bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are young and older children with diarrhea presenting in the same way?
Authors: Nuzhat Sharika , Alam Baharul , Hasan S. M. Tafsir , Shaima Shamsun Nahar , Chisti Mohammod Jobayer , Faruque A. S. G. , Das Rina , Ahmed Tahmeed
Published: May 2024

Background

Diarrhoea is a global health problem. More than a quarter of diarrhoeal deaths occur among children less than five years. Different literatures analyzed presentation and outcomes of less than five diarrhoeal children. The world has made remarkable progress in reducing child mortality. So, older children are growing in number. Our aim was to identify clinical differentials and variations of pathogens among younger (less than five) and older (five to nine years) diarrhoeal children.

Method

Data were extracted from the diarrhoeal disease surveillance system (DDSS) of Dhaka Hospital (urban site) and Matlab Hospital (rural site) of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh for the period of January 2012 to December 2021. Out of 28,781 and 12,499 surveillance patients in Dhaka and Matlab Hospital, 614 (2.13%) and 278 (2.22%) children were five to nine—years of age, respectively. Among under five children, 2456 from Dhaka hospital and 1112 from Matlab hospital were selected randomly for analysis (four times of five to nine years age children, 1:4).

Results

Vomiting, abdominal pain, and dehydrating diarrhoea were significantly higher in older children in comparison to children of less than five years age (p-value <0.05) after adjusting study site, gender, antibiotic use before hospitalization, diarrhoeal duration < 24 hours, intake of oral rehydration fluid at home, parental education, WASH practice and history of cough. Vibrio. cholerae, Salmonella, and Shigella were the common fecal pathogen observed among older children compared to under five after adjusting for age, gender and study site.

Conclusion

Although percentage of admitted diarrhoeal children with five to nine years is less than under five years children but they presented with critical illness with different diarrhoeal pathogens. These observations may help clinicians to formulate better case management strategies for children of five to nine years that may reduce morbidity.
AlphaFold2 modeling and molecular dynamics simulations of an intrinsically disordered protein
Authors: Guo Hao-Bo , Huntington Baxter , Perminov Alexander , Smith Kenya , Hastings Nicholas , Dennis Patrick , Kelley-Loughnane Nancy , Berry Rajiv
Published: May 2024

We use AlphaFold2 (AF2) to model the monomer and dimer structures of an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), Nvjp-1, assisted by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We observe relatively rigid dimeric structures of Nvjp-1 when compared with the monomer structures. We suggest that protein conformations from multiple AF2 models and those from MD trajectories exhibit a coherent trend: the conformations of an IDP are deviated from each other and the conformations of a well-folded protein are consistent with each other. We use a residue-residue interaction network (RIN) derived from the contact map which show that the residue-residue interactions in Nvjp-1 are mainly transient; however, those in a well-folded protein are mainly persistent. Despite the variation in 3D shapes, we show that the AF2 models of both disordered and ordered proteins exhibit highly consistent profiles of the pLDDT (predicted local distance difference test) scores. These results indicate a potential protocol to justify the IDPs based on multiple AF2 models and MD simulations.
SupporTive Care At Home Research (STAHR) for patients with advanced cancer: Protocol for a cluster non-randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lee Dong-Wook , Lee Sun Young , Yoo Shin Hye , Kim Kyae Hyung , Kim Min-Sun , Shin Jeongmi , Hwang In-Young , Hwang In Gyu , Baek Sun Kyung , Kim Do yeun , Kim Yu Jung , Kang Beodeul , Lee Joongyub , Cho Belong
Published: May 2024

Advancements in the treatment and management of patients with cancer have extended their survival period. To honor such patients’ desire to live in their own homes, home-based supportive care programs have become an important medical practice. This study aims to investigate the effects of a multidimensional and integrated home-based supportive care program on patients with advanced cancer. SupporTive Care At Home Research is a cluster non-randomized controlled trial for patients with advanced cancer. This study tests the effects of the home-based supportive care program we developed versus standard oncology care. The home-based supportive care program is based on a specialized home-based medical team approach that includes (1) initial assessment and education for patients and their family caregivers, (2) home visits by nurses, (3) biweekly regular check-ups/evaluation and management, (4) telephone communication via a daytime access line, and (5) monthly multidisciplinary team meetings. The primary outcome measure is unplanned hospitalization within 6 months following enrollment. Healthcare service use; quality of life; pain and symptom control; emotional status; satisfaction with services; end-of-life care; advance planning; family caregivers’ quality of life, care burden, and preparedness for caregiving; and medical expenses will be surveyed. We plan to recruit a total of 396 patients with advanced cancer from six institutions. Patients recruited from three institutions will constitute the intervention group, whereas those recruited from the other three institutions will comprise the control group.
An evaluation of the impact of social and structural determinants of health on forgone care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Baltimore, Maryland
Authors: Meyer Diane , Lowensen Kelly , Perrin Nancy , Moore Ayana , Mehta Shruti H. , Himmelfarb Cheryl R. , Inglesby Thomas V. , Jennings Jacky M. , Mueller Alexandra K. , LaRicci Jessica N. , Gallo Woudase , Bocek Adam P. , Farley Jason E.
Published: May 2024

