bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of post-COVID-19 fatigue among female survivors 2 years after hospital discharge: a nested case–control study
Authors: Ye Yidan , Xiong Chuyue , Dai Yang , Wang Yan , Yang Xinyue , Cheng Lixia , Hou Chao , Nie Naifu , Tang Huan , Ma Xiangyu , Zhang Anqiang , Cao Guoqiang , He Yong , Jiang Ji , Li Li
Published: December 2023

Background

Fatigue is a common symptom of long COVID syndrome. Compared to male survivors, females have a higher incidence of post-COVID fatigue. Therefore, long-term follow-up is necessary to understand which groups of females are more vulnerable to post-COVID fatigue.

Methods

This is a nested case–control study of female COVID-19 survivors who were discharged from two designated hospitals in Wuhan, China in 2020, and received 2-year follow-up from March 1 to April 6, 2022. All patients completed the Checklist Individual Strength-subscale subjective fatigue (CIS-fatigue), a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) assessment test (CAT), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; including the HADS-Anxiety [HADS-A] and the HADS-Depression [HADS-D]). Individuals with CIS-fatigue scores of 27 or higher were classified as cases. The risk factors for fatigue was analysed with multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 899 female COVID-19 survivors were enrolled for analysis, including 47 cases and 852 controls. Compared with controls, cases had higher CAT, HADS-A and HADS-D scores, and showed a higher prevalence of symptoms, including anxiety (cases vs. controls, 44.7% vs. 4.0%,p < 0.001), chest tightness (21.2% vs. 2.3%,p < 0.001), dyspnoea (19.1% vs. 0.8%,p < 0.001) and so on. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, age (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.06;p = 0.02) and cerebrovascular disease (OR, 11.32; 95% CI, 2.87–43.00;p < 0.001) were risk factors for fatigue. Fatigue had a statistically significant moderate correlation with depression (r = 0.44,p < 0.001), but not with CAT ≥ 10.

Conclusion

Female COVID-19 patients who had cerebrovascular disease and older age have higher risk of fatigue. Patients with fatigue have higher CAT scores, and are more likely to have concurrent depression.
Forward with Dementia: process evaluation of an Australian campaign to improve post-diagnostic support
Authors: Low Lee-Fay , Gresham Meredith , Phillipson Lyn , Jeon Yun-Hee , Hall Danika , Tan Amy , Wong Nora , Brodaty Henry
Published: December 2023

Background

Forward with Dementia is a co-designed campaign to improve communication of dementia diagnosis and post-diagnostic support.

Methods

Webinars, a website, social and traditional media, and promotions through project partners were used to disseminate campaign messages to health and social care professionals (primary audience) and people with dementia and carers (secondary audience). The campaign ran between October 2021 and June 2022, with 3-months follow-up. The RE-AIM framework was used for process evaluation. Measurements included surveys and interviews, a log of activities (e.g. webinars, social media posts) and engagements (e.g. attendees, reactions to posts), and Google Analytics.

Results

There were 29,053 interactions with campaign activities. More than three-quarters of professionals (n = 63/81) thought webinars were very or extremely helpful. Professionals and people with dementia and carers reported that the website provided appropriate content, an approachable tone, and was easy to use. Following campaign engagement, professionals planned to (n = 77/80) or had modified (n = 29/44) how they communicated the diagnosis and/or provided post-diagnostic information and referrals. Qualitative data suggested that the campaign may have led to benefits for some people with dementia and carers.

Conclusions

Forward with Dementia was successful in terms of reach, appropriateness, adoption and maintenance for professionals, however flow-through impacts on people with dementia are not clear. Targeted campaigns can potentially change health professionals’ communication and support around chronic diseases such as dementia.
Teamwork in community health committees: a case study in two urban informal settlements
Authors: Karuga Robinson , Khan Sitara , Kok Maryse , Moraa Malkia , Mbindyo Patrick , Broerse Jacqueline , Dieleman Marjolein
Published: December 2023

Background

Community health committees (CHCs) are mechanisms for community participation in decision-making and overseeing health services in several low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is little research that examines teamwork and internal team relationships between members of these committees in LMICs. We aimed to assess teamwork and factors that affected teamwork of CHCs in an urban slum setting in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods

Using a qualitative case-study design, we explored teamwork of two CHCs based in two urban informal settlements in Nairobi. We used semi-structured interviews (n = 16) to explore the factors that influenced teamwork and triangulated responses using three group discussions (n = 14). We assessed the interpersonal and contextual factors that influenced teamwork using a framework for assessing teamwork of teams involved in delivering community health services.

Results

Committee members perceived the relationships with each other as trusting and respectful. They had regular interaction with each other as friends, neighbors and lay health workers. CHC members looked to the Community Health Assistants (CHAs) as their supervisor and “boss”, despite CHAs being CHC members themselves. The lay-community members in both CHCs expressed different goals for the committee. Some viewed the committee as informal savings group and community-based organization, while others viewed the committee as a structure for supervising Community Health Promoters (CHPs). Some members doubled up as both CHPs and CHC members. Complaints of favoritism arose from CHC members who were not CHPs whenever CHC members who were CHPs received stipends after being assigned health promotion tasks in the community. Underlying factors such as influence by elites, power imbalances and capacity strengthening had an influence on teamwork in CHCs.

