bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health information analysis of cryptorchidism-related short videos: Analyzing quality and reliability
Authors: Sun Yuqiang , Liu Xingjian , Zhang Xintao , Xu Qiongqian , Li Aiwu
Published: January 2025

Objective

Cryptorchidism is a common congenital anomaly in children. Short video content has increased awareness and urged timely intervention, but there is a lack of understanding about the quality and reliability of these videos. This survey assesses the quality and credibility of cryptorchidism-related videos on Chinese short video platforms to ensure accurate information for caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Methods

We analyzed 228 videos from TikTok, Bilibili, and Kwai on 16 May 2024. Using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria, Global Quality Score (GQS), and modified DISCERN score, we evaluated the videos based on six factors: definition, risk factors, symptoms, tests, treatment, and outcome.

Results

Video quality varied significantly across platforms ( P = .03). Medical professionals’ videos had higher JAMA scores than those by nonmedical professionals ( P < .001), but no significant differences were found in GQS ( P = .633) or modified DISCERN scores ( P = .853). Overall, video quality was suboptimal, focusing mainly on treatment, symptoms, and prognosis, while neglecting tests and risk factors. Longer videos correlated with higher GQS ( r = .34, P < .001) and modified DISCERN scores ( r = .39, P < .001), while newer videos were of higher quality (GQS: r = −.19, P < .005; modified DISCERN: r = −.25, P < .001). Higher engagement (comments: r = −.16, P = .01; shares: r = −.18, P = .04) was associated with lower quality.

Conclusion

Overall, the videos’ quality and reliability were moderate, with professional content providing more accurate insights. This highlights the need for improved regulation of medical information on short video platforms.
Content Analysis of the Professional School Counseling Journal: A 15-Year Reflection
Authors: Falco Lia D. , Mayes Renae D. , Hirdes Cassandra L.
Published: January 2025

This study examined publication patterns for the Professional School Counseling journal from years 2008–2023 to provide readers with information about the state of the school counseling profession as reflected in the journal’s content. Results indicate the frequency of article types, methods, analysis, topics, populations discussed, and author affiliations for the entire 15-year time period. Findings showed a notable increase in empirical contributions compared to the prior study (Falco et al., 2011) and some promising areas of growth in publications examining student development, with notable attention to social/emotional development, in particular. However, a preponderance of research examining nonstudent populations suggests that the need has not been met for rigorous intervention studies to inform the profession. We discuss implications for school counseling professional identity and future research.
How Preschool Children Recognize Hanzi? Exploring the Impact of Home Literacy Environments on Montessori Preschool Children’s Hanzi Recognition Performance
Authors: Wang Mei-Ling , Lin Hsiao-Fang , Yu Teng-Chien
Published: January 2025

This study explores the relationship between the Hanzi recognition performance and the home literacy environments of 351 children aged 3 to 6 based on Montessori’s philosophy of education. This study used 200 frequently spoken words in Montessori classrooms as the word set of a Hanzi recognition test, based on which studies at six Montessori preschools in middle and southern Taiwan were conducted. The results of this study revealed that girls’ scores are significantly higher than that of boys on the word recognition test, whereas no significant difference between the middle (4s/5s) and junior (3s/4s) classes children were observed. However, from the qualitative analysis perspective, the junior class children also performed exceptionally well. Parent-child shared reading and chats, directly and indirectly, affected their children’s Hanzi recognition outcome. The analysis of the interviews with the children suggested that family life experiences were indeed a crucial factor in the children’s word recognition.
A Silver Bullet or Poison Pill? The Trivago’s Innovative Advertisement Enhanced by Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Fan Xinzhuo , Chen Po-Ju
Published: January 2025

This case study focuses on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the advertisements of Online Travel Agency (OTA). With the development of AI, companies have more tools to create advertising. Deepfake, as a technology powered by Artificial Intelligence, could be used to manipulate the content in advertising. As a result, it is important to review the effect and users’ attitudes toward AI-advertising. This case study reviews the Trivago AI advertising and discusses the associated theory in the AI-human reaction. The possible solutions are also discussed in the case study.
Exploring Emerging Adulthood(s) in India
Authors: Mitra Deeya , Arnett Jeffrey Jensen
Published: January 2025

The current study investigated emerging adulthood in India using a survey design ( N = 342, Mage = 24.33 years) including the Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (Reifman et al., 2007) and the Flourishing scale (Diener et al., 2010). Most participants endorsed the characteristics of emerging adulthood as representative of the current time of their life. Self-focus was the highest rated, followed by emerging adulthood being a time of possibilities, identity explorations, feeling-in-between, instability, and finally, other-focus. Latent Profile Analysis was applied to identify meaningful sub-groups based on similar characteristics and rating patterns. Four profiles were determined for IDEA: s tall, moderate, transitional time/relational, and transitional time/self-focus. All profiles scored high on the Flourishing scale. A univariate analysis depicted that well-being levels were significantly different across the profiles. Findings were consistent with previous research and added unique insights indicative of sociocultural differences based on gender, socioeconomic class, and urban-rural locations.
Risk Factors Preventing Identification of the Microorganism Causing Vertebral Osteomyelitis
Authors: Sakamoto Yushi , Onishi Eijiro , Mitsuzawa Sadaki , Ota Satoshi , Takeuchi Hisataka , Tsukamoto Yoshihiro , Yamashita Shinnosuke , Tanaka Atsushi , Saito Ryohei , Yasuda Tadashi
Published: January 2025

Study Design

Retrospective study.

