bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensitive detection of gallic acid in food by electrochemical sensor fabricated by integrating nanochannel film with nanocarbon nanocomposite
Authors: Li Jiasheng , Lin Jiahui , Luo Tao , Liu Junjie , Liu Jiyang , Zhong Wuning
Published: November 2024

Sensitive detection of gallic acid (GA) in foods is of great significance for assessing the antioxidant properties of products and ensuring consumer health. In this work, a simple electrochemical sensor was conveniently fabricated by integrating vertically-ordered mesoporous silica film (VMSF) with electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ErGO) and nitrogen graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) nanocomposite, enabling sensitive detection of GA in food sample. A water-soluble mixture of graphene oxide (GO) and NGQDs was drop-cast onto the common carbon electrode, glassy carbon electrode (GCE), followed by rapid growth of VMSF using an electrochemically assisted self-assembly method (EASA). The negative voltage applied during VMSF growth facilitated the in situ reduction of GO to ErGO. The synergistic effects of ErGO, NGQDs, and the nanochannels of VMSF led to nearly a tenfold enhancement of the GA signal compared to that obtained on electrodes modified with either ErGO or NGQDs alone. Sensitive detection of GA was realized with a linear concentration range from 0.1 to 10 μM, and from 10 to 100 μM. The limit of detection (LOD), determined based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three (S/N = 3), was found to be 81 nM. Combined with the size-exclusion property of VMSF, the fabricated sensor demonstrated high selectivity, making it suitable for the sensitive electrochemical detection of gallic acid in food samples.
The effect of vitamin D supplementation on antibiotic use: a meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wang Mian , Wu Yixuan , Xiang Zhiyi , Zhang Yueming , Huang Tingyi , Chen Bangsheng
Published: November 2024

Objective

This meta-analysis explores the impact of vitamin D supplementation on antibiotic utilization.

Methods

We systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Science Direct from inception to April 2024. These trials compared antibiotic use rates between groups receiving vitamin D supplements and placebo.

Results

We included seven RCTs involving 35,160 participants. There was no significant difference in antibiotic use between the two groups in the general population (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.98, p = 0.232), including elderly participants (OR = 0.98, p = 0.295). However, antibiotic use was lower in the intervention group compared to the placebo group among participants under 70 years of age (OR = 0.95, p = 0.015), those with relative vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D < 75 nmol/L, OR = 0.95, p = 0.024; 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L, OR = 0.96, p = 0.026], and those with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.24–1.08, p = 0.080), although these differences were not statistically significant for RTIs.

Conclusion

Vitamin D supplementation does not affect antibiotic use in the general population. However, it does reduce antibiotic utilization in individuals with RTIs, relative vitamin D deficiency, or aged below 70 years.

Systematic review registration

This meta-analysis adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and is registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration number CRD42024543246.
Hotspots and future trends of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
Authors: Meng Zhen , Zhang Rui , Sun Zhihong , Fu Cong , Li Zhiyu , Wang Luying , Huo Ran , Xue Feng
Published: November 2024

Objective

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a moderately malignant soft tissue sarcoma with localized infiltrative growth. The extensive surgical scope and high recurrence rate of DFSP brings dysfunctional, aesthetic, psychological and economic problems to patients. The aim of this study is to explore the global publication characteristics, research hotspots and future trends of DFSP over the past 32 years via an intuitive visualized way.

Methods

The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database was searched for papers related to DFSP published from 1990 to 2022. Then bibliometric analysis of these publications was performed, including collaborative networks, co-citation analysis of journals and references, and cluster analysis of keywords.

Results

A total of 1588 papers were retrieved between 1990-2022. The United States was the most prolific country, followed by China. The article Imatinib Mesylate in Advanced Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans: Pooled Analysis of Two Phase II Clinical Trials, received most citations. Research hotspots and future trends are mainly focused on disease diagnosis, COL1A1-PDGFB fusion gene, drug and surgical treatment, fibrosarcomatous transformation, and immunotherapy.

Conclusion

The research on DFSP faces several clinical challenges. This study provides novel insights into future research directions and scientific decisions for DFSP.
Adrenal indeterminate nodules: CT-based radiomics analysis of different machine learning models for predicting adrenal metastases in lung cancer patients
Authors: Cao Lixiu , Yang Haoxuan , Wu Huijing , Zhong Hongbo , Cai Haifeng , Yu Yixing , Zhu Lei , Liu Yongliang , Li Jingwu
Published: November 2024

Objective

There is a paucity of research using different machine learning algorithms for distinguishing between adrenal metastases and benign tumors in lung cancer patients with adrenal indeterminate nodules based on plain and biphasic-enhanced CT radiomics.

