bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gamma oscillations induced by 40-Hz visual-auditory stimulation for the treatment of acute-phase limb motor rehabilitation after stroke: study protocol for a prospective randomized controlled trial
Authors: Fu Wang , Yu Xiaoming , Lai Minghui , Li Yuanli , Yang Yingting , Qin Yong , Yu Min , Wang Feng , Wang Cong
Published: April 2024

Background

The incidence of hemiparetic limb dysfunction reaches 85% in stroke patients, emerging as a critical factor influencing their daily lives. However, the effectiveness of current rehabilitation treatments is considerably limited, particularly in patients with upper extremity impairment. This study aims to conduct a prospective clinical trial to validate the safety and effectiveness of gamma oscillations induced by 40-Hz visual-auditory stimulation in treating post-stroke upper limb dysfunction and to explore the relevant mechanisms.

Methods

This trial is a prospective, randomized controlled, double-blind study. All enrolled patients were randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group received intervention through 40-Hz visual-auditory stimulation, while the control group underwent intervention with randomly matched visual-auditory stimulation frequencies. The primary efficacy endpoint is the change in motor function. Secondary efficacy endpoints include motor-evoked potentials, cerebral hemodynamic changes, neural network connectivity, and alterations in synaptic-related genes. Safety evaluation included major adverse events, all-cause mortality, and photosensitive epilepsy. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, after a 14-day treatment period, and during subsequent follow-up visits (at 3 and 6 months) post-treatment. The differences between the two groups will be compared.

Discussion

This study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of gamma oscillations induced by 40-Hz visual-auditory stimulation in treating patients with upper extremity dysfunction after an acute cerebral stroke. Concurrently, we will explore potential mechanisms, including changes in synaptic-related genes and neural network connectivity. This trial is expected to provide evidence for the effectiveness of this new technique in treating upper extremity dysfunction after a stroke and improving patients’ quality of life.

Trial registration

The study protocol has been registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) under registration number ChiCTR2300076579 on October 12, 2023.
A Systematic review of the factors that affect soccer players’ short-passing ability—based on the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test
Authors: Wang Bihan , Wan Bin , Chen Shu , Zhang Yu , Bai Xiaorong , Xiao Wensheng , Tang Changfa , Long Bo
Published: April 2024

Objective

This study synthesizes evidence from the Loughborough Passing Test to evaluate the short-passing ability of soccer players and summarizes the reported variables that affect this ability to provide support for the development and improvement of short-passing abilities in soccer players.

Methods

In this systematic review using the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, and EBSCOhost from inception to July 2023 to identify relevant articles from the accessible literature. Only studies that used the Loughborough test to assess athletes' short-passing ability were included. The quality of the included studies was independently assessed by two reviewers using the PEDro scale, and two authors independently completed the data extraction.

Results

Based on the type of intervention or influencing factor, ten studies investigated training, nine studies investigated fatigue, nine studies investigated supplement intake, and five studies investigated other factors.

Conclusion

Evidence indicates that fitness training, small-sided games training, and warm-up training have positive effects on athletes' short-passing ability, high-intensity special-position training and water intake have no discernible impact, mental and muscular exhaustion have a significantly negative effect, and the effect of nutritional ergogenic aid intake is not yet clear. Future research should examine more elements that can affect soccer players' short-passing ability.

Trial registration

https://inplasy.com/., identifier: INPLASY20237.
Pannexin 1 dysregulation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and its exacerbation of dystrophic features in mdx mice
Authors: Freeman Emily , Langlois Stéphanie , Leyba Marcos F. , Ammar Tarek , Léger Zacharie , McMillan Hugh J. , Renaud Jean-Marc , Jasmin Bernard J. , Cowan Kyle N.
Published: April 2024

Background

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is associated with impaired muscle regeneration, progressive muscle weakness, damage, and wasting. While the cause of DMD is an X-linked loss of function mutation in the gene encoding dystrophin, the exact mechanisms that perpetuate the disease progression are unknown. Our laboratory has demonstrated that pannexin 1 (Panx1 in rodents; PANX1 in humans) is critical for the development, strength, and regeneration of male skeletal muscle. In normal skeletal muscle, Panx1 is part of a multiprotein complex with dystrophin. We and others have previously shown that Panx1 levels and channel activity are dysregulated in various mouse models of DMD.

Methods

We utilized myoblast cell lines derived from DMD patients to assess PANX1 expression and function. To investigate how Panx1 dysregulation contributes to DMD, we generated a dystrophic (mdx) mouse model that lacks Panx1 (Panx1−/−/mdx). In depth characterization of this model included histological analysis, as well as locomotor, and physiological tests such as muscle force and grip strength assessments.

Results

Here, we demonstrate that PANX1 levels and channel function are reduced in patient-derived DMD myoblast cell lines. Panx1−/−/mdx mice have a significantly reduced lifespan, and decreased body weight due to lean mass loss. Their tibialis anterior were more affected than their soleus muscles and displayed reduced mass, myofiber loss, increased centrally nucleated myofibers, and a lower number of muscle stem cells compared to that of Panx1+/+/mdx mice. These detrimental effects were associated with muscle and locomotor functional impairments. In vitro, PANX1 overexpression in patient-derived DMD myoblasts improved their differentiation and fusion.

