bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cocooning strategy: Pertussis vaccination coverage rate of parents with a new-born in 2016 and 2017 in France
Authors: Marchal Clarisse , Belhassen Manon , Guiso Nicole , Jacoud Flore , Cohen Robert , Le Pannerer Marie , Verdier Régis
Published: October 2022

Background

The “cocooning” strategy was introduced in 2004 to protect infants too young to be vaccinated against pertussis, by immunizing their parents and close relatives. The study objective was to assess its implementation 12 years after its introduction by estimating the pertussis vaccination coverage rates (VCR) among parents of newborns.

Materials and methods

Pertussis VCR were estimated among all women who gave birth and men who took paternity leave, in 2016 or 2017, from a 1/97th random sample of French claims data. Two distinct study periods were defined based on current recommendations for the cocooning strategy: the “common practice” and the “parental project” periods.

Results

In 2016, the pertussis VCR of women having given birth and men having taken paternity leave was 47.2 and 47.1%, respectively (46.1 and 45.6% in 2017, respectively). About one quarter of vaccinations were performed during the “parental project” period, with the vaccine most frequently reimbursed during the month of childbirth for women (57.1% in 2016 and 49.4% in 2017) and before or during the month the paternity leave began for men (about 78% in both 2016 and 2017). General practitioners were the main prescribers in private practice, even during the “parental project” period.

Conclusion

To optimize the protection for infants, the main objective of the cocooning strategy, pertussis immunization coverage of adults and seniors needs to be improved. Moreover, cocooning vaccination linked to a parental project needs to be performed earlier, during pregnancy (for those around the mother) or in immediate post-partum (e.g., during the maternity stay).
The research landscape of ferroptosis in the brain: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Miao Mengrong , Han Yaqian , Wang Yangyang , Yang Yitian , Zhu Ruilou , Sun Mingyang , Zhang Jiaqiang
Published: October 2022

Background: Ferroptosis is a newly proposed concept of programmed cell death and has been widely studied in many diseases during the past decade. However, a bibliometric study that concentrates on publication outputs and research trends of ferroptosis related to the brain is lacking.

Methods: We retrieved publication data in the field of ferroptosis in the brain from the Web of Science Core Collection on 31 December 2021. A bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace software.

Results: Six hundred fifty-six documents focusing on ferroptosis in the brain were published from 2012 to 2021. The number of publications in this field has shown a steady increase in recent years. Most publications were from China (338) and the United States (166), while the most productive organizations were at the University of Melbourne (34) and University of Pittsburgh (23). Ashley I. Bush was the most productive author, while Scott J Dixon was the most co-cited author. The journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine published the most articles in this field, while Cell was the most cited journal. Among 656 publications, top 10 cited documents were cited at least 300 times. Among the top 20 references with the strongest citation bursts, half of the papers had a burst until 2021. The keywords analysis suggests that the top 20 keywords appeared at least 40 times. Additionally, “amyloid precursor protein” was the keyword with strongest bursts.

Conclusion: Research on ferroptosis in the brain will continue to be highly regarded. This study analyzed the research landscape of ferroptosis in the brain and offers a new reference for researchers in this field.
Gamma-based nuclear fusion measurements at inertial confinement fusion facilities
Authors: Mohamed Z. L. , Kim Y. , Knauer J. P.
Published: October 2022

Experiments performed on an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) platform offer a unique opportunity to study nuclear reactions, including reaction branches that are useful for diagnostic applications in ICF experiments as well as several that are relevant to nuclear astrophysics. In contrast to beam-accelerator experiments, experiments performed on an ICF platform occur over a short time scale and produce a plasma environment with physical parameters that are directly relevant to big bang and/or stellar nucleosynthesis. Several reactions of interest, such as D(T,γ)5He, H(D,γ)3He, H(T,γ)4He, and T(3He,γ)6Li produce high-energy gamma rays. S factors or branching ratios for these four reactions have recently been studied using various temporally-resolved Cherenkov detectors at the Omega laser facility. This work describes these detectors as well as the current standard technique for performing these measurements. Recent results for reactions D(T,γ)5He, H(D,γ)3He, H(T,γ)4He, and T(3He,γ)6Li are reviewed and compared to accelerator-based measurements. Limitations associated with implosion experiments and use of the current standard gamma detectors are discussed. A basic design for a gamma spectrometer for use at ICF facilities is briefly outlined.
Multigene manipulation of photosynthetic carbon metabolism enhances the photosynthetic capacity and biomass yield of cucumber under low-CO2 environment
Authors: Chen Zhi-Feng , Wang Tian-Hong , Feng Chao-Yang , Guo Hai-Feng , Guan Xiao-Xi , Zhang Tian-Li , Li Wen-Zhao , Xing Guo-Ming , Sun Sheng , Tan Guo-Fei
Published: October 2022