Materials and Methods

This study retrospectively enrolled 292 lung cancer patients with adrenal indeterminate nodules (training dataset, 205 (benign, 96; metastases, 109); testing dataset, 87 (benign, 42; metastases, 45)). Radiomics features were extracted from the plain, arterial, and portal CT images, respectively. The independent risk radiomics features selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate logistic regression (LR) were used to construct the single-phase and combined-phase radiomics models, respectively, by support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), and LR. The independent clinical-pathological and radiological risk factors for predicting adrenal metastases selected by using univariate and multivariate LR were used to develop the traditional model. The optimal model was selected by ROC curve, and the models’ clinical values were estimated by decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

In the testing dataset, all SVM radiomics models showed the best robustness and efficiency, and then RF, LR, and DT models. The combined radiomics model had the best ability in predicting adrenal metastases (AUC=0.938), and then the plain (AUC=0.935), arterial (AUC=0.870), and portal radiomics model (AUC=0.851). Besides, compared to clinical-pathological-radiological model (AUC=0.870), the discriminatory capability of the plain and combined radiomics model were further improved. All radiomics models had good calibration curves and DCA showed the plain and combined radiomics models had more optimal clinical efficacy compared to other models, with the combined radiomics model having the largest net benefit.

Conclusions

The combined SVM radiomics model can non-invasively and efficiently predict adrenal metastatic nodules in lung cancer patients. In addition, the plain radiomics model with high predictive performance provides a convenient and accurate new method for patients with contraindications in enhanced CT.
The value of NGS-based multi-gene testing for differentiation of benign from malignant and risk stratification of thyroid nodules
Authors: Fei Mingjian , Ding Dongdong , Ouyang Xuanyi , Shen Wenyan , Zhang Fenglan , Zhang Bo , Qin Lan
Published: November 2024

Background

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is typically used in conjunction with cytopathologic evaluation to differentiate between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Even so, the cytology results for 20-30% of thyroid nodules are indeterminate. This study sought to evaluate the usefulness of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based multi-gene panel testing for risk stratification and the differentiation of benign from malignant thyroid nodules.

Methods

Thyroid nodule samples were obtained from a cohort of 359 patients who underwent FNA. An NGS-based multi-gene panel testing was conducted for these samples, in which single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and small insertion/deletions (InDels) can be detected in 11 genes and fusion events can be identified in 5 genes. Surgical resection was conducted for 113 patients (113/359), and then histopathology results were obtained.

Results

In comparison to cytology alone, the diagnostic sensitivity of NGS combination cytology increased from 0.7245 (95% CI: 0.6289-0.8032) to 0.898 (95% CI: 0.8223-0.9437); the associated AUC was 0.8303 (vs. Cytology AUC: 0.7622, P < 0.001). BRAFV600E was identified in 136 patients, of whom 79 underwent surgery and were diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) pathologically. TERT promoter mutations or BRAF/RAS co-mutations with other genes were identified in 5 patients, while 4 patients were diagnosed with malignant thyroid cancer using the pathological method. RAS mutations were identified in 27 patients, while 10 patients underwent surgery, which showed that 3 patients were classified as PTC and 7 cases were benign. In addition, 4 RET fusions, 1 RET activation mutation, and 3 TP53 inactivation mutations were identified in the remaining 8 patients who have not undergone surgery. Negative genetic test results or variants with uncertain significance were identified in 183 patients. Among these patients, 12 malignant thyroid tumors, including 11 PTC and 1 MTC, were diagnosed in 20 patients who received surgery.

Conclusion

Thyroid nodules coupled with BRAFV600E, TERT promoter variants, BRAF/RAS co-mutations with other genes, RET fusions, and RET activating mutations were classified as high-risk. Nodules with RAS mutations (NRAS, KRAS, HRAS) and TP53 inactivating mutations were considered to be in the intermediate-risk group, while those with non-pathogenic mutations (negative and variants of uncertain significance) were placed in the low-risk group. When combined with cytopathology, NGS increases the sensitivity of diagnosing benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and the reference is useful for patient risk stratification.
Development of ultrasound-based clinical, radiomics and deep learning fusion models for the diagnosis of benign and malignant soft tissue tumors
Authors: Dai Xinpeng , Lu Haiyong , Wang Xinying , Zhao Bingxin , Liu Zongjie , Sun Tao , Gao Feng , Xie Peng , Yu Hong , Sui Xin
Published: November 2024

Objectives

The aim of this study is to develop an ultrasound-based fusion model of clinical, radiomics and deep learning (CRDL) for accurate diagnosis of benign and malignant soft tissue tumors (STTs)

Methods

In this retrospective study, ultrasound images and clinical data of patients with STTs from two hospitals were collected between January 2021 and December 2023. Radiomics features and deep learning features were extracted from the ultrasound images, and the optimal features were selected to construct fusion models using support vector machines. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated based on three aspects: discrimination, calibration and clinical usefulness. The DeLong test was used to compare whether there was a significant difference in AUC between the models. Finally, two radiologists who were unaware of the clinical information performed an independent diagnosis and a model-assisted diagnosis of the tumor to compare the performance of the two diagnoses.

