bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Improve Magee Equation–Based Prediction of Pathologic Complete Response in HR-Positive/HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Li Fengling , Zhao Yuanyuan , Wei Yani , Xi Yanfeng , Bu Hong
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Magee equation 3 (ME3) is predictive of the pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with hormone receptor (HR)–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–negative breast cancer but with insufficient predictive performance. This study was designed to improve predictive ability by combining ME3 with additional clinicopathologic markers.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 460 patients with HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer from 2 centers. We obtained baseline characteristics, the ME3 score, and the number of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs). After performing a logistic regression analysis, a predictive nomogram was built and validated externally.

Results

ME3 score (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.14 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10-1.17]; P < .001) and TILs (adjusted OR, 5.21 [95% CI, 3.33-8.14]; P < .001) were independently correlated with pCR. The nomogram (named ME3+) was established using ME3 and sTILs, and it demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.816 and 0.862 in internal and external validation, respectively, outperforming the ME3 score alone. sTILs and ME3 scores were also found to be positively correlated across the entire cohort (P < .001).

Conclusions

The combination of sTILs and ME3 score potentially shows better performance for predicting pCR than ME3 alone. Larger validations are required for widespread application of ME3+ nomogram in NAC settings for HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer.
The Effect of Maternal US Nativity on Racial/Ethnic Differences in Fetal Growth
Authors: Jacobson Melanie H , Wang Yuyan , Long Sara E , Liu Mengling , Ghassabian Akhgar , Kahn Linda G , Afanasyeva Yelena , Brubaker Sara G , Mehta-Lee Shilpi S , Trasande Leonardo
Published: April 2022

While racial/ethnic differences in fetal growth have been documented, few studies have examined whether they vary by exogenous factors, which could elucidate underlying causes. The purpose of this study was to characterize longitudinal fetal growth patterns by maternal sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical factors and examine whether associations with maternal race/ethnicity varied by these other predictors. Between 2016 and 2019, pregnant women receiving prenatal care at NYU Langone Health (New York, New York) were invited to participate in a birth cohort study. Women completed questionnaires, and clinical data were abstracted from ultrasound examinations. Maternal characteristics were assessed in relation to fetal biometric measures throughout pregnancy using linear mixed models. Maternal race/ethnicity was consistently associated with fetal biometry: Black, Hispanic, and Asian women had fetuses with smaller head circumference, abdominal circumference, and biparietal diameter than White women. The associations between race/ethnicity and fetal growth varied by nativity for Asian women, such that the disparity between Asian and White women was much greater for US-born women than for foreign-born women. However, associations for Black and Hispanic women did not vary by nativity. While race/ethnicity-specific fetal growth standards have been proposed, additional work is needed to elucidate what could be driving these differences, including factors that occur in parallel and differentially affect fetal growth.
Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence of Hypertension in Colombia: Association With Education Level
Authors: Lopez-Lopez Jose P , Cohen Daniel D , Alarcon-Ariza Natalia , Mogollon-Zehr Margarita , Ney-Salazar Daniela , Chacon-Manosalva Maria A , Martinez-Bello Daniel , Otero Johanna , Castillo-Lopez Gabriela , Perez-Mayorga Maritza , Rangarajan Sumathy , Yusuf Salim , Lopez-Jaramillo Patricio
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

A higher prevalence of hypertension is reported among Afro-descendants compared with other ethnic groups in high-income countries; however, there is a paucity of information in low- and medium-income countries.

METHODS

We evaluated 3,745 adults from 3 ethnic groups (552 White, 2,746 Mestizos, 447 Afro-descendants) enrolled in the prospective population-based cohort study (PURE)—Colombia. We assessed associations between anthropometric, socioeconomic, behavioral factors, and hypertension.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of hypertension was 39.2% and was higher in Afro-descendants (46.3%) than in Mestizos (37.6%) and Whites (41.5%), differences that were due to the higher prevalence in Afro-descendant women. Hypertension was associated with older age, increased body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, independent of ethnicity. Low education was associated with hypertension in all ethnic groups, and particularly in Afro-descendants, for whom it was the factor with the strongest association with prevalence. Notably, 70% of Afro-descendants had a low level of education, compared with 52% of Whites—26% of Whites were university graduates while only 7% of Afro-descendants were. We did not find that education level alone had a mediator effect, suggesting that it is not a causal risk factor for hypertension but is an indicator of socioeconomic status, itself an important determinant of hypertension prevalence.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that a higher prevalence of hypertension in Colombian Afro-descendants than other ethnic groups. This was principally associated with their lower mean educational level, an indicator of lower socioeconomic status.
Justice in Contracts
Authors: Dagan Hanoch , Dorfman Avihay
Published: April 2022