Conclusion

In the absence of direction and support from the health system, CHCs morph into groups that prioritize the interests of the members. This redirects the teamwork that would have benefited community health services to other common interests of the team. Teamwork can be harnessed by strengthening the capacity of CHC members, CHAs, and health managers in team building and incorporating content on teamwork in the curriculum for training CHCs.
Selective peripheral nerve recording using simulated human median nerve activity and convolutional neural networks
Authors: Jawad Taseen , Koh Ryan G. L. , Zariffa José
Published: December 2023

Background

It is difficult to create intuitive methods of controlling prosthetic limbs, often resulting in abandonment. Peripheral nerve interfaces can be used to convert motor intent into commands to a prosthesis. The Extraneural Spatiotemporal Compound Action Potentials Extraction Network (ESCAPE-NET) is a convolutional neural network (CNN) that has previously been demonstrated to be effective at discriminating neural sources in rat sciatic nerves. ESCAPE-NET was designed to operate using data from multi-channel nerve cuff arrays, and use the resulting spatiotemporal signatures to classify individual naturally evoked compound action potentials (nCAPs) based on differing source fascicles. The applicability of this approach to larger and more complex nerves is not well understood. To support future translation to humans, the objective of this study was to characterize the performance of this approach in a computational model of the human median nerve.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional immunohistochemistry image of a human median nerve, a finite-element model was generated and used to simulate extraneural recordings. ESCAPE-NET was used to classify nCAPs based on source location, for varying numbers of sources and noise levels. The performance of ESCAPE-NET was also compared to ResNet-50 and MobileNet-V2 in the context of classifying human nerve cuff data.

Results

Classification accuracy was found to be inversely related to the number of nCAP sources in ESCAPE-NET (3-class: 97.8% ± 0.1%; 10-class: 89.3% ± 5.4% in low-noise conditions, 3-class: 70.3% ± 0.1%; 10-class: 52.5% ± 0.3% in high-noise conditions). ESCAPE-NET overall outperformed both MobileNet-V2 (3-class: 96.5% ± 1.1%; 10-class: 84.9% ± 1.7% in low-noise conditions, 3-class: 86.0% ± 0.6%; 10-class: 41.4% ± 0.9% in high-noise conditions) and ResNet-50 (3-class: 71.2% ± 18.6%; 10-class: 40.1% ± 22.5% in low-noise conditions, 3-class: 81.3% ± 4.4%; 10-class: 31.9% ± 4.4% in high-noise conditions).

Conclusion

All three networks were found to learn to differentiate nCAPs from different sources, as evidenced by performance levels well above chance in all cases. ESCAPE-NET was found to have the most robust performance, despite decreasing performance as the number of classes increased, and as noise was varied. These results provide valuable translational guidelines for designing neural interfaces for human use.
Proenkephalin as a biomarker correlates with acute kidney injury: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis
Authors: Lin Li-Chun , Chuan Min-Hsiang , Liu Jung-Hua , Liao Hung-Wei , Ng Leong L. , Magnusson Martin , Jujic Amra , Pan Heng-Chih , Wu Vin-Cent , Forni Lui G.
Published: December 2023

Background

Proenkephalin A 119-159 (PENK) is freely filtered in the glomerulus with plasma levels correlating with glomerular filtration rate. Therefore, PENK has been proposed as an early indicator of acute kidney injury (AKI) although its performance is dependent on the clinical setting. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the correlation between PENK levels and the development of AKI.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive search on the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane databases, the website ClinicalTrials.gov and Cnki.net until June 26, 2023. Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were used to amalgamate the overall test performance. Diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was employed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of PENK with other biomarkers. Quality of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) criteria.

Results

We incorporated 11 observational studies with 3969 patients with an incidence of AKI of 23.4% (929 out of 3969 patients) with the best optimal cutoff value of PENK for early detection of AKI being 57.3 pmol/L. The overall sensitivity and specificity of PENK in identifying AKI were 0.69 (95% CI 0.62–0.75) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.68–0.82), respectively. The combined positive likelihood ratio (LR) stood at 2.83 (95% CI 2.06–3.88), and the negative LR was 0.41 (95% CI 0.33–0.52). The SROC curve showcased pooled diagnostic accuracy of 0.77 (95% CI 0.73–0.81). Interestingly, patients with a history of hypertension or heart failure demonstrated a lower specificity of PENK in correlating the development of AKI.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that PENK possesses significant potential as a biomarker for the early detection of the development of AKI, using a cutoff point of 57.3 pmol/L for PENK.
Sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitor alleviates renal lipid deposition and improves renal oxygenation levels in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zhang Li , Wang Tongdan , Kong Yan , Sun Haizhen , Zhang Yuling , Wang Junmei , Wang Zhida , Lu Shan , Yu Pei , Zhou Saijun
Published: December 2023

Background

Sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) has the advantages of effectively lowering blood glucose levels and improving renal outcomes in diabetic patients. This study evaluated the effect of canagliflozin on intrarenal lipid content and oxygenation in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Methods

A total of 64 newly diagnosed T2DM patients with normal renal function were randomly divided into canagliflozin (n = 33) and glimepiride control (n = 31) groups. All patients underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning to assay patients' intrarenal lipid content and oxygenation level before and after 24 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, the relationship between body mass index and intrarenal lipid content in T2DM patients was analyzed and the correlation between changes in intrarenal lipid content and improvements in renal hypoxia was further assessed.