Results

A training cohort of 516 patients from Hospital-1 and an external validation cohort of 78 patients from Hospital-2 were included in the study. The Pre-FM CRDL showed the best performance in predicting STTs, with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.911 (95%CI: 0.894-0.928) and 0.948 (95%CI: 0.906-0.990) for training cohort and external validation cohort, respectively. The DeLong test showed that the Pre-FM CRDL significantly outperformed the clinical models (P< 0.05). In addition, the Pre-FM CRDL can improve the diagnostic accuracy of radiologists.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the high clinical applicability of the fusion model in the differential diagnosis of STTs.
Optimal hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy regimen for advanced and peritoneal metastatic gastric cancer: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Tianqi , Ma Shengjie , Zhang Shiwei , Aizezi Yilihaer , Wang Quan
Published: November 2024

Background

Peritoneal metastasis is one of the most common modes of spread of gastric cancer. Currently, surgical treatment combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and systemic chemotherapy has demonstrated promising outcomes in both the treatment and prevention of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer. However, various HIPEC drug regimens are in clinical use, and their efficacy remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of different HIPEC drug regimens in patients with advanced gastric cancer to determine the optimal therapeutic approach.

Methods

This study conducted a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. Patients in the experimental group underwent surgery combined with HIPEC and chemotherapy. The search period covered literature from database inception to June 1, 2024. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate overall survival (OS) as the primary outcome. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs were used to assess overall disease recurrence, peritoneal recurrence, and postoperative morbidity as secondary outcomes. To ensure scientific rigor and transparency, this study has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024533948).

Results

A total of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1092 patients were included. Compared to surgery combined with chemotherapy, the regimens of cisplatin (HRs = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.38-0.73), mitomycin C (HRs = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.55-1.79), cisplatin plus fluorouracil (HRs = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.38-0.95), and oxaliplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (HRs = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.36-0.78) all demonstrated benefits in OS. The cisplatin (ORs = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.03-0.60) and mitomycin C (ORs = 0.03, 95% CI: 0-0.71) regimens also showed advantages in reducing peritoneal recurrence, with no impact on postoperative morbidity. Importantly, the cisplatin regimen was superior to other regimens in terms of OS and overall disease recurrence, achieving a balance between efficacy and safety.

Conclusions

Compared to chemotherapy alone, HIPEC treatment shows significant benefits in OS without a notable disadvantage in postoperative morbidity. Although no single HIPEC regimen demonstrated clear benefits across all outcomes, the cisplatin regimen performed well in multiple aspects, indicating its potential for further research and clinical application.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=533948, identifier CRD42024533948.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes improve cancer drug delivery in human cell lines and a mouse osteosarcoma model
Authors: Cai Wenquan , He Dawei
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor. Patients require chemotherapy drugs with high-targeting ability and low off-target toxicity to improve their survival. Exosomes are biological vesicles that mediate long-distance communication between cells and naturally target their source sites. Exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) naturally target bone tumor sites, suggesting their potential as effective anti-tumor therapy vectors. In this study, we evaluated the potential of BMSC-derived exosomes in targeting osteosarcoma and serving as a carrier for doxorubicin (DOX).

Methods

We isolated exosomes from human BMSCs and synthesized hybrid exosomes (HEs) by fusing these exosomes with liposomes. These HEs were loaded with DOX to produce a novel drug, HE/DOX.

Results

We confirmed the successful synthesis of HE/DOX using fluorescence spectroscopy and estimated its size to be 151.1 ± 10.2 nm. HEs expressed the known exosomal proteins ALIX, CD63, and TSG101. Under acidic conditions similar to those observed in the tumor microenvironment, the drug release from HE/DOX was enhanced. In osteosarcoma cell lines and in a mouse osteosarcoma model, HE/DOX exhibited stronger tumor-inhibitory effects than free DOX.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that BMSC-derived exosomes could effectively target osteosarcoma. Furthermore, HEs can serve as effective carriers of DOX, enabling the treatment of osteosarcoma. These findings highlight a promising direction for tumor-targeted therapy.
Meta-analysis of the effects of different exercise modes on cardiac function and peak oxygen uptake in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Jianghua He , Feier Ma , Dong Zhu , Qiuying Li , Ya Wen , Yan Wang
Published: November 2024

Background

The benefits of exercise for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events have been reported in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the effects of exercise on cardiac structure and function require clarification.

