bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical correlates of diagnostic certainty in children and youths with Autistic Disorder
Authors: Rødgaard Eya-Mist , Rodríguez-Herreros Borja , Zeribi Abderrahim , Jensen Kristian , Courchesne Valérie , Douard Elise , Gagnon David , Huguet Guillaume , Jacquemont Sebastien , Mottron Laurent
Published: April 2024

Background

Clinicians diagnosing autism rely on diagnostic criteria and instruments in combination with an implicit knowledge based on clinical expertise of the specific signs and presentations associated with the condition. This implicit knowledge influences how diagnostic criteria are interpreted, but it cannot be directly observed. Instead, insight into clinicians’ understanding of autism can be gained by investigating their diagnostic certainty. Modest correlations between the certainty of an autism diagnosis and symptom load have been previously reported. Here, we investigated the associations of diagnostic certainty with specific items of the ADOS as well as other clinical features including head circumference.

Methods

Phenotypic data from the Simons Simplex Collection was used to investigate clinical correlates of diagnostic certainty in individuals diagnosed with Autistic Disorder (n = 1511, age 4 to 18 years). Participants were stratified by the ADOS module used to evaluate them. We investigated how diagnostic certainty was associated with total ADOS scores, age, and ADOS module. We calculated the odds-ratios of being diagnosed with the highest possible certainty given the presence or absence of different signs during the ADOS evaluation. Associations between diagnostic certainty and other cognitive and clinical variables were also assessed.

Results

In each ADOS module, some items showed a larger association with diagnostic certainty than others. Head circumference was significantly higher for individuals with the highest certainty rating across all three ADOS modules. In turn, head circumference was positively correlated with some of the ADOS items that were associated with diagnostic certainty, and was negatively correlated with verbal/nonverbal IQ ratio among those assessed with ADOS module 2.

Limitations

The investigated cohort was heterogeneous, e.g. in terms of age, IQ, language level, and total ADOS score, which could impede the identification of associations that only exist in a subgroup of the population. The variability of the certainty ratings in the sample was low, limiting the power to identify potential associations with other variables. Additionally, the scoring of diagnostic certainty may vary between clinicians.

Conclusion

Some ADOS items may better capture the signs that are most associated with clinicians’ implicit knowledge of Autistic Disorder. If replicated in future studies, new diagnostic instruments with differentiated weighting of signs may be needed to better reflect this, possibly resulting in better specificity in standardized assessments.
Risks for re-hospitalization of persons with severe mental illness living in rehabilitation care settings
Authors: Nisim Uzi , Zlotnick Cheryl , Roe David , Gelkopf Marc , Shadmi Efrat
Published: April 2024

Background

The high rates of psychiatric re-hospitalizations (also termed “revolving door”) presents a “wicked problem” which requires a systematic and holistic approach to its resolution. Israel’s mental-health rehabilitation law provides a comprehensive set of services intended to support the ability of persons with severe mental illness to rely on community rather than in-patient facilities for their ongoing care needs. Guided by the Health Behavior Model, we examined the relationship between psychiatric re-hospitalizations and the three Health Behavior Model factors (predisposing factor: socio-demographic characteristics and health beliefs; enabling factor: personal and social/vocational relationships facilitated by rehabilitation interventions and services; and need factor: outcomes including symptoms, and mental health and functional status) among persons with severe mental illness receiving rehabilitation services.

Methods

Logistic regression models were used to measure the association between re-hospitalization within a year and variables comprising the three Health Behavior Model factors on the sample of consumers utilizing psychiatric services (n = 7,165). The area under the curve for the model was calculated for each factor separately and for all three factors combined.

Results

A total of 846 (11.8%) consumers were hospitalized within a year after the study began. Although multivariable analyses showed significant associations between re-hospitalization and all three Health Behavior Model factors, the magnitude of the model’s area under the curve differed: 0.61 (CI = 0.59–0.64), 0.56 (CI = 0.54–0.58), 0.78 (CI = 0.77–0.80) and 0.78 (CI = 0.76–0.80) for predisposing, enabling, need and the full three-factor Health Behavior Model, respectively.

Conclusion

Findings revealed that among the three Health Behavior Model factors, the need factor best predicted re-hospitalization. The enabling factor, comprised of personal relationships and social/vocational activities facilitated by interventions and services representing many of psychiatric rehabilitation’s key goals, had the weakest association with reduced rates of re-hospitalization. Possible explanations may be inaccurate assessments of consumers' personal relationships and social/vocational activities by the mental healthcare professionals, problematic provider-consumer communication on the consumers' involvement in social/vocational activities, or ineffective methods of facilitating consumer participation in these activities. Clearly to reduce the wicked “revolving-door” phenomenon, there is a need for targeted interventions and a review of current psychiatric rehabilitation policies to promote the comprehensive integration of community rehabilitation services by decreasing the fragmentation of care, facilitating continuity of care with other healthcare services, and utilizing effective personal reported outcomes and experiences of consumers with severe mental illness.
Desmin gene expression is not ubiquitous in all upper airway myofibers and the pattern differs between healthy and sleep apnea subjects
Authors: Stål Per , Nord Hanna , von Hofsten Jonas , Holmlund Thorbjörn , Shah Farhan
Published: April 2024