Results

The canagliflozin group had a greater decrease in body weight and blood uric acid level than the glimepiride group (all P < 0.05). The intrarenal lipid content could be significantly reduced after canagliflozin treatment for 24 weeks. The R2* values, a parameter for quantifying the oxygen content in tissues and is inversely related to the oxygen content, of the renal cortex and medulla in the canagliflozin group decreased from the baseline by 6.40% (P < 0.01) and 12.09% (P = 0.000007), respectively. In addition, the degree of reduction of fat fraction (ΔFF) in the kidneys of the canagliflozin group was correlated with the degree of improvement of oxygenation level (ΔR2*) in the renal cortex (r = 0.422, P = 0.014).

Conclusions

The early renal protective effect of SGLT2i in newly diagnosed T2DM patients may be partly attributed to the amelioration of renal hypoxia via the alleviation of ectopic lipid deposition in the kidneys.

Trial Registration: Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital of Tianjin Medical University (ChiCTR2000037951).
Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Acquired Partial Lipodystrophy: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Magno Silvia , Ceccarini Giovanni , Corvillo Fernando , Pelosini Caterina , Gilio Donatella , Paoli Melania , Fornaciari Silvia , Pandolfo Giuseppe , Sanchez-Iglesias Sofia , Nozal Pilar , Curcio Michele , Sessa Maria Rita , López-Trascasa Margarita , Araújo-Vilar David , Santini Ferruccio
Published: December 2023

Background

Barraquer-Simons syndrome (BSS) is a rare, acquired form of lipodystrophy characterized by progressive loss of upper body subcutaneous fat, which affects face, upper limbs, and trunk. The pathogenesis of the disease is not entirely known and may involve autoimmune mechanisms.

Aim

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of the clinical, immunological, and metabolic features of a large cohort of patients with BSS. Our primary objectives included the validation of existing diagnostic tools, the evaluation of novel diagnostic approaches, and the exploration of potential disease triggers or genetic predispositions.

Subjects and Methods

Twenty-six patients were diagnosed with BSS based on accepted criteria defined by international guidelines. Anthropometric parameters, biochemical tests, organ- and non-organ-specific autoantibodies, HLA status, and screening of the LMNB2 gene were performed.

Results

Patients were predominantly females (73%); fat loss occurred mostly during childhood (77%) at a median age of 8 years. Among various anthropometric measures, the ratio between the proportion of fat mass in upper limbs and lower limbs showed the best predictive value for diagnosis. A total of 11.5% of patients had diabetes, 34.6% dyslipidemia, and 26.9% hepatic steatosis. Seventy-five percent of children and 50% of adults had C3 hypocomplementemia; 76% of patients were positive for 1 or more autoantibodies. HLA-DRB1 11:03 had higher allelic frequencies compared with the general population. A single variant in the LMNB2 gene was found in 1 patient.

Conclusion

BSS has a childhood onset and is often associated with autoimmune diseases. Skinfold thickness measurements and fat assessment by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry are useful tools to identify the disease. C3 hypocomplementemia and the presence of autoantibodies may be used as additional diagnostic supportive criteria but the prevalence of C3 hypocomplementemia may be lower than previously reported.
Effect of Anamorelin, a Ghrelin Receptor Agonist, on Muscle and Bone in Adults With Osteosarcopenia
Authors: Dawson-Hughes Bess , Barger Kathryn , Reitshamer Elise , Fielding Roger A , Evans William , Ceglia Lisa
Published: December 2023

Context

Anamorelin, a ghrelin receptor agonist known to stimulate the pulsatile release of GH from the pituitary, has the potential to improve musculoskeletal health in adults with osteosarcopenia.

Objective

To determine the effect of anamorelin treatment for 1 year on muscle mass and strength and on biochemical markers of bone turnover in adults with osteosarcopenia (OS).

Design

Randomized, placebo-controlled, 1-year anamorelin intervention trial

Setting

The Bone Metabolism Laboratory at the USDA Nutrition Center at Tufts University.

Participants

26 men and women, age 50 years and older, with OS.

Main outcome measures

Muscle mass by D3-creatine dilution and lean body mass (LBM) and bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, muscle strength, serum IGF-1, and bone turnover markers, serum procollagen 1 intact N-terminal (P1NP), and C-terminal telopeptide (CTX).

Results

Anamorelin did not have a significant effect on muscle mass or LBM; it significantly increased knee flexion torque at 240°/s by 20% (P = .013) and had a similar nonstatistically significant effect on change in knee extension; it increased bone formation (P1NP) by 75% (P = .006) and had no significant effect on bone resorption (CTX) or BMD. Serum IGF-1 increased by 50% in the anamorelin group and did not change in the placebo group (P = .0001 for group difference).