The mission of justice for contracts seems to be solely one of gatekeeping. As long as the justice of the bargaining stage is secured and the parties’ agreement complies with a proper floor of legitimacy, contract law, on this conventional approach, must simply follow the parties’ preferences. Doctrines that govern contractual performance and breach by appealing to justice considerations are thus portrayed as either confused or misguided. The justice rhetoric either covers for other, notably economic, considerations or undermines contract law’s liberal underpinnings. Against this common wisdom, this Article develops a theory of contractual justice, which is implicit in this significant body of doctrines. Contractual justice is a species of relational justice, and is thus informed by the most fundamental normative underpinnings of private law in a liberal polity, namely, the maxim of reciprocal respect for self-determination and substantive equality. Focusing on the justice of on-going contractual relationships, modern contract law properly solidifies a cooperative conception of contract performance, which targets a contract-specific form of relational injustice associated with the heightened interpersonal vulnerability to which sequential contractual performance gives rise. The task of this Article is threefold. It articulates and defends the normative commitment to contractual justice that is implicit in contract law’s rules of the game, epitomized by the duty of good faith and fair dealing. It further explains and justifies the legal form of these rules, being normative defaults, rather than either majoritarian defaults or mandatory rules. And finally, it demonstrates how the refinement of both their substance (relational justice) and their form (normative defaults) can help direct the future development of these complex and currently somewhat disoriented set of doctrines and, more broadly, reclaim the central place of justice in the law of contract of a liberal legal order.
Recent Work on Moral Revolutions
Authors: Klenk Michael , O’Neill Elizabeth , Arora Chirag , Blunden Charlie , Eriksen Cecilie , Frank Lily , Hopster Jeroen
Published: April 2022

In the last few decades, several philosophers have written on the topic of moral revolutions, distinguishing them from other kinds of society-level moral change. This article surveys recent accounts of moral revolutions in moral philosophy. Different authors use quite different criteria to pick out moral revolutions. Features treated as relevant include radicality, depth or fundamentality, pervasiveness, novelty and particular causes. We also characterize the factors that have been proposed to cause moral revolutions, including anomalies in existing moral codes, changing honour codes, art, economic conditions and individuals or groups. Finally, we discuss what accounts of moral revolutions have in common, how they differ and how moral revolutions are distinguished from other kinds of moral change, such as drift and reform.
Squid games and the lusory attitude
Authors: Reiland Indrek
Published: April 2022

On Bernard Suits’s celebrated analysis, to play a game is to engage in a ‘voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles’. Voluntariness is understood in terms of the players having the ‘lusory attitude’ of accepting the constitutive rules of the game just because they make possible playing it. In this paper I suggest that the players in Netflix’s hit show Squid Game play the ‘squid games’, but they do not do so voluntarily; they are forced to play. I argue that this means that we should rethink Suits’s analysis by claiming that all that is needed for players to play is that someone has put the rules in force for them for the reason that it makes playing the game possible. I then illustrate the virtues of the revised analysis by showing how it helps us to defuse Hurka’s recent counterexamples to Suits’s view.
Conduit position and connectivity affect the likelihood of xylem embolism during natural drought in evergreen woodland species
Authors: Pritzkow Carola , Brown Matilda J M , Carins-Murphy Madeline R , Bourbia Ibrahim , Mitchell Patrick J , Brodersen Craig , Choat Brendan , Brodribb Timothy J
Published: April 2022

Background and Aims

Hydraulic failure is considered a main cause of drought-induced forest mortality. Yet, we have a limited understanding of how the varying intensities and long time scales of natural droughts induce and propagate embolism within the xylem.

Methods

X-ray computed tomography (microCT) images were obtained from different aged branch xylem to study the number, size and spatial distribution of in situ embolized conduits among three dominant tree species growing in a woodland community.

Key Results

Among the three studied tree species, those with a higher xylem vulnerability to embolism (higher water potential at 50 % loss of hydraulic conductance; P50) were more embolized than species with lower P50. Within individual stems, the probability of embolism was independent of conduit diameter but associated with conduit position. Rather than the occurrence of random or radial embolism, we observed circumferential clustering of high and low embolism density, suggesting that embolism spreads preferentially among conduits of the same age. Older xylem also appeared more likely to accumulate embolisms than young xylem, but there was no pattern suggesting that branch tips were more vulnerable to cavitation than basal regions.

