bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swish Floats: An Inexpensive Neutrally Buoyant Float to Monitor Dispersion in Coastal Seas
Authors: Stevens Samuel W. , Pawlowicz Rich
Published: September 2023

Neutrally buoyant floats have been widely used to measure flows in the ocean, but deploying them in large numbers can be costly and impractical. This is particularly true near coastlines due to the elevated risk of instrument grounding or vessel collisions, resulting in a lack of subsurface Lagrangian measurements in coastal regions. Here, we describe an inexpensive neutrally buoyant satellite-tracked float (named “Swallow-ish,” or “Swish” floats) that has been designed and tested as a cost-effective strategy to measure subsurface dispersion in coastal areas on time scales up to a month. These autonomous instruments are inexpensive, constructed at a material cost of CAD $300 per unit; lightweight, with a mass of 5.4 kg; isopycnal; and constructed from commercially available components, using recently available global navigation satellite system technology to provide the user with a point-to-point measure of subsurface transport. We describe the float design, ballasting techniques, and the governing equations that determine their behavior. Further, through 29 deployments in two coastal seas, we calculate an uncertainty budget and determine a ballasting error of ±1.6 g, corresponding to a local depth targeting error of 16–30 m, analyze the float resurfacing data to calculate subsurface dispersion coefficients, and examine the float depth records to quantify the local internal wave field. Finally, we evaluate surface dispersion using the postresurfacing trajectories. Our findings indicate that Swish floats offer a cost-effective alternative for Lagrangian measurements of subsurface flows in coastal regions.
Models for forecasting the traffic flow within the city of Ljubljana
Authors: Petelin Gašper , Hribar Rok , Papa Gregor
Published: September 2023

Efficient traffic management is essential in modern urban areas. The development of intelligent traffic flow prediction systems can help to reduce travel times and maximize road capacity utilization. However, accurately modeling complex spatiotemporal dependencies can be a difficult task, especially when real-time data collection is not possible. This study aims to tackle this challenge by proposing a solution that incorporates extensive feature engineering to combine historical traffic patterns with covariates such as weather data and public holidays. The proposed approach is assessed using a new real-world data set of traffic patterns collected in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The constructed models are evaluated for their accuracy and hyperparameter sensitivity, providing insights into their performance. By providing practical solutions for real-world scenarios, the proposed approach offers an effective means to improve traffic flow prediction without relying on real-time data.
Micro-mobility and road safety: why do e-scooter riders use the sidewalk? Evidence from a German field study
Authors: Anke Juliane , Ringhand Madlen , Petzoldt Tibor , Gehlert Tina
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Since their introduction in 2019, the use of e-scooters has become widespread in Germany. Concerns about road safety, especially pedestrian safety, have arisen as the popularity of micro-mobility has grown. In light of this context, the present study investigates which types of road infrastructure e-scooter riders use, with a focus on riding on the sidewalk, which is not permitted in Germany. We considered the following infrastructures: (1) off-road bike lane (+ sidewalk and road), (2) on-road bike lane (+ sidewalk and road), and (3) road (+ sidewalk).

Methods

Observations at six sites (recording 738 e-scooter riders) and on-site surveys (involving responses from 129 e-scooter riders) were conducted in two German cities in August 2020 and September 2020.

Results

Self-reported sidewalk riding was not found to be linked directly to a lack of rule knowledge, a preference for this type of infrastructure, or perceived safety. Observations indicated that using the sidewalk might be related to situational components, such as comfort or convenience, comprising up to 40% of instances of sidewalk riding.

Conclusion

Considering the comfort and convenience factor of sites when building or improving cycling infrastructure can help keep e-scooter riders from riding on the sidewalk.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellsderived exosomes stabilize atherosclerosis through inhibiting pyroptosis
Authors: Bai Zhibin , Hu Haolin , Hu Fangfang , Ji Jiajie , Ji Zhenling
Published: September 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exosomes (BMSC-EXO) on atherosclerosis (AS), and its related underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Exosomes were isolated from mouse BMSCs, and identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Nanosight (NTA), and western blot. A mouse AS model was established, and exosomes were injected into the tail vein. Total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were detected using their corresponding assay kits. The contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in serum were detected by ELISA. The mRNA and protein expression levels of GSDMD, Caspase1, and NLRP3 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Finally, aortic tissues in the Model and BMSC-EXO groups were sent for sequencing.

Results

TEM, NTA, and western blot indicated successful isolation of exosomes. Compared with the control group, the TC, TG contents, IL-1β and IL-18 concentrations of the mice in the Model group were significantly increased; nonetheless, were significantly lower after injected with BMSC-EXO than those in the Model group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD were significantly up-regulated in the Model group (p < 0.05), while the expressions of NLRP3, caspase-1, and GSDMD were significantly down-regulated by BMSC-EXO. By sequencing, a total of 3852 DEGs were identified between the Model and BMSC-EXO group and were significantly enriched in various biological processes and pathways related to mitochondrial function, metabolism, inflammation, and immune response.