Solar greenhouses are important in the vegetable production and widely used for the counter-season production in the world. However, the CO2 consumed by crops for photosynthesis after sunrise is not supplemented and becomes chronically deficient due to the airtight structure of solar greenhouses. Vegetable crops cannot effectively utilize light resources under low-CO2 environment, and this incapability results in reduced photosynthetic efficiency and crop yield. We used cucumber as a model plant and generated several sets of transgenic cucumber plants overexpressing individual genes, including β-carbonic anhydrase 1 (CsβCA1), β-carbonic anhydrase 4 (CsβCA4), and sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase (CsSBP); fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (CsFBA), and CsβCA1 co-expressing plants; CsβCA4, CsSBP, and CsFBA co-expressing plants (14SF). The results showed that the overexpression of CsβCA1, CsβCA4, and 14SF exhibited higher photosynthetic and biomass yield in transgenic cucumber plants under low-CO2 environment. Further enhancements in photosynthesis and biomass yield were observed in 14SF transgenic plants under low-CO2 environment. The net photosynthesis biomass yield and photosynthetic rate increased by 49% and 79% compared with those of the WT. However, the transgenic cucumbers of overexpressing CsFBA and CsSBP showed insignificant differences in photosynthesis and biomass yield compared with the WT under low-CO2.environment. Photosynthesis, fluorescence parameters, and enzymatic measurements indicated that CsβCA1, CsβCA4, CsSBP, and CsFBA had cumulative effects in photosynthetic carbon assimilation under low-CO2 environment. Co-expression of this four genes (CsβCA1, CsβCA4, CsSBP, and CsFBA) can increase the carboxylation activity of RuBisCO and promote the regeneration of RuBP. As a result, the 14SF transgenic plants showed a higher net photosynthetic rate and biomass yield even under low-CO2environment.These findings demonstrate the possibility of cultivating crops with high photosynthetic efficiency by manipulating genes involved in the photosynthetic carbon assimilation metabolic pathway.
Phenotyping Fusarium head blight through seed morphology characteristics using RGB imaging
Authors: Leiva Fernanda , Zakieh Mustafa , Alamrani Marwan , Dhakal Rishap , Henriksson Tina , Singh Pawan Kumar , Chawade Aakash
Published: October 2022

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an economically important disease affecting wheat and thus poses a major threat to wheat production. Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of image analysis methods to predict FHB using disease-infected grains; however, few have looked at the final application, considering the relationship between cost and benefit, resolution, and accuracy. The conventional screening of FHB resistance of large-scale samples is still dependent on low-throughput visual inspections. This study aims to compare the performance of two cost–benefit seed image analysis methods, the free software “SmartGrain” and the fully automated commercially available instrument “Cgrain Value™” by assessing 16 seed morphological traits of winter wheat to predict FHB. The analysis was carried out on a seed set of FHB which was visually assessed as to the severity. The dataset is composed of 432 winter wheat genotypes that were greenhouse-inoculated. The predictions from each method, in addition to the predictions combined from the results of both methods, were compared with the disease visual scores. The results showed that Cgrain Value™ had a higher prediction accuracy of R2 = 0.52 compared with SmartGrain for which R2 = 0.30 for all morphological traits. However, the results combined from both methods showed the greatest prediction performance of R2 = 0.58. Additionally, a subpart of the morphological traits, namely, width, length, thickness, and color features, showed a higher correlation with the visual scores compared with the other traits. Overall, both methods were related to the visual scores. This study shows that these affordable imaging methods could be effective to predict FHB in seeds and enable us to distinguish minor differences in seed morphology, which could lead to a precise performance selection of disease-free seeds/grains.
Dynamic analysis of physiological indices and transcriptome profiling revealing the mechanisms of the allelopathic effects of phenolic acids on Pinellia ternata
Authors: He Zhigui , Wang Yanfeng , Yan Yan , Qin Shaowei , He Huan , Mao Renjun , Liang Zongsuo
Published: October 2022

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine with high medicinal value, but its culture is strongly hindered by the continuous cropping obstacles (CCO) which are tightly associated with allelopathic effects. Deciphering the response mechanisms of P. ternata to allelochemicals is critical for overcoming the CCO. Here, we elucidate the response of P. ternata to phenolic acids treatment via physiological indices, cellular approaches, and transcriptome analysis. Phenolic acids showed a significant effect on the growth of P. ternata seedlings, similar to the phenotype of continuous cropping. Cellular analysis demonstrated that phenolic acids remarkably induced root cell death. Physiological analysis revealed that phenolic acids induced the overaccumulated of H2O2 and O2− in root cells. However, two exogenous antioxidants (L-ascorbic acid and β-gentiobiose) aid in the scavenging of over-accumulated H2O2 and O2− by promoting the antioxidant enzyme activity such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT). Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the cell wall degeneration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism were upregulated by phenolic acid treatment. In addition, downregulated DEGs involved in sucrose and starch metabolism and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways decreased the key metabolites contents. Taken together, phenolic acids caused root cell death by inducing the overaccumulation of H2O2 and O2−, and L-ascorbic acid and β-gentiobiose effectively alleviated ROS stress. The present study elucidates the underlying mechanism of the allelopathic effect of phenolic acids, offers valuable information for further understanding the mechanism of CCO, and could contribute to improving guidance for further P. ternata production.
Determination of traits responding to iron toxicity stress at different stages and genome-wide association analysis for iron toxicity tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Theerawitaya Cattarin , Wanchana Samart , Ruanjaichon Vinitchan , Tisaram Rujira , Samphumphuang Thapanee , Sotesaritkul Thanyaporn , Cha-um Suriyan , Toojinda Theerayut
Published: October 2022

