bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do parental attachment and prosocial behavior moderate the impairment from depression symptoms in adolescents who seek mental health care?
Authors: Hysaj Marsida , Crone Mathilde R. , Kiefte-de Jong Jessica C. , Vermeiren Robert R.J.M.
Published: November 2023

We investigated parental attachment and prosocial behavior as social protective indicators in adolescents (age 11–17) with symptoms of depression in a clinical setting. Specifically, we tested the moderating effect of these factors on the relation between symptoms of depression and their impairment on daily life. The Development and Well-Being Assessment, as completed by children, mothers, and fathers, was used, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted for these three perspectives. From the adolescents’ reports, we only found a significant effect of symptoms on impairment, indicating that a higher number of symptoms were related to higher impairment. For the mothers and fathers, a higher score on the adolescents’ prosocial behavior was related to a lower impairment from depression symptoms on the daily life of the adolescent and the family. Only for the mothers did a higher score on prosocial behavior buffer the effect of symptoms on impairment, while a higher parental attachment score was associated with a lower impairment. Further, when examining maternal and paternal attachment separately, only the mothers reported less impairment when perceiving that the adolescent was attached to the father. Paternal attachment even buffered the effect of symptoms on impairment. To conclude, our results indicate that social protective factors, from the parent’s perspective, are likely to have a beneficial effect in clinical practice and should be taken into account when examining impairment scores. Future studies should investigate whether additional protective indicators from the adolescents’ perspective, such as quality of parental attachment or family climate, may have a positive impact on their daily functioning.
Reducing Stress after Trauma (ReSeT): study protocol for a randomized, controlled trial of an online psychoeducational program and video therapy sessions for children hospitalized after trauma
Authors: Keenan Heather T. , Wade Shari L. , Miron Devi , Presson Angela P. , Clark Amy E. , Ewing-Cobbs Linda
Published: November 2023

Background

Post-traumatic stress symptoms develop in a quarter to half of injured children affecting their longer-term psychologic and physical health. Evidence-based care exists for post-traumatic stress; however, it is not readily available in some communities. We have developed an eHealth program consisting of online, interactive educational modules and telehealth therapist support based in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, the Reducing Stress after Trauma (ReSeT) program. We hypothesize that children with post-traumatic stress who participate in ReSeT will have fewer symptoms compared to the usual care control group.

Methods

This is a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of the ReSeT intervention in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress compared to a usual care control group. One hundred and six children ages 8–17 years, who were admitted to hospital following an injury, with post-traumatic stress symptoms at 4 weeks post-injury, will be recruited and randomized from the four participating trauma centers. The outcomes compared across groups will be post-traumatic stress symptoms at 10 weeks (primary outcome) controlling for baseline symptoms and at 6 months post-randomization (secondary outcome).

Discussion

ReSeT is an evidence-based program designed to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms among injured children using an eHealth platform. Currently, the American College of Surgeons standards suggest that trauma programs identify and treat patients at high risk for mental health needs in the trauma system. If effectiveness is demonstrated, ReSeT could help increase access to evidence-based care for children with post-traumatic stress within the trauma system.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04838977. 8 April 2021.
Network pharmacology‑based investigation of potential targets of triptonodiol acting on non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Jin Feng , Ni Xiaochen , Yu Shilong , Jiang Xiaomin , Zhou Jun , Mao Defang , Liu Yanqing , Wu Feng
Published: November 2023

Background

Triptonodiol is a very promising antitumor drug candidate extracted from the Chinese herbal remedy Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F., and related studies are underway.

Methods

To explore the mechanism of triptonodiol for lung cancer treatment, we used network pharmacology, molecular docking, and ultimately protein validation. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed through the David database. Molecular docking was performed using PyMoL2.3.0 and AutoDock Vina software. After screening, the major targets of triptonodiol were identified for the treatment of lung cancer. Target networks were established, Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network topology was analyzed, then KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed. Useful proteins were screened by survival analysis, and Western blot analysis was performed.

Results

Triptonodiol may regulate cell proliferation, drug resistance, metastasis, anti-apoptosis, etc., by acting on glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3B), protein kinase C (PKC), p21-activated kinase (PAK), and other processes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these targets were associated with tumor, erythroblastic oncogene B (ErbB) signaling, protein phosphorylation, kinase activity, etc. Molecular docking showed that the target protein GSK has good binding activity to the main active component of triptonodiol. The protein abundance of GSK3B was significantly downregulated in non-small-cell lung cancer cells H1299 and A549 treated with triptonodiol for 24 h.

Conclusion

The cellular-level studies combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking approaches provide new ideas for the development and therapeutic application of triptonodiol, and identify it as a potential GSK inhibitor.
Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of medullary thyroid microcarcinoma: a tumor with a similar prognosis to macrocarcinoma
Authors: Wu Xin , Li Binglu , Zheng Chaoji
Published: November 2023

Background

Tumor size plays an important role in the staging and treatment of thyroid carcinoma. A tumor with a maximum diameter of 1 cm or less is referred to as microcarcinoma. It is unclear if the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of medullary thyroid microcarcinoma (≤ 1 cm; MTMC) and macrocarcinoma (> 1 cm) differ. The present study aims to clarify the clinical features and prognosis of patients with MTMC.

