analyses also confirmed the reliability of the results.

Conclusions

High PIV and PILE metrics are associated with lower survival in cancer patients receiving ICIs.
Bacterial small RNAs may mediate immune response differences seen in respiratory syncytial virus versus rhinovirus bronchiolitis
Authors: Krohmaly Kylie I. , Perez-Losada Marcos , Ramos-Tapia Ignacio , Zhu Zhaozhong , Hasegawa Kohei , Camargo Jr. Carlos A. , Harmon Brennan , Espinola Janice A. , Reck Cechinel Laura , Batabyal Rachael , Freishtat Robert J. , Hahn Andrea
Published: February 2024

Bronchiolitis, a viral lower respiratory infection, is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, which is associated with an increased risk for developing asthma later in life. Bronchiolitis can be caused by several respiratory viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus (RV), and others. It can also be caused by a solo infection (e.g., RSV- or RV-only bronchiolitis) or co-infection with two or more viruses. Studies have shown viral etiology-related differences between RSV- and RV-only bronchiolitis in the immune response, human microRNA (miRNA) profiles, and dominance of certain airway microbiome constituents. Here, we identified bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs), the prokaryotic equivalent to eukaryotic miRNAs, that differ between infants of the 35th Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration (MARC-35) cohort with RSV- versus RV-only bronchiolitis. We first derived reference sRNA datasets from cultures of four bacteria known to be associated with bronchiolitis (i.e., Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Moraxella nonliquefaciens, and Streptococcus pneumoniae). Using these reference sRNA datasets, we found several sRNAs associated with RSV- and RV-only bronchiolitis in our human nasal RNA-Seq MARC-35 data. We also determined potential human transcript targets of the bacterial sRNAs and compared expression of the sRNAs between RSV- and RV-only cases. sRNAs are known to downregulate their mRNA target, we found that, compared to those associated with RV-only bronchiolitis, sRNAs associated with RSV-only bronchiolitis may relatively activate the IL-6 and IL-8 pathways and relatively inhibit the IL-17A pathway. These data support that bacteria may be contributing to inflammation differences seen in RSV- and RV-only bronchiolitis, and for the first time indicate that the potential mechanism in doing so may be through bacterial sRNAs.
Biocontrol effects of chemical molecules derived from Beauveria bassiana against larvae of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)
Authors: Vivekanandhan Perumal , Swathy Kannan , Alahmadi Tahani Awad , Ansari Mohammad Javed
Published: February 2024

In this study, we conducted tests on the isolation, identification, characterization, and extraction of chemical molecules from Beauveria bassiana against Tuta absoluta larvae. The enzyme responses of T. absoluta to the crude extract were examined 24 h after treatment, and the number of dead larvae was calculated 24 and 48 h after treatment. Molecular docking studies were conducted to assess the interaction of important molecules with the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. The larvicidal activity of crude chemicals from fungi was high 24 h after treatment, with LC50 and LC90 values of 25.937 and 33.559 μg/mL, respectively. For a period of 48 h, the LC50 and LC90 values were 52.254 and 60.450 μg/mL, respectively. The levels of acetylcholinesterase, α-carboxylesterase, and β-carboxylesterase enzymes were lower in the treatment group after 24 h compared to the control group. The GC-MS test revealed that the crude extract consisted mainly of 9,10-octadecadienoic acid, which was the primary compound. Docking results indicated that 9,10-octadecadienoic acid showed a strong interaction with acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Our findings suggest that the chemical molecule 9,10-octadecadienoic acid derived from the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana is more toxic to T. absoluta larvae. We plan to conduct studies to test its effectiveness in semi-field conditions and to evaluate its stability in field conditions. We believe that this 9,10-octadecadienoic acid molecule could be used to control T. absoluta larvae in the near future without causing environmental pollution.
Higher remnant cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Ai Yating , Zhou Chunyi , Wang Ming , Yang Chongming , Zhou Shi , Dong Xinxiu , Ye Niansi , Li Yucan , Wang Ling , Ren Hairong , Gao Xiaolian , Xu Man , Hu Hui , Wang Yuncui
Published: February 2024

Background and aims

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is the most common subtype of MCI, which carries a significantly high risk of transitioning to Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, increasing attention has been given to remnant cholesterol (RC), a non-traditional and previously overlooked risk factor. The aim of this study was to explore the association between plasma RC levels and aMCI.