Conclusion

AS can induce pyroptosis, and BMSC-EXO can reduce inflammation and alleviate the progression of AS by inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD in the pyroptosis pathway.
Etiology and clinical features of infection-associated plastic bronchitis in children
Authors: Huang Feng , Gu Wenjing , Diwu Jianfeng , Zhang Xinxing , He Yanyu , Zhang Youjian , Chen Zhengrong , Huang Li , Wang Meijuan , Dong Heting , Wang Shanshan , Wang Yuqing , Zhu Canhong , Hao Chuangli
Published: September 2023

Objective

To investigate the etiological characteristics of plastic bronchitis (PB) caused by pulmonary infections in children and to identify any differences in the clinical features of PB cases caused by different pathogens.

Method

We collected data on children diagnosed with PB and admitted to the Respiratory Department at Soochow University Children’s Hospital between July 2021 and March 2023 utilizing electronic bronchoscopy. We analyzed clinical characteristics and the species of pathogens causing the illness in these children.

Result

A total of 45 children were enrolled. The main clinical symptoms observed were cough (100%), fever (80%), shortness of breath (28.9%), and wheezing (20.0%). Pathogens were identified in 38 (84.4%) patients. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) had the highest detection rate at 53.3%, followed by the Boca virus at 26.7%. MP-induced PB typically occurs in older children with an average age of 7.46 ± 2.36 years, with the main symptoms including high fever (85.7%) and local hyporespiration (42.9%). In contrast, Boca virus-induced PB tends to occur in younger children, with the main symptoms of moderate fever (54.5%), and wheezing (54.5%). The MP group exhibited a higher incidence of both internal and external pulmonary complications, including pleural effusion (42.9%), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (52.4%), lactic dehydrogenase (76.2%), and D-D dimer (90.5%). Conversely, the Boca virus group primarily showed pulmonary imaging of atelectasis (81.8%), with no pleural effusion. The average number of bronchoscopic interventions in the MP group was 2.24 ± 0.62, which was significantly higher than that required in the Boca virus group (1.55 ± 0.52). During the second bronchoscopy, 57.1% of children in the MP group still had visible mucus plugs, while none were observed in the Boca virus group.

Conclusion

MP and Boca virus are the primary pathogens responsible for PB among children. The clinical manifestations of PB typically vary significantly based on the pathogen causing the condition.
Timing of gestational diabetes diagnosis, gestational weight gains and offspring growth trajectory: a prospective birth cohort study
Authors: Yin Xiao-guang , Wang Peng , Zhou Mei-ting , Li De-qin , Tao Rui-xue , Tao Fang-biao , Wang Yang , Zhu Peng
Published: September 2023

Background

The evidence on the associations of the timing of maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with the comprehensive growth trajectory from perinatal to early childhood in offspring is limited. The potential mechanism remains elusive. Our aim is to estimate the associations of the timing of GDM diagnosis and gestational weight gains (GWG) with the growth trajectory of children from perinatal to early childhood.

Methods

A total of 7609 participants are included from the Maternal & Infants Health in Hefei cohort study. Primary predictors were the timing of maternal GDM diagnosis and GWG during pregnancy. The main outcomes included fetal ultrasonic measurements, birth size as well as BMI peak indicators during infancy within 48 months.

Results

GDM diagnosed before 26 weeks was associated with increased risks of overgrowth for fetal abdominal circumference (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04–1.36) and birth weight (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.19–1.91) when compared with unexposed. GDM diagnosis < 26 weeks was related to the higher BMI peak (β 0.16, 95%CI 0.03–0.28) within 48 months. The significantly additive impacts of maternal early GDM diagnosis and excessive gestational weight gains (EGWG) on offspring overgrowth were observed. Women in GDM < 26 weeks with early EGWG group had higher levels of hsCRP compared with GDM > 26 weeks (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Exposure to maternal GDM diagnosed before 26 weeks with early EGWG could lead to shifts and/or disruptions from the typical growth trajectory from perinatal to early childhood in offspring.
Development and initial qualitative evaluation of a novel school-based nutrition intervention – COOKKIT (Cooking Kit for Kids)
Authors: Pini Simon , Goodman William , Raby Elizabeth , McGinley Chris , Perez-Cornago Aurora , Johnson Fiona , Beeken Rebecca J.
Published: September 2023

Background

Excess weight and an unhealthy diet are risk factors for many cancers, and in high income countries, both are more prevalent among low income families. Dietary interventions targeting primary-school aged children (under 11) can improve healthy eating behaviours, but most are not designed to support the translation of skills learnt in the classroom to the home setting. This paper assessed attitudes and approaches to cooking and eating at home, and the potential to enhance engagement in healthy eating through the COOKKIT intervention.

Methods

COOKKIT is an intervention to deliver weekly cooking classes and supportive materials for low-income families to maintain healthy eating at home. Preliminary qualitative interviews were conducted with teachers and parent–child dyads from a range of primary schools in the UK to explore attitudes, barriers and facilitators for healthy eating and inform the development of COOKKIT. Following implementation, ten children (8–9 y/o) participated in post-intervention focus groups, alongside interviews with teaching staff and parents.