Conclusions

The spatial analysis of embolism occurrence in field-grown trees suggests that embolism under natural drought probably propagates by air spreading from embolized into neighbouring conduits in a circumferential pattern. This pattern offers the possibility to understand the temporal aspects of embolism occurrence by examining stem cross-sections.
scDeconv: an R package to deconvolve bulk DNA methylation data with scRNA-seq data and paired bulk RNA–DNA methylation data
Authors: Liu Yu
Published: April 2022

Many DNA methylation (DNAm) data are from tissues composed of various cell types, and hence cell deconvolution methods are needed to infer their cell compositions accurately. However, a bottleneck for DNAm data is the lack of cell-type-specific DNAm references. On the other hand, scRNA-seq data are being accumulated rapidly with various cell-type transcriptomic signatures characterized, and also, many paired bulk RNA-DNAm data are publicly available currently. Hence, we developed the R package scDeconv to use these resources to solve the reference deficiency problem of DNAm data and deconvolve them from scRNA-seq data in a trans-omics manner. It assumes that paired samples have similar cell compositions. So the cell content information deconvolved from the scRNA-seq and paired RNA data can be transferred to the paired DNAm samples. Then an ensemble model is trained to fit these cell contents with DNAm features and adjust the paired RNA deconvolution in a co-training manner. Finally, the model can be used on other bulk DNAm data to predict their relative cell-type abundances. The effectiveness of this method is proved by its accurate deconvolution on the three testing datasets here, and if given an appropriate paired dataset, scDeconv can also deconvolve other omics, such as ATAC-seq data. Furthermore, the package also contains other functions, such as identifying cell-type-specific inter-group differential features from bulk DNAm data. scDeconv is available at: https://github.com/yuabrahamliu/scDeconv.
A network-based matrix factorization framework for ceRNA co-modules recognition of cancer genomic data
Authors: Wang Yujie , Zhou Gang , Guan Tianhao , Wang Yan , Xuan Chenxu , Ding Tao , Gao Jie
Published: April 2022

With the development of high-throughput technologies, the accumulation of large amounts of multidimensional genomic data provides an excellent opportunity to study the multilevel biological regulatory relationships in cancer. Based on the hypothesis of competitive endogenous ribonucleic acid (RNA) (ceRNA) network, lncRNAs can eliminate the inhibition of microRNAs (miRNAs) on their target genes by binding to intracellular miRNA sites so as to improve the expression level of these target genes. However, previous studies on cancer expression mechanism are mostly based on individual or two-dimensional data, and lack of integration and analysis of various RNA-seq data, making it difficult to verify the complex biological relationships involved. To explore RNA expression patterns and potential molecular mechanisms of cancer, a network-regularized sparse orthogonal-regularized joint non-negative matrix factorization (NSOJNMF) algorithm is proposed, which combines the interaction relations among RNA-seq data in the way of network regularization and effectively prevents multicollinearity through sparse constraints and orthogonal regularization constraints to generate good modular sparse solutions. NSOJNMF algorithm is performed on the datasets of liver cancer and colon cancer, then ceRNA co-modules of them are recognized. The enrichment analysis of these modules shows that >90% of them are closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. In addition, the ceRNA networks constructed by the ceRNA co-modules not only accurately mine the known correlations of the three RNA molecules but also further discover their potential biological associations, which may contribute to the exploration of the competitive relationships among multiple RNAs and the molecular mechanisms affecting tumor development.
Detecting the critical states during disease development based on temporal network flow entropy
Authors: Gao Rong , Yan Jinling , Li Peiluan , Chen Luonan
Published: April 2022

Complex diseases progression can be generally divided into three states, which are normal state, predisease/critical state and disease state. The sudden deterioration of diseases can be viewed as a bifurcation or a critical transition. Therefore, hunting for the tipping point or critical state is of great importance to prevent the disease deterioration. However, it is still a challenging task to detect the critical states of complex diseases with high-dimensional data, especially based on an individual. In this study, we develop a new method based on network fluctuation of molecules, temporal network flow entropy (TNFE) or temporal differential network flow entropy, to detect the critical states of complex diseases on the basis of each individual. By applying this method to a simulated dataset and six real diseases, including respiratory viral infections and tumors with four time-course and two stage-course high-dimensional omics datasets, the critical states before deterioration were detected and their dynamic network biomarkers were identified successfully. The results on the simulated dataset indicate that the TNFE method is robust under different noise strengths, and is also superior to the existing methods on detecting the critical states. Moreover, the analysis on the real datasets demonstrated the effectiveness of TNFE for providing early-warning signals on various diseases. In addition, we also predicted disease deterioration risk and identified drug targets for cancers based on stage-wise data.
Persistent spectral simplicial complex-based machine learning for chromosomal structural analysis in cellular differentiation
Authors: Gong Weikang , Wee JunJie , Wu Min-Chun , Sun Xiaohan , Li Chunhua , Xia Kelin
Published: April 2022