Methods

Data were obtained from Brain Health Cognitive Management Team in Wuhan (https://hbtcm.66nao.com/admin/). A total of 1,007 community-dwelling elders were recruited for this project. Based on ten tools including general demographic data, cognitive screening and some exclusion scales, these participants were divided into the aMCI (n = 401) and normal cognitive groups (n = 606). Physical examinations were conducted on all participants, with clinical indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids collected.

Results

The aMCI group had significantly higher RC levels compared to the normal cognitive group (0.64 ± 0.431 vs. 0.52 ± 0.447 mmol/L, p < 0.05). Binary logistics regression revealed that occupation (P<0.001, OR = 0.533, 95%CI: 0.423–0.673) and RC (p = 0.014, OR = 1.477, 95% CI:1.081–2.018) were associated factors for aMCI. Partial correlation analysis, after controlling for occupation, showed a significant negative correlation between RC levels and MoCA scores (r = 0.059, p = 0.046), as well as Naming scores (r = 0.070, p = 0.026). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that RC levels had an independent predictive efficacy in predicting aMCI (AUC = 0.580, 95%CI: 0.544 ~ 0.615, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Higher RC levels were identified as an independent indicator for aMCI, particularly in the naming cognitive domain among older individuals. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to validate the predictive efficacy of RC.
Gastric-filling ultrasonography to evaluate gastric motility in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Zou Xianwei , Chen Xiaqing , Wen Yanxia , Jing Xiaofeng , Luo Man , Xin Fengyue , Tang Yao , Hu Mengfei , Liu Jian , Xu Fan
Published: February 2024

Background

Delayed gastric emptying is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there is currently no objective evaluation and diagnostic method for this condition.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of gastric-filling ultrasonography for gastric motility in patients with PD and the relationship between gastric dynamics and gastrointestinal symptoms and motor symptoms of PD.

Design, setting, and patients

We performed a case-control study with 38 patients with PD and 34 healthy controls.

Methods

All patients underwent a 120-min ultrasonography examination using a 500-ml semi-liquid test meal. We determined the antral contraction amplitude (ACA), the antrum contraction frequency (ACF), the motility index (MI), and the gastric antral cross-sectional area (CSA). We acquired the CSA at six time points: fasting for 12 h (T0), immediately after drinking the semi-liquid test meal (T1); and at 30 (T30), 60 (T60), 90 (T90), and 120 (T120) min. We calculated the gastric emptying rate (GER) at different time points by using the CSA. We compared the GER between the groups and evaluated the correlation between the GER and gastrointestinal symptoms and motor symptoms of PD.

Results

The MI and ACF were significantly lower in the PD group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The GER at T30 and the ACA showed no significant difference between the groups (P > 0.05). At different time points, the GER was significantly different between the PD and control groups (P < 0.001). There was no significant association between the GER and gastrointestinal symptoms; none of them were risk factors for impaired gastric emptying (odds ratio > 1). The GER was negatively correlated with the severity of PD motor symptoms (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Patients with PD had significantly delayed gastric emptying, which was negatively correlated with the severity of PD motor symptoms. Measuring gastric emptying by gastric-filling ultrasound had good diagnostic value in clinical screening for delayed gastric motility in patients with PD.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=126304.
Case report: Paraneoplastic lower motor neuronopathy associated with a malignant liver tumor
Authors: Xu Chaowei , Wu Hanfan , Chen Jian
Published: February 2024

