bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Resting-state brain connectivity correlates of musical sophistication
Authors: Cui Anja-Xiaoxing , Kraeutner Sarah N. , Motamed Yeganeh Negin , Hermiston Nancy , Werker Janet F. , Boyd Lara A. 
Published: October 2023

IntroductionA growing body of research has investigated how performing arts training, and more specifically, music training, impacts the brain. Recent meta-analytic work has identified multiple brain areas where activity varies as a function of levels of musical expertise gained through music training. However, research has also shown that musical sophistication may be high even without music training. Thus, we aim to extend previous work by investigating whether the functional connectivity of these areas relates to interindividual differences in musical sophistication, and to characterize differences in connectivity attributed to performing arts training.MethodsWe analyzed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging from n = 74 participants, of whom 37 received performing arts training, that is, including a musical instrument, singing, and/or acting, at university level. We used a validated, continuous measure of musical sophistication to further characterize our sample. Following standard pre-processing, fifteen brain areas were identified a priori based on meta-analytic work and used as seeds in separate seed-to-voxel analyses to examine the effect of musical sophistication across the sample, and between-group analyses to examine the effects of performing arts training.ResultsConnectivity of bilateral superior temporal gyrus, bilateral precentral gyrus and cerebellum, and bilateral putamen, left insula, and left thalamus varied with different aspects of musical sophistication. By including these measures of these aspects as covariates in post hoc analyses, we found that connectivity of the right superior temporal gyrus and left precentral gyrus relate to effects of performing arts training beyond effects of individual musical sophistication.DiscussionOur results highlight the potential role of sensory areas in active engagement with music, the potential role of motor areas in emotion processing, and the potential role of connectivity between putamen and lingual gyrus in general musical sophistication.
The locations of stroke lesions next to the posterior internal capsule may predict the recovery of the related proprioceptive deficits
Authors: Hassa Thomas , Zbytniewska-Mégret Monika , Salzmann Christian , Lambercy Olivier , Gassert Roger , Liepert Joachim , Schoenfeld Mircea Ariel 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundSomatosensory deficits after stroke correlate with functional disabilities and impact everyday-life. In particular, the interaction of proprioception and motor dysfunctions affects the recovery. While corticospinal tract (CST) damage is linked to poor motor outcome, much less is known on proprioceptive recovery. Identifying a predictor for such a recovery could help to gain insights in the complex functional recovery processes thereby reshaping rehabilitation strategies.Methods50 patients with subacute stroke were tested before and after neurological rehabilitation. Proprioceptive and motor impairments were quantified with three clinical assessments and four hand movement and proprioception measures using a robotic device. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) to median nerve stimulation and structural imaging data (MRI) were also collected. Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) along with a region of interest (ROI) analysis were performed for the corticospinal tract (CST) and for cortical areas.ResultsBefore rehabilitation, the VLSM revealed lesion correlates for all clinical and three robotic measures. The identified voxels were located in the white matter within or near the CST. These regions associated with proprioception were located posterior compared to those associated with motor performance. After rehabilitation the patients showed an improvement of all clinical and three robotic assessments. Improvement in the box and block test was associated with an area in anterior CST. Poor recovery of proprioception was correlated with a high lesion load in fibers towards primary sensorymotor cortex (S1 and M1 tract). Patients with loss of SSEP showed higher lesion loads in these tracts and somewhat poorer recovery of proprioception. The VSLM analysis for SSEP loss revealed a region within and dorsal of internal capsule next to the posterior part of CST, the posterior part of insula and the rolandic operculum.ConclusionLesions dorsal to internal capsule next to the posterior CST were associated with proprioceptive deficits and may have predictive value. Higher lesion load was correlated with poorer restoration of proprioceptive function. Furthermore, patients with SSEP loss trended towards poor recovery of proprioception, the corresponding lesions were also located in the same location. These findings suggest that structural imaging of the internal capsule and CST could serve as a recovery predictor of proprioceptive function.
Comparative analysis of dose calculation algorithms for CyberKnife-based stereotactic radiotherapy in lung cancer
Authors: Ge Xuanchu , Yang Mingshan , Li Tengxiang , Liu Tonghai , Gao Xiangyu , Qiu Qingtao , Yin Yong 
Published: October 2023