Conclusions

Collectively, our findings suggest that PANX1/Panx1 dysregulation in DMD exacerbates several aspects of the disease. Moreover, our results suggest a potential therapeutic benefit to increasing PANX1 levels in dystrophic muscles.
Feasibility of lactiplantibacillus plantarum postbiotics production in challenging media by different techniques
Authors: Khakpour Mahsa , Mohsenzadeh Mohammad , Salari Amir
Published: April 2024

The postbiotic derived from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum bacteria was produced in three culture media: milk, MRS, and whey, and its antibacterial and antifungal properties were evaluated. To investigate the production efficiency of postbiotics, three methods, heating, sonication and centrifugation, were utilized to prepare postbiotics in MRS broth culture medium. The antibacterial potency of the postbiotic was evaluated using the agar well-diffusion method, and MIC and MBC tests were conducted for different treatments. The results of the study showed that the postbiotic prepared in food environments such as milk and cheese whey can have antibacterial and antifungal properties similar to the postbiotic prepared in the MRS culture medium. However, it is possible to enrich food matrices such as milk and cheese whey and make further adjustments in terms of pH settings. Additionally, the thermal process was able to create a nanoscale postbiotic, which is a significant achievement for the application of postbiotics in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The future outlook of postbiotics clearly indicates that the emergence of this generation of probiotics can have an attractive and functional position in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, future research focusing on this subject will contribute to the development of this generation of postbiotics.
The association of the perioperative fluid balance and cardiopulmonary complications in emergency gastrointestinal surgery: exploration of a randomized trial
Authors: Voldby Anders W. , Aaen Anne A. , Møller Ann M. , Brandstrup Birgitte
Published: April 2024

Background

The association between perioperative fluid administration and risk of complications following emergency surgery is poorly studied. We tested the association between the perioperative fluid balance and postoperative complications following emergency surgery for gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation.

Methods

We performed a re-assessment of data from the Goal-directed Fluid Therapy in Urgent Gastrointestinal Surgery Trial (GAS-ART) studying intra-operative stroke volume optimization and postoperative zero-balance fluid therapy versus standard fluid therapy. The cohort was divided into three groups at a perioperative fluid balance (FB) of low < 0 L, moderate 0–2 L, or high > 2 L. We used a propensity adjusted logistic regression to analyse the association with cardiopulmonary (primary outcome), renal, infectious, and wound healing complications. Further, the risk of complications was explored on a continuous scale of the FB.

Results

We included 303 patients: 44 patients belonged to the low-FB group, 108 to the moderate-FB group, and 151 to the high-FB group. The median [interquartile range] perioperative FB was –0.9 L [–1.4, –0.6], 0.9 L [0.5, 1.3], and 3.8 L [2.7, 5.3]. The risk of cardiopulmonary complications was significantly higher in the High-FB group 3.4 (1.5–7.6), p = 0.002 (odds ratio (95% confidence interval). On a continuous scale of the fluid balance, the risk of cardiopulmonary complications was minimal at –1 L to 1 L.

Conclusion

Following emergency surgery for gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation, a fluid balance < 2.0 L was associated with decreased risk of cardiopulmonary complications without increasing renal complications.
A systematic review on the relationship between socioeconomic conditions and emotional disorder symptoms during Covid-19: unearthing the potential role of economic concerns and financial strain
Authors: Chan Jee Kei , Marzuki Aleya A. , Vafa Samira , Thanaraju Arjun , Yap Jie , Chan Xiou Wen , Harris Hanis Atasha , Todi Khushi , Schaefer Alexandre
Published: April 2024

Background

Covid-19 has disrupted the lives of many and resulted in high prevalence rates of mental disorders. Despite a vast amount of research into the social determinants of mental health during Covid-19, little is known about whether the results are consistent with the social gradient in mental health. Here we report a systematic review of studies that investigated how socioeconomic condition (SEC)—a multifaceted construct that measures a person’s socioeconomic standing in society, using indicators such as education and income, predicts emotional health (depression and anxiety) risk during the pandemic. Furthermore, we examined which classes of SEC indicators would best predict symptoms of emotional disorders.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted search over six databases, including Scopus, PubMed, etc., between November 4, 2021 and November 11, 2021 for studies that investigated how SEC indicators predict emotional health risks during Covid-19, after obtaining approval from PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021288508). Using Covidence as the platform, 362 articles (324 cross-sectional/repeated cross-sectional and 38 longitudinal) were included in this review according to the eligibility criteria. We categorized SEC indicators into ‘actual versus perceived’ and ‘static versus fluid’ classes to explore their differential effects on emotional health.

Results

Out of the 1479 SEC indicators used in these 362 studies, our results showed that 43.68% of the SEC indicators showed ‘expected’ results (i.e., higher SEC predicting better emotional health outcomes); 51.86% reported non-significant results and 4.46% reported the reverse. Economic concerns (67.16% expected results) and financial strains (64.16%) emerged as the best predictors while education (26.85%) and living conditions (30.14%) were the worst.