Paraneoplastic lower motor neuronopathies (LMNs) have rarely been reported with malignant liver tumors. A 71-year-old man developed chronic progressive upper limb and cranial nerve paralysis. Electromyography examination suggests chronic progressive neuronal damage involving the right C4–T1 nerve root innervated muscle and the right sternocleidomastoid muscle. Magnetic resonance imaging suggested the presence of a malignant liver tumor. His serum was positive for anti-Yo antibodies. Hepatic artery chemoembolization was performed, followed by treatment with pembrolizumab and lenvatinib. The patient’s condition improved, and paraneoplastic LMNs were diagnosed. Paraneoplastic causes should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic progressive LMNs. A combination of surgical treatment and immunotherapy may result in a favorable outcome.
Case report: Late onset type 3 hemiplegic migraine with permanent neurologic sequelae after attacks
Authors: Jokubaitis Mantas , Lengvenis Givi , Burnytė Birutė , Audronytė Eglė , Ryliškienė Kristina
Published: February 2024

This case study describes a 57-year-old woman with a six-year history of recurrent episodes characterized by visual, sensory, speech disturbances, hemiparesis and severe one-sided headaches accompanied by fever and altered consciousness. Initially misdiagnosed as a stroke, the atypical disease course and MRI findings led to additional genetic testing which revealed a sodium voltage-gated channel gene mutation (T1174S), confirming a diagnosis of sporadic hemiplegic migraine. The migraine prophylaxis showed some improvement in episode frequency and severity. Despite an initial improvement, the patient underwent severe cognitive decline and developed new permanent neurological symptoms during the subsequent 7 years of follow-up.
Syllable-rate-adjusted-modulation (SRAM) predicts clear and conversational speech intelligibility
Authors: Yang Ye , Zeng Fan-Gang
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Objectively predicting speech intelligibility is important in both telecommunication and human-machine interaction systems. The classic method relies on signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) to successfully predict speech intelligibility. One exception is clear speech, in which a talker intentionally articulates as if speaking to someone who has hearing loss or is from a different language background. As a result, at the same SNR, clear speech produces higher intelligibility than conversational speech. Despite numerous efforts, no objective metric can successfully predict the clear speech benefit at the sentence level.

Methods

We proposed a Syllable-Rate-Adjusted-Modulation (SRAM) index to predict the intelligibility of clear and conversational speech. The SRAM used as short as 1 s speech and estimated its modulation power above the syllable rate. We compared SRAM with three reference metrics: envelope-regression-based speech transmission index (ER-STI), hearing-aid speech perception index version 2 (HASPI-v2) and short-time objective intelligibility (STOI), and five automatic speech recognition systems: Amazon Transcribe, Microsoft Azure Speech-To-Text, Google Speech-To-Text, wav2vec2 and Whisper.

Results

SRAM outperformed the three reference metrics (ER-STI, HASPI-v2 and STOI) and the five automatic speech recognition systems. Additionally, we demonstrated the important role of syllable rate in predicting speech intelligibility by comparing SRAM with the total modulation power (TMP) that was not adjusted by the syllable rate.

Discussion

SRAM can potentially help understand the characteristics of clear speech, screen speech materials with high intelligibility, and convert conversational speech into clear speech.
In defense of local descriptor-based few-shot object detection
Authors: Zhou Shichao , Li Haoyan , Wang Zhuowei , Zhang Zekai
Published: February 2024

State-of-the-art image object detection computational models require an intensive parameter fine-tuning stage (using deep convolution network, etc). with tens or hundreds of training examples. In contrast, human intelligence can robustly learn a new concept from just a few instances (i.e., few-shot detection). The distinctive perception mechanisms between these two families of systems enlighten us to revisit classical handcraft local descriptors (e.g., SIFT, HOG, etc.) as well as non-parametric visual models, which innately require no learning/training phase. Herein, we claim that the inferior performance of these local descriptors mainly results from a lack of global structure sense. To address this issue, we refine local descriptors with spatial contextual attention of neighbor affinities and then embed the local descriptors into discriminative subspace guided by Kernel-InfoNCE loss. Differing from conventional quantization of local descriptors in high-dimensional feature space or isometric dimension reduction, we actually seek a brain-inspired few-shot feature representation for the object manifold, which combines data-independent primitive representation and semantic context learning and thus helps with generalization. The obtained embeddings as pattern vectors/tensors permit us an accelerated but non-parametric visual similarity computation as the decision rule for final detection. Our approach to few-shot object detection is nearly learning-free, and experiments on remote sensing imageries (approximate 2-D affine space) confirm the efficacy of our model.
Role of TRAK1 variants in epilepsy: genotype–phenotype analysis in a pediatric case of epilepsy with developmental disorder
Authors: Li Ren-Ke , Xiong Yu-Rong , Pan Shu-Jing , Lei Wen-Ting , Shu Xiao-Mei , Shi Xiao-Qi , Tian Mao-Qiang
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The TRAK1 gene is mapped to chromosome 3p22.1 and encodes trafficking protein kinesin binding 1. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotype–phenotype of TRAK1-associated epilepsy.