Objective

To elucidate the factors influencing the identification of causative microorganisms in vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) and the effectiveness of different culture methods in increasing the identification rate.

Methods

A total of 252 patients diagnosed with and treated for VO at a single hospital were enrolled. The results of various culture methods were reviewed along with the clinical data of the patients retrospectively.

Results

Microbiological diagnosis was achieved in 210 out of 252 patients (83.3%). Diagnostic percentages of blood cultures, CT-guided drainage, fluoroscopic disc biopsy, and intraoperative specimens were 73.6%, 73.9%, 27.6%, and 50.8%, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (85 cases, 40.5%). Higher White Blood Cell (WBC) count, lower serum albumin (ALB) level, epidural abscess, and absence of prior antibiotic exposure were significant predictors of positive culture results across all culture methods. Prior antibiotic exposure was the most significant predictor of negative outcomes (OR 0.24). Blood culture results correlated with body temperature, C-reactive protein (CRP), ALB, and prior antibiotic exposure. A shorter duration of antibiotic administration before culture was associated with an increased likelihood of positive blood culture results.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that laboratory findings indicating a high inflammatory response (elevated WBC count, CRP level, and body temperature), lower ALB level, presence of epidural abscess, absence of prior antibiotic exposure, and shorter duration of antibiotics were significant predictors of positive culture results. Blood cultures should be conducted in the presence of high inflammation levels to improve microorganism identification rates.
Navigating the Crossroads: Analyzing China’s Middle East Policy in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict Context
Authors: Jia Wang , Hassan Ahmed A. M.
Published: January 2025

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, its Middle East policy has undergone three stages: initial rise, elevated influence, and adjustment. With the outbreak of a new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on October 7, 2023, the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East has significantly shifted, marked by deepening divisions within the Arab world, challenges to US strategy, and the expansion of China’s diplomatic space. This study explores how these changes impact China’s Middle East policy and analyzes how China responds to emerging challenges, including rising geopolitical risks, obstacles to bilateral economic cooperation, shifts in international public opinion, and the sustainability of its “balanced diplomacy” approach. China aims to maintain a balance between Palestine and Israel, promote regional stability, and advance economic cooperation. However, in light of new regional dynamics, this study proposes that China needs to adjust its policy by strengthening its engagement with international responsibilities, ensuring security and economic cooperation in parallel, and increasing foreign aid and public diplomacy. Moreover, China should innovate its public opinion management and information dissemination strategies to navigate the complex media environment. By analyzing these issues, this article will examine the direction of China’s Middle East policy adjustments and their broader implications for regional dynamics and global strategic competition.
Chronic Kidney Disease Preventive Attitude, Practice, and Associated Factors among Type 2 DM Patients in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Wake Addisu Dabi , Dinsa Sena Babsa
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Globally, chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as one of the leading causes of mortality and it is one of a small number of noncommunicable diseases that have shown an increase in associated deaths over the past two decades. Chronic kidney disease affects approximately 50% of patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus (DM).

Objective

To determine CKD preventive attitude, practices, and associated factors among type 2 DM (T2DM) patients attending follow-up in a diabetic clinic at Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital.

Methods

Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted at Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital among T2DM patients from December 23, 2021, to January 23, 2022. Data were entered into EpiData 4.2.00 and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.0.

Result

A total of 216 study participants were included in to this study. The level of good preventive attitude and practice toward CKD among T2DM patients were 61.6% ( n = 133, 95% CI: 55.6–68.0) and 54.6% ( n = 118, 95% CI: 47.7–60.6), respectively. Age (50–59 years) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.351, 95% CI: 0.125–0.988, p = .047), married (AOR = 4.423, 95% CI: 1.366–14.314, p = .013), urban residents (AOR = 0.321, 95% CI: 0.152–0.680, p = .003), and governmental employed (AOR = 0.269, 95% CI: 0.076–0.954, p = .042) were significantly associated with CKD preventive attitude. Formal education (AOR = 1.686, 95% CI: 1.416–5.502, p = .043), an average monthly income of ≥8000 ETB (AOR = 4.048, 95% CI: 1.129–14.520, p = .032), family history of CKD (AOR = 1.417, 95% CI: 1.231–7.136, p = .045) were significantly associated with CKD preventive practice.