Rice is the staple food for more than half of the world’s population. Iron toxicity limits rice production in several regions of the world. Breeding Fe-tolerant rice varieties is an excellent approach to address the problem of Fe toxicity. Rice responds differently to Fe toxicity at different stages. Most QTLs associated with Fe toxicity have been identified at the seedling stage, and there are very few studies on Fe toxicity across different stages. In this study, we investigated agro-morphological and physiological traits in response to Fe toxicity in a rice diversity panel at seedling, vegetative, and reproductive stages and applied GWAS to identify QTLs/genes associated with these traits. Among agro-morphological and physiological parameters, leaf bronzing score (LBS) is a key parameter for determining Fe toxicity response at all stages, and SDW could be a promising parameter at the seedling stage. A total of 29 QTLs were identified on ten chromosomes. Among them, three colocalized QTLs were identified on chromosome 5, 6, and 11. Several QTLs identified in this study overlapped with previously identified QTLs from bi-parental QTL mapping and association mapping. Two genes previously reported to be associated with iron homeostasis were identified, i.e., LOC_Os01g72370 (OsIRO2, OsbHLH056) and LOC_Os04g38570 (OsABCB14). In addition, based on gene-based haplotype analysis, LOC_Os05g16670 was identified as a candidate gene for the colocalized QTL on chromosome 5 and LOC_Os11g18320 was identified as a candidate gene for the colocalized QTL on chromosome 11. The QTLs and candidate genes identified in this study could be useful for rice breeding programs for Fe toxicity tolerance.
Modeling analysis of the correlation between duality innovation and multinational enterprise performance
Authors: Li Xinran , Chen SzeTing
Published: October 2022

In this study, we investigate how the influence of dual innovation affects the productivity of multinational enterprises (MNEs). Because of the rise of the knowledge-based economy, the capacity of multinational corporations (MNCs) to innovate technologically has become an increasingly important component in determining the extent to which they can compete in the global market. Models of Duality Innovation and Multinational Enterprise Performance with a Measurement of Corporate Risks from 2000 to 2015 were developed using corporate finance literature and data. The models show positive relationships between duality innovations and multinational enterprise performance. Furthermore, there has been an increasing level of corporate risks over the years when measured by both the duality innovation and multinational enterprise performance metrics. This article discusses the findings of this research project. It explains how they can help understand international enterprise performance while also explaining how to determine a potential risk profile for an individual or multiple companies. This knowledge is valuable because it helps us understand why some corporations succeed while others fail.
Is video creation more effective than self-exercise in motor skill learning?
Authors: Xia Qiudong , Ke Lu’an , Zheng Zheng
Published: October 2022

Parallel to the tremendous growth and expansion of video technology, it is easy and enjoyable for students to create a video as a learning activity. However, most previous studies primarily focused on declarative knowledge learning (e.g., language learning, science learning) rather than motor skill learning. The current study aimed to investigate whether creating and sharing a video with classmates would be more effective than merely creating a video and self-exercise to learn a motor skill in terms of intrinsic motivation, perseverance in learning, learning satisfaction, and roller-skating skill. Partially consistent with our hypothesis, we found that creating and sharing a video with classmates increased students’ intrinsic motivation, perseverance in motor tasks, and learning satisfaction, but not roller-skating skill, followed by merely creating a video and then self-exercise. The findings have an important implication for motor skills learning: during teaching motor skills, teachers can use encourage students to create and share a video with classmates as a homework activity to increase students’ intrinsic motivation, perseverance in motor tasks, and learning satisfaction.
Hate the wait? How social inferences can cause customers who wait longer to buy more
Authors: Munichor Nira , Cooke Alan D. J.
Published: October 2022