Conclusion

In this pilot study, anamorelin did not significantly alter muscle mass; however, it may potentially improve lower extremity strength and bone formation in addition to increasing circulating IGF-1 levels in adults with OS. Further study of anamorelin in this population is warranted.
Sex Differences in Branched-chain Amino Acid and Tryptophan Metabolism and Pathogenesis of Youth-onset Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Hernandez Natalie , Lokhnygina Yuliya , Ramaker Megan Elizabeth , Ilkayeva Olga , Muehlbauer Michael J , Crawford Matthew L , Grant Russell P , Hsia Daniel S , Jain Nina , Bain James R , Armstrong Sarah , Newgard Christopher B , Freemark Michael , Gumus Balikcioglu Pinar
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Insulin resistance is associated with elevations in plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). BCAAs compete with aromatic amino acids including tryptophan for uptake into β cells. To explore relationships between BCAAs and tryptophan metabolism, adiposity, and glucose tolerance, we compared urine metabolites in overweight/obese youth with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with those in nondiabetic overweight/obese and lean youth.

Methods

Metabolites were measured in 24-hour and first-morning urine samples of 56 nondiabetic adolescents with overweight/obesity, 42 adolescents with T2D, and 43 lean controls, aged 12 to 21 years. Group differences were assessed by Kruskal Wallis or ANOVA.

Results

Groups were comparable for age, pubertal status, and ethnicity. Youth with T2D were predominantly female and had highest percent body fat. BCAAs, branched-chain ketoacids (BCKAs), tryptophan, and kynurenine were higher in urine of subjects with T2D. There were no differences between lean controls and nondiabetic youth with overweight/obesity. T2D was associated with diversion of tryptophan from the serotonin to the kynurenine pathway, with higher urinary kynurenine/serotonin ratio and lower serotonin/tryptophan and 5-HIAA/kynurenine ratios. Urinary BCAAs, BCKAs, tryptophan, and ratios reflecting diversion to the kynurenine pathway correlated positively with metrics of body fat and hemoglobin A1c. Increases in these metabolites in the obese T2D group were more pronounced and statistically significant only in adolescent girls.

Conclusion

Increases in urinary BCAAs and BCKAs in adolescent females with T2D are accompanied by diversion of tryptophan metabolism from the serotonin to the kynurenine pathway. These adaptations associate with higher risks of T2D in obese adolescent females than adolescent males.
New Horizons: Translational Aspects of Osteomorphs
Authors: Park-Min Kyung-Hyun , Mun Se Hwan , Bockman Richard , McDonald Michelle M
Published: December 2023

Osteomorphs are a newly described osteoclast lineage cell in mice, which are suggested to play a significant role in the maintenance of bone resorption. Preclinical investigations revealed that osteomorphs are generated through the fission of multinucleated bone-resorbing osteoclasts and can also re-fuse with existing osteoclasts. Modifications to RANKL signaling have been shown to alter cycles of fission and re-fusion of osteomorphs in mice. These novel findings were also shown to contribute to the rebound phenomenon after cessation of anti-RANKL therapy in mice. Moreover, the absence of osteomorph-specific genes in mice exhibits bone structural and quality phenotypes. Given these insights, it could be speculated that osteomorphs play a significant role in bone homeostasis, bone metabolic diseases, and response to therapeutics. In this review, we discuss these potential translational roles for osteomorphs. Importantly, we highlight the need for future preclinical and clinical studies to verify the presence of osteomorphs in humans and explore further the translational implications of this discovery.
Social Determinants of Health and Disparities in Thyroid Care
Authors: Chen Debbie W , Ospina Naykky Singh , Haymart Megan R
Published: December 2023

Background

There have been documented racial and ethnic disparities in the care and clinical outcomes of patients with thyroid disease.

Context

Key to improving disparities in thyroid care is understanding the context for racial and ethnic disparities, which includes acknowledging and addressing social determinants of health. Thyroid disease diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship care are impacted by patient- and system-level factors, including socioeconomic status and economic stability, language, education, health literacy, and health care systems and health policy. The relationship between these factors and downstream clinical outcomes is intricate and complex, underscoring the need for a multifaceted approach to mitigate these disparities.

Conclusion

Understanding the factors that contribute to disparities in thyroid disease is critically important. There is a need for future targeted and multilevel interventions to address these disparities, while considering societal, health care, clinician, and patient perspectives.
Inactivating negative regulators of cortical branched actin enhances persistence of single cell migration
Authors: Fokin Artem I. , Boutillon Arthur , James John , Courtois Laura , Vacher Sophie , Simanov Gleb , Wang Yanan , Polesskaya Anna , Bièche Ivan , David Nicolas B. , Gautreau Alexis M.
Published: December 2023