Conclusions

This review summarizes how different SEC indicators influenced emotional health risks across 98 countries, with a total of 5,677,007 participants, ranging from high to low-income countries. Our findings showed that not all SEC indicators were strongly predictive of emotional health risks. In fact, over half of the SEC indicators studied showed a null effect. We found that perceived and fluid SEC indicators, particularly economic concerns and financial strain could best predict depressive and anxiety symptoms. These findings have implications for policymakers to further understand how different SEC classes affect mental health during a pandemic in order to tackle associated social issues effectively.
Exploration of vocational high school students experiencing difficulty in cloze test performances: a mixed-methods study in Taiwan
Authors: Feng Kuo-Zheng
Published: April 2024

This study addressed a gap in existing research on Multiple-Choice (MC) cloze tests by focusing on the learners’ perspective, specifically examining the difficulties faced by vocational high school students (VHSs). A nationwide sample of 293 VHSs participated, providing both quantitative and qualitative data through a self-developed questionnaire. The results revealed that vocabulary and grammar posed the greatest challenges in the MC cloze test, while sentence patterns were perceived as the least difficult by VHSs. Factors contributing to these difficulties included the need for increased focus on vocabulary and grammar learning. Some participants attributed challenges to personal perceptions of intellectual capability, while others highlighted the influential role of teachers’ attitudes on their learning motivations and outcomes. The study suggested implications for test designs and teaching approaches. Despite these contributions, the study acknowledged limitations and offered suggestions for future research directions.
Trends in police complaints and arrests on New York City subways, 2018 to 2023: an interrupted time-series analysis
Authors: Roberts Leah E. , Mehranbod Christina A. , Bushover Brady , Gobaud Ariana N. , Eschliman Evan L. , Fish Carolyn , Zadey Siddhesh , Gao Xiang , Morrison Christopher N.
Published: April 2024

Background

Public transportation use is influenced by perceptions of safety. Concerns related to crime on New York City (NYC) transit have risen following NYC’s COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency declaration in 2020, leading to declines in subway ridership. In response, the most recent mayoral administration implemented a Subway Safety Plan in 2022. This study aimed to quantify the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Subway Safety Plan on rates of complaints to and arrests by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Transit Bureau.

Methods

Using publicly available data on complaints and arrests, we conducted interrupted time-series analyses using autoregressive integrated moving average models applied to monthly data for the period from September 2018 to August 2023. We estimated changes in the rates of complaints to and arrests by the NYPD Transit Bureau before and after: (1) the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency declaration (i.e., March 2020), and (2) the announcement of the Subway Safety Plan (i.e., February 2022). We also examined trends by complaint and arrest type as well as changes in proportion of arrests by demographic and geographic groups.

Results

After the COVID-19 pandemic declaration, there was an 84% increase (i.e., an absolute increase of 6.07 per 1,000,000 riders, CI 1.42, 10.71) in complaints to the NYPD Transit Bureau, including a 99% increase (0.91 per 1,000,000 riders, CI 0.42, 1.41) in complaints for assault and a 125% increase in complaints for harassment (0.94 per 1,000,000 riders, CI 0.29, 1.60). Following the Subway Safety Plan there was an increase in the rate of arrests for harassment (0.004 per 1,000,000 riders, CI 0.001, 0.007), as well as decreases in the proportion of arrests for individuals racialized as White (− 0.02, CI − 0.04, − 0.01) and proportion of arrests in the borough of Manhattan (− 0.13, CI − 0.17, − 0.09).

Conclusions

The increased rates of complaints to the NYPD Transit Bureau following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic remained elevated following the enactment of the Subway Safety Plan. Further evaluation efforts can help identify effective means of promoting safety on public transportation.
Comparison of smokers’ mortality with non-smokers following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Nai , Liu Yu-Juan , Yang Chuang , Zeng Peng , Gong Tao , Tao Lu , Zheng Ying , Dong Shuang-Hu
Published: April 2024

Objective

Although some studies have linked smoking to mortality after out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs), data regarding smoking and mortality after OHCAs have not yet been discussed in a meta-analysis. Thus, this study conducted this systematic review to clarify the association.

Methods

The study searched Medline-PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane libraries between January 1972 and July 2022 for studies that evaluated the association between smoking and mortality after OHCAs. Studies that reportedly showed relative risk estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were included.

Results

Incorporating a collective of five studies comprising 2477 participants, the analysis revealed a lower mortality risk among smokers in the aftermath of OHCAs compared with non-smokers (odds ratio: 0.77; 95% CI 0.61–0.96;P < 0.05). Egger's test showed no publication bias in the relationship between smoking and mortality after OHCAs.

Conclusions

After experiencing OHCAs, smokers had lower mortality than non-smokers. However, due to the lack of data, this ‘smoker’s paradox’ still needs other covariate effects and further studies to be considered valid.
Inversion of shear wave slowness and attenuation from dipole acoustic logging data based on an equivalent tool theory
Authors: Qi Qiaomu , Xue Ya-Juan , Cao Jun-Xing , Wang Xing-Jian
Published: April 2024