Methods

The patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma underwent radical operation at our hospital between December 2000 and January 2022 were retrospectively studied. A database was established for this study. Patients with MTMC and macrocarcinoma were grouped for comparison. The clinicopathological characteristics of the two groups were compared by χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, t-test, and Mann–Whitney U test. Cumulative survival rates were presented by the Kaplan–Meier curves and compared using the log-rank test.

Results

A total of 198 patients were included. Of them, 56 and 142 with MTMC and macrocarcinoma, respectively. Few patients in the MTMC group had lateral lymph node metastasis. One hundred and seventy-eight (89.9%) patients were followed up, with a median follow-up period of 61 (35, 105) months. The disease-free survival rate was significantly higher in the MTMC group (log-rank test, p = 0.032); however, there was no significant difference in the overall survival rate between the two groups (log-rank test, p = 0.083).

Conclusions

Patients with MTMC have a lower risk of lateral lymph node metastasis and better disease-free survival than those with macrocarcinoma. However, there was no significant difference in the overall survival rate of both groups. MTMC should be treated in the same manner as macrocarcinoma.
Adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile: the moderating role of the attachment style
Authors: Pinto-Cortez Cristián , Peñaloza-Díaz Gabriel , Martínez Nicole , Díaz Sussan , Valdovino Nicolle , Zavala Margariett , Muzatto-Negrón Paola , Zapata-Sepúlveda Pamela
Published: November 2023

Background

Identifying the underlying mechanisms through which adverse childhood experiences affect (ACEs) the mental health of adolescents is of paramount importance for disease prevention in later stages of life.

Objective

The present study examines the relationship between ACEs and psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile and how attachment style (abandonment anxiety and intimacy avoidance) may moderate this relationship. A total of 154 schooled adolescents aged 12 to 17 (M = 15.08, SD = 1.64) completed a series of self-report questionnaires including the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire (ACEs), Experiences in Close Relationships- Relationship Structures (ECR-RS), and Youth Self Report (YSR-18).

Results

The data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 25, which included descriptive analysis, one-way ANOVA, and Spearman correlation analysis. To address moderation analysis, the PROCESS macro extension version 4.1 was employed. In this process, the bootstrap method was applied to construct confidence intervals, and the pick-a-point approach was used to define the levels of the moderating variable. According to the results, 80.3% of the sample experienced one or more ACEs, and 16.4% reported experiencing at least three. Furthermore, the variables under study exhibited significant correlations with each other, except for intimacy avoidance, which showed no correlation with ACEs (rho = -0.10; p = 0.273). When considering abandonment anxiety as a moderating variable, the direct effect of ACEs on externalizing symptoms showed statistically significant changes (β = 0.60, p = 0.03). No other moderating effects were found according to the proposed models.

Conclusion

In childhood, the accumulation of ACEs is associated with the development of psychopathology in adolescents from northern Chile, specifically with the presence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that lower levels of abandonment anxiety could mitigate the effects of ACEs on adolescent psychopathology, while higher levels of abandonment anxiety could exacerbate these effects on psychopathology.
CD72 gene expression in children suffering from primary immune thrombocytopenia and its correlation with the disease activity
Authors: Mohamed Yasmen A. , Morgan Dalia S. , ELsaghier Mostafa M. , Abd-Elkareem Rehab M.
Published: November 2023

Background

Immune thrombocytopenia is a condition in which the immune system attacks platelets, leading to a low platelet count. CD72 is a co-receptor found on B cells during all developmental stages except those of plasma cells. Activation of CD72 promotes B cell growth and differentiation. We aimed to investigate the expression and role of CD72 in pediatric immune thrombocytopenia, as well as its correlation with disease pathogenesis and activity. The study involved 60 children diagnosed with ITP and 40 healthy controls, who were matched accordingly. All participants underwent a thorough medical history assessment and clinical examination. The RT-PCR method was utilized to determine the level of CD72 expression.

Results

CD72 expression level was considerably higher in cases than in controls (P-value < 0.001). Within the cases group, we detected a significant inverse correlation between CD72 expression and platelet count (P-value < 0.03). Also, there was a notable rise in CD72 expression among those experiencing active ITP compared to those in remission. Moreover, autoantibody-positive patients exhibited greater levels of CD72 expression than their autoantibody-negative counterparts did. While there was no discernible association detected between CD72 expression and the duration of the disease.