Methods

Trio-based whole-exome sequencing was performed on a cohort of 98 patients with epilepsy of unknown etiologies. Protein modeling and the VarCards database were used to predict the damaging effects of the variants. Detailed neurological phenotypes of all patients with epilepsy having TRAK1 variants were analyzed to assess the genotype–phenotype correlations.

Results

A novel TRAK1 compound heterozygous variant comprising variant c.835C > T, p.Arg279Cys and variant c.2560A > C, p.Lys854Gln was identified in one pediatric patient. Protein modeling and VarCards database analyses revealed that the variants were damaging. The patient received a diagnosis of early infantile epileptic spasms with a developmental disorder; he became seizure-free through valproate and adrenocorticotropic hormone treatment. Further results for six variants in 12 patients with epilepsy indicated that biallelic TRAK1 variants (including homozygous or compound heterozygous variants) were associated with epilepsy with developmental disorders. Among these patients, eight (67%) had epileptic spasms and seven (58%) were intractable to anti-seizure medicines. Moreover, eight patients experienced refractory status epilepticus, of which seven (88%) died in early life. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of epilepsy caused by TRAK1 compound heterozygous variants.

Conclusion

Biallelic TRAK1 variants can cause epilepsy and developmental disorders. In these patients, seizures progress to status epilepticus, suggesting a high risk for poor outcomes and the requirement of early treatment.
Small cell lung cancer with dermatomyositis: a case report
Authors: Guan Xiaomin , Qiu Shi , Xu Yinghui , Zu Jianjiao , Sun Chao , Guo Ye , Wang Xu , Ma Kewei
Published: February 2024

Dermatomyositis represents an autoimmune disorder characterized by notable skin and muscular manifestations. The annual incidence of dermatomyositis stands at approximately (5~10)/1 million individuals. Notably, patients with malignant tumors exhibit an elevated risk of developing dermatomyositis compared to the general population. However, in cases where dermatomyositis co-occurs with malignancy, the efficacy of hormone therapy alone tends to be suboptimal. Moreover, reports addressing the correlation between tumor treatment and the management of dermatomyositis are scarce. A 60-year-old male patient presented with dermatomyositis, initially manifesting through symptoms such as rash, muscle weakness, and dysphagia. Despite undergoing standard hormone therapy, there was no discernible improvement in the dermatomyositis symptoms. Considering the patient’s concomitant troublesome cough, further investigations were conducted, including CT, PET-CT, and pathological biopsy. These assessments confirmed the diagnosis of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (T1cN3M0 IIIB). Notably, in this patient, dermatomyositis was suspected to be a paraneoplastic syndrome associated with small cell lung cancer. Standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy were employed to treat the small cell lung cancer, resulting in partial remission after two treatment cycles. As the malignancy regressed, a notable improvement in dermatomyositis symptoms was observed, subsequently leading to a gradual reduction in the prescribed hormone dosage. In conclusion, we present a comprehensive case study of dermatomyositis as a paraneoplastic syndrome throughout the treatment process. The response to tumor therapy coincided with the amelioration of dermatomyositis symptoms. Therefore, diligent malignancy screening is imperative for patients diagnosed with dermatomyositis.