Evidence suggests that reductions in healthcare utilization, including forgone care, during the COVID-19 pandemic may be contributing towards excess morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to describe individual and community-level correlates of forgone care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional, secondary data analysis of participants (n = 2,003) who reported needing healthcare in two population-representative surveys conducted in Baltimore, MD in 2021 and 2021–2022. Abstracted data included the experience of forgone care, socio-demographic data, comorbidities, financial strain, and community of residence. Participant’s community of residence were linked with data acquired from the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance relevant to healthcare access and utilization, including walkability and internet access, among others. The data were analyzed using weighted random effects logistic regression. Individual-level factors found to be associated with increased odds for forgone care included individuals age 35–49 (compared to 18–34), female sex, experiencing housing insecurity during the pandemic, and the presence of functional limitations and mental illness. Black/African American individuals were found to have reduced odds of forgone care, compared to any other race. No community-level factors were significant in the multilevel analyses. Moving forward, it will be critical that health systems identify ways to address any barriers to care that populations might be experiencing, such as the use of mobile health services or telemedicine platforms. Additionally, public health emergency preparedness planning efforts must account for the unique needs of communities during future crises, to ensure that their health needs can continue to be met. Finally, additional research is needed to better understand how healthcare access and utilization practices have changed during versus before the pandemic.
Outcomes associated with planned place of birth among low-risk pregnancies in Ontario, Canada (2012–2021): A protocol for a population-based propensity score weighted cohort study
Authors: Darling Elizabeth K. , Hébert Vanessa , Muraca Giulia , Reitsma Angela
Published: May 2024

Background

Evidence suggests that for low-risk pregnancies, planned home births attended by a skilled health professional in settings where such services are well integrated are associated with lower risk of intrapartum interventions and no increase in adverse health outcomes. Monitoring and updating evidence on the safety of planned home births is necessary to inform ongoing clinical and policy decisions.

Methods

This protocol describes a population-based retrospective cohort study which aims to compare risk of (a) neonatal morbidity and mortality, and (b) maternal outcomes and birth interventions, between people at low obstetrical risk with a planned home birth with a midwife, a planned a hospital birth with a midwife, or a planned hospital birth with a physician. The study population will include Ontario residents who gave birth in Ontario, Canada between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2021. We will use data collected prospectively in a provincial perinatal data registry. The primary outcome will be severe neonatal morbidity or mortality, a composite binary outcome that includes one or more of the following conditions: stillbirth during the intrapartum period, neonatal death (death of a liveborn infant in the first 28 completed days of life), five-minute Apgar score <4, or infant resuscitation requiring cardiac compressions. We will conduct a stratified analysis with three strata: nulliparous, parous—no previous caesarean birth, and parous—prior caesarean birth. To reduce the impact of selection bias in estimating the effect of planned place of birth on neonatal and maternal outcomes, we will use propensity score (PS) overlap weighting (OW) and modified Poisson regression to conduct multivariate analyses.
Ecological niche measurement and high-quality development of "the Belt and Road" core area
Authors: Zhang Hang , Abdusuli Nurguli
Published: May 2024

A new stage in promoting the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt Core Area, and Xinjiang has been transformed from a relatively closed inland area into an open border. In order to promote the high-quality development of Southern Xinjiang and solve the imbalance contradiction between the development of the Northern Xinjiang and Southern Xinjiang, taking the four districts in Southern Xinjiang as the study area, constructing a high-quality development ecological niche index system of three levels, namely economic, social and ecological, adopting the entropy method to assign weights to the evaluation indexes, and measuring the ecological niche width and the degree of ecological niche overlap of this region in the period from 2011 to 2020. The results show that: Firstly, tourism has the greatest impact on the ecological niche of economic development in state N, with a weighting of 14.18%; Secondly, the ecological status width of economic development in state N demonstrates a structural characteristic of “low level and low gap”. The average value of ecological niche width is at class III, indicating a low development status and weak regional influence; Thirdly, the ecological niche overlap of state N is significantly influenced by spatial factors. Regions Z and S are closer together, resulting in higher competition for resource utilization and an average ecological niche overlap at class II. The other two regions are at class III. According to the theory of ecological niche expansion and separation, a specialization separation strategy should be adopted for areas with "low width and high overlap", and a strengthening expansion strategy should be adopted for areas with "low width and low overlap", to optimize the structure of ecological niches and promote high-quality development of the region.
Novel cardiac extracellular matrix biomarkers in STEMI: Associations with ischemic injury and long-term mortality
Authors: Andrup Simon , Andersen Geir Ø. , Hoffmann Pavel , Eritsland Jan , Seljeflot Ingebjørg , Halvorsen Sigrun , Vistnes Maria
Published: May 2024

Background

We aimed to determine whether serum levels of proteins related to changes in cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) were associated with ischemic injury assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods

The concentrations of six ECM-related proteins (periostin, osteopontin, syndecan-1, syndecan-4, bone morphogenetic protein 7, and growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15) were measured in serum samples from patients on Day 1 and Month 4 after STEMI (n = 239). Ischemic injury was assessed by myocardial salvage index, microvascular obstruction, infarct size, and left ventricular function measured by CMR conducted during the initial admission (median 2 days after admission) and after 4 months. All-cause mortality was recorded after a median follow-up time of 70 months.