Methods

A literature search for clinical studies reporting on the effects of exercise on cardiac structure, cardiac function, and VO2peak in T2DM patients was conducted. PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were systematically searched for original articles published from January 2000 to July 2023. The effect size was expressed as the mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses were performed by exercise mode (high-intensity interval training [HIIT] or moderate-intensity continuous training [MICT]) and intervention duration (>6 or ≤6 months).

Results

Compared to usual care, both HIIT and MICT significantly affected left ventricular end-diastolic volume (MD: 19.44, 95% CI: 13.72 to 25.17, p < 0.00001; I2 = 42%; MD: 13.90, 95% CI: 7.64 to 20.16, p < 0.0001; I2 = 0%), but only HIIT significantly affected left ventricular mass (MD: 17.04 g, 95% CI: 5.45 to 28.62, p = 0.004; I2 = 0%). HIIT significantly improved left ventricular ejection fraction (MD: 5.52, 95% CI: 2.31 to 8.73, p = 0.0008; I2 = 0%), as did MICT in the ≤6 months subgroup (MD: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.61 to 2.10, p = 0.0004; I2 = 0%). Neither significantly affected systolic tissue velocity. HIIT significantly improved VO2peak (MD: 8.04, 95% CI: 6.26 to 9.83, p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%), as did MICT in the ≤6 months subgroup (MD: 3.33, 95% CI: 2.39 to 4.27, p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%).

Conclusion

Exercise significantly improved cardiac structure, systolic function, and VO2peak, but did not significantly affect diastolic function in T2DM patients. HIIT seemed to be superior to MICT at improving VO2peak and left ventricular ejection fraction in T2DM patients.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, PROSPERO registration no.: CRD4242018087376
Lipin1 as a therapeutic target for respiratory insufficiency of duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Brown Alexandra , Morris Brooklyn , Kamau John Karanja , Rakoczy Ryan J. , Finck Brian N. , Wyatt Christopher N. , Ren Hongmei
Published: November 2024

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), diaphragm muscle dysfunction results in respiratory insufficiency which is a leading cause of death in patients. Mutations to the dystrophin gene result in myocyte membrane instability, contributing to the structural deterioration of the diaphragm muscle tissues. With previous works suggesting the importance of lipin1 for maintaining skeletal muscle membrane integrity, we explored the roles of lipin1 in the dystrophic diaphragm. We found that the protein expression levels of lipin1 were reduced by 60% in the dystrophic diaphragm. While further knockdown of lipin1 in the dystrophic diaphragm leads to increased necroptosis, restoration of lipin1 in the dystrophic diaphragm results in reduced inflammation and fibrosis, decreased myofiber death, and improved respiratory function. Our results demonstrated that lipin1 restoration improved respiratory function by enhancing membrane integrity and suggested that lipin1 could be a potential therapeutic target for preventing respiratory insufficiency and respiratory failure in DMD. Continued investigation is required to better understand the mechanisms behind these findings, and to determine the role of lipin1 in maintaining muscle membrane stability.
A review of level-1 visual perspective-taking: potential relationship with the uncanny valley effect
Authors: Fan Cong , He Weiqi
Published: November 2024

Calculating others' visual perspective automatically is a pivotal ability in human social communications. In the dot-perspective task, the ability is shown as a consistency effect: adults respond more slowly to judge the number of discs that they can see when a computer-generated avatar sees fewer discs. The implicit mentalizing account attributes the effect to relatively automatic tracking of others' visual perspective. However, the submentalizing account attributes the effect to domain-general attentional orienting. Accordingly, the current study focuses on elucidating the ongoing implicit mentalizing vs. submentalizing debate. The review tried to shed light on the debate regarding level-1 visual perspective taking and its potential relationship between the uncanny valley effect. Future research may focus on new manipulations of uncanny valley effect to further uncover the relationship between uncanny valley effect and level-1 visual perspective taking. This may provide new insight into the debate and the processing mechanisms of level-1 visual perspective-taking and uncanny valley effect, which may be beneficial for AI development.
Psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale among medical sciences students
Authors: Abbasi Ali , Moradkhani Ahmadreza , Shahri Bahar , Khosravi Hamed , Sohrabi Atena , Mirhosseini Seyedmohammad
Published: November 2024

Introduction

The present research carried out to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) among medical sciences students.

Methods

This methodological study took place at Shahroud and Semnan Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. A sample of 380 medical sciences students was selected through convenience sampling. The study assessed face and content validity, and maximum likelihood explanatory factor analysis (MLEFA) was performed. To evaluate the proposed model by MLEFA, confirmatory factor analysis was carried out. Reliability was examined using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, McDonald’s omega, and the intra-class correlation coefficient.