Waiting is a mundane yet inevitable customer experience. Surprisingly, little research has analyzed the effects of waiting on subsequent customer behavior. The current research explores a counterintuitive effect of waiting times on behavior during a shopping trip: Longer waits, compared with shorter waits, can lead to a larger number of purchases despite generating more negative emotional reactions. Results of a field study and three lab experiments demonstrate this effect in the context of waiting for hedonic products. Consistent with a social-inference account, the experiments further show that the effect of waiting duration occurs when wait times are thought to depend on others’ preferences. This article explores the multifaceted effects of waiting duration on purchase behavior of hedonic products and sheds light on the social cognitions that underlie these effects.
Factors influencing prolactin levels in chronic long-term hospitalized schizophrenic patients with co-morbid type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zhu Junhong , Wang Huijuan , Huang Shaoyun , Zhang Yingying , Liu Xuebing , Li Yi , Ma Jun
Published: October 2022

Background

For long-term hospitalized patients suffering from schizophrenia, metabolic disease and hyperprolactinemia (HPRL) are common comorbidities. This article is aimed at analyzing the factors influencing comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on prolactin (PRL) levels in long-term hospitalized patients suffering from schizophrenia.

Methods

This study included 378 long-term hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Common metabolic markers and PRL levels of included samples were collected, and the severity of psychopathology was assessed using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS). Based on the patients with or without T2DM, the samples were divided into two groups. The differences in clinical parameters between the two groups were compared, and the effects of the parameters on the PRL levels were analyzed.

Results

Compared with non-DM patients, the patients in the DM subgroup had lower PRL levels (P < 0.0001) and rather severe psychiatric symptoms (P = 0.016). Female, treated by risperidone, and high levels of triglyceride (TG) were faced with risk for HPRL (B = 26.31, t = 5.39, P < 0.0001; B = 19.52, t = 4.00, P < 0.0001; B = 2.71, t = 2.31, P = 0.022, respectively). Meanwhile, co-morbid DM and aripiprazole treatment were protective factors (B = 15.47, t = 3.05, P = 0.002; B = –23.77, t = –2.47, P = 0.014; respectively). Ultimately, in the DM subgroup, the dose of metformin was found to be a protective factor for HPRL (B = –0.01, t = –1.46, P = 0.047), while female and aripiprazole were risk factors (B = 16.06, t = 3.26, P = 0.001; B = 20.13, t = 2.57, P = 0.011; respectively).

Conclusion

Aripiprazole is a protective factor for HPRL in long-term hospitalized patients, whereas the female is a risk factor. Metformin is beneficial in reducing PRL levels in patients with co-morbid DM. More aggressive and effective interventions are required for preventing adverse drug reactions in women and patients with co-DM.
An attachment-based framework for disordered personality development: Implications for intersubjective psychodynamic psychotherapy
Authors: Brambilla Paolo , Bressi Cinzia , Biagianti Bruno
Published: October 2022

Infant-caregiver dyads show high heterogeneity in terms of compatibility. Several lines of evidence indicate that the modalities by which areas of good and poor fit were emotionally recognized and managed by caregivers influence the infant's personality development, the integration of their personality traits, the overall sense of authenticity, as well as the modalities of transference that typically manifest during psychodynamic psychotherapy. Within an intersubjective framework, the relationship between patient and psychotherapist will inevitably recreate compatibility issues, although the specific areas of incompatibility will likely differ from the scenarios present in the caregiver relationship. In other words, emotional friction may originate from personality traits that were not problematic in the first place. The author hypothesizes that disclosure of the challenges associated with the management of areas of incompatibility will not only promote emotional honesty within the dyad, but also offer an excellent opportunity for introjection. Such disclosures are not at risk of being interpreted as an attempt to build an intersubjective experience, but represent a window into authenticity, which in turn enables patients to develop awareness of their personality and relational traits, along with the challenges and vulnerabilities that occur when such traits interface with otherness.
A randomized controlled trial of an mHealth application with nursing interaction to promote quality of life among community-dwelling older adults
Authors: Wong Arkers Kwan Ching , Wong Frances Kam Yuet , Bayuo Jonathan , Chow Karen Kit Sum , Wong Siu Man , Lee Athena Yin Lam
Published: October 2022

Significance

Using mHealth apps alone at home without the support of healthcare experts could mean that older adults might not fully utilize the functions of the apps, recognize their benefits, and sustain their use. Incorporating an integrated health-social partnership model to support the app usage when further help is needed by the older adults might maximize the apps' benefits in the long term.

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the benefits of adding nursing interaction supported by a health-social partnership model in the use of mHealth, and the sustained beneficial effects on psychological outcomes, including quality of life, self-efficacy, and depression, among older adults after the completion of the program.

Methods

A three-arm, randomized controlled trial design was adopted. Community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain, hypertension, or diabetes, were randomly assigned to either the mHealth, mHealth with interactivity, or control group. Subjects in both the mHealth and the mHealth with interactivity groups received the mHealth application. In addition, the mHealth with interactivity group received support from a nurse case manager, who was supported by a health-social partnership team. mHealth apps and services from a nurse case manager were not provided to the control group. The primary outcome measure was quality of life, and secondary outcomes were self-efficacy and depression. Data were collected at pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2), and at 3 months post-intervention to measure the sustained effect of the program.

