bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alternative approaches for monitoring and evaluation of lymphatic filariasis following mass drug treatment with ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine and albendazole in East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea
Authors: Bun Krufinta , Mode Benedict , Susapu Melinda , Salo Joyceline , Bjerum Catherine , Payne Michael , Tisch Daniel , Sekihara Makoto , Giorgi Emanuele , Weil Gary J. , Fischer Peter U. , Robinson Leanne , Laman Moses , King Christopher L.
Published: January 2025

Background

WHO recommends two annual rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole (IDA) for lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination in treatment naïve areas that are not co-endemic for onchocerciasis such as Papua New Guinea (PNG). Whether two rounds of MDA are necessary or sufficient and the optimal sampling strategies and endpoints for stopping MDA remain undefined.

Methods and findings

Two cross-sectional studies were conducted at baseline (N = 49 clusters or villages) and 12 months after mass drug administration (MDA) with IDA (N = 47 villages) to assess lymphatic filariasis (LF) by circulating filarial antigenemia (CFA) and microfilariae (Mf). Before MDA, children aged 6–9 years (N~50) and those  ≥  10 years (N~50) in each village were randomly sampled. Before MDA, the population mean prevalence of LF in East New Britain Province (ENBP), Papua New Guinea, was estimated using population proportionate sampling (PPS, N = 30) to be 59/2,561 (2.3%) CFA positive and 14/2,561 (0.6%) Mf positive. No children were Mf positive. However, LF infection was highly heterogeneous; 8 villages (26.7%) had a CFA prevalence >2%, and 7 villages (23.3%) had an Mf prevalence >1%. To identify sentinel villages with LF in areas under-sampled by PPS, 19 additional villages suspected to have LF were sampled, with 15 (79%) having >2% CFA prevalence and 7 (38%) >1% Mf (range 1–22%). Twenty-four villages were evaluated before and after MDA in age-matched adults ( ≥  18 years). Treatment reduced CFA prevalence by 34% and Mf prevalence by 90%. Post-MDA model-based geostatistics efficiently selected an additional 23 villages, of which 20 (87%) had a CFA prevalence  >  2%. None of these villages had >1% Mf. Post-MDA, two of four districts had no villages with >1% Mf.

Conclusions

Model-based geostatistics was more effective than PPS in sampling high-risk LF sites in a heterogeneous area. Low LF prevalence and partial reduction of CFA limit children’s effectiveness as sentinels. A single round of high-coverage MDA with IDA achieved elimination targets in low-prevalence villages in PNG. Higher-prevalence areas will need additional MDA rounds, which could be targeted to smaller evaluation units to cut costs.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04124250
A study of Chinese enterprises’ business models to determine the impact of dynamic capabilities on innovation and performance
Authors: Jingwen Yan , Rahman Azmawani Abd , Tong Tong , Kamarulzaman Nitty Hirawaty , Sidek Shafie Bin
Published: January 2025

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can gain a competitive advantage by implementing business model innovation (BMI), which is characterized as irreversible changes to a company’s business model. However, BMI is often associated with high risk, uncertainty, and ambiguity. In this study, the effectiveness of BMI on improving SME performance is examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on data collected from 330 Chinese SMEs. The purpose of this paper is to examine how enterprise risk management (ERM), organizational agility (OA), and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) affect SME performance. The results reveal that ERM, OA, and EO all have a positive impact on efficiency-centered BMI and SME performance; efficiency-centered BMI mediates this pathway. Building on dynamic capabilities theory, this paper combines ERM, OA, and EO into one framework to assess their impact on SME performance. Additionally, a case study is presented to provide suggestions for making decisions about BMI implementation.
Distributed Denial of Services (DDoS) attack detection in SDN using Optimizer-equipped CNN-MLP
Authors: Mehmood Sajid , Amin Rashid , Mustafa Jamal , Hussain Mudassar , Alsubaei Faisal S. , Zakaria Muhammad D.
Published: January 2025

Software-Defined Networks (SDN) provides more control and network operation over a network infrastructure as an emerging and revolutionary paradigm in networking. Operating the many network applications and preserving the network services and functions, the SDN controller is regarded as the operating system of the SDN-based network architecture. The SDN has several security problems because of its intricate design, even with all its amazing features. Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks continuously impact users and Internet service providers (ISPs). Because of its centralized design, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on SDN are frequent and may have a widespread effect on the network, particularly at the control layer. We propose to implement both MLP (Multilayer Perceptron) and CNN (Convolutional Neural Networks) based on conventional methods to detect the Denial of Services (DDoS) attack. These models have got a complex optimizer installed on them to decrease the false positive or DDoS case detection efficiency. We use the SHAP feature selection technique to improve the detection procedure. By assisting in the identification of which features are most essential to spot the incidents, the approach aids in the process of enhancing precision and flammability. Fine-tuning the hyperparameters with the help of Bayesian optimization to obtain the best model performance is another important thing that we do in our model. Two datasets, InSDN and CICDDoS-2019, are utilized to assess the effectiveness of the proposed method, 99.95% for the true positive (TP) of the CICDDoS-2019 dataset and 99.98% for the InSDN dataset, the results show that the model is highly accurate.
A frustratingly easy way of extracting political networks from text
Authors: Bro Naim
Published: January 2025