The presence of a sonic logging tool affects the propagation characteristics of dipole-flexural waves in a fluid-filled borehole. As a result, the tool effect should be considered during the processing and inversion of the dipole-flexural waves for the acoustic properties of a shear wave (S wave). We show that the presence of the tool not only changes the slowness dispersion of the flexural wave but also results in a shift of its frequency-dependent attenuation toward lower frequencies. The equivalent tool theory (ETT) can realistically model the effect of an acoustic tool on guided wave propagation. With the ETT framework, we develop a unified workflow for estimating the S-wave slowness and attenuation from dipole array acoustic waveforms. The workflow is an extension of the model-based dispersive processing of dipole logging data. Our workflow involves two inversion procedures. By matching the actual dispersion data with the theoretical dispersion predicted by the ETT, we can invert the S-wave slowness and tool parameters. With the estimated S-wave slowness and other borehole parameters, we further calculate the partition coefficients of flexural waves using the ETT. Based on the concept of energy partitioning, we formulate a linear optimization problem and invert for the S-wave attenuation from the frequency-dependent dipole attenuation. We use synthetic and field data to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the developed method. The results show that it is important to incorporate the tool effect when processing dipole acoustic logging data for S-wave slowness and attenuation, especially in a fast formation.
State-Of-The-Art Advancements on Cancer Vaccines and Biomarkers
Authors: Strum Scott , Andersen Mads Hald , Svane Inge Marie , Siu Lillian L. , Weber Jeffrey S.
Published: April 2024

The origins of cancer vaccines date back to the 1800s. Since then, there have been significant efforts to generate vaccines against solid and hematologic malignancies using a variety of platforms. To date, these efforts have generally been met with minimal success. However, in the era of improved methods and technological advancements, supported by compelling preclinical and clinical data, a wave of renewed interest in the field offers the promise of discovering field-changing paradigms in the management of established and resected disease using cancer vaccines. These include novel approaches to personalized neoantigen vaccine development, as well as innovative immune-modulatory vaccines (IMVs) that facilitate activation of antiregulatory T cells to limit immunosuppression caused by regulatory immune cells. This article will introduce some of the limitations that have affected cancer vaccine development over the past several decades, followed by an introduction to the latest advancements in neoantigen vaccine and IMV therapy, and then conclude with a discussion of some of the newest technologies and progress that are occurring across the cancer vaccine space. Cancer vaccines are among the most promising frontiers for breakthrough innovations and strategies poised to make a measurable impact in the ongoing fight against cancer.
Curing Stage IV Melanoma: Where Have We Been and Where Are We?
Authors: Chan Pui Ying , Corrie Pippa G.
Published: April 2024

Little more than 10 years ago, metastatic melanoma was considered to have one of the poorest cancer outcomes, associated with a median overall survival of 6-8 months. Cytotoxic chemotherapy offered modest response rates of 20%-30%, but no clear survival benefit. Patients were routinely enrolled in clinical trials as their first-line therapy in the search for effective novel therapeutics. Remarkable developments in molecular biology, cancer genomics, immunology, and drug discovery have dominated the early part of the 21st century, and nowhere have the benefits been better realized than in the transformation of outcomes for patients with metastatic melanoma: since 2011, 14 new agents have been approved that significantly increase survival, with long-term remissions and, possibly now, potential for cure. Even so, there is still much work to be done, given that most treated patients still die of their disease. Although most survival gains have so far been realized for cutaneous melanoma, improving treatment options for those 10% of patients with rarer, noncutaneous melanomas is a high priority. Key novel therapeutic approaches aimed at improving outcomes with potential for curing patients with melanoma are considered.
Constructing predictive models for seismic oscillation parameters using covariance functions and Doppler effect phenomena: A case study of InSight mission V2 data
Authors: Skeivalas Jonas , Paršeliūnas Eimuntas , Šlikas Dominykas , Obuchovski Romuald , Putrimas Raimundas
Published: April 2024

An ability to construct predictive models for identifying seismic oscillation parameters by using the mathematics of covariance functions and Doppler effect phenomena is examined in this work. In the calculations, the Mars seismic oscillations measurement data from InSight Mission V2, observed in the months May, June and July of 2019, was used. To analyze the observation data arrays the Doppler phenomena and the expressions of covariance functions were employed. The seismic oscillations trend's intensity vectors were assessed by least squares method, and the random errors of measurements at the stations were eliminated partially as well. The estimates of the vector's auto-covariance and cross-covariance functions were derived by altering the quantization interval on the general time scale while varying the magnitude of the seismic oscillation vector on the same time scale. To detect the mean values of z —the main parameter of Doppler expression— we developed a formula by involving the derivatives of cross-covariance functions of a single vector and algebraic sum of the relevant vectors.
Maximisation of synchronisability under low injection power
Authors: Tanaka Hisa-Aki , Yabe Yoji , Suga Somei , Keida Akira , Maeda Kai , Mori Fumito , Sekiya Hiroo
Published: April 2024

Synchronisability of limit cycle oscillators has been measured by the width of the synchronous frequency band, known as the Arnold tongue, concerning external forcing. We clarify a fundamental limit on maximizing this synchronisability within a specified extra low power budget, which underlies an important and ubiquitous problem in nonlinear science related to an efficient synchronisation of weakly forced nonlinear oscillators. In this letter, injection-locked Class-E oscillators are considered as a practical case study, and we systematically analyse their power consumption; our observations demonstrate the independence of power consumption in the oscillator from power consumption in the injection circuit and verify the dependency of power consumption in the oscillator solely on its oscillation frequency. These systematic observations, followed by the mathematical optimisation establish the existence of a fundamental limit on synchronisability, validated through systematic circuit simulations. The results offer insights into the energetics of synchronisation for a specific class of injection-locked oscillators.
Degron tagging for rapid protein degradation in mice
Authors: Hernández-Morán Brianda A. , Taylor Gillian , Lorente-Macías Álvaro , Wood Andrew J.
Published: April 2024