Results

Thematic analysis identified five themes under which to discuss the children’s experience of food, cooking and the impact of COOKKIT: Involving children in planning and buying food for the family; Engaging children in preparing meals at home; Trying to eat healthy meals together in the midst of busy lives; Role-modelling; and Balancing practicalities, information and engagement when delivering cooking classes.

Conclusions

Results suggest COOKKIT provides engaging and easy to follow in-school resources for children and school staff with take-home kits facilitating continued engagement and reinforcing lessons learned in the home environment. Importantly, participants highlighted the combination of healthy eating information, applied practical skills and low costs could support families to continue following the COOKKIT advice beyond the intervention, suggesting further evaluation of COOKKIT is warranted.
Surgery of Schwannoma in the upper limb – sensitivity and specificity of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and relation between tumour size and symptoms
Authors: Istefan Emanuel , Belstock Johannes , Dahlin Lars B. , Nyman Erika
Published: September 2023

Background

Benign peripheral nerve tumours consist of different types, most commonly Schwannomas. Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is commonly performed before surgery and Pathoanatomical Diagnosis (PAD) confirms the diagnosis. Our aims were to study the utility of MRI and the relation between tumour size and symptoms.

Methods

Retrospectively, patients, surgically treated for benign nerve tumours between 2008 and 2019, were identified and preoperative MRI, with measurement of tumour size, PAD, symptoms, peroperative details, and symptomatic outcomes of surgery, were analysed.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity to correctly identify Schwannomas with preoperative MRI were 85% and 50%, respectively, based on 30 Schwannomas and nine neurofibromas that were identified. Tumour size did not affect the presence of preoperative symptoms, but patients with sensory dysfunction at last follow-up had larger Schwannomas (p < 0.05). Symptoms as a palpable tumour, paraesthesia and pain improved by surgical excision (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p < 0.012, respectively), but sensory and motor dysfunction were common postoperatively. No malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNST) were found. Using a surgical microscope, instead of only loop magnification, lowered the risk of perioperative nerve injuries (p < 0.05), but did not further diminish postoperative symptoms.

Conclusions

Early and accurate diagnosis of Schwannomas is valuable for adequate presurgical preparation and prompt surgical intervention. Preoperative examination with MRI has a high sensitivity, but low specificity; although recent advancement in MRI technology indicates improvement in diagnostic precision. Surgical excision is preferably performed early in conjunction with symptomatic debut to improve outcome.
Spatio-temporal trends of the age-at-menarche percentiles among Portuguese women since 1920
Authors: Rodrigues Vitor , Martins Rui , de Sousa Bruno
Published: September 2023

Background

This work aims to study the spatio-temporal evolution of a woman’s age at menarche in the central region of Portugal. One of the concerns of the study is early or late menarches; thus, we consider percentile regression to build the respective curves as opposed to the more traditional mean regression approach.

Methods

We analysed the data from $$N=452\,348$$

N
=
452

348

women born in the period 1920–1973 who attended a free breast cancer screening program between 1990 and 2019. Distributional regression models inside the package GAMLSS in R were considered. These methods allowed us not only to model the location (mean) of the specific probability distribution of the age at menarche, but also allowed for the scale (variance) parameter of this distribution to depend on covariates. Additionally, a spatial random-effect was considered in order to capture the correlation at the regional level. The obtained clustered spatial effects were analysed to assess geographical differences among the percentiles of the age at menarche by year of birth.

Results

A decreasing trend in the age at menarche (about 1.5 years in 5 decades) and regional differences for all the considered percentiles were found. Women living in the north-central areas of the central region of Portugal tend to have menarche at older ages.

Conclusion

We obtained percentile estimates for the age at menarche by year of birth and region of residence and demonstrated that these two explanatory variables have an impact on the explanation about the decreasing trend in age at a woman’s first menstruation.
Evaluating the impact of continuing professional development courses on physician behavioral intention: a pre-post study with follow-up at six months
Authors: Bakwa Kanyinga Felly , Gogovor Amédé , Dofara Suélène Georgina , Gadio Souleymane , Tremblay Martin , Daniel Sam J. , Rivest Louis-Paul , Légaré France
Published: September 2023

Background

Continuing professional development (CPD) for health professionals includes educational activities to maintain or improve skills. We evaluated the impact of a series of CPD courses by identifying factors influencing physicians’ intention to adopt targeted behaviors and assessing self-reported behavior adoption six months later.