Background

Desmin is a major cytoskeletal protein considered ubiquitous in mature muscle fibers. However, we earlier reported that a subgroup of muscle fibers in the soft palate of healthy subjects and obstructive sleep apnea patients (OSA) lacked immunoexpression for desmin. This raised the question of whether these fibers also lack messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for desmin and can be considered a novel fiber phenotype. Moreover, some fibers in the OSA patients had an abnormal distribution and aggregates of desmin. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate if these desmin protein abnormalities are also reflected in the expression of desmin mRNA in an upper airway muscle of healthy subjects and OSA patients.

Methods

Muscle biopsies from the musculus uvulae in the soft palate were obtained from ten healthy male subjects and six male patients with OSA. Overnight sleep apnea registrations were done for all participants. Immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization, and reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT–qPCR) techniques were used to evaluate the presence of desmin protein and its mRNA.

Results

Our findings demonstrated that a group of muscle fibers lacked expression for desmin mRNA and desmin protein in healthy individuals and OSA patients (12.0 ± 5.6% vs. 23.1 ± 10.8%, p = 0.03). A subpopulation of these fibers displayed a weak subsarcolemmal rim of desmin accompanied by a few scattered mRNA dots in the cytoplasm. The muscles of OSA patients also differed from healthy subjects by exhibiting muscle fibers with reorganized or accumulated aggregates of desmin protein (14.5 ± 6.5%). In these abnormal fibers, the density of mRNA was generally low or concentrated in specific regions. The overall quantification of desmin mRNA by RT–qPCR was significantly upregulated in OSA patients compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Our study shows evidence that muscle fibers in the human soft palate lack both mRNA and protein for desmin. This indicates a novel cytoskeletal structure and challenges the ubiquity of desmin in muscle fibers. Moreover, the observation of reorganized or accumulated aggregates of desmin mRNA and desmin protein in OSA patients suggests a disturbance in the transcription and translation process in the fibers of the patients.
Novel insights into TCR-T cell therapy in solid neoplasms: optimizing adoptive immunotherapy
Authors: Shao Weihuan , Yao Yiran , Yang Ludi , Li Xiaoran , Ge Tongxin , Zheng Yue , Zhu Qiuyi , Ge Shengfang , Gu Xiang , Jia Renbing , Song Xin , Zhuang Ai
Published: April 2024

Adoptive immunotherapy in the T cell landscape exhibits efficacy in cancer treatment. Over the past few decades, genetically modified T cells, particularly chimeric antigen receptor T cells, have enabled remarkable strides in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Besides, extensive exploration of multiple antigens for the treatment of solid tumors has led to clinical interest in the potential of T cells expressing the engineered T cell receptor (TCR). TCR-T cells possess the capacity to recognize intracellular antigen families and maintain the intrinsic properties of TCRs in terms of affinity to target epitopes and signal transduction. Recent research has provided critical insight into their capability and therapeutic targets for multiple refractory solid tumors, but also exposes some challenges for durable efficacy. In this review, we describe the screening and identification of available tumor antigens, and the acquisition and optimization of TCRs for TCR-T cell therapy. Furthermore, we summarize the complete flow from  laboratory to clinical applications of TCR-T cells. Last, we emerge future prospects for improving therapeutic efficacy in cancer world with combination therapies or TCR-T derived products. In conclusion, this review depicts our current understanding of TCR-T cell therapy in solid neoplasms, and provides new perspectives for expanding its clinical applications and improving therapeutic efficacy.
Physiological versatility of ANME-1 and Bathyarchaeotoa-8 archaea evidenced by inverse stable isotope labeling
Authors: Yin Xiuran , Zhou Guowei , Cai Mingwei , Richter-Heitmann Tim , Zhu Qing-Zeng , Maeke Mara , Kulkarni Ajinkya C. , Nimzyk Rolf , Elvert Marcus , Friedrich Michael W.
Published: April 2024

Background

The trophic strategy is one key principle to categorize microbial lifestyles, by broadly classifying microorganisms based on the combination of their preferred carbon sources, electron sources, and electron sinks. Recently, a novel trophic strategy, i.e., chemoorganoautotrophy—the utilization of organic carbon as energy source but inorganic carbon as sole carbon source—has been specifically proposed for anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea (ANME-1) and Bathyarchaeota subgroup 8 (Bathy-8).