The three-dimensional (3D) chromosomal structure plays an essential role in all DNA-templated processes, including gene transcription, DNA replication and other cellular processes. Although developing chromosome conformation capture (3C) methods, such as Hi-C, which can generate chromosomal contact data characterized genome-wide chromosomal structural properties, understanding 3D genomic nature-based on Hi-C data remains lacking. Here, we propose a persistent spectral simplicial complex (PerSpectSC) model to describe Hi-C data for the first time. Specifically, a filtration process is introduced to generate a series of nested simplicial complexes at different scales. For each of these simplicial complexes, its spectral information can be calculated from the corresponding Hodge Laplacian matrix. PerSpectSC model describes the persistence and variation of the spectral information of the nested simplicial complexes during the filtration process. Different from all previous models, our PerSpectSC-based features provide a quantitative global-scale characterization of chromosome structures and topology. Our descriptors can successfully classify cell types and also cellular differentiation stages for all the 24 types of chromosomes simultaneously. In particular, persistent minimum best characterizes cell types and Dim (1) persistent multiplicity best characterizes cellular differentiation. These results demonstrate the great potential of our PerSpectSC-based models in polymeric data analysis.
Intraspecific variability of bite force in Achala copper lizards in a sexual selection context: who bites harder and when and why?
Authors: Naretto Sergio , Cabezas-Cartes Facundo , López Juri Guadalupe , Chiaraviglio Margarita
Published: April 2022

Bite force in lizards is involved in key behaviours such as intrasexual agonistic and intersexual interactions. The relationship between morphology and function is dynamic and sexual pressures can affect bite performance differently between sexes, especially considering the biting position and temporal changes related to the reproductive cycle. The Achala copper lizard (Pristidactylus achalensis) is a highly dimorphic lizard with a short reproductive season. Both sexes present bite scars; however, scar position varies between sexes implying different bite functions. We studied factors influencing bite force such as sex, body size, head morphology and seasonality. We also compared the maximum bite force at two biting positions (frontal and lateral) related to different behaviours (copulation and fighting), and quantified the incidence and scar pattern between sexes. Overall, males bite harder than females and lateral bites were harder than frontal ones. Although bite force did not vary seasonally in males, bite force in females decreased after the reproductive period. Harder bites may confer advantages in mating competition related to the body size in males, while females may benefit from seasonal enhancement of bite force for mate rejection in cases of unwanted copulation.
Coevolution of brain and palate during the diversification of specialized frugivorous bats
Authors: Rojas Danny , Borrero-Ospina María Alejandra , Murillo-García Óscar E
Published: April 2022

Morphological integration of skull modules can explain the outstanding morphological diversity of the rostrum in phyllostomids, the largest radiation of bats in the Western Hemisphere. However, the covariation of the rostral and caudal modules within adaptive zones, where specializations may impose constraints on morphological diversification, remains unknown. Here we used phylogenetic linear models and accounted for phylogenetic uncertainty to examine the evolutionary relationship between brain volume—as a proxy for neurocranium size—and palate morphology in 42 species of specialized frugivores of the subfamily Stenodermatinae. We found that the palate surface area increased and became relatively wider as brain size increased. This pattern may be pervasive in frugivorous phyllostomids, although different lineages may show different rates of covariation. These results demonstrate that the tight relationship between the two main modules of the skull is consistent at different macroevolutionary scales, providing new insights into the macroevolutionary dynamics of the largest group of Neotropical frugivorous bats.
The influence of tropical seasonality on breeding phenology, growth, survival and movement of a large reptile (Varanus komodoensis)
Authors: Jessop Tim S , Purwandana Deni , Imansyah M Jeri , Ciofi Claudio , Jackson Benu Y , Arieifandy Achmad
Published: April 2022

Terrestrial animals in global wet-dry tropical ecosystems experience year-round high temperatures but concentrated summer rainfall. This highly seasonal precipitation is expected to have major evolutionary and ecological consequences for animals. We considered how strong seasonal patterns of rainfall might influence the environment and biological attributes of the world’s largest predatory lizard, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). We predicted that annual variation in rainfall or temperature may influence the seasonal phenology of vegetation, and in turn, the phenology of Komodo dragon reproduction and hatchling emergence. Similarly, seasonal environmental differences may affect Komodo dragon rates of somatic growth, body condition, survival and daily movement. Our results indicated evidence of strong seasonal variation in mean monthly rainfall and leaf area index for open deciduous forest and closed dense forest. These environmental variables were significantly correlated with female Komodo dragon nesting activity and hatchling emergence. Neither Komodo dragon somatic growth rate nor body condition exhibited seasonal differences. There was, however, increased daily movement rates of Komodo dragons during the dry season. This suggests dry season associated life-history activities or thermoregulatory efficiency might explain increased daily movement. Ultimately, the Komodo dragon showed differential sensitivities in its biology to seasonal environmental variation.
The role of sex-biased dispersion in promoting mitonuclear discordance in Partamona helleri (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)
Authors: Dessi Mariana C , Franco Fernando F , Cardoso Tecavita A R , Ferreira Kátia M , Bergamo Luana W , Campos Lucio A O , Del Lama Marco A
Published: April 2022