Methods

In this pre-post study, eligible participants attended at least one in-person course at the Fédération des Médecins Spécialistes du Québec annual meeting in November 2019. Before and afterwards, participants completed CPD-REACTION, a validated questionnaire based on Godin’s integrated model for health professional behavior change that measures intention and psychosocial factors influencing intention. We used Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare pre- and post-course intention scores and linear regression analyses to identify factors influencing intention. We also compared the post-course intention scores of participants reporting a behavior change six months later with the scores of those reporting no behavior change six months later. Qualitative data was collected only six months after courses and responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Results

A total of 205/329 course attendees completed CPD-REACTION (response rate 62.3%). Among these participants, 158/329 (48%) completed the questionnaire before CPD courses, 129/329 (39.2%) only after courses and 47/329 (14.3%) at 6 months. Study population included 192 physicians of whom 78/192(40.6%) were female; 59/192(30.7%) were between 50 and 59 years old; and 72/192 (37.5%) were surgical specialist physicians. Mean intention scores before (n = 158) and after (n = 129) courses were 5.74(SD = 1.52) and 6.35(SD = 0.93) respectively. Differences in mean (DM) intention before and afterwards ranged from − 0.31(p = 0.17) to 2.25(p = 0.50). Multivariate analysis showed that beliefs about capabilities (β = 0.15, p = 0.001), moral norm (β = 0.75, p < 0.0001), and beliefs about consequences (β = 0.11, p = 0.04) influenced post-course intention. Post-course intention was correlated with behavior six months later (DM = 0.63; p = 0.02). Qualitative analysis showed that facilitators to behavior adoption after six months were most often related to the TDF domains of beliefs about capabilities. Most frequent barriers to adoption related to lack of resources.

Conclusions

Overall, scores for intention to adopt targeted behaviors increased after the courses. CPD providers could increase participants’ intention by including interventions that emphasize beliefs about capabilities, moral norm and beliefs about consequences.
Tendencies towards emigration and their association with introversion and ethnocentrism among final-year medical students from Osijek, Croatia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Milić Jakov , Vuksan-Ćusa Zrinka , Jakab Jelena , Ćurčić Maja , Puljak Livia , Vranješ Iva Milić , Miškulin Maja
Published: September 2023

Background

The migration of healthcare workers is attracting growing attention worldwide. Attitudes towards emigration develop over the years, and it is possible that, in addition to social factors, they are influenced by the characteristics of a person’s personality and the sense of belonging to the social environment. This study aimed to determine the tendencies of final-year medical students’ from Osijek, Croatia, towards emigration after graduation and after specialization, as well as their specialty preferences and to investigate whether introversion and ethnocentrism have an impact on attitudes toward leaving the country in search of employment elsewhere.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among final-year (6th year) medical students from Osijek, Croatia, in two consecutive academic years – 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. Students completed a questionnaire about sociodemographic characteristics, academic and scientific performance, preferences about their future medical career, the medical specialty of choice, emigration tendencies after graduation and specialization, ethnocentrism and introversion.

Results

There were 124 students who participated in the study (response rate: 96%). A quarter of participants agreed that they are likely or very likely to emigrate after graduation (25.0%) or after specialization (23.39%). Variables associated with the intention to emigrate were specialty preferences (students that prefer endocrinology and psychiatry had the highest emigration tendencies), academic year in which the participants were included (students included in 2014/2015 were more prone to emigrate after specialization, p = 0.060), prior involvement in scientific projects (students with experience in scientific projects expressed higher tendencies to emigrate after graduation, p = 0.023), and ethnocentrism (higher ethnocentrism was associated with a lower tendency towards emigration after specialization, Spearman’s rho = -0.191).

Conclusion

Our finding that a quarter of final-year medical students from the Faculty of Medicine Osijek were considering emigrating from Croatia in search of employment elsewhere after graduation or specialization is not as high as in previous Croatian studies or studies conducted in other European countries. Even though these data may be encouraging, considering the lack of physicians in Croatia, interventions are needed to prevent permanent emigration to protect the future functioning of the Croatian health system. Furthermore, our study did not find significant associations between levels of introversion and ethnocentrism and tendency to emigrate from Croatia. It seems that the phenomenon covering the emigration of students is more complex and influenced by many other factors which were not included in our study.
Physician assistant education program director attrition and consideration to leave
Authors: Sasek Cody A. , Kilstrom Jonathan L. , Opar Sebastian , Simons Zachary
Published: September 2023

Background

This study explores factors related to physician assistant (PA) education program directors’ (PD) consideration to leave their leadership role. This is important to better understand, with the need for additional PA education PDs as the number of PA programs grows in addition to current PA program leaders considering leaving their PD role.

Methods

Data from the 2019 Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) Faculty and Directors Survey were used to analyze factors related to consideration for leaving the PD position. Multiple logistic regression analyses were utilized to identify predictors of PD consideration for leaving their position. Multiple regression analyses were also used to explore factors related to burnout.

Results

The study found burnout was a modest predictor for consideration of leaving the PD position, while underrepresented minority status was not. Additional job stress, job satisfaction, and job experience variables were found to have a modest relationship with consideration of leaving, with odds ratios between 0.28 (lack of faculty respecting each other) and 5.29 (stress from lack of personal time) for those with statistically significant relationships.