Results

To further explore chemoorganoautotrophy, we employed stable isotope probing (SIP) of nucleic acids (rRNA or DNA) using unlabeled organic carbon and 13C-labeled dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), i.e., inverse stable isotope labeling, in combination with metagenomics. We found that ANME-1 archaea actively incorporated 13C-DIC into RNA in the presence of methane and lepidocrocite when sulfate was absent, but assimilated organic carbon when cellulose was added to incubations without methane additions. Bathy-8 archaea assimilated 13C-DIC when lignin was amended; however, their DNA was derived from both inorganic and organic carbon sources rather than from inorganic carbon alone. Based on SIP results and supported by metagenomics, carbon transfer between catabolic and anabolic branches of metabolism is possible in these archaeal groups, indicating their anabolic versatility.

Conclusion

We provide evidence for the incorporation of the mixed organic and inorganic carbon by ANME-1 and Bathy-8 archaea in the environment.
Depression, stress, and anxiety versus internet addiction in early and middle adolescent groups: the mediating roles of family and school environments
Authors: Aziz Maryam , Chemnad Khansa , Al-Harahsheh Sanaa , Abdelmoneium Azza O. , Baghdady Ahmed , Ali Raian
Published: April 2024

Background

Family and school environment play a crucial role across the different developmental stages of adolescence. This paper investigates the potential mediating role of family and school environments in the relationship between the three psychosocial predictors of depression, anxiety, stress, and Internet addiction (IA). Specifically, it focuses on the two stages of early and middle adolescence.

Methods

The study involved a survey of 407 adolescents from Qatar, comprising 250 early adolescents and 157 middle adolescents. Inclusion criteria for the study included adolescents between the ages of 10 to 17 years old, residents of Qatar and studying in a Qatar-based school. To assess the constructs of the three psychosocial predictors, IA, family environment, the study utilized the Depression, Stress, and Anxiety Scale (DASS), the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), and the Brief Family Relationship Scale, respectively. School environment was measured using questions from the “Health Behavior in School-aged Children: WHO Collaborative Cross-National survey/study (HBSC) 2013–2014. The study applied standard mediation analysis between the DASS components and IA with family and school environment as the mediators.

Results

Results from the mediation analysis reveal insights into the relationships between psychosocial predictors and IA. The findings indicate that family and school environments partially mediated the relationship with regards to depression, stress, and anxiety in early adolescents. In middle adolescents, family environment partially mediated the relationship with depression and stress and fully mediating the relationship with anxiety. Meanwhile, school environment only exhibited partial mediation in the relationship with anxiety in middle adolescence.

Conclusions

These results highlight the crucial role parents and schools play in addressing problematic technology usage that develops as a response to depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents. Moreover, the study reveals nuances in the mediating role of family and school environment in early and middle adolescence. This highlights the evolving nature of these influences across the different stages of development. Notably, this study contributes to the literature by moving beyond the conventional focus on the so-called WEIRD population, and offering valuable insights from a region that is underrepresented in current research.
Huanglian-Hongqu herb pair improves nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway in mice: network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental validation
Authors: Wang Zheng , Qiu Hairong , Yang Yang , Zhang Yueyu , Mou Taiguo , Zhang Xiaobo , Zhang Yong
Published: April 2024

The Huanglian-Hongqu herb pair (HH) is a carefully crafted traditional Chinese herbal compound designed to address disorders related to glucose and lipid metabolism. Its primary application lies in treating hyperlipidemia and fatty liver conditions. This study explored the potential mechanism of HH in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo animal experiments. Ultrahigh performanceliquid chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrapmass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to identify the chemical composition of HH. Network pharmacology was used to analyze the related signaling pathways affected by HH. Subsequently, the prediction was verified by animal experiment. Finally, we identified 29 components within HH. Network pharmacology unveiled interactions between HH and 153 NAFLD-related targets, highlighting HH’s potential to alleviate NAFLD through NF-κB signaling pathway. Molecular docking analyses illuminated the binding interactions between HH components and key regulatory proteins, including NF-κB, NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1. In vivo experiments demonstrated that HH alleviated NAFLD by reducing serum and liver lipid levels, improving liver function, and lowering inflammatory cytokine levels in the serum. Moreover, HH administration downregulated mRNA and protein levels of the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that HH has potential therapeutic benefits in ameliorating NAFLD by targeting the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, facilitating the broader application of HH in the field of NAFLD.
Local hyperthermia mediated by gold nanoparticle-integrated silicone-covered stent: feasibility and tissue response in a rat esophageal model
Authors: Tsauo Jiaywei , Liu Yue , Zhang Xiaowu , Fu Yan , Zhao He , Gong Tao , Li Jingui , Li Xiao
Published: April 2024

Background

To assess the feasibility and tissue response of using a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-integrated silicone-covered self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) for local hyperthermia in a rat esophageal model.

Methods

The study involved 42 Sprague–Dawley rats. Initially, 6 animals were subjected to near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation (power output from 0.2 to 2.4 W) to assess the in vitro heating characteristics of the AuNP-integrated SEMS immediately after its placement. The surface temperature of the stented esophagus was then measured using an infrared thermal camera before euthanizing the animals. Subsequently, the remaining 36 animals were randomly divided into 4 groups of 9 each. Groups A and B received AuNP-integrated SEMS, while groups C and D received conventional SEMS. On day 14, groups A and C underwent NIR laser irradiation at a power output of 1.6 W for 2 min. By days 15 (3 animals per group) or 28 (6 animals per group), all groups were euthanized for gross, histological, and immunohistochemical analysis.

