bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Seed Priming With Cucurbitacin Phytonematicides Against Meloidogyne incognita on Pea
Authors: Mashela Phatu William , Pofu Kgabo Martha , Bopape-Mabapa Moshibudi Paulina
Published: June 2022

The cost and environment concerns of existing drench-application technologies of cucurbitacin phytonematicides resulted in conceptualization of the priming-and-drying (PAD) technology of seeds with hypogeal germination. The preliminary observations suggested that the PAD technology improved seed germination, plant growth, and vigor in pea (Pisum sativa), with limited information on suppression of root-knot (Meloidogyne species) nematodes. Post-soaking pea seeds in geometric concentrations of Nemarioc-AL and Nemafric-BL phytonematicides, seedlings were raised in greenhouse and on microplot experiments during 2019 and validated in 2020. At 60 days after inoculation with 300 eggs + second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. incognita seasonal data were pooled. Gall rating, eggs in root, and J2 in root vs. Nemarioc-AL phyto nematicide in greenhouse and on microplot exhibited negative quadratic relations, with models explained by 80–85% and 89–94% associations, respectively. Similarly, for the respective sites negative quadratic models for nematode variables vs. Nemafric-BL phytonematicide were explained by 82–93% and 90–94% associations, respectively. In conclusion, pea seed remnants belowground gradually released cucurbitacins into the rhizosphere throughout the growing period, thereby suppressing nematode population densities, and therefore, the PAD technology has the potential for assessment in a large-scale application of cucurbitacin phytonematicides for pea production.
Zika a Vector Borne Disease Detected in Newer States of India Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Yadav Pragya D. , Kaur Harmanmeet , Gupta Nivedita , Sahay Rima R. , Sapkal Gajanan N. , Shete Anita M. , Deshpande Gururaj R. , Mohandas Sreelekshmy , Majumdar Triparna , Patil Savita , Pandit Priyanka , Kumar Abhinendra , Nyayanit Dimpal A. , Sreelatha K. H. , Manjusree S. , Sami Hiba , Khan Haris Mazoor , Malhotra Anuradha , Dhingra Kanwardeep , Gadepalli Ravisekhar , Sudha Rani V. , Singh Manoj Kumar , Joshi Yash , Dudhmal Manisha , Duggal Nandini , Chabbra Mala , Dar Lalit , Gawande Pranita , Yemul Jyoti , Kalele Kaumudi , Arjun Rajalakshmi , Nagamani K. , Borkakoty Biswa , Sahoo Ganesh , Praharaj Ira , Dutta Shanta , Barde Pradip , Jaryal S. C. , Rawat Vinita
Published: June 2022

Background

During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, outbreaks of Zika were reported from Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, India in 2021. The Dengue and Chikungunya negative samples were retrospectively screened to determine the presence of the Zika virus from different geographical regions of India.

Methods

During May to October 2021, the clinical samples of 1475 patients, across 13 states and a union territory of India were screened and re-tested for Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika by CDC Trioplex Real time RT-PCR. The Zika rRTPCR positive samples were further screened with anti-Zika IgM and Plaque Reduction Neutralization Test. Next generation sequencing was used for further molecular characterization.

Results

The positivity was observed for Zika (67), Dengue (121), and Chikungunya (10) amongst screened cases. The co-infections of Dengue/Chikungunya, Dengue/Zika, and Dengue/Chikungunya/Zika were also observed. All Zika cases were symptomatic with fever (84%) and rash (78%) as major presenting symptoms. Of them, four patients had respiratory distress, one presented with seizures, and one with suspected microcephaly at birth. The Asian Lineage of Zika and all four serotypes of Dengue were found in circulation.

Conclusion

Our study indicates the spread of the Zika virus to several states of India and an urgent need to strengthen its surveillance.
Effect of Bacillus sp. Supplementation Diet on Survival Rate and Microbiota Composition in Artificially Produced Eel Larvae (Anguilla japonica)
Authors: Jang Won Je , Kim Shin-Kwon , Lee Su-Jeong , Kim Haham , Ryu Yong-Woon , Shin Min Gyu , Lee Jong Min , Lee Kyung-Bon , Lee Eun-Woo
Published: June 2022

This study was performed to investigate the effect of microbial supplementation diet on the survival rate and microbiota composition of artificially produced eel larvae. Microorganisms supplemented in the diet were isolated from wild glass eel intestines and identified as Bacillus sp. through 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. In vitro tests confirmed that the strain had no hemolytic activity and virulence genes. Microbial supplemental feeding significantly increased the survival rate of artificially produced eel larvae for 30 days post-hatchling compared with that of the control group. It also caused changes in the α-diversity, β-diversity, and relative abundance of the bacterial communities. Analysis via phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states predicted that these microbial community changes would significantly increase the carbohydrate metabolism, membrane transport, and cellular community pathway of the microbial supplementation group. Therefore, microbial supplementation feeding for eel aquaculture could increase the viability of artificially produced eel larvae and alter the microbial composition to induce metabolic changes.
Lipid Biomarkers From Microbial Mats on the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica: Signatures for Life in the Cryosphere
Authors: Evans Thomas W. , Kalambokidis Maria J. , Jungblut Anne D. , Millar Jasmin L. , Bauersachs Thorsten , Grotheer Hendrik , Mackey Tyler J. , Hawes Ian , Summons Roger E.
Published: June 2022