Conclusions

PD consideration of leaving is a complex phenomenon with many variables and confounding factors likely at play, including, as demonstrated by this study, level of burnout. Study implications include a further understanding of how effective strategies might be designed and implemented to address the drivers of PA PD attrition. Further exploration of burnout as a possible mediating variable as well as more specific data collection directed at better understanding predictors of PD attrition would be valuable future research directions.
Study protocol for improving mental health during pregnancy: a randomized controlled low-intensity m-health intervention by midwives at primary care centers
Authors: Jimenez-Barragan Marta , del Pino Gutierrez Amparo , Garcia Jorge Curto , Monistrol-Ruano Olga , Coll-Navarro Engracia , Porta-Roda Oriol , Falguera-Puig Gemma
Published: September 2023

Background

Pregnancy-related anxiety and depression has received considerable attention worldwide. Mental health problems in pregnant women already since early weeks of gestation may have important consequences to the fetus. The necessity for more effective health care pathways, including some early interventions that reduce the overall burden of the childbearing situation appears a key factor for a successful birth and care of the baby. The few studies focalized in interventions, are focused on delivery and postpartum, without taking into account the whole maternity process. Current literature recommends the use of interventions based on new technologies for the treatment of mood disorders, already during the prenatal period. There have been scarce well-designed intervention studies that test technological low-intensity interventions by midwives to address pregnant women’s mental health, diminishing anxiety and depression during pregnancy.

Methods/design

Adult pregnant women (weeks 12–14 of gestation) will be recruited and screened from different primary care centers in Catalonia, Spain. Women who pass the initial mental screening will be randomly allocated to the relaxation virtual reality intervention or control group. The intervention aims to improve mental state of pregnant women during pregnancy, work through breathing, mindfulness and muscle relaxation techniques. Women in the control group will receive standard care offered by the public funded maternity services in Catalonia. The primary outcome measures will include the Edinburg Postnatal Depression (EPDS), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and the Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS) instruments. Secondary outcome measures will include the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R) and the Whooley and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) questions. Routinary pregnancy monitoring measures will be also evaluated.

Discussion

This study aims to test the efficacy of a low-intensity, midwife-led e-health intervention based on new technologies to work on women’s anxiety and depression during pregnancy. We hypothesize that low-intensity mental health intervention during pregnancy, using an e-health (virtual reality) as a support tool, will be effective in reducing of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and improving satisfaction with pregnancy follow-up.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials ID NCT05756205.
Better caregiver mastery is associated with less anxiety in individuals with cognitive impairment
Authors: Hwang Yeji , McPhillips Miranda V. , Huang Liming , Perez G. Adriana , Hodgson Nancy A.
Published: September 2023

Background

When caregivers have a high level of caregiver mastery, their care recipients with cognitive impairment have less behavioral health problems. However, the relationship between caregiver mastery and anxiety among care recipients over time is unknown. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine that better caregiver mastery is associated with less anxiety in individuals with cognitive impairment over time.

Methods

A secondary data analysis was conducted using the Healthy Patterns Clinical Trial (NCT03682185) dataset and guided by Factors Associated with Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia conceptual framework. This study included 154 dyads of individuals with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed on changes in anxiety. Model 1 included variables at the level of neurodegeneration (i.e., cognitive impairment and age). Model 2 added patient factors (i.e., sleep problems and depression) with the Model 1. Finally, Model 3 included caregiver factor (i.e., caregiver mastery) with the Model 2 to examine how changes in caregiver mastery influence changes in anxiety of care recipients.

Results

Model 3 was statistically significant; after controlling for variables at the level of neurodegeneration associated with cognitive impairment and patient factors, improvement of caregiver mastery over time (β =-0.230, p = 0.015) was related to decreased anxiety over time (R2 = 0.1099).

Conclusions

Caregivers with high caregiver mastery may have better knowledge on how to care for their loved ones and how to manage their neuropsychiatric symptoms. Therefore, improving the level of caregiver mastery by providing psychoeducational programs and resources that family caregivers need will help reduce the frequency of anxiety in individuals with cognitive impairment.
Protein intrinsically disordered region prediction by combining neural architecture search and multi-objective genetic algorithm
Authors: Tang Yi-Jun , Yan Ke , Zhang Xingyi , Tian Ye , Liu Bin
Published: September 2023

Background

Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are widely distributed in proteins and related to many important biological functions. Accurately identifying IDRs is of great significance for protein structure and function analysis. Because the long disordered regions (LDRs) and short disordered regions (SDRs) share different characteristics, the existing predictors fail to achieve better and more stable performance on datasets with different ratios between LDRs and SDRs. There are two main reasons. First, the existing predictors construct network structures based on their own experiences such as convolutional neural network (CNN) which is used to extract the feature of neighboring residues in protein, and long short-term memory (LSTM) is used to extract the long-distance dependencies feature of protein residues. But these networks cannot capture the hidden feature associated with the length-dependent between residues. Second, many algorithms based on deep learning have been proposed but the complementarity of the existing predictors is not fully explored and used.

