bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unravelling the genetic variability of host resilience to endo- and ectoparasites in Nellore commercial herds
Authors: Gouveia Gabriela Canabrava , Ribeiro Virgínia Mara Pereira , Fortes Marina Rufino Salinas , Raidan Fernanda Santos Silva , Reverter Antonio , Porto-Neto Laercio Ribeiro , Moraes Mariana Mamedes de , Gonçalves Daniel Resende , Silva Marcos Vinicius Gualberto Barbosa d , Toral Fabio Luiz Buranelo
Published: November 2023

Background

Host resilience (HR) to parasites can affect the performance of animals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to present a detailed investigation of the genetic mechanisms of HR to ticks (TICK), gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), and Eimeria spp. (EIM) in Nellore cattle that were raised under natural infestation and a prophylactic parasite control strategy. In our study, HR was defined as the slope coefficient of body weight (BW) when TICK, GIN, and EIM burdens were used as environmental gradients in random regression models. In total, 1712 animals were evaluated at five measurement events (ME) at an average age of 331, 385, 443, 498, and 555 days, which generated 7307 body weight (BW) records. Of the 1712 animals, 1075 genotyped animals were used in genome-wide association studies to identify genomic regions associated with HR.

Results

Posterior means of the heritability estimates for BW ranged from 0.09 to 0.54 across parasites and ME. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-derived heritability for BW at each ME ranged from a low (0.09 at ME.331) to a moderate value (0.23 at ME.555). Those estimates show that genetic progress can be achieved for BW through selection. Both genetic and genomic associations between BW and HR to TICK, GIN, and EIM confirmed that parasite infestation impacted the performance of animals. Selection for BW under an environment with a controlled parasite burden is an alternative to improve both, BW and HR. There was no impact of age of measurement on the estimates of genetic variance for HR. Five quantitative trait loci (QTL) were associated with HR to EIM but none with HR to TICK and to GIN. These QTL contain genes that were previously shown to be associated with the production of antibody modulators and chemokines that are released in the intestinal epithelium.

Conclusions

Selection for BW under natural infestation and controlled parasite burden, via prophylactic parasite control, contributes to the identification of animals that are resilient to nematodes and Eimeria ssp. Although we verified that sufficient genetic variation existed for HR, we did not find any genes associated with mechanisms that could justify the expression of HR to TICK and GIN.
The prevalence and associated factors of Helicobacter pylori infection among asymptomatic adolescent schoolchildren in Sudan: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Alshareef Shimos A. , Hassan Ahmed A. , Abdelrahman Dina N. , AlEed Ashwaq , Al-Nafeesah Abdullah , Adam Ishag
Published: November 2023

Background

Only few data have been published on Helicobacter pylori infection in adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Sudan. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of H. pylori infection in asymptomatic adolescents schoolchildren (aged 10–19 years) in Sudan.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2022. The participants’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were assessed using a questionnaire. The participants underwent a rapid H. pylori antibody test for the detection of H. pylori antibodies. Multivariate regression analyses were performed.

Results

Of the 368 enrolled adolescents, 155 (42.1%) and 213 (57.9%) were boys and girls, respectively. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of the total sample was 15.2 years (14.0‒16.4 years). The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 8.4%. In the multivariable regression analyses, only the female adolescents (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24‒7.44) were associated with H. pylori infection. Age, parental education and occupation, and body mass index were not associated with contracting H. pylori infection.

Conclusion

H. pylori infection was detected in one of 10 adolescents in Northern Sudan. Female adolescents were at a higher risk of contracting H. pylori infection. The introduction of interventional health programs such as awareness campaigns and improving personal hygiene could lead to the reduction of the risk of H. pylori infection at early ages, especially in girls, and ensure that adolescents are healthy in their present and later lives.
Unilateral laminotomy with bilateral spinal canal decompression: systematic review of outcomes and complications
Authors: Algarni Nizar , Al-Amoodi Mohamed , Marwan Yousef , Bokhari Rakan , Addar Abdullah , Alshammari Abdullah , Alaseem Abdulrahman , Albishi Waleed , Alshaygy Ibrahim , Alabdullatif Fahad
Published: November 2023

Background

Unilateral laminotomy with bilateral spinal canal decompression has gained popularity recently.

Aim

To systematically review the literature of unilateral laminotomy with bilateral spinal canal decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) aiming to assess outcomes and complications of the different techniques described in literature.

Methods

On August 7, 2022, Pubmed and EMBASE were searched by 2 reviewers independently, and all the relevant studies published up to date were considered based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The subject headings “unilateral laminotomy”, “bilateral decompression” and their related key terms were used. The Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement was used to screen the articles.