Conclusion

CD72 expression is linked to the pathogenesis of ITP. Also, expression elevation is associated with disease activity. In addition, it is not related to disease chronicity. CD72 can be considered a new approach to the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of pediatric ITP.
Corticosteroid-Binding Globulin (SERPINA6) Consolidates Sexual Dimorphism of Adult Rat Liver
Authors: Toews Julia N C , Philippe Tristan J , Dordevic Matthew , Hill Lesley A , Hammond Geoffrey L , Viau Victor
Published: November 2023

Produced by the liver, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) regulates the plasma distribution and actions of glucocorticoids. A sex difference in pituitary growth hormone secretion patterns established during puberty in rats results in increased hepatic CBG production and 2-fold higher plasma corticosterone levels in females. Glucocorticoids control hepatic development and metabolic activities, and we have therefore examined how disrupting the SerpinA6 gene encoding CBG influences plasma corticosterone dynamics, as well as liver gene expression in male and female rats before and after puberty. Comparisons of corticosterone plasma clearance and hepatic uptake in adult rats, with or without CBG, indicated that CBG limits corticosterone clearance by reducing its hepatic uptake. Hepatic transcriptomic profiling revealed minor sex differences (207 differentially expressed genes) and minimal effect of CBG deficiency in 30-day-old rats before puberty. While liver transcriptomes in 60-day-old males lacking CBG remained essentially unchanged, 2710 genes were differentially expressed in wild-type female vs male livers at this age. Importantly, ∼10% of these genes lost their sexually dimorphic expression in adult females lacking CBG, including those related to cholesterol biosynthesis, inflammation, and lipid and amino acid catabolism. Another 203 genes were altered by the loss of CBG specifically in adult females, including those related to xenobiotic metabolism, circadian rhythm, and gluconeogenesis. Our findings reveal that CBG consolidates the sexual dimorphism of the rat liver initiated by sex differences in growth hormone secretion patterns and provide insight into how CBG deficiencies are linked to glucocorticoid-dependent diseases.
Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery with Anatomical Recognition with Artificial Intelligence Assistance for Nerves and Dissection Layers
Authors: Ryu Shunjin , Goto Keisuke , Imaizumi Yuta , Nakabayashi Yukio
Published: November 2023

Background

In digestive tract surgery, dissection of an avascular space consisting of loose connective tissue (LCT) appearing by countertraction improves oncological outcomes and reduces complications.1–3 Kumazu et al.4 described a deep learning approach that automatically segments LCT to help surgeons.4 During left colorectal surgery, lumbar splanchnic, hypogastric, and pelvic visceral nerve injuries cause sexual dysfunction and/or urinary issues.5 As nerve preservation is critical for functional preservation, the AI model Kumazu reported is named Eureka (Anaut Inc., Tokyo, Japan) and was developed to separate nerves automatically. The educative efficacy of intraoperative nerve visualization has been described.6 Artificial intelligence (AI) assisted navigation is expected to aid in the anatomical recognition of nerves and the safe dissection layers surrounding nerves in the future.

Methods

We used Eureka as an educational tool for surgeons’ training during laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The laparoscopic system used was Olympus VISERA ELITE3 (Tokyo, Japan).

Results

Total mesorectal excision (TME) was safely performed with nerve preservation. No postoperative complications occurred. Automatic segmentation and highlighting of LCT in the dissected layers, lumbar splanchnic, hypogastric, and pelvic visceral nerves (S3, S4), were performed in real time.

Conclusions

In colorectal cancer surgery, the nerves are vital anatomical structures serving as landmarks for dissection. Lumbar splanchnic, hypogastric, and pelvic visceral nerve injuries (S3, S4) cause sexual dysfunction or urinary disorders.5 Nerve preservation is important for functional preservation. AI-assisted navigation methods are noninvasive, user-friendly, and expected to improve in accuracy in the future. They have the potential to develop nerve-guided TME.
Tourism in Rural Areas and Information and Communications Technology
Authors: Diareme Kyvele Constantina
Published: November 2023

Agriculture has a significant impact on a global scale, shaping economies, societies, affecting the environment, and is the primary source of food, income, and livelihood for a large portion of the world's population. Agriculture also contributes to global trade providing food and raw materials for industries worldwide. Moreover, it affects the population in rural areas not only by providing employment but also promoting cultural heritage and enhancing social interactions. Agritourism or tourism in rural areas has been promoted, and is until today, as a means of boosting rural economies, encouraging the diversification of economic activity, promoting local products and SMEs, ultimately improving the quality of life in rural areas, and avoiding depopulation. Today, digital transformation in agriculture and rural areas is a global policy priority. In this paper, applications of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in tourism in rural areas and current tends are explored.
Transforming Gambling Harm Reduction in Youth: Leveraging AI Language Models for Personalized Intervention and Prevention
Authors: Efthymiou Iris Panagiota , Sidiropoulos Symeon , Diareme Kyvele Constantina , Efthymiou-Egleton Theoharris William
Published: November 2023