Results

Under NIR laser irradiation, the surface temperature of the stented esophagus quickly increased to a steady-state level. The surface temperature of the stented esophagus increased proportionally with power outputs, being 47.3 ± 1.4 °C (mean ± standard deviation) at 1.6 W. Only group A attained full circumferential heating through all layers, from the epithelium to the muscularis propria, demonstrating marked apoptosis in these layers without noticeable necroptosis.

Conclusions

Local hyperthermia using the AuNP-integrated silicone-covered SEMS was feasible and induced cell death through apoptosis in a rat esophageal model.

Relevance statement

A gold nanoparticle-integrated silicone-covered self-expanding metal stent has been developed to mediate local hyperthermia. This approach holds potential for irreversibly damaging cancer cells, improving the sensitivity of cancer cells to therapies, and triggering systemic anticancer immune responses.

Key points

• A gold nanoparticle-integrated silicone-covered self-expanding metal stent was placed in the rat esophagus.

• Upon near-infrared laser irradiation, this stent quickly increased the temperature of the stented esophagus.

• Local hyperthermia using this stent was feasible and resulted in cell death through apoptosis.

Graphical Abstract
Posterior cruciate ligament tibial attachment sacrifice percentage is higher in cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty in patients with discoid lateral meniscus
Authors: Xin Weiwei , Gao Yingjian , Zheng Liangjun , Qu Xinhua , Yue Bing
Published: April 2024

Background

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) attachment may be damaged in cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty (CR-TKA) using the complete resection for tibial preparation, and resection amount varies greatly among individuals. Discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) is one of the most common anatomic knee variants. This study aimed to evaluate the difference in PCL attachment sacrifice in CR-TKA between patients with and without DLM.

Methods

Fifty-one knees in the study group (DLM group) were matched 1:1 to 51 control knees (non-DLM group) by age, sex, and maximum width of the tibial plateau. The percentage of the sacrificed PCL attachment and the morphological parameters of the tibial plateau were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a blind manner.

Results

With a tibial cut simulated at a 0°, 3°, and 7° osteotomy slope, the mean PCL attachment resection percentages in the non-DLM group were 40.5%, 53.6%, and 72.6%, respectively. The corresponding resection percentages in the DLM group were 61.0% (P < 0.001), 73.3% (P < 0.001), and 85.7% (P < 0.001), respectively. The percentage of the minimum meniscus width to the maximum tibia width showed a weak positive correlation with the percentage of PCL attachment sacrifice.

Conclusions

A significantly greater portion of PCL attachment was sacrificed in DLM patients undergoing CR-TKA using the complete proximal tibia resection. Attention should be paid to PCL attachment resection during CR-TKA in patients with DLM, and alternative techniques or prosthesis types should be considered.

Graphical Abstract
Association between taste sensitivity, taste preference, and obesity: study of healthy snacks in children aged 9–14 years
Authors: Farapti Farapti , Sari Afifah Nurma , Fadilla Chusnul , Issa Zuraini Mat
Published: April 2024

Healthy eating habits are essential to prevent childhood obesity. Children’s eating habits are influenced by many factors, such as taste sensitivity and taste preferences. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between taste sensitivity, taste preference, and obesity in children. This cross-sectional study enrolled 101 healthy children aged 9–14(34 boys and 67 girls). Nutritional status was assessed based on age- and sex-specific BMI z-scores, following CDC Growth Charts. Taste sensitivity was measured using graded sucralose (sweet)/ saline (salty) solution of 0.1709, 0.3418, and 0.6837 mol/L with distilled water (blanks). Taste preferences were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire, the gradation of sugar and salt, and four healthy snacks (two sweet snacks and two salty snacks). Statistical analysis was performed using correlation test. A quarter of the subjects were overweight and obese (25.8%). Most subjects had good taste sensitivity, and it was easier to recognize salty than sweet taste (89.1% vs. 58.4%). Moreover, the sweet taste and sweet food were preferred by almost all subjects. Correlation test showed a correlation between sweet taste sensitivity (r = 0.213; p = 0.032) and sweet preference (r = 0.374; p = 0.029) especially in boys to nutritional status, but not for salty taste. Obesity in children was associated with taste sensitivity and taste preferences especially for sweetness. Presenting healthy foods that consider the daily limit of sugar intake is very important to support optimal nutritional status for children.