Results

There were 74 mHealth+I, 71 mHealth, and 76 control group subjects enrolled in the program. No statistically significant between-group, within-group, and interaction effects between group and time in both physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were found among the three groups. The mHealth group showed an improvement in PCS and depression scores from T1 to T2, sustained at T3; while the mHealth+I group demonstrated improved self-efficacy from T1 to T2, with a decrease at T3.

Conclusion

Adding nurse-directed telephone calls may be of little to no benefit at all in the long term. Future studies may consider a longer intervention period to build and sustain quality of life and self-efficacy levels among community-dwelling older adults.

Clinical trial registration

www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03878212.
Suicidal behaviour amid first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia: Data from the COVID-19 mental health international (COMET-G) study
Authors: Razali Salmi , Saw Jo Anne , Hashim Nurul Azreen , Raduan Nor Jannah Nasution , Tukhvatullina Dina , Smirnova Daria , Fountoulakis Konstantinos N.
Published: October 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous social and life changes were implemented to curb the spread of the disease. The effect of lockdown and isolation predisposes the general population to various psychological health concerns. The existing determinants of suicidal behaviour were further added with social isolation, financial stress, depression, and other pandemic-related stressors. Hence, our study aimed to investigate suicidal behaviour and the associated factors among Malaysians during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a cross-sectional online questionnaire survey that used convenient sampling, where the survey was disseminated to the public via Google Forms through social media during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. This study is also part of a large international COVID-19 mental health international study for the general population (COMET-G). This research revealed concerns about issues related to suicidal behaviours during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Suicidal behaviours were associated with depression, sex, marital status, educational level, employment type, residential area, number of people living together, number of children, and family dynamics. The pandemic effects from psychological, social, and economic perspectives will definitely take more time for recovery. Future prevention and protection are needed especially for the highly at-risk group on top of the general population in any future unforeseen circumstances of the pandemic.
Cost-effectiveness of insulin degludec/insulin aspart versus biphasic insulin aspart in Chinese population with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Luo Qiong , Zhou Li , Zhou Naitong , Hu Ming
Published: October 2022

Objective

To evaluate the long-term cost effectiveness of insulin degludec/insulin aspart (IDegAsp) vs. biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) for the treatment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately managed on basal insulin in China.

Methods

The CORE (the Center for Outcomes Research) Diabetes Model, which has been published and verified, was used to simulate disease progression and calculate the total direct medical costs, life years (LYs) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over 30 years, from the perspective of Chinese healthcare system. The patient demographic information and clinical data needed for the model were gathered from a phase III treat-to-target clinical trial (NCT02762578) and other Chinese cohort studies. Medical costs on treating diabetes were calculated based on clinical trial and local sources. The diabetes management and complications costs were derived from published literature. A discounting rate of 5% was applied to both health and cost outcomes. And one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were carried out to test the reliability of the results.

Results

Compared with BIAsp 30, treatment with IDegAsp was associated with an incremental benefit of 0.001 LYs (12.439 vs. 12.438) and 0.280 QALYs (9.522 vs. 9.242) over a 30-year time horizon, and increased CNY (Chinese Yuan) 3,888 (390,152 vs. 386,264) for total costs. IDegAsp was cost-effective vs. BIAsp 30 therapy with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of CNY 13,886 per QALY gained. Results were robust across a range of sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion

Compared with BIAsp 30, IDegAsp was a cost-effective treatment option for people with T2DM with inadequate glycemic management on basal insulin in China.
Trends of cancer incidence among Chinese older adults from 2005 to 2016: A log-linear regression and age-period-cohort analysis
Authors: Guo Hong , Lin Kangqian , Yang Kaiyue , Ma Zhenrong , Cao Miao , Hu Yunhua , Yan Yizhong
Published: October 2022

Background

To study the corresponding strategies for controlling cancer in older adults aged 60 and above in China, a comprehensive assessment of disease burden is required. Therefore, we will introduce the cancer epidemiological characteristics of older adults in China over a recent 12 year period.

Methods

The age-period-cohort model was constructed using the cancer incidence data from the Chinese Cancer Registry Annual Report published in 2008–2019. The annual change percentage (APC) was estimated by log-linear regression to reflect the time trend. The data from the GLOBOCAN 2020 database was selected for worldwide comparative analysis.