Conclusion

The level of good preventive attitude and practice toward CKD among T2DM patients was 61.6% and 54.6%, respectively. Age, marital status, residence, and occupation were significantly associated with good preventive attitude of T2DM patients. Whereas educational status, average monthly income, and duration since diagnosed with T2DM were significantly associated with good CKD preventive practice. Health educational program needs to occur to improve the preventive attitude and practice toward CKD among T2DM patients.
Visualizing the Rise of Authoritarian Carbon (1992–2022)
Authors: Liu John Chung-En
Published: January 2025

Using data from V-Dem, Freedom House, and the Global Carbon Budget, the author visualizes how authoritarian and nondemocratic regimes have sharply increased their share of global CO2 emissions over the past three decades. Authoritarian regimes now account for more than 60 percent of emissions, while liberal democracies contribute roughly one-third. This shift has significant implications for climate governance. Yet climate change remains peripheral in sociology, in which research continues to focus on Western democracies. Sociology can play a critical role in examining how authoritarian environmental governance shapes both environmental outcomes and climate justice.
Effective and Engaging Active Learning in the Medical School Classroom: Lessons from Case-Based Collaborative Learning
Authors: Besche Henrike C. , King Randall W. , Shafer Keri M. , Fleet Sarah E. , Charles Julia F. , Kaplan Tamara B. , Greenzang Katie A. , Hoenig Melanie P. , Schwartzstein Richard M. , Cockrill Barbara A. , Fischer Krisztina
Published: January 2025

Large group collaborative teaching approaches are rapidly gaining popularity in undergraduate medical education. The case-based collaborative Learning (CBCL) pedagogy was instituted for pre-clerkship teaching at Harvard Medical School in 2015 with subsequent implementation at other medical schools. CBCL emphasizes inductive reasoning, integrates basic and clinical sciences, stimulates curiosity, and fosters teamwork. Given the ongoing educational evolution, guidance on designing and facilitating collaborative learning sessions, such as CBCL may benefit faculty in their instructional design efforts. This perspective article describes strategies to create effective collaborative sessions using CBCL as an example. We reviewed the literature and summarized ten years of experience in CBCL teaching through the lens of contemporary theories of teaching and learning. The recommendations are organized into three main domains: Instructional Design, Facilitation, and Professional Transformation, each aligned with the theoretical principles of CBCL. The recommendations provide a conceptual model to assist faculty in designing engaging and effective class materials and support students’ professional transformation during collaborative learning sessions.
Practical Problems Estimating and Reporting Power When Hypotheses Are Embedded in Complex Statistical Models
Authors: Cole David A. , Abitante George , Kan Hoi , Liu Qimin , Preacher Kristopher J. , Maxwell Scott E.
Published: January 2025

In both grant proposals and published studies, many research hypotheses (represented by primary parameters) are tested in the context of complex statistical models. The power to detect these primary parameters depends on the values of multiple secondary model parameters that often go unexamined, unreported, and unjustified. The result is that many a priori power analyses are incomplete, ambiguous, potentially subjective, and nearly impossible for others to evaluate. In the current article, we encourage researchers to use plausible values for secondary parameters (PVSPs), in addition to the hoped-for effect sizes for their primary parameters, in their power calculations. More specifically, upper and lower bounds for power are generated based on the highest and lowest plausible values for secondary model parameters. In the article, we demonstrate how to conduct and describe such power estimates for four increasingly complex statistical methods. We further demonstrate how such analyses can inform decisions about resource allocation in ways that improve power in the context of complex statistical models, often revealing that power can be enhanced by methods other than increasing sample size. The PVSP approach can enhance power, improve the transparency of power analyses in grant proposals, reduce the likelihood of funding underpowered research, and alleviate at least one problem underlying the replication crisis.
A Novel News Recommendation Model With Knowledge Enhancement and Stability
Authors: Huang Huajing , Fan Yongquan , Li Linsen , Chen Jiabao , Zhou Tianyi
Published: January 2025

With the rapid development of information technology, today’s society has higher and higher requirements for the recommendation system, especially regarding recommendation accuracy. A significant feature of news recommendation is that it has high timeliness, and the popularity of a news article will decline exponentially in a week. The effectiveness of traditional recommendation methods in news recommendation could be more optimistic. In order to further improve the accuracy of news recommendations, a large number of knowledge graphs are applied to news recommendations, and the nodes and edges of the knowledge graph can better represent the relationship between entities in the article; compared with traditional recommendation methods, it can better solve the problems of data sparsity and cold start. This paper proposes a relational entity credibility discrimination model, eliminating the relational entities without credibility to improve news recommendations accuracy, the existence of some relational entities in the triad of the knowledge graph may distort the meaning of the article or have a near-zero impact on the article, which is considered untrustworthy for these two types of relational entities. Experimental results show the effectiveness and efficiency of the model.
Conditional Diffusion Model for Missing Value Imputation
Authors: Li Binyi , Long Long , Zuo Xi , Chen Long
Published: January 2025