Degron tagging allows proteins of interest to be rapidly degraded, in a reversible and tuneable manner, in response to a chemical stimulus. This provides numerous opportunities for understanding disease mechanisms, modelling therapeutic interventions and constructing synthetic gene networks. In recent years, many laboratories have applied degron tagging successfully in cultured mammalian cells, spurred by rapid advances in the fields of genome editing and targeted protein degradation. In this At a Glance article, we focus on recent efforts to apply degron tagging in mouse models, discussing the distinct set of challenges and opportunities posed by the in vivo environment.
Aβ peptide enhances GluA1 internalization via lipid rafts in Alzheimer's-related hippocampal LTP dysfunction
Authors: Midorikawa Ryosuke , Wakazono Yoshihiko , Takamiya Kogo
Published: April 2024

Amyloid β (Aβ) is a central contributor to neuronal damage and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ disrupts AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity, a key factor in early AD progression. Numerous studies propose that Aβ oligomers hinder synaptic plasticity, particularly long-term potentiation (LTP), by disrupting GluA1 (encoded by GRIA1) function, although the precise mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that Aβ mediates the accumulation of GM1 ganglioside in lipid raft domains of cultured cells, and GluA1 exhibits preferential localization in lipid rafts via direct binding to GM1. Aβ enhances the raft localization of GluA1 by increasing GM1 in these areas. Additionally, chemical LTP stimulation induces lipid raft-dependent GluA1 internalization in Aβ-treated neurons, resulting in reduced cell surface and postsynaptic expression of GluA1. Consistent with this, disrupting lipid rafts and GluA1 localization in rafts rescues Aβ-mediated suppression of hippocampal LTP. These findings unveil a novel functional deficit in GluA1 trafficking induced by Aβ, providing new insights into the mechanism underlying AD-associated cognitive dysfunction.
A new reagent for in vivo structure probing of RNA G and U residues that improves RNA structure prediction alone and combined with DMS
Authors: Douds Catherine A , Babitzke Paul , Bevilacqua Philip
Published: April 2024

A key to understanding the roles of RNA in regulating gene expression is knowing their structures in vivo. One way to obtain this information is through probing structures of RNA with chemicals. To probe RNA structure directly in cells, membrane-permeable reagents that modify the Watson-Crick (WC) face of unpaired nucleotides can be used. While dimethyl sulfate (DMS) has led to substantial insight into RNA structure, it has limited nucleotide specificity in vivo, with WC face reactivity only at adenine (A) and cytosine (C) at neutral pH. The reagent 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) was recently shown to modify the WC face of guanine (G) and uracil (U). While useful at lower concentrations in experiments that measure chemical modifications by reverse transcription stops, at higher concentrations necessary for detection by mutational profiling (MaP), EDC treatment leads to degradation of RNA. Here we demonstrate EDC-stimulated degradation of RNA in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, we developed a new carbodiimide reagent, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide methiodide (ETC), which we show specifically modifies unpaired Gs and Us in vivo without substantial degradation of RNA. We establish ETC as a probe for MaP and optimize the reverse transcription conditions and computational analysis inEscherichia coli. Importantly, we demonstrate the utility of ETC as a probe for improving RNA structure prediction both alone and with DMS.
Εταιρική κοινωνική ευθύνη επιχειρήσεων & οργανισμών
Authors: Φωτιάδης Στέφανος
Published: April 2024