Results

The cancer incidence in older adults aged 60 and above in China showed a decreasing trend (APC = −0.73%, P = 0.009). The urban/rural ratio of cancer incidence increased from 0.94 to 1.07 (t = 3.52, P < 0.05), while the sex ratio (male/female) showed a significant decreasing trend only in rural areas (t = −6.77, P < 0.05), and the ratio decreased from 2.02 to 1.72. The results of the age-period-cohort model showed that the cancer incidence increased with age in both males and females, urban and rural areas. The RR of period effect increased from 2005 to 2010, then decreased from 2010 to 2015, and the downward trend was more obvious. The RR of the later-born cohort was lower than that of the earlier-born cohort in rural areas. Lung, gastric, colorectal, esophageal, liver, and breast cancers were common cancers in Chinese older adults. Lung cancer incidence ranked first in males, and it decreased with time in the 75–79 and 80–84 age groups (APC75 − 79 = −1.10%, APC80 − 84 = −0.88%, all P < 0.05). Breast cancer incidence ranked first among female in the 60–64 age group and showed an increasing trend (APC60 − 64 = 1.52%, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The cancer incidence in Chinese older adults aged 60 and above showed a decreasing trend, but it was still at a relatively high level. The key targets of prevention and treatment should be males, urban areas, younger people, older adults aged 60–69, lung, gastrointestinal, and breast cancers in the future.
Impact of COVID-19 on the lives and mental health of children and adolescents
Authors: Li Fengxiao
Published: October 2022

Student mental health is an integral part of the fight against disease, and health was an evolving concern during the spread of COVID-19. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, physical distancing and social restrictions were introduced, and because of these, it was found a great impact on students' lives and their mental health. Adolescent mental health is focused on prevention, early detection, therapeutic innovation, and service development. In these circumstances, service providers can expand telemedicine Digital services that may help provide future mental health services to young people, particularly students. This study collects and analyzes data from students on the impact of these new online learning techniques, and by collecting and analyzing the challenges and issues faced by college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire was based on and extended the European Students' Union Survey and targeted higher education students concerning what student life looked like during the pandemic, including teaching and learning, their social contacts, habits/routines, as well as how they were coping with the situation emotionally and financially. The case of universities and distance learning education units in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic process. This article highlighted the impact of COVID-19 on students of all ages and their time schedules such as online learning and reflection, study environment, sleep habits, routines, and outcomes. It was found that the students generally require greater self-discipline and motivation to complete online classes. It was also reflected that the pandemic adversely affected student mental health, leading to an increased prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This may have a significant impact on their mental health issues such as frustration, stress, and sadness. This will significantly lead to cooperation between various local authorities and the private sector.
“No, but where are you really from?” Experiences of perceived discrimination and identity development among Asian Indian adolescents
Authors: Unni Asha K. , Blake Jamilia J. , Salter Phia S. , Luo Wen , Liew Jeffrey
Published: October 2022

Asian Indians were the first South Asians to immigrate to the United States in the late 1800s and are currently the largest ethnic group of South Asians living in the United States. Despite this the literature on perceived ethnic and racial discrimination experiences among this group is relatively understudied. The documented experiences of Asian Indians who either recently immigrated from India or were born and raised in America pose an important question: what are the experiences of perceived discrimination among Asian Indians living in America, particularly among younger populations who are continuing to develop their racial and ethnic identities? The current study utilized phenomenological methodology to explore the experiences of nine Asian Indian American adolescents' (ages 12–17 years). Data were collected via semi-structured interviews to assess participants' experiences of ethnic and racial discrimination and identity development. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes among the participants' responses. Asian Indian adolescents living in the United States report experiencing discrimination at a young age. It is also evident that Asian Indian youth experience significant challenges when developing their sense of ethnic and racial identity while living within the United States. Findings document the racial and ethnic discrimination that Asian Indian adolescents living in the United States may experience from a young age. Importantly, these discrimination experiences are occurring as Asian Indian adolescents are developing their racial and ethnic identities. This study provides insight for future research, which is necessary to fully understand the experiences of Asian Indian adolescents.
Vaccination for COVID-19 among historically underserved Latino communities in the United States: Perspectives of community health workers
Authors: Garcini Luz M. , Ambriz Arlynn M. , Vázquez Alejandro L. , Abraham Cristina , Sarabu Vyas , Abraham Ciciya , Lucas-Marinelli Autumn K. , Lill Sarah , Tsevat Joel
Published: October 2022

A critical step to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is vaccination. We conducted a mixed methods project that used online surveys and focus groups with 64 Community Health Workers and Promotor/as (CHW/Ps) located near the U.S.-Mexico border to identify barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination among Latino communities that have been historically underrepresented and medically underserved. Overall, personal barriers to vaccination included mistrust of manufacturers and administrators as well as fear of: becoming infected from the vaccine, discrimination/stigmatization from healthcare professionals administering the vaccine, exploitation/manipulation by the government or health authorities, and having personal information mishandled. Environmental and community barriers included being undocumented and fear-inducing myths and beliefs. Additional barriers included limited information and logistics pertaining to vaccination access. Targeted efforts are needed to overcome barriers in a culturally and contextually sensitive manner to prevent harm and reduce risk of infection among communities that have been historically underrepresented.
Learning bio-inspired head-centric representations of 3D shapes in an active fixation setting
Authors: Kalou Katerina , Sedda Giulia , Gibaldi Agostino , Sabatini Silvio P.
Published: October 2022