This article highlights the pressing issue of youth gambling addiction, with up to 20% of young individuals engaging in gambling activities, particularly online. With 6-9% of US youth facing gambling problems. This study explores how Large Language Models (LLMs) can enhance harm reduction by providing personalized support, early intervention, and education while respecting privacy. The article draws insights from a review of 45 studies. It was found that youth gambling addiction is a global issue exacerbated by technology and the pandemic. LLMs like GPT-4 offer promise in harm reduction by providing information and support.  LLMs can provide vital insights, educational materials, and support for responsible gambling. The article acknowledges potential LLM risks and emphasizes a cautious approach. Recommendations include personalized interventions, online pop-ups, enhanced LLMs, ongoing research, multi-stakeholder collaboration, etc.
Between coloniam deducere and adsignationes viritanae.
Authors: Piegdoń Maciej
Published: November 2023

Przemieszczenia ludności z ziem podległych Rzymowi nad Adriatyk odbywały się w oparciu o dwa modele Jednym z nich była kolonizacja, czyli wysyłanie zorganizowanych grup przez Rzym pod przewodnictwem triumwirów, których celem było zorganizowanie na ager publicus kolonii. Drugim było ulokowanie osadników indywidualnych na ager publicus przez decemwirów, bez decyzji o fundacji kolonii. Nie oznaczało to rezygnacji z tworzenia osady. W celu sprawniejszego działania społeczności, np. prowadzenia wymiany handlowej, rozstrzygania sporów oraz ze względu na obowiązki tychże wobec państwa, (podatki, rekrutacja), wyrastały ośrodki typu fora, conciliabula i vici oraz okręgi pagi.
Proyectando el siglo XXI.
Authors: Fernández Roberto
Published: November 2023

En este trabajo se proponen algunas ideas o hipótesis sobre cómo presumiblemente se proyectará el futuro para que sea mejor para todos. La vía para una calidad de vida social aparece entonces accesible cuando el proyecto disciplinario de la arquitectura y el urbanismo coincide con un proyecto social.
Ciudades y crisis de la civilización.
Authors: Manuel Naredo José
Published: November 2023

Partiendo de un relato de los procesos de la modernización urbana, el autor señala la secuencia de crisis social y medioambiental en el contexto actual. Bajo el signo de la globalización económica se evidencia la insostenibilidad de la producción urbana.
Arquitectura y cine: Blade Runner, El show de Truman y otras películas urbanas: foro abierto.
Authors: Montaner Martorell Josep María
Published: November 2023

A lo largo de su historia, el cine ha demostrado una inagotable capacidad para ir explicitando las características de las ciudades en relación con la evolución de la condición humana y de las sociedades, reflejando las relaciones entre entorno vital e individuos. Ciertas películas han tenido una gran capacidad de síntesis para mostrar el estado de la cuestión en la economía, la política, la sociología y el urbanismo. Pensemos en películas tan emblemáticas como Metrópolis (1927) de Fritz Lang, Roma citta aperta (1945) y Germannia anno zero ( 1945) de Roberto Rossellini, o Mi tío ( 1958) y Playtime ( 1967) de Jacques Tati.
Taxonomic notes on the leafhopper genus Balclutha Kirkaldy (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Pakistan with a new country record
Authors: SHAH BISMILLAH , HASSAN MUHAMMAD ASGHAR , NAVEED HASSAN , KHAN ASHRAF , SHAKEEL MUHAMMAD , DUAN YANI
Published: November 2023

The leafhopper genus Balclutha Kirkaldy (Deltocephalinae: Macrostelini) is reviewed from Pakistan. Balclutha sinuata Webb & Vilbaste is recorded as a new faunal record for Pakistan. Herein we provide an updated checklist, distribution map, an identification key to the males of known Pakistani species, along with the digital illustrations of the species.
The minimum wage in Ecuador
Authors: Olarte Susana Herrero
Published: November 2023

This article aims to present an overview of the impact of the minimum wage (MW) on the labour market in Ecuador. This Andean country is taken as a sample of all the countries in the region, with similar structural limitations in their labour markets. In Ecuador, the MW is positioned in the intermediate deciles. In the lower deciles, most of the workforce is informal or self-employed. The ‘lighthouse effect’ of the MW on the rest of the employed and self-employed workers is presumed to be the main force in reducing poverty and inequality. The lack of compliance with the labour regulation is, in part, explained by low levels of demand and productivity. These factors would limit firms’ ability to hold a wage increase and unemployment would rise. As savings are low and the welfare state does not offer a safety net to guarantee subsistence without a job, unemployed workers quickly transition into informality and self-employment. We use a two-way fixed effects regression to test this hypothesis. Results show that they cannot be rejected, suggesting the need for new labour policies to reduce poverty and inequality, according to the economic reality of the region.
Dia do Bheatha i N-Adhbhaidh Th'athar : Blúire de Dhán do Dhonnchadh Mac Carthaigh (†1665)
Authors: Ghoill Philip Mac a'
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This fragmentary poem was composed in 1641 to Donnchadh, son of Cormac Mac Carthaigh (1st Earl of Clancarty and 2nd Viscount Muskerry, †1665), to welcome him back to Muskerry after a successful political mission in London, and to commemorate him succeeding his father, Cormac son of Cormac Mac Carthaigh (1st Viscount Muskerry), who had died in London in February 1641. An edition of the surviving quatrains of the poem based on the copy in RIA MS 23 O 78 (3) is provided here. A lightly edited transcription of this text from the same manuscript was published in ABM (168). The edition is accompanied by an introduction, notes on language and metre, and an English translation.
Regulating Platform Economy in China: Shocks and Revisions
Authors: Dai Xin
Published: November 2023

