bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neural noise is associated with age-related neural dedifferentiation
Authors: Pichot Rachelle E. , Henreckson Daniel J. , Foley Morgan , Koen Joshua D. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractAge-related neural dedifferentiation – reductions in the selectivity and precision of neural representations – contributes to cognitive aging and is thought to result from age increases in neural noise. This research has primarily used fMRI to examine age-related reductions in neural selectivity for different categories of visual stimuli. The present experiment used EEG to examine the link between neural noise and age-related neural dedifferentiation indexed by the scene-selective (P200) and face-selective (N170) ERP components. Young and older adults viewed images of scenes, objects, and faces during a 1-back task. Whereas both the P200 and N170 showed age-related slowing of peak latency, only the P200 showed age-related reductions in amplitude that were independent of visual and contrast acuity. We also examined the relationship between the ERP peak measures and an index of neural noise, namely the 1/f exponent of the frequency power spectrum. For the P200 amplitude, higher levels of neural noise were associated with smaller P200 amplitudes in young, but not older adults. In contrast, there was an age-invariant relationship between neural noise and N170 amplitude in the left hemisphere with higher levels of neural noise being associated reduced N170 amplitudes. While the present findings provide novel empirical evidence broadly consistent with predictions from computational models of neural dedifferentiation, the results also highlight potential limitations of the computational model that necessitate revision. The results also suggest that, at least for the P200, maintaining levels of neural noise similar to young adults might preserve levels of neural selectivity.Significance StatementA prominent theory of cognitive aging proposes that age-related cognitive decline results from increases in neural noise that reduce the selectivity of neural representations. We examined this predicted link between neural selectivity and neural noise with ERP components that show selectivity for scenes (P200) and faces (N170) and the 1/f aperiodic exponent measure of neural noise. The amplitude for the scene-selective, but not face-selective, ERP component was reduced in older adults, with both components showing age-related slowing. Critically, older adults with higher levels of neural noise showed lower levels of neural selectivity for scenes, but not faces. While these results provide some evidence supporting computational models of neural dedifferentiation, they also highlight important limitations of the model that require revision.
Validity of a deep learning algorithm for detecting wheezes and crackles from lung sound recordings in adults
Authors: Melbye Hasse , Ravn Johan , Pabiszczak Mikolaj , Bongo Lars Ailo , Aviles Solis Juan Carlos 
Published: November 2022