This study demonstrates the use of GPT-4 and variants, advanced language models readily accessible to many social scientists, in extracting political networks from text. This approach showcases the novel integration of GPT-4’s capabilities in entity recognition, relation extraction, entity linking, and sentiment analysis into a single cohesive process. Based on a corpus of 1009 Chilean political news articles, the study validates the graph extraction method using ‘legislative agreement’, i.e., the proportion of times two politicians vote the same way. It finds that sentiments identified by GPT-4 align with how frequently parliamentarians vote together in roll calls. Comprising two parts, the first involves a linear regression analysis indicating that negative relationships predicted by GPT-4 correspond with reduced legislative agreement between two parliamentarians. The second part employs node embeddings to analyze the impact of network distance, considering both with and without sentiment, on legislative agreements. This analysis reveals a notably stronger predictive power when sentiments are included. The findings underscore GPT-4’s versatility in political network analysis.
More on mobility and sedentism: Changes in adaptation from Upper Paleolithic to Incipient Jomon, Tanegashima Island, southern Japan
Authors: Morisaki Kazuki , Iizuka Fumie , Izuho Masami , Aldenderfer Mark
Published: January 2025

Sedentism is an adaptive alternative in human societies which is often associated with the emergence of complex societies in the Holocene. To elucidate the factors and processes of the emergence of sedentary societies, continuous accumulation of case studies based on robust evidence from across the world is required. Given abundant archaeological and geological evidence from the late Pleistocene to early Holocene, Tanegashima Island, situated in the southern Japanese Archipelago of the northwestern Pacific Rim, has significant potential to unravel factors and processes of sedentism. Our study evaluates long-term change in hunter-gatherer mobility on Tanegashima Island from the Upper Paleolithic to Incipient Jomon (ca.36,000–12,800 cal BP). Based on Bayesian age modelling, we performed diachronic analyses on lithic toolkit structure, lithic reduction technology, lithic raw material composition, and occupation intensity. The results illustrate that settlement-subsistence strategies on Tanegashima primarily correspond to the change in environmental conditions, mainly food resources, and foragers increased their degrees of sedentism when abundant forest existed. More important is that highly stable sedentism, which is not observed until the Incipient Jomon, depends not only on such a productive environment, but also on the increase in population size. High occupation intensity during the Incipient Jomon on the island is likely attributed to an influx of people from Kyushu proper. Although the relationship between cause and effect of these factors is still to be clarified in future work, our study provides insights on the fundamental causes of sedentism in the temperate forest of the late Pleistocene.
Metabolomic analysis of murine tissues infected with Brucella melitensis
Authors: Ponzilacqua-Silva Bárbara , Dadelahi Alexis S. , Moley Charles R. , Abushahba Mostafa F. N. , Skyberg Jerod A.
Published: January 2025

Brucella is a gram negative, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that constitutes a substantial threat to human and animal health. Brucella can replicate in a variety of tissues and can induce immune responses that alter host metabolite availability. Here, mice were infected with B. melitensis and murine spleens, livers, and female reproductive tracts were analyzed by GC-MS to determine tissue-specific metabolic changes at one-, two- and four- weeks post infection. The most remarkable changes were observed at two-weeks post-infection when relative to uninfected tissues, 42 of 329 detected metabolites in reproductive tracts were significantly altered by Brucella infection, while in spleens and livers, 68/205 and 139/330 metabolites were significantly changed, respectively. Several of the altered metabolites in host tissues were linked to the GABA shunt and glutaminolysis. Treatment of macrophages with GABA did not alter control of B. melitensis infection, and deletion of the putative GABA transporter BMEI0265 did not alter B. melitensis virulence. While glutaminolysis inhibition did not affect control of B. melitensis in macrophages, glutaminolysis was required for macrophage IL-1β production in response to B. melitensis. In summary, these results indicate that Brucella infection alters host tissue metabolism and that these changes could have effects on inflammation and the outcome of infection.
Fast surface reconstruction algorithm with adaptive step size
Authors: Dai Jingguo , Yi Yeqing , Liu Chengzhi
Published: January 2025