Η ευθυγράμμιση των επιχειρηματικών δραστηριοτήτων και η αύξηση της ευαισθητοποίησης των επιχειρήσεων σύμφωνα με τις ανησυχίες των ενδιαφερομένων μερών τους αποτελεί απαραίτητη προϋπόθεση για τη δημιουργία και διατήρηση μίας μακροπρόθεσμης σχέσης μαζί τους. Αυτός είναι o κύριος λόγος που τα τελευταία είκοσι (20) χρόνια παρατηρείται μία σταδιακή αύξηση του αριθμού των εταιριών που επικοινωνούν με τα ενδιαφερόμενα μέρη τους μεταφέροντας τις δεσμεύσεις για Εταιρική Κοινωνική Ευθύνη (ΕΚΕ) μέσω Απολογισμών Βιωσιμότητας, ιστοσελίδων, και άλλων επικοινωνιακών εργαλείων. Ως εκ τούτου, αυτές οι οντότητες θα πρέπει να βελτιώσουν την αποτελεσματικότητα της επικοινωνίας των επιδόσεων τους στην ΕΚΕ προκειμένου να ενισχύσουν το ενδιαφέρον των ενδιαφερόμενων μερών τους, καθώς και για να ικανοποιήσουν τις προσδοκίες τους. Προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση, η αξιολόγηση Απολογισμών Βιωσιμότητας με ένα αξιόπιστο και αποτελεσματικό σύστημα βαθμολόγησης, πέραν της ανάπτυξης σχέσης εμπιστοσύνης με τα ενδιαφερόμενα μέρη, δύναται να αποφέρει ποικίλα οφέλη για τις εταιρείες όπως αξιοπιστία, προσέλκυση νέων πελατών, κοινωνική αποδοχή, διαφοροποίηση έναντι των ανταγωνιστών κ.ά. Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τα ανωτέρω, η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή πραγματεύεται την αξιολόγηση τριακοσίων εβδομήντα (370) Απολογισμών Βιωσιμότητας εγχώριων και διεθνών επιχειρήσεων & οργανισμών όπως παρουσιάζονται μέσα από έξι (6) ερευνητικές εργασίες. Κοινός τόπος αυτών των εργασιών αποτελεί η μεθοδολογία αξιολόγησης, τα δομικά στοιχεία της οποίας είναι: α) η χρήση πεντάβαθμης κλίμακας βαθμολόγησης, β) το επίπεδο συμμόρφωσης τους με κριτήριο αξιολόγησης τις αντίστοιχες, ανάλογα τη θεματική, Κατευθυντήριες Οδηγίες της Παγκόσμιας Σύμπραξης Απολογισμών (GRI) και γ) η χρήση του «Μέσου Όρου» (ΜΟ) για τον υπολογισμό των τελικών βαθμολογιών των δειγμάτων. Στο σύνολο τους, τα αποτελέσματα των εργασιών παρουσιάζουν «χαμηλά» έως «μέτρια» επίπεδα απόδοσης των δειγμάτων σε σχέση με αντίστοιχους δείκτες/θέματα του εγχειριδίου του GRI. Σε περιπτώσεις όπου ήταν εφικτή η συγκριτική αξιολόγηση, τα αποτελέσματα ανέδειξαν τη δυσκολία των μικρομεσαίων επιχειρήσεων (ΜμΕ) να ενσωματώσουν πρακτικές ΕΚΕ σε σχέση με άλλα μεγέθη επιχειρήσεων. Στα «Γενικά Συμπεράσματα –Συζήτηση» αυτής της διατριβής τονίζεται η σημασία χρήσης αναγνωρισμένων διεθνών Προτύπων από πλευράς επιχειρήσεων κατά την προετοιμασία των εν θέματι Απολογισμών, αλλά και από τους αξιολογητές και λοιπά ενδιαφερόμενα μέρη.
Randomised controlled trial of preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of surgical site infections in tertiary care hospital of central India
Authors: Dhole Dr. Simran , Mahakalkar Dr Chandrashekhar
Published: April 2024

Background Surgical site infections (SSI) remain a significant concern in the realm of surgical interventions, posing a threat to both patient well-being and healthcare systems. This study protocol outlines a rigorous investigation aimed at assessing the effectiveness of pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of SSIs in clean and clean-contaminated surgical cases within the tertiary care setting of central India. The primary aim is to determine the best suitable antibiotic regimen, optimal timing for administration, and the associated economic burden of SSIs. Method The study utilizes a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design with four intervention groups, each receiving distinct antibiotic prophylaxis protocols. Comprehensive post-operative monitoring, adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, will be employed to identify SSI occurrences. Key data collection points include clinical evaluations, temperature monitoring, wound inspection, pain assessments, and culture and sensitivity testing. Expected outcome The study also emphasizes post-operative follow-up assessments, incorporating outpatient visits at 15-, 30-, and 90-days post-surgery. These evaluations will be instrumental in assessing the time duration for effective prophylactic antibiotic administration and determining the economic burden associated with SSI. The findings of this research endeavor hold the potential to enhance patient outcomes, minimize SSI incidences, and reduce the economic impact of SSIs on healthcare systems. By optimizing pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis practices, this study aims to advance evidence-based guidelines for SSI prevention in clean and clean-contaminated surgical cases. CTRI REF/2023/07/070549
Randomised control trial on management of early avascular necrosis of femoral head by core decompression with bisphosphonate therapy versus core decompression in tertiary care hospital in central India
Authors: Lohiya Ashutosh , Dhaniwala Naresh
Published: April 2024

Background This study outlines a randomised control trial to assess the efficacy of Core Decompression with and without Bisphosphonate Therapy in managing early Avascular Necrosis of the femoral head. Avascular Necrosis, a debilitating condition, necessitates exploration of interventions to mitigate progression. The trial is conducted at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital, Sawangi, Wardha, focusing on clinical, radiographic, and patient-reported outcomes. Methods Skeletally mature participants diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 Avascular Necrosis of the femoral head will be randomly assigned to either Core Decompression with Bisphosphonate Therapy or Core Decompression Alone. Data collection from July 2022 to September 2024 will involve preoperative assessments, intraoperative details, postoperative care records, and followup evaluations at six weeks, three months, six months, and nine months. Statistical analyses will encompass primary outcomes assessed by Harris Hip Score, secondary outcomes including pain reduction and radiographic changes, and subgroup analyses. Expected Outcome Anticipated outcomes involve insights into the comparative effectiveness of the two interventions. Primary analyses will reveal variations in Harris Hip Score changes over time, while secondary analyses will shed light on pain reduction, radiographic changes, and potential complications. Subgroup analyses may discern nuances based on etiological factors. The results aim to inform clinical practice, guiding the optimal management of early Avascular Necrosis of the femoral head.
Psychometric characteristics of individuals’ intention to engage in philanthropic activities measure: An early development and tryout
Authors: Ulza Emaridial , Kuncoro Engkos Achmad , Furinto Asnan , Mariani Minsani
Published: April 2024