Results

A total of seven studies including 371 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 69.0 years (range: 55–83 years). The follow up duration ranged from 1 to 3 years. Rate of postoperative pain and functional improvement was favorable based on VAS, JOA, JOABPEQ, RMDW, ODI and SF-36, for example improved from a range of 4.2–7.5 preoperatively on the VAS score to a range of 1.4–3.0 postoperatively at the final follow up. Insufficient decompression was noted in 3% of the reported cases. The overall complication rate was reported at 18–20%, with dural tear at 3.6–9% and hematoma at 0–4%.

Conclusion

Unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression has favorable short- and mid-term pain and functional outcomes with low recurrence and complication rates. This, however, needs to be further confirmed in larger, long-term follow-up, prospective, comparative studies between open, and minimally invasive techniques.
Effects of Twitter use on academic performance and satisfaction in a pathophysiology course among Omani nursing students: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Joseph Mickaël Antoine , Natarajan Jansirani , Seshan Vidya , Roach Erna Judith , Omari Omar Al , Karkada Suja
Published: November 2023

Background

Nursing students often find bioscience courses, such as pathophysiology, challenging. Utilizing Twitter to provide concise course content and answer students’ questions before exams may be beneficial. The objective of this study was to determine if using Twitter can improve nursing students’ academic performance and satisfaction with pathophysiology courses.

Methods

A post-test, two-group quasi-experimental research design was employed in this study. It involved second-year Bachelor of Nursing students participating in a pathophysiology course at the College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, in Muscat, Oman. Seventy-three second-year Bachelor of Nursing students participated in the pathophysiology course; 50 students opted to use Twitter, forming the experimental group, while the remaining 23, who chose not to use Twitter, formed the control group. We used Twitter to provide concise course content for the pathophysiology course and conduct one-hour question-and-answer sessions the night before exams. Academic performance was assessed through examination scores, and student satisfaction levels with Twitter was measured using five-point Likert scale questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney and t-tests.

Results

Although there was no significant difference in final exam scores between the experimental and control groups, survey results showed that students were generally satisfied with the incorporation of Twitter in the pathophysiology course, including the question-and-answer sessions.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that Twitter can serve as a valuable tool for enhancing nursing student satisfaction with the pathophysiology course.
Effect of intermittent Pringle maneuver on perioperative outcomes and long-term survival following liver resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis and systemic review
Authors: Hu Lingbo , Wang Aidong , Qiao Yingli , Huang Xiandan
Published: November 2023

Background

Intermittent Pringle maneuver (IPM) is commonly used to control bleeding during liver resection. IPM can cause ischemia–reperfusion injury, which may affect the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of IPM use on perioperative outcomes and long-term survival in patients with HCC.

Methods

A systemic literature search was performed in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases to identify randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies that compared the effect of IPM with no Pringle maneuver during liver resection in patients with HCC. Hazard ratio (HR), risk ratio, standardized mean difference, and their 95% confidence interval (CI) values were calculated based on the type of variables.

Results

This meta-analysis included nine studies comprising one RCT and eight retrospective studies and involved a total of 3268 patients. Perioperative outcomes, including operation time, complications, and length of hospital stay, except for blood loss, were comparable between the two groups. After removing the studies that led to heterogeneity, the results showed that IPM was effective in reducing blood loss. Five studies reported overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) data and eight studies reported perioperative outcomes. No significant difference in OS and DFS was observed between the two groups (OS: HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.85–1.20; p = 0.95; DFS: HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.88–1.17; p = 0.86).

Conclusion

IPM is a useful technique to control blood loss during liver resection and does not affect the long-term survival of patients with HCC.
Real-world data suggest effectiveness of the allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells preparation MSC-FFM in ruxolitinib-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease
Authors: Bonig Halvard , Verbeek Mareike , Herhaus Peter , Braitsch Krischan , Beutel Gernot , Schmid Christoph , Müller Nadine , Bug Gesine , Döring Michaela , von Stackelberg Arend , Tischer Johanna , Ayuk Francis , Wulf Gerald , Holtick Udo , Pfeffermann Lisa-Marie , Jahrsdörfer Bernd , Schrezenmeier Hubert , Kuci Selim , Kuci Zyrafete , Zens Anke , Tribanek Michael , Zeiser Robert , Huenecke Sabine , Bader Peter
Published: November 2023

Background

Patients with steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) not tolerating/responding to ruxolitinib (RR-aGvHD) have a dismal prognosis.

Methods

We retrospectively assessed real-world outcomes of RR-aGvHD treated with the random-donor allogeneic MSC preparation MSC-FFM, available via Hospital Exemption in Germany. MSC-FFM is provided as frozen cell dispersion for administration as i.v. infusion immediately after thawing, at a recommended dose of 1–2 million MSCs/kg body weight in 4 once-weekly doses. 156 patients, 33 thereof children, received MSC-FFM; 5% had Grade II, 40% had Grade III, and 54% had Grade IV aGvHD. Median (range) number of prior therapies was 4 (1–10) in adults and 7 (2–11) in children.