Results

Levels of periostin increased from Day 1 to Month 4 after hospitalization, while the levels of GDF-15, osteopontin, syndecan-1, and syndecan-4 declined. At both time points, high levels of syndecan-1 were associated with microvascular obstruction, large infarct size, and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, whereas high levels of syndecan-4 at Month 4 were associated with a higher myocardial salvage index and less dilatation of the left ventricle. Higher mortality rates were associated with periostin levels at both time points, low syndecan-4 levels at Month 4, or high GDF-15 levels at Month 4.

Conclusions

In patients with STEMI, we found an association between serum levels of ECM biomarkers and ischemic injury and mortality. The results provide new insight into the role ECM components play in ischemic injury following STEMI and suggests a potential for these biomarkers in prognostication after STEMI.
Identification of potential biomarkers of leprosy: A study based on GEO datasets
Authors: Zhou Qun , Shi Ping , Shi Wei dong , Gao Jun , Wu Yi chen , Wan Jing , Yan Li li , Zheng Yi
Published: May 2024

Leprosy has a high rate of cripplehood and lacks available early effective diagnosis methods for prevention and treatment, thus novel effective molecule markers are urgently required. In this study, we conducted bioinformatics analysis with leprosy and normal samples acquired from the GEO database(GSE84893, GSE74481, GSE17763, GSE16844 and GSE443). Through WGCNA analysis, 85 hub genes were screened(GS > 0.7 and MM > 0.8). Through DEG analysis, 82 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated genes were screened(|Log2FC| > 3 and FDR < 0.05). Then 49 intersection genes were considered as crucial and subjected to GO annotation, KEGG pathway and PPI analysis to determine the biological significance in the pathogenesis of leprosy. Finally, we identified a gene-pathway network, suggesting ITK, CD48, IL2RG, CCR5, FGR, JAK3, STAT1, LCK, PTPRC, CXCR4 can be used as biomarkers and these genes are active in 6 immune system pathways, including Chemokine signaling pathway, Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, Th17 cell differentiation, T cell receptor signaling pathway, Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity and Leukocyte transendothelial migration. We identified 10 crucial gene markers and related important pathways that acted as essential components in the etiology of leprosy. Our study provides potential targets for diagnostic biomarkers and therapy of leprosy.
The Vega advanced third generation posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty system enables the restoration of range of motion for high demanding daily activities – A 5-years follow-up study
Authors: Gerdesmeyer Ludger , Glowalla Claudio , Lasic Igor , Al Muderis Munjed , Weuster Matthias , Klueter Tim
Published: May 2024

Background

The Vega System® PS (Aesculap AG, Tuttlingen, Germany) is an advanced, third generation fixed implant that aims to mimic natural knee kinematics by optimizing pivotal motion while reducing surface stress. This study evaluated mid-term survival and clinical outcomes, including range of motion (ROM) of the modern posterior stabilized implant in order to analyse whether this biomechanically successful implant reaches good results in situ.

Methods

The first 100 patients to receive the Vega PS System for total knee arthroplasty were invited to take part in this single centre, single surgeon study. Of these, 84 patients were clinically assessed 5–6 years postoperatively. Data which was obtained during this follow-up examination included revision data, range of motion and clinical scores.

Results

The 5-year survival rate for exchange of any component was 97.6%, whereby two patients required replacement of the polyethylene gliding surface. Secondary patella resurfacing was performed in 7 patients. Significantly improved results in comparison to the preoperative state could be obtained at the follow-up: KOOS improved from 39.4 to 78.8, SF-12 PCS improved from 32.1 to 42 SF-12 MCS improved from 46 to 53.8 and patella pain improved from 2.7 to 0.3. The mean ROM of the 84 patients after 5 years was 133.1° and mean total KSS was 189.9.

Discussion & conclusions

This study demonstrates a high survival rate of the Vega PS System® and significant improvements in clinical outcomes 5 years after implantation. The obtained mean ROM indicates that this implant provides good flexibility of the knee joint, allowing a high number of activities. However, due to the rate of secondary patella implantation, routine resurfacing of the patella for all PS TKA cases is highly recommended.