Results

The students had an average age of 22.49 ± 2.72 years. The maximum likelihood explanatory factor analysis (MLEFA) divided the RSES into two components: positive self-esteem and negative self-esteem, which together explained 50.7% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model fit the observed data well. The resulting subscales exhibited high internal consistency and stability.

Conclusion

The findings of the current study indicate that the Persian version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale possesses acceptable validity and reliability among Iranian medical sciences students.
Depression and the risk of fibromyalgia syndrome: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Ma Xiaoshan , Sun Jing , Geng Ren , Zhao Yao , Xu Wanzhen , Jiang Yining , Zhao Liyan , Li Yunqian
Published: November 2024

Background

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common illness with a wide range of symptoms, mainly manifested by unexplained chronic systemic musculoskeletal pain, sleep disorders and fatigue, sometimes accompanied by cognitive impairment, psychiatric symptoms and autonomic dysfunction. Previous studies have indicated a correlation between depression and the risk of FM; however, it remains uncertain whether this association reflects a causal relationship.

Methods

We evaluated the etiological association between the genetically predicted depression and the risk of developing FM by conducting a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study. The data on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to depression were obtained from the UK Biobank (UKB) and the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) of White British European ancestry, and the data for FM were from the 5th release of the FinnGen study. We adopted the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) approach as the principal standard. In order to detect the existence of horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity, we adopted the MR-Egger approach as the sensitivity analysis.

Results

In our MR analysis, 42 depression-related variants were identified as valid instrumental variables (IVs). The IVW approach’s results manifest that there is no etiologic causality between genetically predicted depression and the risk of FM (odds ratio [OR]: 1.673, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.852—3.287, P = 0.135). The study did not find any significant heterogeneities or horizontal pleiotropies (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that there is no significant genetic evidence linking depression to an increased risk of FM. However, further research is necessary to investigate the potential relationship and underlying mechanisms between depression and the risk of FM.
Factors associated with loneliness in Latin-American family care partners during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Leon Tomas , Tapia-Munoz Thamara , Slachevsky Andrea , Beber Bárbara Costa , Aguzzoli Fernando , Nubia Carla , Vilar-Compte Mireya , Gaitan-Rossi Pablo , Olavarria Loreto , Castro Loreto , Pinto Alejandra , Guajardo Tania , Grycuk R. Emilia , Chen Yaohua , Leroi Iracema , Lawlor Brian , Duran-Aniotz Claudia , O’ Sullivan Roger , Miranda-Castillo Claudia
Published: November 2024

Background

COVID-19-related restrictions led to an increase in overall loneliness and social isolation. Before the pandemic, care partners reported higher levels of loneliness and higher loneliness prevalence compared to non-care partners. Because of the spread and severity of the infections, and the access to support spread, we expect a different impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LATAM care partners.

Objectives

To describe the loneliness levels of LATAM caregivers and to identify socioeconomic and health factors associated.

Design

An international online cross-sectional survey for care partners, embedded within the ‘Coping with Loneliness and Isolation during COVID-19’ (CLIC) Study conducted between June 2020– and November 2020.

Setting

We analysed data from 246 family care partners living in Latin American countries (46% Mexico, 26% Chile,18% Brazil, and 10% from Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala y Costa Rica).

Measurements

We assessed loneliness using the 6-items of De Jong Gierveld loneliness Scale. We described the levels of overall, emotional, and social loneliness pre and during Covid, and reported the distribution of care partners who improved, worsened or maintained their levels of loneliness. Moreover, we used longitudinal multiple linear regression models with bootstraps errors of 1,000 iterations to identify factors associated with the levels of overall, emotional, and social loneliness during the pandemic.

Results

Participants were mostly women, 50 years and older, in a partnership, highly educated and with finances meeting their needs, with good to excellent physical and mental health. Among the total of care partners, 55% perceived higher overall loneliness, 56% higher emotional loneliness, and 21% higher social loneliness during the pandemic in comparison with pre-COVID-19 levels. Perceived mental health was associated with the overall, emotional, and social loneliness.

Conclusions

Regardless of their living and health situation, during the pandemic, loneliness increased in all groups of care partners. These should be taken in consideration when planning public health approaches for crises such as pandemics or other large-scale disruptive events.
Relationship between Chinese college students’ attitude to physical exercise and psychological capital: the mediating effects of self-control and gender
Authors: Li Xinnan , Cui Lei , Shen Qi-Qi , Luo Rui , Liu Min
Published: November 2024

Objective

This study aimed to explore the impact of attitudes toward physical exercise on college students’ psychological capital and its mechanism of action, providing new pathways and scientific evidence for enhancing psychological capital among college students.

Methods

A total of 519 college students (mean age: 19.95 ± 1.34) were surveyed using a questionnaire.