Results

The safety profile of MSC-FFM was consistent with previous reports for MSC therapies in general and MSC-FFM specifically. The overall response rate at Day 28 was 46% (95% confidence interval [CI] 36–55%) in adults and 64% (45–80%) in children; most responses were durable. Probability of overall survival at 6, 12 and 24 months was 47% (38–56%), 35% (27–44%) and 30% (22–39%) for adults, and 59% (40–74%), 42% (24–58%) and 35% (19–53%) for children, respectively (whole cohort: median OS 5.8 months).

Conclusion

A recent real-world analysis of outcomes for 64 adult RR-aGvHD patients not treated with MSCs reports survival of 20%, 16% and 10% beyond 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively (median 28 days). Our data thus suggest effectiveness of MSC-FFM in RR-aGvHD.
Microglia/macrophages are ultrastructurally altered by their proximity to spinal cord injury in adult female mice
Authors: St-Pierre Marie-Kim , González Ibáñez Fernando , Kroner Antje , Tremblay Marie-Ève
Published: November 2023

Traumatic spinal cord injury can cause immediate physical damage to the spinal cord and result in severe neurological deficits. The primary, mechanical tissue damage triggers a variety of secondary damage mechanisms at the injury site which significantly contribute to a larger lesion size and increased functional damage. Inflammatory mechanisms which directly involve both microglia (MG) and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) play important roles in the post-injury processes, including inflammation and debris clearing. In the current study, we investigated changes in the structure and function of MG/MDM in the injured spinal cord of adult female mice, 7 days after a thoracic contusion SCI. With the use of chip mapping scanning electron microscopy, which allows to image large samples at the nanoscale, we performed an ultrastructural comparison of MG/MDM located near the lesion vs adjacent regions to provide novel insights into the mechanisms at play post-injury. We found that MG/MDM located near the lesion had more mitochondria overall, including mitochondria with and without morphological alterations, and had a higher proportion of altered mitochondria. MG/MDM near the lesion also showed an increased number of phagosomes, including phagosomes containing myelin and partiallydigested materials. MG/MDM near the injury interacted differently with the spinal cord parenchyma, as shown by their reduced number of direct contacts with synaptic elements, axon terminals and dendritic spines. In this study, we characterized the ultrastructural changes of MG/MDM in response to spinal cord tissue damage in mice, uncovering changes in phagocytic activity, mitochondrial ultrastructure, and inter-cellular interactions within the spinal cord parenchyma.
Systemic perturbations in amino acids/amino acid derivatives and tryptophan pathway metabolites associated with murine influenza A virus infection
Authors: Al-Shalan Huda A. M. , Zhou Lu , Dong Zhifan , Wang Penghao , Nicholls Philip K. , Boughton Berin , Stumbles Philip A. , Greene Wayne K. , Ma Bin
Published: November 2023

Background

Influenza A virus (IAV) is the only influenza virus causing flu pandemics (i.e., global epidemics of flu disease). Influenza (the flu) is a highly contagious disease that can be deadly, especially in high-risk groups. Worldwide, these annual epidemics are estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and in about 290,000 to 650,000 respiratory deaths. We intend to reveal the effect of IAV infection on the host′s metabolism, immune response, and neurotoxicity by using a mouse IAV infection model.

Methods

51 metabolites of murine blood plasma (33 amino acids/amino acid derivatives (AADs) and 18 metabolites of the tryptophan pathway) were analyzed by using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry with Electrospray Ionization at the acute (7 days post-infection (dpi)), resolution (14 dpi), and recovery (21 dpi) stages of the virus infection in comparison with controls.

Results

Among the 33 biogenic amino acids/AADs, the levels of five amino acids/AADs (1-methylhistidine, 5-oxoproline, α-aminobutyric acid, glutamine, and taurine) increased by 7 dpi, whereas the levels of ten amino acids/AADs (4-hydroxyproline, alanine, arginine, asparagine, cysteine, citrulline, glycine, methionine, proline, and tyrosine) decreased. By 14 dpi, the levels of one AAD (3-methylhistidine) increased, whereas the levels of five amino acids/AADs (α-aminobutyric acid, aminoadipic acid, methionine, threonine, valine) decreased. Among the 18 metabolites from the tryptophan pathway, the levels of kynurenine, quinolinic acid, hydroxykynurenine increased by 7 dpi, whereas the levels of indole-3-acetic acid and nicotinamide riboside decreased.