When exploring the surrounding environment with the eyes, humans and primates need to interpret three-dimensional (3D) shapes in a fast and invariant way, exploiting a highly variant and gaze-dependent visual information. Since they have front-facing eyes, binocular disparity is a prominent cue for depth perception. Specifically, it serves as computational substrate for two ground mechanisms of binocular active vision: stereopsis and binocular coordination. To this aim, disparity information, which is expressed in a retinotopic reference frame, is combined along the visual cortical pathways with gaze information and transformed in a head-centric reference frame. Despite the importance of this mechanism, the underlying neural substrates still remain widely unknown. In this work, we investigate the capabilities of the human visual system to interpret the 3D scene exploiting disparity and gaze information. In a psychophysical experiment, human subjects were asked to judge the depth orientation of a planar surface either while fixating a target point or while freely exploring the surface. Moreover, we used the same stimuli to train a recurrent neural network to exploit the responses of a modelled population of cortical (V1) cells to interpret the 3D scene layout. The results for both human performance and from the model network show that integrating disparity information across gaze directions is crucial for a reliable and invariant interpretation of the 3D geometry of the scene.
Gap analysis and methodological framework to assess and develop water centric sustainable agricultural intensification pathways in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Haileslassie Amare , Mekuria Wolde , Uhlenbrook Stefan , Ludi Eva , Schmitter Petra
Published: October 2022

The sustainable agricultural intensification (SAI) debate, partly rooted in discussions over the Green Revolution, was developed in the 1990s in the context of smallholder agriculture in Africa. In many Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, production is still largely rainfed, with the prevalence of significant yield gaps and rapid environmental degradation. Projections indicate that climate and demographic changes will further intensify the competition for freshwater resources. Currently, SAI is centered around predominantly rain-fed agricultural systems, often at a farm and plot scales. There has been increased attention to the improved role of agricultural water management (AWM) to address the daunting challenges of climate change, land degradation and food and nutritional insecurity in SSA. Nonetheless, the supporting frameworks and tools remain limited and do not connect the sustainability assessment and the development of intensification pathways (SIP) along multiple scales of the rainfed irrigation continuum. This paper reviews the gaps in concepts and practices of SAI and suggests a methodological framework to design context-specific and water-centered SIP for the SSA region. Accordingly, the proposed methodological framework demonstrates: (a) how to couple sustainability assessment methods to participatory SIPs design and adaptive management approach; (b) how contextualized sustainability domains and indicators can help in AWM centered SIP development; (c) the approaches to handle multiple scales and water-related indicators, the heterogeneity of biophysical and social settings when tailoring technology options to local contexts; and (d) the principles which enable the SIP designs to enable synergies and complementarities of SAI measures to reinforce the rainfed-irrigation continuum. This methodological framework allows researchers to integrate the sustainability assessment and SIP design, and guides policymakers and practitioners in planning, implementing and monitoring SAI initiatives (e.g., Framework for Irrigation Development and Agricultural Water Management in Africa) across multiple scales.
Early experience with uniportal robotic thoracic surgery lobectomy
Authors: Mercadante Edoardo , Martucci Nicola , De Luca Giuseppe , La Rocca Antonello , La Manna Carmine
Published: October 2022

Background

Invasiveness is considered one of the cornerstones of every field of surgery, and video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) approaches are now routinely used worldwide to perform pulmonary resections. Recently, robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has become the preferred technique in many centers; it is routinely performed using three or four ports with at least one service incision, contrasting with the real concept of invasiveness, especially when compared to uniportal VATS (U-VATS). Hereby, we present our early experience with uniportal RATS (U-RATS) pulmonary resections for early-stage lung cancer. Technical details of surgical steps are accurately described and commented on.

Results

Twenty-four consecutive patients with lung cancer underwent U-RATS anatomical pulmonary resections at our institute. All procedures were completed with the uniportal approach. The mean operative time was 210 min (range 120–350); in the last 10 cases, the operative time was significantly reduced (180 min) compared to the first 10 cases (232 min) (p < 0.02), showing a very fast learning curve. The postoperative pain score was comparable to that for U-VATS and was constantly low.