AbstractWe validated our state-of-the-art deep learning algorithm for detection of wheezes and crackles in sound files by comparing the classification of our algorithm with those of human experts. We had two validation sets classified by experienced raters that were not used to train the algorithm with 615 (A) and 120 (B) sound files, respectively. We calculated Area Under Curve (AUC) of the algorithm’s probability scores for wheezes and crackles. We dichotomized the scores and calculated sensitivity and specificity as well as kappa agreement. In set A, the AUC was 0.88 (95% CI 0.84 – 0.92) for wheezes and 0.88 (95% CI 0.84 – 0.92) for crackles. The sensitivities and specificities of the labels were 81% and 89% for wheezes and 67% and 96% for crackles. In set B, the kappa agreement between the algorithm and the validation set was 0.78 (95% CI 0.58 – 0.99) for wheezes and 0.75 (95% CI 0.59 – 0.92) for crackles. The 24 observers who had rated the same 120 sound files agreed less with the reference classification with a mean kappa of 0.68 for wheezes and 0.55 for crackles. We found the algorithm to be superior to doctors in detecting wheezes and crackles in lung sound files.
The contribution of population age-sex structure to the excess mortality estimates of 2020–2021 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
Authors: Kepp Kasper P. , Björk Jonas , Emilsson Louise , Lallukka Tea 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe Nordic countries are an ideal case study of the COVID-19 pandemic due to their comparability, high data quality, and variable responses. Excess mortality is a key metric but it is sensitive to data quality, model assumptions, and population structure, with diverse estimates published so far.MethodsWe investigated the age- and sex-specific mortality patterns during 2020−2021 for the five Nordic countries using annualized age- and sex specific death rates and populations. We compared the total age- and sex-adjusted excess deaths, ratios of actual vs. expected death rates, and age-standardized excess death estimates. We estimated excess deaths with several time periods and sensitivity tests, using 42 sex and age groups. Our models are less sensitive to outlier years than models based on 5 years of data.ResultsAge-specific death rates have declining trends that reflect real improving health demographics. Our total excess mortality is close to WHO’s estimates, except higher for Norway and lower for Sweden, partly due to data used. Total excess deaths were dominated by the age group 70−89 years, was not identified in children, and more pronounced in men than women. Sweden had more excess deaths in 2020 than 2021 whereas Finland, Norway, and Denmark had the opposite. Denmark has the highest death rates before and during the pandemic, whereas Sweden in 2020 had the largest mortality increase. The age-standardized mortality of Denmark, Iceland and Norway was lowest in 2020, and 2021 was one of the lowest mortality years for all Nordic countries. We show that neutral baseline methods underestimate excess deaths and we document the importance of outlier mortality years.ConclusionsWe provide excess mortality estimates mortality of the Nordic countries in relation to sex and age, with several metrics important in combination for a full understanding and comparison of the countries. We additionally identify important effects such as mortality displacement and sensitivities that affect our estimates and those of other excess mortality models.
Drug repositioning for immunotherapy in breast cancer using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics analysis
Authors: Mohammadi Elyas , Jin Han , Zhang Cheng , Shafizade Neda , Dashty Samira , Lam Simon , Tahmoorespur Mojtaba , Mardinoglu Adil , Sekhavati Mohammad Hadi 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundImmunomodulatory peptides are capable of stimulating or suppressing the immune system. Hence, deregulation of them can be considered as an immunotherapy approach. These peptides may have dual behavior in response to different infections. For instance, an antimicrobial peptide may act as an anticancer, tumor marker or even cause cancer progression.MethodsIn this study, we used single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomiocs analysis to investigate the deregulation of immunomodulatory peptides in malignant versus normal human breast epithelial cells. We validated the obtained results in chromatin accessibility level. Furthermore, we used a drug repositioning approach to change the expression of these peptides based on their role in cancer biology.ResultsTen immunomodulatory peptides were upregulated in breast cancer versus normal. Chromatin was more accessible for these peptides in cancer cell lines versus normal. Among these ten peptides, five of them were tumor drivers (i.e., BST2, GAPDH, S100A8, S100A9 and HMGB1), three of them were anticancer (i.e., H2AFJ, SCGB2A1 and HMGN2), S100A7 had dual behavior in different cancers and ZG16B was a tumor marker. Using the LINCS L1000 database, we proposed a list of drugs that can deregulate the candidate peptides according to their role in the progression of malignancy.ConclusionsImmunomodulatory peptides can be considered as drug targets based on their role in cancer biology.
Impact of malaria diagnostic choice on monitoring ofPlasmodium falciparumprevalence estimates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and relevance to control programs in high-burden countries
Authors: Diallo Alpha Oumar , Banek Kristin , Kashamuka Melchior Mwandagalirwa , Mavungu Bala Joseph Alexandre , Nkalani Marthe , Kihuma Georges , Nseka Tommy Mambulu , Atibu Joseph Losoma , Mahilu Georges Emo , McCormick Lauren , White Samuel J. , Sendor Rachel , Sinai Cyrus , Keeler Corinna , Herman Camelia , Emch Michael , Sompwe Eric , Thwai Kyaw Lay , Dinglasan Rhoel R. , Rogier Eric , Juliano Jonathan J. , Tshefu Antoinette Kitoto , Parr Jonathan B. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractMalaria programs rely upon a variety of diagnostic assays, including rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and bead-based immunoassays (BBA), to monitor malaria prevalence and support control and elimination efforts. Data comparing these assays are limited, especially from high-burden countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Using cross-sectional and routine data, we compared diagnostic performance andPlasmodium falciparumprevalence estimates across health areas of varying transmission intensity to illustrate the relevance of assay performance to malaria control programs. Data and samples were collected between March-June 2018 during a cross-sectional household survey across three health areas with low, moderate, and high transmission intensities within two health zones of Kinshasa province, DRC.Samples from 1,431 participants were evaluated using RDT, microscopy, PCR, and BBA.P. falciparumparasite prevalence varied between diagnostic methods across all health areas, with the highest prevalence estimates observed in Bu (57.4-72.4% across assays), followed by Kimpoko (32.6-53.2%), and Voix du Peuple (3.1-8.4%). Using latent class analysis to compare these diagnostic methods against an “alloyed gold standard,” the most sensitive diagnostic method was BBA in Bu (high prevalence) and Voix du Peuple (low prevalence), while PCR diagnosis was most sensitive in Kimpoko (moderate prevalence). RDTs were consistently the most specific diagnostic method in all health areas. Among 9.0 million people residing in Kinshasa Province in 2018, the estimatedP. falciparumprevalence by microscopy, PCR, and BBA were nearly double that of RDT.Comparison of malaria RDT, microscopy, PCR, and BBA results confirmed differences in sensitivity and specificity that varied by endemicity, with PCR and BBA performing best for detecting anyP. falciparuminfection. Prevalence estimates varied widely depending on assay type for parasite detection. Inherent differences in assay performance should be carefully considered when using community survey and surveillance data to guide policy decisions.
Estimating the impact of COVID-19 vaccine allocation inequities: a modeling study
Authors: Gozzi Nicolò , Chinazzi Matteo , Dean Natalie E. , Longini Ira M. , Halloran M. Elizabeth , Perra Nicola , Vespignani Alessandro 
Published: November 2022