Persistent cold temperatures, a paucity of nutrients, freeze-thaw cycles, and the strongly seasonal light regime make Antarctica one of Earth’s least hospitable surface environments for complex life. Cyanobacteria, however, are well-adapted to such conditions and are often the dominant primary producers in Antarctic inland water environments. In particular, the network of meltwater ponds on the ‘dirty ice’ of the McMurdo Ice Shelf is an ecosystem with extensive cyanobacteria-dominated microbial mat accumulations. This study investigated intact polar lipids (IPLs), heterocyte glycolipids (HGs), and bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) in combination with 16S and 18S rRNA gene diversity in microbial mats of twelve ponds in this unique polar ecosystem. To constrain the effects of nutrient availability, temperature and freeze-thaw cycles on the lipid membrane composition, lipids were compared to stromatolite-forming cyanobacterial mats from ice-covered lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys as well as from (sub)tropical regions and hot springs. The 16S rRNA gene compositions of the McMurdo Ice Shelf mats confirm the dominance of Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria while the 18S rRNA gene composition indicates the presence of Ochrophyta, Chlorophyta, Ciliophora, and other microfauna. IPL analyses revealed a predominantly bacterial community in the meltwater ponds, with archaeal lipids being barely detectable. IPLs are dominated by glycolipids and phospholipids, followed by aminolipids. The high abundance of sugar-bound lipids accords with a predominance of cyanobacterial primary producers. The phosphate-limited samples from the (sub)tropical, hot spring, and Lake Vanda sites revealed a higher abundance of aminolipids compared to those of the nitrogen-limited meltwater ponds, affirming the direct affects that N and P availability have on IPL compositions. The high abundance of polyunsaturated IPLs in the Antarctic microbial mats suggests that these lipids provide an important mechanism to maintain membrane fluidity in cold environments. High abundances of HG keto-ols and HG keto-diols, produced by heterocytous cyanobacteria, further support these findings and reveal a unique distribution compared to those from warmer climates.
MPC-STANet: Alzheimer’s Disease Recognition Method Based on Multiple Phantom Convolution and Spatial Transformation Attention Mechanism
Authors: Liu Yujian , Tang Kun , Cai Weiwei , Chen Aibin , Zhou Guoxiong , Li Liujun , Liu Runmin
Published: June 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with insidious and irreversible onset. The recognition of the disease stage of AD and the administration of effective interventional treatment are important to slow down and control the progression of the disease. However, due to the unbalanced distribution of the acquired data volume, the problem that the features change inconspicuously in different disease stages of AD, and the scattered and narrow areas of the feature areas (hippocampal region, medial temporal lobe, etc.), the effective recognition of AD remains a critical unmet need. Therefore, we first employ class-balancing operation using data expansion and Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) to avoid the AD MRI dataset being affected by classification imbalance in the training. Subsequently, a recognition network based on Multi-Phantom Convolution (MPC) and Space Conversion Attention Mechanism (MPC-STANet) with ResNet50 as the backbone network is proposed for the recognition of the disease stages of AD. In this study, we propose a Multi-Phantom Convolution in the way of convolution according to the channel direction and integrate it with the average pooling layer into two basic blocks of ResNet50: Conv Block and Identity Block to propose the Multi-Phantom Residual Block (MPRB) including Multi-Conv Block and Multi-Identity Block to better recognize the scattered and tiny disease features of Alzheimer’s disease. Meanwhile, the weight coefficients are extracted from both vertical and horizontal directions using the Space Conversion Attention Mechanism (SCAM) to better recognize subtle structural changes in the AD MRI images. The experimental results show that our proposed method achieves an average recognition accuracy of 96.25%, F1 score of 95%, and mAP of 93%, and the number of parameters is only 1.69 M more than ResNet50.
The Brain in Oral Clefting: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
Authors: Sándor-Bajusz Kinga A. , Sadi Asaad , Varga Eszter , Csábi Györgyi , Antonoglou Georgios N. , Lohner Szimonetta
Published: June 2022

Background

Neuroimaging of individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts have revealed subtle brain structural differences compared to matched controls. Previous studies strongly suggest a unified primary dysfunction of normal brain and face development which could explain these neuroanatomical differences and the neuropsychiatric issues frequently observed in these individuals. Currently there are no studies that have assessed the overall empirical evidence of the association between oral clefts and brain structure. Our aim was to summarize the available evidence on potential brain structural differences in individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts and their matched controls.