In (Dai et al. 2023), the authors proposed a fast algorithm for surface reconstruction that converges rapidly from point cloud data by alternating Anderson extrapolation with implicit progressive iterative approximation (I-PIA). This algorithm employs a fixed step size during iterations to enhance convergence. To further improve the computational efficiency, an adaptive step size adjustment strategy for surface reconstruction algorithm is investigated. During each iteration, the step size is adaptively chosen based on the current residual—larger residuals may necessitate larger steps, while smaller ones might permit smaller steps. Numerical experiments indicate that, for equivalent reconstruction errors, the adaptive step size algorithm demands substantially fewer iterations and less computation time than the fixed step size approach. These improvements robustly enhance computational performance in surface reconstruction, offering valuable insights for further research and applications.
Site-selective photo-crosslinking for the characterisation of transient ubiquitin-like protein-protein interactions
Authors: Sandy Zac , Wang Zijuan , Behera Deepak , Foster Benjamin M. , Martin Finlay A. , Brüninghoff Kira , Cain Kathleen M. , Dörner Wolfgang , Cabello-Lobato Maria Jose , Forment Josep V. , Cliff Matthew J. , Larrosa Igor , Barran Perdita , Smith Duncan L. , Mootz Henning D. , Schmidt Christine K.
Published: January 2025

Non-covalent protein-protein interactions are one of the most fundamental building blocks in cellular signalling pathways. Despite this, they have been historically hard to identify using conventional methods due to their often weak and transient nature. Using genetic code expansion and incorporation of commercially available unnatural amino acids, we have developed a highly accessible method whereby interactions between biotinylated ubiquitin-like protein (UBL) probes and their binding partners can be stabilised using ultraviolet (UV) light-induced crosslinks. The stabilised protein complexes can be purified using affinity purification and identified by mass spectrometry. The resultant covalent bonds can withstand even the harshest washing conditions, allowing for the removal of indirect binders whilst retaining and capturing weak and transient interactors that are commonly lost during wash steps. This technique is widely applicable and highly effective for identifying site-selective non-covalent interactors. Members of our team have previously demonstrated the benefit of this method using the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO). Here, we provide further proof-of-principle validation of the method and highlight its generality by applying an optimised workflow to a lesser studied UBL, interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15). We show that this method is able to capture known ISG15 interactors from a complex protein mixture in a site-selective manner, only capturing proteins that specifically interact with the region of ISG15 where the unnatural amino acid was incorporated. This exquisite degree of sensitivity and specificity greatly improves upon previous screens aimed at identifying downstream non-covalent binders, or readers, of ISG15. Taken together, the approach opens the possibility of characterising previously undetected protein-protein interactions, with the potential of elucidating molecular mechanisms behind the most complex and poorly understood processes in the cell.
Age-related change in inhibitory processes when controlling working memory capacity and processing speed: A confirmatory factor analysis
Authors: Carriedo Nuria , Rodríguez-Villagra Odir A. , Moriano Juan A. , Montoro Pedro R. , Iglesias-Sarmiento Valentín
Published: January 2025

The main purpose of this study was to examine the age-related changes in inhibitory control of 450 children at the ages of 7–8, 11–12, and 14–16 when controlling for working memory capacity (WMC) and processing speed to determine whether inhibition is an independent factor far beyond its possible reliance on the other two factors. This examination is important for several reasons. First, empirical evidence about age-related changes of inhibitory control is controversial. Second, there are no studies that explore the organization of inhibitory functions by controlling for the influence of processing speed and WMC in these age groups. Third, the construct of inhibition has been questioned in recent research. Multigroup confirmatory analyses suggested that inhibition can be organized as a one-dimension factor in which processing speed and WMC modulate the variability of some inhibition tasks. The partial reliance of inhibitory processes on processing speed and WMC demonstrates that the inhibition factor partially explains the variance of inhibitory tasks even when WMC and processing speed are controlled and some methodological concerns are addressed.
Intellectual capital, digital transformation and firms’ financial performance: Evidence from ecological protection and environmental governance industry in China
Authors: Yin Jian , Xu Jian
Published: January 2025

As the pace of enterprise digital transformation accelerates, intellectual capital (IC) has become a core driving force of gaining market competitive advantages and enhancing value creation capabilities. The paper aims to investigate the impact of IC and its components on financial performance of Chinese ecological protection and environmental governance companies during 2018–2021. In addition, the moderating effect of digital transformation between them is examined. IC is measured by the modified value added intellectual coefficient (MVAIC) model, and the measurement of digital transformation is based on text mining. The results suggest that IC can improve firm financial performance, especially during COVID-19. Physical capital, human capital (HC), and relational capital (RC) positively affect financial performance, while structural and innovation capitals have no significant impact. In addition, digital transformation strengthens the positive relationship between IC and its two elements (HC and RC) and financial performance. Heterogeneous analysis finds that the relationship between RC and innovation capital and financial performance is positive before COVID-19, and it is not significant during COVID-19. For highly leveraged companies, structural capital negatively affects financial performance, and RC has a positive impact. These impacts are not significant for low leveraged companies. This paper provides some new insights for managers who seek new ways to improve firm performance in the process of digital transformation.
The impact of the reform of rural collective property rights system on villagers’ public participation: An empirical study based on CRRS 2020 data
Authors: Li Rui , Gao Duanyang
Published: January 2025