AbstractAccess to COVID-19 vaccines on the global scale has been drastically impacted by structural socio-economic inequities. Here, we develop a data-driven, age-stratified epidemic model to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 vaccine inequities in twenty lower middle and low income countries (LMIC) sampled from all WHO regions. We focus on the first critical months of vaccine distribution and administration, exploring counterfactual scenarios where we assume the same per capita daily vaccination rate reported in selected high income countries. We estimate that, in this high vaccine availability scenario, more than 50% of deaths (min-max range: [56% − 99%]) that occurred in the analyzed countries could have been averted. We further consider a scenario where LMIC had similarly early access to vaccine doses as high income countries; even without increasing the number of doses, we estimate an important fraction of deaths (min-max range: [7% − 73%]) could have been averted. In the absence of equitable allocation, the model suggests that considerable additional non-pharmaceutical interventions would have been required to offset the lack of vaccines (min-max range: [15% − 75%]). Overall, our results quantify the negative impacts of vaccines inequities and call for amplified global efforts to provide better access to vaccine programs in low and lower middle income countries.
Design and validation of an exposure system for efficient inter-animal SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission in Syrian hamsters
Authors: Kuehl Philip J. , Dearing Justin , Werts Adam , Cox Jason , Irshad Hammad , Barrett Edward G. , Tucker Sean N. , Langel Stephanie N. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractSARS-CoV-2 is a highly transmissible respiratory pathogen whose main transmission route is airborne. Development of an animal model and exposure system that recapitulates airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is integral for understanding the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 spread in individuals and populations. Here we designed, built, and characterized a hamster transmission caging and exposure system that allows for efficient SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission from an infected index animal to naïve recipients under unidirectional airflow, without contribution from fomite or direct contact transmission. To validate our system, we assessed a 1:1 or 1:4 ratio of infected index to naive recipient hamsters and compared their virological and clinical measurements after eight hours of airborne exposure. Airborne exposure concentrations and pulmonary deposited dose of SARS-CoV-2 in index and naïve hamsters, respectively, were similar in both groups. Daily nasal viral RNA levels, and terminal (day 5) lung viral RNA and infectious virus, and fecal viral RNA levels were statistically similar among 1:1 and 1:4 naive animals. However, virological measurements in the 1:4 naïve animals were more variable than the 1:1 naïve animals, likely due to hamster piling behavior creating uneven SARS-CoV-2 exposure during the grouped 1:4 airborne exposure. This resulted in slight, but not statistically significant, changes in daily body weights between the 1:1 and 1:4 naive groups. Our report describes a multi-chamber caging and exposure system that allowed for efficient SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission in single and grouped hamsters. This system can be used to better define airborne transmission dynamics and test transmission-blocking therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2.ImportanceThe main route of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is airborne. However, there are few experimental systems that can assess airborne transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in vivo. Here, we designed, built, and characterized a hamster transmission caging and exposure system that allows for efficient SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission in Syrian hamsters, without contributions from fomite or direct contact transmission. We successfully measured SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in aerosols and demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted efficiently at either a 1:1 or 1:4 infected index to naïve recipient hamster ratio. This is meaningful as a 1:4 infected index to naïve hamster ratio would allow for simultaneous comparisons of various interventions in naïve animals to determine their susceptibility of infection by aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Our SARS-CoV-2 exposure system allows for testing viral airborne transmission dynamics and transmission-blocking therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2 in Syrian hamsters.
Rising SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence and Patterns of Cross-Variant Antibody Neutralization in UK Domestic Cats
Authors: Tyson Grace B , Jones Sarah , Logan Nicola , McDonald Michael , Murcia Pablo R , Willett Brian J , Weir William , Hosie Margaret J 
Published: November 2022