Methods

MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science and Embase were systematically searched in September 2020 for case-control studies that reported structural brain MRI in individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts and healthy controls. Studies of syndromic oral clefts were excluded. Two review authors independently screened studies for eligibility, extracted data and assessed risk of bias with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random effects meta-analyses of mean differences (MDs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were performed in order to compare global and regional brain MRI volumes.

Results

Ten studies from 18 records were included in the review. A total of 741 participants were analyzed. A moderate to high risk of bias was determined for the included studies. The cerebellum (MD: −12.46 cm3, 95% CI: −18.26, −6.67, n = 3 studies, 354 participants), occipital lobes (MD: −7.39, 95% CI: −12.80, −1.99, n = 2 studies, 120 participants), temporal lobes (MD: −10.53 cm3, 95% CI: −18.23, −2.82, n = 2 studies, 120 participants) and total gray matter (MD: −41.14 cm3; 95% CI: −57.36 to −24.92, n = 2 studies, 172 participants) were significantly smaller in the cleft group compared to controls.

Discussion

There may be structural brain differences between individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts and controls based on the available evidence. Improvement in study design, size, methodology and participant selection could allow a more thorough analysis and decrease study heterogeneity.
Learning Models for Traumatic Brain Injury Mortality Prediction on Pediatric Electronic Health Records
Authors: Fonseca João , Liu Xiuyun , Oliveira Hélder P. , Pereira Tania
Published: June 2022

Background

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of injury related mortality in the world, with severe cases reaching mortality rates of 30-40%. It is highly heterogeneous both in causes and consequences, complicating medical interpretation and prognosis. Gathering clinical, demographic, and laboratory data to perform a prognosis requires time and skill in several clinical specialties. Machine learning (ML) methods can take advantage of the data and guide physicians toward a better prognosis and, consequently, better healthcare. The objective of this study was to develop and test a wide range of machine learning models and evaluate their capability of predicting mortality of TBI, at hospital discharge, while assessing the similarity between the predictive value of the data and clinical significance.

Methods

The used dataset is the Hackathon Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (HPTBI) dataset, composed of electronic health records containing clinical annotations and demographic data of 300 patients. Four different classification models were tested, either with or without feature selection. For each combination of the classification model and feature selection method, the area under the receiver operator curve (ROC-AUC), balanced accuracy, precision, and recall were calculated.

Results

Methods based on decision trees perform better when using all features (Random Forest, AUC = 0.86 and XGBoost, AUC = 0.91) but other models require prior feature selection to obtain the best results (k-Nearest Neighbors, AUC = 0.90 and Artificial Neural Networks, AUC = 0.84). Additionally, Random Forest and XGBoost allow assessing the feature's importance, which could give insights for future strategies on the clinical routine.

Conclusion

Predictive capability depends greatly on the combination of model and feature selection methods used but, overall, ML models showed a very good performance in mortality prediction for TBI. The feature importance results indicate that predictive value is not directly related to clinical significance.
Case Report: Resting-State Brain-Networks After Near-Complete Hemispherectomy in Adulthood
Authors: Fisher Patrick M. , Albrechtsen Simon S. , Nersesjan Vardan , Amiri Moshgan , Kondziella Daniel
Published: June 2022

Objectives

Understanding the dynamics of reorganized network-level brain functions after hemispherectomy is important for treatment, prognostication, and rehabilitation of brain injury, but also for investigating questions of fundamental neurobehavioral interest: How does the brain promote consciousness despite loss of one hemisphere?

Methods

We studied resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) in a high-functioning middle-aged man 6 years after functional hemispherectomy following malignant middle cerebral artery infarction, and we compared results to RSFC in 20 healthy controls.

Results

Our analysis indicates increased between-network connectivity for all seven networks examined in the patient's preserved hemisphere, compared to healthy controls, suggesting a shift toward increased between-network connectivity following near-complete loss of one hemisphere during adulthood.

Conclusions

These data corroborate and extend recent findings of increased between-network connectivity in the remaining hemisphere after surgical hemispherectomy for intractable epilepsy during childhood. Our results support a neuroplasticity model with reorganization of distributed brain connectivity within the preserved hemisphere as part of the road to recovery after brain injury, as well as recovery of consciousness and cognitive functions, after hemispherectomy.
A New Application of Functional Zonal Image Reconstruction in Programming for Parkinson's Disease Treated Using Subthalamic Nucleus–Deep Brain Stimulation
Authors: Mei Jiaming , Chang Bowen , Xiong Chi , Jiang Manli , Niu Chaoshi
Published: June 2022

Objective:

Programming plays an important role in the outcome of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD). This study introduced a new application for functional zonal image reconstruction in programming.

Methods

Follow-up outcomes were retrospectively compared, including first programming time, number of discomfort episodes during programming, and total number of programming sessions between patients who underwent image-reconstruction-guided programming and those who underwent conventional programming. Data from 142 PD patients who underwent subthalamic nucleus (STN)-DBS between January 2017 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 75 conventional programs and 67 image reconstruction-guided programs.