Clinical trials registration

The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02802085).
Perspectives of people experiencing homelessness with recent non-fatal street drug overdose on the Pharmacist and Homeless Outreach Engagement and Non-medical Independent prescribing Rx (PHOENIx) intervention
Authors: Farmer Natalia , McPherson Andrew , Thomson Jim , Lowrie Richard
Published: May 2024

Introduction

In Scotland, a third of all deaths of people experiencing homelessness (PExH) are street-drug-related, and less than half of their multiple physical- and mental health conditions are treated. New, holistic interventions are required to address these health inequalities. PHOENIx (Pharmacist Homeless Outreach Engagement and Non-medical Independent prescribing Rx) is delivered on outreach by National Health Service (NHS) pharmacist independent prescribers in partnership with third sector homelessness charity workers. We describe participant’s perspectives of PHOENIx.

Methods

This study aims to understand experiences of the PHOENIx intervention by participants recruited into the active arm of a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). Semi-structured in-person interviews explored participants’ evaluation of the intervention. In this study, the four components (coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, reflexive monitoring) of the Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) framework underpinned data collection and analyses.

Results

We identified four themes that were interpreted within the NPT framework that describe participant evaluation of the PHOENIx intervention: differentiating the intervention from usual care (coherence), embedding connection and consistency in practice (cognitive participation), implementation of practical and emotional operational work (collective action), and lack of power and a commitment to long-term support (reflexive monitoring). Participants successfully engaged with the intervention. Facilitators for participant motivation included the relationship-based work created by the PHOENIx team. This included operational work to fulfil both the practical and emotional needs of participants. Barriers included concern regarding power imbalances within the sector, a lack of long-term support and the impact of the intervention concluding.

Conclusions

Findings identify and describe participants’ evaluations of the PHOENIx intervention. NPT is a theoretical framework facilitating understanding of experiences, highlighting both facilitators and barriers to sustained engagement and investment. Our findings inform future developments regarding a subsequent definitive RCT of PHOENIx, despite challenges brought about by challenging micro and macro-economic and political landscapes.
Artificial neural network, machine learning modelling of compressive strength of recycled coarse aggregate based self-compacting concrete
Authors: Jagadesh P. , Khan Afzal Hussain , Priya B. Shanmuga , Asheeka A. , Zoubir Zineb , Magbool Hassan M. , Alam Shamshad , Bakather Omer Y.
Published: May 2024

This research study aims to understand the application of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to forecast the Self-Compacting Recycled Coarse Aggregate Concrete (SCRCAC) compressive strength. From different literature, 602 available data sets from SCRCAC mix designs are collected, and the data are rearranged, reconstructed, trained and tested for the ANN model development. The models were established using seven input variables: the mass of cementitious content, water, natural coarse aggregate content, natural fine aggregate content, recycled coarse aggregate content, chemical admixture and mineral admixture used in the SCRCAC mix designs. Two normalization techniques are used for data normalization to visualize the data distribution. For each normalization technique, three transfer functions are used for modelling. In total, six different types of models were run in MATLAB and used to estimate the 28th day SCRCAC compressive strength. Normalization technique 2 performs better than 1 and TANSING is the best transfer function. The best k-fold cross-validation fold is k = 7. The coefficient of determination for predicted and actual compressive strength is 0.78 for training and 0.86 for testing. The impact of the number of neurons and layers on the model was performed. Inputs from standards are used to forecast the 28th day compressive strength. Apart from ANN, Machine Learning (ML) techniques like random forest, extra trees, extreme boosting and light gradient boosting techniques are adopted to predict the 28th day compressive strength of SCRCAC. Compared to ML, ANN prediction shows better results in terms of sensitive analysis. The study also extended to determine 28th day compressive strength from experimental work and compared it with 28th day compressive strength from ANN best model. Standard and ANN mix designs have similar fresh and hardened properties. The average compressive strength from ANN model and experimental results are 39.067 and 38.36 MPa, respectively with correlation coefficient is 1. It appears that ANN can validly predict the compressive strength of concrete.
“I’ll take them another day”: A qualitative study exploring the socio-behavioral complexities of childhood vaccination in urban poor settlements
Authors: Gichuki Judy , Ngoye Ben , Wafula Francis
Published: May 2024