PurposeThe accuracy of dose calculation is the prerequisite for CyberKnife (CK) to implement precise stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). In this study, CK-MLC treatment planning for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were compared using finite-size pencil beam (FSPB) algorithm, FSPB with lateral scaling option (FSPB_LS) and Monte Carlo (MC) algorithms, respectively. We concentrated on the enhancement of accuracy with the FSPB_LS algorithm over the conventional FSPB algorithm and the dose consistency with the MC algorithm.MethodsIn this study, 54 cases of NSCLC were subdivided into central lung cancer (CLC, n=26) and ultra-central lung cancer (UCLC, n=28). For each patient, we used the FSPB algorithm to generate a treatment plan. Then the dose was recalculated using FSPB_LS and MC dose algorithms based on the plans computed using the FSPB algorithm. The resultant plans were assessed by calculating the mean value of pertinent comparative parameters, including PTV prescription isodose, conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), and dose-volume statistics of organs at risk (OARs).ResultsIn this study, most dose parameters of PTV and OARs demonstrated a trend of MC &gt; FSPB_LS &gt; FSPB. The FSPB_LS algorithm aligns better with the dose parameters of the target compared to the MC algorithm, which is particularly evident in UCLC. However, the FSPB algorithm significantly underestimated the does of the target. Regarding the OARs in CLC, differences in dose parameters were observed between FSPB and FSPB_LS for V10 of the contralateral lung, as well as between FSPB and MC for mean dose (Dmean) of the contralateral lung and maximum dose (Dmax) of the aorta, exhibiting statistical differences. There were no statistically significant differences observed between FSPB_LS and MC for the OARs. However, the average dose deviation between FSPB_LS and MC algorithms for OARs ranged from 2.79% to 11.93%. No significant dose differences were observed among the three algorithms in UCLC.ConclusionFor CLC, the FSPB_LS algorithm exhibited good consistency with the MC algorithm in PTV and demonstrated a significant improvement in accuracy when compared to the traditional FSPB algorithm. However, the FSPB_LS algorithm and the MC algorithm showed a significant dose deviation in OARs of CLC. In the case of UCLC, FSPB_LS showed better consistency with the MC algorithm than observed in CLC. Notwithstanding, UCLC’s OARs were highly sensitive to radiation dose and could result in potentially serious adverse reactions. Consequently, it is advisable to use the MC algorithm for dose calculation in both CLC and UCLC, while the application of FSPB_LS algorithm should be carefully considered.
Barriers to healthcare access in patients with chronic pain or potential migraine in Japan: a cross-sectional internet survey
Authors: Karasawa Yusuke , Yamaguchi Keisuke , Nakano Shogo , Nozawa Kazutaka , Iseki Masako 
Published: October 2023

PurposeChronic pain and migraines often go untreated despite patient- and economic-related burdens (e.g., impaired quality of life and productivity). Understanding the reasons for non-treatment is important to enable interventions aimed at improving care-seeking behaviors. However, reports on disease-specific justifications for nontreatment in Japan are limited. We aimed to determine the barriers to healthcare access in untreated patients with chronic pain or migraines.Patients and methodsThis was a non-interventional, cross-sectional, internet questionnaire survey of patients with chronic pain or migraines. The primary endpoint was to identify the reasons for untreated chronic pain or migraines. Secondary endpoints included factors associated with healthcare access, including patient background, patient-reported outcomes, and awareness of generic or authorized generic drugs (AG).ResultsWe surveyed 1,089 patients with chronic pain [605 (55.6%) untreated] and 932 patients with migraines [695 (74.6%) untreated] in 2021. The main reasons for not seeking treatment for chronic pain was “my pain is tolerable” and for migraine, “I can manage my pain with over-the-counter drugs.” Background factors significantly associated with untreated chronic pain were younger age, less time required to access the nearest medical institution, less pain, higher activities of daily living (ADL) scores, and lower awareness of generic drugs and AG. Among patients with migraine, notable characteristics included being female, having shorter travel times to the nearest medical facility, residing in municipalities with populations under 50,000, experiencing moderate to severe pain, having higher ADL scores, and displaying lower awareness of AG. The AG awareness rate was 2-fold higher in treated patients than in untreated patients.ConclusionEducating patients regarding the risks associated with pain and its underlying causes, availability of inexpensive treatment options, and location of appropriate treatment facilities may increase treatment rates.
Effect of Astragaloside IV on improving cardiac function in rats with heart failure: a preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Zhiyuan , Zhang Muxin , Xu Yongkai , Lu Mengkai , Zhang Lei , Li Chao 
Published: October 2023