Results

At 1-year follow-up, there was no significant difference in the rate of stimulus improvement or superposition improvement between the two groups. However, patients who underwent image reconstruction-guided programming were significantly better at the first programming time, number of discomfort episodes during programming, and total number of programming sessions than those who underwent conventional programming.

Conclusion

Imaging-guided programming of directional DBS leads was possible and led to reduced programming time and reduced patient side effects compared with conventional programming.
Milk: A Scientific Model for Diet and Health Research in the 21st Century
Authors: German J. Bruce , Lebrilla Carlito , Mills David A.
Published: June 2022

The origin of lactation and the composition, structures and functions of milk's biopolymers highlight the Darwinian pressure on lactation as a complete, nourishing and protective diet. Lactation, under the driving pressure to be a sustainable bioreactor, was under selection pressure of its biopolymers with diverse functions acting from the mammary gland through the digestive system of the infant. For example, milk is extensively glycosylated and the glycan structures and their functions are now emerging. Milk contains free oligosaccharides; complex polymers of sugars whose stereospecific linkages are not matched by glycosidic enzymes within the mammalian infant gut. These glycan polymers reach the lower intestine undigested. In this microbe-rich environment, bacteria compete to release and ferment the sugars via different hydrolytic strategies. One specific type of bacteria, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, (B. infantis) is uniquely equipped with a repertoire of genes encoding enzymes capable of taking up, hydrolyzing and metabolizing the complex glycans of human milk. This combination of a distinct food supply and unique genetic capability shapes the composition and metabolic products of the entire microbial community within the lower intestine of breast fed infants. The intestinal microbiome dominated by B. infantis, shields the infant from the growth of gram negative enteropathogens and their endotoxins as a clear health benefit. The world is facing unprecedented challenges to produce a food supply that is both nourishing, safe and sustainable. Scientists need to guide the future of agriculture and food in response to these 21st century challenges. Lactation provides an inspiring model of what that future research strategy could be.
Impact of Interfractional Error on Dosiomic Features
Authors: Puttanawarut Chanon , Sirirutbunkajorn Nat , Tawong Narisara , Khachonkham Suphalak , Pattaranutaporn Poompis , Wongsawat Yodchanan
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the stability of dosiomic features under random interfractional error. We investigated the differences in the values of features with different fractions and the error in the values of dosiomic features under interfractional error.

Material and Methods

The isocenters of the treatment plans of 15 lung cancer patients were translated by a maximum of ±3 mm in each axis with a mean of (0, 0, 0) and a standard deviation of (1.2, 1.2, 1.2) mm in the x, y, and z directions for each fraction. A total of 81 dose distributions for each patient were then calculated considering four fraction number groups (2, 10, 20, and 30). A total of 93 dosiomic features were extracted from each dose distribution in four different regions of interest (ROIs): gross tumor volume (GTV), planning target volume (PTV), heart, and both lungs. The stability of dosiomic features was analyzed for each fraction number group by the coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The agreements in the means of dosiomic features among the four fraction number groups were tested by ICC. The percent differences (PD) between the dosiomic features extracted from the original dose distribution and the dosiomic features extracted from the dose distribution with interfractional error were calculated.

Results

Eleven out of 93 dosiomic features demonstrated a large CV (CV ≥ 20%). Overall CV values were highest in GTV ROIs and lowest in lung ROIs. The stability of dosiomic features decreased as the total number of fractions decreased. The ICC results showed that five out of 93 dosiomic features had an ICC lower than 0.75, which indicates intermediate or poor stability under interfractional error. The mean dosiomic feature values were shown to be consistent with different numbers of fractions (ICC ≥ 0.9). Some of the dosiomic features had PD greater than 50% and showed different PD values with different numbers of fractions.

Conclusion

Some dosiomic features have low stability under interfractional error. The stability and values of the dosiomic features were affected by the total number of fractions. The effect of interfractional error on dosiomic features should be considered in further studies regarding dosiomics for reproducible results.
Circulating Tumor DNA Testing Supports Rapid Therapeutic Decision-Making in Metastatic Melanoma: A Case Report
Authors: Behera Tapas Ranjan , Song Jung Min , Ko Jennifer , Eicher Donald , Arbesman Joshua , Gastman Brian , Farkas Daniel H. , Funchain Pauline
Published: June 2022