Despite improvement over recent decades, childhood vaccination uptake remains a concern across countries. The World Health Organization observed that over 25 million children missed out on one or more vaccines in 2021, with urban poor and other marginalized groups being the most affected. Given the higher risk of disease transmission and vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) outbreaks across densely populated urban slums, identifying effective interventions to improve childhood vaccination in this vulnerable population is crucial. This study explored the behavioral and social factors influencing childhood vaccination uptake in urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. A grounded theory approach was employed to develop a theoretical account of the socio-behavioral determinants of childhood vaccination. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with purposively sampled caregivers of children under five years of age residing in informal settlements. The Theory of Planned Behavior guided the structuring of the FGD questions. An iterative process was used to analyze and identify emerging themes. Thirty-nine caregivers (median age 29 years) participated in the FGDs. From the analysis, four main thematic categories were derived. These included attitude factors such as perceived vaccine benefits, cultural beliefs, and emotional factors including parental love. Additionally, subjective norms, like fear of social judgment, and perceived behavioral control factors, such as self-control and gender-based influences, were identified. Furthermore, a number of practical factors, including the cost of vaccines and healthcare providers attitude, also affected the uptake of vaccination. Various social, behavioral, cultural, and contextual factors influence caregiver vaccination decisions in urban poor settings. Community-derived and context-specific approaches that address the complex interaction between socio-behavioral and other contextual factors need to be tested and applied to improve the timely uptake of childhood vaccinations among marginalized populations.
The clinical significance of long non-coding RNAs MALAT1 and CASC2 in the diagnosis of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Golam Rehab M. , Khalil Mahmoud A. F. , Shaker Olfat G. , Ahmed Tarek I. , Elguaad Mohamed K. Abd , Hassan Essam A. , El-Ansary Mahmoud R. M. , Ismail Ahmed , Kandil Yasser I. , Mohammed Osama A. , Doghish Ahmed S.
Published: May 2024

Background

Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related death due to a lack of early predictive and/or diagnostic tools. Thus, research for a new biomarker is important. LncRNAs play a functional role in target gene regulation and their deregulation is associated with several pathological conditions including HCC.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the diagnostic potential of two LncRNAs MALAT1 and CASC2 in HCC compared to the routinely used diagnostic biomarker.

Materials and methods

The current study is a case-control study carried out at Fayoum University Hospital and conducted on 89 individuals. The study included three groups of 36 HCC patients on top of HCV(HCC/HCV), 33 HCV patients, and 20 healthy volunteers as a control group. All study subjects were subjected to radiological examinations. The determination of CBC was performed by the automated counter and liver function tests by the enzymatic method were performed. In addition, HCV RNA quantification and the expression level of two LncRNAs (MALAT1 and CASC2) were performed by qRT-PCR.

Results

The results revealed a statistically significant difference between study groups regarding liver function tests with a higher mean in HCC/HCV group. Also, serum MALAT1 significantly up-regulated in HCV (11.2±2.8) and HCC/HCV (4.56±1.4) compared to the control group. Besides, serum CASC2 levels in the HCV group were significantly upregulated (14.9±3.6), while, downregulated in the HCC group (0.16± 0.03). Furthermore, The ROC analysis for diagnostic efficacy parameters indicated that CASC2 has higher accuracy (94.6%) and sensitivity (97.2%) for HCC diagnosis than AFP with an accuracy of (90.9%), sensitivity (69.4%), and MALAT1 showed an accuracy of (56.9%), sensitivity (72.2%).

Conclusion

Our study results indicated that CASC2 is a promising biomarker and is considered better and could help in HCC diagnosis on top of HCV than MALAT1 and the routine biomarker AFP.
Mindfulness meditation use in Britain during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Simonsson Otto , Fisher Stephen D.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence and associations of mindfulness meditation use and also its perceived mental health effects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Using repeated cross-sectional data from broad online samples weighted to be representative of the adult population in Britain, we estimated the prevalence of mindfulness meditation use and employed logistic regression models to investigate sociodemographic and political associations of mindfulness meditation use and also its perceived mental health effects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

The findings suggest that 16 percent of adults in Britain had learnt to practice mindfulness in 2021. In covariate-adjusted regression models, having learnt to practice mindfulness was more common among young and middle-aged adults, residents in London, and respondents who voted for the Liberal Democrats. Among mindfulness meditation users who reported having practiced mindfulness during the COVID-19 pandemic, 60 percent reported that it positively affected their mental health and 24 percent reported that it negatively affected their mental health. Notably, 41 percent of respondents with children under 18 (versus 13 percent of those without minors) reported negative mental health effects. In covariate-adjusted regression models, negative mental health effects from mindfulness practice during the COVID-19 pandemic were not concentrated in any particular groups, except for respondents with children under 18.

Conclusions

Mindfulness meditation has become widespread in Britain, but the results in this study suggest that mindfulness meditation use may be concentrated in certain sociodemographic and political groups. The results also suggest that practicing mindfulness during the COVID-19 pandemic had positive mental health effects for a majority of users, but approximately one-quarter of users reported negative mental health effects. It is therefore important for future research to continue monitoring the prevalence of mindfulness meditation use in society and to investigate under what circumstances, for whom, and in what ways mindfulness-based practices may have negative effects on mental health.
Effects of elastic band resistance training on the physical and mental health of elderly individuals: A mixed methods systematic review
Authors: Li Aiying , Sun Yan , Li Meng , Wang Dongyang , Ma Xiaofeng
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Elastic band resistance training in elderly individuals can improve physical fitness and promote mental health in addition to other benefits. This systematic review aimed to review, summarize, and evaluate quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodological studies on the use of elastic band resistance training in elderly individuals, and to investigate the influence of elastic band resistance training on the physical and mental health of elderly individuals, as well as their preferences and obstacles in training.