Background: Astragaloside IV (ASIV) is the primary pharmacologically active compound found in Astragalus propinquus Schischkin, which has potential protective effects on cardiac function. However, there are almost no systematic evaluations of ASIV for the treatment of heart failure (HF).Methods: Preclinical studies published before 27 December 2022, were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, SinoMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP information database, and Wanfang Data information site. The quality of included research was evaluated using SYRCLE’s RoB tool. Review Manager 5.4.1 was used to perform meta-analyses of the cardiac function parameters and other indicators. Regression analysis was conducted to observe the dose-efficacy relationship.Results: Nineteen studies involving 489 animals were included. Results indicated that compared with the control group, ASIV could enhance cardiac function indicators, including left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), left ventricular pressure change rate (±dp/dtmax), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), heart weight/body weight (HW/BW) and left ventricular weight/body weight (LVW/BW). Furthermore, the regression analysis showed that the treatment of HF with ASIV was dose-dependent.Conclusion: Findings suggest that ASIV can inhibit cardiac hypertrophy by reducing cardiac preload and afterload, thereby protecting cardiac function.
Effects of different grassland utilization methods on the germinable soil seed bank of the Hulunbuir meadow steppe
Authors: Yan Ruirui , Yu Tianqi , Liu Hongmei , Lv Shijie , Chen Baorui , Wu Yanling , Que Guoping , Wei Zhijun , Xu Lijun , Zhu Xiaoyu , Yang Guixia , Xin Xiaoping 
Published: October 2023

Seed banks are crucial regenerative resources for aboveground vegetation. The pattern of their changes holds immense significance in understanding alterations in the belowground seed bank. This understanding is pivotal for uncovering both short-term and long-term shifts in plant communities. Additionally, it contributes to the restoration of grassland ecosystems. To better protect grassland biodiversity and provide a theoretical basis for the restoration of degraded grasslands, in this study, the germination characteristics of soil seed banks in free-grazed, enclosed and mown areas were compared, and the results were combined with those of previous studies for a comprehensive analysis. The density of soil seed bank and perennial forage soil seed bank were significantly affected by different grassland utilization and soil depths. Grazing and enclosure grassland utilization methods increased the content of the soil seed bank, and mowing reduced the content of the seed bank. The soil seed bank density of perennial grasses accounted for the highest proportion under grazing, followed by mowing, and its lowest proportion was observed in the enclosures. Grazing not only facilitated the germination of the perennial grass seed bank but also substantially augmented its content. Mowing inhibited the germination of the upper growth grasses seed bank, which was particularly significant in the 0-2 cm soil layer under grazing. The content of the upper growth grasses seed bank affected the total seed bank to a certain extent, mainly in the 5-10 cm layer. The general correlations among the perennial grasses, upper growth grasses and soil germination seed bank resulted in 84.58% information extraction, and this information has practical significance for grassland ecological restoration.
An investigation of age dependency in Dutch and Chinese values for EQ-5D-Y
Authors: Essers Brigitte , Wang Pei , Stolk Elly , Jonker Marcel F. , Evers Silvia , Joore Manuela , Dirksen Carmen 
Published: October 2023

AimsThe primary aim was to explore the age dependency of health state values derived via trade-offs between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and life years in a discrete choice experiment (DCE). The secondary aim was to explore if people weigh life years and HRQoL differently for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.MethodsParticipants from the general population of the Netherlands and China first completed a series of choice tasks offering choices between two EQ-5D-Y states with a given lifespan. The choice model captured the value of a year in full health, disutility determined by EQ-5D-Y, and a discount rate. Next, they received a slightly different choice task, offering choices between two lives that differed in HRQoL and life expectancy but produced the same number of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Participants were randomly assigned to fill out the survey for three or four age frames: a hypothetical person of 10, 15, 40, and 70 years (the last one only applicable to China) to allow the age dependency of the responses to be explored.ResultsA total of 1,234 Dutch and 1,818 Chinese people administered the survey. Controlling for time preferences, we found that the agreement of health state values for different age frames was generally stronger in the Netherlands than in China. We found no clear pattern of differences in the QALY composition in both samples. The probability distribution over response options varied most when levels for lifespan or severity were at the extremes of the spectrum.Conclusion/discussionThe magnitude and direction of age effects on values seemed dimension- and country specific. In the Netherlands, we found a few differences in dimension-specific weights elicited for 10- and 15-year-olds compared to 40-year-olds, but the overall age dependency of values was limited. A stronger age dependency of values was observed in China, where values for 70-year-olds differed strongly from the values for other ages. The appropriateness of using existing values beyond the age range for which they were measured needs to be evaluated in the local context.
The 18-item Swedish version of Ryff’s psychological wellbeing scale: psychometric properties based on classical test theory and item response theory
Authors: Garcia Danilo , Kazemitabar Maryam , Asgarabad Mojtaba Habibi 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundPsychological wellbeing is conceptualized as the full engagement and optimal performance in existential challenges of life. Our understanding of psychological wellbeing is important for us humans to survive, adapt, and thrive during the challenges of the 21st century. Hence, the measurement of psychological wellbeing is one cornerstone for the identification and treatment of both mental illness and health promotion. In this context, Ryff operationalized psychological wellbeing as a six-dimensional model of human characteristics: self-acceptance, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, personal growth, autonomy, and purpose in life. Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing Scale has been developed and translated into different versions. Here, we examine and describe the psychometric properties of the 18-item Swedish version of Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing Scale using both Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT).MethodsThe data used in the present study was earlier published elsewhere and consists of 768 participants (279 women and 489 men). In addition to the 18-item version of the scale, participants answered the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, and the Background and Health Questionnaire. We examined, the 18-item version’s factor structure using different models and its relationship with subjective wellbeing, sociodemographic factors (e.g., education level, gender, age), lifestyle habits (i.e., smoking, frequency of doing exercise, and exercise intensity), and health issues (i.e., pain and sleeping problems). We also analyzed measurement invariance with regard to gender. Moreover, as an addition to the existing literature, we analyzed the properties of the 18 items using Graded Response Model (GRM).ResultsAlthough the original six-factor structure showed a good fit, both CTT and IRT indicated that a five-factor model, without the purpose in life subscale, provided a better fit. The results supported the internal consistency and concurrent validity of the 18-item Swedish version. Moreover, invariance testing showed similar measurement precision by the scale across gender. Finally, we found several items, especially the purpose in life’s item “I live life one day at a time and do not really think about the future,” that might need revision or modification in order to improve measurement.ConclusionA five-factor solution is a valid and reliable measure for the assessment of psychological wellbeing in the general Swedish population. With some modifications, the scale might achieve enough accuracy to measure the more appropriate and correct six-dimensional theoretical framework as detailed by Ryff. Fortunately, Ryff’s original version contains 20 items per subscale and should therefore act as a perfect pool of items in this endeavor.
Demands and stress before and during the COVID-19 pandemic of parents to children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Sartor Teresa , Sons Sarah , Kunina-Habenicht Olga , Tröster Heinrich , Kuhn Jörg-Tobias 
Published: October 2023