Treatment of metastatic melanoma includes the option of targeted therapy in patients with driver BRAF mutations. BRAF-MEK inhibitor drugs improve survival in the approximately 50% of patients with melanoma that harbor BRAF mutations. As BRAF mutation detection in tissue often takes days to weeks, it is not always possible or timely to obtain BRAF status in tissue using immunohistochemistry or next generation sequencing. Plasma-derived circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a potential alternative analyte in such treatment settings. We present a case of metastatic melanoma that was treated in an emergent setting using therapy supported by rapid PCR-based detection of ctDNA positive for a BRAF V600 mutation. In this rapidly deteriorating 53-year-old male with diffuse melanoma metastases and unknown BRAF mutation status requiring hospital admission, a plasma-based BRAF mutation detection supported treatment with targeted therapy, dabrafenib and trametinib. Same-day initiation of therapy resulted in swift amelioration allowing discharge within a week, followed by substantial clinical improvement over the following weeks. In cases requiring urgent clinical decision making, a plasma-based, near point-of-care detection system is useful in supporting targeted therapy decisions without the need for invasive and time-consuming biopsy.
Molecular Aberrations Stratify Grade 2 Astrocytomas Into Several Rare Entities: Prognostic and Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Internò Valeria , Triggiano Giacomo , De Santis Pierluigi , Stucci Luigia Stefania , Tucci Marco , Porta Camillo
Published: June 2022

The identification of specific molecular aberrations guides the prognostic stratification and management of grade 2 astrocytomas. Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 and 2, found in the majority of adult diffuse low-grade glioma (DLGG), seem to relate to a favorable prognosis compared to IDH wild-type (IDH-wt) counterparts. Moreover, the IDH-wt group can develop additional molecular alterations worsening the prognosis, such as epidermal growth factor receptor amplification (EGFR-amp) and mutation of the promoter of telomerase reverse transcriptase (pTERT-mut). This review analyzes the prognostic impact and therapeutic implications of genetic alterations in adult LGG.
Emerging Proteins in CRPC: Functional Roles and Clinical Implications
Authors: Kong Piaoping , Zhang Lingyu , Zhang Zhengliang , Feng Kangle , Sang Yiwen , Duan Xiuzhi , Liu Chunhua , Sun Tao , Tao Zhihua , Liu Weiwei
Published: June 2022

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men in the western world, but the lack of specific and sensitive markers often leads to overtreatment of prostate cancer which eventually develops into castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Novel protein markers for diagnosis and management of CRPC will be promising. In this review, we systematically summarize and discuss the expression pattern of emerging proteins in tissue, cell lines, and serum when castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC) progresses to CRPC; focus on the proteins involved in CRPC growth, invasion, metastasis, metabolism, and immune microenvironment; summarize the current understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of emerging proteins in CSPC progressed to CRPC at the molecular level; and finally summarize the clinical applications of emerging proteins as diagnostic marker, prognostic marker, predictive marker, and therapeutic marker.
Characteristics of Pyroptosis-Related Subtypes and Novel Scoring Tool for the Prognosis and Chemotherapy Response in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Pan Jingjing , Jiang Yinyan , Li Changhong , Jin Ting , Yu Kang , Jin Zhenlin
Published: June 2022

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is usually associated with poor prognosis and low complete remission (CR) rate due to individual biological heterogeneity. Pyroptosis is a special form of inflammatory programmed cell death related to the progression, treatment response, and prognosis of multiple tumors. However, the potential connection of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) and AML still remains unclear. We described the genetic and transcriptional alterations of PRGs in 151 AML samples and presented a consensus clustering of these patients into two subtypes with distinct immunological and prognostic characteristics. Cluster A, associated with better prognosis, was characterized by relatively lower PRG expression, activated immune cells, higher immune scores in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and downregulation of immunotherapy checkpoints. Subsequently, a PRG score was constructed to predict overall survival (OS) of AML patients by using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, and its immunological characteristics and predictive capability were further validated by 1,054 AML samples in external datasets. Besides an immune-activated status, low-PRG score cohorts exhibited higher chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity and significant positive correlation with the cancer stem cell (CSC) index. Combined with age, clinical French-American-British (FAB) subtypes, and PRG score, we successfully constructed a nomogram to effectively predict the 1-/3-/5-year survival rate of AML patients, and the predictive capability was further validated in multiple external datasets with a high area under the curve (AUC) value. The various transcriptomic analysis helps us screen significant pyroptosis-related signatures of AML and provide a new clinical application of PRG scores in predicting the prognosis and benefits of treatment for AML patients.
The Influence of Physical Exercise on Adolescent Personality Traits: The Mediating Role of Peer Relationship and the Moderating Role of Parent–Child Relationship
Authors: Liao Yi , Cheng Xiaoyu , Chen Wei , Peng Xiaowei
Published: June 2022

Adolescence is the critical period of the formation for individual personality traits, which would be influenced by numerous factors such as the internal and external environment. In view of physical exercise as an important factor affecting the healthy development of adolescents, whether it would play an important role in the formation of adolescents’ personality traits and how it would work deserve further investigation. Based on the Ecological Systems Theory, this study has explored the relationship between physical exercise and adolescents’ personality traits, as well as the mediating effect of peer relationship and the moderating effect of parent–child relationship using 9,284 data samples. The regression results show that physical exercise has a significant positive impact on the development of personality traits such as neuroticism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. Peer relationships exert the mediating effect between physical exercise and adolescents’ personality traits. However, parent–child relationship only moderates the effect of physical exercise on conscientiousness and agreeableness.
Classification of Mindfulness Meditation and Its Impact on Neural Measures in the Clinical Population
Authors: Ngan Sze Ting Joanna , Cheng Pak Wing Calvin
Published: June 2022