With the rapid proliferation of social data, the prevalence of missing values has become increasingly common. Various factors, including human error and machine failure, contribute to the emergence of missing values in datasets. Datasets containing missing values not only consume storage space but also pose a significant obstacle to direct utilization, resulting in substantial resource wastage. Consequently, accurately imputing missing values has emerged as a focal point in research. Generative missing value imputation methods, leveraging generative models, have demonstrated notable efficacy in recent years by directly generating values for missing components based on observable data values. This paper introduces a novel generative method for missing value imputation based on a diffusion denoising model, termed the conditional diffusion model for missing value imputation (CDMVI). Specifically, CDMVI trains a conditional diffusion model using complete data samples (samples devoid of missing values) and subsequently utilizes the trained model to impute missing values in datasets. During the training stage (i.e., the forward process of the diffusion model), a subset of features is randomly selected from complete data samples, and varying levels of random noise are introduced as condition inputs to the noise predictor within the diffusion model. In the imputation stage (i.e., the backward process of the diffusion model), the missing segments of the data are initially replaced with random noise, serving as a guide for the diffusion model to generate complete samples. Experimental evaluations across multiple datasets demonstrate the competitive performance of our proposed CDMVI method.
Addressing Music Performance Anxiety in College Musicians With Mindfulness, Entrainment, and Non-Sleep Deep Rest: A Literature Review
Authors: Alario Linda
Published: January 2025

The increasing percentage of college musicians living with mental illness and anxiety, specifically music performance anxiety (MPA), suggests the need for an anxiety reduction program to be instilled within university programs. Using entrainment as a grounding framework, the purpose of this literature review was to synthesize research on mindfulness, entrainment, and non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) to propose that such protocols could offer potential benefits for increasing focus and reducing MPA in college music students. I concluded with proposing that there may be potential for studying the effects of mindfulness, entrainment, and NSDR practices simultaneously.
The histone demethylase KDM5C enhances the sensitivity of acute myeloid leukemia cells to lenalidomide by stabilizing cereblon
Authors: Zou Lu , Cao Dan , Sun Qing , Yu Wenjun , Li Bingzong , Xu Guoqiang , Zhou Liang
Published: January 2025

Background

The protein cereblon (CRBN) mediates the antileukemia effect of lenalidomide (Len). Len binds to CRBN, recruits IKZF1/IKZF3, and promotes their ubiquitination and degradation, through which Len exhibits its antileukemia and antimyeloma activity. Therefore, the protein level of CRBN might affect the antiproliferative effect of Len. In this study, we explored the interactome for CRBN using proximity labeling technique TurboID and quantitative proteomics, and then investigated the antileukemia effect of Len.

Methods

The primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and AML cell lines were used to explore the functions of histone demethylase KDM5C on the antileukemia effect of Len. The cell viability and CRBN protein levels were evaluated in these cell lines. In addition, the KDM5C inhibitors were used to determine the effects of KDM5C enzymatic activity on the viability of AML cell lines.

Results

We identified that histone demethylase KDM5C was a CRBN-interacting protein. Biochemical experiments found that the CRBN-interacting protein KDM5C could stabilize CRBN and enhance the antileukemia effect of Len in an enzyme activity-independent manner. Furthermore, our studies revealed that the small-molecule compound MLN4924 could increase CRBN by elevating KDM5C.The combination of MLN4924 and Len can further increase the sensitivity of primary AML cells and AML cell lines to Len.

Conclusions

This study provides a possible strategy for a combination treatment with MLN4924 and Len for leukemia.
Parental perception of male circumcision: a local cross sectional study in a Muslim community
Authors: Al-Maghlouth Abdullatif K. , Zakaria Ossama M.
Published: January 2025

Background

Male circumcision is regarded as one of the oldest and widely conducted surgical procedures. It entails partial or total removal of the prepuce skin. Recent human rights advocates have a higher dispute as regards circumcision. However, controversy still exists regarding the necessity of the procedure. The opponent considers it against human rights. On the other hand, supporters claim its hygiene and advantages in preventing urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted illnesses, and human immunodeficiency virus.

Methods

A specially designed anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed randomly among participants of a local Muslim community. Information such as sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, knowledge about male circumcision, and sources of information were collected. The collected data were statistically analyzed via the Statistical Packages for Software Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0.

Results

Four hundred and forty participated in the current study. The most commonly agreed upon indication for male circumcision by the participants was religion (88.4%). They considered it as a holy obligation. Circumcision-related hemorrhage was recognized as the most prevalent circumcision complication, followed by adhesions and infections. Overall, the majority of respondents were aware of the procedure itself, although a respectable percentage of participants (85%) supported the male circumcision.