This brief article reports on the psychometric characteristics of the early development of individuals’ intention to engage in philanthropic activities questionnaire. In the innitial stage of development, the questionnaire was tried out by administering it online to a targeted sample. Out of 63 sample participants completing the questionnaire, only 43 data were appropriate for further analysis using the Rasch model. While the overall scale of the questionnaire suggested multidimensionality, subscales aligned with unidimensionality criteria. Acceptable reliability was observed in the overall scale and the Funding Philanthropic Brand Trust (FPBT) subscale, contrasting with inadequate reliability in the Philanthropic Brand Preference (PBP) and Pride of Affiliation (PoA) subscales, warranting further investigation. Specific items like Q17, Q31, Q42, and Q44 posed challenges, indicating difficulties in discussing social issues, cultural conformity in donations, valuing recognition, and seeking community support in philanthropy. Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis revealed demographic variations in responses, indicating diverse agreement levels based on age, gender, and education. These findings offer crucial insights for refining future questionnaire iterations, highlighting the need for a second round of development to address these limitations, with an expanded sample size to ensure robustness.
Assessment of personality factors amongst alcoholics and non-alcoholics in rural part of Central India: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Bezalwar Apurva , Patil Pradip
Published: April 2024

Background Consuming alcohol has a significant negative impact on an individual’s mental, physical, and overall health in India. Recent data from the World Health Organization reveals that alcohol consumption is a leading cause of numerous fatalities. Some individuals may turn to alcohol as a way to cope with grief and anxiety; however, it diminishes the brain’s serotonin levels, potentially leading to suicidal thoughts and changes in personality. Consequently, there is an immediate need for health education and awareness campaigns addressing the consequences of alcohol use. This research aims to assess and compare the influence of personality factors on individuals who are alcohol-dependent and those who abstain from alcohol, exploring their role in the development of alcohol-related disorders in rural areas. Methods This in-hospital cross-sectional study is conducted among adults aged 18 to 65 in the rural region of central India. Employing a non-probability sampling method, specifically the Daniel Formula, a sample size of 180 was determined from the accessible population. The research has received approval from the ethics committee. In both the inpatient and outpatient departments of the Psychiatry unit at the hospital, individuals diagnosed with alcoholism and their non-alcoholic counterparts will be approached. Prior to providing socio-demographic information and completing questionnaires on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), CAGE Questionnaire, and Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF), informed consent will be obtained from the participants. Expected outcome Upon obtaining responses to the aforementioned questionnaires, we will be able to analyze and determine the correlation of personality factors between individuals who are alcohol-dependent and those who abstain from alcohol.
Clinical results after surgical treatment for degenerative cervical myelopathy: a retrospective 1-year follow-up descriptive analysis
Authors: Alvarez Pablo , Massaro Paolo , Yokota Patricio
Published: April 2024

Background Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) poses a significant challenge globally, often requiring surgical intervention for moderate to severe cases. Choosing between anterior and posterior surgical approaches remains controversial, highlighting the need to consider various factors such as sagittal balance and compression severity. Methods This retrospective cohort study described patients with DCM who underwent surgery at Carlos Van Buren Hospital between 2014 and 2021. Inclusion criteria involved clinical evidence of myelopathy and cervical spinal cord compression at two or more levels, with data collected preoperatively and postoperatively at 12 months. Results Of the 66 patients analyzed, both anterior and posterior approaches demonstrated substantial clinical improvements postoperatively, with 83% of patients showing overall improvement and 59.1% achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in mJOA scores. Notably, anterior surgeries showed slightly higher rates of MCID achievement and fewer instances of disease progression postoperatively compared to posterior surgeries. Conclusions Our descriptive findings underscore the benefits of both anterior and posterior surgical approaches for DCM, with slight outcome variations. Individualized treatment, considering factors such as clinical symptoms, compression type, and cervical alignment, is crucial. Future research should prioritize comprehensive outcome measures to inform treatment strategies.
Intención emprendedora y educación para el emprendimiento
Authors: Gutiérrez Luis Hernando
Published: April 2024

Este capítulo tiene un objetivo muy sencillo: poner en contexto algunos elementos que permean la relación encontrada entre la educación para el emprendimiento y las intenciones empresariales en el contexto de jóvenes universitarios. No busca analizar la inmensa investigación que ha abordado cómo la educación para el emprendimiento influye, o no, en la intención emprendedora. Una advertencia es que su desarrollo no pasa por una revisión exhaustiva de la amplia literatura, sino que más bien es una selección arbitraria o subjetiva motivada por los sesgos o las preferencias del autor. Se comienza con una breve exposición de las definiciones de qué es un emprendimiento.
Por más trivial que parezca, la definición de qué es un emprendimiento está fuertemente vinculada al entendimiento de cómo las actividades de educación para el emprendimiento pueden afectar las intenciones emprendedoras y la acción hacia el emprendimiento (Fayolle y Gailly, 2008). A continuación, pasamos a los modelos de intención que han sido usados en el estudio de muchas actividades humanas. Según Bird (1988), es “un estado mental que dirige la atención de una persona (y, por tanto, su experiencia y acción) hacia un objeto específico (meta) o un sendero para alcanzar algo (medios)” (p. 442). Nos centraremos en analizar los elementos básicos de los modelos teóricos de la psicología social, en particular, el modelo de la teoría del comportamiento planificado (tcb) que ha sido el modelo base y el núcleo de la mayoría de ejercicios empíricos que vinculan la intención emprendedora y la educación para el emprendimiento. Luego, pasamos a presentar algunos elementos de un modelo de educación para el emprendimiento propuesto por Fayolle y Gailly (2008) que ha sido usado como referente. A continuación, pasamos a mostrar unas reflexiones sobre la parte didáctica del modelo de educación para el emprendimiento realizadas por Krueger (2007). Terminamos con los aportes de la psicología de las organizaciones, más específicamente de la teoría de la acción regulatoria de la psicología alemana de las organizaciones.
Evolución del modelo de emprendimiento en la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios
Authors: Santana Zuleta Gina Lorena
Published: April 2024