Different forms of mindfulness meditation are increasingly integrated in the clinical practice in the last three decades. Previous studies have identified changes in the neurophysiology and neurochemistry of the brain resulting from different mindfulness meditation practices in the general population. However, research on neural correlates of different types of meditation, particularly on the clinical outcomes, is still very sparse. Therefore, the aim of this article is to review the neural impact of mindfulness meditation interventions on different mental disorders via the classification of main components of mindfulness meditation. The clearer classification of mindfulness meditation may inform future clinical practice and research directions.
Founders’ Creativity, Business Model Innovation, and Business Growth
Authors: Li Yang , Li Beiwei , Lu Tianhao
Published: June 2022

Given the existing studies on the role of different founders’ personalities in the growth of new ventures, we take the digital technology start-ups as the research object and focus on the role of founders’ creativity. In this study, we assess the relationship between founders’ creativity and business growth. According to the framework of upper echelons theory, we propose several hypotheses. Based on the investigation of 153 new ventures in China’s transition economy, we find that: (1) founders’ creativity has a positive impact on the growth of enterprises; (2) business model innovation positively mediates the relationship between founders’ creativity and enterprise growth; (3) work experience is found to be a moderator of the relationship between founders’ creativity and business model innovation. The conclusion of our analysis not only helps to further deepen the research on the growth process of start-ups but also helps to further expand the important role of business model innovation and founders’ work experience in the growth of new firms.
Distinct Patterns of University Students Study Crafting and the Relationships to Exhaustion, Well-Being, and Engagement
Authors: Mülder Lina Marie , Schimek Sonja , Werner Antonia Maria , Reichel Jennifer L. , Heller Sebastian , Tibubos Ana Nanette , Schäfer Markus , Dietz Pavel , Letzel Stephan , Beutel Manfred E. , Stark Birgit , Simon Perikles , Rigotti Thomas
Published: June 2022

Job crafting has been established as a bottom-up work design instrument for promoting health and well-being in the workplace. In recent years, the concepts of job crafting have been applied to the university student context, proving to be positively related to student well-being. Building on person-centered analyses from the employment context, we assessed approach study crafting strategy combinations and the relationships to students’ exhaustion, study engagement, and general well-being. Data from 2,882 German university students were examined, collected online during the summer term in 2020. Using latent profile analysis, we found five distinct crafting groups, which showed discriminate validity with regard to emotional exhaustion, engagement, and well-being. The results underscore the positive role of study crafting for students’ health and well-being. They further indicate a less important role of increasing social resources for emotional exhaustion when combined with a moderate increase in structural resources and a moderate increase in challenging demands. Our findings imply that interventions to promote study crafting should be considered to promote student health and well-being.
The Effects of Combined Verbal Encouragement and Technical Instruction on Technical Skills and Psychophysiological Responses During Small-Sided Handball Games Exercise in Physical Education
Authors: Sahli Feten , Hammami Raouf , Sahli Hajer , Jebabli Nidhal , Selmi Walid , Zghibi Makrem , Tillaar Roland van den
Published: June 2022

To examine the effects of combined positive verbal encouragement and general technical guidelines on technical and psychophysiological parameters in pupils during a small-sided handball passing game. Twenty secondary school pupils (age, 16 ± 1 years; body mass, 55.3 ± 6.6 kg; body height, 1.77 ± 0.13 m; BMI, 22.6 ± 2.2 kg m−1) performed small-sided games (2 × 10 min) with three conditions: small-sided game (1) with combined verbal encouragement and technical instruction; (2) with technical instruction; (3) without any instruction (control) in which the passes for each pupil in each set was measured together with the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and feeling mood after the first and second set. Results: A two-way analysis of variance demonstrated that the combined condition resulted in more passes compared to the technical instruction and control conditions, while the number of passes increased in set 2 for all conditions. RPE and the feeling mood were also differently between the conditions. Combined verbal encouragement and technical instruction during handball exercise were more beneficial for optimal passing numbers, positive mood with less perception of physical effort compared to only technical instruction and a control condition. The results evidenced positive acute effects of combined verbal encouragement and technical instruction during handball, indicating the usefulness of these training methods for optimal passing numbers, positive mood with less perception of physical effort in physical education pupils. Future studies should evaluate the applicability combined verbal encouragement and technical skills in the training of other conditioning capacities and the individual responsiveness of players toward verbal encouragement tasks.
Chinese EFL Students’ Social-Emotional Competence, Grit, and Academic Engagement
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Mao Lizhi , Li Nanshu , Gu Xiaoye
Published: June 2022