The Rac1–WAVE–Arp2/3 pathway pushes the plasma membrane by polymerizing branched actin, thereby powering membrane protrusions that mediate cell migration. Here, using knockdown (KD) or knockout (KO), we combine the inactivation of the Arp2/3 inhibitory protein arpin, the Arp2/3 subunit ARPC1A and the WAVE complex subunit CYFIP2, all of which enhance the polymerization of cortical branched actin. Inactivation of the three negative regulators of cortical branched actin increases migration persistence of human breast MCF10A cells and of endodermal cells in the zebrafish embryo, significantly more than any single or double inactivation. In the triple KO cells, but not in triple KD cells, the ‘super-migrator’ phenotype was associated with a heterogenous downregulation of vimentin (VIM) expression and a lack of coordination in collective behaviors, such as wound healing and acinus morphogenesis. Re-expression of vimentin in triple KO cells largely restored normal persistence of single cell migration, suggesting that vimentin downregulation contributes to the maintenance of the super-migrator phenotype in triple KO cells. Constant excessive production of branched actin at the cell cortex thus commits cells into a motile state through changes in gene expression.
AUDIT OF THE PRINCIPLES FOR BUILDING A STAFF TRAINING SYSTEM IN PJSC ROSTELECOM ON THE BASIS OF THE ANALYSIS OF REGULATORY DOCUMENTATION
Authors: Hoholeva E. , Lysenko E. , Fedotovskih K.
Published: December 2023

Staff training is a key business process in the management of human resources of an organization in both the short and long term. The article is devoted to the audit of the initial construction of the personnel training system in PJSC Rostelecom based on the analysis of regulatory documentation. The formation and use of a system of in-house training of personnel based on sustainable education requires an undeniable competitive advantage in the form of personnel, always relevant to the market of knowledge, skills and communication. However, the formation and formation of a personnel training system of this type is extremely difficult from an organizational and methodological point of view, as well as from a technological process. A comparative analysis of the development of the in-house continuing education model and the current model of the training system of PJSC Rostelecom highlighted the development, which may adversely affect the implementation of in-house continuing education processes in the short and, especially, in the long term. PJSC Rostelecom recommends presenting a working model of the training system with principles that would make structuring the training system more familiar.
Hernia Active Living Trial (HALT): an exercise intervention in people with a parastomal hernia or bulge
Authors: Taylor Claire , Munro Julie , Goodman William , Russell Sarah , Oliphant Raymond , Beeken Rebecca J , Hubbard Gill
Published: December 2023

Background:

Parastomal hernias are a common consequence of stoma surgery and can occur in up to 50% of patients. They are mangaged either conservatively, through support hosiery, or surgically. A patient feasibility study called the Hernia Active Living Trial (HALT) was designed to examine if a clinical pilates-based exercise programme offers an alternative approach to managing a parastomal hernia or bulge.

Method:

Adults with an ileostomy or colostomy who perceived they had a bulge around their stoma were included in the study. The intervention included up to 12 online sessions of an exercise booklet and videos with an exercise specialist. Interviews were conducted to explore participants' experiences of the intervention. The interview data were analysed systematically and thematically. Participants were also asked to complete patient diaries every week.

Results:

Twelve of the 13 participants who completed the intervention agreed to be interviewed. Following analysis, three main themes emerged including managing a hernia/bulge, benefits and barriers. Participants talked about the benefits of this programme including: reduction of the size of their hernia, increased abdominal control, body confidence and posture, as well as increased physical activity levels. The barriers described were generally overcome allowing participants to engage in what was perceived to be a positive and potentially life-changing experience.

Conclusions:

A clinical pilates-based exercise programme for people with a parastomal hernia can bring both direct and indirect improvements to a patient's hernia management, sense of wellbeing and day-to-day life. Individuals with a hernia should be informed about the need for, and value of, exercise to strengthen core muscles, as part of their non-surgical options for self-management.
SPIN-CGNN: Improved fixed backbone protein design with contact map-based graph construction and contact graph neural network
Authors: Zhang Xing , Yin Hongmei , Ling Fei , Zhan Jian , Zhou Yaoqi
Published: December 2023

Recent advances in deep learning have significantly improved the ability to infer protein sequences directly from protein structures for the fix-backbone design. The methods have evolved from the early use of multi-layer perceptrons to convolutional neural networks, transformers, and graph neural networks (GNN). However, the conventional approach of constructing K-nearest-neighbors (KNN) graph for GNN has limited the utilization of edge information, which plays a critical role in network performance. Here we introduced SPIN-CGNN based on protein contact maps for nearest neighbors. Together with auxiliary edge updates and selective kernels, we found that SPIN-CGNN provided a comparable performance in refolding ability by AlphaFold2 to the current state-of-the-art techniques but a significant improvement over them in term of sequence recovery, perplexity, deviation from amino-acid compositions of native sequences, conservation of hydrophobic positions, and low complexity regions, according to the test by unseen structures, “hallucinated” structures and diffusion models. Results suggest that low complexity regions in the sequences designed by deep learning, for generated structures in particular, remain to be improved, when compared to the native sequences.
Motoneuron-driven computational muscle modelling with motor unit resolution and subject-specific musculoskeletal anatomy
Authors: Caillet Arnault H. , Phillips Andrew T. M. , Farina Dario , Modenese Luca
Published: December 2023

