bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of virtual counseling on the care burden and quality of life of family caregivers for leukemia patients: a randomized controlled trial study
Authors: Sadeghi Amir , Yousofvand Vahid , Falahan Seyedeh Nayereh , Bonyad Sajjad Amiri , Alafchi Behnaz 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
Leukemia patients’ caregivers often face care burden and low quality of life. Continuous virtual counseling can help to management these problems. This study examines effects of virtual counseling on the care burden and quality of life of family caregivers for leukemia patients.

Method
The study employed a randomized controlled trial pretest–posttest design with a control group, involving 90 family caregivers of leukemia patients at Iranian oncology clinics in 2021. Two oncology clinics were randomly assigned as experimental (45 participants) and control groups (45 participants). Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method, adhering to pre-defined inclusion criteria. Data collection was facilitated using Novak and Guest’s Caregiver Burden Inventory and the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer, administered at baseline, one month, and two months post-intervention. The experimental group engaged in six weeks of continuous virtual counseling, with sessions lasting 45–60 min each week. In contrast, the control group received standard hospital care.

Results
The average ages of the experimental and control groups were 34.29 and 32.33 years, respectively. In the experimental group, 51.1% were men, and 68.88% were spouses of patients. In the control group, 62.2% were women, and 44.45% were spouses of patients. Two months following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvement in average scores for both care burden (experimental group: baseline: 90.11 ± 11.34, post-test 1: 73.78 ± 11.58, post-test 2: 52.91 ± 13.57; control group: baseline: 86.38 ± 9.81, post-test 1: 90.93 ± 14.54, post-test 2: 97.40 ± 15.03; a large significant interaction effect for time*group (η2 = 0.653, p < 0.001), and quality of life (baseline: 65.18 ± 8.36, post-test 1: 73.76 ± 6.53, post-test 2: 89.07 ± 9.43; control group: baseline: 61.82 ± 11.68, post-test 1: 51.96 ± 11.22, post-test 2: 44.24 ± 13.63; a large significant interaction effect for time*group (η2 = 0.651, p < 0.001).

Conclusion
The findings of this study suggest that virtual counseling can be a positive influence in reducing care burden and improving the quality of life for caregivers of leukemia patients. These results highlight the potential value of incorporating virtual counseling strategies into the caregiving support programs for nurses.

Trial registration
Current controlled trials IRCT20211227053551N7) on February 9, 2025, as well as Retrospectively registered.
Lung recruitment mechanics: coalescing tissue strains with organ expansion
Authors: Shankel M. , Nelson T. M. , Quiros K. A. M. , Bebawy J. , Mariano C. A. , Biddle T. , Lo D. D. , Eskandari M. 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
Recruitment maneuvers are used to prevent atelectasis, or partial lung collapse, and to help prevent ventilator induced lung injury. Recruitment techniques remain a topic of debate due to the possibility for damage as they necessitate higher transpulmonary pressures, which are associated with inducing lung injury. We aim to evaluate and probe injury mechanisms and potential pressure inhomogeneities, expressed as heterogeneous lung recruitment and overdistension, by associating organ level compliances with continuous regional strains during the application of stepwise escalation contrasted with sustained inflation maneuvers.

Methods
An established breathing mimicry electromechanical system integrated with high spatio-temporal digital image correlation techniques coupled the global pressure-volume response of the lung with local deformations. Compliances, pressures, strains, heterogeneities and the expansion evolution pertaining to the inflation phase of two recruitment methods were quantified and contrasted.

Results
Significant differences between the organ- and tissue-level responses of the sustained inflation versus escalation maneuver were found. The escalation maneuver exhibited greater starting compliance, whereas the sustained inflation showed increased inflation compliance. The localized strain distribution for the sustained inflation yielded increased 75th percentile strain, 90th percentile strain, and range at maximum inflation compared to the escalation maneuver.

Conclusions
Local and global findings indicate the escalation maneuver exhibits more homogeneous lung recruitment compared to sustained inflation. We also observe a correspondence between the significant organ-level compliance differences between the two maneuvers and the disparities observed in the evolutionary progression of localized strain distributions throughout inflation.
The impact of insecticide decay on the rate of insecticide resistance evolution for monotherapies and mixtures
Authors: Hobbs Neil Philip , Hastings Ian 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
The problem of insecticide decay following their deployment in public health applications is frequently highlighted as an issue for sustained disease control. There are additional concerns that it also increases selection for insecticide resistance. Despite these concerns insecticide decay is largely absent from models evaluating insecticide resistance management strategies.