Regarding the constructive function of students’ academic engagement in learning a foreign language, understanding the individuals’ intrapersonal characteristics effective on engagement has gained attention. To keep up with this line of research, the present study tried to probe the contribution of grit and social-emotional competence to Chinese EFL learners’ academic engagement. To do this, 493 Chinese EFL students, including both males and females, were selected conveniently to participate in the study. For collecting data, a Likert scale questionnaire entailing three items on grit, social-emotional competence, and academic engagement was administered online. Spearman Rho correlation index and multiple regression analysis along with ANOVA were employed to analyze data. The findings revealed a positive and direct relationship between Chines EFL students’ grit, social-emotional competence, and academic engagement. Furthermore, the results showed that compared to social-emotional competence, EFL students’ grit can predict more powerfully academic engagement. The implications of the findings are considered in the present study.
The Personality Traits and P300 of Offspring of Parents With Alcohol Dependence Differ Depending on Current Risky Drinking: A Preliminary Case-Control Study
Authors: Qiu Yujia , Wang Jing , Zhang Ying , Wu Tingfang , Li Bing , Yu Xin
Published: June 2022

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the personality traits, and P300 component in the offspring of parents with alcohol dependence (OPAD) currently engaged in risky drinking and those not engaged in risky drinking, and to further explore the correlates of problematic alcohol use.

Methods

A case-control study was conducted according to the cutoff of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). The frequency of the TaqIA polymorphism of the dopamine receptor D2 gene associated with alcohol dependence was compared between the two OPAD groups. Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), The Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), and the MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) were measured or interviewed in OPAD not engaged in risky drinking (resilient; n = 35) and those currently engaged in risky drinking (vulnerable; n = 20). P300 was measured to test the possible electrophysiological differences. The correlates of alcohol use were analyzed.

Results

Vulnerable OPAD showed higher novelty seeking subscale scores (NS4; 4.45 ± 2.012 vs. 3.31 ± 1.728, P < 0.05) and harm avoidance subscale scores (HA4; 5.3 ± 2.319 vs. 3.66 ± 2.461, P < 0.05) than resilient OPAD, while the total scores of each dimension showed no significant difference. OPAD engaged in risky drinking showed more tobacco use than OPAD resistant to risky drinking. OPAD with risky drinking showed a shorter P300 latency than resilient OPAD on Fz electrodes. AUDIT scores of OPAD were correlated with P300 latency.

Conclusions

P300 differed between OPAD with and without risky drinking and alcohol use was associated with P300 latency, indicating that P300 may be used in the early detection of vulnerable OPAD and early intervention in the future.
The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on the Social Participation of Immunocompromised Persons – Results of a Multicenter Observational Study
Authors: Heesen Gloria , Schröder Dominik , Müller Frank , Hummers Eva , Klawonn Frank , Mikuteit Marie , Niewolik Jacqueline , Steffens Sandra , Cossmann Anne , Behrens Georg , Dopfer-Jablonka Alexandra , Heinemann Stephanie
Published: June 2022

Immunocompromised persons are at an increased risk for a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and their safety behaviors may influence their social participation. Vaccinated persons have a lower incidence of infection and severe disease when infected compared to non-vaccinated persons. Therefore, their behavior may change and their social participation may increase after a complete vaccination. The aim of this study was to explore social participation of immunocompromised persons before and after complete COVID-19 vaccination. Between March and September 2021, 274 immunocompromised participants were recruited. Survey data were collected at baseline and follow-up from 194 participants including the Index for the Assessment of Health Impairments [IMET], Patient Health Questionnaire-4 [PHQ-4], subjective health status and quality of life. At baseline, participants were not yet completely vaccinated. Complete vaccination was achieved prior to the follow-up questionnaire. IMET scores decreased significantly at follow-up, indicating a higher social participation after complete vaccination. PHQ-4, subjective health status and quality of life did not differ between baseline and follow-up. There were no significant differences across sociodemographic factors. Significant PHQ-4 differences were observed regarding the population size of the participants' home community. Social participation of immunocompromised persons in our study increased after COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, social participation should be explored further, especially with regards to the impact of vaccination on groups with a high health risk.
Effects of Kindergarten, Family Environment, and Physical Activity on Children's Physical Fitness
Authors: Huang Wenyan , Luo Jiong , Chen Yanmei
Published: June 2022