Abstract: In 2020 and 2021, the Chinese government attempted to structurally tighten its regulatory controls over the country’s major digital platform firms. It was widely observed that the government’s once tolerant regulatory regime had shifted into a more heavy-handed mode, culminating in the proposed imposition of “primary responsibility,” a type of ambiguous yet encompassing legal responsibility. By the end of 2022, however, endeavors for structural reforms were mostly shelved by the authorities due to changed economic circumstances. The Chinese authorities, trying to strike a balance between growth stimulation and social protection, will now likely return to a more marginal regulatory approach to platform practices and operations. This paper explains that the initial policy turn was attributable to not only legitimate concerns over the industry’s flaws but also the popular societal sentiments associated with the firms’ perceived betrayal of their progressive promises.
“Have another?”: Edwin Drood ’s Princess Puffer and the Distorted Ethics of Victorian Hospitality
Authors: Merte Melissa
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACT: Charles Dickens’ The Mystery of Edwin Drood features Princess Puffer, who masters the tenets of Victorian hospitality while subverting their foundational purpose of social cohesion. This analysis explores Puffer’s rhetoric of hostessing through the genre of Victorian etiquette books and its gendered advice about serving, eating, and drinking. But as the hostess of an opium den, she distorts that purpose by employing hospitality rituals—not for social cohesion, but for fragmentation, individually and nationally. Traditional fears about witchcraft and contemporary fears about female poisoners encapsulate the specter of female defiance. Princess Puffer’s perversion of hospitality rituals casts her as a threat, as the antithesis of the Angel in the House, offering a vision of an England that is externally prosperous while deteriorating from within.
Investigation on the machinability of polycrystalline ZnSe by elliptical vibration diamond cutting
Authors: Ma Shanyi , Lu Yujiang , Fu Yufan , Li Xinhuan , Lai Jianjun , Zhang Jianguo , Chen Xiao , Xiao Junfeng , Xu Jianfeng
Published: November 2023

Polycrystalline zinc selenide is widely used in advanced optical systems due to its superior optical properties. However, the soft and brittle properties bring a challenge for high-quality surface processing. In recent years, elliptical vibration cutting has been proven as a promising method for machining brittle materials. In the present research, a series of grooving and planning experiments were carried out to investigate the machinability of zinc selenide with elliptical vibration cutting. The removal mechanism was analyzed from fracture characteristics, chip morphology, and phase transformation. The results show that elliptical vibration cutting is effective in suppressing cleavage-induced craters. Reducing the nominal cutting speed is beneficial to inhibit the spring back-induced tearing of grains. A 94-time increase in the critical depth of cut was achieved by vibration trajectory optimization compared to ordinary cutting. Moreover, the influence mechanism of feed on the evolution of surface morphology was revealed. Finally, a zinc selenide microlens array was successfully fabricated. The performance was evaluated by geometric parameter measurements and a multiple imaging test. The findings provide a prospective method for ductile regime machining of zinc selenide.
11.2 Gbps 100-meter free-space visible light laser communication utilizing bidirectional reservoir computing equalizer
Authors: Lu Zhilan , Cai Jifan , Xu Zengyi , Zhou Yuning , Zhang Junwen , Shen Chao , Chi Nan
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we introduce an innovative post-equalization technique leveraging bidirectional reservoir computing (BiRC), and apply it to waveform-to-symbol level equalization for visible light laser communication for the first time. This strategy is more resistant to nonlinearities compared to traditional equalizers like least mean square (LMS) equalizer, while requiring less training time and fewer parameters than neural network (NN) -based equalizers. Through this approach, we successfully conduct a 100-meter transmission of a 32-amplitude phase shift keying (32APSK) signal using a green laser operating at a wavelength of 520 nm. Remarkably, our system achieves a high data rate of 11.2 Gbps, all while maintaining a satisfying bit error rate (BER) below the 7% hard decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold of 3.8E-3.
Depth estimation in SPAD-based LIDAR sensors
Authors: Chen Mingzhe , Rao Padmakumar , Venialgo Esteban
Published: November 2023

In direct time-of-flight (D-TOF) light detection and ranging (LIDAR), accuracy and full-scale range (FSR) are the main performance parameters to consider. Particularly, in single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) based systems, the photon-counting statistics plays a fundamental role in determining the LIDAR performance. Also, the intrinsic performance ultimately depends on the system parameters and constraints, which are set by the application. However, the best-achievable performance directly depends on the selected depth estimation method and is not necessarily equal to intrinsic performance.