The reform of rural collective property rights system is of great significance for protecting the collective asset rights and interests of villagers, activating rural resource elements, and achieving rural revitalization. This study is based on 284 village committee questionnaires and 7451 villager questionnaires from 10 provinces in China, and uses multi-layer linear regression models to explore the impact of the reform of rural collective property rights system on villagers’ public participation. Research has found that:(1) the reform of rural collective property rights system that has been completed at the rural level can significantly enhance the public participation of villagers, including total participation (β = 0.102, p ≤ 0.1), interest expression (β = 0.044, p ≤ 0.1), and election voting (β = 0.076, p ≤ 0.05). However, the impact on volunteer service is not significant (β = -0.004, p>0.1); (2)mechanism analysis shows that the reform can reduce the probability of migration for work, and thus enhance the level of public participation; (3)heterogeneity analysis reveals that the reform has a greater impact on the villagers’ public participation in suburban villages and villages with better collective economy; (4)further analysis discovers that villagers have heard that reform can significantly enhance their public participation. This study comprehensively explores the spillover effects of the reform at the village level on public participation at the individual level through the use of more accurate measurement indicators, empirical analysis methods, and large-scale authoritative data, providing strong support for proposing strategies to promote villages’ public participation.
The customer satisfaction model in the mobile telecommunications sector after Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Suchanek Petr , Bucicova Natalia
Published: January 2025

The subject of this paper is modeling customer satisfaction in the mobile telecommunication industry following the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on standard customer satisfaction models, a specialized model tailored for the mobile telecommunication industry has been developed to account for its unique characteristics, including market concentration. This model was created within the Slovakian context using the Structural Equation Modelling method. The respondents were customers of all mobile operators in this market. The model revealed a positive relationship between image and perceived service quality and a negative relationship between customer expectations and perceived service value. However, it was not possible to demonstrate a relationship between image and customer loyalty or between customer expectations and customer satisfaction. Therefore, it seems that the factors influencing customer satisfaction in the telecommunications sector of an emerging EU economy differ from those in other sectors and economies in the post-Covid-19 context.
The link between the atherogenic index of plasma and the risk of hypertension: Analysis from NHANES 2017–2020
Authors: Liu Kaiyou , Ji Qingwei , Qin Shaoming , Liu Ling , Zhang Hongwei , Huang Huating , Li Guihua , Chen Junjun
Published: January 2025

Background

The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) is a newly identified metabolic marker for atherosclerosis. However, there are inconsistent conclusions regarding the relationship between AIP and hypertension.

Methods

The study subjects were sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2017 to 2020. Logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the correlation between AIP and hypertension. The value of AIP in predicting hypertension was assessed using ROC curves, and their nonlinear relationship was described using restricted cubic splines (RCS). Subgroup analyses, interactions, and sensitivity analyses were also conducted.

Results

The study included 7,067 participants who were sourced from the NHANES database. There were 2723 participants diagnosed hypertension. We observed a notable correlation between AIP and hypertension (OR:1.89, 95%CI: 1.11–3.22, P = 0.019). ROC curve showed AIP had a good predictive value for the onset of hypertension, with the AUC of 0.652 (95% CI:0.639–0.664, p<0.001). RCS found that there existed a nonlinear association between AIP and the incidence of hypertension (p<0.001). Even after excluding individuals under the age of 40 years old, the results still indicate a strong association between AIP and hypertension.

Conclusions

AIP may serve as an early biological marker for identifying hypertension, facilitating early screening of susceptible populations.
Alzheimer’s disease image classification based on enhanced residual attention network
Authors: Li Xiaoli , Gong Bairui , Chen Xinfang , Li Hui , Yuan Guoming
Published: January 2025

With the increasing number of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), the demand for early diagnosis and intervention is becoming increasingly urgent. The traditional detection methods for Alzheimer’s disease mainly rely on clinical symptoms, biomarkers, and imaging examinations. However, these methods have limitations in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, such as strong subjectivity in diagnostic criteria, high detection costs, and high misdiagnosis rates. To address these issues, this study proposes a deep learning model to detect Alzheimer’s disease; it is called Enhanced Residual Attention Network (ERAN) that can classify medical images. By combining residual learning, attention mechanism, and soft thresholding, the feature representation ability and classification accuracy of the model have been improved. The accuracy of the model in detecting Alzheimer’s disease has reached 99.36%, with a loss rate of only 0.0264. The experimental results indicate that the Enhanced Residual Attention Network has achieved excellent performance on the Alzheimer’s disease test dataset, providing strong support for the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
An evolutionary game theory analysis on the environmental impact of discharging Fukushima’s nuclear wastewater: International stakeholders and strategic dynamics
Authors: Li Mingyang , Pengsihua Han , Zhao Songqing , Wang Zejun , Yang Limin , Liu Tongjing
Published: January 2025