To explore the relationship between kindergarten environmental factors, children's physical activity, and physical fitness, this study uses the stratified random sampling method to obtain 4,600 children in relevant kindergartens. The questionnaire survey and children's physical fitness test were completed with the help of parents and kindergarten staff. The exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analysis is used to process the obtained database and set the significance level of all indicators α = 0.05. The results show that kindergarten environmental factors significantly affect children's physical activity and healthy physical fitness. Children with large play areas in these kindergartens, more sports equipment items, who participate in more than three games per week, of no <40 min of each class, with an appropriate number of classes, and excellent teachers' teaching ability have better physical fitness. Family environmental factors significantly affect children's physical activity and fitness. Children with more family sports equipment items, more peers living nearby, safer playing places, more hands and feet, and parents who are good at sports have better performance in health fitness. Children's physical activity not only directly affects their performance of physical fitness, but also plays a dual intermediary role between kindergarten environment and physical fitness, family environment, and healthy physical fitness.
Awareness and Utilization of HIV Testing and Prevention Services Among Female Sex Workers in Dnipro, Ukraine: Implications for Prevention Program Strengthening From the Dynamics Study
Authors: Derksen Joel , Pavlova Daria , McClarty Leigh M. , Balakireva Olga , Herpai Nicole , Lazarus Lisa , Tennakoon Aruni , Tarasova Tatiana , Lorway Robert , Pickles Michael , Mishra Sharmistha , Shaw Souradet Y. , Becker Marissa L.
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Approximately 240,000 people live with HIV in Ukraine, concentrated among key populations, including sex workers. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in the funding and delivery of HIV testing and prevention services in Ukraine. These services are set within the context of national healthcare reforms as well as ongoing armed conflict. This study seeks to describe and understand the usage of HIV testing and prevention services among sex workers in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

Methods

A cross-sectional bio-behavioral survey was administered in September 2017-March 2018 among 560 sex workers working in Dnipro. Descriptive analyses of survey data are presented alongside multivariable logistic regression models identifying factors associated with NGO awareness and HIV testing in the past 12 months; adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) are reported.

Results

Sixty-two percent of respondents were aware of NGOs offering HIV services. Sixty-eight percent had tested for HIV in the past 12 months, and 51% of those who reported the location of their most recent test were tested at an NGO. Those with 5–9 years in sex work had greater odds of being aware of NGOs (AOR = 5.5, 95%CI: 3.2–9.7) and testing for HIV (AOR = 3.4, 95%CI: 2.0–6.0) compared to those new to the profession. Contact with outreach workers was strongly associated with increased odds of testing (AOR = 13.0, 95%CI: 7.0–24.0). Sex workers in “offices” (brothel-like venues) reported higher odds of testing than all other workplaces, while those in entertainment venues (AOR = 0.3, 95%CI: 0.2–0.5) and public places (AOR = 0.2, 95%CI: 0.1–0.3) reported lower rates. Receiving prevention services, such as free condoms, was associated with increased testing (AOR = 16.9, 95%CI: 9.7–29.3).

Discussion

NGOs in Dnipro, Ukraine play an important role in HIV testing and prevention for women involved in sex work. However, focused efforts should be placed on supporting access to these services for women that are newer to sex work, and those working in entertainment venues or public places. Outreach workers appear to support access to HIV prevention information and supplies and facilitate linkages to HIV testing for sex workers.
Contralateral Anterior Interhemispheric–Transcallosal–Transrostral Approach for the Resection of a Subcallosal Cavernous Malformation: A Case Report and an Operative Video
Authors: Costa Alves Aderaldo , Zanini Marco Antônio , Hamamoto Filho Pedro Tadao , Chaddad-Neto Feres Eduardo Aparecido
Published: June 2022

This case report demonstrates the surgical resection of a cerebral cavernous malformation located in the subcallosal region. The authors present a detailed operative video explaining the steps to successfully remove the lesion through a contralateral interhemispheric–transcallosal–transrostral approach with the patient in lateral decubitus. The surgical procedure was uneventful, and the patient had no postoperative deficits and no residual lesions in a three-month follow-up.
Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis Identifies Specific Modules and Hub Genes Related to Subacute Ruminal Acidosis
Authors: Wang Qiuju , Gao Bingnan , Yue Xueqing , Cui Yizhe , Loor Juan J. , Dai Xiaoxia , Wei Xu , Xu Chuang
Published: June 2022

Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to understand the pathogenesis of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) and identify potential genes related to the disease. Microarray data from dataset GSE143765, which included 22 cows with and nine cows without SARA, were downloaded from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Results of WGCNA identified highly correlated modules of sample genes, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses allowed further biological insights into SARA-related modules. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, modules from the PPI network, and cistron annotation enrichment of modules were also analyzed. A total of 14,590 DEGs were used for the WGCNA. Construction of a protein-protein network identified DCXR, MMP15, and MMP17 as hub genes. Functional annotation showed that DCXR mainly exhibited L-xylulose reductase (NADP+) activity, glucose metabolic process, xylulose metabolic process, and carbonyl reductase (NADPH) activity, which are involved in the pentose and glucuronate interconversion pathways. MMP15 and MMP17 mainly have a collagen catabolic process. Overall, the results of this study aid the clarification of the biological and metabolic processes associated with SARA at the molecular level. The data highlight potential mechanisms for the future development of intervention strategies to reduce or alleviate the risk of SARA.