Conclusion

The majority of the participants supported male circumcision as an obligatory religious deed. Moreover, they do believe in its medical benefits. Extra studies with larger cohort are needed for more reliable and realistic conclusions in the Islamic culture about male circumcision.
Challenges and adaptations in pancreatic cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic in a high-volume center
Authors: Al-Saeedi Mohammed , Ramouz Ali , Khajeh Elias , Shraim Sakher , Werba Alexander , Polychronidis Georgios , Mehrabi Arianeb , Loos Martin
Published: January 2025

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic affected healthcare systems worldwide, disrupting elective surgeries including those for cancer treatment. This study examines the effects of the pandemic on outcomes of pancreatic cancer surgeries at a specialized high-volume surgery center.

Materials and methods

This study compared surgical volume and outcomes of pancreas resections between the pre-pandemic (January 2019 to February 2020), early pandemic (March 2020 to January 2021), and late pandemic (February 2021 to December 2021) periods. Perioperative and postoperative data were retrospectively analyzed from a prospectively maintained database together with surgical complications, mortality rates, and hospital stays.

Results

There was no significant reduction in the number of pancreas resections performed during the pandemic. The rate of primary resectable tumors was significantly lower during the late pandemic phase (66% vs. 65.9% vs. 56.5%; P = 0.024), and subsequently application of neoadjuvant therapies increased in the late pandemic phase (26% vs. 25.4% vs. 33.8%; P = 0.079). The number of chemotherapy cycles were also higher during the late pandemic phase (P = 0.009). Surgical complication rates were higher during the late pandemic phase (47.8% vs. 45.6% vs. 56%; P = 0.043), but mortality rates remained low (30-day mortality: 1.6% vs. 1% vs. 3.7%, P = 0.116; 90-day mortality: 2.5% vs. 1.6% vs. 3.7%, P = 0.296).

Conclusion

Our results indicate effective management of pancreatic cancer despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. These findings suggest that centralized, specialized surgical centers can maintain high-quality care of patients with pancreatic cancer during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings underscore the importance of timely surgical interventions for cancer patients, even when the healthcare system is disrupted.
Intention to utilize mental health and suicide prevention resources in a community sample during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Cohen Lisa J. , El Hayek Rawad , Imbastaro Benedetta , Goncearenco Inna , Zheng Sifan , Rogers Megan L. , Pompilli Maurizio , Galynker Igor
Published: January 2025

Objective

Given the stressors experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to identify populations with elevated mental health needs during this crisis. This study investigated demographic correlates of reported intention to utilize mental health (MH) and suicide prevention (SP) resources in a community sample during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A sample of 1,978 adults in the United States completed an anonymous online survey between June 2020 and February 2021.

Results

Intent to utilize MH resources was associated with younger age, single marital status, female gender, and Hispanic vs. White race/ethnicity. Intent to utilize SP resources was associated with younger age, single marital status, and was greater among Black and Hispanic vs. White race/ethnicity. Lower education was associated with MH and SP utilizers in bivariate analysis. Indirect effects of Suicide Crisis Syndrome (SCS) symptoms were found on the association of age, gender, and marital status with MH utilization and of age, marital status, and education with SP Utilization.

Conclusions

Specific demographic populations demonstrate greater interest in mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. These help-seeking patterns can be explained in part by an elevated level of SCS symptoms, suggesting greater levels of distress were driving expressed intention to utilize service referrals.
Visual hermeneutics as a tool to introduce empathy and core physician attributes in doctor-patient relationship for first-year medical undergraduate students
Authors: Prabhath Sushma , Kulkarni Uma , Lakshmi R. Vani , Patra Bikash , K. Eshwari , Prabhu Divya Arvind , Nayak Kirtana R.
Published: January 2025

Background

The doctor-patient relationship is essential for effective patient care, yet medical education often neglects to nurture the quality such as empathy during the initial years of training. Doctor-patient relationship is one of the modules taught in first year as part of mandatory AETCOM (Attitude, Ethics, and Communication) course in the undergraduate Indian medical curriculum. Hermeneutics, a method of interpretation, can play a vital role in introducing observational and reflective thinking skills. This study aimed to introduce empathy concepts and attributes of a good physician to first-year medical students through the use of paintings and visual hermeneutics to enhance their understanding of the doctor-patient relationship.

Methods

A newly developed and validated educational module on the “Doctor-patient relationship” was administered to 250 first-year undergraduate medical students at Kasturba Medical College Manipal. The session was structured into three key steps:

Introduction

Presenting Sir Luke Fildes’ famous painting, The Doctor.

Self-understanding and interpretation

Encouraging students to analyse and interpret the painting.

Debriefing

Facilitating discussions to consolidate learning. The session’s effectiveness was evaluated using the initial two levels of the Kirkpatrick evaluation model. The learners feedback regarding the usefulness of the session was captured using a validated questionnaire, while reflective writing assignments were used to explore students’ learnings from the intervention.