Results

In this study, the neural architecture search (NAS) algorithm was employed to automatically construct the network structures so as to capture the hidden features in protein sequences. In order to stably predict both the LDRs and SDRs, the model constructed by NAS was combined with length-dependent models for capturing the unique features of SDRs or LDRs and general models for capturing the common features between LDRs and SDRs. A new predictor called IDP-Fusion was proposed.

Conclusions

Experimental results showed that IDP-Fusion can achieve more stable performance than the other existing predictors on independent test sets with different ratios between SDRs and LDRs.
Prenatal ambient air pollution exposure and child weight trajectories from the 3rd trimester of pregnancy to 2 years of age: a cohort study
Authors: Ji Nan , Johnson Mark , Eckel Sandrah P. , Gauderman William J. , Chavez Thomas A. , Berhane Kiros , Faham Dema , Lurmann Fred , Pavlovic Nathan R. , Grubbs Brendan H. , Lerner Deborah , Habre Rima , Farzan Shohreh F. , Bastain Theresa M. , Breton Carrie V.
Published: September 2023

Background

Prenatal air pollution exposure may increase risk for childhood obesity. However, few studies have evaluated in utero growth measures and infant weight trajectories. This study will evaluate the associations of prenatal exposure to ambient air pollutants with weight trajectories from the 3rd trimester through age 2 years.

Methods

We studied 490 pregnant women who were recruited from the Maternal and Development Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) cohort, which comprises a low-income, primarily Hispanic population in Los Angeles, California. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter < 10 µm (PM10), particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5), and ozone (O3) concentrations during pregnancy were estimated from regulatory air monitoring stations. Fetal weight was estimated from maternal ultrasound records. Infant/child weight measurements were extracted from medical records or measured during follow-up visits. Piecewise spline models were used to assess the effect of air pollutants on weight, overall growth, and growth during each period.

Results

The mean (SD) prenatal exposure concentrations for NO2, PM2.5, PM10, and O3 were 16.4 (2.9) ppb, 12.0 (1.1) μg/m3, 28.5 (4.7) μg/m3, and 26.2 (2.9) ppb, respectively. Comparing an increase in prenatal average air pollutants from the 10th to the 90th percentile, the growth rate from the 3rd trimester to age 3 months was significantly increased (1.55% [95%CI 1.20%, 1.99%] for PM2.5 and 1.64% [95%CI 1.27%, 2.13%] for NO2), the growth rate from age 6 months to age 2 years was significantly decreased (0.90% [95%CI 0.82%, 1.00%] for NO2), and the attained weight at age 2 years was significantly lower (− 7.50% [95% CI − 13.57%, − 1.02%] for PM10 and − 7.00% [95% CI − 11.86%, − 1.88%] for NO2).

Conclusions

Prenatal ambient air pollution was associated with variable changes in growth rate and attained weight from the 3rd trimester to age 2 years. These results suggest continued public health benefits of reducing ambient air pollution levels, particularly in marginalized populations.
Implication of diabetic status on platelet reactivity and clinical outcomes after drug-eluting stent implantation: results from the PTRG-DES consortium
Authors: Jeon Ki-Hyun , Jeong Young-Hoon , Chae In-Ho , Kim Byeong-Keuk , Joo Hyung Joon , Chang Kiyuk , Park Yongwhi , Song Young Bin , Ahn Sung Gyun , Lee Sang Yeub , Cho Jung Rae , Her Ae-Young , Kim Hyo-Soo , Kim Moo Hyun , Lim Do-Sun , Shin Eun-Seok , Suh Jung-Won ,   On Behalf of the PTRG-DES Consortium Investigators
Published: September 2023

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with thrombogenicity, clinically manifested with atherothrombotic events after percutaneous cutaneous intervention (PCI). This study aimed to investigate association between DM status and platelet reactivity, and their prognostic implication in PCI-treated patients.

Methods

The Platelet function and genoType-Related long-term Prognosis-Platelet Function Test (PTRG-PFT) cohort was established to determine the linkage of platelet function test (PFT) with long-term prognosis during dual antiplatelet therapy including clopidogrel in patients treated with drug-eluting stent (DES). We assessed platelet reactivity using VerifyNow and ‘high platelet reactivity (HPR)’ was defined as ≥ 252 P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis or stroke.

Results

Between July 2003 and Aug 2018, DES-treated patients with available PFT were enrolled (n = 11,714). Diabetic patients demonstrated significant higher levels of platelet reactivity (DM vs. non-DM: 225.7 ± 77.5 vs. 213.6 ± 79.1 PRU, P < 0.001) and greater prevalence of HPR compared to non-diabetic patients (38.1% vs. 32.0%, P < 0.001). PRU level and prevalence of HPR were significantly associated with insulin requirement and HbA1c level, as well as diabetic status. DM status and HPR phenotype had a similar prognostic implication, which showed the synergistic clinical impact on MACCE. Association between PRU level and MACCE occurrence seemed higher in diabetic vs. non-diabetic patients. In non-DM patients, HPR phenotype did not significantly increase the risk of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadj]: 1.073; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.869–1.325; P = 0.511), whereas HPR was an independent determinant for MACCE occurrence among diabetic patients (HRadj: 1.507; 95% CI: 1.193–1.902; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The levels of on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity are determined by diabetic status and the severity of DM. In addition, HPR phenotype significantly increases the risk of MACCE only in diabetic patients.