Conclusions

Our data may facilitate understanding the molecular mechanisms of host responses to IAV infection and provide a basis for discovering potential new mechanistic, diagnostic, and prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for IAV infection.
Identifying behaviour change techniques in 287 randomized controlled trials of audit and feedback interventions targeting practice change among healthcare professionals
Authors: Crawshaw Jacob , Meyer Carly , Antonopoulou Vivi , Antony Jesmin , Grimshaw Jeremy M. , Ivers Noah , Konnyu Kristin , Lacroix Meagan , Presseau Justin , Simeoni Michelle , Yogasingam Sharlini , Lorencatto Fabiana
Published: November 2023

Background

Audit and feedback (A&F) is among the most widely used implementation strategies, providing healthcare professionals with summaries of their practice performance to prompt behaviour change and optimize care. Wide variability in effectiveness of A&F has spurred efforts to explore why some A&F interventions are more effective than others. Unpacking the variability of the content of A&F interventions in terms of their component behaviours change techniques (BCTs) may help advance our understanding of how A&F works best. This study aimed to systematically specify BCTs in A&F interventions targeting healthcare professional practice change.

Methods

We conducted a directed content analysis of intervention descriptions in 287 randomized trials included in an ongoing Cochrane systematic review update of A&F interventions (searched up to June 2020). Three trained researchers identified and categorized BCTs in all trial arms (treatment & control/comparator) using the 93-item BCT Taxonomy version 1. The original BCT definitions and examples in the taxonomy were adapted to include A&F-specific decision rules and examples. Two additional BCTs (‘Education (unspecified)’ and ‘Feedback (unspecified)’) were added, such that 95 BCTs were considered for coding.

Results

In total, 47/95 BCTs (49%) were identified across 360 treatment arms at least once (median = 5.0, IQR = 2.3, range = 1-29). The most common BCTs were ‘Feedback on behaviour’ (present 89% of the time; e.g. feedback on drug prescribing), ‘Instruction on how to perform the behaviour’ (71%; e.g. issuing a clinical guideline), ‘Social comparison’ (52%; e.g. feedback on performance of peers), ‘Credible source’ (41%; e.g. endorsements from respected professional body), and ‘Education (unspecified)’ (31%; e.g. giving a lecture to staff). A total of 130/287 (45%) control/comparator arms contained at least one BCT (median = 2.0, IQR = 3.0, range = 0–15 per arm), of which the most common were identical to those identified in treatment arms.

Conclusions

A&F interventions to improve healthcare professional practice include a moderate range of BCTs, focusing predominantly on providing behavioural feedback, sharing guidelines, peer comparison data, education, and leveraging credible sources. We encourage the use of our A&F-specific list of BCTs to improve knowledge of what is being delivered in A&F interventions. Our study provides a basis for exploring which BCTs are associated with intervention effectiveness.

Trial registrations

N/A.
Developing a diagnostic framework for patients presenting with Exercise Induced Leg Pain (EILP): a scoping review
Authors: Bosnina Fatma , Padhiar Nat , Miller Stuart , Girotra Krishna , Massoura Chrysovalanto , Morrissey Dylan
Published: November 2023

Background

Numerous conditions are grouped under the generic term exercise‐induced leg pain (EILP), yet clear diagnostic guidelines are lacking. This scoping review was conducted to clarify the definition and diagnostic criteria of nine commonly occurring EILP conditions.

Methods

Three online databases were searched from inception to April 2022 for any English language original manuscripts identifying, describing, or assessing the clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria of the nine most common conditions that cause EILP. We included manuscripts considering all adults with any reported diagnostic criteria for EILP in any setting. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal tool. Condition definitions were identified and categorised during data charting. Twenty‐five potential elements of the history, 24 symptoms, 41 physical signs, 21 investigative tools, and 26 overarching diagnostic criteria, were identified and coded as counts of recommendation per condition, alongside qualitative analysis of the clinical reasoning. Condition definitions were constructed with 11 standardised elements based on recent consensus exercises for other conditions.

Results

One hundred nineteen retained manuscripts, of which 18 studied multiple conditions, had a median quality of 2/5. A combination of the history, pain location, symptoms, physical findings, and investigative modalities were fundamental to identify each sub‐diagnosis alongside excluding differentials. The details differed markedly for each sub‐diagnosis. Fifty‐nine manuscripts included data on chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) revealing exertional pain (83% history), dull aching pain (76% symptoms), absence of physical signs (78% physical findings) and elevated intercompartment pressure (93% investigative modality). Twenty‐one manuscripts included data on medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), revealing persistent pain upon discontinuation of activity (81% history), diffuse medial tibial pain (100% pain location), dull ache (86% symptoms), diffuse tenderness (95% physical findings) and MRI for exclusion of differentials (62% investigative modality). Similar analyses were performed for stress fractures (SF, n = 31), popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES, n = 22), superficial peroneal nerve entrapment syndrome (SPNES, n = 15), lumbar radiculopathy (n = 7), accessory/low‐lying soleus muscle syndrome (ALLSMS, n = 5), myofascial tears (n = 3), and McArdle's syndrome (n = 2).