AbstractRecent evidence confirming cat-to-human SARS-CoV-2 transmission has highlighted the importance of monitoring infection in domestic cats. Although the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on feline health are poorly characterized, cats have close contact with humans, and with both domesticated and wild animals. Accordingly, they could act as a reservoir of infection, an intermediate host and a source of novel variants. To investigate the spread of the virus in the cat population, serum samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by ELISA and a pseudotype-based virus neutralization assay, designed to detect exposure to variants known to be circulating in the human population. Overall seroprevalence was 3.2%, peaking at 5.3% in autumn 2021. Variant-specific neutralizing antibody responses were detected with titers waning over time. The variant-specific response in the feline population correlated with and trailed the variants circulating in the human population, indicating multiple ongoing human-to-cat spill-over events.
System dynamics modeling and robustness analysis for capital-constrained supply chain under disruption
Authors: Zhang Xiaoming , Shi Yangyan , Zhang Peng , Xu Fang , Jiang Chaozhe 
Published: November 2022

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore mitigation measures for cash flow interruption during the epidemic and provide decision support to ensure the regular operation and robustness of the supply chain (SC).Design/methodology/approachConsidering the scenarios of production capacity and demand disruption during the epidemic, the authors adopt system dynamics (SD) to construct a three-echelon SC financial system consisting of a core manufacturer, a capital-constrained retailer and the customer. In different interruption scenarios, through the decision adjustments of stakeholders, the differences in performance are compared to explore solutions for SC robust optimization.FindingsThe results show that partial credit guarantee (PCG) could solve cash flow interruption and maintain the regular operation of the SC. During epidemic, with the product price increases, the revenue of stakeholders and the robustness are generally negatively correlated. But when the manufacturer's production capacity is fully interrupted, increasing product price is the right decision for the retailer and could simultaneously promote performance and robustness.Originality/valueThis paper primarily focuses on the PCG under the cash flow interruption caused by epidemics. The authors adopt the supply chain finance (SCF) theory and SD method to supplement and expand existing research on interruption management of SC. It is a pioneering study to explore the robustness of the SC financial system under disruptions.
Digital transformation and human resources planning: the mediating role of innovation
Authors: Demir Mahmut , Yaşar Emre , Demir Şirvan Şen 
Published: November 2022

Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationship between digital transformation (DigiTr), innovation and human resources planning (HRP) in hotels to investigate the impact of DigiTr on innovations and HRP and to test the mediating impact of innovation on the DigiTr-HRP relationship.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors used a quantitative research method in this study, specifically by conducting a hybrid face-to-face and online survey to collect data from 462 human resources (HR) managers, department managers and HR professionals at four- and five-star hotels in Turkey. The structured questionnaire assessed DigiTr, innovations in business models, services and processes and quantitative and qualitative changes in HR. The authors used covariance-based structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses.

Findings
DigiTr affected both innovations and HR planning in hotels, and also the effect of innovations on HR planning. In addition, DigiTr and innovations increased qualitative changes in HR planning but reduced quantitative changes. Finally, innovations mediated the relationship between DigiTr and HR planning.

Practical implications
These findings indicate that employers and employees need to be aware of developments in employment in the tourism industry, as these can significantly impact HR planning via DigiTr and innovations.

Originality/value
This study differs from the existing literature by providing empirical evidence to fill the knowledge gap regarding how DigiTr and innovation affect HR planning.
Determinant factors in entrepreneurial intention among Social Work degree students: the moderating effect of entrepreneurship education
Authors: García-Uceda Esperanza , Murillo-Luna Josefina L. , Asín Lafuente Jesús 
Published: November 2022

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that determine the entrepreneurial intention (EI) among Social Work degree students. This study considers the direct influence of personal traits, demographic characteristics, informal education and entrepreneurship education (EE) and, in addition, the possible moderating effect of EE on the other factors.

Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 139 undergraduate students registered in the Social Work degree offered by the University of Zaragoza (Spain) is analyzed, by using a longitudinal system based on questionnaires that were passed at two different times – before and after receiving the EE. Logistic regression models are built and estimated according to the explicative variables.

Findings
The results indicate that demographic factors, personality traits, professional experience and EE are significant factors in fostering social entrepreneurship among Social Work students. Additionally, EE has a moderating effect on the other variables, but only partially and not always positive.

Practical implications
The entrepreneurial initiative of social workers can make a very valuable contribution through the start-up of social enterprises. The findings suggest the convenience of promoting EE in the Social Work degree, with teaching contents and methodologies adapted to social entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, the interaction of educational methodologies with the other determinants does not always have a positive impact on EI.

Originality/value
This paper investigates EI in the context of undergraduate Social Work students, and this is a novel methodological approach. In addition to the analysis of the direct influence of the determinants of EI, we add the possible moderating effect of EE on the influence of the other explanatory variables.