Clinical trial registration

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT04734028.
Robotic workflows for automated long-term adaptive laboratory evolution: improving ethanol utilization by Corynebacterium glutamicum
Authors: Halle Lars , Hollmann Niels , Tenhaef Niklas , Mbengi Lea , Glitz Christiane , Wiechert Wolfgang , Polen Tino , Baumgart Meike , Bott Michael , Noack Stephan
Published: September 2023

Background

Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) is known as a powerful tool for untargeted engineering of microbial strains and genomics research. It is particularly well suited for the adaptation of microorganisms to new environmental conditions, such as alternative substrate sources. Since the probability of generating beneficial mutations increases with the frequency of DNA replication, ALE experiments are ideally free of constraints on the required duration of cell proliferation.

Results

Here, we present an extended robotic workflow for performing long-term evolution experiments based on fully automated repetitive batch cultures (rbALE) in a well-controlled microbioreactor environment. Using a microtiter plate recycling approach, the number of batches and thus cell generations is technically unlimited. By applying the validated workflow in three parallel rbALE runs, ethanol utilization by Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 (WT) was significantly improved. The evolved mutant strain WT_EtOH-Evo showed a specific ethanol uptake rate of 8.45 ± 0.12 mmolEtOH gCDW−1 h−1 and a growth rate of 0.15 ± 0.01 h−1 in lab-scale bioreactors. Genome sequencing of this strain revealed a striking single nucleotide variation (SNV) upstream of the ald gene (NCgl2698, cg3096) encoding acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). The mutated basepair was previously predicted to be part of the binding site for the global transcriptional regulator GlxR, and re-engineering demonstrated that the identified SNV is key for enhanced ethanol assimilation. Decreased binding of GlxR leads to increased synthesis of the rate-limiting enzyme ALDH, which was confirmed by proteomics measurements.

Conclusions

The established rbALE technology is generally applicable to any microbial strain and selection pressure that fits the small-scale cultivation format. In addition, our specific results will enable improved production processes with C. glutamicum from ethanol, which is of particular interest for acetyl-CoA-derived products.
Carbon nanotubes: a powerful bridge for conductivity and flexibility in electrochemical glucose sensors
Authors: Yuwen Tianyi , Shu Danting , Zou Hanyan , Yang Xinrui , Wang Shijun , Zhang Shuheng , Liu Qichen , Wang Xiangxiu , Wang Guixue , Zhang Yuchan , Zang Guangchao
Published: September 2023

The utilization of nanomaterials in the biosensor field has garnered substantial attention in recent years. Initially, the emphasis was on enhancing the sensor current rather than material interactions. However, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have gained prominence in glucose sensors due to their high aspect ratio, remarkable chemical stability, and notable optical and electronic attributes. The diverse nanostructures and metal surface designs of CNTs, coupled with their exceptional physical and chemical properties, have led to diverse applications in electrochemical glucose sensor research. Substantial progress has been achieved, particularly in constructing flexible interfaces based on CNTs. This review focuses on CNT-based sensor design, manufacturing advancements, material synergy effects, and minimally invasive/noninvasive glucose monitoring devices. The review also discusses the trend toward simultaneous detection of multiple markers in glucose sensors and the pivotal role played by CNTs in this trend. Furthermore, the latest applications of CNTs in electrochemical glucose sensors are explored, accompanied by an overview of the current status, challenges, and future prospects of CNT-based sensors and their potential applications.
Emerging adult perceptions of higher-risk cannabis consumption behaviours
Authors: McMahon Isobel , Harris-Lane Laura M. , Donnan Jennifer , Bishop Lisa , Harris Nick
Published: September 2023

Background

Emerging adults have the highest cannabis consumption rates in Canada and are among the most vulnerable to cannabis-related harms. Since certain cannabis consumption behaviours carry greater risks of harm, the Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG) provide harm reduction strategies. To address a critical gap in the literature, the current study examined emerging adults’ awareness of the guidelines and perceptions of higher-risk cannabis consumption behaviours identified within the LRCUG.

Methods

Emerging adults (N = 653) between the ages of 18–25 years were recruited from across Canada. Participants were presented with five vignettes depicting a character’s cannabis consumption behaviours. Each vignette focused on a unique aspect of the character’s consumption (frequency, polysubstance use, family history of mental illness, method of consumption, and potency). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions within each of the five vignettes that were altered to capture varying levels of risk (e.g. weekly, almost daily, or daily consumption). Following each vignette, participants were asked to respond to four items relating to overall risk of harm, cognitive health, physical health, and mental health.