Results

(1) Attitudes toward physical exercise have a significant direct predictive effect on college students’ psychological capital; (2) Attitudes toward physical exercise can indirectly predict psychological capital through the mediating role of self-control; (3) The influence of attitudes toward physical exercise on self-control is moderated by gender, with a greater impact on female college students than on male students.

Conclusion

(1) This study investigated the mechanism by which attitudes toward physical exercise influence psychological capital through self-control and gender differences; (2) The study revealed the positive role of psychological capital, with a significant predictive effect of attitudes toward physical exercise on college students’ psychological capital (B = 0.46, p < 0.001), and identified the reasons for gender differences, with attitudes toward physical exercise having a stronger promoting effect on self-control in female college students (B = 0.26, t = 3.80, p < 0.001). It provides guiding suggestions for enhancing psychological capital by fostering attitudes toward physical exercise among college students.
Heuristic satisficing inferential decision making in human and robot active perception
Authors: Chen Yucheng , Zhu Pingping , Alers Anthony , Egner Tobias , Sommer Marc A. , Ferrari Silvia
Published: November 2024

Inferential decision-making algorithms typically assume that an underlying probabilistic model of decision alternatives and outcomes may be learned a priori or online. Furthermore, when applied to robots in real-world settings they often perform unsatisfactorily or fail to accomplish the necessary tasks because this assumption is violated and/or because they experience unanticipated external pressures and constraints. Cognitive studies presented in this and other papers show that humans cope with complex and unknown settings by modulating between near-optimal and satisficing solutions, including heuristics, by leveraging information value of available environmental cues that are possibly redundant. Using the benchmark inferential decision problem known as “treasure hunt”, this paper develops a general approach for investigating and modeling active perception solutions under pressure. By simulating treasure hunt problems in virtual worlds, our approach learns generalizable strategies from high performers that, when applied to robots, allow them to modulate between optimal and heuristic solutions on the basis of external pressures and probabilistic models, if and when available. The result is a suite of active perception algorithms for camera-equipped robots that outperform treasure-hunt solutions obtained via cell decomposition, information roadmap, and information potential algorithms, in both high-fidelity numerical simulations and physical experiments. The effectiveness of the new active perception strategies is demonstrated under a broad range of unanticipated conditions that cause existing algorithms to fail to complete the search for treasures, such as unmodelled time constraints, resource constraints, and adverse weather (fog).
Achieving a framework of the circular economy in urban transport infrastructure projects: a meso-scale perspective
Authors: Liu Xinyu , Schraven Daan , Ma Wenting , de Jong Martin , Hertogh Marcel
Published: November 2024

Urban infrastructure development is one principal way people are transforming the natural world and their living conditions. It is important for humanity, but it can also cause major impacts to the environment, such as huge amounts of solid waste and CO2 emissions. Considering this, the circular economy (CE) is a promising alternative to the traditional “make, use, and dispose” linear economy model. However, as a strategy for sustainable development (SD), the CE is still in its infancy in the urban transport infrastructure sector. Therefore, this article aims to guide the implementation of CE during transport infrastructure projects. To achieve this goal, a literature review and case study were adopted as the research methods. After reviewing existing well-established CE frameworks, the iReSOLVE (implement, Regenerate, Share, Optimize, Loop, Virtualize, Exchange) framework is recognized as the most comprehensive one. Upon it, an analytical framework containing specific-related aspects of CE in urban transport infrastructure projects (which belongs to meso-scale) is proposed (coined as the 4Wh-iReSOLVE framework). The 4Wh means Who, When, Where, and What. The proposed framework offers insight into potential CE activities for transport infrastructure projects and assists in assessing the performance and impacts of CE of these projects to cover the gap of the neglected meso-scale. Ten circular viaduct project initiatives in the Netherlands are used as case analyses with the 4Wh-iReSOLVE framework. The results present the highlights of the circular viaduct initiatives in the Netherlands, with CE activities categorized into five groups (design-related strategies, general CE strategies, implementation, management, and related digital technologies and materials, as well as environmental sustainability). As verified by several experts of the projects studied, it can be concluded that the 4Wh-iReSOLVE framework is suitable for transport infrastructure project CE analyses and implementations. It can potentially be a suggested guideline in future policy documents.
Construction of women's empowerment index for Bangladesh
Authors: Chowdhury Shanjida , Khan Md. Mehedi Hasan , Haque Md. Aminul
Published: November 2024

Introduction

This study is dedicated to refining and enhancing the measurement model of women's empowerment in Bangladesh. Women's empowerment, a crucial and multifaceted aspect of societal growth, is often hindered by gender disparities. This is particularly evident in societies like Bangladesh, where women face inequalities in education, economic opportunities, and decision-making power. To address these disparities effectively, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of women's empowerment. Therefore, this study aims to refine and enhance the measurement model to capture the multifaceted nature of women's empowerment accurately.