Conclusion

Initial diagnostic frameworks and definitions have been developed for each condition of the nine most common conditions that cause EILP, suitable for clinical consideration and consensus confirmation.
On the difficulty of validating molecular generative models realistically: a case study on public and proprietary data
Authors: Handa Koichi , Thomas Morgan C. , Kageyama Michiharu , Iijima Takeshi , Bender Andreas
Published: November 2023

While a multitude of deep generative models have recently emerged there exists no best practice for their practically relevant validation. On the one hand, novel de novo-generated molecules cannot be refuted by retrospective validation (so that this type of validation is biased); but on the other hand prospective validation is expensive and then often biased by the human selection process. In this case study, we frame retrospective validation as the ability to mimic human drug design, by answering the following question: Can a generative model trained on early-stage project compounds generate middle/late-stage compounds de novo? To this end, we used experimental data that contains the elapsed time of a synthetic expansion following hit identification from five public (where the time series was pre-processed to better reflect realistic synthetic expansions) and six in-house project datasets, and used REINVENT as a widely adopted RNN-based generative model. After splitting the dataset and training REINVENT on early-stage compounds, we found that rediscovery of middle/late-stage compounds was much higher in public projects (at 1.60%, 0.64%, and 0.21% of the top 100, 500, and 5000 scored generated compounds) than in in-house projects (where the values were 0.00%, 0.03%, and 0.04%, respectively). Similarly, average single nearest neighbour similarity between early- and middle/late-stage compounds in public projects was higher between active compounds than inactive compounds; however, for in-house projects the converse was true, which makes rediscovery (if so desired) more difficult. We hence show that the generative model recovers very few middle/late-stage compounds from real-world drug discovery projects, highlighting the fundamental difference between purely algorithmic design and drug discovery as a real-world process. Evaluating de novo compound design approaches appears, based on the current study, difficult or even impossible to do retrospectively.

Scientific Contribution This contribution hence illustrates aspects of evaluating the performance of generative models in a real-world setting which have not been extensively described previously and which hopefully contribute to their further future development.
Components of professional satisfaction among novice nurses
Authors: Savitsky Bella , Shvartsur Rachel , Findling Yifat , Ereli Anat , Hendel Tova
Published: November 2023

Background

In Israel there are only 6.53 nurses per 1000 citizens, compared to 8.8 nurses per 1000 citizens in the OECD countries. The nursing shortage is even more severe in peripheral areas, especially in southern Israel. Nurses` professional satisfaction is crucial for preserving the nursing workforce. This study aimed to assess job satisfaction among novice nurses and identify components of professional satisfaction.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of 216 novice nurses who graduated in 2018–2022 and were approached ten months after graduation. Job satisfaction components were constructed using factor analysis.

Results

Professional satisfaction was based mainly on the intrinsic characteristics of the occupation related to personal accomplishment and organizational culture. In a multivariable model, a one-point increase in mean satisfaction with the training period during studies in the nursing department was associated with a more than a three-fold elevation in the odds for high and very high professional satisfaction (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.7–5.1). Odds for high and very high professional satisfaction were more than four-fold and two-fold higher among graduates who rated their level of control over work schedule as high and medium vs. low (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.0–16.7 and OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2–6.3, respectively). Work-life balance without disturbance to daily life by work was found significantly associated with higher odds for high and very high satisfaction. Nurses who plan to continue professional development, i.e., an advanced professional course or Master’s degree, had significantly higher mean professional satisfaction scales than others (4.2 vs. 3.7, p = .009 and 4.2 vs. 3.9, p < .001, respectively).

Conclusion

The most important components of professional satisfaction among novice nurses are self-accomplishment, which was built from work-related challenges, interest and variety of tasks, personal growth and development, and the possibility of contributing to patients` care and organizational culture, which was built from relationships with co-workers. Persons who manage nurses should cultivate an atmosphere of support and guidance, provide new nurses with interesting work tasks, and increase their ability to control their work schedule. Young nurses should be encouraged to continue their professional and academic education.
Algorithm selection using edge ML and case-based reasoning
Authors: Ali Rahman , Zada Muhammad Sadiq Hassan , Khatak Asad Masood , Hussain Jamil
Published: November 2023