Methods

A convergent separation approach was used to synthesize and integrate the results, specifically the mixed systematic review approach recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The extensive search strategy included electronic database searches in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and CINAHL. The researchers rigorously screened the literature, extracted and analyzed the data, and evaluated the quality of the included studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).

Results

Twenty-eight studies were included, of which 25 were quantitative studies, 2 were qualitative studies, and 1 was a mixed-methods study. A total of 1,697 subjects were investigated across all studies. Quantitative evidence supports the notion that elastic band resistance training can improve upper and lower limb flexibility, endurance, upper strength, physical balance, and cardiopulmonary function and enhance the mental health of elderly individuals. Participants in the qualitative study reported some preferences and obstacles with band resistance training, but most participants reported physical benefits.

Conclusions

Despite the heterogeneity between studies, this review is the first systematic review to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of elastic band resistance training in older adults. It not only shows the influence of elastic band resistance training on the physical and mental health of the elderly, but also emphasizes the preference and obstacles of elderly individuals face.
Medical resource usage for COVID-19 evaluated using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan
Authors: Fukuyama Keita , Mori Yukiko , Ueshima Hiroaki , Ito Shiho , Tanabe Masaki , Kuroda Tomohiro
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exhibited several different waves threatening global health care. During this pandemic, medical resources were depleted. However, the kind of medical resources provided to each wave was not clarified. This study aimed to examine the characteristics of medical care provision at COVID-19 peaks in preparation for the next pandemic.

Methods

Using medical insurance claim records in Japan, we examined the presence or absence of COVID-19 infection and the use of medical resources for all patients monthly by age group.

Results

The wave around August 2021 with the Delta strain had the strongest impact on the working population in terms of hospital admission and respiratory support. For healthcare providers, this peak had the highest frequency of severely ill patients. In the subsequent wave, although the number of patients with COVID-19 remained high, they were predominantly older adults, with relatively fewer patients receiving intensive care.

Conclusions

In future pandemics, we should refer to the wave around August 2021 as a situation of medical resource shortage resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Intranasal respiratory syncytial virus vaccine attenuated by codon-pair deoptimization of seven open reading frames is genetically stable and elicits mucosal and systemic immunity and protection against challenge virus replication in hamsters
Authors: Levy Megan , Chen Jessica W. , Kaiser Jaclyn A. , Park Hong-Su , Liu Xueqiao , Yang Lijuan , Santos Celia , Buchholz Ursula J. , Le Nouën Cyril
Published: May 2024

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important viral agent of severe pediatric respiratory illness worldwide, but there is no approved pediatric vaccine. Here, we describe the development of the live-attenuated RSV vaccine candidate Min AL as well as engineered derivatives. Min AL was attenuated by codon-pair deoptimization (CPD) of seven of the 11 RSV open reading frames (ORFs) (NS1, NS2, N, P, M, SH and L; 2,073 silent nucleotide substitutions in total). Min AL replicated efficiently in vitro at the permissive temperature of 32°C but was highly temperature sensitive (shut-off temperature of 36°C). When serially passaged at increasing temperatures, Min AL retained greater temperature sensitivity compared to previous candidates with fewer CPD ORFs. However, whole-genome deep-sequencing of passaged Min AL revealed mutations throughout its genome, most commonly missense mutations in the polymerase cofactor P and anti-termination transcription factor M2-1 (the latter was not CPD). Reintroduction of selected mutations into Min AL partially rescued its replication in vitro at temperatures up to 40°C, confirming their compensatory effect. These mutations restored the accumulation of positive-sense RNAs to wild-type (wt) RSV levels, suggesting increased activity by the viral transcriptase, whereas viral protein expression, RNA replication, and virus production were only partly rescued. In hamsters, Min AL and derivatives remained highly restricted in replication in the upper and lower airways, but induced serum IgG and IgA responses to the prefusion form of F (pre F) that were comparable to those induced by wt RSV, as well as robust mucosal and systemic IgG and IgA responses against RSV G. Min AL and derivatives were fully protective against challenge virus replication. The derivatives had increased genetic stability compared to Min AL. Thus, Min AL and derivatives with selected mutations are stable, attenuated, yet highly-immunogenic RSV vaccine candidates that are available for further evaluation.
Natural killer-like B cells are a distinct but infrequent innate immune cell subset modulated by SIV infection of rhesus macaques
Authors: Manickam Cordelia , Upadhyay Amit A. , Woolley Griffin , Kroll Kyle W. , Terry Karen , Broedlow Courtney A. , Klatt Nichole R. , Bosinger Steven E. , Reeves R. Keith
Published: May 2024