Graphical Abstract
Developing a low back pain guideline implementation programme in collaboration with physiotherapists and chiropractors using the Behaviour Change Wheel: a theory-driven design study
Authors: Hubeishy Maja Husted , Rossen Camilla Blach , Dannapfel Petra , Thomas Kristin , Jensen Tue Secher , Maribo Thomas , Rolving Nanna
Published: April 2024

Background

Low back pain is still the leading cause of disability and societal burden, with 619 million prevalent cases worldwide in 2020. Most countries produce clinical guidelines to support healthcare professionals in evidence-based care regarding low back pain. However, several studies have identified relatively poor uptake of guidelines. Tailored strategies to facilitate the implementation of guidelines have been argued to increase uptake. This study aimed to develop a contextually tailored implementation programme to enhance evidence-based low back pain care among Danish physiotherapists and chiropractors in primary care.

Methods

A theory-driven implementation programme development study was conducted using the Behaviour Change Wheel, with high healthcare professional involvement. Data collection included four workshops with seven physiotherapists and six chiropractors from primary care clinics. The development process consisted of [1] establishing a theoretical frame, [2] involving participants, [3] understanding the behaviour, [4] designing the implementation programme, and [5] final implementation programme.

Results

The target behaviours selected (guideline recommendations) for the implementation programme were (i) screening of psychosocial risk factors and (ii) offering patient education. The barriers and facilitators for the selected behaviours were described and linked to intervention functions and behavioural techniques. Finally, the implementation programme comprised five strategies: webinars, e-learning videos, communication exercises, peer learning, and group dialogue meetings. In addition, the programme consisted of implementation support: champions, a physical material folder, a weekly email reminder, a specially designed website and a visit from an implementation consultant. An essential element of the overall programme was that it was designed as a step-by-step implementation process consisting of 16 h of education and training distributed over 16 weeks.

Conclusions

A programme for implementing low back pain guideline recommendations was developed based on behaviour change theory and four co-design workshops involving healthcare professionals to overcome the contextually identified barriers. A theory-driven approach involving healthcare professionals was useful in identifying relevant target behaviours and tailoring the programme to consider contextual barriers and facilitators for implementation. The effectiveness of the final implementation programme will be evaluated in the project’s next phase.

Trial registration

Central Denmark Region, Registered November 11, 2021, act no. 1-16-02-93-19.
Three-channel robust optical encryption via engineering coherence Stokes vector of partially coherent light
Authors: Liu Yonglei , Dong Zhen , Zhu Yimeng , Wang Haiyun , Wang Fei , Chen Yahong , Cai Yangjian
Published: April 2024

Optical encryption strategies utilizing fully coherent light have been widely explored but often face challenges such as speckle noise and beam instabilities. In this work, we introduce a novel protocol for multi-channel optical information encoding and encryption using vectorial spatial coherence engineering of a partially coherent light beam. By characterizing the beam’s spatial coherence structure with a $$2 \times 2$$

2
×
2

coherence matrix, we demonstrate independent control over the three components of the coherence Stokes vector. This allows for three-channel optical information encoding and encryption, with applications in color image representation. Unlike existing methods based on fully coherent light modulations, our approach utilizes a two-point dependent coherence Stokes vector, proving resilient to random noise in experimental scenarios. Our findings provide a robust foundation for higher-dimensional optical encoding and encryption, addressing limitations associated with partially coherent light in complex environments.
Entire mechanical analysis of prestressed CFRP strengthened RC beams under different prestressed introduced methods
Authors: Zhang Zhao-jun , Wang Wen-wei , Zhen Jing-shui , Li Bo-cheng , Cai De-cheng , Du Yang-yang
Published: April 2024

In order to clarify the effect of mechanical tensioning and SMA wire heating recovery on introducing prestress into CFRP sheet strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams, an experimental research on the bending performance of prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened RC beams was conducted. Based on the test results, a bending carrying capacity model for RC beams externally strengthened with prestressed CFRP sheets was proposed. The model provides calculation methods for the decompression moment, cracking moment, yielding moment, and ultimate moment, corresponding to different failure modes of the RC beams strengthened with externally bonded prestressed CFRP sheets. Four experimental beams were designed to verify the accuracy of the model with the prestresses of 100 MPa and 200 MPa. The results show that during the yield stage and strengthening stage, the loading-unloading stress-strain relationship curves of SMA wire under different prestrains are basically consistent. When the prestrain of SMA wire is 10%, the maximum recovery stress reaches 448.5 MPa. Under the same prestrain conditions, the maximum recovery stress of CFRP sheets was reduced by 37.8–39.5% when the prestress was introduced through heating recovery of SMA wires. The failure mode of mechanically tensioned prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beams is the CFRP sheet debonding caused by mid-span bending cracks, while the failure mode of strengthened beams with prestressed CFRP sheet by SMA wire heating recovery is the CFRP sheet end debonding. The cracking moment and yield moment of the strengthened beams are significantly increased by two methods of introducing prestressing. The stiffness improvement of mechanically tensioned prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beam is relatively large. While, the prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beam by SMA wire heating recovery gradually experience end peeling failure of the CFRP sheet, and the prestressing effect does not effectively limit the development of cracks, resulting in limited stiffness improvement. The calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental results, proving that the proposed method for analyzing the entire bending process can be used to predict the bending mechanical properties of the prestressed CFRP sheet strengthened beams.
Experimental study on the connection performance of single taper sleeve locking-type joint
Authors: Li Dongdong , Tu Tongheng , Yang Xiuli , Cheng Maolin , Xiao Hao
Published: April 2024