Results

Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants expressing that the session significantly enhanced their understanding of professional qualities and empathy in the doctor-patient relationship, rating their overall learning experience at 8.63 out of 10. Students expressed that the use of painting and interactive discussions greatly enriched their capacity to connect with emotional and ethical dimensions of medical practice. Reflective writing revealed the importance of building trust, demonstrating professional conduct, and maintaining empathy and compassion in clinical interactions.

Conclusion

Introducing a visual hermeneutics approach has the potential to cultivate empathy and foster a deeper understanding of the doctor-patient relationship. Introducing this approach during the formative years of medical training can nurture compassionate and virtuous conduct, reinforcing students’ commitment to delivering empathetic and competent care throughout their medical careers.

Trial registration

The institutional ethics committee approved the conduct of the study [IEC180/2023].
Perceived healthiness of sugary drinks and related social norms among adults in five countries: evidence from the International Food Policy Study
Authors: Drolet-Labelle Virginie , White Christine M. , Adams Jean , Kirkpatrick Sharon I. , Jáuregui Alejandra , Pedraza Lilia S. , Provencher Véronique , Sacks Gary , Thrasher James F. , Armendariz Gabriela C. , Barquera Simón , Hammond David , Vanderlee Lana
Published: January 2025

Background

A better understanding of correlates of sugary drink consumption is essential to inform public health interventions. This study examined differences in perceived healthiness of sugary drinks and related social norms between countries, over time, and sociodemographic groups and associations with sugary drink intake.

Methods

This study used annual cross-sectional data from the International Food Policy Study from 2018 to 2021 in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Mexico. Analyses examined perceived healthiness of eight beverage types and two types of perceived social norms (descriptive, injunctive) that discourage sugary drink consumption. The 24-item Beverage Frequency Questionnaire was used to estimate beverage intake in the past 7 days. Logistic regression models examined trends over time in odds of perceiving each beverage type as unhealthy and agreeing with social norms discouraging sugary drink consumption, across countries and sociodemographic characteristics. Negative binomial regressions examined associations between perceived healthiness, social norms and consumption.

Results

Energy drinks, regular soft drinks, and diet soft drinks were most frequently perceived as unhealthy in all countries, while water and 100% juice were least frequently perceived as unhealthy. Participants in Mexico had higher odds of perceiving 100% juice, chocolate milk, and iced tea as unhealthy in 2021 compared to 2018 (AOR = 1.71 99%CI 1.10–2.64; AOR = 2.69, 99%CI 1.70–4.26; AOR = 1.79, 99%CI 1.15–2.76; respectively), with little change in other countries. Agreement with social norms discouraging consumption of sugary drinks was higher in Mexico than in other countries. Trends in social norms over time were mostly stable, except in Mexico where participants had higher odds of agreeing with both norms in 2020 compared to 2018 (AOR = 1.27, 99%CI 1.09–1.48 for a descriptive norm and AOR = 1.27 99%CI 1.09–1.49 for an injunctive norm). In most countries, perceiving a beverage as unhealthy and agreeing with social norms discouraging consumption of sugary drink were associated with lower sugary drink consumption, with varying strength of associations across countries and beverage types.

Conclusions

Shifts over time in social norms and perceived healthiness observed in Mexico and associations with intake of sugary drinks in most countries suggest that targeted interventions to change norms and perceptions could help reduce sugary drink consumption.
Detection of early relapse in multiple myeloma patients
Authors: Růžičková Tereza , Vlachová Monika , Pečinka Lukáš , Brychtová Monika , Večeřa Marek , Radová Lenka , Ševčíková Simona , Jarošová Marie , Havel Josef , Pour Luděk , Ševčíková Sabina
Published: January 2025

Background

Multiple myeloma (MM) represents the second most common hematological malignancy characterized by the infiltration of the bone marrow by plasma cells that produce monoclonal immunoglobulin. While the quality and length of life of MM patients have significantly increased, MM remains a hard-to-treat disease; almost all patients relapse. As MM is highly heterogenous, patients relapse at different times. It is currently not possible to predict when relapse will occur; numerous studies investigating the dysregulation of non-coding RNA molecules in cancer suggest that microRNAs could be good markers of relapse.

Results

Using small RNA sequencing, we profiled microRNA expression in peripheral blood in three groups of MM patients who relapsed at different intervals. In total, 24 microRNAs were significantly dysregulated among analyzed subgroups. Independent validation by RT-qPCR confirmed changed levels of miR-598-3p in MM patients with different times to relapse. At the same time, differences in the mass spectra between groups were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. All results were analyzed by machine learning.