The computational simulation of human voluntary muscle contraction is possible with EMG-driven Hill-type models of whole muscles. Despite impactful applications in numerous fields, the neuromechanical information and the physiological accuracy such models provide remain limited because of multiscale simplifications that limit comprehensive description of muscle internal dynamics during contraction. We addressed this limitation by developing a novel motoneuron-driven neuromuscular model, that describes the force-generating dynamics of a population of individual motor units, each of which was described with a Hill-type actuator and controlled by a dedicated experimentally derived motoneuronal control. In forward simulation of human voluntary muscle contraction, the model transforms a vector of motoneuron spike trains decoded from high-density EMG signals into a vector of motor unit forces that sum into the predicted whole muscle force. The motoneuronal control provides comprehensive and separate descriptions of the dynamics of motor unit recruitment and discharge and decodes the subject’s intention. The neuromuscular model is subject-specific, muscle-specific, includes an advanced and physiological description of motor unit activation dynamics, and is validated against an experimental muscle force. Accurate force predictions were obtained when the vector of experimental neural controls was representative of the discharge activity of the complete motor unit pool. This was achieved with large and dense grids of EMG electrodes during medium-force contractions or with computational methods that physiologically estimate the discharge activity of the motor units that were not identified experimentally. This neuromuscular model advances the state-of-the-art of neuromuscular modelling, bringing together the fields of motor control and musculoskeletal modelling, and finding applications in neuromuscular control and human-machine interfacing research.
Public knowledge, belief, and preventive practices regarding dengue: Findings from a community-based survey in rural Bangladesh
Authors: Banik Rajon , Islam Md. Saiful , Mubarak Mahfuza , Rahman Mahmudur , Gesesew Hailay Abrha , Ward Paul R. , Sikder Md. Tajuddin
Published: December 2023

Background

Dengue fever, the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral infection, is a recurrent public health threat in Bangladesh. Despite the government’s efforts, dengue outbreaks are on the upswing, and people’s knowledge, belief, and preventive practices regarding the disease at the rural community level are unclear.

Objective

The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, belief and preventive practices regarding dengue and associated factors among community people from rural Bangladesh.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 401 people using a convenient sampling technique from three unions of Savar from August to September 2021. Participants’ responses were collected through face-to-face interviews using a pre-tested structured questionnaire that included information related to socio-demographics, dengue-related knowledge, preventive practices, and the health belief model (HBM) constructs. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with the knowledge and preventive practices of dengue.

Results

Overall, participants (mean age = 33.47 ± 12.96 years; age range = 18–75 years) correctly answered 66.15% of the knowledge questions regarding dengue. Higher education, travel to dengue-risk regions, and self-efficacy under the HBM construct were all shown to be strongly associated with dengue knowledge. Regarding HBM constructs, about 80% of the participants perceived dengue as dangerous, but less than half (41.4%) believed themselves susceptible to dengue. Considering perceived barriers, 73.07% of the participants believed their residential area was not suitable for Aedes mosquito breeding. Nearly all (93.52%) believed they always kept their surrounding area clean as part of self-efficacy. Moreover, on average participants engaged in 53.69% of all dengue preventive practices. Being older, female, having a higher education, being a service holder, having a good quality of house structure, and perceived susceptibility as well as self-efficacy under the HBM construct were all factors in participants’ dengue prevention activities. Participants’ dengue preventative practices were shown to be significantly influenced by their knowledge.

Conclusions

The findings of this study found a moderate level of knowledge regarding dengue among the participants. Regarding dengue prevention, although participants scored highly in several indicators, the overall preventive practices were not satisfactory. This suggests that there is a pressing need for expanded education outreach aimed at increasing public awareness of dengue and encourage preventive practices within rural communities in Bangladesh.
Phylogeographic characterization of Burkholderia pseudomallei isolated from Bangladesh
Authors: Jilani Md. Shariful Alam , Farook Saika , Bhattacharjee Arittra , Barai Lovely , Ahsan Chowdhury Rafiqul , Haq Jalaluddin Ashraful , Tuanyok Apichai
Published: December 2023

Background

Burkholderia pseudomallei possesses a diverse set of genes which encode a vast array of biological functions reflecting its clinical, ecological and phenotypic diversity. Strain variation is linked to geographic location as well as pattern of land uses. This soil-dwelling Gram-negative pathogen causes melioidosis, a tropical disease endemic in northern Australia and Southeast Asian regions including Bangladesh. Phylogeographic analyses of B. pseudomallei isolates by molecular typing techniques could be used to examine the diversity of this organism as well as to track melioidosis epidemics.

Methods

In this study, 22 B. pseudomallei isolates, of which 20 clinical and two soil isolates were analyzed, utilizing Real-time PCR assay and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The sequences were then submitted to PubMLST database for analysis and construction of phylogenetic tree.

Findings

A total of 12 different sequence types (STs) that includes four novel STs were identified for the first time. Strains having STs 1005, 1007 and 56 were the most widespread STs frequently isolated in Bangladesh. ST 1005, ST 56, ST 1007 and ST 211 have been detected not only in Bangladesh but are also present in many Southeast Asian countries.