Mitonuclear discordance has been widely reported in animal species. In stingless bees, the occurrence of mitonuclear discordance is favoured by the adopted colony-founding strategy [dependent colony foundation (DCF)], with phylopatric females and dispersing males. To address the extent to which the DCF system is reflected in the population structure of Partamona helleri, a stingless bee found in Brazilian Atlantic Forest, we sampled for sequences of maternally heritable mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and biparentally inherited nuclear microsatellite markers in workers from 339 colonies, covering its entire distribution range. We found evidence of mitonuclear discordance in P. helleri, which is compatible with the DCF strategy. Genetic structuring of the mtDNA was associated with the occupation of an area by few female lineages, and genetic structuring of the nuclear DNA was associated with isolation by distance. Phylogeographical analysis showed that the origin of P. helleri seems to have been in the region of the state of Bahia 860 000 years ago and that the divergence between the lineages began 520 000 years ago. From this primary centre of dispersal, a main north-to-south migration route occurred, resulting in the occupation of areas in the southern portion of the Atlantic Forest, probably favoured by the dynamics of evergreen forest expansions during the Quaternary.
Re-assessing species limits in a morphologically cryptic Australasian kingfisher lineage (Coraciiformes: Halcyonidae) using bioacoustic data
Authors: Sin Yong Chee Keita , Eaton James A , Hutchinson Robert O , Rheindt Frank E
Published: April 2022

The common paradise-kingfisher, Tanysiptera galatea, species complex comprises 19 taxa distributed across New Guinea and Wallacea. Owing to its highly conserved morphological features, the lineage has been taxonomically confused, with 15 similar-plumaged taxa currently treated as conspecific. To shed light on species limits, we analysed eight bioacoustic parameters across 107 sound recordings using principal component analysis and the Isler criterion, among other methods. Our results show that multiple geographical entities of Tanysiptera paradise-kingfishers form discrete bioacoustic clusters across several vocal parameters, suggesting that species diversity of the common paradise-kingfisher complex has been greatly underestimated. Based on our results, we propose splitting T. galatea into six species: (1) Obi paradise-kingfisher, Tanysiptera obiensis; (2) Rossel paradise-kingfisher, Tanysiptera rosseliana; (3) Papuan paradise-kingfisher, T. galatea; (4) Halmahera paradise-kingfisher, Tanysiptera margarethae; (5) Morotai paradise-kingfisher, Tanysiptera doris; and (6) Amboyna paradise-kingfisher, Tanysiptera nais. Our work highlights that the non-invasive collection of avian vocal data is a crucial taxonomic tool and adds to increasing evidence that bioacoustic analyses are effective in elucidating cryptic diversity.
The sodium-glucose cotransporter isoform 1 (SGLT-1) is important for sperm energetics, motility, and fertility
Authors: Numata September , McDermott Jeff P , Sanchez Gladis , Mitra Amrita , Blanco Gustavo
Published: April 2022

Glucose is a key substrate for supporting sperm energy production and function. Previous studies have demonstrated that sperm glucose uptake is facilitated by several isoforms of the glucose transporters (GLUT). Here, we report that sperm also expresses the Na+-dependent sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT). This was first suggested by our observation that genetic deletion of the testis-specific Na,K-ATPase α4, which impairs the sperm plasma membrane Na+ gradient, reduces glucose uptake and ATP production. Immunoblot analysis revealed the presence of an SGLT in sperm, with specific expression of isoform 1 (SGLT-1), but not of isoform 2 (SGLT-2). Immunocytochemistry identified SGLT-1 in the mid- and principal piece of the sperm flagellum. Inhibition of SGLT-1 with the isotype-selective inhibitor phlorizin significantly reduced glucose uptake, glycolytic activity, and ATP production in noncapacitated and capacitated sperm from wild-type mice. Phlorizin also decreased total sperm motility, as well as other parameters of sperm movement. In contrast, inhibition of SGLT-1 had no significant effect on sperm hyperactivation, protein tyrosine phosphorylation, or acrosomal reaction. Importantly, phlorizin treatment impaired the fertilizing capacity of sperm. Altogether, these results demonstrate that mouse sperm express a functional SGLT transport system that is important for supporting sperm energy production, motility, and fertility.
Psychometric Examination of the Freshman Stress Questionnaire Using a Sample of Social Work Students in Spain during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: González Casas David , Barbé Ana Isabel Dorado , Mercado García Esther , Calleja Jimenez Jose Pablo , Gálvez-Nieto José Luis
Published: April 2022