We evaluate a D-TOF LIDAR system, in the particular context of smartphone applications, in terms of parameter trade-offs and estimation efficiency. First, we develop a simulation model by combining radiometry and photon-counting statistics. Next, we perform a trade-off analysis to study dependencies between system parameters and application constraints, as well as non-linearities caused by the detection method. Further, we derive an analytical model to calculate the Cram\'er\textendash Rao lower bound (CRLB) of the LIDAR system, which analytically accounts for the shot noise. Finally, we evaluate a depth estimation method based on artificial intelligence (AI) and compare its performance to the CRLB. We demonstrate that the AI-based estimator fully compensates the non-linearity in depth estimation, which varies depending on application conditions such as target reflectivity.
Long-term vaccination strategies to mitigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 transmission: A modelling study
Authors: Hogan Alexandra B. , Wu Sean L. , Toor Jaspreet , Olivera Mesa Daniela , Doohan Patrick , Watson Oliver J. , Winskill Peter , Charles Giovanni , Barnsley Gregory , Riley Eleanor M. , Khoury David S. , Ferguson Neil M. , Ghani Azra C.
Published: November 2023

Background

Vaccines have reduced severe disease and death from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, with evidence of waning efficacy coupled with continued evolution of the virus, health programmes need to evaluate the requirement for regular booster doses, considering their impact and cost-effectiveness in the face of ongoing transmission and substantial infection-induced immunity.

Methods and findings

We developed a combined immunological-transmission model parameterised with data on transmissibility, severity, and vaccine effectiveness. We simulated Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and vaccine rollout in characteristic global settings with different population age-structures, contact patterns, health system capacities, prior transmission, and vaccine uptake. We quantified the impact of future vaccine booster dose strategies with both ancestral and variant-adapted vaccine products, while considering the potential future emergence of new variants with modified transmission, immune escape, and severity properties. We found that regular boosting of the oldest age group (75+) is an efficient strategy, although large numbers of hospitalisations and deaths could be averted by extending vaccination to younger age groups. In countries with low vaccine coverage and high infection-derived immunity, boosting older at-risk groups was more effective than continuing primary vaccination into younger ages in our model. Our study is limited by uncertainty in key parameters, including the long-term durability of vaccine and infection-induced immunity as well as uncertainty in the future evolution of the virus.

Conclusions

Our modelling suggests that regular boosting of the high-risk population remains an important tool to reduce morbidity and mortality from current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants. Our results suggest that focusing vaccination in the highest-risk cohorts will be the most efficient (and hence cost-effective) strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Exploring the motor skill proficiency barrier among children with intellectual disabilities: Analysis at a behavioural component level
Authors: Kavanagh Hayley , Issartel Johann , Meegan Sarah , Manninen Mika
Published: November 2023

Models of childhood motor development began to emerge in the 1960’s. Since then, numerous models have proposed the importance of obtaining a proficient level of fundamental movement skill (FMS) competence during childhood and deemed it to be critical for participation in lifelong sports and physical activity. This study examined FMS at the behavioural component level in children with intellectual disabilities (CwID) (n = 100, 60% boys, aged 5–12 years). Participants were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development 3rd edition (TGMD-3) and the balance subtest from Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 (BOT-2). For the whole sample, 0% participants mastered all 10 FMS, 1% (n = 1) participants mastered all 4 locomotor skills while 0% (n = 100) participants mastered all ball skills. A multiple regression was carried out to investigate whether the interaction of gender and age was a predictor of FMS proficiency. Linear regressions were also carried out to investigate whether gender or age was a predictor of FMS proficiency. The results presented will help to identify weaknesses in skills at the behavioural component level and will enable researchers and practitioners to address low levels of motor skill proficiency among CwID.
Sustainable strategies for green supply chain within the platform economy consider subsidies and marketing efforts
Authors: Zhang Weisi , Wu Yiting , Luo Rui , Wang Yu
Published: November 2023