On August 24, 2023, Japan controversially decided to discharge nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean, initiating intense domestic and global debates. This study employs a mixed-method approach, integrating quantitative evolutionary game theory and qualitative data analysis to explore the strategic dynamics among Japan, other nations, and the Japan Fisheries Association regarding this decision. The data includes international environmental reports and economic statistics, served as the basis for simulating decision-making processes under various legal, economic, and environmental pressures. The evolutionary game theory model is used to predict and analyze three evolutionarily stable strategies (ESS), detailing the transition from the initiation to cessation of wastewater discharge. These strategies highlight the necessity for international cooperation, rigorous scientific research, public education, and effective wastewater treatment methods. This study aims to provide both a theoretical framework and practical guidance to foster a global consensus on nuclear wastewater management, which is vital for marine conservation and sustainable development.
Association between lipid accumulation product and the risk of colon cancer in adults: A population-based study
Authors: Guo Renjie , Wei Weiming
Published: January 2025

Background

The purpose of this study was to look into any potential connections between the occurrence of colon cancer and the condition of the body of lipid accumulation product (LAP) index.

Methods

Using data from the 2009–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we performed a cross-sectional analysis with 24,592 individuals. Utilizing multivariate logistic regression modelling, the relationship between LAP levels and colon cancer risk was investigated. Subgroup analysis, trend test, interaction test, and stratified smoothed curve were also carried out.

Results

LAP levels and colon cancer risk were positively correlated after controlling for potential covariates (OR = 10.56, 95% CI: 2.40–46.53), the findings of trend tests are statistically significant. In particular groups, subgroup analysis revealed a positive connection between LAP levels and the risk of colon cancer. The association between LAP levels and colon cancer risk was shown to be M-shaped in the group under 60 years old, inverted V-shaped in the female and no-diabetes groups, and inverted L-shaped in the smoking and no-hypertensive groups, according to stratified smoothed curve fitting.

Conclusions

According to our findings, there is a strong correlation between LAP levels and the risk of colon cancer.
Enhanced silk production and pupal weight in Bombyx mori through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated circadian Clock gene disruption
Authors: Brady Daniel J. , Saviane Alessio , Battistolli Matteo , Varponi Irene , Barca Federica , Shiomi Kunihiro , Cappellozza Silvia , Sandrelli Federica
Published: January 2025

The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, is crucial for global silk production, which is a significant economic activity supporting millions of livelihoods worldwide. Beyond traditional silk production, the growing demand for insect larvae in cosmetics, biomedical products, and animal feed underscores the need to enhance B. mori productivity. This study investigates the role of the circadian clock gene Clock in B. mori using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis to establish the ClkΔ29 knock-out mutant strain. Dysregulation of the circadian clock in ClkΔ29 was demonstrated by altered temporal transcriptional profiles of core circadian clock genes in adult heads and disrupted circadian-controlled behaviors, including adult eclosion and egg hatching rhythms under constant darkness. By analysing larval development timing, as well as the weights of late instar larvae, pupae, and cocoon components in ClkΔ29 mutants and in ClkΔ1922 silkworms (carrying an independently generated Clk- null allele), we showed that CLK contributes to physiological processes regulating B. mori development and growth. Importantly, ClkΔ29 mutants reared on a standard sericulture diet exhibited significant increases in key economic traits, with silk production increasing by up to 7%, and pupal weight increasing by up to 25% compared to wild-type controls. This study highlights the potential of circadian clock gene manipulation to significantly enhance sericultural productivity. Future research should focus on elucidating the molecular mechanisms driving these phenotypes and determining whether they result from circadian clock functions or pleiotropic effects of B. mori Clk. These findings provide a foundation for advancing sustainable sericulture and developing new commercial applications for silkworm-derived products.
Exploring the impact of urban spatial morphology on land surface temperature: A case study in Linyi City, China
Authors: Feng Yongyu , Wang Huimin , Wu Jing , Wang Yan , Shi Hui , Zhao Jun
Published: January 2025

The increasing population density and impervious surface area have exacerbated the urban heat island effect, posing significant challenges to urban environments and sustainable development. Urban spatial morphology is crucial in mitigating the urban heat island effect. This study investigated the impact of urban spatial morphology on land surface temperature (LST) at the township scale. We proposed a six-dimensional factor system to describe urban spatial morphology, comprising Atmospheric Quality, Remote Sensing Indicators, Terrain, Land Use/Land Cover, Building Scale, and Socioeconomic Factors. Spatial autocorrelation and spatial regression methods were used to analyze the impact. To this end, the township-scale data of Linyi City from 2013 to 2022 were collected. The results showed that LST are significantly influenced by urban spatial morphology, with the strongest correlations found in the factors of land use types, landscape metrics, and remote sensing indices. The global Moran’s I value of LST exceeds 0.7, indicating a strong positive spatial correlation. The High-High LISA values are distributed in the central and western areas, and the Low-Low LISA values are found in the northern regions and some scattered counties. The Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model outperforms the Spatial Error Model (SEM) and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model, making it more suitable for exploring these relationships. The findings aim to provide valuable references for town planning, resource allocation, and sustainable development.
Maternal mental health matters: Indicators for perinatal mental health—A scoping review
Authors: Layton Elly , Roddy Mitchell Alexandra , Kennedy Elissa , Moran Allisyn C. , Palestra Francesca , Chowdhary Neerja , McNab Shanon , Homer Caroline S. E.
Published: January 2025