Natural killer-like B (NKB) cells are unique innate immune cells expressing both natural killer (NK) and B cell receptors. As first responders to infection, they secrete IL-18 to induce a critical cascade of innate and adaptive immune cell infiltration and activation. However, limited research exists on the role of NKB cells in homeostasis and infection, largely due to incomplete and erroneous evaluations. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the expression of signaling and trafficking proteins, and the in situ localization and transcriptome of naïve NKB cells compared to conventionally-defined NK and B cells, as well as modulations of these cells in SIV infection. Intracellular signaling proteins and trafficking markers were expressed differentially on naïve NKB cells, with high expression of CD62L and Syk, and low expression of CD69, α4β7, FcRg, Zap70, and CD3z, findings which were more similar to B cells than NK cells. CD20+NKG2a/c+ NKB cells were identified in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), colon, jejunum, and liver of naïve rhesus macaques (RM) via tissue imaging, with NKB cell counts concentrated in spleen and MLN. For the first time, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq), including B cell receptor (BCR) sequencing, of sorted NKB cells confirmed that NKB cells are unique. Transcriptomic analysis of naïve splenic NKB cells by scRNAseq showed that NKB cells undergo somatic hypermutation and express Ig receptors, similar to B cells. While only 15% of sorted NKB cells showed transcript expression of both KLRC1 (NKG2A) and MS4A1 (CD20) genes, only 5% of cells expressed KLRC1, MS4A1, and IgH/IgL transcripts. We observed expanded NKB frequencies in RM gut and buccal mucosa as early as 14 and 35 days post-SIV infection, respectively. Further, mucosal and peripheral NKB cells were associated with colorectal cytokine milieu and oral microbiome changes, respectively. Our studies indicate that NKB cells gated on CD3-CD14-CD20+NKG2A/C+ cells were inclusive of transcriptomically conventional B and NK cells in addition to true NKB cells, confounding accurate phenotyping and frequency recordings that could only be resolved using genomic techniques. Although NKB cells were clearly elevated during SIV infection and associated with inflammatory changes during infection, further interrogation is necessary to acurately identify the true phenotype and significance of NKB cells in infection and inflammation.
A conserved switch controls virulence, sporulation, and motility in C. difficile
Authors: DiCandia Michael A. , Edwards Adrianne N. , Alcaraz Ysabella B. , Monteiro Marcos P. , Lee Cheyenne D. , Vargas Cuebas Germán , Bagchi Pritha , McBride Shonna M.
Published: May 2024

Spore formation is required for environmental survival and transmission of the human enteropathogenic Clostridioides difficile. In all bacterial spore formers, sporulation is regulated through activation of the master response regulator, Spo0A. However, the factors and mechanisms that directly regulate C. difficile Spo0A activity are not defined. In the well-studied Bacillus species, Spo0A is directly inactivated by Spo0E, a small phosphatase. To understand Spo0E function in C. difficile, we created a null mutation of the spo0E ortholog and assessed sporulation and physiology. The spo0E mutant produced significantly more spores, demonstrating Spo0E represses C. difficile sporulation. Unexpectedly, the spo0E mutant also exhibited increased motility and toxin production, and enhanced virulence in animal infections. We uncovered that Spo0E interacts with both Spo0A and the toxin and motility regulator, RstA. Direct interactions between Spo0A, Spo0E, and RstA constitute a previously unknown molecular switch that coordinates sporulation with motility and toxin production. Reinvestigation of Spo0E function in B. subtilis revealed that Spo0E induced motility, demonstrating Spo0E regulation of motility and sporulation among divergent species. Further, 3D structural analyses of Spo0E revealed specific and exclusive interactions between Spo0E and binding partners in C. difficile and B. subtilis that provide insight into the conservation of this regulatory mechanism among different species.
Biofilm-associated metabolism via ERG251 in Candida albicans
Authors: Xiong Liping , Pereira De Sa Nivea , Zarnowski Robert , Huang Manning Y. , Mota Fernandes Caroline , Lanni Frederick , Andes David R. , Del Poeta Maurizio , Mitchell Aaron P.
Published: May 2024

Biofilm formation by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans is the basis for its ability to infect medical devices. The metabolic gene ERG251 has been identified as a target of biofilm transcriptional regulator Efg1, and here we report that ERG251 is required for biofilm formation but not conventional free-living planktonic growth. An erg251Δ/Δ mutation impairs biofilm formation in vitro and in an in vivo catheter infection model. In both in vitro and in vivo biofilm contexts, cell number is reduced and hyphal length is limited. To determine whether the mutant defect is in growth or some other aspect of biofilm development, we examined planktonic cell features in a biofilm-like environment, which was approximated with sealed unshaken cultures. Under those conditions, the erg251Δ/Δ mutation causes defects in growth and hyphal extension. Overexpression in the erg251Δ/Δ mutant of the paralog ERG25, which is normally expressed more weakly than ERG251, partially improves biofilm formation and biofilm hyphal content, as well as growth and hyphal extension in a biofilm-like environment. GC-MS analysis shows that the erg251Δ/Δ mutation causes a defect in ergosterol accumulation when cells are cultivated under biofilm-like conditions, but not under conventional planktonic conditions. Overexpression of ERG25 in the erg251Δ/Δ mutant causes some increase in ergosterol levels. Finally, the hypersensitivity of efg1Δ/Δ mutants to the ergosterol inhibitor fluconazole is reversed by ERG251 overexpression, arguing that reduced ERG251 expression contributes to this efg1Δ/Δ phenotype. Our results indicate that ERG251 is required for biofilm formation because its high expression levels are necessary for ergosterol synthesis in a biofilm-like environment.
Modulation of host lipid metabolism by virus infection leads to exoskeleton damage in shrimp
Authors: Wang Xin-Xin , Ding Ming-Jie , Gao Jie , Zhao Ling , Cao Rong , Wang Xian-Wei
Published: May 2024