Conclusions

U-RATS is a safe and feasible technique, combining the advantages of U-VATS with the well-known advantages of robotic surgery.
Bone wax in the treatment of partial epiphysiodesis of distal femoral growth plate: Case report at 10-year follow-up
Authors: Basiglini Luca , Aulisa Angelo Gabriele , Bandinelli Diletta , Toniolo Renato Maria , Falciglia Francesco
Published: October 2022

The growth plate is the weakest structure in the skeleton of a child and a frequent site of injury or fracture; physeal injuries represent 15%–30% of all fractures in children. Of all growth plate fractures, the incidence of growth arrest and disorders is around 15%. Here, we discuss a female patient who, at the age of 5 years, was treated for a polytrauma that involved a complex lesion of the growth plates of the knee. Four days after trauma, she underwent closed reduction surgery and internal fixation with cannulated screws for femoral and tibial fractures of the growth plate. A 20° valgus deviation of the left knee was found at 3-month postoperative clinical check-up likely as a result of a growth disorder of the femur. She was diagnosed with valgus knee secondary to epiphysiodesis of the lateral portion of the femoral physis and she was readmitted to the hospital. In the operating theater, an open femoral de-epiphysiodesis was performed with a burr; the drilled hole was then filled with bone wax. At 20-month post-trauma follow-up, the left knee was still valgus about 20° relative to the other side. During follow-up, a slow but progressive improvement in the axis of the lower limbs was noted. Clinical and radiographic control 10 years after the trauma showed a complete recovery of the axis of the lower limbs. In the initial stages, the presence of bone wax in the area of de-epiphysiodesis allowed for stabilization of the deformity on the 20° of preoperative valgus. The interpretation of the growth cartilage activity occurred in an asymmetrical way such as to realign the femoral load axis, it can be based on the different mechanical stimulus on the two knee areas due to the preexisting deformity. There is no unanimous evidence in the literature in terms of management of growth disorders resulting from this type of injury. Bone wax resulted in effectively filling the hole of de-epiphysiodesis in the distal femoral growth plate and allowed us to obtain the response of the growth plate and to improve the recovery time in young children.
The development and function of the brain barriers – an overlooked consideration for chemical toxicity
Authors: Bell Kiersten S. , O’Shaughnessy Katherine L.
Published: October 2022

It is well known that the adult brain is protected from some infections and toxic molecules by the blood-brain and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers. Contrary to the immense data collected in other fields, it is deeply entrenched in environmental toxicology that xenobiotics easily permeate the developing brain because these barriers are either absent or non-functional in the fetus and newborn. Here we review the cellular and physiological makeup of the brain barrier systems in multiple species, and discuss decades of experiments that show they possess functionality during embryogenesis. We next present case studies of two chemical classes, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and bisphenols, and discuss their potential to bypass the brain barriers. While there is evidence to suggest these pollutants may enter the developing and/or adult brain parenchyma, many studies suffer from confounding technical variables which complicates data interpretation. In the future, a more formal consideration of brain barrier biology could not only improve understanding of chemical toxicokinetics but could assist in prioritizing environmental xenobiotics for their neurotoxicity risk.
Improved Accuracy of Lymph Node Staging and Long-Term Survival Benefit in Colorectal Cancer With Ex Vivo Arterial Methylene Blue Infiltration
Authors: Suszták Nóra , Besznyák István , Almási Kálmán , Bursics Attila , Kelemen Dóra , Borowski David W. , Bánky Balázs
Published: October 2022

Introduction:Ex vivo methylene blue (MB) injection into the main supplying arteries of the colorectal specimen after surgical removal is an uncomplicated technique to support lymph node harvest during pathological evaluation. The primary aim of this randomized, interventional, bicentric trial was to evaluate the impact of MB injection on lymph node yield, with secondary aims assessing the accuracy of lymph node staging and the effect on 5-year overall survival for patients undergoing resection of colorectal cancer.

Methods: In the study period between December 2013 and August 2015, 200 colorectal resections were performed at two independent onco-surgery centers of Hungary. Following surgical resection, each specimen was randomly assigned either to the control (standard pathological work-up) or to the MB staining group before formaldehyde fixation. Patient-level surgical and clinical data were retrieved from routinely collected clinical datasets. Survival status data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary.

Results: A total of 162 specimens, 82 in the control and 80 in the MB groups, were included for analysis. Baseline characteristics were equally distributed among study groups, except for specimen length. Both the median of total number of lymph nodes retrieved (control 11 ± 8 [0–33] nodes vs. MB 14 ± 6 [0–42] nodes; p < 0.01), and the ratio of cases with at least 12 removed lymph nodes (36/82, 43.9% vs. 53/80, 66.3%; p < 0.01) were higher in the MB group. The rate of accurate lymph node staging was non-significantly improved. As for rectal cancer, nodal staging accuracy (16/31, 51.6% vs. 23/30, 76.7%; p = 0.04) and the proportion with minimum 12 lymph node retrieval (7/31, 22.6%, vs. 18/30, 60%; p < 0.01) was improved by MB injection. In Mantel–Cox regression, a statistically significant survival benefit with methylene blue injection at 5 years post-surgery was proven (51.2% vs. 68.8%; p = 0.04).

Conclusion: In our experience, postoperative ex vivo arterial methylene blue injection appears to be an uncomplicated technique, improving lymph node yield and decreasing the chance of insufficient nodal staging. The technique might also associate with a 5-year overall survival benefit.