Results

Participants perceived: (1) frequent consumption to be associated with greater risks than less frequent consumption; (2) simultaneous consumption of cannabis and tobacco as being associated with higher risk of harm, yet no difference between simultaneous consumption of cannabis and alcohol or cannabis consumption alone; (3) consuming cannabis with a family history of psychosis or substance use disorder as being associated with greater overall risk than consumption with no family history; (4) smoking and vaping cannabis as associated with more risk than ingesting edibles; and (5) higher-potency THC-dominant strains as being associated with more risk than lower-potency CBD-dominant strains, yet no difference between the two higher-potency THC-dominant strains.

Conclusions

While emerging adults seemed to appreciate the risks associated with some cannabis consumption behaviours, they had difficulty identifying appropriate levels of harm of other higher-risk behaviours. Through an improved understanding of emerging adult perceptions, effective education campaigns should be designed to improve the awareness of cannabis risks and encourage the uptake of harm reduction awareness and strategies.
Autonomy support encourages use of more-affected arm post-stroke
Authors: Kim Sujin , Shin Yumi , Jeong Yeonwoo , Na Seungyoung , Han Cheol E.
Published: September 2023

Background

Autonomy support, which involves providing individuals the ability to control their own behavior, is associated with improved motor control and learning in various populations in clinical and non-clinical settings. This study aimed to investigate whether autonomy support combined with an information technology (IT) device facilitated success in using the more-affected arm during training in individuals with stroke. Consequently, we examined whether increased success influenced the use of the more-affected arm in mild to moderate subacute to chronic stroke survivors.

Methods

Twenty-six participants with stroke were assigned to the autonomy support or control groups. Over a 5-week period, training and test sessions were conducted using the Individualized Motivation Enhancement System (IMES), a device developed specifically for this study. In the autonomy support group, participants were able to adjust the task difficulty parameter, which controlled the time limit for reaching targets. The control group did not receive this option. The evaluation of the more-affected arm's use, performance, and impairment was conducted through clinical tests and the IMES. These data were then analyzed using mixed-effect models.

Results

In the IMES test, both groups showed a significant improvement in performance (p < 0.0001) after the training period, without any significant intergroup differences (p > 0.05). However only the autonomy support group demonstrated a significant increase in the use of the more-affected arm following the training (p < 0.001). Additionally, during the training period, the autonomy support group showed a significant increase in successful experiences with using the more-affected arm (p < 0.0001), while the control group did not exhibit the same level of improvement (p > 0.05). Also, in the autonomy support group, the increase in the use of the more-affected arm was associated with the increase in the successful experience significantly (p = 0.007).

Conclusions

Combining autonomy support with an IT device is a practical approach for enhancing performance and promoting the use of the more-affected upper extremity post-stroke. Autonomy support facilitates the successful use of the more-affected arm, thereby increasing awareness of the training goal of maximizing its use.

Trial registration

The study was registered retrospectively with the Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0008117; January 13, 2023; https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do/23875).
Acute kidney injury in neurocritical care
Authors: Husain-Syed Faeq , Takeuchi Tomonori , Neyra Javier A. , Ramírez-Guerrero Gonzalo , Rosner Mitchell H. , Ronco Claudio , Tolwani Ashita J.
Published: September 2023

Approximately 20% of patients with acute brain injury (ABI) also experience acute kidney injury (AKI), which worsens their outcomes. The metabolic and inflammatory changes associated with AKI likely contribute to prolonged brain injury and edema. As a result, recognizing its presence is important for effectively managing ABI and its sequelae. This review discusses the occurrence and effects of AKI in critically ill adults with neurological conditions, outlines potential mechanisms connecting AKI and ABI progression, and highlights AKI management principles. Tailored approaches include optimizing blood pressure, managing intracranial pressure, adjusting medication dosages, and assessing the type of administered fluids. Preventive measures include avoiding nephrotoxic drugs, improving hemodynamic and fluid balance, and addressing coexisting AKI syndromes. ABI patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (RRT) are more susceptible to neurological complications. RRT can negatively impact cerebral blood flow, intracranial pressure, and brain tissue oxygenation, with effects tied to specific RRT methods. Continuous RRT is favored for better hemodynamic stability and lower risk of dialysis disequilibrium syndrome. Potential RRT modifications for ABI patients include adjusted dialysate and blood flow rates, osmotherapy, and alternate anticoagulation methods. Future research should explore whether these strategies enhance outcomes and if using novel AKI biomarkers can mitigate AKI-related complications in ABI patients.

Graphical abstract
ChromGene: gene-based modeling of epigenomic data
Authors: Jaroszewicz Artur , Ernst Jason
Published: September 2023

Various computational approaches have been developed to annotate epigenomes on a per-position basis by modeling combinatorial and spatial patterns within epigenomic data. However, such annotations are less suitable for gene-based analyses. We present ChromGene, a method based on a mixture of learned hidden Markov models, to annotate genes based on multiple epigenomic maps across the gene body and flanks. We provide ChromGene assignments for over 100 cell and tissue types. We characterize the mixture components in terms of gene expression, constraint, and other gene annotations. The ChromGene method and annotations will provide a useful resource for gene-based epigenomic analyses.