Methodology
The impact of insecticide decay is investigated using a model which assumes a polygenic basis of insecticide resistance. Single generation evaluations are conducted that cover the insecticide efficacy and insecticide resistance space for insecticides when deployed as monotherapies or mixtures to mechanistically investigate how insecticide decay impacts selection for resistance. The outcome is the between generation change in bioassay survival to the insecticides. The monotherapy sequence and mixture strategies were compared in multi-generation simulations incorporating insecticide decay, with the outcome being the difference in strategy lifespan.

Results
The results demonstrate that as insecticides decay, they can apply a much greater selection pressure than that imposed by newly deployed, non-decayed insecticides; this applies to both monotherapies and mixtures. For mixtures, selection for resistance is highest when both insecticides have reduced decayed efficacies; this also occurs if reduced dosages are deliberately used in mixtures. Insecticide decay was found to reduce the benefit of mixtures compared to sequential monotherapies, especially when reduced-dose mixtures are used.

Conclusions
Insecticide decay is often highlighted as an important consideration for mixtures and these results indicate its absence in previous modelling studies may be over-inflating the performance of full-dose mixtures. In summary: as insecticides decay, they can impose increasing selection pressures for resistance with reduced ability to control the target insect populations. The optimal frequency with which decaying insecticides should be replenished is an important policy consideration.
Insights into how manual therapists incorporate the biopsychosocial-enactive model in the care of individuals with CLBP: a qualitative study
Authors: Bianchi Marco , Rossettini Giacomo , Cerritelli Francesco , Esteves Jorge E. 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) presents a significant challenge for manual therapists. Recent advancements in pain research have highlighted the limitations of the traditional biomedical and biopsychosocial models, prompting the exploration of alternatives. The biopsychosocial-enactive (BPS-E) model has emerged as a promising alternative. This study aims to explore the application of the BPS-E model by manual therapists in managing CLBP and to initiate a meaningful dialogue about its use.

Methods
This study adhered to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research. Guided by constructivist grounded theory, we conducted semi-structured interviews with ten manual therapists who are experts in the BPS-E model. Data collection, conceptualization, and analysis were systematically carried out to identify key themes and insights.

Results
The core theme identified was “The person-centred approach,” with three subthemes: “Opportunities in implementing the model”, “Utilizing and Integrating Diverse Skills for Holistic Care”, and “Challenges in implementing the model”.

Conclusion
This study provides insights into how manual therapists incorporate the BPS-E model in their practice, demonstrating its advantages over the traditional biopsychosocial model. The findings highlight the need for further research and training to effectively implement the BPS-E model in clinical settings. This research begins an essential discussion on the potential of the BPS-E model to enhance care for CLBP patients.
Reversible fluorescent solid porous films for detection of zinc ions in biological media
Authors: Gandin Alessandro , Brigo Laura , Giacomazzo Sujatha , Torresan Veronica , Brusatin Giovanna , Franco Alfredo 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
The need for a sensitive, selective, non-invasive and reversible fluorescent sensor for Zn2+ monitoring is addressed in this work. A novel guest-host system is developed, including a Zn2+ sensitive fluorescent probe, Zinpyr-1, embedded in a porous optically transparent hybrid film. The entrapped probe molecules are accessible and can interact with the external analyte. The immobilized Zinpyr-1 confirms its specificity and selectivity for Zn2+, as shown by sensing tests conducted in buffer solutions that mimic the ionic composition of biological media. The uniqueness of the developed sensor system lies in its reversibility, combined with a fast and selective response, allowing dynamic measurements of zinc concentrations in the 1 µM to 1 mM range within few tens of seconds. Unlike most Zn2+ sensors, this system is a film-based sensor, making it an interesting minimally invasive tool for future studies on how live cells cultured on it dynamically regulate the Zn2+ concentration under controlled physiological conditions.
Estimation of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the main vector Triatoma infestans: accounting for imperfect detection using site-occupancy models
Authors: Cardinal Marta Victoria , Enriquez Gustavo Fabián , Gaspe María Sol , Fernández María del Pilar , Capello Victoria , Gürtler Ricardo Esteban 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
Vector infection prevalence is a key component of vectorial capacity and transmission risk. Optical microscopy observation (OM) of fecal drops has been the classic method for detecting Trypanosoma cruzi infection in triatomine bugs until the advent of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques. However, agreement among OM- and PCR-based techniques has been highly heterogeneous.

Methods
We used hierarchical site-occupancy models accounting for imperfect detection to estimate method-specific detection probabilities of T. cruzi infection in field-collected Triatoma infestans and to assess whether T. cruzi infection varied with triatomine developmental stage and collection ecotope. We also performed a scoping review of the literature on comparisons between OM and PCR for T. cruzi infection diagnosis in triatomines. Triatomines were collected before vector control interventions in Pampa del Indio houses (Argentine Chaco) and examined by OM. We amplified the variable regions of the kinetoplastid minicircle genome (vkDNA-PCR) in DNA extracted from the rectal ampoules of 64 OM-positive and 65 OM-negative T. infestans.