As consumers’ green awareness continues to grow, the level of a product’s eco-friendliness and the quality of its marketing have become significant factors in shaping consumers’ purchasing decisions. The power structures within the supply chain, as well as corresponding government subsidy policies, are also key elements influencing sustainable strategies for the green supply chain. In a green supply chain comprising one manufacturer and one e-commerce platform, two sales models exist within the online e-commerce platforms: reselling and agency selling. This paper establishes and analyzes three distinct Stackelberg game models, namely: manufacturer-led model without subsidy (bm), manufacturer-led model with subsidy (sm), and platform-led model with subsidy (sp). The results are shown as follows, with the rise of consumers’ environmental awareness, more consumers opt for green products, inspiring the manufacturer to increase its optimal greenness and platform to enhance its optimal marketing efforts level. Notably, government subsidies provide a significant stimulus. An increase in the green technology cost coefficient leads to a decline in the manufacturer’s profits across all three modes. Intriguingly, the manufacturer’s profits are always highest in the sp mode. As the marketing efforts cost coefficient increases, the platform’s profits decrease in the bm and sm modes. In contrast, in the sp mode, the platform’s profits increase rather than a decrease. The choice of mode primarily depends on the platform’s marketing efforts cost coefficient. When this coefficient exceeds a threshold, the platform chooses the sp mode. However, due to the relatively low marketing efficiency in this scenario, the manufacturer prefers the sm mode. For the government, the sp mode involves agency selling, serves as an effective mechanism to redistribute subsidies, thereby yielding the maximum social welfare benefits. Management insights are provided for the manufacturer and platform managers to make decisions about the degree of greenness and marketing efforts level, along with insights for governments to optimize subsidy policies.
Determinants of knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy towards complementary feeding among rural mothers: Baseline data of a cluster-randomized control trial in South West Ethiopia
Authors: Gizaw Abraham Tamirat , Sopory Pradeep , Sudhakar Morankar
Published: November 2023

Background

Complementary feeding (CF) is the period when exclusive breastfeeding ends and the introduction of a wide range of foods while breastfeeding should continue until the child is at least 24 months of age. Sub-optimal complementary feeding practices of infants and young children persist due to different factors, which include knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy of index mothers. Therefore, this study aimed to assess determinants of knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy towards complementary feeding among rural mothers with index child in rural Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted using multistage sampling techniques followed by systematic random sampling techniques. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used. The Chi-square and Fisher’s exact probability tests were used to assess the baseline differences in the CF knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and socio-demographic characteristics of the intervention and control groups. An independent sample t-test was used to determine the mean differences. Multiple linear regression models were fitted to assess the predictors of complementary feeding knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy. All tests were two-tailed, and a statistically significant association was considered at a p-value ≤ 0.05.

Results

Overall, 516 mothers were interviewed. 52.5% of the mothers had high complementary feeding (CF) knowledge, whereas only 47.7% and 38.9% had favorable attitude and high self-efficacy, respectively. The socio-demographic characteristics of the intervention and control groups were overall similar. However, there was a significant difference in the child’s sex (p = 0.021) and age (p = 0.002). Independent t-tests found no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean score of CF knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy at baseline. Maternal educational status (p = 0.0001), number of ANC visits (p = 0.025), and CF information received (p = 0.011) were significant predictors of CF knowledge. Child sex (p = 0.021) and the number of ANC visits (p = 0.01) were significant predictors of CF attitude. Family size (p = 0.008) and household food security status (p = 0.005) were significant predictors of maternal CF self-efficacy.

Conclusion

Overall, half of the mothers had high knowledge. Whereas maternal attitudes and self-efficacy toward CF were low. Maternal educational status, the number of ANC visits, and the CF information received were predictors of CF knowledge. Likewise, child sex and the number of ANC visits were predictors of CF attitude. Family size and household food security status were predictors of CF self-efficacy. These findings imply that nutrition intervention strategies are mandatory, particularly to enhance maternal knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy towards optimum complementary feeding.
Individual sustainability competence development in engineering education: Community interaction open-source learning
Authors: Li Hangyang , Huang Zhiliang , Yang Tongguang , Zhang Wenfang , Chen Mingjie , Li Zehai , Ren Ke
Published: November 2023

This empirical research creates and assesses a community interaction open-source learning framework. The framework established an efficient open-source learning environment for engineering courses to develop undergraduates’ sustainability competencies. The teaching practice of the framework was designed into three stages: course preparation, theory lecture, and project practice. In the teaching practice, community interaction elements were embedded, including community/student two-way selection, systemic teaching and difficulty discussion, expert/student negotiation on teaching forms, teacher/expert coordination on teaching contents, and expert/student two-way feedback on schedules. The interaction elements between students, teachers, and experts enhanced the effectiveness of open-source learning in engineering courses. The experimental results showed that the students exhibited a positive attitude and high participation in the learning procedure and reported a sense of achievement in the project practice. The open-source learning framework significantly improved systemic thinking, conceptual understanding, interdisciplinary collaboration and professional skills. It enhanced students’ key sustainability competencies and laid the foundation for them to become expertise-based innovators and open-source community contributors.
A machine learning-enabled open biodata resource inventory from the scientific literature
Authors: Imker Heidi J. , Schackart Kenneth E. , Istrate Ana-Maria , Cook Charles E.
Published: November 2023