In practical data mining, a wide range of classification algorithms is employed for prediction tasks. However, selecting the best algorithm poses a challenging task for machine learning practitioners and experts, primarily due to the inherent variability in the characteristics of classification problems, referred to as datasets, and the unpredictable performance of these algorithms. Dataset characteristics are quantified in terms of meta-features, while classifier performance is evaluated using various performance metrics. The assessment of classifiers through empirical methods across multiple classification datasets, while considering multiple performance metrics, presents a computationally expensive and time-consuming obstacle in the pursuit of selecting the optimal algorithm. Furthermore, the scarcity of sufficient training data, denoted by dimensions representing the number of datasets and the feature space described by meta-feature perspectives, adds further complexity to the process of algorithm selection using classical machine learning methods. This research paper presents an integrated framework called eML-CBR that combines edge edge-ML and case-based reasoning methodologies to accurately address the algorithm selection problem. It adapts a multi-level, multi-view case-based reasoning methodology, considering data from diverse feature dimensions and the algorithms from multiple performance aspects, that distributes computations to both cloud edges and centralized nodes. On the edge, the first-level reasoning employs machine learning methods to recommend a family of classification algorithms, while at the second level, it recommends a list of the top-k algorithms within that family. This list is further refined by an algorithm conflict resolver module. The eML-CBR framework offers a suite of contributions, including integrated algorithm selection, multi-view meta-feature extraction, innovative performance criteria, improved algorithm recommendation, data scarcity mitigation through incremental learning, and an open-source CBR module, reshaping research paradigms. The CBR module, trained on 100 datasets and tested with 52 datasets using 9 decision tree algorithms, achieved an accuracy of 94% for correct classifier recommendations within the top k=3 algorithms, making it highly suitable for practical classification applications.
Efficacy and safety of baricitinib for the treatment of hospitalized adults with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sun Jing , Wang Shufang , Ma Xin , Wei Qingqing , Peng Yujuan , Bai Ying , Miao Guobin , Meng Chang , Liu Peng
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Several clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy and safety of baricitinib in COVID-19 patients. Recently, there have been reports on critical patients, which are different from previous research results. The meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of baricitinib in COVID-19, by pooling data from all clinically randomized controlled trials (RCTs) available to increase power to testify.

Methods

Studies were searched in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases on January 31, 2023. We performed a meta-analysis to estimate the efficacy and safety of baricitinib for the treatment of hospitalized adults with COVID-19. This study is registered with INPLASY, number 202310086.

Results

A total of 3010 patients were included in our analyses. All included studies were randomized controlled trials or prospective study. There was no difference in 14-day mortality between the two groups [OR 0.23 (95% CI 0.03–1.84), I2 = 72%, P = 0.17]. In subgroup analyses we found that baricitinib did not seem to improve significantly in 24-day mortality critically ill patients [OR 0.60 (95% CI 0.35–1.02), I2 = 0%, P = 0.06]. Fortunately, baricitinib have led to faster recovery and shorter hospital stays for COVID-19 patients. There were no difference in infections and infestations, major adverse cardiovascular events, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Conclusions

Baricitinib did not increase the incidence of adverse reactions. At the same time, we can find that it reduces the mortality of COVID-19 patients, not including the critically ill.
“It’s a feeling of complete disconnection”: experiences of existential loneliness from youth to older adulthood
Authors: McKenna-Plumley Phoebe E. , Turner Rhiannon N. , Yang Keming , Groarke Jenny M.
Published: November 2023

Background

Existential loneliness is a feeling which stems from a sense of fundamental separation from others and the world. Although commonly mentioned in the loneliness literature, there is relatively little empirical work on this construct, and existing work tends to focus on older and seriously ill individuals. The present study aimed to understand how people experience existential loneliness without specific constraints on precipitating factors like illness or age.

Methods

A qualitative online survey collected data from 225 adults aged 16 to 72 years old. Participants were asked to write about their experiences of existential loneliness and how these experiences compared to non-existential loneliness. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Of 225 participants, 51% knew the meaning of “existential loneliness” upon accessing the survey and in total, 83% had experienced existential loneliness. 93% of these participants had also experienced loneliness that was not existential in nature. 175 participants provided qualitative data regarding their experiences of existential loneliness, from which four themes were identified: Existential loneliness is (1) A deeper form of loneliness, and (2) A feeling of deep disconnection, in which (3) Cognitive evaluations and negative emotions are central elements, and (4) Stress and mental health issues are perceived as relevant factors.

Conclusions

Existential loneliness is a deeply rooted and impactful form of loneliness which involves feelings of profound separateness. This aspect of loneliness is deserving of further attention. Future research directions are suggested.
Microbial tapestry of the Shulgan-Tash cave (Southern Ural, Russia): influences of environmental factors on the taxonomic composition of the cave biofilms
Authors: Gogoleva Natalia , Chervyatsova Olga , Balkin Alexander , Kuzmina Lyudmila , Shagimardanova Elena , Kiseleva Daria , Gogolev Yuri
Published: November 2023

Background

Cave biotopes are characterized by stable low temperatures, high humidity, and scarcity of organic substrates. Despite the harsh oligotrophic conditions, they are often inhabited by rich microbial communities. Abundant fouling with a wide range of morphology and coloration of colonies covers the walls of the Shulgan-Tash cave in the Southern Urals. This cave is also famous for the unique Paleolithic painting discovered in the middle of the last century. We aimed to investigate the diversity, distribution, and potential impact of these biofilms on the cave’s Paleolithic paintings, while exploring how environmental factors influence the microbial communities within the cave.