Results
vkDNA-PCR detected T. cruzi infection in 59 (92.2%) OM-positive bugs and in 19 (29.2%) OM-negative triatomines in blind tests. The overall prevalence of infection, as determined by a positive test result by either vkDNA-PCR or OM, was 64.3% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 55.8–72.1%]. Detection probability of T. cruzi infection by vkDNA-PCR (92%, 95% CI 83–97%) was substantially higher than for OM (76%, 95% CI 65–84%). Infection was minimal (26.2%) in peridomestic nymphs and maximal in domestic adult triatomines (81.7%). In the literature review encompassing 26 triatomine species from 11 countries, inter-method agreement ranged from 28.6% to 100%. The lowest agreement was observed in Rhodnius sp. and Panstrongylus lutzi and the highest among Triatoma sp., with wide variability in the protocols and outcomes of molecular diagnosis in comparison with OM.

Conclusions
Our study provides a synthesis on the different sources (both biological and technical) of variation of the outcomes of OM- and PCR-based diagnosis of T. cruzi infection in triatomines and identifies new research needs for diagnostic improvement.

Graphical Abstract
Sex differences in the association of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers and cognition in a multicenter memory clinic study
Authors: Boccalini Cecilia , Peretti Debora Elisa , Scheffler Max , Mu Linjing , Griffa Alessandra , Testart Nathalie , Allali Gilles , Prior John O. , Ashton Nicholas J. , Zetterberg Henrik , Blennow Kaj , Frisoni Giovanni B. , Garibotto Valentina 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
This study investigated sex differences in the associations between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers, cognitive performance, and decline in memory clinic settings.

Methods
249 participants (females/males:123/126), who underwent tau-PET, amyloid-PET, structural MRI, and plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) measurement were included from Geneva and Lausanne Memory Clinics. Mann-Whitney U tests investigated sex differences in clinical and biomarker data. Linear regression models estimated the moderating effect of sex on the relationship between biomarkers and cognitive performance and decline. Sex differences in cognitive decline were further evaluated using longitudinal linear mixed-effect models with three-way interaction effects.

Results
Women and men present similar clinical features, amyloid, and neurodegeneration. Women had higher tau load and plasma levels of GFAP than men (p < 0.05). Tau associations with amyloid (standardized β = 0.54,p < 0.001), neurodegeneration (standardized β=-0.44,p < 0.001), and cognition (standardized β=-0.48,p < 0.001) were moderated by a significant interaction with sex. Specifically, the association between amyloid and tau was stronger among women than men (standardized β=-0.19,p = 0.047), whereas the associations between tau and cognition and between tau and neurodegeneration were stronger among men than in women (standardized β=-0.76,p = 0.001 and standardized β=-0.56,p = 0.044). Women exhibited faster cognitive decline than men in the presence of severe cortical thinning (p < 0.001).

Conclusion
Women showed higher tau load and stronger association between amyloid and tau than men. In individuals with high tau burden, men exhibited greater neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment than women. These findings support that sex differences may impact tau deposition through an upstream interplay with amyloid, leading to downstream effects on neurodegeneration and cognitive outcomes.
Dynamic functional adaptations during touch observation in autism: connectivity strength is linked to attitudes towards social touch and social responsiveness
Authors: Lee Masson Haemy 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
Autistic adults experience differences in social interactions involving physical contact. Brain imaging studies suggest that these differences may be related to atypical brain responses to social-affective cues, affecting both the experience of receiving touch and observing it in others. However, it remains unclear whether these atypical responses are limited to specific brain regions or represent broader alterations in brain connectivity. The current study investigated how the functional network architecture is modulated during touch observation associated with autism and explored the extent to which changes in this architecture are associated with individual differences in social touch preferences and social responsiveness.

Methods
By integrating generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis with independent component analysis (ICA), the current study analyzed existing fMRI datasets, in which 21 autistic and 21 non-autistic male adults viewed videos of social and nonsocial touch while undergoing MRI scans.

Results
A gPPI analysis of regions of interest revealed that autistic adults exhibited increased connectivity between sensory and social brain regions. The strength of some of these connections was positively associated with a higher preference for social touch and greater social responsiveness, suggesting neural compensatory mechanisms that may help autistic adults better understand the meaning of touch. At the level of large-scale brain networks extracted using ICA, atypical connectivity was predominantly observed between the sensorimotor network and other networks involved in social-emotional processing. Increased connectivity was observed in the sensorimotor network during nonsocial touch, suggesting that embodied simulation, the process by which individuals internally simulate touch experience of others in this context, may be more engaged when observing human-object interactions than during human-to-human touch.