IntroductionParents to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face diverse daily demands that can lead to stress. The aim of this study was to examine to which extent stress in parents to children with ASD can be explained by daily demands before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (after lockdowns; first half of 2022), and whether there are differences between the two time periods in this regard.MethodsData from parents to children with ASD living in Germany from two independent questionnaire studies (before the pandemic: N = 168, during the pandemic: N = 105) were matched for comparability. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were used to answer the research question.ResultsParental stress as well as all demands examined showed higher levels during the COVID-19 pandemic than before. Significant predictors of parental stress before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were (1) the daily demands to deal with the child’s problem behavior, (2) the restriction of one’s personal way of life, and (3) the challenge to cooperate with the partner. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the child’s problem behavior was particularly relevant. It was also found that the demand to deal with stigmatizing reactions did not explain parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic whereas before the pandemic it had been a significant predictor.DiscussionAlthough parental stress and the demands of daily life increased during the pandemic, most of the stress can be explained by the same demands. It is suggested that the increased levels may be due to an increase in the child’s ASD symptomatology, which is why it is advisable to install therapeutic and care structures that prepare children with ASD for future crises.
Self-dehumanisation in voice hearers: the end of a continuum
Authors: O’Brien-Venus Bethany , Jenkins Tom , Chadwick Paul 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundMeta-dehumanisation and self-dehumanisation have been identified as potentially relevant phenomena for developing a deeper understanding of distress related to voice-hearing, particularly those experiencing voices as part of psychosis. Chadwick has previously argued that those with psychosis, including those who hear distressing voices, typically feel “dehumanised and set apart by their experiences of psychosis and trauma.” The present study explores the subjective experience of self-dehumanisation in people who experience distressing voices, which was selected as a useful starting point to inform future research focused on understanding dehumanisation in people with psychosis.MethodsQualitative data was obtained through twenty semi-structured interviews with self-identifying voice hearers and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. This followed the recursive six phase procedure of Braun and Clarke, and this was conducted from a critical realist, contextualist position.ResultsReflexive thematic analysis of participant’s experiences produced a core theme, Dehumanisation as the End of Experiential Continua, and six subthemes: Extent of Distressing Sensory Fragmentation; Sense of Belonging with Other Humans; Integrity of Self as a Private, Coherent Entity; Sense of Worth as a Human Being; Strength of Personal Agency; and Trust in Own Credibility and Reliability. Two further themes, The Push and Pull of Dehumanising Forces and Reclaiming Life through Humanising Forces, were identified. Findings were presented to a panel of five experts by experience, all with lived experience of psychosis and service-use; all five strongly endorsed the themes as fitting with and expressing their own experiences of self-dehumanisation.ConclusionReflexive thematic analysis of voice hearers’ accounts identified self-dehumanisation as the endpoint where six experiential continua coalesce. Experiential movement along these continua was affected by a range of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and societal forces over time, including dehumanising attitudes of others and voice malevolence and omnipotence. Future research might examine if and how psychological therapies aimed at those experiencing distressing voices, such as people experiencing psychosis may address feelings of self-dehumanisation.