Results

The cave’s biofilm morphotypes were categorized into three types based on the ultrastructural similarities. Molecular taxonomic analysis identified two main clusters of microbial communities, with Actinobacteria dominating in most of them and a unique “CaveCurd” community with Gammaproteobacteria prevalent in the deepest cave sections. The species composition of these biofilms reflects changes in environmental conditions, such as substrate composition, temperature, humidity, ventilation, and CO2 content. Additionally, it was observed that cave biofilms contribute to biocorrosion on cave wall surfaces.

Conclusions

The Shulgan-Tash cave presents an intriguing example of a stable extreme ecosystem with diverse microbiota. However, the intense dissolution and deposition of carbonates caused by Actinobacteria pose a potential threat to the preservation of the cave’s ancient rock paintings.
Integrated risk measurement and control for stochastic energy trading of a wind storage system in electricity markets
Authors: Xiao Dongliang , Chen Haoyong , Cai Weijun , Wei Chun , Zhao Zhendong
Published: November 2023

To facilitate wind energy use and avoid low returns, or even losses in extreme cases, this paper proposes an integrated risk measurement and control approach to jointly manage multiple statistical properties of the expected profit distribution for a wind storage system. First, a risk-averse stochastic decision-making framework and multi-type risk measurements, including the conditional value at Risk (CVaR), value at risk (VaR) and shortfall probability (SP), are described in detail. To satisfy the various needs of multi-type risk-averse decision makers, integrated risk measurement and control approaches are then proposed by jointly considering the expected, boundary and probability values of the extreme results. These are managed using CVaR, VaR and SP, respectively. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed risk control strategy is verified by conducting case studies with realistic market data, and the results of different risk control strategies are analyzed in depth. The impacts of the risk parameters of the decision maker, the energy capacity of the battery storage and the price difference between the day-ahead and real-time markets on the expected profits and risks are investigated in detail.
CT-based methods for assessment of metabolic dysfunction associated with fatty liver disease
Authors: Hu Na , Yan Gang , Tang Maowen , Wu Yuhui , Song Fasong , Xia Xing , Chan Lawrence Wing-Chi , Lei Pinggui
Published: November 2023

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), previously called metabolic nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide. The multi-factorial nature of MAFLD severity is delineated through an intricate composite analysis of the grade of activity in concert with the stage of fibrosis. Despite the preeminence of liver biopsy as the diagnostic and staging reference standard, its invasive nature, pronounced interobserver variability, and potential for deleterious effects (encompassing pain, infection, and even fatality) underscore the need for viable alternatives. We reviewed computed tomography (CT)-based methods for hepatic steatosis quantification (liver-to-spleen ratio; single-energy “quantitative” CT; dual-energy CT; deep learning-based methods; photon-counting CT) and hepatic fibrosis staging (morphology-based CT methods; contrast-enhanced CT biomarkers; dedicated postprocessing methods including liver surface nodularity, liver segmental volume ratio, texture analysis, deep learning methods, and radiomics). For dual-energy and photon-counting CT, the role of virtual non-contrast images and material decomposition is illustrated. For contrast-enhanced CT, normalized iodine concentration and extracellular volume fraction are explained. The applicability and salience of these approaches for clinical diagnosis and quantification of MAFLD are discussed.

Relevance statement

CT offers a variety of methods for the assessment of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease by quantifying steatosis and staging fibrosis.

Key points

• MAFLD is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide and is rapidly increasing.

• Both hardware and software CT advances with high potential for MAFLD assessment have been observed in the last two decades.

• Effective estimate of liver steatosis and staging of liver fibrosis can be possible through CT.

Graphical Abstract
Close Reading/Mass Media: I. A. Richards’s Screen Tests
Authors: Foltz Jonathan
Published: November 2023

This article explores the overlapping histories of close reading and mass media by attending to the late-career film and television experiments of I. A. Richards. A lifelong critic of the entertainment industry and (arguably reactionary) media theorist, Richards also spent decades experimenting with the exacting and humbling realities of media production. Spanning his abandoned collaboration with Disney, a series of Basic English teaching films (made with the artist and filmmaker Len Lye), his two educational television programs on poetry, and a number of unrealized television adaptations of Plato and Homer, this article surveys the extensive and ambivalent record of Richards’s ventures into media production. It details his painstaking efforts to reimagine and remediate the experience of poetry and the act of reading in terms of complex multisensory channels of audiovisual stimuli, positioning film and television as ideal media for poetry and as unlikely saviors of a Western humanism in crisis. Literary history, Richards suggests, can no longer be considered merely literary; if it survives, it will do so only as part of an evolving history of media.
Modern Humanities and the Ancient Book: Karl Kerényi’s Media Theory
Authors: Kiséry András
Published: November 2023