Perinatal mental health disorders are a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in childbearing women. The World Health Organization recommends all women be screened for mental health disorders postnatally and have diagnostic and management services available. There are, however, currently no global indicators in use which measure the status and progress of perinatal mental health. The aim of this scoping review was to identify existing perinatal mental health indicators and propose a core set which could be used at a global level. We used the Global Perinatal Mental Health Theory of Change as the conceptual framework. We found 25 indicators for PMH aligned with the Global Perinatal Mental Health Theory of Change, which were condensed to form a core set of nine indicators These core indicators include the proportion of women with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, or adjustment disorders in the perinatal period; the proportion of women screened for these services; the proportion who have access to services following a positive diagnosis; and, the proportion of healthcare providers trained to provide mental health care. This review forms part of the foundational work for the development of a global monitoring framework which would be able to monitor progress towards the provision of universal high quality perinatal mental health care.
Comparison of behind-the-ear vs. off-the-ear speech processors in cochlear implants: A systematic review and narrative synthesis
Authors: Ayas Muhammed , Muzaffar Jameel , Phillips Veronica , Bance Manohar
Published: January 2025

Background

Cochlear implants (CI) with off-the-ear (OTE) and behind-the-ear (BTE) speech processors differ in user experience and audiological performance, impacting speech perception, comfort, and satisfaction.

Objectives

This systematic review explores audiological outcomes (speech perception in quiet and noise) and non-audiological factors (device handling, comfort, cosmetics, overall satisfaction) of OTE and BTE speech processors in CI recipients.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA-S guidelines, examining Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Data encompassed recipient characteristics, processor usage, speech perception, and non-audiological factors. Studies were assessed for quality and risk of bias by using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).

Results

Nine studies involving 204 CI recipients, with a mean age of 49.01 years and 6.62 years of processor use, were included. Audiological results indicated comparable performance in quiet environments, with a slight preference for OTE in noisy conditions. For non-audiological factors, OTE processors excelled in comfort, handling, and aesthetics, leading to higher satisfaction. More data on medical complications and long-term implications is needed.

Conclusion

OTE processors may offer comparable performance to BTE processors in certain conditions, though not universally across all audiological outcomes. Interpretation depends on settings, processor generation, and testing paradigms. However, non-audiological factors might favour OTE. Understanding current literature may guide professionals in selecting suitable processors for CI recipients.
Comparative analysis of developmental outcomes in very preterm infants: BSID-II versus Bayley-III German norms
Authors: Hammerl Marlene , Zimmermann Martina , Posod Anna , Peglow Ulrike Pupp , Höck Michaela , Griesmaier Elke , Kiechl-Kohlendorfer Ursula , Neubauer Vera
Published: January 2025

Introduction

After the release of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition (Bayley-III), US norms, an overestimation of outcome was observed. But, the conformity between the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, second edition (BSID-II), and the Bayley-III German norms is unknown. This retrospective analysis aimed to compare outcomes of very preterm infants tested with BSID-II and Bayley-III German norms.

Methods

Infants born from November 2007 to July 2018 were included. Exclusion criteria were death or missing outcome. Infants underwent testing with either BSID-II until December 2013 or Bayley-III from January 2014 onward, at 12 and/or 24 months. BSID-II Mental Developmental Index (MDI) was compared to Bayley-III cognitive score and a combined Bayley-Score (CB-III) consisting of the cognitive and language composite score. BSID-II Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) was compared to Bayley-III motor composite score. Abnormal outcomes were defined as scores <85 (delay) or <70 (impairment).

Results

649 infants were included. At 12 months, the Bayley-III cohort achieved higher scores in all domains compared to the BSID-II cohort (all p<0.05), with lower rates of motor delay in the Bayley-III cohort (p<0.001). At 24 months, only Bayley-III motor composite scores were higher than the BSID-II PDI (p<0.001). Rates of cognitive impairment were higher in the Bayley-III cohort (p = 0.013).

Interpretation

Our findings indicate that the Bayley-III German norms effectively identify children needing interventions, particularly at 24 months corrected age. This supports both clinical application and scientific comparability with the BSID-II.
Identification and validation of key autophagy-related genes in lupus nephritis by bioinformatics and machine learning
Authors: Zhang Su , Hu Weitao , Tang Yelin , Chen Xiaoqing
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most frequent and serious organic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Autophagy, a new form of programmed cell death, has been implicated in a variety of renal diseases, but the relationship between autophagy and LN remains unelucidated.