In the pursuit of cost reduction and enhanced construction efficiency in the mechanical connection of reinforcing bars within precast assembled concrete structures, a novel-reinforcing bar connection joint is introduced. This innovative solution entails the utilization of 40Cr alloy steel tubing and the implementation of a hot forging high-precision rolling process to fabricate a series of new rebar joint specimens. Through unidirectional tensile testing, the failure modes of the specimens and the variations in load–displacement curves were meticulously analyzed. The investigation delved into the intricacies of the joint connection mechanism, scrutinizing the influence of three pivotal structural design parameters—namely the embedded length of the rebar, the sleeve thickness, and the clamp thickness—on the ultimate bearing capacity of the joint. The findings indicate that an embedded rebar length ranging from 1.5 to 1.75 times the nominal rebar diameter ensures a tensile strength ratio of the joint to the standard rebar tensile strength not less than 1.1. Notably, the sleeve thickness emerged as a significant factor impacting connection performance, while the clamp thickness exhibited negligible effects on specimen performance. Furthermore, an augmented internal thread angle was found to enhance shear resistance. The optimal design parameters encompass an outer sleeve diameter of 78 mm, a large end clamp diameter of 65 mm, and an internal thread angle of 60°. The proposed single taper sleeve locking-type joint, characterized by a rational structural design, aligns with the stipulations of Grade I joints outlined in the industry standard JG/J 107–2016. This novel joint design is well-suited for the mechanical connection of large-diameter rebars, offering a promising avenue for advancing construction practices in precast assembled concrete structures.
Resonant-pillar-type acoustic black hole for ultralow-frequency vibration reduction
Authors: Zhao Liuxian , Liu Yining , Liao Bin , Liu Feng , Sun Zhaoyong
Published: April 2024

This paper proposes a resonant-type acoustic black hole (ABH). The ABH is achieved with gradient refractive index varies from the center of the lens to its outer surface. The performance of wave focusing and vibration reduction via the ABH is explored theoretically and numerically. Results show that the designed ABH can achieve wave focusing inside the lens and provide good vibration reduction at low frequency.
The EU as Active and Passive Political Determinant of Forced Migrants’ Health: Insights from the Case of Germany
Authors: Roos Mechthild
Published: April 2024

Context: This article examines the EU's function as a political determinant of health (PDoH) in national-level regulation of forced migrants’ access to health(care), with a focus on Germany. It sheds light on the role the EU has come to play—and has been assigned—in national policy making under the impact of different crises.

Methods: By applying the concepts of claims and frames/framing, the article examines in a document analysis how and to what end(s) the EU as a polity and specific EU legislation were invoked in German draft legislation.

Findings: Increasing Europeanization in the areas of health and migration has not only forced national legislators to adapt legislation to abide by EU rules and standards, it has also prompted governmental actors to shift responsibility for policy reforms to the EU—even in cases where not all of these reforms were legally required.

Conclusions: The EU's role as a PDoH must be considered from two angles: the EU's active potential to determine public health through its policies and laws, and its passive—to some extent involuntary—potential to do so through the strategic invoking of EU norms, rules, and (in)competences by actors across the EU multilevel governance system.
No Country for Sick Men: The Political Determinants of Health Policy in Poland
Authors: Riedel Rafał , Szyszkowska Emilia
Published: April 2024

Context: The objective of this article is to explain the political factors determining the relatively weak performance of the Polish health care (HC) sector. This can be treated as a critical case for several reasons. First, the Poles are among the most unsatisfied patients in the European Union, with one of the lowest life expectancy levels. Second, Poland spends one of the lowest shares of gross domestic product on HC-related expenditures among OECD countries. Third, the country is facing medical personnel shortages.

Methods: The analysis is based on the mixed-methods approach. The authors rely on quantitative data outsourced from a survey, which is supplemented by the semistructured, in-depth interviews with selected key HC stakeholders representing patients' advocacy groups, medical personnel organizations, and high-level decision-makers.

Findings: The Polish HC system remains weak due to the postcommunist legacy in terms of organization, a short-term approach by politicians, and weak decision-making processes.

Conclusions: The HC policy inertia in Poland is determined by a group of interrelated political factors that effectively block the development of any positive reform.
Is Redistribution Good for Our Health? Examining the Macrocorrelation between Welfare Generosity and Health across EU Nations over the Last 40 Years
Authors: Scruggs Lyle , Fox Ashley , Reynolds Megan M.
Published: April 2024

Context: Social determinants of health are finally getting much-needed policy attention, but their political origins remain underexplored. In this article, the authors advance a theory of political determinants as accruing along three pathways of welfare state effects (redistribution, poverty reduction, and status preservation), and they test these assumptions by examining impacts of policy generosity on life expectancy (LE) over the last 40 years.