Karl Kerényi is now mostly remembered for his monographs on Greek mythological figures in the Bollingen Series and for his collaboration with Carl Gustav Jung from the 1940s on. The radical approach to mythology reflected in this work was Kerényi’s solution to what he perceived as a crisis of the humanities: a disciplinary fragmentation combined with the growing influence of the social sciences in the study of culture. Before he would have turned to the study of myth, Kerényi proposed media history as the foundation for the renewal of classical studies and the humanities in general. In a series of essays written in the 1930s, Kerényi theorized the media of ancient texts as central to cultural hermeneutics. His understanding of textual media as expressive of the essential characteristics of a culture was underpinned by a conservative-humanist critique of modernity. It shows strong affinities with the work of such figures as the cultural theorist Oswald Spengler. Offered as an alternative to what Kerényi considered the scientistic preoccupations rampant in modern academe, this vision is also clearly at odds with most later media-historical research and its interest in the affordances and social ramifications of the materiality of communication technologies.
Polarized Perspectives on Health Equity: Results from a Nationally Representative Survey on US Public Perceptions of COVID-19 Disparities in 2023
Authors: Gollust Sarah E. , Gansen Chloe , Fowler Erika Franklin , Moore Steven T. , Nagler Rebekah H.
Published: November 2023

Republicans and Democrats responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in starkly different ways, from their attitudes in 2020 about whether the virus posed a threat to whether the pandemic ended in 2023. The consequences of COVID-19 for health equity have been a central concern in public health, and the concept of health equity has also been beset by partisan polarization. In this article, the authors present and discuss nationally representative survey data from 2023 on US public perceptions of disparities in COVID-19 mortality (building on a previous multiwave survey effort) as well as causal attributions for racial disparities, the contribution of structural racism, and broader attitudes about public health authority. The authors find anticipated gulfs in perspectives between Democrats on the one hand and independents and Republicans on the other. The results offer a somewhat pessimistic view of the likelihood of finding common ground in how the general public understands health inequities or the role of structural racism in perpetuating them. However, the authors show that those who acknowledge racial disparities in COVID-19 are more likely to support state public health authority to act in response to other infectious disease threats. The authors explore the implications of these public opinion data for advocacy, communication, and future needed research.
Halimeda incrassata (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) in Rhodes, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean
Authors: KONDYLATOS GERASIMOS , KALAENTZIS KONSTANTINOS , GRATSIA EIRINI , MAVROULEAS DIMITRIOS , KASAPIDIS PANAGIOTIS , TSIAMIS KONSTANTINOS , KLAOUDATOS DIMITRIS
Published: November 2023

The first record of the tropical green seaweed Halimeda incrassata (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is presented, based on several thalli found in the stomach of a silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), collected off Plimmiri beach, Rhodes, Greece. Species identification was based on morphological and molecular identification using the tufA gene as a molecular marker. The finding comes 10 years after a report on the species in Mallorca (Western Mediterranean Sea), where H. incrassata has spread rapidly. The pathway of its introduction in the Eastern basin is unknown, although shipping or the aquarium trade could be involved in this new introduction. Further studies are necessary for visual documentation of the infested areas around Rhodes and assessment of its possible spread in the following years.
Case Report: Cytodiagnosis of pigmented villonodular synovitis involving carpal bones of right wrist
Authors: Giri Goswami Dr. Shreya , Bhake Dr. Arvind , Khan Dr. Simran , Agrawal Dr. Soumya , Bhawani Dr. Jayashree
Published: November 2023

Background Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis (PVNS) is a rare disease of osteoskeletal tissue. Cytodiagnosis of PVNS on fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears is therefore rarely reported. The PVNS usually affects the larger joints. The involvement of the smaller joints and bones are uncommon. Case presentation The reported case is one such rarity wherein the diagnosis of PVNS was carried out on the FNAC. The case showed the involvement of all carpal bones except for the pisiform. The 2nd- 5th metacarpal bases were also found to be involved in the disease process. The presence of sheets of synoviocytes with brown altered hue to the cytoplasm along with multinucleate giant cells and pigmented macrophages were characteristically present in the smears of FNA. The diagnosis was confirmed on the tissue biopsy. The present case is reported for its unusual multiosteotic involvement of wrist joint bones and the metacarpal bones simultaneously with radiological evidence. The cytomorphology of the lesion in the present case were noteworthy as a learning experience in reporting of PVNS of wrist joint on FNA smears.