Methods

To gather data for this study, a structured questionnaire was administered to married women of reproductive age (15–49) in eight Mouza/Mohalla in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This unique approach allowed us to capture a diverse range of perspectives. We used thirty-three indicators across economic, socio-cultural, household, and psychological dimensions to measure women's empowerment. The sample data were then randomly divided for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify and validate a comprehensive multidimensional framework.

Results

Out of 625 respondents, only 36% of women worked, and ~39% married before age 18. Employing thirty-three items in EFA led to identifying eight critical factors (economic independence, control over household financial decisions, household decision-making, reproductive decision-making, freedom of movement, media exposure, positive self-esteem, and negative self-esteem). These factors, which explained 72.661% of the total variance in the data, provide a practical framework for understanding and addressing women's empowerment. Each component was then divided into two sub-dimensions to acquire a better understanding. The CFA indicated a good model fit for each dimension, and convergent and discriminant validity assessments were used to establish reliability and validity, further enhancing the practical implications of our findings.

Conclusions

The results of our rigorous exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses not only confirmed the sample structures and internal consistency but also provided significant insights. The findings suggested an adequate fit for all CFA models, indicating the robustness of our measurement model. According to the CFA results, each dimension's variables are satisfactory, and all the dimensions can be combined to create a single index measuring women's empowerment. This comprehensive understanding of women's empowerment, with its specific dimensions and factors, equips policymakers and practitioners with the knowledge to develop a wide range of interventions appropriate to particular facets of empowerment, thereby fostering societal growth and gender equality.
Waste, the real villain: a comprehensive analysis and prospective perspective on food loss and waste in China
Authors: Xu Peizhe , Shao Kaichao
Published: November 2024

Introduction

One of the best ways to ensure food security is to reduce Food Loss and Waste (FLW). However, China still confronts numerous obstacles in food loss and waste study because of the intricate industrial chain, the wide range of accounting standards, and a lack of data, among other reasons.

Methods

Using the literature analysis method, 119 literatures were collected and analyzed to examine the current status of FLW in China at various stages after food production and throughout the life cycle from the perspectives of time series and research areas.

Results

The study indicates that the rates of FLW in China have been higher than 20% in recent years and are still increasing. Among them, the highest FLW rates were found in the harvesting stage (3–6%), storage stage (8–10%) and consumption stage (10–17%). In addition, FLW results in a huge waste of resource endowments.

Discussion

The environment and resources are profoundly affected by these substantial food losses and wastes, leading to unnecessary depletion of resources. As China’s focus on food loss and waste intensifies, an increasing number of academics are expected to delve into this area, exploring dimensions such as ecological footprint assessment, innovative uses for food waste, and gathering primary data.
Mining text for causality: a new perspective on food safety crisis management
Authors: Song Jinyi , Pei Jiayin
Published: November 2024

The aim of the present study was to quantitatively analyze the importance of each risk factor in a food safety event, so as to fully elucidate the correlation between different risk factors and provide a reference for food safety governance. Text mining and complex network analysis methods were utilized to explore the causal mechanism of food safety incidents. By performing text mining on food safety event news reports, 15 major risk factors were identified based on high-frequency words. A causal network for food safety accidents was then constructed using strong association rules among these factors. Through network centrality analysis, the five core factors of food safety incidents and their associated sets were clarified. Based on text mining of 6,282 cases of food safety incidents reported by online media, 168 keywords related to food risk factors were extracted and further categorized into 15 types of food safety risk factors. Network analysis results revealed that microbial infection emerged as the most critical risk factor, with its associated sets including biotoxins and parasites, counterfeiting or fraud, processing process issues, and non-compliance with quality indicators.
Effect of dietary supplementation of yeast culture Saccharomyces cerevisiae in lactating female goats
Authors: Zhang Li , Qin Ge , Guo Jiaxue , Zhang Mingding , E Guangxin , Huang Yongfu , Han Yanguo
Published: November 2024