Methods

We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in kidney tissues from 14 LN patients and 7 normal controls using the GSE112943 dataset. Key modules and their contained genes were identified utilizing weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Differentially expressed autophagy-related genes (DE-ARGs) among DEGs, key module genes and autophagy-related genes (ARGs) were obtained by venn plot, and subjected to protein-protein interaction network construction. Two machine learning methods were applied to identify signature genes. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used to assess the accuracy of the signature genes. We also analyzed immune cell infiltration in LN. Additionally, the association between key genes and kidney diseases was predicted. Finally, key genes expression in kidney was verified by clinical samples and animal experiments.

Results

A total of 10304 DEGs were identified in GSE1129943 and 29 modules were identified in WGCNA. Among them, the brown module and coral 2 module exhibited significant correlation with LN (cor = 0.86, -0.84, p<0.001). Machine learning techniques identified 5 signature genes, but only 2 were validated in the external dataset GSE32591, namely MAP1LC3B (AUC = 0.920) and TNFSF10 (AUC = 0.937), which are involved in autophagy and apoptosis. Immune infiltration analysis suggested that these key genes may be associated with immune cell infiltration in LN. In addition, these genes have been linked to a variety of renal diseases, and their expression was verified in kidney tissues in LN patients and lupus mice.

Conclusion

MAP1LC3B and TNFSF10 may be key autophagy-related genes in LN. These key genes have the potential to provide new insights into the molecular diagnosis and treatment of LN.
Effects of treadmill running on anxiety- and craniofacial pain-like behaviors with histone H3 acetylation in the brain of mice subjected to social defeat stress
Authors: Piriyaprasath Kajita , Hasegawa Mana , Iwamoto Yuya , Kamimura Rantaro , Yusuf Andi Sitti Hajrah , Fujii Noritaka , Yamamura Kensuke , Okamoto Keiichiro
Published: January 2025

This study examined the effects of treadmill running (TR) regimens on craniofacial pain- and anxiety-like behaviors, as well as their effects on neural changes in specific brain regions of male mice subjected to repeated social defeat stress (SDS) for 10 days. Behavioral and immunohistochemical experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of TR regimens on SDS-related those behaviors, as well as epigenetic and neural activity markers in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insular cortex (IC), rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), and cervical spinal dorsal horn (C2). Behavioral responses were quantified using multiple tests, while immunohistochemistry measured histone H3 acetylation, histone deacetylases (HDAC1, HDAC2), and neural activity markers (FosB and phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB). The effects of both short-term TR (2 days, TR2) and long-term TR (10 days, TR10) regimens were conducted. TR10 significantly reduced anxiety- and formalin-evoked craniofacial pain-like behaviors in SDS mice. It normalized SDS-induced increases in histone H3 acetylation in both the anterior and posterior portions of the ACC, as well as the anterior portion of the IC. These inhibitory effects were also observed in SDS-related increases in HDAC1, FosB, and pCREB expression. Additionally, TR10 normalized increased histone H3 acetylation in the RVM and C2 regions, with specific effects on FosB and pCREB expression observed in the C2 region. In contrast, TR2 showed limited effects on craniofacial pain-like behaviors but reduced anxiety-like behaviors in SDS mice. Under sham conditions, TR2 had minimal impact on histone H3 acetylation. Paradoxically, TR2 increased formalin-evoked craniofacial pain-like behaviors during the early phase despite not altering acetylated histone H3 expression. In conclusion, the TR10 regimen is effective in attenuating SDS-induced craniofacial pain- and anxiety-like behaviors, likely by normalizing epigenetic modifications and neural activity in key brain regions.
Mechanism of Radix Bupleuri and Hedysarum Multijugum Maxim drug pairs on liver fibrosis based on network pharmacology, bioinformatics and molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Yu Lefei , Yu Pan , Cao Yongchang , Cao Weiya
Published: January 2025

A number of studies demonstrate the therapeutic effectiveness of Radix Bupleuri (RB) and Hedysarum Multijugum Maxim (HMM) in treating liver fibrosis, but the exact molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to explore the mechanism of RB-HMM drug pairs in treating liver fibrosis by using network pharmacology, bioinformatics, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation technology and in vitro experiments. Totally, 155 intersection targets between RB-HMM and liver fibrosis were identified. In the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, the top 10 hub targets with the highest node connection values were TNF, IL-6, AKT1, EGFR, HIF1A, PPARG, CASP3, SRC, MMP9 and HSP90AA1. GO functional and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis involved 335 biological processes, 39 cellular components, 78 molecular functions, and 139 signaling pathways. The bioinformatics analysis indicated that TNF, IL-6, PPARG and MMP9 were promising candidate genes that can serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for liver fibrosis. Moreover, the molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation of 50 ns well complemented the binding affinity and strong stability between the three common compounds MOL000098 (quercetin), MOL000354 (isorhamnetin) and MOL000422 (kaempferol) and four final hub targets (TNF, IL-6, PPARG and MMP9). Calculation of binding free energy and decomposition free energy using MM_PBSA and MM_GBSA also validated the strong binding affinity and stability of 12 systems. MOL000098 (quercetin) was selected via MTT assay and western blot assay verified MOL000098 (quercetin) treatments remarkably decreased the protein levels of TNF and IL-6 in TGFβ stimulated LX2 cells. In conclusion, RB-HMM drug pairs can affect the progression of liver fibrosis through multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways, and treat liver fibrosis possibly through anti-inflammatory and affecting cell apoptosis.
Suppressing Tymovirus replication in plants using a variant of ubiquitin
Authors: De Silva Anuradha , Kim Kihun , Weiland John , Hwang Jihyun , Chung Jacky , Pereira Higor S. , Patel Trushar R. , Teyra Joan , Patel Ankoor , Mira Mohammed M. , Khajehpour Mazdak , Bolton Melvin , Stasolla Claudio , Sidhu Sachdev S. , Mark Brian L.
Published: January 2025