Significance

ST 1005 was detected in both soil and clinical samples of Gazipur. Most prevalent, ST 56 has been previously reported from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, confirming the persistence of the genotype over the entire continent. Further large-scale study is necessary to find out the magnitude of the infection and its different reservoirs in the environment along with phylogeographic association.
Anemia among pregnant women in Cambodia: A descriptive analysis of temporal and geospatial trends and logistic regression-based examination of factors associated with anemia in pregnant women
Authors: Um Samnang , Sopheab Heng , Yom An , Muir Jonathan A.
Published: December 2023

Anemia is a major public health problem for thirty-two million pregnant women worldwide. Anemia during pregnancy is a leading cause of child low birth weight, preterm birth, and perinatal/neonatal mortality. Pregnant women are at higher risk of anemia due to micronutrient deficiencies, hemoglobinopathies, infections, socio-demographic and behavioral factors. This study aimed to: 1) assess temporal and geospatial trends of anemia in Cambodia and 2) identify factors associated with anemia among pregnant women aged 15–49 years old in Cambodia. We analyzed data from the Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS) for 2005, 2010, and 2014. Data were pooled across the three survey years for all pregnant women aged 15–49 years. Survey weights were applied to account for the complex survey design of the CDHS. Descriptive statistics were estimated for key sociodemographic characteristics of the study population. We used logistic regressions to assess factors associated with anemia among pregnant women aged 15–49 years old. Anemia in pregnant women aged 15–49 in Cambodia decreased from 56% in 2005 to 53% in 2014. With the highest in Preah Vihear and Stung Treng provinces (74.3%), in Kratie province (73%), and in Prey Veng (65.4%) in 2005, 2010, and 2014 respectively. Compared to pregnant women from the wealthiest households, women from poorest households were more likely to have anemia (AOR = 2.8; 95% CI: 1.6–4.9). Pregnant women from coastal regions were almost twice as likely of having anemia (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2–3.0). Pregnant women were more likely anemic if they were in their 2nd trimester (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.9–3.6) or 3rd trimester (AOR = 1.6 95% CI: 1.1–2.3). Anemia remains highly prevalent among pregnant women in Cambodia. Public health interventions and policies to alleviate anemia should be prioritized and shaped to address these factors.
Quantifying error in occurrence data: Comparing the data quality of iNaturalist and digitized herbarium specimen data in flowering plant families of the southeastern United States
Authors: White Elizabeth , Soltis Pamela S. , Soltis Douglas E. , Guralnick Robert
Published: December 2023

iNaturalist has the potential to be an extremely rich source of organismal occurrence data. Launched in 2008, it now contains over 150 million uploaded observations as of May 2023. Based on the findings of a limited number of past studies assessing the taxonomic accuracy of participatory science-driven sources of occurrence data such as iNaturalist, there has been concern that some portion of these records might be misidentified in certain taxonomic groups. In this case study, we compare Research Grade iNaturalist observations with digitized herbarium specimens, both of which are currently available for combined download from large data aggregators and are therefore the primary sources of occurrence data for large-scale biodiversity/biogeography studies. Our comparisons were confined regionally to the southeastern United States (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia). Occurrence records from ten plant families (Gentianaceae, Ericaceae, Melanthiaceae, Ulmaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Fagaceae, Cyperaceae, Juglandaceae, Apocynaceae) were downloaded and scored on taxonomic accuracy. We found a comparable and relatively low rate of misidentification among both digitized herbarium specimens and Research Grade iNaturalist observations within the study area. This finding illustrates the utility and high quality of iNaturalist data for future research in the region, but also points to key differences between data types, giving each a respective advantage, depending on applications of the data.
Exploring running styles in the field through cadence and duty factor modulation
Authors: Nijs Anouk , Roerdink Melvyn , Beek Peter Jan
Published: December 2023

According to the dual-axis model, running styles can be defined by cadence and duty factor, variables that have been associated with running performance, economy and injury risk. To guide runners in exploring different running styles, effective instructions to modulate cadence and duty factor are needed. Such instructions have been established for treadmill running, but not for overground running, during which speed can be varied. In this study, five participants completed eight field training sessions over a 4-week training period with acoustic instructions to modulate cadence, duty factor, and, in combination, running style. Instructions were provided via audio files. Running data were collected with sports watches. Participants’ experiences with guided-exploration training were evaluated with the user experience questionnaire. Data analysis revealed acoustic pacing and verbal instructions to be effective in respectively modulating cadence and duty factor, albeit with co-varying effects on speed and the non-targeted variable (i.e. duty factor or cadence). Combining acoustic pacing and verbal instructions mitigated these co-varying effects considerably, allowing for running-style modulations in intended directions (particularly towards the styles with increased cadence and increased duty factor). User experience of this form of guided-exploration training was overall positive, but could be improved in terms of autonomy (dependability). In conclusion, combining acoustic pacing and verbal instructions for running-style modulation is effective in overground running.
Deep analysis of CD4 T cells in the rhesus CNS during SIV infection
Authors: Elizaldi Sonny R. , Verma Anil , Ma Zhong-Min , Ott Sean , Rajasundaram Dhivyaa , Hawes Chase E. , Lakshmanappa Yashavanth Shaan , Cottrell Mackenzie L. , Kashuba Angela D. M. , Ambrose Zandrea , Lifson Jeffrey D. , Morrison John H. , Iyer Smita S.
Published: December 2023