The arthropod exoskeleton provides protection and support and is vital for survival and adaption. The integrity and mechanical properties of the exoskeleton are often impaired after pathogenic infection; however, the detailed mechanism by which infection affects the exoskeleton remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the damage to the shrimp exoskeleton is caused by modulation of host lipid profiles after infection with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). WSSV infection disrupts the mechanical performance of the exoskeleton by inducing the expression of a chitinase (Chi2) in the sub-cuticle epidermis and decreasing the cuticle chitin content. The induction of Chi2 expression is mediated by a nuclear receptor that can be activated by certain enriched long-chain saturated fatty acids after infection. The damage to the exoskeleton, an aftereffect of the induction of host lipogenesis by WSSV, significantly impairs the motor ability of shrimp. Blocking the WSSV-caused lipogenesis restored the mechanical performance of the cuticle and improved the motor ability of infected shrimp. Therefore, this study reveals a mechanism by which WSSV infection modulates shrimp internal metabolism resulting in phenotypic impairment, and provides new insights into the interactions between the arthropod host and virus.
Social media, socialization and discursive politics
Authors: Dzisah Wilberforce S. , Herzuah Paul , Diedong Africanus L.
Published: May 2024

Social media activism among the youth has been on the increase in Ghana and Africa. In the context of Ghana, the article interrogates the level of involvement of social media and its use by the youth as they relate to freedom of expression; participation in elections; socialization and job opportunities; and the devices used to connect to the internet. This study applied the survey method that randomly sampled 9024 youth across ten geopolitical regions of Ghana. It analysed data using both positivist and contextual analytic lenses after critiquing the relevant literature. The critiques teased out the key questions investigated with findings and discussions providing nuanced outcomes. It emerged that social media promotes freedom of expression and participation in elections; social relations and job opportunities among the youth in Ghana. The findings also reveal a certain paradox of social media and youth involvement in sociopolitical affairs.
‘It won’t be the witches that are burning this time’: The anarchist temporalities of folk punk
Authors: Fox David
Published: May 2024

This article is an exploration of the temporal politics of folk punk. Folk punk is a subgenre of punk played with predominantly acoustic instruments that emerged in the 1980s but developed a more concrete form in the late 1990s. This article compares the temporal politics of two scenes within folk punk. First, it looks at an early scene centred on the record label Plan-It-X. Second, ‘traditional folk punk’ is examined. In this latter scene, artists utilize an increasing range of instruments and musical resources associated with various types of traditional music. This musical change is also reflected lyrically; the second scene has much broader temporal references in comparison with the narrowly defined presentism of the Plan-It-X scene. The central argument of this article is that these musical and lyrical differences are politically and theoretically important. The dynamics within the folk punk scene complicate understandings of prefigurative politics, challenging the forms of presentism and individualism that this concept is associated with. The implications of these dynamics are lastly elaborated upon with reference to Gustav Landauer’s mystical anarchism.
P-LDPC coded image transmission with OFDM over underwater acoustic channel
Authors: Al-Kadhimi Aymen M. , Abdelkareem Ammar E. , Tsimenidis Charalampos C.
Published: May 2024

Underwater environment is still an attractive area to explore and exploit by human beings. However, underwater characteristics limit communications due to harsh channel conditions, and efficient channel codes are essential to deploy. This study presents an underwater system based on protograph low-density parity check (P-LDPC) codes and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) for image transmission. The system proves a successful reconstruction of P-LDPC coded images with different levels of comparison. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated using nine objective measures such as bit error rate (BER) and peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR). Firstly, the proposed system performance is evaluated with different block lengths of P-LDPC code. Then, the implemented system shows a coding gain of approximately 1.75 dB for applying P-LDPC when compared to polar with cyclic redundancy check at 0.0001 BER. Additionally, image subjective assessment is obtained to demonstrate how the P-LDPC outweighs polar and turbo product codes in terms of estimated image quality. Lastly, further investigation is performed to study the effect of varying fast Fourier transform (FFT) size and cyclic prefix (CP) length on image reserved quality. The results show that the received image is better reconstructed for larger FFT sizes since that produce longer CP and symbol duration, and that in turn helps the system to combat the multipath fading introduced by the underwater channel.