Modern biological research depends on data resources. These resources archive difficult-to-reproduce data and provide added-value aggregation, curation, and analyses. Collectively, they constitute a global infrastructure of biodata resources. While the organic proliferation of biodata resources has enabled incredible research, sustained support for the individual resources that make up this distributed infrastructure is a challenge. The Global Biodata Coalition (GBC) was established by research funders in part to aid in developing sustainable funding strategies for biodata resources. An important component of this work is understanding the scope of the resource infrastructure; how many biodata resources there are, where they are, and how they are supported. Existing registries require self-registration and/or extensive curation, and we sought to develop a method for assembling a global inventory of biodata resources that could be periodically updated with minimal human intervention. The approach we developed identifies biodata resources using open data from the scientific literature. Specifically, we used a machine learning-enabled natural language processing approach to identify biodata resources from titles and abstracts of life sciences publications contained in Europe PMC. Pretrained BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) models were fine-tuned to classify publications as describing a biodata resource or not and to predict the resource name using named entity recognition. To improve the quality of the resulting inventory, low-confidence predictions and potential duplicates were manually reviewed. Further information about the resources were then obtained using article metadata, such as funder and geolocation information. These efforts yielded an inventory of 3112 unique biodata resources based on articles published from 2011–2021. The code was developed to facilitate reuse and includes automated pipelines. All products of this effort are released under permissive licensing, including the biodata resource inventory itself (CC0) and all associated code (BSD/MIT).
Trends in cardiac rehabilitation rates among patients admitted for acute heart failure in Japan, 2009–2020
Authors: Kim Junghyun , Jiang Jenny , Shen Sophie , Setoguchi Soko
Published: November 2023

Objectives

To describe inpatient and outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) utilization patterns over time and by subgroups among patients admitted for acute heart failure (AHF) in Japan.

Background

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a crucial secondary prevention strategy for patients with heart failure. While the number of older patients with AHF continues to rise, trends in inpatient and outpatient CR participation following AHF in Japan have not been described to date.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients hospitalized for AHF in Japan between April 2008 and December 2020. Using data from the Medical Data Vision database, we measured trends in inpatient and outpatient CR participation following AHF. Descriptive analyses and summary statistics for AHF patients by CR participation status were reported.

Results

The analytic cohort included 88,052 patients. Among these patients, 37,810 (42.9%) participated in inpatient and/or outpatient CR. Of those, 36,431 (96.4%) participated in inpatient CR only and 1,277 (3.4%) participated in both inpatient and outpatient CR. Rates of inpatient CR rose more than 6-fold over the study period, from 9% in 2009 to 55% in 2020, whereas rates of outpatient CR were consistently low.

Conclusions

The rate of inpatient CR participation among AHF patients in Japan rose dramatically over a 12-year period, whereas outpatient CR following AHF was vastly underutilized. Further study is needed to assess the clinical effectiveness of inpatient CR and to create infrastructure and incentives to support and encourage outpatient CR.
Dexrazoxane does not mitigate early vascular toxicity induced by doxorubicin in mice
Authors: Bosman Matthias , Krüger Dustin N. , Favere Kasper , De Meyer Guido R. Y. , Franssen Constantijn , Van Craenenbroeck Emeline M. , Guns Pieter-Jan
Published: November 2023

Apart from cardiotoxicity, the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) provokes acute and long-term vascular toxicity. Dexrazoxane (DEXRA) is an effective drug for treatment of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, yet it remains currently unknown whether DEXRA prevents vascular toxicity associated with DOX. Accordingly, the present study aimed to evaluate the protective potential of DEXRA against DOX-related vascular toxicity in a previously-established in vivo and ex vivo model of vascular dysfunction induced by 16 hour (h) DOX exposure. Vascular function was evaluated in the thoracic aorta in organ baths, 16h after administration of DOX (4 mg/kg) or DOX with DEXRA (40 mg/kg) to male C57BL6/J mice. In parallel, vascular reactivity was evaluated after ex vivo incubation (16h) of murine aortic segments with DOX (1 μM) or DOX with DEXRA (10 μM). In both in vivo and ex vivo experiments, DOX impaired acetylcholine-stimulated endothelium-dependent vasodilation. In the ex vivo setting, DOX additionally attenuated phenylephrine-elicited vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contraction. Importantly, DEXRA failed to prevent DOX-induced endothelial dysfunction and hypocontraction. Furthermore, RT-qPCR and Western blotting showed that DOX decreased the protein levels of topoisomerase-IIβ (TOP-IIβ), a key target of DEXRA, in the heart, but not in the aorta. Additionally, the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 10 μM), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, was evaluated ex vivo. NAC did not prevent DOX-induced impairment of acetylcholine-stimulated vasodilation. In conclusion, our results show that DEXRA fails to prevent vascular toxicity resulting from 16h DOX treatment. This may relate to DOX provoking vascular toxicity in a ROS- and TOP-IIβ-independent way, at least in the evaluated acute setting. However, it is important to mention that these findings only apply to the acute (16h) treatment period, and further research is warranted to delineate the therapeutic potential of DEXRA against vascular toxicity associated with longer-term repetitive DOX dosing.