The teaching–learning model implemented in Spanish universities as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has generated a scenario of academic uncertainty amongst Spanish students. In the case of the Social Work degree, this apprehension appears to be linked to the heavy emotional load related to the theoretical–practical curricular contents of the degree. In this sense, the Freshman Stress Questionnaire (FSQ) has presented adequate levels of reliability and validity for its use on a population of Spanish university students; however, there is as yet no psychometric studies for its use on social work students. This study sought to analyse the psychometric properties of the FSQ using a sample of social work students. The sample comprised 732 students at three Spanish universities doing a social work degree (88.3 per cent women, 11.7 per cent men) with an average age of 21.51 years (standard deviation (SD) = 3.58). The results obtained from the exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the FSQ maintained the structure of four correlated factors and suitable reliability values for each dimension. The results of the factor invariance analysis indicate that the FSQ remains stable up to the level of metric invariance for the variable age. Results are discussed with available theory.
Do Social Media Impact Young Adult Mental Health and Well-Being? A Qualitative Study
Authors: Dodemaide Paul , Merolli Mark , Hill Nicole , Joubert Lynette
Published: April 2022

The Social Work profession recognises the ethical and educational implications of social media usage but remains cautious in embracing the technology in the context of clinical practice. Social media platforms allow their users to share thoughts, opinions, experiences, information, develop online communities and access social and emotional support. Social media-focused research in the mental health context has described the risk of vulnerable populations using social media. However, there is a dearth of research examining the lived experiences of young adult social media users or addressing both the perceived risks and benefits. Social Work clinicians need to understand the experience of clients and be able to respond to questions or challenges that service users using social media experience. Deploying inductive thematic content analysis, this study presents the qualitative findings of an online survey eliciting the experience of young adult social media users. Young adults reported varying perspectives, including preferences for anonymity, how social media is employed and consideration that specific platforms are either helpful or harmful. Results are discussed with consideration given to existing literature. This article contributes to the evidence-base for social work and other disciplines, allowing for a greater phenomenological understanding of young adults’ use of social media.
Relating neural oscillations to laminar fMRI connectivity in visual cortex
Authors: Scheeringa René , Bonnefond Mathilde , van Mourik Tim , Jensen Ole , Norris David G , Koopmans Peter J
Published: April 2022

Laminar functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) holds the potential to study connectivity at the laminar level in humans. Here we analyze simultaneously recorded electroencephalography (EEG) and high-resolution fMRI data to investigate how EEG power modulations, induced by a task with an attentional component, relate to changes in fMRI laminar connectivity between and within brain regions in visual cortex. Our results indicate that our task-induced decrease in beta power relates to an increase in deep-to-deep layer coupling between regions and to an increase in deep/middle-to-superficial layer connectivity within brain regions. The attention-related alpha power decrease predominantly relates to reduced connectivity between deep and superficial layers within brain regions, since, unlike beta power, alpha power was found to be positively correlated to connectivity. We observed no strong relation between laminar connectivity and gamma band oscillations. These results indicate that especially beta band, and to a lesser extent, alpha band oscillations relate to laminar-specific fMRI connectivity. The differential effects for alpha and beta bands indicate that they relate to different feedback-related neural processes that are differentially expressed in intra-region laminar fMRI-based connectivity.
Towards automated in vivo parcellation of the human cerebral cortex using supervised classification of magnetic resonance fingerprinting residuals
Authors: Moinian Shahrzad , Vegh Viktor , Reutens David
Published: April 2022

Background

Accurate parcellation of the cerebral cortex in an individual is a guide to its underlying organization. The most promising in vivo quantitative magnetic resonance (MR)-based microstructural cortical mapping methods are yet to achieve a level of parcellation accuracy comparable to quantitative histology.

Methods

We scanned 6 participants using a 3D echo-planar imaging MR fingerprinting (EPI-MRF) sequence on a 7T Siemens scanner. After projecting MRF signals to the individual-specific inflated model of the cortical surface, normalized autocorrelations of MRF residuals of vertices of 8 microstructurally distinct areas (BA1, BA2, BA4a, BA6, BA44, BA45, BA17, and BA18) from 3 cortical regions were used as feature vector inputs into linear support vector machine (SVM), radial basis function SVM (RBF-SVM), random forest, and k-nearest neighbors supervised classification algorithms. The algorithms' prediction performance was compared using: (i) features from each vertex or (ii) features from neighboring vertices.

Results

The neighborhood-based RBF-SVM classifier achieved the highest prediction score of 0.85 for classification of MRF residuals in the central region from a held-out participant.

Conclusions

We developed an automated method of cortical parcellation using a combination of MR fingerprinting residual analysis and machine learning classification. Our findings provide the basis for employing unsupervised learning algorithms for whole-cortex structural parcellation in individuals.
Investigating associations of delay discounting with brain structure, working memory, and episodic memory
Authors: Garzón Benjamín , Kurth-Nelson Zeb , Bäckman Lars , Nyberg Lars , Guitart-Masip Marc
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Delay discounting (DD), the preference for smaller and sooner rewards over larger and later ones, is an important behavioural phenomenon for daily functioning of increasing interest within psychopathology. The neurobiological mechanisms behind DD are not well understood and the literature on structural correlates of DD shows inconsistencies.