Virologic suppression with antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly improved health outcomes for people living with HIV, yet challenges related to chronic inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS)—known as Neuro-HIV- persist. As primary targets for HIV-1 with the ability to survey and populate the CNS and interact with myeloid cells to co-ordinate neuroinflammation, CD4 T cells are pivotal in Neuro-HIV. Despite their importance, our understanding of CD4 T cell distribution in virus-targeted CNS tissues, their response to infection, and potential recovery following initiation of ART remain limited. To address these gaps, we studied ten SIVmac251-infected rhesus macaques using an ART regimen simulating suboptimal adherence. We evaluated four macaques during the acute phase pre-ART and six during the chronic phase. Our data revealed that HIV target CCR5+ CD4 T cells inhabit both the brain parenchyma and adjacent CNS tissues, encompassing choroid plexus stroma, dura mater, and the skull bone marrow. Aligning with the known susceptibility of CCR5+ CD4 T cells to viral infection and their presence within the CNS, high levels of viral RNA were detected in the brain parenchyma and its border tissues during acute SIV infection. Single-cell RNA sequencing of CD45+ cells from the brain revealed colocalization of viral transcripts within CD4 clusters and significant activation of antiviral molecules and specific effector programs within T cells, indicating CNS CD4 T cell engagement during infection. Acute infection led to marked imbalance in the CNS CD4/CD8 ratio which persisted into the chronic phase. These observations underscore the functional involvement of CD4 T cells within the CNS during SIV infection, enhancing our understanding of their role in establishing CNS viral presence. Our findings offer insights for potential T cell-focused interventions while underscoring the challenges in eradicating HIV from the CNS, particularly in the context of sub-optimal ART.
The SCI – DOT: A New dimension of scientific innovation for persons with BLV.
Authors:   Independence Science, Inc., Nashleanas Ashley
Published: December 2023

Throughout history, students with blindness and low vision (BLV) have been vastly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines with regards to both K-12 education and post-secondary endeavors (Burgstahler, 1994; Supalo, 2010). This underrepresentation of students with BLV in STEM is due to limitations in technology that allow them to access data in a laboratory setting, thus inhibiting their abilities to partake actively in data acquisition with their peers. The Sci-Dot, a multiline, refreshable braille and tactile graphics display capable of logging scientific data in real time with the support of Vernier Science Education’s (VSE) Go-Direct Bluetooth sensors, stands as a unique innovation for persons with BLV given its capabilities to output multiline, tactile data in real time. The Sci-Dot allows individuals with BLV to collect and analyze data by supplying them with tactile data at their fingertips. The author reports findings from a usability study to ascertain the technical feasibility of the device – its capability to produce interpretable tactile data in real time. Participants provided feedback that proved the Sci-Dot was technically feasible as a scientific data logger, and more. The Sci-Dot also has the potential to provide a wealth of independence and inclusivity for educational and social activities beyond the laboratory.
Daseinsvorsorge und räumliche Gerechtigkeit in der bayerischen Raumordnungspolitik: Betrachtungen im Licht des Ansatzes der Fundamentalökonomie
Authors: Dudek Simon , Zademach Hans-Martin , Miosga Manfred
Published: December 2023

The paper discusses the connection of the foundational economy approach, a contemporary concept in the public services discourse, with the notion of spatial justice. It argues that the economic relevance of the systems of the foundational economy are important for territorial development issues, too and that they are able to provide a substantial contribution to sustainable and just spatial development. First, the concept of spatial justice is introduced as a spatial planning policy interpretation of equal living conditions. Based on four sub-dimensions, it is shown that access to basic services for all people plays an elementary part in this. The concept shares this perspective with the foundational economy approach. The latter opens up a new perspective on public services and, in addition to the service provision, also emphasises the high significance of foundational economic systems for labour markets. Against this background, a descriptive-statistical evaluation of labour market data on the spatial distribution of the foundational economy at the district level in Bavaria is carried out. Overall, the paper addresses the uneven spatial distribution of the foundational economies and advocates better funding for municipalities in order to achieve spatial justice.
Fragmentarische Fundstücke – NS-Provenienzforschung in modernen Universitätsbibliotheken
Authors: Sauerwein Tessa
Published: December 2023

NS-Provenienzforschung in modernen universitären Strukturen – wie passt das zusammen? Als Bindeglied fungieren Bücher, deren Herkunft Rätsel aufgibt. Zur Lösung werden die Wege der Bestände von ehemaligen NS-Parteibibliotheken über verschiedene Institutionen nbis in heutige wissenschaftliche Bibliotheken verfolgt. Daraus ergibt sich ein innovativer Forschungsansatz, der die bibliothekarische Entnazifizierung anhand ihrer Überreste untersucht. Diesen präsentiert der vorliegende Beitrag, der auf einer Dissertation basiert, in einem Dreischritt.