Methods: The authors merge new and existing welfare policy generosity data from the Comparative Welfare Entitlement Project with data on LE spanning 1980–2018 across 21 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They then examine relationships between five welfare policy generosity measures and LE using cross-sectional differencing and autoregressive lag models.

Findings: The authors find consistent and positive effects for total generosity (an existing measure of social insurance generosity) on LE at birth across different model specifications in the magnitude of an increase in LE at birth of 0.10–0.15 years (p < 0.05) as well as for a measure of status preservation (0.11, p < 0.05). They find less consistent support for redistribution and poverty reduction measures.

Conclusions: The authors conclude that in addition to generalized effects of policy generosity on health, status-preserving social insurance may be an important, and relatively overlooked, mechanism in increasing LE over time in advanced democracies.
EU Economic Governance as a Supranational Determinant of Health Inequalities in the Eurozone
Authors: Ceron Matilde
Published: April 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic raises the question of austerity's problematic social toll for health in the south of Europe. Has EU economic governance constrained health spending? If so, have these spending levels led to inequalities, which in turn shaped responses to the pandemic? EU economic governance is often dismissed as ineffective because of its poor track record of compliance. Yet austerity is blamed for negative health outcomes. This article shows that the EU fiscal rule is a determinant of health because it affects fiscal policies of European countries. First, the analysis of EU member states during 1995–2018 shows that austerity policies affect health spending and health inequalities. Euro-area countries under the EU Excessive Deficit Procedure significantly consolidated their health spending. The contractionary effect was concentrated in southern countries, contributing to rising health inequalities across the core and periphery. Finally, the analysis shows the pandemic implications of health inequalities, as periphery countries with a track record of high consolidation display more stringent (and costly) COVID-19 response models. This analysis contributes to understanding the supranational determinants of health in the EU, showing the pervasive spillover effects of the fiscal framework on national health policies.
A Framework for Studying EU Health Policy through a Political Determinants of Health Lens: The Case of the European Health Union
Authors: Fischer Torben , Mauer Nicole , Tille Florian
Published: April 2024

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how the European Union (EU) impacts national health systems and people's health. In November 2020, the European Commission launched the European Health Union (EHU) to better coordinate and maximize EU member states’ abilities to deal with cross-border health threats. This article scrutinizes the early institutionalization of the EHU and its implications for EU health policy as a political determinant of health (PDoH).

Methods: The article explores how EU health policy may be appreciated from a PDoH perspective. It draws from EU documents and existing research to analyze the early-stage institutionalization of the EHU. The study complements this policy output–focused perspective with an outcome-based exploratory assessment of EU health policy as a PDoH focusing on three examples: joint vaccine procurement, health reforms and investments under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the development of a European Health Data Space.

Findings: The article shows that the policy change triggered by the EHU and the potential impact on citizens’ health are not necessarily congruent. Modest change can have a potentially strong impact on health outcomes and vice versa.

Conclusions: The article argues that the PDoH perspective provides a useful approach that is complementary to policy output–based perspectives, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of the EU's role in health.
Administering a Chill Pill? Better Regulation and the Potential for Regulatory Chill in European Union Health Policy
Authors: Brooks Eleanor , Lauber Kathrin
Published: April 2024

The European Union's “good governance” program, known as Better Regulation, seeks to improve the quality of EU legislation by controlling the policy-making process. Despite its importance, it is rarely accounted for in the EU health policy literature. Seeking to address this gap, this article introduces Better Regulation in the context of health policy making. It conceptualizes a model of regulatory chill, drawn from the literature on international trade, to interrogate the impact of Better Regulation on EU policy-making processes. Using examples from the literature and data from a series of interviews with EU officials, it explores potential pathways of response and anticipatory chill, identifying direct enforcement of Better Regulation, its utilization by corporate actors, interpretation of its provision by officials, and feedback loops as possible routes of influence. The article argues that such an approach not only presents methodological challenges but also offers a valuable way of conceptualizing the relevance of political institutions in general, and Better Regulation specifically, for health. As part of broader calls for attention to the political determinants of health, the article's findings highlight the particular, and often overlooked, importance of metaregulatory policy frameworks.
Introduction
Authors: Weiss Margot
Published: April 2024

The introduction lays out the terrain for the volume: it defines and sets out the volume’s vision of queer anthropology and provides a brief history of queer anthropology (from colonial era pre-anthropology flora and fauna, to anthropology of homosexuality, to gay and lesbian anthropology, and then finally to queer) alongside a history of its institutionalization with the Association for Queer Anthropology (Society of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists; Anthropology Research Group on Homosexuality). Lastly, it provides a full volume overview and chapter summary.
Queer (Re)generations
Authors: Spice Anne
Published: April 2024