Conclusion

Mass spectrometry coupled with machine learning shows potential as a reliable, rapid, and cost-effective preliminary screening technique to supplement current diagnostics.
Pregnancy-related chronic type A aortic dissection highlights the importance of thorough prenatal maternal examination
Authors: Șulea Cristina M. , Kiss Anna B. , Ágg Bence , Benke Kálmán , Bartha Elektra , Szilveszter Bálint , Stengl Roland , Csonka Máté , Szabolcs Zoltán , Pólos Miklós
Published: January 2025

Background

Aortic dissection occurs rarely during pregnancy but carries a significantly high vital risk for both the mother and the fetus. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical for a successful outcome.

Case presentation

A 32-year-old pregnant woman at 31 weeks of gestation began experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, and palpitations, which were attributed to an anxiety disorder she had been previously diagnosed with. The symptoms continued to worsen following the delivery when a chest computed tomography investigation revealed signs of chronic type A aortic dissection and an 80 mm post-dissection aneurysm of the ascending aorta. Aortic repair via composite aortic root replacement surgery (Bentall procedure) and partial aortic arch replacement was performed. The patient’s postoperative evolution was notable for a series of complications.

Conclusions

Our report highlights the importance of thorough maternal examination during pregnancy. The high mortality rates associated with aortic dissection occurring in pregnant women and the possibility of missed intervention due to atypical clinical presentation warrant the need for standardized international protocols aimed at the prevention and timely diagnosis of prenatal aortic disease.
Cell-specific transcriptional signatures of vascular cells in Alzheimer’s disease: perspectives, pathways, and therapeutic directions
Authors: Chaudhuri Soumilee , Cho Minyoung , Stumpff Julia C. , Bice Paula J. , İş Özkan , Ertekin-Taner Nilüfer , Saykin Andrew J. , Nho Kwangsik
Published: January 2025

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that is marked by profound neurovascular dysfunction and significant cell-specific alterations in the brain vasculature. Recent advances in high throughput single-cell transcriptomics technology have enabled the study of the human brain vasculature at an unprecedented depth. Additionally, the understudied niche of cerebrovascular cells, such as endothelial and mural cells, and their subtypes have been scrutinized for understanding cellular and transcriptional heterogeneity in AD. Here, we provide an overview of rich transcriptional signatures derived from recent single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomic studies of human brain vascular cells and their implications for targeted therapy for AD. We conducted an in-depth literature search using Medline and Covidence to identify pertinent AD studies that utilized single-cell technologies in human post-mortem brain tissue by focusing on understanding the transcriptional differences in cerebrovascular cell types and subtypes in AD and cognitively normal older adults. We also discuss impaired cellular crosstalk between vascular cells and neuroglial units, as well as astrocytes in AD. Additionally, we contextualize the findings from single-cell studies of distinct endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and pericytes in the human AD brain and highlight pathways for potential therapeutic interventions as a concerted multi-omic effort with spatial transcriptomics technology, neuroimaging, and neuropathology. Overall, we provide a detailed account of the vascular cell-specific transcriptional signatures in AD and their crucial cellular crosstalk with the neuroglial unit.

Graphical Abstract

Endothelial and mural cell types mediate dysregulated transcriptional pathways and cell-cell interactions in AD. The neurovascular unit (NVU) is composed of various cell types, including endothelial cells, mural cells (pericytes, smooth muscle cells), fibroblast neurons, microglia, and astrocytes. Dysregulated transcriptional pathways in AD involve multiple pathways, notably immune responses, and angiogenesis common to both endothelial and mural cells. Additionally, pathways involving neuroinflammation and amyloid clearance are prominent in endothelial cell types, while mural cells exhibit pathways related to growth factors, cytoskeletal remodeling and synaptic function. In addition, crosstalk within the NVU and gliovascular unit (GVU) is altered in AD, with altered cell-cell communication evident, with increased interactions between endothelial cells, pericytes, neurons, and microglia, and decreased interactions between endothelial cells, fibroblasts, astrocytes, and neurons. Figure created with BioRender.com. Abbreviations: AD, Alzheimer's disease; NVU, Neurovascular unit; CNS, Central Nervous System.
Wake-up call for recovery: a paradigm shift to address the deep crisis in Israel’s public mental health services in the shadow of October 7, 2023
Authors: Krivoy Amir , Rosenthal Gadi
Published: January 2025

Background

The events of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war have starkly exposed the shortcoming of Israel’s public mental health system. This system, already strained by years of underfunding and the COVID-19 pandemic, was unprepared for the surge in mental health needs resulting from these traumatic events. This paper outlines the systemic failures and proposes a comprehensive overhaul reform towards an integrative community-based, recovery-oriented mental health service.

Main body

Israel’s mental health crisis is exacerbated by four converging vectors: a global diagnostic crisis in psychiatry, insufficient biological treatments, chronic underfunding, and a fragmented service model. Diagnostic practices, centered on outdated classifications, fail to address the complexity of severe mental illnesses, resulting in imprecise diagnoses and insufficient treatments. Despite the advent of psychopharmacology, significant advancements in drug efficacy are lacking, with recovery rates stagnating or declining. Financially, mental health in Israel receives only 5.2% of the health budget, far below the 10–16% seen in high-GDP Western countries. The community mental health services reform in 2015 lack effective oversight and incentives, leading to long wait times and inadequate care. Additionally, the fragmentation among funding entities—HMOs, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Welfare—hampers coordinated care and comprehensive service delivery.