RNA viruses have evolved numerous strategies to overcome host resistance and immunity, including the use of multifunctional proteases that not only cleave viral polyproteins during virus replication but also deubiquitinate cellular proteins to suppress ubiquitin (Ub)-mediated antiviral mechanisms. Here, we report an approach to attenuate the infection of Arabidopsis thaliana by Turnip Yellow Mosaic Virus (TYMV) by suppressing the polyprotein cleavage and deubiquitination activities of the TYMV protease (PRO). Performing selections using a library of phage-displayed Ub variants (UbVs) for binding to recombinant PRO yielded several UbVs that bound the viral protease with nanomolar affinities and blocked its function. The strongest binding UbV (UbV3) candidate had a EC50 of 0.3 nM and inhibited both polyprotein cleavage and DUB activity of PRO in vitro. X-ray crystal structures of UbV3 alone and in complex with PRO reveal that the inhibitor exists as a dimer that binds two copies of PRO. Consistent with our biochemical and structural findings, transgenic expression of UbV3 in the cytosol of A. thaliana suppressed TYMV replication in planta, with the reduction in viral load being correlated to UbV3 expression level. Our results demonstrate the potential of using UbVs to protect plants from tymovirus infection, a family of viruses that contain numerous members of significant agricultural concern, as well as other plant viruses that express functionally related proteases with deubiquitinating activity.
Beyond the Pandemic: Commonwealth Trade and Investment Prospects
Authors: Vickers Brendan , Ali Salamat , Balchin Neil , Zhuawu Collin , Powell Kimonique , Singh Shreyansh
Published: January 2025

By June 2022, it will be nearly two and a half years since the outbreak of COVID-19. The impact of the pandemic on global trade and investment flows, including among the Commonwealth’s 54 member countries, is now becoming clearer. The trade collapse in 2020 was deeper than previously estimated (Commonwealth Secretariat, 2021). Collectively, Commonwealth countries’ exports fell by US$475 billion compared to 2019 and included an almost $100 billion drop in intra-Commonwealth trade. This was the result of economic recession in several major markets and severe disruptions to production and supply chains. Global trade rebounded in 2021 as many developed countries started to reopen their economies, facilitated by national vaccination efforts and stimulus spending. However, most developing and low-income countries lack equitable and affordable access to vaccines and other vital medical supplies, delaying recovery efforts.
Reigniting Old Flames: The Liberalisation of Trade in Environmental Goods and Services
Authors: Zhuawu Collin , Powell Kimonique
Published: January 2025

This study traces the evolution of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on liberalising trade in Environmental Goods and Services (EGS). It explores the challenges and opportunities faced by Commonwealth small states and countries in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) in participating in EGS discussions. Small states and SSA countries have been primarily absent from the multilateral discussions on EGS for reasons that include insufficient trade-related interests in environmental goods. Notwithstanding, these countries should partake in these discussions especially amid the changing economic and trading landscape of the 21st century and concomitant changes in the environment. International trade is not as it was in 2001 when these negotiations began and likewise environmental concerns like climate change now pose an existential threat to mankind. The study begins by mapping the progression of the EGS negotiations at the WTO including attempts at establishing a plurilateral environment goods agreement. Thereafter, the paper analyses the trade-related interests of Commonwealth small states and SSA countries in EGS. The challenges and opportunities they face in participating in negotiations on liberalising trade in EGS are then highlighted. The paper concludes by identifying the priorities that these countries might consider should they decide to participate in the WTO EGS discussions.
Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism
Authors: Secretariat Commonwealth
Published: January 2025

The capacity-building workshop on Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism, on which this Practitioners’ Guide is based, came at the right time for the Governing Board, Regional Peace Councils, Regional Executive Secretaries and Management of the Head Office of the National Peace Council, considering the threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel and in other neighbouring countries.

Even though Ghana has consistently been celebrated as a stable democracy, growing fears of the spread of extremist groups across the sub-region — given the porous borders — have heightened discourse within security circles in the country. There are also notable domestic threats that provide fertile grounds for violent extremist actions, including chieftaincy and ethnic clashes, farmer-herder conflicts, violent demonstrations, armed robberies, the proliferation of arms, drug trafficking, political polarisation, vigilante groups, kidnappings and violent communication through the media.