This chapter takes an ethnographic look at the current moment of planetary reckoning with catastrophic climate change. It turns to the fight of Indigenous peoples to avert an apocalyptic future in communities whose generational memories include an apocalyptic colonial past and elements of a dystopian present. The flow of time, the sense of Indigenous history and future possibility, is often captured by the language of “generations,” as one reckons with the traumas that are inherited from ancestors, and with the decisions made that will affect everyone’s children, grandchildren, and beyond. Despite the reproductive gloss of this language, in this current moment of environmental crisis, a queer kind of love and kinship is generating future possibilities for life on this planet. By building relations beyond compulsory heterosexual monogamy, and even beyond the human itself, Indigenous land defenders create ruptures in the linear capitalist temporalities that are bringing us all to the cusp of catastrophe.
Tomorrowing
Authors: Bisson Terry
Published: April 2024

For twenty years, Terry Bisson published a regular “This Month in History” column in the science fiction magazine Locus. Tomorrowing collects these two decades of memorable events---four per month---each set in a totally different imaginary yet possible, inevitable yet avoidable future. From the first AI president to the first dog on Mars to the funeral of Earth's last glacier, these stories are speculative SF at its most (and least) serious. Collected as a series for the first time, Tomorrowing will amuse, alarm, intrigue, entertain, and like all good science fiction, make readers think. Bisson's short stories have won every major award in science fiction, including the Hugo and the Nebula, but never, ever anything for this series.
Association of single nucleotide polymorphism rs3213119 variant of IL-12B gene in diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis patients
Authors: Mirza Iffat Ejaz , Amir Rashid Amir Rashid , Amer Fakhr Amer Fakhr , Asifa Majeed Asifa Majeed , Ali Rathore Ali Rathore , Zunaira Ali Baig Zunaira Ali Baig
Published: April 2024

Objective: To identify the IL12B gene variant (rs3213119) and to find its association in Pakistani clinical population of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Methods: It was a population association (unrelated) case control study, performed from January - December 2022 at Laboratory of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. Blood samples were collected from all 150 study participants, followed by DNA extraction and Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction performed at Center for Research in Experimental and Applied Medicine (CREAM) Laboratory of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Army Medical College Rawalpindi. Statistical analysis was done using ‘SPSS’ (version-22), followed by gene analysis on ‘SNPstat’.

Results: About 28.0% of RA patients were smokers, 38.7% had history of RA in a first degree relative and 70.7% had positive history of consanguinity. Considering rs3213119 variant of IL12B gene, frequency of major allele C was 100%, minor allele A was 21%, genotype C/C was 79% and C/A was 21%. Applying the log additive model, the odds ratio of the genotype C/C was 1.00 (adjusted by age and gender with 95 % CI) and the odds ratio of the genotype C/A was 0.00, 52.0% of RA patients originated from four predominant ethnic groups, namely Awaans (18.7%), Rajputs (14.7%), Pathans (12.0%) and Araeens (6.7%).

Conclusion: The study findings suggest the role of minor allele ‘A’ as risk allele in our clinical population. CA genotype confers susceptibility towards the RA development.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.7671

How to cite this: Mushtaq I, Rashid A, Fakhr A, Majeed A, Rathore A, Baig ZA. Association of single nucleotide polymorphism rs3213119 variant of IL-12B gene in diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis patients. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.7671

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
An Extreme Gradient Boosting Approach for Classification and Sentiment Analysis
Authors:   Department of Informatics Engineering, Universitas Katolik De La Salle Manado, Indonesia, Kairupan Indah Yessi , Angdresey Apriandy , Arif Hamdani
Published: April 2024

Since 2020, when the coronavirus epidemic was at its peak, the Indonesian Ministry of Health's social media accounts have been constantly followed by a big number of individuals. The Indonesian Ministry of Health account is a fantastic resource for social media users, particularly Twitter users. The Republic of Indonesia's Ministry of Health's Twitter account publishes a wide range of content at random. As a result, it is usually difficult for Twitter users to determine the type of information provided by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. The positive and negative responses of Twitter users to material released by the Indonesian Ministry of Health's Twitter account are frequently noted. The decision tree algorithm is tree-based, similar to the extreme gradient boosting method (XGBoost). The extreme gradient boosting approach has been successfully implemented with high performance in the classification process. This classification is separated into two primary categories: general and essential information categorization and sentiment analysis, which is classified into three classes: positive, neutral, and negative. Both the classification work and the sentiment analysis produced outstanding accuracy levels. Based on 2243 tweets, an accuracy rate of 89.35% has been achieved for classification, supported by a precision of 88.76% and a recall value of 88.58% when using 80 data training and 20 data testing. Similarly, the maximum accuracy in sentiment analysis was achieved utilizing the same 80-20 data partitioning, with a 91.22% accuracy rate. Using 304 comments data, accuracy was calculated to be 89.17% and recall was calculated to be 89.06%. It's worth noting that an 80-20 split for training and testing consistently produced the best results for both the sentiment analysis and classification tasks.