Methods

Here we leveraged a large openly available dataset (n = 1196) to investigate associations with memory performance and gray and white matter correlates of DD using linked independent component analysis.

Results

Greater DD was related to smaller anterior temporal gray matter volume. Associations of DD with total cortical volume, subcortical volumes, markers of white matter microscopic organization, working memory, and episodic memory scores were not significant after controlling for education and income.

Conclusion

Effects of size comparable to the one we identified would be unlikely to be replicated with sample sizes common in many previous studies in this domain, which may explain the incongruities in the literature. The paucity and small size of the effects detected in our data underscore the importance of using large samples together with methods that accommodate their statistical structure and appropriate control for confounders, as well as the need to devise paradigms with improved task parameter reliability in studies relating brain structure and cognitive abilities with DD.
The role of oxytocin in modulating self–other distinction in human brain: a pharmacological fMRI study
Authors: Wang Yuanchen , Wang Ruien , Wu Haiyan
Published: April 2022

Self–other distinction is crucial for human interaction. Although with conflicting results, studies have found that oxytocin (OT) sharpens the self–other perceptual boundary. However, little is known about the effect of OT on self–other perception, especially its neural basis. Moreover, it is unclear whether OT influences self–other discrimination when the other is a child or an adult. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the effect of OT on self-face perception at the behavioral and neural levels. For the stimuli, we morphed participants’ faces and child or adult strangers’ faces, resulting in 4 conditions. After treatment with either OT or placebo, participants reported whether a stimulus resembled themselves while being scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Behavioral results showed that people judged adult-morphed faces better than child-morphed faces. Moreover, fMRI results showed that the OT group exhibited increased activity in visual areas and the inferior frontal gyrus for self-faces. This difference was more pronounced in the adult-face condition. In multivariate fMRI and region of interest analyses, better performance in the OT group indicated that OT increased self–other distinction, especially for adult faces and in the left hemisphere. Our study shows a significant effect of OT on self-referential processes, proving the potential effect of OT on a left hemisphere self-network.
Reduced Cell Surface Levels of C-C Chemokine Receptor 5 and Immunosuppression in Long Coronavirus Disease 2019 Syndrome
Authors: Gaylis Norman B , Ritter Angela , Kelly Scott A , Pourhassan Nader Z , Tiwary Meenakshi , Sacha Jonah B , Hansen Scott G , Recknor Christopher , Yang Otto O
Published: April 2022

In an exploratory trial treating “long COVID” with the CCR5-binding antibody leronlimab, we observed significantly increased blood cell surface CCR5 in treated symptomatic responders but not in nonresponders or placebo-treated participants. These findings suggest an unexpected mechanism of abnormal immune downmodulation in some persons that is normalized by leronlimab.

Clinical Trials Registration. NCT04678830.
Surveillance and Correlation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Viral RNA, Antigen, Virus Isolation, and Self-Reported Symptoms in a Longitudinal Study With Daily Sampling
Authors: Bonenfant Gaston , Deyoe Jessica E , Wong Terianne , Grijalva Carlos G , Cui Dan , Talbot H Keipp , Hassell Norman , Halasa Natasha , Chappell James , Thornburg Natalie J , Rolfes Melissa A , Wentworth David E , Zhou Bin
Published: April 2022

The novel coronavirus pandemic incited unprecedented demand for assays that detect viral nucleic acids, viral proteins, and corresponding antibodies. The 320 molecular diagnostics in receipt of US Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization mainly focus on viral detection; however, no currently approved test can be used to infer infectiousness, that is, the presence of replicable virus. As the number of tests conducted increased, persistent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA positivity by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in some individuals led to concerns over quarantine guidelines. To this end, we attempted to design an assay that reduces the frequency of positive test results from individuals who do not shed culturable virus. We describe multiplex quantitative RT-PCR assays that detect genomic RNA (gRNA) and subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) species of SARS-CoV-2, including spike, nucleocapsid, membrane, envelope, and ORF8. Viral RNA abundances calculated from these assays were compared with antigen presence, self-reported symptoms, and culture outcome (virus isolation) using samples from a 14-day longitudinal household transmission study. By characterizing the clinical and molecular dynamics of infection, we show that sgRNA detection has higher predictive value for culture outcome compared to detection of gRNA alone. Our findings suggest that sgRNA presence correlates with active infection and may help identify individuals shedding culturable virus.
A Systematic Framework for Prioritizing Burden of Disease Data Required for Vaccine Development and Implementation: The Case for Group A Streptococcal Diseases
Authors: Moore Hannah C , Cannon Jeffrey W , Kaslow David C , Lamagni Theresa , Bowen Asha C , Miller Kate M , Cherian Thomas , Carapetis Jonathan , Van Beneden Chris
Published: April 2022