This study was designed to investigate the effects of adding a novel yeast culture, Saccharomyces cerevisiae refermented sorghum distiller's dried grains with solubles (SSDDGS), to the diets of lactating female goats on lactation performance and lamb growth performance. We divided 10 lactating Dazu black goats of similar age, weight, and offspring into two groups: one fed a pelleted diet with 50 g/day SSDDGS (ET), and the other without SSDDGS as a control (EC) for 7 weeks. We monitor the weight changes of each goat and collect blood and milk samples from experimental ewes at specific times for hormone and milk composition determination. We use ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to detect metabolites in the serum of lactating ewes. Our results showed that SSDDGS supplementation significantly reduced female goats' average daily weight loss during weeks 2–4 of lactation and increased serum IGF-1 and prolactin levels at week 4 (p < 0.05). SSDDGS supplementation in early lactation significantly increased milk protein, lactose, and ash content (p < 0.05). UPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that SSDDGS changed the levels of 58 metabolites in the serum of lactating goats. These metabolites were mainly involved in the sohingolipid signaling pathway, and cysteine, methionine, and sphingolipid metabolism. In summary, Yeast culture SSDDGS reduced weight loss, enhanced milk quality, and modified metabolic profiles in early lactation goats, providing insight into the potential regulatory role and mechanism of yeast culture in lactation female goats.
Socioeconomic Inequalities in Out-of-Pocket and Catastrophic Health Expenditures in Pakistan
Authors: Bashir Saima , Kishwar Shabana , Nasir Muhammad , Ali Shehzad
Published: November 2024

Objectives

In Pakistan, healthcare utilization is linked to out-of-pocket payments (OOP) which disproportionately affect low-income households. We investigated socioeconomic inequality in OOP and catastrophic health expenditures (CHEs), and the contribution of sociodemographic factors to these inequalities.

Methods

Socioeconomic inequalities were quantified using the concentration index (CI), and the slope (SII) and relative (RII) indices of inequality using data from three rounds of Household Integrated Economic Survey (2007-08, 2011-12, and 2018-19). Decomposition analyses were conducted using the Wagstaff and Erreygers approach.

Results

OOP payments increased from PKR 127 (2007-08) to PKR 250 (2018-19). CHEs in the most deprived quintile (Q1) changed from 8.3% (2007-08) to 13.7% (2018-19), and for the least deprived quintile (Q5) from 5.1% (2007-08) to 8.4% (2018-19). The OOP CI increased from 0.028 to 0.051, while the SII and RII increased from 0.89 to 1.32 and 1.18 to 1.36, respectively. Decomposition analysis showed that household size, composition, employment, and the province of residence explained much of the socioeconomic inequality in CHEs.

Conclusion

Poor households experience high CHE, disproportionately impacting larger families with children and elderly members. Policymakers should implement targeted financial protection strategies to safeguard vulnerable households from the impoverishing effects of healthcare expenses.
Flight-Based Control Allocation: Towards Human–Autonomy Teaming in Air Traffic Control
Authors: de Rooij Gijs , Tisza Adam Balint , Borst Clark
Published: November 2024

It is widely recognized that airspace capacity must increase over the coming years. It is also commonly accepted that meeting this challenge while balancing concerns around safety, efficiency, and workforce issues will drive greater reliance on automation. However, if automation is not properly developed and deployed, it represents something of a double-edged sword, and has been linked to several human–machine system performance issues. In this article, we argue that human–automation function and task allocation may not be the way forward, as it invokes serialized interactions that ultimately push the human into a problematic supervisory role. In contrast, we propose a flight-based allocation strategy in which a human controller and digital colleague each have full control authority over different flights in the airspace, thereby creating a parallel system. In an exploratory human-in-the-loop simulation exercise involving six operational en route controllers, it was found that the proposed system was considered acceptable after the users gained experience with it during simulation trials. However, almost all controllers did not follow the initial flight allocations, suggesting that allocation schemes need to remain flexible and/or be based on criteria capturing interactions between flights. In addition, the limited capability of and feedback from the automation contributed to this result. To advance this concept, future work should focus on substantiating flight-centric complexity in driving flight allocation schemes, increasing automation capabilities, and facilitating common ground between humans and automation.
Topology Optimization of the Bracket Structure in the Acquisition, Pointing, and Tracking System Considering Displacement and Key Point Stress Constraints
Authors: Gao Bo , Yang Hongtao , Chen Weining , Wang Hao
Published: November 2024

The lightweight and displacement-stable design of the mechanical support structure within the APTS (Acquisition, Pointing, and Tracking System) is crucial for enhancing the payload capacity of remote sensing, satellite communication, and laser systems, while still meeting specified functional requirements. This paper adopts the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method to investigate the structural topology optimization of the L-shaped bracket in the APTS, aiming to minimize structural compliance while using volume, key point displacement, and maximum stress as constraints. In the optimization model, differences in the topology of the L-shaped bracket structure are explored to minimize structural compliance, which was performed under volume, key point displacement, and stress constraints, and the results are compared with the initial reinforced structure. The innovative L-shaped bracket structure obtained through topology optimization uses significantly less material than the initial reinforced design, while still meeting the displacement and stress constraints. After smoothing, rounding, and finite element analysis, the displacement and stress performance of the optimized L-shaped bracket structure satisfies the set constraints. The method proposed in this paper offers an innovative solution for the lightweight design of mechanical support structures in APTS, with significant engineering application potential.