Este capítulo hace un recorrido histórico a través del cual se identifica la evolución que ha tenido la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios (Uniminuto) en torno al fomento de la cultura emprendedora y el desarrollo de la formación de emprendedores, revisando los planes de desarrollo, el Proyecto Educativo Institucional (pei), los propósitos formativos y el desarrollo que ha tenido el emprendimiento en Uniminuto. Posteriormente, se describe la ruta de emprendimiento, la competencia emprendedora, la oferta académica y las demás actividades articuladas por Centro Progresa. Desde que el fundador del Minuto de Dios, el padre Rafael García-Herreros, ideó el proyecto de mejorar la calidad de vida de las comunidades más necesitadas en Colombia, se ha tenido el propósito de brindar una formación integral, de tal manera que los estudiantes busquen la innovación por medio de estrategias que mejoren el bienestar de los otros y de la misma institución; en otras palabras, personas emprendedoras que aporten mejoras a la calidad de vida por medio de ideas no convencionales.
Shared-Ride Efficiency of Ride-Hailing Platforms
Authors: Taylor Terry A.
Published: April 2024

Problem definition: Ride-hailing platforms offering shared rides devote effort to reducing the trip-lengthening detours that accommodate fellow customers’ divergent transportation needs. By reducing shared-ride delay, improving shared-ride efficiency has the twin benefits of making shared rides more attractive to customers and increasing the number of customers a driver can serve per unit time. Methodology/results: We analytically model a ride-hailing platform that can offer individual rides and shared rides. We establish results that are counter to naive intuition: greater customer sensitivity to shared-ride delay and greater labor cost can reduce the value of improving shared-ride efficiency, and an increase in shared-ride efficiency can prompt a platform to add individual-ride service. We show that when network effects are small, increasing shared-ride efficiency pushes wages to extremes: if the current wage is high (low), increasing shared-ride efficiency pushes the wage higher (lower). We provide a sharp characterization of whether shared-ride efficiency and labor supply are complements or substitutes. We provide simple conditions under which increasing shared-ride efficiency reduces (alternatively, increases) labor welfare. We provide evidence that increasing shared-ride efficiency increases consumer surplus. Managerial implications: Our results inform a platform’s decision of whether to invest in improving shared-ride efficiency, as well as how to change its service offering and wage, as shared-ride efficiency improves.

Supplemental Material: The online supplement is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2021.0545 .
Repercussões da Covid-19 na percepção de mudanças de peso e satisfação corporal: comparação entre mulheres com e sem transtornos alimentares
Authors: Rodrigues Silva Soares Shauana , Sousa Azevedo Lívia Dayane , Leme de Souza Ana Paula , Garcia Manochio Pina Marina , Pilot Pessa Rosane
Published: April 2024

Introdução: A pandemia da Covid-19 trouxe consequências diversas para a saúde mental e física das pessoas. O contexto de isolamento social potencializou problemas relacionados à imagem corporal, principalmente em pessoas com transtornos alimentares. Objetivo: Analisar as repercussões da Covid-19 em variáveis antropométricas em relação a percepção de peso e satisfação corporal, comparando mulheres com transtornos alimentares e aquelas sem essa condição. Métodos: Estudo observacional, descritivo, comparativo e transversal. Mulheres com transtornos alimentares em tratamento (GTA) foram recrutadas de cinco serviços nas regiões Sul e Sudeste. A contrapartida, o grupo controle (GCO) foi composto por mulheres sem TA, recrutadas on-line e com o escore negativo no teste EAT-26. Questionários on-line foram aplicados entre junho de 2020 e janeiro de 2021. Análises estatísticas incluíram Qui-quadrado de Pearson ou Exato de Fisher e regressões logísticas pelo SPSS 23.0. Resultados: Participaram 174 mulheres jovens (31,94±9,35 anos), com formação superior (71,3%) e companheiro (61,5%), que estavam em isolamento social. O GTA foi composto por 58 mulheres e GCO, 116. A maioria (55,2%) do GTA notou aumento do peso corporal, enquanto se mostrou pouco satisfeita com a imagem corporal (81%), resultado diferente estatisticamente do GCO. A associação entre mulheres com TA e pouca satisfação corporal foi significativa (p=0,0010). Aquelas em isolamento social e com sobrepeso ou obesidade tiveram maior probabilidade de percepção de aumento de peso. Conclusão: A pandemia da Covid-19 intensificou a insatisfação corporal, principalmente entre mulheres com transtornos alimentares. Aquelas em isolamento com sobrepeso ou obesidade perceberam mais aumento de peso, apontando a necessidade de estratégias de intervenção para esses grupos.