Vaccine development and implementation decisions need to be guided by accurate and robust burden of disease data. We developed an innovative systematic framework outlining the properties of such data that are needed to advance vaccine development and evaluation, and prioritize research and surveillance activities. We focus on 4 objectives—advocacy, regulatory oversight and licensure, policy and post-licensure evaluation, and post-licensure financing—and identify key stakeholders and specific requirements for burden of disease data aligned with each objective. We apply this framework to group A Streptococcus, a pathogen with an underrecognized global burden, and give specific examples pertinent to 8 clinical endpoints. This dynamic framework can be adapted for any disease with a vaccine in development and can be updated as vaccine candidates progress through clinical trials. This framework will also help with research and innovation priority setting of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) and accelerate development of future vaccines.
β-Lactam–Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Dynamics Following Treatment: A Dose-Response Meta-analysis
Authors: Griskaitis Matas , Furuya-Kanamori Luis , Allel Kasim , Stabler Richard , Harris Patrick , Paterson David L , Yakob Laith
Published: April 2022

Background

Patient exposure to antibiotics promotes the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens. The aim of this study was to identify whether the temporal dynamics of resistance emergence at the individual-patient level were predictable for specific pathogen-drug classes.

Methods

Following a systematic review, a novel robust error meta-regression method for dose-response meta-analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for carrying resistant bacteria during and following treatment compared to baseline. Probability density functions fitted to the resulting dose-response curves were then used to optimize the period during and/or after treatment when resistant pathogens were most likely to be identified.

Results

Studies of Streptococcus pneumoniae treatment with β-lactam antibiotics demonstrated a peak in resistance prevalence among patients 4 days after completing treatment with a 3.32-fold increase in odds (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.71–6.46). Resistance waned more gradually than it emerged, returning to preexposure levels 1 month after treatment (OR, 0.98 [95% CI, .55–1.75]). Patient isolation during the peak dose-response period would be expected to reduce the risk that a transmitted pathogen is resistant equivalently to a 50% longer isolation window timed from the first day of treatment.

Conclusions

Predictable temporal dynamics of resistance levels have implications both for surveillance and control.
Describing the Impact of Maternal Hyperimmune Globulin and Valacyclovir on the Outcomes of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Fitzpatrick Alyssa , Cooper Celia , Vasilunas Nan , Ritchie Brett
Published: April 2022

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading infectious cause of congenital neurological disabilities. Valacyclovir and CMV hyperimmune globulin (HIG) may reduce vertical transmission and sequelae in neonates. A systematic review on valacyclovir and CMV HIG in preventing vertical transmission or reducing sequelae in neonates was conducted to 3 September 2021. Valacyclovir as a preventive strategy was supported by a well-conducted randomized controlled trial. Evidence supporting valacyclovir as a treatment strategy was limited to observational studies at moderate risk of bias. CMV HIG was not supported as a preventive strategy in 2 randomized controlled trials, which contrasted with observational studies. Evidence favoring CMV HIG as a treatment strategy was limited to observational studies at moderate risk of bias. The role of valacyclovir and CMV HIG in CMV infection in pregnancy is still being defined. Valacyclovir to prevent vertical transmission has the highest quality evidence in favor of use.
Beyond the Import Ban: Will China Tackle Its Waste Crisis?
Authors: Zhao Yuhong
Published: April 2022

The exponential growth of solid wastes in China has besieged its cities and villages, causing contamination of the land, water, and air and threatening public health and environmental safety. Efforts to expand safe disposal capacity by landfill and incineration have failed to catch up with the speed of waste increase. To tackle the looming waste crisis, China is shifting the focus of waste management from final disposal to waste prevention and reduction and waste to resource transformation by reuse, recycling, and recovery. This article analyses China’s waste management 2.0 under the revised Law on the Prevention and Control of Pollution by Solid Wastes and examines key regulatory initiatives including the waste import ban, the plastic ban, the extended producer responsibility scheme, and the compulsory waste-sorting program, which target the sources of waste generation. It further discusses the challenges ahead and criticizes the gaps in implementation of the municipal solid waste levy reform, green consumption, and the management of construction waste and rural waste.
Marx’s fictitious capital: a misrepresented category revisited
Authors: Palludeto Alex Wilhans Antonio , Rossi Pedro
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we provide an interpretation of Marx’s category of fictitious capital by analysing its main attributes and pointing out its role in understanding the capitalist dynamics from a value-form approach. We criticise the widespread notion that fictitious capital is a category related to the degree of detachment between its capital value and the value of the real capital that it might eventually represent. We argue that fictitious capital should be defined by three key attributes: the future flow of income, the secondary market and its ‘real nonexistence’. Fictitious capital is therefore presented as the genetic development of interest-bearing capital, a process in which any expected money income is converted into a capital value in the present and transformed into a commodity. In this perspective, the importance of fictitious capital for the understanding of contemporary capitalism is analysed, particularly with respect to the process of the distribution of social labour.