Conclusion

The proposed solution involves shifting from a hospital-biomedical -based to an integrated community-based model, emphasizing recovery over symptom management, based on regional mental health centres as hubs of services. This requires significant investment in community mental health teams, crisis intervention, home treatment, and integrated services. Early intervention, technology utilization, economic incentives for community-based care, and patient and family involvement are crucial components. This transformation aims to create a holistic, efficient, and patient-centered mental health system, better equipped to handle future challenges and reduce the societal and economic burdens of mental illness in Israel.
Impact of commercial gut health interventions on caecal metagenome and broiler performance
Authors: Pangga Gladys Maria , Star-Shirko Banaz , Psifidi Androniki , Xia Dong , Corcionivoschi Nicolae , Kelly Carmel , Hughes Callie , Lavery Ursula , Richmond Anne , Ijaz Umer Zeeshan , Gundogdu Ozan
Published: January 2025

Background

Maintaining gut health is a persistent and unresolved challenge in the poultry industry. Given the critical role of gut health in chicken performance and welfare, there is a pressing need to identify effective gut health intervention (GHI) strategies to ensure optimal outcomes in poultry farming. In this study, across three broiler production cycles, we compared the metagenomes and performance of broilers provided with ionophores (as the control group) against birds subjected to five different GHI combinations involving vaccination, probiotics, prebiotics, essential oils, and reduction of ionophore use.

Results

Using a binning strategy, 84 (≥ 75% completeness, ≤ 5% contamination) metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from 118 caecal samples were recovered and annotated for their metabolic potential. The majority of these (n = 52, 61%) had a differential response across all cohorts and are associated with the performance parameter — European poultry efficiency factor (EPEF). The control group exhibited the highest EPEF, followed closely by the cohort where probiotics are used in conjunction with vaccination. The use of probiotics B, a commercial Bacillus strain-based formulation, was determined to contribute to the superior performance of birds. GHI supplementation generally affected the abundance of microbial enzymes relating to carbohydrate and protein digestion and metabolic pathways relating to energy, nucleotide synthesis, short-chain fatty acid synthesis, and drug-transport systems. These shifts are hypothesised to differentiate performance among groups and cycles, highlighting the beneficial role of several bacteria, including Rikenella microfusus and UBA7160 species.

Conclusions

All GHIs are shown to be effective methods for gut microbial modulation, with varying influences on MAG diversity, composition, and microbial functions. These metagenomic insights greatly enhance our understanding of microbiota-related metabolic pathways, enabling us to devise strategies against enteric pathogens related to poultry products and presenting new opportunities to improve overall poultry performance and health.
Isotope analysis of birds’ eye lens provides early-life information
Authors: Hasegawa Emi A. , Matsubayashi Jun , Tayasu Ichiro , Goto Tatsuhiko , Inoue Haruka , Rossberg Axel G. , Yoshimizu Chikage , Hasegawa Masaru , Akasaka Takumi
Published: January 2025

Early-life environment has a long-lasting effect on later life, though its estimation is often prevented in the wild because of a lack of available methods. Recently, isotope analysis of eye lenses has attracted considerable interest as a means to reconstruct the environmental conditions experienced by animals during the developmental period. This analysis has mostly been confined to fish for practical reasons and remains to be resolved for application to other animals. In this study, we broadened its applicability by developing a novel approach and verifying its usability for the reconstruction of early-life environments. We performed a feeding experiment using Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), in which we administered two diets: one composed mainly of C3 plants (low δ13C and high δ15N) and the other of C4 plants (high δ13C and low δ15N). Quails in the control group were continuously fed a C3-based diet from hatching until 200 days old, whereas those in the treatment groups (T10, T15, T20, and T40) were switched from the C3 to the C4-based diet at 10, 15, 20, and 40 days after hatching, respectively. We found that the δ13C in the eye lenses of the treatment groups decreased from the center layer to the middle layer of the lens and then increased toward the outer layer, thus reflecting the diet change. In contrast, those of the control group exhibited a decreasing trend and equilibrated at the middle layer of the eye lens, with no increase thereafter. This novel approach revealed the postnatal feeding histories of the diet-shift experiment. The high δ13C values observed in the center of the eye lenses would reflect the prenatal feeding environment, i.e., the C4-based diet consumed by their mothers, which is further reinforced by higher δ15N values at this position due to the consumption of egg yolk-derived nutrition. These results indicate that the avian eye lens can be used as an “isotopic chronicle,” which is a useful tool for reconstructing chronological isotopic information about their early-life history.