Limitations
This study focused on a specific subgroup of 21 autistic male adults with minimal support needs. Future research would benefit from including a more diverse autistic sample.

Conclusions
This study reveals atypical context-dependent modulation of functional brain architecture associated with autism during touch observation. Neural compensatory mechanisms in autistic individuals who enjoy social touch and show higher social responsiveness may function as adaptive social responses. However, these compensations may be limited to specific brain regions, rather than occurring at the level of large-scale brain networks.
Dental remains of ‘Parachleuastochoerus’ valentini (Suidae: Tetraconodontinae) from the early Late Miocene of Sant Quirze (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula): taxonomic and phylogenetic implications
Authors: Alba David M. , Siarabi Souzanna , Arranz Sara G. , McKenzie Sharrah , Casanovas-Vilar Isaac 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
The distinctiveness and genus allocation of ‘Parachleuastochoerus’ valentini (Suidae: Tetraconodontinae), from the Miocene of Europe, has been controversial, being alternatively considered a junior synonym of Conohyus simorrensis. Recently described material from the Vallès-Penedès Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula) supported its distinct species status but did not discount an alternative ascription to Conohyus, largely because the lower male canine remained unknown. Here we describe all the tetraconodontine dentognathic material from the earliest Late Miocene sites of Trinxera del Ferrocarril–Sant Quirze (~11.6–11.2 Ma, MN7+8), as well as Can Feliu 2 and Poble Nou de Sant Quirze (≤11.2 Ma, MN9), comprising 134 specimens. The former locality played an important role in the resurrection of ‘Pa.’ valentini but ~70% of the available material remained unpublished. Based on metrical and qualitative comparisons with published material of this species and similarly sized tetraconodontines from Europe, we attribute the whole studied sample to ‘Pa.’ valentini. Previous reports of Parachleuastochoerus huenermanni from the site are erroneous (owing to specimen mislabeling). Our results reinforce the distinctiveness of ‘Pa.’ valentini, while its lower male canine morphology (first described herein) does not support its transfer to Conohyus. However, a cladistic analysis favors closer phylogenetic relationships with Retroporcus matritensis (a potential junior synonym of C. simorrensis) and even Versoporcus steinheimensis than with Parachleuastochoerus crusafonti (the type species of the genus). Our results thus indicate that Parachleuastochoerus, as currently conceived, is polyphyletic, although pending an in-depth revision of other European tetraconodontines we refrain from providing a new combination for ‘Pa.’ valentini.
A patient-reported outcome measure comprising the stool frequency and abdominal pain items from the Crohn’s Disease Activity Index: psychometric evaluation in adults with Crohn’s disease
Authors: Lewis James D. , Vadhariya Aisha , Su Sylvia , Zhou Xian , Durand Frederick , Kawata Ariane K. , Stassek Larissa , Clucas Claudine , Schreiber Stefan 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
The Stool Frequency (SF) and Abdominal Pain (AP) items from the Crohn’s Disease Activity Index are together referred to as the “Patient Reported Outcome” (PRO). The SF item measures the number of very soft/liquid stools and the AP item measures abdominal pain severity, which are common Crohn’s disease (CD) symptoms that patients consider important to treat. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of both PRO items separately and estimated thresholds for clinical remission in moderately to severely active CD.

Methods
The measurement properties of the PRO items were analyzed using pooled data from VIVID-1 (NCT03926130), a Phase 3, randomized, placebo- and active-controlled study in adults with moderately to severely active CD. Analyses used weekly average scores of the SF and AP items at Weeks 0 (Baseline), 4, 12, and 52. Remission thresholds were estimated using the Patient Global Rating of Severity (PGRS) and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) as primary anchors as well as qualitative evidence from exit interviews.

Results
Data from 1065 participants (mean age: 36.2 years [standard deviation: 13 years]) were analyzed. During the trial, scores improved for both PRO items. Both items demonstrated moderate-to-good test-retest reliability for participants defined as stable based on PGRS and PGIC. Most correlations of related assessments were moderate (0.30≤|ρ| <0.70) with SF and moderate-to-large (0.30≤|ρ| ≤0.90) with AP. By contrast, as anticipated, both items had weak correlations (|ρ| <0.30) with endoscopic and laboratory assessments. The PRO items could discriminate between groups of participants known to differ based on other assessments. The PRO items were able to detect change, as score changes in both items between Baseline and Weeks 12 and 52 differed significantly between most PGRS and PGIC categories. Anchor-based analyses combined with responses from the exit interviews suggested that an SF score of ≤ 3 and an AP score of ≤ 1 could together represent clinical remission.

Conclusion
These results support the reliability, construct-validity, and responsiveness of both PRO items in moderately to severely active CD and confirm previously suggested scores for both items that could represent clinical remission.

Trial registration
Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03926130. Registered 23 April 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03926130.